Month: January 2023

Portable Power Systems: Providing Remote Energy, by K.R.

As we moved onto our current rural retreat some years ago, one of our first steps was to install a set of grid-tied solar panels, very similar to the system described in the Survival Blog article by St. Funogas on September 10 and September 11, 2022. Similar to the author of that essay, we figured that we would use that system, along with isolated single panels for single applications, until we goft up the nerve to build a full-scale off-grid solar system. However, since that time new products have come out and my thinking has shifted. There is a new …


SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies of interest to preppers and survivalists that are located in the American Redoubt region. Today, an update on the Greater Idaho movement. (See the Region-Wide section.) Region-Wide A Greater Idaho bill has been read in the Oregon State Senate. From a recent Greater Idaho project press release: “A bill inviting Idaho to begin talks with Oregon on the potential to …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — January 16, 2023

On January 16, 1991, the Persian Gulf War, triggered by Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait in August 1990, began with a U.S.-led air offensive against Iraq that continued until a cease-fire was declared on February 28th. The Space Shuttle Columbia launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on January 16th, 2003. STS-107 would explode on re-entry 15 days later, killing all seven of the crew members on board. SurvivalBlog salutes all seven crewmembers: Commander Rick Husband, Pilot William McCool, Mission Specialist David Brown, Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla, Mission Specialist Michael Anderson, Mission Specialist Laurel Clark, Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon. — Today’s …


Cold Steel Range Boss, by Thomas Christianson

The Cold Steel Range Boss is a light, sharp, thin, and tough knife for everyday carry (EDC). With a manufacturer-suggested retail price at the date of this writing of $51.99 and available online for as low as $37.05, it represents a great value for the cost-conscious knife buyer. It is also a good, solid knife for the buyer for whom money is no object. Background I recently asked Cold Steel if I could review their four-inch Range Boss knife in black. They were kind enough to agree, and a few days later a package arrived via FedEx from GSM, LLC., …


Recipe of the Week:

The following recipe for Noodles with Peanut Sauce is from Mrs. Alaska. 1.  Save any meat or fish bones and/or vegetable skins, peels, ends, leaves, etc to occasionally make batches of broth.  Pressure can this broth to save it long term. 2.  Cook a package of noodles in broth, according to directions. (Boiling noodles in broth results in a more flavorful dish than boiling them in water.)  Note that generally dry wheat noodles take 8 – 13 minutes, rice noodles 5 minutes, and fresh, homemade pasta just 2-3 minutes. 3. Drain the noodles, saving the broth for making the sauce. …


Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. Most of these items are from JWR’s “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective. Today, we look at the current chicken egg shortage, and food price inflation. Precious Metals: The spot and futures prices of silver and gold broke out late Friday (January 13, 2023.) Though there will probably be a bit of profit-taking in the short term, I expect to see some solid gains for precious metals in coming …



Preparedness Notes for Sunday — January 15, 2023

Today is the anniversary of the 2009 “Miracle On The Hudson” engines-out emergency water landing of US Airways Flight 1549.  That pilot was cool, calm, and collected, under pressure.  God Bless You, Sully, wherever you are. — Today is also the birthday of Dr. Edward Teller, who worked on the Manhattan Project, and later co-invented the hydrogen bomb — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 104 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending …


Beginning Bees on a Budget, by St. Funogas

“Bees do have a smell, you know, and if they don’t they should, for their feet are dusted with the spices of a million flowers.” Ray Bradbury, Dandelion Wine It’s January and getting close to time to get your bees ordered for anyone wanting to try their hand at beekeeping this year. Most bee suppliers have begun taking orders for bees and they typically sell out by late March so now is the time to start looking more seriously into whether or not you want to want to give beekeeping a shot. Many people want to get into beekeeping until …



The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — January 14, 2023

On January 14th, 1526, the Treaty of Madrid was signed by the Habsburg emperor Charles V (Charles I of Spain — pictured, in a portrait painted by Titian) and his prisoner Francis I, king of France, who had been captured during the Battle of Pavia in February 1525.  King Francis was held prisoner until the conclusion of the treaty, when he was allowed to return to France. This treaty came from what some might describe as “an advantageous negotiating position.” — They of course waited until Friday the 13th — just before a three-day holiday weekend and the annual SHOT …


Comfort for the Burned and Wounded, by C.J.

Editor’s Introductory Note: The following is a eview and summary of a book by John W. Keim. This article is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be considered medical advice. Get any patient with severe burns to a hospital emergency room, immediately. If you have an interest in herbal medicine or just want to be prepared if modern medical care is not available in the future, I recommend reading this wonderfully informative book that I discovered a few years ago. The book is titled “Comfort for the Burned and Wounded”, by John W. Keim. Mr. Keim is not …


Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those –or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n …