Notes from JWR:

You’ve probably already seen this: 40+ Officers & ATF Agents Raid Home of Youtube Gun Personality FPSRussia. So the “explosives experts” at the BATFE are ignorant about Tannerite exploding targets? Take a look at the FPS Russia videos with explosions. All that I’ve ever seen are explosions producing sandy-brown smoke, which is indicative of a Tannerite binary low explosive, (ammonium nitrate and aluminum powder-based), and/or orange flames from gasoline, both of which are perfectly legal under Federal law, and ditto in most of the 50 States. That includes the state of Georgia, where Myers lives. There was also an implication that this raid was somehow related to the death of his business partner, Keith Ratliff. But the facts, as reported, are confusing. The raid took place on Tuesday. (I’m writing this on Friday.) If Myers was a murder suspect, then why didn’t they arrest him then, or since then? If he was holding explosives that didn’t belong to him, or in possession anything other than just Tannerite, then why didn’t they arrest him then, or since then? If he was in possession of high explosives but lacked a Blaster’s Permit, then why didn’t they arrest him then, or since then? Somehow this whole thing stinks, to me. It was probably just another F Troop fishing expedition. And why 40 officers? Talk about grandstanding! They certainly make people’s lives miserable in the process, even when no charges are filed.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 45 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) 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, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

The queue of articles for Round 45 is full, but we are now accepting entries for Round 46, 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.

Preparedness for Short Term Regional Disasters, by K.H.H.

I know this blog is primarily aimed at folks preparing for a long-term crisis, but I have a unique perspective on living without electricity after a regional disaster that I thought some might find informative. I live in the hills of northwestern New Jersey, and I have lived through three sustained (my definition: 4 or more days each) power outages caused by extreme weather events during the last two years. These power outages were caused, respectively, by Hurricane Irene, 19 inches of wet, heavy snow in October before the trees had lost their leaves, and Hurricane Sandy. I have learned important lessons from each power outage that I would like to share.
 
A wood stove and lots of firewood are necessities. I live in a county with tens of thousands of acres of forest. Today, however, most folks are too lazy to cut and process firewood. As each generation passes, fewer and fewer know how. Fortunately, I grew up on a farm and my dad always heated our home with firewood so I learned the joy of hard work and more about trees than I could begin to write here. As the temperatures plunged in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the inside temperature of homes in my neighborhood dropped to near freezing and those of us with woodstoves became havens of comfort each day for friends, children, the elderly and neighbors in need of warmth. I think anyone who doesn’t have a wood stove and 10 cords of split, stacked and dried firewood in the backyard by October is unprepared. It’s a low-technology essential that works on simple principles, it warms your home, cooks your food and dries your clothes. Get a wood stove. Trust me when I say your wife won’t complain about the mess that comes with one when it is warming your house. Get a bigger wood stove than you think you need, it will make it easier to load and you won’t have to work as hard cutting small pieces of firewood. The side benefit is that a wood stove will save you thousands in heating costs each winter and will pay for itself in short order.
 
Water. It seems so obvious, but even most country folk today are dependent on electricity to run their well to provide them with water. Having a generator is much more useful if it powers your well. For starters, this means you can flush your toilet, wash your hands and take a shower, things we take for granted when the electricity is running. I learned after our first extended power outage that I wanted to get a generator and a lot of gas cans to protect the venison in my freezer. After the second one I realized that I wanted a Reliance transfer switch to hook up my generator in a safe way to my electrical box so that I could provide power to my well pump. As a bonus, I could also run my freezers, a refrigerator, a few lights and outlets. But I needed water. For a longer-term crisis, I am looking into a hand pump such as the Simple Pump that has the capability to pump water by hand from my existing well. Because I believe in redundancy when it comes to water, I also picked up some high-quality water containers that hold 7 gallons of fresh potable water. You can use it for drinking, cooking, washing and filling up the toilet. There’s a stream about a mile from my house that I could drink from if I had to (I strongly discourage this unless it is a true survival situation because of water-borne illnesses found in most surface streams), and I would be glad to haul the water back home in a wheelbarrow each day if it came down to it.
 
A generator coupled with a transfer switch. I made this a separate category because I think it deserves special attention. I personally bought a 5,000 Watt generator that can surge to 6,250 Watts, made by Briggs and Stratton. There are myriad choices in this area so do your research, evaluate your budget, and get the most appropriate generator for your circumstance. It has performed admirably for over 100 hours and has only required minimal maintenance. For starters, it is recommended that you change the oil every 40 hours or so. You should also drain the gas out when you are done using it. No problem here, but if you don’t use the generator for six months you ought to run it for half an hour or so. This means you are bi-annually putting a little gas in, running the generator, and draining the fuel out. A model which lets you easily detach the fuel line to drain the leftover fuel out makes this chore much less of a hassle.
 
I suggest having a two-week supply of fuel on hand, because it is amazing how quick it runs out during a crisis. I never would I have believed that I would live to witness gas lines, gas rationing, people driving to other states to get fuel, etc. until I actually experienced it. It can happen. That being said, I believe that within two weeks after a regional disaster, supply chains will develop to get things moving around again. If they don’t, then we are talking about a situation that is truly dire and you’d better think about how to live without electricity from any source for the long haul. My generator burns a little less than 4 gallons of gas in twelve hours (I turn mine off each night), so 10 gas cans gets me there if I conserve a bit. I could get by on eight hours, but my wife immeasurably appreciates being able to open and close the refrigerator with four kids. If I have learned only one thing in thirteen years of marriage, it is that having an appreciative wife is invaluable.
 
I had a neighbor with very large whole-house generator that was burning over 10 gallons of gas a day, and he ran out of fuel within a few days. So bigger is not always better. I also learned that diesel fuel is more available than gasoline during these situations, so if I were to do it again, and money were not an issue, I would consider a diesel, natural gas or propane generator. I found out the hard way that having a can of carburetor cleaner and a small piece of wire is invaluable because carburetors get gummed up easily if a little gas sits in there for a few months. If this happens, you have to clean it (which is easy once you have done it once) or run your generator on partial choke all the time (which is less than ideal and may not work). Drain your gas completely when you put it away and this shouldn’t be a problem.
 
Food. This was actually the least of our worries. We had plenty of food on our shelves to last for months if necessary, and we didn’t really even plan it that way. I guess with four kids and one income we are just used to buying in bulk when sales hit at the local grocery store. There has been a lot written already on this subject, so I will defer to other essays on this topic.
 
Medical Supplies. Everyone has different needs here, but it is just good sense to keep a few extra of whatever you need around in case the pharmacy isn’t open (which it won’t be if the store doesn’t have a back-up generator).
 
Feminine hygiene products. Keep a few extra boxes around.
 
Lighting. Because we had plenty of firewood and a fireplace, we lit the fireplace each night and everyone in the family loved it, but it didn’t light up the bathrooms or the other rooms in the house. And when I went out in the dark each night to turn off the generator and bring it in the garage, a lantern came in really handy. LED lanterns that can run over 100 hours on one set of batteries are great, and are easily available on Amazon.com. Get two of them because you need one in the bathroom and the rest of the family doesn’t have to sit in the dark while they wait for your return if you have two. I also purchased two old-fashioned kerosene lanterns and a gallon of kerosene after the last power outage. The more flashlights and batteries you have around the better when the power goes out. Those little LED book lights are nice luxuries as well when you want to settle down and read a book in the evening.
 
A hand crank radio. This is one item I used every day during lunch. We sat around and listened to the local AM radio station as people would call in with all sorts of useful information, such as which gas stations had gas to sell and a generator to power their pumps, which stores were open, where one could get potable water (some buildings have emergency generators), what roads were cleared of trees and now passable, and where the electrical crews were working. On top of this, listening to a radio lifts your spirits when you have no other contact with the outside world.
 
Relationships with your neighbors are vital. No one knows everything, and a plumber, electrician, farmer, mechanic, doctor, dentist, police officer, etc. each possess unique and valuable skills and knowledge. You can only access those skills and knowledge if they trust you before the crisis and are regularly communicating with you during the crisis. Build friendships now with your neighbors. Find out what their strengths are. Forgive those whom you have had past disagreements with, as those arguments will seem truly unimportant if the SHTF. One of the unexpected benefits of Hurricane Sandy was that I built several long-lasting friendships with neighbors as we spent two weeks cutting trees, dragging branches, splitting wood and stacking firewood. We worked together to get warm, make food, get gasoline and other supplies, take showers and watch children. And everyone in my area has give a lot of thought about surviving when the government and the utility companies cannot help you. I can honestly say it was, in some ways, a blessing.  
 
Cash. Try buying something when nobody in town has power and you find out real quick that cash is still better than a credit card or a debit card.  A few hundred bucks was more than enough for the short-term outages I have experienced, but a longer-term situation would require more. In a truly long-term disaster situation, actual goods that you could barter with would have the most value.
 
Intangibles. I would like to conclude by suggesting that maintaining a positive attitude in spite of adversity is of immense value. Being a person who smiles while working to meet daily challenges lifts the spirit of everyone you come into contact with, and your attitude will have a marked impact on children. My children actually think that power outages are something to be celebrated (no school and you get to pretend like you are living Little House on the Prairie)! Having faith helps us see the good that comes with difficulty, and gives us strength to forge ahead, no matter what.
 
Our world is becoming more like a Rube Goldberg machine every day. Our infrastructure and supply lines become more fragile as they become more dependent on new layers of technology. My advice to everyone is to build redundancy into every system you control, and pass on practical knowledge to the next generation. A co-worker who was not prepared for any of these circumstances suggested to me that preparing for them was wrong, that it amounted to cynically saving yourself at the expense of your neighbor. I replied that quite the opposite was true: those who are prepared are far more able to help their neighbors than those who are not, and my real-life observations actually back up this assertion. Thank you for taking the time to read this essay and God Bless!

Letter Re: Things to Understand When Interacting With Police

James,
In my opinion 99.9% of preppers are law-abiding citizens who fear God and want nothing more than to be left alone to live their lives in peace and prosperity. Having said that I take extreme exception to the recent article entitled, “Things to Understand When Interacting With Police”, by G.S. from Florida. G.S. is a defense attorney who used to be a prosecuting attorney. Let me introduce myself as much as I can. I am a prepper and a police detective in a Western state and have arrested many criminals over the years. I have been in many jury and bench trials and have had many dealings with defense attorneys. There is a common joke in the world of law that it is very difficult to be an honest person and be a defense attorney. It is my belief and opinion that 1 in 20 defense attorneys are honest people. That is a mere 5% that are honest and I will explain why that is.

It is a defense attorney’s job to represent people accused of committing crimes and they are an important and necessary part of the judicial system. But often times the defense attorney knows full well that his client is guilty of the crime he is accused of. Unfortunately for the defense attorney, this knowledge usually comes directly from the defendant. So there lies the dilemma. How do you represent a person you know is guilty, when your client has told you himself he committed the crime and especially when the crime is heinous? Well an honest person would say “I can’t.” But a defense attorney will say, “What can I do to get my client off these charges,” and will use various dishonest practices that I have seen defense attorneys employ. Defense attorneys attempt to get their clients off on technicalities (such as on DUI charges) and practice character assassinations of witnesses, police officers and most horrifically on victims. I saw a defense attorney make a rape victim break down and cry on the stand during a jury trial as he attempted to paint the victim as a culprit during his character assassination of her. A defense attorney outright called me a liar on the stand during a jury trial because the trial was not going well for his client who had admitted to me, post Miranda and on recording, that he had committed the aggravated robbery he was accused of. I could go on but my point is that be weary of defense attorneys. There are some good ones who have a conscience and don’t lie. But many believe that the ends truly justify the means.
Let me be clear. Police officers must never violate a person’s Constitutional rights and must always arrest on probable cause with clear evidence. If in doubt I don’t arrest and I let the district attorney’s office decide if there is enough evidence to prosecute. G.S. is correct about the level 1, 2 and 3 stops and I beg each citizen to be familiar with each of these.

Next G.S. recommended not speaking with police. I think this is false and let me give you a great example as to why. One night, while on patrol, I responded to a call where a man was waiving a gun around in a parking lot and other people were running away. A description of the man and his vehicle were given by dispatch. I was first on scene and located the “suspect” vehicle leaving the parking lot. Myself and other officers conducted a “high hazard” stop of the vehicle. The driver was removed from his vehicle and his handgun was located. Also in the vehicle were his wife and several children. The witness said that she saw this man pointing his handgun at several people who then fled the scene prior to our arrival. Next I wanted to speak with the accused suspect who happened to have a carry permit. I read him Miranda and he was anxious to speak with me. He said that a group of four males approached him and were asking him about where he was from and what his religion was. When he told them that information two of them produced knives and were going to attack him. A fact the witness did not know and did not see. Fearing for his life and for the life of his children and wife, he produced his handgun, which he pointed at the suspects. In this situation he could have shot them and would have been justified in doing so. We all complimented the man for doing what he needed to do protect himself and his family, returned his handgun and sent him on his way. If he had chosen not to speak with us that night (which is his right), as G.S. recommended, he would have been taken to jail at least for reckless endangerment and his handgun would have been seized. I understand a person’s apprehension to speak with police but it is my experience that it is only beneficial to you to do so.

In the next section G.S. writes about the force matrix. This is where his experience as a defense attorney shines brightly for all to see as he twists facts and information into what he wants them to be. He said, “Note that under the matrix, active physical resistance by a person can be met by police with deadly force.” This is not true and the chart that he linked says it is not true. I implore each of you to look at the chart he provided and recognize his false statement. The chart listed “Aggravated Physical Resistance” as being met with deadly force. There is a huge difference between “Active Physical Resistance” and “Aggravated Physical Resistance” and G.S. knows it. Let me give you some examples of “Aggravated Physical Resistance” against police: pulling a gun, pulling a knife, attempting to disarm, strangling (like a rear strangle hold), attempting to cause death or serious bodily injury, etc. G.S. would have you believe that police can kill you just because you are actively resisting, i.e. running away, taking a fighting position, not putting your hands behind your back, etc. What he would have you believe is true and what is actually true are two different things.

I will not delve too deeply into police corruption other than to say it does exist and in my department it is dealt with swiftly and severely. Any officer who is corrupt is a disgrace to the office and has not upheld their oath to protect and preserve the Constitution of the United States. Many may not know this but as executive officers of a state we, as law enforcement, are bound by oath and affirmation to support the Constitution (last paragraph of Article VI).
I understand that G.S. was just attempting to write an article to help the prepper community. His world is tough because he is always dealing with the criminal element and criminals are often times disheartening. But I found several of his points to be false.

Over the years I have read several articles on this blog that seem anti and pro police. I want the prepper community to know that most police officers I work with don’t want to bother you and only want to protect the communities in which they serve. Look for truth in all things and be a watchman of the night.  – R.B. 

Economics and Investing:

Say Goodbye to the Purchasing Power of the Dollar — Mr. Bernanke goes to Crazytown

Reader L.C.A. sent a link to some alarming charts on food an oil prices. Following the global credit collapse of 2008, inflation has returned with a vengeance.

Peter Schiff explains how a US depression can cause a global ‘death spiral’

Too big to fail or ignore: How the US went from over 13,000 banks in 1987 to 6,000 today. $7.4 trillion in deposits backed by $32 billion dollars. (It is high time that we pull our money out of this high stakes casino. Build up a month to two month supply of cash at home. Get out of US Dollar-denominated investments and diversify into barterable tangibles. For example buy guns, ammunition, and full capacity magazines if you can find them at pre-panic prices. (Don’t buy during the current market peak for those items. Wait until prices moderate.)

Items from The Economatrix:

Steve Forbes:  Cyprus Isn’t Over, It’s Still A “Disaster For Us All”

BRICS Nations Plan New Bank To Bypass Word Bank, IMF

Market Collapse Predicted By Scientist

Odds ‘n Sods:

Dear Respected Comrade, Supreme Leader, Great Successor, First Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the Chairman of the Central Military Commission, First Chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea, the Supreme Commander of the Korean People’s Army, Kim-Il Sung Jr., Jr. seems to have gone full-on Col. Jack D. Ripper “Sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids ” bonkers. There has been news of North Korea targeting Guam, Anchorage, and perhaps even Oahu or Seattle with their handful of low-yield nukes–which are probably not yet compatible with their missiles. (And their missiles most likely still lack the requisite range.) Reading these reports makes me feel relatively safe, since I live deep in the lightly-populated Redoubt, a long way from any likely targets. But of course every family should have a fallout shelter, regardless of their locale.

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The Get Prepared Expo will be held April 6-7, in Lebanon, Missouri. I will be one of the featured speakers (via teleconference.) I will be on from 11AM to 1 PM on Saturday April 6th. They will have 100 exhibits and 80 of their 1-hour seminars, running six at a time for two days.

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B.B. suggested: You Need To Prepare – Clip from Glenn Beck

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J.B.G. sent us this: High-Tech NYPD Unit Tracks Criminals Through Facebook and Instagram Photos

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Camping Survival has reduced their prices on Potassium Iodate pills and capsules, and offers free shipping.

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Dr. Gary North: 13 Assumptions That Put Your Children at Risk

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take [any] person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.

So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.”  Ezekiel 33:6-7 (KJV)

Note from JWR:

Today we present another two entries for Round 45 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) 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, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

The queue of articles for Round 45 is full, but we are now accepting entries for Round 46, 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.

A Fruit and Nut Tree Primer by Jujubee

I am seeing fruit and nut trees for sale now in the Southeast where I live so I wanted to share some thoughts on how I approach tree cultivation. I usually try to plant trees earlier in the winter in order for the roots to get a good start but retail outlets know that people start getting restless towards the end of winter and want to get their gardens and orchards going and they are only too happy to accommodate them. I am an arborist by trade and I’ve provided some guidelines I follow in raising trees. It is not all-inclusive, it is just a quick read for folks who are trying to start or tend to their trees and don’t have much experience. You could spend a lifetime growing and studying trees and still not learn all there is to know but you have to start somewhere so don’t be worried that you won’t get it right- if the location you chose doesn’t turn out to be ideal, move it. You can spend a small fortune on having a contractor put in a tree or if you have the time and the strength, you can do a little research and get a smaller, less expensive tree and do it yourself. And trees are very forgiving!

Trees are long-lived enough to have phases of productivity that include adolescence, adulthood and advanced maturity. The important thing to realize with trees (and most living things) is that their goal in life is to pass on their genetic material by producing and germinating seed. This is their sole purpose in life. How they look, what their flowers and fruit smells like- all these things contribute to the perpetuation of their species. If a tree can produce a luscious fruit, it will entice an animal (man included) to eat the fruit and spread the seed. When a once-healthy tree is nearing the natural end of its life, you will often see a one last grand effort, a flush of buds as they give up all their reserves for one final fruit/seed set, then die in the dormant season. You could call it a selfless act, if trees had a conscious, because they could otherwise limp on for a few more rather unproductive seasons. And even after death, trees provide compost and mulch. So, with that in mind, here are my few basic guidelines for growing trees to their full potential and productivity:

1. Buy healthy plants– don’t start off at a deficit. Price is not always an indicator of health so look closely at the pot- if it is in a container, is it root-bound? You probably won’t be able to pop off the pot and check (which will also show whether the root has wound its way around the pot, also bad) but you can try to wiggle your finger into the potting soil. Can you? If you cannot even penetrate more than an inch or so, pass it by. Also check the graft site (fruit and nut trees are grafted onto root stock trees) at the base of the tree for fungus or poor grafts- you don’t want that either. Some of the best pear trees I’ve ever planted came from a Big Lots store. I tend toward the older varieties because they are tried and true and I don’t have the time to experiment. The other consideration is whether to buy dwarf, semi-dwarf or standard size trees. Dwarf and semi-dwarf will produce sooner but will die sooner, too. But if you cannot manage heights, go with dwarf. A standard size tree will live a long time and produce great quantities, in general, but it takes longer for standard trees to begin producing. Your best bet is to plant a combination of dwarf, semi-dwarf and one or two standard trees.

2. Location, location, location. To plant, that is. Do a little research on your species and variety- if it needs full sun, give it full sun or it will likely not reach full potential. Be wary of planting on high spots in general- think of how water flows and wind blows. Hilltops can catch the wind and are the first areas that water flows from- if nothing else, plan for the ‘military crest’ of the hill, just below the hilltop. Giving your trees a bit of protection from the wind in their early years will give them time to grow deep roots for both stability and water uptake. Planting trees in a slightly lower area allows for the possibility of water availability longer after a rain but make sure the site drains- very few trees can tolerate wet feet! The other consideration is air flow –while protecting your trees from the wind, you also want to make sure there is adequate air flow to help combat bacterial infections such as fire blight by allowing the site to dry out after rains. Make sure there is enough spacing between trees (check the spread for your variety on the tag) to allow for good air flow- this small act of prevention can keep many diseases at bay just by naturally regulating surface moisture levels.
A quick word on pesticides- I try to avoid them whenever possible. I may lose some trees but too often, pesticides are used to make up for poor siting or bad stock. I am not able to fence in my current orchard so I spray a deer spray (which is mostly concentrated urine) to keep the deer and rabbits out and it works pretty well for me. It has a very strong urine smell so be aware of the wind direction when spraying or it will keep your ‘dears’ away from you, too!

3. Nutrition. There are three main nutrients plants need: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) – commercial fertilizer is labeled with the parts of each (N-P-K), for example, 10-10-10.  Just like your children need calcium for strong bones as they are growing, so your trees need phosphorus to develop a strong root system. I’m old school and prefer to feed my trees real food instead of chemicals- there’s debate enough about that for another forum- so for phosphorus I give them bone meal. I will sometimes toss an old sun dried bone in the planting hole if I have one. For nitrogen I have access to a Starbucks that gives me all the old coffee grounds I could want and the worms love it, too. For potassium I use wood ash and throw a few small chunks of charred wood in the there, too, for biochar. I find that the chemical nutrients release too quickly and you get peaks and valleys of fertilization whereas the bone meal and coffee grounds slowly decompose at an even rate.

4. Water. They need it, and will die without it. If you don’t get at least an inch of rain per week during the growing season, give them water. Better to use a soaker hose or apply it to the ground directly rather than spraying the leaves for a number of reasons but mainly because the roots uptake the majority of water. But remember, the leading cause of death of plants in general are water-related, either too little or too much. And that brings me to the final point…

5. Mulch. Mulch will hold in moisture around the root ball, it will help protect the roots from frost damage in the winter and dryness in the summer and hold back weed growth while slowly decomposing and providing nutrition. Use composted mulch – green chipped wood requires nitrogen to decompose and will rob your tree of it.  But, do not pile up mulch against the trunk, making the ‘volcano’ look! This actually harms the tree by promoting fungus growth around the trunk and can actually smother the roots, inhibiting respiration. So visualize a ‘crater’ instead of a volcano- always make sure the flare of tree trunk is exposed and start your mulch ring about an inch from the trunk, building a crater outward about two feet, with the edge being about 4”-6” thick. Now you have formed a bowl for water to be held in for a slow absorption. You can take the mulch ring all the way out to the tips of the limbs (called the dripline of a tree) if you wanted and reduce further the grass under the tree, which will also rob your tree of nutrients in order to feed themselves. Do be careful to change out the mulch and fallen leaves in the late fall or early winter- disease spores can over winter in the mulch!

So if you have room for a tree, make this year the year you start your orchard. You don’t need any specialized equipment or knowledge beyond what I’ve covered in order to get started. A little time investment every month or so during the growing season to keep the weeds and grass back and keep it watered will pay dividends for many years to come.

Become Your Own Central Banker, by L.B.G.

 As I compose this essay the news of the proposed “taxation” of the depositors of the banks in Cypress via a confiscation of up to 9.9% of the balance from all savings accounts (and then the decision to not take that step) is rocking the financial world. The government of Cypress expressed the need for this measure in order to meet their obligation to the European Union. They called it a “tax on deposits” and “giving depositors a haircut”. I think a better term would be “stealing depositors’ money”.  So go to Plan B….seizing funds in pension accounts and turning them into government bonds to pay for the bailout? Plan C?

Of course that could never happen here in America.      Right ? 

Don’t think that for a moment.  First of all, put aside any preconceived notion that the markets are honest and fair to all participants. The multi-trillion dollar printing by the runaway Federal Reserve that is controlled by the mega-sized private banks is nothing more than another engineered plan to acquire your assets.  Artificially suppressing interest rates is essentially robbing blind every person who has money invested in a savings account, checking account, money market, or CD. The next step will be to orchestrate a plan to grab every last dollar held in IRAs, 401ks, pension accounts, etc. by those who control the money supply and have the mechanisms in place to manipulate the markets. The game is rigged…and you don’t stand a chance of surviving without implementing a plan of your own.

I have been a Certified Financial Planner for almost two decades and in the financial services industry as a stock broker with both a regional and wirehouse brokerage for a good number of years before that.  In 2005 I became an independent advisor because I could no longer stomach the corporate environment and how customers were forced into packaged products.  I have seen complete economic cycles over that period of time….falling and rising interest rates….business expansions and contractions….periods of relative peace as well as war…..boom and bust.  I have always been able to tell my clients that they could count upon the strength of American Industry, the American Workforce, the American Taxpayer, and the American Consumer to provide stability and steady growth to the American Economy. 

I have also been a prepper since the late 1970s. After returning from my wartime military service in Southeast Asia in early 1974, I watched the economy stagnate and then evolve into a chaotic jumble of escalating interest rates and soaring precious metals prices.  Americans contended with rising gasoline prices, shortages of heating oil as well as regulated natural gas supplies,  a hostage crisis in Iran, and the “general malaise” that Jimmy Carter told us was to blame for all our woes.  It wasn’t until the election of Ronald Reagan and some new economic policies that we were able to recover as a nation. Things improved, then got better. The 80’s and 90’s were good and productive years for America.

But the differences between yesterday and today are truly jaw-dropping.  Back then the U.S. was economically sound despite the expense of the Viet Nam War financed with newly printed dollars that were not backed by gold  (Nixon closed the window in 1971) and the growing  (but manageable) social welfare programs.  Tax revenues back then essentially covered and met the government’s expenditures.  One just knew that every economic downturn would be followed by recovery ….because that’s just the way things worked. 

Today the U.S. has spent the nation’s blood and treasure as well as our emotional capital on the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have become involved in Libya, Egypt, and Syria.  Potential issues with Iran and North Korea loom large. There are 47 million people on food stamps. Unreported millions are unemployed. Spending on social programs has exploded.  The housing market collapsed and has never fully recovered. The banking system is on life support. The Federal Reserve is purchasing $85 billion dollars each month (a trillion dollars a year) in U.S. Treasury issues because no one else is willing to do so.  Despite government statistics and reports Inflation has driven prices on energy, food, clothing, health insurance, and everyday items beyond reason.  Expenditures outstrip tax revenues. Government spending is out of control and we are approaching $17 trillion dollars in national debt with untold (and unfathomable) amounts in promised future benefits, entitlements, mandates, and promissory notes.  By some estimates the U.S. has 238 TRILLION DOLLARS in unfunded liabilities.  We can’t cover it. We are flat busted.  And if our leadership refuses to address and fix the problem, the rest of the world will fix it for us.

People are genuinely concerned and are looking for answers. Yet they are also experiencing cognitive dissonance as well as normalcy bias. They are fearful at what might happen and fearful of taking steps towards addressing that fear because doing so conflicts with their ingrained belief system.  They want to believe  that an economic collapse could never happen in America.  Life continues to be pretty good for most Americans….we shop, vacation, purchase luxury items, and enjoy eating in restaurants.  Life appears pretty normal.  

But perceptive Americans have an intuitive feeling that something is really wrong.  Despite the message spread by the talking heads on NBC, CBS, ABC, CNBC, and  MSNBC  that the nation is in “recovery” or “the employment picture is improving”  or “corporate earnings are growing”  these savvy folks dismiss the messages as much akin to the old Soviet press releases back during the Cold War. The mass media has refused   to acknowledge that the Federal Reserve’s continued money printing is a complete disconnect   from the reported   “improving” economy. 

I am assuming that since you are reading the “SurvivalBlog “ that you have made plans for your basic needs for the other aspects of survival.  My focus is on the financial aspect….protecting the value of what you have worked so hard to put away.   Again, set aside all preconceived notions that the marketplace is honest and fair to all participants.  What’s the difference between loss of purchasing power via paying depositors low interest rates or stealing the money outright. Depositors will lose money one way or another…thru actual loss (theft) or loss of purchasing power (inflation).  And the FDIC doesn’t really exist for the protection of depositors….it exists to protect the banks who operate on a fractional reserve system from bank runs.  A perception by the public that their deposits are somehow covered from all risk prevents those runs. If you think your money in the bank is safe, you better grow up. There is also a concerted effort to grab every last dollar held in IRA’s, 401k’s, pension accounts, etc. by those who control the money supply and markets.  Americans will find the funds they worked so hard to save for their retirement years raided and invested into government securities. The American people will essentially be forced into placing their retirement dollars into financing the country’s debt.  An outright theft.  The game is rigged against all of us. If you think your money in the bank or in that 401k, IRA, or pension account is safe, you better wake up and smell the coffee.
So what is a prudent and careful person to do?

First of all, commit this mantra to memory: 
                                 
BET AGAINST THE DEBT….BECOME YOUR OWN CENTRAL BANKER

I am suggesting that you take the following steps to have control of your funds, maintain purchasing power, and protect those assets from confiscation:

  1. Start taking inventory of funds currently invested in savings and checking accounts. Try to envision what your life would be like if those accounts would be frozen by a government-mandated tax on deposits followed by a bank holiday.  
  2. Now estimate what your expenses for living normal life for 2-3 months might be assuming you had to pay cash rather than relying upon the use of a credit or debit card or assuming that a retailer or vendor would accept your personal check for a product or service (their banks are closed too, remember).   
  3. Pull those funds from your account(s) and hold as cash (banks are paying little or no interest so what’s the difference?).  Please keep this cash in a very safe place (not a safe deposit box at a bank that will be closed).  At the minimum it should be placed in a fireproof safe, security box, etc. in your residence or at the residence of a very trusted relative or friend. Tell no one else of your plans other than someone who has the same vested interests as yourself.
  4. Now assess the remaining balance of the funds in your accounts. You will want to begin the process of converting those funds into a vehicle that will preserve your purchasing power when the fiat currency ultimately collapses….precious metals…gold and silver. Start taking funds out of your account in an amount that will not arouse suspicion (think under $5,000) from a nosy bank clerk who is bound by regulation to report transactions above a certain threshold or that look suspicious. If asked, tell them that you have some home improvement projects or major auto repairs and your guy offers a discount for cash payments. They can relate to those scenarios.
  5. Think of gold bullion and gold coins as a very good way to place a lot of wealth in a very small package. You will want to have gold for a portion (25% to 40%) of your wealth preservation plan. However, they would not be very useful for day to day transactions. For that I suggest silver (60% to 75%) in the form of one ounce Silver Eagles from the U.S. Mint or (even better) pre-1965 U.S. coins (dimes, quarters, and half dollars) that have a composition that is 90% silver.  This is commonly referred to as “junk silver”. Each pre-1965 coin will have actual silver in its composition (dime .0715 oz., quarter .17875 oz., half .3575 oz.).  Thus every dollar in face value contains 0.715 oz. of silver. You could also consider U.S. Silver Dollars (0.77oz) minted during the late 19th and early 20th centuries but they often carry a numismatic premium. There are other choices out there that will vie for your investment funds but I have found the U.S. junk silver is usually your best value, easily recognized and accepted, and very liquid.  You will want to make your purchases from a reputable and trusted local dealer. Ask around and make a few inquiries. Most will accept cash and are generally tight-lipped.  Make your purchases periodically as a way of cost averaging. Take physical possession. Never buy and let someone hold it for you. Store it securely. Again, OPSEC should be of the highest importance. [JWR Adds: The recent advent of the Chinese-made fake Silver Dollars is yet another reason to stick with the smaller denomination 90% silver pre-1965 U.S. coins.]
  6. Now begin thinking about how you would be impacted if your IRA, tax-deferred annuity, or retirement account would be devastated by a market meltdown, seizure, or government-mandated purchase of printed securities with no real backing.  I am an advocate of taking at least a portion of your funds and converting to precious metals. You have worked hard to put away funds for your golden years but what if those funds no longer existed? This will be a big decision and a tough pill to swallow for most people. But I contend that taking a distribution, paying the taxes, and yes, even a possible early withdrawal penalty, and then converting those funds into precious metals will be a wise decision for almost everyone. It is an even easier decision if you are older than age 59 ½ and not subject to the premature distribution penalty. If you are worried about your tax obligation you might remember that the government is essentially taxing your money already via the fiat system that currently exists and that you will be more responsible with your assets than any politician. You might also want to consider making some tax deductible gifts to your church, favorite charity, or philanthropic organization to reduce some of your tax obligation and possibly “bunching” those deductions into one tax year for good measure. Better that they have it where you can see the good works done firsthand. Opening a “Precious Metals IRA” has also been touted as a solution but you are not able to take physical possession of your metals until you actually take a withdrawal/distribution. This means that your metals will be held in “safekeeping” by a custodian….usually a money center bank. How do you think that’s going to play out if the SHTF?
  7. Lastly, and something else to consider, is beginning to take your Social Security distributions prior to your normal retirement date for full benefits. If you are aged 62 or older you are eligible for Social Security benefit payments prior to reaching “normal retirement age” but at a reduced rate. You will have to do some calculations to determine how much  of a reduction it will be from normal retirement benefits, how it will affect your taxable income level,  how it will affect survivor benefit levels for your spouse, and  if doing so will place a hardship on your living needs.  If it makes financial sense and you have other reserves,  then taking a reduced  monthly check and purchasing precious metals (a certain payout and purchase of hard assets) with those funds might be a wise choice rather than waiting until you reach the normal retirement age (an uncertain promise for payment in fiat currency at some future date). You can log on to www.socialsecurity.gov  to access the Social Security calculator link which will enable you to create a variety of personal scenarios.

The U.S. dollar is just the latest in a long line of currencies that have had their value stolen due to decisions made by politicians and central bankers. Taking a valuable commodity like paper and reducing its value by printing numbers, images, promissory verbiage, and fancy artwork is a criminal act. Currency backed by gold and silver will eventually return. But until then it is wise to convert the existing currency to the real thing.  Fight the debt….become your own central banker.

Letter Re: Why Colorado is Running Out of Water

Hi Folks,
I’m a transplant to my now-home state of Colorado.  When I came here where I’m living now was about the edge of suburban development.  Denver has a law that restricted it from growing called the Poundstone Amendment (wherein cities couldn’t annex without a vote of approval of land owners.)   My wife is a fifth generation native, her ancestors settled and farmed northeast of Denver for a few decades.  Winter wheat was a big crop, Rocky Ford produced perhaps the best melons I’ve eaten and in the summer it was nearly impossible to drive around without tripping over a small farmer’s market (even in the city).
 
Fast forward…  Farmers in Rocky Ford sold their water to a Aurora.  Farmers in the Northeast corridor (east side of the divide) sold their water to Denver.   Urban planning boomed (again) and even during official drought years it was not uncommon for 30,000 new building permits a month to be issued in the metro area.   With their new-found water wealth, the urban planners created sprawl, they loved the income and were addicted to it.  While we were told to conserve, they’d build a few thousand more homes with the water we didn’t use.  Their formulas used a usage ratio of existing users, so the more we conserved – the more building permits they could justify. 
 
Remember the Listeria deaths attributed to melons from Southeastern Colorado?  Do you know how the Listeria got a hold?  The farmers had “upgraded” their facilities, and were assured that city provided water was sufficiently chlorinated that they could just use city water, and not recycle and treat their own – all those nasty chemicals they added to the wash water were ruining the environment!  Well, as any dummy can figure out – chlorination varies day to day in any municipal water supply – and there was insufficient chlorine to cleanse the melons for market – so whereas the old environmentally-unfriendly method kept us alive, the new-improved city mandated solution killed several people – killing, essentially, the melon growing industry in that part of the state.
 
Many people don’t realizes that Water has it’s own court system, at least in Colorado it does.  Water is politics and big money urban developers have managed to buy nearly all the surface water and aquifer accessed rights in the state.
 
Our agriculture isn’t producing the same amounts of food as it was ten years ago not because we have a drought problem, it’s because the farmers don’t have the rights to the water anymore – they were “squandering” it and environmental lawsuit after lawsuit put most of them out of business – forcing them to sell their water rights to a city.  When you look at the agricultural production numbers plummeting in Colorado, don’t attribute it to the “drought” attribute it exactly where the blame belongs – urban sprawl.  What else did we get with urban sprawl?  Hundreds of thousands of city-dwellers dependent on the state for their every need.   With government employment and service industry growth the majority of people were liberals who moved here for the “rocky mountain high” – bringing their needs for cheap housing and water with them. 
 
We are a liberal majority-controlled state only in the cities. Everywhere else in the state, reason reigns.  Our farmers will never produce again, because the city will never return water rights to the land.  Our drought has always been a fact of life in Colorado, according to my wife’s relatives water has never been abundant for farmers.   Our farmers weren’t victims of G-d’s will and poor rainfall, they were victims of political realities and urban sprawl.  So, yes, we are part of the seven states with water problems, but it’s a redistribution problem not one of agriculture. – Jim H.

Letter Re: Thoughts on Dogs at Survival Retreats

Hello Jim,
You have had a couple of good articles about having dogs for retreat/home protection recently. I couldn’t agree more that dogs are a wonderful resource in many ways. I have two German Shepherds who keep my farm and home safe from humans and predators.  There are a couple points I would like to add.

First of all, not all dogs will fight to protect their pack. I had a German Shepherd several years ago who would try to hide behind me if there was danger. He was a complete coward, in spite of his attack training. When picking a protective dog, a person should size up the personalities of both parents, if possible. If the parents are rather laid back and unprotective, the puppies will probably grow up with a similar temperament. I have noticed that two dogs seem to be four times as good for protection, but they are also more difficult to control.

And once you have a protective dog, it is important to recognize that the dog doesn’t always know when not to bite. A dog bite can be a death sentence without antibiotics, as infection is almost a guarantee. If your dog accidentally perceives someone to be a threat and bites him, there are numerous bad things that can happen to the you, dog, and the victim. My dogs are very protective and aggressive. I have to “protect” them from being in situations where they could get themselves in trouble. Although they are definitely my buddies, I have to handle them more like weapons than pets.

And lastly, dogs are not bullet proof. If there are desperate people who want to raid your retreat, do not believe they will hesitate to shoot your dog. In this situation, the dog will need to be protected too.  – Hobby Farmer

Economics and Investing:

The recent experience in Cyprus set a dangerous precedent. With similar debt levels in Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Slovenia, and Spain, the European Banksters are likely to stage more heists. I suspect that there will be bank runs and some draconian withdrawal limits will be imposed. And FWIW, I’m not the only one predicting this. Oh, and I should also mention the Debt to GDP levels are even worse in the U.S. and Japan than they are in Europe’s southern tier. The bank runs could quickly spread from Europe. Be ready for them. Keep plenty of cash at home, and diversify out of dollars and into tangibles that can readily be bartered.

Egon warns about derivatives, over at Gold-Eagle: The Reality Is The Financial System Could Fail At Any Time

World’s First Bitcoin ATM is Announced, First Location Cyprus. (JWR’s Comment: The Bitcoin to US Dollar exchange rate was a whopping 93.6-to-1, the last time I checked. I’ve been using and advocating Bitcoin since May of 2011. Since it has recently become a popular alternative currency, I expect to see an all-out demonization of Bitcoin in the Mainstream Media, shortly.)

Guns and ammo sales spark jobs boom. (Thanks to H.L. for the link.)

Rocketman suggested: Unbanking vs. Underbanking: How to Break Up with the Financial System

Items from The Economatrix:

Cyprus Banks Reopen With Capital Restrictions. €300 withdrawal limit, €1,000 limit for travelers, wire transfer controls…

Another Gold Shortage?  Dutch ABN Amro To Halt Physical Gold Delivery. I assume that they are settling in cash. Oh well, that beats Pork Bellies. But this underscores the fact that there is no substitute for holding precious metals in your own possession.

Fears Grow as Banks Reveal Exposure to Cyprus Euro Crisis

The Coming Derivatives Panic That Will Destroy The Global Markets

Odds ‘n Sods:

F.G. sent this short video: Cerakote Generation II Coatings For Night Vision Camouflage

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Prepper Fest Arizona will be held April 26-28, 2013.

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Senate votes 53-46 to stop US from joining UN Arms Trade Treaty. It is frightening to see that this vote was so close. Take note of which Senators were willing kiss goodbye US sovereignty over the key issue of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. (The yea votes listed were pro Second Amendment.)

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F.G. liked this: International Morse Code: Hand Sending Pt. 1-2 1966 US Army Training Film

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Safecastle is continuing their big “Bucket List” sale. Check it out!

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 45 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) 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, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

The queue of articles for Round 45 is full, but we are now accepting entries for Round 46, 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.