Economics and Investing:

The welfare state, firmly entrenched: Benefit spending soars to new high (1 in 6 dollars of income come from governments checks. Let’s not forget: Every dollar that is “given”, must first be “taken” from someone.) Thanks to G.H. for the link.

Currie sent us this: Latvian debt crisis shakes Eastern Europe. When sovereign debt markets disintegrate, you can expect governments to topple. And it won’t just be pipsqueak nation states like Iceland and Latvia that are at risk.

From reader C.S.: Medical bills underlie 60 percent of U.S. bankruptcies: study

Julian Robertson’s Steepener Swap Play (Shorting US Treasuries) When Julian talks, people listen. And now, he is clearly saying “mass inflation ahead.” (A hat tip to GG for the link.)
Also from GG comes this article at Barron’s: V-Shaped Recovery Outlook is in Vain The bulk of the economy’s credit problems are still to come

Items from The Economatrix:

Handwritten Notes Show Fed Oversight Bill Neutered On Senate Floor (No surprise)

Banks Run the Country

Biden Says Some Waste Inevitable Part of Stimulus Program

Paul Craig Roberts: as The Dollar Falls Off The Cliff

US Retailers Report May Sales Decline

Canada Mint Can’t Account For Missing Gold

Study: US Dollar “Seriously Overvalued”

US Private Sector Axes 532,000 Jobs in May

German Debts Set To “Blow Like A Grenade” “An internal memo by the regulator’s office suggested that likely write-offs may reach €816 billion, twice the entire reserves of the country’s financial institutions.”

Holes in the China Recovery Story “According to the CBRC (via Dow Jones), “the country’s economy faces growing downward pressure as the global financial crisis has yet to run its course.” The regulator added that “the banking industry faces ‘serious’ credit and market risks as the domestic economy encounters its ‘most difficult year in the new century.'”

Financial, Energy Stocks Pull Market Higher (Thursday)



Odds ‘n Sods:

We were thrilled to attend Maker Faire, in San Mateo, California, last weekend. It is an amazingly educational and inspirational gathering, and I highly recommend it, if you ever have the opportunity. (Maker Faire events are also held in Newcastle, England and in Austin, Texas.) These annual events, sponsored by Makezine, bring together an eclectic and often wacky group of creative geniuses. Among the huge roster of exhibitors, I saw lots of practical displays and demonstrations there that have applicability to preparedness–including steam engines, gasifier experimenter kits (GEKs), umpteen human-powered machines (including a way-cool pedal-powered rail car, made with box beam construction), PV panels in profusion, and three different groups of ham radio wizards. Even those famous guys in lab jackets that create Diet Coke fountains with Mentos were there, and they put on a live demonstration before a cheering crowd. (Two of my kids were up front, getting soaked.) To get a taste of what the event is like, see this video from the 2008 Maker Faire.

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Administration to Reveal Plans For Katrina Housing Transition. It’s been 4-1/2 years! And they are now just getting a “plan”?

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Don’t miss these useful rifle marksmanship training films, circa 1943. These public domain films were posted courtesy of the RWVA.

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From reader WW: Government to sell FEMA trailers to Hurricane Katrina victims for $1 or $5





Note from JWR:

I have expanded the SurvivalBlog Bookshelf page. Most notably, I have added some survivalist fiction book lists, and greatly expanded my “Second Tier” list of recommended specialty books. Note that if you buy any items from Amazon.com (even radios, band-aids or Break Free) via our links, SurvivalBlog will earn a small commission. Thanks!



Two Letters Re: Walking Tractors and Similar Powered Farming Implements

James,
I just wanted to respond to the recent article on small tractors. In 1981 my wife and I bought 12 acres and started market gardening, selling produce locally. I grew about 3 acres of produce each year and put up hay for animals. Our first big investment at the time was a BCS 725 machine with the tiller and sickle-bar mower attachments. We used that machine, and used it hard.

Today it’s 2009 and I just finished cutting hay and putting in my green bean patch, using that 725. It’s still on the original engine, which has never been rebuilt, only annual oil changes for the last 27 years. It no longer starts on the first pull, these days it starts on the second pull each time, but guess I can’t complain too loud about that.

In my life I must admit I’ve made very few incredibly good investments, but that Model 725 is definitely one of them. It’s saved me untold labor and has just simply worked for 27 years without a bit of trouble. It’s like an old Ford 8N, it just keeps running and doing what it’s supposed to do. Old farm equipment was made to last forever, the BCS machines are farm equipment, not cheap consumer toys. The price reflects it, but from my opinion they’re a bargain in the long run. Highly recommended. – Bobalu

 

Hello Mr. Rawles,
Regarding the recent letters on micro-farm tractors, I have another viewpoint for your consideration.

In addition to the Troy-Bilt Horse rear tine tiller and other tools scaled for 1-2 acres, I have also purchased a larger farm tractor to better suit the conditions in and around my retreat. The recent letter mentioned Ford 9Ns and Farmalls. While these are still very common and many 9Ns are still in service, they are of 1940s-1950s vintage. My personal choice was a Massey Ferguson 100 series diesel tractor (135 or 165, for example). These were built between the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, and have decades of excellent service history with much information available online (for you to save on paper now).

There were several factors leading me to this decision:

I obtained the tractor from a seller on Craigslist for a bargain price. This allowed me to retain a budget for maintenance rather than blowing it all up front on a new machine. While the peripheral systems needed attention, the engine and transmission were rock solid. The Perkins Diesel engines are renowned for reliability and durability. My updates and repairs serve two purposes: Restoring the mechanical soundness of the machine and its systems, and forcing me to become familiar with the repair and upkeep now. This is a mechanical restoration only – it needs to work, not look good. Surprisingly, every part that my 40 year old tractor has needed was both in stock and relatively inexpensive. While it’s comforting to “gear up”, eventually you will have to repair what you buy. Two years after TSHTF is not the ideal time to start the learning curve on your life-sustaining equipment. An old tractor you have mechanically zero-timed before the world comes to grief will give years of reliable service, and you will have the experience of your earlier work to guide future repairs.

While a larger tractor is overkill for a few acres, it is compatible with most all the equipment on surrounding farms. 1960s and 1970s tractors will have modern 3-point hitches with the ability to add additional hydraulics. The Massey-Ferguson 165, at 53 horsepower, can run a myriad of equipment that might overtax a smaller tractor. In addition to your own needs, you will have the option of volunteering to help your neighbor prepare his field or bring in his crop, using your extra muscle and standard 3-point hookups. That would be a Grade-A trade for food, fuel, or assistance when you need it, as opposed to showing up with a shovel and asking “what can I do to help?”

A larger tractor will also turn and disk your two acres in a hurry! I have collected smaller 3 point hitch equipment, like a two-bottom moldboard turning plow and a disk harrow, very inexpensively. The equipment is old, but made of such heavy steel that it still has decades of life left in it. Another barter option is to quickly prepare ground for other small-scale neighbors that may have purchased less durable equipment. Attempting to till up hard, fallow ground, even with a rear-tine tiller, is tough on the equipment and the person. Your tractor with plow and harrow would make short work of that fallow ground, allowing the rear-tine tiller to finish much more quickly and without the mechanical abuse.

The other posts mentioned diesel-engined ATVs. I respectfully submit that this may be a case of can rather than should. While you can pull a disk or maybe even a small all-purpose plow, the machine simply does not have the tractor-like durability to stake your family’s future on using the ATV as a tractor long-term. By the time you have bought a rare diesel ATV with ATV-specific implements, you might as well have bought an older, real tractor with standard 3-point implements for the money. Remember, from a duty cycle perspective (if I may anthropomorphize), I’d want my tractor to think: “wow, that was only two acres” as opposed to the ATV thinking: “Wow, that was two acres!”

On the issue of noise, I agree that a stock machine can be heard a ways off. However, the noise can be significantly reduced by using non-standard exhausts. If your goal is to prevent advertisement of your activity, it is time well spent to install a series of mufflers which will deaden the roar of a working engine. That slight drop in horsepower might be worth the relative quiet. This is true of your rear tine tiller as well as any other equipment. As an example, I have an old Onan generator with a high volume double muffler that some guys at a muffler shop helped me rig up. I can stand right next to the thing while it’s running, and carry on a conversation with only slightly raised voices.

Thank you for your efforts, Mr. Rawles! – J.I.C.



Letter Re: Many Weeds are Actually Edible Wild Plants

Mr Rawles,
I read the article “Many Weeds are Actually Edible Plants” with much interest. I am a botanist not a horticulturist. I was trained in the taxonomy of native plants not commercial flowers and such.
Taxonomy is the identification of plants. I did three years work at my school’s botany department doing field research continuing the longest prenuclear botany studies of native plants in the US. I was required to be able to identify by sight more than 1,000 native plants. My taxonomic mentor was Mr. Howard Reynolds, Ph.d., University of Nebraska and former Marine Corpsman, in the Pacific Theater of Operations in WWII.

The article you displayed was commendable and accurate using the correct scientific names.
However it should be noted that common names are a minefield.
The absolute reference book to correct common names is the National List of Scientific Plant Names. [A two-volume set,published by the Soil Conservation Service.]

One of the plants you displayed I know under a different common name.
This is the problem of common names.
Many are regional and have become accepted as correct…
Example: Throughout the plains states there are many thousands of trees called “Chinese Elm”.
This is an incorrect common name.
These trees are in reality the “Siberian Elm”.
Siberian Elms bloom in the spring and the true Chinese Elm tree blooms in the fall.
Because the public has heard these trees called Chinese Elm by their grandparents they assume the name is correct.

Copies of the National List of Scientific Plant Names are available through Amazon.com.

I would like to see all articles that describe plants for some use to identify the source used for the scientific name and the common name.
This is the way diverse people can talk about a common plant and know they are both focusing on the same entity.

Yes, names do change. Regularly-held botanical congresses hear the evidence for projected changes. A panel of taxonomists can recommend a change.
But that happens only once in a blue moon. It is not a common occurrence. With the ability to identify the sequencing of the DNA molecule plants that appear to have small taxonomic differences are frequently given a subspecies identifier.Or noted that they are the “variety described by and a name of the researcher is given”. But DNA analysis can solve this problem and if the differences are significant the two subspecies or varieties are given separate scientific names and the subspecies/variety gets a new common name.

Two ways to be sure a plant is correctly identified:
1. Contact a trained taxonomist or your county agent. who in turn can send your plant specimen to the state university for identification.
2. Learn how to use a real taxonomic key …. which took me two years of classes and many hours in the field to really master

Using common books with pictures can be very frustrating.

Native plants represent a long lost resource that could again become important in a resource stretched world.
Just do not let the complexities of plant identification keep you from learning this skill.
But it takes practice to build a working knowledge of the local plants…so get going now.

Local: here in our town several businesses are showing significant increases in prices, especially groceries. The local lumber yard is having significant problems getting “hardware items”, many being back ordered…but lumber and building materials seem to be plentiful at this point.

I read your postings every day if I am not too tired. Every day I do something to get us ready for a coming time of significant conflictual change. We have facing us a kind of “coercive consensus” descending on us like an upside down tornado. I will be 68 years old on Saturday and never suspected that I would see these kinds of events in the U.S.A.

Best Regards, – JWC in Oklahoma



Economics and Investing:

Frequent content contributor GG sent this: Toxic assets ‘bridge too far’

Also from GG: come this from mainstream (Wall Street Journal) commentator Brett Arends: Is Your Portfolio Ready for Hyperinflation?

Germany Blasts ‘Powers of the Fed’

Reader A.C. flagged this: Experts Fear U.S. Will Suffer Zimbabwe-Level Inflation

From Trapper Mike: Dollar Declines as Nations Mull Reserve Currency Alternative

Items from The Economatrix:

Bernanke: Start Work Now to Curb Deficits “Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the panel’s highest-ranking Republican, raised concerns about the budget deficits and the Fed’s own actions to stimulate the economy, including buying government debt. “This can be a dangerous policy mix,” Ryan warned, adding it could lead to “runaway inflation.” With the recovery likely to be subdued, inflation will remain low, Bernanke predicted.”

Signs of a New Financial Storm for September Coming from Dubai and Saudi Arabia

California’s Day of Reckoning a Warning to Europe

40% Unemployment in the US?

31-Year-Old “Almost Law Student” in Charge of Dismantling GM

Citigroup Stuck with Bernanke Plan Rivals Plan to Refuse

US Newspaper Revenue Slide Continues

GM Shuts Part of US “Arsenal of Democracy” “During its finest hour in World War II, the retooled Willow Run car factory here could make an operational B-24 heavy bomber in just 59 minutes.”

Chinese Students Laugh at Geithner

Stock Market Dissonance: Why The Market No Longer Reflects Main Street Economics And The Dow Jones Industrial Average
“One of the biggest bankruptcies in history occurred on June 1st yet you would not know this by looking at the stock market. In fact, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) shot up by 220 points. If we look at total assets, this is the fourth largest bankruptcy in history. The Dow is made up of 30 companies that show a supposedly wide cross section of the American economy. The company that filed for bankruptcy was General Motors and was actually one of the 30 components. A company that dates back to 1908 and survived the Great Depression. So how can it be that a company that employs 250,000 filing for bankruptcy is actually good for the stock market and makes the DJIA rally so strongly? The easy answer is the stock market no longer reflects the economic reality on main street.”

Dollar Declines as Nations Mull Reserve Currency Alternatives “The dollar weakened beyond $1.43 against the euro for the first time in 2009 on bets [that] record U.S. borrowing will undermine the greenback, prompting nations to consider alternatives to the world’s main reserve currency.”

The Simple Solution (The Mogambo Guru)

Northwestern Mutual Insurance Makes First Gold Buy in 152 Years! [As a hedge against further asset declines] “Gold just seems to make sense; it’s a store of value,” Chief Executive Officer Edward Zore said in an interview following his comments at a conference hosted by Standard & Poor’s in Brooklyn. “In the Depression, gold did very, very well.”



Odds ‘n Sods:

Just one day left! Safecastle‘s 25% Off Mountain House storage food sale ends tomorrow, June 5th. Members will get a free copy of the novel One Second After by William R. Forstchen if they purchase four or more cases of Mountain House foods.

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Has Twilight Come to the Sun Belt?

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Richard at KT Ordnance mentioned this essay: When Guns Are Outlawed … Only Government Will Have Guns

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Marketers Fear Frugality is Here to Stay





Notes from JWR:

The producers of NBC’s Today television show have already interviewed two SurvivalBlog readers, but they are looking for one more family, for a taped segment. They are looking for a “typical suburban survivalist family” somewhere within 200 miles of New York City, for an interview. E-mail: Josh Weiner of NBC.

Today we present the first entry for Round 23 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

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 foods, courtesy of Ready Made Resources.

Second Prize: A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of $350.

Third Prize: A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing.

Round 23 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.



Survival of the Fittest by Mike Hussle

When it comes to preparedness for disasters, people can be very imaginative. Thinking through every possible scenario, difficulty or danger helps them in choices such as, “what type of firearm is the most practical?” “What medicines is it a good idea to have on hand?” Or, “where is a good place to go if it is no longer safe where I live?” These questions are all sound, practical thoughts for anyone who wants to be prudently prepared for emergencies.

One factor, however, largely gets neglected, if not ignored. Perhaps that is because you can’t simply purchase this most central and important factor of preparedness: yourself! Fitness is a huge asset in any dangerous or challenging situation, and is key to coming out on top of a survival situation. If you are reading this but are out of shape, you have some work to do.
Another problem that needs to be addressed is identifying what, exactly, fitness is, and what about fitness better prepares you for survival?

Fitness, like firearms, must be practical to be worthwhile. That is, it must be functional. If it’s not, it isn’t doing you any good. So what is functional fitness? What physical abilities and skills should every person have? And why is this important for survival preparedness, above firearms, food or any other supply gathering?
To demonstrate the point, let’s take a look at two scenarios. As a throwback to many of our childhoods, they are written in a “choose your own adventure” style.

Scenario #1.
In the first scenario, you are walking down a street in the city. Times are tough, and crime is on the rise. Due to legal restrictions, you are unarmed. While you wait to cross a street, two men approach from your right. You turn, and see one of them holding a knife down low. They demand your money. You decide to resist, and in an instant, your plan is to strike the one with the knife and then get out of Dodge.
Option A: Functionally Unfit: You’ve been taking yoga classes and maybe some bicep curls and crunches a few times a week, and you feel pretty strong. You wind up, and put those “strong arms” to use. The blow you land surprises the man, but it barely moves him. You turn and run. Adrenaline’s pumping, but after only fifty yards of sprinting, you’re winded. The two men catch up. The End
Option B: Functionally Fit: You’ve been doing old fashioned core lifts (dead lift, squats, etc.) along with gymnastic and military exercise, and even interval running mixed in. You wind up- your powerful lower body muscles generate a huge amount of force, transferring it through your strong core into your arms. The blow you land comes from your whole body, which you have learned to use properly. The man is on the ground with a busted nose. You still run, because the other man might be armed, and knives cut strong people too. After a quarter mile, you’re still going strong, but your assailants have slowed down, winded. You round the corner and lose them for good.

Scenario #2.
During the Trojan War, Aeneas needed to escape the city with his family and other survivors. The Greeks were massacring, raping, looting and destroying so to stay was a death sentence. Aeneas’ father was an elderly man, incapable of keeping up with the group as it fled the carnage.
Option A: Functionally Unfit Aeneas: Aeneas has a weak lower back, and cannot lift his father, let alone carry him. He must choose to either abandon him to a certain death, or walk slowly with him, until they are both captured and killed. The End.
Option B: Functionally Fit Aeneas: Aeneas is of sound body, and is physically trained and ready for battle. His strength is not about looks but about ability. When his father falls behind, he picks him up, carrying him with his strong back and legs, and not only keeps up with, but leads the others to safety.

These scenarios should hopefully paint a picture of how important real fitness is in emergency situations. There is more to evaluate, of course. Ask yourself the following questions: Could you subdue an attacker? Could you carry a wounded person to safety? Save a drowning man? Can you lift a heavy load? Carry heavy gear for a long distance? Are you capable of hard manual labor for long times? Can you climb? Can you catch someone you’re pursuing, or escape pursuit yourself? Could you survive in the wild? In an emergency, are you more of an asset or a burden to others?

In evaluating yourself, are you sounding more like a warrior or more like a weakling? Capable of coming to others’ aid, or incapable of even defending yourself?
The problem is, this is the point where most of us (guys especially) lie to ourselves. Admitting weaknesses or even pulling your head out of you-know-where enough to see your weaknesses is a difficult thing. As a man, I know that most of us guys would prefer to ignore the question, or inflate our heads with bicep curls and other non-functional exercise built for looks. For women, this is also a big temptation- to either do nothing, or to do everything with their dress size in mind instead of their overall athletic ability.
Functionality shines a light on our physical condition, and in a way, on the condition of our character. Take, on the one hand, the couch potato. His flab, his atrophied muscle and pathetic lack of stamina are the physical manifestations of his laziness and lack of discipline.

On the other hand, you have the bodybuilder. He can bench 400 lbs, but he can’t run a mile. He dead-lifts huge weights with a hex bar and a belt, but he can’t lift a heavy object in real life without hurting his back. He works hard for a beach body, but what good does it do him? His hard work has been for the wrong reasons, and his lack of functional fitness is because he was too vain to let go of exercises designed to make him look better.

Functionality brings clarity, helping us to see what’s important, and humility, helping us to make an honest assessment of our own strengths and weaknesses.
Functional fitness is well rounded. Strength is important, but so is endurance. Power is important, but so is stamina. There are multiple ways we can evaluate our fitness. One very good list was written by Bruce Evans and Jim Cawley of Dynamax, Inc. It has been adopted by well known groups and is a good, rounded list of skills and capacities every person should have.
1. Cardiovascular/Respiratory Endurance – the ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen
2. Stamina – the ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.
3. Strength – the ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units to apply force.
4. Flexibility – the ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint.
5. Power – the ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.
6. Speed – the ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.
7. Coordination – the ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movements.
8. Agility – the ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.
9. Balance – the ability to control the placement of the body’s center of gravity in relation to its support base.
10. Accuracy – the ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.

Having looked at what skills or capacities men should have, what exercises help us achieve those? There isn’t room in one article to list and describe all of the many great exercises that are functional, but for further reference, we list, explain and discuss these, as well as daily workouts at my web site. For the time being, we will list some fundamental exercises, and some basic principles of functional fitness. After that, we’ll take a look at how this can be done at home, for little to no expense.

Example Exercises:
1. Front Squat
2. Romanian Deadlift/Deadlift
3. Kettlebell Swings
4. Overhead Press
5. Pullups
6. Pushups
7. Ring Pushups/Bench Press

Body Mechanics and the Real World:
Programs based on aesthetics tend to use movements that isolate muscles. But the body was designed such that multiple muscle groups work together. Furthermore, in real life, very seldom will you lift or move anything without using multiple muscle groups. While this doesn’t mean every isolation movement is therefore useless, it does mean that exercise should be focused upon compound and whole-body movements.

Fiber Over Filler:
Most non-functional exercise programs utilize a 3×10 format: three sets of ten repetitions (“reps”) of each exercise. This is the bread-and-butter of a program designed to maximize the growth of muscle cells mainly by way of the fluid in the cell. The strength gains made this way are not proportionate to the size gains.
A functional exercise program chooses performance over appearance. To build strength it utilizes a low repetition, high weight format. This maximizes the growth of the muscle cell primarily via the number of muscle fibers within the cell. This will build muscle size too, but it is primarily geared towards gains in strength-to-mass ratio (i.e., how strong you are for your size).

Stamina
A functional program also makes use of very high repetition, low weight movements. This is done to build endurance, stamina, etc. This cannot be overlooked, because strength is only good as long as it lasts.

Intensity.
If the exercise you’re doing is comfortable, you’re not getting anything done. Without challenging yourself – without pushing yourself to a level that is genuinely hard for you, what are you doing? Because you’re not progressing.

Au-Natural.
In exercising – particularly in a functional way – you are saying you care about your body, your potential, and living more as God intended. There’s some irony, then, when our steps back towards our natural design and fulfillment are made with machines, fancy equipment and chemical supplements. If we’re moving towards a fulfillment of how we were designed, why do we need those things? What we are able to accomplish with simple gear, our bodies themselves, and with our surroundings in nature can be as good as and even better than with treadmills, hydraulics, isolation machines and so on. Why run on a treadmill if you can run outside? Why run on a flat surface if you can run on a trail? Why seek out fancy or even gimmicky gear when simple, rugged, time tested gear – or even no gear at all – can work so well?

Premium Fuel.
Closely aligned with the notion that the closer to natural movement, the better, is the basic premise of simple natural diet:
If you can’t pronounce it, don’t consume it.
A simple diet consisting of as much whole foods and as little processed foods as possible is a realistic step towards letting our bodies function as God intended. Fueling our bodies with simple, natural foods will fuel us the same way we have been fueled since the dawn of time.

Austere is Good.
Gym memberships are prohibitively expensive. Owning your own fancy equipment is no better. Most people are at times like these scrimping to invest wisely into supplies they may need in emergencies or hard times. Expensive gear just doesn’t fit into that plan. However, as said above, expensive gear is neither necessary nor what is best. So what are some types of gear that are functional and inexpensive?
For those that can afford it, this gear is absolutely the best “bang for your buck”:
1. Olympic lifting set- an Olympic bar plus solid rubber bumper plates. Nothing beats this for safe, amazingly effective training. If not, an iron-set is an ok alternative- just be careful with it!
2. Kettlebells – kettlebells are the “AK-47” of fitness. They can be used for strength, power and stamina. They are getting more common on the market, which means prices are coming down.
3. Pull-up bar- whether for hanging in a doorway or outside, a bar to practice pullups on is absolutely essential for training those upper back muscles- so important yet so underrated!
4. Gymnastic rings- these can be used for everything from pullups to other drills to strengthen your chest, arms, and especially your core! Hang them from your deck, rafters, a stout tree branch, and you’re good to go! Rings are also very portable, which is a plus for those that need a gym in a backpack.
5. Dumbbells- these are on the bottom of the list, but they are practical and relatively easy to find. Even Wal-Mart has them. [JWR Adds: Used weight sets are often available free for the asking, via Craigslist or Freecycle.]

If you do not have any money budgeted for gear, or if you want to supplement on the cheap, you can make very, very effective gear from items at hardware stores like Home Depot!
1. Sandbags- These are the biggest, most all around useful money saver in a do-it-yourself gym. Get yourself an army surplus duffel. Better yet, get two. Go to a hardware store and buy yourself several bags of either sand or wood stove pellets. If you choose sand, wrap them again in contractor grade trash bags. Place the amount of weight you want into your duffels. You now hold a super-tool. Any of the basic Olympic, core strength lifts or kettlebell motions can be performed with this ultra simplistic bag.
2. Pull-up bar- no, this is on both lists on purpose. You can easily make your own pullups bar with some steel pipe from the plumbing section. Place it between some deck columns, between rafters, etc. $10-to-$12 gets you a solid bar to strengthen your upper body.
3. Your own body! While bodyweight training is not the end-all-be-all, it can accomplish a very great deal. Gymnasts are incredibly strong, and this is with years of bodyweight training. Your body comes with you, and any space where you can move at all becomes the gym. Check out Fatal Fitness for examples of bodyweight training.

Sound Mind, Sound Body.
In training physically, you are also preparing yourself mentally (and in a way, spiritually) for any difficulty that you might face. Overcoming extremely challenging tasks, overcoming laziness, the need for comfort… all of that will form your character, so that when exceptionally difficult times come, you will be strong enough to adapt and survive. Improve yourself, harden yourself! Take on the challenge; prepare yourself for whatever may come. Whether that means a survival or emergency situation, or simply living your life more fully now, it is worth it! Dive in to functional fitness, and watch as you begin to transform into a stronger person, more able to deal with anything!

About the Author: Mike Hussle is Vice President of Fatal Fitness. He has trained many people in strength and overall conditioning, for sports, military preparation, and general health and wellness. He is also the founder of DailyStrong.com. This article was adapted from a chapter of his upcoming book, “Austerity.”



Letter Re: Walking Tractors and Similar Powered Farming Implements

When I saw the Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) mentioned in SurvivalBlog, I couldn’t help but notice how similar it was to the rigs used by a lot of farmers in Thailand (and I would assume a lot of other places in Asia). When traveling around Thailand I couldn’t help but notice what appeared to be effectively motorized donkeys. Men had them rigged to trailers.

A little research showed that they are known as “Walking Tractors”, are made all over the planet, the and serve the same function as the BUV. One thing that I like about the idea of using them is their interchangeability of parts. Assuming your trailer gets hit by a truck, your tractor is still good. If your tractor is breaks down, you attach your trailer to a mule.You can hook up, plows, trailers, tillers, and every other sort of thing you may find useful on a tractor

Some Images of Walking Tractors:

There is one in here that has a nice image of some guys hauling logs using them

Clear image of a trailer for Walking Tractors

Regards, – Jeff C.

JWR Replies: These next two items were first posted in the early days of SurvivalBlog (circa October, 2005) regarding rear-tine tiller/tractors and ATVs:

 

The Micro-Farm Tractor, by “Fanderal”

My goal, like so many of us, is to be able to pre-bugout, to a retreat I can live on full time. I dream of having a few acres out in the country where I can mostly support myself on what can be produced on my own land. When I first started to think about it, and plan for it, the first question of course is “How much land?” After getting past the obvious answer, “As much as possible”, came the more reasonable answer of: “enough to do accomplish my primary goal of optimal self-sufficiency.” After more study I came to realize that five or so acres is about all I could really work. Five acres, when worked intensively, will produce far more than a family of four can consume. This five acres would contain everything, House, Barn, a one to two acre garden, chickens, Rabbits, Goats, et cetera.

So having settled on five to seven acres, I turned to the issue of what tools, equipment, and other assets would be needed to make my micro-farm work. Beyond the usual hand tools. And shop tools, my research led me to study power equipment appropriate for the Micro-Farm. What I found was the Two-Wheel, or “Walk-behind” Tractor. A good example of the class is the BCS 852 with a 10 horsepower diesel engine. It has a single cylinder engine mounted in front of a trans axle. The Trans axle drives a pair of wheels that are from 3.5 to 6.5 inches wide, and 8 to 12 inches in diameter. It is also equipped with front and rear Power Takeoffs (PTOs) used to transfer power to a variety of implements. For me this is the optimum retreat utility tractor. To justify that statement I need to go into a bit more detail as to why. As with all things, this selection is based on my plans and intentions, but I believe that they are generic enough to qualify as a general solution for most people, but as always Your Mileage may Vary (YMMV).

The factors I am taking into consideration are:

Size of Farm.
Number of people available to work it.
Safety
Maintainability
Fuel availability/economy
Life expectancy under the projected load

The truth is most of us have not, or will not be able to acquire more than five to 10 acres of land. If you can get more, fine, get it; you can’t have too much land, but you can leave yourself short on other things by buying more land than you really need, or can work.
In most cases the garden will be run by just one or two people, either because of off farm employment or the kids may be grown and gone before you make the move. People that are already doing this will tell you that one to two acres, if worked as intensively as is reasonably possible is all one person can handle. If you have more land, then you have the option of bartering produce, for labor to work more acres. But I would still keep it in two-acre units.
The core concept of survivalism/preparedness is independence; you can’t be independent if you can’t do most, if not all the maintenance yourself. While yes, most anyone with any mechanical aptitude at all can work on most regular tractors, however they have four times as many cylinders, fuel injectors, and fuel lines, twice as many tires, use much more fuel, and mostly are too much tool for two to five acres.

When the world ends there will be no more fuel deliveries from anywhere, and if there are then they will be prohibitively expensive. So you need a fuel that you can produce yourself, to me this means biodiesel. It’s a fuel you can make yourself; it will substitute directly into the tank with no modifications to the engine, and gives almost exactly the same performance, as regular diesel.

So with these concepts in mind I started thinking about what the ideal tool would be. I eliminated most regular four wheeled tractors like the Ford 9N and the International Harvester (IH) Farmalls because to buy one of their modern counterparts new is very expensive, and to find parts for older ones that you can buy on the cheap can also be expensive. While there has been a lot of development in compact and subcompact tractors in the last few years, they are mostly compact technical wonders that have all kinds of computerized fuel injection systems, high volume, high pressure hydraulics, and just lots and lots of things that need to be maintained or fixed. Simplicity is crucial.
My search for information about small farm tractors, as with most things today, started online. I started from the position that a Walk-behind Tractor would be the optimum choice because on the surface it met two of the most important criteria, Fuel requirements, and maintainability. The most important question remained, how much land could be worked with it and still expect it to last a lifetime.

Dean M., one of my online sources, who has actually been running a Market Garden since 1989, says that much of that time was spent downsizing his garden to it’s current 1.5 acres. According to Dean,one to two acres is about all one person can work, when trying to maximize the production of a garden. The general consensus is, that the limit on how large a garden you could work with one of these machines,is really set by how much labor was available, rather than the capacity of the machine. To answer that question I needed input from an expert. In my web search I found many companies that make and sell this kind of equipment, but they are almost all overseas. Of the domestic companies most only sell Walk-behinds as a sideline. I found Earth Tools, a company in Owenton, Kentucky, which specializes in small-scale commercial agriculture equipment. Joel Dufour founded Earth Tools in 1977, and all they sell is Walk-behind tractors. .

I asked Mr. Dufour about the capability, capacity, and requirements of walk behind tractors for a TEOTWAWKI scenario. He recommended not the largest one he sells, the 948 but rather the model 852, which comes with an optional 10 hp diesel engine. He says the 852s are far more versatile than the 948. Based on what his customers are actually doing with the units, and have been doing for nearly 30 years he gave me the following information about capabilities, and requirements of these units.
You can work up to two acres of Market garden per person, and/or about 15 acres of Haying for livestock. With proper preventative maintenance, used in a commercial agricultural operation, a tractor like he sells will last 20+ years. They can haul up to one ton on a two-wheel trailer. Depending on the specific task, running 8 hrs on a gallon of fuel is possible. He has several customers that make their own biodiesel and run their 852s on it, and have reported no problems.

When it comes to maintenance requirement the diesel engines are designed for 5,000 hours TBO (Time Between Overhauls), and are meant to be rebuilt twice before replacing crankshafts or connecting rods. That means that the engines have a 15,000 hr life span minimum (with proper maintenance). For routine maintenance they only use 1.5 quarts of oil per change, which needs to be done every 75 ours or annually–whichever comes first. The oil filter is cleanable and the air filter is replaceable. The conical clutch lasts 1,000 – 2,000 hrs, and can be replaced in less than 2 hrs. All maintenance, including overhauls can be done with regular hand tools, the only exception being one $25 tool for working on the transmission if it’s ever needed.

One point that Mr. Dufour thinks is undersold is safety. He pointed out that one of the most common fatal accidents on a farm is a tractor rollover. When operating one of these units on a slope, even if you were on the downhill side of the machine, and you couldn’t get out of the way, they only weight about 300 lbs, so it is very unlikely you would suffer a life threatening injury. Where as with even the smallest of standard tractors if it rolls over on you, death is the very likely outcome.

So let’s look at how these machines match my original requirements:

Size of Farm:
A 10 HP machine will work as much land as most of us will be able to get, and work, without being too big for the job.
Number of people available to work the land:
The constraint is number of people vs. planting/harvesting schedule; again it is well matched to the 5 to 15 acres, with which most of us will wind up.
Maintainability:
There is nothing that the owner can’t do on these machines, from routine maintenance to a complete overhaul, which would require more than basic mechanics hand tools, and one inexpensive specialty tool.
Safety: I don’t care how much the machine can do or how well it does it, the one thing that you absolutely cannot afford in the post-TEOTWAWKI world, is an injury. So the machine that is least likely to cause me harm is way up on my list
Fuel availability/economy:
These units can be had with Gas, or Diesel engines. Gas engines can be run on alcohol with modification. Diesel engines can be run on biodiesel without modification.
Life expectancy under the projected load:
You can work as much acreage as you have time and people to work without over working the tractor. They are truly an agricultural grade machines, not glorified Home duty units.
While I’m not trying to sell this particular tractor, however if we use its characteristics as a baseline then I think it is fare to say that a diesel Walk-behind Tractor would make an ideal vehicle for a Micro-farm. It is the core power unit for almost all farm tasks, can be adapted to do just about anything else that requires up to 10 HP; from electrical generation to pumping water, with the right connection to the PTO. It also meets or exceeds the core requirements that I laid out at the beginning. This is not to say that there might not be other machines that would also work, but if you are starting from scratch like most of us, then this is a good objective solution.
Related info:
http://www.earthtoolsbcs.com/
http://www.chelseagreen.com/1989/items/neworganicgrower
http://www.bcsshop.com/
http://www.adriatica-grifo.it/g/main.htm

JWR Adds: 
From the standpoint of a small acreage survival retreat, a walk-behind tiller/tractor makes a lot of sense. When the Schumer hits the fan, fuel will be at a premium, so it is logical to get something that will give you maximum useful work with minimum fuel consumption. And as Fanderal mentioned, they will also minimize tractor rollover accidents. This is especially important at a retreat with a lot of newbies. (Just because you are accustomed to thinking “safety first” at all times doesn’t mean that your recently-transplanted Big City friends and cousins will be!) 

If you need to cultivate significantly larger acreage, then a full-size tractor makes sense, but only of course with significantly more training and more voluminous fuel storage.  BTW, the new “crawler” (rubber tracked) tractors have a lower center of gravity that traditional wheeled tractors and hence are much less prone to rollovers.

I used a gas engine Troy-Bilt Horse tiller for several years and found it very reliable. The BCS products are made in Milan, Italy. At a list price of $3,799, these are not cheap.  But if you go with the principle of “buying something sturdy and reliable once, versus buying something flimsy, multiple times”, then this sort of purchase makes sense. To get the most for your money, shop around for a slightly used, diesel-powered unit.

One other consideration: Tractors are noisy and can be heard from a long distance. Wear hearing protection whenever operator a tractor or tiller.  In a post-TEOTWAWKI survival situation, this may mean one individual wearing earmuffs operating the tractor, and another individual that is concealed 50 to 100 yards away, on dedicated security duty.  (Otherwise, operating noisy equipment like a tractor or chainsaw might be a noisy invitation to get bushwhacked.)

Here are some additional useful URLs:
http://www.groworganic.com/item_GT034_.html
http://www.wikco.com/bcsfeaturesg.html

Here was a letter in reply:

Jim:
In response to the excellent article, “The Micro-Farm Tractor”, I have to say my best bet for all-around small farm tool would be the diesel all terrain vehicle (ATV). ATVs have quickly infiltrated into many farms today, as haulers, sprayers, snowplows, transport, and so on. You can purchase many available farm accessories that make it into the equivalent of a mini-tractor, as well has many hunting related accessories, since they appeal to the hunter’s market as well, like gun racks, camo, storage, and essential noise-cutting mufflers (very effective units can be had at Cabela’s). I would suggest a diesel unit, since they are longer lasting, more reliable, and you can use stored (for several years with proper preservation) or improvised diesel (biodiesel.)  I was out elk hunting last year in foul weather and I immediately saw the advantage hunters had getting around in the muck with an ATV. If we had actually taken an elk, we would have had to spend all weekend hauling pieces of it out! (In a way we were glad we didn’t get one where we were hunting, seven miles down a mucky old road, with steep hills to the right and a steep ravine to the left). With an ATV, we could have gotten a whole animal out in one or two goes, with a lot less slogging in the muck. Just make sure you’ve got a winch, and maybe even a come-along. Also, many of the hunters were able to cruise with an ATV on trails that would (and have) gotten me stuck in the mud. To sum it up, I plan on purchasing one or two as soon as our move to a few acres of rural property in southern utah is completed early next year to use as my mini-tractor, hunting companion, snow plow, all-around hauler and 4 wheel drive short distance transport. – Dustin

JWR Replies:  In addition to biodiesel, you can also legally use home heating oil if operating off road. (The only significant differences between diesel and home heating oil are the “no tax cheating” added dye and the standard for ash content.) There are several options for diesel-powered ATVs. These include:

The Kawasaki Mule.

and,

The John Deere Gator.

(The U.S. Army Special Forces uses John Deere Gators, but I’m not sure if that’s because they are the best ones made, or just because of a “Buy American”  contracting clause.

Note: Polaris also made a diesel quad back around 2002, but they were reportedly problematic, so they were quickly discontinued.



Mexican Flu Update:

Swine Flu Pandemic Likely to Hit UK tn Early Autumn Before Vaccine Ready John Oxford, Prof. of Virology at St. Bartholomew’s said “the number of cases in Britain unrelated to travel suggested the H1N1 virus was “silently spreading around. When children go back to school in September the virus has an opportunity, and normally it takes it. That’s the scenario we should prepare for and that’s what we are preparing for.”

Swine Summer Spread Raises Pandemic Concerns

WHO official says world edging towards pandemic



Economics and Investing:

GG sent this: Europe Unemployment Rate Rises to Highest Since 1999

Also from GG; India Exports Fall by Record Amid Global Recession

Wow! Spot silver is pushing $16 per ounce. I stand by my long-term prediction: The Dollar in the dumpster, and silver “sky high.” Note that there will probably be another sell-off during the upcoming Summer Doldrums for the precious metals. It is just about as predictable as the hills turningbrown golden in California each summer. Just look at that dip as another buying opportunity.

Items from The Economatrix:

Peter Schiff: Wall Street Unspun

GM Bankruptcy Watch: Woe to Main Street Bondholders


GM to Sell Hummer to Chinese Company

Getting Out of GM While the Getting is Good

GM Bankruptcy Spells Disaster For Small Suppliers

GM, CitiGroup Removed From Dow Jones Industrial Index (Gee, this ongoing index shuffle sure makes everyone included smell like a rose–when in actuality the “missing” companies smell more like fertilizer.)

Consumer Spending Dips, Savings Rates Surge

Silver Posts Biggest Monthly Gains in 22 Years

To Hell in a Bond Basket

Chapman: Gold To Stand Against Big Devaluations “What we are about to tell you may be the most important information that we have imparted in almost 50 years. something very bad is looming – we don’t know the exact configuration yet, but we think the key is the collapse of the dollar, which will send gold and silver to considerably higher prices. These events could unfold over the next 2 to 4 months. There could be devaluation and default of the US dollar and American debt. You must have at least a 6-month supply of freeze dried and dehydrated foods, a water filer for brackish water, and assault weapons with plenty of ammo and clips. You should put as much of your wealth as you can in gold and silver coins and shares. You should not own any stocks in the stock market except gold and silver shares, you should not own bonds the exception being Canadian government securities, you should not own CDs, cash value life insurance policies and annuities. And, needless to say, except for your home you should be totally out of real estate, residential and commercial because it will remain illiquid for many years to come.”

Peter Schiff Vlog Report 29 May 2009



Odds ‘n Sods:

Safecastle‘s semi-annual 25% Off Mountain House storage food sale ends on June 5th. Members will get a free copy of the novel One Second After by William R. Forstchen if they purchase four or more cases of Mountain House foods.

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Cheryl and Brett both sent this: Study: Global Recession Making World More Violent, Unstable

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More news from Cousin Kim’s Proletarian Paradise of Paranoia: North Korea Nuke Progress Sign Of “Dark Future”, and North Korea Preparing to Fire ICBM

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Reader “OSOM” mentioned that Gary North has just launched a free web site, Deliverance from Debt, to help Christians get out of the debt trap. It would also doubtless be useful for non-Christians.