Odds ‘n Sods:

Just in time to get people thinking about the consequences of the upcoming election, the movie Atlas Shrugged, Part II will be released on October 12, 2012.

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For those with an interest in monitoring the severity of solar flares, J.E.B. in Missouri tells me that the Rice University Web Site site has excellent up-time and has the most consistent and timely, moment-to-moment updating of solar flare data.

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SurvivalBlog’s Back Country Editor, Mat Stein, has several book signings and workshops scheduled in Reno, Nevada, on October 13th and 14th.

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Bob G. recommended this piece by Dr. Bones: Tetanus in Times of Trouble

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the US Government cannot pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that, ‘the buck stops here.’ Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.” – Then Senator Barack Hussein Obama, March 2006

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 43 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, 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), F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) 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. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) 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, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, E.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 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.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 43 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Wilderness Survival in a Northern Climate, by F.D.

I recently learned about wilderness survival in my northern climate. So I thought I would share some of the interesting information that was imparted to me. First off, I highly recommend everyone take a wilderness survival course offered in your area, as it is a wealth of information on the existing elements in your environment, and how to use them to your benefit.
First and foremost, if you get lost and you believe someone is coming for you- stay put! Do not try to find the trail that you happened to wander off of or the road that led you there. The odds are simply against you finding what you lost to begin with. If you foolishly left without telling anyone where you were going or how long you expected to be gone for, chances are that no one will be looking for you when you have decided that you are lost. This is an entirely different situation and you are now on your own for better or worse.
I had always believed that the most vital, top of the list, get it now or die item was water. This is incorrect. Perhaps the rules change depending on where you are but here, in my northern climate the most vital element is maintaining a core body temperature of 98.6 degrees F or 37 degrees C (+ or – a degree or so) .

The first line of defense is clothing. It is very important to dress for the season when you decide to go on any outing in unfamiliar territory. Natural fibres are the best as they won’t melt to your skin if you accidentally come in contact with fire. Layering is also very important in maintaining a good core temperature. Wet clothing with the addition of a cold wind can be your worst enemy. Always remember to remove outer layers before commencing any chores that might cause you to sweat. Again, sweaty, wet clothing is bad.

Footwear is also ranked very highly on the scale of importance. A good, sturdy, strong, comfortable boot is certainly worth its weight in gold. We lose a surprising amount of heat through contact with the cold or frozen earth or snow. To add an extra layer of insulation, always create a mat for your feet when sitting or standing for longer periods of time. This can be achieved by using anything within the immediate area such as fallen branches, dry leaves or evergreen boughs. One good tip is to warm rocks near your fire and use them as a foot stool. Just be careful not to heat them too hot so as not to melt the soles of your boots.

Aside from clothing, your next line of defense is shelter. Remember that you can live without water for three days and right now exposure is your worst enemy, not dehydration. A shelter can be made out of pretty much anything so I won’t get into the styles and types, rather we’ll focus on the primary functions it must serve. The main goal is to minimize heat loss therefore the shelter must facilitate this goal. It must offer protection from the elements such as rain or snow and wind. The other vital element a shelter must provide is protection from the ground. This can be created again with a mat formed out of branches and dry leaves. Anything that puts a barrier between you and the cold ground is necessary. [JWR Adds: See the repeated warnings in the SurvivalBlog archives about wool versus cotton. The old saying is “Cotton kills.” When cotton gets wet through perspiration or precipitation, it loses nearly all of its insulating value.]
 
Once you have a shelter, you can work on the next step in wilderness survival which is, of course, fire. Imagine my surprise when I believed water was number one and again it has been pushed farther down the list. Please understand that this is for the northern climate and wilderness survival in a southern climate might be a very different ball game.
Fire is your greatest tool in maintaining the proper body temperature. It is required to boil water and cook food. It is also a great morale booster and a good signaling tool if you are lost. In a wilderness survival situation, fire is your absolute best friend. You should always carry some form of a fire starting tool as well as learning the basics of how to start a fire without the aid of tools.
 
Third on the list is at last, water. Again, this is tailored to my environment where water is often easily located and the rules may change depending on where you are. You should always be aware of the area you are in or going to and the dangers that might be present in your water or the water found locally. Of course boiling is best to purify water however if you find yourself in an emergency situation, filtration might be your only next best option. 

First locate a source. The next step is to dig a hole several feet from the source to allow the water to filter itself from the source, through the earth and into the hole. While you wait for the water to filter and the sediment to settle, you can make a makeshift Millbank filter with available materials. This is done by using a birch bark as a cone, or some large, strong leaves in the form of a cone as a filter. Cover the bottom tip of your filter with a small piece of cloth, a t-shirt or sock will work fine. Layer materials beginning with fine sand, then charcoal fragments, then coarse sand, then fine gravel, then on top, coarse gravel. This water that is filtered, is just that, filtered, and not purified. This process is slow, about 5 pints in 5 minutes. Then the water should be boiled.

Another method of purification aside from boiling is solar disinfection. This is accomplished by filling a clear PET or glass bottle with water and allowing it to purify on it’s side, in the suns direct rays, for at least 6 hours. Of course, you would need a bottle to do this with.
One last method of water purification would be by making a solar still. I’m sure you have heard about it and know how to do it, the only issue with that are the required materials which are difficult to come by when lost in a forested area.

If (God forbid), you find yourself in a position where rescue is likely in a reasonable amount of time and you for some reason or another cannot purify water, you will have to make the decision of whether or not to drink it as is. I have made the decision to drink directly from a creek and I did live with no ill effects. Keep in mind that the symptoms of Giardia can begin to show in only 2 days. That gives you 2 days until you might become violently ill and in dire need of rescue. I was lucky and not in danger at the time. Only you can make that choice, hopefully it will be an informed decision.
 
Surprisingly food is not high on the list of survival necessities. The body can go for 40 days without food, it won’t be the most comfortable 40 days you ever experienced but you could live through it.

There are two schools of thought on the food issue. One believes you should eat anything and everything you can to meet your required caloric intake. This should help to maintain your body for as long as possible without forcing it into survival or starvation mode. The other believes you should force your body into survival mode without creating that confusing ‘grey area’ in between. For example, if all you can muster are a few leaves and berries, perhaps you are better off sending your body the clear message that it is time to kick into starvation mode. This idea is on the belief that the body is equipped to handle this period of fasting as long as it is sent a strong message to do so. I cannot say which is best, nor have I done the research to advocate for one or the other. Again only you are responsible for the choices you might be forced to make and as with everything, an informed decision is the best one. 
 
If you find yourself lost without a compass and map, or worse- you have a compass and map but don’t know how to use them, it tends to be very difficult to simply backtrack to where you should be. The best advice seems to be to stay put until someone comes along to help you. If no one is coming for you or you otherwise have no choice, there are some simple things to help you navigate. During the day, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. With this information you should be able to roughly find the direction you should be going. Direction is not the only obstacle in getting where you need to go. The other major issue we seem to have is traveling in all directions. It is a very difficult objective to travel in a straight line in a forest. One way to keep your travel line straight is to line up 3 or 4 markers straight ahead, once you pass those look back and make sure they align. Then find more markers ahead and continue to check back to make sure that those align.
Night travel is ill advised for so many reasons. Many predators hunt at night, it is much too difficult to see where you are going therefore navigation is uncertain, also the terrain can be difficult to navigate and may cause you to become injured. In a worst case scenario, the north star is often cited as a guide although difficult to keep track of in a forested environment.
 
To make the best of a worst case situation, I believe that having a few simple items on your person can really make the difference between life and death. These are a few things you should always carry with you inside an inconspicuous bag, backpack or purse especially when venturing into unfamiliar territory.
 
-bottled water- this can be used aa a ready source for drinking, also used to solar disinfect when the pure water runs out.
-water filtration device, i.e. filtration straw.
-fire starter -matches, lighter, magnifying glass, etc. (I also like to keep a few tea light candles in my fire kit, you never know).
-emergency space blanket -folds up to nothing, weights almost nothing, can be used as a blanket, also a shelter.
-pocket knife -great for shaving sticks into tinder, trimming small branches for fire.
-extra sweater, or light windbreaker jacket.
-compass
-signal device -mirror, whistle.
-charged cell phone
-small flashlight (I like to keep a small radio as well)
-snacks -candy, gum, nuts, etc
-small first aid kit including -band-aids, pain relievers, antibiotic ointment, gauze and tape as well as hand sanitizer.
 
Once again, there are no firm rules in a survival situation. With each case differing from person to person, environment and tools on hand, I believe the rate of success increases with knowledge and practice. The more you know, the better decisions you will make.

Reference: Wikipedia: Giardia

Two Letters Re: The Aesthetic Pantry: Trading Ornamentals for Edibles

Dear James,
In his otherwise excellent article on replacing ornamental species of plants with useful, edible species in landscaping, Matthew C. mistakenly advises getting rid of hawthorns (medium and small size perennial shrubs). Hawthorn is valuable medicinally, tactically, and nutritionally.

Hawthorn is one of the most potent heart and blood pressure medications available.  It has been extensively researched, and has been approved by the German Commission E Report.  Unlike digitalis, which is much better known, hawthorn is extremely non-toxic, and is not known to interact with any other medications.  The earliest recorded medicinal use was in ancient Greece.

In a TEOTWAWKI situation, unavailability of hawthorn could spell disaster for anyone with high blood pressure, or with heart problems, including arrhythmia, tachycardia, angina, insufficient cardiac blood flow, symptoms of congestive heart failure, and weaker heart function due to aging.  Even lesser disasters, natural, political or economic, may mean that heart medications become restricted or unavailable.

The Commission E Report recommends using the end tips of flowering leafy twigs, up to seven centimeters in length, but not longer.  In a grid-down situation it can be dried and used as a tea (2-3 teaspoons of hawthorn, 2-3 times a day), or as an alcohol-based tincture.  Stored in a cool, dry place, the dried flowering twig ends will keep up to three years.

My own experience confirms this.  I developed severe cardiac arrhythmia a few years ago.  After learning that people often don’t actually die of their heart disease, but die from arrhythmia, I started taking hawthorn daily.  Just as the research says, within a few weeks the arrhythmia was almost entirely gone.

A couple years later, I found a much cheaper source, and switched.  In a few weeks, the arrhythmia returned.  Comparing the bottles, I realized I had unwittingly switched from flowers and leafy twigs to the berry form of hawthorn.  I immediately switched back, and in a few weeks, the arrhythmia again disappeared.  You better believe there will be plenty of hawthorn in my survival garden.

Do not use the berry form for arrhythmia.  The berries may be useful for blood pressure, are traditionally often used for cardiac purposes, and have some research support.  But they should never be used as a substitute for the flowering tips.  

Hawthorn is something of a miracle drug for mild to moderate cardiac problems.  It raised blood pressure that is too low, and lowers blood pressure that is too high.  It is equal to pharmaceutical drugs in controlling heart rhythm to prevent arrhythmia, but unlike drugs, has no significant side effects.  It strengthens arterial walls by promoting cross linkage of collagen, dilates arteries, increases coronary blood flow, reduces cholesterol and triglycerides, and gradually rebuilds the heart in degenerative heart disease.  Since it also strengthens capillaries, it may be helpful in capillary and small blood vessel related problems, such as bloodshot eyes, varicose veins, and hemorrhoids  (One author mentions it may possibly help with glaucoma.)

Hawthorn is easy to grow.  It likes sun, and for centuries, has been used to make dense, thorny hedges around gardens to protect them from invasive deer and humans.  Birds love eating the berries, and hawthorn branches grow at the ideal angle for supporting birds’ nests (60 degrees spread), with ferocious thorns to keep predators away from their eggs.  The word for “hedge” is actually derived from “hawthorn.”  One word of caution: Don’t plant them near the windows of your house.  The flowers literally smell rotten!

The berries, however, can be made into jam and jellies, and eaten on your morning toast. – Johan D.

 

Mr. Rawles:
The article on transition from ornamentals to edibles is one of the better things I’ve seen on your site, and I’ve seen many good things indeed. One thing I would add is the fact that (as of a few years ago, and I haven’t seen new information to contradict it) Americans spend more money per year to grow lawns and do home-based landscaping than we do on any other single crop. Corn? Lots of that. Soybeans, too. But growing grass consumes more of our money than any other crop — and you can’t eat grass or boxwood hedges.
 
My lawn frequently looks like a miniature jungle because it’s a rental house and I just don’t like mowing grass. My landlord has actually protested to the fact that I don’t cut the grass, but has prohibited us from planting a garden. It’s not the work I’m opposed to. It’s the fact that I get nothing out of cutting the lawn, other than having shorter grass. I have convinced my wife that our next home purchase will include as little lawn as possible, with a goat or two to eat the grass that does exist.
 
It makes no sense to grow things that aren’t useful, unless you are doing it as an art — and as an artist, I must confess that art is rarely “useful”, but is necessary in some way to the human spirit. But if you can make useful art? That’s even better. Instead of the decorative wintertime cabbages and kale that are frequently planted here in the Deep South, if people planted cold-weather items like squashes, edible cabbages and kale, they could actually eat what their gardens produce.
 
Thanks, as always, for an excellent site. – J.D.C. in Mississippi

Economics and Investing:

Trivest, a private equity firm headquartered in Florida, has wisely acquired Wise Foods, a maker of long-term storage foods.

I found this over at Gold-Eagle: Unraveling Why A Fed President Just Suggested Doubling QE3

GammaRei sent: The Five Most Surreal Financial Apocalypses from History (Warning: Foul language.)

Rich businessmen pulling out of France as tax-hit looms. (A hat tip to K.A.F. for the link.)

Items from The Economatrix:

The Real Unemployment Rate

Faber Warns “Everything Will Collapse”

Money Printing Trumps Fundamentals

Stock Exodus Continues As Investors Yank $5.1 Billion Out

Odds ‘n Sods:

Don J. recommended this: Prioritizing Every Day Carry Gear for Personal Defense.

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Ralph N. was the first of several readers to send this Los Angeles Times article: Many drugs are just fine years after they ‘expire,’ study finds

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Of interest to folks in western Oregon: The Oregon City Emergency Preparedness Fair will be held Saturday, October 20, 2012. Free admission! 10 am – 4pm. Location: 14340 S. Donovan St. Oregon City, Oregon. Lead speaker : James Roddey, former Director of Communications of the Red Cross 1pm-2pm “Quake Up Call”. Also speaking will be Scott McSorley, of Cascadia Preparedness/Disaster Consulting 10 am-11am His topic: “Home Defense after T.E.O.T.W.A.W.K.I.” More than 40 vendors and demonstrations through out the day. For more info: OCEPrepFair page and Scott McSorley’s Web Page

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I was pleased to see that the new 40th Anniversary Edition of the late Carla Emery’s monumental home reference book The Encyclopedia of Country Living will soon be released. Amazon.com is already taking pre-orders. If you don’t already have a copy, I consider it a “must have” for the bookshelf of every well-prepared family.

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A change in the wind, finally, in England? Homeowners win right to use lethal force on burglars: ‘Disproportionate levels of violence’ backed. A full castle doctrine and a recognized right to keep and bear arms any be decades away, but this is a start…

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond it’s limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves.” – President Ronald Wilson Reagan

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 43 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, 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), F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) 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. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) 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, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, E.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 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.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 43 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

The Useful Cattail by Brian in Pennsylvania

For those of you who are awake and aware of the fact that our current lifestyle is about to change in a big way, this information should appeal to you.  I would like to take the time to present some information that might not be known to everyone. This article is about the Cattail.  That humble plant that some people go to great lengths to rid themselves of.  That is foolish in the extreme in light of the coming collapse.  A person that had a pond with cattails growing thick around the perimeter, or access to one, should consider themselves extremely wealthy.  They can provide many things in all stages of their growth and are easily sustainable by replanting some of the seeds.  In fact, if there are suitable places for them to grow near you, bur you don’t see them there, you can take a seed head from another area and establish your own cattail garden.  Apart from the uses for the cattail itself, they provide great cover for ducks and geese.  (yum)   

They are found in most areas of North America, so finding them in non-desert, non-mountainous areas should be relatively easy.  There are multiple varieties.  If you look around, there are probably some growing nearby.  They are easy to identify, as no other plant produces that brown seed head that all cattails do.  There are similar looking plants that can grow in close proximity, but none have that seed head.  As a word of caution though, if you are not sure then don’t eat it.  Some of the broad leafed grasses that grow on the edges of ponds are poisonous.     

If ever there was a truly year round plant, it is the cattail.  You can obtain something from them in every season, even in winter if you can get through the ice to the roots.  In spring, once the shoots are above the water line, you can dig and collect the new shoots coming off the roots.  Peel, boil and eat.  A bit later, late spring/early summer, the pollen spikes form and are edible.  They can be boiled or eaten raw.  They get 8 – 10 inches long and taste somewhat like corn.  There are male and female parts, both are edible.  In summer, the male parts (on top of the seed head) will start to produce pollen.  This can be knocked off and used as flour, or mixed in to extend your flour storage.  In late summer to early fall, (and all the way back to spring), the time is right to get the most amount of food.  The roots can be dug up boiled, and eaten as such, or the starch can be extracted and used as flour.  The root is dug, washed and peeled, then they are broken up underwater either by hand or between clean stones to release the starch from the root fibers.  The excess water can be (carefully) poured off and the remainder dried out leaving flour.  Cattail flour contains gluten so it will hold together well in pancakes, cornbread, etc.  I have read that per acre, there can be as much as 10 times the starches than potatoes.  It might not taste like a potato, but if it gets bad enough that we are trying to get through hard times with nothing but wild edibles, that number is important.     

That is pretty brief, but that is for a reason.  I really want to discuss all the other uses for cattails that don’t relate to food.  A lot of the food information has been covered already.  One is only limited by their own imagination when it comes to finding uses for the plant other than food.  The leaves can be broken down for cordage, or woven to make mats, hats, seats, thatching, wall material or anything else that broad leaf grass can be used for.  Like I said, use your imagination.  The stalks can substitute for arrow shafts if not too dry.  Primitive but useful when all of your other arrows have already been used, bent, or broken.  Not for compound bows though, as the poundage is too high and the stalks can shatter.  But, with a recurve bow or bundle bow, they work very well.  I would hate to think that I would be reduced to using such means to survive, but strings break.  Arrows bend and break as well, depending on the type. Finding naturally straight replacements is a huge bonus.  They require minimal processing to make arrows out of and all you need to do is cut the seed head low and take the whole thing home.  

The mature seed head is both edible and useful too, maybe the most of all.  The fluff can be used for stuffing pillows, mattresses, etc.  It has excellent insulation properties as well, think of it as the natural version of fiberglass.  But, the greatest utility from the seed head in my opinion is for making fire.   

The fluff can be used as-is for tinder and it works well, but charring the fluff makes it exponentially  better.  Making char cattail is extremely easy and the finished product will take a spark as well as anything I have tried in nature.  Yes, there are things in the commercial world that do a better job, but given a long enough timeline, they will not be around.  This information is for when things like that have already run out, and you still need to make fire.  I can imagine that fire will become one of the highest priorities in the more northern climates and once the matches have run out, this could really come in handy.  Like I said, charring cattail is easy.  Just collect some seed heads once they have dried out and take the seeds off of the spike.  It will be surprising to most people when they do this for the first time.  There are a lot of seeds in that seed head packed very tightly.  It is best to do this outside, but not on a windy day.  Place the seed head in a bag and break the seeds off of the center spike.  Take the fluff and pack it tightly into a small metal container that you can put in a fire, like an altoids tin or shoe polish tin.  You will get 2-3 tins full of fluff from each seed head.  If the lid does not snap closed, you can wrap a wire around the whole thing to keep it shut during the charring process.  If it pops open during the process, you will probably have to start over.  It is best when there are few leaks to allow air (oxygen) into the container when charring.  Once packed into the tin, make a small hole (tack sized) in the top of the tin and then place it on the coals of a fire.  You have to allow the gasses to escape while limiting the amount of oxygen getting in.  We are basically trying to burn the fluff without the presence of oxygen.  If you read the “how to” on making charcoal, the process is very similar but happens in minutes not hours.  Watch the hole as the tin heats up, smoke will start to exit.  Once the smoke has stopped coming out, you need to time it for 1-2 minutes before it is done.  There is a feel to it that you will get the hang of after a few batches.  Once it has charred, remove it from the fire but do not open the container.  Place it on the ground with the hole side down.  You need to leave it alone for it to cool before opening so that the influx of oxygen does not let it burn completely.  I have made this mistake and it will turn to ash pretty fast.  What you end up with is a tightly packed pad of excellent fire starting material.  Virtually any spark you can get on this stuff will take and allow you to add oxygen to get a coal hot enough to ignite tinder.  Once the matches have run out, this will be the next best thing.     

I have no idea how bad things will get.  I have no idea how long things will be bad.  I only know that every bone in my body is telling me that whatever it is, it’s coming, and coming sooner rather than later.  I hope that all that come here appreciate that and are taking the necessary steps to protect themselves and their families.  The time is now to have plans in place to survive, no matter what happens. Having this knowledge in your toolkit could make a big difference to even those that already have deep larders.  Everything will run out eventually.  If things go on for a decade, most everyone left will be eating out, so to speak. 

About the Author:   I live in Northwestern Pennsylvania and have been awake to the possibility of a collapse for only a few years.  15 years ago I was already an avid hunter and outdoorsman and even went on a few outdoor survival trips (by choice), back in college.  This was long before Les Stroud was doing it on television.  I have been interested in and doing research on wild edibles and survival techniques for as long as I can remember as an adult.  I don’t claim to be an expert on either subject, but I do know enough that I thought I might do some good in sharing.  God bless you all.             

Reference:  The incredible cattail: The super Wal-Mart of the swamp, by Kevin F. Duffy, Backwoods Home Magazine

News From The American Redoubt:

Some interesting statistics: Immigration to Wyoming

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Farm to Fork movement helps out Idaho.

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Another great new flying video from Ttabs: Idaho Elk Country. This one includes some inset still pictures of his recent archery elk hunt. (The unusually hazy skies–most noticeable at 2:30 and beyond–are from some recent large wildfires in Washington and Oregon.)

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I’ve just added another church to the list of Reformed churches at the American Redoubt page. It is: The Well, in Boise, Idaho. Reader B.Z., who made the recommendation, notes: “Pastor Matt Marino has done a series on Political Science in the Christian World View, available as MP3 files.  I liken it to The Truth Project, but on a 401 level.  It is outstanding!   Take a look a some of the sermon titles (you’ll need to filter by series) to get a flavor of the discussions.” 

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I heard about yet another Redoubt-based company that is offering real world solutions: Montana Steam Power. Their products are entirely American made. They are located in Heron, Montana. (Heron is on the Clark Fork River, just east of the Idaho state line.)

Economics and Investing:

Hyperinflation Hits Iran Like Weapon Of Mass Destruction. The article begins: “‘Better buy now,’ advised the rice merchant in Tehran. The retired factory guard took him up on the advice, buying 900 pounds of the stuff to feed his extended family for the next 12 months.”

G.G., SurvivalBlog’s Poet Laureate, flagged this: Global Food Prices Set To Soar–Again. [JWR’s Comment: We can expect to see more instability in Third World countries, just like the last time there was a big price shock in agricultural commodities.]

Also from G.G.: Big Bank Derivative Bets Nearly Double In Six Years

European Economic Depression Is Rapidly: It Is Just A Matter Of Time Before Things In Italy And France Get As Bad As They Already Are In Greece And Spain

Items from The Economatrix:

Europe Stocks Down As Global Growth Woes Intensify

Do Western Central Banks Have Any Gold Left?

Portugal Announces Sweeping Tax Hikes

Cantor Cut to Junk By Moody’s on Capital Markets Pressure

Consumer Confidence in US Climbs for a Sixth Week

1.3% GDP Means Retailers are Going to Have a Poor Christmas

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader F.G. suggested this: Coyotes, bears, and lions: the new urban pioneers?

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James C. suggested this great little anthology at Popular Mechanics: The 110 Best DIY Tips Ever

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SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large Michael Z. Williamson sent this: 10 Coldest Temperatures in U.S. History. It is notable that several of these records were set in American Redoubt states, but take a look at the elevations. These are not spots where most folks would want to live!

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Claire Wolfe’s latest commentary: Your right to sell your stuff.

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I was pleased to see that my latest novel Founders hit #10 on the Publisher’s Weekly Bestseller’s list.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

Now Garm howls loud before Gnipahellir,
The fetters will burst, and the wolf run free;
Much do I know, and more can see
Of the fate of the gods, the mighty in fight.

Brothers shall fight and fell each other,
And sisters’ sons shall kinship stain;
Hard is it on earth, with mighty whoredom;
Axe-time, sword-time, shields are sundered,
Wind-time, wolf-time, ere the world falls;
Nor ever shall men each other spare.

Fast move the sons of Mim, and fate
Is heard in the note of the Gjallarhorn;
Loud blows Heimdall, the horn is aloft,
In fear quake all who on Hel-roads are.

Yggdrasil shakes, and shiver on high
The ancient limbs, and the giant is loose;
To the head of Mim does Othin give heed,
But the kinsman of Surt shall slay him soon.

How fare the gods? how fare the elves?
All Jotunheim groans, the gods are at council;
Loud roar the dwarfs by the doors of stone,
The masters of the rocks: would you know yet more?

Now Garm howls loud before Gnipahellir,
The fetters will burst, and the wolf run free
Much do I know, and more can see
Of the fate of the gods, the mighty in fight.

– Excerpt from the epic Norse poem Völuspá (quatrains 44 to 49.) The earliest intact manuscript is included in the Codex Regius (circa 1270 A.D.) It is noteworthy that The Völuspá was one of the inspirations for J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings epic novel series, particularly for the names of some his characters.

Note from JWR:

Steve of Amateur Radio Ponderings just posted a nice review of my novel Founders. As an aside, I must mention that some non-Christians have slammed my novel at Amazon.com, giving it one star reviews. For the sake of balance, I’d appreciate seeing reviews from people who’ve also read the book but that don’t share their anti-Christian bias. The other main complaint about Founders is that some people found it repetitious. To explain: I took an 11-page post facto summary chapter from my first novel Patriots and fleshed it out into more than 100 pages, providing substantially more detail about Ken and Terry Layton’s two-year cross country trek. This was not just a “repeat” but rather a significant expansion. Perhaps it had been a while since some people had read Patriots, so they mistakenly thought they were reading the same text, word for word.