Storing Fats and Oils, by Dave The R.N.

Fats are in important and often neglected part of the diet, especially when it comes to the typically carb-heavy foods typically stored.  Grains like wheat berries and rice along with beans are a cornerstone of any preppers dietary thrust. This provides an overabundance of carbohydrates and some proteins. And when it comes to animal-based protein, I often see information on how easy it is to raise rabbits for protein, and with good reason. They propagate quickly and are easy to butcher and don’t take up much space. The problem with rabbit is that it’s almost devoid of fat. In fact, if you eat solely rabbit, you will eventually die of “rabbit starvation” no matter how much you gorge yourself, due to rabbits lack of fat. The point is, we need fat to live.  

But if I Eat Lots of Fat, I’ll Get Heart Disease!
While the mainstream dietary advice for the last 30 years (the governments food pyramid for example) tells us to eat low fat, and that eating fat makes you fat, and that eating fat will “clog your arteries”,  this is patently false. This all started back in the 1950s with Ancel Keys’s Seven Countries Study. Dr. Keys sought to make a connection between saturated fat and heart disease. The problem with that famous study  was that he had data from 22 countries, he just took the data from the countries that agreed with his hypotheses.  It’s on this faulty study that the Lipid Hypotheses was born, and we started down the low-fat trail. Likewise false is that eating fat will raise your triglycerides. In fact, eating a diet high in carbohydrates like grains raise your triglycerides. I eat a diet very high in fat and no grains whatsoever, and my triglycerides at last measure were just  44. Dietary consumption of fat has little to do with your cholesterol level. In fact, your cholesterol level has little to do with heart disease. And here’s another little fact: about half of all heart attack victims have completely normal cholesterol measures.

Eat the Right Kind of Fat
But first, what kind of fat should we store? Well, we could stock up on vegetable oils like canola or corn oil. They’re plentiful and cheap. The problem is, the polyunsaturated fatty acids in vegetable seed oils are the bane of human health — they actually cause cancer, diabetes, obesity, aging, thrombosis, arthritis, and immunodeficiencies. Fats that keep you healthy are natural animal fats. Some of the benefits are: Improved cardiovascular risk factors, stronger bones, improved liver health, healthy lungs, healthy brain, proper nerve signaling, and a strong immune system. Fat is required to assimilate vitamins A, D, E, and K. So throw away the canola, corn, and soy oil. Stay away from anything that contains polyunsaturated fats. These oils are very unstable, and have almost no shelf life. Once ingested, they bind with cells and interfere with every chemical reaction in the body. The results are hormone imbalances, inflammation, and all kinds of illness.  As heart disease rates increased the last 50 years, the consumption of saturated fats was going down, not up, but the consumption of vegetable oils was increasing.  I stopped eating vegetable oils about  years ago. So let’s get reacquainted with pasture-fed butter, lard, and tallow products, and other traditional saturated fats like coconut oil. But can we store high quality animal fats for later consumption?  The answer is yes. Here are some  ways to preserve fats (and your health).

Coconut milk/oil
One of the simplest ways to store fat is canned coconut milk. Coconut milk is full of medium chain fatty acids. I mix it 2:1 with water and use it as a substitute for milk in protein shakes when I’m out of my raw goat milk (frequently in the winter months since that’s when the goats are dry).  Coconut oil has a long shelf life of two+ years.  And besides being able to cook with it, Coconut oil is medicinal as well.  It has  renowned and powerful antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial effects. In fact, it’s been shown to be effective against the “superbug” MRSA.  Recent experiences in wound care show that coconut oil worked well in healing wounds where other methods had failed.  It’s also being used to improve the cognition of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. It’s full of beneficial medium chain fatty acids the body needs. Lauric acid, the major fatty acid in coconut oil, is very beneficial and rarely present in the human diet, except during breast feeding. Breast milk is full of Lauric acid. And let’s not forget that breast milk is about 43% saturated fat. This highlights the fact that saturated fat is good for you, not bad. Coconut oil also makes a great skin conditioner.  I get mine from Nutiva. It’s organic and of very high quality. Shipping is free too!

Ghee
Ghee is pure butterfat, and can be stored for up to 10 years if properly prepared. In fact, 100-year-old Ghee is highly valued in India and fetches a very high price. Such ghee was often kept in Temples in large vats and families often pass on aged Ghee to their next generation to be used as medicine. Ghee is rich in easy-to-digest short chain fatty acids and vitamins A, D, E & K. It also contains 3% linoleic acid which has anti-oxidant properties.. It is about 65% saturated fat and 25% monounsaturated fat with about 5% polyunsaturated fat content. Its saturated fat is primarily (89%) made from those easy-to-digest short chain fatty acids and it contains 3% linoleic acid which has anti-oxidant properties.  It has a high smoke point which makes it great for cooking. That high smoke point means that it does not produce damaging free radicals. Ghee is suitable for people who are sensitive to lactose as the heating procedure used to clarify the butter removes the lactose content. You can buy Ghee, but it’s easy to make your own. Simply take a couple of pounds of butter, heat you oven to 250 and place the butter in a pan (I use an old fashioned iron skillet) and let it cook for 2 hours. At the end of the two hours, carefully take the pan and spoon out the golden-clear liquid, leaving the milk proteins behind. As you are spooning it out, strain though cheesecloth. Mason jars make a good storage container for your ghee.

Tallow/Lard
Tallow is rendered from beef. Lard is rendered from pigs. While I have no experience with Lard (other than the bacon fat I save for cooking eggs), fat from beef suet is a method I do use. I buy high quality beef suet (the fat from around the kidneys) from my local grass fed beef supplier for $2.00 a lb, (although at times you can get it free). To render to tallow, just chop it into cubes of about 1/2″ square and put it in a slow cooker. I do this outside because it can smell up the house a bit. Periodically scoop the clear liquid from the top. Mason jars or food grade plastic buckets make a good storage medium. I used a large bucket that used to have coconut oil in it. I was told by the butcher that it would store frozen almost indefinably.  If thoroughly dry and in a sealed container, can keep as long as 30 years. Tallow can also be used to preserve meat. Just fry the meat and pack in a container, like a mason jar. Then pour enough tallow over the meat to seal it in, much like pouring wax over freshly made preserves. This can preserve the meat for at least 6 months. Another great way to store fat is to use your tallow and make pemmican.  Pemmican is what the plains Indians lived on during the winter and on long hunting trips. It consists of lean beef (or buffalo), beef tallow, and sometimes berries mixed together in a one to one ratio of beef and fat. A great thing about pemmican is that you can literally live on it for very long periods of time. Although conventional wisdom would tell us that a lack of vitamin C causes scurvy, it is in fact caused by a lack of fresh meat. The “limeys” who avoided scurvy by eating limes at sea, were actually on a very heavy processed grain diet with no meat. This is a controversial point to be sure, but it explains the Inuit Eskimos, who have no access to fruit and are scurvy free.

There are many good sites on the ‘net for learning how to make pemmican. You can also buy grass-fed pemmican from US Wellness Meats.  Pemmican can be stored for up to 20 years!  It’s storability makes it the ultimate survival food. So, as you are making your preparations for food storage, don’t neglect fats. They are necessary for survival and should form a central part of your food storage plans.

One Retreat’s Rules, by T.N.P.

The following is a document that I have developed for our retreat. Obviously your mileage may vary. These guidelines are based on our area, family connections, our previous preparations and many other factors. Feel free to use them as a starting place for drafting rules for your own group.

Retreat Rules
It is not the goal to have a burdensome and complicated set of rules. However, there must be some rules so that everyone is on the same page. In the event of “Retreat Activation”, the survival of any one of us depends on the survival of the rest of us. We should act accordingly at all times.
Rules will be altered, added and deleted as needed to keep things as simple as possible while maintaining order and cohesiveness. If you feel a rule needs to be added, deleted or changed, please let me know. All suggestions will be taken under advisement. Some may be accepted, others may not.
The purpose of the retreat and the preparations are to strive to survive a disaster or a breakdown in society.
While we are not a religious group, the Ten Commandments will be our guide in dealing with others. As far as the first three commandments go, your soul, your God, your choice. Choose carefully.
It is expected and demanded that you do not talk about the retreat, our plans, preparations, activities, etc. with anyone outside the group. Our lives may depend on others not knowing about us.  If the retreat is compromised, you could go somewhere else; I have no choice but to stay here.
If you decide to leave the group, we expect you to still not discuss the retreat with others. To do so would be potentially putting our lives in jeopardy.
If you are asked to leave the group (very serious thing) you will take your provisions with you. We also expect you to honor your pledge to maintain our privacy.
I will make all final decisions. It’s not that I don’t trust you, you wouldn’t be here if I didn’t, but this is my home. Please respect that and I pledge to make decisions that are in the best interest of all involved.

Admission
Admission to the group is by invitation only.  Individuals or families may be suggested and recommended by any other member. Operational security must be observed.  Not everyone will be accepted. All recommended people will be considered for an interview. Most interviews will be informal and most people will not realize they are being interviewed. Most interviewees will be asked to come and “camp” with us for a weekend. Everyone will get to meet them and make an assessment.
There is no one qualification to be admitted but rather many traits that are desired. Skill sets are a large, but not primary, factor in the acceptance of someone. The ability to get along with others and respect others even when they do not agree is a large factor.
Race or religious beliefs will not be a factor in selection.
People will only be selected that we would trust with our lives.
The ability to get along with everyone else and willing to carry their own weight and then a little more are traits that we are looking for.
Again, the final decision to admit anyone to the group will be mine.

Retreat Activation
The retreat would be activated in the event of a national emergency such as nationwide or regional power failure, major earthquake, war, extreme civil unrest, etc. It is not a vacation home or a place for you to go to if you lose your job or your spouse kicks you out.

Banned Activities
This should not even need to be said but in order to make everything clear, the following items are banned:
Nothing illegal is allowed. We can’t take the chance. Penalty: Immediate dismissal! Law enforcement will be contacted if necessary.
No firearms, ammo or weapons are to be brought to the retreat that are deemed to be illegal by the state, local or federal law enforcement. While you may or may not agree with the law or the interpretation, it is still the law and you must abide by it.
No racist, skinhead, Nazi, religious zealots or the like will be allowed.
Illegal drugs are not allowed.
Alcohol consumption is not allowed. You could need to use a firearm at any time. Everyone depends on everyone else being in full control of their facilities at all times.
Tobacco smoking will not be allowed once the retreat is activated. Use caution until then.
Fighting or heated “discussions”. Respect the opinion of others.
No talk or plan of subversive activities will be tolerated.

Water conservation
Once the electricity is out, water conservation will be very important. While cleanliness and health go hand in hand and are very important, there will only be a certain amount of available water. Use it sparingly.

Sanitation
Expect to use an outhouse or latrine. Feminine products and toilet paper is not to be placed in the pit of either. Place it in the proper container for burning or other disposal. Other times, when away from the retreat, on patrol or any other situation, feces must be buried and a large rock or rocks placed over it.

Food
Food will be prepared in a central kitchen or camp area, by those listed on the duty roster. All food at the retreat, or acquired later, when the retreat is activated, will be available to the cook staff to be prepared for everyone.

Clothing
Clothing should be selected with an understanding of the jobs that will need to be done. Please consider that weather can be hot, warm, cool, cold, dry, wet and several combinations. Prepare accordingly. Clothing shall be modest at all times.

Lookout duty (LO)
Everyone should be prepared to stand lookout. The number of lookouts and the schedule will change depending on the situation. Some will be excused from LO duty for physical reasons, trust issues or other jobs needing their attention. A schedule will be posted ahead of time, again depending on the situation.
Lookouts are expected to report on time and be alert throughout the entire shift. No other activities should be preformed while on lookout duty.  No Exceptions!

Jobs/chores
Jobs will be assigned by me or the person I appoint. While you may request a particular job or request not be placed on a certain job, the person assigning the jobs has the final word on the matter. You are expected to do all jobs to the best of your ability. All jobs are important. The pay is the same!

Light discipline
In times where we expect to be harmed in any way, light discipline is of utmost importance. If a light must be used, do so in an interior room with the door closed. It would be very important for light to not give away our positions and activities.

Noise discipline
Any noise could give away our location and be detrimental to all of us. Depending on the situation, total silence may be required.

Training
Training weekends will be regularly scheduled. These weekends will consist of a variety of exercises and sometimes jobs (like building bunk houses) that need to be done around the retreat. Prepare to camp for these weekends.
Three consecutive training sessions missed will be grounds for dismissal from the group. Exceptions and makeup sessions may be allowed depending on the situation.

Marksmanship minimum
80% hits in the following positions
Standing – 24 moa
Sitting – 12 moa
Prone  – 6 moa
Age 12 and up will be required to qualify. One year will be allowed for an individual to meet these standards. Everyone will re-qualify every year. While bipods are welcome, qualifying will be done will only a sling.
Ammo used for marksmanship training will be in addition to the amounts listed for storage.

Firearms required
Each member of 12 years of age or older should have the following:
Battle Rifle in 7.62×51 or 30.06 or 5.56 or 7.62×39 (I know, this standard is not true standardization!)
Pistol (and holster)  in 45 ACP
Shotgun in 12 ga. or 20 ga.
Rifle in .22LR

Realizing new members may not have all firearms when joining, the following procurement schedule is required:
1st year – Battle rifle and .22
2nd year – Pistol
3rd year – Shotgun
Additional guns in other calibers and gauges are allowed and welcomed, but these are our standard.

Physical requirement
While I don’t intend to have a “Physical Test”, I do expect everyone to be in the best physical condition possible. Some of the drills we do will be very strenuous. It’s a long way to a medical facility. In the event of activation of the retreat, a person that is not physically able to carry their share of the load is a liability to everyone else. Don’t be a liability!

Supplies Required
It is not the goal of this requirement to cause a hardship on anyone. Most of these items you should already have. (If not, this retreat idea may not really be what you are looking for) This is not to say that you should not still be prepared at home. In order not to cause a hardship all at one time, the supplies have been broken down into three stages.  The first stage is required to join the group. The second stage is required at the beginning of the second year and the third stage is required at the beginning of the third year. With the exception of firearms and ammunition, these items are required to be positioned at the retreat. They will remain your personal possessions until such time the retreat is activated. If you decide to leave the group or join another group, you are certainly welcome and expected to take your supplies. If the retreat has been activated and you have not been heard from for a period of 6 months, the supplies will be considered common property of the group. These items are to be in addition to what you would arrive with. Certainly you may store all three stages at one time if you are in that position. If you need clarification on some of the items, please ask. With many of the items we may want to make a group buy for cost advantages and uniformity.
The below list is per person. Children under 12 should stock ½ the listed amount and not all items would apply.

Stage 1 (year one)
Clothing – 4 sets of clothing – ½ of which needs to be camouflage 
Underwear and socks
pajamas
Cold weather gear (Caps and coats)
Boots – 1 pair (Hint: find a pair you like and buy two or three pair then. Models seem to change by the time you wear
Extra boot laces
Rain gear
Gloves
Back pack
Laundry detergent – 40 loads

Ammo– (Newcomers will be allowed to catch-up as they purchase a particular firearm)
Battle Rifle – 500 rounds
Pistol – 500 rounds
Shotgun – 25 defensive and 200 small shot
22 – 1000 rounds
All properly sealed (think ammo can)

Toiletries
Toilet paper – 48 rolls
Paper towels – 24 rolls
Soap – 18 bars
Shampoo – 1 year supply
Shaving supplies
Deodorant – 1 year supply
2 tooth brushes
Tooth paste
Q-Tips – 1 box
1 – bowl to wash in
12 wash cloths
4 bath towels
Mirror
Feminine supplies – 1 year supply
Condoms – 1 year supply
Nail clippers and files
Dental floss
Hair brush and comb
Scissors
One year’s worth of other toiletries you normally use.

 

Meal prep (please, no Styrofoam. It doesn’t burn well)
Nonstick skillet
Sauce pan
1000 paper plates
100 paper bowls
100 Plastic cups
2 metal forks
2 metal spoons
Kitchen knife
Spatulas and large spoons
Can opener
40 quart freezer bags (good ones)
1 stainless bowl
Dish detergent – 32 oz

Bedding
Sleeping bags are preferred
A cot
Pillow
Additional blankets
Additional pillow cases
Camouflage tarp is recommended

Personal items
A strong pocket knife
Sharpening stone
Wrist watch
Spare eye glasses
Sun glasses
 5 Large Bic lighters (other brands don’t hold up)
Axe
Bow saw
Hammer
Assortment of nails
Pliers
Other tools you think you may need
Misc. cord and rope
2 flashlights and 4 sets of batteries
Compass
Recommended – 1 cap light and spare battery
Note pad and pencils
2 boxes of Strike Anywhere Kitchen matches
1 box of large garbage bags
4 small propane bottles
Playing cards, games and books

Medical
2 boxes of band aids
1 – Ace Bandage
1 bottle – Hydrogen Peroxide
1 tube of athlete’s foot ointment
1 tube of antibiotic ointment
1 bottle of aspirin
Other over the counter medications you use
350 multi vitamins
Insect spray
* Prescription medications are not to be stored at the retreat, however, one should prepare to stock up on them.

Food
Food and some of the other items should be rotated on a schedule depending on the item; to assure the freshest possible is in storage. In other words, once a year or so bring new items and take the old home to use. Store things you already eat. If you eat store brands, store them. If you eat name brands, store them. The idea is to store one year’s supply of food for each of the first 3 years of membership. Some food requires special storage. One of our group activities will be preparing this food for storage.

Grains: (All chemical free)
Wheat – 100#
Rice – 50#
Oatmeal – 6 #
Dried beans – 50#
Shelled corn – 50#

Oils
2 gal. of vegetable or olive oil (small containers are best)
2 – large Crisco shortening

Condiments
1 – Ketchup
2 – Peanut Butter
1 container of black pepper
3 boxes of iodized salt
Spices you normally use
25# white sugar

Canned goods
25 Canned vegetables
25 canned fruit
25 canned soups
25 canned meats (Spam, tuna canned chicken and such)
1 case of bottled water (plan to reuse the bottles) Spring and well water is available.
Coffee & filters
Tea bags

 

Stage 2 (year 2) in addition to stage 1

Clothing – 4 sets of clothing – ½ of which needs to be camo
More Underwear and socks
More Cold weather gear (Caps and coats)
Boots – 1 pair
Extra boot laces
Rain gear
Gloves
Laundry detergent – 40 loads

Ammo– (Newcomers will be allowed to catch-up as they purchase a particular firearm)
Battle Rifle – 500 rounds
Pistol – 500 rounds
Shotgun – 25 defensive and 200 small shot
22 – 1000 rounds
All properly sealed

Toiletries
Toilet paper – 48 rolls
Paper towels – 24 rolls
Soap – 18 bars
Shampoo – 1 year supply
Shaving supplies (No canned shaving foam) for 1 year
Deodorant – 1 year supply
2 tooth brushes
Tooth paste for 1 year
Q-Tips – 1 box
12 wash cloths
4 bath towels
Feminine supplies – 1 year supply
Condoms – 1 year supply
Dental floss

Meal prep (please, no Styrofoam. It doesn’t burn well)
Heavy pot
Well seasoned cast iron skillet
1000 paper plates
100 paper bowls
2 metal forks
2 metal spoons
40 quart freezer bags (good ones)
Dish detergent – 32 oz
Large roll of aluminum foil
Welders gloves

Bedding
Additional blankets
Additional pillow cases
Camo tarp is recommended

Personal items
5 Bic lighters (other brands don’t hold up)
Other tools you think you may need
Shovels, mattocks, picks and rakes
Misc. cord and rope
4 sets of batteries
Recommended – 1 cap light and spare batteries
Note pad and pencils
2 boxes of Strike Anywhere Kitchen matches
1 box of large garbage bags
4 small propane bottles
Playing cards, games and books optional
2 rolls of duct tape
1 gal of Clorox

Medical
Advanced 1st aid kit
1 tube of athlete’s foot ointment
1 tube of antibiotic ointment
1 bottle of aspirin
Other over the counter medications you use
350 multi vitamins
Insect spray

Food
Food items should be rotated on a schedule depending on the item, to assure the freshest possible is in storage. In other words, once a year or so, bring new items and take the old home to use. Store things you already eat. If you eat store brands, store them. If you eat name brands, store them.The idea is to store one year’s supply of food for each of the first 3 years of membership. Some food requires special storage. One of our group activities will be preparing this food for storage.

Grains: (All chemical free)
Wheat – 200#
Rice – 100#
Oatmeal – 8 #
Dried beans – 50#
Shelled corn – 50#

Oils
3 gal. of vegetable or olive oil (small containers are best)
3 – large Crisco shortening

Condiments
1 – Ketchup
2 – Peanut Butter
1 container of black pepper
6 boxes of iodized salt
Spices you normally use
25# white sugar
½ gal honey

Canned goods
50 Canned vegetables
50 canned fruit
50 canned soups
50 canned meats (Spam, tuna canned chicken and such)
1 case of bottled water (plan to reuse the bottles)
Coffee & filters
Tea bags

Other supplies
1 oil lamp
2 gal. kerosene
48 canning jars (24 pints & 24 Quarts)
Solar calculator
½ set of 2 way radios
Sewing kit
1 roll of barbed wire
White board and markers

Stage 3 ( year 3) in addition to the previously stored items

Clothing – 4 sets of clothing – ½ of which needs to be camo
More Underwear and socks
More Cold weather gear (Caps and coats)
Boots – 1 pair
Extra boot laces
Gloves
Laundry detergent – 40 loads

Ammo– (Newcomers will be allowed to catch-up as they purchase a particular firearm)
Battle Rifle – 1000 rounds
Pistol – 1000 rounds
Shotgun – 25 defensive and 200 small shot
22 – 2000 rounds
All properly sealed

Toiletries
Toilet paper – 48 rolls
Paper towels – 24 rolls
Soap – 18 bars
Shampoo – 1 year supply
Shaving supplies (No canned shaving foam) for 1 year
Deodorant – 1 year supply
2 tooth brushes
Tooth paste for 1 year
Q-Tips – 1 box
12 wash cloths
4 bath towels
Feminine supplies – 1 year supply
Condoms – 1 year supply
Dental floss

 

Meal prep (please, no Styrofoam. It doesn’t burn well)
10 or 12 inch Lodge Dutch oven with legs and rimmed lid and lid lifter
1000 paper plates
100 paper bowls
2 metal forks
2 metal spoons
40 quart freezer bags (good ones)
Dish detergent – 32 oz
Large roll of aluminum foil

Bedding
Additional pillow cases

Personal items
5 Bic lighters (other brands don’t hold up)
Other tools you think you may need
Shovels, mattocks, picks and rakes
Misc. cord and rope
4 sets of batteries
Recommended – 1 cap light and spare battery
Note pad and pencils
2 boxes of Strike Anywhere Kitchen matches
1 box of large garbage bags
4 small propane bottles
Playing cards, games and books optional
2 rolls of duct tape
1 gal of Clorox

Medical
1 tube of athlete’s foot ointment
1 tube of antibiotic ointment
1 bottle of aspirin
Other over the counter medications you use
350 multi vitamins
Insect spray

Food
Food items should be rotated on a schedule depending on the item, to assure the freshest possible is in storage. In other words, once a year or so, bring new items and take the old home to use. Store things you already eat. If you eat store brands, store them. If you eat name brands, store them.The idea is to store one year’s supply of food for each of the first 3 years of membership. Some food requires special storage. One of our group activities will be preparing this food for storage.

Grains: (All chemical free)
Wheat – 200#
Rice – 100#
Oatmeal – 8 #
Dried beans – 50#
Shelled corn – 50#

Oils
3 gal. of vegetable or olive oil (small containers are best)
3 – large Crisco shortening

Condiments
1 – Ketchup
2 – Peanut Butter
1 container of black pepper
6 boxes of iodized salt
Spices you normally use
25# white sugar
1 gal honey

Canned goods
50 Canned vegetables
50 canned fruit
50 canned soups
50 canned meats (Spam, tuna canned chicken and such)
Coffee & filters
Tea bags

Other supplies
Spare wicks and chimney
3 gal. kerosene
48 Ball Quart  canning jars
100 Ball jar lids
1 roll of barbed wire

Economics and Investing:

World Bank to Manage Food Supplies?

John R. recommended a Forbes article by Daniel Oliver Jr.: Soon The Economic Deluge: With the dollar in freefall, the monetary system is breaking down.

Items from The Economatrix:

The New Gold Rush  

What are They Up To?  

Good-bye US Dollar: World Bank Issues First Yuan Bonds in Hong Kong

In The Future You May Not Be Able to Provide the Basics for Your Family Even if Everyone in Your Family Has a Job  

Odds ‘n Sods:

John B. flagged this: The federalization of local law enforcement

   o o o

“Wolverines!” It now seems there is renewed hope for the completed-but-yet-shelved remake of the movie Red Dawn. The latest news is that it will get released in 2011, after all, assuming MGM’s “exit from bankruptcy” goes well.

   o o o

The publisher is again offering a 10% discount for SurvivalBlog readers on the DVD Food Production Systems for a Backyard or Small Farm.  This is a comprehensive DVD tutorial on home food production available showing you how much water you need, how much land, highest efficiency gardening systems, home butchering and small livestock, orchards, and more.  SurvivalBlog readers will get a 10% discount off the regular $28.95 price. Avalanche Lily and I both greatly enjoyed this no-nonsense DVD. We highly recommend it!

   o o o

Snipers report high job satisfaction: study. (Thanks to F.G. for the link.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“They think we might be better off holing up and waiting for the government to save us. But Jerry and I both know better. We’ve seen enough failed federal disaster responses to know that we’re better off walking into a future of our own choosing.” – Terry DeHart in “The Unit“, a post-nuclear war survival fiction novel.

Letter Re: Storing Fats and Oils

Dear Editor:
There are many in the medical field who will dispute Dave the R.N.’s assertions in his recent post on fats and oils.

A recommendation that is more in line with the mainstream thinking is to store 3 liters (three quarts or approximately 90 ounces) of oils or fats for each person-month of preps.

The assumption is that everyday life will become intensely physical and a per-person calorie budget of 2,500 Calories (or more!) will be required.  Three liters of oil will provide 30-35% of calories-from-fat which is consistent with mainstream wisdom.  Other stored foods and supplementation with produced food might make some of the stored fats and oils a surplus.  The surplus will be a valuable barter or charity item. – Joe H.

Note from JWR:

Today we present another two entries for Round 32 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 $795, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 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 “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, B.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and C.) 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 32 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

A Home-Built Wood-Fired Oven, by Mr. W.F.O.

In the spirit of “off-the-gridness” and in an effort to be more self-sufficient, my wife and I recently tackled a new project at home.  We built a wood-fired oven (WFO).
A few times a year we loose power for various reasons.  We can cook (and have) on and in our woodstove.  During the summer months, this makes the house very hot.  An outdoor wood-fired oven gives us another option for many kinds of cooking.  It also provides a great accompaniment to the barbecue.  The WFO is a lot of fun to built and use.  It provides a lot of feel good factor for having done it ourselves with little money.  Of course, it also makes great tasting food.

We over-researched the subject by reading several books and by searching online before finally building it.  Two of the most helpful resources were http://www.traditionaloven.com and the book Build Your Own Earth Oven by Kiko Denzer.

Location:  One of the most important and also most difficult parts of this project was picking a location.  The WFO requires a location that places its back to the wind.  Ideally, it should be out of the elements.  It also needs to be accessible enough to be useable.  We finally decided to locate our WFO off the end of our screened front porch, facing away from the wind.  This would require rebuilding that end of the porch to allow for a screen door, building a shed roof for protection from our very frequent rain, and leveling the ground in that area.

Type:  We discovered that there are several types of WFOs.  Which is “best” depends on who write the article or book.  Our primary concerns were the difficulty of the project, the cost of the project, and the look of the project.  A $15,000 brick and marble WFO would look silly sitting next to our farmhouse, would be way beyond our budget, and might be beyond our construction ability.  We decided on an adobe, cob, or clay oven.  They exact material seems to be interchangeable.  Since we are part-time potters, we happened to have a sixty-gallon garbage can full of left over clay from the past couple of years.  We decided to use what we had.  I also salvaged, for free, a couple of hundred concrete building blocks (CMUs), along with a corresponding quantity of concrete capstones.  Using some of these would make a fine foundation that would put our oven at a convenient height.

Size:  We wanted something big enough to bake a small pizza, a small roast, or turkey, or a couple of loaves of bread at the same time.  We wanted it a bit on the small side so that it would use less firewood and so that it would blend in.  We settled on an inside diameter of 22 inches wide by 16 inches high.

The Foundation:  I started the project by locating the oven far enough away from the porch for safety yet close enough for convenience.  I dug a square hole 54” wide and about 6” below the frost line and leveled the hole.  Into this square hole I packed level about 4” of 5/8” minus gravel.  Upon this base I laid a square of the 8”x8”x16” concrete building blocks, three blocks to a side.  I stagger stacked five more layers of building block.  After each layer of block, I filled the square with “urbanite” and large rock, filled all of the spaces and covered the rubble with 5/8” minus gravel, and compacted it all with a length of 4”x4”.  I did not fill the last layer of block so that the insulation layer would be deep enough.  I capped the last layer of CMU with the 4”x8”x16” concrete cap. 
The resulting 12” void was filled in with an insulation mixture made of sawdust, perlite, and clay slip.  Equal quantities of sawdust and perlite were carefully measured by the shovel-full into a wheelbarrow.  Clay slip, clay mixed with water into a sour cream consistency, was added until all of the particles were coated with clay.  A rough ball made of the insulation mix did not splatter or break apart when dropped from waist height.  This insulation layer was packed and leveled.

The Oven Floor:  We purchased 16 medium-density firebricks from the fireplace shop and set them into the insulation layer.  More of the insulation material was used to level the floor of the oven prior to building the oven itself. 

The Oven:  I used a string with a pencil to draw a 23” diameter circle on the firebricks.  Sand from the nearby river was screened and used to make a sand dome.  We dumped wet sand in a pile on the bricks and painstakingly molded a dome.  It was not as easy as it should have been.  This was the most frustrating part of the project!  Finally, after starting over a few times, we achieved a nice looking 16” high, rounded dome.  Several layers of wet newspaper were plastered over the sand so that the clay layer would not stick to the sand.

Our soil is very heavy with thick red clay.  Either it is too wet to work, or is so hard that you need a pick to get it out.  We had originally thought to dig our own clay, mix it with sand and straw, and to use this material for the oven.  However, we decided to cheat a bit and used our business license to buy some very rough clay intended for large structural structures. 
We packed this clay 4” deep around the sand dome.  Layer by layer we pressed the clay into itself around and over the dome, being careful not to press into the sand dome. 
My wife then used a 2”x4” to not-too-gently smack the clay dome into a proper shape.  The smacking helps consolidate the clay into one cohesive shell.  Just do not smack it too hard or you will end up with a bulge on the opposite side or around the base.  An arched door was drawn onto the front of the inner clay shell.  It was about 66%, or 10.5”, high by 12” wide.
Over the inner clay dome, we laid up a 4” layer of the same insulation material used for the floor.  The insulation layer stopped about 4” short of where the doorway was going to be cut. 
The 3rd and final layer of the oven was a 2” layer of clay.  This exterior shell was layer up in the same fashion as the other two layers with great care not to push the clay into the insulation layer.
The doorway was then cut into the dome.  The doorway was cut with a bevel to keep the door from falling in.  The exterior clay shell was wrapped over the exposed insulation layer around the door.  This created a continuous clay shell with a 2” reveal around the doorway.
The oven was now firm enough to remove the sand.  Using a garden trowel my wife carefully dug out the sand.  When she hit newspaper, she knew that she had reached the inside of the dome.  After the sand was removed, the newspaper was carefully peeled off the inner clay dome.  A smooth piece of rounded wood used for shaping bowls on the potter’s wheel was used to smooth out the rough spots on the inner dome.
The exterior shell was paddled and shaped into a smooth cover.  The final layer had to dry a bit before it could be smoothed completely.
My wife threw an onion shaped finial for decoration on the top of the oven.  She then carved various designs into the dome.
A door made from 2×6’s was cut to shape.  1×6’s were cut to go over the face of the door and to extend 1” beyond the door in order to act as a flange to keep the door from falling in.  An extra chunk of tile-backer was cut to shape and screwed onto the inside surface of the door for a heat shield.  A pair of handles left over from a previous project completed the door.

Getting it to work:  A small fire was lit inside the oven to slowly dry it out from within.  The sun worked to dry it from without.  Patience is a virtue.  Impatience, or rather firing it too soon, caused serious cracks on the outside due to the different shrinking rates caused from uneven dryness.
After it was dry (enough), we brought it up to white hot, pulled the coals out, put the door in place, and soaked it for about 15 minutes.  While it was very hot, we cooked up a few small pizzas.  It actually worked!
Since then we have baked bread, pizzas, and bagels in it.  We have learned when to pull the coals so that the food does not taste too smokey.  The oven is a big hit.  Many of those who have seen it want to build their own.

The WFO’s potential and use are obvious in a grid-down situation.  We have never used “firewood” in this oven.  We have always used sticks, branches, and other left over non-treated wood products for firing the WFO.  Usually about ½ of a five-gallon bucket is all that is needed per firing.

Cost: 
I used less than 1.5 yards of 5/8 minus gravel for the entire project – about $40. 
Concrete block – free.
Sand – free.
Coarse Sawdust – free from a local lumber mill.
Perlite – about $30 from the hardware store.
Clay – $150.  (It could have been free with more elbow grease)
Material for the door – free from around the property.

Total cost:  under $200.

A Woman’s Life in a Post-SHTF World, by Skynome

Being a woman in TEOTWAWKI presents special challenges that many times in survival literature aren’t touched upon. So I’d like to talk about a few things that are specific to being female.  

Menstruation
Let’s face it, that monthly visit creates a lot of waste from pads and tampons that in a SHTF scenario will be very difficult to dispose of. Imagine if you will, that our infrastructure has broken down and trash is no longer being collected, you have to find a way to get rid of your own trash without creating a world where garbage floats in the streets when it rains. You’re doing okay though because all food scraps go to either the animals or the compost, paper is used as tinder, and jars are reused for whatever purpose you can find. However, synthetic pads and tampons, much like baby diapers, must be disposed of in a way that doesn’t become toxic for you family. So, what do you do? My suggestion is go for reusable. I know, in our modern society that reusable pads may be considered “gross” but as long as you wash them after every use they’re just as clean as single use synthetic, and some argue that they’re actually healthier for you. A major plus to reusable in a SHTF scenario is that you can make them out of any fabric you have available as long as you have some needle and thread (though cotton and flannel work best). You can find patterns and suppliers online; just do a quick google search. Another reusable option is a diva/moon cup. A single one can last up to a year so it would be simple to stockpile a 5 year supply just in case. If the thought of reusable supplies still grosses you out just a bit and you don’t think you’ll ever go that route unless you’re living after TEOTWAWKI then you’ll want to keep a stock of single use pads or tampons for your short term preps. The best way I’ve found to do this is a combination of couponing and freebies. Almost all companies that make feminine products offer free samples through their web sites, and all of those free samples come with a collection of coupons. Simply go to the manufacturers web site, order your free sample (some will let you order a free sample once every 6 weeks), and then use the coupons combined with sales to lay in a large, almost free stash of your feminine products.  

Birth Control
I consider this a female issue because females are the ones who get pregnant and therefore need to know what to do with their bodies to prevent pregnancy (besides the obvious). Now, in a TEOTWAWKI life even though you are happily married a recently collapsed society isn’t exactly the ideal place for a newborn. Maybe after the first year or two your survival retreat group will all be working well together, the gardens will be producing well and you will have mastered the art of hunting under slightly different conditions. At that point, you may want to try and have children but until then, you’ll probably need some birth control. I personally am not a fan of condoms for long term storage, they’re bulky, expensive, have a short shelf life, and you have to find a safe way to dispose of them. I would recommend either laying in a years worth of the pill or (if you have someone in your household/retreat group that knows how to administer this) the depo-provera shot. Though, with depo you have to find a safe way to dispose of a used needle. It’s a decision you have to make based on what exactly you’re preparing for and what you feel most comfortable with using as birth control now. One thing I do not recommend is storing birth control that you have never personally used. Every woman reacts differently to the hormones used in birth control and the time to find out that your reaction is negative is not post-SHTF. Another option for birth control is using natural family planning. This form of birth control helps you to fully understand your body and its cycle and how to know when you’re fertile and when you’re not. This is something highly encouraged by the Catholic Church so you’ll find a lot of literature about it put out by the Catholic Church. You can also receive training on NFP at most parishes throughout the country. If you’re not comfortable learning about NFP through the Catholic Church you can do an amazon search for natural family planning and should be able to find books non-catholic books about it. I’ve read quite a few articles on survivalblog relating to pregnancy and nursing so I won’t go into what to do if the birth control fails.  

Health Issues
Though both men and women can break a bone, suffer a heart attack, or end up with cancer there are certain diseases that affect women more often or more severely than men, those are the ones I’d like to briefly discuss. Osteoporosis makes your bones weak and therefore more likely to break. If society collapses you can bet women will be doing a lot more manual labor which will be harder on the bones, and if those bones are weakened by Osteoporosis and break, life will suddenly become much more difficult. The best way to combat Osteoporosis is with a diet full of calcium and vitamin D and by keeping in shape. Regular exercise is pretty easy to maintain, the calcium and vitamin D may not be. It’s important to not only take calcium and vitamin D supplements now but to be sure you have a good stock of them in your long term storage. You’ll also want to lay in a good supply of freeze dried foods high in calcium and vitamin and seeds for foods you can grow fresh. Some great sources of vitamin D and calcium include: milk, cheese, yogurt, collard greens, kale, bok choy, broccoli, soybeans, white beans, and almonds. Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the US; I don’t imagine the stress of living life after TEOTWAWKI would lessen that number. Luckily some of the heart healthiest foods out there are also wonderful for long term food storage including olive oil (which [if it is in plastic bottles] can be frozen for long term use), beans, peas, and lentils, fish (if your retreat is near a water source good for fishing), and whole grains. Of course regular exercise is also helpful. Depression is much more common in women than in men for a variety of hormone reasons. Because of this if you have ever suffered from depression, post-partum depression, have a family history of depression, or currently suffer from mild depression it is a good idea to stock up on anti-depressants. Because I suffered post-partum depression with my first child it was easy for me to stock up on anti-depressants through my other two pregnancies. If you don’t have a doctor that will prescribe you anti-depressants find one who will, survivalblog has a lot of good advice on stocking up on prescription medications so I won’t go into that. Be sure you are fully aware of all side effects of whatever anti-depressants you decide to go with, and if possible use it before SHTF. An example on why you should know exactly how it will affect you, the same anti-depressant that helped me recover from post-partum depression caused a friend of mine to have a psychotic break, everyone reacts differently to medications. Menopause happens to all women so it’s a good idea to store some supplements that help make the transition easier. Even if you’re still young, they’re good to store for any older members of your family. It’s also a good idea to talk to your mom about the average age women in the family start going through menopause that way you can prepared for it. Also, make sure you know your family history relating to all uterine conditions. For example, if ovarian cysts run in the family start getting checked for them now and know the symptoms if a cyst ruptures because if that happens post-SHTF you could bleed to death.  

Being Girly
This is the section that to some may seem frivolous but the fact is women are different from men and just like men need to do things that make them feel manly, girls need to feel girly. Feeling girly is different from being high maintenance. I’m about as far from what most would consider girly as possible, I get my hair cut once, maybe twice a year and never do more to it than run a brush through it. I rarely shave my legs, I haven’t worn makeup since my last school dance (which was quite a few years ago), and I only wear dresses to the really important church holidays. However, while I was in Navy boot camp my drill sergeants (Recruit Division Commanders or RDCs) did everything they could to strip away our femininity. We were required to use men’s body wash, shampoo, and deodorant, no makeup allowed, no lotions; we couldn’t even shave our legs. Because of this what I looked forward to the most after getting out of boot camp was not better food or no longer being yelled at, it was being able to use a really nice lotion.  I began to really understand how different women are from men, yes, we can get any job a man can, and we can work just as hard when doing manual labor but we are female and females were made differently and we need to feel like females every now and then. In a post-SHTF world shaved legs and a pedicure really don’t matter when it comes to survival but what it can do for morale is huge. If you have the chance to stock up on some fun feminine items on the cheap do it. I tend to find razors, pretty smelling lotions, shampoos, and conditioners, nail polish, and hair dye for free to almost free at CVS or Walgreen’s when combining manufacturers’ coupons with in-store coupons and sales. If you are stowing away basic patterns so you can make your own clothes when the clothing stores are no longer stocked it would be a good idea to throw in a pattern or two for dresses.

Letter Re: A Well Pump Failure Dry Run

Jim,  
In the event that your readers are not aware of a well pump protection device known as the Pumptec, this is a very simple device that you cannot afford to be without.  The Pumptec senses sudden changes in amperage draw from the well pump and will automatically shut the power off to the well pump in the event the well runs dry or other conditions cause a high or sudden change in current draw.  Here is more information on the Pumptec, and some more maker information.   

A real nice feature about this device is that it comes equipped with a timer that allows the owner so set the amount of off time once the Pumptec has been tripped to allow the well water level to recover.  This way you don’t have to go through the hassle of opening up or uncovering the well or well house to reset the device.  It resets itself after the preset off time period has passed.   

We have Pumptec’s installed on all of our wells which are low producing wells.  They have paid for themselves many times over by automatically shutting down the pump with a preset offtime of 90 minutes which allows the wells to recover and function normally.  Aqua Science has the best deal on these that I have found on the internet so far.    
If the $161 price tag is too much for the Pumptec, a Square D low pressure well pump switch will protect the well pump from a well running dry for less money but it will not prevent a burn out from pump overload or from an electrical short.  It  must be manually reset each time it is tripped.    I strongly recommend the Pumptec or similar device such as the Coyote.   

In Major Dad’s case, none of these devices would have prevented the silt fill in of the well but they would have saved the well pump from burning out.    Best wishes for a Constitutionally free, prosperous, and productive 2011!  – Night Hawk

Two Letters Re: Some Practical Experience With Concertina Wire

Sir,  

In response to “Some Practical Experience with Concertina Wire” I would like to add a bit about my experience with the stuff.    About twenty years ago I was deployed to Somalia during Operation Restore Hope.  I was in a combat arms unit tasked with providing convoy escorts, roadblocks and checkpoints, Quick Reaction Force (QRF) Teams and perimeter security to supply areas and support units.   

For several weeks we were working as perimeter security for a Quartermaster Company which had commandeered a vacant embassy and its surrounding fortifications.  I say fortifications because all of the old embassies and foreign corporate campuses had twelve foot tall walls topped with broken glass, guard towers and hardened gun positions.  This particular embassy compound was six or seven buildings sitting on about eight acres surrounded all the way around by a twelve foot tall mud-brick wall covered with stucco and topped with broken glass… except two-thirds of the way back on the western side.  At some point the wall had been breached with explosives, and a section nearly twenty feet wide had been reduced to a pile of rubble.   

The Quartermaster Company had strung row after row of concertina wire in the gap.  To soft American eyes the wire looked formidable.  But looked at by Somalis used to a brutally difficult daily existence, that gap in the wall was an open invitation to pillage.  During the short period that we were providing security we caught dozens of Somalis, mostly grade school age children, crawling through the row after row of wire.  We would watch in amazement as seven year olds would grab the wire with their bare hands and adjust the gaps so that they could work towards the compound.  The cutting edges of the wire seemed to have no effect at all on their skin. Mostly the barbs hung up on their clothing and slowed them down.    Prior to my unit’s arrival, the rear-echelon types had been unable to determine how the Somalis kept getting into their perimeter and stealing.  It was inconceivable to them that anyone, let alone children, would risk that wire so that they could steal a canteen cup or a roll of commo wire.  But every night they would climb right through and loot the camp.   

I suppose that in a nutshell what I’m saying about concertina wire is this:  Realize that it will slow down intruders, but it will not stop determined, desperate people who want what you have.  Don’t depend on concertina wire or any other inanimate fortification to secure your six, or you’re liable to wake up dead.   – An Old 16R 

 

Captain Rawles:
I spent significant time as a USMC tanker in a combat operations. Not only is reader P.J.B. correct, but the same is true for barbed wire and even to some extent, thick commo wire. The deal is, as the wire is drawn up and around the vehicles sprockets, road wheels, and support rollers, it become wound more tightly and the wire tears out grease seals, eventually resulting in a "mobility kill". With significant enough volume, the wire can bind the wheels, rollers, and sprockets themselves bringing the vehicle to a halt. Now, it is very important to note that an armored vehicle can remain effective as base of fire even while immobile. That said, most armor crews will do their level best to avoid wire whenever possible because it is almost impossible to fish out wire from the track and sprockets without the type of maintenance that requires dead-lining the vehicle in a maintenance area. So, knowing this what is the lesson? Quantities of visible wire of all sorts can be a very effective way to channel armor into predictable avenues of approach. – Tanker John

Economics and Investing:

Steve K. recommended a YouTube video that includes clips from the 1981 movie Rollover.

Charles Hugh Smith: The Big, Continuing Stories That Could Derail 2011

Recession turns to depression in Japan.

Karl Denninger: Here Come The “Tanks In The Streets” Threats!

Items from The Economatrix:

Reasons Why 2011 Is Going To Be Another Bad Year For America’s Middle Class  

29% of Americans Say it’s Difficult to Afford Food  

Fed: Economy Still Weak Despite Improvements

Private-Payroll Report Lifts Hopes For More Jobs  

Jump In Hiring Sends Bonds Lower And Stocks Higher  

Numismatic’s Are Fool’s Gold     

Odds ‘n Sods:

Yishai mentioned this article: More than two million children are homeschooled in the United States.

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Dan G. notes: “People in Europe may want to keep a eye on Iceland’s volcano Katla which seems to be lit more and more like a Christmas tree every day”

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Reader Steven W. mentioned a high-quality homesteading magazine based in Oregon. Steven noted: “I talked with the editor and she asked me to send you a link to her magazine and blog site. While she may be a bit of an Oregon flower child, her magazine information is very practical, detailed and down-to-earth.”

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Firearms are indeed equalizers: ‘Fed up’ 82-year-old held alleged thieves at gunpoint. (Thanks to T.H.R. for the link.)

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Two captivating news articles, by way of The Woodpile Report (The Ol’ Remus blog): Sweden deploys vintage trains to battle the snow and, No police in Mexico town after last officer kidnapped