The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,

Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.

Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:

Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.” – Psalm 95 (KJV



Preparedness Notes for Friday — November 24, 2023

On November 22, 1718, the pirate who went by the name Blackbeard was killed off the coast of North Carolina.

Today is also remembered as the birthday of the late Eugene M. Stoner. (Born 1922, died April 24, 1997.) He was the designer of the AR-7, AR-10, AR-15, AR-180, the Stoner 63, and several other firearms. (The AR-10 was the basis of the AR-15 which in turn spawned the very widely used M16 and all of its variants including the M4 Carbine.) It has been estimated that as 17 million rifles from the AR-15 family are owned by civilians in the United States, and military production M16 variants worldwide exceeds eight million rifles. As of 2021, it was estimated that 20% of all new guns sold in the US are AR-15 variants.

An important Reminder:  December 7th, 2023 is the deadline for comments on ATF’s “Engaged in the business” rule.  PLEASE politely post your objections to this unconstitutional rule.  In your comment, make two points very clear:  There is NO valid jurisdiction (“Federal Nexus”) for ATF to regulate private party INTRAState sales of used guns that are no longer in INTERstate commerce. Private party sales of guns from personal collections that are sold to fellow private party residents of the same state are NOT “interstate commerce.” Furthermore, per the Bruen decision, there is NO pre-1791 analogous gun law that anyone can cite. (Bruen‘s “History, text, and tradition.”)

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 109 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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. 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 firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  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 Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

More than $850,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 109 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.

 



Musical Instrument Basics for Preppers, by Kirk

The following are my thoughts on a topic that was suggested for the SurvivalBlog writing competition:

This is a very broad topic. Does it mean the instruments themselves or the use and playing of them?
Or perhaps it means how to choose one or how to master one? Does it pertain to what to have when SHTF or TEOTWAWKI? Are you at home, or on the road? Do you have room for a larger instrument or is your space limited?
Do we start with the neophyte who is thinking about possibly getting into playing an instrument but is not sure if they have what it takes?
Maybe you have an instrument that has been sitting around for a while and are thinking about getting back into playing said instrument but are unsure if you need to start from square one? Maybe you just need a few weeks of brushing up to become proficient at it again?

Hopefully, this article will at least give you some musical ideas and motivate you to do more research into the topic. My hope is that it will inspire you to get your butt in gear and actually get playing.

Without a musician, there can be no music. Let’s focus on you for a minute or so:

You can start music at any age or stage of life. Some people think they are not musical when in fact they are. Ask yourself: Do you like different types of music? Do you enjoy going to see live music? Do you like singing or humming along to songs? Do you tap out the rhythm or beat to a song? Have you tried picking out a tune on an instrument? Does music relax you? Does music provide an outlet for you? These traits indicate some affinity for music. If you have the desire to learn to play an instrument, and the time and discipline to practice, then there is nothing holding you back.Continue reading“Musical Instrument Basics for Preppers, by Kirk”



Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, a look at higher beef prices. (See the Commodities section.)

Precious Metals:

Coin News reported this: 2023 U.S. Mint Gold Sales Outpace 2022 by October; Silver Sales Leap.

o  o  o

Platinum deficit forecast for 2023 now over 1 million ounces on strong automotive and industrial demand growth and flat supply.  JWR’s Comment:  As I’ve mentioned before: Platinum is dramatically undervalued, as of late 2023. Anyone who is planning to buy gold should actually be buying platinum instead, in today’s market!

Economy & Finance:

UBS CEO Reveals Preference for Private Buyer in Rescue Scenarios. JWR’s Comment: If UBS goes under, beware of a possible Credit Default Swap (CDS) contagion, globally.

o  o  o

At ReasonAmericans Are Still Fleeing High-Tax States.

o  o  o

Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: Commercial real estate accounts for 30% of regional bank loans — roughly $300 billion. It’s already fallen by half…

o  o  o

Federal Regulators Warn Wells Fargo to Stop Customers’ Financial Crimes.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”





Preparedness Notes for Thursday — November 23, 2023

Happy Thanksgiving!  From the SurvivalBlog family to yours, we wish you a happy Thanksgiving. Despite the crises in this world and the mounting pressures, we give thanks to our LORD, that He will never forsake us.  Please prayerfully give thanks to God for his tremendous providence both in the lives of our families and as a nation. – JWR

Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789

By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor– and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be– That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks–for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation–for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war–for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed–for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted–for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions– to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually–to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed–to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord–To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us–and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

George Washington

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 109 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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. 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 firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  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 Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

More than $850,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 109 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.



Useful Christmas Gifts, by Hollyberry

It is that time of the year again and what do you get the homesteader/prepper who has everything? I love giving gifts and I try to give gifts that are mainly useful or serve a purpose. Of course, I add some extra nonfunctional items, like houseplants or decorative doodads, for close family and friends and I like to think outside the box. Even if someone is not necessarily a prepper or homesteader you can always give something that can be useful. I am just throwing out some ideas of gifts that I have received and given that were big hits! Times are tough financially for everyone, so I try to give something someone would like but may be reluctant to spend the money on for themselves.

BOOKS and MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS

My favorite gifts to give are books. There is something for everyone out there in literature. How to books, hobby books, novels, the sky is the limit. You can never own enough books. A beautiful, new Bible is one of the most thoughtful gifts to give someone. Is your friend/family member getting a new pup or a gardener? Training and gardening books. We purchase a yearly subscription to Backwoods Home Magazine for our friend for Christmas every year. There are several great homesteading magazines out there. A year or two subscription is a very useful gift. If someone has poor vision or otherwise can’t read, then audiobooks are available. A great classic or mystery novel for those rainy days. There is nothing more enjoyable than hitting the couch with a cup of coffee, a blanket, dogs, and a good book. There are so many topics to choose from. Bookplates are nice also. I received some several years ago from mom with animals on them. Year after year you can contribute to someone’s personal library. Books for kids are wonderful. Anything to keep them off their cell phones! I still have many of my childhood books. We were taught to revere books as children — to never tear out pages or make crayon marks in them.Continue reading“Useful Christmas Gifts, by Hollyberry”



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, another look at the mass media’s mischaracterizations of prepping — now often AI-generated.

Britain’s Prepper Shops

In the UK Guardian: ‘People are worried’: the ‘prepper’ shops serving Britons who fear doomsday is coming.

ChatGPT Goes Wild on Mischaracterizing Preppers

Here is a nonsensical article that I found that was clearly written by an AI (such as ChatGPT), and illustrated by AI, as well: Understanding Survivalists and Preppers Amid Global Tensions. This article illustrates how absurdly over-used ChatGPT has become, and how its output is unreliable. Note how the article incorrectly applies the word “organizations” when it states:

“The term “prepper” is commonly used to refer to the other subculture in contrast to “survivalists.”

Both of these organizations believe that being prepared for everything is important.”

ANnote that the AI-generated illustrations were apparently created with the cue phrase: “Show a survivalist woman with supplies in a shelter, holding a tool.”

Also, see this entire site: SurviveTheDoomsday.com. Take a close look at the nonsensical AI-generated images.

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





Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — November 22, 2023

On November 22, 1943, Lebanon proclaimed its independence from France; however, it did not become wholly independent until 1946.

Sixty years ago today, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.

On November 22, 1718, the pirate Blackbeard was killed off the coast of North Carolina.

Today is remembered as the birthday of the late Eugene M. Stoner. (Born 1922, died April 24, 1997.) He was the designer of the AR-7, AR-10, AR-15, AR-180, the Stoner 63, and several other firearms. (The AR-10 was the basis of the AR-15 which in turn spawned the very widely used M16 and all of its variants including the M4 Carbine.)  It has been estimated that 20% of all new guns sold in the US are AR-15 variants.

November 22nd is also the birthday of Adelbert Rinaldo Buffington, a well-known designer of military gun parts and accessories.

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 109 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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. 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 firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  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 Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

More than $850,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 109 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.



Aviation Prepping – Part 2, by Sky Captain

(Continued from Part 1.  This concludes the article.)

Here are a few simplistic reasons why having an aviation capability would be a useful investment:

  1. Flying allows one to mitigate the surface threat. In the early stages of TEOTWAWKI, moving on the surface of the earth will be very dangerous. Roads will be choked with vehicles that are out of fuel. Dangerous people will be setting traps to waylay unsuspecting travelers and relieve them of their valuables. The last remnants of government control will have soldiers checking for travel documents. Even the simplest aircraft will allow one to fly outside the effective range of a high-power rifle. The O-1 Birddog forward observation airplane, used in Korea and in Vietnam, have similar capabilities to modern basic general aviation aircraft. They were successfully utilized with an enemy order of battle that included man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), anti-aircraft artillery (AAA), and crew-served Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs).
  2. Flying allows one to reach areas inaccessible by surface travel. For example, one could fly to an island in the middle of Lake Michigan (the two aforementioned scenarios more than likely involve an aircraft that can land off airport, which will be discussed later). One could depart the middle of a metropolis and escape to a bug-out site in the country. This does highlight a limitation of aerial travel – airports. Getting to an airport in the middle of a metropolis, safely, WTSHTF, could be tricky at best and untenable at worst. There are aerial preps that could be launched from your house – hot air balloon being the first that comes to mind; however, those typically will suffer from speed and/or payload restrictions. The ultimate solution would be having your own CH-47 Chinnook helicopter parked in the backyard. (I’m kiddding – there are nation-states unable to bear the expense of operating a Chinook). There are ultralight aircraft that are small enough to be stored in the garage and launched on a public road and/or a small grass strip.
  3. Flying gives one the ability to rapidly and safely reconnoiter a large area. Just like some ranchers use aircraft to check the fence line of their ranch, one can look for breeches in physical defenses as well look for massing personnel and/or vehicles. This gives one the ability to rapidly react and mass their capabilities in the right area at the right time. JWR’s novel Survivors has a great illustration of this prep put to good use.

Continue reading“Aviation Prepping – Part 2, by Sky Captain”



SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This 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.

Gun Ownership by State (2023 Statistics). JWR’s Comments:  It is not surprising to see so many of the American Redoubt states at the top of this list.  If the counties in eastern Oregon and eastern Washington were considered separate states, then they would surely rank nearly as high.

o  o  o

SurvivalBlog’s Tom Christianson spotted this: China is using the world’s largest known online disinformation operation to harass Americans, a CNN review finds.

o  o  o

Tom also sent this news from Michigan: Muskegon County township declares Second Amendment Sanctuary, forms militia. JWR’s Comment: Unlike the liberal Detroit area that always makes the news, most of Michigan is actually quite conservative. Some folks have given the state the nickname Militiagan.

o  o  o

Homes in Iceland Split in Two Following Massive Earthquakes, Eruptions.

o  o  o

Our Editor-At-Large Mike Williamson sent us this: Senator Expresses ‘Serious Concerns’ About Secretive White House Program That Tracks Americans’ Phone Records.

o  o  o

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”



The Editors’ Quote of the Day: 

“The most terrifying force of death comes from the hands of Men who wanted to be left Alone. They try, so very hard, to mind their own business and provide for themselves and those they love. They resist every impulse to fight back, knowing the forced and permanent change of life that will come from it. They know, that the moment they fight back, their lives as they have lived them, are over. The moment the Men who wanted to be left alone are forced to fight back, it is a form of suicide. They are literally killing off who they used to be. Which is why, when forced to take up violence, these Men who wanted to be left alone, fight with unholy vengeance against those who murdered their former lives. They fight with raw hate, and a drive that cannot be fathomed by those who are merely play-acting at politics and terror. True terror will arrive at these people’s door, and they will cry, scream, and beg for mercy… but it will fall upon the deaf ears of the Men who just wanted to be left alone.” – Unattributed



Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — November 21, 2023

On this day in 1620, 41 male passengers on the Mayflower, prior to landing at Plymouth, Massachusetts, signed the Mayflower Compact, by which they agreed to abide by the laws of the new government they would establish.

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.

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 109 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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. 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 firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  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 Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

More than $850,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 109 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.

 



Aviation Prepping – Part 1, by Sky Captain

Max Rockatansky, the hero of the Mad Max movie series, accomplished the seemingly impossible, including single-handedly thwarting a diabolical biker gang, safeguarded a developing community from marauders, bested Master-Blaster, rescued a group of feral children, and liberated Immortan Joe’s harem. However, as fate would have it, the tables were turned on him by a near-sighted weakling and his young child. Recall the moment when Max was knocked off his rig and left to wander the wasteland until he stumbled upon Bartertown? The reason why Jedidiah and his son were able to best Max? They were able to fly.

Having a post-apocalyptic aviation capability is not going to be easy and frankly not tenable by the majority of preppers; however, I would also encourage those interested to not give up too quickly. It may be more straightforward that one would initially think. If one is capable of creating an aviation prep, it will give them an asymmetric advantage over the vast majority of wasteland warriors.Continue reading“Aviation Prepping – Part 1, by Sky Captain”