The Plan “B” Map, by T.L.F.

To everyone who reads this article, I want you to ask yourself one question: “If a major catastrophe happened tomorrow, would I be ready?” In all honesty, my answer would be no.

For me, this is a very scary scenario. I do my best to budget, plan and  continue to stock my supply closet with food and water, but we all know in our current economic state,  it is becoming increasingly difficult to find the funds to build up supplies for “The End of the World as We Know It”.

I know there are many people out there who are like me. People who do their best to stock up on supplies so their families will be prepared in case of emergency. There are a lot of people who are well on their way to having everything they need to survive, but are definitely not there yet.

What can we do to remedy this? Personally, I don’t want to go into debt so that I can have a fully stocked supply closet so I have put a lot of thought into this very situation. What would I do if things went bad tomorrow? How long could I last on what I have? What would I do if I started to run out before things got better? These are some of the questions I have spent countless hours thinking about.

Many people think that if a major catastrophe happened that they could just take a trip down to the local grocery store and stock up on everything that they would need for the next few months.  This is not only a very unlikely scenario but a dangerous one, as well. Here is an example: A few years ago, during the winter, the city I live in was hit with a huge snow storm.  Almost three feet of snow fell in 24 hours. The city was crippled. Most of the roads were virtually impassable, hundreds of homes were without power and, according to the news, it was only going to get worse. Within a few hours the store shelves were empty. My car was stuck in the parking spot so I had to walk to the grocery store near where I lived. When I got there, I was amazed at the sight of a bare shelved store. What surprised me even more was that it had only been a few hours since the storm hit and everyone was trying to stock up for the next few days of bad weather. I nitpicked through the store trying to find your average grocery list items, but was unable to.

The next morning, when I was watching the news, there were stories being reported of the police being called to local grocery stores because people were fighting and hurting each other so they could get the last gallon of milk. It took about a 1-½ weeks for the grocery stores to recover and get new shipments to stock their shelves. City Officials asked the local food banks to open their doors to the general public because many families were out of food.

In a Colorado town, where people should be accustomed to large snow storms, a mild case of pandemonium broke out over three feet of snow. People literally were fighting in the grocery store over milk and bread. Imagine the chaos that would take place if something of substance were to actually happen? This experience cemented in my mind how dangerous things will become when people are desperate to feed their families.
           
I will share with you what I did to remedy the potential supply shortfall that many of us could face if major catastrophe happened before we were fully stocked up on supplies. I call it the “Plan B Map.”           

Start out by visiting your local Wal-Mart or similar type store, and find a road atlas for your state. Within this atlas you will find some fairly detailed maps of your neighborhood. For now, mark those pages and set the atlas aside. Next, when you have a few hours, grab a notepad and pencil and take a drive through your neighborhood. Go around and make a list of every single business, store and shop within a 2-mile radius of your home. In addition, take note of every source of water; ponds, rivers, streams, swimming pools, water towers, water wells, etc. Once you have finished this task, head back home and make index cards for every location you have on your list.

Now comes the hard part. Go through these index cards and think about each and every business. You will need to decide if there is the possibility of any type of useful item that might be kept or used by that particular business.

Here are a few examples:

  • Dental offices often have bottled water available for their patients. I have 5 dental offices within the 2-mile radius of my home.
  • Health Clubs are another source for useful items. I have a gym about four blocks from my house that has two industrial refrigerators full of energy drinks, bottled water and protein snacks that are available to buy.
  • Sporting Goods stores often shelf different foods and beverages geared toward the outdoorsman. I have a bicycle shop three blocks from my home that have shelves and shelves of energy bars, protein bars and energy drinks.

Also within the 2-mile radius of my house, I have nine ponds, three swimming pools and two streams.  You will be surprised how many resources you will find in unsuspecting places, and we are not just talking about food and water. For instance, any doctor’s office will have very useful medical equipment, your local hobby shop will have needles and thread, string, twine and craft wood that can be used for fires. There is an endless list of the items you can find right around the corner.            

Now combine your maps and your index cards, marking on your maps all the locations with a number. That number will correspond to a number on an index card. That index card will have listed the items at that particular location that would be useful. You will want to plan to and from routes to all of these locations. Include in these routes places to stop or hide and alternate routes in case you see something on the way that you don’t want to pass on your way back.  Create a list of importance and which locations have the most important items.

The next time you take your dog for a walk or go out for a stroll, try mapping out the routes that you have made. This will give you the opportunity to adjust your routes if needed to avoid certain things. Keep you map and index cards updated to new businesses, or businesses that have changed locations or closed down. You may need to update your list as your importance and immediate needs will change. As you continue to work on your personal stock of supplies, the things that were important may become less important because you had the opportunity to stock up on that item. Pay extra attention to the sources of water that you find. These may be sources for more than just water. Are there fish in the streams or ponds? Do you see ducks and geese in these areas frequently? Think of all the different ways you can take advantage of these water sources because they can be food sources as well.

In addition to making the map, you also need to have a way of transporting the items you go after. You cannot rely on the idea of having a vehicle to drive. So this means you will have to come up with an alternate way of getting to your locations and a way to bring supplies back. In my case, a bicycle is the most practical means of transportation for me. Not only is it faster than walking, I also have the ability to attach duffle bags or backpacks to the frame and rack.

So now you are done with your “Plan B Map”, and you have figured out a form of transportation other then your car that fits your situation and surroundings, keep up with your map and your index cards. Don’t feel like you have to throw your map and cards away if you have reached your goal of the amount of food, water and supplies you wanted to stock up on. Even if you are fully stocked you never know what situations you may be faced with in the coming years. Your map and index cards could be an invaluable asset no matter what you level of preparation is today.  If you are diligent with this project you will provide yourself with a safer way to scavenge for supplies if faced with the need to.

While everyone else is fighting it out at the gas stations and grocery stores for the last couple cans of food, you can be safely making trips to and from the locations marked on your map.    

Product Review: The Don’t Die Out There! Card Deck

The Don’t Die Out There! Card Deck is one of the card decks that doubles as an information source, in this case, on disaster response.

It’s printed on very sturdy plastic coated stock, about twice as heavy as typical decks, but the same overall thickness. It’s well organized, with each suit covering different areas–Diamonds: survival essentials, signals, navigation and shelters. Spades: situational assessment, evac techniques, water, fire and food. Hearts: First aid, environmental and medical concerns. Clubs: CPR, severe trauma and evacuation of the injured.

The Aces serve as indexes, and Jokers as forewords. It’s a handy pocket survival book summarized in a card deck, with pictures of things like splints , shelters and navigation techniques, lists of medical, clothing and other supplies, and charts of procedures. The summaries are concise and very clear. It’s heavy on the first aid, but has good, practical guidelines for quick emergency shelters with native materials or tarps, and a summary of map and compass that a layman can use to get a fix on location or direction to travel to find help.

If all else fails, you can always play solitaire. Eventually, someone will show up and tell you to play the red 9 on the black 10.

For $7 retail, it’s a worthwhile addition to a bailout kit, especially for laymen traveling in even slightly remote areas—parks, backpacking areas or wilderness preserves. – SurvivalBlog Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson, author of the new science fiction novel Do Unto Others.

Letter Re: Making Land Navigation and Stealthy Movement Fun

Taking a page from my Marine Corps training from way back and utilizing the civilian environment which we are in I believe I have come across a fun way for groups/families to practice land navigation (land nav) and stealth/concealment at the same time. I have two young teen age children and have been trying to teach them land nav which is somewhat fun for a short time but they haven’t really gotten it yet. One thing kids really like is hide and seek another is to camouflage up. I liked it and in the past become very proficient and blending in and disappearing in the woods. While in the military we would hone land nav skills with practice and occasionally refresher classes. After the class the unit would break down into 1-4 man teams. At that point each team would go to the 100 meter course and verify your pace count then verify the accuracy of your compass on a known azimuth. As each team was ready they would head out into the bush on any number of courses to known/designated points. Each team would rotate the various tasks of plotting, pace count, follow bearing etc. It was a fun day to learn or hone skills. But at times we would also incorporate patrolling into the class. Still in fire teams, the training would involve multiple team on team ambushes and evasions while completing the course. Any other group encountered would be considered the “enemy”. The idea wasn’t to practice tactics at this point but land nav and stealth. So laying in ambush was not the point unless the opportunity presented itself. It could really be a challenge during darkness. These courses covered large areas. There were often 10-15 points each team needed to find and a leg may be only 2-400 meters or it may well be 1 mile or more.

In the novel “Patriots“, the [retreat] group trained in a wooded area where they could possibly encounter hikers/campers unexpectedly. Here in Colorado if you are in a national forest wearing the official hiking clothes (no cotton allowed, must have moisture wicking shorts, shirt, hiking boots, floppy hat, day pack and hiking poles ) you won’t get a second look. Same area but off trail in cammies (BDUs) and web gear with map and compass you might get a good sideways look because you’re not in the official hiking attire and you’re not on the trail. Then again, same area but in full combat gear and your paintball /airsoft guns the hiker passing by on the trail may give the local ranger a call whether you are seen [training] or not if there is evidence of activity (wet paintball splats everywhere). So a team seen doing the same action wearing the same clothes but is obviously unarmed then the observer is more apt to think you are only a couple of nuts not necessarily a scary threat (been there and seen it). This training isn’t for tactics and concealment but stealth, concealment and land nav.

So, to make a short story long use the military style land nav training to teach camouflage/stealth/concealment and as many land nav skills as you can. Depending on your situation have the family(s) or group break down into 1-4 man teams so everyone can practice all the land nav skills. As a good prepper there are enough radios so every team can have one and are all on the same freq. Every team has a map or strip map of the area and of course a good compass. Preferably a very large area with some type of easy to identify boundaries (road, trail, lake, ridge, swamp, cut) so should someone get lost or turned around they will recognize the boundaries to stay within.

As stated in other posts paintball/airsoft guns have very limited range. However, line of sight can go for quite a way and in the real world if you are seen even at a relatively long range it could mean your time is up. Again, a big part of the purpose of this training is camouflage/stealth/concealment. The reason for the radios is simple. You’re not shooting someone with a paintball. You nail them with the radio. If the other teams are family and friends you should be able to identify them by their posture, gait, clothes, size etc. If not, then perhaps each team could be marked with some sort of specific colored tape or cloth or number. You observe your best bud 300 meters off exhibiting an unbelievable amount of poor judgment by standing next to a fine bit of concealment in the open looking at his map instead of kneeling down behind it. If he had concealed himself you may not have seen him as you glassed the area as you traveled on your own land nav leg. So you get on the radio and nail him (Hello you, this is me. Freeze. Observe to your 4 o’clock. You are toast. Gotchya.). Clean shot.

Again, this does not necessarily teach threat left, right, ambush fire-team or squad drills. Though it certainly can reinforce fire-team positions and movement. It can of course be modified any number of ways to suit the situation. This can be a very fun way to teach kids, wives/girlfriends valuable skills without breaking out the artillery. And remember. No matter what color clothes worn the lack of movement in itself can be camouflage.

Camouflage clothing isn’t the last word on concealment. Some work better than others in different environments and times of year. Know what works in your area. Often times a single drab color can do better than a pattern. The plain earth tone may accept the highs and lows of the surroundings as opposed to a pattern being forced into the scene (while slowly moving in tall grass plain green army jungles do better than BDUs). If going all out and using camo face paint don’t forget inside and behind the ears, under the nose, neck, hands, wrists. Throwing a few stripes across the face is a “NO GO”. Do it right. Gloves or shooters type gloves with finger(s) cut out help conceal exposed skin. Put your collar up and sleeves down. I always have an old GI green triangle bandage around my neck. Not just for sweat but sized and positioned that if need be at a moments notice I can pull it up bandit style and have my face almost completely covered for concealment without always wearing cammie paint. Bush covers (hat) are a wonderful thing.

Tools:

  • Land Nav gear
  • Reliable compasses
  • Map(s) and strip maps
  • Protractors
  • Grease pencils [or Vis-aVis pens], pencils, paper
  • Comm gear
  • Walkie talkie with ear bud for each team (preferably the same brand and model)
  • Extra set of batteries
  • Extras
  • Plenty of water and snacks
  • Camouflage veil or dark colored triangle bandage.
  • Camouflage face paint
  • Gloves
  • First-aid kit

Regards, – K.B.

Economics and Investing:

“Hi-yo Silver!” (I’ll spare you the “I-told-you-so” snide comments. Or did that just count as one?)

Cy D. mentioned this over at Zero Hedge: Wal-Mart’s CEO Provides the Starkest Visual of the Modern Bread Line Yet

B.B. sent us a link to these comments by Howard Katz: Sobering Lesson for the World as Gold and Silver Set to Explode Higher

Obama tells UN leaders world has dodged depression. Yeah, right…

Items from The Economatrix:

Homebuilding Industry Years Away From Recovery

Fed Signals It Will Take Further Steps If Needed. [JWR Notes: I get nervous whenever I hear someone with weapons of mass destruction talk about “taking steps“. If the Fed and Treasury conspire and start monetizing lots of debt, then watch out!

Unemployment Rises in 27 States Last Month

Millions Of Americans Risk Exclusion From The Job Market Forever, OECD Warns

Stocks Waver as Traders Move into Treasurys, Gold

More than Half Exit Foreclosure-Relief Program

Inflation Watch:

The Yahoo-Bing Search Deal May Raise Ad Rates. Online advertisers may see up to a 78% price increase in paid-search rates once Yahoo and Microsoft wrap up their search alliance. Cost-per-click will likely rise sharply as advertisers shift to the single Bing search platform.

Unusual Worry for the Economy: Is Inflation Too Low?

Corn, Soybeans Hit Two-Year Highs While Cotton Jumps to 15-Year Peak

Food Makers Ready to Raise Prices

Odds ‘n Sods:

RBS mentioned that there are pictorials of some natural materials building projects available at the Solar Haven web site.

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When “Dry Practice” isn’t dry: Deputy in town for firearms training accidentally fires weapon in hotel room. This serves as a reminder: Always double check that your weapon is empty, that you have no ammo in the training area, and that you have a safe backstop! (Thanks to Richard S. for the link.)
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A new catalyst: Turning $25 of Natural Gas into a $75 Barrel of Oil?

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Dr. A.W. wrote us to note: “Bed bugs have become a pandemic in the USA. Here are three web sites that may offer solutions and education: The CDC web site, BedBugCentral.com and USBedBugs.com. They discuss prevention, treatment options.”

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“It is also important for the State to inculcate in its subjects an aversion to any outcropping of what is now called ‘a conspiracy theory of history.’ For a search for ‘conspiracies,’ as misguided as the results often are, means a search for motives, and an attribution of individual responsibility for the historical misdeeds of ruling elites. If, however, any tyranny or venality, or aggressive war imposed by the State was brought about not by particular State rulers but by mysterious and arcane ‘social forces,’ or by the imperfect state of the world — or if, in some way, everyone was guilty — then there is no point in anyone’s becoming indignant or rising up against such misdeeds. Furthermore, a discrediting of ‘conspiracy theories’ will make the subjects more likely to believe the ‘general welfare’ reasons that are invariably put forth by the modern State for engaging in aggressive actions.” – Murray Rothbard

Note from JWR:

Today we present a guest article by, Cynthia J. Koelker, MD, the author of 101 Ways to Save Money on Health Care. Not only is she a fellow Penguin Group author, but we even have the same editor in Penguin’s Plume division. This is a topic that should interest many SurvivalBlog readers.

How to Get Your Doctor to Help You Stockpile Medicine, by Cynthia J. Koelker, MD

Picture this: Your doctor enters the room and asks, “How can I help you today?”

“I’d like enough medicine to survive the end of the world as we know it,” you reply.

He narrows his eyes and responds, “Just how much Prozac would you need?”

. . .

Finding a physician to help you stockpile medications will be a challenge. Unless your doctor, too, believes Armageddon is nigh, he’s not likely to grant your request.

Why not? Doctors are responsible for the medications we prescribe and the consequences, intended or unintended. Remember, every medication is a potential poison. You’re probably glad your own physician has sufficient training to possess a valid medical license. Certain problems (and medications) require periodic monitoring regarding their effects on the human body. No doctor wants to be responsible for patients who won’t comply with essential examination and testing. Would a car maker warranty your automobile engine if you refuse to change the oil?

Typically, doctors prescribe enough medication to cover a specific problem for an appropriate length of time. Antibiotics are usually dispensed for 7 to 10 days, blood pressure medicines for 1 to 6 months, diabetic medicines for 1 to 3 months, and pain relievers until the underlying problem has resolved.

Does your doctor prescribe you extra amoxicillin, just in case you get sick later this year? Not likely. When physicians prescribe more medication than is currently necessary, this often amounts to patients playing doctor with themselves or with others. Under our current system, this can be a felony.

At TEOTWAWKI, many survivors will be their own doctor, like it or not. And to do so, you will need a stockpile of medications.

Before I offer advice on how to get your doctor to help you with this stockpile, please realize that there are other obstacles to the acquisition of said drugs. Pharmacists have the right to refuse to fill a prescription that seems unreasonable or potentially harmful. Insurance companies usually limit payments for prescriptions to a 1 to 3 month period at a time. You’ll have to pay out of your own pocket to get more medicine than this. Doctors cannot legally alter their prescriptions to say you are taking more medication than you actually are. Neither would it be ethical for you to lie about the situation.

So, how to get the medicine that you may need?

One option is to convince your doctor that the end of the world is near. That’ll be tough. But think a moment, if your doctor really did think TEOTWAWKI is around the corner, he’d be doing his best to help you prepare.

Doctors do prescribe extra medication, along with directions for use, under special circumstances: antibiotics for potential traveler’s diarrhea, anti-malarials for travel to Africa, six months of medications if you’ll be wintering in Antarctica. Asking for medications for TEOTWAWKI is akin to doing the same for a trip around the world. The way I see it, such a supply would be intended to span a gap of only a year or two only. Some medications probably do have a shelf-life of a decade beyond their expiration date, but hopefully a better solution would be available long before then.

Convincing your doctor to prescribe extra medication depends largely on the doctor-patient relationship. If your doctor trusts you, he or she is much more likely to assist you. Please realize that your doctor will think that he’s doing you a fairly large favor. He may even question the legality of his own prescribing. Don’t forget to be grateful. Also realize that even if a doctor writes more than a year’s worth of refills, pharmacists cannot fill them beyond a year of the original prescribing date. If you are convinced that you need more than a 12-month supply stockpiled, you’ll need to discuss this openly with your doctor. Obviously a person could visit more than one doctor, which I don’t recommend, especially if you don’t tell each and every one of your physicians what you are doing. Dishonesty is a deal-breaker when it comes to getting your doctor to trust you.

In general, medications are prescribed for either acute problems or chronic problems. Acute problems include most infections and injuries. Chronic problems include asthma, diabetes, heart disease, hypothyroidism, mental illness, arthritis, and a host of others. Treatment of chronic conditions also includes modification of risk factors including high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Even antibiotics are sometimes prescribed long-term in certain situations, e.g. acne, rosacea, certain forms of colitis, and recurrent urinary infections.

Medications for acute problems include antibiotics, anti-virals, anti-malarials, antifungals, anti-diarrheals, antiemetics, migraine treatments, pain medications, heartburn relief, albuterol for asthma and COPD, nitroglycerin, corticosteroids, and anti-inflammatories, to name the most common.

Drugs for chronic problems and conditions include birth control pills, antidepressants, allergy medications, inhalers for asthma and COPD, anti-anginal drugs, acid-reducing drugs (proton pump inhibitors, histamine-2 blockers), anti-inflammatories, diabetic meds, thyroid replacement, and many others.

Without specifying which of these meds I’d advise for stockpiling, I’ll tell you exactly how I’d like a patient to approach me to acquire an extra supply, an approach which I believe would work for other doctors as well.

First, begin establishing a trusting relationship with your doctor. If you don’t think your physician even knows who you are, make an appointment for a minor problem. Don’t ask about stockpiling at this initial visit.

If your doctor asks you to follow-up for this problem, then do so. Follow directions. Be responsible. If he says no follow-up is needed, no doubt you can find another reason to come in within a month or so. Accompany another family member to their appointment to keep your face fresh in your doctor’s memory. If there are multiple providers in your physician’s office, try to see the same one each time to establish a relationship.

By the third time your doctor has seen you within a time frame of a few months, he’s going to start knowing you, and more importantly, trusting you. You must act in a trustworthy manner by:

  • Showing up for your appointments
  • Not canceling appointments with insufficient warning
  • Arriving on time (even if you must wait on the doctor)
  • Taking your medications properly and knowing their correct names and dosing
  • Trying to do your part in every way
  • Being kind, pleasant, polite, and cheerful.

Of course, this is good advice even if TEOTWAWKI does not occur in our lifetime.

After doing the above, it’s time to consider approaching the topic of TEOTWAWKI.

Say that you have diabetes and want to be prepared. If you ask for a year’s prescription, your doctor may figure you won’t show up again, even though you’ve demonstrated responsibility to date. Ask for an extra three months instead and make 100% sure that you show up for your next scheduled visit. If you don’t, your doctor will decide he cannot trust you. As in every relationship, once trust is broken, it takes much, much longer to reestablish.

Assuming you do keep your scheduled follow-up, remind the doctor that you have put back the extra medication, and that you’d like to have an additional three month’s worth. Reassure him that you will again follow-up whenever he’d like you to return. (And especially for diabetics, do what your doctor suggests regarding blood sugar testing, weight loss, etc. – at the very least, try.) In this fashion by establishing and confirming trust, you can build up an adequate stockpile. If your relationship is strong, he may trust you to get even a year’s worth ahead of time. The same protocol would apply equally well to any of the chronic diseases mentioned above. And if you suffer from any of these, educating yourself is an excellent idea. Learn how to take care of yourself now so you’ll be ready later.

For acute problems, such as bacterial infections, you’ll want a supply of antibiotics on hand. Follow the above directions in establishing a trusting relationship. Then either when you are sick (or when you are not) ask for a supply of one appropriate antibiotic, perhaps a 30-day supply. Reassure your doctor that you will not use this medication as long as he is here to take care of you. If you get sick again, go back to your doctor and remind him of your plan. If he suggests antibiotics, request a new prescription, and perhaps another supply to stockpile. Trust, trust, trust. That’s 99% of the equation.

With 2012 just around the corner, you should start now. None of us knows God’s timeline, but waiting until the last minute is ill-advised.

* * *

What do Armageddon and health reform have in common? Either way, people need to know how to care of themselves with the resources at hand. Written by family physician Cynthia J. Koelker, MD, 101 Ways to Save Money on Health Care explains how to treat over 30 common medical conditions economically, and includes dozens of sections on treating yourself. Available for under $10 online, the book offers practical advice on treating: respiratory infections, pink eye, sore throats, nausea, diarrhea, heartburn, urinary infections, allergies, arthritis, acne, hemorrhoids, dermatitis, skin infection, lacerations, lice, carpal tunnel syndrome, warts, mental illness, asthma, COPD, depression, diabetes, enlarged prostate, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and much more.

Dr. Koelker has recently started a new medical blog on surviving 2012 and TEOTWAWKI, ArmageddonMedicine.com. There is not much posted there yet, but there will be, as she begins answering questions from readers. She welcomes your questions, comments, and critiques.

Letter Re: Why a Practice Garden?

Mr. Rawles,
Tom C. wrote: “This plot of land 10 feet x 12 feet.” That is 120 square feet. That sounds like a nice patch for half a years supply of storage onions if you know what you are doing, or more swiss chard and radishes that your family will know what to do with, given that you water and succession plant. Lets start at the start with soil preparation. How wet or dry is the existing soil? Get out the shovel and turn over a small bit of your prospective patch. Is it hard as concrete or dry and crumbly or a wet ball or a shiny slice of clay ? Go look up what your soil type requires for initial cultivation. Also, how are you getting rid of the existing vegetation? Tilling in a lawn just make the grass happy to propagate further. Method A for starting a garden bed : in the fall, layer cardboard or 10+ sheets of newspaper on the bed area, water well, and immediately cover with chopped leaves, grass clippings, or straw, and some manure if possible, and water again. For good measure cover with black plastic or and old tarp anchored with boards, rocks or landscape timbers. Wait until spring when you will have a lovely garden bed you can easily turnover with hand tools. Method B for starting a garden bed. It’s Spring, the grass is growing. Go spray the patch with evil Roundup, wait a week and start digging with the spade, digging fork and broad fork. Some garden books show a man peeling back the turf with a sharp spade – yea, right, if your yard was recently sodded. Bags of topsoil? Try peat moss, manure, gypsum, sand and/or perlite depending on your soil. So-called topsoil is frequently a marvelous source of weed seed and less nutritious than pork rinds. Time-release granular fertilizer with a low first number or three numbers all the same is a good thing. It won’t hurt and it may be the only nutrition your plants get if your lawn is sod over subsoil from the basement excavation. On to planting and what went wrong “1st Planting list: Just to start the basic “easy” food stuffs. Corn, Navy, Red, and Black beans, Green bell peppers, Tomatoes and transplanted 2 Peach trees and 1 Blackberry bush. The Blackberry was chosen over Blueberry because Blackberries don’t require cross pollination.”

Unfortunately, corn is not the easiest, because it likes lots of water, nitrogen, little competition from weeds, plus corn, sweet or field in a small patch is a critters’ all-you-can-eat buffet : rabbit, groundhog, crow as it is emerging and deer and raccoon the night before it’s fit for roasting ears. Dry beans, navy, red, black: do you know when to harvest to not end up with a moldy mess? No, I don’t know what went wrong with the beans from the information given. Tomatoes and green peppers, beloved of back yard gardeners. Tomatoes are heat and sun lovers, but only to a point. Tomatoes also really like a low nitrogen fertilizer and water, plus being kept free of weeds. Green peppers on the other hand, don’t mind light shade and also like the same fertilizer and water regime. By the way, being in Georgia, when did he plant these “easy” crops ? If he is in the Atlanta area, about April 10 should be a safe planting date for corn and beans. Observe when the farmers in your area are planting corn and soybeans: go and do likewise. Tomatoes and peppers can go out about a week later, but be prepared to cover them if frost threatens. Peaches, yea, they should grow in Georgia J. Blackberries, sure. I’d be more worried about my soil pH than pollinators on blueberries. I haven’t a prayer of growing blueberries in my limy soil. I’ve tried the heavily amended soil, the pH lowering fertilizer – nope, not here. Ten peaches, the first year, really I am impressed. Must have been good nursery grown trees in pots. Blackberries, wait 2 years and they will take over the yard and hold the kids and dog for ransom. Any new fruit plantings take lots of extra water the first summer, even years with good rainfall as they lack the root system to take up the available water in the soil. Your first year with a fruit tree/bush planting is about establishing the root system.

Timing : “Soil Temperature: While we had warm weather after Labor Day, just two or three weeks later overnight temperatures dropped into the 40s.” Umm, did he mean Memorial Day ? Corn and beans should recover from 40 degree nights nicely. Peppers and tomatoes are heat and water lovers. The lack of growth on all four sounds like lack of water and/or nutrition – poor native soil, lack of fertilizer — or they were drowning in standing water. On the Three Sisters, beans fix nitrogen, not squash, also the Three Sister method takes a lot of room, at least three feet between hills of corn and careful cultivation until the squash member zooms out growing a month after it has been planted in warm soil, usually two weeks to a month after the earlier planting of corn, traditionally, when oak leaves are as big as squirrel’s ears. You’ll not get the best yield of any of the three, but the squash family member will be happy. 2nd Planting: June Carrots, Lettuce, Green peas, Cucumbers. The only thing that will grow well in this planting sequence is cucumbers. Carrots, lettuce and green peas all prefer cool weather of early spring. In the Atlanta area, you might be planting this trio as early as January 15, definitely by February 1. 3rd Planting: July Pie Pumpkin Yes ! third time must be the charm. Timing is right for a place with a first frost usually after November 1 for a Halloween pumpkin. The big mistake was relying on gardening information that is not local to his area. In the US, your state land grant university has trained thousands of people to understand local conditions and many of them have made a career in horticulture with some dozens in active advice practice : your local county extension. Even if your local county extension office has closed, or lacks a horticulture specialist, start web searching your state’s land grant university, extension service, vegetables, then start following links. Somewhere you will find planting calendars, variety suggestions and much helpful information. For example, here is a planting calendar for Georgia. – DirtDigger in the eastern Corn Belt

JWR Replies: Tom also mentioned: “The inexpensive top soil I bought turned out to me mostly chips of wood with some dirt.”  Beware that many types of wood and bark actually bind (“tie up”) nitrogen, in effect robbing the soil of nitrogen for many years until the wood fully decomposes. If you make this mistake, you can counteract it by adding nitrogen fertilizer, but it is best to avoid getting many wood chips or any significant quantities of bark into your compost and garden soil in the first place! Douglas fir bark, for example, has a carbon to nitrogen ratio of 491:1.

Letter Re: Amish Populations Bugging Out

Mr. Rawles:
I saw the response to your link regarding the Amish and I concur. These folks are wonderful and are very good for a community. Where I come from in central Michigan the Amish community makes pallets. Trucks from far and wide go out of their way to come through the area for these high quality pallets. The pallets are just the base of their community. They also run a store that beats everybody, even Wal-Mart, on price. Sure, they don’t sell all that cheap Chinese stuff, but I consider that a plus. I can’t go past the store without picking up a 2 lb chunk of cheese for $2 (not ‘orange’ partially hydrogenated cheese-like-food, but real Pinconning, Mozzarella, Cheddar, and specialty stuff). I also buy their 2 pound, $2 roast beef, turkey, chicken, or pepperoni lunch meats. There is always some high quality item that is under half the price I would see elsewhere.

Then there is the best of all, the carpenters. This falls on the outskirts of the Amish community, but wouldn’t be happening if they were not in the area. There are a handful of ‘ex-Amish’ contractors in the area that do excellent work. They still have connections in the Amish community and can get some of the high-skilled craftsmen to come out and do everything from putting in a new staircase to raising a barn in a day (except electrical & high end plumbing;) I’ve seen these guys refurbish old, run-down 1880s houses and make them look new again, including all the detailed woodwork. And they do all this while being pleasant and truthful. They will not tell you they will be finished tomorrow when its not true, or they will have more roast beef tomorrow if it is not true. They do not come around knocking on your door trying to convert you. When I really think about it, they are the best group of people I know. – A.B.

Economics and Investing:

Does this sound familiar? Investors seeing farmland as safer bet than stocks. (A hat tip to M.M. for the link.)

This piece by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard is thought provoking: QE2 in Round Trillions

Nevada unemployment rises to all-time high 14.4 percent.

US Government ‘hiding true amount of debt’

Fed hints it could buy more bonds

Items from The Economatrix:

Gerald Celente: We Won’t Recover

$2,500 Gold Could Easily Result in $178.50 Silver

UK: Middle Class Families Could Face “Lie Detector” Tests Over Taxes

20 Signs That The Economic Collapse Has Already Begun For One Out Of Seven Americans

How High Will Gold Climb?

Gold’s Rally: Breakout or Fakeout?

Stocks Mixed As Fed Leaves Door Open For Stimulus

Odds ‘n Sods:

Mac Slavo (over at the SHTFPlan blog) asks: How Many Guns Are Too Many? FWIW, here in The Un-Named Western State (TUWS), owning 40 guns is considered just “a decent collection”, and “serious collectors” must have at least 100 guns. (Thanks to K.T. for the link.)

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K.T. sent us a link to an interesting video produced by the CATO Institute: Cops on Camera.

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I stumbled into this, while web wandering: Double The Anger: Two “Mad Max” Sequels Shooting Back To Back. Oh, and speaking of anticipated movies, the release date for the remake of Red Dawn has been delayed, due to financial problems at MGM.

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Damon S. spotted this: The Art Of The Bug-Out Bag

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"There is a secret pride in every human heart that revolts at tyranny. You may order and drive an individual, but you cannot make him respect you." – William Hazlitt

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 30 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, and B.) 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 30 ends on September 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.