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. In today’s column, we cover some “remote” possibilities.

Region-Wide

Video: The Great Scenic Loop Of Idaho And Montana.

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SurvivalRealty.com land search: Off-grid properties.

Idaho

Idaho Off the Grid: An Intimate Look at One of America’s Most Remote States.

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Clark County, Idaho: The least densely populated county in Idaho. Population: 982.

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Limiting remote work: Bill in Idaho House would cap number of days state employees could work from home.

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Explore It All: Adams Ranger Station, Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest, Idaho.

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

Preparedness Notes for Monday — August 5, 2024

On August 5, 1775, the Spanish packet boat San Carlos entered San Francisco Bay for the first time. It was under the command of Lieutenant Juan Manuel de Ayala.  He and his crew of 30 men spent six weeks surveying the bay from its shallow southern end to the northern end of what is now known as Suisun Bay.

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August 5, 1861: President Lincoln signed the first US personal Income Tax into law.  It levied 3% of incomes over $800.

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On August 5, 1846, the Oregon territory was divided between the United States and Britain at the 49th Parallel.

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August 5th is also the sad anniversary of the Mann Gulch Fire in Montana that took the lives of 13 firefighters (including 12 smokejumpers and one former smokejumper), in 1949. The intense, fast-moving forest fire took place in what later became the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness. The events of that fire were chronicled in the book Young Men and Fire by Norman Maclean and immortalized in the haunting lyrics of the ballad “Cold Missouri Waters“, by James Keelaghan.

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A reminder: I will have five tables at the Missoula, Montana Gun Show on August 9-10-11, 2024. This is your chance to shop from about 80% of the Elk Creek Company inventory, including more than 30 antique cartridge guns and percussion guns that have not yet been cataloged. This will include a new batch of several antique Model 1896/11 Swiss rifles. The show will be held in the modest convention center of the Hilton Garden Inn, on North Reserve Street, just south of I-90. To find my tables, look for a five-foot-wide tan “Pre-1899 Guns” banner sign, five tables with dark blue table drapes, and beau coup Mausers.  Out-of-state buyers are welcome. But of course, consult your state and local laws before you make a purchase. Thankfully, both pre-1899 guns and blackpowder replicas are exempt in most states.

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Today’s feature article is a review penned by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.

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We are seeking entries for Round 114 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $900,000 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 114 ends on September 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.

Bear Knuckles Work Gloves, by Thomas Christianson

I recently tested several pairs of work gloves that I am really enthusiastic about. They are tough, supple, comfortable, and have excellent dexterity relative to their thickness. They provide the best grip of any gloves that I have ever used. They are Bear Knuckles Gloves.

Bear Knuckles Gloves were originally designed by bareback rider Shawn Schild to give himself a better grip during rodeo competition. The gloves utilize a double wedge pattern along the sides of the fingers to conform to the natural curve of the fingers. This provides a better grip while producing less resistance and fatigue.

I tested one pair of HD361 Double Wedge Heavy Duty Cowhide Driver Gloves (Gen 2) in size large, one pair of the same model in size extra large, and one pair of D357 Double Wedge Water Resistant Cowhide Driver Gloves in size large. All three pairs provided outstanding performance. I liked the water-resistant gloves best.Continue reading“Bear Knuckles Work Gloves, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Fish Meat Egg Rolls

The following recipe for Fish Meat Egg Rolls is from SurvivalBlog reader Mrs. Alaska.

She notes: “I have used freshly caught and/or frozen fish of six different species for this dish – all delicious, but you could try canned fish, too.
This is based on a recipe I first discovered through the wonderful, national organization called BOW:  Becoming an Outdoor Woman.  Its courses and weekends are offered through the state departments like Fish and Game.  Highly recommended for both women and men (my husband attended, too).”
Ingredients
  • Egg roll wrappers (not wonton wrappers – they are super small)
  • Fish of choice, boned, and cut into finger shaped pieces.  You can leave the skin on many species.
  • Cream cheese, cut into finger shaped pieces
  • Other cheese of preference, like cheddar, sliced into finger shaped planks
  • Onion, diced
  • Jalapeno or chili peppers, chopped
Directions
Keep the wrappers covered or they will dry out.
Have a finger bowl with water in it.
Have all other ingredients chopped and accessible on a platter before starting.  You will have to estimate the amount of each ingredient given the number of egg rolls you intend to make.
Lay out 4 egg roll wrappers on a cookie sheet.  Wet your finger in the finger bowl and draw a wet line along all four edges of the wrapper.
On each square wrapper, arrange the other ingredients diagonally, on top of each other, multi-layered (fish, onion, jalapeno, cheeses) with enough wrapper above and below the narrow ends to touch when you fold them over the food.
Then roll one remaining side of the wrapper tightly over the finger of food and toward the far corner.  If the corner is loose, touch the inside with a watery finger so it will paste to the roll.
TIGHT is key.  If your roll is loose, the oil will get in and the ingredients will get greasy or spill out.
Set the finished roll aside.
Make the rest of your egg rolls.
I recommend putting a cookie sheet of non-touching egg rolls in the freezer, if you have one (covered with saran wrap, a cloth, or foil) for an hour to tighten the rolls before frying.  If no freezer, you should heat the oil while assembling the rolls and cook them immediately.  Otherwise, the egg roll wrappers will dry and crack.
ou can cook these in an air fryer if you have the electricity for its 1700 watt draw or in a pan or in an oven.
The texture will vary depending on whether you cook it in hot oil or in the air fryer or oven.  I have enjoyed all three.
In a medium-sized cast iron pan with 1/2 inch of hot, melted Crisco, I cook 4 rolls at a time (with space between them) over medium heat and turn the tubes 2 or 3 times, every 3-4 minutes.  A larger pan can accommodate more egg rolls at a time.
For the air fryer, I heat the appliance to 400 degrees, lightly oil the pan and the egg rolls and turn every 5 minutes until they look crispy.
For the oven, I heat the interior to 400 – 450 degrees and turn the rolls every 5 minutes until they look done, but they will not be as crispy as the other two methods.
When you remove the rolls, lay them on paper napkins or paper towels to absorb any excess grease.  If making many batches, you can keep them warm in a warm (low) oven.
SAUCES
I love offering a variety of sauces, dips, and dressings for meals.  For this one, here are some that have been popular:
*low salt soy sauce
*lemon or lime aioli (basically mayo with the citrus juice and zest)
*aioli with chipotles in adobo sauce (my personal favorite
*vinegar based dips:
      chimichurri sauce (cilantro and other herbs in vinegar)
      vinegar, sesame oil, peanut butter, and soy sauce (a family staple sauce)
Serving and Storage
These egg rolls can be made in advance, frozen before cooking, and then fried fresh for a meal or appetizer.
They can be reheated after cooking, but the texture degrades.

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Mrs. Alaska blogs at:  Alaskauu1@gmail.com

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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 shows corn (maize) production in the United States. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit, with USDA data.)

The thumbnail image 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:

“It’s about food. It’s about your home. It’s about your life. The government is worried about all of the above. All I’m saying is you should be worried they’re worried. Here’s why: They’re telling you that you can’t take care of yourself. You can’t be trusted with what you put in your mouth or what you sign on the mortgage dotted line. So they’ll tell you what to put in your mouth and they’ll save you from what you signed on that dotted line. Does anyone see a trend here? Personal responsibility has now become government responsibility.” – Neil Cavuto

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — August 4, 2024

On August 4, 1821, the first edition of the American magazine “The Saturday Evening Post” was published.

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August 4, 1914: The United States declared neutrality on the outbreak of WWI.

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On August 4, 1961, Spokane, Washington reached an August record high of 108°F.

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Today’s feature article is a guest piece that was too short to qualify for the judging in the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. We are now seeking entries for Round 114 of the contest. More than $900,000 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 114 ends on September 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.

Top Priorities for Surviving the Coming Civil War, by Tunnel Rabbit

Introductory Note:  This brief article is a response to The Patriot Nurse’s latest video: How To Prepare For Civil War which was recently linked in SurvivalBlog

Water

Secure your fresh water source now. It is the most important thing you can do after getting right with God. If you only have access to a deep well, get a solar-powered water pump from such a place as Backwoods Solar or install an inexpensive Shurflo model number 9325 yourself. The Dankoff Slow Pump is ideal for surface water sources and can be set up to be portable. All of these water pumps do not need a storage battery to operate and can be operated directly from a 100-watt solar panel. Berkey filters are great, but if you have a low-pressure water source that can be provided by an elevated tank like we had on our ranch, or an electric or hand pump then you can get better filtration and more filtered water for the same money in Berkey filters using this filter cartridge.Continue reading“Top Priorities for Surviving the Coming Civil War, by Tunnel Rabbit”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

A Silver-Haired Turk at the 2024 Olympics
I’m Detecting That Trained Assassin Vibe…

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:

“And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.

And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

And he arose, and departed to his house.

But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” – Matthew 9:1-13 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — August 3, 2024

August 3, 1900: Firestone Tire and Rubber Company founded in Akron, Ohio, by Harvey Firestone.

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On August 3, 1963, Warner Bros. Records released a single of Allan Sherman’s novelty song “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (A Letter from Camp)”, set to music of Amilcare Ponchielli’s “Dance of the Hours” from his 1876 opera “La Gioconda”.

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August 3, 1914, Germany and France both declared war on each other, formally beginning the First World War.

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On August 3, 1829, Gioachino Rossini‘s last and greatest opera “Guillaume Tell” (William Tell) premieres at Salle Le Peletier in Paris.

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Today’s feature article is a guest piece by Brandon Smith, of Alt-Market.us.

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We are seeking entries for Round 114 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Round 114 ends on September 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.

As Ukrainian Defenses Collapse, What Can US Patriots Learn?, by Brandon Smith

In my article ‘Russia Is About To Overrun Ukraine’s Defenses – Why Are There No Peace Negotiations’ published in May, I outlined my reasons for predicting a near term collapse of Ukrainian front line defenses and a sweeping territory grab by Russian forces. Since the early months of the war my primary argument has been that Ukraine is trying to hide steep declines in manpower, and that this ruse would eventually be exposed. Bottom line? Wars are won by men, not by DARPA technology and suitcases of fiat cash.

A year ago mainstream analysts said Ukrainians troops (with NATO’s help) would soon destroy the Russian military and party on the beaches of Crimea. Today, the establishment admits manpower shortages are a reality and they admit Russia is overrunning Ukraine’s defensive positions all over the front. Soon, Russia will control the entirety of the Donbas region and beyond using attrition warfare.Continue reading“As Ukrainian Defenses Collapse, What Can US Patriots Learn?, by Brandon Smith”

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 past week I kept busy berry picking with Lily, and catching up on projects around the Rawles Ranch. One of those was hanging a new tube gate on our main corral. I finally found a suitably heavy-duty tube gate. It is built to the same specifications as the panels for our bullpen. So the new gate is truly “Bull Strong.”  (Our bull had destroyed the previous one, made of lighter-gauge steel.) The gate came with some huge threaded hinge support bolts. But they were about an inch shorter than the diameter of the existing cedar gate post, so I countersank the washers and nuts. That was a fairly quick and easy job.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the Lord made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water:

And the Lord delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the Lord spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.

And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the Lord gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant.

And the Lord said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image.

Furthermore the Lord spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:

Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they.

So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands.

And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the Lord your God, and had made you a molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the Lord had commanded you.

And I took the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and brake them before your eyes.

And I fell down before the Lord, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the Lord was wroth against you to destroy you. But the Lord hearkened unto me at that time also.

And the Lord was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time.

And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount.” – Deuteronomy 9:9-21 (KJV)