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.

Cattle Raising Basics, by Rick S.

Someone recently asked for suggestions on raising livestock.  I won’t claim to be an expert, but I’ve had cattle for more than thirty years so I’ll offer some observations.

Think it through before you begin.  Don’t get cattle because you think it’s something you should be doing, or because you think they will be a cheap source of meat.  Do you have the resources—time, land, money—needed?  Are cattle the best use of those resources?  Cattle are selling at historic highs right now.  Getting started is not going to be cheap. 

There’s also a lot of investment in infrastructure before you get your first cow.  Fencing, water supply and distribution of winter feed, and perhaps shelter.  You’re also going to need some way to handle and doctor the cattle.  This means corrals and/or traps, head gates, squeeze chutes, loading areas, etc.  Or you could work them with horses and head and heel them if you have those skills.  We work our cows horseback, but drive them to the chutes when they need doctoring.  We either work the calves (ear tag and castrate) when they’re a day or two old (at that point, you can just walk up to them and catch them) or head and heel them when they’re older.

Keep in mind that if you’re going to work with large animals you are going to get hurt.  It’s not a question of if.  It’s a question of when and how bad.  You’re working with animals that weigh in excess of half a ton.  They can hurt you with very little effort and no intent.  The better your working facilities the safer you are.  One trip to the emergency room will pay for some pretty good facilities and equipment.  Where would you rather spend the money?

If you’re going to raise cattle select them for temperament.   Gentleness is genetic, and a gentle cow also is a more efficient converter of feed to meat.  One wild cow can contaminate an entire herd.   If you get a wild one either sell it or put it in the freezer.  Be aware that the gentle ones can be even more dangerous than the wild ones.  You’re careful around the wild ones because you don’t trust them.  You tend to let your guard down and get careless around the gentle ones.  Don’t make that mistake.  I’ve pulled calves from cows that were dog gentle, brought the calf around to the cow’s head, and had the cow go after me.  Be careful.

The way you handle your cattle will also affect their behavior.  Learn and use low stress cattle handling methods.  You can ruin a gentle cow with poor handling.  Keep in mind that cattle are livestock, not pets.  I don’t want my cows to run when they see me, but I also don’t want them to come into my space.  That keeps me safe.  I want them calm enough to be able to approach them, and respectful enough to move off when I ask them to do so. 

You’re going to need a bull, but you really only need him for 60 days a year.  Do you want to own and feed him for the other 305 days?  Can you lend him out, or lease him out, for some of that time?  What kind of condition will he be in when you get him back.  Can you lease a bull for your breeding season?  Do you want to learn how to artificially inseminate your cows and get the equipment and supplies need for that.  The bull is half your herd and plays a very important role in determining the quality of your calves.  You need a bull with good genetic characteristics or you’re wasting your time and money.   

Having said all that raising cattle is not rocket science.  They need feed, water, and a mineral supplement.  What keeps them inside the fence is the feed (grass or hay) inside the fence, not the fence.  If you don’t feed them they will find a way out of just about any enclosure.  The acreage you need for a cow/calf pair depends on where you are.  It may be 100 acres in New Mexico and one acre elsewhere.  Don’t overgraze.  Worm your cows periodically. 

Herd health problems are going to have to be dealt with as they come up.  Whatever you’ve prepared for won’t be the problem you’re faced with.  Cows are hardy creatures and will get over most things on their own.  But if you’re going to raise cattle you’re going to loose some to accidents (I once had a tree fall on a cow), calving problems, or something completely unforeseen. 

This winter I had a cow that couldn’t get up.  The vet diagnosed her with grass tetany, which is a magnesium deficiency.  That was strange since she had access to a high magnesium mineral supplement.  We gave her minerals IV to correct the problem.  I was told she should be on her feet within 72 hours, and that there was no point in lifting her to get her up.  Five days later she still could not get to her feet.  That’s five days of hauling feed and water to her inside an improvised enclosure that kept the other cows away.  At that point I lifted her to her feet using a hip bone lifter and a front end loader.  Once on her feet she just walked off.

Next time she lay down she could not rise.  The vet and I decided it was a nerve issue and three days of IM steroid injections followed.  During that time I was lifting her at least once a day.  After four days she started getting up on her own.  That continued for awhile and then she relapsed and was unable to rise.  I went back to lifting her.  After about a week I decided it was a lost cause and decided to shoot her.  My wife suggested I give her another few days.  The next day she got up and has been fine since.

The point of this story is that no one, not even a well trained and very competent vet, knows everything.  Sometime you’re going to be guessing and making mistakes.  Accept it. 

If you have cattle you will eventually have calving problems.  You’ll need a set of obstetrical chains and will have to learn to use them.  Your best resources for learning what you need to know are neighbors who have cattle.  There’s also a lot of information on YouTube.

A lot of calving problems can be avoided by selecting a bull that produces low birth weight calves.  This makes for easier deliveries.  Even so there will be problems.  If you need to do a C-section and no professional help is available you’re going to loose the cow.  If the uterus prolapses (comes out with the calf) your chances of replacing it without access to either professional help, or drugs and the knowledge to use them, is slim to none. 

You have to decide whether to vaccinate and if so for what.  I vaccinate mine only for rabies, and that’s for my protection more than theirs.  On rare occasions you may have to use antibiotics to deal with a health issue.   If you want to avoid antibiotics be sure any feed you buy is not medicated.  This is most common in milk replacer, or calf feeds.

Slaughter.  If you can slaughter and dress a rabbit or squirrel you can do the same with a cow.  It’s the same process, just a bigger, more difficult job.  If you have a choice take it to a slaughter house and pay the fee.  You won’t regret it.

 If you’re going to slaughter do it humanely.  Cows have a big head, but a small brain.  Imagine a line extending from each ear to the opposite eye.  The brain is behind the spot where the lines intersect. A shot anywhere else will not be effective.

If you do it yourself you’ll need a way to cool the carcass before butchering it (cold meat is easier to cut than warm meat) and before putting it in a refrigerator or freezer.  The amount of warm meat in even a small cow carcass will overwhelm home refrigeration equipment.  Instead of cooling the meat you’ll warm everything else.  Slaughter when the weather is cool enough for you to be able to hang the meat outside.

If you’re looking for a reliable source of antibiotic free meat you may be better off talking to a neighbor who already raises cattle and making arrangements to buy whatever you want.  Will that guarantee a meat supply in an emergency?  Probably not.  But could you protect your cattle in an emergency?  Probably not.  If you need to buy feed for your cattle could you get it in an emergency?  Probably not.  But you probably could protect and provide for your chickens or rabbits. 

Does that mean I’m getting rid of my cattle, or that you shouldn’t raise your own?  No.  Just  be aware of what you’re getting into, and that there will be a learning curve.

 Are there other things you need to know?  Of course.  The last thing you learn is always the first thing you needed to know.  There’s no way around it.

Pat’s Product Review: Smith & Wesson SD9

The first revolver I ever owned was a S&W Model 36, .38 Special 5-shot snub-nose. I remember getting it while visiting some relatives down in Kentucky – this was before the Gun Control Act of 1968, which made it impossible to purchase handguns in a state other than the one you reside in. You can now purchase handguns from a state other than the one you live, however, the transfer must go through a licensed FFL dealer in your own state, these days.  

As I recall, I wasn’t a very good shot with that little S&W Model 36 snubby – I found the small grips didn’t fit my hand properly, and promptly replaced them with a more hand-filling set of grips. However, I did use that little .38 Special during a home invasion once, back in Chicago. So, I guess I can’t complain too much. Make no mistake, I’m a big fan of Smith & Wesson products – all of ’em, too. Over the years, I’ve probably owned more S&W handguns than any other brand, bar none.   I still remember purchasing a S&W Sigma in .40 S&W, that I used as a duty weapon when I was a police officer in a very rural Native Alaskan Village. The first Sigmas had suboptimal trigger pulls – long and very heavy. I quickly changed duty guns and was carrying a good ol’ 1911 in .45 ACP. Still, the S&W Sigma showed promise.  

Over the years, S&W has made some upgrades to the original Sigma line-up. And, with each upgrade, the guns got a little bit better than the last ones. The newst “Sigma” is called the SD9, and in my humble opinion, this is what S&W should have come out with in the first place. Of course, there are usually some birthing pains associated with many newly designed guns. The SD9 stands for “Self-Defense 9mm” and I’m not about to take-up the age old debate about which caliber is better. In all my years writing about guns, I’ve managed to shy away from the debate of which is better, the 9mm or the .45 ACP or the .40 S&W. To be honest, no matter what caliber you decide to choose, it still comes down to shot placement. It doesn’t matter what handgun or caliber you’re carrying, if you fail to hit the target in a vital area, you won’t stop the threat. So, please save your e-mails asking me which caliber is “best” – I don’t think there is a best, simple as that. I have my preferences, just as many of you do. However, my preference doesn’t mean my handgun or caliber is the final word.  

The SD9 (which is also available as the SD40 in .40 S&W) is a double-action only handgun – meaning, each pull of the trigger is the same for all shots. As with the Sigmas, I found that the SD9 sample I had, really smoothed up the trigger pull and removed a lot of the grittiness after firing several hundred rounds though my sample. If you are going to carry any handgun for self-defense, I always recommend to my students that they test their guns by firing at least 100-200 rounds of the ammo they prefer to carry, just to make sure the gun will function with that particular load. I’m not the world’s biggest fan of DAO pistols, but I do carry ’em on many occasions – it’s a training thing – and no matter what type of handgun you plan on carrying, you should train with it, until you are proficient enough to hit your target.   With 16+1 rounds of 9mm on-hand, the SD9 should be able to take care of most social problems you might encounter. And, the SD9 comes with a spare magazine – and you should always carry at least one spare magazine if you’re packing a semi-auto handgun. Of course, for self-defense, you should load your handgun with JHP ammo. It makes for better stopping power, and it might avoid a lawsuit later on. (FMJ bullets tend to over-penetrate, and you don’t want to have a bullet pass through and hit an innocent bystander.) So, by all means, stoke your carry piece with JHP, and reserve the FMJ for target practice.  

A 4″ bbl, topped with a Tritium night sight on the front end of the slide is a nice touch. The rear sight on the SD9 is a combat type, with white dots – that are not Tritium loaded. I feel this set-up is really fast to pick-up in low-light conditions, too. The frame on the SD is textured polymer material, with a grip frame angle at an ergonomic 18-degrees – just about perfect if you ask me. The gun feels good in the hand – real good! There is also a Picatinny rail on the frame for mounting lights and/or lasers.

The SD9 weighs in at 25-oz according to my postal scale, so you can pack this gun all day long, without feeling loaded down with excess weight.   I found on the Sigma line-up, as well as the new SD9, that it is a real pain getting the last round or two loaded into brand-new magazines. However, after the mags have been fully loaded, and left that way for a couple of days, they were easier to get all the rounds into the mags. If you own a magazine loader, then use it.  

I fired a variety of 9mm ammo through the SD, to include Black Hills Ammunition, Winchester, and Buffalo Bore Ammunition and had zero malfunctions of any sort. When carrying a 9mm for self-defense, I feel comforted by +P loads. The Winchester white box 9mm ammo I tested was the 115 gr. FMJ loads – great for target practice and breaking-in a new gun. I tested several loads from Black Hills, including their 115 gr JHP, 124 gr JHP as well as +P loads in those calibers. Buffalo Bore Ammunition provided me with some of their +P+ 9mm fodder – and it really screams out of a 9mm handgun. However, the Buffalo Bore load is not for all types of 9mm pistols. I believe the BB load is safe in the SD9 for self-defense purposes – but I wouldn’t recommend a steady diet of this +P+ load in any handgun – it’s meant for self-defense and small game hunting – not for target practice. Once you know your 9mm handgun can handle this load, then stoke your mags with it, and you’re good to go.

I like the Black Hills 124-gr JHP +P 9mm load, as I feel it gives a little extra deeper penetration. And, if the load you’re carrying doesn’t penetrate deep enough and expand, it’s not gonna give you the stopping power you need for a self-defense situation. Winchester also provided me with a limited amount of their Supreme Elite Bonded PDX1 9mm 124-gr JHP Bonded load – which is specifically designed for self-defense.  

As I mentioned, I had zero malfunctions with any of the ammo tested, it all performed as advertised. And, I did some limited testing, shooting into water-filled plastic milk jugs – all the JHP loads penetrated through more than two jugs and usually stopped in the third jug, and expansion was great, too. It’s not scientific testing, but still a good test of expansion and penetration just the same. I can’t possible duplicate the testing these ammo companies do – so I trust their word on what they say the performance is from their loads.   One complaint I have with most new handgun designs is that, it’s difficult to find a holster to properly fit the new guns. And, many mainstream holster companies won’t jump on the bandwagon and make holsters specifically for new handguns, until they know the guns have caught on and are popular. With that said, I had to carry my SD9 in a ballistic nylon holster from Blackhawk Products. To be honest, there’s nothing wrong with these generic-type holsters that fit a lot of different sized handguns. My only advice is to make sure when reholstering, is that, you don’t get the carry strap caught between the trigger and the holster – if you do, you’ll have an accidental discharge. So, please be careful when using ballistic Nylon holster from any maker. I’m sure, in the not too distant future, Blackhawk Products will have one of their Serpa molded holsters for the SD9.  

I’m always a sucker for a good deal on a gun, and in the case of the SD9 (or SD40) they are selling in for $450 to $500 if you shop around. That’s a good deal in my book on a top-notch S&W handgun, with all the bells you need and none of the whistles you don’t need. Besides, it’s a Smith & Wesson. If you’re on a budget, like me and so many others, you have to carefully watch where you spend your dollars on firearms. You don’t want to buy junk – you want quality firearms you can depend on for survival. The SD9 won’t let you down.  – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Watch The US Dollar Index — A Dollar Panic May Be Ahead

I’m often asked about my mentions of the US Dollar Index in SurvivalBlog, and about the Dollar Index ticker link at my Investing Recommendations page. This foreign exchange (FOREX) market index is often mentioned by its shorthand names (“USDX”, “DX”, or less commonly, “USDI”). It measures the value of the U.S. Dollar (USD) relative to several of our country’s major trading partners. Although the mix has changed over the years, presently the index gauges the value of the U.S. Dollar versus six currencies: the Euro, Japanese Yen, British Pound, Canadian Dollar, Swedish Krona and the Swiss Franc. The USDX was started in 1973 with a base value of 100, and has been calculated versus this base ever since. So a value of 110 would mean that the U.S. Dollar experienced a 10% relative value increase, over the life of the Index.

When I last checked, the USDX was down to 73.896, and that is a troubling number. You see, the high water mark for the USDX was 164.7 in February of 1985 and the all-time low was 70.7 in March, 2008, during the worst of the global credit crisis. It is noteworthy that the value of the Dollar probably would have fallen even lower in 2008, were not for the fact that the Euro was having serious problems of its own. Most of the lows in 2008 were around 72, and that is the number to watch for. A break below 72 would signal a major loss in confidence in the US Dollar, and possibly precipitate a full-blown Dollar Panic. Unlike 2008, we can expect no “Dollar Rally” if the USDX again drops below 72. This time there won’t be a “bounce” because there is no longer much of a floor beneath the U.S. Dollar. Currency traders now perceive the U.S. Dollar for what is truly is: kindling. Unless monetization of the Dollar (“Quantitative Easing”) ends soon, there is a strong likelihood of mass inflation in the U.S. and a rout of the Dollar in the FOREX markets.

Don’t under-estimate the influence of the FOREX markets. They are the world’s most traded markets, with more than $3.2 trillion in currencies traded each day. Clearly, the FOREX markets are seeing some tidal shifts in currency pair trading. For example, just a few years ago the Australian Dollar was jokingly nicknamed “The Australian Peso”, but just recently (April 25th), it hit a 29 year intra-day high of USD $1.0777. Meanwhile, the Swiss Franc has advanced to USD 0.88576 and the Canadian Dollar is relatively strong, at USD 1.04873. You can track daily currency exchange rate moves at Oanda.com.

An aside: Some journalists refer to FOREX as a singular: “The FOREX market”. But since they are actually multiple markets that are being traded 24 hours a day, five days a week, in multiple venues, rather than at one central clearing house. So, properly, the FOREX should properly be described as plural, namely “The FOREX markets”.

Regardless of your interest in stocks, bonds, the credit market, or the precious metals market, you should watch US Dollar Index. It is not just something of interest to travelers or to currency speculators. Rather, it is an important barometer for the U.S. Dollar. As I’ve mentioned before, it is likely that the U.S. Dollar will lose its reserve currency status soon. And when it does, be ready for substantially higher interest rates, a huge loss in the Dollar’s buying power abroad, and mass inflation, at home.

I once again urge SurvivalBlog readers to get out of US Dollars and into precious metals and other useful tangibles. Presently, silver and common caliber ammunition are my two favorite tangibles.

Letter Re: Inexpensive Mailorder Eyeglasses

JWR,
On a note to the mailorder glasses thread, for all of SurvivalBlog readers that are active duty military, reserve military, federal and local law enforcement, fire, EMS and those holding military retiree credentials, there is a couple other sites that I strongly recommend for buying very high quality eye wear for very discounted prices. The first site is USStandardIssue.com. They are the official site for Oakley military and government sales. They have a spin-off site: ESSeyepro.com. Both of these sites do make prescription sunglasses and Oakley makes regular prescription sunglasses. The ESS site also makes goggles (said to stop a shotgun blast from 35 ft). For you to become a member you do have to fax or e-mail a copy of your credentials which for some of you may not be acceptable due to your personal OPSEC precautions. I encourage eligible members to at least look at the site because this eyewear may someday save your eyesight. God Bless and keep up the prepping. – Steven B.

Four Letters Re: Survival Preparation in Small Spaces

Mr. Rawles:
I really enjoyed L.N.’s small spaces article and her suggestion to get a mason jar vacuum sealer is right on the money.  Another suggestion your readers may want to consider is a non-power way to vacuum seal.  The Actron CP7830 Hand Vacuum Pump can also be used to create the vacuum using the FoodSaver Wide-Mouth Jar Sealer.  Total purchase for both items is less than half of the powered food sealers.  When the grid goes down, you will still be able to seal your jars and get a arm workout at the same time

Thanks, – Jen G.

Mr. Rawles:  
I found the article by L.N. in Texas quite interesting and would like to add my two cents.  I live in a small house with my wife and two kids, so storage for longer-term preparations can be a challenge.  However, I have found two spaces to be of great value that most homeowners may overlook.  For one, my house sits on top of a stem wall foundation that has a small crawlspace underneath.  This crawlspace was only available from an outside hatch, and therefore was less than desirable as a TEOTWAWKI storage due to its visibility and location.  Gaining access to it from the inside of my house was as easy as installing a simple trapdoor for the cost of two hinges and some time with a Skilsaw.  I simply pulled back the carpet in my closet and located the nails that indicated where the studs ran.  I pulled the nails from two adjacent joists along a two foot strip.  Then I set my Skilsaw blade to the approximate depth of my subfloor and cut out a square.  Making a trapdoor was as simple as cutting the removed piece of subfloor down slightly more so it didn’t catch, screwing down some hinges on the backside, then placing the carpet back over it.  Obviously, make sure before doing any of this to make sure the trap door leads to an open area, not a pipe or electrical line.  Below this trapdoor I have about 3-to-4 feet of vertical storage space.  I made a pallet to one side on which I store about six months of freeze-dried food and several gallons of water in 5 gallon jugs. 

Nobody has seen me haul the stuff in, nor will they see me hauling it out when the time comes.  I have used none of my living space and the air below the house is considerably cooler and drier than my usual storage spaces, such as shed or garage.   The second spot to consider is the intake registers for your HVAC system.  Most HVAC systems blow out the cool or hot air out of floor registers, then take the air back to the heater/cooler through registers near the ceiling.  The air running through there, as a result, is room temperature.  While I wouldn’t recommend storing anything heavy, bulky, or edible up there, removing a vent cover exposes a nice bit of unused space for storage of cash and guns when I leave for the weekend.  – Andy in Arizona

James,
One challenge I have encountered in my survival preparations is the lack of concealed storage space in my 800 square foot house. I recently purchased a king size mattress, being on a tight budget (spending most of my disposable cash on survival preps) I couldn’t afford a king size bed [frame and box springs]. In order to fill both needs of more storage space and a place to put my new mattress I decided to use 5 gallon buckets and 3/4in  plywood to construct a simple platform for my mattress. I purchased two sheets of plywood at the lumber yard, and thirty of food grade 5 gallon buckets with lids.

I had them cut both sheets of plywood to 38×80 inches (one half of the size of a king size bed). I placed the buckets 6 across and 5 wide where I wanted my bed. In order to remember where they are, I drew a diagram and labeled each bucket with the contents. I used sheets from my old smaller mattress as skirts to cover the buckets. With the mattress, plywood, and buckets the bed is taller than normal but my wife and are both tall and I feel it is justified in the amount of storage that is gained. The size and number of buckets can be adapted to any size bed. Good luck to all in your preparations and I hope my experience will help with your storage needs. Sincerely, – Northeast BoomTruck

Mr. Rawles,
I completely agree with L.N. about survival prep in small spaces. I increased the storage space under my bed by raising it [and additional] six inches off the floor. I used commercial available bed risers that cost under $20.00 for a set of four. A riser is placed under each of the four bed posts. Just search on “bed riser” or visit local home store. – Larry D.

Letter Re: 33 Ways to Encourage Atlas to Shrug

Mr. Rawles,
Thank you sir for “33 Ways to Encourage Atlas to Shrug” article. I, too, was born in 1960. It’s nice to know that you’re a young man.

I moved to “the Redoubt” nine and a half years ago, and have no regrets, other than the fact that my state’s Workman’s Compensation rates are some of the highest in the nation. As a building contractor, I have had to pay upwards of  65% for the privilege of wearing out my knees and back, working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. At the end of the year my wife and I would look at each other and say, “what are we doing”? I employed six men two years ago, but now employ none. I do what I can on my own, simply because I don’t want the majority of the fruits of my labor going to the state government.

The lifestyle and freedoms we’ve enjoyed otherwise do out-weigh the negatives. I’m just “shrugging” and preparing for what comes ahead. – Anthony in Montana

 

Letter Re: Underscoring the Absurdity of Gun Control Laws

James,  
I read your recent “Quote of the Day” by Sam Cohen, and it got me thinking. The quote was:

“The philosophy of gun control: Teenagers are roaring through town at 90 MPH, where the speed limit is 25. Your solution is to lower the speed limit to 20.” – Sam Cohen, inventor of the Neutron Bomb

Cohen has the basics down, but he failed to capture just how far into the realm of the ridiculous the regulators have gone. A more complete analogy would be as follows:

The philosophy of gun control: Teenagers are roaring through town at 90 MPH, where the speed limit is 25. Your solution is to lower the speed limit to 20, outlaw any vehicle that has a round hood ornament or that can carry more than 10 gallons of fuel, require sensitivity training and mandatory annual testing for all licensed drivers, require all vehicle purchases to be documented at a dealership (with a 10-day waiting period), and specify the locks on the garage where the vehicles are stored (with their wheels removed and stored in a locked container on the other side of the home).  Meanwhile the most dangerous intersections are changed from stoplights to yield signs, and residential and school zone regulations are tightened with ‘no-stop’ rules so strict that even police cannot stop to set up a speed trap, thus giving the speeders free reign in the very areas they are likely to do the most damage.

Regards, – Tony B.

Economics and Investing:

Jonathan H. suggested a piece over at Slate: The Great Global Freakout of 2011 Imagining the worst-case scenario if the United States even comes close to defaulting on its debt.

Loyal content contributor B.B. sent an article by James West of The Midas Letter: $5,000 Gold and $300 Silver are Credible Numbers

Bob Chapman of The International Forecaster outlined the current short squeeze in the silver market in a radio interview with Alex Jones. To summarize Chapman’s remarks: Gold is going to break out here and is going to go to $1,600, $1,650, silver is another situation, the unusual situation is that JP Morgan Chase and HSBC are short 45 to 1, that means for every contract they have in silver they sold 45 (and there is thousands of them), they’re naked short they can’t get out they can’t buy back into silver which keeps on going up. Three things can happen here, they either can tell their clients we do not have silver and we are going to pay you 25 cents on the dollar or they can default totally. Or, the Federal Reserve can step in and cover their losses at $46 dollars a share. Their losses will be about $90 billion.

Bram S. suggested this blog post: Deflation or Hyperinflation?

Tony B. recommended an economics primer, style after Dr. Seuss: The Jubjub Hole

Items from The Economatrix:

Into The Economic Abyss

10 Signs Of An Impending Bust

Brent Crude Rises Over $124 On Unrest In Syria, Yemen

Earnings Drive Stocks to New 2011 Highs

3M:  Signals Of Continued Economic Uncertainty

Consumer Confidence Index Rises in April

Odds ‘n Sods:

K.T. sent this YouTube video: The Lost Art of Cut Shells. JWR’s Comment: Don’t attempt to feed cut shells in a pump or a semi-auto from a gun’s magazine–instead, drop them into the chamber, one shot at a time. (Otherwise, you can expect some horrendous jams.)

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Cheryl N. sent this: From Stockpiling To Living Off The Grid, More Colorado Residents Preparing For Disasters

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Tam, over at the View From The Porch blog mentioned this bit of whimsy: The Silver Bullet. Also by way of Tam comes an article guaranteed to make your blood boil: A Tale of Modern Healthcare, or why does this cost so much?

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Wheat Advances for a Third Day on Deteriorating Crop Conditions in U.S. (Thanks to Marilyn R. for the link.)

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Reader J.B.G. sent this news item from Nanny State Britannia: Farmer menaced with death threats by gang of travellers dials 999… and police turn up to confiscate her shotguns. JWR’s advice to freedom-loving Britons: Take the Gap and move to the U.S., soon!

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The Fed is in a bind. No matter which way it turns, utter failure is a risk. Putting more money into the system risks no less than the dollar itself. Stopping quantitative easing (QE) risks plunging the economy and financial system into another period of turbulent decline.” – Chris Martenson

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.

Survival Preparation in Small Spaces: How to Grow and Store in the Space You Have, by L.N. in Texas

I live in the country and so I am used to gardening, canning, saving and preparing.  However, when I talk to many people who live in the city and live either with minimal land and perhaps apartments, they do not seem prepared or not as prepared as they could be.  When I ask if they store or grow any food, they just sort of look at me.  When I tell them they should either grow some food or store food not only in case of natural disaster, but even due to inflation and rising prices, the looks become bewildered.  They’ll say that they have no place to grow or store food or they may even act as if that is not important to them.  But, in this time and day, everyone should prepare some food and essentials.  There are reports that crops are being destroyed by elements of drought or floods or freezing and as we can all see, prices are rising and companies are becoming creative at giving us less for the dollar when we buy items.  The world we knew or thought we knew is changing and survival is a key for everyone.  Even in a small space you can prepare for the worse while you continue to hope for the best!

Before we begin talking about how, lets talk about things that are helpful in storing food.  Of course you can go with large buckets and Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers which you can find online at Survival web sites, but what if you do not have that much room?    

You are still in luck!  Invest in a FoodSaver vacuum sealer and get the jar sealer attachments online.  Food Savers will help you store food in either the bags they sell or if you get the jar attachments, you can store food in Mason jars!  We tested the jar attachment by putting dry beans into a mason jar and using the Food Saver jar attachment.  When the machine turned off indicating it was ready, we tried to open the flat metal lid on the Mason jar.  It wouldn’t come off.  When we took a butter knife to the edge to help open it, we heard that vacuum seal pop as we opened it.   So right then and there, we knew we were getting a nice vacuum seal on our jar.  This now allows us to store beans, rice, pasta and other dried foods in jars such as this.  Store trail mix for example in the Food Saver Bags.  These bags are sealed and are easy for you to put into a bin for later consumption.  You can look for Mason jars at local grocery stores, some hardware stores and we also found some really large jars at our local pharmacy of all places!  If all else fails, you can always order them online.   By putting things in the Food Saver bags, it also saves a lot of space rather than bulky boxes and such.  The Food Saver bags are also something quick you can grab if you need to evacuate and put in a back pack.

So you space is small – where can you store?  Start opening your eyes and look around at where you can add space.  A bin on a bookshelf is one more than what you had before!  Get creative and utilize any open spaces you may have.  When the earthquake happened in Japan, many people did not have food stocked up in their apartments and then found they were empty handed and grocery store shelves empty as well!  Remember, grocery stores only have about three days worth of food.  If there is a disaster, that food will disappear quickly.  What if trucks cannot get to your area?  Are you ready to be self-sufficient for a few days, a month or so?  And, when storing, think about climate control.  Do not store anything near heat such as a fireplace, hot water heater or any place that heat can deter the value of the food.

 The following are some ideas of the kinds of places you can store – even in small places!

  • Under the bed – with under-the-bed storage bins or boxes.  This is a lot of space that you have available right now that you can utilize!  You can even get some bins on wheel
  • Your closet – what about bins under the hanging clothes?  On shelving?
  • Install shelving in your rooms and buy nice storage bins–which can even look decorative–to hide items.  If you have no wall space, then what about above the doors?   Put an extra shelf in the laundry room.
  • Use a storage tote bin for storage next to your bed, couch etc. and cover it with a cloth turning it into a night stand or small table.  If you have an end table that is open underneath, again, you can put items in the open area, then cover it with a cloth to hide the stored items.
  • Place or build storage behind your couch and again, cover it with a cloth and place décor on top of it.  No one will ever know!
  • Look in your cabinets – try to consolidate items out of bulky boxes and containers and once you get more room, utilize that space.
  • Purchase an armoire or storage unit with doors on it and use it completely for storing items.  You can use an old entertainment cabinet that has doors on it. Where the television would have gone, you can stack cases of food, put medicines or smaller food or items in the drawers.
  • Plant patio gardens in whiskey barrels or other large planters.  You can grow onions, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, and any dwarf variety of fruit this way.
  • Plant herbs in window gardens or in planters among the house. Herbs can be nice house plants and will offer you spicing to your food than an ordinary house plant so begin utilizing planters in the house as well.

Note:  Craft stores sell photo boxes that are usually decorative. These are perfect for putting in small Food Saver bags or making a box for emergency supplies for children.

If you live in the city and have a little land, do all of the above plus:

  • Build yourself a raised bed garden – even a 4 x 4 will give you lots of growing space.  If you have room build a larger 8 x 4 or as many that you can fit on your land.
  • Plant fruit trees if able.  Find out what trees grow in your area and plant trees that bear some type of food for you and your family.
  • Plant berries or small bushes that produce food. 

What items should you think about storing besides food?  Think about everyone in your household, including young children and pets.  When storing things like water and food, be sure to do your homework and research either in books or on the internet on best practices for safe storage. 

 Besides food, think of places you can store:

  • Water    
  • First Aid and Medicines
  • Toiletries 
  • Paper goods    
  • Wet wipes in case you lose water
  • Baby formula and other baby needs for babies in your family.  If small children, think about snacks for them as well as items that will keep them occupied if there is no electricity and no TV.  Colors, coloring books, books, games, and so on.
  • Coin or cash to have on hand
  • Seed for planting
  • Store some “comfort” items.   Comfort can be some candy for example, but whatever comfort means to you, you may want to store that so you have it – especially at times you may want it.
  • Bartering items – Think along the lines of the old days where people would trade one good for another.  If there is a disaster, you may not be able to go to work, drive your car and so on.  What could you trade a neighbor for something they have you may want?    Some people say to buy ammunition for bartering and that just happens to be something I wouldn’t buy as a bartering tool.  That ammo may be what you need for food and they could in turn, use that ammo on you to get the rest of your stash!  Think items like razors, tooth brushes, alcohol, coffee and such.

Right now you may be thinking – this is too much to store.  Wouldn’t you rather have it and be prepared than not have it when you need it?  These items are important to your survival.  Our economy could change overnight by one ruling of say not using our currency as the reserve or some solar flare or EMP that affects our electronics.  Preparedness is key right now. 

The next complaint I hear is, “I have fruit or vegetables, but we can’t eat all of it and some goes to waste.”  What you need to do is start thinking along the line of storage again.  You can freeze or can most vegetables and fruits and you can dry your herbs.   There is vast information on the web about freezing, canning, storing and drying food you produce.  This means you may need to look into a water bath canner and pressure canner.   I’ve made for example, homemade salsa, jelly, and pickles and am researching more information on canning and freezing my vegetables.   Making jelly may take you and another person a day of work, but you will quickly find your shelves filling up.  You can use the under-the-bed bins for other items and use shelving for your canned items.  If nothing else, home-canned foods make great gifts too so never think you would not know what to do with it all. 

By now, most people know that rotating their stored food is important.  But, what if you ran across cases of food that will expire in the next month?   Most people without thinking will say they cannot possibly eat all that or do not want to.  Think of others at this time.  Donate it to a food pantry, a large family and so on.  Just do not wait too late and never donate food that will expire within a few days or that is expired!

Of course, all of the above is just a small list of ideas.  Start researching survival items and you will find many more you should be considering right now.   Never think your space or yard is too small.  You will be amazed once you start looking around at all the opportunities you truly have to store or grow food.  And when you shop at a plant nursery – always look for plants, shrubs and trees that will bear food.  It may be what you have to survive on one day!

My Kids are Preppers Too!, by The Non-Nurse

The lessons of my essay are simply this: talk with your kids, include them in your preps, and listen to them.

My foray into prepping began in 2008, courtesy of my then 10-year-old son. My astute older child noticed how stressed mom and dad were with the rising costs, lowered wages, and cut hours that we were experiencing thanks to the newly developed recession. My son asked if he could put in a garden, a novel idea for my core family unit. He felt the need to help contribute to the family in some way.

I must inject a little background into my story… My brother has been preparing since 2006 so the concept was not foreign to my family. We live rurally and hunting has always been a part of our lives. But despite my attempts at persuasion I could not convince my husband to jump onto the prepping train. Little did I know it would take our kids to convince him.

The first year of gardening was not a success in the typical sense. Our garden bounty needed to be greatly supplemented by local produce auctions. But it did open the door for more preparations.

I’m getting off track here. The story is about my children: I have two sons, currently 13 and 11. They have always been a part of our strategic planning meetings. We feel our children need to know as much as we do about what we have purchased, need to purchase, and would like to purchase. Your kids are going to know that something is going on, it is better to include them than to keep them in the dark. Trust me; if they do not fully understand your situation, they are going to discuss it at school or with their friends. You cannot expect them to notice that you are bringing in pallets of supplies, but not to ask questions about it. Children are curious by nature and that curiosity has led my kids to becoming well educated about some survival topics. Your children also need to know how to use every piece of equipment as well as you do. You owe it to them, as their parents, to ensure that they have all the necessary skills to survive if you are somehow injured or unavailable. Making your kids key elements in your preps not only makes them more desirable, if the need were to arise that you band with another group, but it also makes your group as a whole, superior.

My eldest is still interested in gardening and we have expanded our garden for the third straight year this spring. He is also an avid reader. Along with numerous other genres of books, he is currently reading all the apocalyptic books that he can get his hands on. I read the same adolescent novels that he enjoys. This opens the lines of communication and leads to interesting conversations. Conversations ranging from: Are the teenagers in real-life as ignorant as the teenagers in the books? (He says they are–that is scary if true) How he would handle the situation of surviving on his own? Is he ready to protect himself and his family? Can he live without all the electronic babysitters? (I.e. video games and iPods)

My younger son is the gun enthusiast. He can list more weapon makes and models than my husband, which is saying something. He is more athletic then my older son, but he is also more indolent and stubborn.

Both of our children are required to help in the garden, target practice, and help canning food preservation. They carry in the groceries and help me rotate the shelves. We have raised our children to be contributing members of the family unit. That is not something that can be taught overnight. Nor will it be a lesson easily learned when the times get even more desperate. Because of their hard work, responsibility, and maturity they are rewarded in several forms. They are often the hosts of sleep-overs. Besides the fast that I love having the extra 2-8 kids over, I consider it a form of prepping education. Do you know how much and how often 10 teenage boys will eat? I do. I have needed to increase my food stores because of that reason alone. I also can witness the interaction between the kids. I know which kids have no problem running out in the dark to chase off a stray cat that is threatening our kittens. I know which kids are willing to help in the garden and mash applesauce. I know which one of my sons’ friends treat me with respect. This is all important for when the time comes and my home may become a safe haven for parentless children. I know, it sounds frightening and alarming, but I have come to love some of these kids and would take them in as my own.  

I bring up the point about the extra kids for several reasons. First, I consider the sleep-overs to be an essential par t of our prepping training. I need to know that that I can trust my kids with our secrets around other kids. I like to see how the girls and boys react with a good ole’fashioned game of ghost in the graveyard. I also like to make note of the kids that pitch in with the chores and who can be counted on to follow instructions. Secondly, I use the guise of hosting sleep-overs to hide several of my preps in plain sight. Do you know how many kids will come over without proper winter gear? All of them. So it of no surprise that I have numerous pairs of boots, jackets, hats, and gloves stored in my closet. Lastly, tactically their games of hide-and-go-seek outside in the dark along with Nerf gun wars in the house are great practice. Now, I know that most of you are going to scoff at the suggestions that such childish endeavors have any real practical application. But I know exactly which one of the kids are willing to lie silently in a patch of raspberries for an hour hiding from the rest of the seekers. I also know which kids go running screaming into the night at the first hint of movement. My children have learned every hiding place outside and inside. They also know every line of fire that is feasible. That sounds practical to me.  

Due to my career in health care, I am well stocked in the band-aids area of beans, bullets, and band-aids. My children have practiced drawing blood and starting IVs on a dummy arm. I need to know that they know how to apply an Israel bandage to me if I am not able to care for myself. As an 11 and 13 year old they are more than capable of performing basic to moderate first aid if the need arises, but only if you have taught them. Recently, my younger son took a spill while I was at work. My eldest child calmly called me and asked for advice. He monitored his younger brother for an hour (until my husband got home and took over) for signs of a concussion or a more serious condition. He checked the reactivity of his pupils and his memory skills. This was the exact advice I received from the emergency room physician when I asked him if I should bring my child in for evaluation. Educational opportunities come every day and around every turn. It is our duty as parents to help our children recognize these occasions and step back and allow them to learn. Talking to your kids is not as productive as talking with your kids.

Another such learning opportunity came about just as our first thunderstorm of the season also came about. I was just walking out of work when my son called to inform me that our power was out. By the time that I arrived home five minutes later, he had learned that a transformer was struck by lightning and that we would be without power for several hours. I took the opportunity to open the door for conversation and teach my kids a lesson; little did I know they were going to teach me one. As we were discussing the different scenarios of a storm situation, we also went over our other tornado and fire procedures. That is when I thought I could throw them a curve ball. I asked them, what if not only the power was out but also the phones? (a common occurrence around our place) No problem, they have their cell phones. Well, what if the cell phones were out also? The first things my sons’ ascertained was that I was referring to an EMP blast. Wow, they are good. Yes, my eldest had been reading One Second After and my youngest watches way too much History and Military channels. They went on to explain that one of them would “stand guard” at the best look out window in the house (but not too close to the window so no one from the outside can see them), while the other locks all the doors and pulls all the blinds and secures the property. Pretty good plan for never having discussed it with them. So now, because I’m mom I’ve got to keep throwing curve balls at them. “What if they knew I was not at work that day but off on a prepping/shopping run an hour away? Dad is 25 miles away for his work too.” No problem. They would continue to switch off look out duty, napping when they could until someone made it home. “But what if we don’t make it home?” They would consume the perishables in the refrigerator first, eating them cold or reheating them over the Sterno cans that we have stored.

Great, so they wouldn’t starve. “But what about if someone came up our driveway?” Besides wanting to hide inside the house they told me they know how to access the weapons and better yet they know how not to use them unless they are fired upon first. Okay, so I was pretty dang proud of them. We went on to discuss other problems, an injury, the pets, picking up the stairway so they didn’t break their necks in the dark. Now, for the real kicker. What if they weren’t home when this happened? Hmmm, Yes! I stumped them for a moment. They immediately said they would leave school and head for home. “But how would I know that they were even allowed to leave school?” They hadn’t thought of that. They developed a route for making it from school to my work (less than ½ mile away) and we would walk home together (a mile). They would try to convince another sibling pair that lives close to us to travel together with them. “But, what if they do not allow the grade school children to be dismissed?” My eldest is in the middle/high school located right next door to the grade school. We discussed how the eldest would go and try to convince the younger son’s teacher to allow him to released into his care. If the elder son was not successful he was not to leave the grade school without his brother. If they do not meet me at the hospital in a timely manner, I would travel the route (backwards) and pick them both up. By this time my husband was home and he was upset that I would not immediately leave work to gather our children. That sounds great in theory but our emergency procedures do not allow for staff to leave the building. I realized that an EMP is not quite the same as a tornado warning but how many of the staff members are going to realize what is happening immediately? It would be more suspicious if I took off running, screaming the sky is falling, immediately.

The conversation turned to other scenarios and crisis types. They talked about filling the bathtubs for additional water and how they can get into our locked house. They made their point though. They are better prepared than most of the adults I know. That is a reassuring notion for a mother to carry with her. Times will be difficult enough; I will be worrying about my children every minute. But can you imagine how much harder it would be for my husband and I to function if our children were not well prepped? I’m sure some of you are saying that you don’t want to unduly frighten your children. I agree. During our discussions my youngest son expressed some fears about being able to carry out his duties and “pulling his weight.” It is better to openly address these fears now before they become a reality, rather than to shelf them for a rainy day. No, I do not want my kids to live their lives in fear nor do I want them to grow up too fast. I explained to my sons how we in the medical profession practice and practice every emergent situation hoping that we never have to experience them. I would have been perfectly happy never performing CPR on an infant during the course of my career, but when that time came I am glad that I practiced that skill. It is just like training for a sport, if you don’t practice you cannot succeed. The same is true for prepping.

Another skill my sons are extremely proficient at is shooting our weapons. I realize that almost everyone on here would have multiple reasons against me touting the benefits of a .22 [rimfire] pistol. Some of them I would agree with, some I would not. Our .22 pistol has allowed our sons to become extremely good marksmen. I don’t know about you, but I cannot afford to go out and shoot up a box of .45 or .357 cartridges. The pistols are small and light, easily manageable for their smaller hands and bodies. They are not scared of the recoil. Those are all important features for learning the skills of handling a firearm. The same can be said for the .22 rifle. If I can teach my children inexpensively, safely and confidently how to handle both a pistol and rifle and that is an indispensable skill. Master the .22 and you can master anything. My eldest son proved that lesson this past year by shooting his first deer at over 120 yards, walking, with an open-sight .30-30. That is pretty impressive.

The simple, lowly .22 pistols and rifles have taught our kids how to handle a gun safely and how to hit their target accurately. Tell me another weapon that offers that without that same result without costing a fortune. Given the option of a .22 pistol or no gun at all, that is a silly question. And yes, a .22 pistol can kill all manner of beasts; just ask most local farmers that use a .22 to put down cattle. It works, but only if you can hit your target. My coworker was laughing at my choice in firearm when I purchased my Walther P22 (an excellent gun, BTW) saying that it was a waste of money and has no stopping power. My reply was simply this, “I can afford to target practice daily and fire thousands of rounds through it. Better to hit my target with all of my 10 rounds, then to have a larger caliber pistol that I cannot afford to target practice with but once a year and miss with every shot.” Pistol shooting is a skill and an art that cannot be learned in an afternoon with a couple of magazines worth of ammo.

Of all the skills my sons have learned through these difficult times, the most important is the value of being fiscally responsible. My kids rarely ask for toys, treats, or presents. They would rather have a used book or better yet an afternoon all together as a family playing board games. They know the value of a dollar (less every day) and they respect what it means not to spend the money when you don’t have it. Often when I ask them what they would like to do for a special occasion or afternoon together, they tell me they would like to play a board game or bake bread together.

What is going to happen to all of those kids that cannot live without their parents spending a fortune on them? You know what kids I mean, the ones that get a $60 video game for cleaning up their own room. Really? It is their mess they should not be awarded for that, they shouldn’t have to be asked. And yes, it is really that bad. Or the girls that I had the privilege of witnessing this past weekend, strutting around a band competition wearing a mini-skirted tube dress and heels and then throwing themselves to the floor and kicking and screaming when their results were not posted fast enough. I am not making this up, I wouldn’t have believed it myself if I hadn’t witnessed it with my own eyes. (And for the record they were 13 years old.) My kids are not perfect; I will never claim they are. But I know that in whatever situation we are faced with, be it tomorrow, next month, or in a year, or never, that my kids will be responsible and mature. I know I will be able to count on my kids to be able to survive TEOTWAWKI, high school, or the real world with confidence and dignity. Please talk with your kids, start right now because a family that preps together survives together.