Recipe of the Week: Pizza Pasta, by Georgia Girl

Georgia’s Girl’s Pizza Pasta Ingredients: 3 c. hot water 14 oz. jar of pizza sauce, using a little water with lid on to rinse out the last remaining sauce and add to pot 2 (4 oz) cans mushrooms, drained 2 1/4 c. pasta, such as elbows, spiral, etc. (Mueller’s brand only) Add-ins, such as pepperoni, ground beef, onions, basil, Mrs. Dash, or other herbs and spices you prefer and Mozzarella cheese for topping, shredded is best




Homestead and Financial Ledger Books- Part 2, by S.T.

We have been looking at the use and benefit of Homestead Ledger Books. In Part 1, we looked at documenting activities, items harvested, canned or dried, and items sold or orders received. We have looked at a possible scenario from January through September and left off at September after participating in the farmer’s market. Furthermore, let’s look at what activities we might record in our ledger for October. October In October, the family could take time to plan out the next year’s garden and locate free buckets. The buckets that could be used to expand the garden output by growing …




Homestead and Financial Ledger Books- Part 1, by S.T.

Looking back in time, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and the other founding fathers of the United States all maintained Homestead and Financial Ledger Books of one kind or another. Some, like George Washington, had one for each of his businesses (grist mill, whiskey, et cetera). With the advent of computers and the move to city life, these ledgers have gone out of fashion. But they remain an important tool, and it is to sad that families do not use them anymore. We would spend less on unneeded items if more of these were used. What Are Homestead Ledgers? Benjamin Franklin …




Basic Rifle Marksmanship- Part 1, by Mark Bunch

For most of my life I have been a rifle shooter, competitor, and instructor. I have also carried a rifle in combat when people I didn’t know shot at me. I know a fair amount about the subject and would like to share some of the things I have learned about basic rifle marksmanship along the way. A man or woman with a quality rifle and the training to use it is a formidable combination indeed. What are you going to use it for? Just as with handguns, a prospective buyer needs to know what he/she is going to use …




New Frontier Compact, by X. Liberal

Dear Readers, This is a Compact I wrote for a ficticious people in a ficticious land and at a time of world calamity. It is not based upon any Constitution of political significance of today, unless otherwise noted. I’m anxious to obtain feedback. If you were going to ratify this, what changes would be needed from your perspective? I will also not have time to reply to feedback but will gather all into account. Of course, if the balloon goes up today, this might come in handy real soon. Thanks and God Bless! – X. Liberal PREAMBLE We, the peoples of …




Debunking the Myth of Canned Food Expiration Dates, by T.L.

Canned Goods Even if you’re not yet a prepper, you likely have at least some canned food goods on your shelf with an expiration date on them. Perhaps you have even taken up canning your own food. Either way, canned goods are a common staple. That is the case for good reason. However, do you really know the truth about canned food shelf life? I’m surprised by how many people seem to have a deep trust of those “magical dates” on canned foods. But what are those dates anyway? What do they mean? Myths to Debunk Various Types of Canned Food Dates …




Letter: Venezuela Update

Hugh, I own a shipping store and just received this today from DHL, a primary international carrier. I found the content interesting as providing some insight as to what a failing government considers to be threats in the hand of its citizens! – R.B. Prohibited Items Into Venezuela Date: May 26, 2017 Due to ongoing unrest in Venezuela, this emergency security directive is to be put in place effective immediately in all facilities: The following is an updated list of items that are prohibited in being shipped to Venezuela (VE) under any service offering. Please note these are in addition …




Ten Tips for Going Off-Grid, by A.U.

My husband and I recently bought a piece of property with some family members in the hope of transitioning to off-grid living. For those who might not be familiar with the concept, going off-grid means creating a lifestyle that does not rely on public utilities (water, electricity, et cetera). There are many different reasons people choose to go off-grid. Some of the most popular reasons are: to decrease environmental impact, to prepare for disaster, or a desire to be independent and self-sustained. We jumped into our endeavor with almost no knowledge or experience. We have had to learn some things …




Guest Article: The Genesis Of The “Bubble’s Bubble”

The financial services industry is headed for the greatest debate in recent history. Regardless of what occurs from here –a continued stock market bullish trend or reversion to long-term averages which chronicles back to 2000 levels, the confines of discussion, the heated verbal and written volleys tossed deep from the roots of philosophical differences will forge a permanent rift between the steadfast buy-and-hold brethren and the stewards who manage risk by preserving capital (the dreaded group with a market escape plan), through the forthcoming bear cycle. The stakes are higher than I can recall. Future generations: Those we are depending …




Review of Max Velocity’s Defensive Concealed Handgun Class

I am in my 50s and have been carrying a concealed handgun on and off since 1990.  Consistently every day for the last six (6) years.  I have read a number of books by Massad Ayoob, John Farnum, Jeff Cooper and others. I’ve studied a number of instructional DVD’s as well. I also practiced what I thought were the correct ways to draw and shoot. My training even included how I thought through the reasons behind why I carried a concealed weapon.   But I had a nagging fear that I couldn’t shake that I’d missed something or things weren’t as they …




Get Home Bag for Teenagers- Part 3, by N.R.

We’ve talked about the important of a Get Home Bag for Teenagers in a crisis situation and the basic necessities for this bag in the previous two parts of this article. Now, in this last part of the article, I began to tell you about the secondary elements that could still be critical in some situations. I left off on knives, in particular a larger sheathed knife. Larger Sheathed Knife (continued) Now, I want to stress one thing before we go on. Pulling out a weapon, such as a knife, in a fight with another person should be a last …




Get Home Bag for Teenagers- Part 2, by N.R.

Review We looked at one scenario where a Get Home Bag would be critical for teenagers away from home when an emergency occurred. While there are many types of bags that will work, expensive bags are not necessary. We have already looked at the bag itself. So let’s now move on to the other critical elements, the interesting part, which are the things to go inside the bag. Food Not MREs or Canned Food Now, I’m going to say something so we can get this straight from the start. I would not recommend packing MREs Why? They are simply too …




Get Home Bag for Teenagers- Part 1, by N.R.

Imagine you are a teenager out at your friend’s house. Image you are playing video games, the latest Call of Duty game of the franchise. You are having a very good time. It’s a little after six o’clock, but your curfew isn’t for another three hours. Suddenly, without warning, the TV and the PlayStation on which you’re playing cut off. The lights in the room go out as well. The entire house goes dark. You think initially that the circuit breaker may have gone out or that the power in the neighborhood may be out temporarily, again. After all, your …




Building Or Purchasing Your New Country Property – Part 2, by S.T.

After our move across the country and decision to purchase rather than build our new country property, we had some work ahead of us. Our home was more than 30 years old and needed considerable work. In this section of the article, we continue to review the improvements made and plans for the future. Year 3 Property Improvements (cont.) New Flooring and Wall Storage The floor was updated and unused space appropriated. The original lino floors were replaced with new tile floors. The back wall of the kitchen had not been used. I installed four open shelves with the bottom …




Building Or Purchasing Your New Country Property – Part 1, by S.T.

Our Journey We left the Peoples Republic of Kommiefornia in 2013 for the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains with a list of the minimum requirements for our new county property. After making this journey of more than 2,300 miles to start the second half of our lives, we opted to purchase a home rather than build one. Our decision was mainly due to time issues and the discovery of a house within one mile and on the same country road that my aging father and step-mother lived on. What we left: 3 bedrooms 2 baths 1400 sq. ft. California city …