Category: Self-Sufficiency

Post-Civilization Smithing, by THS

If I had to choose one tool or piece of gear for survival, a knife would be on the top of my list. A knife can be used to make fires, shelters, weapons, traps, and most of the things needed for survival. With a few tools and some practice, anyone can have a workable knife (or chisel, hook, hinge, or any number of other tools and hardware) in a few hours of work. Besides the usefulness of the self-fashioned tool, it will bring a great amount of satisfaction and pride. The skill of blacksmithing will also put you in a …


Solo Prepping, by Scott

I live alone. No, I’m not a hermit, curmudgeon, recluse, or ogre. I simply choose to live alone, and if normality as we know it dissolves, I am prepared to survive alone. As a typical working stiff, I spend the majority of the daylight hours at work. My office is 34 miles away from my home. If things suddenly take a turn for the worse while I am at work, I will have to make it back alone across those 34 miles to get home. Home is where most of my preps are stored. Home is where I am most …


Letter Re: Single Mom prepares

Hugh, I just had to respond to this dear woman’s story. I don’t remember the last time—if ever—that I have been so moved by the example of another person’s courage, grit, and determination. This lady has the inner toughness that once belonged to the quietly heroic pioneer women, without whom I doubt that this country could have been successfully settled, and without whom our country’s history would be far less colorful. Lucky are those who are M.B.’s friends and neighbors; when the challenging, chaotic days arrive, she will be a true asset—as will her daughter through her tutelage. I wish …


Letter: Survival Anxiety

Mr. Hugh, I have a response for those who are having an anxiety attack over what R.W. said about his method of taking down a compound. The answer is that I have been planning for people like this. About a year ago I bought material and built a new compound fence. This fence is made of cattle panels that are supported by 8 foot long 4×6″ posts and 4×4″ posts set 24″ deep in clay on 8′ centers. The 4×6 posts are where the cattle panels join each other. The panels are nailed to the posts on the outside with …


Beekeeping for Long-term Self Sufficiency, by T.D.

Several years ago I was introduced to a book called Passport to Survival written by Esther Dickey. This book elaborates on how you can provide for all the essential nutritional needs for you and your family with just four basic ingredients– wheat, powdered milk, honey, and salt. As I thought about these four items, I realized that I had it within my power to provide for one of these four items without much change in my lifestyle and without an excess of effort. I live in the city, so growing more than just a few handfuls of wheat in my …


Letter Re: Protecting Your Home, BOL, and Supplies from Pests

Hugh, Regarding Protecting Your Home, BOL, and Supplies from Pests, A cheap mousetrap can be made from a 5-gallon bucket, some sweet feed (molasses and grain), and a board. Take your 5-gallon bucket, add some sweet feed, and use the board as a ramp for the mice. The mice will climb up the board and jump into the bucket. Once in, they can’t get out. There can only be one mouse in the bucket, otherwise they kill and eat each other. The wonderful smell of the molasses will draw the mice in quickly. I’ve seen eight mice in the bucket …


Flying The Coop, by E.A.

The dog days of summer are here, and the start of a new school year is fast approaching. For many, our sons and daughters will “Fly the Coop” and begin another chapter in their life as a freshman in a college far from the nest they grew up in. Their nest, our home, felt safe. They had us for guidance, to prepare meals for them, to do their laundry, to nurture and teach them, and above all to keep them safe. Now, they’re off to explore the world. Both the student and the parent(s) are naturally nervous, apprehensive, and maybe …


Letter Re: An Essential Prep, The Outhouse

Mr. Hugh, The post about outhouses is very good. Living in a rural area, I’ve seen many homes that still have outhouses, even though they have “indoor plumbing”. They are very handy in emergencies. I’ve followed this blog for many years. I have a plan in mind that I’ve not seen posted here. I have a septic system installed at my home. It is the older version that has a concrete tank, and “field lines” that are buried in washed gravel to allow the “treated water” to be absorbed into the ground. This system does not require power to operate. …


Musings of a Law Enforcement Paramedic – Part 1, by LEO Medic

I am a peace officer by trade, but I am also a paramedic. This article will have five sections to it, based on experiences, thoughts, and training that I have seen and done on a few topics that I think may benefit the readers. The daily sections will be: Certifications/Training Options Tactical Combat Casualty Care Lessons/Training Canine ALS/TCCC Selection of Gear Carried Training Tips A lot of this will be geared towards the retreat group that already has some medical training and for the medical coordinator, but it is applicable to someone looking to start somewhere. First, let me share …


Saving Your Marriage for the End of the World – Part 2, by Cottage Mom

Today, we continue the second portion of this three part article. Yesterday, we read that the purpose of prepping is to take care of your closest loved ones with wisdom and protection, not to hurt them and drive them away. Prepping should make your life better in the long run, not worse. If you are hitched to a spouse, here are my continued suggestions for embarking on your prepping journey: Don’t Play Tug-of-War Over Prepping or Anything Else; Instead, Negotiate This is human nature at its most counter-productive, but it is hard to identify when the tug-of-war begins to happen. …


Letter Re: Disinfecting Your Drinking Water

2

Hugh, I have noticed over the years that when I read about water purification during bad times that Calcium Hypochlorite is mentioned as the way to go for storage and use. Typically, it is suggested to buy an abundance of the material so one can be charitable and pass out small plastic bags of the chemical with instructions for its use to purify water. I’ve never before seen simple and concise instructions that ANYONE could understand for treating drinking water with Calcium Hypochlorite. Using what I’ve gleaned from the Internet, with numerous revisions, I believe I have the information that …


Preserving and Storing Food Safely – An Overview – Part II, by N.M.

Types of Preserving Now that you understand, from Part 1 of this article, some of the reasons to preserve and priorities in preserving correctly, let’s consider which preserving methods you may want to use. Preserving methods include multi-step processes, like soaking, skimming, rinsing, hanging to dry, freezing, canning (in mason jars), smoking, and sucking air out of bags, containers, and buckets. Your choice of which method to use is governed by the food. For example, you would usually freeze berries but dehydrate and vacuum seal tomatoes and strips of meat (jerky). You could can (in glass jars) green beans, though …


Preserving and Storing Food Safely – An Overview – Part I, by N.M.

Preserving food has become an important focus of many families. After reading this article, you will understand what is involved in preserving and be able to decide if it’s for you. Food prices are soaring, and food quality and quantities are decreasing. You can save lots of money by buying things on sale or take advantage of bulk purchases, because you can preserve the food and use it later. You will be protecting yourself and your family by having safely stored nutritious food in the event of an emergency, and you can help your neighbors. With all these pluses, it’s …


Why Trying To Start A Garden Now May Be A Little Too Late For TEOTWAWKI, by BPW

Here’s a little about myself. I work in law enforcement. I grew up in suburbia, was a Marine and outdoorsy person, yet I have never really, truly gardened. I can’t. I work full time and own a home (in a development). I have two children, who run me all over the place, and I have never had a green thumb. I do hunt, and I do that well. So, I figured how hard is planting some seeds in the ground and growing some vegetables. Well, my experience woke me up and am I glad that it did, because had I …


Letter Re: Cottage/Local Manufacturing After SHTF

I am a former dressmaker, with considerable experience in making clothing, and I appreciated the article on doing this for barter. However, there are problems. The first is fabric. Presumably the sensuously idyllic pleasures of going to the fabric shops in the garment district of New York City will no longer be an option. Too charred. Apart from that, while there are a few scattered fabric stores here and there, they are steadily going out of business, as fewer and fewer people sew. For the most part, assuming you can get there and assuming they are intact, they carry mostly …