Slowing Evaporation From a Zippo Lighter, by The Novice

The iconic Zippo lighter is an excellent tool for starting fires. Battlefield tested from World War 2 to the War on Terror, it has proven to be a versatile, durable, and reliable tool in daily use. One major drawback of the Zippo is that it loses fuel fairly quickly due to evaporation. I had previously read about an old trick for slowing this evaporation by using a piece of bicycle inner tube. I decided to give it a try. Lighter History A lighter is a portable and reusable device designed to produce a flame. Already in the 1600s, the first …


The Joys of Canning, by St. Funogas

It was one of those intolerably hot and muggy days of August. My sister in the Redoubt called to say they could see the smoke from the big fires in California and the Northwest and how hot the weather had gotten even near the Tetons. She said in no uncertain terms, “Only a fool would be trying to get any work done today instead of lounging in a hammock with some lemonade!” And there I was slaving over a hot stove canning three-bean salad before the beans got overripe, the steam making the muggy day even muggier. And yet, I …


Seed Harvesting Tips for Survival – Part 1, by R.B.

As I’m writing this, we are in the full swing of seed gathering here in zone 6 of the northern South. The purpose of this article is to help people in any section of the country learn some easy and inexpensive ways to gather and save seed for now and for harder times to come. Consider the following. Will seed always be available for each type of vegetable, fruit, grain, or flower that you want to grow? Truth be told there are already shortages due to skyrocketing orders following concerns about potential food production failures. What about current price inflation …


Hand Sanitizer, A Knife, and Eyeglasses Cleaner, by The Novice

I would like to pass along some odd discoveries for your amusement and edification. Repurposing Surplus Hand Sanitizer With the advent of Covid, many micro breweries and chemical companies in our area turned their production capacity to making hand sanitizer. They wanted to do their part to help slow the spread of Covid. No good deed goes unpunished. On December 29, 2020, the FDA notified these companies that they needed to pay a $14,060 Monograph Drug Facility Fee and $9,373 Contract Manufacturing Organization Facility Fee by February 11, 2021. After significant media outcry, the fees were withdrawn. They are a …


Books, Reviews, and Censorship, by M.M.

As a historian and self-confessed bibliophile, I despise censorship of any kind by anyone at any time. If you disagree with an author, the simple course of action is to not purchase their work(s). With the Internet, books are easier to come by today than in any other time in human history. You can shop in thousands of bookstores and never leave home. Click some buttons and the book is en route to your mailbox and will arrive in a few days. An easy way to access the internet is via your so-called smartphone. What a wonderful tool. You can …


Reacting to Riots, by Don Shift

Editor’s Introductory Note: This guest post is an adaptation of an excerpt from Don Shift’s non-fiction book Suburban Defense: A cop’s guide to protecting your home and neighborhood during riots, civil war, or SHTF. It is posted with permission. — 2020 was the year of the mass riot that made its way into residential neighborhoods. We saw ad hoc groups spring up in defense, but just standing around openly carrying isn’t always going to turn the tide. Bad guys will call your bluff and suburbanites to rural defenders need to consider proper riot/crowd control techniques and equipment. Goals of your …


The Urban Versus Rural Chasm, by MacHam

When doing research for this fascinating topic I found so little in the way in empirical research. The question I asked over and over again is: How could such a vast swath of America be ignored for so long? Yet no one asked these questions. Using very current 2020 United States census data you will see that 52% of America lives in unincorporated communities. Then coupled with the fact that 8.4% of America lives in small-town USA, that is cities and towns under 10,000 people. So a qualified majority lives their lives in relative political obscurity. I hope with some …


Get Out of the Cities – Part 2, by SaraSue

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) In Part 1, I discussed the primary reason for getting out of the big cities: It is just not safe. The main reasons I have been told that people hesitate on moving to a rural location is not knowing what to do for a living – getting a job. The money thing. Secondarily, the inconvenience of being far away from customary activities. Thirdly, fear of the unknown. There are many reasons why people can’t fathom moving away from the big city. Making money If you can’t “take your job with you”, for …


Get Out of the Cities – Part 1, by SaraSue

If you’re on the fence, then please get off of it and make your move. I realize how scary that sounds because I’ve done it. I realize how insane it sounds to walk away from a job with really good benefits and a retirement account. Again, because I did it. I did it for health reasons several years ago, but the current situation is no different – there is a need, a demand, a situation at hand (unconstitutional mandates?), that requires finding a spot far away from the madness and its influences. I was scared spitless at the time – …


Consider Where We Are – Part 2, by APD-4

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) The Unravelling era by definition had no peak or pinnacle and one finds it hard to pick out sentinel events. The normalization of alternative lifestyles, education and mores was reflected in the government by its multiple scandals (Monica Lewinsky/Clinton), and in the preeminence of the Entertainment industry. The lack of regulation would lead to various economic bubbles (real estate, Internet start-up) and deference to Big Business (repeal of the Glass-Steagal Act). Meanwhile, the 1993 WTC bombing attempt, the Oklahoma City bombing, and the 2000 presidential election would portend a coming storm. A …


Consider Where We Are – Part 1, by APD-4

Consider where we are, in our nation’s history. We are no longer at a crossroads as a nation. We are in decline as a nation and society. This can seem a blunt assessment, but it needs to be said and understood if anyone is to successfully prepare for the future. Although no one has clairvoyance, and it is still possible to turn our nation and society around to a path for prosperity, there are undeniable facts that support the assessment that the U.S. is in deep trouble and in decline. Many of you are all too well aware of this …


Tree Propagation Through Air Layering – Part 3, by T.S., PhD

(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article.) The EU database listing for Salix states as a fungicide it is useful against leaf fungus and powdery mildews[EU]. The recipe for making a Salix solution: “30 L of natural or rain water is brought to simmering in a stainless steel tank with cover, at 80°C infuse 200 g of Salix spp cortex for 2 hours. After cooling down, and filtration with a stainless steel sieve, adjust pH to 6.2 and proceed the dilution by 3 with water. Use within 24 hours to avoid bacterial contamination [EU].” Some recipes refer to the …


Tree Propagation Through Air Layering – Part 2, by T.S., PhD

(Continued from Part 1.) How to air layer In this part of the article, I will describe the steps to air layering and then provide details and alternate methods to accomplish the same tasks for each. (see Figure 1 for a pictorial overview) 1. Identify where to make the air layer 2. Remove leaves, girdle, and make an incision near a node 3. Apply rooting hormone if you have it 4. Cover the incision with moist soil and protect from the elements How to air layer: Identify where to make the air layer Twigs/branches ideal for air layering should be …


Tree Propagation Through Air Layering – Part 1, by T.S., PhD

It’s summer and you find yourself in a TEOTWAWKI situation. You wish you had access to more trees or shrubs that produce food. You realize things won’t be back to normal anytime soon, so investing the energy and time now seems like a good idea for the payoff in calories of fresh fruit or nuts a few years into the future. Propagation by seed is one easy way to get more trees, but you’ll have to wait until late summer or fall to harvest seeds, and then let them cold stratify (i.e., simulate winter conditions via subjecting them to cold …


Processing Chickens on Our Homestead, by Ozark Redneck

Growing up, we had chickens and I dreaded butcher day. Momma would get a fire going and put a huge pot of water on for scalding the chickens to remove the feathers. Dad had two cord loops one for their feet, which I held and one for the neck, which he held while he used a hatchet & a chopping block to dispatch the bird. If you have butchered chickens this way you know where the saying “she is running ‘round like a chicken with it’s head cut off” comes from. That scene and the smell of scalding chickens in …