Letter Re: Sanitation Issues

Dear Hugh Some years ago I severely injured my back and could not access the bathroom, which was on another floor. I took one of those lightweight home hospital potties, put a plastic bag into the bucket part, and put a bag of loose pine sawdust kitty litter next to it. You use the bucket, sprinkle a cup of loose pine litter over it, no smell, no problem. And I do mean no smell. I had to sit right next to it for weeks. Do not use standard clay kitty litter, which is made of bentonite clay. Yes, it will …


Recipe of the Week: Family Favorite Meat Loaf

Ingredients: 2 beaten eggs ¾ cup milk ¾ cup fine dry bread crumbs 2 tbs grated onion 1 tsp salt ½ tsp ground sage 1½ lbs ground beef. Sauce: ¼ cup catsup 2 tbs brown sugar 1 tsp dry mustard ¼ tsp ground nutmeg Directions: Combine eggs with milk, bread crumbs, onion, salt, sage, and meat. Mix well and shape into 9×5-inch rectangle or oval, or about 6-inch round. Carefully place in slow-cooking pot. Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and pour over meat. Cover and cook on high for 15 …


Letter: The Importance Of Food And The Ability To Grow And Process Food

Dear Hugh: The situation in Venezuela has a precedent. When the Kuomintang Army remnants fled to Taiwan in 1949, they brought tons of paper money and spent it freely, resulting in a rapid hyperinflation. During that time only food had any value and nothing else, not PMs, weapons, ammo, fine art, you name it. Now for those who have some arable land (or neighbors that do) I figure veggie seeds, fertilizer, and stabilized diesel will have considerable value in that they can be used to grow food. It is for this reason that each year we save many gallons of …


Selecting the Perfect SHTF Vehicle, by W.L.

So, you’ve got your bug out bag packed and ready to go, survival supplies laid in at your bug out location, and you keep your powder dry. Have you stopped to consider how you’re going to move people and gear around? Traveling on foot is slow (about two miles per hour for the average person) and your hauling capacity is limited to 50 or 60 pounds of gear, food, ammo, et cetera. More realistically, take a look at recreational backpackers; their goal is to carry no more than 30 pounds for movement of 10-15 miles per day. If you are …


Letter: Getting Home

HJL, I am a truck driver. At any giving time I am about 200 to 600 miles from my house. In a mad max scenario, martial law, et cetera, I have a get home bag that I keep with me at all times. What I want to know is, what would be the best way to get home? Do I follow the roads? Do I go through the woods? Do I follow train tracks? I have a map of the rail system. Thanks and keep up the good work. – J.M. HJL comments: The answer is “Yes”, to all of …


Something in the Water- Part 2, by J.R.

Copper Like iron, copper is an essential element in a person’s diet. Too much copper, however, can cause health problems, as it accumulates primarily in the liver and kidneys. Like the current issue with lead in the water supply in Flint, Michigan, copper in drinking water can come from corrosion of copper pipes. Flushing the tap for 30 to 45 seconds can reduce the copper that has accumulated when the plumbing is not in use. Reverse osmosis or ion exchange are effective at reducing excessive copper from water. Lead The recent events in Flint, Michigan have raised awareness of problems …


Something in the Water- Part 1, by J.R.

After years of dreaming, planning, saving, and sweating, you are finally ready to leave occupied territory and make your move to the American Redoubt. You have poured over maps, studied census data, consulted with real estate professionals, and talked to county planning and assessors offices. You now are down to your short list, but what about the water supply? Water can make or break your new homestead. “It’s no problem,” you say. You checked the well logs, and the general area has good producing wells of reasonable depth, or your selected property already has a well. What is a Well …


Letter Re: Dealing with Troubled Teens in a Post-Collapse World

HJL, In response to the question “Let them in or not?” in “Dealing with Troubled Teens in a Post-Collapse World- Part 1”, do yourself a favor and answer “NO!” to that question. Dealing with a “troubled teen” when the child is your own is one thing. Voluntarily inviting that kind of volatility into an already bad situation is sheer insanity! Not only will the child not listen to you, you run the risk of an “authority conflict” between you and the child’s parents. This will affect everyone under your roof and could spell disaster for all. Reaching out to others …


Dealing with Troubled Teens in a Post-Collapse World- Part 2, by Credo in Deum

Aside from sexually-related conversation, which is discouraged in the classroom, food is probably the number one topic of interest among juvenile inmates. After assignments are collected and they are conversing in the few minutes of free time before an officer comes to escort them out, these juveniles endlessly talk about what will be their first meal after they get released from jail. Needless to say, they’re not too thrilled with the bland institutional food they get. Burritos, burgers, cakes, cookies, and candy are among the delectable delicacies that they can’t wait to sink their teeth into. Imagine what things will …


Dealing with Troubled Teens in a Post-Collapse World- Part 1, by Credo in Deum

The collapse has happened. You thought you were prepared for just about any challenging circumstance. Do you have enough food? Check. Enough water? Check. Enough guns and ammo? Check. Are you ready to deal with unexpected guests, including lazy, rebellious, criminal, troubled teenagers? You better check! Why do I bring up this issue, you may ask? Maybe it’s because in my own line of work as a substitute teacher, I come into contact with quite a few teenagers. Before I retired, I taught in elementary school, middle school, and even adult school. After retirement, I’ve had the unique opportunity to …


Recipe of the Week: Taco Pizza, by L.H.

The garden is doing well so far this year, and we are right now awash in romaine lettuce. Ten little lettuce seeds at planting time doesn’t seem like much, until the stuff is ready to harvest all at once. There are only so many salads a person can consume. Anyway, taco pizza is one of our favorite ways to use up our fresh lettuce when we tire of salads. It’s terrific! Ingredients: 1 lb. ground beef 1 packet (1.0/1.25 oz.) taco seasoning 1 pizza crust of choice (I prefer the box of Jiffy or packet of Great Value; they are …


Pantry Building Basics for Individuals with Food Allergies or Sensitivities, by M.W.

More and more individuals today are diagnosed with food allergies and sensitivities, and the market for foods which contain alternate ingredients is ever-expanding, reacting to the increasing demand for tolerable foods. There is a definite difference between a food allergy and a food sensitivity. Healthline.com describes the most common symptoms of a food allergy as hives, swelling, itching, dizziness, and anaphylaxis. Symptoms of a food sensitivity include bloating, diarrhea, constipation, cramping, and nausea. Regardless of the reaction, a person with an allergy or sensitivity to even common pantry staples must remain vigilant when shopping, cooking, and dining out. As one …


Letter Re: Sanitation Considerations

Mr. Latimer: Regarding the problem of smelly outhouses– Deuteronomy 23:13 directs us to “cover that which cometh from thee.” This can be done with soil, or with sawdust, straw, or other common materials. If this is done every time the pit privy is used, the foul odor is nearly eliminated, rendering it no worse than a properly-functioning compost pile. This will also help to reduce danger of contaminants leaching out into the water table. It also eliminates most of the fly problems. You will notice that this is the equivalent of a composting toilet, primitive style. However, there is no …


Sanitation Considerations for Long Term Emergency Situations- Part 2, by D.Q.

Latrine Alternatives There are many alternatives to using a latrine, all of which have positive and negative aspects to them. By far and away the best option of all is to have a septic system installed. This kind of system requires a substantial amount of space for its installation, and it can be somewhat costly. However, it is a well understood system that is commonly used throughout rural America. If you live in a house attached to a septic system, then you should have few worries. Portable Latrine. Another alternative is the use of portable latrines. These are typically used …


Letter Re: Grey Water for Toilets

Hugh, I have an idea to provide rain water for toilets when other water is not available. My thought is to place a small broad flatish tank (10 gallons or so) on the rafters in the attic above the bathroom. Then I would modify the vent through the roof to feed the tank and to still provide venting. When the tank is full, the rain would just flow over the “roof drain”. A sort of V shaped channel dam on the roof could divert additional water to the drain into the tank. There are many possible ways to fill the …