Year: 2023

Recipe of the Week: Linda’s Sweet Relish

The following recipe for Linda’s Sweet Relish is from SurvivalBlog reader Linda R.  She notes that her version of the recipe is adapted from Linda J. Amendt‘s book:  Blue Ribbon Canning, published by Taunton Press, 2015 Linda notes:  “This sweet relish, made with sugar, onion, salt, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and cider vinegar, is perfect for hamburgers and hot dogs and potato salad, and anything else.” This recipe makes enough to fill  8 half-pint jars. Ingredients 3 to 4 pounds stems of purslane or collards, finely chopped (6 to 8 cups) 2 cups finely chopped onions, (2 to 3 medium onions) 3 tablespoons pickling or kosher …


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. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at skewed inflation data. (See the Inflation/Deflation Watch section.) Precious Metals: AG Thorson, at Gold-Eagle.com: Gold Forecast: Leading Economic Indicators Support Impending Recession. o  o  o Video from Jeffrey Christian: Silver deficits don’t exist and other silver myths. Economy & Finance: From Yahoo Finance: U.S. yield curve hits deepest inversion since 1981: What …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I’ve been selling my soul Working all day Overtime hours For bullsh*t pay So I can sit out here and waste my life away Drag back home and drown my troubles away It’s a damn shame What the world’s gotten to For people like me and people like you Wish I could just wake up and it not be true But it is, oh, it is Living in the new world With an old soul These rich men north of Richmond Lord knows they all just want to have total control Wanna know what you think Wanna know what you …


Preparedness Notes for Sunday — August 13, 2023

Today is the birthday of screenwriter, director, and producer, Alfred Hitchcock (1899–1980.) His many films spanned five decades. This is also the birthday of sharpshooter, entertainer, and folk heroine Annie Oakley (1860–1926.) — Today’s feature article is a guest piece by Brandon Smith, the editor of Alt-Market.us. It is reposted with permission. JWR highly recommends Brandon Smith’s writings. — We are in need of entries for Round 108 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $840,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer …


Never Forget: Leftists Showed Their True Authoritarian Colors During Covid, by Brandon Smith

When I think back to the first days of the covid pandemic lockdowns, I suspect the majority of people, even many conservatives and liberty movement types, had a healthy concern about the effects of the virus and the potential for structural upheaval if it turned out to be as deadly as the World Health Organization initially claimed. If covid had an Infection Fatality Rate of 3% or more as global health officials warned, then the damage would be substantial enough to change our world for many years to come. Anyone who was not at least partially concerned about a biological …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: The Flatulence Generated By My Cows Doesn’t Worry Me Near As Much As The B.S. Generated By D.C. Politicians Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks! Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provide that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls. And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — August 12, 2023

On August 12, 1908, Henry Ford’s company built the first Model T car. On August 12, 1867, US President Andrew Johnson defies Congress suspending Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 108 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 on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or …


Bugging Out With a Cat, by Feline Tamer

Picture this: “Honey, this is it! The collapse I’ve been talking about all these years! The power’s been off a day and a half! There’s no running water! There’s no cell phone service! We’ve got to bug out now!” My wife is frantically chasing our male tuxedo cat, with the brilliant original name of “Tuxie.” She grabs her prized pet and tries to drop him into a crate, an animal carrier. Tuxie hisses, swipes at wifey’s arm, jumps down and scurries away into a bedroom. “Owww, he scratched me!” she wails. I grab a couple more bottled waters and stuff …


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 …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off. Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the …


Preparedness Notes for Friday — August 11, 2023

On August 11, 1857, N. H. Wolfe and Company, the oldest flour and grain company in New York City, failed. This failure shook investor confidence and began a slow selloff in the market which continued into late August. Several other failures followed, and this cascaded into what was later called the Panic of 1857. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 108 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 on the model chosen, …


Countering Rampant Food Price Inflation, by SaraSue

When one of my daughters, who has a good job, starts complaining about how insane food and supply prices are, I pay attention.  She has started shopping at Walmart searching for the lowest possible prices.  Her recent cart rung up at $450 and she didn’t buy hardly any food – mostly toilet paper, paper towels, dog and cat food, a few household items, and enough food for a few good meals for her family.  She exclaimed, “This won’t even last us a week!”  I keep telling her to shop Costco for certain items – you get way more product for …


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. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at the recent drop in sales of cardboard boxes. (See the Economy & Finance section.) Precious Metals: Gold Price To Monetary Base – A Ratio to Keep An Eye On. o  o  o Matthew Piepenberg, at Gold-Eagle.com: Keeping Your Head Amidst Debt-Blind Madness. Economy & Finance: Big Drop in Cardboard Box Sales Scream …