SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, reports of a helicopter crash in eastern Montana that was national news. (See the Montana section.)

Idaho

Shoshone County sheriff resigns after off-duty crash. JWR’s Comment:  Something tells me that we haven’t yet been told the whole story about her car crash.

o  o  o

Don’t trust A.I. for hunting and fishing regulations.

o  o  o

Murder suspect in custody after overnight manhunt.

o  o  o

Coeur d’Alene Police and schools crack down on electric bikes and scooters as student injuries rise.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“When I was studying at Purdue, we learned our thermodynamics from an antique steam engine. When I went back in 1964, I found the laboratories packed with the most modern equipment for the study of thermodynamics, some of which had been built by the students themselves.” – Astronaut “Gus” Grissom

Preparedness Notes for Monday — October 27, 2025

On October 27, 1553, Condemned as a heretic, Spanish-born physician and Christian church reformer Michael Servetus was burned at the stake, just outside Geneva.

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October 27, 1702: British troops plundered St Augustine, Florida.

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October 27th 1858: The birthday of President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. He died January 6, 1919.

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Some great news! There are new owners of the famed Harvest Guard company — makers of reusable canning lids. The company is now owned by the same folks who own and operate USA Berkey Filters.  They are generously providing a new prize that was just added to the First Prize package for the SurvivalBlog Nonfiction Writing Contest:  A 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 121 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  2. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  3. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  4. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  5. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is offering a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $970,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 121 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Loaves, Fishes, Tree Bark, Seeds, and Knowledge – Part 8, by The Chemical Engineer

(Continued from Part 7. This concludes the article.)

4 – How Much Food Can We Afford To Share With Others?

Now, let’s consider the controversial topic of sharing our limited food resources with a neighborhood group. Think of this option like investing money in start-up companies, high risk for the chance at high rewards but in this case the money is our food and the companies are people that need some of our food to have the strength to work on survival projects with us. I will do my best to outline facts and calculations that will help us to consider our options wisely.

First, this will work best if we have a very deep larder. If we only have a month or two supply of food, we don’t have enough for a Type 2 Emergency (T2E) for our own family and friends let alone to share with others. If we have a 6-month or more supply for ourselves and our own family then we start to have some options.Continue reading“Loaves, Fishes, Tree Bark, Seeds, and Knowledge – Part 8, by The Chemical Engineer”

Recipe of the Week:

The following two-day recipe for Barley and Pork Hocks is from SurvivalBlog reader Richard T.

Equipment: A small cast iron pot, a soup pot, and a rectangular glass cake pan (or a similar pan).

Ingredients

  • Two fresh pork hocks

  • ½ cup of  barley grain

  • ½ cup of white vinegar

  • Cayenne or hot pepper flakes (to taste)

  • Pepper (to taste)

  • Salt (to taste)

Directions

  • Day one: Simmer a couple of fresh pork hocks in ½” of water in a lidded cast iron pot for half a day until the meat can be separated from the bones.

  • Refrigerate overnight. (The extracted bones can be used for bone broth.)

  • Day two: Cook barley, adding enough water, time and heat to bring it to a soft mushy texture. I like to add salt and peppercorns at this time.

  • While the barley is cooking, grind the now-cooled pork hock meat (including the rind) through a meat grinder, such as a Kitchen-Aid meat grinder attachment, through first the large hole plate and secondly the smaller hole plate.

  • While the barley is still hot, add the ground-up pork hock, the white vinegar, and a hefty dash of cayenne or red pepper flakes.

  • Mix thoroughly and spread into a pan to a level 1”, more or less.

  • Refrigerate, and let it gel.

  • Cut into squares and use as a snack or as an additive to a stew, soup, or other dish, or serve it by itself.

STORAGE

Keep refrigerated. it can also be frozen.

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Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long-term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week 

Today’s graphic:  USDA Plant Hardiness Growing Zone Chart. (Graphic courtesy of Oregon State University (OSU) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The thumbnail below is click-expandable.

 

 

 

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Please send your graphics or graphics links to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“When I go to farms or little towns, I am always surprised at the discontent I find. And New York, too often, has looked across the sea toward Europe. And all of us who turn our eyes away from what we have are missing life.” – Norman Rockwell

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — October 26, 2025

Reader D.S.V. wrote to tell me of the passing of actress June Lockhart, at age 100. JWR’s Comment: Not mentioned in the brief obituary is that June Lockhart was a devoted Christian.

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On October 26, 1826, the Erie Canal between the Hudson River and Lake Erie opened.

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October 26, 1881: A feud between the Earp brothers (Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan) and an outlaw gang led by Ike Clanton escalated into a celebrated gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona Territory.

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Today is the birthday of Henry Deringer (October 26, 1786 – February 28, 1868) was an American gunsmith. He is best known for inventing and giving his name to the very compact Deringer pistol.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 121 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  2. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  3. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  4. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is offering a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $970,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 121 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Loaves, Fishes, Tree Bark, Seeds, and Knowledge – Part 7, by The Chemical Engineer

(Continued from Part 6.)

3.7 – Improving Our Soil Before A T2E

Those with experience growing crops have learned that the fertility of their soil or the ability to add fertilizer has a large impact on crop yields. The best option to prepare for an emergency is to add fertility now into our soil. It is like keeping our vehicles at least half full of gas, it will be ready to use when we need it. When I first started gardening I skimped on improving my soil and most of my harvests were mediocre. When I spent more money and time to improve my soil, it became easier to grow a more abundant garden. I am a fan of the Square Foot Gardening Methods to make my garden soil but you can find many great ideas on making great garden soil. Choose one and go for it. See the Square Foot Gardening Foundation website if you want to try this approach. We could also buy land that has good natural fertility to start a farming on. Regardless of our approach I recommend investing in soil now that so we can successfully grow crops now and in the future.

3.71 – Composting

If we or our family/friends have lawn clippings, cardboard boxes/packaging and food waste we can start composting now to make great soil at home. Compost is something we can add to our existing soil to improve its fertility. There are 4 main purpose of compost. The first is to provide a soil structure that is easy for roots to spread out in. Root are limited in compact soil. They do best in fluffier more porous soil. Second, compost will help with water retention and allow for good drainage. This helps our gardens use water more efficiently. Plants need to be in the Goldilocks zone for water, not too little and not too much. In normal times this helps to avoid wasting water and to have better gardens. In an emergency it will help our watering last longer which will save time and energy in a world where we are hauling water to our gardens and hand watering. Third, it provides crops nutrients and can act as a nutrient sponge. The big three nutrients plants need are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Compost will provide these and other nutrients but it will also provide porous organic material to absorb and time release these nutrients back to the plants. Fourth, compost can improve microbial activity of soil. Microbes improve soil by releasing nutrients, improving the soil structure, and helping root growth. Compost has a similar positive impact for microbes as it does for nutrients. Compost add surface area for microbe housing, space to grow, as wells as organic material for microbes to eat. Compost is also full of beneficial microbes to revitalize the concentration in our soil.Continue reading“Loaves, Fishes, Tree Bark, Seeds, and Knowledge – Part 7, by The Chemical Engineer”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

Glock Has Announced Their New V-Series Pistols To Replace Their “Readily Convertible” Original Designs

It Would Have Been Less Expensive To Just Send Gavin Newsom A Chest Full Of Austrian Gold Coins

Video News Link:

Why Is Everyone So Mad About the New Glock V Series Pistol?

Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

 

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.

Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:

The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.

But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” – Matthew 11:1-15 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — October 25, 2025

60 years ago today, on October 25, 1965: Bobby Hatfield’s solo performance of “Unchained Melody” on The Andy Williams Show went down in music history as perhaps the greatest live television love song performance by a male vocalist ever recorded. The then-25-year-old Hatfield still sounds amazing today, even though the recording was made with a low-quality microphone.

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This is the birthday of explorer and pilot Admiral Richard Byrd (1888–1957). His autobiography titled Alone is a must-read.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 121 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  2. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  3. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  4. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is offering a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $970,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 121 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Loaves, Fishes, Tree Bark, Seeds, and Knowledge – Part 6, by The Chemical Engineer

(Continued from Part 5.)

3.4 – Seeds From Stores

Stores have seeds in the dry goods aisle, produce section, and on garden seed displays. If it is safe to do so, honestly acquire additional seeds and/or encourage local leaders to protect them for the community’s future use early in a T2E. I don’t believe that evil means can ever produce good ends. The teachings of Jesus Christ clearly don’t give me that option if I honestly want to be His disciple. A crisis is not a time to find exceptions but to find courage, creativity and faith to see who we really are. In a T2E there will be many temptations to let might, opportunity, or crowd behavior justify looting from businesses or homes. I invite us to resist these temptations. We can’t become the things we hate to stop the things we hate. Now is the time to decide where our lines are and how well will respond in the future. Our preparations today can help us avoid panic, danger, and moral temptations at stores in the middle of a T2E.

3.5 – Use Plant Cuttings as a Rapid Plant Multiplier

One of the amazing things about most plants is that they can be grown in two ways. From seed, the most common method, and also from cuttings. A cutting is usually a removed branch from the parent plant’s main stem. For example. tomatoes will often grow a sucker branch at a fork in branches on the plant. In most years I will remove of some of these suckers and place them in water for a week or two until they root and then plant them as large starts for family and friends or in my own garden. I could easily product a dozen or more of these plant clones from one health tomato plant as it matures. This force multiplier could be very valuable during an emergency where seeds are no longer easy to acquire at a hardware stores or on the internet. Another plus is that a cutting will reach maturity much faster than a seed started at the same time we start a cutting. If we are ever in an emergency race to prevent starvation, any method that shortens a growing cycle is essential.Continue reading“Loaves, Fishes, Tree Bark, Seeds, and Knowledge – Part 6, by The Chemical Engineer”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

We’\re nearing what I call the “Contented” part of the Fall season here at the Rawles Ranch.  The garden and orchard harvesting is done. The hay is in the barn. The stove wood and kindling are safe and dry in the woodshed. The pace of life has dropped from frantic, to just mildly busy. This week, I slaughtered, skinned, and butchered a 7-year-old ewe that could no longer produce milk. I also have about twenty aged-out hens to butcher, but there is no rush. I can wait for a cool, sunny day. There will surely be another short burst of activity for deer and elk season. But until then, we can appreciate the Fall colors and feel content.  We feel ready for winter.

I helped one of our sons relocate from one apartment to another apartment in a different city, using our horse trailer to move the furniture. I took that opportunity to empty, vacuum, and reorganize the Tack Room section of the trailer. This turned out to be a bit of an archaeology expedition. I found some things that I hadn’t seen in years. For example: Buried under a bunch of assorted tack, I found some riding boots that were sized for our daughters when they were less than 12 years old!

This week Lily and I harvested the honey from our two unoccupied hives. We got a lot more honey than one may usually harvest, because both hives had swarmed and “flown the coop.”  Both of the hives had Supers. We ran all of the frames through our big Dadant brand hand-crank centrifugal honey extractor. It can hold four frames at a time. Lily will give you some details on the logistics, and the yield. It was a sticky but very fun project that had me quoting Winnie The Pooh. When some honey escaped to drip a foot-wide puddle onto our stove hearth, I of course said: “Oh Bother!”

Now, Lily’s part of the report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.

And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?

And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?

And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” – Daniel 12:1-9 (KJV)