Category: Livestock, Feed, & Fencing

Hey James,   I have been pondering (pun intended) bioponics (AKA aquaponics) for a couple of years now.  A seminal site, http://www.townsqr.com/snsaqua/index.html, describes bioponics as “A simple and innovative system of food production combining aquaculture and hydroponic growing techniques without expensive equipment” or the use of mineral nutrient salts.   Here’s how it works.  Water from the fish tank is pumped to grow beds.  In addition to crops, the grow beds contain naturally produced bacteria.  The bacteria breaks down the fish waste thus cleaning the water.  The plants feed on the nitrogen produced by the bacteria.  Finally, the water is …

Hello James, In the event of a TEOTWAWKI scenario, as discussed previously on your blog, food and water will become critical in supply. My query is to seek out knowledge from within your following on newly constructed ponds as a water and food source. Here are my questions: 1). What type of fish replenish the most rapidly while offering a genuine nutrition? 2). What types of fish are compatible or necessary to keep a full circle eco-system continuing? 3). How many fish can you support per cubic yard of water? 4). Should food be introduced into the water until the …

James, In reference to eating bugs: Jews who settled in Yemen after the destruction of the first Temple and stayed there until the 1960s had the tradition of eating and identifying the kosher locusts. My Temani (Yemeni) friend in Kollel did not know what the identifiers were. As for kosher and survival, I quote my old Rav from Portland, Oregon “If someone held a gun to my head and said ‘Eat that pork chop!’ my answer would be ‘where’s the catsup?’” Your Maker and Keeper wants you to live so you can glorify him, the mitzvah of saving a life …

The USDA is now claiming that the NAIS (National Animal Identification System) is necessary because of Asian Avian Flu. It would is pointless, because the flu could carried by wild birds. See this article in the Seattle Times. Mike Johanns (Secretary of Agriculture and one of the major advocates of the NAIS) said, “None of us can build a cage around the United States. We have to be prepared to deal with the virus here.” The NAIS program is clearly an attempt by the big agri-corps to remove competition and open foreign markets, or if you are more conspiracy minded, …

James: I have taken a leave and am now caught back up on the blog. I was away and talked to my wife every night and she always stated that I must be going crazy not reading SurvivalBlog every night! She was right! Upon returning home, did I return my calls, e-mails, or mail first,.hardly, it was a crash course of GBID (get back into Dodge) mentally by reading what I had missed on Survivalblog. A few topics have arisen that I wanted to comment on (FWIW). FENCING/CREOSOTE/TELEPHONE POLES- I have had the benefit of picking the pocket of an …

Hello Mr. Rawles, Had a question that you might be able to answer. Looking to do some preserving of wood that will be stuck in the ground. I used to work for a telephone pole repair company. We used a very plastic Creosote and Tar paper ( keeps dirt from soaking up the creosote ). I have been trying to figure out a way to create an alternative to creosote. The best I can think of is used motor oil and soap ( gas and soap being napalm ) this seemed logical to me. Wondered if you had any thought. …

Mr. and Mrs. Rawles, I’m immensely enjoying your Blog. Thank you for the time and effort you place into your blog. I was reading into the archives trying to catch up and in the August 8th replies you had a reference to the wooden cages. One way that will help mitigate the problem of chewing and weakening of the wooden structure of the cages. You can use metal corner bead over the edges of the exposed wood inside the cage. It would be better as you stated to use all wire cages, they are by far the best. But the …

James: That was a good article from your wife. I would love it if you post this link and let folks consider ordering from Fedco. I have no affiliation with them at all, other than admiring a company that puts righteousness ahead of making money.   See: http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/monsanto.htm – L.H.

This is the time of year when all those inspiring colorful seed catalogs are arriving. I have been spending too much time dreaming of my Spring garden and comparing the offerings of all the different catalogs. That was until the latest issue of Countryside and Small Stock Journal (March/April ’06) arrived. There, I read the article by Jerri Cook on page 60 entitled “Do You Know Where Your Seed Come From?” According to this article, just six companies: Dupont, Mitsuri, Monsanto, Syngents, Aventis, and Dow control 98 percent of the world’s seeds. Monsanto holds over eleven thousand U.S. seed patents. …

I can remember when 1984 was a scary book. Today, it seems that we worry only about those things that we’re told to worry about, and accept the answers that are given to us, no questions asked. On September 11, 2001, three passenger planes were crashed into the World Trade Towers and the Pentagon, while a fourth came to fiery rest in a Pennsylvania field. Less than a month later, the USA PATRIOT Act was introduced in Congress, to be signed – more than 300 pages of it – on October 26, 2001 with few objections from the public or …