Letter Re: Observations From a Canadian Farmer

Hi Jim: 
I have been reading SurvivalBlog.com for several months now and have found it very interesting.  I purchased a 640 acre farm in 1970 in the Little Clay belt in Northern Ontario and started from scratch.  I was 25, not married and knew no one in the area when moved from a large urban city, six hours drive away.  It was daunting and I learned a lot of lessons the hard way.  Since I used up all my cash I also had to work out to make ends meet. Here are some of my thoughts in no special order:

1.  Treat your neighbours well.  It will pay off big time.  I had a field plowed when I could not.  Hay cut etc, etc.  Of course I helped out when I could.

2. I read entries by your readers about having livestock.  Depending where you live–I had to feed six months of the year–you have to grow and make feed.  This takes equipment, knowledge of hay varieties, proper storage and manure handling, et cetera. A good book in this regard is Feeds and Feeding by Morrison. In this regard selection of animal type can be very important esp. for a small scale farm.  My choices would be: 

Beef: Highland Cattle.  This breed came from Scotland and is very tough and can stay out side year round as long as they have a good wind break.  The cows are very good mothers, very protective and in case of an animal attack all the cows will gather the calves together and circle them.  I worked with a chap in the mountains of British Columbia who had a small herd and he said they would eat almost any vegetation. 

Dairy: My choice would be a Jersey cow.  They are on the small side, gentle and give milk that has a high fat content.  This is good of course for butter and cheese. 

Sheep: I liked the breeds that did not have wool on their faces.  Much easier when it came time to shear. 

Chickens: My vote goes for Red Rocks.  While they don’t produce as well as egg-only breeds they are tough and I can keep them producing for three years.

3. Since I lived in a cold climate it is critical that once the weather turns cold to use the correct grade of diesel fuel.  In cold weather summer diesel will turn to jelly when it hit minus 30 C and colder.  If you have to start you tractor every day as I did you will need a block heater, a battery heater, thin engine oil and hydraulic fluid.  Also, make sure your injectors are in good condition and your glow plug works. 

4. Have a good dog.  I had wolves, bears, lynx and other critters around and the dog would let me know if something was poking around (people as well)

5. If you are going to purchase property make sure you ask if you own the mineral rights, any easements, water rights.

6. Have your water checked on a regular basis.  Also, have a test done to check trace minerals (esp. before you buy property) .  In the area where I lived there was a problem of natural occurring arsenic that caused the government to close many wells.   

The good news was that my jump from the big city went so well.  I learned many skills and made great friends and would not change the course of action I took.  While I was there I got married and the two girls had an education that most do not now have.  Also, I produced all my own meat, eggs, fruit and veggies.   If you are interested the Little Clay Belt is located 150 kilometers north of North Bay.  The main town (5,000 population) is  New Liskeard also known as Temisking Shores and is located at the top end of Lake Temisking on the Quebec border. 

I can get two cuttings of hay per season and close to 2,000 lbs of barley per acre.  Other farms in the area grow canola, oats, peas, wheat and some have tried out short season fodder corn. – P.H.

Note from JWR:

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 33 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 Alpine Aire freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $400 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 250 round case of 12 Gauge Hornady TAP FPD 2-3/4″ OO buckshot ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $240 value), 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.) , and B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value.

Round 33 ends on March 31st, 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.

Retreat Security and Other Observations, by Chino

In a world where everything normal has been turned up-side-down and chaos and anarchy may be the order of the day, we will have to adopt a “security first” attitude.  Where our attitude today may be “trust but verify”, our attitude post-TEOTWAWKI should be “verify then cautiously trust.”  Whether it’s dealing with a stranger in person or talking over the radio, we should exercise extreme caution and be on guard against providing information that someone with ulterior motives can use against us.

In a situation where a few people have provisions to sustain life but most people do not, there is a ready-made hostile environment for those who are prepared.  As soon as people consume what food and drinkable liquids they have in their homes and whatever they can manage to get from grocery and convenience stores, they will begin to realize the gravity of the situation.  And when they realize that the government isn’t going to come to their rescue, they will begin to panic.  At that time, many people will feel justified in stealing and even killing to obtain food and water.  Desperate people who have never experienced hardship and who have always had everything they wanted can quickly become treacherous and ruthless in their pursuit of life’s necessities.  Even people who were formerly your friends may be willing to do whatever is necessary to take what you have, whether by stealth or by force.

Many people will gather all of their guns and camping gear and head to the nearest lake or river where they will set up camp and stake out a “piece of water” and hope they can find food somewhere.  Others will just prowl around looking for someone who has what they want.  They will beg, trade, steal and eventually kill to get what they want.

It then becomes a matter of intelligence (information) gathering; to figure out where there is food and water and what it would take to get it.  The more intelligence that can be obtained about a target, the easier it is to take it down.

It may very well turn into a virtual “fox hunt” with you being the fox and the Golden Horde being the hounds trying to find the fox and his stash of supplies.

In that sort of environment, security is paramount.  An integral part of overall security is intelligence gathering.  Every bit of information your foe can gather about you enables them to formulate a plan to take what you have. If they can learn details about your “retreat”, your level of security, your habits and your capabilities then they have a better chance of defeating you with the least amount of risk to themselves.

A sobering thought is that if people know that you have food, water, fuel for heating, lighting and cooking and they have none of these things, they will be willing to risk everything to get them.  They will also discover, sooner or later, that they cannot carry all of that stuff to their house, if they even have a house.  So, ultimately, the conclusion they will come to is to eliminate the current occupants so that they can just move in to your house.

You may not think of your house as a retreat.  That’s because we currently don’t have anything to fear from those around us.  If that changes, then our natural reaction is to withdraw from our surroundings and become wary and defensive.

A retreat compound is defined as an enclosure containing a house and outbuildings etc.  You may or may not have a fence surrounding your property.  If you do, your fence probably is not the type that would keep people out if they were determined to enter the property,  Whether you property is already fenced or not, a minimalist compound can be created by defining the perimeter of your property with a fence of other obstacles or with early warning devices and by “hardening” your defenses.

In military terms a “hard” target is one that has tight security and substantial defenses and a “soft” target is one that has neither security or defenses.

A hard target is one that would be difficult to successfully attack and a soft target is one that would be easy to successfully attack.  For example, as  it relates to terrorists, a hard target would be a nuclear power plant and a soft target would be a school or shopping mall.  The nuclear power plant has security measures such as a high, electric fence with razor wire on top and flood lights lighting the fence and perimeter and, defense measures such as armed guards with attack dogs patrolling the interior.  Schools and shopping malls have nothing to deter or to impede terrorists.

In order to harden your retreat you would strive to make it impossible or at least difficult for intruders to enter the property.  Since that isn’t possible for most of us, the next best solution is to have an early warning system to at least alert those in the retreat of an intrusion.  There are commercially made systems available if money is not an issue.

The most expedient and economical solution is the old “wire and tin can” method.  This is simply small food cans or aluminum beverage cans strung on a wire and suspended a few inches above the ground. Large pebbles or marbles placed in the can.  When someone trips over the wire, it shakes the cans and the marbles rattles in the can.  Aluminum beverage cans  may be the best choice since they have a smaller opening in the top which would help to prevent the marbles from bouncing out.  You could also run the wire under the hole to make it even less likely that the marble would bounce out. punch a few small holes in the bottom of the can so that rain won’t be caught in the can which would muffle the rattling sound.

The time to begin planning your defensive measures is now.  Don’t wait until Schumer knocks on your door to start making plans because at that time there will be many other things to attend to and it will be difficult to concentrate on things like that.

Make a diagram of your retreat including all outbuildings, trees, pump houses, raised bed gardens, retainer walls etc.

After you have your diagram, the first thing to do is to walk the perimeter of your property and study your retreat from all angles.  Put yourself in the place of an attacker and think about how you would lay siege to that retreat.  Then think about measures you could take to thwart such an attack.  

As you think of things that you want to incorporate into your security system, write them down in list form.  If six months pass before it happens, you will not remember everything you thought about doing.

Things to consider:

1) Visibility:  What can you see from the various parts of your perimeter? Could people in the house see you; could you approach the house without being seen; what can you see inside the house; can you see exterior doors; can you see beyond the house on one or both sides; can you see outbuildings and can you tell what they are being used for.  You should also go through your house and look out each window to determine the parts of your retreat that cannot be seen from inside the house.  These blind spots will require additional attention.

2) Cover and Concealment: “Concealment” is defined as any obstacle that conceals you from view but would not stop a bullet from hitting you if you were hiding behind it. Examples of concealment would be weeds, a bush or even a thin wall.  “Cover” is defined as anything that provides a measure of protection from bullets.  Examples of cover would be a rock wall, a large tree or even a ditch.

Are there any items of cover or concealment on your retreat that an attacker could take advantage of i.e. weeds, brush, trees, old vehicles, farm equipment, raised bed garden, unused structures; what could an attacker see from behind each of these.

Consider removing weeds and bushes that provide concealment.  Also consider removing old vehicles and unused structures from the property and moving farm machinery to an area where it would not benefit an attacker.

Write down, in list form, your observations and ideas for hardening your retreat.  

Once you determine where your strong defensive areas are and where your weak areas are, draw out on your diagram where you would put your early warning systems.  Your early warning systems should first be located in the most likely avenues that an intruder would take to get to the house and also the most vulnerable sides of the retreat.  You may want to draw those in red or otherwise indicate that those are the most important.  After that, draw in other early warning stretches to construct if you have enough wire and cans.  Avoid simply running a straight line of wire around your property.  Take advantage of existing objects to attach the wire to such as fences, power poles, clothes line poles, etc.  If you have enough wire and cans,  consider running staggered and overlapping stretches.  Be sure to draw out each one on the diagram so you have as little as possible to think about when the time comes.  Cans can also be wired to bushes and existing fences to provide additional coverage.

Next, identify the areas of cover that an enemy would likely utilize.  Determine what advantage he would have in taking that position.  Also determine what action you could take to defeat him in that position.  For example, if he is taking cover behind a tree, is there a position of cover that you could move to where he would be exposed?  This information will aid you in determining the defensive positions for you defenders.  In the case of a tree, where the tree is barely wide enough to conceal his body, he will be partially exposed if two defenders can move to each side far enough to form a 45 degree angel to the tree.

Consideration can be given to rendering a position of cover untenable or at least uncomfortable.  A wooden stand-off can be made of old lumber and secured to the back side of a tree to prevent some body from being able to get close enough to the tree to be concealed.

In the case of a berm or low wall where an attacker would have cover only when laying or kneeling behind the object, broken bottles could be strewn in that area.

If you have a wood pile, consider moving it (when the time comes) into you back yard or other position near the house.  This will help prevent it from being used by an attacker as a position of cover or for a means of ambush on a group member retrieving wood.  The wood pile could also be used to construct defensive positions or to camouflage their purpose.

If you have blind spots (areas of your retreat that cannot be seen from inside the house) give special consideration to how you can make it difficult for an attacker to take advantage of that.  One possibility is to mount a mirror or a wide angle rear view mirror on the outside of the house next to a window so that you can look out the window at the mirror and see down the side of the house where the blind spot is.  Mount it as high as possible so that it isn’t as likely to get knocked off.

If you have places in the outer part of your retreat where you don’t normally need to walk, you could dig random holes about a foot wide and a foot deep.  If an intruder manages to get past your early warning system at night, he may step in a hole and fall, making a noise. [JWR Adds: All defensive measures on your property that might cause bodily harm should be taken only after a complete societal collapse. Otherwise, you might be sued by an injured trespasser. We live in a litigious society!]

Determine where your defensive positions will be on all sides of the house.  Do not use windows as defensive positions because you don’t want your windows broken out,and you don’t want to frame yourself as a target. Your defensive positions should be outside of the house.  Ideally, each position should be such that the defenders can be re-supplied from the house and also to enable them to retreat into the house if necessary.  Ideally, each defender should be able to see and communicate with at least one other defender.

Assign each defender a permanent position so that there is not confusion about who is going to what position.  A cache for each position should be maintained in the house near the closest door leading to the respective positions.  The cache should consist of the firearm assigned to a given member, ammo for that weapon, a hat or cap to shade the sun and a tactical flashlight.  In cold or rainy weather it should also include appropriate attire.  The idea is to minimize the time spent getting people to their assigned positions and to ensure that they arrive with everything they will need.

If you have a position that has only short ranges because of a solid wall or buildings close by, this defender should be assigned a shotgun since they are most effective at close range.

Use whatever materials you have on hand to build or enhance a defensive position.  Burlap sacks from pinto beans and rice could be filled with sand or dirt to enhance a position.

Your vehicles can be positioned so that they provide a defensive position.  Park them close to the house so that your position can be on one side of the vehicle.  Try to position vehicles so that they are close to a door in the house for easy access.  The engine compartment and wheels provide the best protection from bullets.  If vehicles are left a distance from the house, they provide a position of cover to an attacker.

Ensure that there is sufficient coverings over the windows to prevent light from candles and lanterns from being seen outside.  This is an indicator to potential attackers that someone lives there and that they have provisions.

A defender should be on guard duty 24/7.  This is not a happy thought, but it is imperative unless you live in a remote area where you are sure there are no other people.  It will be especially difficult if there are only 3-4 competent members to rotate shifts.  The night shifts will be the most difficult and especially in the winter.  You can’t see or hear well enough from the inside the house to be effective and therefore the night guard will need to spend most of the shift outside the house.  The ideal position for the night guard would be on the roof, however, most of us don’t have easy access to the roof without using a ladder.  Also, constant walking on the roof will damage the shingles causing the roof to leak.

The most dangerous time of day for an attack is at first light.  That is the when the attackers can see where they are going and that is when the members of the retreat are either still asleep or are thinking about breakfast and changing guards. [JWR Adds: This also explains the long tradition of pre-dawn and dusk “Stand To“, in armies around to world.]

The aluminum can cans on your early warning system will reflect moonlight.  This can be both a benefit and a disadvantage.  The disadvantage is that it might enable an intruder to see the early warning system and to avoid it.  To prevent this, spray the back side and top of the can with flat black spray paint.  Do not paint the side facing the house.  If light reflects off the cans toward the house, you will be able to see if someone walks between you and one of the cans.

When you are speaking to a stranger, never provide information about yourself, your family or your situation.  If a stranger comes to your retreat asking for help, be cordial and help to whatever extent you can or are willing, but be suspicious of them and do not let your guard down.  Regardless of how congenial they are and how desperate they may seem, don’t become complacent.  Even if they are genuine, they are still on an intelligence gathering mission, whether they realize it or not.  Like a stray dog that learns where to get a hand-out, they are making a mental note of what kinds of supplies you have and what they might expect to get from you in the future.

Never assume that what you see is all that there is.  While one person is talking to you at the front of the house, several others could be approaching the house from behind or even from all sides.  Or, others may be watching from a distance to see what your reaction is to the person approaching the retreat.

Any time a stranger approaches your retreat, all defenders should be alerted to take their positions while two members deal with the stranger.  Everyone should maintain their positions until the stranger leaves and is well clear of the retreat.

Do not allow a stranger to approach the house.  Stop them a distance from the house.  The closer they get to the house, the more intelligence they can gain.  One member should go out to them and see what they want.  Another member should observe from a short distance.  This member should be armed and capable to deal with the stranger in the event it is a trap.  If you decide to give assistance, do not tell him/her what provisions you have and do not allow them to follow you.  The  member talking with the stranger should retrieve the supplies while the other member continues to observe them.

Be on guard about answering any questions they might ask about the retreat or the occupants.

If any of the defenders see other strangers, the entire retreat should be alerted to a possible attack, including those dealing with the stranger.  If it is a matter of seeing other people observing from a distance, the stranger should be questioned to get as much information about their group and their intentions as possible.  Intelligence gathering is equally important to you as it is to an adversary.

In the foregoing situation, the person coming to your retreat could obtain a lot of intelligence about your situation such as how many people are there, if they are armed and, if so, the type and number of weapons, whether the security in and around the house is tight, relaxed or non-existent, what supplies you have and where they are stored.  They can also get a close-up look at your defenses and security measures.

The information that that person takes away from their encounter with you may make the difference between having your retreat assaulted or not.  If they noticed that security was tight and that the retreat is hardened, they may just move on and look for an easier target.

Wire:

You can’t have too much wire.  In addition to lots of wire for your early warning system, you will need wire for many other projects.  It’s a good idea to have various gages of wire since different applications require different gage and strength wire.  Your early warning system should have wire that does not reflect light and that is strong enough that it won’t break if somebody trips over it.  Army surplus stores carry military trip wire that comes on a wooden spool.  Half of each spool is green to blend with grass and half if it is yellow to blend with sand or fall leaves.  It is designed to be used with booby traps and illumination flares. 

Firearms:

Ideally, each retreat should be equipped with enough long guns to arm each person who is competent enough to handle one effectively.  Handguns should be reserved for only close quarters combat.  A shotgun should only be assigned to those members who understand the advantages and limitations of the weapon and who have had experience shooting one.  A shotgun is an ideal weapon for repelling attackers as long as the person using it understands the effective range of each type of shell and uses it accordingly.  Shotgun shells come in a variety of loads, from small lead shot for bird hunting to a 1 oz. slug for hunting big game.  Bird shot is useful at closer ranges, generally out to about 25 yards.  

Various sizes of larger shot are also available, from BB to 00 Buckshot.  The larger the shot, the greater the effective range.  The ubiquitous 00 Buckshot can be effective out to about 50 yards depending upon the brand.  A shotgun slug can be accurate to 100 yards and beyond and it is effective at whatever distance you can hit the target.  Shotguns are faster to engage a target than a rifle because they don’t require as precise of a sight picture, unless you are using a slug.  The drawbacks of shotguns are: they have a limited cartridge capacity requiring you to reload them frequently, the shells are large and bulky making it difficult to use in a situation where you need to carry a large amount of ammo, and having the right type of load in the gun at the time when you need it.

Someone using a shotgun in a defensive situation should be very discriminating and conservative about his shots.  Where it would not be unusual to go through 100 rounds of ammo with a carbine in a firefight, the same amount of ammo for a shotgun is a lot of ammo.

Flashlights:

With no electricity, most after dark activities will be conducted by lamp, lantern or candle light.  One huge exception is security.  A flashlight is a must for night time security.  Another must is to have a flashlight with a push button on/off switch that can be manipulated with one finger.  When you are on night watch duty, you will need to be able to use a flashlight with your weak hand while maintaining a firing grip on your weapon with your strong hand.  The weak hand holds the flashlight in alignment with the barrel of the weapon while supporting the fore end of the weapon with the back of the wrist.  If you hear or see something that leads you to believe that someone is approaching the retreat, the weapon is aimed in the direction where you think the intruder may be and the flashlight is then turned on just long enough to determine if there is someone there, and if so, to determine if he is a threat or not.

In tactical situations, you need to be able to turn the light on and off quickly.  The only time you use the light is to briefly check a suspicious movement/noise.  Each time you turn the light on, you identify your location to a potential enemy and you also compromise your night vision.  For that reason, the light should not be on any longer than necessary and, after you turn it off, you should move to one side or the other if possible.  If an enemy decides to shoot at you, he will shoot at the light.  If the light goes off before he shoots, he will try to shoot where he last saw the light.

It’s difficult to imagine having too many flashlights.  I think the average retreat with 5-6 adults should have at least 10 flashlights, six or more of which should be the tactical variety since every defender should have one.  Any flashlight can be used for doing chores where a lamp or candle is not practical, but the tactical flashlights should be reserved for only security purposes.  Also, the best light for doing chores is a head lamp which leaves both hands free to work.

Flashlights often get broken or the switch malfunctions.  For that reason it’s a good idea to have enough spares to allow for some loses.  Currently, flashlights are cheap, unless you are talking about Surefire or Streamlight.  While these lights are great tactical lights, they have one drawback: they use expensive, odd size [CR-123] batteries.  And for the price of one of those you could buy 10 less expensive flashlights.

I am a firm believer in standardization and redundancy where possible.  I try to buy as many electrical devices as I can that utilize AA batteries.  That way you just buy one type of battery and it works in everything from flashlights to radios, to beard/hair trimmers.   And you don’t have to guess how many batteries you will need for each device.  For $50 at Costco you can get a lot of AA batteries and if you use a flashlight only when absolutely necessary, they will last a long time.

Tactical flashlights should always have fresh batteries in them since it is critical to be able to see as well as possible if you are being attacked at night.  As the batteries in the tactical lights begin to lose power, they should be changed to a utility light or head lamp where maximum output isn’t critical.

Now is the time to begin collecting cans.  I recommend saving aluminum beverage cans and a good assortment of food cans, especially the larger sizes food cans.  In a TEOTWAWKI situation we may find several uses for them and the availability will be limited at that time.  In addition to making improvised cook stoves as I outlined in my previous SurvivalBlog article “Off The Grid Cooking“, they may be useful for repairing or fabricating other things.  For example, I recently built a rocket stove from materials that I had on hand.  To make the outer shell of the stove I cut the bottom out of a popcorn tin and attached it, end to end, with another popcorn tin using metal cut from food cans and riveted to the popcorn tins.  With the exception of the electric drill to drill the holes for the rivets, I made the outer shell using only hand tools and improvised materials.  It would have been more difficult to make using a hand drill, but now impossible.

I know that storage space is a problem for most of us, however aluminum and steel cans can be stored in the attic where it is normally too hot to store most things.  Bottles and jars will also store just fine in the attic with the exception of canning jar lids.

In a TEOTWAWKI situation, we will not be able to run to the store every time we need something.  We will have to improvise with what we have on hand.  We may have to make repairs on the house (especially the roof), bike tires and inner tubes, clothing and anything else we use frequently.  We may also need to make something from scratch such as a holster, sling or a knife sheath.  We may even need to fabricate something completely unique.  For that reason, it is advisable to have on hand a good assortment of materials to work with.

For those of us who plan on “bugging in”, there will be a lot of work to do in a very short period of time if the bottom falls out over night.  A lot of that work will require tools and various materials.  Since we may not have electricity, I recommend acquiring some basic hand tools if you don’t already have them.

Some of the projects on my list of things to do are: 1) move the wood pile to the back yard and use what “T” posts and fencing I have to build a fence on the back side to discourage thieves; 2) put up an early warning system; 3) build an outhouse; 4) dig a small pond in a natural drainage to catch rain water.

All of these things requires tools.  I have compiled a list of items that I want to have on hand to accomplish these tasks.  I have also included other items that I think would be good to have on hand.

  • Wire (lots)
  • Hanger wire
  • Brace and Bit (old style hand drill)
  • Drill bits
  • Wood saw
  • Pruning saw
  • Tree limb loppers
  • Axe
  • Hacksaw
  • Hammer
  • Sledge hammer
  • Screw drivers
  • Pliers
  • Needle nose pliers
  • Diagonal cutters
  • Good quality tin snips
  • Vise grips
  • Pop rivet gun & rivets
  • Files
  • Crescent wrenches (2)
  • Shovel
  • Assorted length deck screws
  • Assorted nails & tacks
  • Roofing nails
  • Assorted cotter pins
  • Large hinges
  • Utility knives
  • Propane torch with extra bottles of propane
  • Paracord
  • Clothes line cord
  • Rope Lamp cord
  • Heavy weight fishing line
  • Caulking gun
  • Indoor/outdoor silicone caulk 
  • Tubes of Liquid Nails or construction adhesive
  • Heavy gage clear or translucent plastic sheeting
  • Duct tape
  • Flat black spray paint
  • Staple gun & staples
  • Assorted leather
  • Leather punch
  • Leather lacing material
  • Rivet setting punch & anvil for leather work
  • Assorted length rivets
  • Extra bicycle tubes
  • Tube patch kit
  • Foot pump
  • Miscellaneous lumber

A good place to look for many of these items is your local Habitat For Humanity Thrift Store and hardware store discount bins.  Amazon has brace and bits but they can often be found at antique stores too.  Make sure that they work well before you buy them.

If you should happen to have a window broken out, you will want the heavy gauge translucent plastic sheeting to replace it.  It’s hard to heat a house with a window out.

I fully endorse what others have said about 2 liter bottles.  I would include gallon and half gallon juice bottles.  They are great for storing sugar, rice, corn meal, black eye peas, baking soda and other things that you don’t purchase in large enough quantities to put into 5 gallon buckets.  Also food from a 5 gallon bucket can be transferred to plastic bottles for immediate use making it easier to access the food and still keeping it sealed.

These bottles are also good for giving food or water to someone passing by.  Because of the flat shape of the half gallon juice bottles they would be good for UV light sterilization of questionable water.

Clothing:

I have determined to stop giving old clothes to the thrift stores.  In a full grid-down situation, we here in the southwest will be hard pressed to get enough water to drink and cook with let alone for washing clothes.  I suspect that we will have to wear a set of clothes until we can’t stand them any longer and then dispose of them.  And we may only get a bath when it rains.

Soap:

I have been stocking away Lava brand bar soap.  Lava soap was more common years ago.  It is impregnated with bits of pumice and was typically used by mechanics to cut grease and oil off their hands.  It lasts forever because it doesn’t generate gobs of suds like other bar soaps do.  For that reason it takes less water to rinse the soap off.  And the pumice would probably feel pretty good if you hadn’t taken a bath in months.  The only place I have found it lately is at a Dollar Store.   

[JWR Adds: The preceding article might at first glance seem to be a rudimentary approach to retreat security to folks that are advanced preppers. Concertina wire, trip flares, night vision gear, infrared illuminators, and electronic intrusion systems are all great, but just keep in mind that they aren’t in everyone’s budget. And your preparedness timetable may be shorter than you think–so those goodies might not be available at any price. So it is important to know how to revert to the “old school” approach that Chino describes.

Letter Re: A Vehicular Get-Me-Home Kit

I recently took a job that requires a short automobile commute of about ten miles into a nearby small city of 60,000. After a few months I finally got around to packing a ‘get home’ kit to store in my car. The city in question has very few routes out of it. My normal commute is on a highway that travels through a marsh/wetlands area. The other possible routes are along surfaces streets that lead out of the downtown area through very bad neighborhoods until breaking into suburban areas.

In the event of a large scale emergency or ‘unrest’ in the city there would be a simultaneous flood of workers out of the downtown area which would tie up all routes out of the city. My plan is to attempt to drive out of the city on the highway route and possibly abandon the car if the gridlock becomes too bad. Then proceed on foot through the wetland and forested areas adjoining the highway.

For my job I am required to dress ‘business casual’. These types of clothes will not hold up well in a trek through marshland and if I was forced to walk home through the city these clothes would attract unwanted attention. With this in mind the kit contains a pair of Columbia brand hiking boots, two changes of socks, change of underwear, Underarmor long sleeve shirt, t-shirt, ski mask (as a hat in cold weather/towel in summer), a pair of gloves, poncho and a change of pants. Changing into a new set of clothes would be my immediate priority once I got to my vehicle.

For hydration and energy on the route home the kit contains four bottles of water and a Datrex 2,400 calorie bar. Many of the items in the bag are wrapped in black plastic bags. These bags will be useful in keeping items waterproof when moving through marshland area. The kit also contains a headlamp for hands free light. Even though the walk is only ten miles there is a possibility of having to camp out in the forested areas on the route home. For that reason the kit includes an emergency blanket/bivy, Coleman Strike-A-Fire Fire Starters, Leatherman Micra multi-tool, compass/whistle/thermometer combo and matches. For hygiene I included tube of hand sanitizer and Band-Aids.

As a previous article mentioned the kit contains cash (small bills) and assorted coins for possible use in payphones. After years of living in the city I realized that the sound of jingling coins can bring unwarranted attention. With that experience I learned to wrap and fold the coins in a piece of paper so that they do not touch or jingle. For protection if I am forced to go through the city the kit contains a Buck folding knife and pepper spray. Although not packed in the kit itself my car contains maps of the two adjacent counties and an umbrella. As time goes on this kit will undergo constant tweaking based on seasonal needs and based on a test run of the strategy in the near future. Once I get home safely a whole new plan goes into effect.

Wishing You All The Best,- G.M.B.

Letter Re: A Bank Run Reality Check

James Wesley,
I have been trying to take the blinders off my wife’s family.  While they are not ready to don tin foil hats with me yet, they definitely don’t think I am quite as eccentric as I was before.  A failing economy can do that for people.  I did have an interesting conversation with my Sister-in-Law though concerning banking.  She is a branch manager of a bank;  a very large banking institution.  I don’t want to say the name, but as of 20 minutes ago, they have over 24,000 branches and ATM locations around the world.  I asked her a couple of questions.  What is the average amount in a savings account in her bank?  And how much money does the bank have on hand on a given day?   

The numbers shouldn’t have surprised me, but they did.  The average amount in a savings account is about $1,200, but she said the numbers are really skewed as there are a few accounts that have lots, but most only have enough to keep the account open.  She said that most just keep the account open so they have a place to cash their checks.   The more shocking answer, was the total amount of cash on hand [for all of the tellers].  She said that the average that she keeps on hand is $16,500 in paper, and about $2,000 in coins.  She said that twice a month they would double the cash on hand to accommodate pay cycles.  So the most that this bank will ever have available is about $35,000.   

Given that people with money have their pulse on the economy, they will know when it is time to pull their money out.  If just one or two were to show up at my Sister-in-Law’s bank to cash out.  That’s it.  In less than two minutes her bank will be empty of paper cash funds.  Sure, she can call in and have a truck bring more in.  But if every bank is in a similar situation, will any banking institution, no matter how big, be able to keep up with demand?  The answer is no!   I am sure that there are bigger banks with more money in the metropolitan areas, but there are also more people and that creates more risk of pandemonium when the coffers dry up.   

The short answer is: Keep a good balance or options with your wealth.  Have cash, silver, ammo, food, etc.  You will not be able to pay your house payment in 7.62 Ball just yet, but when/if that time does come, I doubt the bank will be asking for a payment anyway.  If nothing else having physical wealth (tangibles) that is at your house/retreat/cache/safety deposit box, whatever, is going to be more important that the 3% interest that you might be getting at the bank. 

If, God forbid, something should happen to you and your assets are in the bank, when you die the State and Federal Government will take a very large portion of that “already been taxed” money and “allow” your heirs to have the rest. But if it is in silver/gold/ammo/guns/other tangibles, then it just changes hands.   Thanks, – A.K.J. in North Carolina

Two Letters Re: Storing Spare Vehicle CPUs for EMP Preparedness

Sir:
Most computerized gas engine vehicles built before 1996 (OBD-I) have a permanent computer memory module called a Mem-cal or PROM (programmed read-only memory) which can be stored indefinitely or used as-is from a parts house or junkyard. OBD-II vehicles, generally 1996 and later, all use the writable E-PROM which requires a specialized program and equipment to re-write. Also, the newer the OBD-II vehicle, the more computers it is likely to have. However only the module(s) for the power train are mission-critical. E-PROMs are more delicate than the older PROMs and sometimes require “re-flashing” to restore functionality. Obviously, the older style would be preferable in a grid-down situation. – Dave B. in Texas

 

Greetings JWR:
Thanks for all your hard work on SurvivalBlog, I look forward to reading it every day.

This is regarding Jim S. in Ohio’s letter on EMP prepping his 2006 F250 Diesel. There are multiple modules on the vehicle that would need to be purchased, “flashed” and stored for EMP “Disaster Recovery”, just to make the vehicle run. Many of these modules are vehicle specific due to calibrations, and would need to be “flashed” by the dealer at an additional expense.  To do this properly, one would work closely with their Ford Service Center to procure the proper parts and arrange to have them installed and flashed.  Once tested and verified, you could reinstall the originals or keep the new working pieces and store the originals in EMP protective cases/containers with the tools needed to replace them. The saving grace in Jim’s case is the F250 Diesels did not have the Passive Anti-Theft System (PATS) keys, I believe that started in 2008 for the F250.

This would require additional key programming and another “interrogator” as it is nothing more than an antenna, and possibly subject to EMP itself. You can find the interrogator coil in a plastic “halo” surrounding the shroud on the ignition switch.  Ford vehicles use different models of PATS over the years, each is specific to the vehicle model and year.  Each key has a specific code (128 bit or 3.402823669209e+38), which must be programmed in to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) by the user, or dealer – depending on the version.  Without the proper key type and code, there is no fuel or spark initiated at start up – it just cranks.

My recommendation for PATS type vehicles is to use the two factory keys to prepare three additional keys. Keys 1 and 2 are the factory keys and get locked in a safe – do not use them. Key 3 is used as your “daily use” key.  Key 4 is your “EMP Event” key – treat it accordingly and store it hidden, inside the vehicle. Key 5 is a non-PATS key, cut twith teh intent of opening the doors, unlocking the steering and running accessories. It is stored where accessible (home, work, wallet).

If and when the 3rd key gets lost or destroyed, the 5th key (or a rock) is used to gain access to the vehicle and the 4th key is used to get you home. Later, keys 1 and 2 are used to add an additional key.

Notice “add“, since not all vehicles let you remove keys. This is a potential security issue as the person with that key could still operate your vehicle, just not to make new keys.

Should our region be hit with EMP, I have a flash programmer that can be used to install a custom tune which removes PATS, all limiters/codes and allows me to run on substandard/alternative fuels.   This is my cost effective alternative to purchasing a specific, EMP resistant vehicle.  This will work for file corruption, but not for a total PCM failure. Thanks, – Fred in Washington

Economics and Investing:

Jim Willie: QE2: The Road to a Gold Standard

North African Turmoil Could Rocket Crude to $220

John R. recommended this article: Middle East Chaos: What To Learn And What To Expect

Items from The Economatrix:

Crude breaches $119 in frantic trading

Market Jitters As Oil Price Heads For The Sky  

UK:  Petrol to Hit £6.50 a Gallon; Mideast Crisis Cuts Supplies   (That is $10.52 USD, folks!)

US House Prices Plumb New Depths  

Video of Eric Sprott Speech: The Government Lied…There is No More Silver!

Odds ‘n Sods:

Some pointed observations by Tam over at View From the Porch blog: “Armorer” ? “Gunsmith”. I agree wholeheartedly. FWIW, my favorite real gunsmith is John Taylor, at Taylor Machine in Puyallup, Washington. He is a master gunsmith that can do things like re-line barrels or make replacement cylinders for revolvers from scratch. For example, I once sent John antique (pre-1899 production) 7.63mm Broomhandle Mauser pistol that was an absolute disaster, and he sent me back a perfectly-functioning gun that was re-bored to 9mm Parabellum, equipped with an OBI detachable 20 round magazine, and completely restored (with bluing expertly done by Mel Doyle.) This is a gorgeous gun that I’m sure someday my grandchildren will quarrel over when its time to divvy up the inheritance.

   o o o

G.G. sent this from The New York Times: The Rich, the Famous, the Armed. When gun-hating Mayor Bloomberg took office, he inherited a decades-long scandal of favoritism in issuing firearms permits. He hasn’t done much to reduce the problem, and there is evidence that he is now personally intertwined in the scandal, with his own instances of permit favoritism and nepotism. Apparently Bloomberg wants those evil guns “off the streets”, except for those owned by special people.

   o o o

More Schumer from Mr. Schumer: Senator wants to mandate background checks for all gun sales. Perhaps someone should tell the Senator that private commerce between private citizens that live in the same state (intrastate) is outside of any Federal jurisdiction created by the interstate commerce clause. (Thanks to Bryan E. for the link.) Oh, and in a related article, we learn that Mayor Bloomberg is a co-conspirator in Schumer’s schume scheme. That is hardly a surprise. Those of us that live in the boonies west of the Rockies are amazed how much clout a handful of New York millionaire Democrats wield in national politics.

   o o o

Sue C. sent us this: 4,500 Chinese escape Libya by sea; Americans stuck.

   o o o

Kevin S. sent this: Rivers in the sky Atmospheric bands of water vapor can cause flooding and extreme weather  

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 33 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 Alpine Aire freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $400 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 250 round case of 12 Gauge Hornady TAP FPD 2-3/4″ OO buckshot ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $240 value), 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.) , and B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value.

Round 33 ends on March 31st, 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.

Forever Preps – Preparations You Can Buy Once, and Have Forever, by Andrew D.

As a self-confessed budgeting fanatic, I’ve constrained my prepping budget on a monthly basis where I spend in one month what I made the previous month.  For example, I spend money in February that I earned in January, and so on.  Given the uncertain times, I never want to be “on the hook” with paying for things with “future money”. 

So confession out of the way, sometimes it’s hard to know where to start with your preparations.  I know all about the rule of 3, etc., but when it comes down to it, there really are a lot of choices.  Furthermore, when you begin to adopt a more preparedness-focused lifestyle, it can become overwhelming how many things need to be rotated on a regular basis.  Being married to a spreadsheet (and a wonderful, Godly woman), I’ve solved this problem by myself using some complex Excel functions that scan my “lists of lists” for a “Y” or “N” in the “Rotate” column, cross reference it with the “Rotation Days” column (this column contains the number of days that an item can sit before being rotated), and then adds to this information from the “Costs” column, which contains up-to-date information on the costs of the rotated item (e.g., 50 AA batteries).  This information is then compared against the dates in the “Date of Purchase” column, which is finally compared against “Today’s Date”.  All told, this allows me to open up the spreadsheet and see a forecast of items that need to be rotated, how much they cost, and when the rotation needs to occur.
But enough of that.  The title of this entry is “Forever Preps” because I enjoy making up words and also because all of this time and effort spent on rotating supplies really makes me appreciate the preps that I have that can be stored indefinitely, without ever really thinking about them again.  Please note that I’m not saying that these preps never need to be checked for damage, integrity, etc., I’m just saying that they last forever when stored and/or cared for properly.  This saves me a lot of headaches, and will probably be of great interest to like-minded preparedness readers. 

Furthermore, I’ll make the argument that one could even start preparing for the future with only Forever Preps, just because they are often the simplest and cheapest forms of preparedness available.  They are also a lot less intimidating to new preppers.  Think about this – is it easier to have a storage plan for gasoline, which has a very short shelf life, or salt, which is the quintessential Forever Prep?  Nothing is a substitute for a comprehensive plan, but this might get some people out of their desk chairs and into prep mode.

Here’s a list of my 15 favorite Forever Preps, and I’d love to hear from the readers of SurvivalBlog about their favorites as well.  Where appropriate, I’ve tried to include as much third party validation of the shelf life, and of the uses, of these Forever Preps.  Finally, of course, the assumption is made that all of these Forever Preps will be stored in the ubiquitous “cool, dry place”. 

Forever Prep #1: Salt
It’s ultra-cheap, doesn’t take up much space, and you can’t live without it.  In fact, entire wars have been fought over this now common mineral.  While most of us have enough salty foods, table salt, canned goods (tons of salt in there!) and other ways to get salt in a short-term emergency, unless you leave near a salt mine or ocean there’s no way to easily produce it by yourself if the Schumer hits the fan.  
I buy salt in solid block form (like a deer lick) and table salt in boxes (Kosher salt) or in other containers, such as the one pound canisters.  I transferred much of the table salt I’ve accumulated into glass mason jars so that moisture can’t get in and turn the granular salt into a solid block.   Some plain white rice stored in the jars will prevent this as well (and consequently will be preserved forever, although at questionable nutritive value).

By using 6 teaspoons of sugar, ½ teaspoon of salt, and 1 liter of water you can make your own emergency rehydration drink in the event you pick up a diarrhea-inducing disease or parasite.  This small step can save your life, even in a short-term disaster.  Dying of a lack of salt is not a pleasant way to go, and is sadly a grisly part of why all of those people are dying of cholera in Haiti.  Salt can also be used to sanitize instruments for surgery and a host of other applications.

For a fascinating list of about 70 other uses for common table salt, check out the Saltworks web site.  Everything from brightening your colors to removing tattoos is covered!

Forever Prep #2: Honey & Sugar
I put these two Forever Preps together because they are similarly awesome.  Everyone knows that 2500+ year old honey has been found in the Egyptian pyramids and it still flows and tastes great today.  While honey contains certain micronutrients and other retreats that sugar does not, they both are sweet, calorically-rich, and are certainly some of my favorite Forever Preps.  It’s very important to have sturdy containers for these for long term storage, such as metal 50 cal ammo boxes or the like, so that rodents don’t get into them.

What most people don’t know is that aside from being delicious, honey and sugar both have antibacterial properties can be safely used to treat wounds in emergency and everyday situations.  Emerging research is confirming what people around the world have known for a long time – sugar and honey are effective antimicrobials and can take on even the toughest antibiotic-resistant bugs.   I personally know of a doctor that worked in Haiti after the earthquake that instructed the Haitians to create a paste out of sugar, a resource plentiful in the otherwise impoverished country, to treat wounds as opposed to waiting for traditional antibiotics.  This was especially important in Haiti, where uninformed Haitians would often split a single prescription’s worth of antibiotics among family members, doing more harm than good. 

And in case you wanted more reasons to stock up on these Forever Preps, here’s a list of alternative uses for sugar, which covers everything from trapping cockroaches to removing paint residue. 

Forever Prep #3: “Dry” Bleach
This has often been covered by various sources on SurvivalBlog, but so-called “dry” bleach (pure Calcium Hypochlorite) lasts forever.  If you go a little crazy and buy two 25 lb boxes of it from a big box store, you can make a solution that can purify about 4 million gallons of water!  And, by the way, this Forever Prep is also very cheap (about $45-$50 for 25 pounds) and takes almost no storage space. 

You must store dry bleach extremely securely if you have even a remote risk of an unauthorized person gaining access to it.  A child or pet could be fatally poisoned by only a small amount of calcium hypochlorite.  You could also get sick if you don’t use it appropriately to purify water with the correct chemistry.  I store my containers in their original packaging in a metal locker, with high visibility instructions and warnings all over the inside of the locker and secured to the buckets themselves in waterproof plastic sleeves. JWR has posted the correct mixing ratios for use. (See the SurvivalBlog archives.)

And although the list is much shorter, here’s a list of 12 things you can do with bleach from Reader’s Digest.  It’s interesting to me that so far Salt, Sugar, and Bleach can all be used to prolong the life of cut flowers.  Not exactly a TEOTWAWKI priority, but hey, if the world doesn’t end at can at least be beautiful at your retreat location!

Forever Prep #4: Most Hand Tools
Unless you live in a very humid or salty environment, basic hand tools will last practically forever.  My favorite hand tools are made with all steel (e.g., Estwing) or steel and fiberglass construction.  Although often beautiful, I don’t care much for wooden handled tools simply because they are more prone to breakage.  I’m sure at least one reader will make the argument that a tool’s handle can be easily replaced if it’s broken, but remember that I don’t want any additional things to worry about, so the less prone to breakage the better.

Basic hand tools, such as a hammer, file, saw, screwdrivers, allen wrenches, crescent wrenches, pliers, and the like, can take a real beating and be useful in a myriad of ways before, during, and after a disaster.  They can help construct defensive or offensive structures, act as force multipliers in an attack, and even used in medical situations.  I know a missionary orthopedic surgeon in Africa that frequently puts a few of his all-steel woodworking tools through an autoclave sanitizer prior to operating, because in the end, a hammer is a hammer, whether you’re hammering bone or wood, and a good Estwing costs a lot less than a comparable “surgical” hammer. 

There’s really no reason not to have these crucial Forever Preps, because in addition to a practically indefinite shelf life, they are also useful in your everyday life for fixing things around the house.  I keep a big set at home, a set in the car, and a set at my retreat location.  The tools that are stored at my retreat are put away into watertight plastic storage containers and wiped down with a coating of oil before storage.  With this Forever Prep I have triple redundancy, and indefinite shelf-life. 

Forever Prep #5: Non-Perishable Skills
Yes, yes, I know.  Many skills, such as marksmanship, are perishable.  But some aren’t.  There’s a reason for the idiom, “it’s like riding a bike” – some skills really are persistent.  I’m pretty sure that now that I’ve been camping regularly for 20 years of my life, that I’ll retain some of those skills even if I don’t camp again.  I know how to sharpen a knife.  I know how to read.  I know how to cook.  I know how to dress in cold weather.  The list goes on and on.  So whenever I’m looking to acquire a new skill, either for prepping or leisure (usually both!), I try to opt for the non-perishable skills.

Learning how to garden, or learning how to care for the preps you already have (e.g., chainsaw sharpening) are likely skills that will stick with most of us for a very long time.  Even taking a basic Spanish course at a community college will leave you with some permanent knowledge.  And if you don’t know how to ride a bike, please do so, because a bike is still the most efficient form of transportation that humans have come up with yet. 

Forever Prep #6: Books
A natural follower of skills, books are another great resource that lasts forever when stored properly.  Certain books, such as first aid manuals or detailed atlases of an area, do need to be rotated every so often, but other books contain “non-perishable” knowledge.  I look at my books on country living, backwoods survival, chemistry, physics, and food preparation, and marvel about the generations of knowledge that are consolidated for me in a few square feet of space on my bookshelf. 

There is also a strong entertainment value in books, and something can be stored for all ages that will provide invaluable relief from the stress and boredom that can occur as part of a grid-down situation. 

My favorite book of all is the Good Book, which I keep extra copies of in waterproof containers for distribution in the event of an emergency.  That’s the Bread of Life I’m talking about people, and it’s ultimately far more important “charity” for your neighbors than food or water (although those are still important).  My best case scenario is being able to offer physical help in the form of food and the like, and at the same time be able to offer spiritual help in the form of a Bible.  In the words of someone wiser than me, “people have to know that you care before they can care what you know”.

Forever Prep #7: Ammo
With ammo prices going through the roof over the past decade, ammo is looking to be an excellent long-term investment for a variety of reasons.  First, my favorite, while it should be inspected periodically if it’s stored properly it can last forever.  Second, we all know that bullets will be in short supply and certainly not easily procurable in the event of a large scale disaster.  They are valuable for security, hunting, and possibly barter. 
Finally, with the continued War on Terror, whatever your political persuasions may be, the US is going to continue to need lots and lots of bullets.  Several sources (including this one from 2005) state that the US military uses over 250,000 rounds per bad guy killed in Afghanistan.  Again as of 2005, the US was using 1.8 billion rounds a year and forced to procure some ammo from our Israeli allies because domestic production can’t keep up. 
As unrest such as that presently raging in Egypt continue (which I believe will be the case), ammo will only become more and more expensive.   Buying it in quantity and buying it now is a safe bet for this vital Forever Prep.

Forever Prep #8: Gold and Silver
There are a lot of very smart people out there that can make the economic case for investing in physical gold and silver as part of your preparedness plan and general retirement portfolio.  I’m not going to do that.  I’ll just state that, unlike paper money or any other form of currency, Gold is valuable because it doesn’t tarnish, it doesn’t decompose, and it, well, lasts forever.  Silver may develop a patina over time but is otherwise also indestructible.  I don’t necessarily agree that physical Gold and Silver are the best way to go with your entire retirement budget, because, just like I like to have an edge on inflation, I also like to have a hedge on the economy doing well for the next 30 years.  But whatever your opinion on it, Gold and Silver are excellent Forever Preps because you can buy and store them little effort and their value ultimately won’t ever go away.

Forever Prep #9: Water Filters
I store water in plastic jugs with a preservative in them, but they still have to be rotated.  The great thing about purchasing a high quality water filter is that its ceramic filters are chemically inert, and unless physically damaged should last indefinitely until used.  I only have a backpacking water filter right now, but that combined with my stored water, dry bleach, and knowledge of local water sources makes me feel pretty good.  You know what else feels good?  Knowing that if I don’t touch that water filter for another 40 years it will still be in great, usable shape. 
As a caveat, please note that water filters with moving parts (e.g., most backpacking filters with a pumping action) may need to be inspected and/or lubed at some point.  My filter is gravity fed, just like the Big Berkey systems, so no moving parts = excellent Forever Prep. 

Forever Prep #10: Propane
I’m going to be totally honest here.  Most of my camping appliances are white gas (a.k.a. “Coleman Fuel”) which stores,  unopened, for about 10 years.  I’ll likely hang on to it because of its superior performance in cold weather, but I’m also looking to expand my arsenal with a host of propane devices. 
Why?  Unlike white gas, propane lasts virtually forever, and there are many indications that the price of propane is set to skyrocket with the coming economic recovery (as will all petroleum-based fuels).  Another reason the price will go up soon is because of decreasing overall demand.  Normally when demand decreases so do the prices, but I don’t think this will be the case for propane.  Propane requires some infrastructure for delivery and storage, so if demand drops sharply it may become harder and harder to procure.  It’s also an environmentally-friendly fuel, and a large number of devices can be powered by propane, including generators, heaters, golf carts, and even leaf blowers!  How great will it be to get a large propane tank (or two!) and have them stored away as a Forever Prep. 

Forever Prep #11: Baking Soda
Here’s another overlooked common household item that is useful for a ton of different things, is very cheap, and stores forever.  Baking soda’s most obvious uses to a prepper are, in my opinion:

  • Making baking powder (baking powder has a limited shelf life once mixed)
  • Fire extinguisher for grease fires or any fire, really
  • Cleaning
  • Toothpaste (works great and stores forever, unlike toothpaste!)
  • Degreasing
  • Deodorizing (nice for obvious reasons but could also have tactical value; smelly people make poor ambushers)
  • Scouring
  • Cleaning waste water pipes (flush 4 tablespoons down with hot water to clean pipes)
  • Relieving stinging and swelling from insect bites and/or Poison Ivy
  • Management of heartburn and acid reflux (1/2 teaspoon or more in ½ a glass of water)
  • When added to water baking soda will make beans softer and more digestible
  • Add to boiling water when scalding (de-feathering) a chicken to make the process easier
  • Trade or barter

Again, many extremely valuable uses from the humble baking soda.  The trick with it is to store it in an airtight container that is NOT vapor-permeable.  Glass Mason jars with the lids dipped in wax work well for this.  All plastics are at least somewhat permeable and can result in your baking soda taking on the flavor of the container or worse, other smells around the container.  I store mine in glass mason jars with the lids dipped in wax, and then I place 12-16 jars at a time into old 20mm shell cases I buy from a local GI Store.  The inside of the case I line with foam to prevent breakage. 

Forever Prep #12: Vinegar
Wow, if you thought the other Forever Preps were versatile, vinegar should also be on your list!  Vinegar for long term storage does best in glass containers, although plastic can be used as long as the container retains is original factory seal.  It can be used for cooking, preserving food, relieving sunburn, doing laundry, cleaning and more!  To list them all here would take too long, so here is a link to a list of 131 ways to use Vinegar.  Vinegar is also cheap, readily available, and fairly easy to store.

Forever Prep #13: Paraffin Candles
Most people will say that candles have an indefinite shelf life.  Well, I can tell you that assertion is patently false.  Candles have an indefinite shelf life if stored in a cool, dry place, but if they aren’t you are taking a huge gamble with your preps.  Allow me to share two examples from my own life. 
I used to have a 36 hour, wax-based “survival” candle in the back of my car with an emergency kit.  After two or three years had gone by, I went to use the candle on a camping trip and discovered that not only had the candle melted, but its contents had actually mostly evaporated and all that was left was a waxy mess and a few stumps of a wick!  Additionally, my wife and I stored candles (emergency and decorative) in a storage facility that wasn’t climate controlled.  After a few months we moved and went to retrieve them and, guess what?  The candles had all melted on to one another and ruined the box they were in.  Not exactly Forever Prep material!

After some research, I discovered the miracle of Liquid Paraffin.  It’s wax in its liquid state, so it’s already melted and placed into airtight containers so there’s no risk of it evaporating away.  You can buy it in bulk from many places online.  However, the cheapest avenue I have found is to buy bulk boxes of liquid paraffin candles from restaurant supply stores.  It’s the same candle featured in “survival” stores, but much cheaper to buy by the case.  In fact, a case of 36, 50-hour candles (a combined 1,800 hours of burn time!) can often be had for about $70-$90. 

Just do a web search for “restaurant liquid paraffin candles” and you’ll end up with a host of wholesale suppliers.  My favorite kinds have the built-in extinguisher that will snuff out the flame if the candle tips over.  Bonus tip: place a lit candle in a one quart mason jar with sand at the bottom to have a virtually windproof source of light.  If you want to get really fancy, you can include a lid with holes punched in it and use a piece of piano wire or clothes hanger as a handle.

Forever Prep #14: Paper Products (toilet paper, Ladies’ Stuff, etc.)
Easy to store (keep it dry!), cheap to buy, and completely innocuous to nosy neighbors that might find it in your basement, paper products are excellent Forever Prep material.  These are everyday items that will be impossible to find once your local store runs out of them, and there aren’t too many ready “natural” replacements for quilted toilet paper or disposable lady products.  They are also useful for a number of reasons.  For instance, Maxi-pads are usually sterile (or close enough) and can be used effectively as emergency first-aid bandages to stop heavy bleeding.  Tampons actually work really well, too, especially if you bundle several of them together.  Paper towels can be used for cleaning up messes, first aid, filtering sediment from water, fire starting, personal hygiene, makeshift coffee filters, home-made baby wipes, a skinning aid (grab slippery chicken skin with a paper towel and it’s much easier to hold on to!), a desiccant for storing herbs (wrap herbs in dry paper towels and place in the sun), etc., etc., etc.  You’ll be amazed at what you use them for in an emergency.  Paper products also make great insulators in a pinch – that’s why homeless folks are often seen with newspapers stuffed into their clothes, in order to trap more hot air around their bodies.
Here’s a list of what I store and why:

  • Toilet Paper.  Buy it on sale at a big box store.  Ever used leaves or bark?  Not fun.
  • Paper towels.  See above for more uses than you can shake a stick at.
  • Feminine hygiene products.  You have to be careful when storing the pads that have the moisture-absorbing gel in them, because moisture can seep in from the air over time, rendering them useless.  Just use the bucket method of storage, just like you would for wheat or other food stuffs.  A 5 gallon bucket with a gamma seal lid, and a thick Mylar bag inside with an oxygen absorber will make those types of pads last virtually forever.
  • Disposable baby diapers.  A big case for charity or use by my neighbors.  These also have the desiccant gel in them, so must be stored appropriately.  Remember that babies use the bathroom upwards of 10 times a day, and if you’re having an emergency that means that is a TON of washing that you won’t want to have to do.  If your prepping plans must include the care of an aging relative, buying the adult diapers en masse may also be a good idea, just in case.
  • Picnic Supplies.  Not totally paper, I know, but a good supply of paper plates, paper bowls, paper cups, and plastic utensils are essential for a short- to medium-term emergency, especially one that requires the quarantine of an infected individual.  Sure you’ll have your Forever Prep “dry” bleach to sanitize things, but wouldn’t it just be much easier to use disposables that can be incinerated or put into thick trash bags instead?  This means less contact with potential pathogens, less precious water required for cleaning and rinsing, and less time spent on cleaning, so you can attend to more important needs.

Forever Prep #15: Jesus
Talk about non-perishable!  Everlasting life?  By definition the most important Forever Prep you can get.  It’s free, lasts forever, requires no storage space, is communal, and is guaranteed to make surviving any disaster with your sanity intact a much rosier prospect.  Jesus never said that he came to make our lives easier, more comfortable, or cheaper.  He came to give us Life, and Life to the full!  What difference does it make if you survive the end of the world as we know it on earth, but haven’t prepped to meet your maker at the real and certain TEOTWAWKI – the end of your earthly existence?  Enough said.

So there you have it, my list of 15 Forever Preps.  Things you can get today that will last until you need them, no questions asked.  I hope this helps someone out there, and can spur some more ideas.   Let me know if you have some Forever Preps yourself – I’ll gladly add them to my list of lists, with a big “N” in the “Rotate” column!

Letter Re: Storing Spare Vehicle CPUs for EMP Preparedness

JWR,  
Thanks for the great blog and everything you do for us.   I was at my local Ford dealer getting some work done and ask the service manager about computer modules for my 2006 F250 diesel. He told there are three different modules; engine, fuel and transmission. I ask how much they cost and he told me “a lot” but they are fairly simple to install, basically unplug the old and plug in the new one. What he told me next I hadn’t thought about and had not read; the computer modules must be programmed to work. Also if you get one from a junkyard and plug it in it will still need to be programmed. So if anyone is thinking about getting backups for EMP events you still need to store a computer that can program the modules for newer vehicles.   Do you know if this is correct? Is there any way to remedy this problem short of buying older vehicles? I guess this is exactly why you tell us to get older vehicles! – Jim S. in Ohio

JWR Replies: In most cases the CPUs that you store can be pre-programmed to match your particular vehicle before you put them in storage. This will be a bit expensive and time consuming (requiring swaps and tests), but it sure beats storing a computer to program them, post facto!

Letter Re: You are Only as Good as Your Equipment

JWR:
I had to smile when I saw your comment about Fiskars products yesterday.  A recent experience pushed my Fiskars lopping shears (“loppers”) up to the top of my favorite tool list.

During a lull in this ridiculous winter, my kids and I cleared a small area of my land to make room for some fruit trees we’re planting this coming season.  The vast majority of the stuff we cleared was between 1″ to 2″ in diameter. It was not really big enough for firewood, but big enough that it seemed a shame to us to just waste it.  So in the space of a few hours we took my two Fiskars loppers and “lopped up” this small stuff into close to a face cord worth of small firewood or large kindling, depending on how you want to view it.

I kept thinking about OPSEC as we did this. Except for our own voices, we barely made a sound as we worked. The loppers were quieter than any saw, and in addition my seven-year old daughter could easily help using the lopper (and believe me she was thrilled to be helping) while a bow saw would have been impossible for her.

After that day I got online and ordered a bunch of replacement blades for my loppers for potential post-TEOTWAWKI use.

Thanks for your work, – F.S.

Economics and Investing:

$4 Gasoline? Definitely in California, but Maybe Not for Everyone Else

US House Prices to Continue Falling: Economist. [JWR Adds: That is, until mass inflation kicks in, and makes us all millionaires.]

Englishmen warned: House prices ‘to fall by 20%’

De Borchgrave: Mideast $400 Oil Imminent With Mideast Upheaval

John R. suggested this piece by Bob Chapman: Public debt: unsustainable and simply unpayable

Items from The Economatrix:

On-going Overnight Short Squeeze Takes Silver to Fresh 31-Year High  

Credibility Blown (The Mogambo Guru)  

Silver Bankers May Be Sitting On Big Derivatives Losses And The Fed May Be Funding Them