Neophyte Survival Observations and Lessons from Hurricane Matthew- Part 2, by S.G. in Florida

The extended power outages in Florida after Matthew were due to downed power lines, mostly by wind-fallen trees. Hospitals and other essential services were given priority for power restoration. People who lived near these essential services were more likely to get power restored first. Your proximity to key services might be a good factor to consider when purchasing a home in a suburb or city. After Hurricane Matthew, the city water was cut for an extended period due to the roots of fallen trees damaging city water lines. The two cases of bottled water we had bought for drinking would …


Letter Re: Keeping Preps Cool Naturally In Hot Climates With No Basements And High Water Tables

Even in very hot climates, below ground soil temperatures can be cooler than an air-conditioned house or garage. When you have a house on a slab, and dug root cellars are impossible because of high water table levels, you can still “build up” by putting in an earth berm and storing preps under it. If you have enough land, you can make the berm part of decorative landscaping, or use it to increase privacy and reduce noise from the road. Even on smaller plots, you may be able to use an earth temperature moderating technique that is more common in …


Readers’ Recommendations of the Week:

Reader C.J. writes in: “I just watched “Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America” (I read the book several years ago and of course the book is better). Although I am of Scots-Irish descent, it would at least be interesting for those that are not of Scots-Irish descent. The Scots history of independence from England and why they ended up in Ireland and ultimately America is ingrained in so much of traditional American culture. Religious freedom, hard working, self-reliant, “give me freedom or give me death” types. o o o Recommended by Pat Cascio, SurvivalBlog’s Senior Product Review Editor: Museums, …


Neophyte Survival Observations and Lessons from Hurricane Matthew- Part1, by S.G. in Florida

Our family of three lives in a suburban area of Florida that was greatly impacted by Hurricane Matthew. While our home survived without damage, we were left without power for approximately a week and without city water for around three days. This article summarizes some observations and lessons, after reflecting on this experience. Hurricane Matthew took a very unusual track in the Caribbean, threading the needle between the mountains of Cuba and Haiti to maintain its strength. After this move, Matthew took a very unusual jog to the West, threatening Florida with a severe Category 4 storm. Once Matthew made …


Letter Re: Dakota Access Pipeline Update

HJL, We went to Bismarck this weekend and had chance to get a bit more information. In talking to one of the “protesters”, he is paid $1500 per week with legal and medical costs covered. In addition, he receives a bonus each time he is arrested. Their encampment receives supplies and propane for free with multiple deliveries each week. He looks on it as a job, and this is not his first protest. In other news, we are expecting a killer cold front this week and the state of North Dakota has plans in place to shelter and feed the …


Recipe of the Week: Bird Seed Bars (“Power Trail Bars”) by C.J.

Bird Seed Bars (“Power Trail Bars”), by C.J. Ingredients: 2 cups rolled oats 1 cup *pumpkin seeds 1 cup sesame seeds 1 cup *sunflower seeds 8 Tbsp butter 6 Tbsp honey 1/2 cup raw sugar (or just brown sugar) 1/3 cup peanut butter 1 cup dried fruit, such as apricots, cranberries, or raisins Directions: Mix oats with seeds, spread out on tray and bake 15 minutes at 180 degrees. To make the “glue” that holds these together, melt and simmer butter, honey, sugar, and peanut butter together for 5 minutes. In large mixing bowl combine your wet into dry ingredients; …


Letter Re: Using a Food Slicing Mandoline

Dear Editor: I bought the food slicing mandoline recommended in the article on the topic of food dehydrating: “So Tell Me Again…”- Part 2, by M.P. the very morning the article appeared and have used it frequently ever since. I’ve used it primarily for making sauerkraut and other pickled vegetables as well as hash browns. Until the article I would’ve scoffed at the idea of paying $20 for something that I could already do with the knives in our drawer, a food slicer and a food processor; but now I concur on its usefulness. Perhaps it’s even a necessity if …


Bugging-in vs. Bugging-out, by John M.

In most preparedness magazines and on most prepper websites, bug-out bags are an ever-popular topic for discussion. The idea of “bugging-out” in a SHTF scenario makes us dream of an idyllic cabin in the mountains where we grow or hunt our own food and live happily ever after, or it’s where we take on an enemy in a Red Dawn (United Artists, 1984) scenario, hopefully minus the attrition rate of the Wolverines. However, practical preparedness should be about looking at possible real-life scenarios, rather than things that rarely happen. In a real-life emergency, would it be better to “bug-out” or …



November in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover the price action of gold and examine the “what” and “why” behind those numbers. What Did Gold Do in November? Gold was riding high to start the month, but after Donald Trump’s thrashing of Hillary Clinton in the Presidential election, investors bailed from safe havens like gold and bonds to join the party in stocks. By November 3rd, gold was trading above $1,300 an ounce. Factors Affecting Gold This Month There was one overriding factor …


Letter Re: Dakota Access Pipeline

As a resident of North Dakota and having to hear about this every day, the facts are: The pipeline is in a corridor with another older line that goes under the water (90 feet below the riverbed); The water intake for the reservation is a moot point. The old intake at Ft. Yates will be replaced on 1/1/17 with an intake another 70 miles away from the crossing; The Standing Rock tribe was asked for input on the pipeline at least six times, and they never bothered to show up; During the design of the line, it was rerouted in …


A Non-Survivalist Survivalist, by L.F.

I enjoy a end-of-the-world movie just as well as the next guy and similarly to most of the “next guys”. I have no specific skills that any survivalist would find useful, such as making a fire with sticks, creating bio-diesel for fuel, or the ability to go stalk game to put on the supper table. I can shoot a gun, skin a squirrel, and fish. That is the extent of my quantifiable skill set. However, as a non-survivalist survivalist, I feel like I have many intangibles as far as ability to learn and am on the upside. I’ve learned over …


Letter Re: Safe Deposit Boxes

My mother was visiting me when she saw the post man deliver a certified mail gold coin delivery. She immediately said, “You should get a safe deposit box.” I tried to explain several things to her: 1) The Patriot Act from almost 14 or 15 years ago gives the federal government the legal right to open any safe deposit box and seize the contents, 2) FDR explained the rationale behind his 1933 bank holiday in the first fireside chat where the government seized precious metals, so “yes” it has happened here before, and 3) (here’s where my argument gets iffy.) …


Do-It-Yourself Ceramic Water Filter, by The Architect

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Years ago, while visiting the South American country of Peru, I was stunned to find that every drop of drinking water had to first be boiled, before it was considered safe to drink. In a country of 22 million people, I thought this an incredible waste of money and natural resources. There had to be a better way. On my return, I set out to design a cheap ceramic filter that could be easily constructed using simple components readily obtained from any hardware or box store. (As a side note, on one of my trips to Peru, I was a …


Letter Re: What is Your (HJL and JWR) Take on the Dakota Access Issue?

I’m having difficulty understanding the Dakota Access issue. What is your take on the situation? The reporting that I’ve seen has been scarce and one-sided. I thought I read that the initial proposed route was outside of sacred land, but the proposal was rejected. This prompted the police to intervene. Recently I saw the new route would go right through a large watershed area. Understandably the Indigenous People are concerned. Is this truly police overstepping their bounds and once again violating trust with Indigenous Peoples yet again? I’ve been in and out of the hospital recently, so if you covered …