Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — September 6, 2023

On September 6th 1901,  Republican William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States (1897–1901), was shot by Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist, at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, and died eight days later.

—

September 6th, 1757 is the birthday of Marquis de Lafayette (often known simply as Lafayette), a French aristocrat and military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War. (Sept. 6, 1757 – May 20, 1834) came to America at age 19 and served meritoriously in the American Revolution at his own expense. He was also instrumental in convincing the French king and his ministers to support George Washington and his embattled Continental Army with loans, troops and the powerful presence of the French fleet. The alliance with France was crucial for American victory in our War of Independence. He was a close friend of George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Jefferson. George Washington met him through his connections in the Free Masons and was impressed with him. After he offered to serve without pay, Congress commissioned him as a Major General and he was an integral part of the battle at Brandywine.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 108 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $840,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 108 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

A Local Disaster Network – Part 2, by J.M.

(Continued from Part 1.)

There are two additional items required to run a Raspberry Pi – a microSD card for storage and a power supply. I’ve set up, configured and run dozens of Raspberry Pis since they came out in 2012, and 90% of all of the problems I’ve ever encountered with them are the result of either a bad microSD card or inadequate power supply, so you don’t want to cheap out on either.

For the microSD card I strongly recommend using a SanDisk MAX ENDURANCE model of at least 64GB, but bigger is always better, so get a 128GB or even a 256GB one if you can afford it. For a power supply you’re going to need something that can supply a clean 5V/2.4A via microUSB for either of the Pi 3 models, or 5V/3A via USB-C for the Pi 4 model. Note that the AC power supply is just for initially configuring the Raspberry Pi – I’ll be talking about how to power your entire setup using a battery power supply later on.

One of the limitations of microSD cards is that they were never designed to handle the types of read and write loads that operating systems generate, so they can be slow and they’ll ‘wear out’ after a couple of years of hard use. One alternative is to configure your Raspberry Pi to boot from an external SSD storage device, which is a lot faster and can provide a lot more storage. I have mine configured to boot from a 240GB JOIOT Mini Portable SSD and use a 2TB Western Digital Elements SE SSD for extra storage, which provides a ton of store for reference content, videos, pictures, etc.

If you want to use an external SSD (Solid State Disk), here are some instructions on how to set that up – ‘How to Boot Raspberry Pi 4 From a USB SSD or Flash Drive’. For this article, I’ll just assume that you’re starting with a microSD card. Note that it’s also possible to use an inexpensive high-capacity USB thumb drive for either the boot/store device (in place of the microSD card), or as supplementary external storage, but as with microSD cards, USB thumb drives tend be be slower and less reliable, whereas SSDs are designed to behave just like spinning disks but a lot faster.Continue reading“A Local Disaster Network – Part 2, by J.M.”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

—

I heard from SurvivalBlog reader T.D.H. about a nifty and inexpensive way to efficiently store 30-round AR-15 rifle magazines. By coincidence, the dimensions of small, stackable Sterlite plastic storage crates are perfect to fit 12 of the 30-round PMAGs. These fit tightly in these crates if the magazines are left in their factory wrappers, or loosely, if they are out of their wrappers. They also loosely fit 14 unwrapped alloy or steel AR magazines. These plastic mini crates are made in U.S.A.. You can find these on eBay or at the Walmart website by searching on this phrase: Sterilite Plastic Desktop Storage Mini Crate, Black, 9″ x 7 3/4″ x 6 1/8″. They make these in black, white, and clear plastic. I was able to buy 10 of these via eBay, for $25.30, postage paid! (Just $2.53 each. Since they arrived via FedEx, I don’t think that they made much of a profit on that transaction.) They arrived in a Walmart shipping box.  I suppose that they are also sold in Walmart stores. This is a great way to keep a quantity of extra magazines handy — in your gun vault, in a vehicle, on trips to your shooting range, or in a cache. – JWR

o  o  o

SurvivalBlog’s Editor-at-Large Mike Williamson sent this, over at X about some recent monkeywreching, in London, England: An anti-ULEZ vigilante group known as the “Blade Runners” has committed itself to removing or disabling every last ULEZ camera in London. 90% of the cameras in South East London have already been “retired”.  

Mike’s Comment: The Revolution will not be televised. At least not if these guys have anything to say about it.

o  o  o

Reader A.K. recommended this video by Eva Zu Beck: Giving Up Modern Life to Become a Goat Herder in Montana.

o  o  o

Tim J. suggested this Victor Davis Hanson video: The De-Civilization of America.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — September 5, 2023

On September 5th, 1836, Sam Houston was elected president of the Republic of Texas.

—

Ready Made Resources is running a Labor Day Sale on a L3 Commercial Grade with PVS-14 Night Vision Monocular/Weapon sight package with a 10-Year Warranty for $4,299.  In this package, you will get: One L3 Unfilmed White Phosphor Commercial Grade (Unit and Spec Sheet Only), One Wilcox G24 Lite with Dovetail J-Arm, One Bump Helmet, and On Pelican case. You’ll save $310 by buying this package.  Take note that USSOCOM and JSOC have chosen white phosphor tubes as their new standard and are now taking delivery of these tubes exclusively.

And, for the full month of September, Ready Made Resources is running a special on IRAY USA-Made RICO RS75 thermal night vision scopes at $2,000 off.

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 108 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $840,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 108 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

But first, I have a special announcement…

Opportunity for Retreat Group Membership in a Secure Bug Out Location

I currently have a consulting client who lives full-time with his family on a highly productive farm in Kansas. He has asked me to use SurvivalBlog to add a family to his retreat group. Unlike the caretaker position (which was a salaried position) posted earlier this year, this is not a paying job, but if you have the qualifications think of your response as the first step toward a potential space for you and your family in a lifeboat which in a collapse scenario could be very important.

Imagine if the collapse has occurred and instead of being stuck in the city, you traveled to a retreat and are welcomed by a Christian family. All you needed to do is travel to their farm/retreat and help with security and usual farm chores. It sounds like a fantasy, but it is true as there is a retreat owner and consulting client has asked me to search for a qualified like-minded family to help assist their family in the event their retreat needs to be activated. They live full time at their farm which has been a productive farm for over 150 years.
The farm is in a safe geographic area in a Midwestern conservative state with multiple sources of power, water including a stocked lake, and abundant trees for firewood.

The farm produces enough food for hundreds of people and surrounding farms also produce grains, milk, meat, and eggs. The area is lightly populated, with more cattle than people. Wildlife including deer abound in the area.

Currently, the family has room for just one more family. They will take under consideration any families from the continental United States, but special preference will be given to people in the Midwest and South as it is geographically closer. The retreat is already stocked for the owners, but additional supplies for you and your family to be determined upon mutual agreement with the retreat owners could be pre-positioned if you are accepted into their retreat group.

But before I can tell you anything more about this farm retreat, I need to know about you. The ideal candidates must be able to check off the following:

The husband must have either a military/LE background OR be a physician.

The husband must:

Have a “can do” attitude. Have U.S. Army or USMC experience — or alternatively extensive police SWAT experience, or overseas intel/security contractor
experience. Ideally, we are seeking a former company-grade officer or NCO qualified in any of the following Combat Arms/Combat Support OSCs/MOSes (or any of the USMC equivalent specialties):

SF (18B, 18C, 18D, 18E, 18F)
MP (31B, 31K)
Infantry (11B, 11C)
Armor/Scout (19D, 19K)
Engineer (21W, 21K and 21R, or 12A, 12B, 12K, 12M, 12N, 12P, 12R, 12W)
And ideally, with prior or secondary MOS experience in any of the following mechanical MOSes:

91B, 91D, 91F, 91H, or 91L.
Or, in any 68-series medical MOS, preferably with experience in the field at the tactical level.

OR,

Currently licensed physician with experience in family medicine or an ER doctor will be strongly considered. Other medical doctors will also be considered.

They will only consider happily married individuals in a strife-free and drug-free monogamous relationship.
Be devoted Christians and be on the same page as the farm owner concerning current events of these Last Days.
Be circumspect and security conscious.
Have minimal emotional baggage, drama, or other “issues.”
Apply with the understanding that they will have extensive background checks and will undergo drug tests.

Some Plusses for military/LE families:

Overseas deployments are a plus.
Experience at tree felling is a plus.
Experience with fence construction is a plus.
Experience with tractors, excavators, and/or bulldozers is a plus.
Experience with home maintenance is a plus.
Experience with small livestock is a plus.
Car, truck, and small motor repair experience is a plus.
Vegetable gardening experience (especially large scale) is a plus.

The wife must:

Be practical. She must keep good discipline of your children and pets.  Cooking, baking, gardening, and sewing skills are a definite plus.

Prior military service for the wife (in any of the aforementioned MOSes) and/or medical experience is a big plus, but not necessary.

In your initial cover letter, please introduce you, your wife, and your family including you and your families’ beliefs, interests, hobbies, pets and diet including any allergies or foods that any members of your family don’t eat.  Please include detailed profiles of each family member that you would like to be potentially included listing work history and skills.

If you meet these qualifications, then please e-mail a cover letter and detailed profile description, to:  jamesATrawles.to , (Change “AT” to an @ sign.) and I will personally handle the initial contacts. Once we’ve narrowed the list of potential retreat group members, your details will then be forwarded to the farm owner.

Please pray seriously about this, before responding.

A Local Disaster Network – Part 1, by J.M.

There have been a number of articles on SurvivalBlog on the use of mobile devices like cell phones and tablets in survival/disaster scenarios (including one I wrote – ‘Tactical Technology for TEOTWAWKI’ parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). In that article, I briefly introduced the idea of setting up and using a home server/network infrastructure for a disaster scenario, which can provide you with a lot of options for planning, organizing, coordinating, sharing, and communicating information among your team, family, group, or community. In this article, I’ll discuss one possible approach for configuring such an infrastructure for disaster situations. Note that this is based on an actual configuration that I regularly use a couple of times a year at a friend’s off-the-grid cabin out in the wilds of Maine; a group of us outdoor geeks get together to go hiking, fishing, hunting and to practice bushcraft, and we use the network infrastructure to plan and document our activities, as well as for occasionally playing multiplayer video games when the weather is too bad to go outside.

For the purposes of this article, I’m going to focus more on the what you can do versus how to do it, although I do provide some instructions for the initial setup. There are lots of detailed ‘how to’ instructions available for most of the hardware and software I’ll be discussing, which I’ll provide links to, but be aware that a moderate degree of technical computer know-how is required.Continue reading“A Local Disaster Network – Part 1, by J.M.”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies of interest to preppers and survivalists that are located in the American Redoubt region. Today, we focus on a charging bear incident.  (See the Montana section.)

Region-Wide

CBS video: The movement to shrink Oregon and expand Idaho.

o  o  o

‘Unusually snowy’: Farmers’ Almanac predicts snowy, wet winter for region.

o  o  o

An un-narrated three-minute CBS video: Nature: The Continental Divide.

Idaho

‘Respect the election process’: Idaho Secretary of State responds to West Bonner recall.

o  o  o

Local professional bareback rider dies after rodeo injuries.

o  o  o

The Museum in the Sky.

o  o  o

Athol man sentenced for Illegal Animals.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“If you wish to know how libertarians regard the State and any of its acts, simply think of the State as a criminal band, and all of the libertarian attitudes will logically fall into place.” – Murray Rothbard

Preparedness Notes for Monday — September 4, 2023

On September 4th, 2006 Australian wildlife conservationist and television personality Steve Irwin, who achieved worldwide fame as the exuberant and risk-taking host of The Crocodile Hunter (1992–2006) television series and related documentaries, was killed by a venomous bull stingray.

—

I noticed several new listings of interest, over at SurvivalRealty.com.  For example:

—

A reminder: The upcoming Paratus Holiday will fall on Friday, September 15, 2023.

—

Today’s feature article is a review, written by Field Gear Editor Thomas Christianson.

Burris Signature HD 2-10x40mm Rifle Scope, by Thomas Christianson

In January, I tested Burris’ Signature HD 2-10x40mm rifle scope. It offers a versatile optic with a decent sight picture in an attractive package.

The Ballistic Plex E3 reticle that I tested provides hashmarks on the vertical crosshair calibrated to the ballistic performance of common hunting cartridges, and dots on the horizontal crosshair to compensate for crosswinds in 10 mph increments. Scopes in the Signature HD series are also available with Plex, Fine Plex, and 6.5 Creedmoor reticles.

I had some initial problems in my testing due to an error on my part (I did not tighten the rings sufficiently), but experienced good results after correcting my error.

With an enviable “Forever Warranty” (“No Charge. No warranty card needed. No receipt needed. No questions asked.”), and a manufacturer-suggested retail price of $455, the Signature HD scope may be a good option for deer hunting or similar applications.

The Backstory

I recently received a press release about Burris’ Signature HD2-10X40mm rifle scope. It looked interesting, so I asked Burris if I could borrow a unit for testing and evaluation. They were kind enough to agree. They also offered to provide a set of rings. About a week later the much-anticipated package arrived via UPS.Continue reading“Burris Signature HD 2-10x40mm Rifle Scope, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Peanut Butter and Jelly Oat Balls

The following recipe for Peanut Butter and Jelly Oat Balls is from SurvivalBlog reader A.S..  It requires no cooking. A.S. notes:  “If you substitute Nutella for the jelly, then you get something that tastes a bit like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.”

Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats, divided
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 6 teaspoons of jam, jelly, or Nutella chocolate cream
Directions
  1. Combine 1 cup oats, peanut butter, and confectioners’ sugar until well blended.
  2. Shape dough into 1-1/4-inch diameter balls.
  3. Flatten the balls into 1/4-inch thick discs.
  4. Place 1/2 teaspoon of jam in center of one disc; wrap dough around jam.
  5. Pinch edges to seal; re-shape into a ball. Repeat with remaining jam and dough.
  6. Roll the balls in the remaining oats.
  7. Chill the separated balls for 30 minutes on waxed paper or cooking parchment on a platter or cookie sheet, in your refrigerator.  No cooking required!

—

Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long-term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at expected crashes in commercial and residential real estate. (See the Tangibles Investing section.)

Precious Metals:

What To Expect For Gold If We Enter A Deflationary Period.

o  o  o

Another, at Gold-Eagle.com: Piepenburg, Rule and Rickards Agree: Gold’s Role Rises as Dollar Hegemony Falls.

Economy & Finance:

Billions of dollars are flowing out of Chinese markets in a ‘seismic’ change in capital flows despite a flurry of actions to shore up confidence. A quote:

“Over the weekend, Chinese authorities halved the tax charged on stock trades, called a “stamp duty,” and lowered the amount of collateral a trader has to deposit in order to borrow money to invest in stocks in a bid to “boost investor confidence,” according to a Google translation of a statement from China’s Ministry of Finance. Beijing also asked some mutual funds to avoid being net sellers of equities, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources.

Despite the moves, foreign investors continue to flee Chinese markets. With Beijing cracking down on foreign consulting firms amid tensions between the U.S. and China and repeatedly requiring investment firms to avoid selling stocks when markets look shaky, investors seem increasingly nervous about the risks of holding capital in China.

In the first half of this year, the number of active China-focused hedge funds fell for the first time in more than a decade. And in the second quarter, direct investment liabilities—a measure of foreign direct investment into China—slumped 87% from a year ago to a record low of $4.9 billion, according to figures released by China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Friday.”

o  o  o

National Australia Bank adds mean speech to debanking criteria.

o  o  o

Biden admin mulls more intervention in the market with new overtime pay ‘rules’.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Our duty to the whole, including the unborn generations, bids us to restrain an unprincipled present-day minority from wasting the heritage of these unborn generations. The movement for the conservation of wildlife and the larger movement for the conservation of all our natural resources are essentially democratic in spirit, purpose, and method.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — September 3, 2023

On September 3rd, 1609, English navigator Henry Hudson, in a quest for a passage to India on behalf of the Dutch East India Company, sailed into the harbor of present-day New York City and up the river that now bears his name.

—

I just heard that singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffet passed away, at age 76. He was a great musician and a true American “Character”, in the good sense of the word. Our condolences to his family.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 108 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $840,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 108 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.