From Zero to Prepared in Five Years, by Jon the Marine

At the young age of 17 and a half after having completed High School earlier than most of my peers and with parental consent, I joined the United States Marine Corps.
The date was June of 1999. The next four years of my life would be interesting, exciting, dangerous, and eye opening. Quickly making me leave the naive boyhood I had then, and realizing what a dark place most of the world really is. At the end of my four year commitment, I returned home from a year deployment in Afghanistan, and chose to discharge honourably once my contract was completed.
A few adventures later, found me moving to Ontario, Canada. By adventures, I mean my current, and at that time, future wife. We just married May 1st of this year, 2010.
Arriving back from the Honeymoon a few days ago, I was surfing through many of my favourite internet survival sites, and came to Survival Blog as I always would at least once or twice a week but had neglected to do so lately, with all the wedding preparations and stress the past few months.

Up until recently, I felt that my own TEOTWAWKI plans were not to the point I would like them to be. So I told myself I would write a piece one day, when I finally had reached the comfort and safety blanket that I thought was finally good enough for myself and my wife. If I felt it was good enough for us, it should be good enough for others, right? Or so the thinking goes.
Having been a combat Marine, I of course have advantages that a lot of people that are only recently waking up don’t have. But let me tell you. Even having been in the military for four years did not prepare me nearly enough. The knowledge I have gained in the last six years from reading resources on sites such as these, if not outweigh, definitely are the defining attribute to complete the brute force survival instincts one receives in the military.

Lucky for me, my wife has been willing to humour my survival instincts and supports me, so long as I don’t make us bankrupt in the process! So without further adieu, I will tell you how we slowly prepared for TEOTWAWKI. Due to the space constraints necessary for this story, the juicy storyline details are going to be left out with just the necessary ones included. The planning stages began of course, in the spring of 2006 after having stumbled upon some “nefarious” web sites such as Infowars, SurvivalBlog, and many others. It didn’t take me long in the military to realize that while I was a patriotic, country loving American that you could not trust the government completely. If anyone was going to secure our future, it had to be us.

The first thing that really caught my eye was an event still fresh in my mind, Hurricane Katrina. We had opened our wallets immediately, donating to help the tragedy stricken people of the area. But the more we followed the story over those months. The more we realized the complete disaster it was.

How could a government of 300 million people of the largest and richest nation (in terms of resources) on the earth be so unprepared? While this event was big, it was not nationwide and it was not global. It affected only a few percent of the entire population of our great nation. The response was mind numbingly slow.

This is when we decided to take matters into our own hands. This wasn’t even close to a TEOTWAWKI event, and it was obvious just from watching the news just how devastating it really was.
The first thing I began to do was research on methods of food storage and water purification as well as making some emergency kits. A first aid kit, water, candles, all the primary goodies a kit should have. Wound up getting a food dehydrator, and lots of #10 cans to dehydrate food and store it. Ultimately after a lot of trial and error, over the next two years we wound up storing away almost 200 of these cans. We stored beans, rice, quinoa, oats, wheat, honey, salts, sugar, spices. I Dried fruits, vegetables, meats, all sorts of delicious things. Even as I write this, I had opened one of the cans now being almost four years later. This dried fruit still tastes amazing. Yum.

Fast forward two years. I’m cruising on my survival web sites and come across the web site for Mountain House foods. After doing my due diligence and research I head to the local survival / surplus store and buy a few individual pouches to try out. Wow, I’m blown away by the great taste of the freeze dried foods. After going home and doing some more research, I’m saddened to learn that nearly of all them have monosodium glutamate (MSG) in them, but I think to myself: “We all eat some terrible things once in a while in peacetime. Who among us hasn’t headed down to the pub for chicken wings and beer once a month or so with the buddies?” I’m guilty as charged. Eating some food with MSG has got to be healthier than not eating at all.

Comfort food is sometimes just as important as any other food. We decided to buy 2-3 of these #10 cans from Mountain House every month to add to the stash. Normally we were against buying pre-packaged stuff like MREs because the shelf life was only 5-6 years on average, and the per unit cost was (at the time) too high to justify the short shelf life. Dehydrating was far more economical. The 25-30 year shelf life of this, what I called “The fast food of survival food” was more than enough to convince me (along with the taste of course) that they were worth the prices listed.

Fast forward another year. After our diligent monthly purchase (and a few times throughout the year we decided to purchase a case of them when we came into unexpected extra money) we had about 50 of these cans. They varied from breakfast foods, desserts, dinner entrees, and even frozen ice cream! Between these, and all the other things we had purchased and or dehydrated in the past, based on some rough calculations I figured we had nearly two years supply of food for the two of us combined. That’s two years of eating at 2,000 calories. We definitely weren’t planning to skimp. I mean, it’s TEOTWAWKI. We aren’t going to be going to our office jobs all day, then playing PS3 all night like we do now. There is going to be a lot of physical labouring going on right?
Yet something still wasn’t sitting right with me. We had food. We had water purification systems. We had written plans to execute for the day the emergency did strike. We had our cozy little condo that we could hunker down in on the umpteenth floor. We had means by which to defend ourselves with. Even a solar powered generator that ran almost silently on our balcony in the sunlight to charge the icebox and emergency communications equipment that we would almost certainly need. What was missing?
Then it hit me. We were sitting ducks. And sitting ducks in the city which is even worse. How long before our neighbours and others realized we didn’t look like we were starving and still somehow paying our mortgage (with the silver and gold we have also stashed away in the form of bullion coins.)
Did I really think we could defend ourselves in some kind of Rambo: First Blood scenario? A mob will always win. They have the same determination to survive that you have. But they have numbers on their side. They can sleep in shifts. They can wear you down or just brute force you.

I somehow convinced my wife of this. Our search for a property outside the city began. We eventually came on a piece of land a few hours outside the city that was off the beaten path. There was no electricity on the property, no roads leading onto it or anywhere near it, no plumbing, nothing. The parcel of land was surrounded by what we call “Crown Land” which is owned by the government. There wasn’t a neighbour or a building within 50 miles of us in any direction. The fact that this land is so remote meant another great aspect. It was cheap. Believe it or not, we got near 75 acres for under $12,000 dollars Canadian. We had rights to the trees but not minerals. Oh well, we weren’t planning on digging for gold anyway.
I’m going to break down an entire years worth of anguish for you in a few sentences here. If you have ever had the boyish dream of building your own log cabin or cottage in the woods, please let me warn you of the absolute agony you’re going to put your body through. It is hard, hard, hard work.

A year later, I am looking around proudly at my little 650 square foot handmade log cabin. It looks like a snap shot out of a Lincoln cherry wood scene. It’s not the prettiest site. But it has held up all winter and is weather tight. The wood stove keeps it toasty as can be. The outside is nicely done up. My wife just has this amazing ability to bring out lovely flowers and gardens anywhere she goes!
We even built a few really cool things like a small patio covered outdoor kitchen with a stone/brick stove and oven. Powered by, you guessed it, just wood or charcoals. It has a stone water basin with drainage system for washing dishes with a tank above that slowly releases rain water collected from the patio roof. The water runs through a filtration system of course. A large fire pit is in the center, to help provide some heat in the winter if any cooking needed to be done outside. You have to be able to get back to the basics right?

My wife suggested that we attempt to build some sort of refrigerator system into the ground. It was freezing here 6-to-7 months of the year. Mild three months, and the others were just plain warm. A little procrastination and a few youtube videos later, I was back up at the cabin and managed over the course of a month (during the weekends) to dig in a very nice root cellar as well as an underground, very well insulated refrigerator. It keeps things very cool in the summer, and prevents them from freezing in the winter. It is between 2 and 3 feet underground.
It took a long time (several months) to get all of our supplies moved to the cabin and its root cellar. Trucking the supplies up and then ATV-ing them off-road style to the cabin. I had to do other work to the root cellar just in case some sort of rodents or animals managed to burrow into it by mistake and find it, lest our tin cans be discovered. Although they were all properly packaged and sealed so should have been odourless. The entrance to the root cellar was cleverly disguised to appear as part of the hill it was dug into.

We have even managed through a close relationship with our family doctor, to obtain prescriptions of antibiotics that neither of us are allergic to, for our retreat. The only stipulation that he gives us is when they expire we return them to him for a new prescription. They expire about every three years if stored properly. He gave us lots of training and literature on how and when to use them and only under the circumstances that of course, no medical help is available at the time. No one should ever try to diagnose themselves if they are not a doctor.

Fast forward again (I know, you must feel like you’re in that Adam Sandler movie “Click”) to the present day. With our retreat in place and our supplies stored in it, what now you ask? Continue to live life. Continue to gain survival and knowledge skills. We are even considering taking a year off work to move to the cabin and see if we can live at it long term. Maybe even build a chicken coup and small building to raise some rabbits in for meat.

All you can do at this point is to try and continue to live life, and thank God for every day that he gives you. While we are now very much in our minds prepared for what is or what may be to come when TEOTWAWKI happens, five years ago we were ill-prepared individuals and I was naive enough to believe being a marine I could just “bug out” into the bush and survive.
When we first began preparing, I can tell you, I felt like the end of the world was around the corner any minute and I would never have enough time to prepare. None of us middle class citizens can afford to instantly build a hedge against a society collapse. This feeling of helplessness and hopelessness engulfs many of us and probably prevents many of us from acting in the first place.
I can assure you from experience that all the baby steps will eventually come together. Don’t hesitate to begin planning for your future. I think society has brainwashed us to believe the end is always “just around the corner” or maybe it is our own survival instincts. It may be 20 years from now or 50 years or 200 years from now. But isn’t having some sort of peace of mind worth it? I don’t any longer feel that same desperate sense of impending doom that I used to when we were unprepared.

Rather than being sitting ducks like the government wants us all to be, my wife and I took charge of our lives and made our TEOTWAWKI retreat. Could we defend our retreat against a mob should they find it? Of course we couldn’t. But we’re investing in the fact that it is so far away from civilized life that an angry mob shouldn’t be tramping around in the middle of nowhere in a forest hoping to find our garden of Eden. We’ve told no one of it. When the social breakdown begins, we will get into our truck loaded with ATVs on the back and head for the retreat and hope for the best along the way. If your circumstances can help it, don’t bunker down in your condo like we were planning unless it’s absolutely your only option. If it is your only option, then prepare as privately and quietly as you can. All any of us can do in the end is hope that our preparations were enough. God Bless America, and all of humanity!

Three Letters Re: Four Great Preparedness Myths

Dear Mr. Rawles,
I read with a great deal of interest Dan B.’s piece on the Four Great Preparedness Myths, and although I have to agree with points 3 and 4, I have to take issue with the first two in his list. He says that “no one who has actually tried to defend themselves against a large group of determined assailants actually thinks it can be done”. Yes, no one person can defend themselves against a horde of attackers very long. But a group of ten or more, if they prepare themselves mentally, logistically and above all spiritually, can prevail against long odds.

History shows that with the right preparations even a small group can hold out against the most determined attackers at odds of up to 20 or 30 to 1, and that is without any type of heavy ordnance, i.e. artillery or air support. Yes, in most cases these were soldiers, but being a soldier is more than wearing a uniform. It is discipline under stress, pulling together with the individuals that are your comrades to become a unit with the mindset that you will not let them down and knowing they will not let you down when push comes to shove.

Dan states that the “math is pretty simple: the horde has numbers on its side, time on its side, and its determination probably matches yours. If a large group of people decide that you’ve got something they want, that’s all there is to it”. Not necessarily so, the strengths he states are also weaknesses.

1. Numbers are not always a good thing, especially when you have what is basically a large, probably undisciplined, mob. Time will not be on the side of the mob for the simple reason that it will be living off the land, and even though it may be known that you have supplies, no large group can stay in one place more than a few days or a week at the most without completely depleting all available resources. A study of history shows that most sieges were unsuccessful because the besieging force ran out of supplies. And remember, these people are hungry and desperate to start with, if they cannot rapidly gain control of your homestead they will probably be forced to move on to a more easily conquered target.

2. There will probably be, at best, only a rudimentary command and control structure, with leaders who have gained control through charisma or by force through an existing gang structure. To keep their position these leaders have to be flashy and visible to followers, this also makes them prominent targets, as the old saying goes, the fastest way to kill the snake is to cut off its head.

3. This lack of discipline and cohesion can be the deciding factor in defeating an attack. An excellent article on the 1874 Battle of Adobe Walls at shows how a badly outnumbered group of defenders can defeat a much larger disorganized foe.

4. Remember, these people are not Spartans, and they do not want to die. A vigorous defence will probably discourage further attacks.

You have to be vigilant and you have to prepare you home for defence, but it can be defended. – Harvey H.

Jim,
I’ve wanted to share this concern for a long time, and the recent letter regarding the four myths has inspired me to share it, which is this: Those folks that have the two days worth of food, and the 2-3 MBRs, and the arsenal, and the 1,000 rounds per gun… Those are the people that are going to be the ones I worry about more than the average member of the “Golden Horde“.

Collecting guns and ammo is the “fun” part of prepping, right? At least for many, that’s where 80% of the money spent on survivalism goes.

They’ll have the money. They’ll have read the articles. They know there are nuts to be cracked.

Those are my biggest fear. We need to make sure we evolve beyond just guns and ammo. If a person doesn’t have a substantial amount of resources stored up, the temptation to go appropriate others’ stores could be too much for some – maybe not for themselves, but they’ll be darned if they’ll see their wife/son/baby girl/mother starve.

Expand your preps people! Or the likelihood is I need to harden up more against you than the typical “Golden Horder”. – Austin

 

Dear Editor:
First of all, great piece! I appreciate Dan B.’s perspective.

Re: Myths 1 and 2 – I think a SHTF situation can be improved strategically if one is truly prepared. It will not always be perfect, and it certainly is far from desirable to have to consider these possibilities.

If done right and one is really prepared, then you can take out a good number of people before you have a chance to start shooting. Let’s first consider, sentries, Lookout Posts, trip wire warning systems, moats, fences, thick bushes, sensors, traps, and well trained guard dogs. Maybe I have watched too many movies, but if you know it is coming, then you should have the upper hand.

As one specific strategy, you can boobytrap to take out a large number of people who might “hunker down” in particular areas. Think chess! What are the top 50 moves that you or anyone might make and then protect against it. There are shotgun shell trip wires that could be rigged to take out a group hiding behind a particular wall or tree. Maybe you put in a pit with sharpened spears. Maybe a couple of pressure sensitive mats can be hooked to a nice bomb made from a glass jar lined with buckshot glued to the glass? This could get very ugly very fast. (And maybe you only arm those positions at night when you can’t see off in the distance?)

In the novel “Patriots”, I recall a fougasse pointed to cover a road approach. Did you build a heavy duty fence out of railroad ties or a wimpy one? Did you forget to strategically use your night vision baby monitor that you got from your kid’s room? What about Molotov cocktails? What about thermite grenades? Can you deliver a bomb via a zip line? What about a clearly disguised bear trap – I hear those things hurt! What about tunnels from your facility to outflank your opponents? What about razor wire? Did you put alligators in your moat? Can you quickly destroy the bridge to your main facility to keep the enemy from getting to you? Is there a field with a high incendiary material or just oil to take out a large group? Can you drop balloons of gasoline from the trees and ignite with a flare gun or roman candle? – people really don’t fight well while they are on fire! Have you purchased and read the military’s books on boobytraps and special make weapons? There are so many options that I can’t write them all! How many can you quickly take out is the point? Just know that it is all about preparation – play the scenarios in your head a thousand times before they happen!

Next, you are right that you can’t expect to fight and survive by yourself. This is where the “alliances” mentality can been seen in shows like “Survivor” or in certain movies where it is important to have allegiances in other areas. Look at the Lord of the Rings Trilogy – they frequently summoned other ally forces.

If you have the right combat gear, mindset and strategic technology, you may just be able to take out a favorable ratio. Think of what the US military was able to do in Somalia in 1993. Sure, we lost many good men, but what was the ratio based upon better training, weaponry, technology, and psychology? (About 1,000 Somalis compared to 19 US Servicemen – that’s 52 to 1) How big is that horde going to be anyway? Perhaps the odds would have been more favorable for the US forces if they were truly prepared for the mission (ammo, armored plates, special weapons, ability to prepare, etc.) All this to say, in your preparations, did you recruit enough people and the right people to your retreat?

Another point is that you can’t expect to horde your food and ammo and have it pay off for you. Perhaps if you share (or you may consider this a bribe) with very trusted, like minded local sources, you might gain good fortune and they may come to your rescue to save your backside. Remember, if you are surrounded, you best have gotten word to others very quickly to come help you out! At the same time, what better way to flank your opponents than to have a group of friends show up on their backside and pick them off while they “stake out your joint”?

I am not a military expert, however I have studied enough to know one thing, strategy (with skill and preparations) always wins in the end (statistically speaking of course). As a consideration, if you have the right tools, weapons, mindset, and ideally, preparations such as alliances, food, and perhaps a little of God’s provision, you have a much better chance to overcome any engagement – you must be truly prepared first of course. – BG

A Closeup View of the Rioting in Thailand

Hello Mr. Rawles,
I haven’t corresponded with you in quite some time;. I hope you are keeping well.

The reason I’m writing is that I’ve just received an email from a woman I used to work with who came from and went back to Bangkok, Thailand. I thought your readers might be interested (especially in the second paragraph).

“Things are getting very bad out there. They are happening on major streets of Bangkok and they are not far from my house. I can hear Helicopter flying over head and can see black smoke over the sky. This morning the red shirt terrorists have burned tires right outside one of the major hospital. It’s not far at all. That’s why I could see black smoke clearly. Soldiers are on the streets and Tanks have rolled out today. It gets ugly each day. The red shirts terrorists have burned down several buildings and looted stores and ATMs in the stores. They shot lots of people down to create fear and more tension. The soldiers are trying very hard to control the situation.

My family has stocked up supplies i.e. rice, food, water. This is in case things get worsen. Many gas stations have shutdown because no new delivery can safely come in to town.

All of the businesses located on the unrest streets have to shutdown. Subway and Sky train have shutdown for week now. – X.”

Thanks, – Greg T.

JWR Replies: Your letter and recent news articles illustrate the point that the citizens of virtually every nation need to be prepared to hunker down during times of civil unrest.

Economics and Investing:

G.G. flagged this from Mish Shedlock: Illinois Doesn’t Pay Bills; Crisis Pushes Businesses to Edge of Bankruptcy

Also from G.G.: Germans lead gold rush frenzy

Chad S. sent this one: GM wants more subprime buyers; will lender agree?

Also from Chad S. come this article from Detroit, Michigan: Landscapers find workers choosing jobless pay

Items from The Economatrix:

Lloyd’s of London Warns of “Perfect Storm” Threat to Insurers

Markets Plunge as Merkel Delivers Euro Warning and Bans Short Selling

Congress Blocks Indiscriminate IMF Aid to Europe

US Housing Starts Jump, Wholesale Prices Fall

Stocks Slide After Investors Focus on Europe Woes

Federal Reserve Sees Slightly Better 2010 Economy

Consumer Inflation Vanishes, a Boon for Borrowers

Mortgage Delinquencies Drag on Economic Recovery

Oil Settles Close to $70, Halting 16-day Slide

One in Seven US Homeowners Paying Late or in Foreclosure

Note from JWR:

Do you have any favorite quotes that relate to preparedness, survival, self-sufficiency, or hard money economics? If so, then please send them via e-mail, and I will likely post them as Quotes of the Day, if they haven’t been used before in SurvivalBlog. Please send only quotes that are properly attributed, and that you’ve checked for authenticity. Many Thanks!

—

Today we present another entry for Round 28 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.), and D.) A 500 round case of Federal 5.56mm XM193 55 Grain FMJ ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo. This is a $199 value, and includes free UPS shipping.

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 28 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.

Pregnancy and Nutrition in Hard Times, E.C. in Alabama

As a mother of a toddler with one on the way, and a former medical student and “birth junkie,” I’m very interested in the plight of the pregnant woman and newborn child in Third World nations (i.e. women with no access to higher-level medical attention) and in TEOTWAWKI scenarios.  Pregnancy is a vulnerable time in a woman’s life, and her nutrition is paramount. Of course, quitting any noxious habits, like smoking, drinking, and drugs of addiction, is crucial. Beyond that, good nutrition is the best prenatal care mother and child can get. The modern pharmaceutical industry would have you believe that prenatal vitamins negate the need for good nutrition in pregnancy, but this is not true, especially when you consider that mother and child need to be in the best possible nutritional status for a non-medical childbirth and for breastfeeding in a TEOTWAWKI scenario. Both for your own family and for a supply for charity, it’s good to consider pregnancy nutrition when planning food storage. Nutrition is the most important aspect of a healthy pregnancy and is the easiest to plan for ahead of time.

The pregnant woman needs plenty of high-quality proteins, essential fatty acids, folic acid, calcium- and iron-rich foods, and vegetables and fruits both for vitamins and for fiber (to prevent constipation). She also needs adequate salt and pure water for hydration – no high-blood-pressure diet here!

FOLIC ACID: Early in pregnancy, the baby needs about 800mcg of folic acid a day (about twice the pre-pregnancy requirement). Prenatal vitamins have their place, but if these are not available (or not well-tolerated, in the case of severe constipation or morning sickness), there are plenty of natural food sources. If she can tolerate blackeyed peas or crowder peas, a cup of these a day plus some fortified cereal and/or orange juice can provide adequate folic acid as well as protein, iron, vitamin C and fiber – it isn’t a varied diet, but this doesn’t matter as much in the first trimester. She needs to eat well, even if she has morning sickness. Morning sickness will be less severe if she can drink plenty of water, perhaps with some drink mix or tea in it, eat some bland carbohydrates first thing in the morning, and eat plenty of lean protein and fresh vegetables. Constipation can contribute to morning sickness and should be avoided by eating fiber and drinking water. Milk thistle may also help to decrease nausea, as well as candied ginger or ginger root tea (easily stored items). Hard, sour candy in small amounts may help also.

CALCIUM AND IRON: The pregnant prepper, beginning in the second trimester, should consider eating and/or drinking several servings of dairy – powdered milk, freeze-dried or canned cheeses, and powdered sour cream or buttermilk are good storage food sources. Other calcium-rich foods for storage include salmon and sardines (with the bones, which are easily mashed into the fish before consumption), freeze-dried broccoli, dried figs and apricots.  Fresh kale is another source that is easy to grow quickly. For iron, of course, red meats, poultry and fish are good sources of heme iron, which is easily taken up in the body and made into hemoglobin. Aside from meats, good sources include broccoli, blackstrap molasses, beans, and lentils. Iron is more easily absorbed when foods high in vitamin C are eaten at the same time – think citrus fruits or broccoli, tomatoes, melon, berries, or potatoes (surprisingly good for you, despite what the Atkins diet would have you believe). Wild sources of vitamin C are dandelion greens and berries, including mulberries (though they should be cooked first due to toxins). Another good source of vitamin C is sprouted beans or seeds. Soaked, sprouted beans and grains can be eaten like a salad topping or ground up to make a kind of meal which can be baked into “Elijah bread.”

PROTEIN: Protein is very important, not only for the nutritional needs of the baby but for maintaining the expanded blood volume of the mother. The Brewer diet for the prevention of preeclampsia recommends over 70 grams of protein a day (more important in the second and third trimesters). This should not be hard for the pregnant prepper to accomplish, as relatively inexpensive beans and peas are an excellent source of protein. However, they are an incomplete source of amino acids and must be supplemented with grain products such as wheat, rice, or corn. Fresh or freeze-dried meats, fish, eggs, milk, and dairy products are excellent sources of complete proteins. Eggs contain a number of other important nutrients and are inexpensive – or you may buy a couple of chickens and have them fresh for literally the grass and bugs in your yard, plus a scant amount of feed. Nuts and pumpkin seeds are a good choice as well.

FATTY ACIDS: Essential fatty acids (including omega-3’s) necessary for the baby and mother are easily acquired from vegetable oils, which of course are stored and rotated yearly. Olive, canola, and corn oils are all good sources. Other good sources of fatty acids are fish and flax seeds (which need to be ground to release their inner nutrients). [Unsaturated fats like these are also good for the nursing mother, as they prevent plugged milk ducts and mastitis.]

CRAVINGS: Cravings often indicate a nutritional need that isn’t being met. When this is a craving for cultured dairy, pickles, kimchi, or sauerkraut, indulge if possible – these foods contain probiotic bacteria that are good for the immune system. When it is a craving for something non-edible, however, like dirt, clay, baking soda or ice, this is called “pica” and means that the woman is anemic. Do not eat or encourage a pregnant woman to eat inedible items but instead provide and encourage more iron-rich foods and sources of vitamin C.  See if the diet includes any iron-binding foods, like beet greens, chard, coffee, or sweet potatoes, and either avoid those foods or eat them several hours apart from iron-rich meals. Fruit, dairy and vegetable cravings are normal and may indicate a nutritional need which the food itself will provide; try to accommodate such cravings. (Popular examples include watermelon and ice cream.)

FOODS TO AVOID: Meats to avoid: liver products (extremely high in vitamin A, which is dangerous to the baby), raw shellfish, undercooked meats, and fish that are known to contain high mercury levels – mackerel, kingfish, and albacore tuna (light tuna is fine).  It’s not likely that you’ll be running out to the deli post-SHTF, but deli meats and soft cheeses like Brie are also potentially dangerous to the baby (Listeriosis) and should be cooked to steaming hot before eating. Unlikely but good to keep in mind in case you do have these items on hand. Peanuts should also be eaten sparingly because of the potential for toxins. Moderate consumption of soda, which can leach calcium from the bones, and sugar or honey, which can encourage yeast infections and gestational diabetes. When eating sugar, try to incorporate it into a nutrient-rich meal, such as a milk-based fruit smoothie.

Finally, let’s consider why even a confirmed bachelor needs to know these things about pregnancy and nutrition.  Knowledge is power in pregnancy, as well as in our survival preparations, and you may find yourself a powerful source of information (and maybe a charitable donor of food) for a pregnant woman. Our Lord says that what we do unto the least of these we’ve done to Him, and an unborn child is certainly the least of these.

Letter Re: Self-Storage Spaces as Caches

Hello Mr Rawles,
I have been reading your blog for about a year and truly have benefited from the valuable information.

In regards to the round or disc lock for the self storage units, I have found that these locks can be easily picked by a simple pen as demonstrated on YouTube. Here is the following link:

If anyone knows of another device/lock that can not be easily picked I sure would appreciated it.

Sincerely, – Lynn in Washington

JWR Replies: Even the best padlock should be considered only a delay–not a true barrier. Most padlocks –including disc or “hockey puck” locks can have their cylinders (typically brass) drilled out, very quickly. Concealment should be your first line of defense for your cached supplies. (As previously described in SurvivalBlog–such a wall cache or a hidden room.) Only use a commercial storage space when you don’t have other secure alternatives. And of course keep in mind that high temperatures greatly decrease the shelf lives of stored foods.

Letter Re: Saving in the Hard Times, for the Harder Times

James Wesley,
Mrs. C.J. had some excellent ideas in her article, and I’d like to add a couple of suggestions about laundry/cleaning supplies. Since we have a septic system, I’m always mindful of the substances we’re putting into the ground. The Internet is a great source of recipes for homemade cleaners of all types, using ingredients that are a lot cheaper and safer than the store-bought items.

For example, I use a few drops of tea tree oil (an antibiotic) and a squirt of Ivory Liquid in a spray bottle, add water, and have a great all-purpose cleaner for the kitchen and bathroom. If something needs a little scrubbing I use baking soda. For laundry detergent, blend together 1 cup of Borax, 1 cup of washing soda (not baking soda), and 1/2 bar of Fels Naptha soap, or any white soap. I use a food processor but the soap could be hand grated and mixed with the powders. Use only 1-2 tablespoons per load. I’m also experimenting with making my own creams and lotions, candles, etc. It’s fun and saves money!

Thank you for all that you do, and to everyone in the SurvivalBlog community for their help. Sincerely, – Barbara in Tennessee

Economics and Investing:

Reader “G2” sent this: China revaluation would hurt U.S.: World Bank’s Lin. G2’s comments: “The denial by China regarding revaluing its currency and it’s resistance to do so makes it seem quite possible that they will revalue the renminbi soon. i.e. ‘Believe nothing until it’s officially denied’, and ‘The lady doth protest too much, methinks.'”

The Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB) keeps growing: Here’s Another $23 Billion Bailout That You May Have Missed This Week.

G.G. suggetsed this from The New York Post: The Next Di$a$ter–Federal mortgage insurance

 

Items from The Economatrix:

First Gold, Now Europe Running Out of Silver

How Is The US Economy Supposed to Succeed When Our Politicians and the Big Banks are Making Billions of Dollars Betting Against It?

Bankers Jailed, Sued as Iceland Seeks Culprits for Crisis

US Posts 19th Straight Monthly Budget Deficit

Dow Theorist Richard Russell: Sell Everything Liquid, You Won’t Recognize America By The End Of The Year

Stocks Slide After Euro Falls to New Four-Year Low

Oil Spill to Shut Down 19% of Gulf Fishing

Global Investors Flock to US Debt at Record Speed

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader L.S.C. sent us this: Army recalls 44,000 combat helmets. L.S.C. says: “File under ‘caveat emptor’ for anyone looking to buy helmets on the surplus market!”

   o o o

L.J. sent us the latest news from England: Parents of under-fives face ‘nanny state’ home inspections to keep children safe

   o o o

I just heard about very worthy non-profit charitable organization called Homes for Our Troops. They build specially adapted homes for severely wounded veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Al lof the homes are donated to the veterans by the organization. This is their way of thanking them for the sacrifices they have made on behalf of our country.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“While Barack Obama was making his latest pitch for a brand new, even more unsustainable entitlement at the health care “summit,” thousands of Greeks took to the streets to riot. An enterprising cable network might have shown the two scenes on a continuous split-screen – because they’re part of the same story. It’s just that Greece is a little further along in the plot: They’re at the point where the canoe is about to plunge over the falls. America is further upstream and can still pull for shore, but has decided, instead, that what it needs to do is catch up with the Greek canoe. Chapter One (the introduction of unsustainable entitlements) leads eventually to Chapter 20 (total societal collapse): The Greeks are at Chapter 17 or 18.” – Mark Steyn, February, 2010

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 28 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.), and D.) A 500 round case of Federal 5.56mm XM193 55 Grain FMJ ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo. This is a $199 value, and includes free UPS shipping.

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 28 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.

Shopping For Your Survival Retreat, by John J.

One of the hardest things to do in living a survivalist lifestyle is acquiring a retreat. You’ll discover rather quickly that your finances will determine the type and size of property you’ll be able to purchase.

Another problem which you will encounter is determining where you should buy your retreat. The area you’re looking at property in should be done with a good deal of research. You’re likely to come across many types of deals in your search and you’ll discover that some are better than others, but you need to find the one that’s right for you. This of course is easier said than done.

An important consideration in your property search should be what type of employment you’ll be able to find in that area. If you’re in a position where you’re retired or have a lot of savings this won’t be an overriding factor in your decision.

Once you’ve determined the area you want to shop for property in you can then begin your search based on your criteria. Depending on your finances you may choose to buy a parcel with a structure on it, or a vacant piece of land.

Fortunately the current real estate market is a buyer’s one compared to what it was just five years ago when it was a seller’s one. The current economic depression has dragged down real estate prices to 20 year lows in some areas throughout the country. If you decide to purchase a vacant piece of land you may want to check out youtube.com/solarcabin. The channel is run by LaMar Alexander, he has several videos posted on how he purchased vacant lots and then built cabins on them. He also has other videos posted on how to improve a homestead.

Having worked as a realtor for several years I can tell you there are plenty of sources available to help you in your property search. The auction site eBay is one source which is touted by Alexander. Through the site it’s possible to buy vacant land in isolated areas for as little as $500 an acre. Many of those types of deals are on properties in the Midwest and the Pacific states region.  

For those who don’t want to move so far into rural areas there are classified web sites like Craigslist. This site will allow you to search listings in your local metro area. Another option with Craigslist is that you can put the type of property you’re looking for under the “wanted real estate” section. This is one way to bring sellers to you without having to go through listings to find properties to fit your search criteria.

Realtor.com is another source for properties. This web site is much better tailored than Craigslist to help people with their real estate needs. The site is very easy to use, if you find a listing that you want information on then you can contact the realtor who’s information will be listed on that property’s page. The realtor can e-mail you a full write up about the property including its address.  

You may find that using a realtor directly will help you in your property search. For those who are experienced and resourceful you’ll be able to find properties on your own, but it can be useful to have a realtor to e-mail you listings. Realtors have direct access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) system. This system is where the bulk of properties are listed in. A realtor can e-mail you listings from the MLS, these will have a complete write up about the property as opposed to the short listings on realtor.com.

You can also use a realtor to make written offers on properties, but if you do this you’ll have to pay the agent a commission when the property closes. For some people this may not be a big deal, but others may not want to pay the fee.

Courthouse auctions are another option for buying property. Some county clerks do the auctions from the courthouse steps or online. Over the last few yeas many of the clerks have been switching to an online format because fewer people are attending the auctions in person. Having the auction online brings in a lot more bidders, which drives up the final price of the property. One benefit to courthouse auctions is that you usually have a few weeks to look at a property before it gets auctioned off. This gives you time to evaluate it against other properties which are up for auction.

The current depression has done a great deal of financial damage to millions of Americans. So if you don’t have enough money to purchase your intended parcel outright don’t despair. Instead get creative and evaluate all your options. You may have some family members who would split the cost of a property with you. Or you may have some like-minded friends who would be interested in doing the same. As an example you may want to purchase a 20 acre parcel which is listed for $50,000. You only have $20,000 to put towards it. Pitch the idea of splitting up the cost with your family or friends. Sell them on the idea of buying a piece of property and setting up a homestead. Considering how bad the economy is becoming they shouldn’t need a whole lot of coaxing.

Once you have your money in order you can then begin making offers. You should have a short “want list” of properties together in case you’re not able to get the one that you want you can then submit a bid on another one. If the property you’re bidding on is listed with a realtor you may find them to be uncooperative to the extent that they won’t forward a lowball offer to their seller. If you come across a realtor who says this to you then you can remind them that they’re required by law to present all offers to their seller. If they get confrontational with you then you can go around the agent and contact their broker or contact the seller directly.

In this rapidly declining real estate market it is possible to get realtor listed properties for far less than their listed price. Two years ago, through a realtor I purchased an $11,000 lot for $4,000. Originally I had offered $2,500 for the property and the seller countered with $7,000. After several more offers and counter offers we agreed to a $4,000 sales price. During the negotiation process I reminded the seller’s agent that the property was very unlikely to sell anytime soon since it had been on the MLS for over 200 days. Finally the seller realized that if he wanted to get any money from the property that he would have to accept my offer. Which he did and the deal was done. Haggling is the same whether it’s personal or real property. If you end up paying too much for real estate you’ll find yourself having buyer’s remorse for quite some time.

Since the credit crisis began in 2007 it has become progressively more difficult to get a loan. The banks and the lenders scrutinize borrowers much more now than they had prior to the credit crisis. What this means is that you’re going to have to jump through a lot of hoops to try to get a loan. And I emphasize the word “try” because there’s no guarantee that if you do everything the lender wants you to do that they’ll give you a loan.

Because of the difficulties in obtaining conventional financing I suggest trying to purchase a piece of property for as little money as you can, and of course pay cash for it. There are other financing options available to acquire a piece of property. One of those is owner financing. During the housing boom I bought a two acre lot with a structure on it through owner financing. I haggled back and forth with the seller, but eventually we agreed on the terms and completed the transaction. If you do an owner financing deal and the seller wants a ridiculous rate of interest then haggle with them over the rate. For example if they want to charge you 10% counter with 4%. At some point you’ll meet in the middle and if you can’t then walk away from the deal. There are plenty of other properties out there which will be better tailored to your criteria.

There are other creative financing options available. You can also find information about these financing techniques by doing internet searches on “creative financing”. One idea is if you’re buying a large lot with trees on it you may be able to sell them to a lumber company and then use that money as the down payment for the property, provided the seller agrees to the terms. Don’t be afraid to suggest unconventional ideas. The worst a seller can do is say no to them.  

Searching for the right property can take a lot of time and be a frustrating experience, especially if you find yourself in situations where you’re dealing with unrealistic sellers. But finding and setting up a retreat should be the number one priority for survivalists. You can have all kinds of survival supplies, such as food, ammo and guns. But if you’re still living in a major metropolitan area when the riots begin you’ll wish you had taken the time earlier to find your retreat. Don’t put yourself in that position, start looking for your retreat today!