Introduction to Tactical Combat Casualty Care, by W.H.

This is an introduction to Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), which is the medical training that U.S. troops are currently taught to save lives on the battlefield. TCCC is the result of collaboration between U.S. Special Operations Command, trauma doctors, and emergency medical personnel to address the shortcoming in combat medicine at the start, and actually well into the current Wars On Terror. It is the combination of good medicine with good tactics. It incorporates some procedures that are proven to save lives but in the past 75 years were shunned in the medical community. TCCC has proven to reduce the number of preventable deaths on the battlefield. The 75th Ranger Regiment had all of its troops and doctors train in TCCC. Their percentage of preventable deaths on the battlefield dropped to 3%, compared to the average of U.S. combat troops, which is 24%. Also note, the mindset for these procedures are not to necessarily save someone’s life but to prevent them from dying long enough to receive hospital level care. This is a very basic introduction. I am not certified in any medical care beyond TCCC, but I have seen and done these procedures on live patients, and they do work, when properly applied. The references listed on the bottom of the article have much more detail and information, as well as great videos and pictures, that help illustrate the topics covered in this post.

I will briefly describe the five main wound areas that need to be addressed and then the equipment needed to treat each wound. Nearly all of the equipment described can be bought easily online. The acronym MARCH can be used to remember the order of treatment, descending in order of importance.

Massive Hemorrhage

Airway

Respiration

Circulation

Head/Hypothermia

Massive hemorrhage (or bleeding)

This is the number one preventable killer on the battlefield. It is caused by a penetration to a major blood vessel or a complete or partial amputation. Any bleeding that is bright red, squirting, or heavy is considered massive hemorrhage and needs to be treated immediately. A major bleeder can kill the casualty within minutes; therefore, prompt treatment is essential. There are two treatments for a massive hemorrhage– tourniquets and wound packing.

The tourniquet is an essential tool for battlefield medicine, which has made a huge comeback in the recent wars. A tourniquet is used to treat a massive hemorrhage on a limb. They are fast, cheap, and extremely effective at stopping bleeding, if applied properly. There are many different types of tourniquets easily available for purchase on the Internet, but they all work roughly the same way. The tourniquet is placed high up on the affected limb, and the windlass is tightened until the bleeding stops. “High and Tight” is the easy way to remember. If placed too low on the limb, the pressure generated on the blood vessel won’t be high enough to stop bleeding; likewise, if it is too loosely applied, it won’t be effective. A number of deaths from the War on Terror were attributed to tourniquets being applied too loosely, where if applied properly, the bleeding could have been controlled and the casualty saved. It is worthy to note that having a tourniquet properly applied is VERY uncomfortable. Patients will plead and beg, or even try to loosen the tourniquet themselves, but under no circumstance should a tourniquet be removed by anyone other than a trained medical professional.

Tourniquets are now required to be carried by every soldier in his kit and be easily accessible, as it is a piece of life-saving equipment. During WWII and the Vietnam War, tourniquets were believed to be very dangerous to apply, and it was believed that it condemned the patient to loose that limb. Nowadays, they are saving countless of lives, as the dangers once associated with them have been tested as false. Sadly, movies and TV shows shape much of the public’s perception of trauma medicine. After the Boston bombings, many good Samaritans jumped in and used makeshift tourniquets to try and stop the bleeding from amputations caused by the explosions; however, none of these makeshift tourniquets were successful in stopping hemorrhage. Please don’t think that when the time comes, you can ripe your shirt off, put a stick through it, twist it a couple of times, and save someone’s life. It is my humble opinion that every household should have at least one tourniquet (preferably more) and know how to use them. I was issued 4 SOF-T tourniquets, so I have one in my at-home trauma bag, one in the bag I take to work, one on my kit, and one in reserve.

The second way to treat a major hemorrhage is wound packing. This is done on any major bleeder, not on a limb. While more time intensive than applying a tourniquet, wound packing can be just as effective at stopping bleeding. The idea behind wound packing is to first apply direct pressure proximally (closer to the heart) to the blood vessel against a bone. This will ensure that the immediate blood flow stops. If the wound is deep or on the trunk of the casualty, place gauze or a dressing as deep into the wound as possible. This will maximize the clotting effect. Also, once a dressing is soaked through with blood, it is imperative to leave it in place in the wound. If removed, it will remove the clot you are trying to form. Pack the entire wound with gauze, ideally placing it towards the head as you pack. Once the entire cavity has been packed, it is wrapped with another bandage to secure it in place. If done right, the pressure from the packing will slow down the bleeding enough for the platelets to start to clot, which will in essence seal off the blood vessel from further blood lose.

A note on Quikclot. It has undergone a couple of different variations, but the current product on the market is called Combat Gauze, which is a bandage impregnated with a compound that speeds up the clotting process. It is not a miracle cure-all product, but it does lead to a much more robust clot, which is more durable if the patient has to be moved. Additionally, Quikclot makes a Silver addition, which has a silver compound in the bandage that helps prevent infection. This could be very helpful in a survival situation in which doctor level care may be much longer away. The Israeli bandage is also another useful bandage to secure the dressings, once they have been placed in the wound. Like tourniquets, Quikclot and other bandages can be easily and cheaply purchased online, but be aware that the Quikclot has a shelf life, where gauze and other bulky dressings do not.

Airway

The second killer on the battlefield, which like bleeding can be controlled, is a blocked or restricted airway. There are some procedural differences between civilian and combat medicine. (Remember the ABCs, in which airway is treated first in civilian emergency medicine?) This is because by the time emergency responders arrive on scene, a massive hemorrhage has more than likely already killed the patient (in as little as 1-3 minutes). In tactical medicine, the number one killer is massive hemorrhage, followed by a blocked airway, and that is why it is treated in that order. Simply put, if the patient cannot breathe, he will expire in roughly four minutes. If a patient can talk, cry, laugh, or scream, they have a clear airway. If a patient is unconscious, it is easy for a patient to choke on his or her own tongue. When consciousness is lost, the tongue relaxes and, being a large muscle, can fall back and block the esophagus. The way to treat a blocked airway is an easy procedure called a nasopharyngeal (NPA), or in layman’s terms it’s often called “a nose hose”. It is simply a flexible rubber hose that is inserted into a patient’s nose to open the airway from the nostril to the back of the throat. When inserting a nose hose, push the hose straight back towards the spine, not up towards the bridge of the nose, as the nasal cavity goes straight back. It is standard TCCC procedure for any unconscious patient to automatically receive a nose hose. A nose hose can be purchased online for roughly $7. [HJL Adds: Rather than a $7 single NPA, you should have a kit of different sizes] After inserting a nose hose, make sure to look inside the patient’s mouth for any obvious obstructions. When checking the airway for obstruction, take care not to place your fingers inside the patient’s mouth, as the patient can seize and bite down without warning. Lastly, if the situation applies, consider rolling the patient onto his or her side, as this will help keep the airway clear of any fluids, such as vomit or blood, as well as the patient’s own tongue.

Respiration

After massive hemorrhage and airway have been addressed, the patient’s respiration needs to be checked. This is done by removing any body armor, kit, and outer clothes, and then looking for an equal rise and fall of the chest, listening for breathing, and feeling the chest rise. The risk to respiration is a pneumothorax. Simply put, this is caused by a penetration to the chest cavity that lets air into the pleural space– the area surrounded by the rib cage that protects the lungs and heart. This air bubble puts pressure on the lungs and heart– a condition that can be fatal, if left untreated. It will start out with shortness of breath, labored breathing, and can lead to the patient feeling an impeding sense of doom, unconsciousness, and death. The fancy medical term for this is “progressive respiratory distress”. The treatment for pneumothorax is needle decompression. This involves sticking a large gauge needle (14 gauge and 3.25 inches long) into the patient’s chest to relieve the pressure. While this sounds dangerous, if done right, it can and will save lives. The injection site for the needle is two to three finger widths below the center of the clavicle bone on the affected side of the patient. As the needle to do this is not easily available, I will not go into great detail. If there is any wound to the torso (above the belly button up to the neck and 360 degrees around the body), immediately seal the torso wound by placing your hand over it, and then sealing the hole, preferably with a medical chest seal, but in a pinch, duct tape and any airtight wrapper will do. If a gunshot wound is suspected, check very carefully for an exit wound, and again seal the wound to prevent air from entering the chest cavity.

Circulation

The TCCC procedure to address circulation in the MARCH sequence is to check the patient for shock. While there are many different types of shock, an easy definition for non-medical professionals is the inability of the body to transfer blood to its tissue (also known as profusion). In the case of traumatic injury, this is usually due to blood lose and the change in hormones following a traumatic event. As the body comes down from its amped up state, immediately following an injury, it realizes that it cannot keep up its current state and begins to shut off blood flow to the outer, less essential areas. However, a patient can suffer shock without sustaining a traumatic injury, usually after a person witnesses a horrific event. One of the easiest and most timely ways to check for shock is to check the patient’s radial (wrist) pulse. If there is a radial pulse, the body is still pushing blood to the hands. If no radial pulse is present, it is an indicator the body is no longer pushing blood to the hands in order to keep it for vital bodily functions and is going into shock. To prevent shock, timely treatment of massive hemorrhage is critical, as it reduces the amount of blood lose. Another way to help a patient suffering from shock it to elevate their feet, unless there is any indication that the patient has received any wound that could cause a spinal injury, in which case you DO NOT want to elevate their feet as this could paralyze them. My wife who is a trained EMT says that if there is any blood on the patient, EMTs would not risk paralyzing them by raising their feet. Likewise, it is not incorporated into TCCC, yet it remains a viable option in some instances. Lastly, getting fluids back into the patient as quickly as possible is a way to prevent shock.

Head/Hypothermia

Head injuries are a common occurrence on the battlefield, especially with the proliferation of Improvised Explosive Devices. While there is not much that you can do for yourself or your buddy on the battlefield, it is an important to pass on any information regarding signs of head injury, or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) to advanced medical care personnel. The signs and symptoms for a TBI include altered mental state, “raccoon eye” shaped bruises around the eyes, clearish yellow fluid leaking from the ears, mismatched pupil size, and any bumps or deformation in the skull. To check for TBI, check the patient for any of these signs.

Hypothermia can be a problem for wounded patients, as any blood loss or injury can diminish the body’s ability to retain heat. Even in a very warm climate, a patient can succumb to hypothermia. Anyone who has ever field dressed an animal knows how hot the internal organs are. To prevent this, after the patient is screened using the MARCH protocol, ensure that any body armor or clothes are put back on, and the patient is covered with a warming garment, whether it be a space blanket, wool blanket, sleeping bag, or in extreme cases, a buddy can use his body heat to re-warm the injured.

Everything Else

After the MARCH sequence has been completed, move on to everything else. The main preventable death injuries are covered in MARCH, but there are still other injuries, while not life threatening in minutes, that are still very important.

Superficial or non major hemorrhages: Any wound that does not strike a major blood vessel or organ is not immediately life threatening but can still look pretty scary. Injuries like this include cuts or wounds on the outside of the body, such as the forearms, outer legs, buttocks, and shoulders. Since the major blood vessels are located on the inside of the body and protected by bone and muscle, wounds to the outer parts of the body can be dealt with last, usually with a simply pressure dressing.

Eviscerations: While definitely very frightening and disgusting to witness, evisceration (abdominal wounds with the intestine hanging out) are not immediately life threatening. The old protocol was to keep any exposed intestines outside the body in a wet bag. However, the updated TCCC protocol is to gently place the intestines back into the wound and seal the wound up any way possible. While putting exposed internal organs back into the body does raise the risk of infection, it has been show that it is safer for the patient’s long-term health than leaving them outside the body.

Eye Injuries: While in any high-threat situation, eye protection should always be worn; still, the chance of eye injury exists. The best thing to do is to protect the eye but do not put the bandage directly on the eye; rather, allow the eye room to still move. While there are fancy eye patches out there, anything that will protect any further injury to the eye while still letting it move will do. To note, U.S. troops are issued battlefield antibiotics when deployed, in a survival situation these may not be immediately available, but with any injury, infection needs to be addressed, especially with eye trauma.

Some General Principles of TCCC:

  • Use a combination of good tactics and good medicine
  • Suppress effective enemy fire or immediate threats before attending to wounded personnel
  • Any completely or partially amputated limb receives a tourniquet
  • Treat major bleeders first (Care under Fire), then move injured person to cover, and begin Tactical Field Care (the rest of MARCH)
  • Before completing the next step in MARCH, check previous steps. For example, after placing a tourniquet on a major bleeder and moving the patient to cover, check the tourniquet before restoring airway, and then before checking the chest for wounds (Respiration) check that the tourniquet is still stopping the massive hemorrhage and the airway is still clear.

Building a Trauma Bag

I strongly recommend everyone have some sort of emergency medical bag. While first aid kits are great, they often times are severely lacking in medical supplies needed to stop life threatening injuries.

I attach my trauma bag, which is relatively small (3”x5”x8”) onto my larger medical bag. In a hostile environment survival situation, I can quickly remove my trauma bag from my med bag and attach it to my battle rattle.

My trauma bag consists of the following:

With a few differences (lack of decompression needle, the addition of the Quikclot Silver and Benadryl) this is what current U.S. soldiers carry in their Individual First Aid Kit, also know as a blow out kit. All of the items in my trauma kit can be purchased online for under $150. I strongly recommend, at the very least, a tourniquet, some bandages, and a chest seal.

Final Thoughts

In closing, while TCCC is primarily for a tactical battlefield environment, the principles of it can be applied to most traumatic injuries and can be very useful in a variety of survival situations. Whether it is surviving a mass shooting or bombing attack and giving the wounded precious minutes until professional medical responders can arrive, to rioting where medical services may be degraded, to a near total societal collapse, preventing death will always be useful. Like any survival skill, the knowledge, while important, is useless without practice. Every piece of medical gear listed in this article (with the exception of a decompression needle) is easily available for purchase online, and a very well-stocked trauma bag can be put together for around $150, but it is essential to practice the actual MARCH sequence and how to treat each wound. Thanks for reading. While I hope that no one ever has to use the skills mentioned in this article, I hope that when the need arises, the training, mindset, and equipment will be there to meet the challenge!

References:

National EMT TCCC homepage

A great resource for more info, videos of procedures, et cetera.

Two Letters Re: Montana Felons

Dear HJL,

I read your response about felons and their ability, or lack thereof, to have firearms. I am surprised by your response. Personally, I think there are some crimes that are beyond the pale of civil society. For me this would be sexual predators, murderers, and traitors. They have not only attacked and destroyed, but they have also shown a total disregard for people and citizenship. So we want them to have a gun legally to protect themselves? You mean to protect themselves from other felons like themselves? Let’s be honest here. They are going to have a gun whether it is legal or not because they don’t care about the rule of law. My question to you is when does someone’s behavior make null and void our country’s Social Contract between society’s responsibility towards the citizen and the citizen’s duty towards the body politic and its social contract? Sincerely – A.S.

Hugh Replies: The existence of the “Department of Corrections” is to provide a method of “paying” for their crime and to rehabilitate. I will not deny that some criminals are incorrigible, but that is precisely the point. Why are we letting criminals who cannot be “corrected” back out on the streets? For those that have paid the price and are “corrected”, why are they not re-integrated back into society? We have created a new class of quasi-citizen that really isn’t a citizen and has virtually no rights simply because we fear them. If we fear them, why are they out? We are cruel and inhumane for dumping them on the streets and guaranteeing that they will commit crimes if they simply defend their lives or property, yet we do not provide that service for them. It’s a “no-win” situation all the way around.

Let me put it this way: A minor child does not have any inalienable rights on their own. They only have those rights through their guardians or parents. At some point, they become adults in their own right, and at that point they get all the rights and responsibilities that go along with adulthood, including those inalienable rights outlined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It is important to understand that neither document grants those rights. They only outline pre-existing rights and limit the government’s power over those rights. A person who commits a crime and is convicted of it is reprimanded to the department of corrections. In essence, the adult now becomes a minor and only has those rights through the guardian of the “state”. When the designated penalty is paid, the convict is now released from the state and becomes a fully functioning adult with all of the rights and responsibilities of an adult. If the state wishes to keep those “inalienable” rights from the person, then they must not relinquish the guardianship of that person. It could conceivably be compared to turning your child out on the street and expecting them to survive. In most states, the guardian is liable for crimes committed by the child and should they not provide protection, they are often accused of child endangerment. How is it any different when you have removed the rights of the adult but expect them to have the responsibility of an adult? When you understand the concept, it is an immoral position to hold. I believe the current system is corrupted beyond repair, but at some point the system will “reset” and these are things that must be considered.

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To Whom It May Concern,

I take a different view than most on this issue. Let me first state that I am a career LEO, and I have been an Army MP, a Deputy Sheriff, and a State officer.

Many people do not consider the fact many seemingly minor items can be or become felonies. White collar crime is an example.

It is my belief that after a time, rights should be restored. I do not believe it is constitutional to keep a person from bearing arms.

Why can’t we take away their right to peacefully assemble or practice religion or even basic free speech? Why can’t we strip convicted felons of their 4th amendment rights and give police the power to pat any convicted felon down, warrant or not? If you have a logical answer as to why their 2nd amendment and inalienable rights can be disenfranchised away, I hope you have a logical answer as to why their other rights CANNOT be stripped away.

How is this not discrimination of a free man who has served his time for a crime and then been forced to live with a life sentence of having some inalienable rights infringed upon him? How is this not double jeopardy? Where in the Constitution does it say that government can disenfranchise a citizen of their inalienable rights after they have paid for their crime? Where in the Constitution does it grant authority to government to wield the power of granting clemency over a free citizen [who must submit an application asking for their rights] in order to restore his/her inalienable rights after having served their time and been released a free individual? – S.B.

Odds ‘n Sods:

What’s in Your Gun Safe? No, Besides the Guns? – J.W.

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The likelihood of this particular piece of legislation making it through the system is slim to none, but you should call your congressman nonetheless. Congress Proposes Law Banning Body Armor In The Land Of The Free – B.B.

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US Defenseless Against North Korean EMP Threat – CDV

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From Minnesota: Rep. Ron Erhardt allegedly said, “I’ll blow your head off” when contacted by gun rights group – B.B.

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Will You Die Getting To Your Bug Out Location? – J.W.

This article is an excellent companion with SurvivalBlog’s Contest Entry on August 12, 2014.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Now those who seek absolute power, even though they seek it to do what they regard as good, are simply demanding the right to enforce their own version of heaven on earth, and let me remind you they are the very ones who always create the most hellish tyranny.” – Barry Goldwater

Notes for Thursday – August 21, 2014

Seed for Security is running a sale right now. Their Three Sisters Collection is now 20% off. This collection includes 300 seeds of their own Flint Indian Corn, 50 seeds of Waltham Butternut Squash, and 50 Seeds of Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans. Detailed planting instructions and a diagram are also included.This offer is for a limited time, so don’t miss out on it.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 54 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,400+ 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. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  11. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  12. 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,
  13. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

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. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  9. Dri-Harvestfoods.com in Bozeman, Montana is providing a prize bundle with Beans, Buttermilk Powder, Montana Hard Red Wheat, Drink Mixes, and White Rice, valued at $333,
  10. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  11. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  12. 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 54 ends on September 30st, 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.

Being Prepared, by JRR

(Forward by HJL: This article presents some controversial subjects such as milk and eggs without refrigeration. Make sure you perform due diligence on any concept presented as the issue may be more complicated than presented.)

Getting started being prepared isn’t hard, but it does take tenacity. It’s not always easy and can be downright mentally and physically draining, at times. There are busy seasons, and there are slower seasons (usually winter). Always looking ahead (what to plant/grow/harvest) and keeping one eye on the weather. What we can’t change, we just have to roll with what nature brings us, but we can try to make things a bit better and easier for ourselves.

Reading, learning, and then doing gives you a set of skills. No one learns everything right away; there’s plenty to learn, and it’s never-ending. No one person knows everything (even if they think they do!) Ask three people how to make sourkraut, and you’ll probably get three different, yet similar, answers. Experience in DOING is how you gain your own set of skills, and they are invaluable.

Be Producers. One-time use items aren’t so good. (Think paper towels, toilet paper, or femine hygiene products.) You need things that have more than one purpose or that can be re-used. It helps with keeping things simple, and the big thing is having things that are sustainable. Having X amount of toiletries, duct tape, or packaged food stored is great, but being able to produce more is what you need to know. We are consumers because we have basic needs, and we need to eat. We must learn to be growers to feed and take car of ourselves!

Grow Ingredients and Make Your Own Bread. Things like boxed cereals, instant rice/potatoes, or pre-made noodles (macaroni and spaghetti) will run out and are hard to reproduce without special equipment. Knowing how to make noodles, and knowing what grains/rices/beans you can plant and use to make better breads is a must. Keeping simple recipes for breads, biscuits, and tortillas will go a long way in making things easier. (Keep in mind yeast breads might not always be practical. So, keep alternative recipes on hand.)

Dehydrate/preserve. If your most used recipes consist of items like: dry packages of ranch dressing or dry seasoning vegetable flavoring mix, velveeta cheese, mayonnaise, canned soups, and pre-packaged gravies/flavorings, they aren’t going to get you far. Knowing how to substitute or make your own (with what you can grow) will help keep foods from being boring and will also keep you from “flavor shock”. Learn how to make foods from scratch and how to make broths and gravies. Then, learn how to dehydrate/preserve them. Mayonnaise is made with oil, eggs, and vinegar and sometimes will be hard to make, because the raw ingredients might not be available.

Preserve NOW! Even after you are tired from tending to or gathering your food(s), you still have to process it to keep it from going bad. Each set of foods (fruits, veggies, meats, milk, herbs) takes a different approach to preserving it; so knowing at least the basics before hand helps! Dehydrating is simple, but doing a mess of different foods at once can lead to mixed/off flavors. If you don’t know how to can/preserve foods, learn NOW. There will be many challenges. The more you can learn and do in the present, the easier things will be for you in the future.

Process Live Foods. Knowing how to process live foods is a must. Even doing it just once gives you an idea of HOW to do it and what it all entails (and help one get over the gross/pet factor). It’s not glamorous, and folks need to learn to stop paying someone else to do that particular dirty work. Start out with cleaning fish and work your way up to bigger things.

Grow Your Pest Control. Flies, mosquitoes, mice, spiders, and other creepy crawlies are things many forget about. They add to our aggravation and are called “pests” for a reason. Know what herbs help repel biting insects and then plant some of these herbs to have on hand. Keep food covered in containers away from bugs and mice. It’s disheartening to work so hard on your food to discover others (ants, mice, weevils, or flies) have already been eating on it.

Repurpose. Old pillowcases (turned inside out) and hankies work well for making some cheeses (used as an alternative to cheesecloth) and straining milk, or whatever else needs strained. Keep in mind things that can be re-purposed and re-used. There might be a time that you just can’t “throw it away and buy a new one”, either due to finances or location. Things like bacon can be put in a colander (set on a plate) to drain. I try not to get my cloth items greasy from meats because it’s extremely hard to get all that grease out.

Build a Clothesline. Clotheslines are a must. Sunshine naturally bleaches things, which is good if you need things whitened or bad if you don’t want things faded. Granted it takes a few days to accomplish this, but it can be done. Washing clothes by hand is hard on the hands, back, and arms, but keeping a “wash water” container and a “rinse” container will make it easier. Drip dry is fine! Research homemade soap recipes, and keep the ingredients/supplies handy.

Vinegar. Vinegar is a must to have on hand AND know how to make. A few basic ingredients can go a long way in preserving foods. Learning what is important and to stock up on could save you a big headache in the long run. Vinegar is not only a cleaner, add it to your rinse water as a “fabric softener”. It will also help you make pickles, kraut, and even cheese (Queso Blanco). If you don’t have cucumbers, make Dilly Beans (pickled green beans)! Think outside the box! There may be times you have weeks of green bean or pea eating– only because it’s what is ready. Mixing some with grease/fat (something you should have saved up) and a bit of vinegar in a skillet puts a new twist on a ho-hum item. (This also works with lettuce for “wilted lettuce”, but one can use spinach or other greens, like lambsquarters).

Onions/Garlic. Know what your family likes to eat and plant/harvest/deal with those foods. Even if you don’t eat onions or garlic, they are usually used in some type of food preservation. It’s always good to keep “ingredient items” in the back of your mind.

Eggs. As you read up on preserving foods, you’ll learn quirky little things like that eggs do not have to be refrigerated. We keep ours under the sink where it stays cool; others keep theirs in the pantry. As long as they are not washed and are kept in a cool environment they will be fine and keep for weeks. Not washing them keeps the naturally-protective “bloom” on them and keeps bacteria out. If you get a dirty one, wash it and cook it up. Often, I boil those and smoosh them up with leftovers to feed back to the chickens. (They love it most in the winter, when there’s no fresh food or bugs.) You can dip the eggs in melted wax to preserve them for even longer.

Milk. Another quirky not-so-known food thing involves milk (raw/real milk, not store bought/pasteurized milk) that is left out. It turns to “clabber” and is similar to yogurt. It’s still food, just in a different form. Clabber can be used to make sour cream; strain it in a hankie and you have a type of creamed cheese. Butter is made from cream. The skimmed milk makes awesome cottage cheese, with some proper heating and simple ingredients.

Build a Root Cellar. Keeping foods cool/cold can be a challenge in some seasons. Those store-bought cans and home-canned foods can go bad fast if frozen or kept in high heat for extended periods of time. A root cellar is almost a must to keep foods cool or kept from freezing. Plans abound on how to make one, each adaptable with your terrain and what materials and tools you have to work with. I think a combination storm/root cellar would be most optimal for some. (Tornado Alley comes to mind.)

Fats and Oils. Save your bacon grease/drippings in jars, and keep them in a cool spot. (Chipped jars that are no good for canning have more uses, like for storing grease.) You can get beef, lamb, or pig fat and render it down. This is another easy skill to learn. Just don’t burn/scortch it! Use that far to make tallow (beef/mutton) or lard (pig). “Leaf fat” from around the kidneys should be rendered by itself; it is whiter and tastiest and makes the best (pie) crust. Once rendered (which means melted down and filtered), it can be kept in jars. It will turn solid in cool weather. If you have a milk supply, butter can be made but isn’t always available, so your fats will be important.

Embrace Fats. Toss all those mainstream cholesterol and/or fat “no-no” ideas out the window. REAL fats are good for you, and you’ll need those extra calories when doing more work. You also need fat to help keep warm in the winter. (Oh, they didn’t tell you that?) Plus, it helps you digest the food you eat. Eskimos purposely eat seal oil with their foods (like a dipping sauce) in the winter for these two reasons. (I personally would rather cook with it!) Keep in mind each fat has its own flavor, no matter if it’s butter, tallow, or lard. Lean meat (like rabbit) needs fat added to the meal or eventually digestion issues will abound.

Spices. What exactly IS in those “spices” in the jars on the shelves, like “Pickling Spices”? Understanding what is in those little containers that you can grow and harvest yourself not only saves you money but provides a fresh alternative! Mustard seed is a big ingredient that gives pickled food flavor. Try to replicate what you like to use and grow it. Black pepper is simply ground up peppercorns. The cilantro plant makes coriander seeds. If you know what plants produce what, you can use that knowledge to your advantage. Dill is easily tossed somewhere to make a patch; dill seeds and the leaves (ferns, which are often called “dill weed”) are used in pickling. For some items that aren’t available in your region, stock up on them and store them properly. These may include cloves, cocoa, vanilla beans, bay leaves, and cinnamon.

Foods that re-plant themselves (perennials) make things much easier for us. Most anything left to go to seed will come back the next year. Dill, cilantro, mustard, and mints are just a few examples. Every year I have volunteer tomato plants from seeds that overwintered, even when the garden has been tilled. Some species can be invasive, but those can be bartered/traded, if needed.

Critters. Having “critters” that are dual-purpose is always a plus. Chickens are for eggs and meat. I use my old non-laying hens and excess roosters for food, and when a hen hatches out babies, ineviatebly you’ll get plenty of roosters. They are food as well or can be bartered. Rabbits and chickens are good foragers, but keeping wild (or domestic) animals from killing and eating them can be a challenge.

I keep a milk cow for milk, and I try to raise an extra calf for food. I like goats but prefer cows’ milk better, and she is easier to keep in the fence. There are pros and cons to any food product. There is no “right” or “wrong”. It’s what you can handle and like. (Goats reproduce faster than a cow, but cattle provide more meat. That can be a problem if your time or skills are limited come butcher time).

Know that any food you grow takes time– months, not days or weeks. So trying to keep food planted/growing in succession (animals born at various times of the year or replanting certain things again weeks after the first planting) will help keep you “in food”. February was often referred to as “the hungry month” by Native Americans for a reason. They had gone through most of what they had preserved for the winter (and getting tired of eating the same things over and over), as nothing was growing yet with the cold weather, and wild critters hadn’t migrated back or had been “hunted out” already.

Bartering. The more you have, the more you can barter. The one who can barter with items instead of money, will be king. If I have 20 quart jars of tallow or extra jars of honey, I can barter a few to someone who needs them. (Don’t forget that the jars themselves have value as well.) Others might have had an abundant year of chickens, firewood, peas, tools, apples, lambs, or potatoes. They’ll make a trade for whatever both parties find is a fair trade.

The unspoken barter rule is: It is NOT the “dollar value” that is placed on barter items, it’s the “what I need and have/what do you have and need” value. There will be times where things like labor, building supplies, tools, fresh milk, eggs, canning jars/lids, or even salt will be worth much. Trying to swindle others because you know they need it is the absolute wrong mindset. One day it might be you in desperation, so keep it fair and honest. All you’ll have is your reputation, and if it’s no good, no one will trade with you when you need it!

Know and Do What’s Most Important First. In an emergency situation, fire, water, and shelter are the three “big ones” to do first…not food. Know where water sources are and how to purify it with basic minimum of supplies. Your fire not only keeps you warm, it cooks your food and boils your water. Your shelter can be simple; just be ever mindful of changing weather. A dutch oven is a great cooking tool and can cook/boil foods with high flames or coals. It’s versatile, yet can be heavy. Learn how to use a variety of cooking methods– on a wood or rocket stove, or an open fire. Watching it on television or reading “how to” in a book doesn’t prepare you for the smoke, a fallen tripod, or improvising green sticks for pot holders!

Weaponry. You need to be familiar with yours– whether to dispose of a rabid critter, use it for self-defense, dispatch of a critter that is hurt beyond saving (or ready to butcher), or for use in hunting. A gun or bow and arrow are generally the top couple of ideas that come to mind. There are knives, Atlatl, cross-bows, and a myriad of what is classified as a “weapon”. Guns range from traditional black powder guns (that generally shoot once and must be reloaded with patch, powder, and ball) to pistols (also called handguns) or rifles and shotguns. If you don’t know the difference of any of these, it’s time to learn.

Weapons Courses. Sign up for classes in your area (sooner than later) to learn about different weapons and how to use them. Larger cities have classes for beginners. It’s cheaper to learn what you like/don’t like with their bows and guns (not cheap!) and ammo. Where I live, there are plenty of folks willing to go out “ker-plinking” in the back ’80 acres to teach you. ONLY trust those whom you know. (Don’t put yourself in a dumb or dangerous situation.) There are tazers, mace/pepper sprays, and stun guns, but those are for you to use and then quickly get away.

Weapons Practice and Supplies. Some weapons are silent; some aren’t. Some allow you to be further away to use, while others require you to be up close and personal (in a “danger zone”). Do some research and find what you like, then practice, practice, and practice more to become proficient with it. Learn how you can make ammo and what is required. Guns need bullets/powder to reload; bows need arrows, which you can make as well.

Supplies and Tools. Keep first aid kits and plenty of medicines on hand. Even over the counter medicines are better than nothing. Extra clothing, blankets/pillows and (practical) shoes all become assets as well. Keep a supply of sewing items and simple tools. Anything we use to repair an item or fix an issue, keep on hand. Non-electric hand tools (shovels, axes, hatchets, saws, hoes, and so forth) will be essential to make your work easier.

Adaptation. You must be able to experiment and adapt. Those who are always “on the go” with activities and always expect things to go as planned will be hit with a loss of social withdrawal and have the hardest time with the simplicity. Those who assume others will just automatically help pitch in or think people will just do things for you or fix “it” are in for a rude dose of reality. Everyone will be in the same boat, so to speak. Folks who are used to “making do” and who are not afraid of hard work and using their imagination will thrive, because there is less of the “learning curve” for them. Those who have skills and have prepped will suddenly become the wealthy. Money will simply be pieces of paper with numbers on them, and you can’t eat it!

Always remember: Perfection is not the goal, and there are no “failures”! We learn what not to do (or should do) the next time. This is where doing things NOW adds to your skill set and doesn’t waste precious items or time. Take baby steps and get started. Something is better than nothing. There is no Today Tomorrow (because Tomorrow will be Today).

Build A Library. I strongly suggest you keep books and manuals on hand, because sometimes we need a “refresher” on what we are doing (or about to do). I have written notes in a notebook when I’ve needed to. Seek out books on butchering, canning, preserving, smoking (meats), wild edibles (weeds), herbs/herbal remedies, and “how-to” get things done in an efficient manner. One doesn’t need to go buy a whole library, but getting one here and there over time is the cheapest and easiest way to accomplish this on a budget. Sometimes, thrift stores can be a treasure drove to get needed items and even useful books. A few book suggestions:

  • Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emory. This book has tons of “how to” info in it that should be on everyone’s shelf. She tells you how to make things you use everyday, like soaps; it also has recipes and how to preserve foods, using a root cellar, build fences or coops to raising animals, butchering, and everything in between. You can learn to live off the land easier with this book. (Any edition is fine; the 40th Anniversary edition was the last, as she passed away in 2005.) Hands down this is the number one book I recommend for folks wanting to learn more.
  • Basic Butchering of Livestock and Game by John J. Mettler, Jr., D.V.M. This book covers beef, veal, pork, lamb, poultry, rabbit, and venision butchering. He also covers what tools/set ups are needed and how to smoke, salt, or preserve it. It’s easy to follow with step-by-step instructions and has illustrations.
  • Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine: the Definitive Home Reference Guide to 550 Key Herbs with all their Uses as Remedies by Andrew Chevallier. I like this book simply because it has wonderful descriptions, along with great color photos and plenty of “how to make” recipes (with photos). Unsure of what to use for a healing salve or how to make it? This book will show you how with “weeds”. (Many weeds ARE herbs).
  • Herbally Yours by Penny C. Royal is a good, solid, herbal reference book to have on hand. It has what herbal combinations help with healing. It contains no photos, but it’s good for a fast look-up on a variety of herbs and their healing properties.
  • Ball Blue Book is a must for canning foods properly and has plenty of recipes. There are a myriad of editions out there; any newer one will do and is usually not expensive.
  • Fanny Farmer Cookbook (also known as The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book) by Fannie M. Farmer: there are 13 editions available. Getting a depression-era or before is good. This is because around the late 1930’s is when “modern agriculture/mass food production” started coming about and pre-packaged items (soups, cereals, boxed items) became main staples and more affordable. (The 5th edition was published in 1930.)
  • Real Food by Joann Grohman. This has been out of print for years, but a recently updated edition is now only available on Amazon. In her mid eighties now, Joann shares insight of what is real food and how to accomplish getting it on your table, and she practices what she preaches. She doesn’t pull punches and makes total sense of why our forefathers ate the way they did, why the animals were raised “normally back when” and why we should simplify our food and follow suit. She also shows us why “cheap food” isn’t always the best for our health.

Letter Re: Montana Felons

Hugh,

The article you posted seemed to allude to the fact that Montana had adopted some strange new precedent in not allowing felons to own guns. In fact, Federal law has stated that for quite some time:

18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). anyone “who has been convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year” is barred from possessing a gun. The only felonies that are not covered by the federal gun ban are 1) those “pertaining to antitrust violations, unfair trade practices, restraints of trade, or other similar offenses relating to the regulation of business practices,” per 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(20)(A); and 2) felony convictions from foreign countries, per Small v. United States, — U.S. —, 2005 WL 946620 (April 26, 2005).

As for their Constitutional rights, frankly, I could care less. To be perfectly honest, the man in the Montana example was a convicted rapist with more than one rape if I read the article correctly. I won’t lose any sleep on how he is to protect himself. That is his fault, his life decision, and guess what– what he did to those women will stay with them until their death, even though his prison sentence is done and paid for. The only one who can forgive him and absolve him is Almighty Jesus. Until then, no guns for felons – and rightfully so!

Do you lose some of your Constitutional rights as a felon? ABSOLUTELY.

o o o

Hugh,

Felon rights is a states rights thing. Losing various rights has long been considered to be one of the deterrents to criminal conduct.

Voting has been the primary question. Historically, the felon lost voting rights for life, but that has been changing.

http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/felon-voting-rights.aspx

Hugh Responds: I recognize these issues, but I still question the constitutionality of the rulings. Do you loose your ability to defend your own life and property forever? If so, who will defend it for you? In many cases our fear causes us to deprive some of their inalienable rights. In others, if the person cannot be trusted, then perhaps our correctional institutions are ineffective and should be overhauled or the person should not be out of the system yet.

Odds ‘n Sods:

I’m pleased to report that our SurvivalRealty.com spin-off site (operated by my son, Jonathan) is rapidly growing, with many new and unusual retreat property listings. Many of these properties are remote and off-grid. Not surprisingly, a large number of the listings we’ve attracted are in the American Redoubt region. But there are now some as far away as Panama, Argentina, and South Africa. If you haven’t visited the site recently, then be sure to check it out. – JWR

o o o

Ferguson Tonight: Tensions Boil Over Again, “Ferguson Ain’t America No More, You Can’t Even Walk” – Live Feed. – H.L.

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Lest anyone begin to think that the people in Ferguson are in the right, a quick review of our founding fathers’ thoughts on democracy may be in order: Ochlocracy (Mob Rule) in Action. – B.B.

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Appropriate action is taken by authorities: Officer Who Threatened to ‘F*cking Kill’ Ferguson Protesters Taken Off Duty – T.P.

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More of the original story is starting to appear. Missouri cop was badly beaten before shooting Michael Brown, says source

o o o

The Islamic Jihad Conquest Formula. – B.B.

Notes for Wednesday – August 20, 2014

August 20th, 1935 is the birthday of former Congressman Ron Paul, who recently retired from Congress. Dr. Paul is to be commended for fighting the good fight for many years.

August 20th, in 1866, is also the day that president Andrew Johnson formally declared the Civil War over.

o o o

Today, we present another entry for Round 54 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,400+ 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. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  11. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  12. 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,
  13. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

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. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  9. Dri-Harvestfoods.com in Bozeman, Montana is providing a prize bundle with Beans, Buttermilk Powder, Montana Hard Red Wheat, Drink Mixes, and White Rice, valued at $333,
  10. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  11. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  12. 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 54 ends on September 30st, 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.

Raising Joyful Soldiers: Practical Methods for Teaching Children to be Responsible, Productive Leaders in a Survival Situation – Part II, by Dr. W

  1. Infants and Toddlers
    1. Obtaining sleep is critical, and one wailing baby in the night can have devastating effects on everyone’s ability to make sound judgments and work cohesively the next day. We eventually learned (the hard way) the value of training babies to sleep in many conditions, whether alone in a bed or sharing bed or tent space, in an atmosphere of quiet, or in an atmosphere of chaos. We often used a sound machine that had several different sounds on it, and made sure there were some nights without it, so they would not become dependent on the noise for sleep.

      Sleeping with the lights on is another important skill, though small sleep masks are in everyone’s BOB. You may have to spend a little extra time to cultivate this skill at first and use some TLC– a soothing backrub, a lullaby or psalm, staying with your child until they start to drift, et cetera– but it’s doable. Leaving the blinds open during your baby’s daytime naps can also help. Additionally, we try to utilize deep breathing exercises, something that a toddler can do. Of course, praying before bed also eases anxiety at the end of the day, whether it’s the parent praying aloud for their baby at bedtime or very young children learning by example to do the same.

    2. The Quiet Game is fun, but it’s also training them for potential life-or-death scenarios. This training begins at infancy with Mama showering attention on happy babies but not overly responding to willful cries that are not coming from legitimate needs (e.g., boredom, crankiness, tiredness). This is a controversial and very personal matter of wisdom for each parent, but the goal is to consistently reward desirable behaviors, and that process begins early. As toddlers are able, The Quiet Game transitions to little contests to see who can earn the prize by staying quiet the longest in a car ride, outside while hiking or observing wildlife, in the grocery store, or at the table. Naturally, ongoing dialogue with our kids is a constant, but we have tried to play this game in as many settings as possible, including sitting our children in empty pews at church after hours, while Daddy went up front to read from the driest, most monotonous book he could find. This practice was something our fellow churchgoers came to appreciate when they realized they didn’t have to panic and make a beeline for the other end of the sanctuary when they saw our family seated with all our kids in the service rather than in Sunday School.
    3. Delayed gratification can be instilled at a surprisingly early age. Give your toddler a piece of candy and tell him to wait to eat it until you give the signal. Stretch it out–– half a minute, two minutes, five minutes, et cetera. They can touch, sniff, or squish it, but they must wait to eat it. Give ample applause and celebrate the final eating. It sounds silly and simple, but my very self-controlled 18-year old credits this to helping her win most of our family’s contests of “Who can make their treat last the longest?” Obviously, this self control has served in numerous other ways as well.
    4. Before the age of two, children can help immensely in running an orderly home. They can put toys away, dry non-breakable dishes, grab a diaper for Mama, help shuck corn, and more. Our kids always received one additional chore for each year as they got older. By the time our oldest was ten, she could prepare simple meals for the family, do the laundry, and organize her siblings to help clean up the living room in under five minutes.
    5. Teaching babies sign language, which has increased in popularity in recent years, is easier than you may think and has many obvious benefits when a degree of silence is preferred. Many resources can be found online for using sign language with babies. As children get older, this idea of using non-verbal signs translates seamlessly into training children to watch for prearranged signals from their parents to communicate danger or caution.
  2. Young Children
    1. The Obedience Game was another fun yet critically important training tool. I recall laughter-filled afternoons, sitting in a circle giving my children outlandish commands. Stand up. Sit down. Five jumping jacks. Run and get Teddy. Now run and put him back. Run and get him again as fast as you can! Go get the trash and empty it in under 20 seconds. Kiss the baby on the head and then go wash two dishes in under a minute. Our house rule has always been “Cheerful, immediate obedience,” and The Obedience Game has helped us get closer to that ideal.
    2. The Blessings Game has cultivated joyful, thankful hearts. Non-readers can take part in a contest of Who –Can-Name-the-Most-Things-You-Are-Thankful-For, played as a round robin where nobody is allowed to repeat what’s already been said. This is great for memory skills and long car rides. Young readers and writers can practice penmanship in creating and then sharing their lists. In hard times, this activity could be a vital morale booster—for kids AND adults!
    3. Field trips in our own neighborhood (usually with homemade cookies in tow) were always a boon. On our street alone, we got to know our closest neighbors and in doing so we not only helped our kids develop social skills, but we also learned about carpentry, building an airplane from a kit, growing apples, making a quilt using a 100-year old manual sewing machine (my son won first prize in the fair!), riding quads, and butchering elk.
    4. Family time spent reading exciting survival stories aloud has fostered a proactive, think-on-your-feet mindset. We personally prefer books over movies so that we can control the stories, when needed, by editing on the fly to avoid objectionable content. It’s easier to stop reading a page than to win a split-second race to the stop button on the remote when a graphic scene pops onto the screen which could haunt kids (or adults!) for years. The alternative is to preview all movies, and many excellent family-friendly movies and books are recommended on this site.
    5. As our children were learning to read and write, we bolstered our cache of the Word of God in their hearts and focused on specific character traits by utilizing selected Bible verses. The books of Proverbs and Psalms are particularly helpful in fostering responsibility, maturity, and a robust confidence and hope in the benevolent providence of God, no matter the outer circumstances we may find ourselves in.
    6. As we teach our children the value of truth-telling, we are faced with the challenging task of also teaching them discernment regarding when it is appropriate to avoid telling the truth in order to protect lives (e.g., families who hid Jews during Nazi Germany). Unfortunately, young children are the most vulnerable to disclosing secrets in the tragic event that they are threatened with physical or psychological pain to try to “get them to talk.”

      Because this discernment comes with age, when our children are young we can make it easier for them to be able to tell the truth under coercion by giving them secret truths that are safe to disclose if they must. For example, if you think they may be vulnerable to being coerced into disclosing the location of a cache, then by all means have a small decoy cache that they can safely disclose, if under duress.

      As with all behaviors we wish to develop in our children, practice is key. Both the Tickle Game and playful wrestling matches (see who can go the longest without saying Mercy! or Uncle!) are excellent ways to practice self-control in this area at a young age.

  3. Older Children
    1. Over the years we have come to appreciate the joy of both growing our own food and of harvesting what grows wild on its own (prickly pear fruits, apples, citrus, dandelions, mesquite beans, berries, and so forth). However, once I narrowly avoided a trip to the hospital because I drank some prickly pear juice from inadequately washed fruit. Now we are beginning to learn about edible, medicinal, and noxious plants.

      Last year we took a trip to the local botanical garden to identify these categories of plants. When we came home I set up a contest. I gave each kid a digital camera, pen, and paper, and sent them out to photograph and name as many of these same plants in our own neighborhood as they could within a certain time frame. They came home and we compared notes, putting our heads together to try to identify any remaining mystery plants. The next step, had we not run out of time, would have been to go online to verify our answers, followed by some small celebratory feast, where we ate at least something edible that we found.

    2. With older children, it’s easy to assign each one the task of researching and learning a useful skill they find interesting. They then come back and teach others in the family what they have learned. This teaches them communication skills and fosters pride and confidence. I have learned from my children many things, ranging from how to trap lizards to how to treat sucking chest wounds.

      Our family dedicates Saturday evenings to Family Night. We try to turn off all electronics, and we don’t answer the phone. We rotate who gets to pick the entertainment for the evening. Family Night has been a welcome and cohesive anchor in our busy lives, and it also provides another platform for learning together. When it’s my turn next, since I want to learn to use the map and compass, I am planning some type of a game of Hide-and-Seek-the-Cache. It should be fun!

    3. Our family has a tradition once a month of fasting and praying, along with friends in other parts of the state. On this day, we abstain from food but not water. Depending on individual circumstances, the amount of food our children abstain from may vary. Our children may abstain from just snacks, from one meal, or from all meals for the day, participating only as they are able, always of their own volition, and as something we do before the Lord, not men. They learn not only a great spiritual discipline, but they also gain great confidence that they can go for a day (or part of a day) without food and suffer no ill effects; they can even sometimes gain unexpected benefits, like increased clarity of mind or decreased asthma and allergies. Additionally, after a day of fasting, which naturally cleanses the palate, plain food, including Mama’s infamous veggie smoothies, taste great! Should we ever have to face serious deprivation, we pray this habit of occasionally “going without” will serve us well. (Note: One should always consult a health practitioner before undertaking any type of fasting, for adults or children.)

The activities I’ve described in this article have been a tremendous blessing to our family. With a little creativity, you and your children will no doubt come up with equally beneficial ideas for your families.

Reality Checks

Excellent child training resources abound. Our family never would have become who we are without them. The ones that helped us the most in biblical, child-training principles were from NoGreaterJoy.org. They teach practical methods of capturing our children’s hearts, instilling first-time cheerful obedience, and teaching kids the virtues of hard work and self-discipline. NGJ offers extensive archived articles, ranging from how to potty-train a 2-month-old to safely teaching children the art of knife-throwing. Be aware, however, that among the plethora of child-training resources, there are many controversial opinions regarding the personal decisions each family should make about rearing their own children. So, caveat lector: prove all things, and hold fast that which is good.

Obviously, respect for a clear chain of command is needed in any societal endeavor and at many levels, from the family unit to the business model and from the military to the government. In a retreat situation, however, it becomes critical for survival. When it comes to raising children, because more is caught than taught, it bears mention that the degree to which you want your children to demonstrate cheerful, immediate obedience is going to be proportional to the degree that they can see this demonstrated in their parents. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

In our own family, in spite of all the best principles and practices outlined above, sin remains alive and kicking in our hearts, and war must be waged daily against this enemy. Lest you think we are superhuman and you can’t relate to or apply these principles in your own family, please know that we, too, have had our fair share of selfishness, laziness, and strife. However, results speak for themselves, and the principles and practices outlined above have consistently produced either sweet or bitter fruit in direct proportion to how much we have applied them over the years. It’s an upward journey traveled via grace, so we keep moving forward, thankful for the forgiveness we have in Christ, and working toward the goal of maturity on every level in hope that He will finish the good work He began in us so that we can accomplish our work of building God’s Kingdom here on earth.

Letter Re: Storage Without a Basement

Hugh,

I agree the heat in the South can be hard on food storage. However, the older homes were built on posts. The “old timers” and their dogs, along with other creatures, recognized that that crawl space under the home was a cool respite. Most of my relatives took advantage of this space by digging down into this space and using it as the closest thing to cold storage that they could get. Anyone living in manufactured housing has this same cooler space available.

I have used this space, just like the generations before me, for food storage. Sand is normally used in three-sided cribs for the root veggies and the 5-gallon sealed pails do fine there as well. I enclose this area now to keep out snakes, armadillo, and other animals but have housed food in this way for years without having any issues.

I also have an area where ferns abounded under trees with brush. This area, too, has been enlisted as a storage location. It is naturally cooler and moister there.

Get out and experience your property; there are probably places that fit your needs. – P.C.