Month: May 2023

For Love of a Troy Bilt Horse, by MZee

During my life, I have had plenty of experience with horses of the four-legged variety, acquired mostly while raising horse-loving daughters. Generally speaking, I found them to be expensive, messy, occasionally dangerous, and by the way did I mention expensive? My daughters have grown up so we no longer have horses on the property but the experience gained from this time may prove valuable should society or our infrastructure deteriorate. I have chosen to write today about a horse of a different color namely red Troy Bilt Horse rototillers which have become an interesting part of my life in recent …


SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters. — Our Editor-At-Large Michael Z. Williamson was the first of several folks to mention this: Bear and bulletproof travel trailer is ready for the roughest stuff. 0  0  0 Canada’s Gun Confiscation Program in First Phase. o  o  o NASA: We’d Have a 30-Minute Warning Before a Killer Solar Storm Hits Earth. o  …



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — May 16, 2023

Today is the birthday of clarinetist, saxophonist, and bandleader Woody Herman.  (Born 1913, died Oct. 29, 1987.) — On May 16, 1997, Zaire’s president, Mobutu Sese Seko, ended 32 years of dictatorial rule, giving control of the country to rebel forces. — Black Ovis (one of our affiliate advertisers) is running a 25% off Memorial Day sale on Mystery Ranch packs!  This sale ends on the 18th, so order soon. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 106 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists …


A Retreat for Aging Preppers, by Barbara H.

Addressing the problems facing aging preppers. Start early! Our initial problem was two-fold: Finding sustainable land while still trapped until I was retirement-eligible. Two years before retirement, we began our search for viable land approximately 100 miles from any major city. Our initial search was for about 20 acres, a nearby small town, and off of well-traveled roads. The land had to have a water source with a full-year-running creek. Remember moving to an unknown rural community places you at a disadvantage of finding appropriate skilled help and unscrupulous persons who will overcharge you based on your lack of knowledge. …


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, we focus on Idaho’s population growth.   (See the Idaho section.) Idaho Idaho leads the U.S. in child population growth. The kid demographic has shrunk in most states. An excerpt: “The number of adults in Idaho grew by 16 percent since 2017. Boise is getting a …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — May 15, 2023

On May 15,1859, Physical chemist Pierre Curie, co-winner of the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics, (along with his wife, Marie Curie), was born in Paris. Today is also the birthday of Evelyn Ernest Owen (15 May 1915 – 1 April 1949) He was an Australian who developed the Owen submachine gun which was used by the Australian Army in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. On May 15th, 1942, gasoline rationing began in 17 Eastern states as an attempt to help the American war effort during World War II. — Today’s feature is a review by …


EdgePro Apex 4 Knife Sharpening Kit, by Thomas Christianson

Many people know the theory of how to sharpen a knife. One needs only to sweep each side of the edge of a blade over a whetstone at a consistent angle until the edge is honed to perfection. The problem is that it is extremely difficult to put that theory into practice. Few people can hold a knife at a consistent angle as they run it over a whetstone. I am not one of the skillful few who can hand sharpen a knife well. I recently tested a tool that makes me feel like a knife-sharpening pro. It is the …


Recipe of the Week: Spanikopita

The following recipe for Spanikopita is from SurvivalBlog reader Mrs. Alaska. She writes:  This recipe is adapted from one in the wonderful book, The Boreal Forest, by Beverly Gray. While traditional spanakopita is made with spinach, feta cheese, and phyllo pastry, the fact is that the filling can be made with ANY cookable leafy green (wild or domesticated) and any cheese. The phyllo, too, can be replaced with pie crust (so it would then be a quiche) or topped with biscuits, or spread over puff pastry. For the spanakopita: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together 2 cups of feta …


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, a closer look at the natural gas and propane markets. (See the Commodities section.) Precious Metals: Silver prices surprise with a 5% selloff, but its structural bull market remains in place – analysts. o  o  o At Gold-Eagle.com: Gold Forecast – Fiscal Crisis and the Next Great Depression by 2030. o  o  o Drainage: China’s …



Preparedness Notes for Sunday — May 14, 2023

May 14th, 1686 was the birthday of Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit, who invented the thermometer. On May 14th, 1948, in Tel Aviv, Jewish Agency Chairman David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the State of Israel, reestablishing the Jewish state after 2000 years. In an afternoon ceremony at the Tel Aviv Art Museum, Ben-Gurion pronounced the words “We hereby proclaim the establishment of the Jewish state in Palestine, to be called Israel,” prompting applause and tears from the crowd gathered at the museum. Ben-Gurion became Israel’s first Prime Minister. — Today’s feature article is too short for consideration as an entry for Round 106 of the …


Barter Networks as an Alternative to CBDCs, by Mr. Alaska

My wife and I have bartered our business talents for products and services over many years. Some have been bilateral exchanges with a single party. Others were through a barter network of many people. A sample of products we received in trade include an old 4-wheel drive truck, a new .338 Weatherby rifle, a kayak, 6 solar panels (and the associated expensive mounting frame), and $1,500 worth of meals at a favorite Mexican restaurant. We have also traded services for stock in a number of small companies. On informal bases, we trade goods with friends and neighbors, such as our …