Two Letters Re: Potatoes as a Survival Garden Crop

Morning, Jim!
Just a quick addition for your readers to your recent note about potatoes gaining in popularity: most of their useful nutritional value is in their skin and outermost fractions of inches. I believe this is true of most root vegetables. Peeling these vegetables just renders them as a wad of starch or carbohydrate – much less useful for your body than the good Lord intended them to be. All they really need (especially if grown in a home garden where you know what went into the soil) is a quick rinse and a light scrub.

Ideally your order of produce procurement would be as follows:
– home garden or friends’ gardens
– public market/farmer market
– grocery store (produce sits for days before it gets displayed!)
– big box store with produce department (yuck)
So, no, peeled, frozen, fried and salted french fries do not really count as your healthy serving of “vegetable.” And if you really have some ingrained loathing of potato skins and must peel them, at least put the peels in a compost bin! – Carl H.

 

JWR
I enjoyed your novel [“Patriots”] immensely. The tenets of your philosophy of survivalism are well thought out and codified.

I believe we are missing the boat when we don’t consider the better alternative of planting and/or storing potatoes as a survival basic food source, rather than wheat, or other grains. Potatoes grow easily virtually anywhere, produce abundantly, the plants are unobtrusive, and are not foraged by deer, among other things. After TEOTWAWKI, it would be a lot easier to plant and subsist on them rather than large gardens.- Jim F. in Oregon

Letter Re: The Potential Combat Effectiveness of Shotguns

Jim,
There is a fairly heated discussion going on at the FALFiles Forums about how useful a shotgun is in a Schumer Hits The Fan (SHTF) situation. I was curious, what exactly is your take on the issue?

Personally, I do not feel a shotgun can effectively replace a rifle, however, it still proves an effective tool when the extreme-close situation arises.
I suppose one can distill this argument down to only “defensive purpose” shotguns such as those built for tactical situations (3″ chambers and open/cylinder choke), those you aptly refer to as “riotguns”. While the effectiveness of a shotgun for hunting small game is readily apparent, where exactly would a defensive shotgun come into play using either various types of buckshot or slugs?
In what circumstances would a shotgun be a superior choice to a battle or assault rifle? Examples?

I, as well as many, value your opinion on the matter. Best Regards, — Kyrottimus

JWR Replies: While semi-auto battle rifles are more practical for most defensive shooting (most notably because of their capability at both short and long range), riot shotguns can definitely be effective at short range. In the dense North Woods, there is seldom any shooting beyond 50 yards, so they are adequate there. (Riotguns can be effective to 40 yards with buckshot and 90+ yards with slugs.) I also generally recommend riotguns for urbanites that live in cities or states with harsh restrictions on semi-auto rifles. In a city (again, range limited, by terrain) a repeating riotgun is generally more useful than a bolt action rifle, so if those are your only options, then go for a shotgun. But with all that said, assuming that you don’t live in a liberal fantasyland like New Jersey, if you only have the money to buy one rifle (and the requisite training)., or one shotgun (and the requisite training), then buy a semi-auto battle rifle!

With the addition of a spare “bird” barrel, shotguns can also be useful for foraging, since they are the only effective means of wingshooting. (And the only legal method, in many countries.)

Also, police have found that shotguns firing slugs can be more effective and safer than a rifle, in the specialized task of removing a door from its hinges. Speaking of which, building “entry” is incredibly dangerous, and frankly I can’t foresee the need of the average prepper to ever do so. But you never know. There was that one chapter of “Patriots“…

A couple of provisos:

Despite popular misconceptions popularized by Hollywood, shotguns must be aimed, much like a rifle. The bead sights that are installed on most shotgun barrels are insufficient. I recommend either buying a replacement barrel with rifle sights, or having these sights retrofitted.

Be sure to do some pattern tests at various distances with your shotgun, using full-power buckshot loads. (I generally prefer #4 buckshot–not to be confused with the much smaller and and much more common #4 birdshot, which is a standard load for duck hunting.) Even if you have a shotgun with a wide open “Cylinder bore” (no choke), you may be surprised how tightly it shoots, especially inside of 10 yards. Again, you can’t just vaguely point, you have to aim. If you plan to shoot slugs, again do some tests and zero your gun’s iron sights.

OBTW, I highly recommend the Four Day Tactical Shotgun course taught by Front Sight. This course builds skills, builds confidence, and dispels a lot of myths.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Lehman’s just announced that they are having a special “Lost and Found” warehouse clearance sale, with prices reduced as much as 60% on a few items. Please click on the banner link for Lehman’s at the top of our Affiliates Page, so that SurvivalBlog will get our little piece of the action. Thanks!

https://survivalblog.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt.cgi?__mode=view&_type=entry&blog_id=2#

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From reader RBS: Expensive metals draw criminals to exhaust systems

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Some commentary from Adrian Ash: 40 Years Of Inflation, 80 Years Of Dow/Gold

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From The Daily Mail (by way of The Mental Militia Forums): The real Good Life: An entire village turns against supermarkets and grows its own food

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.” – Commonplace Book by Thomas Jefferson borrowing from Cesare Beccaria’s 1764 Dei delitti e delle pene ("On Crimes and Punishments")

Notes from JWR:

In honor of Patriots Day (April 19th), I’m kicking in something extra to Front Sight’s “Get a Gun” training and gear package offer: Anyone that enrolls between now and Sunday evening will also receive their choice of autographed copies of any of my three books: “Rawles on Retreats and Relocation”, “SurvivalBlog: The Best of the Blog.” or my novel “Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse”. Just forward me your Front Sight order confirmation, along with your snail mail address, and I’ll send you a complimentary autographed book.

Today we present another article for Round 16 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win two valuable four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificates. (Worth up to $4,000!) Second prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. Round 16 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entries. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Raising Rabbits for Meat , by Pete C.

In most industrialized countries, including the United States, rabbits are not commonly considered a meat animal. However, before a TEOTWAWKI situation arises, small retreats may seriously want to consider raising rabbits as a reliable source of meat to feed their family, to use as barter or charity.

Rabbits are fairly easy to raise which makes them especially adaptive for small retreats (to include urban areas) where limited space for other livestock – cows, hogs, goats, chickens, etc., are just not practical. In addition, many localities may not consider rabbits as live stock since they are often pets. Thus they may be permitted where other animals would not be. If you keep the area clean and the smell down, neighbors might not even know that you have them.

Picking your breed:
Before you purchase your rabbits (or any animal), learn as much as you can about keeping and raising them. Books, breeder magazines, and the internet have a wealth of information on every topic imaginable. So before you jump in, do your homework.

Once you decide to raise rabbits for meat, your most essential requirement is that you get good quality breeding stock, from a reputable breeder and not your local pet store. Purchase the best animals that you can afford, since the quality of future litters will depend upon the parents. I recommend either the Californian or the New Zealand White. Both types are by far the most popular meat rabbits, of a medium-weight (8-11 pounds), have high milk production, frequently procreate and have large litters.

Since rabbits are more suited for temperate or cool climates better than hot ones, those living in warmer climates will need to purchase stock already accustomed to such weather. Also, make sure that your stock rabbits you receive are clean, alert, bright-eyed, with dry ears and nose, and no sores on the feet.

How many to start with?
As with many things, when we get started, we often make mistakes. For those new to rabbits, the most common mistake is starting off with too many at once. A good rule of thumb might be one buck (male) and three does (females). Usually does are larger and can be distinguished by the presence of a dewlap, which is flap of fur below the chin that she pulls to cover her nest during pregnancy.
Rabbit prices can vary considerably depending on quality. A young rabbit could go for next to nothing (family just trying to get rid of a litter) to a few hundred dollars (high quality show rabbit) – do not worry because you want meat rabbits. Most of the time however, you will not find breeding age rabbits, especially for meat. It just does not pay for a breeder to feed a young rabbit to breeding age if he does not plan to use the rabbit for himself. If you do find breeding age meat rabbits, they may be inferior or too old for breeding. It is always best to start with newly weaned rabbits (eight weeks) and care for them for the four months or so, so that they can become acclimated to their new environment prior to breeding age (of six months). You should be able to find decent quality newly weaned rabbits for as little as $15.00 each.

As you become comfortable and more accustomed to the work/time required and what you just got into; should you then increase the size of your herd. Maybe another buck (or two as insurance if something should happen to one of them) and three more does, but no more than a one-to-five ratio.

Disease:
Rabbits are very hardy and have few diseases. However, since most rabbit diseases cannot be cured, it is recommended that the diseased animal be disposed. Removal of one sick animal can also save your entire stock, since disease can spread quickly between the herd. Most rabbit diseases cannot be transmitted to humans. Remember, cleanliness is the single biggest contributor to your stocks health. Clean living space, quality feed and fresh water at all times go a long way.

Space & Housing:
Rabbits are also fairly easy to care for once you have established suitable housing. It can be something very basic (wire-mesh hutch), since cold is no real problem for rabbits. The hutch should however, provide protection from drafts, rain and intense heat. Each rabbit should also have its own hutch (or cage). This way if disease should hit an individual rabbit, it will not easily spread and potentially wipe out your entire herd. Individual cages can be placed in a garage, an empty shed or outdoors (these should be well protected from the weather). Space is often not a problem because cages can be stacked on one another. When comparing rabbits to larger meat animals (cattle, hogs, etc.,) rabbits are much more efficient users of space.

Hutches should be approximately two feet by three feet and at least 18 – 24 inches in height with one inch mesh for the sides (allowing for adequate ventilation) and half-inch mesh for the floors (so that droppings can fall through to the cleaning tray) without catching the rabbits’ feet. Mount cages at a convenient height that will make feeding, cleaning and maintenance easier for you. Clean and disinfect the trays on a regular basis; scrubbing and disinfecting the cages/trays between each litter.

If the hutches are outside, they should be placed in a partially shaded area. The rabbits should always be given their choice between shade and sunshine. If cages do not have shade, they will need to have a double roof in order to help keep the rabbits cool. In addition, canvas or plastic flaps can be added (to be unrolled) to cover the mesh when it rains. The does’ cage should also have space for a nesting box – one foot high by one foot deep and approximately twenty inches wide with a six inch high front panel to help keep newborns inside. The males’ cage should be located between the does’ cages. The Memsahib Adds: I encourage rabbit owners to build (or buy) all metal cages. Wood frames get urine-soaked and eventually become a health hazard. The only wood included should be a resting board (to prevent the rabbits from getting sore legs and feet, and those boards should be changed regularly. Also the Memsahib strongly disagrees with the statement that the rabbits should be in a partially shaded area. Rabbits are much more sensitive to heat than cold. We have always located our pens on the north side of the house in full shade. We have never lost a rabbit to cold, but people who have purchased our rabbits have lost rabbits to heat stroke mid-summer when they have not followed our advice. When the temperature climbs above 90 degrees, we wet down the entire rabbit area to provide cooling through evaporation. Some rabbit fanciers put a block of ice in each pen. Others have fans to cool down the hutches. But these last two methods will be useless, post-TEOTWAWKI.

Food & Water:
Specially prepared rabbit pellets provide the best diet for a breeding herd. Pellets are nutritious, inexpensive (our local feed store sells 50 pound bags for less then $12.50 each), store well and are easy to feed. Of the many different types of pellets, you should get those that are small in size, placing them in a hopper so as to avoid waste. Pellets can be supplemented with tender hay, fresh grass clippings, vegetable greens / roots, apples, apple branches, and weeds such as dandelions, which may be easily available. Just like us, rabbits also require salt. Therefore, you may want to provide your herd salt licks.

To supplement the rabbit’s diet while giving them a bit more exercise (to help maintain a healthy herd), place several rabbits in a movable wire pen (approximately four or five feet square) and placing the pen throughout your yard. As the rabbits eat the fresh grass and weeds to a comfortable height; move the cage to another location. The yard is quietly cut and the rabbits are fed with little effort at all.
As with any animal, clean fresh water is essential. Water bottles may be used when temperatures are above freezing (otherwise metal pans or crockery bowls may be used). Change the water on a daily basis. A doe and her litter may drink as much as one gallon of water per day.

[In the Memsahib’s experience mature does are too territorial to be placed in such a confined area. This would work with littermates of the same sex before they reached sexual maturity. The rabbits should all be put in the pen at the same time.]

Mating & Birth:
Medium-weight rabbits such as the New Zealand White are ready to breed at about six months. Signs to look for in females are restlessness, attempts to join other rabbits, or a tendency to rub her head against the cage. Once a doe reaches maturity, it is fertile almost continuously. Place the female in the male’s cage; where mating should take place almost immediately. If it does not, bring the female back to her own cage and try again within a few days. Never bring the male to the female’s cage. She may see him as an intruder and attack him out of fear.
Approximately twelve days after mating, check for pregnancy by feeling the abdomen area just above the pelvis, trying to locate the small marble-shaped embryos. Make sure that you handle the doe gently and use only light pressure. If you feel nothing, check again in about a week; re-breed if necessary.

[Memsahib I think there is too much chance of injury palpitating the embryos. Though does can mate at any time, conception is improved by mating them when the does’ vulva is swollen and dark. Careful observation will show this happens on a three day cycle. If the doe is not receptive to the buck, she likely will be the following day or the day after. Mating can take place in as little as 15 seconds. But usually the buck and doe will chase each other around the pen for a few minutes. If the doe grunts and stomps her hind feet place her back in her own pen immediately. Be careful that she does not bite. If the doe is receptive she will stop and slightly raise her haunches. If the buck is successful he will suddenly fall off the doe like he has been shot. Watch for this! It can happen very quickly. Return the doe to her own pen. Mating will stimulate ovulation so be certain to bring the doe back to the buck’s pen for a repeat mating eight hours later. In this way you will maximize the size of the litter. Using this method I have never failed to get a doe bred.]

Birth [“kindling”] occurs within 30 days after conception, providing an average number of seven young (called “kits”) per litter, but can range from two to twelve. Since a doe can become pregnant, given the right conditions, by the simple act of mating; she can get pregnant soon after birth. For the animals safety however, it is recommended that each doe have no more then three or four litters per year. Make sure that you place the nesting box (with fresh hay to insure warmth) at least five days before the young are due. The doe will begin pulling fur from her dewlap to line and soften the nest as well.

Most likely, the litter will be born at night. Complications are rare when the doe is in good condition and not over feed. Make sure not to disturbed the new family for a day or two, so that the doe can calm. Then distract the doe with some tempting food so that you can look inside the box; removing any dead or deformed young. Be assured, the doe can take care of her young herself. Therefore, no hand-raising or special equipment, such as incubators or brooders will ever be needed.

Kits are born hairless with their eyes closed. Their fur will begin to grow in by day five or six, after ten to twelve days the kits’ eyes will open. At the age of three weeks their mother will begin to wean them off milk (but will continue to nurse them until they are eight weeks), during this time, the kits will begin to eat hay and pellets becoming accustomed to the feed. Anytime thereafter, from eight to twelve weeks old, they will be ready for butchering, dressing out four to five pounds of meat each.

You may however also decide to keep a few of the new rabbits for more productivity or to replace a buck or doe that you might have lost. Although rabbits can live anywhere from seven to twelve years, having a few extra never hurts.

Slaughtering, skinning and butchering:
These are the tasks that no one really likes, but remember these animals are providing food for your family. Again, there are many resources describing the different methods employed and you are encouraged to read up on each. Each task however, is fairly simple and straight forward. A skilled person can take a rabbit from cage to fryer in under 30 minutes or less. Note: To facilitate butchering, do not feed the rabbit for at least twenty-four hours prior to slaughter. This will help to clear out the animal’s digestive system.

I will discuss one interesting method that was first given to me as instruction of survival during my training at the U.S. Army Ranger School. It will cause the animal the least amount of stress, it is considered quick, painless, and humane.
Begin by holding the rabbit in your arms, petting it to make sure that it is calm. After a few minutes, hold the animal by the hind legs with one hand, placing your thumb of the other hand on the neck just behind the ears and your fingers under the chin. Stretch the animal by pushing down with your thumb; then raise the animal’s head with a quick movement to dislocate the neck.

The next stage may sound strange but will assist you in skinning the carcass. The objective here is to quickly remove the animal’s pelt cleanly, neatly and with minimum damage to either the hide. Since skinning is a skill that requires experience; I will explain what I call the “pen method.” For this, make sure that you have your black US Government Skillcraft pen disassembled and on hand, as you will need it.

With your skinning knife, make your first incision small on one of the back legs just below the hock (insert the blade under the skin so that only the hide gets cut). Now take the pen placing the silver tip in the incision, between the hide and flesh. With the half-pen sticking out, blow hard into the opening. The forced in air will go between the hide and flesh separating the two, making the rabbit the size of a basketball. (This same method can also be used on chickens, producing a skinless bird, no plucking required).

Use your knife a second time to increase the first incision by cutting around the rest of the leg. Do the same thing on the other leg. A cut is then made along the inside of the back legs from one foot to the base of the tail; continue the incision to the other leg. The hide can now be easily removed by pulling it off like a sweater. There should be little resistance, however if there is any, use the knife to free the hide. The last step is to free the pelt by incising a circle around the neck. The pelt can also be saved to make clothes, used for barter or even charity.

Once the skinning is complete, remove the head so that the carcass can bleed out. Next remove the entrails. To do this, split the body open down the medium line of the belly near the anus to the sternum. Special care should be taken not to nick the gall bladder as this will taint the meat. The entrails are then removed; the kidney and liver can be saved. The sternum is then cut and the lungs, heart and trachea are removed (save the heart as well). Lastly, cut the pubic bone and remove the rectum.

Wash the carcass with cold water, giving it a thorough rinsing to remove stray fur and blood. Drop the carcass in a bucket of cold (ice) water for five minutes. Repeat with a second bucket; helping to further cool the meat. This will complete the bleeding process and making it easier to cut into pieces. Note: Do not leave the carcass in the bucket for more than fifteen minutes since it will absorb water.

Lastly, use your knife to divide the rabbit into serving pieces (usually seven to nine cuts – high in protein/ low in fat). Never use a cleaver so as to avoid leaving bone splinters. You can now bake, boil, fry, roast, salt or smoke your rabbit as you wish. Review your survival cooking library for delicious recipes, and enjoy.

Conclusion:
Since rabbits are fairly inexpensive, have few diseases, multiply quickly and are easy to care for, it is recommended that small retreats with limited space consider raising them as a reliable source of meat. Not only will you be able to feed you family, but help others in need. Remember, as with any new skill, do not wait until a TEOTWAWKI situation arises as the time to learn something new. Good-luck and God Bless!

References:
American Federation of New Zealand Rabbit Breeders
American Rabbit Breeders Association
Professional Rabbit Meat Association
Angier, Bradford. “One Acre and Security“. Willow Creek Press, 2000

Three Letters Re: Preparedness Considerations for College Students

Dear Jim:
A suggestion for storing preparedness supplies while in college: Get a small self storage unit at a local self-store. I had one all through college, which made it much easier to move from apartment to apartment, as college students often do. It was very reasonably priced.

I made sure it was in a storage facility that actually locks and closes at night. The unit was on the north side of the building, so it did not get as hot as other units. Nowadays, many cities have indoor, climate controlled facilities that are even more secure.

The advantages are that your gear is all in one place, ready to go. I consider the facilities more secure than dwellings. They are certainly more anonymous than dwellings, as no one except who you tell will know anything about your personal business, and what is stored there. And as stated before, it makes moving much easier. – Mark R. in New Mexico

 

Sir:

My comment on the college student who advises petroleum geologist as a post-TEOTWAWKI career and advises against anything to do with electricity. My advice would be the opposite. Anything to do with oil requires a huge infrastructure of refineries, financial institutions et cetera, while small hydro, wind and solar will still be going and still viable. The current production output dictates that there will be electric heaters, motors, computers etc available and anyone who can make or keep them operational will be in demand. I live in an area where almost all of the current production is hydro and because the plants are so old (50-90 years) they would still operating, especially small ones in out of the way places that are either not on the grid now or can be configured to run off the grid. – Karen L.

 

Hi –
Regarding Sam’s recent comments to avoid any career involving a computer, I believe that to be unwise advice. As with any career choice, there are sub-specialties within a given field that can be very lucrative. I’ve been an I.T. security professional for over 15 years, and I can say firsthand that choosing anything to do with networks or better yet information assurance and security would be a very, very wise choice.

Demand for skilled, intelligent computer and network security professionals is at an all-time high, and is increasing steadily. Further, the quality of the people graduating and the quality of those who have been in I.T. for 3 years or more is steadily decreasing. This is creating a “perfect storm” of high demand and low supply which translates directly into increased income, basically allowing a skilled I.T. security pro to name their price. On my team alone we have had two openings that we cannot fill and we’ve been interviewing so-called candidates (I use the term loosely since these folks barely qualified at any level) for months.

Information security is an even better choice if, like Sam and many others, you subscribe to the long, slow decline theory rather than the cataclysmic event theory of preparedness. As society slowly disintegrates, the demand for information security pros by large corporations, governments and even well-to-do individuals will only increase. People and companies will always want to make money…think of the TV series “Jericho” to see what I mean.

The trick is to keep your skills and training up to date, and to keep yourself from getting locked into any one position or company (or even geographical location) for any length of time. Stay mobile…a “hired gun” or troubleshooter, for example. A solid information security pro can easily command a salary in the $100,000-$200,000 range even in the Midwest. With the right combination of certifications, experience, and skills, a good pro can make even more working for a large company or law firm on the coasts, in the South, or even overseas.

A frugal prepper working as an infosys security pro for 3-5 years or so could sock away a serious amount of money, more than enough to buy a sizable chunk of productive land outright and stock it with everything needed to go off the grid. The point is not to over-react to what you think will happen…leverage your skills to make as much income as possible while you can, live well below your means, and use the difference to launch and establish the lifestyle you really want.

Another group in the I.T. industry that is in high demand are the business continuity and disaster recovery specialists, as well as facilities management professionals. Again, as things get worse in our society, the demand for people who can help ensure business continuity (and business security) for a large corporation can make a very respectable salary. In my experience, companies like GE, Proctor&Gamble, Wal-Mart, pharmaceutical companies, et cetera will do everything they can to keep making money no matter what, even if it looks like the world is ending, and they will pay handsomely for people who can help them do it. – JT

Odds ‘n Sods:

Across Globe, Empty Bellies Bring Rising Anger (A hat tip to Neil for that link.)

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Citigroup posts loss, plans to eliminate 9,000 jobs: Citi records $14 billion in 1Q write-downs; Wall Street relieved it’s not worse

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Felix D. suggested reading an interview with Lee Clarke, the author of the book “Worst Cases.”

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A piece by Jay Taylor, posted over at Gold-Eagle: Economist Walter Williams Sees Hyperinflation As Early As 2010

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"I, John Robbins, being of lawful Age, do Testifye and say, that on the Nineteenth Instant, the Company under the Command of Captain John Parker, being drawn up (sometime before sun Rise) on the Green or Common, and I being in the front Rank, there suddenly appear’d a Number of the Kings Troops, about a Thousand, as I thought, at the distance of about 60 or 70 yards from us Huzzaing, and on a quick pace towards us, with three Officers in their front on Horse Back, and on full Gallop towards us, the foremost of which cryed, throw down your Arms ye Villains, ye Rebels! upon which said Company Dispersing, the foremost of the three Officers order’d their Men, saying, fire, by God, fire! at which Moment we received a very heavy and close fire from them, at which Instant, being wounded, I fell, and several of our men were shot Dead by one volley. Captain Parker’s men, I believe, had not then fired a Gun." – Militiaman John Robbins’ sworn statement, 24 April 1775, regarding the events of April 19, 1775, in Lexington, Massachusetts

Notes from JWR:

The following was forwarded by SurvivalBlog reader:

“I pledge, in honor of the late Charlton Heston, that if I receive any funds from the US Government’s economic stimulus rebate program that I will spend the money on guns and ammo.” (Pass it on.) The only thing that I’d add to that is firearms training.

Today we present another article for Round 16 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win two valuable four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificates. (Worth up to $4,000!) Second prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. Round 16 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entries. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Preparedness Considerations for College Students, by Sam

I am presently a sophomore at a small, private, liberal arts college, in the northeastern United States. First, I will start with the important criteria [for survivalists] in choosing a college (after the decision of a major and program you want to be in), which I followed in High School three years ago:
1. Do not choose a school in a heavily urbanized/suburbanized area.
2. Choose a school in a small city or town, ideally with less than 50,000 people and ample farming in the region. (places like Ithaca New York, Burlington Vermont, Amherst Massachusetts, and other small-city sized college towns, their population increases significantly when school is in session and should be avoided.)
3. Look over the area around the school. If it looks bad, it probably is.
4. Look at the local crime rate, economy, etc.
5. After the admissions tour, walk around the campus on your own with whoever you are touring with (Parent, Friend, etc.) and talk to students. The admissions department is excellent at making a college appear better than it actually is.
6. Drive around the city/town where the college is located and see how it feels.
7. If you are in a state like Utah, see what the school’s policy is on weapons, do this by reviewing the handbook. Even if there is a weapons ban on campus, there are ways around this.
8. The school handbook, should also have information about crimes committed on campus. This is legally required under the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990. If the information is not found, it can be located online.
9. If the school is a public school, you probably have the same rights about searches by police and school officials as a regular citizen. [JWR Adds: Check the local and state laws,as well as the school’s policies.] At many private schools your room can be fully searched at any time for any reason. In fact, I signed an agreement of full understanding and giving the school greater rights to search because I live on an “alcohol and tobacco free” floor.

Once one is at school, there are some things that can be done for the sake of preparedness. Sterilite or Rubbermaid plastic storage containers that are opaque and have lockable handles (such as these) can be used to store food, bug-out gear, etc. They blend in perfectly with college settings and do not stand out, I have one large container with my BOB, winter weight sleeping bag, hunting gear, food, and weather specific clothing. If I had to, I could carry it down seven fights of stairs to my SUV and be out of the city with 10 minutes warning. There are a few places that it can be stored. I keep the main storage bin in open sight, two other bins are on top of it and I use them as a table for my shower stuff. If I didn’t have my bed bunked, I would have my bed up on cinder blocks and store them under the bed. No one will second guess storage containers in a college setting.

Weapons are banned from almost every college campus. A weapon is generally defined as anything that can be dangerous to another person or look dangerous. My school has banned: airsoft guns, BB guns, air rifles, paintball guns, all knives of any type, bows, crossbows, machetes, swords, guns, disassembled guns, guns that are incapable of firing ammunition, all replicas of any weapons. One way around this is fairly simple if you’ve got a car, just park your car on public property, such as street curbside. I have had friends that hunt leave their hunting rifles/shotguns, bows, etc. in their truck/car. In some states this is illegal, and even if not illegal, is very risky because a car cannot be secured. Disclaimer: This is extremely risky. Even if the gun is a locked in a bolted-down container, since the entire vehicle could be stolen. It might also be illegal in some states or localities. It would be better to live in an apartment off campus to circumvent any laws or policy restrictions about guns on campus entirely. However, some schools require that all students live on campus. Living on campus for a certain time period (freshman year) is required on many campuses.

One important thing is that one must have a plan to get home or to a more permanent location. College campuses will be less-self sufficient than even someone living in a condo in New York City. Dormitory dining halls bring in workers from the surrounding area to make the food for the college. If the Schumer Hits the Fan, these people will not come to work, and if they do it will be most likely to take food for themselves. Forget about growing food on the grounds of campus. It is naive to think that some else wouldn’t steal it. It is prudent to live within half a tank of gas driving distance to home or a retreat location and have alternative routes. I live several hundred miles from home and must cross the Hudson River, Connecticut River, and many other choke points that will be filled with the Golden Horde and/or are in urban areas because of the interstate highway system. I have planned accordingly, and have extended family members who own a farm that live within 50 miles. I can walk there if I must, but there are numerous alternate routes that I have scouted.

Having a car at college is very important if one’s finances allow for it. I am fortunate enough to have a father who provides a car and fully maintains it. I’m not going to go into much depth about a car, because that is a subject in itself for another article. Basically, an SUV is preferable because it allows for being comfortable when driving places with friends, carrying more stuff for moving into and out of school every year, and it is generally a good BOV compared to passenger cars. They also blend in with other vehicles in most parts of the country. If you’ve got control over the type (all this is from my experience), try to avoid any luxury brand SUV, it rubs people the wrong way to see a late teen/early 20something driving a car that was clearly expensive, agitates the population around the school, gives people the wrong judgment of you as a person, stands out to people that you want to ignore you, and will stand out like a sore thumb when moving to the retreat location.

Socially at college, avoid drinking alcohol. Many drink in their freshman year, but over time those who continue drinking will prove them to be morally bankrupt individuals, and just because “everyone does it”, it does not make it right. It is a colossal waste of money, and time. It is not Christian (if that is how you are inclined), and can lead to leaks of information. Alcohol just leads to terrible decisions, such as compromising OPSEC, and should be avoided. I no longer drink at all, mainly for religious reasons, but also common sense reasons. It is unhealthy and a waste of time.

Keeping religion in the picture at college is also important. I go to a secular school, but continue to maintain Christian lifestyle, more so now than any time before in my life, being exposed to social liberalism and people who lack morals tends to make one realize how lucky they are and to offer prayer for those who have not come to Christ. Religiously affiliated colleges in the northeast tend to be just as socially liberal as secular schools. In my experience, being at school has made me more religious.

Additionally, in regards to friends at college, it is important, at least in my experience, to be living in a [dormitory] building that has a reputation of being academic in nature. I made most of my friends this way, getting along with your roommate is very important. Going to school at a small campus is very cliquish, so one may find it to be easier to find quieter/like minded students on a small campus. One mention about cliques is that drama will probably develop. Ignore it. I am the middleman in half a dozen instances of drama between my various groups of friends. It is petty. Just try to make people understand that there are more important things in life.

If your school offers Army ROTC courses, enroll in the courses for the minimum of two years that do not require a commitment. Sophomores are now being taught the combat life saver course and given other types of training. A career in the military is a viable alternative, they will pay for tuition, and give out monthly stipends, and issue participants gear on loan. I was enrolled in ROTC for one year, and highly recommend it. am planning on joining Army or Air Force ROTC wherever I go to graduate school and serving in the reserves. [JWR Adds: In my experience, the ROTC Basic Camp, which is available without any contractual obligation, is much more valuable for learning “hands-on” survival skills than the ROTC classroom instruction, which emphasizes theory and military history.]

Try to spend as little money off of your meal card as possible. At the end of every semester spend the surplus down on items the school sells at the store. I have been able to buy about a week’s worth of food this way each semester. It just keeps piling up at home, obviously, buy food that is energy dense and that has a long shelf life.

Work hard, academically. I slacked during my freshman year and could have really boosted my grade point average. The early classes are always easier than the upper level classes and now I am finding myself working twice as hard to make up for the mistake. For the record, I am writing this while I am on break, otherwise I would not have had enough time.

Choosing a major [course of study] is important depending on one’s planned [scenario for] survival. I’m more of a slow-decline Peak Oil, dollar collapse (leading to a further collapse) and general preparedness believer, so I decided on a major accordingly. It is possible to have a major that will give one a career, post-TEOTWAWKI. To name a new professions that will still be around (depending on the severity of the crash) are doctors, writers, dentists, some engineers, merchants, and store owners. Being a petroleum geologist could be very lucrative in a slow-decline peak oil situation. The more specialized a major is, the less career opportunities will be available. Don’t major in anything requiring a computer or electricity, such as electrical engineering, Management Information Systems (MIS), [or fields such as] biology, foreign relations, marketing, history, English, et cetera.

JWR Adds: I guess that things have changed since I was in college in the early 1980s. There was a “no guns on campus” policy, but it was largely ignored. My dorm room often resembled a Peshawar workshop. It was where my shooting buddies would congregate for gun cleaning and for gun assembly. I lost count of the number of M1911s and AR-15s that we parted together in that room. We even had a miniature Unimat lathe in the dorm room for one semester. (It was a Unimat DB200, if I remember correctly.)

Home Invasion Robberies in Argentina, by FerFAL

JWR’s Introductory Note: FerFAL is SurvivalBlog’s volunteer correspondent in Argentina. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to read his Profile. Readers might also be interested in FerFAL’s blog: Surviving in Argentina.

I just got off the phone, after talking with a college friend of mine. We talked about the current situation our country is going through, the food shortages and empty shelves, and how long things will hold on until people get desperate.
As an afterthought she mentioned that some robbers attacked her father and his girlfriend (divorced) while they watched over her recently married sister’s home, while she was on her honeymoon.
I always try to learn as much detail as I can from these situations.
As is currently typical, three armed men intercepted the couple when they arrived to the sister’s house, when they were getting out of the car.
Then, three more guys showed up, each driving a car!
They tied them up, loaded the cars full of the newly-wedded couple’s gifts, everything they had was soon fitted into the cars.
After that, one of the bad guys cut the cable off an appliance, stripped the end of the cable, and threatened to torture them with electric shocks.
There was also some money in the house–about $1,000–and fortunately they didn’t fulfill the threat.

A few thoughts that come to mind:
1) Criminals always seem to attack when entering or exiting your house. Those are the moments when you should be extra careful.
2) Be discreet about what you have. Three cars? They knew about the wedding, the gifts, the new house, etc.
3) Once you are tied up in a chair, there’s no use in wishing you had done something before. If they end up raping or killing your entire family, you can’t go back in time, buy a gun, learn how to use it, and defend yourself and your loved ones. It’s too late.
4) Some people just don’t get it, even when the truth is smeared all over their faces.
Right after telling me this, my friend told me that the best thing to do is surrender, cooperate with the criminals and hope for the best.
She told me that she was worried about me because she knew that I was armed and had the will to shoot if necessary.
I expressed my concerns about the opposite being true regarding her.
5) Three armed guys and three more nearby? Do I really want a six-shot revolver, or even worse, a five-shot one?

The reality around you dictates the kind of weapon you need, and even then… guns are meant to be comforting, not comfortable. That’s one of the few gun maxims I like. – FerFAL

Letter from David in Israel Re: Stocking Up on Matzoh

James
I would first like to wish the Jewish readers of SurvivalBlog a happy and kosher passover. And after that I also want to remind everyone that Saturday night is the start of Passover. Why is this
important? It means that even in many small towns big packages of matzoh will be available often at a closeout price after the seder night. Matzoh (an unleavened flour cracker) is a good ready to eat food that lasts for several years in the sealed box. If you wonder what good wheat flour crackers are just look online for the recipes we have come up with over the millennia. Next year in Jerusalem! – David in Israel

Two Letters Re: Automated Parking Garages

Sir,
Regarding a recent item in your blog about robotic parking facilities: These modern “conveniences” can be shut down by more than just a power outage. Here’s a link to a news storey about a robotic parking facility in Hoboken, New Jersey which was effectively shut down for about a week during a contract dispute between the city and the software company. To make a long story short: The city owned the facility, while the company owned the rights to the software which ran it. When the city opted not to renew their contract with the company, the parking robot suddenly stopped functioning. Cheers, – B-Boy

 

Jim:
Your warning comes a little too late. According to an AutoBlog article, they’re in place in many of our big cities, including San Francisco, Seattle et cetera. – Eric S.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Subprime defaults put the FHA in the poorhouse. Look for further growth in the Mother of All Bailouts (MOAB).

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Risk of Nuclear Attack on U.S. Rises

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Mike in Illinois suggested these two articles from New Scientist: Why the demise of civilisation may be inevitable and Will a pandemic bring down civilisation?

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The WRSA has a Basic Rifle Marksmanship Course scheduled for April 26-27 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. OBTW, the WRSA is kindly donating paid admissions to any WRSA shooting event for just the first two people that respond and pledge to become SurvivalBlog 10 Cent Challenge subscribers, or that pledge to renew their existing subscription for another year. These “SurvivalBlog scholarships” are valued at $150 each, or it can be used to drop the price of a group admission per the WRSA’s “25% off your total, buddy system” pricing. Example: 1 SurvivalBlog scholarship + $75 more gets two people admitted, or 1 SurvivalBlog scholarship + $187.50 gets three admitted. E-mail the WRSA for details.