Letter Re: Listening in to the Joplin Tornado — and Other Disasters

Jim —
Thanks for all that you do and the many able contributors to your site.  This evening, Sunday, 05/22/2011, I am listening to the “live audio feed” of the Jasper County and Joplin, Missouri, law enforcement scanner traffic.  As I am listening, the various agencies are dealing with the aftermath of a deadly tornado that hit Joplin.  As a former police officer I have been through this sort of event. However, listening to their radio traffic is eye-opening, even for me.  I am getting a new perspective on many of the nuances of dealing with a catastrophe of this sort.  They are dealing with gas leaks, trapped individuals, medical emergencies, numerous deceased victims and numbers of newly homeless folks. 

By the way, I am very impressed with the officers and emergency responders that I am listening to.  My hat is off to them.  Your readers may be too late to listen to these events in Missouri that are unfolding but many of them might like to listen in on the next disaster.  Believe me, just listening will help them consolidate survival plans of their own.  Once people from around the country hear of some local disaster, they can go to RadioReference.com and see if they can locate a nearby emergency services agency whose radio traffic is available as a “live audio feed” and listen in. – S. in Kansas

Two Letters Re: Bugging Out Via Boat

Dear Jim,
I disagree with [SurvivalBlog Editor at Large] Mike Williamson’s opinion on boats as a bugging out survival alternative. With proper planning, thought and equipment selection; as well as the appropriate “ships stores”, and with all the knowledge necessary to any other solution to the problem, the right boat will allow you to avoid many of the perceived problems associated with a complete breakdown of society. It’s no easier or harder than any other subject, just different and less common. Just look at the volumes of material on your site, the problem is never solved and there is never a perfect solution; just new knowledge and different views. That having been said, I will agree with him in one area; the historical definition of a boat is: “A large hole in the water that you will continually try to fill with money”; particularly true if it’s a “state of the art” recreational boat. The same may be said of a “cabin in the woods”.

Let’s look first at the benefits of a boat; not a ski-boat, pontoon boat, river boat, houseboat or little boat of any kind. Not a plastic “yacht” or it’s dingy; not a sail boat smaller than 60′ and not a small fishing boat or motor-sailor, but a “retired” commercial fishing trawler from 45 to 60 feet in length. You can buy one of these for conversion to private use for as little as $30,000 or as much as you can afford to spend. Most of these boats were constructed in the 1950s, 1960s or 1970s. These are real survival boats; not glitzy plastic floating condos, but rugged ocean going work boats. They are like a basic semi-truck versus a custom mini-van. Some are wood, some are steel and some are fiberglass; although the wood and steel versions are more common, and for this purpose wood is the most desirable. Why? Among many other reasons, wood floats and the other materials sink. You can hammer a nail or put a screw into wood with a screw driver and they will hold. It’s not the case with either steel or fiberglass. Wooden boats are much easier to heat, and ride better in rough water. If you are not worried about cosmetics, you don’t have to varnish them, paint them, or buff them (but you probably will). If a bullet or something else pierces the hull below the waterline, you can pound a tapered wood plug into the hole with a hammer to stop or slow the leak. All large boats leak, get used to it. That stray or directed bullet could damage something inside the boat, but it could do the same thing to your four wheeled BOV.

If you can keep fresh water (rain) out of the bilge, wooden boats won’t rot below the water line. Salt water actually preserves the wooden hull. Any boat run aground, or into something below the surface can be damaged. Wooden boats are easier to fix, should that happen, than either fiberglass or steel. A little research into this will show you the pros and cons of each material, but my preference is wood, for this purpose. Most of these wooden fishing trawlers have hulls that are two structural layers of wood that are each 1″ or more thick.

Most fishing trawlers of these lengths range in width (beam) from 13′ to 18′, have a pilot house above decks containing a small galley (usually with a diesel fired stove), head and sleeping quarters, a small engine room, very large fuel tanks (usually 2,000 or 3,000 gallons or more) and huge unused open spaces (fish holds) beneath decks. They generally don’t have mouse driven computerized auto-pilots and electronic charting systems, although you can add them. The fish holds can be remodeled into sleeping quarters, heads, refrigerated storage, etc., etc., etc.                 

They ride deep in the water, and have a draft (the depth of the hull beneath the water) of 6′ to 8′ . Most have only one diesel engine, and one or more diesel generators. They travel slowly (about 7 to 9 knots) about 10 or 11 miles per hour. Some burn as little as 2 or 3 gallons of fuel per hour, giving them tremendous range. They are all powered by very reliable commercial diesel engines, and many often exceed 30,000 hours of operation between engine overhauls. They have tremendous load carrying capacity, with much more voluminous hulls than pleasure boats. They are built for function, not glitz or speed. Because of their deep draft, they are much safer than pleasure boats in rough water. In case you’re wondering, there is no boat of this type that will outrun any pirate. The idea here is out of sight, out of mind. The ocean is a big place, without too many residents; shouldn’t be too difficult to find a little privacy, and the vast majority of other boats will be looking for the same thing, not trying to take over yours. Boaters are used to assisting other boaters. When selecting a survival group, boaters may be a better choice than many others.

Volumes can be written on equipment and stores for a boat, but with the exception of a water maker and some other items that are unique to boats, it’s not much different than equipping a retreat in the Rawles style. Employ the same thought processes to a boat. You can do it with the latest technology, or remember that it all worked before the latest and greatest “high tech invention”, and still will. Grow boxes can be put on deck, dehydrated and canned foods-extra fuels below decks. Weapons are weapons, very little different here, although a negligent discharge here could “sink” your dreams. A power boat will eventually need fuel, just like any other vehicle that moves under its own power, although 3,000 gallons of fuel will last a long time, and won’t go bad. If a sail is rigged onto a trawler, it can be called a motor-sailboat, and would be the best partial solution to this problem, but provide one more opportunity for mechanical failure and maintenance. (Another topic for another time.) Keep it simple, solve the problem. You’re trying to survive, not dress up for the upcoming Obama ball; but wait –maybe we actually are.

If you don’t like your neighbors, or the horde cometh, pull up anchor or untie from your moorings and leave. Once off shore, neither is as great a threat; but as with bugging out in any form, you must have a plan and know where you’re bugging out to; you can’t stay in the Bug Out Vehicle forever – no matter what it is. Some longer than others, a boat maybe the longest. Charts instead of maps, the terminology of equipment is different but solutions similar. When the initial upheaval passes, return with a plan, or stay in that little cove off the northwest inside passage a little longer. When you return you and yours will still be alive to worry about it and deal with it; whereas otherwise you may not. If your main interest is avoiding maintenance and investment in your survival, stay home in the basement and buy a couple of granola bars.

Remember, this type of “retreat” can be moved to avoid the crowd, whereas your little piece of heaven in northern Idaho, cannot. The down side is, this one can also be stolen or sunk. But that little cabin in the woods can be burned down, well poisoned, overrun and made uninhabitable. – Tom H.

 

James Wesley:
Just a quick note: Many of your readers may believe a boat is a good Bug Out Vehicle – and they may well be correct. The 1,000 Days web site chronicles the ‘adventure’ of living at sea for over 1,000 days.

This may be of interest to everyone planning long term food storage and related subjects. – D.E.K.

JWR Replies: My view of boats lies somewhere between yours and with Mike Williamson’s. Properly, boats should be seen as means of transportation, rather than as retreats. They are vehicles, not destinations. Unless you have a truly viable intended destination (or preferably several), then except for millionaires, a “well-stocked” boat is just a great way to eventually starve. This is analogous to the many letters that I get from readers who say that they plan to equip RVs as their “alternative to buying a retreat”. There simply isn’t enough room for a three+ year food supply on most boats, and there certainly isn’t enough deck space an to raise crops. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you can be self-sufficient on a boat. Your intended landfall(s)–preferably at an inland brackish water port–will be crucial. Without a good destination, with friends waiting there, the law of averages is sure to catch up with you.

Economics and Investing:

Matt R. sent this: Greece default fears rise as reprofiling talk flounders

Deputies confiscate 250 pounds of copper during exchange

Bank of America to give away houses. (Thanks to KAF for the link.)

Kirk Elliot puts the unemployment rate in proper perspective.

Items from The Economatrix:

Greece on Verge of Defaulting

What Destroyed Rome Was Its Unfunded Government Employee Pensions

US Stocks Plunge On European Debt Worries

What Happens When Greece Defaults

BoE Chief Warns Of More Tough Times

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their own appetites. … Society cannot exist unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere, and the less of it there is within, the more there must be without. It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things, that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters." – Edmund Burke

Note from JWR:

My interview on Saturday May 21st, 2011 with Barbara Simpson on KSFO is now available as a streaming audio here. Click on the 6-7 p.m. hour. It will only be available for the next five days.

Pat’s Product Reviews: Kershaw Zero Tolerance 0300 Knife

I like big knives, folders or fixed blade models. I’ve found over the years that, you can accomplish more tasks with a big knife, than you can with a smaller knife. Of course, that’s not to say that, small knives don’t have their place – they do! My personal preference is for bigger knives, and one reason I like bigger knives is that they are usually built stronger.   I was on-board when Kershaw Knives started their new ZT Division. The ZT stands for “Zero Tolerance”. And, I’ve toured the Kershaw plant several times, to know that, Kershaw has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to making outstanding blades. If the knife doesn’t stand up to the Kershaw quality control, it doesn’t leave the factory. Way back when, I did a shop tour of Kershaw’s operation – when they were much smaller than they are today. Kershaw had one gal, who’s sole job was to do a final inspection on each knife before it was boxed-up and shipped out. I found many knives sitting in a bin that didn’t pass muster. And, I couldn’t find any flaws in the knives I was looking at, until she pointed them out to me. Most were simply cosmetic flaws of some type.   Today, Kershaw has a small army of employees that check each and every knife before it leaves the factory. At any point along the production line, an employee can pull a knife and send it on it’s way to the reject bin.

Kershaw is in a new plant – a huge plant – and they turn out (well, okay I promised not to tell) a “lot” of knives each month. When Kershaw moved into their new plant, they were already making plans for expanding the operation – I have to get up there for another tour of the place one of these days.   The ZT Division of Kershaw was started for the sole reason of producing military-grade cutlery for our troops, as well as law enforcement personnel, who demand and expect a little bit “more” than the usual. To this end, ZT is producing some extremely tough fixed blade and folding knives – some would call ’em U.S. Marine tough – and I don’t have a problem with that. If you want something broken, then give it to a U.S. Marine, and if there’s a way to break it – they’ll figure it out.   I’ve tested quite a few ZT knives since Kershaw started this division, and I’ve been impress with the toughness of these knives. One particular folder really caught my attention. It’s the Model 0300 – that’s it – no name, just a model number. The 0300 was designed in collaboration with ZT and Strider Knives, and it’s a true combat folder, to be sure. What I like about the 0300 is that, it has the SpeedSafe assisted opening for quick, one-handed deployment. Just push on the ambidextrous thumb stud or pull back on the blade protrusion and the knife is ready for action.   [JWR Adds: Be sure to consult your state an local laws on “automatic” and “assisted opening” knives before ordering.]

The 0300 has a blade made out of one of the super steels – S30V, with a Tungsten DLC coating for a black, non-reflective finish to cut down on glare. S30V is really a remarkable stainless steel – it holds and edge a very, very long time. It is a little hard to re-sharpen when it gets dull, but I don’t have a problem with a steel that holds an edge a long, long time. Blade length on the 0300 is 3.75″ – and I find that’s just about perfect for my needs. The blade is very wide, too – so it can do some serious damage if used for self-defense purposes.   Handle scales are good ol’ G-10 that is 3D machined with Titanium liners – you aren’t gonna break the handle scales on this hummer. I like the thick handle scales, too – they allow a solid grip on the 0300. Overall length of the 0300 is 5.625″ – but it looks bigger than that. Matter of fact, the entire knife looks bigger than it actually is.   The weight of the 0300 is 8-ounces. Yes, that is heavy for a folder, but it was designed to be super-tough, and it will hold up to all kinds of abuse and use. There is also a pocket/clothing clip, that can be switched from one of 4 different positions for right or left pocket carry, or tip up or tip down carry. A 3/8″ hex head pivot shaft nut makes field adjustments on blade tension possible with a minimal of tools in the field, should the blade tension work loose – not likely, but anything can happen under the harsh conditions of combat or survival.

 When the blade is fully locked when open, it can only be released by pressing the frame-lock (style) liner to the side, which is located in the handle scales. The frame-lock liner lock is actually part of the frame’s liner. This is a very secure method of locking a blade open on a folder. On the 0300 – this is a massive locking-liner – stout – just like the entire knife is.   The 0300 is ready-to-go out of the box. If you need a super-stout folder for military, law enforcement or survival use, then this knife will sure fill all those needs, and then some. I did find that the knife is slightly better suited as a slasher as opposed to a stabber – however, it can perform both functions with aplomb. This folder is also made in the good ol’ USA – and that’s important to a lot of folks.  

Now for the bad news – at least as far as I’m concerned. I some how managed to lose my 0300 some time ago, and haven’t had it replaced. the 0300 doesn’t come cheap – it retails for $325 – and as I always mention, quality doesn’t come cheap – you buy buy a lesser knife, with a lesser blade steel, and you’ll have a lesser knife.[JWR Adds: The lowest I’ve seen them advertised is $236, via mailorder.] If you want something that will hold up to anything you can throw at it – then take a close look at the ZT 0300. One of these days, I’m going to replace my lost 0300 – if you want a knife that will never let you down, then take a close look at the 0300.   In future articles, I’ll review some of the other fixed and folding blades that Kershaw ZT offers – and they currently have quite a crop of cutlery that they are turning out in this tactical division. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Letter From Mike Williamson Re: Bugging Out Via Boat

Dear Jim,
My in laws had a 46-foot Dolphin Catamaran for a while.  This is in current dollars a near $1 million state of the art boat, with sails, diesel engines, GPS, auto-pilot, radios, staterooms, the works.

I’ve got moderate experience in several types of boats, from pocket fishing types to speed boats and small sport sailboats.

They were constantly having to replace “canvas” (usually nylon, fiberglass or Kevlar on boats these days), lines, electronics and do engine work.  Nearly every letter from aboard was about the latest round of maintenance, the need for safety lines while at sea (including a man overboard incident), rough weather, mechanical failures at sea, keeping watch during such problems.

Pontoon boats are a form of catamaran, and almost proof against swamping, unless shot full of holes, though that is fairly easy to do.  As I’ve noted previously, there’s no cover nor concealment on open water.

Small boats carry almost nothing.

Large boats carry a lot less than many people think.

Unless one has a classic 18th Century wooden pinnace, with crew, including carpenters, maintenance is expensive, time consuming, and takes tools or a port.  On second thought, it does even then.

Life on a boat is not some happy-go-carefree existence of drifting along watching the lesser castes starve.  It requires, if anything, more work than a landed lifestyle.  If it was so cheap and easy, more people would do it.

If one has a definite bug out destination in mind, a boat would certainly be one means to consider.  It is not, however, the solution to any other problem.  It is a hole in the water that one must pour money into to maintain, even when not in use. That money can better be spent on beans, bullets and band aids, a chunk of land, tools, etc.

Like the “get a light plane and pilot’s license” threads in SurvivalBlog in the past few years, there’s much more involved than a casual glance suggests, and I believe even experienced boat owners are underestimating what’s involved. 

I’d like to see comment on this subject from experienced Naval boat and ship handlers.  I suspect they’ll be a lot less sanguine than many readers. – Michael Z. Williamson, SurvivalBlog Editor at Large

Letter Re: Diabetic Preparedness – Storing Insulin in a Grid Down World

Sir:

All this debate on the best DIY refrigeration method [for insulin] omitted a key question: What is the real shelf life for insulin, if you keep it properly refrigerated? Thanks, – J.E.C.

JWR Replies: Definitive data is available in this diabetes journal article: How Long Should Insulin Be Used Once a Vial Is Started?. The article notes the following from a pharmaceutical manufacturer for refrigerated, unopened bottles:

“Lantus was found to meet stability criteria for at least 24 months when stored between 36 and 46°F (2 and 8°C) (Aventis, data on file). Accelerated stability testing at 77°F (25°C) revealed a slight loss in activity by 9 months. Testing at 95–102°F (35–39°C) for 1 month revealed an increase in impurities without loss of activity. Lantus should be stored in a refrigerator to maintain the labeled expiration date. In the absence of refrigeration, unopened vials of Lantus should be discarded after 28 days.”

Letter Re: Minerals, Nutrients and Essential Oils for Survival

Jim:
Regarding this statement in a recent article [by M.G.M.] :

“To test your body’s need for iodine, you place a drop on your wrist or foot, if it absorbs within four hours, your body is in need of iodine. (You will want to slowly build up [with an incrementally larger area of skin covered], over months so as not to disrupt your thyroid), if the mark stays close to eight hours, then you are sufficient in iodine. Your body will soak it up if you need it.”

This is an old wives’ tale. The visibility of iodine on the skin is influenced by a great many things, but least of all by the amount of iodine already in the body.

This paper contains the following text:

“From the published data, the skin iodine patch test is not a reliable method to assess whole body sufficiency for iodine. Many factors play a role in the disappearance of the yellow color of iodine from the surface of the skin. For example, if iodine is reduced to iodide by the skin, the yellow color of iodine will disappear because iodide is white. In order to regenerate iodine on the skin, one needs to apply an oxidant such as hydrogen peroxide, complicating the test further. The evaporation of iodine from the skin increases with increased ambient temperatures and decreased atmospheric pressure due to weather conditions and altitude. For example, the yellow color of iodine will disappear much faster in Denver, Colorado at 5,000 feet above sea level then Los Angeles, California at sea level, irrespective of the amount of bioavailable iodine.”

The data in the paper also suggests that this test can’t work as described, because the body will absorb far more iodine than it needs.

That paper references this paper which states:

“The percentage of iodine penetration through the skin is the same, irrespective of whether the cells have a high or low vitality, or are dead, and irrespective of the direction of penetration. Activity of the cells, therefore, does not seem to be indispensable for the penetration of iodine.”

That seems pretty conclusive. – P.N.G.

Economics and Investing:

Boosters suggested a 2009 documentary that is now available free on YouTube: Why Gold & Silver?. This is a great video that features commentary from experts like Mike Maloney, Robert Kiyosaki, Congressman Ron Paul, David Morgan, Jason Hommel, James Turk, Bill Murphy, and even the irascible Mogambo Guru (Richard Daughty). BTW, this is a great video link to send to your relatives who scoff at hedging into precious metals and other tangibles.

David D. liked this piece by Paul Krugman: Making Things in America

Our friend Kevin S, sent this from Lew Rockwell’s site: Libertarianism versus Statism

Also from Kevin comes the latest from the French LEAP think tank: Global systemic crisis – Confirmation of a Major Alert for the second half of 2011 – Explosive fusion of world geopolitical dislocation and the global economic and financial crisis

Items from The Economatrix:

Regulators Shut Two Banks in Georgia; 42 Shuttered This Year

Prices at Gas Pump Painful for 1 in 4 Americans

Unemployment Falls in Three-Quarters of US States

Odds ‘n Sods:

My sincere thanks to the several SurvivalBlog readers who have made 10 Cent Challenge voluntary subscription payments.

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Larry C. was the first of several readers to recommend this one-hour documentary: College Conspiracy.

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I recently received a review copy of the Tactical Point Shooting video. This is a classic from 1992 (back in the VHS tape days) that has just been been re-mastered onto DVD. This fascinating video features SurvivalBlog’s own Pat Cascio, the late John McSweeney, and Sheriff Jim Wilson. The DVD also has some commentary from the late (and legendary) Colonel Rex Applegate. By the way, Pat Cascio studied under Rex Applegate for several years. At a special introductory price, Pat is offering new DVD for sale directly. Send a check or money order fro $12.95 to: Pat Cascio, P.O. Box 342, Sweet Home, OR 97386. The 12.95 price includes shipping to the United States and APO/FPO addresses.

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From idle pleasantries to at-your-throat rage in just 24 Hours: Cruise Ship Crew Reportedly Faced Hostile Passengers After Engines, Electricity Fail. Reader Matt M. notes: “This was a perfect example of a Micro TEOTWAWKI Experiment.”

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More from the City of Brotherly Love: After Altercation, Philadelphia Police Say They Won’t Look the Other Way on Open-Carry Gun Owners. “Inconvenienced”? They drew down on and threatened to kill a citizen who was simply exercising his rights. That is hardly being “Inconvenienced”. Just one more reason to move to a gun-friendly state. (A tip of the hat to KAF for the link.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Economic and political prosperity are not the final measures of human progress. The Rome of Trajan was immeasurably more splendid than the Rome of the Scipios; yet the progress had been downwards nevertheless. If the object of our existence on this planet is the development of character, the culminating point in any nation’s history is that at which it produces its noblest and bravest men.” – James Anthony Froude, The English in the West Indies

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 34 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 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo , and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, C.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and D.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.) , and B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value.

Round 34 ends on May 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.

Raising Rabbits for Meat, by L.L. in Missouri

Would you like to provide a good meal for your family and know where the meat has come from and who has handled it and not have to rely on going to the grocery store to purchase it?  Well that was me a few years ago.  I was concerned about the safe handling practices of store bought meat as well, the cost of the store bought meat.  I really wanted to be able to take pride that I could grow and process my meat and not have to rely on the grocery store.  I already process deer so I thought this couldn’t be much different.  It really isn’t.  The killing is the only part that I truly hate, but that part is extremely quick.  If you live in a suburban neighborhood, then you can most likely still have “pet” rabbits.  We also make raised garden beds from the little pellets that are conveniently deposited into a waiting wheel barrel. We add worms found in the yard to the garden beds and have very nice rich soil the next season once the worms do their job. 

Before obtaining your rabbits, you will need some basic equipment: 1 cage per adult rabbit, 1 feed trough and water dish or bottle per rabbit and then you will also need 1 or more nesting boxes for your does.  If you have just one doe, then one nest box will be fine.  If you have two does, then depending on your breeding routine you might be able to get away with just one box or you could decide on keeping two nest boxes.  Nest boxes can be made or purchased.  When we first got our rabbits we picked up some cages, water bottles and nest boxes from where we got the rabbits at. 

You will need to start off with some good breeding stock of a meat breed.  In rabbits you can line breed (breed siblings) for a few generations before you start seeing genetic problems.  I personally have chosen to start with non related stock.  You can start breeding your doe or does as early as 4-1/2 months of age.  We have found rabbits are extremely easy keepers and have been very healthy for us.  We have purchased our stock from local animal auctions and off craigslist as well. 

We chose on the New Zealand breed of rabbit.  They have a good meat to bone ratio.  They are the typical Easter bunny rabbit, you know the white bunny with red eyes.  Some people like breeds that produce various colors and such.  But for me my bunnies all look the same so I don’t focus on getting attached to one particular rabbit.  My son who is now five thoroughly enjoys them as well.  He knows that what happens to them and where they end up, but he also knows that just two weeks after butchering time a new batch of bunnies will be born to play with.  He is there around us when we are butchering.  When he was younger we would just leave him inside to watch cartoons and we would tell him what we were doing, but after time went on he prefers to be outside watching us during the butchering.  We want our son to know where his food comes from and not to be afraid of it.  Someday his life could depend on it. 

We have one buck and one doe that we regularly breed.  Their names are Max and Ruby. (If you have little ones, you might recognize those names from a cartoon.)  We have Ruby in a larger cage than necessary, but that is just because I choose to keep the litter with the mother until the day of butchering.  During the summer I do not want them crowded and overheating.  We butcher our bunnies at 8 weeks of age.  Some people do it as early as 6 weeks and other wait until 11 or 12 weeks.  We have found that if we allow them to get older then the skin gets tougher to skin out and the meat is a little tougher.  Rabbit meat is a very lean meat.  There is generally some loose fat between the hide and the shoulders and again some between the hide and the belly.  You won’t find any inside the actual meat though.    Rabbit can be utilized in any chicken recipe.

Make sure that you keep your rabbits housed where they will have adequate shade and a roof over their heads to shelter from the sun, rain and other elements.  Rabbits are very easy keepers.  Our rabbits our housed outside with a roof over their heads and we use a privacy fence to block the wind from the west and there is a garage to their north to block the north wind.  During the summer there is a large shade tree that provides them with a cool shady spot and during the winter we will tack up plastic over the remaining sides of their cage.  The plastic can be left up or allowed to cover the cages in times of nasty storms in the winter.  You always take the doe to the bucks cage.  You can just stand around and watch to ensure that your buck has successfully completed his deed.  We usually allow him three times during this visit, then put your doe back in her cage.  Do NOT keep them in the same cage on a permanent basis.  If you do you will never know when to expect a litter.  Then if you want to ensure a larger litter put the doe back in with the buck twelve hours after the first breeding.  Rabbits ovulate based on sexual stimulation and they can ovulate once every twelve hours.  So this is the reason to re-breed your rabbit twelve hours later.  Now is the hard part, just waiting.  The gestation period is 29 to 33 days.  Each doe will have a very regular schedule as to how many days she will go before producing her kits.  My doe goes 30 days exactly.  About five days before you are expecting the kits to arrive place the nest box in her cage.  Depending on the temperatures, I may add hay, straw or pine shavings to her box as well.  If it is very cold, then I will fill the nest box up completely, the doe will make the nest in there and pull out any excess she doesn’t want.  We will check on our doe various times per day when she is due so we know exactly when she has her kits.  The doe we have is very trusting and does not mind if and when I mess with her nest and kits.  We have had other does in the past who have been aggressive in regards to us checking out their babies.  Those does went bye bye very soon as I do not enjoy being scratched or bitten.  Mostly though, New Zealand rabbits are extremely gentle. 

After your babies have arrived you will need to check out the nest box to make sure that there aren’t any dead babies in there or any uneaten afterbirth.  Remove all the nasties and then just check on and count the babies each time you feed and water your doe.  Rabbits cannot pick up their young the way a cat or dog can so if a baby gets out of the box there is no way for the mommy to put it back.  You will have to move them back to the box or they will die.  Also, if you go out one day and you find a dead cold looking kit on the cage, go ahead and put it back in the middle of the nest box with the other kits.  I have found babies like this and thought they were dead, but after placing them back in the nest box, they came back to life.  So do not count a "dead kit" as dead unless it is cold and dead.  Ideally there needs to be at least three kits in the litter for the babies to be stay warm enough together.  Once I did have a litter of only two babies during the fall, they did make it just fine.  When the babies are three weeks old you can remove the nest box and continue to watch them grow. 

When the babies are six weeks old is when I like to breed the doe.  Then two weeks later your babies are 8 weeks old and we butcher.  This routine will allow the mother to keep her young with her and also allow her to have a two week rest period before she kits again.  This routine also keeps you from having to keep a cage just for weaned babies.  I really like this schedule as it keeps me from having to move the babies to another cage.  I keep one buck and one doe at this time.  This schedule allows us to have up to one rabbit per week as I butcher a litter of rabbits every ten weeks.  Rabbits usually have 7-12 bunnies per litter.

When we butcher the rabbits, we prefer to can the meat now, as opposed to freezing it.  We do still freeze some, but the canned rabbit has such a wonderful flavor and it is also extremely tender. 

We have chosen the raw pack method with the meat still on the bones due to it being simpler and more time saving.  Cut up your rabbits so that you have good size pieces.  Add those to your quart jars.  Add one teaspoon of salt to each quart.  Do not add any liquid.  Allow a 1-1/4” headspace per jar, add your lids and bands and process for 75 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure in your pressure canner.  The flavor and texture is completely different from fresh or frozen to canned rabbit.  Yummy!

Having two does and one buck will provide your family with up to two rabbits per week all year long.