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:

With the help of our visiting #2 Son, I installed some more light fixtures in our shop building.

I limbed and cut up a fir tree that fell in a recent windstorm. It was 22 inches at the butt, so it was an exhausting project.  As we say here at the ranch:  “Gooood Exercise!”

Now, Lily’s part of the report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote Of The Day:

“Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings.

And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord God, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.

The Lord repented for this: It shall not be, saith the Lord.

Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord God called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part.

Then said I, O Lord God, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.

The Lord repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord God.

Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.

And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:

And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.

For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.

Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:

But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.

Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:

And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.

Therefore thus saith the Lord; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.” – Amos 7 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Friday — March 20, 2026

On March 20, 1800, Italian chemist and physicist Alessandro Volta reported his invention of the electric battery in a letter to Joseph Banks, president of the Royal Society of London.

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March 20th is also the birthday of Mel Tappan. (Born 1933, died 1980.) His perennially popular survivalist books Survival Guns and Tappan on Survival have a well-deserved following. I designated March 20th National Survivalism Day, in his honor. It is also apropos that National Survivalism Day falls in March–one of the months that both Northern Europeans and Native Americans refer to as The Starving Season–when stored food runs low, but before spring bounty appears. Plan ahead. Stock up. Don’t let your family starve. – JWR

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. 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),
  2. 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.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

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 TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. 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. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  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 $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends on March 31st, 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. 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.

Beyond Organic: Biological Systems Gardening for Food Security – Part 2, by Hobbit Farmer

(Continued from Part 1.)

Principle #1: You Are a Microbe Farmer

Do you want to sustainably grow healthy, nutritious, produce? Congratulations . You are now a microbe farmer! The first principle of biodynamic gardening is you are no longer growing plants, you are raising trillions upon trillions of microbes. If you can create an environment that supports a healthy soil ecosystem full of bacteria, fungi, and other soil organisms then ANY plants adapted to that environment will thrive.

The Bionutrient Food Association (BFA) spent 3 years surveying nutrient quality across 21 crops. They compared the soil samples with the crops that were produced in those soils, and also surveyed the growers on the techniques they used. The difference in nutrient value between the best grape and the worst grape was a factor of 15! You would have to eat 15 of the worst grapes to equal the nutrient content of just 1 of the best grapes. The only factor the BFA found that significantly correlated to the nutrient density in the food was the level of microbial life in the soil. It didn’t matter if it was an organic no till operation vs a conventional pesticide spraying operation. If the soil was alive, the crops were denser in nutrients and higher in quality and flavor. In other words, if you can make sure the soil life is flourishing then the bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi can move nutrients and balance the soil for your plants without your help.

But what are the elements to creating a healthy soil ecosystem? To develop a healthy soil ecosystem for your plants the soil will need oxygen, water, a food source, minerals, and microbial life. Basically if you can maintain these 5 environmental conditions and then get out of the way, your soil life and therefore your plants will thrive.Continue reading“Beyond Organic: Biological Systems Gardening for Food Security – Part 2, by Hobbit Farmer”

Economics & Investing Media of the Week

In Economics & Investing Media of the Week we feature photos, charts, graphs, maps, video links, and news items of interest to preppers.  Today, a map of global oil chokepoints.

The thumbnail below is click-expandable.

 

 

 

 

(Graphic courtesy of Reddit.)

Economics & Investing Links of Interest

Economics & Investing Media Tips:

Please send your economics and investing links to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Thanks!

The Editors’ Quote Of The Day:

“I think God has blessed this country with enormous natural resources, and we should pursue all of the above. We should be developing oil, and gas, and coal, and nuclear, and wind, and solar, and ethanol, and biofuels. But, I don’t believe that Washington should be picking winners and losers.” – Ted Cruz

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — March 19, 2026

On March 19, 1882, the first stone was laid for the Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona, Spain, designed by Antoni Gaudí.  A 55-foot cap piece cross was finally set in place on February, 20, 2026.  The light through the cathedral’s stained glass windows can be dramatic on sunny afternoons.

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And on March 19, 1918, the US adopted the Standard Time Act of 1918, also known as the Calder Act, a federal law that implemented standard time (and daylight saving time). It defined five time zones for the United States.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. 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),
  2. 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.
  3. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  4. Harvest Guard is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.

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 TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
  4. 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. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  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 $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends on March 31st, 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. 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.

 

Beyond Organic: Biological Systems Gardening for Food Security – Part 1, by Hobbit Farmer

Many articles in SurvivalBlog discuss reaching the point of a new normal after TEOTWAWKI when society starts to rebuild and little communities pull together. However, the majority of articles focus on getting through the event itself and not how you are going to live beyond the event. To be successful in the post-TEOTWAWKI economy you will need to have the means to produce. Without petroleum-powered combines, chemical fertilizers, centralized distribution systems, and confined animal feeding operations the food system will fall apart. It’s all powered by (relatively) cheap fuel and transport. Your food sources will be mostly reduced to whatever can be grown, collected, or hunted within a 5-to-10 mile radius. Gardening/farming is the original means of production, and it is probably the most accessible means of production in terms of entry requirements. All you need is some dirt and some seeds and now you are a gardener. However, as you all know there is a lot more involved in being a successful gardener than just that.

In this article, I’m going to share the gardening principles I’ve learned over the past 11 years that have led to my gardening success. Early on in my gardening journey I stumbled on some of these principles by accident and found some successes. I just didn’t know why it was working. Now that I’ve rounded out my knowledge of these principles, I can better understand why a particular planting succeeded or failed (yes, I still have failures). But now the crucial question, why should you listen to me? It’s important that we answer this question now so I can potentially save you a lot of reading.Continue reading“Beyond Organic: Biological Systems Gardening for Food Security – Part 1, by Hobbit Farmer”

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, venomous Blue Dragon Sea Slugs.

Do Not Touch: Blue Dragon Sea Slugs

Venomous ‘blue dragons’ washing up on South Texas beaches during spring break.

Granny Jailed for 6 Months After A.I. Error

Reader H.L. sent this troubling news:  The Dark Side of AI: Innocent Grandmother Wrongfully Jailed for 6 Months After Facial Recognition Error.

Hackers Join in on Iran War

Posted one week ago, at Axios: Hackers join U.S. and Israel’s fight with Iran.Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — March 18, 2026

On March 18, 1850, Henry Wells & William Fargo formed American Express, in Buffalo, New York.

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March 18, 1911: North Dakota enacted a hail insurance law.

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And on March 18,1925: The Great Tri-State Tornado, a monstrous F5 (over 300 MPH) tornado roared 219 miles across southeast Missouri, southern Illinois, and southwest Indiana. It killed 695, injured over 2000, and destroyed 15,000 homes.

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Today’s feature article is a timely piece from the SurvivalBlog archives.

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We need of entries for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends on March 31st, 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. 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.

Fuel Storage for Survival Retreats, by Flighter

Editor’s Introductory Note: The following is a re-post of a 2007 SurvivalBlog article. Given the recent spike in gasoline and diesel fuel prices, I thought that is was apropos to re-post a few articles related to fuel from SurvivalBlog’s early days.

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The world runs on petroleum. Imagine a post-apocalyptic period when the local gas station is closed, and has been for two years. How will you carry out your daily activities? Generate electricity? Pump water? Plow your garden, or fields? All of these can be done by hand, and have been for thousands of years. Modern life has given us tools to help with these chores, and we can store the tools, and the food for them, for quite awhile. Gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, kerosene, Coleman® fuel, and other petroleum products – all can be stored.

For long term survival purposes, only one vehicle fuel is worth talking about: Diesel.Continue reading“Fuel Storage for Survival Retreats, by Flighter”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

Our 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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U.S. Army Reveals New Chevy Silverado-Based Infantry Squad Vehicle – Heavy Next-Gen Hybrid. JWR’s Comments:  They say that history doesn’t repeat, but it often rhymes.  This reminds me of the U.S. Army’s Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle (CUCV) procurement in the 1980s. That was basically a diesel-engine Chevy K5 Blazer with CARC camouflage paint, blackout lights, towing shackles, military trailer hitch, brush guard, and a slave cable receptacle. They looked tough and somewhat mil-spec, but they were NOT combat vehicles!

o  o  o

El Niño coming this summer, says NOAA in update; what does that mean for summer temperatures and hurricane season?

o  o  o

Brave ROTC students credited with stopping deadly classroom shooting at Old Dominion. JWR’s Comments:  It was interesting to hear how the FBI spokesman euphemistically said: “…rendered him no longer alive” with a pocketknife. And I must mention that the regulations of most eastern colleges and universities including Old Dominion do not allow students to carry knives.  Thank goodness that at least one cadet flouted that rule!

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — March 17, 2026

On March 17, 1959, the US nuclear submarine USS Skate became the first submarine to surface at the North Pole.

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After a multi-month restocking hiatus, we are again taking orders at Elk Creek Company. Here are our updated inventory counts:

  • Pre-1899 Antique Rifles:  22 (We have deeply restocked 7×57 and 6.5×55 Mauser rifles.)
  • Pre-1899 Antique Shotguns: 9 (Most are 12 gauge and most of them have fluid steel barrels!)
  • Pre-1899 Antique Pistols and Revolvers: 21  (Mostly S&W top break revolvers.)
  • Blackpowder Revolvers: 23 (Most are .44 caliber, with modern cartridge conversion cylinders available. We have deeply restocked the much-in-demand Ruger Old Army revolvers.)
  • Blackpowder Rifles: 7 (Most of them are .50 Caliber deer/elk hunting rifles.)
  • Knives and Bayonets:  24 (Edged weapons and tools from the 1870s to the 2010s.)
  • Magazines and Other Accessories:  7 types (These include some scarce original Rhodesian camouflage-painted FAL magazines!)

No paperwork is required for buyers in most states!  (Consult your state and local laws before ordering.)

We accept payment by USPS PMO, check, or pre-1965 U.S; silver coinage at a divisor than changes often.  That divisor is presently 58-to one!  (Just take the total for your order and divide by 58.  For example, say that you are orderingan antique rifle priced at  $750 plus $45 postage.  (A total of $795.)  You would pay just $13.70 face value in U.S. silver in any mixture of dimes, quarters, and half dollars.

Take a look at our inventory!

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Today’s feature article is by Field Gear Editor Tom Christainson.

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We need a few more entries for Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $981,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 123 ends on March 31st, 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. 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.