SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, a look at fall colors, throughout the American Redoubt region.

Idaho

Clip – Idaho Falls fall foliage! (Scroll forward to 1:40.)

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An injured hunter rescued by helicopter.

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Video: Driving a Beautiful, Unknown Road into the Idaho Mountains.

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Man leads wild police chase through Silver Valley yards.

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ISDA continues to battle Quagga Mussels in the Snake River, hot-wash stations here to stay.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”

Preparedness Notes for Monday — October 21, 2024

October 21st, 1805: In one of the most decisive naval battles in history, a British fleet under Admiral Lord Nelson defeated a combined French and Spanish fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar, fought off the coast of Spain. At sea, Lord Nelson and the Royal Navy consistently thwarted Napoleon Bonaparte, who led France to preeminence on the European mainland. Nelson’s last and greatest victory against the French was the Battle of Trafalgar, which began after Nelson caught sight of a Franco-Spanish force of 33 ships. Preparing to engage the enemy force on October 21, Nelson divided his 27 ships into two divisions and signaled a famous message from the flagship Victory: “England expects that every man will do his duty.”

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Seed for Security, LLC has announced its Retirement Sale.

  • Electronic orders will be accepted until November 30, 2024.
  • Mail-in orders will accepted until November 15, 2024.

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We are running a 2-week-long sale at Elk Creek Company.  Until October 28th, 2024, all of our pre-1899 shotguns have their prices deeply discounted. Most of these can fire modern 12 gauge 2-1/2″ or 2-3/4″ shotgun shells. Take a look!

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Today’s feature article is a review that was written by blog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.

 

Rock River Arms LAR-BT3 in 6.5 Creedmoor, by Thomas Christianson

The Rock River Arms LAR-BT3 in 6.5 Creedmoor provides an accurate, well-crafted, and robust firearm with moderate recoil and a generous magazine capacity chambered for a versatile and highly effective cartridge.

If you are looking for a semi-automatic rifle with more power than one chambered in 5.56 NATO, less recoil than one chambered in .308 Winchester, and a magazine capacity greater than 10 rounds, the LAR-BT3 in 6.5 Creedmoor might just hit the sweet spot for you.Continue reading“Rock River Arms LAR-BT3 in 6.5 Creedmoor, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Chicken Stew with Kale and Butternut Squash

The following recipe for Chicken Stew with Kale and Butternut Squash is from SurvivalBlog reader D.G.. It serves four adults. This is a tasty stew with a distinctly smoky flavor.

Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 ounces (2 links) spicy chicken sausage, diced
  • ½ Spanish onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2½ teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
  • One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (I like to use fire-roasted tomatoes if available for extra smoky flavor.)
  • ½ bunch of kale with center ribs removed, chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 3 cups cubed butternut squash (cut to ½-inch cubes)
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • Salt
Directions
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chicken sausage and cook for about 5 minutes until lightly browned.
  2. Add the onion and garlic to the sausage and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent and the garlic smell is apparent.
  3. Add the smoked paprika, oregano, cumin, ground cinnamon, and cayenne (if used) and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
  4. Add the tomatoes, butternut squash, kale, and chicken broth to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the chicken thighs, cover the pan with a lid, and cook for 25 minutes.
  5. After 25 minutes, carefully remove the chicken thighs from the saucepan to a plate or cutting board. Using two forks, shred the meat into small pieces.
  6. Scoop about 1 cup of butternut squash from the pot and mash it with a fork. Note: Don’t panic if there’s some tomatoes and kale in the mash, it’s all going back in the pot, anyway.
  7. Return the shredded chicken and mashed squash to the saucepan and simmer, uncovered for another 10 minutes. Taste and add salt if needed, to suit your taste.
SERVING

Ladle the stew into bowls and serve hot.

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Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long-term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic: Map showing Personal Income From Government Transfers (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.)

Note that this includes government employee paychecks, military pensions, and Social Security.

The thumbnail below is click-expandable.

 

 

 

 

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Please send your graphic ideas to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”  – John 10: 14-18 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — October 20, 2024

On October 20, 1906, Dr. Lee DeForest demonstrated his electrical vacuum tube. (Radio tube.)

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October 20, 1803: U.S. Senate ratified the Louisiana Purchase.

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Today is the birthday of shootist Ed McGivern (born 1874, died December 12, 1957.) He was born in Nebraska, but was a long-time resident of Butte, Montana. His book Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting is fascinating reading.

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October 20th is also the birthday of actor Viggo Mortensen (born 1958.) He lives somewhere in the American Redoubt. On his ranch is his horse-for-life “TJ”–one of the five paint horses used in the filming of the movie Hidalgo. Most SurvivalBlog readers probably know him best for his starring role in The Road.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. 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),
  3. 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),
  4. 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.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

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 www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. 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. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  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 $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. 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. Round 115 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.

U.S. Military Tent Stoves – Part 5, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 4. This concludes the article.)

This photo shows the area behind the stove that is about 18 inches away. It could have been safely installed at only 12 inches away, yet because there was the space available and to help improve the airflow at the closest point, 6 inches, this was a good use of the additional distance. In addition, we can see the welds around the stove pipe collar on the wood stove and the welds at the juncture of the lower half and the pan that supports the grate.

The bottom of the stove becomes so hot that it will scorch a wood surface. The thicker the wood, the less likely it might ignite. Using sheet metal to protect a 3/4 inch wood is sufficient, however we might wish for additional assurance that the installation is a fire-safe one, and there is more than one way to get this done. For example, a 12″x 12″ paving brick, or a set of 3 red bricks is more than ample,. But there is almost an endless list of ways that increase the height of the stove as it would be used for cooking, or to allow the stove to attach to an existing chimney pipe. The stand in the photo that the stove sits upon is very stable and lightweight. It could be made taller or wider, or both. The top of the stand is comprised of 2 layers of aluminum flashing that are attached to the frame with screws without a wooden floor below it and suspends the stove without other structural support directly underneath that could be possibly scorched or charred. And this allows the heat from the bottom of the stove to escape below. Another stand is a metal frame in the form of a cube, and another option uses the base and legs of a small barbecue, or three cement blocks stood upright. There are many other ways to make a practical stove stand, including a steel framework.Continue reading“U.S. Military Tent Stoves – Part 5, by Tunnel Rabbit”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR, based on a suggestion from SurvivalBlog reader John H.:

Meme Text:

The Latest Tall Tale From Tampon Tim:

“And Then There Was That Time That I Forced Those Tanks To Stop, On One Of My Many Trips To China…”

News Links:

Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:

Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God, unto our fathers:

Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” – Acts 26:1-18 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — October 19, 2024

On October 19, 1926, John C. Garand patented his en bloc clip-fed semi-automatic rifle. Later, in refined form, this design was adopted as the U.S. M1 Garand rifle.

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October 19th is the birthday of three notables: The late Alexander Zeisal “Zus” Bielski (born 1912), investor Jim Rogers (born 1942), and James Howard Kunstler (born 1948). Kunstler is well known to SurvivalBlog readers as the author of the novel World Made by Hand and the nonfiction book The Long Emergency. A fictionalized portrayal of Zus Bielski is seen in the movie Defiance. This movie was loosely based on the excellent book Defiance: The Bielski Partisans by Nechama Tec.

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We are running a 2-week-long sale at Elk Creek Company.  Until October 28th, 2024, all of our pre-1899 shotguns have their prices deeply discounted. Most of these can fire modern 12 gauge 2-1/2″ or 2-3/4″ shotgun shells. Take a look!

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. 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),
  3. 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),
  4. 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.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

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 www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. 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. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  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.

—

More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. 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. Round 115 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.

 

U.S. Military Tent Stoves – Part 4, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 3.)

Army Tent Stove Modifications

As the M1941/H-45 assembles with one half that sits on top of the lower half to make it ready to use. It can be made about 8 inches lower in height of its is assembled size for transport as one half can sit inside the other. The H-45 when assembled uses 3 nut and bolt attachment points on the outside of the stove to secure the pan to the top half. This is a worthwhile improvement as it would be possible to knock the top half off should some take a hard fall onto the stove, and knock the top half off exposing the fire inside. This would not be good. It would be better to secure the bottom to the top in a permanent way.

The ability to bolt the H-45 stove halves together, and disassemble it is one of the important advantages of the H-45. Not only for transport, but also to replace a lightly constructed grate that was placed inside as a substitute for the heavy and durable iron grate that is available for these stoves. Those are hard to find for sale. Original iron grates sold separately for the M1941 are expensive, yet available and are perhaps worth the purchase price.  Certainly, if coal will be used. With a sturdy grate in place, it will last a lifetime of wood-burning service. That might be just a decade of regular seasonal use, without it.Continue reading“U.S. Military Tent Stoves – Part 4, by Tunnel Rabbit”

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:

Because of an injury, I had a quiet week. I concentrated on writing and editing the blog in advance. What happened? I broke a toe, while doing some carpentry.  Here is a recap of my mishap: I was building a base for a new outhouse. I used treated 6x6s to construct the base, which measures 4 feet square. Just after squaring it up, and attaching some 2x6s with power screws,  I wanted to flip it over, to cut tapers on the front of the 6×6 skids, to make it easier to tow around the Wee House with a tractor or ATV. At that point, the outhouse base weighed almost 200 pounds. When I flipped it over, I misjudged the distance and one of the skids landed on my big toe. Ouch!  I was not wearing steel-toed boots. Thankfully, I had been standing on uncompacted gravel. If my foot had been on concrete, this accident might have severed one or more toes. I had a lot of pain for the first four days.  It is gradually diminishing. With a broken toe, my mobility will be hampered from most outdoor chores for several weeks. Learn from my mistake: Think things through, move slowly, and wear safety shoes or boots whenever moving heavy objects!

With that injury, I couldn’t do much more than drive our SUV and our pickup to the nearest town for their seasonal snow tire swaps.  (Those are already on rims, so it is quick and easy.) There is a lot of snow in the  forecast for this coming winter, at least in our region. I hate just hobbling around.  But I’ll make the best of it. I plan to catch up on organization projects that don’t require much standing or walking

Now, Lily’s report…Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;

To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.

When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:

Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.

And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” – Job 28:12-28 (KJV)