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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SurvivalBlog reader Tim J. sent us this: The Culture of Raising Barns.
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J.T. in Florida sent this television news link: Civilians in Florida are training like soldiers: ‘Best prevention to war’. JWR’s Comment: The reporter, predictably, went to get pearl-clutching comments from Brandon Frin, a socialist anti-religious university professor, to make the prepper movement look unhinged.
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An interesting podcast hosted by a left-of-center urbanite: Urgent Futures with Jesse Damiani. One recent episode: From ‘Prepper’ to ‘Resilient Citizen’ – Chris Ellis — #62.
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SaraSue sent us this snippet:
“The snow is gone and we have temperatures in the 60s, but here in Tennessee, this is called a “False Spring”. As much as I want to get the garden started, I know better. The Big Freeze was brutal for cattle here that are not used to sub-zero temperatures. I know a couple of people who lost a calf despite their rescue attempts. Which is why I will not have winter calvings here. Even if that means missing an opportune breeding window. The gestation period for most cattle is approximately 283 days, which means you wait a long time for that calf, and to lose it at birth is devastating.
I had sent one cow I could not get bred back via A.I. (Artificial Insemination) to stay with a neighbor’s registered Angus bull for two cycles. She is home now and she was bred, so now I wait to see if she will hold the pregnancy. Her calf would be born in October, well before our winter weather. I expect 4 calves this year with calving starting in April and ending in October. I’ve enjoyed the break from milking cows! I realized though, that the late breedings means I am going to be milking through next winter, so I’m hoping to make some adjustments to the milking area before then, and/or hoping she is capable of just raising a calf without being milked. That’s not always possible for dairy breeds due to their large volume of milk. We shall see.
I decided to keep a Jersey/Angus cross heifer for breeding purposes rather than send her to freezer camp in the Fall with a steer I’m raising. It seems, that with the national cattle numbers being very low, it would be a shame to send a heifer off. A healthy cow can raise a calf every year for many, many years so I would hate to lose that opportunity. As well, several family members contacted me about when I would have freezer beef available again, so I could definitely use 2 for the freezer this year. We shall see how large the steer turns out. Otherwise, they will have to wait until the following Fall.
Raising beef has been a learning curve for me since I have focused on dairy breeds and dairy products. Getting the timing right with breeding, calving, raising for the freezer has been a steep learning curve as well. My goal in raising beef for my family is not conventional. The cows are grass fed and receive no antibiotics or vaccines. There is the rare exception when a cow needs antibiotics, and I will not deny that help. But, otherwise, I raise them as holistically as possible. I have much to learn about the “flavor profile” of grass fed beef. So far, I have put 2 beef in the freezer and the meat was fantastic.
I have a like minded farming friend who offered to trade calves with me to “even things out”. In other words, if I end up with a heifer I don’t need, she will trade me a steer calf that she doesn’t need, and vice versa. I learned how to bottle feed calves last year, so I’m not adverse to that idea. (The reason for bottle feeding is that a cow may not accept another cow’s calf to nurse. In fact, she may kick it away from her. So it’s important to be prepared to milk that cow, then give the calf a bottle of her milk.) My friend’s practices are similar to mine and her cattle are also disease tested and very healthy. Our arrangement may be beneficial to both our families.
The large garden was cleaned up and all the garden beds, except the ones growing onions, garlic, and strawberries, were refreshed with mushroom compost. A dozen thornless blackberry plants, from a neighbor’s overgrown patch, were planted. I finished some large painting projects in the house with help from a friend. The barns and hen house were cleaned out, and general fence and farm maintenance accomplished. I am ready for Spring (I think). Last year was a really tough year due to my health problems, but I’m feeling much better now and hope to sail through this year without issues. LOL.”
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Dyeing UCP Surplus With Rit DyeMore Synthetic — Results & Outdoor Test.
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The Perfect Colors to Dye UCP Gear.
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Fabric Spray Paint? Problem Solved(ish)!
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I recently heard an odd tidbit: Most folks are familiar with the acting experience of James Earl Jones, but what most Americans have never heard is that he had a very large, eclectic gun collection that he developed over several decades. He was fascinated by gun designs and their mechanical precision. Most of the collection is now being gradually sold off by Checkpoint Charlie’s.
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Reported in late 2024: The Rural Migration Trend: What to Make of It, Why It’s Happening and Where It’s Headed.
The ATF Created a Backdoor Gun Registry. Lawmakers Want an Explanation. The article’s opening lines:
“It has been illegal since 1986 for the federal government to establish a national firearms registry. As you might expect of the sort of people who gravitate to government employment, the bureaucrats at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), enabled by Biden-era policy changes, have taken that as a challenge. Now, members of Congress want answers from the federal gun cops about a vast gun registry database that could threaten the liberty and privacy of firearms owners. They have been stonewalled so far.”
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Some interesting anecdotal tales of practical barter with precious metals: Bartering at a gun show.
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CNN has lost nearly two-thirds of its viewership since 2016 (down 71% since 2021).
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Mike in Alaska wrote:
We are preparing for my retirement from my job at Everts Air Cargo, and from there I am going to seriously look at moving back south out of Alaska. My wife loves it here, for me it has become a ‘been there, done that’ moment.”
As reported by urban Redditors, in late 2024: Rural Cosplay is, Unfortunately, A Thing.
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At X: Poland is preparing for a Russian military intervention.
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8 U.S. Cities Young Families Are Flocking to in 2026, According to Experts.
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Serbia: possible mandatory military service.
Please Send Us Your Snippets!
Please send your snippet items for potential posting to JWR. or AVL. You can do so either via e-mail or via our Contact form.