Our 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.
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[2]Something is rotten in The District Of Criminals.
On Tuesday, Johnny B. posted some news and memes on the now-it-is-claimed, ahem, “It never existed” Epstein client list: URGENT! We need to talk about PAM BONDI AND THE EPSTEIN LIST [3]. Also see the video commentary by Dr. Steve Turley: Here’s The TRUTH about the EPSTEIN LIST! [4]And also see Michael Knowles: You Are NEVER Getting the Epstein Client List [5].
[6]JWR’s Comments: Folks might want to refer to the three Jeffrey Epstein case memes that I’ve posted since January of 2024. My question for Attorney General Pam Bondi: So, who in Malibu are you protecting, Barbie? (This gives new meaning to the name: “Malibu Barbie”.)
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Fox Business: A company is recalling 49,000 electric chainsaws and pole saws across the U.S. in response to a “laceration hazard” that could arise if their main switch fails [7].
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SaraSue sent this snippet:
“Unfortunately, the two heifers that I had bred, did not “take”, so they were both inseminated again with the addition of a hormone shot to cause ovulation. I normally shy away from any interference in the natural process, but after years of having cows and heifers bred without a bull on premise, I’ve changed my tact. Cows need to be bred back and calve every year (or two) to stay in good hormonal health, which is nature’s preferred way. I’m hoping and praying that they both “settle” for calves next year. My primary milk cow is giving 5.5 gallons of milk a day. My secondary milk cow is out in a separate field with her heifer calf and the steer calf I bought and am raising for beef. She does not let the steer calf nurse, so I bottle feed him twice a day, but she does protect him otherwise. She is a really good, well-trained, cow in excellent condition, but she’s not a high milk producer so she can easily just raise her calf. She breeds back and calves easily, and holds condition, so I have deemed her “the baby maker”. She is very happy with the arrangement and earns her keep.
In regards to cattle and sustainability, while I have chosen to artificially inseminate my cows for the sake of breeding lines, that is not “sustainable”. It requires ordering semen and an A.I. tech to visit the farm who will hold the semen in a nitrogen tank, and who also has access to hormone shots, etc. If the services he offers are not available, nor any other A.I. tech, many of my ranching neighbors have bulls who are more than willing to allow my cows to visit. I have sent cows off to bulls at least 3 times. I choose not to have a bull on my small acreage, but I could definitely acquire a bull if I chose to go that route. Dairy bulls are notoriously dangerous, and are often used for a year or two then shipped off to Freezer Camp before they decide to tear down fencing and flip gates (as happened to a close friend of mine). Beef breed bulls are often more manageable, and I would possibly consider a Dexter bull should the need arise.
In the garden, the squash bugs and aphids took over the squash and zucchini beds. And since I have already had an abundance of those crops, I ripped them all out to compost. I’m letting the sun scald the beds before I plant something else in them. The pumpkin, watermelon, cantaloupe, and sweet acorn squash have come up and are thriving.
Green beans should be appearing very soon if the June bugs don’t eat everything up. I see no redeeming quality in June bugs who have swarmed the lawns and crept into the garden, but the crows like to eat them. The cicadas are buzzing, but they seem to stay out in the forested areas and away from the orchard.
Of all the berry plant types I planted this year, only the blackberries (or is it boysenberries?) did not survive. The blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and boysenberries (or is it blackberries?) seem to be doing well. I’ve picked as many wild blackberries (quite small) as I could, and now the heat and sun are shriveling them up.
We’ll see how the fruit trees handle the winter. It will be a couple of years before they bear fruit. My sunflower patch is gorgeous with some of them reaching 12 feet in height! I’m super happy with the raised bed garden. It literally takes me 10 minutes to weed in the mornings with no back-breaking hoeing, and about 20 minutes to water everything with the hose.
As far as mowing and weed whacking? I hire that out, my friends. This old body just can’t take that kind of work anymore. The guys come in with commercial mowers and string trimmers, and lickety split, the work is done quickly. It’s an added expense I don’t appreciate, but the other option is not a good one. Pasture health is critical in feeding the cows 9 months out of the year. The native weeds, trees, and bushes will take over everything and very quickly if not cut down. The snakes will move in and stay hidden; the ticks will quickly multiply. There are so many reasons why one must mow regularly here in the green state of Tennessee. Things are going well, all things considered.”
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Reader Tom C. recommended this entertaining video with slightly manic OTT narration: Inside Afghanistan Pakistan Border Tow [8]n.
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Reader H.L. wrote:
“I am reading a wonderful book on my Kindle, titled: ‘The True Life Stories of the Declaration of Independence Signers’. There were 56 of these men, and even though medical and dental care was almost non-existent, some of the 56 men lived to a ripe old age. So, I am thinking that they had enough financial means to eat a decent diet of such things as fish, corn, grains, potatoes, apples, fresh vegetables in season and, yes, drink cider made from apples, and beer, because often the water was not clean.
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Large Marge sent this:
“I have some suggestions on what to do with bones after butchering beef. After band-sawing to expose the inner parts, our bones go into electric pressure cookers (‘InstaPot’) for broth.
I add a smidgen of organic local wine vinegar to assist with pulling all those essential minerals and other nutrients.
Our bone broth is wonderful for sipping and as a foundation for soup and stew. Apparently, our Northern European digestive system evolved over thousands of generations to benefit from these particular nutrients.
After pressure-cooking, our bones get pulverized in blenders (‘VitaMix’), and that dust gets:
a) added to the dog-chow, or
b) worked into the garden soil.
Pro Tip: We are always aware of the potential for injury. Accordingly: Prior to entering the work-zone, I don eye-protection (can a pressure-cooker make a mess of the ceiling, probably not, but…)
During the blender stage, the Astute Observer might consider hearing protection.
In warmer weather, our outside kitchen is the normal hang-out for the crew and neighborhood kids.”
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Posted at Breitbart on July 1st, 2025: Campus Carry for Self-Defense Took Effect Today in South Dakota [9].
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Please Send Us Your Snippets!
Please send your snippet items for potential posting to JWR [10]. or AVL [10]. You can do so either via e-mail or via our Contact [11] form.