Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“And they said, We saw certainly that the Lord was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee; That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the Lord.” Genesis 26:28&29 (KJV)

Notes for Friday – November 21, 2014

We are coming up on the end of Round 55 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Get your submission in soon!

o o o

Today, we present another entry for Round 55 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hardcase to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel which can be assembled in less then 1 minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouseis providing 30 DMPS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448.95) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  7. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.
  12. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  10. RepackBoxis providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208, and
  7. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.
  9. Montie Gearis donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack. (a $379 value).

Round 55 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.

Four Exercises To Stay In Shape While Holed Up, by Zac T.

As a brief introduction about me, aside from being an MPH student, I am an exercise physiologist and personal trainer. When I am not correcting peoples’ form and working in cardiac rehab, I spend my spare time backpacking, lifting weights, and reading economics books.

Let’s say that you were a prepper. I say “were” because, for the point of this article, The Big Event has already happened, and now you’re not so much prepping as you are surviving. You stockpiled food, medicine, water, and ammunition. You read all the books. You built a secret retreat. Now there’s not much for you to do but to wait the whole thing out.

Unfortunately, you’re going to have to do all of this sitting out while stuck between the same ol’ four walls for yet another day, and slowly, day by day, as your activity levels drop to a bare minimum while you’re cooped up, you begin to grow weaker. You begin to grow slower, and your energy levels begin to plummet as well.

Before The BIG Event, you were in reasonably good shape. You could run a few miles with no problem and spent a couple of evenings per week at the gym. However, during this survival situation, going to the gym is out of the question.

Sure, for the beginning of any survival scenario, you’re probably not going to be worried about your level of conditioning too much. You’re gonna focus on surviving. However, if this scenario begins to stretch out for any extended period of time, maintaining a high level of physical fitness suddenly becomes a much bigger issue. So, what can you do when you’re stuck in the same one-story cabin for who knows how long?

The Exercises

Well, here are four exercises that can be done with minimal space, next to no equipment, and that will strengthen your entire body:

  1. Push-ups

    Did I really even need to say this one? It’s probably the first one that came to mind for most of you. This is for good reason though. Push-ups are one of the best body-weight exercises out there.

    By doing these, we’re not only targeting our chest, we’re also hitting the triceps, anterior shoulder, core, and spinal erectors as well. Good ol’ push-ups will not only help to build up your upper body strength (which tends to be the first thing that people lose over time), but they also do an excellent job of strengthening the core.

    Why is this important?

    If you want to be able to push a car, throw a wicked right hook, or shut a door closed on an intruder, you’re going to need a strong chest and powerful triceps.

    What if you can’t do a normal push-up?

    That’s no problem. Every exercise out there can be adjusted for intensity. If a normal push-up is too tough, start off by doing push-ups off of a wall. As you progress, start at the bottom of a stairwell and do push-ups off of the third or fourth step, or which ever step is comfortable.

    Eventually, you’ll get strong enough to do normal push-ups.

    Are knee push-ups an option? Absolutely. You could do them, but just be aware that you have to keep a straight line from your shoulders to your knees if you want to target the right muscles. Don’t point your butt toward the ceiling or get into a cobra-about-to-strike looking posture; none of that stuff is helpful.

    Your body needs to come up as a unit. If you’re having trouble with this, I highly recommend just starting off with some wall push-ups and slowly progressing yourself.

  2. Dead Bugs

    Where did the name “dead bugs” come from? Well, it is named that because, for this exercise, you’re going to start off laying on your back on the floor with all fours in the air. It’s gonna look like you were giving a horsey-back ride to your kid when you suddenly froze, got turned over on your back, and then got stuck like that.

    From this position, you’re going to SLOWLY lower your left arm and RIGHT leg until they are parallel to the floor. Raise them back up to starting position, and then repeat the process for the opposite arm and leg.

    Lastly, you’re going to want to focus on keeping your lower back pushed into the floor throughout the movement on this one as well. This drastically increases the number of muscle fibers recruited through the core. Your back is going to want to arch so that it can cheat. Don’t let it.

    Why do I recommend dead bugs?

    Did you know that your core musculature tightens up before you ever even begin to do a bicep curl? Did you know that doing a pull-up requires massive amounts of core strength? Guess what you need to chop wood, carry heavy stuff, or throw a rock.

    Yep. You guessed it– a strong core.

    The core is literally the foundation to just about every movement you can possibly make. Without a strong one, your movements are going to be weak and inefficient.

    On top of this, the core muscles also play a vital part in the protection of the spine. Take a moment to imagine what it would be like attempting to survive by yourself with a tweaked-out back.

    It stinks, doesn’t it?

    And that’s yet another reason that a strong core is essential to survival.

    Therefore, I recommend dead bugs. They’re a fantastic core-conditioning exercise that you’re going to predominantly feel in your abs.

    Don’t be fooled by how silly these things sound or look. They can be pretty brutal when done properly.

  3. Bodyweight squats

    You never know how much you use something, until you hurt it.

    If you’ve ever twisted your knee, you know what I mean. All of a sudden you come face to face with the reality that you use your legs WAY more than you thought you did.

    Need to run away from a mob/angry creature/bad guy? You need your legs. Need to stand at the stove to cook a meal? You need your legs. Need to haul heavy equipment, push a car, jump to safety, and much, much more? You need your legs.

    So, why not build them to be strong? Stronger legs mean that you can run faster, jump farther, hike longer, and carry heavier loads. In a survival situation, this could mean your life!

    How can we work out the entire musculature of the legs, targeting our quads, hammies, and glutes? The answer is bodyweight squats.

    All you’ve got to do for this one is to sit down on an imaginary toilet, and then shoot right back up, as if the seat was cold!

    Things you’re going to want to keep in mind on this one are to keep your back flat throughout the movement, slightly point your toes out, and put your feet just outside of your shoulders. I cross my arms, too. No cheating with your hands!

    Sounds easy enough, right?

    Hit 15+ reps, and then let me know how you feel.

  4. Let-me-ins

    You’re going to need a door or a post that’s not going to move, for this one.

    Let’s say you chose the door. You’re going to place your feet so that you’re straddling the door on both sides, with your feet just a little beyond the door knobs.

    Each hand is now going to grab onto one of the door knobs. From here, you’re going to sit down on that imaginary toilet again, using your legs to support your weight.

    While keeping a firm grip on the door knobs, straighten out your arms so that you are now kind of hanging there by your hands. Now, pull yourself back to the door.

    Once you get into the rhythm of it, it’s going to feel a bit like you’re a pole dancer, but this is going to be one of the best back and arm exercises that you can do with little to no equipment.

    Too easy?

    If this is the case, just know that the closer you can slide your feet to the hinges, the harder these are going to be. Just make sure to maintain the squat pose while doing this one.

    Why let-me-ins?

    Let-me-ins target the lats (the V-shape of your back), your biceps, posterior shoulder, and really blast your grip as well. Pulling is one of the six basic human movements, and you’re going to need to have these muscles well conditioned if you intend to survive.

    Without strong lats and grip, you’re going to have a hard time hanging anything by a rope, climbing a tree, or pulling your wife up from a cliff for that matter.

    Seriously, if you got the chance to do that, she’d think you were the bomb-diggedy.

The Workout

Okay, I’ve got the exercises. Now how should I make my workout?

Ahh, I thought you’d never ask.

Here are the two options I would suggest.

  • Create a circuit workout, or
  • Finish all of your sets for one exercise before moving to the next

Personally, I like circuit workouts the best, and they would be the best option for staying in good shape.

To do a circuit workout, do one set of push-ups, and then do one set of bodyweight squats. Rest 60 seconds, and then repeat the process. Rest another 60 seconds, and then do a set of dead bugs, followed by a set of let-me-ins. Rest another 60 seconds, and then do another set of dead bugs, and let-me-ins.

You get the picture.

If this is too hard or too easy of a workout for you, there are always ways to adjust the intensity. Change the number of repetitions you do, increase the intensity of the exercise, or add another round to your circuit.

Here’s the workout I would do:

Circuit A: Push-ups 1 x 30 Circuit A: Dead Bugs 1 x 5 Rest 60 seconds, and repeat two more times

Circuit B: Bodyweight squats 1 x 15 Circuit B: Let-me-ins 1 x 30 Rest 60 seconds, and repeat Circuit B two times

Things To Keep In Mind

With working out, there are a few basics you’re going to want to understand.

Rule #1: If it hurts, don’t do it.

This sounds like common sense, but you’d be surprised. Exercise may make your muscles a tad tender, but if you end up with any kind of pain (there’s a difference), you need to find out what’s going on and switch things around.

Rule #2: Do what you can do.

Don’t go out there trying to impress people. That just leads to your getting hurt. Be wise with how you program your workout. If you can only do ten repetitions before your form starts to break down, then by all means, stick with ten reps.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are strong muscles. Take your time with this. It isn’t a race. Progressing slowly is the key to preventing injuries.

Rule #3: Rest.

When it comes to resistance training, I typically recommend resting a day between workouts. Give your muscles time to recover. This is when they become strong. Also, if you’re new to working out, don’t feel that you’ve got to do this workout four times a week.

This goes back to Rule #2: Do what you can do. Starting off, I’d say going through the workout two or three times per week is fine.

Rest in between sets as well. For this type of workout, I say 15 seconds between exercises while you’re in the middle of a circuit, and 60-90 seconds at the end of a circuit. However, once again, remember Rule #2.

In Conclusion

Staying in good physical condition is essential to surviving during a disaster scenario, especially if you’re going to be holed up for any length of time. With these four exercises, you’ll help to further guarantee that your body stays in peak shape while cooped up, plus you’ll further increase your chances of being able to pull somebody off a cliff, Dark Knight style, and you KNOW you wanna do that.

Letter Re: Christianity and Family Defense

Hello Mr. Latimer,

I have been engaged in a lot of discussions lately about gun rights, and I have noticed that many of my more liberal friends who still identify as Christian always bring up the “turn the other cheek” verse from Scripture to defend their anti-gun stance. Instinctively I know I have a moral obligation to defend my children against attackers with whatever force necessary, but I’d love to have cogent scriptural exegesis on this issue at my fingertips. Do you know of a good resource for me to study? I appreciate your help! – M.E.

Hugh Responds: Perhaps your friends need to spend some time reading their Bible more thoroughly 🙂

The “turn the other cheek” is contained within what we term the “sermon on the mount”, which is one of five discourses that Christ gives within the book of Matthew. This particular discourse is directed towards believers/followers about our relationships to other believers/followers. Let me put it to you like this:

A person you fellowship with has lost his job. He has three kids and a wife. You have some work that needs to be done, so you hire him. After you pay him for the days work, you discover that he did a halfway job on it. The next day, do you fire him? Do you hire him again? Matthew 5 instructs us that we are to be kind to him. The appropriate action would be to hire him and spend more time with him on what your expectations are.

That makes sense, doesn’t it? Now try it with this story:

You are at home. A man breaks into your home, ties you up, and proceeds to rape your daughter in front of you, then leaves. A month later, the same man breaks into your home. Do you offer him your other daughter, or do you fight him with all that you are capable of? The appropriate answer is to fight him with all that you are capable of.

To misapply scripture taken out of context is the number one reason most of our churches today are apostate. Where do they think that our right to defend ourselves comes from? It is not the Constitution. In fact, the founders of our country established that when they wrote the Declaration of Independence. “…We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” (We’ll talk about the Happiness in a moment.) The right of self defense was so ingrained in their thought, they never believed that the government they set up would ever challenge that. The Bill of Rights (the first 10 amendments to the Constitution) was an afterthought that had to be added because some believed that the government would indeed cause issues if it wasn’t constrained. Notice that the second amendment does not grant, give, or even outline the right of self defense. It simply places constraints upon the government to keep them from limiting your ability in that regard. If the government does not grant you the right and the Constitution does not grant you the right, where does it come from? It is given to us by God.

1 Timothy 5:8 “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

That provision includes food, shelter, and protection.

Now, let’s look at another concept– fairness vs righteousness. When a man fights another man, we tend to think that it should be a “fair” fight. If it’s a fist fight, there should be no knives. If it’s a knife fight, there should be no guns, and so forth. However, that is not how God looks at it. We should not fight unless the cause is righteous. Righteousness is the standard that God and godly men use to determine if we should even be involved in a fight. In the example given above, it is clear that you would be righteous in your protection of your daughter. It does not matter if the attacker is only using his hands. You will use the most powerful method at your disposal to end the fight as quickly as possible in your favor. Today, that usually includes some type of firearm. Your anger towards the attacker is righteous anger, and there is no weapon that should be off limits at that point. Your number one priority is to protect your daughter, and you will hurt, maim, and kill to obtain that righteous result.

Does not God demonstrate throughout the Bible that he reserves the right to hurt and destroy those who would hurt and destroy what belongs to Him? Was it fair when the earth opened up and swallowed them whole, or when pestilence took the lives of tens of thousands who opposed him? That is why we have that right. It is given to us by our Creator.

Psalms 144:1 “Blessed be the Lord my strength which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight”

Luke 22:36 “Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.”

Why did Jesus tell his disciples to buy the modern assault weapon of the time? It was because He knew they were in for a rough time and that they had the right to defend their lives and their families! Notice that Peter apparently even carried an assault weapon all the time.

It is important to remember that the right to use violence and aggression is not for vengeance, not for pleasure, and not for personal gain. That right is reserved for the protection of ourselves and those that cannot protect themselves. If we do not protect those that depend upon us, we are cursed:

Revelations 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Those that are too afraid to do what is righteous and right have a special place reserved for them in hell.

On Happiness (from The Declaration of Independence)- This is probably one of the most misunderstood phrases in that document. What makes you happy? Do you pursue food, drugs, women, cars, or other physical things? Do we have a right to hit someone, if it makes us happy? Of course not. To understand that phrase, you cannot apply twenty-first century thinking. You have to see it from their (the writers’) perspective. Happiness was not a description of a subjective emotional state. It meant prosperity or well-being in the broader sense. It included the right to meet physical needs, but it also included a significant moral and spiritual dimension. You can look to the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780 (same time frame) that defines: “the happiness of a people and the good order and preservation of civil government essentially depend upon piety, religion and morality, and . . . these cannot be generally diffused through a community but by the institution of the public worship of God and of public instructions in piety, religion and morality.” The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 also states “religion, morality, and knowledge” are “essential to the happiness of mankind.” That happiness includes the act of righteous moral outrage at affronts against our selves or those that we protect and the ability to use violence and aggression in their defense.

If you want to learn more about this concept, the first resource is, of course, the Bible. From the beginning to the end, it is filled with stories of God and God’s people righteously using aggression and violence to protect themselves and those who can’t protect themselves. It is also filled with stories of those who inappropriately used violence and aggression to further their own desires and the punishment that God reserves for such abuses. You may also want to read JWR’s treatise on self defense. A third source that I highly recommend is Monte Judah’s “Yavoh” magazine. In particular, see his article titled “The Right of Self Defense From the Point of View of a Believer“. Another source would be the article God and Guns: Your Biblical Right to Self Defense, by J.B. on SurvivalBlog.

Notes for Thursday – November 20, 2014

Today, we present another entry for Round 55 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hardcase to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel which can be assembled in less then 1 minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouseis providing 30 DMPS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448.95) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  7. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.
  12. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  10. RepackBoxis providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208, and
  7. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.
  9. Montie Gearis donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack. (a $379 value).

Round 55 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.

I’ve Discovered I’m A Prepper, by H.H.

How did I get here? About a year ago, I was covered up with apples from my one, lonely apple tree in my back yard. (I have since planted another.) I ate some, gave some away, canned a lot of apple butter, but I still had about a bushel basket of apples left. Not wanting to waste them, I did an Internet search for ways to can the remaining apples and found some great information. I ended up canning applesauce and apple pie filling, too.

This Internet search for ways to can apples led me to many prepper and survivalist sites. Initially, I thought, “Okay. I believe in planning for the future, but that’s all that I have in common with THESE people.” I always thought that survivalists were those odd ducks or crazy people who stood on the streets with signs proclaiming the end is near and who lived in underground bunkers. I was wrong. It turns out these everyday Americans are just like me. We’re your friends, neighbors, church family, coworkers, et cetera. We are aware of what’s going on around us, and we don’t want to be caught in the panic of those who weren’t ready, or worse yet, thought the government would take care of us. (Can you say “Katrina”?)

Who am I? I am a middle-aged Christian wife, a mother of three adult children (two of whom are married), and a grandmother to two wonderful grandkids. I live in a rural area just outside a small, Midwest town, and I am a teacher at a small, rural school. I was raised on a farm, as was my husband. My husband and I were each in 4-H for over ten years. (That’s how we met.) My grandparents taught me many skills. They lived through the Depression and felt that there were things I should be able to do. They told me, “This may come in handy some day.” They were right.

I’m the lady who lives next door. I have flowers in my yard. I put lights on the front of my house and a nativity scene at Christmas. I ride my bike, kayak, and walk for exercise. My husband and I love to go camping. I’ve been told that I make fantastic cinnamon rolls and cheesecakes. I like to read, take photographs, eat ice cream, and laugh with my friends. I complain about the government and too many lazy people in the world. I’ve been told that I’m very organized. I’m a night owl, but my job requires me to report at 7:45 in the mornings. I love to eat homemade ice cream, and so I make it often. (Did I already say that?) See? I am the lady next door!

There’s nothing special about me. I am NOT a prepper or a survivalist! Am I? I mean I do believe in preparing for the future. I do believe in saving for a rainy day. I do believe in living a healthy lifestyle. After being cut off from neighboring towns during a flood several years ago, I began preparing even more than before. While others were panicking because the grocery stores and Walmart were flooded, I simply lived my life and ate the food I had in my home. So what have I done to prepare for TEOTWAWKI? I’ll tell you. I’ll also tell you what I want to do to be further prepared.

What skills do my family and I have? We can:

  • teach,
  • cook, bake, can, freeze, and dehydrate food,
  • safely and accurately shoot firearms,
  • grow our own vegetables and fruit,
  • raise livestock,
  • do electrical and mechanical work,
  • weld,
  • repair and maintain automobiles and engines,
  • do carpentry,
  • apply first aid,
  • provide dental care,
  • start a fire,
  • sew,
  • weave, and more.

What plans have I made for my family’s survival? Let me tell you about them:

  • Water– Like most of you, I have potable water stockpiled. I also have a pond and a natural spring on my property, plus a creek about a quarter mile from my home. I can purify water by boiling it or using chlorine bleach. I also have a filter that attaches to a five-gallon bucket, a filtered water bottle that was a lifesaver on a mission trip to a foreign country with an unsafe water supply, and a straw-type filter. In an off-grid situation, I can boil water in my camper, on the side burner of my grill, or on an open fire in the yard. In the future, I want to purchase an additional large water filter, preferably a Berkey and more filtered water bottles and straw filters. I want to order a water barrel that will not freeze in the winter months and enable me to stockpile even more water. I also want to purchase supplies to distill water.
  • Food/Cooking– I have a vegetable garden, two apple trees, asparagus plants, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. I know how to save my own vegetable and fruit seeds, and I have a supply of heirloom seeds, including those for medicinal herbs. I have food that I have canned or frozen that I have grown in my garden or purchased locally. I have a gas-powered generator to power my freezer during power outages and extra fuel with stabilizer added. I have purchased nonperishable food and am just getting started stockpiling dehydrated foods. My two freezers are almost full, including beef raised by the family who rents our pasture from us. They also have a packinghouse to process the livestock they raise. This is the best beef I’ve ever eaten and is much cheaper, and in my opinion, healthier than store-bought meat. It’s pasture-raised with no hormones. I got a few pullet chicks last spring and am now getting eggs enough to supply 15 people with all of the eggs they need. We hunt deer, turkey, dove, and squirrel. We also fish. We have all of the gear we need for hunting and fishing. When my husband and I remodeled our home last year, we got a gas range to cook when the power is out. It turns out that our range needs electricity to function. I was told that it did not. I can’t even light the burners with a match. In an off-grid situation, I can cook in my camper on my gas range (plus we have a generator to power our house), on a Coleman tabletop camping stove, in my gas smoker, with two gas fish fryers, or over an open fire. The fish fryers are great for canning in the summertime. This keeps the heat outside. For the future, I am continuing to buy a box of canning jars every week or two. Due to a hand injury at the beginning of last summer that stopped my gardening and canning for a few weeks, I do not have near enough home-canned food. Next year I will can more food, and I need more jars for this task. When I replace my 30-year-old freezer, I’m getting a gas-powered one, just like my Amish neighbors have. This would enable me to keep my frozen food safe in a long-term, off-grid situation. I do not have near enough food stored for my family and for sharing or bartering. I need more grains, dried beans, canned goods, and so forth. I’m also adding more chickens next spring, including a rooster so I can raise my own chicks. I will freeze and dehydrate any extra eggs. I will be adding dairy goats. My son’s girlfriend has both meat and dairy goats. She will help me with this. I also want to purchase a grinder for grains. I want to get a gas range that will function without electricity, or figure out how to bypass the feature that keeps our range from working without electricity.
  • Shelter- My home is in the country, outside the city limits of a town of approximately 10,000 people. I live about 150 miles from a city of more than 300,000 people, and 40 miles from a city of about 30,000 people. We also own 40 acres about 10 miles from our home. Our farm borders a national forest, and is “off the beaten path”. We have a pull-behind camper that comfortably sleeps eight. We always have the LP tanks full, but the white water tank can only be full when the outside temperature is above freezing. We have to winterize in late fall and can’t refill until spring. We have a few tents that are not all-season tents and the typical camping supplies. Many of my extended family live within 20 miles of my home. My grandparents’ farm is very secluded and now owned by a cousin. This would be a potential bug-out location. My future plans involve making my home more secure, especially the doors and windows. I also need to build a structure on our farm, so that we may use this as a secondary location. I need to keep supplies in the camper to make bugging out a quick process. I need to arrange with my cousin to have a secondary bug-out location on his farm, formerly owned by my grandparents.
  • Heating- My home is all electric. We have a gas-powered generator to power our back-up heat and electric baseboard heaters. We have extra fuel for the generator with stabilizer added. We also start the generator and make sure it runs well. -We have two kerosene heaters but very little kerosene stored. We have an old gas heater that could be set up, if needed. For the future, we need to have the supplies on hand to install the gas heater. We need more stored kerosene and a lot of firewood, with more trees available for cutting. We could install a woodstove, if needed. I would like an automatic, whole-home generator. This would enable me to be able to quickly power our home, without having to keep adding fuel to our portable generator.
  • Transportation- We keep our vehicles maintained and at or above one-half tank of fuel. Our son, who lives next door, has two, old, diesel vehicles. He has diesel stored at home. Our future plans include buying an enclosed trailer to haul supplies. We’ve been looking for several months and hope to find one soon. We need to get extra plugs, hoses, and other parts to keep the old clunkers running.
  • Health- I am in good health, exercise to maintain my health, and daily wear sunscreen, which is stockpiled in abundance because if we are working outside more we all will need it. I have a small amount of first aid supplies, over-the-counter medications, and natural remedies. We are all up to date on vaccinations. We do take prescriptions but no life-saving prescriptions. For the future, I plan to increase my stock of first aid and homeopathic supplies. I need to stockpile prescription medications and medical supplies. I need to begin talks with the doctor and nurses who are my neighbors to see if they would be good people to form a group with, and I need to increase my medical knowledge and skills.
  • Information- I have made a large binder with information on the following topics: Water gathering, storage, and purification; First aid and medical; Natural remedies; Growing plants and herbs for healing; Cleaning and sanitizing, including recipes for soap and cleaning supplies and for making lye; Simple recipes; Ways to preserve food; How to care for chickens; Gardening; and How to process animals, preserve the hides, and make things with the hides, including making moccasins. I also have books on some of these subjects as well. I have all of our important documents in a large envelope in this binder. Make an information binder or book. Everyone needs access to survival information. We don’t want to think about it, but something may happen to the expert, and you may have to do their job. My future plans involve making copies of all of my information and putting it in other locations or giving it to my family. I need to coordinate with out-of-state family, because they may be able to serve as contacts and sources for information if our local communications are out of service.
  • Entertainment/Enjoyment- We have lots of board games, movies, CDs and player, musical instruments, and snack foods that would occupy time and raise spirits in difficult times.
  • General Information- I have candles and matches, flashlights and extra batteries, hand-crank flashlights and emergency radio, and a battery-powered radio/CD player. We have shoes and clothes for all weather situations, including moisture-wicking clothes and anti-blister socks. This is important. I do have items for bartering and we do have some security. Our future plans include me getting my ham radio training, license, and a radio. We need more security and to band together with like-minded individuals. We do not have BOB’s, which needs to be a high priority for us. We need to replace clothes and shoes as needed. I will be debt free in a few months.
  • Workplace- I have enough food and water in my workplace to survive for several days. I have one set of spare clothes and shoes, and extra cold weather outerwear. I also have blankets, a pillow, and flashlights with extra batteries. I have a first aid kit with plenty of extra latex and non-latex gloves. Depending on the situation, it may be necessary for me to provide aid to others. My cell phone is always fully charged, but I have a phone charger at work, too. If necessary, I can walk the few miles from work to my home, and on my way home I will get my grandkids from daycare. For the future, I need an emergency radio and extra batteries for my flashlights.

Plans for the future: I have made plans in every area, but I also need to practice scenarios with my family. We need to know what to do when it is TEOTWAWKI. A couple of friends and I have discussed helping each other, if needed. We already share garden produce, home-canned goods, and eggs. We have casually discussed what we could each do to help, based upon our strengths and weaknesses. These are people I can trust, but we need more like-minded people to survive worst-case scenarios. Who do we include? We need to be careful in discussing this. I don’t want all of my work to go down the drain by the wrong people knowing what I’ve done. Loose lips sink ships.

Hmmm. Maybe I am a prepper.

Why am I telling you this? Well, I guess I want to share what I’ve done to help my family. Maybe something will help you. Maybe you’ll discover something you’re doing right or something you forgot to do. I want you to know that it’s okay to live in the present while preparing for the future. I want you to know that you don’t need to live in fear. I want to network with like-minded people. I want feedback from those of you who have been at this far longer than I have and have far more knowledge than I do. I have faith that God will take care of me, but He did give me a brain and He expects me to use it. Thank you for indulging these ramblings of an ordinary woman who discovered that maybe she is a prepper!

Letter Re: Prepping from a Wheelchair

Hugh,

Although many good posts on SurvivalBlog embody it, this one somehow drove home the most important resource we must develop: a proper mindset. From it all decisions are made and actions effected. I wish I was local to this woman, as I’d like to contribute my skills, resources, and *my* mindset to her team. She is a refreshing alternative to the “Yeah, I need to buy some candles or something” response I usually get when carefully suggesting our avocation to associates. May God use her willing hands and mind to accomplish His will during adversity. – D.D.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Swedish Paramedics Need Body Armor to Enter Violent Muslim Areas – RBS

o o o

Milford 5th-grader suspended for pointing imaginary gun. – T.P.

o o o

Gun sales in Ferguson spike a staggering 700% as residents wait to see if Officer Darren Wilson will be indicted for shooting dead unarmed teenager Michael Brown. – T.P.

o o o

Museum Will Remove World World II-Era Rifles Because Of New State Law. – D.S.

o o o

Video: Michigan Tax Assessor Attempts Interior Home Inspections. – B.B

Notes for Wednesday – November 19, 2014

Seed for Security is offering a great sale. Their Spring Security Collection is now 25% off. This collection includes five varieties of open pollinated, non GMO, cool hardy vegetables– a total of 2,100 seeds. This collection comes in a vapor-proof pouch with a desiccant and planting instructions. They also had a wonderful Flint Indian Corn harvest, and it is now available in 3/4 pint pouches of approximately 1,425 seeds. These offers are for a limited time.

o o o

Ready Made Resources is updating their site with a completely new interface with a responsive design for smaller, pocket-sized computer screens. You might want to check it out for yourself and let them know what you think.

o o o

Today, we present another entry for Round 55 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hardcase to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel which can be assembled in less then 1 minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouseis providing 30 DMPS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448.95) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  7. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.
  12. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  10. RepackBoxis providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208, and
  7. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.
  9. Montie Gearis donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack. (a $379 value).

Round 55 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.

Prepping On A Budget, by VRP

I once worked with a woman who only gave her dogs bottled water to drink. When asked if she could drive a vehicle with a manual transmission, she replied, “Oh no! I’d rather walk!” Seriously? There was no pioneer spirit there! In post SHTF, people like this may find it difficult surviving, much less finding bottled water for their dog. Preparing for emergencies or post SHTF can be overwhelming and expensive, but there are many ways to prep on a budget.

Two years ago when a derecho (Editors note: a widespread, long-lived, straight-line wind storm) came through our area, the power went out for several days. With temperatures hovering in the mid to upper 90’s, we pulled out the generator and headed for the basement, where it was cool. We were lucky to be able to get gasoline, as only one gas station among many in our community had electricity, and neighboring towns had none. Grocery stores were closed. Even though people said that the power company would have it up and running in no time, a slight edge of fear and panic hovered in the back of their minds. You could see it in their eyes. So many people lost the contents of their freezers and refrigerators. We had no functioning microwaves to cook the thawed foods! No internet! No TV! Cell phone use was limited to conserve battery life! Think about it. An all-electric, temperature-controlled environment can kill you! I vowed to my husband, then and there, that I would learn to manage our home without electricity. The power was only out for a couple of days, but I imagined it going out for an extended period of time.

So after the electricity was restored, I began my research. I started canning vegetables, chicken and beef broth, venison, chicken, apples, and jams and jellies to keep from relying on the freezer. There are great recipes on the Internet for canning. If the power should go out, what little there is in the freezer can be cooked on a gas cook stove in the kitchen, a gas grill outside, a fire pit, or a rocket stove made with cinder blocks. The Internet has great recipes and project instructions.

We have a well and septic, so when the power goes out the water stops. We can run the generator long enough to fill gallon jugs for drinking and fill the tub full of water. From there, we dip out the water for the toilet and hygiene. We have gathered five 55-gallon barrels and hope to collect rainwater in them soon. It will be good for laundry, hygiene, and watering our small garden, but the rainwater will need to be strained/filtered and boiled for drinking. Rainwater from a shingle roof should never be consumed. A large 20-gallon tub for wash water and an inexpensive toilet plunger work well for doing laundry. Use only the amount of water needed for your load of laundry. Cut three or four holes in the plunger the size of a quarter and use it as an agitator. Have a second tub for rinse water. Purchase a wringer mop bucket to press out the water from your clothes, and hang them on the clothesline to dry in the summer and a clothes rack indoors in the winter. (Editor’s Note: If you purchase one of these mop buckets, the commercial mops work very well in home use, but you will generally find it easier if you cut off about a foot from the mop handle. It’s amazing how many low hanging light fixtures are in the way of of a full length mop handle.) It’s all very affordable! Use the wash and rinse water to clean your floors and/or your porch, or use it to flush the toilet. Make sure your laundry detergent has no phosphates, which could potentially pollute your ground and ground water. A solar shower pack is great for taking showers. The water gets so hot sometimes you may need to let it cool before you can use it. That’s all well and good for summer use, but what about winter? By accident, I discovered a neat little trick for that.

A couple years ago, I let my Weimaraner dog out to do her business. She came back smelling awful! She had rolled in a fresh cow pie from the neighbor’s farm, and it was too cold to shoot her with a water hose outside for a bath. I took a two-gallon watering can and filled it with warm water then gave her a shower. This worked great! I then expanded that idea to weekend trail rides, where 250+ horses and riders came together for trail rides, but there was little or no running water for showers. This was the ideal shower. The downside is that it takes two people to use this method, as two gallons of water are difficult to hold over your head to give yourself a shower. If we are frugal in our efforts, at least two adults can shower with one watering can. I use this method on my grandkids every time they stay at my house. It conserves water, and they think it is great fun to have a “camp shower”. What better way to prepare for post SHTF then to implement small things into everyday life.

The research continued. There are some amazing ideas out there! My research showed that you can bring in your solar landscape lights to light up your room at night. When that derecho hit, I tested that idea and brought one inside, which my husband thought was ridiculous. However, when I placed the light in our bedroom, he woke up in the middle of the night and declared that the light was too bright to sleep by, so we moved it into the dining room. To this day we keep one in the dining room and one in the bathroom every night for as long as the sun charges them up. Place them in a CLEAR flower vase, which is designed to support top-heavy things. Since solar landscape lights shine their light downward, a green vase is too dark and will prevent good lighting. Place the clear flower vase on a square mirror tile to reflect the light. These mirrors are found in the housewares section in many box stores and are used for table decorations. In the winter months when there is little sunlight, the oil lamps get their exercise, but the idea is to conserve the fossil fuels needed to operate them. I tell everyone about this small solar lighting, even people I meet at the store. They realize it is a good idea. The more people who know the better!

Constantly ask yourself, “If the power goes out, how will I manage my household?” I purchased several books on self-sustaining topics and off-grid survival to have on hand. I learned to make soap. If you’re using quality oils, it isn’t as inexpensive as many people think, but I started doing this to eliminate the many chemicals in store-bought products. However, if the power is out, many needed items are not available at the store. To my surprise, I realized that I now have a new skill to share with others in times of need. I have found, and tested, recipes for deodorant, toothpaste, moisturizing face cream, lip balm, body lotion bars, hairspray, laundry detergent, all-purpose cleaner, and drain cleaner. Some recipes failed…miserably. So, I would find another one and then tweak it. Other recipes worked and are very effective in their tasks, and I still use them today. Many of these are cheap, cheap, cheap!

One of my favorite recipes is an all-purpose cleaner. I have tweaked this recipe to eliminate unnecessary fluff to get down to the real cleaning power of the spray. Start with 1½ cups of water that has been heated, which helps the ingredients blend better. Add 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 1 teaspoon Borax, and ¼ cup liquid Castile soap with tea tree oil. (Lavender works great, too.) Stir gently and pour into a recycled spray bottle with a funnel. Cap once it has cooled. This is a very effective cleaner on most surfaces, but because of the Borax it does not do windows. Dr. Bronner’s liquid Castile soap costs around $12 for a 32 ounce bottle, which equates to 38 cents per ounce. Using four ounces at a time, plus the remaining ingredients, this cleaner cost around $1.60 per batch. To clean windows, you need 2 cups of water with ¼ cup vinegar. Add ½ teaspoon liquid Castile soap for really dirty windows. Pour this mixture into a spray bottle and clean away!

Stock up on the affordable ingredients to make these products, and they will be available to you when stores have lost their power and/or their shelves are empty. In addition to the savings, you get a healthier product. The chemicals in the store-bought versions of many products can make people sick, if not now, then maybe later as they are stored up in your system.

What happens if I get the flu or sprain my ankle? In a post-SHTF world, is there a doctor available? It’s time for more research! I am no EMT or student of medicine, but I found excellent information on homeopathic remedies. So, I planted an herbal healing garden. A careful study of herbs should be done before drinking teas. Some herbs are very difficult to find. But with the help of friends and local greenhouse nurseries, I was able to locate a couple of herbs that tried their best to elude me. I purchased books to show me how to recognize many local medicinal herbs that simply look like weeds. Every year we try killing dandelions with chemicals for a more appealing lawn. Who would have thought that dandelion roots and leaves are so nutritious? A bit more research even turned up a recipe for dandelion wine, which is a very good bartering item!

I am not one to shop on the Internet. I don’t like putting my credit card number out there to purchase these things. I did, however, purchase mylar bags on the Internet, because I could not find them locally. Storing dried beans, rice, powdered milk, sugar, and salt can be lifesavers in times of need, and properly stored these will last many years. There is a lot of information on the Internet. You will discover how long dried foods can be stored and where they should be stored. For example; raw, natural honey has an unlimited shelf life. It just doesn’t go bad. If it crystalizes, place the jar of honey into a pot of warm/hot water and the honey will return to its original state. Honey is nutritious and can also be used medicinally.

Both my husband and I work regular jobs, and both are about an hour’s drive from home in different directions. We both have bug out bags, so in case we are stranded their contents will at least get us home. They are nothing fancy, but a little preparedness will go a long way. I got a list of things for our bags in my research. Consider what you may need if you had to walk 50 miles home. Do you really need that big $100 wilderness knife or will a more affordable one do?

Many people you read about obviously have lots of money for underground bunkers and buckets upon buckets of survival food, but what about those who don’t have that kind of money or have nowhere else to “bug out” to? They shouldn’t be left out of the loop! There are so many things you can do on a limited budget that will help you prepare. Eat out less and at home more. Learn to cook meals that do not require a microwave. Buy an extra bag of both dried beans and rice plus a couple extra cans of food each week, and set them aside. Grow what food you can. Even a small garden produces good food with care. Check out those hygiene and cleaning recipes on the Internet and start making your own. Save money and be healthier to boot. However, we cannot learn it all. We will need to rely on others who can do what we cannot. It is a good idea to talk to your friends and neighbors on the subject. We have a couple of neighbors who are onboard with neighborhood security and prepping for emergencies. One neighbor keeps bees. I buy honey from him, and he gives me the honeycomb. He also grows beautiful tomatoes that I buy inexpensively and can in mason jars. Another neighbor keeps chickens, and I get organic eggs from her. Consider bartering with the skills that you have. I render beeswax to make candles and to add to some of the skin care recipes. When I make soap, I give samples to the neighbors each time I get a new recipe.

Test the waters. Spend a weekend with the power shut off to your house. I mean spend an entire weekend without electricity, not just an overnight on Friday and then off to the Pancake House on Saturday morning. For now, maybe run your generator to keep the refrigerator and freezer running but nothing else. You will get a full picture of what it will take in a post-SHTF world. What will you learn about your own preparedness? What do you need? You will discover countless things that you overlooked. Start making a list of your shortcomings and your strong points. Get together with your neighbors. What skills do you have that they need and vice versa?

Today so many people are focused on what Brittney Spears is wearing and the latest cell phone technology. We need to change that focus. Bring your pioneer spirit forward. Start with research on the Internet. The greatest thing about the Internet is its educational advantages. Get it while you can. When the power goes out, it is too late to look up instructions and recipes on the Internet for a self-sustaining lifestyle. Buy and/or borrow some books. Talk to friends and neighbors. It doesn’t take a huge budget to implement simple changes. Make those simple changes your new habits. The time to act and prepare is now.