News From The American Redoubt:

Police investigate officer shooting of black lab. – RBS

o o o

Related to the above: Threats pour into Coeur d’Alene for officer who fatally shot lab. – RBS

o o o

Now, federally-issued money is apparently no longer able to pay debts. City limits coin payments to $2

The justification given for the limitation is that customers would leave large amounts of coins and then walk away with their bills underpaid. They seem to be unable to carry the underpayment amount on to the next bill, or even demand that the customer count the coins.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Armed bandits demand water in dry northern India – JBG

o o o

Possible Epidemic? The Chikungunya Virus Is Starting To Spread In America. – B.B.

o o o

Living in the age of video and Internet can be problematic. Student who sought injunction to remove online video faces legal costs of over €1m. – T.P.

o o o

Notice how well the American Redoubt, mountain states, and southern states did: Happiest Americans Are (And Are Not). – H.L.

o o o

5 Things To Remember Before You Say, ‘Screw It, I’m Done With America’ – B.B.

Notes for Monday – July 21, 2014

July 21st is the birthday of Ernest Hemingway. He was born in 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois. He committed suicide in July 2, 1961 in Ketchum, Idaho, after being diagnosed with haemochromatosis, and after electroshock treatments failed to lift him from chronic alcoholic depression. We see a sad life but a great writer.

o o o

Today we present another entry for Round 53 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ 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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  5. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  9. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  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. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  12. 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. A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. 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
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.

Round 53 ends on July 31st, 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.

How to Plan for Survival on a Small Budget, by N.G.

It’s no secret that being prepared takes time and money. These days, with the questionable economy, most people believe that they have to win the lottery or inherit a small fortune to begin preparing for an unforeseen disaster. Since I am married to a wife who is a full-time student and we have a small child and combined income of thirty thousand dollars per year, I also thought it was impossible to get started. However, whether it be supplies, equipment, training, or home modifications, anyone can get started just by starting on a smaller scale. The key is to minimize the things that are not necessary. All of the following methods are tools I have personally used to come up with extra cash or have used to save money. I’ve learned that the smallest budget can go a long way towards survival preparedness.

Tax Season

My personal favorite is when tax season comes along. Most people get tax money back, and then they start spending it on things they don’t really need, such as televisions, sound systems, video games, and the list goes on and on. Trust me; I used to be the same way. Now, getting five thousand dollars back is a nice amount to go towards my survival readiness. This past tax season, I was able to use the money I got back to purchase everything I needed for a couple of well-equipped bug-out bags, weapons, ammo, books, MRE’s, and I still had some money to spare. I have prepared my family for short-term survival by just using our tax money.

Pawn Shops, Auctions, and Yard Sales

Pawn shops are an excellent place to find a wide variety of items at a fraction of the original cost. I have purchased nice tool sets, fishing gear, and knives from the local pawn shops. They are also a good place to practice your haggling skills. Another good use of pawn shops is selling your unneeded and unwanted items from home. I have sold old videogame systems, DVD’s, televisions, and more to get rid of useless clutter and put extra cash in my pocket. On par with pawn shops, some specialty shops can be a doorway to extra cash. There’s a shop in my town that sells and buys used books and movies. I have sold many DVD’s and taken home hundreds of dollars from this one shop.

Auctions are a personal favorite, due to the fact that everything must go. I have bought all kinds of good stuff for next to nothing, just because I was the only one who bid on it. My best example is from one auction, where I purchased an entire bundle of gardening tools including rakes, shovels, hoes, and spades for only five dollars. Remember, you’re there to save money. Bidding can get a little intense and before you know it, you’re paying retail for a used item.

Another good way of saving and making money is yard sales. When I was younger, my mother would spend one day out of the week going to yard sales. That’s where a lot of my clothes came from as a kid. Along with clothing, you can find anything at a yard sale. I have purchased pots and pans, lanterns, and canning supplies very inexpensively on multiple occasions. One set of pots and pans were unused, still in the box, and only cost me eight dollars. I talked them down from ten dollars. Having a yard sale of your own is an easy way of putting extra money in your pocket. Teaming up with family and friends to have a large yard sale is best for attracting the most people. I have always made more money by having a multi-family sale opposed to doing it on my own.

The Internet

Internet websites, such as eBay, Amazon, and Craigslist, have always been a good way for me to save and make money. With eBay’s auction-style bidding, I have received excellent amounts of cash for electronics, books, and toddler clothing. In about a year and a half, I was able to make three thousand dollars on stuff around the house that I no longer needed. Selling on Craigslist is easy. Just be cautious of scams and shady people. Make sure you meet a buyer in a public place and never go alone. Most of the stuff I have sold through Craigslist are things my son has outgrown. Especially with Craigslist, people are not expecting new items. Think of it as an online yard sale. Amazon, along with eBay and Craigslist, are some of the biggest money savers I have found. I would say 99% of the books I buy are from Amazon. Amazon has just about anything you’re looking for, and their customer reviews are very helpful. On saving money alone, these three websites have saved me hundreds of dollars.

Scrap Metal, Cans, and Bottles

I made my first trip to the scrapyard a couple of years ago to dump off an old riding mower that had been sitting in the garage. I was surprised when I was given thirty-two dollars just for a junk mower. Since then, I have cleaned out my garage of all junk metal. Also, anytime friends or family are throwing out junk metal, I take it home and turn it in, once I have enough for a truck load. If you have any pieces of copper lying around, it’s selling at high prices right now. Instead of throwing an old stove out on the curb, take it to the scrap yard and get some extra cash.

Cans and bottles are a good way to pull in extra cash, as long as you live in a state that has can deposits. I’m always surprised when I learn that people just toss their cans and bottles into the garbage. They’re just throwing money into the garbage, because they don’t want to take ten minutes out of their day to turn them in. If you have friends or family who do this, ask them to set the cans and bottles aside in a trash bag; you’ll be happy to pick them up. My mother saves her glass bottles for me, because she doesn’t want to lug them around. That’s as good as free money.

Friends and Family

Friends and family can be very helpful in saving you money. Recently, my mother and stepfather were cleaning out their garage and throwing away perfectly good tools. I was able to sort through a random box of sockets and wrenches and create three full socket sets and one full wrench set. A few years ago, they were cleaning up their garage and gave me two disc grinders that were still in the box and had never been used. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Over the years I have learned many skills from friends and family. I started hunting with my stepfather when I was young. Because of his teaching, I can hunt, kill, and process the wild game that my area has to offer. My friends taught me everything I know about fishing and have given me the confidence in knowing I can use that skill to provide for my family. Gardening is a valuable skill that has been passed down from my grandfather to my mother and to me. These are all excellent skills to have in your toolbox of knowledge. Another skill that would be useful is welding. My stepfather is a welder by trade and would be the perfect person to teach me. Friends and family have a lot of knowledge to share. All you have to do is ask.

Live Off the Land

Living off of the land is another great way to save money. Start hunting, fishing, gardening, and canning to lower the amount of money you spend at the grocery store. At the same time you would be strengthening these skills for a time you may have to depend on them.

In my family, deer hunting is very popular. Most of my childhood, if we had steaks, roast, hamburger, sausage, and jerky, it came from a deer. If you process your own meat, it costs a whole lot less than buying it at the grocery store, especially with the currently rising prices.

Fishing is another strong staple in my family and a delicious money saver. We fished so much that we would have large, fish fry dinners for every summer holiday. We would feed 50 to 100 people every time. Eating fish two to three times per week makes our deer last longer and cuts the cost at the grocery store even more.

Gardening and canning really saves my family trips to the store. My parents have a large property in town, and we plant three large gardens every year. Tomatoes, green beans, jalapeños, potatoes, onions, and cabbage are some of the items regularly planted and utilized. Pickled tomatoes, tomato juice, spaghetti sauce, and salsa are some of the items that we can or freeze. Time spent in the garden and a little money on canning supplies will highly minimize your need for the grocery store’s produce aisle. We have also planted fruit trees that are common to our area but still have a couple of years before they start producing. Another benefit of gardening that I have noticed is that it has brought us closer as a family. That alone is worth all the money in the world.

Minimize and Rationalize

I’ve learned that on a small budget, you have to minimize your wants and rationalize your needs. Today, we are made to believe that we need so much more than we actually do. We don’t need a cabinet full of DVD’s or a 90-inch television. Most of that stuff will be useless in the event of a survival situation and could leave you unprepared. If you are serious and dedicated to survival planning, anyone can get started on the smallest of budgets.

Scot’s Product Review: Malkoff

Thanks to all of the folks who are writing me about products to review. It really helps. One common thread in several letters is to test affordable stuff, and that’s going to be a priority. Please keep the ideas coming! They really help.

Malkoff might be another word for light. It is all thanks to Gene Malkoff going out one night to protect his chickens and realizing he needed a better flashlight. The Enterprise, Alabama man tried an LED light but just wasn’t happy with it. He decided he could come up with something better. After some hard work, he produced a drop-in LED head for the ubiquitous Maglite. As soon as other folks saw it, they wanted one, and he wound up in the business of making them. As time passed, he added more heads for other lights, like the Surefire 6P and Streamlight SL20X. He then began his own line of flashlights.

In case you are wondering, there are at least three big deals about LED lights. First, they save batteries. Second, they can produce more light than the older incandescent bulbs. Third, they can be a lot sturdier. If you drop a flashlight with an incandescent bulb, the filaments often break, especially if the light is on. An LED will usually just keep on going. Also, if it matters, they aren’t as hot.

Not all LED’s are equal, though. I tried several over the years, and while I appreciated the better battery life, they usually didn’t seem to produce as good a quality of light as the trusty old incandescent ones. I was lucky indeed when a friend pointed me to Malkoff, because their heads really do a great job. I now have one in the Surefire 6P that lives in my pants pocket and another in a five D-cell Maglite that lives in the bedroom. Both have been very positive additions to my quest to see in the dark. I love my Surefire 6P. I love it so much that I’ve worn almost all of the black paint off in the 22 or so years I’ve carried it. The only problem I’ve had is how quickly it gobbled up the expensive CR123 batteries it uses. I tried another brand LED head in it, which did extend battery life, but it just didn’t work as well in the light area as the original. Enter the Malkoff. It equaled or bettered the original incandescent head to my eyes and still doubled the battery life. Even better, as the batteries died, the head still puts out light. It just kind of tapers off to dim instead of bright. A lot of times, with the original head, it would pretty much just rapidly die. They have about eleven heads that can be used on the popular Surefire 6P style lights. You get a choice of light colors (cool or warm); high, medium, and low outputs; and single or multiple output levels. I actually found it a bit daunting to choose one, but they give you a lot of information to help you pick. You also have to consider how many and what type of batteries are in your light. The 6P has normally two CR123’s for six volts. You can also opt for rechargeable batteries, which provide less voltage. Watch for the voltage information while shopping. I chose a plain old boring output head for my Surefire. Malkoff also makes some of the multiple output ones that go from dim to bright to blinding with some quick pushes on the switch. I like the idea, but the times I’ve played with this sort of light, I always seemed to be on the wrong output. It’s easier for me to just have one level to worry about. If I need it dimmer, I put a finger over the lamp to reduce it to whatever light level I need. I had wanted to buy the M61W that has the warm tint to match incandescent bulbs . It lists for $59.00. When I was shopping, however, they had some blemished M61’s at a very good price, so I went with that instead and have not been disappointed. It lists price for $55.00. The reason I wanted the warm tint head is because I think I see better with a yellowish light than the blue light we usually gets with an LED. The air here has a lot of humidity, and it is something like driving in fog when the light scatters and reflects back into your eyes. Bluish light seems worse than yellow light. The head I got was a lot yellower than the LED it replaced, and I think it is at least as good as the original incandescent. Eventually, I want to check out the warm tint head, but the price I got on this one was too good to pass. It has an excellent beam, too. There is a nice hot center that can momentarily blind anyone you hit with it, but there is also enough spill so that you can easily use it to light up a room. You can use some of the heads for the 6P in the three cell Surefire 9P. They also have two heads just for the three cell lights. They don’t extend battery life very much, but they put out a stunning amount of light. One big point about flashlights is that the reflector needs to be well designed, so that it functions properly with the light source. Many of the Malkoff reflectors are custom designed for both the LED used in the head and the particular flashlight they are designed for. This clearly optimizes the light quality you get.

The Maglite head is even more remarkable than the one for my 6P. It lists for $44.00. It easily doubled the distance at which I could see things around my house and yard. Battery life on it went from bearable to phenomenal. I often use this light to look at things out on the lake we live on, and it really cuts through the haze that comes off of the water. The Malkoff minimizes that. The Maglite heads do use the original reflector, but it has to be modified. They do offer a modified one, which I bought rather than cutting up my original. This allows me to restore the light to original specs, should the need ever arise. I have this bad feeling, though, that I won’t be able to find it should I need it, sigh. The benefit of using the original reflector is that you retain the ability to focus or spread the beam of light. I don’t think you have quite as much adjustment as with the original bulb, but it works quite well. You get far more reach with this head than with the original. The color of the light is similar to the one I bought for my Surefire, and it works quite well. My light takes five D cells, but they have heads for lights with fewer batteries as well as for C-cell Maglites. The Malkoff heads, especially the one for the Maglite, are blinding. Malkoff warns that they can cause eye damage at close range, so be careful with them. I keep them away from my nine-year-old, unless I am on hand to supervise. On the other hand, if you have an intruder, you can certainly make it hard for him to see you, just by hitting him in the eyes with it and then moving. There is a lot of information on the Malkoff site about their lamp heads and flashlights. I’ve found their information on battery life and effective light throw to be pretty accurate. I don’t have the means to properly measure actual light output, but the response when folks see them is always, “Wow, that’s bright!” Malkoff sometimes has blemished units for sale at great prices. As noted, my Surefire head is blemished, but I am puzzled to know what made it that way. They said it was a cosmetic blemish that would not affect the quality of light. I’ve had no issues with it over the two years I’ve been carrying it (and dropping it). When I have had questions, I have gotten speedy replies from Malkoff. I also liked the personal “thank you” written on both invoices I’ve received. I was especially pleased to spot this on their website: “I Love God, My Family, and My Country. It is my Belief that Traditional Family Values and Honest Work are the Pathway to Happiness.” I’m always happier when I can do business with people who openly express these values, because that sort of person usually cares enough to make a good product and stand behind it. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor, Scot Frank Erie

Recipe of the Week: Sourdough Spice Cake, by DEC

I have always loved cooking with sourdough. It is super easy to make and keep a jar of sourdough sitting on the counter, ready for use in bread, cakes, pizza dough, or anything else. My favorite recipe of all is Sourdough Spice Cake:

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sourdough
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable cooking oil (I use olive oil)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp cloves (ground)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1 cup flour, if the sourdough is thin

Directions

To sourdough, mix in sugar, oil, and eggs. Add in milk, salt, and vanilla. Add spices. Stir well, but do not beat hard. Fold in soda and baking powder. Add flour, only if sourdough is thin. Bake in 9-inch tins for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

* This also makes a very good chocolate cake by replacing spices with three squares of melted, semi-sweet baker’s chocolate.

o o o

Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlogreaders? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!

Letter Re: So You Think Starting a Garden Will Be Easy After TEOTWAWKI

I have been meaning to post this information online and have not found a good venue for it, but reading the responses to the article So You Think Starting a Garden Will Be Easy After TEOTWAWKI inspired me to contact you for your consideration of adding this little tidbit for your blog followers.

The second letter response to the article stated that “We put dehydrated tomatoes and peppers in pint canning jars, put a tiny hole in the center of the lid, put on a Pump ‘N Seal seal, pump out the air, and place in our cool, dark, root cellar.”

I bought a Pump-N-Seal some years back from an As Seen On TV store for about $19.99. I did not like using it for the ziplock bags but loved the idea for the jars. However, the pin prick in the lid and the tape to cover the hole still bothered me. After tons of web crawling, I could not find any alternatives. Then I started using my own brain cells and deductive reasoning.

I bought two of the Mason Jar lid attachments– one wide mouth and one regular mouth– that work with the FoodSaver vacuum sealer. I thought the Pump-N-Seal hose would fit directly in the lid, but it didn’t. The lids did not come with the tubing, so I went online and bought the accessory hose from FoodSaver. I think the cost of the accessory hose was $3.00. Then, I paid $5.00 for shipping. UGH! The Pump-N-Seal hose fits perfectly in the tubing, and of course the tubing is designed for the lid attachment. Now, I am able to use my Pump-N-Seal to vacuum out the air in my canning jars! I was SO excited!!!! I have been meaning to share, but like I said, I didn’t get around to it until just now after I read that post to your blog.

This was a great alternative for me because the FoodSaver vacuum sealer is rather expensive, and I am always looking for alternatives for when the power is out. The only other thing I am planning to explore are O2 packets and desiccants for my dehydrated goods.

Food Saver Lid, Regular and Wide-Mouth

Food Saver Accessory hose

Thank you for your blog! Also, thanks to your reader who wrote the response that inspired me to finally get this information out!!!!

HJL Replies: This is a great way to save dehydrated foods and one that I use myself. In fact, there will be a future article forthcoming that takes this approach to a whole new level for the prepper. Both the Tilla Food Saver Lid attachment and the Pump-N-Seal work well together. You can use the Food Saver when you have electricity, and the Pump-N-Seal makes a nice power-free backup. It also works for things other than food. For example, oxygen is the enemy of rubber, and if you use the Tattler reusable lid system, you can also vacuum pack your extra rubber seals in mason jars to extend their life.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Manpads – They obviously work: Videos show Ukrainian surveillance plane shot down by MANPADS (and crew jump from it). – T.P.

Also, Youtube video of the Downed AN-30.

o o o

Congressman Just Confirmed the Border Patrol is Being Shot At. – D.S.

o o o

The Electrical Grid May Well Be The Next War’s Battlefield. – G.G.

o o o

Former Border Patrol agent warns what’s coming. – B.B.

o o o

A national identity scheme goes global: Estonia takes the plunge. – G.G.

Notes for Sunday – July 20, 2014

Today we present another entry for Round 53 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ 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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  5. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  9. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  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. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  12. 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. A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. 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
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.

Round 53 ends on July 31st, 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.

Our Struggle With Survivalism, by R.B.

This is an honest attempt to put into writing the struggle my family and I have with the issues surrounding our involvement in survivalism and the potential of a societal collapse that may or may not occur within our lifetime. I am doing this because I tend to think more clearly if I put my thoughts into writing, and that forces me to be a bit more precise in my thinking. Additionally, perhaps others like me are struggling with the same life-changing decisions and may find my thoughts helpful.

Obviously, the first issue to deal with is whether or not I/we truly believe there is a very real possibility that the economic situation in our nation is so severe that the likelihood or probability of a true economic collapse simply must be considered as we plan for our family’s future. I am not speaking of an economic recession, like that of 2008, but of an event or series of events that will result in an economic collapse greater than that of the so-called “Great Depression” of the 1930’s. The reason for my pessimism concerning the magnitude of the potential collapse is due to several factors:

  1. The incredible size of our national debt, which at the moment (Spring of 2014) is quickly approaching 18 trillion dollars with no sign of any significant slowing.
  2. The current situation is clearly unsustainable, yet there appears to be a complete lack of will by our government to deal with our national debt and to curb our governmental spending, which currently is at a rate that requires our nation to borrow $.40 of each dollar we spend.
  3. The virtually unreported and unconsidered “Derivatives Bubble”, which, if it bursts, would require more money than exists in the world to “fix it”, is simply beyond repair now.
  4. The irresponsibility of the mainstream media or even cable media to forthrightly discuss the possibility of such a collapse (I believe because no one wants to be the first media outlet to issue a “sky is falling” prediction and be wrong about it) dis-enables our citizens to adequately consider or prepare for such a disaster. Also, our government wants everyone to believe that nothing is wrong at all and that life will go on as usual, even though they know that is not the case.
  5. The increasing inability of our culture to live independently from governmental support (Social Security, EBT cards, disability support, Medicare, Medicaid, and other welfare programs of various kinds) mitigates against planning to live independently as adults.
  6. The fact that only about 3.4 percent of our population actually knows how to farm, and even that group has become dependent on modern technology to live an agrarian lifestyle. This means that the ability to sustain the food supply to the 96.6 percent of Americans who live in urban areas, without significant food production capabilities of their own, would be placed in immediate jeopardy if the finely tuned, computer-controlled transportation system that brings food to them were to be disrupted for more than three days.
  7. Our culture’s deteriorating sense of ourselves as a nation (spurred on in part by the completely uninhibited illegal immigration of millions of Latin Americans and others who are flowing across our unsecured southern border) disenables us to act cohesively as a people for the common good.
  8. The complete lack of concern about the inflation of our national currency and the economic policies based on the Keynesian economic fantasy mitigate against addressing this concern in any realistic way.
  9. The increasing tendency of our national population to give up more and more personal freedom to an ever-increasing, centralized, federal government, without any seeming understanding of those values and principles that enabled this country to become prosperous in the first place, coupled with a public education system that no longer teaches these values and principles but is complicit in the general population’s capitulation to less and less personal freedom, has produced a population which is increasingly unable to see themselves as free, accountable people who do not view themselves as independent adults. We are virtually training (not educating) our children to be subservient to and dependent on the government!

This primary issue of whether or not an economic collapse will occur is the foundation for all that follows. If you believe the odds are in favor of the sustainability of the national and/or global economy, then we need do nothing and continue to live as we always have. If, on the other hand, you truly believe that our economy cannot be sustained, then everything we do from that point forward is of critical importance! To honestly believe that there will be a collapse and to do nothing to prepare our families for it would be the height of complete foolishness and irresponsibility. The often unspoken fear of survivalists is: What happens if we completely rearrange our lives only to discover that the collapse never occurs? I hope to address this question and others in this paper.

I would suggest the following principles in considering becoming a survivalist:

  1. Once a decision is made that you truly and honestly believe that an economic collapses will occur, then there is no going back. Either you’re all in, or you need to be all out! From the moment of decision on, you must plan on living on no income at all, except what you can generate by means of providing a service or product to others in a barter economy when the collapse comes.
  2. To adopt a survivalist lifestyle is to understand that whether or not a collapse occurs, you will be satisfied with the survivalist life you have chosen.

The second major issue in the consideration of being a survivalist is:

Shall we relocate to a retreat location in a rural area of the U.S., or shall be “bug in” where we live?

This is, by far, the most difficult decision of all for survivalists, but it is more difficult for some than for others. For my family we are fortunate to be retired, because that enables us not to be tied to employment for our livelihood. However, it also means giving up what we thought was our retirement home and adopting an unanticipated lifestyle. The downside of being seniors is that we are simply not as physically capable as we used to be. Rural, self-sufficient living is strenuous! Then again, life anywhere after a collapse will be strenuous! Generally, if you are young (20’s – 40’s), I would be far more willing to head for a new lifestyle than if I were older (50’s – 70’s). For those who are younger, make whatever sacrifices you have to make and just get it done if you are convinced that a collapse is inevitable. This means that if it is necessary to work at a different profession, then do what you have to do to achieve that end. You have the luxury of time and stamina to make that happen. If you are older, like me, then often your own health or that of your loved ones will dictate whether or not a move to a rural area is the wisest move for you. However, even seniors need to keep a few things in mind:

  1. Lots of older people still live in rural areas and have become comfortable with less shopping (or less frequent shopping) than urban residents enjoy.
  2. Lots of older people in rural areas are accepting of the inconvenience of longer trips to see the doctor and dentist. It’s a matter of mindset.
  3. Then there’s the more unpleasant reality of living in a rural setting. Emergency services cannot respond quickly in some rural areas. A long ambulance ride to a hospital an hour or more away can cost a lot of money, and sometimes it can cost you your life. Most older people living in rural areas simply accept that as a price they are willing to pay to live a rural life. Besides, in the event of a collapse, there won’t be any emergency services anywhere anyway. We will all be on our own and the death rate for illnesses and accidents will simply be higher. What’s more that will be true in both urban and rural areas. As a Christian man, I understand that the death rate has been holding steady at 100 percent since the beginning of time (with a few notable exceptions– Enoch and Elijah, for example). Regardless of where you live as a senior, you will likely die sooner in any post- collapse setting than younger people will. So be it! I do not fear death, but I’m not particularly looking forward to the process. That is true whether or not there is a societal collapse! Therefore, the possibility of dying is not a deterrent to living in a rural setting. In fact, it may save me from the indignity of dying in a nursing home. (In a collapse scenario, there will not likely be any functioning nursing homes anyway.) Regardless of whether or not my death comes to me a bit sooner or later really makes no significant difference. I belong to Jesus Christ, and I am very much looking forward to a life after this one. That will likely be even more true after a societal collapse!

What are some of the important considerations for selling a home and moving to a retreat?

  1. To sell your house now (while the economy is relatively stable and the housing market is better than it was in 2008-2010), will produce the most income for purchasing a new home, and having the resources to improve your preparedness at your retreat home.
  2. If you choose to “bug in” to your present urban home, you will need to understand that when the collapse comes, your neighbors are both a blessing and a curse. If you are one of the very few in your neighborhood who have prepared with stockpiling food and water, then it is quite possible that you will become a prime target of your otherwise friendly neighbors when they run out of their own essentials in about a week or two. If you bug in, keep your preparations very, very quiet, or you could have a line up of neighbors at your door begging or demanding your food, water, guns, and ammo, and you may well be placed in a situation of having to use lethal force against your own neighbors to keep your own family alive.
  3. If you choose to move to a rural retreat, the above scenario might still happen, but it is far less likely. First, they have to know where you are and how to get there, and then they will have to overcome whatever defenses you have prepared to secure your retreat. Second, such encounters are much less likely, not only because there are far fewer people in the area to threaten you, but rural people are far more likely to be more self-sufficient themselves and have no need of what you have. Moreover, in such an area you may well be able to establish a network of neighbors who are mutually self-sufficient, who can help support your efforts at provision and security. The likelihood of such cooperation occurring in an urban area is nearly non-existent over time.
  4. Most survivalist writers believe that lots of people in a societal collapse will “Double Up” with others for living arrangements. This means that family and friends will find themselves living together in expanded “family” structures to provide for security and share the increased workload. Those who plan for this have the advantage of being able to choose their expanded “family” members instead of just sitting back and seeing who ends up coming to your door without sufficient supplies for themselves.
  5. Other considerations respecting whether or not to have a “bug out” destination or to live in a rural retreat setting are as follows:
    1. Planning on traveling to a bug out location in the event of a societal collapse means that you have to find a way to safely get there. If this requires traveling through a metropolitan area of any kind, this could be a very dangerous trip because our urban areas will be the very first to see food riots, gangs operating at will in a Law Enforcement vacuum, and unscrupulous individuals setting up road blocks for the purpose of stealing others’ food and valuables. Law and order will very quickly break down!
    2. Living in a rural retreat setting enables you to stay home in the midst of the societal turmoil and to have the benefit of all your household goods, while even a well-stocked bug out location will require you to leave most of what you’ve acquired over your lifetime in the hands of looters. You will loose your home and all that is left in it. I fully admit that moving (especially if you’re a senior) is awful, but moving to a bug out location and abandoning your own home to looters is even worse!
    3. Travel to your bug out location may need to be on foot, if our nation is attacked by a high altitude Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP), nuclear weaponry. There are rogue nations and terrorist organizations that would love to destroy this country and will do so if they can. An EMP would be the easiest possible way to destroy this country, since an EMP would destroy virtually all printed circuitry in our financial systems, our military, our vehicles, and literally anything electronic. In such an event, unless you own a pre-1975 vehicle, you will not be able to get to your bug out location where all your preparations are, and unless you’ve stockpiled gasoline, the gas stations will not work either.
    4. Your bug out location is a minimally-secured treasure of preparations for others to loot and steal. If your bug out location is left without someone present to guard it, no matter how many locks you put on the doors and how many bars you put on the windows, a determined thief will have no problem in your absence breaking an entry into your unguarded bug out location. Imagine going to all the effort to become well prepared only to arrive at your bug out location to discover that others have helped themselves to your property. Now, in that situation, you have abandoned your home and have no way to sustain yourself through the crisis.

In the end, one simply must decide if they believe that, given the evidence at hand, there will or will not be an economic collapse in this nation that will likely also be a global economic collapse as well. To disbelieve clear evidence simply because the ramifications of such a collapse are too unpleasant to contemplate is not a rational conclusion. In order to opt out of survivalism, one must honestly and with conviction weigh the evidence of our current economic situation and come to the conclusion that there really is nothing to fear. If that is the case, then no adjustment to life need be made.

However, if we honestly look at the economic situation and determine that what we observe us untenable and unsustainable, then inaction is nothing but foolishness. Also, while no one wants to experience a societal collapse with all the horror and hardship that comes with it, to believe it will happen but to do nothing is to be completely irresponsible for the welfare of our families and our nation. To paraphrase the argument from the gun rights folks: It is better to be prepared and not need it, than to need preparation and not have it.

Two Letters Re: Justifying Preparation

Hugh:

Here in Georgia, a hurricane right up the middle puts power lines in the road and shuts down traffic for a minimum of 30 days. Evidence of that result can be found in the Connecticut Governor’s response to Hurricane Sandy, which was to shut down all state highways. There was no traffic and no grocery store resupply. Counting on FEMA to show up in three days is foolish. In the aftermath of Katrina, it was churches that carried the day rather than FEMA. My family up in New Jersey during Sandy was at the end of their rope after about 10 days, when the power finally returned. The threats from nature that we all face could easily justify 45 days without power and resources.

All that other “economic sky is falling” stuff is why I have seeds, a developed garden, coin, hand tools, “friends”, and the ammunition for my “friends”. All that “sky is falling” stuff justifies three to four months of food, assuming it happens seasonally at the worst moment. Nature and the business I am in demand that I be front and center for my customers, so OPSEC is not really an option. I work to encourage preparation on the part of my customers, my people. It is my job. It is my promise.

I love the information your blog provides. It has helped validate and guide. – R.

o o o

Just a few short items for Justifying Prep to mull over. If cash flow permits and storage space is available, why not start slow and buy items you are going to use anyway? Buy when on sale and you will not only be prepping but also saving money!! Three years ago I needed to get my wife of 40+ years into the prepping frame of mind, so I asked her “If the Lord allows us to be here on this earth a year from now, do you think we will need toilet paper?” Her response: that was the stupidest question I had ever ask. I then asked her the cash and space question. She did not respond. However, two weeks later she came in from shopping and told me there were three large bundles of paper in the car. We now have converted a closet into a second pantry and rotate, rotate, rotate. To her, the buying in bulk while on sale is now the norm and says we should have been doing that all along. This has made it agreeable for me to expand, in depth, into many other areas of prepping that is not of interest to you at this time. Ask yourself two other questions– “How often did my grandparents and great-grandparents go to the store for supplies?” and “Are there loved ones that would benefit from my prepping, if needed?” Prepping, if done logically and with planning, can bring peace of mind and save money. It is also biblical. The bible instructs prepping in every aspect of our lives: Spiritual, Physical, Mental, Financial, Family, Community, and so forth. Justifying Preparation, you asked a great question– one that every prepper has had to answer. Good Luck. – Deep South Charlie