Our Preps are Portable, by Dan W.

Prepping has a distinct vein that runs through each choice my family has made to better prepare ourselves for the possibility of the social upheaval that seems to be inching nearer each and every day. Our preps are portable. They have to be, due to the uncertainty of where my family will be in the near future. Over the last six years my family has moved six times, as my jobs changed and the family grew. Due to this movement, the rising price of houses in our area, and being at the very beginning of my earning curve made buying a house an impossibility. We have rented or lived in a parsonage without the long term assurance of owning property that most preppers and non-preppers crave. By default and without really thinking ahead, my wife and I have developed a lifestyle that is heavy on skills and light on infrastructure. If we need to move again (God willing the next move will be the last) the life skills we are developing are the lightest things we own and don’t require cardboard boxes, moving trucks or obliging friends and family. Though I long for an off-grid home and farm I am inspired by this page on SurvivalBlog.

As JWR says, “Survival isn’t about stuff, it’s about skills.”

Below are some of the skills that my wife and I have been developing over that last few years that will be with us for the rest of our lives. The journey has been bumpy but I know that each time I finish a new project the feeling of confidence and competence is worth every ounce of sweat and failure along the way.

Gardening

I love it. Nothing says self sufficiency like producing your own food. However, after five years of gardens I’ve learned that just because you can grow it doesn’t mean you’ll want to eat it. Everyone says “grow open pollinating heirlooms” and rightfully so. They are sustainable in the sense that you can save the seeds and they will grow true. That doesn’t always mean that they will taste the same as what you are use to from the store. Sometimes this is a boon to the taste buds, ala heirloom tomatoes, while on the other hand we have yet to come up with an open pollinating variety of sweet corn that we found even to be palatable. One other lesson I’ve taken to heart, spread your rows wide enough to get the tiller through. Your back, knees, wrists, ankles and moral will thank you.

Always be trying new things. This year we tried Ground Cherries (which were a hit) and Sweet Potatoes (jury is still out). This fall we are planting winter wheat. Focus the bulk of your efforts though on what you like to eat, stores well and grows well in your area.

Meat Chickens

We just completed an eight week adventure of raising 24 Cornish Cross meat chickens in a bottomless movable cage called a chicken tractor. They came in the mail chirping away, weighing a couple of ounces and now grace our freezer dressed out around four pounds apiece. Raising our own meat birds was an exercise in getting real about our food. Gardening is great but a parsnip doesn’t look you in the eye before you kill it. Introducing our kids to the idea that an animal lives with the purpose of dying and being used for our sustenance was eye opening not just for our little girls but for their dad as well. It was a small glimpse into how far we have isolated ourselves from the fact that death truly is a part of life. Practically speaking I can tell you that I learned a lot on butchering day.

  • If you’re working in the sun use sun block. (Obviously.) The first chicken to get cooked was me.
  • Killing 24 living, breathing sentient beings takes a toll emotionally. We didn’t actually eat any of our chicken for two weeks.
  • Make sure the table on which you are gutting and breaking down your birds is tall enough so that you don’t have to stoop.
  • Just do it. Gutting and killing is gross but necessary. I focused on technique to take my mind off of what I was doing. By the way, there are excellent how-to videos on Youtube.

Maple Syrup

One of the handiest tools I’ve ever purchased is a Turkey Fryer I bought at Target for half price. I’ve used it to scald chickens, parboil large amounts of corn for freezing and this spring made maple syrup for the first time with it. Though it’s not super efficient for making large amounts of syrup I did produce almost a gallon of the sweet stuff and learned that there are things that can’t be learned from a book. Finishing maple syrup to the proper consistence is something I have to put more time into but fortunately the “golden delicious” is pretty forgiving and can be boiled down further should it be too thin or thinned out with water should it be too thick. It also is the sort of food stuff that can be produced with nothing more than a wood fire and a pot and can be saved in canning jars without even a water bath as long as the jars have been cleaned and sterilized. Should the syrup mold it’s relatively easy to skim the mold off and re-boil the syrup for edibility. I am convinced mankind will never reach a total and complete TEOTWAWKI scenario as long as we still have maple syrup to hold us together.

Pressing Cider

Wild apples abound in our neck of the woods and my kids love cider. Pick it, squash it and drink it sums up our experience. For the best taste, in my humble opinion, mix a sweet purchased apple with plenty of wild apples. Make sure you only use apples off the tree to eliminate the risk of bacteria they can pick up on the ground. Only grind and press apples that do not have bad spots on them. Most people who have wild apple trees on their property are more than happy to let you harvest them, but ask first. Relationships are more important than free fruit.

Using a Chainsaw

Instead of purchasing cut and split wood last winter my wife and I opted to buy a load of logs and with the help of a couple of family members who are exceptionally competent with chainsaws we sawed nearly the entire load up in a single day. Never having used a chainsaw before I must say that I was somewhat intimidated by the snarling beast but seven hours of cutting left me feeling like I had a basic understanding of how to safely use this enormously efficient tool. I can only imagine a world where white collar people like myself are thrust into situations where they feel forced to use a tool like a chainsaw without proper instruction and supervision while they get their feet under themselves. Recently I was introduced to the reality that with a lack of antibiotics in a SHTF scenario would greatly increase the risk of dying of infection. This had never occurred to me. How many people (even preppers) will needlessly suffer and die from horrible self inflicted wounds and subsequent infections due to using powerful tools that they are not prepared to use? Not my preferred way to go…

There are a bunch of other things we’ve been working on worth mentioning but due to space I will just summarize: Preserving food via drying and canning, raising chickens for eggs, using a rifle to scare woodchucks away from my garden (someday I’ll hit one, I’m working on this) and identifying, preparing, and consuming wild edibles on the property we are renting has kept us busy over the last 12 months. We also plan on trying beekeeping and perhaps micro fish farming (a tiny farm, not tiny fish) though the infrastructure requirements may be too expensive for us right now.

We rarely get everything we want in life. If I could have a retreat, a 1968 Ford Bronco, 40 acres and an arsenal of cool firearms then I’d be happy as a clam but that’s not where my wife and I are in our life. Instead we have substituted a willing heart to try new things and to fail if we must, an eye for projects that expand our repertoire of skills and a network of friends and family members who we regularly mine for information about what’s worked for them. We trust that will be enough to tackle the challenges life has for us until the day we can add the infrastructure we aspire to.

Product Review: KelTec PMR30, by Michael Z. Williamson

KelTec is renowned for interesting designs in modern plastic and metal. The KelTec PMR30 continues this. I’d been eager to get hold of one for months, and was quite happy when I did. I only had it for a couple of hours, so my testing was limited.

The PMR30 is a .22 Magnum semi-auto pistol with a 30 round magazine. It has a hybrid blowback/locked breech system that enables it to shoot several different loadings and weights of ammo, depending on chamber pressure. It has an ambidextrous safety, an easy to reach heel magazine release, a forward rail for lights or other accessories, and can accept a top rail or other mounts. Barrel is 4140 steel, frame 7075 aluminum, and all the supporting material is Zytel. It looks very thin and light in construction with its fluted barrel, but is quite sturdy and mechanically sound. Function was very consistent.

It has enough suppressing fire to last several minutes, and sufficient power for small game, or combat stops with multiple hits. With 30 rounds, there’s enough ammo for either.

Empty, the pistol weighs about 13 ounces and feels like a toy. I thought it felt like 5 ounces, honestly. There was nothing to it. I found the grip comfortable, the controls easy to reach, and it pointed very well. Loaded up, it was grip heavy enough for good balance, but still very light. The trigger had a little slack, but was very consistent. I wasn’t able to measure the pull, but it was easily manageable (KelTec claims 4-to-6 pounds, and it felt right in the middle). The fiber optic sights were bright and very friendly, aligned easily with the grip angle. I didn’t do any rest shooting, but off hand was all within silhouette at 15 yards, unfamiliar with the weapon and without doing any real aiming. I just pointed and shot.

I had one stovepipe with rounds tumbled in the magazine during extreme rapid fire. I may have slack-wristed it and recoil jumbled them faster than the follower spring could move. It cleared easily, there were no other problems, and Oleg Volk and others had no issues at all.

I enjoyed the really high capacity magazine a lot. It just doesn’t seem to run out of ammo, and magazines change very fast once it does. It came with two mags, and two more spares would give 120 rounds of suppressing fire, which is plenty for evading trouble and reaching a heavier gun, or could serve as a defensive arm with multiple hits, or is potent enough for small game if stranded in a remote location. It easily fits in a console, under a seat, in a holster, or anywhere else you’d need a backup weapon. Given the very reasonable price, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have one in each bailout bag for commonality of parts and ammo.

The only other downside would be that .22 Magnum is less available than some other rounds, but, it’s light enough to stockpile a few 500 round cartons ahead of time. – SurvivalBlog Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson, author of the new science fiction novel Do Unto Others.

Letter Re: Book Recommendation–Safe Area Gorazde

Hi Jim;
I’d like to recommend a book to your readers. It’s a graphic novel titled “Safe Area Gorazde” by artist/journalist Joe Sacco. It’s about his experiences with the people of the city of Gorazde during the Bosnian War in the early 1990s. It’s blunt, the language at times is raw, and the artwork is extremely graphic at times as he catalogs the brutality of that time and what the people suffered when the front lines were often at their doorsteps. Though the graphic novel format makes it look like a comic book, it’s definitely not for kids.

While much of the material is about the violence of the times, there is also considerable valuable information at what the people had to do to survive in a true “collapse” environment. Some lessons I gleaned:

1. People who you thought were your friends may turn on you if you’re on the wrong side of an ethnic or political line.
2. The boredom of daily living can be crushing when there are no newspapers or magazines, no television, no books or other entertainment outlets.
3. Currency can be things you don’t usually think of as currency (soldiers, teachers and medical workers were paid in cigarettes).
4. When the electricity goes out and it’s cold outside, you’re reduced to burning stuff to keep warm. Walking several miles to find wood so you don’t freeze is a bummer.
5. Eating the same thing over and over and over can be maddening, even if you journeyed for four days to get it and are thankful to have it.
6. Have a rifle and plenty of ammo. A pistol alone isn’t a good idea.
7. When the cars stop working, a bicycle is a good thing to have.
8. Staying alive without the conveniences of modern life is hard, hard work. It’s particularly difficult on women, children and the elderly.
9. You’re going to have to make difficult decisions, sometimes with life or death consequences.
10. Never, ever, become a refugee if you can avoid it.
11. Living in an urban environment can increase your difficulties in some ways, but there are some benefits as well. I still think that the cities are best avoided.

The bottom line is that many hardships can be mitigated, but only if you think of the possibilities and prepare for them. You must learn from the past. One man telling his story in the book says, “My grandfather and grandmother sometimes tried to explain to me what had happened (before), but I did not listen, or listened with one ear.”

It can happen here. All my prayers are that we will have peace and prosperity, but history tells us otherwise, if we will listen.

Be ready. God Bless, – Jason R.

Economics and Investing:

Jon M. sent this: Banks’ $4 trillion debts are ‘Achilles’ heel of the economic recovery’, warns IMF.

IMF admits that the West is stuck in near depression

Gary Shilling: Here’s Why House Prices Will Now Drop Another 20%. (Thanks to Zo for the link.)

S.M. spotted this: Bernanke Tells the Truth: The United States is on the Brink of Financial Disaster

U.S. Yields Will `Surge’ as Fed Increases Debt Purchases, Diam Forecasts. (Thanks to Susan H. for that link.) They used to call this nonsense “debt monetization” or more bluntly “monetary inflation”. But now they give it the saccharine-coated moniker “quantitative easing” to make it sound less frightening.

Items from The Economatrix:

World Bank Trying to Quell Economic Tensions

The 2010 Silver Buying Guide

The Federal Reserve is Selling Paper Gold and Buying Physical Gold

Gold And Silver – It Could Well Be a Whole New Ballgame!

Wall Street Sees The World Decoupling From U.S.

Don’t Let September’s Rally Trick You

Do Even CD’s Trump Long-Term Treasuries Right Now?

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 31 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will include:

First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Parabellum (Luger ) with 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP projectiles, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $249 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 copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing, and B.) a Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.)

Round 31 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Lessons Learned From a Suburbanite, by Battle Ax

I am your typical thirty-something suburbanite that lives in a cookie cutter house (on the grid of course) in a nice little subdivision, with a wife, 2.6 kids, a dog, and two cats.  I have a steady job, pay my taxes, keep my lawn manicured, and chat with the neighbors out front.  I try to keep up with current events, and I believe things are going to get worse before they get better.  Not being pessimistic, but realistic.

My roots in preparedness go back to my childhood where my step-father was a military man, and subtly assigned each one in the house a “job” to store a specific item “just in case”.  I did not realize how wise he really was.  As I got older and made my own way, I ended up in South Florida for a while and was exposed to the annual Hurricane Season that comes every summer.  Needless to say a few Category 3 and Category 4 hurricanes opened my eyes and reinforced the principles I learned early on.  But once things got good again, some of those ideas and practices faded.

Now that I have a family of my own, I was unexpectedly thrust into a very unique situation this summer that “awakened” me again to the preparedness mindset.  A couple months back, my wife was leaving our community pool, holding our daughter, when she slipped, rolled her ankle and fell on the sidewalk.  The fall resulted in her sustaining a compound fracture in her ankle and fractured up her tibia bone as well.  The doctor said that rolling an ankle is a very common and easy thing to do.  As far as fractures go, this was a pretty severe injury.  Did I mention that she was six months pregnant at the time of the accident?  Two surgeries later, a plate and seven screws in her leg, and abruptly changing our lifestyle has been a real eye-opener.  I have taken leave from work to stay home and take care of my wife and two year old since.  Thank God no injuries were sustained by my two year old or the new baby.

I am writing to share what this experience has done for me and how it has changed my perspective and the way I do everyday activities.  Before the accident, I went about my daily routine very carefree, checking things off my daily “to do” list and helping to make sure the household runs smoothly and that we have what we need.  I also took for granted simple things, and never realized how any injury of this type would alter our lifestyle.    Because of the severity of my wife’s injury, for the first month and a half, she was virtually immobile.  She had to keep her leg elevated constantly because of the external fixator holding her leg in place, and to keep the swelling down.  When she did need to use the bathroom, I had to keep her leg elevated and assist her with everything.  I had to do everything for her; dress her, get her food, clean up after her, etc.  A gentle reminding of our vows; “For better or Worse”.  Providing twenty-four hour care for a pregnant lady with a broken leg and running after a two year old is physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting.  One lesson, stay in shape and maintain good health and fitness to be able to assist others.

The revelation came after reading material from Mr. Rawles and articles on SurvivalBlog that I asked myself, “What would I have done if this happened during TEOTWAWKI or a grid down situation?”  As difficult as this has been with running water, electricity, and lots of take-out/delivery food, I can only imagine how much more difficult if not impossible to do on my own during a worst case scenario.  I have seen several articles on emergency medical aid, medical training, and gun shot wounds, etc.  And given the probability of increase in broken bones and disabling injuries from nineteenth century living, I found this area lacking.  I have yet to read much on short and long-term care of severely injured persons or disabled persons.

As I contemplated this situation in a worst case scenario, several points came to mind.  First of all, as a renewed prepper, I must assess my situation and plan of action for a TEOTWAWKI scenario; given my current family status (wife, two year old, and soon-to-be newborn), bugging out is not that realistic or practical for me, with or without my wife’s current injury.  A lot of different things factor in to be successful in G.O.O.D., and I think the percentages and all the other variables are against me, so I’ve elected to prepare for survival in place in my suburban environment.

Now that I have accepted my plan, one of the next things is getting help.  From what I have read already, most folks are in agreement that whether you bug-out to a retreat or stay put, you can not go at it alone.  As I have gone through this situation with my wife, it has taken a tremendous amount of effort on my part to stay on top of her needs and that of our 2 year old.  Family has come in intermittently, which has helped, but that is more mouths to feed.  There is no way that I could have done these things in a worst case scenario by myself.  In a grid down situation, (as I currently have no “back-up” power sources yet), I would have needed several others to provide security, prepare and cook food, and gather water, etc.  Seeing as we have no family closer than ten hours away, all we have is a few close neighbors, who have been of great help during this time, and a couple other close friends.  In our current carefree society this works great, and is probably more than what most people in my situation have.  But in TEOTWAWKI, I will need help.  So, slowly and carefully I must find and select a support team.  There are many articles and ideas on this, so I won’t go much further, especially since every person and situation is different and one must consider the “totality of circumstances” for themselves.

If a family member or member of your retreat becomes immobilize or disabled, is your current home or retreat compatible to housing a disabled person, or someone who requires a wheelchair or crutches?  I quickly learned that my two-story suburban home was not compatible with a wheel chair, or crutches on the stairs.  There is not a lot I can do now to change the interior of my house, especially since this will not be a permanent situation.  If it were permanent, I would have to make changes.  But I have rearranged things to be more efficient given the increase in tasks I have to do, and the limited mobility my wife has.  I have now established a daily routine in which I get things done for my wife and daughter, but this is in our current “perfect world”.  What if, one of your family members is permanently disabled already?  Are you prepared to accommodate and survive with them?  Our families are the most precious things in our lives, so we must plan to protect and provide for them.

If this type of injury happened in a worst case scenario, do I have the necessary medical training and tools to render proper aid?  Currently the answer is no. Aside from basically splinting the leg, keeping it elevated and providing as much comfort as I could.  In a survival situation, this type of injury could be disastrous to your retreat or survival in place situation.  At the very least your mobility, op-sec, and combat effectiveness will suffer.  If it occurs outside your retreat or home, movement to safety will be a major undertaking, needless to say accompanied by a lot of pain.  I saw first-hand how difficult and painful it was for my pregnant wife to be moved from the ground to a gurney/stretcher and then on to an ambulance.

Another important thing to have on hand is a pair of crutches.  I have not seen this listed too often on medical lists, but unless you plan on carrying your wounded/disabled member everywhere, then go ahead and get a pair of crutches.  We got ours from the hospital, but you could probably find them at any medical supply, craigslist, or from someone who was recently injured and used them.  As I have learned from this experience, compound fractures take a long time to heal, and that’s with today’s modern medicine and rehabilitation.  Even if you find a pair of old wooden crutches or construct your own, something is better than nothing.  We currently have a wheelchair, a walker, crutches, and a shower/potty chair at the house, all which have been used in the recovery process.

Another great lesson for me was communication and servanthood.  We have been married for eight years and feel we have a strong marriage.  But this is the first time in eight years that we have been together twenty-four hours seven days a week a little over three months now.  We both usually go to work and then come home and spend a couple of hours together, before going to bed, and then repeating the next day.  For those young lovers that wish to be with their significant other “all the time”, hopefully you build a strong foundation before you have to, because it will test you.  The vows I took before God, He has held me to.  The Lord has used this time to show me how to serve her joyfully and love her, and to put aside my own desires and needs.  I have learned how important it is to communicate.  And this was during a time when I did not have to worry about water, food, electricity, etc.  Build strong foundations in your marriage now, so that it will sustain through the challenges real stress brings.
 
In conclusion, I wanted to communicate some of what this experience has shown me that it may help others who have not considered this situation.  What will you do if a member is disabled?  For those who practice weekend “grid down” scenarios, to add a twist, randomly draw a members name and select them to be disabled somehow (blind, use of  one leg or loss of both, etc.) throughout the scenario.  What will you do if you or a member is disabled before, during, or after bugging out?  Would you still be able to make it to your retreat?  Do you have crutches, splints, painkillers, etc?  What if the injured member is the only one skilled in a certain area that is vital to your retreat or home which requires mobility and self-sufficiency?  Is your retreat or home compatible to a disabled person?  How much extra help would you need to take care of a disabled member and/or small children?  In what ways would you need to improvise to maintain survivability should this situation arise?
 
Just some food for thought for those who have not considered it.  I hope this has helped others, as I have tried to do the best that has been dealt to me right now.  God Bless.

G.O.O.D. Planning–Did You Remember Everything?

Over the past few years there have been numerous very useful articles submitted regarding bugging out or Get Out of Dodge (G.O.O.D.) as they say, if a major regional or national disaster occurs. The articles focus on a number of issues such as the problems/hazards relating to simply getting home from work, making contact with the spouse who may be shopping or getting the kids from school. Then the writers cover the need for a ready bug-out bag “BOB.“ There are suggestions about having the vehicle already (at least partly) packed with enough supplies for either a few days or to get them to their camp or retreat. Then the writer grabs the kids and spouse and hopefully, with enough fuel, takes off and tries to beat having the highway getting jammed up before they get out of town. This is all well and good and I’ve followed all of this advice. But, I never hear them mention kissing grandma and grandpa good-by on the way.

We preppers/survivalists or whatever, seem to forget that we (almost) all have parents, grandparents or sick or elderly members of the family that really should be included in our plans. They may be living alone, not be ambulatory or simply not really able to take care of themselves. We can rationalize about shooting those “Golden Hordes” when they try to take our food but can we really leave grandma behind? Okay. Maybe it’s time for lazy, and too often drunk, Uncle Joe to forge for himself and we can’t fit all of the cousins in the car anyway, but let’s look at that immediate family.

First, maybe it’s a family member’s house we’re heading for. Do they know and are they in agreement that you might show up unexpectedly and have they been briefed as to what might happen? Can the house handle you size-wise and with emergency power and foodstuffs? Of course, you should have stored much of that stuff ahead of time in preparation for such an event. If their location is so desirable however, might other family members, maybe from the other side of the family tree show up? Now, is the ole’ farmhouse still large enough and with enough food? And remember, those folks are going to think they have just as much right to be there as you. And of course, they’re on board regarding pulling their share of the responsibilities.

But what if say, the wive’s (oops, now there’s two sets), parents or grandparents live as many do, in a small condo or apartment, or group home do your plans include trying to pick them up? If they need special medical care and you won’t be able to provide it at your retreat, well, maybe you’ll just have to swallow and live with it. But what if they just need special medication? Do you have some stocked ahead, along with whatever your immediate family may need? What about something as simple as a wheelchair? Maybe you can squeeze grandpa in the back with the kids and the dog, but what about it? Remember, the trunk is already full with your emergency supplies. Have you given thought about the folks living in a distant city or town? Has someone in the family arranged to have somebody (trustworthy, of course, and even then, if the SHTF, they’re likely to be affected also) look after them and get compensated later?

After reading the book “One Second After” it’s hard not to think about those elderly or sick folks in the hospital or nursing home when the lights went out. They’ve got to be considered or you’re not going to live with yourselves all nice and snug in your shelter up in the foothills if you don’t. Outside of everybody moving out to a safe place ahead of time, which is impossible for those tied to their jobs, there are no easy solutions and I certainly don’t have any real answers except that the whole idea of G.O.O.D. when that threat occurs should take into consideration who you might be leaving behind. – H.B.

Economics and Investing:

Okay, so I told you so, folks. Gold and Silver have set new highs. There will still be some very scary dips in this bull market. Be wise. Buy on the dips!

No comment necessary: State officials cancel access to welfare benefits on cruise ships and at all casinos. (Thanks to N.I.M. for the link.)

Damon flagged this: ‘Delay and pray’ won’t work for commercial real estate

Greg C. mentioned this: How the Housing Crisis Will End the U.S.A. as We Know It.

B.B. sent this: Consumer bankruptcy filings climb 11%

Those mysterious derivatives: French trader must pay $6.7 billion for fraud. (Yes, the “bets” that they mentioned were derivatives trades.)

Currency Controls Rising Amid Korea Bank Audit, Brazil Taxes. (A hat tip to Susan H. for the link.)

Items from The Economatrix:

Rumors Aside, Something Big Is About To Happen

AP Analysis: Economic Stress Declined In August

Service Sector Growth Accelerates In September

Bernanke: Threats From Deficits “Real And Growing”

Broke Cities Turn To Bankrupt States For Help

Odds ‘n Sods:

Anyone that has lived off-grid can relate to this piece by “Enola Gay”, over at the Paratus Familia blog: Lights Out. Life off grid isn’t perfect, but it sure beats the vulnerability of the alternative.

   o o o

A Russian writer suggests: Coldest winter in 1,000 years on its way. (Thanks to Ron M. for the link.)

   o o o

This tool rules out some choices for retreat locales: Murder Captured By Google Street View Car (Warning: Graphic images!)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you’ll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment.” – American college football coach Nick Saban

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 31 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will include:

First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Parabellum (Luger ) with 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP projectiles, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $249 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 copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing, and B.) a Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.)

Round 31 ends on November 30th, 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.

Indoor Winter Vegetable Gardens, by Kate in Colorado

Indoor Winter Vegetable Gardens, by Kate in Colorado

The first cool night of the almost changing season gave the squash plants a shiver and they curled their big leaves upon themselves as if to find protection.  I wait for this moment in the eternal gardening cycle to begin preparing my plants and myself for the “indoor” gardening season. You see, I don’t let the thought of thirty degree days or fear of the blowing snow that is Colorado keep me from enjoying the, excuse the pun, fruits of my gardening labor.

With the looming price hike in food and the uncertainty of the times I am comforted with the knowledge that I’ll be picking fresh greens, tomatoes, peppers, beans, and herbs right in the comfort of my living spaces. No, I don’t have a greenhouse. So I thought I’d share a little information of how you too can enjoy the benefits of fresh produce all years round without a greenhouse or sun room.

I live in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, so lest you think I have great growing conditions, know that indoor gardening can be challenging.  But, I feel it is a mandatory skill set to learn.  Not only do you have the benefits of fresh produce at a time of year the grocery stores charge a kings ransom for a bunch of scallions or a bit of radish, you will have the ability to augment meals if we run into TEOTWAWKI during winter.

There are a few basics you must have to be successful and you must practice these plant husbandry skills in order to reap any rewards.  Practice is critical as you must understand the growing parameters of the plants you choose and where in the house you will be gardening for best results.

First, examine you home for the best plant locations.  Good lighting is critical.  Without good direct light your plants will grow long and spindly or “leggy”.  If a plant must go searching for light for the photosynthesis process they won’t have the energy to grow properly, let alone set fruiting bodies. I am fortunate in having large south facing windows in three rooms.  I also augment with grow lights, so when I decide where certain plants will spend their winter I set up the lighting before I place the plants. It is easier to get the area ready before you place the plants. Some of my plants are in the topsy turvy planters so I set the lights close to the floor pointing upwards. The plants are suspended on chains held up with hooks in the ceiling. Remember plants grow toward the light.  I think it is very important because some plants hate to be moved around and will be a little temperamental if jostled around to find better lighting.

Think about temperature fluctuations.  We keep our house at 60 degrees during the winter. Yes, that’s really cool.  We have hot water heat and I can adjust the “zones” at will and during the day I turn up heat in the rooms that I will be working. I cluster various plants that need extra warmth at night like tomatoes and peppers together in a room.  Some veggies like cool temperatures like lettuces, green onions, and peas.  These are grown in a cool zone.  If you heat with wood be careful not to place plants too close to the stove as the dry heat will suck the moisture right out of them. You must also watch the temperatures in front of your windows and e careful that the plants don’t get overheated during the day.  If they do, they will have a hard time with water usage and leaf burns.  A window shade is a good idea in case you have to moderate the solar gain through windows.

Next I prepare the pots for the plants.  If you are moving plants from the garden you will need good size pots.  Most plants need several gallons of augmented soil to have plenty of room for root expansion.  Make sure they are scrubbed clean and rinsed in a little bleach water.  After washing and rinsing the pots, I give them a good dose of sunshine to dry them out well.  Place a layer of clean small rocks in the bottom and fill about 2/3 full with garden soil and compost.  They are now ready for your plants.  If the planters are very large you should do the dirt filling in the place where the plants will grow.  The hernia you prevent from lifting all that weight will be appreciated! 

Next I select the plants I will be transferring.  Use your best stock.  I normally transfer tomatoes and pepper plants.  The rest of my garden I start from fresh heirloom seeds, but the tomatoes and peppers take too long to grow so I take advantage of the summer’s growth.  I check the plants for insects and then wash the leaves with a little soapy water and a good rinse.  I then carefully cut back the plant by about 1/3.  This will help the plants root system as it struggles to re-establish itself in its’ new location.  Dig the plants out with a generous root and soil ball and take it to its’ new “home”.  Carefully “tease” the roots to untangle them a little.  Don’t be rough. Just open the spaces to help the roots set out new “feeder” rootlets. Open a hole in the planters soil and water the hole generously and place the plants and place the soil the around the entire plant, tamping the soil lightly.  If the plants are tall, I stake the plants at this time. And carefully tie the plants as to not constrict the stalks.

The choices for your other plant varieties for you garden are endless.  I select fast growers like several types of greens, bunching onions (green onions), green beans, kale, and herbs.  All of these varieties are started in two week intervals throughout the winter. This will lengthen the growing “season”. Just follow the planting directions carefully for each variety.

Gardening indoors takes patience and dedication.  The plants need to be tended frequently.  I mist my plants every day because the humidity in my location is very low. I use a water meter to carefully determine the plants water needs.  Don’t “guess” about soil moisture or fertility.  The inexpensive meters that are available will take all the guess work out of keeping the soil in good condition.  Your plants will thank you by the best productivity possible.

During the winter I make what I call “instant compost” by taking vegetable scraps and place them in a blender with lots of water and liquefy them. I let it settle and then use the water on the top as a fertilizer for the plants a couple of times a month.  I also check frequently for white fly, aphids, and spider mites.  Use appropriate insecticide only if the infestations are severe.  I usually wash any area affected with soapy water and seem to be able to control insects before they get out of hand.

You might ask why I go to the trouble of growing food producing plants indoors because of the effort involved.  To me, the most important reason is that it is a skill that I might need in the future.  What if I had to produce food in the safety and privacy of my home during TEOTWAWKI?  I know that I can, because I have practiced the skill.  Also, my plants teach me patience, perseverance, and observation skills.  I also teach my grandchildren the joys of gardening year round and show them the simple pleasures of nurturing dependent life forms.  There is nothing that gives a person hope for the future more than harvesting delicious food while the snow is blowing sideways during a storm!

I urge you to think about trying your hand at winter gardening this year.  There are many books and periodicals available to teach you all the skills you need to succeed. The most important lessons of all will be the joy of adding a skill you can use the rest of your life  

Two Letters Re: A Little Insight on Diesel Engines

Two Letters Re: A Little Insight on Diesel Engines

Jim:
I am prepper, survivalist, as well as a longtime waste vegetable oil (WVO) user. I wasn’t gonna get in this diesel game, except that it saved my life. In 2004 I was in a severe commercial truck accident where I was struck in the fuel tank and rolled three times. When the EMT was cleaning me up, she told me that using diesel fuel had saved my life. If I had been in a company truck that was gas-powered (Top Kick C6500) I would have died in a explosion upon impact. That was the day I became a diesel believer, and shortly later a grease diesel believer.

My family owns a 2000 Ford Excursion with a 7.3 Powerstroke, it is fully outfitted with bull bar, inverter, CB radio, real front hubs, but most importantly a Vegistroke (fully automatic WVO fuel system). I love this system and have 103,000 miles on it (including 60,000 miles on WVO) with original injectors. I have a range of 1,500-1,600 miles between diesel and WVO, which is perfect for G.O.O.D. situations, as well as family vacations. We also own a 2005 Jeep CRD (diesel) that has a one-off kit with roughly 55K miles on WVO, original injectors as well.

My successful long term use of WVO was accomplished it part by doing it right: I have a centrifuge that cleans my oil to .5 (yes half a micron) absolute, as well as remove glycerin. It is a Dieselcraft OC-50 complete system, and the back bone to my way of life,allowing me to run my two SUVs and home for next to nothing. My home is heated with a AGsolutions b-150 boiler and gravity fed “Alaska” Bio-diesel stove (no electricity required), as well as a wood stove. We can generate enough electricity with my diesel generator (also runs on bio-diesel), to power the boiler, house and or make enough clean fuel to G.O.O.D., without an issue. We have lived this lifestyle for 5 years without a hitch, and intend on living this way no matter what political, economic, or SHTF scenario comes down the road. – H.L., Prepared in New Hampshire (“Live Free or Die”)

Mr. Rawles:
In response to Rick B.’s stated apprehension about homebrewed diesel fuel: Yes all those cautionary concerns are true. Running any homebrewed fuel comes with consequences and extra maintenance issue. But I believe he is missing the point. There may very well come a day when you cannot afford to simply go to the pump and churn out clean dino-fuel due to unaffordable high prices or just plain old non availability.

So then what? Do you turn your prized diesel into a raised bed garden on wheels? No. You improvised adapt and overcome. You move on to the next best thing. And that is, knowing how to use your available resources to get moving.

I have used all kinds or reclaimed oils in several different diesels. I have used a mixture of 20% regular unleaded gas to 80% filtered veg-oil that I have reclaimed from restaurants. I have also filtered used motor oil (which also requires boiling to remove as much of the impurities as possible) mixed with #2 diesel to run my mechanical diesels.

I have used all of the above in my 2001 F-250 for years and have traveled several thousand miles at a time solely on processed oil and [a 20% mixture of] unleaded gas (not bio-diesel). Without any problems other than changing my fuel filter every 3,000 miles just to be cautious.

I have run the same mixtures in my 2005 Dodge 3500 with wonderful results. And my 1990 Ford 350 van loves it.

My point is, it can be done safely. Yes you do have to change filters more frequently. And yes you need to be extremely diligent about your filtering of any oil alternative before using it as fuel.

I do not mess with bio-diesel simply because the processes involved make it less post-TEOTWAWKI friendly.

As for the internal combustion of these homebrewed fuels and the cleanliness of the engine, I can only speak for my self. My 1990 F-350 van was filthy internally, but after running veg-oil (not processed motor oil which can dirty up the engine ) for several years the engine was as clean as the day we rebuilt it.

So IMHO, when approached from the right mindset and through filtering, any waster veg-oil or motor oil is a very viable fuel source for any diesel not weighted down by excessive amount of electronic sensors (probably 2006 and newer).

But beware, do not widely advertise your fuel mixture. Because some states frown on using homebrewed fuel because they are missing out on you paying road fuel taxes. – A.S.W.

[JWR Adds: Readers are cautioned not to use gasoline blends in diesel engines, except in extremis.]