Purchasing Power: Past, Present, Future- Part 1, by L.M.

How did I end up here? Now I can feel the noose tightening! I learned about the gallows early. I began to notice in the late 80s. Perhaps that is when I became self-aware, no longer like a Jack Russell that has no fear fighting a German Shepard, not one who has no idea how big he is or that he is a dog. A Jack Russell even considers you to be part of the dog pack. Are you willing to become self-aware or perhaps you prefer the pack. “It is easier to fool people than to convince them that …


Recipe of the Week: Dumpling Soup, by G.L.

Ingredients: 1 lb beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 (1 3/8 oz) pkg onion soup mix 6 cups water, hot 2 carrots, peeled and shredded 1 stalk celery, finely chopped 1 tomato, peeled and chopped 1 cup packaged biscuit mix 1 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped 6 Tbsp milk Directions: In a slow cooking pot, sprinkle beef with dry onion soup mix and pour hot water over the meat. Stir in carrots, celery, and tomato. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or until meat is tender. Turn control on high. In a small bowl, combine …


Letter Re: Just In Case: Preparing for the Evening and Day After Election 2016

JWR, I took your advice to heart. I’m actually not waiting for election day and am assuming the worst case scenario (a Hillary win). However, one issue I have been worrying about, and I rarely hear anyone discussing it, is the possibility of the government cutting off ammunition and reloading supplies (especially powder). As far as I know, there is only one powder manufacturer in the U.S. The rest are in Canada, Germany, and France. It seems it would be extremely easy for a president to issue an executive order to cut off sales to the commercial market or at …


“Surviving” an Airedale– Lessons From a First-Time Owner – Part 3, by S.M.

HeartGard and Flea Control This is a necessity especially in the Gulf Coast summers with the unusually bad mosquito and flea/tick issue resulting from the spring floods. We give our dog Heartgard to protect against heartworms and Nexgard to protect against ticks and fleas. Dental Disease Prevention We also use Vet recommended Virbac C.E.T. Enzyemic Oral Hygiene Chews for home dental care. These are a great addition our vet recommended for keeping teeth clean. We purchase them according to our dog’s size at the time and give one a day. (Tip: We also began giving our small, older dogs chews …


Letter Re: Just In Case: Preparing for the Evening and Day After Election 2016

JWR, Excellent article regarding ammo and magazine purchase strategies for a worst case scenario outcome of the election. I would urge readers to go ahead and resupply ammo stocks now while the prices are still low and supplies are still relatively plentiful. After reading the article, I immediately checked my inventory and discovered I had dropped below my comfortable minimum for the calibers I shoot. Here is what I found while researching common calibers: Pistol Calibers 9mm, .40, and 45 ACP were readily available through the major online retailers; however, bulk range ammo was available but not in the quantities …


“Surviving” an Airedale– Lessons From a First-Time Owner – Part 2, by S.M.

Crate Training Your Puppy: 8 weeks to 10 months This was the most difficult stage with our Airedale. The crate was located in our family room, so he was integrated with us most of the time, except when sleeping. We purchased a large wire crate for the house and a separate 10’ x 10’ exercise pen for outdoors with a top cover from Tractor Supply purchased during a Labor Day sale. The top was included free. Most breeders begin crate training as pups. This is an effective training method for your dog and creates a secure den-like atmosphere where the …


Letter Re: Five Things Women Need, by J.W.

JWR, Another great article, thank you. One of the things I would like to comment on, that unfortunately must be strongly considered when working with our youth, is “prohibited places”. Volunteering and picking up the kids at my children’s school, I am constantly un-holstering and securing my weapon (at home or work, never in the car) BEFORE I make the trip. I carry wherever and whenever I am legally allowed. However, there have been times I was late because I realized I was armed and had to turn around to secure my firearm. Could you imagine the joy of the …


“Surviving” an Airedale– Lessons From a First-Time Owner – Part 1, by S.M.

Our adventure in Airedale parenthood has been rewarding, educational, and reinvigorating. This breed is not for the faint of heart; they are active, tenacious, self-directed, and the strongest 65-pound animal I’ve ever experienced. With careful consideration, proper training, and responsible puppy parenting, you can enjoy the same incredible journey we’ve had. After the passing of our beloved Boxer, we longed to add another canine addition to our family. We knew we wanted a larger dog again and wanted a dog with spunk similar to that of our Boxer. Having still another elderly dog, as well as a small dog and …


Letter Re: Pemmican

Guys, I recently read your article regarding Pemmican Jan 10 2008. I’ve tried to make pemmican, but after placing it in a Quart Ziplock bag and flattening it, it has firmed up but not really become hard. Is it supposed to store kind of squishy after several days and/or indefinitely? Is it supposed to harden like a granola bar? Thank – M.C. HJL Comments: The animal fat may keep it soft, especially if it’s stored in an airtight container. You can firm it up by using less fat in the mixture. It shouldn’t be crunchy like a hard granola bar …


Protein Sustainability, by SKB

Protein is an essential part of the human diet. It is one of the main building blocks for healthy muscle tissue as well as other organs, which are heavily called upon during times of crisis. The majority of North Americans rely on beef, supplemented by other animal meats. Purchasing dried and canned meat products is essential to any prepper’s well rounded food storage arsenal. It brings a sense of accomplishment to see those items stacked on the shelves. The big question, though, is “What happens when this runs out? What happens when we can’t buy and stock anymore?” Not everyone …


Letter Re: Prepping for Elderly

Gentlemen, A few days ago you advised retired and elderly folks about possibly finding a young person with a back to the land mindset to help out on their property in exchange for rent of a room. Might I add that they should also consider recently discharged veterans? Most have a proven work ethic. Many of them are not able to find meaningful employment in our current economy. In a SHTF situation, they already have recent military training. Check with your local veterans service office, the DAV, and the VFW for possible prospects. – JBA


Five Things Women Need, by J.W.

My wife has a love-hate relationship with all this personal defense stuff.  She hates the idea of needing to be prepared and can’t stand that her day-to-day life is affected by potential or perceived and often unseen threats of violence, bUT she loves me.  So that means she agrees to all my training, prepping, security protocols, and most of my gear purchases.  Most? Okay, many of them. Many? Okay, fine. I just buy what I want. She gets mad for awhile and then eventually forgives me! The point of this article is to give you five things that we think …


Letter Re: Spare Tire From Hurricane Matthew Lessons Learned

Gentlemen, I really enjoyed DD’s Hurricane Matthew Lessons Learned write up. There was a lot of good stuff in there, and it gave me a couple of things to work on. One thing I can personally vouch for is the mention of your vehicle spare tire. I recently had some work done of my main vehicle, and it required the removal of the spare, which is mounted on the undercarriage. The mechanic called and said he needed to cut the bracket with a torch, as it was so corroded that he couldn’t remove the tire. If I had broken down …


October in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran of Gainesville Coins

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, by Steven Cochran of Gainseville Coins 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 October? October gave gold no treats. Gold started the month in the $1,335 range and ended more than $50 lower. Unexpectedly hawkish comments throughout the month from various senior officials at the Federal Reserve sent the dollar on a strong rally while depressing gold prices. The capitulation of the British …


Letter Re: Ammunition Buying OPSEC

Mr. Rawles, In response to Cliff’s e-mail regarding ammunition OPSEC, I just wanted to write in and express my firm belief that the worst thing one can do, unfortunately, is to conduct e-commerce for bulk ammo via any Internet sites. I have nothing against any of the online vendors, but their records are kept and not immune from subpoenas or government seizures. I have had particular luck with bulk ammo sales on Sunday afternoons at gun shows. The fact of the matter is that no vendor wants to carry that weight of unsold inventory back to their trailer after the …