The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“To measure prices by a currency that is called by the same names as gold, but that is really inferior in value to gold, and then – because those prices are nominally higher than gold prices – to say that they are inflated, relatively to gold, is a perfect absurdity.” – Lysander Spooner

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — October 16, 2024

On October 16, 1950, the first edition of C.S. Lewis‘ “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” was released in London.

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October 16, 1962: The Cuban Missile Crisis began as President Kennedy was shown photos confirming the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba.

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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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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 1, by Tunnel Rabbit

In my most recent article titled Practical Wood Stoves, I discussed affordable and durable conventional wood stoves for the home in a general way. An early 1980s Forester wood stove was the focus for that class of stove. There are a plethora of wood stoves on the market. When selecting an appliance that we may very well depend upon day in and day out for the next decade to provide life-sustaining heat, we must be careful not to settle on what is on hand or what looks good in the home, and certainly not what is the most affordable. I would avoid the low-hanging fruit. I hope that you base a decision on the standards that might be better appreciated after reading that article. That is the help I wanted to provide. I want like-minded people to survive.

We should understand what we are buying and for what purpose, because given current events and potential financial and political upheaval, we may only have one chance to get it right. There are ‘good’ used wood stove that are affordable, and there are many kinds purpose-built stoves for various applications and markets. My focus in this article is on those that are the most practical and portable which offer the type of stove that fits this criteria, and does it all well.Continue reading“U.S. Military Tent Stoves – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit”

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.

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Reader B.G. in Oregon sent us a news item: Washington Woman’s Home Mobbed by 100 Raccoons.

o  o  o

A video review of interest to Van Lifers, as well as off-grid preppers: Starlink Mini In-Depth Setup and Review.  JWR’s Comment: He mentioned that a shorter 12 VDC power cable will soon be available for the Starlink Mini. That more efficient DC-to-DC cable arrangement should be perfect for using Starlink at a remote cabin, with just a few PV panels.

o  o  o

Woman Living Off-Grid on a Remote Island – 2 Years in a Small Cabin.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The way to secure peace is to be prepared for war. They that are on their guard, and appear ready to receive their adversaries, are in much less danger of being attacked, than the supine, secure, and negligent.” – Benjamin Franklin

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — October 15, 2024

October 15, 1522: King of Spain Charles V named Hernán Cortés governor of Mexico.

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On October 15, 1529, the Ottoman armies under Suleiman ended their siege of Vienna and turned back to Belgrade.

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On October 15, 1764, Edward Gibbon observed a group of friars singing in the ruined Temple of Jupiter in Rome, which inspired him to begin work on writing The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

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Herbert W. McBride, the author of A Rifleman Went To War, was born in Waterloo, Indiana October 15, 1873.
He died in Indianapolis of a heart attack on March 17, 1933, shortly after finishing writing his A Rifleman Went To War manuscript.

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Today, a special prayer request from SurvivalBlog Senior Editor James Wesley, Rawles (JWR).

Please Pray For Our Nation

There are now just 20 days to the November U.S. presidential election. The next three weeks should be a time of concerted prayer — personally, and with your family and fellow church congregants.

Blog reader L.B. suggested this prayer list published by Turning Point Academy:

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.” – Isaiah 55:6

Pray our nation will seek God in Repentance, Humility, and Prayer.

Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. (Joel 1:14)

“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD. (Joel 2:12-13a)Continue reading“Please Pray For Our Nation”

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, we focus on the continuing conservative political shifts in Idaho and Montana. (See the Idaho and Montana sections.)

Idaho

Idaho one of the fastest growing states, Boundary among fastest growing counties.  Here is an excerpt:

“These days if you ask what brought a new neighbor to Boundary County, chances are good you’ll hear a new refrain — “I came here to be among like-minded people.”

Based on recent voter registration data, about 65-percent of eligible voters moving into Idaho register as Republicans, about 12-percent as Democrats.

And of the new Republicans, most of whom came to escape the “woke liberal left that’s destroying our country,” most consider themselves “staunchly conservative…”

o  o  o

Video: Riding Idaho’s Deadliest Motorcycle Trail — Part 1  and, Part 2.

And here is just one segment of another one of his Idaho riding adventures: WHERE THERE’S SMOKE | Riding the Idaho BDR – Episode 6.

And, from another rider: Dirt Biking Epic Idaho Single Track, Compilation Video.

o  o  o

Several readers mentioned this: Trial in University of Idaho murder case pushed to August 2025.

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

Preparedness Notes for Monday — October 14, 2024

On October 14,1899, Morning Post reporter Winston Churchill departed to South Africa, toting a Model 1896 Broomhandle Mauser pistol.  His goal was to report on the Second Boer War. He was later taken prisoner of war, but escaped. He recounted his exploits in an autobiography titled My Early Life.

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On this day in 1066: The Battle of Hastings: William, Duke of Normandy and his Norman army defeated the English forces of Harold II, who was killed in the battle.

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We are beginning 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 penned by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.

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And Happy Columbus Day!

Warne Shotgun Rib Reflex Mount, by Thomas Christianson

The Warne Shotgun Rib Reflex Mount allows most common reflex sights to be mounted to the ventilated rib of most popular shotgun types.

The mount is solidly made, and held up well during my testing. It cost $61.99 from warnescopemounts.com at the time of this writing.

If you have a shotgun with a ventilated rib and would like to mount a reflex sight on it, the Warne mount could be a good solution.Continue reading“Warne Shotgun Rib Reflex Mount, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Potato Skordalia 

The following recipe for Skordalia potato dip is from SurvivalBlog reader Mrs. Alaska. She writes:

“In honor of potato harvesting season:  Skordalia. Potatoes are so versatile, filling, and easy to grow, that a bountiful potato crop is a no-brainer for most gardens from USDA zones 3 – 10!  You can even grow potatoes from store-bought ones that sprout in your kitchen!  Give it a try!

Skordalia is a Greek dip. The texture is like chickpea hummus.  If you ask people to guess the ingredients, they are likely to guess that the main ingredient is a white bean paste.”

Ingredients
  • 2 medium russet potatoes, mashed
  • ½ Cup almonds or other nuts, ground fine
  • 4+ cloves of garlic
  • ¼ Cup lemon juice (2 lemons) or substitute white vinegar
  • ¾ Cup olive oil
Directions
  1. Combine everything except the potatoes in a food processor or blender.  If you don’t have a food processor or a way to grind the nuts, then leave them out.
  2. Combine everything with the mashed potatoes by hand.  (Using a food processor would make the potatoes gluey.)
  3. If too dry or oily, then add a tablespoon of water at a time, blend, and assess.
SERVING

“Serve as a dip with bread, crackers, or vegetables, or use as a flavorful top coat for shepherd’s pie or snuggle a fish fillet on top of this, or slather some onto a sandwich with ham or other vegetables.”

About The Chef

Mrs. Alaska is a long-time SurvivalBlog reader and article contributor.  She and her husband live off-grid in the wilds of Alaska.  You can read about their interesting life at: alaskauu1.blogspot.com, and in her book: Log Cabin Reflections (Off-road and Off-grid in Remote Alaska).

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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: A map showing U.S. Counties where the African American population is 5% or more. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.)

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:

“In December 1880 the Boers rose. Every farmhouse sent out its riflemen, and the trysting-place was the outside of the nearest British fort. All through the country small detachments were surrounded and besieged by the farmers. Standerton, Pretoria, Potchefstroom, Lydenburg, Wakkerstroom, Rustenberg, and Marabastad were all invested and all held out until the end of the war. In the open country we were less fortunate. At Bronkhorst Spruit a small British force was taken by surprise and shot down without harm to their antagonists. The surgeon who treated them has left it on record that the average number of wounds was five per man. At Laing’s Nek an inferior force of British endeavoured to rush a hill which was held by Boer riflemen. Half of our men were killed and wounded. Ingogo may be called a drawn battle, though our loss was more heavy than that of the enemy. Finally came the defeat of Majuba Hill, where four hundred infantry upon a mountain were defeated and driven off by a swarm of sharpshooters who advanced under the cover of boulders. Of all these actions there was not one which was more than a skirmish, and had they been followed by a final British victory they would now be hardly remembered. It is the fact that they were skirmishes which succeeded in their object which has given them an importance which is exaggerated. At the same time they may mark the beginning of a new military era, for they drove home the fact—only too badly learned by us—that it is the rifle and not the drill which makes the soldier. It is bewildering that after such an experience the British military authorities continued to serve out only three hundred cartridges a year for rifle practice, and that they still encouraged that mechanical volley firing which destroys all individual aim. With the experience of the first Boer war behind them, little was done, either in tactics or in musketry, to prepare the soldier for the second. The value of the mounted rifleman, the shooting with accuracy at unknown ranges, the art of taking cover—all were equally neglected.”  – Arthur Conan Doyle, from The Great Boer War 

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — October 13, 2024

On October 13, 1792, the first “Old Farmer’s Almanac” was first published and edited by Robert Thomas.

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And on October 13, 1860, the first aerial photo was taken in the U.S., from a balloon. It was an aerial view of the city of Boston, Massachusetts.

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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.

—

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.