February in Precious Metals, by Everett Millman 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 February? The precious metal markets were robust during February, with strong retail and investment demand driving gold and silver to nearly four-month highs. Platinum and palladium continued the rally that has placed them as the #4 and #1 (respectively) best-performing futures contracts year-to-date. Over the last year, palladium prices have rebounded from a five-year low to …


Letter Re: Yeasts and Natural Leaven for TEOTWAWKI

Dear Latimers, Your latest post on leavening bread is certainly of interest. One of the concerns with store-bought yeasts is that they use bromides to kill off the bacteria in the yeast. Unfortunately, this de-natures some of the effects we should have in our breads, and the bromides are thyroid suppressants. Furthermore, guess what? We have thyroid deficiency in endemic proportions! If we will go back to the leaven that the Hebrews have passed down since times immemorial, using methods that have proven themselves over millennia, it seems that we can be sustainable, and have better health. Those bacteria that …


Preparing Out of Necessity, by B.H.

Many articles regarding prepping and “how-to” leave me to wonder how people survive in this world. I’m not judging, as only GOD can; rather, I am perplexed at how they can afford it. You see, many of the skills being taught are just what I had to figure out in order to get by. I learned how to fix machinery myself because if I did not these things would no longer be of use to me. I learned how to buy second hand because I simply cannot afford new. I learned to garden in order in eat; the why in …


Letter Re: Jøtul Woostove

Dear Hugh, We have been using a name-brand (Firefox, a UK brand) woodstove at our home in the Greek Islands for about seven years. We had the baffle at the top of the stove burn through within two years. The manufacturer would not send us a replacement, referring us to a retailer in the UK. They wanted the best part of $100 dollars for the part, plus postage of about the same amount. Instead, I took the broken part to a local metal shop. They fabricated one out of much thicker steel for $20, and it’s still intact; in fact, …


Letter Re: Metal Value of US Coins

Mr. Latimer: There’s a curious development in metal prices. Because of the recent strength in the zinc price and relative weakness in copper and nickel prices, it is the case that $1000 face value of “new” pennies (post-1982) is worth more than $1000 face value in nickel coins. As of today’s prices, the corresponding values are $734.37 for new pennies vs. $715.75 for nickels. I endorse and practice the discipline of saving nickels. There is an excellent track record of them being worth a premium to face value. As it makes sense to keep an ample supply of cash on …


Review Of The Jøtul F 50 TL Rangeley Wood Stove, by S.T.

First let me state up front that I have heated with a wood stove for over 20 years, so I am not a novice and I understand the use of wood stoves. Additionally, as a person who worked for over 30 years in the defense industry, I also understand that there are products that are ill or poorly planned by engineers who never used the product and/or have large egos and refuse to accept any feedback from the end users of a product. Our previous wood stove was a Regency brand, which we located in a single story home. In …


Letter Re: Donkeys as Pack Animals

HJL, Good info from B.W. We also have donkeys, miniature donkeys. They make excellent pets and fine companions on the trail. We hike and even camp with ours, as well as string them along with their packs behind our mules on trail rides. When introduced properly, they get along fine with the family/farm dogs. We have found their personalities to be very similar to dogs, and they will even lay their head in your lap for attention. Donkeys also make excellent property alarm systems. Our little pair will begin braying at the approach of a car or truck long before …


Total City WTSHTF Survival- Part 2, by NDT

Public Transportation Learn how public transportation works in your area and utilize it, as it could be an asset one day. Also, learn about anything that is public, from restrooms and shelters to tornado shelters. Timing could be an issue, and it could become the closest shelter for a variety of situations. Parks also have water supplies. Know where the water fill ups are. I personally know of some local spots that have hand pumps, which while it is not a secret, few people will think of immediately during a loss of utilities. Memberships Having a few memberships can be …


Guest Article: The Tyranny Of A Cashless Society Coming?

After governments abolish cash in useful denominations, then governments will likely focus upon eliminating personal and commercial commerce through the use of compact high-value commodities, such as gold and silver. This is a natural progression if $100 bills are taken out of circulation in the United States. People today, who are living in the legacy of the Obama economy, already need a fist-full of $20 bills just to buy a week’s supply of groceries, and it’s easy to spend $400 per week on fresh groceries for two people, especially if you buy premium products and organic. Consider the increasing trend, …


Total City WTSHTF Survival- Part 1, by NDT

I’ve been a SurvivalBlog reader for years and grew up prepping. My parents were preppers in the 90’s, so I’ve been through the full spectrum. I love the articles and especially all the news to be found on SurvivalBlog. I appreciate the hard work all the authors have put into their articles over the years and recognize that most individual skills and ideas have been put to ink. I’m going to attempt the 10,000-aerial view in this approach to city survival. My military background taught me to do a risk assessment for everything, and I practice this today. The million-dollar …


Two Letters Re: License Plate Readers

HJL, Depending on the police to find your stolen vehicle is fine, but I would rather have the ability to speed up the process myself by having a GPS tracker in my vehicle. I’ve been watching the kickstarters and fundraising campaigns of several bluetooth and GPS trackers. It seems like there is finally one that works the way I want it to. I intend to use this for my kids, vehicle, RV, and outbuildings at my BOL. I hate the idea of being helpless to recover my property or find my child if the worst happens and they are kidnapped. …


Donkeys As Pack Animals For Survival And Recreation- Part 2, by B.W.

We are fortunate to have a mother donkey and two of her offspring from subsequent years who are both females (jennys). We have had the younger ones since they were foals and have hiked with them and their mother since they were four or five months old. The mother was always on a lead, but the younger one were both on lead and off lead. By doing this we trained the younger ones to keep up with us off lead when we are in wide open spaces. As a result of this, we can hike in the state forests on …


Letter Re: License Plate Readers

HJL, There are lots of comments on defeating plate readers. Before anyone gets too cranked up about defeating them, they should consider that plate readers may be what helps the cops recover their vehicle when it’s stolen. They are a powerful tool and like any other information collection system, I suppose the information can be misused, but I’m not clear exactly how that would happen. Our local police department had a residential burglary with a witness providing a partial plate. Cops ran the partial for similiars and got a picture of the whole plate and the driver and recovered all …


Donkeys as Pack Animals for Survival and Recreation- Part 1, by B.W.

Moving unobtrusively over land with pack animals whether for recreation or in an emergency situation is both enjoyable and possibly a lifesaving endeavor. This article concerns my experience with donkeys as a veterinarian and as someone who has prepared as much as possible over the years for whatever circumstances may arise in the world we live in. I hope this information will persuade you to look into pack animals, such as donkeys, in your preparedness planning if your circumstances will allow. My wife and I have owned and ridden horses for the majority of our lives but got out of …


Letter Re: Total Solar Eclipse 2017

Captain Rawles, You are correct in publishing that Greenville, SC will be in the sweet spot for viewing the total solar eclipse. In fact, schools in the state are already making adjustments to their schedules, either delaying the start of school or dismissing early the day of the event. Your insight into possible traffic conditions highlighted for me the fact that I-26 from Asheville, NC to Charleston, SC should be in the direct path of totality. I’m running scenarios through my head about regular commuters to the three urban hubs in South Carolina and the eclipse watchers. Perhaps I’ll take …