Year: 2024

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — November 21, 2024

On this day in 164 BC, during the Maccabean Revolt, the forces of Judas Maccabeus recaptured Jerusalem and rededicated the Second Temple. This event is now commemorated as the Jewish festival Hanukkah, also celebrated by many Messianics. — On November 21, 1916, Britannic, the sister ship to the Titanic, sank in the Aegean Sea, killing 30 people. — Today we present a guest article, from a reader. It was not intended to be part of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog …


Thoughts on Retreats: History and Land – Part 3, by Single Farmer

Editor’s Introductory Note: This is part of a multi-part article series on retreats written by a Christian farmer who is praying and searching for a wife. Please prayerfully consider all of the topics that he discusses. — Economics for Farmers The first lesson that I’d like to address in this installment is that our family is very conservative, economically. We chose to avoid all debt. Yes, it is a choice for most people. Debt is no longer passed down intergenerationally as it was previously in American history. As Christians, we are taught to avoid debt. In Proverbs, we are warned: …


The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, some more saber-rattling, in Ukraine. Biden Okays Ukrainian Missile Strikes Inside Russia Several SurvivalBlog readers mentioned this troubling news: Ukraine: US to let Kyiv strike deep inside Russia …



Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — November 20, 2024

On November 20, 1953, Scott Crossfield, piloting the Douglas Skyrocket, was the first man to break Mach 2 (1,300 MPH). — In 284, Roman general Diocletian was proclaimed Emperor by the armies of the east and west after the death of Carinus at the Battle of the Margus. — On November 20, 1914, the US State Department began requiring photographs for passports. — November 20, 1942: The 2,451 kilometer-long Alaska Highway (“AlCan”) from Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Fairbanks, Alaska, first opened to military traffic. — We are pleased to welcome our newest advertiser, Angel Studios. They produce faith-based movies …


Thoughts on Retreats: History and Land – Part 2, by Single Farmer

Editor’s Introductory Note: This is part of a multi-part article series on retreats written by a Christian farmer who is praying and searching for a wife. Please prayerfully consider all of the topics that he discusses. — The Land: Your Base of Operations Our farm can support the core food needs of hundreds of people. Farm productivity has been increasing much faster than the population. Over the space of two centuries, the number of people who are living on farms has decreased from almost universal to around two percent. Since the number of people who now live on farms is …


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. — Democrat Senator Mazie Hirono Claims SCOTUS Created Ability to Own Guns in 2008. o  o  o Reader G.C. in Southern California wrote: “I really like reading your quotes of the day.  But one thing bugs me.  I’ve seen you quote hymns but I’ve never seen you quote a modern praise chorus.  Why …



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — November 19, 2024

On November 19, 1274, the Mongol army landed at Hakata Bay in Japan during their first invasion attempt. They were defeated. Famously, a typhoon (“Kamikaze“) destroyed most of their fleet as they withdrew. — Today is the anniversary of the Kyle Rittenhouse “Not Guilty” verdicts, in 2021. — On this day in 1863, U.S. President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address, at the dedication service for the National Cemetery in Pennsylvania. — Brownell’s (one of our affiliate advertisers) is running an Early Black Friday Sale. This sale will run until November 24th, 2024.  Take a look at their great discount pricing! …


Thoughts on Retreats: History and Land – Part 1, by Single Farmer

Editor’s Introductory Note: This is part one of a multi-part article series on retreats written by a Christian farmer who is praying and searching for a wife. Please prayerfully consider all of the topics that he will discuss. — Preparedness Terminology History My family preparedness history goes back generations. Before the term “prepper” was used, people who were into preparedness were known as “survivalists” and even before then people were known as “retreaters.” Our survival library is very extensive covering preparedness-related subjects including original civil defense publications from the 1950s until today. I have spent many hours reading the articles …


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 located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, a look at ghost towns in the American Redoubt. Pictured above is Silver City, Idaho. Region-Wide 7 Ghost Towns on the Way to Yellowstone. o  o  o Video: Ghost Towns of Idaho and Montana #1. Idaho A Road Trip Through Idaho Ghost Towns. o  o  …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — November 18, 2024

On November 18, 1883, US and Canadian railroads set and synchronized four standard time zones – Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific, replacing more than 100 previous time zones. — On this day in 1978, Peoples Temple founder Jim Jones led hundreds of his followers in a mass murder-suicide at their agricultural commune in a remote part of the South American nation of Guyana. This incredibly tragic occurrence introduced the term “…drink the Kool-Aid” into our parlance, since poison-laced punch was the vehicle behind most of the deaths. — A new listing over at SurvivalRealty: Beautiful Underground Berm Home in the …


Mossberg Patriot LR Tactical in 6.5 Creedmoor, by Thomas Christianson

With one of the most comfortably-shaped ergonomic stocks I have ever used, an excellent trigger, and a 22 inch free floating threaded bull barrel, it is not surprising that the Mossberg Patriot LR Tactical in 6.5 Creemoor offers excellent accuracy. Weighing in at 8.8 pounds not counting optics or ammo, the rifle is no featherweight. That makes it your friend while absorbing recoil, but less so if you need to haul it under your own power into the boonies. With a manufacturer suggested retail price of $1,085 at www.mossberg.com at the time of this writing, it represents a excellent value …


Recipe of the Week: Fried Tuna Burgers 

The following recipe for Fried Tuna Burgers is from SurvivalBlog reader E.J.. She says: “Do you have cases of tuna that are near their expiration date? These tuna burger patties are a quick and easy alternative to fish sticks. These can be served as patties, between hamburger buns, or between slices of toasted bread.” Ingredients 2 cans of light tuna, drained 1 cup crushed dried bread crumbs ¼ cup dehydrated onion flakes 3 eggs, or rehydrated equivalent of powdered eggs ½ tsp. lemon pepper (or less, to suit your taste) Flour (to coat patties) Your preferred frying oil — I …