Reader R.B.S. pointed me to a web site that I heretofore hadn’t heard of: Escape From America Magazine
o o o
Ben L. mentioned a new electric “limb lopper” electric chainsaw. They are quiet, but of course for Grid Down situations, always keep a gas chainsaw on hand!
o o o
F.S. pointed me to an interesting site: Modern Stronghold.
“God, Who provides for all, will not desert us; especially being engaged, as we are, in His service” – Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
Do you have any favorite quotes that relate to preparedness, survival, self-sufficiency, or hard money economics? If so, then please send them via e-mail, and I will likely post them as Quotes of the Day, if they haven’t been used before in SurvivalBlog. Please send only quotes that are properly attributed, and that you’ve checked for authenticity. Many Thanks!
—
Today we present another entry for Round 28 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.), and D.) A 500 round case of Federal 5.56mm XM193 55 Grain FMJ ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo. This is a $199 value, and includes free UPS shipping.
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 28 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.
As a mother of a toddler with one on the way, and a former medical student and “birth junkie,” I’m very interested in the plight of the pregnant woman and newborn child in Third World nations (i.e. women with no access to higher-level medical attention) and in TEOTWAWKI scenarios. Pregnancy is a vulnerable time in a woman’s life, and her nutrition is paramount. Of course, quitting any noxious habits, like smoking, drinking, and drugs of addiction, is crucial. Beyond that, good nutrition is the best prenatal care mother and child can get. The modern pharmaceutical industry would have you believe that prenatal vitamins negate the need for good nutrition in pregnancy, but this is not true, especially when you consider that mother and child need to be in the best possible nutritional status for a non-medical childbirth and for breastfeeding in a TEOTWAWKI scenario. Both for your own family and for a supply for charity, it’s good to consider pregnancy nutrition when planning food storage. Nutrition is the most important aspect of a healthy pregnancy and is the easiest to plan for ahead of time.
The pregnant woman needs plenty of high-quality proteins, essential fatty acids, folic acid, calcium- and iron-rich foods, and vegetables and fruits both for vitamins and for fiber (to prevent constipation). She also needs adequate salt and pure water for hydration – no high-blood-pressure diet here!
FOLIC ACID: Early in pregnancy, the baby needs about 800mcg of folic acid a day (about twice the pre-pregnancy requirement). Prenatal vitamins have their place, but if these are not available (or not well-tolerated, in the case of severe constipation or morning sickness), there are plenty of natural food sources. If she can tolerate blackeyed peas or crowder peas, a cup of these a day plus some fortified cereal and/or orange juice can provide adequate folic acid as well as protein, iron, vitamin C and fiber – it isn’t a varied diet, but this doesn’t matter as much in the first trimester. She needs to eat well, even if she has morning sickness. Morning sickness will be less severe if she can drink plenty of water, perhaps with some drink mix or tea in it, eat some bland carbohydrates first thing in the morning, and eat plenty of lean protein and fresh vegetables. Constipation can contribute to morning sickness and should be avoided by eating fiber and drinking water. Milk thistle may also help to decrease nausea, as well as candied ginger or ginger root tea (easily stored items). Hard, sour candy in small amounts may help also.
CALCIUM AND IRON: The pregnant prepper, beginning in the second trimester, should consider eating and/or drinking several servings of dairy – powdered milk, freeze-dried or canned cheeses, and powdered sour cream or buttermilk are good storage food sources. Other calcium-rich foods for storage include salmon and sardines (with the bones, which are easily mashed into the fish before consumption), freeze-dried broccoli, dried figs and apricots. Fresh kale is another source that is easy to grow quickly. For iron, of course, red meats, poultry and fish are good sources of heme iron, which is easily taken up in the body and made into hemoglobin. Aside from meats, good sources include broccoli, blackstrap molasses, beans, and lentils. Iron is more easily absorbed when foods high in vitamin C are eaten at the same time – think citrus fruits or broccoli, tomatoes, melon, berries, or potatoes (surprisingly good for you, despite what the Atkins diet would have you believe). Wild sources of vitamin C are dandelion greens and berries, including mulberries (though they should be cooked first due to toxins). Another good source of vitamin C is sprouted beans or seeds. Soaked, sprouted beans and grains can be eaten like a salad topping or ground up to make a kind of meal which can be baked into “Elijah bread.”
PROTEIN: Protein is very important, not only for the nutritional needs of the baby but for maintaining the expanded blood volume of the mother. The Brewer diet for the prevention of preeclampsia recommends over 70 grams of protein a day (more important in the second and third trimesters). This should not be hard for the pregnant prepper to accomplish, as relatively inexpensive beans and peas are an excellent source of protein. However, they are an incomplete source of amino acids and must be supplemented with grain products such as wheat, rice, or corn. Fresh or freeze-dried meats, fish, eggs, milk, and dairy products are excellent sources of complete proteins. Eggs contain a number of other important nutrients and are inexpensive – or you may buy a couple of chickens and have them fresh for literally the grass and bugs in your yard, plus a scant amount of feed. Nuts and pumpkin seeds are a good choice as well.
FATTY ACIDS: Essential fatty acids (including omega-3’s) necessary for the baby and mother are easily acquired from vegetable oils, which of course are stored and rotated yearly. Olive, canola, and corn oils are all good sources. Other good sources of fatty acids are fish and flax seeds (which need to be ground to release their inner nutrients). [Unsaturated fats like these are also good for the nursing mother, as they prevent plugged milk ducts and mastitis.]
CRAVINGS: Cravings often indicate a nutritional need that isn’t being met. When this is a craving for cultured dairy, pickles, kimchi, or sauerkraut, indulge if possible – these foods contain probiotic bacteria that are good for the immune system. When it is a craving for something non-edible, however, like dirt, clay, baking soda or ice, this is called “pica” and means that the woman is anemic. Do not eat or encourage a pregnant woman to eat inedible items but instead provide and encourage more iron-rich foods and sources of vitamin C. See if the diet includes any iron-binding foods, like beet greens, chard, coffee, or sweet potatoes, and either avoid those foods or eat them several hours apart from iron-rich meals. Fruit, dairy and vegetable cravings are normal and may indicate a nutritional need which the food itself will provide; try to accommodate such cravings. (Popular examples include watermelon and ice cream.)
FOODS TO AVOID: Meats to avoid: liver products (extremely high in vitamin A, which is dangerous to the baby), raw shellfish, undercooked meats, and fish that are known to contain high mercury levels – mackerel, kingfish, and albacore tuna (light tuna is fine). It’s not likely that you’ll be running out to the deli post-SHTF, but deli meats and soft cheeses like Brie are also potentially dangerous to the baby (Listeriosis) and should be cooked to steaming hot before eating. Unlikely but good to keep in mind in case you do have these items on hand. Peanuts should also be eaten sparingly because of the potential for toxins. Moderate consumption of soda, which can leach calcium from the bones, and sugar or honey, which can encourage yeast infections and gestational diabetes. When eating sugar, try to incorporate it into a nutrient-rich meal, such as a milk-based fruit smoothie.
Finally, let’s consider why even a confirmed bachelor needs to know these things about pregnancy and nutrition. Knowledge is power in pregnancy, as well as in our survival preparations, and you may find yourself a powerful source of information (and maybe a charitable donor of food) for a pregnant woman. Our Lord says that what we do unto the least of these we’ve done to Him, and an unborn child is certainly the least of these.
Hello Mr Rawles,
I have been reading your blog for about a year and truly have benefited from the valuable information.
In regards to the round or disc lock for the self storage units, I have found that these locks can be easily picked by a simple pen as demonstrated on YouTube. Here is the following link:
If anyone knows of another device/lock that can not be easily picked I sure would appreciated it.
Sincerely, – Lynn in Washington
JWR Replies: Even the best padlock should be considered only a delay–not a true barrier. Most padlocks –including disc or “hockey puck” locks can have their cylinders (typically brass) drilled out, very quickly. Concealment should be your first line of defense for your cached supplies. (As previously described in SurvivalBlog–such a wall cache or a hidden room.) Only use a commercial storage space when you don’t have other secure alternatives. And of course keep in mind that high temperatures greatly decrease the shelf lives of stored foods.
James Wesley,
Mrs. C.J. had some excellent ideas in her article, and I’d like to add a couple of suggestions about laundry/cleaning supplies. Since we have a septic system, I’m always mindful of the substances we’re putting into the ground. The Internet is a great source of recipes for homemade cleaners of all types, using ingredients that are a lot cheaper and safer than the store-bought items.
For example, I use a few drops of tea tree oil (an antibiotic) and a squirt of Ivory Liquid in a spray bottle, add water, and have a great all-purpose cleaner for the kitchen and bathroom. If something needs a little scrubbing I use baking soda. For laundry detergent, blend together 1 cup of Borax, 1 cup of washing soda (not baking soda), and 1/2 bar of Fels Naptha soap, or any white soap. I use a food processor but the soap could be hand grated and mixed with the powders. Use only 1-2 tablespoons per load. I’m also experimenting with making my own creams and lotions, candles, etc. It’s fun and saves money!
Thank you for all that you do, and to everyone in the SurvivalBlog community for their help. Sincerely, – Barbara in Tennessee
Reader “G2” sent this: China revaluation would hurt U.S.: World Bank’s Lin. G2’s comments: “The denial by China regarding revaluing its currency and it’s resistance to do so makes it seem quite possible that they will revalue the renminbi soon. i.e. ‘Believe nothing until it’s officially denied’, and ‘The lady doth protest too much, methinks.'”
The Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB) keeps growing: Here’s Another $23 Billion Bailout That You May Have Missed This Week.
G.G. suggetsed this from The New York Post: The Next Di$a$ter–Federal mortgage insurance
Items from The Economatrix:
First Gold, Now Europe Running Out of Silver
Bankers Jailed, Sued as Iceland Seeks Culprits for Crisis
US Posts 19th Straight Monthly Budget Deficit
Stocks Slide After Euro Falls to New Four-Year Low
Reader L.S.C. sent us this: Army recalls 44,000 combat helmets. L.S.C. says: “File under ‘caveat emptor’ for anyone looking to buy helmets on the surplus market!”
o o o
L.J. sent us the latest news from England: Parents of under-fives face ‘nanny state’ home inspections to keep children safe
o o o
I just heard about very worthy non-profit charitable organization called Homes for Our Troops. They build specially adapted homes for severely wounded veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Al lof the homes are donated to the veterans by the organization. This is their way of thanking them for the sacrifices they have made on behalf of our country.
“While Barack Obama was making his latest pitch for a brand new, even more unsustainable entitlement at the health care “summit,” thousands of Greeks took to the streets to riot. An enterprising cable network might have shown the two scenes on a continuous split-screen – because they’re part of the same story. It’s just that Greece is a little further along in the plot: They’re at the point where the canoe is about to plunge over the falls. America is further upstream and can still pull for shore, but has decided, instead, that what it needs to do is catch up with the Greek canoe. Chapter One (the introduction of unsustainable entitlements) leads eventually to Chapter 20 (total societal collapse): The Greeks are at Chapter 17 or 18.” – Mark Steyn, February, 2010
Today we present another entry for Round 28 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.), and D.) A 500 round case of Federal 5.56mm XM193 55 Grain FMJ ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo. This is a $199 value, and includes free UPS shipping.
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 28 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.
One of the hardest things to do in living a survivalist lifestyle is acquiring a retreat. You’ll discover rather quickly that your finances will determine the type and size of property you’ll be able to purchase.
Another problem which you will encounter is determining where you should buy your retreat. The area you’re looking at property in should be done with a good deal of research. You’re likely to come across many types of deals in your search and you’ll discover that some are better than others, but you need to find the one that’s right for you. This of course is easier said than done.
An important consideration in your property search should be what type of employment you’ll be able to find in that area. If you’re in a position where you’re retired or have a lot of savings this won’t be an overriding factor in your decision.
Once you’ve determined the area you want to shop for property in you can then begin your search based on your criteria. Depending on your finances you may choose to buy a parcel with a structure on it, or a vacant piece of land.
Fortunately the current real estate market is a buyer’s one compared to what it was just five years ago when it was a seller’s one. The current economic depression has dragged down real estate prices to 20 year lows in some areas throughout the country. If you decide to purchase a vacant piece of land you may want to check out youtube.com/solarcabin. The channel is run by LaMar Alexander, he has several videos posted on how he purchased vacant lots and then built cabins on them. He also has other videos posted on how to improve a homestead.
Having worked as a realtor for several years I can tell you there are plenty of sources available to help you in your property search. The auction site eBay is one source which is touted by Alexander. Through the site it’s possible to buy vacant land in isolated areas for as little as $500 an acre. Many of those types of deals are on properties in the Midwest and the Pacific states region.
For those who don’t want to move so far into rural areas there are classified web sites like Craigslist. This site will allow you to search listings in your local metro area. Another option with Craigslist is that you can put the type of property you’re looking for under the “wanted real estate” section. This is one way to bring sellers to you without having to go through listings to find properties to fit your search criteria.
Realtor.com is another source for properties. This web site is much better tailored than Craigslist to help people with their real estate needs. The site is very easy to use, if you find a listing that you want information on then you can contact the realtor who’s information will be listed on that property’s page. The realtor can e-mail you a full write up about the property including its address.
You may find that using a realtor directly will help you in your property search. For those who are experienced and resourceful you’ll be able to find properties on your own, but it can be useful to have a realtor to e-mail you listings. Realtors have direct access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) system. This system is where the bulk of properties are listed in. A realtor can e-mail you listings from the MLS, these will have a complete write up about the property as opposed to the short listings on realtor.com.
You can also use a realtor to make written offers on properties, but if you do this you’ll have to pay the agent a commission when the property closes. For some people this may not be a big deal, but others may not want to pay the fee.
Courthouse auctions are another option for buying property. Some county clerks do the auctions from the courthouse steps or online. Over the last few yeas many of the clerks have been switching to an online format because fewer people are attending the auctions in person. Having the auction online brings in a lot more bidders, which drives up the final price of the property. One benefit to courthouse auctions is that you usually have a few weeks to look at a property before it gets auctioned off. This gives you time to evaluate it against other properties which are up for auction.
The current depression has done a great deal of financial damage to millions of Americans. So if you don’t have enough money to purchase your intended parcel outright don’t despair. Instead get creative and evaluate all your options. You may have some family members who would split the cost of a property with you. Or you may have some like-minded friends who would be interested in doing the same. As an example you may want to purchase a 20 acre parcel which is listed for $50,000. You only have $20,000 to put towards it. Pitch the idea of splitting up the cost with your family or friends. Sell them on the idea of buying a piece of property and setting up a homestead. Considering how bad the economy is becoming they shouldn’t need a whole lot of coaxing.
Once you have your money in order you can then begin making offers. You should have a short “want list” of properties together in case you’re not able to get the one that you want you can then submit a bid on another one. If the property you’re bidding on is listed with a realtor you may find them to be uncooperative to the extent that they won’t forward a lowball offer to their seller. If you come across a realtor who says this to you then you can remind them that they’re required by law to present all offers to their seller. If they get confrontational with you then you can go around the agent and contact their broker or contact the seller directly.
In this rapidly declining real estate market it is possible to get realtor listed properties for far less than their listed price. Two years ago, through a realtor I purchased an $11,000 lot for $4,000. Originally I had offered $2,500 for the property and the seller countered with $7,000. After several more offers and counter offers we agreed to a $4,000 sales price. During the negotiation process I reminded the seller’s agent that the property was very unlikely to sell anytime soon since it had been on the MLS for over 200 days. Finally the seller realized that if he wanted to get any money from the property that he would have to accept my offer. Which he did and the deal was done. Haggling is the same whether it’s personal or real property. If you end up paying too much for real estate you’ll find yourself having buyer’s remorse for quite some time.
Since the credit crisis began in 2007 it has become progressively more difficult to get a loan. The banks and the lenders scrutinize borrowers much more now than they had prior to the credit crisis. What this means is that you’re going to have to jump through a lot of hoops to try to get a loan. And I emphasize the word “try” because there’s no guarantee that if you do everything the lender wants you to do that they’ll give you a loan.
Because of the difficulties in obtaining conventional financing I suggest trying to purchase a piece of property for as little money as you can, and of course pay cash for it. There are other financing options available to acquire a piece of property. One of those is owner financing. During the housing boom I bought a two acre lot with a structure on it through owner financing. I haggled back and forth with the seller, but eventually we agreed on the terms and completed the transaction. If you do an owner financing deal and the seller wants a ridiculous rate of interest then haggle with them over the rate. For example if they want to charge you 10% counter with 4%. At some point you’ll meet in the middle and if you can’t then walk away from the deal. There are plenty of other properties out there which will be better tailored to your criteria.
There are other creative financing options available. You can also find information about these financing techniques by doing internet searches on “creative financing”. One idea is if you’re buying a large lot with trees on it you may be able to sell them to a lumber company and then use that money as the down payment for the property, provided the seller agrees to the terms. Don’t be afraid to suggest unconventional ideas. The worst a seller can do is say no to them.
Searching for the right property can take a lot of time and be a frustrating experience, especially if you find yourself in situations where you’re dealing with unrealistic sellers. But finding and setting up a retreat should be the number one priority for survivalists. You can have all kinds of survival supplies, such as food, ammo and guns. But if you’re still living in a major metropolitan area when the riots begin you’ll wish you had taken the time earlier to find your retreat. Don’t put yourself in that position, start looking for your retreat today!
US bankruptcies resume upward path in first quarter.
Pimco’s El-Erian Warns Inflation to Hit US, Europe. (Thanks to Brett G. for the link.)
Brian B. sent us this: Euro Experiment: EU Bullied into $1 Trillion Banking Bonanza
Kevin S. sent us this: Junk silver coins; Why 90% junk silver coins are worth the investment?
Items from The Economatrix:
Euro Collapse Fears Spark Panic Buying of Gold
Deutsche Bank: Greece May Never Pay Off Debts
Volcker Sees Euro “Disintegration” Risk From Greece
Gold Rises to Record As Investors Seek Alternatives to Currency
Mike M. and S. both sent this piece from The Times of London: Scientists forecast decades of ash clouds
o o o
Safecastle (one of our most loyal advertisers) has announced a special sale from May 16-29 only, with 25% Off All Mountain House #10 Cans, and free Shipping to the Lower 48 States. There are additional freebies, depending on the quantity that you order. (See their web page for details.)
o o o
Reader M.T. sent this item: Obama Plan to Make Cheaper Coins Criticized by Businesses. Let’s face it, inflation is relentless. Sooner or later, they’ll have to debase the U.S. nickel coin. Otherwise, these coins will be snapped up by event the Generally Dumb Public, immediately after being put into circulation. Gresham’s Law has been proven time and time again.
“I do not think there should be a limit on the rig’s liability, because they are sitting on top of unlimited amounts of oil, and thus, there could be an explosion occur that could do untold damage. … The amount of damage that an offshore oil rig can do is infinite.” Senator John Chafee, Senate Floor Debate, 135 Cong. Rec. S9689-S9716 (August 3, 1989)
Just as a I expected, Dan B.’s article Four Great Preparedness Myths (that was posted on Saturday) prompted a flurry of responses. You can see those, farther down in today’s posts. OBTW, one of the things that I love about SurvivalBlog is the lively and articulate interchange of ideas, yet without the flames and rants that are all too common in the various preparedness Forums. Thanks for your civility, folks!