Baby Steps, by Doctus

If you have seen the movie What About Bob can in some way relate to the OCD character Bob and cannot help but laugh at his ridiculous antics.  The funniest and perhaps most well known scene is when Bob meets with the psychiatrist and receives what would become the most famous cinema prescription, “Baby steps.”  When trying to conquer any fear, or overcome difficult circumstances in any situation, we need the same advice, baby steps.

I was just recently introduced to the SurvivalBlog. Upon first reading it, the amount of information is daunting.  The amount of preparation for TEOTWAWKI is virtually insurmountable.  If not for the even greater fear of current events and the real possibility of societal collapse, I would have “x-ed” out of the survival blog, never to have returned.  But I took baby steps, read a few articles, and am still overwhelmed by the amount of preparation I need to do. 

I was born and raised in Northern Virginia.  For any reader not familiar with the area, “inside the beltway” is as urban as the District itself and as yuppie as Hollywood.  The closest thing us Northern Virginians come to experiencing nature is the Cougar living down the road driving her Jaguar to her “green” McMansion.  We have no sense of the reality of nature.  Our lawns are professionally groomed by the company our HOA hires.  We cannot cultivate a green thumb by planting a bush without prior approval from the HOA.  Having a vegetable garden in your backyard, let it be anathema!  To eat healthy or even naturally, one must ride their bike down to the local Whole Foods and carry their produce back in an environmentally friendly reusable bag. Survival techniques like fishing and hunting include buying fish sticks from the frozen food section and hitting a deer with your car on the way home.  The Northern Virginia lifestyle has no resemblance to a traditional agrarian lifestyle nor does it teach the age old techniques of survival.  So you can now imagine my raison d’être for hyperventilating and the necessary prescription, Baby steps!

Where do I begin and what baby steps do I now need to take?  What I intend to do in this article is tell briefly my story of survival preparation thus far, and then explain my “baby step” survival plan for those urbanites/suburbanites who have yet to begin any preparations. My survival preparation began unknowingly the week after the last presidential election.  Fearing strict new gun laws, I went to the local sporting goods store and purchased my first gun, a Remington 870 Express. Known for its versatile capabilities and simplistic construction, I decided this was going to be the right gun that could do it all. Although there are many other guns that would better suit certain individual activities better, like hunting or protection, I can hunt and protect myself with my shotgun. I do not need a multiplicity of guns, just different kinds of ammo.  My unknowing TEOTWAWKI preparation continued with a free subscription to Field and Stream Magazine.  In my opinion it is the ultimate outdoorsman magazine with so many useful tips and interesting stories. This subscription sparked that outdoorsman/survival instinct in me.  I began to read and learn about fishing and hunting.  This past November I went hunting for my first time.   While the experience was exhilarating, the stark reality of my inability and lack of skill was clear. I am fortunate in that I live very close to the NRA’s headquarters and Bull Run Shooting Center, a range that is considered one of the best on the east coast for sporting clays.  I frequent both with increasing regularity becoming more familiar with my shotgun. I have also become and avid fisherman, going out to the lake any chance I get.  I purchased for the first time a fishing license allowing me to fish in fresh water, salt water, and fish for trout (Virginia requires different licenses for each). I invested in fishing gear that is good beginner gear and economical at the same time.  I have tried different lures and baits and I am on my way to perfecting my casting and retrieval techniques.  Finally, I purchased a National Parks pass.  This pass grants me entrance into any of the nation’s National Parks.  My hiking trips have increased in number and in scope.  I began at the “bunny hill”, Great Falls National Park and have since graduated to some of the more difficult trails in Skyline National Park.  Why on earth am I telling you, dear reader, about my hobbies?  What does this have to do with TEOTWAWKI? 

Step 1
I think the first step for any survival plan and TEOTWAWKI preparations is familiarity with the environment that we will most likely be forced to live in and survive by.  Imagine any disaster situation.  It is one thing to have a whole lot of gear prepared, but if you don’t know how to use it, what’s the use?  Cultivate that inner outdoorsman survivalist.  Go hiking; buy a gun and go shooting; go fishing.  While becoming the outdoor enthusiast and purchasing gear, keep in mind that you might need to survive on this one day so get something that is versatile.  Buy a gun that can be used to hunt deer, rabbits (or squirrels), and birds. By changing the choke and ammo, my Remington 870 gives me the ability to hunt all three of these animals. When you purchase a fishing pole, get a pole that is strong enough to catch the big channel catfish, and yet light enough to catch trout.  Remember, if you are forced to survive, the chances you will be able to have a plethora of fishing poles is slim to none. My suggestion in this area would be a medium action Ugly Stick.  It holds a 6-10lbs line and is known for its strength and sensitivity while at the same time being only moderately priced (about $40).  A 6 lb line is about the heaviest you would want for catching trout. But you would also be able to catch a bass on the same line.  You could change it out with a heavier line and catch really big bass or catfish.  But it’s all done with one rod and one reel. Another major benefit of learning the art of fishing, aside from the fish you will catch, is you learn the art of knot tying.  Knots will be used in all sorts of survival circumstances from catching animals and hanging up meat from a tree limb to getting yourself across a swollen river or down a steep cliff.  Begin to hike, even if it ends up being in the small local community parks.  You will need to figure out what type of hiking shoes do not hurt your feet and will hold up for the miles of hiking you might be forced to do. I own a pair of low cut Merrell’s, while the rest of my family swears by L.L. Bean. To each his own! Figure out your brand. 

Step 2
Step two of my “baby step” survival plan is to prepare for two weeks at a time.  I battled despair when I first happened upon this blog. I read article after article by those who had a two year supply of food, a cabin out in the woods, a root cellar, etc.  I kept asking myself, “How on earth will I ever be as prepared as these people?”  Living in Northern Virginia, how can I gain the necessary skills to survive “off the grid?” Baby steps!  Preparing a two week food supply is a whole lot easier than to trying to prepare for a whole month or two months.  It takes time to build up the food reserves and the other necessary equipment.  Take it two weeks at a time.  Prepare for the first two week with a bug out bag.  Then prepare for another two weeks.  Then prepare for another two weeks after that.  Eventually you will have prepared the necessary food and supplies to last you the two years plus that others on this blog already have.  I’m not going to try to reinvent the wheel by trying to list what I think you would need for a two week bug out bag.  There are many a fine article on this site which are more comprehensive than I could hope to be. Another point to consider while making two week preparations is your action plan.  Try to imagine all the situations that could happen and then asses the area you live in.  Lets pretend for a moment that you live in Old Town Alexandria just across the river from DC.  The likely hood that DC is the epicenter of the disaster is great.  You live on the river, a stone’s throw from what could potentially be ground zero.  What do you do?  Do you bug in or do you bug out?  If you bug out, where do you go? When making these kinds of plans, you must always keep family and friends in mind.   Will you quickly move to a relatives or friends house and combine efforts? Will you bug in there for two weeks and assess the situation from there?  Should you immediately decide to bug out, is there a spot out in the country that is your prearranged meeting place? When you are surviving, you have to take it day by day.  When you are planning, take it week by week.

Step 3
Finally, the last baby step in survival preparation is religion.  There is the very real possibility that you will not survive the TEOTWAWKI event and you will quickly be sent to meet your Maker.  Will the years of prepared food and survival skills matter when you are standing before the Divine Judge?  If you do survive TEOTWAWKI event, the Lord will be your shepherd guiding you through those dark valleys.  Your soul’s preparation is just as necessary.  If you don’t practice any faith, now would be a really good time to start.  If you already practice your religion with firm belief, take that conviction from firm to rock solid.  I am a cradle Catholic and by the grace of God, have always been firm in my convictions.  But I also know that I am a sinner and miss the multitude of opportunities presented to me every day to prove my love for the Lord.  In the difficult situations, will I have the serenity and fortitude of Job, or will I deny Christ like Peter did? Religion and faith is a hard thing to acquire and perfect.  Take it a week at a time.  If you don’t already go to church, start going on Sundays.  It may be boring at first, but the effort will eventually pay off.  If you already go to Church, then pick up the scriptures once during the week and read a chapter from the Gospels. If this is something you are already accustomed to doing every day, spend a little extra time in meditation or prayer.  Take the time now to get know the Lord so that when you are forced to rely on Him, you are relying on a friend rather than a stranger. 

Toward the end of the movie “What about Bob”, OCD Bob is well on his way to conquering his fears.  The one scene that comes to mind is of him sailing.  He is tied to the mast of the ship with life preservers all around him and he is exclaiming “I’m sailing!”  He was only able to overcome his fears by taking baby steps.  Take baby steps in your TEOTWAWKI preparations and you, like Bob, will do what you thought was unachievable and be able say “I’m prepared.”

Letter Re: Advice on Insuring Survival Gear

Hi.
I have a question that I haven’t found the answer to yet on your site (which I read every day.) I have over $40,000 in storage food and survival supplies. I was wondering about insuring it with my homeowners insurance. I doubt my company would believe me if a fire or tornado destroyed everything. If I take out a supplemental addition to my insurance there goes OPSEC. Should I just take pictures on everything and store them off site? What are your thoughts on this? Thanks for all the great information. – Nancy S.

JWR Replies: Many homeowner’s policies are written with “matching coverage” to the effect of: “If you house is worth $250,000, then we’ll cover $250,000 worth of your household goods.” I should mention that most policies specifically exclude precious metals, without buying a separate “rider” policy. (Be sure to check your policy, for details!)

To keep your other gear insured stealthily, I recommend that you save all of you receipts and scan them. Also shoot digital pictures of all of your stored gear. create a file with descriptions and serial numbers of the most expensive items. Make two backup copies of those files, on memory sticks. Hide one of the sticks at your retreat, and the other one at a trusted friend’s house.

Letter Re: House Passes Power Grid Protection Bill

James Wesley:
The House of Representatives yesterday passed the “Grid Reliability and Infrastructure Defense Act” which is “intended to bolster that national electric grid against terrorist attacks, cyber threats, electromagnetic
pulse weapons and solar storms. The Act authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to issue emergency orders to protect critical electric infrastructure, and to take other measures to address current
and potential vulnerabilities.”

Given the speed at which government moves, I don’t think I’ll be unpacking my bug out bag or getting rid of my food stores! – Michael H.

Economics and Investing:

Evan D. mentioned this article: Next bubble: Corporate bonds..or stocks

The BBC reports: Finland in double-dip recession. (Our thanks to Evan D. for the link.)

By way of The Daily Bell, we read: Britain Becomes The First To Choose Deflation

Reader S.M. sent us this: Bernanke Puzzled by Gold Rally. Obviously, Helicopter Ben doesn’t understand that gold is a proven hedge against both inflation and deflation. Thankfully, Mr. Market isn’t fooled by such political pronouncements. When I last checked, spot gold was at around €1,018 per troy ounce. This is near its all-time high in Euro terms. In my estimation, the precious metals are nowhere near their eventual top!

Schultz: Deflation Now, Hyperinflation Soon

Items from The Economatrix:

IMF’s Unpalatable Truth: Euro Must “Reform Or Die”

Europeans Believing in Gold

Gold Breaks Record as Investors Fear Recession, Currencies

Bernanke Tells Congress: Reduce The Deficit

Risks to Global Economy Have Risen Significantly

Euro Crisis Could Hit Asia, IMF Warns

Perspectives on Gold Demand

Debt Spreading “Like a Cancer”: Black Swan Author

Soros: “We Have Just Entered Act II of the Crisis”

Fearing the US Dollar

Odds ‘n Sods:

Brandy down in Bianchiland suggested this piece in the Los Angeles Times: Economic Slump Stirs Up Homemade Preserves Industry

   o o o

RNS mentioned this troubling news from Sweden: Robberies raise prospect of retail cash ban. What great logic. So if they ban water, there’d be no more drownings!

   o o o

Roger Y. suggested this article: Doorstep bank raids plague cash-loving Argentina

   o o o

One of our former advertisers, BulletProofME.com, currently has a special on their overstock of US-made Interceptor vest nylon outershells. These are in camouflage. They are just $20 each if you mention SurvivalBlog when you call. If you previously took advantage of their Interceptor vest special via SurvivalBlog, this is a great chance to get a spare carrier, or to add another color. These are also good load bearing vests. They have lots of MOLLE loops on the front, plus a big Rifle Plate Pocket / hydration pouch on the rear.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“It is a blessing upon every one that feareth the Lord, and walks in His ways, that he shall eat the labor of his hands. And he that without his own labor either of body or mind eats the labor of other men’s hands only, and lives by their sweat, is but like unto lice, and other such vermin.” – John Robinson, “Observations of Knowledge and Virtue”

Notes from JWR:

Back on May 1st, shortly after the big oil leak started in the Gulf, I was one of the first to broach the subject of nuking it. Well, lo and behold, the mainstream media has finally caught on. Recently, they’ve been earnestly interviewing Milo Nordyke, formerly with Lawrence Lab’s Plowshare program. I just heard that CNN will be airing an interview with Nordyke today.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 29 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 29 ends on July 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.

Colloquium (CQ) Groups–Part One, by H.B. in North Central Idaho

The Beginning

CQ has a unique definition to many people.  One military and another for the Amateur Radio (“ham”) community.  I’d like to add another definition for CQ.  CQ to us refers to our local community preparedness group that we started five months ago.  CQ is actually short for Colloquium- which basically means an open discussion about various topics.  I chose colloquium to shorten the even longer original name-”community preparedness meeting at the Big Cedar Schoolhouse”  Whew!  What a mouthful!  You can see why it was abbreviated.  I soon got tired of having to explain what a colloquium meant so CQ it became.  I prefer the original and classical word but will concede to our generational ignorance caused by 100 years of government schooling.

The following is a concise record of how we formed our group, how it is organized, what it has accomplished and how it will continue to grow and mature.  We are sharing this information in hope that you will be encouraged to take the same step and be empowered with information to be successful in your endeavors to organize your family, friends, neighborhood and community.  So let us begin.

The original idea for a preparedness group came from the most obvious place–“Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse”.  (Just a quick side note: any attendee of our CQ who hasn’t read it is soon ridiculed, harassed, admonished and put on the rack until they read it).  SurvivalBlog is a primary source for any research done by me if I am presenting a topic. 

I realized that I couldn’t have a group the same as the “Grays” in “Patriots” so I gave careful consideration to individual prepping.  Individual prepping leads quickly to recognition of the fact that you can’t do everything yourself and the futility of trying.  You need other people to complete the total package of fulfilling daily needs.  No one person has the time, money or expertise to be a all-in-one survival community.  Who would want to anyway?  I like the idea of needing neighbors and sharing skills, assets and blessings.  For instance, my wife is an excellent cook but I really enjoy potluck dinners.  It gives you variety and flavor that you would otherwise never experience, especially desserts!  More on that later.

The CQ acorn was planted one sunny day when I was talking with two other 4H dads.  The kids were busy with their 4H project so us Dad’s started conversing about the bad state of affairs and the coming economic troubles.  I then broached the subject and asked, “..wouldn’t it be great if we all got together to discuss preparedness and get organized as a community?”  The response was overwhelmingly positive.  One of the men belonged to the LDS church and he gave me a thorough review of their church preparedness model and how they have a program dating back 60+ years.  I was impressed.  They have a great program and lots of resources for preparedness minded individuals.  Just one problem.  I’m not a member of the LDS church nor do I see myself joining their church.

I realized that I wanted to know more about their program but I didn’t want to open the door for the “Amway Guy” either–if you get my drift.  Once I started to inquire of acquaintances that were LDS I was pleasantly surprised that they actively encouraged all community members to prepare-whether they are LDS or not.  They do so without proselytizing or recruiting.  I haven’t asked but I think they have a real common sense approach to preparedness philosophy.  Every family outside their church who is prepared is one less community member who may need help when times get rough.  They prepare for not just themselves but to dispense charity also.  As for proselytizing,  the young men on bikes will get to you eventually for a visit at your doorstep so let prepping be prepping and mission work be mission work.

I, obviously, can’t speak for the LDS church but my dealings with them have been honest, straightforward and mutually respectful.  I know they are LDS and they know I am a Christian Reformed Evangelical.  So be it!  We disagree on doctrinal issues but agree on the coming storm and we have grown to care for one another.  Christ called us to be in the world and have dominion over our culture for Him.  How can that happen if we don’t have acquaintances outside the church-even friends who are of different faiths and beliefs?  Being in the world is not being of the world-two different things.  I retain close friendships for those who are of my covenant community all others are just friends or acquaintances.  The point is don’t be afraid to interact with the LDS or others.  They won’t bite.

Anyway, once I found out about their preparedness history and apparatus I asked how we could access those resources.  I was encouraged to speak with people in the LDS church membership who had specific duties or leadership.  In our area one individual had tried to start a community preparedness group but it only had buy-in from those who were LDS and no others.  The problem was that non-LDS saw it as an LDS thing.  I immediately realized the potential of garnering support from the vestiges of this group and build from there.  One thing I hate is re-inventing the wheel and this would save us time and energy in getting the word out to potential attendees.

Each community has a business or businesses that have their pulse on the community.  It may be a coffee shop or café where the locals meet and exchange information and discuss politics or the like.  I was fortunate to find just the thing here in my small community.  I explained to the man who owned the business my plan and he said it was a great idea and new for a fact that most of his customers would be interested.  He also thought that CQ would succeed because I was organizing it.  Meaning that would calm the fears of non-LDS folks and so we would see attendance from everyone.  We also had another local asset, a small schoolhouse we could rent for $10 dollars.  The location was central for all my neighbors as we are several miles out of town.

Choosing a good location is vital.  An old-schoolhouse, grange, or community center.  Making the location neutral is important as some folks don’t like going into houses of worship not their own.  Being considerate of the entire group can pave the way for much consensus and team building.  Our location lasted two meeting before we moved it up the road to my own property.  We have lasted two meetings here and now are moving it to a more public location due to growth and scope of CQ.  Your location needs to have a few obvious and not so obvious essentials.  The obvious are restrooms, water and power.  I have learned the more amenities there are the more options you have for your topics.  Cover from the elements, tables and even a dry erase board can add significantly your program.  You may notice I didn’t mention chairs as we have had our last two CQs outside and everyone brings there own lawn chair.  By the time the weather turns we will be back indoors at a location that has all these things.  Sound system is recommended once your group reaches 100 people otherwise its overkill for smaller groups.

Now that we knew we wanted a meeting and I had consensus of several community leaders (not politicians) we set a date and started formulating a game plan.

First rule–Focus on excellence and everything else will follow.

Focusing on excellence requires you to see through the small details that can aggravate and disrupt your groups momentum.  Momentum or positive word-of-mouth reputation is important to get your neighbors involved.  Once they’ve figured out they are missing something fun, innovative and worthwhile they will make an effort to attend.

Second Rule–Keep It Simple and Short.

All our CQ’s are scheduled for Two hours every 1st Friday of the month.  6:30 pm to 8:30 pm with social time afterward so people can talk and network with each other.  Our second CQ was so successful people stayed until 11:00 pm just to talk and network.  We chose Friday nights for its ability to allow for later hours and it doesn’t burn a weekend day which are a commodity in rural areas.  We try to have four topics discussed in 20 minute segments.  If a topic takes longer the presenter gets another slot the following month or gets a double.  For example, our first and second CQ had a presentation on lighting in austere environments.  The first CQ he covered oil or kerosene type lanterns.  The next CQ he presented part two which covered pressure fuel (Coleman) lanterns.  The CQ this last Friday we had a Physician’s Assistant provide us a basic overview of the three styles of medical care: Grid Up, Wilderness, and Grid Down.  This took 45 minutes but set the foundation for future topics on medical issues moving forward.  This has been our one exception to the 20 minute rule so each topic stays fresh and the attendees don’t get lecture fatigue so changing topics every 20 minutes keeps fatigue to a minimum.

Third Rule–Focus on skill building.

Discernment of economic disasters and wisdom about our fragile society or thin veneer of civilized behavior is the foundation for a preparedness mindset.  The building of skills becomes the obvious outcome of such knowledge.  The skills that remove you from the J.I.T. supply chain are the skills we look to build in each other and ourselves.  The following topics were covered in the last four CQs.

CQ-1: -Introduction to the concept and quick demographic survey.
-Pruning For Production-Fruit Trees and Bushes.
-Lighting: Lamps and Candles in Austere Environments.
-Beans, Bullets & Band-Aids-Various topics/open discussion.

CQ-2: -Review of Formal Emergency Management Plan for Area.
-Lighting: Lamps & Candles Cont.–Fuel Lanterns.
-Discussion of Topics for future CQ’s.
-Beans, Bullets & Band-Aids-Various topics/open discussion.

CQ-3 -Review of Color Code of Awareness/Plan to design Color Code
Emergency Action List.
-Latest CPR Techniques and Certification Signup.
-Radio Basics and Options.
-Water Production and Storage.
-Beans, Bullets & Band-Aids-Various topics/open discussion.

CQ-4 -Update on progress for Color Code Emergency Action List.
-General Advanced Medical Primer.
-Water Filtration, Purification and Storage.
-Knife and Blade Sharpening.

The topics were picked at random or by request.  Again, keep it short and sweet.  Those presenting topics should be experts in their field or have extensive knowledge otherwise you can see right through it.  Focus on Excellence!

Fourth Rule–No Militia or Talk of Making War.

We all know the look.  The look you get when you say “preparedness”: like you’ve got three heads and just admitted you like country dancing with Bigfoot(for the record–Sasquatch don‘t dance, especially to country music!).  If you want full community buy-in and support you have to be able to give guarantees that the war mongers among us are welcome but will not be given time to speak or recruit for there own self interest.

We do discuss guns, training and other topics pertaining to paramilitary preparedness but we declare up front that guns and gun training are for the gun range.  There is a separate time and place that is appropriate for such discussion but CQ is not it.  Paramilitary preparedness and training are subjects best discussed quietly amongst friends you know and trust–not publicly and especially not amongst a general populace.  It will turn off a large percentage of attendees and kill any momentum you might be building.  Again, focus on excellence by keeping topics short, concise and on schedule.  Do Not Give a Formal Platform to a Radical.  It will poison your efforts.  I will discuss in Part Two how we handled just such an issue.

Fifth Rule–No Politics or Religion

CQ sees regular attendance by LDS members, Christians of different denominations and a family that are Messianic Jews.  We are even seeing a growing contingency of granola folks.  I hope “granola” is the right word to describe the holistic/organic living group without offense.  I’ve slowly been educated by our neighbors who live this culture.  I’ve learned they love to barbeque (non-meat dogs or turkey burgers), drink good beer (life’s too short to drink bad beer) and some of them even love to shoot.  Let’s face reality–organic chips and salsa are the best!

What I’m trying to get at with rule number five is we need to focus on what we have in common–not what can divide us.  Keep the group and discussion focused on skill building.  One person described CQ as “4H on steroids” or “4H for adults”.  A perfect description.

Sixth Rule–Don’t have a bunch of rules.

Over regulation, organization and rule making will turn people away.  They want to come and be a part of something without having to join something.  No call chains, emails or Yahoo groups.  Again, keep it simple for you and them.  You’ll thank yourself later and they will thank you by attending and complimenting you on the quality and success of your meetings.  An occasional pat on the back and slice of apple pie is all I need to do my part and it should be that simple for you also.  If it isn’t it’s time to look in the mirror and ask why you want to lead such a group.

In closing, I hope this helps you with starting your own CQ.  “CQ-Part Two What We Have Learned” will describe some of the details of what is written above and how to avoid pitfalls and headaches associated with organizing a community group.  I would like to leave you with two things: Our motto, Parasumus (Latin) “We Prepare” and our stated purpose: “To further community cohesiveness through skill building and resource networking in preparation of societal disruption and change.”

Gloria Deo!

Letter Re: Which Food Storage Buckets are Food Grade?

Jim:

I have a question about plastic buckets. I’ve heard that some of them put toxic chemical fumes into food, but others don’t. How can I be sure which ones are food grade? Thanks Much, – Wendy J. (Living too close to Mr. Schumer)

JWR Replies: As I explain in the “Rawles Gets You Ready” family preparedness course, determining whether or not a particular used bucket is truly food grade can be a challenge. I’ve had several readers and consulting clients who have mistakenly been told that the the number 2 (with the number 2 inside the “chasing arrows” recycling symbol) refers to Food Grade HDPE, but that is not true. Not all “2” marked plastics are food grade! Let me explain: The “food grade” designation is determined by plastic purity by and what mold release compound is used in the injection molding process–not by the plastic itself, since all virgin HDPE material is safe for food. For paint and other utility buckets, manufacturers sometimes use a less expensive (and toxic) mold release compound. For food grade they must use a more expensive formulation that is non-toxic. Unless the buckets that you bought are are actually marked “food grade”, (or, marked NSF, FDA, or USDA approved), then you will have to check with the manufacturer’s web site to see if they make all food grade buckets. For more details, see the information at this barbecue and brining web site. If in doubt, then mark the suspect buckets to strictly non-food item storage, such as for storing cleaning supplies or ammunition

JWR Replies: That information detailed in the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course. The same information can also be found in my book “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It”, and you can also find it in the SurvivalBlog archives.

Letter Re: Ammo Carrying Options for M1 Garand Owners

Sir,
I wanted to provide a couple of suggestions for those folks that are using M1 Garand rifles. [These .30-06 rifles are fed by 8-round en bloc clips .] One obvious solution is the ten-pouch WWII ammo belt that every one is familiar with, giving a total of eighty rounds. There are a couple of other good solutions.

One that I especially like is to use a WWI U.S. Grenade Pouch Vest. You can find them on eBay and various internet sellers, both original and reproduction ones. It is a rectangular panel with a shoulder/neck strap and ties to go around the chest. It looks like what we call a [Magazine] Chest Rig today and has eleven pockets on it that snap close. They were obviously designed to carry WWI vintage grenades, but each pocket hold two en bloc clips as if it were made to do so. This gives a total capacity of 176 rounds. Better yet, tie or stitch the sides of two panels together and you now have an impromptu vest holding 352 rounds. Its not as fancy as a store bought vest but it works really well.

Also, Original S.O.E. makes a Pull-Out Garand Tray that fits in their Patrol and Ralleyman AR-15 magazine pouches and sub-loads. One of these pullouts hold six en-blocs each giving forty eight rounds for each AR pouch or ninety six rounds for one of their double AR-15[magazine] pouches.

Maybe these will give the M1 Garand users out there some additional ammo carry options. Sincerely, – Matt R.

Letter Re: Advice on Building Harder Off-Grid Houses

James,
The article on perennial food sources was both timely and excellent! Kudos. We are already planning to introduce many of the species into our farm.

Next, a question. Since your book “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It” has caused me to re-think several things — and after I have spent 20 years being a prepper –I figured I should buy your book “Rawles on Retreats and Relocation”. Chapter 14 is of special interest to me right now as we are building a snug little adobe house on the farm we just bought. We don’t want to call it a cement bunker do we?

Chapter 14 [of the book] is a good starting point but I was wondering if you have a source of more detailed information. I’ve researched many different “housing styles” around the world and across time. But turning them into a modern grid independent house.

There is the crux of the matter: I was wondering if in addition to the books you listed there might be others. Or if you know of a good architect you have worked with to create a “green” off grid bunker?

We envision a semi-buried adobe style house that will have a full basement and a bunker off of the basement (for NBC protection) as well as a flat roof. We are in a low rainfall area. This provides a place to mount PV panels, and a flat roof with a solid wall around it gives us a good “high ground” to defend the house from.

But we are open and interested in contacting anybody who might have professional experience building such a retreat house.

JWR Replies: Three of SurvivalBlog’s advertisers could assist you:

  • Safecastle specializes in combination walk-in vault/fallout shelter/storm shelter rooms, both below grade and above grade.
  • Hardened Structures is an engineering and architectural firm that does “start to finish” hardened retreat home design and construction management.
  • Ready Made Resources can help you specify and assemble a complete off-grid power setup. They do free consulting on alternative power systems.

I also recommend that you get a copy of the book The Secure Home by Joel Skousen. Also, keep in mind that there are also more than 450 articles in the SurvivalBlog archives that relate to retreat security. There are some real gems there–everything from thorny bush and cacti plantings to ballistic hardening.

Economics and Investing:

It appears that $1,200 per ounce has become the new price floor for gold. With more global financial turmoil surely ahead, we ain’t seen nuthin’ yet for the precious metals. If you feel like you’ve missed the boat, don’t. It’s not too late to buy on the dips. (The top will be much higher than today’s price levels!) Silver is a better choice than gold for most investors. But of course I’ve been saying that ever since I called the bottom of the market, back in February of 2001. That was just a couple of months before its actual low point.

Reader Kevin A. wrote to mention: “Anthony Fry, senior managing director at Evercore Partners, recently told CNBC that markets are about to turn nasty. He said, “I don’t want to scare anyone but I am considering investing in barbed wire and guns, things are not looking good …” Mentioning the same interview, reader T.C.N. sent us a link to a Daily Bell article: False Meme of Anarchy?

Michael H. liked this Wall Street Journal piece: Tax Hikes and the 2011 Economic Collapse

Reader Chris P. suggested this piece by Amy Hoak: The housing-market recession is not over

Items from The Economatrix:

OPEC: 2010 Demand Picture Unclear

US Facing Debt “Super Cycle”

Gold Price in New Record, Hits $1,250

Insufficient Silver to Supply China’s Growing Demand (The Mogambo Guru)

Gold’s “Real Move” to $7,000 is Coming, Says Asset Manager

Stocks Surge on US Jobs Data, China Trade Growth

Odds ‘n Sods:

Judy T. suggested this: Peak Oil and Apocalypse Then

   o o o

Reader John G. mentioned a South Carolina proposal to criminalize hidden compartments in cars. Yikes! Talk about a legislative solution to a non-existent problem. Whatever happened to “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects…”?

   o o o

G.G. sent us a curious story about the owner of a “nail house” in China’s Wuhan Province: China’s Wuhan Nail House Owner Fights Forced Demolition with Home-Made Cannon. From the photos, his “block house” architecture leaves a lot to be desired. (A variation on a Fujian Tulou would be more robust).

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 29 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 29 ends on July 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.