Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“It is a blessing upon every one that feareth the Lord, and walks in His ways, that he shall eat the labor of his hands. And he that without his own labor either of body or mind eats the labor of other men’s hands only, and lives by their sweat, is but like unto lice, and other such vermin.” – John Robinson, “Observations of Knowledge and Virtue”

Notes from JWR:

Back on May 1st, shortly after the big oil leak started in the Gulf, I was one of the first to broach the subject of nuking it. Well, lo and behold, the mainstream media has finally caught on. Recently, they’ve been earnestly interviewing Milo Nordyke, formerly with Lawrence Lab’s Plowshare program. I just heard that CNN will be airing an interview with Nordyke today.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 29 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will 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 between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Parabellum (Luger ) with 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP projectiles, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $249 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) 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 $400, and B.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing, and B.) a Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.)

Round 29 ends on July 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.

Colloquium (CQ) Groups–Part One, by H.B. in North Central Idaho

The Beginning

CQ has a unique definition to many people.  One military and another for the Amateur Radio (“ham”) community.  I’d like to add another definition for CQ.  CQ to us refers to our local community preparedness group that we started five months ago.  CQ is actually short for Colloquium- which basically means an open discussion about various topics.  I chose colloquium to shorten the even longer original name-”community preparedness meeting at the Big Cedar Schoolhouse”  Whew!  What a mouthful!  You can see why it was abbreviated.  I soon got tired of having to explain what a colloquium meant so CQ it became.  I prefer the original and classical word but will concede to our generational ignorance caused by 100 years of government schooling.

The following is a concise record of how we formed our group, how it is organized, what it has accomplished and how it will continue to grow and mature.  We are sharing this information in hope that you will be encouraged to take the same step and be empowered with information to be successful in your endeavors to organize your family, friends, neighborhood and community.  So let us begin.

The original idea for a preparedness group came from the most obvious place–“Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse”.  (Just a quick side note: any attendee of our CQ who hasn’t read it is soon ridiculed, harassed, admonished and put on the rack until they read it).  SurvivalBlog is a primary source for any research done by me if I am presenting a topic. 

I realized that I couldn’t have a group the same as the “Grays” in “Patriots” so I gave careful consideration to individual prepping.  Individual prepping leads quickly to recognition of the fact that you can’t do everything yourself and the futility of trying.  You need other people to complete the total package of fulfilling daily needs.  No one person has the time, money or expertise to be a all-in-one survival community.  Who would want to anyway?  I like the idea of needing neighbors and sharing skills, assets and blessings.  For instance, my wife is an excellent cook but I really enjoy potluck dinners.  It gives you variety and flavor that you would otherwise never experience, especially desserts!  More on that later.

The CQ acorn was planted one sunny day when I was talking with two other 4H dads.  The kids were busy with their 4H project so us Dad’s started conversing about the bad state of affairs and the coming economic troubles.  I then broached the subject and asked, “..wouldn’t it be great if we all got together to discuss preparedness and get organized as a community?”  The response was overwhelmingly positive.  One of the men belonged to the LDS church and he gave me a thorough review of their church preparedness model and how they have a program dating back 60+ years.  I was impressed.  They have a great program and lots of resources for preparedness minded individuals.  Just one problem.  I’m not a member of the LDS church nor do I see myself joining their church.

I realized that I wanted to know more about their program but I didn’t want to open the door for the “Amway Guy” either–if you get my drift.  Once I started to inquire of acquaintances that were LDS I was pleasantly surprised that they actively encouraged all community members to prepare-whether they are LDS or not.  They do so without proselytizing or recruiting.  I haven’t asked but I think they have a real common sense approach to preparedness philosophy.  Every family outside their church who is prepared is one less community member who may need help when times get rough.  They prepare for not just themselves but to dispense charity also.  As for proselytizing,  the young men on bikes will get to you eventually for a visit at your doorstep so let prepping be prepping and mission work be mission work.

I, obviously, can’t speak for the LDS church but my dealings with them have been honest, straightforward and mutually respectful.  I know they are LDS and they know I am a Christian Reformed Evangelical.  So be it!  We disagree on doctrinal issues but agree on the coming storm and we have grown to care for one another.  Christ called us to be in the world and have dominion over our culture for Him.  How can that happen if we don’t have acquaintances outside the church-even friends who are of different faiths and beliefs?  Being in the world is not being of the world-two different things.  I retain close friendships for those who are of my covenant community all others are just friends or acquaintances.  The point is don’t be afraid to interact with the LDS or others.  They won’t bite.

Anyway, once I found out about their preparedness history and apparatus I asked how we could access those resources.  I was encouraged to speak with people in the LDS church membership who had specific duties or leadership.  In our area one individual had tried to start a community preparedness group but it only had buy-in from those who were LDS and no others.  The problem was that non-LDS saw it as an LDS thing.  I immediately realized the potential of garnering support from the vestiges of this group and build from there.  One thing I hate is re-inventing the wheel and this would save us time and energy in getting the word out to potential attendees.

Each community has a business or businesses that have their pulse on the community.  It may be a coffee shop or café where the locals meet and exchange information and discuss politics or the like.  I was fortunate to find just the thing here in my small community.  I explained to the man who owned the business my plan and he said it was a great idea and new for a fact that most of his customers would be interested.  He also thought that CQ would succeed because I was organizing it.  Meaning that would calm the fears of non-LDS folks and so we would see attendance from everyone.  We also had another local asset, a small schoolhouse we could rent for $10 dollars.  The location was central for all my neighbors as we are several miles out of town.

Choosing a good location is vital.  An old-schoolhouse, grange, or community center.  Making the location neutral is important as some folks don’t like going into houses of worship not their own.  Being considerate of the entire group can pave the way for much consensus and team building.  Our location lasted two meeting before we moved it up the road to my own property.  We have lasted two meetings here and now are moving it to a more public location due to growth and scope of CQ.  Your location needs to have a few obvious and not so obvious essentials.  The obvious are restrooms, water and power.  I have learned the more amenities there are the more options you have for your topics.  Cover from the elements, tables and even a dry erase board can add significantly your program.  You may notice I didn’t mention chairs as we have had our last two CQs outside and everyone brings there own lawn chair.  By the time the weather turns we will be back indoors at a location that has all these things.  Sound system is recommended once your group reaches 100 people otherwise its overkill for smaller groups.

Now that we knew we wanted a meeting and I had consensus of several community leaders (not politicians) we set a date and started formulating a game plan.

First rule–Focus on excellence and everything else will follow.

Focusing on excellence requires you to see through the small details that can aggravate and disrupt your groups momentum.  Momentum or positive word-of-mouth reputation is important to get your neighbors involved.  Once they’ve figured out they are missing something fun, innovative and worthwhile they will make an effort to attend.

Second Rule–Keep It Simple and Short.

All our CQ’s are scheduled for Two hours every 1st Friday of the month.  6:30 pm to 8:30 pm with social time afterward so people can talk and network with each other.  Our second CQ was so successful people stayed until 11:00 pm just to talk and network.  We chose Friday nights for its ability to allow for later hours and it doesn’t burn a weekend day which are a commodity in rural areas.  We try to have four topics discussed in 20 minute segments.  If a topic takes longer the presenter gets another slot the following month or gets a double.  For example, our first and second CQ had a presentation on lighting in austere environments.  The first CQ he covered oil or kerosene type lanterns.  The next CQ he presented part two which covered pressure fuel (Coleman) lanterns.  The CQ this last Friday we had a Physician’s Assistant provide us a basic overview of the three styles of medical care: Grid Up, Wilderness, and Grid Down.  This took 45 minutes but set the foundation for future topics on medical issues moving forward.  This has been our one exception to the 20 minute rule so each topic stays fresh and the attendees don’t get lecture fatigue so changing topics every 20 minutes keeps fatigue to a minimum.

Third Rule–Focus on skill building.

Discernment of economic disasters and wisdom about our fragile society or thin veneer of civilized behavior is the foundation for a preparedness mindset.  The building of skills becomes the obvious outcome of such knowledge.  The skills that remove you from the J.I.T. supply chain are the skills we look to build in each other and ourselves.  The following topics were covered in the last four CQs.

CQ-1: -Introduction to the concept and quick demographic survey.
-Pruning For Production-Fruit Trees and Bushes.
-Lighting: Lamps and Candles in Austere Environments.
-Beans, Bullets & Band-Aids-Various topics/open discussion.

CQ-2: -Review of Formal Emergency Management Plan for Area.
-Lighting: Lamps & Candles Cont.–Fuel Lanterns.
-Discussion of Topics for future CQ’s.
-Beans, Bullets & Band-Aids-Various topics/open discussion.

CQ-3 -Review of Color Code of Awareness/Plan to design Color Code
Emergency Action List.
-Latest CPR Techniques and Certification Signup.
-Radio Basics and Options.
-Water Production and Storage.
-Beans, Bullets & Band-Aids-Various topics/open discussion.

CQ-4 -Update on progress for Color Code Emergency Action List.
-General Advanced Medical Primer.
-Water Filtration, Purification and Storage.
-Knife and Blade Sharpening.

The topics were picked at random or by request.  Again, keep it short and sweet.  Those presenting topics should be experts in their field or have extensive knowledge otherwise you can see right through it.  Focus on Excellence!

Fourth Rule–No Militia or Talk of Making War.

We all know the look.  The look you get when you say “preparedness”: like you’ve got three heads and just admitted you like country dancing with Bigfoot(for the record–Sasquatch don‘t dance, especially to country music!).  If you want full community buy-in and support you have to be able to give guarantees that the war mongers among us are welcome but will not be given time to speak or recruit for there own self interest.

We do discuss guns, training and other topics pertaining to paramilitary preparedness but we declare up front that guns and gun training are for the gun range.  There is a separate time and place that is appropriate for such discussion but CQ is not it.  Paramilitary preparedness and training are subjects best discussed quietly amongst friends you know and trust–not publicly and especially not amongst a general populace.  It will turn off a large percentage of attendees and kill any momentum you might be building.  Again, focus on excellence by keeping topics short, concise and on schedule.  Do Not Give a Formal Platform to a Radical.  It will poison your efforts.  I will discuss in Part Two how we handled just such an issue.

Fifth Rule–No Politics or Religion

CQ sees regular attendance by LDS members, Christians of different denominations and a family that are Messianic Jews.  We are even seeing a growing contingency of granola folks.  I hope “granola” is the right word to describe the holistic/organic living group without offense.  I’ve slowly been educated by our neighbors who live this culture.  I’ve learned they love to barbeque (non-meat dogs or turkey burgers), drink good beer (life’s too short to drink bad beer) and some of them even love to shoot.  Let’s face reality–organic chips and salsa are the best!

What I’m trying to get at with rule number five is we need to focus on what we have in common–not what can divide us.  Keep the group and discussion focused on skill building.  One person described CQ as “4H on steroids” or “4H for adults”.  A perfect description.

Sixth Rule–Don’t have a bunch of rules.

Over regulation, organization and rule making will turn people away.  They want to come and be a part of something without having to join something.  No call chains, emails or Yahoo groups.  Again, keep it simple for you and them.  You’ll thank yourself later and they will thank you by attending and complimenting you on the quality and success of your meetings.  An occasional pat on the back and slice of apple pie is all I need to do my part and it should be that simple for you also.  If it isn’t it’s time to look in the mirror and ask why you want to lead such a group.

In closing, I hope this helps you with starting your own CQ.  “CQ-Part Two What We Have Learned” will describe some of the details of what is written above and how to avoid pitfalls and headaches associated with organizing a community group.  I would like to leave you with two things: Our motto, Parasumus (Latin) “We Prepare” and our stated purpose: “To further community cohesiveness through skill building and resource networking in preparation of societal disruption and change.”

Gloria Deo!

Letter Re: Which Food Storage Buckets are Food Grade?

Jim:

I have a question about plastic buckets. I’ve heard that some of them put toxic chemical fumes into food, but others don’t. How can I be sure which ones are food grade? Thanks Much, – Wendy J. (Living too close to Mr. Schumer)

JWR Replies: As I explain in the “Rawles Gets You Ready” family preparedness course, determining whether or not a particular used bucket is truly food grade can be a challenge. I’ve had several readers and consulting clients who have mistakenly been told that the the number 2 (with the number 2 inside the “chasing arrows” recycling symbol) refers to Food Grade HDPE, but that is not true. Not all “2” marked plastics are food grade! Let me explain: The “food grade” designation is determined by plastic purity by and what mold release compound is used in the injection molding process–not by the plastic itself, since all virgin HDPE material is safe for food. For paint and other utility buckets, manufacturers sometimes use a less expensive (and toxic) mold release compound. For food grade they must use a more expensive formulation that is non-toxic. Unless the buckets that you bought are are actually marked “food grade”, (or, marked NSF, FDA, or USDA approved), then you will have to check with the manufacturer’s web site to see if they make all food grade buckets. For more details, see the information at this barbecue and brining web site. If in doubt, then mark the suspect buckets to strictly non-food item storage, such as for storing cleaning supplies or ammunition

JWR Replies: That information detailed in the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course. The same information can also be found in my book “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It”, and you can also find it in the SurvivalBlog archives.

Letter Re: Ammo Carrying Options for M1 Garand Owners

Sir,
I wanted to provide a couple of suggestions for those folks that are using M1 Garand rifles. [These .30-06 rifles are fed by 8-round en bloc clips .] One obvious solution is the ten-pouch WWII ammo belt that every one is familiar with, giving a total of eighty rounds. There are a couple of other good solutions.

One that I especially like is to use a WWI U.S. Grenade Pouch Vest. You can find them on eBay and various internet sellers, both original and reproduction ones. It is a rectangular panel with a shoulder/neck strap and ties to go around the chest. It looks like what we call a [Magazine] Chest Rig today and has eleven pockets on it that snap close. They were obviously designed to carry WWI vintage grenades, but each pocket hold two en bloc clips as if it were made to do so. This gives a total capacity of 176 rounds. Better yet, tie or stitch the sides of two panels together and you now have an impromptu vest holding 352 rounds. Its not as fancy as a store bought vest but it works really well.

Also, Original S.O.E. makes a Pull-Out Garand Tray that fits in their Patrol and Ralleyman AR-15 magazine pouches and sub-loads. One of these pullouts hold six en-blocs each giving forty eight rounds for each AR pouch or ninety six rounds for one of their double AR-15[magazine] pouches.

Maybe these will give the M1 Garand users out there some additional ammo carry options. Sincerely, – Matt R.

Letter Re: Advice on Building Harder Off-Grid Houses

James,
The article on perennial food sources was both timely and excellent! Kudos. We are already planning to introduce many of the species into our farm.

Next, a question. Since your book “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It” has caused me to re-think several things — and after I have spent 20 years being a prepper –I figured I should buy your book “Rawles on Retreats and Relocation”. Chapter 14 is of special interest to me right now as we are building a snug little adobe house on the farm we just bought. We don’t want to call it a cement bunker do we?

Chapter 14 [of the book] is a good starting point but I was wondering if you have a source of more detailed information. I’ve researched many different “housing styles” around the world and across time. But turning them into a modern grid independent house.

There is the crux of the matter: I was wondering if in addition to the books you listed there might be others. Or if you know of a good architect you have worked with to create a “green” off grid bunker?

We envision a semi-buried adobe style house that will have a full basement and a bunker off of the basement (for NBC protection) as well as a flat roof. We are in a low rainfall area. This provides a place to mount PV panels, and a flat roof with a solid wall around it gives us a good “high ground” to defend the house from.

But we are open and interested in contacting anybody who might have professional experience building such a retreat house.

JWR Replies: Three of SurvivalBlog’s advertisers could assist you:

  • Safecastle specializes in combination walk-in vault/fallout shelter/storm shelter rooms, both below grade and above grade.
  • Hardened Structures is an engineering and architectural firm that does “start to finish” hardened retreat home design and construction management.
  • Ready Made Resources can help you specify and assemble a complete off-grid power setup. They do free consulting on alternative power systems.

I also recommend that you get a copy of the book The Secure Home by Joel Skousen. Also, keep in mind that there are also more than 450 articles in the SurvivalBlog archives that relate to retreat security. There are some real gems there–everything from thorny bush and cacti plantings to ballistic hardening.

Economics and Investing:

It appears that $1,200 per ounce has become the new price floor for gold. With more global financial turmoil surely ahead, we ain’t seen nuthin’ yet for the precious metals. If you feel like you’ve missed the boat, don’t. It’s not too late to buy on the dips. (The top will be much higher than today’s price levels!) Silver is a better choice than gold for most investors. But of course I’ve been saying that ever since I called the bottom of the market, back in February of 2001. That was just a couple of months before its actual low point.

Reader Kevin A. wrote to mention: “Anthony Fry, senior managing director at Evercore Partners, recently told CNBC that markets are about to turn nasty. He said, “I don’t want to scare anyone but I am considering investing in barbed wire and guns, things are not looking good …” Mentioning the same interview, reader T.C.N. sent us a link to a Daily Bell article: False Meme of Anarchy?

Michael H. liked this Wall Street Journal piece: Tax Hikes and the 2011 Economic Collapse

Reader Chris P. suggested this piece by Amy Hoak: The housing-market recession is not over

Items from The Economatrix:

OPEC: 2010 Demand Picture Unclear

US Facing Debt “Super Cycle”

Gold Price in New Record, Hits $1,250

Insufficient Silver to Supply China’s Growing Demand (The Mogambo Guru)

Gold’s “Real Move” to $7,000 is Coming, Says Asset Manager

Stocks Surge on US Jobs Data, China Trade Growth

Odds ‘n Sods:

Judy T. suggested this: Peak Oil and Apocalypse Then

   o o o

Reader John G. mentioned a South Carolina proposal to criminalize hidden compartments in cars. Yikes! Talk about a legislative solution to a non-existent problem. Whatever happened to “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects…”?

   o o o

G.G. sent us a curious story about the owner of a “nail house” in China’s Wuhan Province: China’s Wuhan Nail House Owner Fights Forced Demolition with Home-Made Cannon. From the photos, his “block house” architecture leaves a lot to be desired. (A variation on a Fujian Tulou would be more robust).

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 29 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will 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 between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Parabellum (Luger ) with 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP projectiles, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $249 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) 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 $400, and B.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing, and B.) a Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.)

Round 29 ends on July 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.

A Perennial Food Supply, by L.H.

The end of the world may happen tomorrow or who knows when.  Hard times are happening now and may get even harder.  A food storage system and MREs act as a life jacket when times get tough.  But you need to have a plan for when things get even tougher or if your finances or food supplies run out.  Once established, perennials can be a simple, minimal labor answer to a permanent and reliable food source and first aid kit. 

Perennials have the advantage of being planted once and then being around to enjoy for many years without the limitations of weather impacting planting or the yearly time commitment.  They can be planted at a survival retreat and be allowed to fend for themselves or in an urban yard as a part of your landscaping.  One interesting advantage is that as more perennials are planted, less time and resources are needed to mow the lawn.    

After the initial cost in time or money, perennials will more than pay for themselves.  Annuals require yearly dependency on a supplier while perennials offer independence. Other than a few trees, perennials are less likely to be a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO). Perennials also show their value when it comes to trade.  It seems that everyone grows beans or tomatoes, but asparagus or raspberries, now that’s a treat.  See how much more value you can get when you’re trading with a bowl of asparagus or raspberries than a bowl of green beans.

Plan.  Do some investigating before you start to buy your plants.  You need to determine the amount of space you have as well as know your planting zone.  Choose local, heritage varieties over hybrids.  If you buy from an internet or catalogue nursery, be sure that you are buying from a nursery that raises the plants in your zone.  Northern folk need to be concerned about winter hardiness and southerners need to think about summer heat.  Just because a plant, in theory can survive a Montana winter, doesn’t mean that it will if its parent stock has never seen freezing weather for many generations.  There are lots of nurseries and seed companies located in the temperate areas along the coasts.  These are great areas for raising seed, but you want to make sure that your plants can withstand your local climate conditions.  We have been pleased with St. Lawrence Nursery in Potsdam, New York.  It is a nursery that grows trees and shrubs in a zone 3 location. 

The book Perennial Vegetables by Eric Toensmeier offers a great deal of information as you start your search.  Permaculture is a growing movement that uses perennials in landscaping.  Local groups are starting and can be good resources for local information.  More information about Permaculture is available at Permaculture.org.   Another resource that has an interesting selection of plants is EdibleLandscaping.com.

You don’t have to restrict your search to nurseries.  In the spring, gardening clubs often have annual plant sales.  Keep an eye out for the end of the spring rush when the stores start to put their plants on sale.  Just asking a gardening friend to share when they thin out their plants is the least expensive way to find good plants.

Some plants may be perennials in warmer climes, but are only annuals in the north.  Although it requires more work, this can be overcome by over-wintering plants in containers indoors.  We live in a zone 4 area.  If transportation shuts down, we would truly miss coffee and bananas so we are considering having a few plants.  Of course these could live outside all summer, but would have to come indoors by fall.  Chicory could be grown as a possible coffee substitute or for its greens.  In general, seeds take longer than plants to get established, but are considerably less expensive.

Trees.  Start with trees.  They will take the longest to get established, but they will also provide the largest amount of food as well as shelter from sun and wind.  Think of the fruit trees that will flourish in your climate.  Fruit gets expensive to buy and if anything disrupts shipping, there won’t be any available to purchase. Apples are happier in the northern regions and citrus trees need the southern warmth.  Since trees provide so much food, consider what you will do when faced with a sudden rush of bounty.  Many fruits dry very easily.  Just peel, slice and put in a food dryer.  Other preserving options include canning, fermenting and juicing.  Don’t limit your tree selection to fruits.  Nut trees provide protein and fats and nuts are easy to store.  Although labor intensive to produce,   syrup from maple or birch trees is a wonderful substitute for sugar.

Shrubs.  Shrubs or bushes have the added advantage of providing a privacy screen or low wind break as well as providing food.  Berry bushes are an excellent starting point.  They are easy to care for, nutritious and tasty.  Every home should have an elder bush to make elderberry syrup to fight winter colds and flues.  Hawthorn bushes provide an effective treatment for heart issues.  Since hawthorns have impressive thorns they were traditionally used as fences in hedgerows to keep out unwelcome visitors.  Rugosa roses are beautiful, winter hardy, and [their hips] are an excellent source of Vitamin C.

Vines.  The first vine that comes to mind is grapes.  But don’t limit yourself to just the fruit.  Grape leaves are used as a wrap in a number of dishes such as the Greek dolma.  Adding a grape leaf to a jar of homemade pickles will keep them crisp.  Kiwis and groundnuts, also known as the potato bean are two more examples of hardy perennial vines.  Chayote or vegetable pear is a pear shaped squash that is very popular in Central America.

Vegetables and Herbs.  Most people think there are only two perennial vegetables, rhubarb and asparagus.  But there are more. Artichoke is a perennial in warmer climates.  Jerusalem artichoke, also called sunchoke, looks like a sunflower but produces a tuber.  Sea kale of the cabbage family grows in climate zones 6-9.  Green leafy plants that add variety to salads include sorrel, New Zealand spinach and lambs quarters.  I like to include lettuce in with my greens since it so easily self seeds itself.  Lovage is an old plant that can be used in place of celery.  The buds, stalks and roots of the cardoon or artichoke thistle can all be eaten, although it is grown only in warmer areas.  The vegetable source of rennet, which is used to make cheese, is the stem of the cardoon. 

Herbs are more likely to be perennials in the southern states, but even the northern states have chives.  The mint family seems to survive almost anything.  In northern areas herbs are easy to dig up in the fall and winter inside in a container.  This saves the cost of buying seeds or new plants yearly. Walking onions will continue to grow and reproduce while providing for your family. Yarrow should be in every first aid kit to care for bleeding and bruises.  Aloe is another essential plant to have on hand for burns.    

Animals.  Perennials not only provide food for your family, they can also provide for your animals.  Pigs were traditionally fattened on acorns.  We have been hearing interesting things about the Siberian pea shrub and started growing our first batch this year.  This is a perennial shrub that is a legume.  It produces a podded “pea” that is 36% protein and can be used for flour, sprouting and animal feed.  Of course many animals will enjoy the leftovers of all of your fruits and vegetables.  Comfrey, which is very prolific, can be grown as a food supplement for some of your animals.  I also consider it to be essential to have in my first aid kit. 

Wildcrafting.  There are many wild growing perennials and self seeding plants.  Of course, rural homes have a larger area and variety available to them.  Nettles aren’t just weeds, but are a great spring tonic.  Urban homes still have a nice selection of plants available to use as long as no chemicals are used on the lawn.  No home should be without plantain, either fresh or as a salve or tincture.  It is an incredibly useful first aid tool for the skin and things that bite, itch or sting.  Dandelions used to be so valued for food and medicine that people used to save the seeds and bring them when they were pioneering a new area.  Mushrooms are another treat which can be wild crafted or seeded or inoculated in a given area.  Morels are easily identified, but hard to find.  In general it is best to learn how to find mushrooms under the direct guidance of a very experienced person.

Don’t limit yourself to a few traditional fruit trees.  Staghorn sumac, lingonberries, buffalo berries, nanny berries are all unique and wonderful sources of food that require little work on your part that allow you time to deal with other essentials.  Start to explore all of the perennial food options that will grow in your local area, your neighbors will think that you are landscaping, but you will know that you are adding a long term food supply.

Two Letters Re: Transitioning to Seven Day Bug-Out Bags

Firefighter Charles’s statement about FEMA‘s response times shows a lack of understanding of how the process works. In the event of another Hurricane Katrina type natural disaster, the following things have to happen, in the following order:

1. Disaster strikes
2. Local officials setup an incident command
3. Local Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs) are activated. The local emergency operations plan (EOP) is put into action.
4. Mutual aid agreements are activated. If the disaster goes beyond this, then…
5. State EOCs are activated. State EOPs are put into action.
6. The state activates it’s mutual aid agreements.
7. If the situation is not contained, the Governor declares a State Emergency. He can then…..
8. Appeal to the President to declare the event a federal disaster – whether it is a Stafford Act event or not.
9. FEMA is then activated and ordered to head the rescue/relief efforts. The FBI is the lead investigative agency for any criminal acts, while the BATFE is the lead law enforcement agency for anything law enforcement related such as security, etc.

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) always puts the onus for response on local governments. FEMA is a last resort and responses to disasters must always be handled at the local level if at all possible.

Therefore FEMA’s “response time” is irrelevant. FEMA will most likely be kept abreast of any situation through the National Response Coordination Center (NRCC), but cannot act unless the locals, Governor, and President have done their parts. FEMA does not just swoop in and take control as this is totally against NIMS and the National Response Framework (NRF).

All of this certainly doesn’t change the author’s 72 hour assertion. I dislike FEMA as much as anyone else, but FEMA shouldn’t take the blame for bureaucratic foot dragging that’s quite out of it’s control. – Adam in California

 

Jim:
I’ve noticed many SurvivalBlog articles, including Firefighter Charles’, advocate the use of the Vehicle Bug Out Bag/Bin or Bail Out Bag. At this point, I wouldn’t store even just a plastic spoon in my car. It is so easy for thieves to break into a regular car. In the present day car break-ins are opportunistic in nature. In a society break-down situation, people who are desperate might not stop at anything to fill their needs.

In the past seven years, my Suburban has been burglarized five times. The first time was when we were moving to this city and had just pulled into a hotel. We went to check out the room and in less than 10 minutes had lost coins and a gun that we felt were “hidden.” Others parked beside us lost electronics. At least our window wasn’t broken. Then we had a couple of break-ins while at work in full daylight with crowds present. Nothing taken as nothing was available. Last, two break-ins in our driveway, probably kids. However, the last thing stolen was the car’s Owner Manual, for goodness sake!

Now we have a loud car alarm which is always left set when parked. My city is one of the largest in the country and we don’t leave any kind of box or crate or bag in a car, even in cars with tinted windows.

One idea: Buy those flat under-the-bed plastic sweater containers. Take out the carpet in the back, place a couple of loaded containers, cover with thin plywood, replace the carpet. This might deter casual thieves pressing their noses against the glass. Clearly, someone who is determined will find anything hidden in a car or a house. – Elizabeth S.

JWR Replies: It is time for you to move to a lightly-populated, low crime area! All those break-ins should have been hints.

Letter Re: Feral Dogs and Coyotes in a Schumeresque World

Dear Jim,
Feral dogs and coyotes aren’t a problem over here [in England], but urban foxes certainly are. Here is a recent news headline: Baby twins savaged by fox treated for ‘life-changing injuries’ in separate hospitals

All the fox-loving ‘experts’ say that this is an isolated incident, but the reader comments suggest otherwise. I’m not sure how these guys get to be called experts, one on the radio insisted that foxes don’t kill chickens for fun, either. I’ve never had it happen to my chickens (I’m more wily than the local foxes) but I’ve seen the result of a fox getting in with chickens and it isn’t pretty. (My biggest problem is badgers, which are a protected species, and the tales of trying to get the badgers moved would fill a book.)

Blessings, – Luddite Jean.

Economics and Investing:

Brett G. sent us this troubling article: Treasury Report: US Debt to Skyrocket to $19.6 Trillion by 2015. Hmmmm… Lets’s do the math: The current “official debt” is around $12 Trillion, which is around 93% of our GDP. And $19.6 Trillion would be a 63% larger debt. If the economy doesn’t grow, then that means that by 2015 the debt will be…uh-oh. And as a data point, Greece is presently in a full-blown crisis that is about to crater the Euro, because their debt got to 130% of GDP.)

Kevin S. sent this: Sovereign Credit-Default Swaps Surge on Hungarian Debt Crisis

Also from Kevin: Banking System Collapse: Wake Up America Your Banks Are Dying

Dave C. suggested this analysis of the current economic situation, comparing it to the Great Depression of the 1930s: Haven’t We Been to This Show Before?

Items from The Economatrix:

Germany Signals End of Love Affair With Europe

If 1 + 1 Still Equals 2 Then Gold Will Explode

Gold $2,500 Still Looks More Likely Than Ever

No Escape (The Mogambo Guru)

More lies from Helicopter Ben: Bernanke: Recovery on Track Despite Despite Headwinds

Wholesale Inventories and Sales Both Up in April

More Employees Jump Ship as Economy Improves

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader D.T. pointed us to a Coast to Coast AM where William Forstchen discusses EMP Threats. (He is the author of the novel One Second After.)

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NASA reports: The Sun Has Reawakened. (Robert R. was the first of several readers to send me this link.)

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I heard that Noah’s Castle, a hyperinflation novel by John Rowe Townsend, just went back into print. It was written for the “young adult” market. The good editors at October Mist books in Seattle noticed that this British book from the 1970s was out of print. So they took the initiative of contacting the author to secure the rights to a new edition. In my opinion the book has some merit, but be advised that it portrays some bad teenage attitudes, and the premise of the novel is depressing and in the end, anti-prepper. (The only serious prepper in the story is described in unflattering terms that make him look mentally imbalanced.)

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Jeff B. sent me a link to an great new on-line computational engine research tool that is still in its infancy: Wolfram Alpha. You might find it useful, especially as it grows.

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Kudos to Tamara (editrix of the very entertaining View From The Porch blog). I just read that she’s been tapped to write the back page column, “Ballistic Basics”, for Concealed Carry magazine. (A hard copy magazine.)