Notes from JWR:

Just two days to Book Bomb Day! Tuesday (October 4th) is Book Bomb Day for my latest book “Survivors: A Novel of the Coming Collapse”. Please wait until Tuesday to place your order, so that the book will get a big boost in Amazon’s sales ranks. (When I last checked, “Survivors” was already ranked at #152 in Amazon books (overall), and #20 in the “Action Adventure” category.) Thanks!

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Today we present the first entry for Round 37 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) 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 B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $300 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo, and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) 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, C.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and D.) 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.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, C.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and D.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 37 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Some Seed Saving Advice, by Lydia S.

Currently I have a couple hundred tomato seeds in my supplies. For the moment, I am focusing on cv. “Raincross Rock” as that is saved seed for a variety I happen to be developing. If I continue to grow and save this variety each year, those few seeds pretty much means that my friends and family (and hopefully many generations into the future) will be assured of a bounty of tomatoes each year. Such is the promise of seed saving!

However, not every plant in every place is a great candidate for seed saving. Plants have rules, too, and while the rules are simple, it is really best to follow them. Thus, this guide.

First of all, it is usually best to save from known varieties that are either heirlooms or open-pollinated. Both of these categories represent stabilized cross-breeds that will tend to breed true. Thus, if you save a “Roma” tomato, the seeds will also show “Roma” characteristics. The difference between these is that heirlooms come with a lineage which is at least 50 years old and sometimes a great deal older than that, while open-pollinated crops are newer, but they are still generally stable and very useful for seed saving. One caution here is to never save from a variety that is labeled “PVP”, or “Plant Variety Protection.” That’s essentially a plant patent. These people have invested thousands of dollars and seeds in protecting their work. Please be mindful of their efforts.

Obviously, a plant grown from vegetative tissue– like potatoes, yacon, oca, garlic, some onions, horseradish, etc.—will be genetically the same as the parent plant and are thus obviously true to type.

Hybrids represent what is essentially an unstable cross. In other words, if you save the seeds of a hybrid pepper, the plants the next year will probably resemble the parent varieties used to make the cross more than they will the plant that was expected. Sometimes this can be useful if trying to make foundation stock from which to breed one’s own variety, but in general it is best avoided. There are a multitude of reasons not to save anything with genetic modifications, either. At the top of that list is that all of those genes are patented and cannot be used in any way, which can lead to civil litigation trouble.

Assuming an heirloom or open-pollinated variety, one needs to know what type of genetic tango the species uses. There are two basic divisions—incrossers and outcrossers.

Incrossers have a variety of pollination mechanisms that ensure a high level of self-pollination. Such species—tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, peas and beans are great examples—usually do not require much isolation from other plants to stay true to type. Ten feet of separation pretty much guarantees purity. Additionally, it is not necessary to save seed from as many individuals. Often, it is possible to save seed from a single specimen without harming its genetic bounty.

Most crops, however, are outcrossers. Outcrossers are a bit pickier. First of all, they like to spread their pollen widely. These crops often use the wind or insects to help spread the pollen between different individuals to assist in the process of maintaining as much genetic diversity as possible. This means that to keep a variety of corn absolutely pure, it might need an isolation distance (distance between varieties) of two miles! This might be a little less depending on the local winds, but generally speaking it is a lot more than the home garden can hope to achieve—particularly if there are neighbors growing a different variety! Also, it is necessary to find a large number of individuals to save seed from. Outcrossers are prone to something called “inbreeding depression” which is essentially a lack of genetic diversity through the generations. Inbreeding depression can cause yield or vigor loss. It is caused by either not saving seed from enough individuals or from trying to save from individuals that are too similar. The number of individuals needed to be saved from varies by species and can range from 6 plants to as many as 200!

Additionally, some crops require special treatments such as fermentation or being saved over the winter so that they will go to seed the next year. In places like southern California , it is relatively easy to vernalize such a crop so it will go to seed, but this can be a bit more challenging in climates with severe winters. The key is that the plant needs to experience cold conditions that are then followed by enough warmth to trigger the reproductive process. For example, in Riverside , California , Zone 10a, chard planted in February often would flower in May of the same year. The increasing warmth of spring was enough to trigger vernalization. To do the same in southern Colorado , the chard would need to be kept alive through the winter either through mulching of roots (cutting back the greens) and season extenders or by harvesting and saving the roots in a cool, humid area.

Here are a few crops for the amateur seed saver to consider.

Beans and Peas

Beans and peas are among the easiest of crops to save, which is one excellent reason that they are a popular component of the “seeds in a can” gardens. If the beans get to harvest stage, it is not hard to get them to the seed saving stage: simply allow some to grow beyond the edible harvest stage until the pod is nearly dried out. At this point the pod will probably be tan or yellow. Shell the beans gently from the pods and allow to dry at room temperature. If they are hard like a dry bean that would be cooked with, then they are ready to be saved. The beans are strong incrossers and require trivial separation between varieties. Simply plant one variety per plot, and separate bean plots with a different vegetable.

Peas are treated almost identically: wait for dry pods, shell, dry at room temperature, and store. Saving enough pods at the end of the season to make up for what was planted that year is a very sustainable practice.

Tomatoes

Yes, I’m coming back to tomatoes. Since I am working on my own variety, I do have some experience in saving tomato seed. Tomatoes are pretty much incrossers. To save from multiple varieties, about 10 feet of spacing between varieties is generally needed. An exception is the potato-leaved varieties, which need a bit more spacing. The cross that resulted in the formation of Raincross Rock came from two vines that were practically touching.

I am a proponent of fermenting tomato seed. Some people merely dry it, but others say fermenting helps reduce disease. It is really not that difficult. Save only from tomatoes that are fully ripe red (or whatever the ripe color is). When slicing open fruits to dry them, have a spoon and a glass at the ready. Scoop the seeds and the surrounding tomato gel from the fruits and place that in the glass before slicing the tomato into slices for drying. When there are enough tomatoes for a batch, there usually is a nice glassful of tomato seed goo. Put a paper towel over the glass and set it on top of the refrigerator or somewhere out of the way. Wait several days until a mold has formed. Scoop off the mold (along with seeds embedded in that) and throw it out. Rinse the remaining seeds and dry them. They tend to stick to paper towels; aluminum foil as a surface to dry on works reasonably well. At this point they truly need to be in a dry, wind-free location. Once the seeds are dry, they can be bagged for saving.

Basil

Is it possible to discuss tomatoes without discussing basil? There might be a law about that. Basils are outcrossers whose pollen is primarily insect-carried. As a result, a considerable distance (100-150 feet) is needed between varieties to keep them true. Alternatively, try using a screening cover that prevents insects from getting through. Or, just simply save seed from one variety at a time.

To save seed, stop pinching the basil (if doing so) and allow the flowers to form. Once the whole stalk has turned brown, it has died, and the seeds can be harvested. Carefully clip the whole stalk over a plate or bowl. Sometimes the seeds can just be gently tapped from the stalk into the bowl, but often they will need to be gently crushed and then winnow the chaff. The seeds are black, the chaff is brown. Use sieves as much as possible and then gently blow the chaff, which is light, from the heavier seed.

Squashes

The first thing to remember is that there are multiple species of squashes, although they all belong the genus Curcubita. It is very possible to grow four types of squash and still maintain pure seed saving so long as they are all from different species. That is important as squashes are outcrossers. The pollen is primarily carried between plants by insects, but this can mean separation distances of ½ mile or more.

As an example of accidental crossing, and I doubt one of my friends will ever forget this: I planted what I thought were her zucchini seeds and wound up with this sprawling giant plant that threw white crooknecks. Well, as it turned out, the cross was a good one and we’re anxiously waiting to see if the next generation holds true. But this was entirely an accident, as she had forgotten that she had another Curcubita pepo in her yard. We were lucky that the inadvertent cross was more serendipity than disaster!

Therefore, be very careful which species being planted if the intention is to save seed. The saving process itself is not hard. Let the squash grow far past harvest time, and then harvest when it is totally ready. It can sit another few weeks. Then cut the squash open. For summer squashes and zucchini, just save the seeds. Of course, for winter squash all that yummy flesh needs cooking and freezing or eating. In either case, rinse the seeds clean of debris and dry them on a towel. Once totally dry, they can be bagged.

In conclusion, hopefully this will inspire responsible seed saving, with an eye towards maintaining the genetic legacy that is indeed the inheritance of the heirloom and open-pollinated varieties. May all gardens grow and prosper!

Letter Re: Another Job Opportunity in The American Redoubt

Sir,
I’m a country kid who never knew other people were hopelessly dependent on “the system”. I got interested in being prepared while serving as a US Marine during a Mountain Warfare and Survival course in Bridgeport, California. I now live in Wyoming which has just opened up concealed carry to responsible citizens without having to have permit.

While reading your books you’ve talked about employment near a retreat in the American Redoubt. I work for the Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC). They pay very well and offer a retirement following 20 years of service. New officers start out at about $17 an hour with no state income tax. The two main facilities work four days-on and four-off, on twelve hour shifts. If you research  the locations of our facilities all of them offer immediate access to remote areas that are defensible and offer year round hunting and fishing with water sources. I recommend Wyoming. It’s reasonably affordable to live here. [Some deleted, for OPSEC.] The WDOC is always hiring. Thanks, – W.K.

Six Letters Re: Thinking About Weapons

James,

I agree with your critiques of Jon W.’s article, so I won’t belabor those points.  There are a couple of points Jon makes that I would like to add to:
 
First, since Jon is taking a very practical approach to the weapon consideration and refers to his family, and to the possibility of fleeing with what you can carry, my response will continue in that direction.  I’ve considered weapon choice very much and come to some of the same conclusions. However, I personally disagree with the AR as the only platform.  AKs are extremely common in the united states, and we know they are reliable in adverse conditions.  But AKs and SKSes also have another advantage over 223: their caliber is powerful enough to kill deer and in most states is legal for such.  So if you are actually thinking that your combat rifle might have to double as a hunting rifle, which it might if you’ve had to flee your home, then an AK or 308 will serve both purposes.  This led me to purchase a Saiga .308, as it has the receiver and parts of an AK but the knockdown power of a 308.  It also has a hunting legal 5-round magazine, so if anyone snooped around looking for assault weapons, all they would find would be a 5 round semi-auto hunting rifle that just happens to look like an AK.  As for full capacity magazines…I have those too, but can keep those hidden with my ammo stash.
 
Now about having other weapons: I have planned weapons to fit each of the needs and capabilities of my family.  22s for the kids, and a very accurate bolt-action in .223 for the wife.  For pistols I have revolvers that use .38 Special for target practice and .357 Magnum for serious business.  They are light yet highly reliable.  Jon states that he “doesn’t plan” on getting into a fight with pistols—no one ever does.  But if there were a SHTF situation and the government was trying to confiscate weapons, it’s easier to mix and mingle in any town or populace with a pistol under your shirt than with an AR over your shoulder.  Not to mention the fact that you might just have your pants around your ankles answering the call of nature when those bad guys pop around some trees and your rifle is leaning up against a tree out of reach.  Pistols can stay with you at times you have to leave your beloved rifle somewhere inconspicuous.
 
Finally, as for shotguns, I live in a mountainous state with plenty of deer and elk, but I suspect that in a real SHTF situation every yahoo in town would be killing them and food would be difficult to scrounge by year two.  Birds, on the other hand, number in the millions and a shotgun can be used to bring home a nice fat duck or goose, game that would be a real challenge to hit with a .22 rimfire.  In conclusion, when choosing your hammer, it might be unwise to limit yourself to ones so small they are only good for crafting birdhouses, or so big they are used for railroad spikes. – C.S.R.

Mr R,
I certainly agree with your comments on the recent guns article that spent so many words criticizing Mel Tappan’s approach to firearms.

To your comments I will add the historical perspective that in his day, there was no standardized assault cartridge as is now found in the .223 and .308, nor were people amassing huge numbers of cartridges for their arms as is common today. As I understood Tappan, one reason he was therefore advising the accumulation of many different rifle type was so that it would be possible to make use of any cartridges that might come along. I think that was a sound philosophy then and nearly as sound now, although everyone would agree that his books are dated. Glad you put in a word for him. I’m looking forward to the new book. – R.F. in Ontario, Canada

Sir,
This is in reference to “Thinking About Weapons” by Jon W. It is apparent from the tone and content that the author thought only as far as hordes of Mutant Zombie Bikers.  I would suggest that any survival firearm that spends more than an extremely small percentage of its time as a combat weapon belongs to a person who isn’t going to make it. The dislike of the Three Gun battery assumes that you never need a sidearm for up close and personal, [and the need to carry it concealed]. It further assumes that you can take birds in flight (perhaps the author can with his AR, I prefer a 20 gauge shotgun) and that you are precise enough to hit small game in the head so that you don’t destroy the meat (I prefer a .22LR).

Finally, and perhaps my most serious objection is that he assumes his AR will never malfunction. As someone who survived combat in Viet Nam because my M1911 worked when my M16A1 went click (on a half full mag – it jammed) I can assure you that “2 is 1 and 1 is none”. Faced with a choice between a .45 ACP or a very expensive club, I’ll choose the .45, thank you. For the price of a decent AR-15, I can own a 20 gauge shotgun single, an AK-47 with 500 rounds, and a solid .357 Magnum revolver.

As to lighter ammo, that is a red herring. When I was in RVN, the troops liked to carry a thousand rounds because they needed them. I know the arguments about better civilian ammo but I much prefer the stopping power of a single 7.62 [NATO] instead of the multiple shots required of 5.56 ammo. Lighter ammo loses it edge if it takes three rounds (or more) of 5.56 to do the job a single 7.62 will do. If weight is my primary concern, then I’ll have a .22 LR to go with my .45.

I strongly advocate looking at your survival situation, determining what weapons mix makes the most sense from a survival point of view. Then see if that weapon can do the other jobs required of it. The weapon that can perform the most functions acceptably well (one of these must be self defense) is the first choice. It might well be a pistol/carbine in the same caliber combination that is still cheaper than most reliable AR’s.  I personally do not like the AR platform (see RVN comment above) for survival. It is fun to shoot, I’d have less trouble with Ruger’s Mini-14, but I just don’t think the 5.56 is enough round for the broadest range of survival requirements. It is always easier to use a round in a situation that is less demanding than its design than to use it in a more demanding situation. I know that 7.62X39 (AK round) has been used to kill elephants by poachers in Africa. I just don’t think needing a 100 rounds to get the job done makes the AK an “elephant gun”. Deer have been taken with .22 LR but I don’t think the .22 is a solid deer rifle. Get a long arm/handgun combination that fills most of your survival needs. I don’t foresee needing “The Infantry  Attack” as a primary survival reference. – Capt Bart (at SurvivalCache)

 

Howdy,
A one gun platform for a group is indeed flawed. Just ask the military about Afghanistan and Iraq. The AR platform is good for close in combat against AK armed folks, who are in range and so are you. This war brought back the M14 to help with the longer range fighting, especially in the Afghanistan countryside. Our military forces go with a balanced approach. Most of the squad or platoon is armed with the AR variant. Some members are armed with a 7.62 NATO platform for harder and longer hitting. The mix has been a good compromise.

Most folks will be a “bug in” thing with us banding up with close friends in their neighborhood. The majority of folks don’t have the option of money to buy a distant retreat. Most folks with a survival mindset have a 223 caliber. And a few have something larger. My wife and son will be using a Mini-14, which cost a lot less than an AR variant. We will be able to share ammo, but not magazines. I have a Springfield Armory M1A with a good scope. I’m very good with it out to a long range. This should convince a lightly-armed mob to go elsewhere before they get into our mutual range. Don’t count out those deer rifles too, for long range shooting to turn or soften up a mob. I then have a SOCOM 16 for close in heavy hitting supporting the lighter guns of our group. The magazines for both guns are compatible and my son can use the SOCOM. if need be.

Again, convincing the looters it’s easier to go elsewhere is the key. That will, I know, be a problem with a highly trained group attacking us. The best that we will be able to do is make it expensive for them. If your on your own pick what is good for you. When forming a group you will need balance for overall defense. – Sasquatch

 

Captain Rawles:
Although I violently disagree with his choice of the AR platform as the ultimate do-all rifle, Jon W. makes a couple of good points.  Getting caught by bandits without your main “war”
weapon might be fatal.  Unless you plan to hunt as a patrol, you are vulnerable while you are tramping around in the woods with a less capable weapon.  In combat, you only get one chance, so you better use every advantage you have.  During a societal breakdown, I think life may take on the flavor of a siege.  I might have a dozen weapons, but there is only one that I will carry full time.

BTW, for what it’s worth, I don’t trust the AR platform at all.  I have used this weapon for 30 years in the Army and when it gets dirty or your ammo is questionable, it will jam.  Under field conditions, I would much prefer something else with more punch that can handle dirt better.

I also agree with his observations about pistols.  They are specialty weapons made to conceal.  They make a lot of sense because you can’t always run around with your battle rifle and full combat load without drawing unwanted attention.   If you need one, get one, but you will never draw it in preference to a long gun unless your rifle quits working (like ARs are prone to do).  Carrying both makes little sense to me unless you are planning to shuck your battle-rattle so you can appear less formidable.  A canteen is a much better use of weight. – JIR

Good Day Mister Rawles,
Thank you, as always, for the good work you do every day. Regarding the letter you posted yesterday on survival firearms I feel the need to offer a thought.
It seems to be a recurring theme that folks talk about storing “X” many rounds of 7.62 NATO versus storing “X times 2” rounds of 5.56 NATO (.308 and .223 respectively).

I’m forced to wonder how many Hollywood-esque gun battles these folks foresee themselves engaging in and also surviving.

I may not be a combat hardened war veteran. Point of fact, I live in a country where I cannot legally own a battle rifle. Yet my layman’s perspective indicates that when the SHTF you would be wise to be holding the biggest, baddest battle rifle you can physically handle.

Besides, as Jon W states:, as Jon W states:

“More than twelve million ARs are in civilian hands in the United States.  This doesn’t count those held by law enforcement, the National Guard or Army Reserve, and the active military.  There is more .223/5.56 ammunition in this country that any other caliber except .22 Long Rifle.  There are more spare parts, more accessories and more people trained specifically on the AR platform than on any other weapon.”

If you survive the half dozen gun battles it takes to deplete your bulky .308 ammo stores then by that time there should be plenty of other ammunition [of various calibers] left on the ground for you to pick up. However, prior to that there’s no great reason to fall in with the crowd.

Kind Regards, – The Apple Islander

Economics and Investing:

F.G. flagged this from The Wall Street Journal: House Is Gone but the Debt Lives On

Max Keiser provides some manic comments on the European debt crisis, the Euro, bailouts, the ECB, the Fed and the potential loss of sovereignty for some nations on the European periphery.

CNN: Forecast says double-dip recession is imminent. (Thanks to C.D.V. for the link.)

Jonathan B. sent this: How to Stop a Second Great Depression. (Note that this is coming from globalist billionaire George Soros, so don’t be surprised to see “more government” as the proffered solution.)

John R. sent the link to this interesting table: US National Debt by Presidential Term: Per Capita and as Percentage of Gross Domestic Product

Over at Alt-Market: Christine Lagarde’s IMF Action Plan: Reassure The Idiots

Odds ‘n Sods:

Gun crime continues to decrease, despite increase in gun sales. ‘ Here is a brief quote: “The FBI recently released its Crime in The United States statistics for 2010. Overall, murders in the U.S. have decreased steadily since 2006, dropping from 15,087 to 12,996. Firearms murders — which made up 67 percent of all murders in the U.S. in 2010 — have followed this trend, decreasing by 14 percent.” The statists don’t like hearing that “More guns equal less crime”, but facts are facts.

   o o o

Generator Sales Surge After Recent Wave of Storms. (Thanks to K.A.F. for the link.)

   o o o

F.G. sent this from The Wall Street Journal: How the Stinger Missile Changed Everything. BTW, this article echoes some assertions in an article that I wrote for Defense Electronics magazine that was published back in November, 1988: “Stinger: Requiem for the Combat Helicopter.”

   o o o

Arizona Sheriff Explains Fast and Furious. (A hat tip to B.B. for the link.)

   o o o

There is a fascinating (and lengthy) discussion in progress, over the Survival & Preparedness sub-page on the FALFiles Forums: Building an Impregnable Fortress.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
And many more believed because of his own word;
And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard [him] ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” – John 4:34-42 (KJV)

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Prize Winners

We’ve completed the judging.

The winner of First Prize in Round 36 of the SurvivalBlog writing contest is being awarded to David J. for: Small Scale Alternative Energy in Suburbia which was posted on September 22, 2011. As his prizes, he will receive:

A.) 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 B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $300 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo, and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize goes to Tamara for: Creating Hiding Places Without Handyman Skills, which was posted on September 7, 2011. She will receive:

A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) 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, C.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and D.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize goes to Gonzo for: Lessons in OPSEC: Hurricane Irene Versus Hurricane Isabel, which was posted on September 13, 2011. He will receive:
A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, and C.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Runner Up Prizes ($30 Amazon Gift Certificates for each) go to 16 skilled writers for these articles:

Some Observations on Non-Electric Lighting by Ron B.

One Big BOV, by KC-4-JC

Do-It-Yourself Water Filtration, by Robert B.

Foraging: How To Make Yourself Starvation Proof, by Mike F.

Bitcoins: A Practical Primer, by Yishai

How To Butcher a Squirrel, by B.T.

Everyday Carry Items, by J.C.R.

A Folding Kayak as a Survival Vehicle, by Jann B.

The Ice Walking Survival Stick, by Carmen G.

Building a Fire in a Post-Collapse World, by Entropy

You Are At Your Retreat — What Now?, by D.H.

Making Your Water Filter Last, by F.J.B.

Beans, Bullets, Band-Aids and Hygiene, by Jason L.

An Early Baby Boomer’s Bug Out Bag, by Jen L.

Start Small, Plan Ahead, and Set a Realistic Timetable, by Christian Rebel

The Little Things, by D.M.L.

 

A New Prize: Starting with Round 37, there will be a prize added to the Third Prize package: A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.) This prize was donated by To Build A Fire, in Davis, Illinois. We thank them for their generous support of the blog.

Note To Prize To The Top Three Prize Winners: Please e-mail us both your US Mail and UPS shipping addresses.

Note To Prize To Runner-Up Prize Winners: Please let us know the e-mail address where you want your Amazon gift certificate directed.

Round 37 begins today, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Preventing and Surviving Rape in TEOTWAWKI, by Dr. Bob

This is not a happy topic.  At an e-mailer’s request and already on my mind, we will review some cold hard facts about a very uncomfortable subject matter.  Nearly every post-collapse movie or book that is produced will touch on the reality that criminals resort quickly to raping people.  It’s just what they do…that is the reality. It can bee seen in fictional dystopian movies: The Road Warrior, The Book of Eli (one of my favorites), A Clockwork Orange (one of the most disturbing rape scenes), and others reference the increase in rapes with the breakdown of society.  This is also evident in countless post-apocalyptic and dystopian books:  The Stand, Patriots, the Left Behind series among others. Real life examples?  Hurricane Katrina demonstrated this reality all too well in the Superdome rapes.  The breakdown of law and order in African countries and eastern Europe.  Every historical account of wartime ever.  Now that we have established that this is reality, let’s get to the topics issues:  prevention and treatment.

Prevention is number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 on the top ten issues about rape in a TEOTWAWKI situation.  Guns deter rapists.  Guns kill rapists. That’s pretty much the end of the prevention lecture.  All preppers know that unarmed women and girls (along with everyone else that is unarmed) are going to be “easy pickins” for criminals.  And, as mentioned above, criminals tend to rape as a sick outlet of their inferior minds and abilities.  So, in dealing with rape prevention, there is one simple rule:  superior firepower is the best possible prevention.  Always walking in pairs or groups is not a prevention tool, as there will be large groups of criminals that will easily be able to overpower smaller groups of unarmed folks.  It is never a woman that is responsible in any way for a rape they suffer.  But, sometimes it is a woman’s naivety or overestimation of her own present security that puts her in harms way.  Don’t be that woman.  With the structure of society and a 911 police backup around us, most of the time whistles, sprays, and proper self defense training can be effective deterrents to rapes.  Without the structure of society around us, that ratio will change radically.

Most serious preppers will be rarely faced with sheltering a rape victim that actually survives and then escapes the scene.  What is a group to do to help this poor woman (or man) that has been victimized by thug rapists?  First, talk to the person and help care for them with as much charity and heart available.  The victim will be most likely to be withdrawn and “closed” both mentally and physically.  I am certainly not a counseling expert in any way, so I defer to the experts and some sites are found here, here and here.  Surely there are others that are probably excellent, but after an evening of review these are the ones that seemed easy to access and have good support sites.  I would think about printing off the last handbook if your group is large enough to realistically face dealing with a rape victim.  Writing, exercise and music have been ranked by victims as the most helpful things that helped them recover.  Other highly ranked activities were:  positive thinking, prayer, talking, group therapy (not available WTSHTF), crying, receiving support from family or friends (limited availability WTSHTF depending on circumstance), and medications (not available WTSHTF either).  There will also be the occasional victim within a group, which certainly creates another entire list of problems which are far beyond the scope of this post to discuss.  Whether outside or inside your group, dealing with any victim of rape will be a stressful and difficult situation for the entire group and will need valuable time, energy, and possibly resources.

It is my assumption that there will be no “law” and “prosecution” for rapists once they escape the scene.  Therefore, the entire topic and process of criminal processing of a rape victim will be ignored.  Not that it is not important, but it will be unlikely to be necessary in TEOTWAWKI.  Justice will be swift and final for rapists caught in the act WTSHTF.  Many are likely to be hunted down and brought to justice if at all possible.  If there would be some form of “crime lab” or “evidence collection” available, there is much more information that would be needed…but again this is beyond the scope of this post.

Treatment of a victim should be immediate and based on physical risk to life and limb.  If the person has been seriously traumatized, then attending to the immediate concerns of active bleeding and other trauma take precedence.  After those types of injuries have been stabilized to the best of your abilities and the person is stable and conscious, then post-rape treatments need to be addressed. STDs are and will continue to be common in rapists…not surprising.  Vaccinations against Hepatitis B are important to keep updated now as prevention.  Treatment for STD should be given the victim if available.  Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, and Trichomoniasis all need to be treated if medications are available.  The easiest was to accomplish this is with single dose medications.  Trichomoniasis can be treated with 2,000 mg of Metronidazole one time.  Chlamydia can be treated with single dose Azithromycin 1000 mg.  Gonorrhea can be treated with Cefixime 400 mg once.  There are alternative treatments available for all these infections and can be found in The Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy which has been previously recommended.  Get it now.  Any edition from 2005 forward would be just fine for TEOTWAWKI use.

Hopefully, this post will help gather information for some and get others thinking seriously about prevention.  If this post causes one person to increase their personal arsenal and prevent a rape in the future–mission accomplished.  Let’s hope that many people do instead.  If the rapists roam the armed countryside, they won’t roam for long.  Unfortunately, none of us can expect that this will be enough to prevent all rapes and rape victims will be plentiful in TEOTWAWKI.  It will more likely for prepared people to have to care for those that were unprepared.  Unprepared people will also be much more likely to be victims.  Again–DON’T BE UNPREPARED.  Stay strong, – Dr. Bob and Docswife

JWR Adds: I’ve had several female readers mention that they plan to disguise themselves as men, in the event that they ever have to “bug out” on foot, in the midst of a societal collapse. That would probably be wise.

Dr. Bob is is one of the few consulting physicians in the U.S. who dispenses antibiotics for disaster preparedness as part of his normal scope of practice. His web site is: SurvivingHealthy.com.

Letter Re: Tinder and Fire Ignition Options

Jim:
SurvivalBlog reader "Entropy" recently wrote a great article about building a fire in a post collapse world and being a Scoutmaster for 18 years it is a lot of fun teaching scouts how to make one.  Seeing the look in their eyes as they get their first fire built in the outdoors using no matches is a great experience.  As a matter of fact, in winter camps where the ground is not frozen I like to use a trench fire pit with rocks in it, then bury it and sleep on top for a very cozy and warm night. I too was bitten by the survival bug when I was a young scout, and the first priority in survival is ‘keeping your wits about you” so you can focus on what is important.  One real force multiplier in helping to keep people calm is a fire.  It can warm the heart as well as the body.  Here are a few simple ways anyone can use to get a nice little fire started.  Please remember that little is the key word in a survival or bug out situation.  Cowboys used to light a very small fire just big enough o put their coffee pot on, because they ate their food cold, and a hot drink was all they needed to warm their spirits. The methods below are simple and inexpensive methods of getting the first spark into a flame. 

IGNITION SOURCES:

Match: enough said, unless it is windy in which case you may only have a 0.5 second flame.  Lets read on, shall we?

Lighter: ditto…but wait what if your lighter is out of fuel?  Well if it still has a good flint, then you have a handy little spark generator.  I prefer the older Zippo style lighters since I don’t have to worry about a seal drying out and I can store some lighter fluid for many refills.  It also lets me have a refill of flints right in the bottom of the lighter.

Permanent Matches:  These are an interesting combination between a Lighter, and a “Fire Stick” (below).  It comes with a small reservoir which you fill with lighter fluid.  The ‘cap’ has a magnesium striker it with a glass wick that is supposed to burn up to 15,000 times. The wick is in the screw top lid which extends down into the lighter fluid.  You strike the magnesium stick on the side of the container to ignite. 

Fire Piston: The fire piston uses the friction from compressing air to get an ember from tinder.

Flint and Steel:  If you can find some flint, and you have a piece of high carbon steel then all you do is strike the two together and you get a spark.  These are usually used with char-cloth (cloth which has been charred) to catch the spark, but you could use a number of items to catch them.

Magnesium fire starters:  These are a gray rectangular piece of magnesium with a bar on one side that when you slide a piece of high carbon steel down, it will spark.  These are very handy to keep around.  Just scrape off some magnesium into a small pile, and then place the ‘sparking bar’ right on it and when you scrape the bar, it will ignite the magnesium for a hotter ignition source.

“Fire Sticks”:  Everyone has seen these they are simply the piece of steel with the post you run it down to get a spark.  These are similar to Flint and steel.  There are many out there which range from a very inexpensive stick and steel on a small chain, to the more survival sized ones.  I have used one called a “Blastmatch” in the past which is a spring loaded plunger type of stick with the steel scraping it as you press down on it.  It gave a brilliant spark (almost too much for OPSEC) but then it broke very easily.  So really ‘tool time’ these when you are shopping.

Magnifying glass:   Everyone remembers burning insects with a magnifying glass, and yes you can get things to smolder, but you really need a good amount of sun to get a magnifying glass to start a fire.  To do it you need to focus the brightest part of the light coming through the glass into the smallest most compact point you can make it, and then hold it there.  It will work on paper, and really dry small vegetation, but you do have to be patient.

9 volt battery and steel wool:  Just rub the steel wool across the top of the battery and the electrical shorting sparks will ignite the oil on the steel wool.  DO NOT STORE THE TWO TOGETHER…it gets hot fast.  A little goes a long way with this.

Potassium Permanganate (a powder) and Glycerin (a viscous fluid):  Potassium Permanganate is an Oxidant which can be used to sterilize water, treat ulcers like canker sores, and a general topical disinfectant, but it will stain the affected area purple. It is used to treat candidiasis (superficial fungal infections like Oral Thrush and Vaginitis) and will neutralize Strychnine (poison).  Glycerin, or Glycerol, may be used as a laxative (2-10 ml used as a suppository or enema), and has been used to treat psoriasis, burns, calluses, and other minor skin irritations.  It works as a bacterial desiccant (it removes moisture through absorption) on contact so it can also help with periodontal diseases.  Okay back to the point, when you create a small mound of Potassium Permanganate with a small depression in the top, and then place a few drops of Glycerin in the depression you get a very impressive exothermic reaction which will start a fire, or even can be used to initiate a thermite reaction.  It takes a bit of time for it to occur but don’t put your hands over it to feel for heat.  It happens very quickly and is very hot when it happens.  I recommend testing this method, but don’t do it on your kitchen table with a thick folded up piece of heavy duty tinfoil.  It will go through it and make your wife very unhappy with the black mark it leaves. Trust me on this point.

Hand Drill: You will need a straight stick with a narrowed end (Drill), a notched piece of wood with a depression for holding the narrowed end of the stick (the notch should extend into the bottom of the depression for air movement). You will also need a piece of Leather, or metal under the notch to catch the ember. The notched board goes on the ground and you hold it in place by putting your foot on it or kneeling on it.  .  The drill should be standing straight up out of the depression, and held in place by your two palms.  By spinning the drill between your palms, and pressing down you will create friction and over time a smoking ember.  You will continually have to move your hands back up to the top of the drill as they will move down as you continue to spin and push down on the drill.  When you see some smoke coming from the depression then you can remove it to see if you have an ember.  When you have an ember you will need to move it quickly to your tinder and begin the process of nurturing it into a flame.

Bow and Drill:  This one is probably the most complicated in that you must have: a straight piece of wood about 8-12 inches long which is narrowed on both ends (drill), a notched piece of wood with a depression for holding the narrowed end of the drill (the notch should extend into the bottom of the depression for air movement), a flexible but strong piece of wood about 16 to 24 inches long that has a slight natural curve to it (the bow) , a string (bow string) and a piece of something hard enough to withstand the heat from the drills friction with a depression to help control the top of the spinning drill.  You will also need a piece of Leather, or metal under the notch to catch the ember.  The notched board goes on the ground and you hold it in place by putting your foot on it or kneeling on it.  Then you have the drill standing straight up out of the notch.  The bow string goes around the drill (one wrap only) and then on the top of the drill is held by the hard small piece of wood and your hand (gloves are a good idea).  The bow string should be tight enough that when you push the bow back and forth it will spin the drill but not bind on it.  Once you have this balancing act in place, you move the bow back and forth until you see an appreciable amount of smoke coming from the notch then you look under it and see if you have an ember.  If you do then transfer it to your tinder immediately and start the gentle blowing that will bring you a flame.  If you don’t have any In-Laws that frustrate you, then this will help you understand what frustration is all about.  If you can do this, you can do anything.  This is a really primitive ‘ART FORM’ method of making fire.

Getting that first spark to actually ignite your tinder is a little harder that it appears on the silver screen.  I have had many scouts go grab a handful of what they think is dry bark, or weeds only to find that it is still too wet, or the oils in them only smoke no matter what they do.  One of my favorite examples was an episode of a survival-BASED reality television show where they gave the contestants a magnesium fire bar.  They were holding the magnesium side, and striking the flint side with a machete.  They were getting a pretty good spark too, but there was NO WAY they were getting a fire.  My wife, whom I love dearly, was sitting there saying “Oh that was a good one”, for every spark they got.  I on the other hand was sitting there thinking, “They would die in a real survival situation”.  It wasn’t until I explained to her that you can scrape magnesium into a little pile, hold the fire starter right down on the pile, and scraping the blade (held at a slightly obtuse angle towards the pile ) down the ‘flint’ side so that the sparks land in the magnesium and "poof!" you have fire.

TINDER:

Ethanol based hand cleansers: these come in pocket bottles or pumps and the 10% ethanol will burn for a short time.  A spark can ignite this but the ethanol will evaporate quickly.

Cotton balls and Vaseline:  These will burn once ignited just like a candle will.  If you spread out the cotton so it is not just a clump, you can light it with a good spark.

Paraffin and Cotton balls:  Very similar to above, just different substance.

Sawdust and paraffin blocks:  Fill the depressions in a paper based egg carton with a mixture of melted paraffin mixed with sawdust (from wood not particle board due to the glue).  Let them cool, and cut or break apart the individual parts, with the cardboard attached and it can be lit with a lighter, or match and will burn like a candle.

Dryer Lint:   This is my personal favorite.  Simply take the lint residue from drying cotton clothing out of your dryer and place it into a pill bottle, Ziploc baggie or other water resistant container and it can be started with the smallest spark.  This will also win you points with the significant other by cleaning out the lint filter.  With it being so flammable you may want to confirm that your dryer vent is clean and connected.  This is especially important if you have a furnace or water heater (flame) in the same room. Safety first.

Wax and newspaper:  Dip pieces of newspaper in paraffin wax and it burns like a candle. This one is similar to the sawdust but you can leave some of the paper not covered in paraffin and it will ignite easier.  You can do this with cardboard or any other paper product as well.  The paraffin only makes it a little slower burning and a little more durable.
PLEASE BE CAREFUL
Gun powder:  Yes you could remove a bullet from a cartridge with a pair of pliers and use some of the powder inside to catch your spark, but it is a violent reaction so if you are desperate enough to try this, . (All the usual safety precautions apply. For example, never grasp a rimfire cartridge by its rim, with pliers!)

Conclusion
Don’t get me wrong, a fire is not difficult.  For those who wish to be proficient at it though does require some practice.  But when you are cold, hungry, and out in the middle of nowhere, a fire can save your life.  Just remember to think about what kind of fire you really need. 
Keep your powder (and your tinder) dry. – Brad M.

Economics and Investing:

Doug Casey Answers The Hard Questions About Hard Times

The latest economics animation by Omid Malekan is great: Inflation Explained. (The closing line was priceless: “In a world where cartoon bears on YouTube are the most reliable source of information, anything is possible.”)

A bit of confirmation for one of my predictions in 2005 that was then called “alarmist”: No Rise in Home Prices until 2020: Bankers

Items from The Economatrix:

“Massive Jobs Shortfall” Predicted For Global Economy

Fed Dissenter Says Latest Step Won’t Help The Economy

Cash Is King No More, Gold Reigns

Financial “Cataclysm” To Come; Gold To Unimaginable Levels

Odds ‘n Sods:

From October 3rd through October 5th, Ready Made Resources is offering a 25% discount on case lots of Mountain House storage foods and free shipping. They will also include a free copy of my novel “Survivors” with any orders over $500. (This also includes food packages.)

   o o o

I coined the term UAV-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (UAVIED) five years ago, in anticipation of a new terrorist threat. Unfortunately, my prediction has come true: Massachusetts Man Plotted to Blow Up Pentagon, U.S. Capitol Using Model Plane, Feds Say. (Thanks to Joey G. for the link.)

   o o o

Stock up! The price of PB&J is going up

   o o o

The folks at Directive 21 recently added Tattler reusable canning lids to their line. They keep them stocked for immediate delivery.

   o o o

I was recently interviewed on The Prepper Podcast as well as on the EMPAct America show. Both interviews should soon be available as podcasts.

Notes from JWR:

A reminder that next Tuesday (October 4th) is Book Bomb Day for my new novel “Survivors”. If you have a blog of your own, brief mentions of the book release with links to my Writings Page would be greatly appreciated. Please wait until Tuesday to place your order. That way the book will have a better chance of climbing up to the Top 20 in Amazon.com’s overall sales ranking. Thanks!

—

Today we present the last two entries for Round 36 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) 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 B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $300 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo, and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) 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, C.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and D.) 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.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, and C.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 36 ends on September 30th. A few articles received in the last few days of the contest will be “rolled over”, for posting in the next round, because of space constraints.

Family Planning WTSHTF, by N.S.

Everyone wants to be able to take care of the family When The Schumer Hits The Fan (WTSHTF).  We have all read dozens of articles about how to garden, store food, keep seeds, protect our homes, and generally go about the living of life day-to-day.  We’ve heard the mantra: Life after the TSHTF is not for the faint of heart, nor the easily-grossed-out.  We’ve also seen a few that go into detail on how to prepare medically for disaster.  While all of us will be working hard to provide for our families and keep them safe, we also need to be concerned about something less-often talked about:  family planning when there is no hormonal birth control, and prophylactics are scarce.  Heaven knows,  when TSHTF, you and your existing family will be busy adjusting to your new life, and may not be ready to welcome a new bundle of joy before your local area stabilizes. 

The dangers of unexpected or poorly planned pregnancies in a situation where medical facilities and options will be extremely limited cannot be ignored.  Communities may have no real medical expertise, and certainly, without anesthetic, a cesarean section won’t be a terribly pleasant or successful affair.  A woman who has had problem pregnancies in the past will most likely continue to have problem pregnancies.  If you suspect your partner will have a problem pregnancy, or if she’s had one before, extra care must be taken to consider the time and place of birth: for example, temporarily moving to the area closest to the best medical personnel available.  

Another oh-so-fun factor to consider is the very real possibility of being due mid-winter, when snow might be high, and travel difficult.  Families may want to consider planning the children they want to be born in the fall or in the spring or summer, rather than mid-winter, just so that if there is a semi-competent medical person in the vicinity, they can get there in time without being side-lined by a blizzard.  It’s not very likely that the county will be out snow-plowing and salting all the roads, right?  This is not to say, of course, that all pregnancies will end in disaster, of course.  Most of the time, with most women, the pregnancy and birth will probably go just fine.
 Aside from the risk inherent in pregnancy and childbirth itself, however, there are other reasons why planning for pregnancy is important.  There are implications for a woman’s health after the baby is born, her family’s health, and even to some extent, the health of the community itself. 

Families will probably need to be bigger than the “typical” American size of 2.5 children as a matter of necessity.  Where food is scarce, and farm labor is the mainstay of food production, it will be a blessed family that has four or five children to help out.  More importantly, though, a family needs the children well-spaced, so that there is time for the mother to recuperate in between pregnancies. For the preservation of her health, a mother should probably not have more than one child every two or three years.  This is because of the time it will take to recover from the pregnancy, birth, and the first year or two of infancy.  Remember, when TSHTF the baby will need to be breastfed, like it or not, because home-made formula is not a smart option if there is any alternative.  Babies should be breastfed for a minimum of 1 year, but ideally, it should be closer to two years, especially in areas where food or medical aid is scarce.  Breastfeeding beyond a year may be the difference between life and death for a young child after TSHTF. 

A woman who is worn-out from having a baby every year most likely will have difficulty helping with every-day tasks, let alone trying to manage the hard daily living of farm-work, gardening, and putting food on the table when there is no such thing as convenience food.  She might be fine for three or four years, but just try safely focusing on gardening, housework, and making food– possibly over a fire or wood-burning stove with five under-five-year-old children running under foot.  Some of those babies aren’t going to make it, and you’ll end up with tiny graves in your plot.  If that thought isn’t appealing to you, you need to start considering your options now.

Beyond your own household, though, there may be other factors to consider.  In a smaller community which depends on its members helping each other out, it would be a pretty uncomfortable state of affairs if most of the women in a community end up pregnant all at once.  It would be very difficult for women to help each other with, say, labor, or childcare if they’re all in need of help themselves.  There are some tasks that are just not safe with a baby in tow, and women may need to trade tasks.  In addition, can you imagine if there are only one or two people in a community who are even remotely comfortable attending births, and there are three or four women in labor or about to go into labor?  If even one of them has complications, the others might be out of luck when it comes to having someone experienced on hand to help out. 

Now, I’m not saying all the families in a community should be drawing lots for the right to get pregnant, of course.  Far from it.  But coordination among women or families isn’t at all a fanciful idea, and may be the difference between having adequate help in the first few weeks or days or being completely on your own.  It’s a small enough consideration to hold off on a pregnancy for six months to a year to space babies between families so not everyone is dealing with the squalling of an infant at all hours of the night at the same time. 
For families without the knowledge or supplies for family planning, purposeful spacing most likely won’t be possible.  I firmly believe that children are gifts from God, and that He is the one that engenders new life.  On the other hand, I also believe that God expects us to be reasonable and moderate, and use all the (morally acceptable) tools at our disposal to prepare and take care of our families.  In contemporary society, many God-fearing families still depend on hormonal birth control (“the pill”) or IUDs, condoms, diaphragms, cervical cups, et cetera, to help manage child spacing and family size.  While those families can plan ahead a certain extent and stockpile extra supplies, they won’t last forever.  Stockpiles containing latex items, like condoms and diaphragms face serious storage issues.  Latex is extremely sensitive to heat, cold, and light.  Without climate control, they won’t be nearly effective enough to be reliable in preventing pregnancy past a summer or two   Stores are not even required to notify the purchaser if they’ve improperly stored them, so even in perfectly storing new condoms in your stockpile, you are not guaranteed a “good” lot that will last for many years.  Hormonal birth control is no joke, either.   Even if you could store more than a year or so worth of pills, just because something works now, doesn’t mean it will continue to work– and there are serious health risks to unmonitored hormone usage.  Or you could get stuck with a stockpile of mis-packaged pills, like the batch that was just recalled.  In the event that manufacturing of these supplies ceases and distribution dwindles, alternatives will need to be explored.

So, then, if “conventional” methods are unavailable, what options are you left with?
I’m sure we’ve all heard the “sex-ed” talk about different kinds of birth control, and heard how ineffective the “pull-out” and “rhythm” method are in comparison to the standard industrialized hormonal and physical barriers are.  The bad news is that the talk is right:  those methods probably won’t help for long, and are pretty unreliable in any case.  The good news is that those are not the only options after TSHTF. 

You may know that in the animal kingdom, God designed most animals so that they come into “season” or “heat”  at most two times a year.  What you may not know is that although human beings are fertile all year round, women actually have been designed with seasons too, though the human fertility cycle runs on a monthly, not yearly, basis. Everyone knows about “that time of the month”.  Not everyone knows that there are other, equally important parts to the human fertility cycle that are predictable, observable, and measurable.   With the aid of something to write on and a writing instrument, you can use these observable and measurable signs on a day to day basis to determine the fertile and infertile portions of a given cycle.   Using the knowledge of which part of the cycle she’s in on a given day, a couple can choose to avoid or achieve pregnancy.  This practice is called Natural Family Planning (NFP) or fertility awareness. 

There is over half a century of solid research underpinning the science of understanding, and the art of working with the human fertility cycle instead of against it.  You may have heard someone mention NFP or fertility awareness and dismissed it as a “glorified rhythm method”.  Unfortunately, if they’ve even ever heard of it, your doctor may have reinforced that notion.   The average American’s understanding of NFP is severely flawed,  and influenced heavily by the pharmaceutical industry’s consistent downplaying and misinformation campaign aimed squarely at your doctor.  By deciding to either abstain from or engage in sexual activity, on any given day, the method can be used to achieve or avoid/postpone pregnancy.  The best part is that NFP is actually just as effective as any form of hormonal birth control, with an effectiveness rating of 98% to 99%.  Even women with irregular menstrual cycles can reliably use NFP to achieve/avoid pregnancy.  It’s more effective than a condom or a diaphragm.  It’s free, and perpetual.  Once you know NFP, you can use it for the rest of your reproductive life without any adverse side effects, and you can teach it to your children when they get married.  You can’t “run out” of NFP.  It can even help couples who are having difficulty with trying to get pregnant, so it works both ways. 

There are several “flavors” of NFP, ranging from the simple to the fairly complex.  Whichever method you choose to learn, it’s important that you do not wait to start learning.  I strongly urge couples to start investigating this most basic of knowledge before TSHTF so that they can be prepared. While anyone can learn NFP (and I do mean anyone), learning it is akin to learning how to ride a bike, swim, or shoot.  You will have to learn about it, do it, and practice some more before you feel fully comfortable.  After TSHTF is not the time to try and figure it out on your own.  You don’t learn to swim when you fall out of the boat, and you don’t learn to shoot when you’re going hunting for the first time.

It’s best that, if at all possible, you find a teacher that can help you learn the symptoms and help you learn to reliably interpret your cycles.  It’s important to remember that NFP is not something that a woman is solely responsible for.  For NFP to work, the couple must be in agreement, and communicate on a daily basis. Once your understanding is firmly established, the effort that goes into observing, and charting is virtually unnoticed.  It will feel like a natural extension of your relationship with your spouse, and will have some interesting fringe benefits.  A key point to remember is that, although in the beginning it may seem daunting, the process is quite simple. Really, if you can learn to tie your shoes, you can learn NFP.  I promise.

There is nothing you need to stockpile for it other than something to write on and something to write with and perhaps if you are so inclined, a book or two for reference and teaching your children when the time comes for them to learn about the birds and bees.  You might consider getting certified to teach NFP to other couples through an association like the Couple-to-Couple League.  You can use the training to teach the other families in your community in case they didn’t prepare.  You might also seriously consider obtaining a supply of glass thermometers (instead of the digital, battery-powered kind) for several reasons.  Some of the NFP methods rely on cross-checking body temperature with the other signs.  Equally, though, if you want to be able to determine someone’s temperature to, say, check if they’re getting an infection from a wound or childbirth or a viral illness, a thermometer is important.  The old glass-mercury thermometers are generally not available [new] in the US, but alternatives do exist.  Glass thermometers are more accurate than digital, and have several other advantages:  no batteries to run down, no need for re-calibration after just a few years, they can be sterilized, and they might make a good trade-item later. 

Although God is the only real arbiter of new life, and all our plans are subject to Him, the  knowledge  of our fertility cycles gives us the ability to discern our actions.  Our families do not need to be beholden to pharmaceutical companies to “help” us control our God-given fertility.  When TSHTF, you don’t have to be afraid of the specter of more children than you can manage, or your wife  getting pregnant when it would seriously endanger her health.  You can learn how to work with a woman’s natural cycle to plan your family safely, reliably, effectively, and cheaply.

For more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fertility_awareness
http://www.creightonmodel.com/
http://www.nfpandmore.org/
http://www.ccli.org/nfp/
http://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/files/nfpmethods.pdf