Learning From My Amish Neighbor, by 3AD Scout

In February of this year, our neighbor sold his two houses and business. One of those houses was sold to our new neighbors. They are Old Order Amish who still do not use any electric lights on their buggies but rather use Kerosene lamps. It has been an interesting few months watching them transform their new-to-them home to their off-grid Amish lifestyle. I was wondering how the new owners would heat the large old farmhouse and get their water since the old neighbor used electricity for such things. The previous neighbor had an outside wood furnace that supplied both heat for the old farmhouse and hot water. I drove by one afternoon to see the furnace was gone.Continue reading“Learning From My Amish Neighbor, by 3AD Scout”

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 located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, we focus on the recent eastern Idaho agricultural water controversy. (See the Idaho section.)

Idaho

Will 500,000 acres of Idaho farmland lose access to water?

An update: Water curtailment order lifted for East Idaho farmers.  Here is a quote:

“Groundwater irrigators and surface water irrigators have completed a deal that saves 330,000 acres of Idaho farmland from being dried up and averts economic catastrophe in the state.

A mitigation agreement for 2024, brokered by Governor Brad Little and Lt. Governor Scott Bedke, has now been signed by all parties and has been submitted to the Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR for approval. When the deal is approved, IDWR will lift the curtailment for all nine ground water districts whose patrons irrigate with groundwater from the ESPA.”

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A very recent travel video from my old stomping grounds: Scenic Northwest Passage, Lewis & Clark’s route, Hwy 12 Idaho.

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Missing North Idaho woman found at man’s ranch in Cataldo.

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Idaho clamps down on its RINOS.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“You ask me if I will not be glad when the last battle is fought, so far as the country is concerned I, of course, must wish for peace, and will be glad when the war is ended, but if I answer for myself alone, I must say that I shall regret to see the war end.” – George Armstrong Custer

Preparedness Notes for Monday — June 24, 2024

On June 24, 1314, with the victory at the Battle of Bannockburn (pictured), Scotland regained its independence from England.

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June 24th is the birthday of rifle-toting abolitionist pastor Henry Ward Beecher. (Born 1813, died March 8, 1887.) He and his adherents from his church smuggled so many Sharps rifles to Bleeding Kansas that the Sharps rifles picked up the nickname “Beecher’s Bibles.” The Infogalactic wiki states: “Several of his brothers and sisters became well-known educators and activists, most notably Harriet Beecher Stowe, who achieved worldwide fame with her abolitionist novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”

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I may be biased, but I believe that anyone who is considering investing in a rural retreat property should take this online course taught by my son Jonathan Rawles: The Prepared Property Buyer. It is being offered at a discounted introductory price for just this first week of the course release.

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Because of a change in direction at Trident Media Group (my partner publisher) my novel Land Of Promise, will only be published in trade paperback by Amazon.com for one more month, at just $11.99 per copy. The last day of the sale (and of Amazon Print on Demand ordering capability) will be July 12, 2024. Thereafter, it may only be available as an e-book. I will try to get it back in print within a few months, but I can’t make any promises.  So order your copy (or copies) soon!

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Today’s feature article is a review by Tom Christianson of the SurvivalBlog staff.

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We are in great need of entries for Round 113 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 113 ends on July 31st, 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.

Predator Armor Plate Carrier and Plates, by Thomas Christianson

I recently had the chance to test the Predator Armor Minuteman Plate Carrier as well as a couple of Predator Armor steel plates. I found the 500D Cordura material from which the plate carrier is made to be robust, stain and odor resistant, comfortable to wear. It included 6 rows of MOLLE style webbing. It cost $160 at the time of this writing from www.predatorarmor.com.

One of the plates I tested was a Level III+ Shooter’s Cut plate made from ballistic grade AR650 steel. With the multicurve body contour, it cost $145 for a single plate and $195 for a pair of plates from Predator Armor at the time of this writing.

The other plate I tested as a Level III Shooter’s Cut plate made from ballistic grade AR650 steel with the multicurve body contour and a Kevlar frag mitigation liner. It cost $115 for a single plate and $219 for a pair of plates from Predator Armor at the time of this writing.

At approximately 7.5 pounds each, I found the plates to be heavy enough to increase my interest in the Level III polyethylene plates that Predator Armor also offers. The polyethylene plates cost $700 for a pair from Predator Armor at the time of this writing. At approximately 3.3 pounds each, the polyethylene plates weigh less than half as the steel plates. If you anticipate a static-defense-only use of the armor, then the steel plates will give you slightly better protection at a lower price. If mobility is a part of your contingency plan, and you anticipate moving under your own power, then you may want to consider the more expensive polyethylene plates instead.

I am happy to report that Predator Armor products are 100% American-made.Continue reading“Predator Armor Plate Carrier and Plates, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Baked Summer Squash with Tomatoes and Cheese

The following recipe for Baked Summer Squash with Tomatoes and Cheese is from SurvivalBlog reader V.F..

Chef’s Notes:  “Squash season will soon be here! You can substitute zucchini squash. I make this with Mozzarella cheese. I haven’t tried substituting cheeses, but I assume that this could work with another mild cheese like Havarti or Monterey Jack. This takes just a half hour from start to finish. I’m not calling out exact quantities of spices and olive oil — just make them suit your taste.”

Ingredients
  • Summer squash (or zucchini squash)
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Garlic
  • Basil
  • Olive oil
  • Tomatoes (sliced)
  • Tomato sauce (Pasta style, Marinara, or Basil Tomato type sauce)
  • Mozzarella cheese, grated or very thinly sliced.
Directions
  1. Wash and towel dry two large squash
  2. Slice them to 1/4 to 1/2-inch thickness
  3. Preheat oven to 450 F.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine sliced zucchini, salt, pepper, garlic, basil, and olive oil. Gently stir and set aside for 5+ minutes to slightly marinate.
  5. Prepare a medium-size casserole dish with a light spritz of a cooking spray.
  6. Lay your squash slices on the bottom of the casserole dish followed by tomato halves, garlic, and basil.
  7. Spoon the tomato sauce on top, lightly, here and there.
  8. Drizzle on another tablespoon of olive oil.
  9. Top it all with Mozzarella cheese.
  10. Bake in 450 F oven for 15-18 minutes, until the cheese melts.
SERVING

Serve it while it is still hot.

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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!

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic is a computer wallpaper created by vandon on X-Twitter, showing “America’s Great Conservative Migration Prior To Federal Collapse.”  He obviously put a lot of time and effort into this.  Take a close look, because there are a lot of little “Easter Eggs” hidden in the graphic’s layers.

The thumbnail below is click-expandable:

 

 

 

 

 

For those who are curious about the included dark blue banner, I found this description at the RPC website:

“The Reformed believers, known as Covenanters (from their support of the covenants), insisted on ‘the crown rights of King Jesus,”‘ which brought them into conflict with those who supported ‘the divine rights of kings.’ The blue banner bearing the motto ‘For Christ’s Crown and Covenant’ originated as a battle flag for these Covenanters. It first appeared in 1639 with the Covenanter army under General Alexander Leslie, First Earl of Leven.

During the period of most intense persecution (1680-1688), some 18,000 men, women, and children died in battle, were executed, killed without process of law, or exiled, for their faithfulness to ‘Christ’s Crown and Covenant’. Since the end of ‘the killing time,’ the Blue Banner has continued to serve as a symbol of the Reformed faith.

The Reformed Presbyterian Church is the continuation of the Covenanter Church in Scotland, and treasures the testimony and heritage which God has given to it. The banner itself has no theological significance, but serves as a reminder of our commitment to the great truths of the Word of God.”

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Please send your graphic ideas to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — June 23, 2024

On June 23, 1925, landslides created the three-mile-long “Slide Lake”, at Gros Ventre Wyoming. Today, nearly a full century later, there are still standing tree trunks in the lake.

On June 23, 930, the world’s oldest parliament, the Icelandic Parliament was established, the Alþingi. (Anglicised as Althing or Althingi).

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June 23, 1713:  The French residents of Acadia were given one year to declare allegiance to Britain or leave Nova Scotia, Canada

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Today’s feature article is a short but important piece by precious metals market analyst Hubert Moolman. The article was selected by JWR, and it is reposted with permission. Take note that unlike many other blogs and news websites, we never accept compensation for posting guest articles. We value our editorial integrity!

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We are in need of entries for Round 113 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 113 ends on July 31st, 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.

Why a Dow Peak Will Boost Silver, by Hubert Moolman

During the Great Depression, both silver (1931) and the Dow (1932) reached a significant low. Both have rallied significantly since then. However, the structure of these rallies was very different.

To date, the Dow has significantly outperformed silver since those lows. The Dow increased 988-fold from the low to the all-time high, whereas silver has only increased 179-fold from the low to the all-time high.Continue reading“Why a Dow Peak Will Boost Silver, by Hubert Moolman”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week: 

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

Why Are Globalists Trying To Convince Us That CO2 is Evil…

…When Every Breath We Take Depends on Plants Taking In CO2 and Then Releasing Oxygen?

News Links:

Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” – James 3 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — June 22, 2024

On June 22, 1476, the army of Charles the Bold of Burgundy invaded Switzerland. Their first engagement was the Battle of Morat (pictured), which was fought about 30 kilometers from Bern. The successive Burgundian invasions were successfully repelled by the pike tactics of the well-trained and organized Swiss militias.

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On June 22, 1940, France surrendered to Nazi Germany, with the northern half of the country occupied and the south established as the Nazi client state Vichy France.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 113 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 $2,000.
  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. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $359 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  5. 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. 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 Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  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 $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 113 ends on July 31st, 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.

Weather the Storm with Backup Power – Part 3, by E.R.

(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article.)

Inverters

Most of us are interested in running a few 120 volt AC appliances. The fridge, the furnace, the shallow well pump – standard AC devices that we want to keep alive during a power outage. For these we will require what is known as an inverter. Inverters take DC battery power and invert it into standard 120 volt AC household power.

Inverters are available in all shapes and sizes these days. You can get off-shore-manufactured modified sine wave inverters that plug into the cigarette lighter plug in your car, rather cheaply. These might even be enough to charge your phone, or laptop computer. The rule of thumb is that these devices produce about half of what they consume. For example, if your cigarette lighter plug is fused at 15 amps at 12 volts DC, the inverter can be expected to produce a little less than 1 amp at 120 volts AC.

If you want to run other appliances, you will need a far more robust inverter. Cheap Chinese-made inverters rated at 2000 watts can be had these days for under $1,000 – sometimes far less than that. These might mostly work at the stated spec, but read the fine print before you decide to buy. And keep in mind that they are often rated for momentary maximum draw, not continuous draw. That 2000 watts stated capability might realistically be less than 1500 watts, continuous. Momentary draw duration also tends to vary, by manufacturer. For some manufacturers, momentary might refer to 15 seconds. To others momentary might be based on 15 minutes. You do tend to get what you pay for.Continue reading“Weather the Storm with Backup Power – Part 3, by E.R.”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

After nearly a three-week delay because of my head cold, I finally got back to firewood cutting at my usual pace.

For the first time ever, I’ve been cutting deadfall in the adjoining National Forest. Up until this year, I had only been cutting wood on our ranch.  The USFS domestic firewood-cutting permits are issued in four-cord increments and are free of charge for cutting up to 16 cords per year. One stringent limitation is that wood can be cut no more than six feet long. This is to prevent people from cutting wood to mill into framing lumber, rather than for firewood. And the permits are intended only for personal domestic use — no firewood selling is allowed.

I’ve been busy packing and mailing out Elk Creek Company orders. Our current sale on all of our percussion revolver inventory has resulted in a burst of sales.

Now, Lily’s report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”