Note from JWR:

Today we present another two entries for Round 33 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and B.) Two cases of Alpine Aire freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $400 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 250 round case of 12 Gauge Hornady TAP FPD 2-3/4″ OO buckshot ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $240 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

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

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

Round 33 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Lessons in Survival: Family Innovation and Industry in the U.S. Great Depression by W.J.

I have always been fascinated with history and might have become a history teacher if there had been any possibility of making substantial money at it.  Growing up in the 1950s and ‘1960s in rural Texas the lessons of the U.S. “Great Depression” were still fresh in the memories of my family, so our frequent family get gatherings produced many stories from those days, some of which were “not so good old days”. 

I want to relate some of this story for the benefit of those preparing for possible future, harder times:

There was no money.  For a few years before 1920 Grandpa Robert had been a successful cotton farmer and had put away his profits in the local First National Bank.  But after boll weevils hit Texas, the soil was depleted and cotton prices plunged, he had to move on to other pursuits.  My uncles often said the only time they ever saw Grandpa cry was when the bank went bust during the run of 1929.  He had been standing in a long line of farmers and townspeople for several hours before the announcement was made that the bank was finished.  On the other hand, I believe the bank still held a partially unpaid loan on his 87-acre farm which he and Grandma had bought in 1914 for $500.  LESSON: Be flexible, and don’t count on the bank.

It was actually Grandma who made the deal for the farm, as when they looked at it only a quarter of a mile from their rented farm, Grandpa said it was too expensive, and he would not borrow the additional money to buy it.  But Grandma knew the potential the land possessed.  So after Grandpa left for a long day in the fields, Grandma walked back to the owner’s house and cut the deal.   When Grandpa came home that night, he was surprised, but pleased at the same time.  LESSON: A woman’s intuition and business savvy is a valuable asset.

I am not sure how, but the bank did not foreclose on that farm during the lean years and Grandpa at least paid the taxes religiously.  Grandpa always said, “If you pick up all the pecans each year, you can at least pay your taxes.”  And if the money was not plentiful, what the family had went to pay their obligations. The bank president reportedly told him, “Robert, just do the best you can.”  And he did.  LESSON: Be careful to preserve and conserve every resource.

The family of 9, with 5 boys and 2 girls was flexible if anything.  When the railroad started buying coal from a small mining operation in the town 4 miles away, they found that the miners needed props and caps to keep the shafts open.  The woods in their bottomland became the source of materials for a small new industry: sturdy young willow trees, cut to order, became prop timbers, and flat sections of cottonwood trees, cut like cedar shakes were the caps.  These were delivered by wagon and mules and later with their used Model T dump truck. Unfortunate in the early 1930s the railroad converted from coal to oil fired locomotives and the prop and cap business ended.  LESSON: Find out what others need and provide it.  But don’t count on it lasting forever.

Grandpa always had two teams of mules as well a few working horses.  These were critical to plowing, cultivating, and harvesting as well as other pulling chores.  When the dirt road into town got wet, and the nearby clay hill was impossible for the automobiles to climb, the boys were always ready to give a pull with a team of mules, day or night.  LESSON: Animal power multiplies human power and sometimes is better than mechanical power.

Their bottomland held another treasure: sand and gravel.  Grandpa and his brother had a conveniently located sand pit, near a road and could dig sand and gravel by shovel.   They could deliver it to most any construction site in the county.  When one of my uncles wanted to go to college, Grandpa traded sand and gravel to the local college for tuition, instead of cash.  The college used the sand and gravel to build a rock wall around the football field so they could enforce admission fees at the games.  You see, Texas football has always been a popular sport and the college knew it was losing a lot of revenue by letting the fans stand outside and watch thru the wire fence.   LESSON: Think outside the box; when possible find ways to barter for what you really need.

Corn was always a staple crop for the family, the first among several important plantings.  Down in the fertile bottomland a harvest of the dried ears of corn were said to be able to fill a whole wagon with the produce from only one row of corn.  The corn was carefully stored away in the corn crib and used as needed all year long.  One of my uncles was often designated to periodically pull out some corn, shell it in the hand-cranked sheller, and then sack it up in two equal bags.  The bags were lashed together by rope and thrown over the rear of the mule.  Then he rode the mule into town to have the corn ground into meal at the store.  The miller kept a portion for his trouble, and my uncle rode the mule back home with the corn meal.  This corn became the basis for a week or more of meals of cornbread and beans, the main fare for the whole family.  Sweet corn could also be cooked, then cut off the cob and dehydrated in the sun in a day or two.  Stored completely dry in canning jars, when reconstituted and cooked it was a delicious treat.  LESSON:  Corn can keep you alive; it must be the first among survival grains.
Grandma must have been an efficiency genius.  She always had a pot of beans on the back of the stove.   Unlike many of their city cousins, the family seemed to always have enough food to get by.  The relatives from the bigger towns would come out to the farm on weekends to visit, eat and to stock up on the abundance.  LESSON: You can survive indefinitely on cornbread and beans, and if you have food, your relatives will want to visit often!

Christian charity was always a part of our family values, and it was particularly applicable to any extended family in need.  No passing stranger was refused a meal. And in a couple of instances young men in their teens with no family stayed on for a year or two, working, eating and sleeping like one of the brothers.  LESSON:  Alliances and charity are okay, but everybody must work.

| My uncles were good hunters always seeming to know which woods contained a few squirrels, an opossum or raccoon; additionally they always seemed to know when certain landowners were away from their property.  The family joke was that a boy would be given one cartridge for the single shot .22 caliber rifle, and the family would be disappointed if he came home with anything less than two squirrels.  My dad knew how to get a squirrel out of a hollow in a tree by climbing the tree and using a length of barbed wire stuck in the hole and rotated around and around.  The hunters from town always gave him a nickel or a dime for climbing the tree to help them get their squirrel.  LESSON:  Hunting is a skill that must be developed, but there are other ways to get game besides shooting it.

Canning was an important skill practiced anytime there was excess.  The garden produced large quantities of beans, peaches, and other fruits and vegetables.  The dug storm cellar just outside the back door was always packed with jars of fruit preserves, jellies, jams, and vegetables.  When the wild plums on a nearby place became ripe, the neighbors sent word that the joint harvest could begin.  Half gallon canning jars were helpful when feeding a family of 9 or 10.  Canning a batch of 50 or more jars (quart and half gallon) of each commodity was not uncommon. Used sparingly it could last until spring. LESSON: Use all food sources available and think big if you have a lot of mouths to feed.     

Things were different back then.  When times were hard they just “made do with what you had” and or did without.  Shoes were for school and church only.  When possible barefoot was the order of the day.  After shoes were well used, they were re-heeled and re-soled.  Family members handed down clothes and shoes to younger members as a matter of course.  Without electricity kerosene lanterns had to suffice.  Fire wood had to be kept split and dry.  Kindling was critical.  A smoke house was essential for preserving pork.  Butchering hogs was almost always in November and December.   Apple butter made in the fall can last all winter in 1 gallon crock jars.   And it tastes great on bread, toast, hot cakes, buckwheat cakes, etc.  Unlike regular flour pancakes, making buckwheat cakes requires a bit of yeast. But once it is started, more buckwheat flour can be added daily and the yeast will keep multiplying.   LESSON:  Make do and work hard.

Baths were for Saturday so you would be clean for church.  Outside showers were standard as long as the weather permitted.  Well water was for drinking so a swim in the nearby stock pond or down in the creek often substituted for a real bath.  Fishing was an important skill essential for providing supplements for much needed protein and vitamins.  An outhouse was standard for the family with both white and red corn cobs being carefully conserved to use in place of toilet paper.   LESSON:  Living well does not have to mean living in convenience and luxury. 

Nobody wants to return to the challenging times of a hundred years ago, but living the survival life is a challenge that can be mastered.  To be prepared we must study, practice and preserve the knowledge used by our predecessors and be willing to innovate, working and praying constantly. 

Making the Move: Retreat Bound, by L.P in The Ozarks

I’m writing this in an effort to encourage others who might be in the process of, or thinking about moving to a full time retreat.

Our situation is not unique.   In the spring of 2008 we saw the writing on the wall (economic, political, and social trends) and we wanted out of the suburbs and into a full time retreat in the country side.  We are a family of four that includes two boys in their early teens. My wife and I had great jobs, we lived in a planned community that was 30 miles away from the big city in 2003, but by 2007, the city sprawl of this large southwestern metropolis had encircled us.  We had moved from the central coast of California five years earlier to escape the masses, but the masses followed.  We have been active peppers’ since 1999 and as husband and wife we are very fortunate to be like minded and on the “same team”.  The purpose of this letter to twofold: (1) to share our mistakes and successes and (2) to encourage those who, given their circumstances, think it is impossible to move to greater safely.  Fortunately my wife’s occupation in the medical field was highly transportable, while my background in manufacturing and the military was not.

Step one (1), start with the math. I mean the Dollars math, not the mileage. Moving will cost you, but it may save you more in the long run than you can imagine.  Take time to create a spreadsheet and add all your savings, liquid assets, and home equity together and deduct all of your liabilities (including your estimated moving and selling costs).  If you’re positive, with a reasonable sum left over, go to step two.  Do not fudge the math.  Honesty and truth are critical.  If the resources are not available, continue to prepare, and remember your circumstances may change in the near future.

Step two (2), Search your heart.  Do you feel lead to make this move?  Have you weighed the costs?  Do you have family, contractual, or spiritual obligations that cannot be broken? Are you and the members of your family willing to sacrifice and endure hardship to make this move?  Only if you and your spouse both feel in your heart that this is the right action to take, should you go to step three.

Step three (3), select retreat area(s).  Limit the parameters of your search based on your finances and your potential for an income stream high enough to sustain you.  Location is the most critical concern you have, so be sure the area(s) you are considering are within your means.  Our search criteria: a minimum of 30 acres, small home & barn, reliable well, forested, remote location in a low population area, no 150,000+ population cities in a 200 mile radius, annual rainfall of 35” or more, 170 plus frost free growing days, agriculturally-based economy,  gun friendly, Bible belt preferred, all for under $125,000.  Look for areas with property prices within your reach and that meet your search parameters.  Keep in mind that there are few jobs in rural America, and even fewer good paying jobs. But also weigh this with the possibility of much lower living expenses and taxes.  Use the internet to help locate and narrow down your choices.  Talk with friends and associates who may have lived in the area you are considering.  Many areas have regional blogs that may give you better insight, but take the time to validate what you reading.  Once you have narrowed down the area(s) try to visit them, money and time permitting.  Read “Patriots”, “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It”, “One Second After”, and Revelation chapters 6-through-20.  Once committed to moving, continue to pray talk about it, then go to step 4.

Step four (4), the hard one, Sell it all.  If you have what it takes (resources, desire, and dedication), then make the move.  Put your house on the market, sell all of your unnecessary toys, and prepare for a rough and stressful ride.  Be prepared that family and friends will want to know “why”, so just keep it simple “it’s the best thing for the family”.  Select your listing agent very wisely and do not use a friend unless they are the absolute most professional choice you can make.  Start getting rid of your junk (large dumpster recommended), donate anything of value, and start packing non-essential items.  Clean you house inside and out, get it inspected, and fix all major deficiencies (if possible).  Moving yourself is a lot of work but it will save you a lot of money.  Ask for friends help, you will soon know who your true friends are.  At the same time carefully select an agent(s) who will work for you in the retreat area(s) you are considering.  Give them all the pertinent property specifications you are looking for and remember they work for you. Take advantage of bank owned properties and don’t be surprised if they accept your $80,000 cash offer on a farm listed for $130,000.  Steer clear of “short sales–have your agent explain that to you.  Money left over will be important in order to turn the new property into a retreat.  Only after you have received a validated and accepted offer on your existing home, should you move forward with the serious intent to buy your retreat property.  Prepare for the stress and anxiety of what you are about to face.  I am not an agent, but make every effort necessary to select a good one who has the experience, integrity, and patience that is required to walk you through the pitfalls. 

Step five (5), the move.  Just when you thought the roller coaster was almost finished: there is more packing, last minute house fixes, loading the moving van, transferring bank accounts, kids school records, final inspections, discontinuing all your home services, transfer house funds, setting up services for new house, the long drive, signing lots of paperwork, unloading the moving van, and moving in.  Plan before you act.   Accurately assess your moving van requirements and do not forget your vehicles and large items like quads or boats.  Moving is very hard, complicated, and stressful to say the least, but it can be done and it will be over soon. 

Step six (6), ready the retreat.  After moving in and getting your new home livable, start working on making your new home into a retreat.  Focus on the areas that are most critical first, like grid down water supply, water purification, food (stored and grown), security, temporary power, and heat.  Once the important items are completed, move onto the secondary items like chicken coops, adding live stock, expanding the garden, next year’s firewood, more fences, shooting range, fields of fire, escape routes, and most importantly, making friends.  Volumes could be written on this, but plan out your priorities, take your time, do a good job, and don’t burn yourself out.  Use the archives on SurvivalBlog to assist you.  Seek out trusted local experts who are willing to give you guidance on animals, gardening, canning, harvesting wood, hunting, and expanding you retreat.

In closing: With God’s help we moved from the suburbs to a remote farm in the Ozarks.  We only have a few neighbors, but it is amazing on how friendly and self- sufficient they are and how much we have learned from them this past year.  Our kids have not only adjusted to the move, but really enjoy the life-style change we have made and both are active in 4H and FFA plus we all hunt and fish on or near our property.  Our living costs have dropped by 70%, and our larder will soon be at the two year mark.  The painful hardships of selling in a down market and moving across the country are past us and we have gained a sense of accomplishment, purpose, and peace.  Albeit, a guarded peace. 

Three Related Disasters (Part 2), by Joe Refugee From Tokyo

Days Two and Three I slept well the night of 11-3-11, which was good, because I hadn’t the two previous nights. A premonition, perhaps? Like the day after September 11th, there was an eerie feeling everywhere. The weather was nice, at least in Tokyo, but a cold front was coming in from the North, so the folks near the Tohoku coast were going to be suffering even more. It was obvious that the damage was off the charts, but the television downplayed the likely deaths, and a big question was whether the government had learned from its poor performance during the large earthquake in Kobe in 1995. We didn’t know at this time, but the unfortunate answer was “no”. In fairness, this disaster was much more difficult to handle, but the whole world will be asking about the inability to get resources to the Fukushima plants ASAP.

In the morning, many stores were closed. When they did open, they were packed with folks buying everything that might come in handy for hunkering down. This was the last chance to get a lot of things. By the end of Day Three, many things were gone, and announcements were made on television that supplies would have to be rerouted towards the most damaged areas. At this point, most convenience stores and supermarkets resembled photos from the worst days in the Soviet Union, at least for most necessities. The power was reliable, and trains and subways started to return to some semblance of normality by the evening. There was no panic but it was easy to see that gasoline and types of food were not going to be available within days.

The news was focused on the immediate damage. Besides the tsunami, there was cleaning up the fires and making major roads passable and fixing train tracks. All kinds of equipment had to be verified, so disaster preparedness teams in businesses and governments went to work. This seems to have gone well, and the volunteer groups did a good job, but it seems that most groups are a lot more effective in local areas, and the hard-to-get-to areas were too devastated to do much more than try to go through what was left of their own houses. My wife wondered about volunteering, but there was no way to get to the hard-hit areas, and one would just be an extra burden by getting there.

Up to this point, things still looked manageable. Soon, though, the topic of electricity came up. A lot of Tokyo’s power comes from nuclear plants, and those were near the ocean. The assumption was still that everything was under control. Wishful thinking. On the street though, the feeling was mainly that the economic future had taken a huge hit, not that a nuclear crisis was at hand. That was to come soon enough. And refugees from the impacted areas were coming in to stay with relatives or hotels, and some passed through on their way to western Japan, where no damage had occurred. For me, though, it was time to get more cash out of the bank and think about whether our plans to leave Tokyo needed to be expedited. (To be continued.)

Economics and Investing:

Yikes! February Existing Home Sales Dive, Prices Near 9-Year Low. (Thanks to Brett G. for the link.)

Jonathan C. flagged this: US Approaching Insolvency, Fix To Be ‘Painful’: Fisher.

Gold key to financing Gaddafi struggle

Portugal braces for government collapse over debt vote

Items from The Economatrix:

Deals Help Push The Dow Back Above 12,000  

Oil Rises On Concerns About Libya And Supplies  

Gold Rises On Growing Middle East Tensions, Weak Dollar  

$2,500 Gold Prices:  Double Market Returns As China’s Gold Fever Breaks    

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Live every day as if it is your last, for one day you’re sure to be right.” – Edward Woodward, portraying Harry Harbord Morant, in the movie Breaker Morant, 1980. Screenplay by

Jonathan Hardy, David Stevens, and Bruce Beresford, based on the stage play by Kenneth G. Ross

Note from JWR:

Today we present another two entries for Round 33 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and B.) Two cases of Alpine Aire freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $400 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 250 round case of 12 Gauge Hornady TAP FPD 2-3/4″ OO buckshot ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $240 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

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

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

Round 33 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Build Your Own Wood Gas Generating Stove

What will you do when your fuel runs out, or your energy system fails? How about burning wood? I used to dismiss burning things for energy off-hand as a dirty and wasteful heating tool, nothing more – not a source of actual power or energy.  However, learning what I have in the past few months has given me a new appreciation for this readily-available resource.  My perspective was changed somewhat, and it was kind of a shock to me, because i’m pretty open-minded to alternative solutions.  My mindset is this: until I have a wealth of  food and supplies in storage, I can’t afford to ignore a resource – especially cheap and renewable ones.  Can you?   Even if you’re prepared for the long haul, it pays to have a couple contingency plans, and this could be one of them.  

Definition:
“Gasification” is the use of heat to transform solid biomass or other carbonaceous solids into a synthetic “natural gas like” flammable fuel.  “woodgas” is the term usually applied to the fuel itself.  The basic idea isn’t a new idea as much as it is an improvement on the basic principle of burning biomass for heat and light (like a fireplace); in fact, this has been around for more than 100 years.  A “gasifier” is typically a multi-tank design that burns wood to create gas, cleans it, and cools it before it is used.  And here’s the clincher: when done properly, and routed to an engine or a storage container, the gasses can be used to power machinery and (drum roll please) your off-grid home power system.    

History:
The use of woodgas really became popular with the proliferation of the automobile, when inventors modified internal combustion engines to run off everything imaginable, including peanut oil, steam, and compressed air (a subject for another article).  Gasification came into widespread use during the fuel crisis of WWII as well as during the OPEC fuel problems of a few decades ago, and the ever-increasing fuel prices make it just as relevant right now.   There are a couple industrial power plants in places like Svenljunga, Sweden and Gussing, Austria, but this is a version that can be made small enough for personal use.   

Building your own:
I’m going to stick to the details of my own experience, since that’s more beneficial for you than simply sharing the research; you can find pictures and details online yourself, and you’re welcome to email me for suggestions.  Anyway, since my new goal is to convert everything of mine to run on woodgas(or a mixture of fuels), I decided to start small and work with a simple woodgas stove.  The stove idea works like this, to give you an example:  

Start with a small enclosed container, which could be cubed or round.  I picked a barbecue propane tank, since they are easy to acquire and had the right size.  The next major element is the flue and/or fuel inlet.  (I picked 4” steel stainless pipe).  This I cut into 2 sections and welded into an “L” shape.  The bottom emerges from the side, and the top emerges from the center of the tank.  The third step would be to add a fuel tray, like in a fireplace.  (I stuck with the barbeque theme and used part of a barbecue grill, cut to fit)  This I inserted through the side (where you’ll put your wood fuel) and tack welded in the center (little lower) of the pipe.

And that’s pretty much all there was to it.  I welded up the edges, where the pipe meet the container, and it worked like a charm.(Though in the absence of a welder you can get by just fine with a tube of high-temperature automotive caulk, like Gasket Goo)  This is something that can be made in your garage or metal shop with a welder and a saw, although you don’t have to follow my design – test models can be built out of soup cans or soda cans, with little or no fabrication.

You can imagine how it works, in principle; it’s quite similar to your chimney at home.  This air flow is the same reason that campers will build a fire in a ‘tent’ shape.  Once the fire is lit, hot air rises, drawing cold air into the vacuum.  I made mine so that I could take it camping; the propane tank perfectly fits a small pan or pot on top, has a base for stability, and works almost as well as a gas-powered camp stove that you would buy at a retail camping supply outlet.  In comparison to my simple stove, most gasifiers will utilize some kind of fan, in line, for two reasons: to help kick-start the process by improving air flow, and then to propel gasses thru the device and to the engine/container.  At this scale, pressure and volume become an issue, and to standardize the process things like this become necessary; some users even use computerized controls to regulate burn and flow.  

Storing Woodgas:
Most woodgas users produce it on-demand, which is preferable if you can afford to build a large (or efficient) enough system.  Personally, I wanted to be sure I could save it, in some way, before I dumped any more time or money into this technology.  With this in mind, I picked up a small air compressor and modified it to work with my camp stove.  I routed a tube (flexible rubber automotive/compressor hose) from the top of the woodgas stove to the air intake on the compressor, so that as my compressor operates, it fills the tank with gas, instead of air.   Using a regular tire style air fitting, I was able to fill an external compressor tank, from my compressor.  I will use this method to fill similar tanks with a basic woodgas mixture, which I can use to run gas lanterns, a gas stove, or a basic propane-style camp stove.  In the long run, I will store fuel in a much larger on-site container, but I chose these elements to fit my circumstances.  

Fuel sources:
The woodgas stove or gasifier is not limited to wood.  I have run my camp stove on the chaff from coffee husks, for example.  I don’t have first hand experience with these, but here’s a list anyway, of other fuels, to get you thinking: walnut or peanut shells, charcoal, coal, sawdust, wood pellets, buffalo chips….  I think I’ll continue to stick with cordwood as my main resource, though, even if it has to be chipped up to fit in a camp stove.  I can find it for free all week long and in fairly large quantities.  I have started scouting my local online classified ads for free woodpiles around town, and I’ve already filled one section of fence with cordwood.  Of course, it needs to be relatively dry to work well, so it helps to live in a dry climate and have an out-of-the-way place to store materials.  You may have access to other kinds of fuel in your area, so keep your eyes and ears peeled. 

Camp stoves are easy; building actual gasifiers is a little more complex and actually requires some precision design work, so I’m going to need some expert assistance when I scale this system upward, to power a truck or a home generator.  This doesn’t require a huge systems change for me, since I had already started collecting the electrical supplies I would need to start going off-grid – just a change in the fuel supply.  Rest assured that I will write again with the results of the next woodgas project, in greater detail.  For those of you with construction experience (or if you’re just motivated, like me), there are schematics and drawings available online for a few different gasifier versions, one of which you can find by searching for “gasifier” on Wikipedia.  If anyone’s interested, I have found plans (complete with images) and instructions from a 1950s design, that was used to run a farm tractor.  I don’t have the original link to where this manual came from, but I’d be glad to forward on the information

Vacation Survival Preparedness, by Brent A.

I’ve been a prepper for several years now.  Living in South Louisiana kind of forces one to be with the high probability of hurricanes.  I’ve taken it to the next level and want to be as prepared as possible not just during the summer months for hurricane season, but year round for the litany of other possible disasters whether they be natural or man-made.  With the help of this site and several others I thought I was well on my way to having things pretty well covered.  We have the house prepared for a temporary short term dislocation, and a hunting camp in the boonies of North Central Louisiana that I along with my in-laws are turning into a functional retreat for TEOTWAWKI.  One thing that I’m ashamed to say never dawned on me was what happens if disaster strikes while you are on vacation.  This came very close to happening to me while in Hawaii, and it taught me a very valuable lesson.  There are no vacations from being prepared.

Due to the massive earthquake in Japan, our family vacation to the Big Island of Hawaii over the Mardi Gras break was interrupted by a tsunami.  While sitting on the lanai with my wife and my father in law, enjoying the cool Hawaiian night breeze, we were jolted out of our relaxing conversation by the shrill sirens of the tsunami warning system.   There we were, people who have had the foresight to try and prepare ourselves and extended family for just about every possible situation at home, getting caught with nothing but cargo shorts and flip-flops.  From the long process of getting our homes and our retreat ready, we had the awareness to see that we were not in a good situation.  My brother in law and I immediately jumped in the rental van, which was thankfully a big 12 passenger Ford, and went to the nearest gas station to tank up and get some groceries just in case.  By the time we had gassed up the van and bought a couple of cases of water and some non perishables, the lines at the pumps were 10 to 15 deep, the store was already running low on bottled water, tempers were staring to flare, and being defenseless was starting to make me feel uneasy.   Our plan of action was changed from moving everyone up to the rooms on the 5th floor, to leaving the crowded beachfront resort area before the tsunami hit.   
We planned to take some extra clothes, blankets, pillows, toiletries and other items “borrowed” from our hotel rooms, and head for higher ground to spend the remainder of the night in the van and ride out the tsunami in the nearby mountains.  On our way out after gathering up our “supplies” and family members, the Hotel public announcement system was announcing that they were evacuating the hotel and were asking people to put on warm clothes and load up on busses that would take them to a safe area.  Not wanting to be herded with several hundred strangers to a shelter, we just quietly set out on our own.  As I mentioned previously, we live in southern Louisiana and are familiar as to what happens to tourist in a disaster situation.  We ended up finding a fire station in a little village up at a higher elevation and spent the night there.  The six kids slept on the benches in the van and the adults spent the night watching the news on television with the firemen in the firehouse and taking turns trying to sleep in the front seats of the van.  Thankfully the Tsunami did minimal damage to the island and we were able to return to the resort the next morning.

These are some of the things I learned from this experience that will hopefully help others:

  • Situational awareness.  Be aware of what could happen at your vacation destination.  This could mean earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, blizzards, or even social unrest depending on where you are traveling.  Also as a side note, while at your destination stay sober even though you are on vacation.  I enjoy adult beverages just as much as the next guy, but I refrain from getting drunk, especially when at an unfamiliar location.  This paid huge dividends when we had to jump from relaxation to survival mode.  I felt sorry for the drunks at the hotel as they were being loaded up onto buses confused and disoriented.  It looked a lot like a scene from “Titanic” in the lobby when we left. 
  • Communication.  The entire island cell phone system was shut down due to overload while we were getting gas and we could not communicate with the rest of the family. Having some simple little 2-way radios would have really helped.  Even though they have limited range, they would have been better than nothing.  It would have really expedited our departure if we could have told them to get ready to leave before we got back to the hotel.
  • Transportation.  Always have a means of personal transportation.  I will never stay anywhere without a rental car again.  We were all very thankful for that huge tank of a van.  Not having to rely on the local government or the hotel staff to evacuate us was a tremendous weight off our shoulders.  There was no way we were going to put our family in a New Orleans Superdome situation if we didn’t absolutely have to.
  • Emergency radio.  I have a little Kaito Voyager that could have easily been packed.  Luckily we had a television at the fire station, if we didn’t we would have literally been in the dark as to what was happening.  Our iPads and smart phones of course didn’t work when the cellular system was down, and running down the van’s battery trying to listen to the radio was out of the question.
  • Shelter.  Those little emergency reflective blankets could have been a life saver if we weren’t able to “borrow” the hotel blankets. Also, always pack a lightweight jacket or sweatshirt even if you are going to Hawaii.  It gets cool at night no matter where you are if you have to sleep under the stars.
  • Water.  If we would have been on our own for any extended period of time, we would have run out of drinking water in a hurry. Two cases of bottled water would not have gone far with 12 people.  It would also have been impractical to try and buy more at the time.  We got hard enough looks from people while putting our water and food in the van.  I will have a back packing water filter with me on the next vacation.
  • Food.  We were able to get some food before our excursion, but it would not have lasted long and did not have the best nutritional content.  If we would have waited even 20 minutes longer to go and get food, it would have been even slimmer pickings.  Having a few high calorie ration bars already packed would have been a good insurance policy.
  • Emergency First Aid kit.  Although having two very active boys under the age of five means my wife’s purse pretty much doubles as a first aid kit, having a dedicated small backpacking first aid kit would have been better.  You would probably have to modify some of the contents though to get past airport security.
  • Flashlights.  Our hotel had emergency flashlights in the closets which we again “borrowed” for our little night time excursion.  However, this is the first time I’ve ever seen this and I won’t count on it for future travels.  I can’t believe I never thought of the importance of bringing a flashlight or two on vacation before.  With small children this is even more important just to have in case of a power outage at the hotel to keep them calm.
  • Personal protection.  When traveling it is very hard and sometimes impossible to carry a firearm.  I may be limiting future vacation destinations to other states that recognize my concealed carry permit.  Even though it is a huge pain to fly commercial with any kind of firearm, it is something that I think should be considered.  I’ve never done it with a handgun, but I have done it with hunting rifles.  I could be wrong, but the procedure is probably the same.  It is something I will be checking into.  Thank goodness things never got out of hand.

Most of the items listed above take up little to no room and could have been easily packed in a small book sack and carried onto an airplane except for the personal protection item.  What was the real punch in the gut is that I have all of these things in duplicate at home.  I just didn’t have them with me when I could have really needed them. If the Tsunami would have hit Hawaii harder, we could have been in a bad way.  Thankfully we had the presence of mind and ability to take care of ourselves and the Tsunami did not do any real damage to the island. 
I guess my advice to fellow travelers is to take along a cut down version of a G.O.O.D. bag when you go on vacation.  You don’t have to go overboard and there are many items you would like to have that will not make it past an airport screener.  But there are some things that I really would have liked to have had and really could have needed had things gotten worse than they did.  I know that with all the things you have to pack for a week long vacation, especially with kids, having to pack another bag that you will in all likelihood not need may seem like overkill and paranoia to many people. But driving up a mountain in the middle of the night to escape an oncoming Tsunami, kicking myself for getting caught with my pants down, is not something I’m going to repeat.  I wasn’t prepared for this vacation, but I will be for the next one.

Letter Re: An Approach to Medical Supply Storage

Sir,
One of your readers emailed you regarding using a $38 tool box in lieu of funds for a “great professional” military or civilian aid bag.

I would highly recommend to Big Mike to seek out flea markets, garage sales and the like (also Craig’s List) in his area. I recently attended a local flea market and purchased a great COMPACKTEAM compression pack for $25 that’s larger than my $130 military pack! Way bigger and with more support than my US Army issued assault pack (the new age kind that hook to one’s ruck sack).

Sometimes you luck out, but always remember to seek local gear sources before buying anywhere else! – Cole B.

Economics and Investing:

For nearly a decade, I’ve advised buying silver rather than gold. This is because 1.) Silver is more useful than gold in post-disaster bartering, 2.) I expect the silver to gold ratio to continue to fall, perhaps to as low as 16:1. And, 3.) The chance of silver ever being confiscated by bureaucrats is much lower than for gold. If you are planning to ratio trade out of gold into silver then try to sell your gold coins on a up-spike day, and then wait briefly and buy silver on the next dip day.  That might make the dealer’s commissions less painful. In a couple of years you will probably be very glad that you ratio traded.

Nine Ways That Being Frugal Can Cost You More

John R. flagged this over at the Ludwig Von Mises Institute web site: What’s Wrong with Government Debt

John also like this one: Quantitative Easing Is The End Of America As We Know It

Items from The Economatrix:

Japan Disaster Hurt World Economy?  

World Energy Crunch As Nuclear And Oil Both Go Wrong

Japan Crisis Takes Toll On U.S. Economic Recovery  

Gallup:  1 in 5 American Workers Can’t Find Full Time Job  

Japan Quake Shakes U.S. Treasury Bond Market…Get Ready For Financial Meltdown  

What The Jump In Global Markets Volatility Mean  

We Love Silver But Respect The Trends–Be Careful

Odds ‘n Sods:

Ron G. sent this: The Psychology of Disaster

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K.A.F. recommended a site with a lot of recipes for storage food: EverydayFoodStorage.net.

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Thomas M. pointed me to the documentary film The Battle of Chernobyl, available for free streaming.

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Reader Tim R. suggested this news article: Japan’s mafia among the first to organise and deliver aid

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Here’s an interesting new product: The Sun E-Box. Keep in mind that for those that are handy with tools, that the same components are available off the shelf. Also, several of SurvivalBlog’s advertisers offer comparable systems. Regardless of where you decide to buy, keep in mind that you’ll need to size the system (including battery capacity) to match your power needs, and that only deep cycle batteries should be used!

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Is a new UN “principle” now guiding US foreign policy and intervention? (Thanks to K.A.F. for the link.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“If we let one ant stand up to us, then the other ants, who outnumber us 100 to 1, will all stand up to us. And if they ever figure that out, there goes our way of life…  It’s not about food, it’s about keeping those ants in line.” – Hopper (the Grasshopper Leader), in A Bug’s Life (1998), voiced by Kevin Spacey. Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Donald McEnery, and Bob Shaw

Note from JWR:

For those that have asked: Yes, the SurvivalBlog archives on CD-ROM are indeed fully searchable in both the HTML and PDF versions. (Both formats are included on the CD-ROM.) And Yes, the archives also can be sorted by categories, in HTML. (So for example, you can see just the articles on Earthquakes, or just the articles on Gardening.) The CD-ROM is optimized for modern laptops, but could conceivably be used on other devices if they have the requisite processing horsepower. It is now orderable through Lulu.com, for $19.95. Even without an Internet connection you will have all of SurvivalBlog’s archives at your fingertips. And if you are online while using the CD-ROM, then the links to external web sites are fully functional.