Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

Because of an injury, I had a quiet week. I concentrated on writing and editing the blog in advance. What happened? I broke a toe, while doing some carpentry.  Here is a recap of my mishap: I was building a base for a new outhouse. I used treated 6x6s to construct the base, which measures 4 feet square. Just after squaring it up, and attaching some 2x6s with power screws,  I wanted to flip it over, to cut tapers on the front of the 6×6 skids, to make it easier to tow around the Wee House with a tractor or ATV. At that point, the outhouse base weighed almost 200 pounds. When I flipped it over, I misjudged the distance and one of the skids landed on my big toe. Ouch!  I was not wearing steel-toed boots. Thankfully, I had been standing on uncompacted gravel. If my foot had been on concrete, this accident might have severed one or more toes. I had a lot of pain for the first four days.  It is gradually diminishing. With a broken toe, my mobility will be hampered from most outdoor chores for several weeks. Learn from my mistake: Think things through, move slowly, and wear safety shoes or boots whenever moving heavy objects!

With that injury, I couldn’t do much more than drive our SUV and our pickup to the nearest town for their seasonal snow tire swaps.  (Those are already on rims, so it is quick and easy.) There is a lot of snow in the  forecast for this coming winter, at least in our region. I hate just hobbling around.  But I’ll make the best of it. I plan to catch up on organization projects that don’t require much standing or walking

Now, Lily’s report…Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;

To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.

When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:

Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.

And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” – Job 28:12-28 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — October 18, 2024

On October 18, 1009, the 500-year-old Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, who ordered the church’s foundations to be hacked down to the bedrock. According to the InfoGalactic Wiki: “Al-Hakim’s son allowed Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos to reconstruct the church, which was completed in 1048. After it was captured by the Crusaders in 1099, it continued to undergo modifications, resulting in a significant departure from the original structure.”

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October 18th, 1662 was the birthday of Matthew Henry. (He died 22 June 1714.) He was a Presbyterian minister who lived primarily in Chester, England. Matthew Henry’s six-volume Exposition of the Old and New Testaments (commonly called Matthew Henry’s Commentary) (1708–1710) is a must for the bookshelf of any serious Bible scholar.

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October 18, 1776: In a bar decorated with bird tails in Elmsford, New York, a customer requests a glassful of “those cock tails” from bartender Betsy Flanagan. This originated the use of the word “cocktail” to describe a mixed alcoholic drink.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 115 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

U.S. Military Tent Stoves – Part 3, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 2.)

Operating the M1941 In Extreme Weather

I’ve found that the M1941 at -30F will provide adequate heat for a cabin that is not insulated and that is no more than 300 square feet in size. It will keep you comfortable and the water in the plumbing flowing if those pipes are exposed to the cabin’s interior.

It will burn 6 to 8 loads of wood every 24 hours at that temperature depending on the type of wood used and how it was processed or split. One load of wood will fill a 6-gallon plastic bucket. Larger rounds of wood should be no longer than 12 inches in length. Kindling can be up to 15 inches in length. I use 5-gallon metal paint buckets to haul this wood in because these can also be used to melt snow on the stove, do the laundry, and heat large amounts of water for cleaning. Metal buckets are multipurpose and nearly indestructible.

A water bowl for the pets that is located on the floor will however freeze solid during the night when the stove is shut down. Before ‘hitting the sack’, heat soak the cabin with a load that is burned hot. When that load is nearly exhausted, fill up the firebox and then shut the stove down for the night. It would be best to set the alarm clock to allow 4 hours of sleep and awaken you so that you can refill the firebox and run the stove hot and until that load is consumed, and then go back to sleep for another 4 hours. When running the stove ‘hot’ during subzero temperatures, watch the stove carefully so that that top or the sides and rear of the stove glow no more than a faint dull red, as seen in a dark room. Choke down the air intake so that the stove will not be run too hot. The stove will last longer, be less likely to fail in a catastrophic way just when it is needed most, and the risk of fire to the structure is greatly reduced.Continue reading“U.S. Military Tent Stoves – Part 3, by Tunnel Rabbit”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at the Biden Administration’s LNG Export Ban. (See the Commodities section.)

Precious Metals:

Spot gold jumped to $2,708.70 per Troy ounce on Thursday morning, in Asian trading. That was another all-time high. And on Wednesday, spot silver briefly touched $32.40. Although there may be some short-term profit-taking, I expect to see gold in a sustained breakout above $2,700, fairly soon. Señor Bull is looking very confident and appears ready to go Full Pamplona.  The Comex Gold Shorts should be running for the side streets, in terror.

Update, Friday AM:

  • Gold:  $2,723.40, up $16.70
  • Silver:  $32.64, up 83 cents

o  o  o

Jesse Columbo: Will Russian Buying Drive Silver Beyond $50?

o  o  o

Over at The Daily Reckoning: The Next Wave(s) of Inflation.

o  o  o

Russia calls on BRICS partners to create an alternative to IMF.

o  o  o

Hedge Fund CIO: “After The Last Disillusioned Gold Bulls Sold Their Final Ounce, Gold Started Rallying… And Has Not Looked Back”.

Economy & Finance:

Kamala Harris promises price controls … and a few unintended consequences.  JWR’s Comment: I’ve been warning you about this, folks, since 2007: How Federal “Bans”, “Freezes”, and “Price Controls” Spread Economic Chaos.

o  o  o

Social Security payments will rise 2.5% in 2025. JWR’s Comment: This small increase will not keep up with the real rate of inflation!

o  o  o

Earthquake Insurance Rates Are Set To Increase In California.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“But what is liberty without wisdom, and without virtue? It is the greatest of all possible evils; for it is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint.” – Edmund Burke

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — October 17, 2024

On October 17, 1777, British General John Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga.

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On this day in 1835, Texans approved a resolution to create the Texas Rangers– a corps of armed and mounted lawmen designed to “range and guard the frontier between the Brazos and Trinity Rivers”. After winning their revolutionary war with Mexico the following year, Texans decided to keep the Rangers, both to defend against Indian and Mexican raiders and to serve as the principal law enforcement authority along the sparsely populated Texas frontier.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 115 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

 

U.S. Military Tent Stoves – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued From Part 1.)

The Simple Wood Stove

In a small, well-insulated home, or not so well-insulated home, even if it is only a tent, heating a smaller area requires less fuel and effort to make a comfortable space in which to live. In some cases this might be just a temporary shelter during the winter months. In the 1800s, living in a small one-room wood cabin that housed an entire family meant less wood had to be cut by hand.

My grandpa raised a family of 10 in a dirt-floor cabin built from logs on his Missouri farm during the Great Depression. However crude, it was an adequate shelter that was made tolerable because of a wood stove. I remember the large scar on my mother’s left forearm, a large burn caused by scalding water heated on that stove. I am fortunate to have this history within living memory, and I shall cherish it and the wisdom that sprouted out of those humble roots.Continue reading“U.S. Military Tent Stoves – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, more war drums…

80% of Americans Fear WWIII is Imminent

Reader H.L. spotted this: 80% of Americans fear World War III is imminent. An excerpt:

“The survey, which polled 1,000 Americans across party lines, found that concern about a potential global conflict transcends political affiliations. Republicans and third-party voters expressed the highest levels of anxiety, with 84% and 83%, respectively, fearing an impending world war. While slightly lower, Democratic concern remains significant, with 74% sharing similar worries.”

A Major Chicken Products Recall

Major Recall of Over 300 Ready-to-Eat Chicken Products From Trader Joe’s, Costco, and More. (Thanks to reader D.S.V. for the link.)

Ex-ICBM Silo In Kansas Listed For $749,000

H.L. sent this: Zillow Gone Wild: Ex-ICBM Silo In Kansas Dubbed A ‘Zombie-Proof Underground Fortress’, Listed For $749k.

Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“To measure prices by a currency that is called by the same names as gold, but that is really inferior in value to gold, and then – because those prices are nominally higher than gold prices – to say that they are inflated, relatively to gold, is a perfect absurdity.” – Lysander Spooner

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — October 16, 2024

On October 16, 1950, the first edition of C.S. Lewis‘ “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” was released in London.

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October 16, 1962: The Cuban Missile Crisis began as President Kennedy was shown photos confirming the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba.

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We are running a 2-week-long sale at Elk Creek Company.  Until October 28th, 2024, all of our pre-1899 shotguns have their prices deeply discounted. Most of these can fire modern 12 gauge 2-1/2″ or 2-3/4″ shotgun shells. Take a look!

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 115 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $925,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 115 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

U.S. Military Tent Stoves – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit

In my most recent article titled Practical Wood Stoves, I discussed affordable and durable conventional wood stoves for the home in a general way. An early 1980s Forester wood stove was the focus for that class of stove. There are a plethora of wood stoves on the market. When selecting an appliance that we may very well depend upon day in and day out for the next decade to provide life-sustaining heat, we must be careful not to settle on what is on hand or what looks good in the home, and certainly not what is the most affordable. I would avoid the low-hanging fruit. I hope that you base a decision on the standards that might be better appreciated after reading that article. That is the help I wanted to provide. I want like-minded people to survive.

We should understand what we are buying and for what purpose, because given current events and potential financial and political upheaval, we may only have one chance to get it right. There are ‘good’ used wood stove that are affordable, and there are many kinds purpose-built stoves for various applications and markets. My focus in this article is on those that are the most practical and portable which offer the type of stove that fits this criteria, and does it all well.Continue reading“U.S. Military Tent Stoves – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

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Reader B.G. in Oregon sent us a news item: Washington Woman’s Home Mobbed by 100 Raccoons.

o  o  o

A video review of interest to Van Lifers, as well as off-grid preppers: Starlink Mini In-Depth Setup and Review.  JWR’s Comment: He mentioned that a shorter 12 VDC power cable will soon be available for the Starlink Mini. That more efficient DC-to-DC cable arrangement should be perfect for using Starlink at a remote cabin, with just a few PV panels.

o  o  o

Woman Living Off-Grid on a Remote Island – 2 Years in a Small Cabin.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The way to secure peace is to be prepared for war. They that are on their guard, and appear ready to receive their adversaries, are in much less danger of being attacked, than the supine, secure, and negligent.” – Benjamin Franklin

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — October 15, 2024

October 15, 1522: King of Spain Charles V named Hernán Cortés governor of Mexico.

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On October 15, 1529, the Ottoman armies under Suleiman ended their siege of Vienna and turned back to Belgrade.

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On October 15, 1764, Edward Gibbon observed a group of friars singing in the ruined Temple of Jupiter in Rome, which inspired him to begin work on writing The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

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Herbert W. McBride, the author of A Rifleman Went To War, was born in Waterloo, Indiana October 15, 1873.
He died in Indianapolis of a heart attack on March 17, 1933, shortly after finishing writing his A Rifleman Went To War manuscript.

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Today, a special prayer request from SurvivalBlog Senior Editor James Wesley, Rawles (JWR).