Zoning Laws, HOAs, and CC&Rs as Criteria for Choosing Your Retreat Locale

JWR’s Introductory Note: The following is an update and expansion to a very early post that I made in SurvivalBlog back in August, 2005. It is part of a series of SurvivalBlog 20th Anniversary update re-posts, in recognition of the fact that the majority of readers did not join us until recent years.

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“Homeowners Associations [HOAs] are the classic definition of a tyranny. HOAs are a level of government, with the power to tax, legislate, judge, and punish its citizens.”
– Michael Reardon

I’d like to expand on my Criteria for Choosing Your Retreat Locale. You will gain several advantages if you live outside of city limits. You will avoid city taxes. You will most likely be on well or spring water instead of city water. In many cities, because of zoning laws, it is illegal to drill your own water well–since the utility companies want to maintain their monopoly. Operating a home business generally requires a city business license and a visit from the fire marshal. And of course, it is illegal to discharge a firearm inside city limits in most jurisdictions.

It is essential to look ahead to eventual growth. If your new “country” place is on fairly level ground and just a mile outside city limits, then odds are that it will be inside city limits in a few years! Do some prognostication on the ‘line of march” of the advancing phalanxes of “Ticky Tacky Houses”, and plan accordingly.Continue reading“Zoning Laws, HOAs, and CC&Rs as Criteria for Choosing Your Retreat Locale”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

This week, we took a family trip in our pickup with our horse trailer to deliver four dairy/wool sheep to a buyer in the beautiful Mission Valley of Northwestern Montana. It was a long drive, but very scenic. And, it felt good to be delivering them to a Christian homeschooling family.

I slaughtered and butchered another sheep this week. This time it was an excess two-year-old ram. Much of that mutton will be used to feed our dog.

Today, I’m attending the Lewiston, Idaho, Gun Show. As usual, I’m looking for pre-1899 gun inventory.

Now, Lily’s part of the report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote Of The Day:

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” – Psalm 1 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Friday — November 21, 2025

November 21, 164 BC: During the Maccabean Revolt, Judas Maccabeus recaptured Jerusalem and rededicated the Second Temple. This victory has been commemorated ever since as the festival Hanukkah, aka The Festival of Lights.

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On November 21, 1916, Britannic, the sister ship to the Titanic, sank in the Aegean Sea, killing 30 people. In the wake of the Titanic disaster, the White Star line had made significant modifications to the design of the ship, but on its way to pick up wounded soldiers near the Gulf of Athens, it was rocked by an explosion causing even more damage than that which had sunk the Titanic. Many of the dead were from some of the crew who attempted to launch lifeboats while the Captain tried to run the ship aground. The lifeboats were sucked up into the propellers, killing all of those on board. The cause of the explosion is still unknown, but many suspect it hit a mine.

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Today’s feature article is by  JWR.

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We still need some entries for Round 121 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $970,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 121 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Update: A Home-Based Business — Your Ticket to The Boonies

JWR’s Introductory Note: The following is an update and expansion to a post that I made in SurvivalBlog back in December, 2005. It is part of a series of SurvivalBlog 20th Anniversary update re-posts, in recognition of the fact that the majority of readers did not join us until recent years.

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The majority of SurvivalBlog readers that I talk with tell me that they live in cities or suburbs, but they would like to live full-time at a retreat in a rural area. Their complaint is almost always the same: “…but I’m not self-employed. I can’t afford to live in the country because I can’t find work there, and the nature of my work doesn’t allow telecommuting.” They feel stuck.

Over the years, I’ve seen lots of people “pull the plug” and move to the boonies with the hope that they’ll find local work once they get there. That usually doesn’t work. Folks find that the most rural jobs typically pay little more than minimum wage and they are often informally reserved for folks that were born and raised in the area. (Newcomers from the big city certainly don’t have hiring priority!)

My suggestion is to start a second income stream, with a home-based business. Continue reading“Update: A Home-Based Business — Your Ticket to The Boonies”

Economics & Investing Media of the Week

In Economics & Investing Media of the Week we feature photos, charts, graphs, maps, video links, or occasional news items of interest to preppers.

Today, a map showing the top imports of most countries of the world.  The thumbnail below is click expandable.  (Map courtesy of HowMuch.net, by way of Reddit.)

 

 

 

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Links of Interest

Economics & Investing Media Tips:

Please send your economics and investing media link to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Thanks!

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — November 20, 2025

November 20, 1789: New Jersey became the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights.

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National Sovereignty Day (Spanish: Día de la Soberanía Nacional) is a national public holiday in Argentina, celebrated each year on November 20th.

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November 20, 1914: The U.S. State Department began requiring photographs for passports.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 121 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  2. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  3. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  4. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  5. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is offering a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $970,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 121 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Update: Oil and Lubricant Storage in Retreat Planning

JWR’s Introductory Note: The following is an update and expansion to a post that I made in SurvivalBlog back in November, 2005. It is part of a series of SurvivalBlog 20th Anniversary re-posts, in recognition of the fact that the majority of readers did not join us until recent years.

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Many letters and e-mails I’ve received over the years have mentioned motor oil and chainsaw fuel mixing oil.  That reminded me about a subject that I’ve meant to address on the blog: the key considerations of oil and lubricant storage.  It is important to think through all of your oil and lubricant needs–everything from motor oil and transmission fluid to firearms lube. Figure out what you’ll use in a three-year period, and stock up.  Then anticipate what you might need for barter and charity, and stock up even more. Because most families do not store any substantial quantity of oils and lubricants, they will be ideal barter items in a long-term Crunch.

The U.S. military generically uses the acronym  POL, which stands for Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants. If you follow the military guidelines for safe POL storage, then your home and your retreat will be safe. The old standby “No smoking within 50 feet” signs are there for good reason!

Safe storage for your fuel, oil, and lubricants is essential. I recommend that you build a separate, dedicated, locking steel storage shed to store all of your flammables. Think in terms of a stubby CONEX shipping container that is well-removed from your other retreat buildings and not near any trees or shrubbery. Aside for a very small supply for day-to-day use, nearly all of your flammables should be stored in that outside shed:  kerosene, fuel canisters (propane, stove fuel, et cetera), lighter fluid, gas cans, paint cans, bore cleaner, various automotive/tractor fluids, paint thinner, chemical degreasers, decontamination fluids, and oils of all descriptions. If you store any gunpowder, primers, percussion caps, blasting caps, or cannon fuse in this same shed, then it is important that you store them inside separate ammo cans with tight-fitting rubber seals. Otherwise, the lubricant vapors could deteriorate or even fully deaden them.Continue reading“Update: Oil and Lubricant Storage in Retreat Planning”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, news of some Ominous rumblings from Washington’s Mount Rainier.

Some Frequent Mount Rainier Rumblings

America’s deadliest volcano enters unprecedented 72-hour tremor phase as eruption threat looms over millions. Here is an excerpt:

“Starting on Saturday, Mount Rainier has been experiencing constant vibrations beneath the surface which can be best described as thousands of tiny vibrations blending together.

The constant seismic rumblings were spotted by the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN), where seismometers on Mount Rainier have recorded three straight days of nearly nonstop, high-energy seismic signals across the west flank of the volcano.

Unlike the seismic activity tied to major earthquakes, the patterns being seen in Washington look more like a volcanic tremor, a type of nonstop hum or roar that begins when magma, hot water, and gas moves around inside a volcano.

It doesn’t mean Mount Rainier is going to erupt at any moment, but it is a warning sign that volcanic activity could eventually build towards a critical level.”

NATO Jets on High Alert Over Poland and Romania

Several NATO Nations Scramble Jets as Russian Airstrike Kills At Least 20 Including Children.

Gallup’s World Emotional Health Survey

SurvivalBlog Editor Tom Christianson wrote to note: “I ran across a link to Gallup’s World Emotional Health Survey recently.  It was in the context of comments about the angriest countries in the world.  As I looked at the list, I noticed that of the top five angriest countries in the world (Chad, Jordan, Armenia, Northern Cyprus, and Iraq), four had something in common: Islam.  I don’t think that it is a coincidence.”

Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — November 19, 2025

November 19, 1530: The final decree of the Diet of Augsburg, “The Recess,” is signed by Charles V and Catholic princes, reaffirming Catholic rites and principles after the departure of Protestant princes.

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On November 19, 1619, the Dutch ship Nieuw Hoorn exploded in the Sunda Strait, near Sumatra, after a fire on board reached the gunpowder, killing more than 100 men.

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Today is the anniversary of the Kyle Rittenhouse “Not Guilty” verdicts, in 2021.

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On this day in 1863, U.S. President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address, at the dedication service for the National Cemetery in Pennsylvania.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 121 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  2. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  3. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  4. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  5. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is offering a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $970,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 121 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Experience with a Mouse-Proof Cellar, by Pescadores

This article is about my experience using a shipping container as a mouse-proof cellar. A couple of important notes up front – shipping containers are not designed to have a load-bearing roof. I discovered that quickly while attempting to put a dirt cover over the top of the container. With a small load of dirt on top, the roof of the metal container began to bow. I shoveled the dirt back off of there, and revised my plan as explained below. So don’t do that. Also, it is essential that the container be installed above the groundwater table to prevent infiltration with water.Continue reading“Experience with a Mouse-Proof Cellar, by Pescadores”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

Our weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

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Last nuclear treaty between US and Russia nears expiration as Trump and Putin trade testing threats. (Pictured above are subsidence craters from underground nuclear weapons tests at the Yucca Flats portion of the DOE’s Nevada Test Site.)

o  o  o

“Unique” weather warning for winter as La Nina, Polar Vortex dance. (Our thanks to SurvivalBlog reader C.B. for the link.)

o  o  o

Tanning a Hide: A tradition that’s worth the effort.

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Reader Andy B. wrote:

“I am very frustrated in trying to find a financial advisor.  I try to weed most of them out by asking them about their opinion of Gold.

Most respond with “0%” in a portfolio or “5% in Gold ETFs”. (because physical does not make them any money.)

In addition, I have a non-prepper spouse who has thankfully allowed me to invest in some PMs but I would like more to achieve some prepping goals (10-20%)

Thank you so much for your article on “non-prepper spouses” BTW.

My options are:

    1. Be my own financial advisor and have a tax accountant who can help me roll over my 401k to a “Roth” outside the government. (My wife would be against)
    2. Choose a financial advisor who doesn’t support my goals and battle with them and my spouse to meet my financial prepper goals
    3. Find a certified CFP who supports prepper goals and physical PMs.

Therefore, do you know any prepper-minded CFPs?

Your response is greatly appreciated.”

JWR Replies:  I’m fielding your query to the full SurvivalBlog readership.  Someone out there must know of a good, prepper-minded CFP.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”