Some Basic Preparedness Information – Part 2, by C.I.

(Continued from Part 1.)

Other foods

Baking powder (how to make) once mixed, it has a shelf life. However, each ingredient separately will last for years:

  • 2 tsp of cream of tartar, source Bulkfoods.com
  • 1 tsp of baking soda,
  • 1 tsp of corn starch

Gravy (canned or dry) for food fatigue prevention. Bouillon cubes mixed with flour and water will give you a gravy, which will make bland foods more pleasant to eat.

Flour (white) will keep for 8-10 years.

Pasta, 1,600 cal per pound, great shelf life

Dried potatoes 1,700 cal/pound, good shelf life

Oil/fats olive oil keeps for 2 years, (USA, Greek or Spanish are best, as the Mafia has adulterated a lot of the oil from Italy). Coconut oil stores for 3-5 years. Oil or fats will make the difference between surviving or not. Without fat in your diet you will not live very long. (See: rabbit starvation). You can pressure-can lard or bacon grease and it will last much longer, for 10+ years in my experience. The best oils are lard, butter, olive, coconut, and canola oil( I know it is a factory oil but it has a low ratio in one part omega 3 to two parts omega 6), focus on the oils that are higher in omega 3 and lower in omega 6 which is inflammatory –causing more clogged arteries. Omega 6 is stored in the fat cells and it takes a while to replace it with Omega 3, but it is worthwhile in the long run. Western diets are way to high in Omega 6 fats, because they are inexpensive.

Canned goods, rotate. If the can is sealed, then genera=lly the expiration date doesn’t count as far as food safety. Taste and nutritional value may suffer. However, acidic foods will eat through the can more quickly than non-acid foods and not keep as long.

Peanut butter regular keeps for about 1-6 years depending on type.

Sugar, honey, and salt will keep forever. Sugar and salt need to be kept dry.

Candy, some will melt together over time, but will help brighten the day. You can make your own too.

Whole Coffee beans will last longer than ground. Tea for those that prefer it. Green coffee beans last longer yet, you need to roast them before you grind them, darker you roast them, will get you a more of french type coffee. Instant coffee is a good keeper. Ground coffee in metal cans will keep longer.

Food for dog or cat keeps for about 6 months. If you have to eat it, I am told the chicken flavor is best. In the manufacturing of dog or cat food some companies use same sanitary measures as they would do for human food, as they know that people are eating it.

Food fatigue is a very real problem so have lots of different spices on hand! Some in quantity. See Numbers 11: 4-6; Moses’s troubles with food fatigue. Some sources of bulk spices are Penderys, Sam’s Club, Costco, and Bulkfoods.com. As time goes on they may lose some of the flavor, so just use more of it. You also can grow your own: onions, garlic, etc.

Salt: Buy 40 pounds bags of solar salt crystals $5-6.00. Keep plenty of salt on hand — several hundred pounds or more — as this will be like gold. It will be really very very important as a flavoring agent and for food preservative by itself. A mortar and pestle is very helpful to able to grind the salt crystals. Salt has many other uses. A friend who was a child in Germany during WW2 would at times eat at a neighbor’s and the food tasted funny, it wasn’t until after the war he discovered that they had no salt.Continue reading“Some Basic Preparedness Information – Part 2, by C.I.”

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. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at lithium, a key metallic element required for battery production. (See the Commodities section.)

Precious Metals:

You may have noticed that gold, sliver, and most of the cryptos were pushed down this week. I suspect that a lot of small investors who had long options had to raise cash, to cover their positions, as the NASDAQ technology stocks fell. This too shall pass. Just look at it as another buying opportunity, before Bidenflation inevitably pushes the precious metals much higher. – JWR

o  o  o

Ted Butler: Solving A Great Gold Mystery.

o  o  o

A Mark Dice video: Trying To Trade 1 oz Gold Coin (worth $1800) for Worthless Random Stuff

Economy & Finance:

CNBC: The Fed is likely to signal a March interest rate hike and that further policy tightening is coming.

o  o  o

S&P 500 Tumbles in Worst-Ever Start Through 16 Days.

o  o  o

Grantham: When the superbubble bursts.

o  o  o

Inflation surge could push the Fed into more than four rate hikes this year, Goldman Sachs says.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — January 27, 2022

Today is the birthday of the late Helen Chenoweth (born, 1938, died October 2, 2006). She was a controversial Republican congresswoman from Orofino, Idaho.

January 27, 1880 — Patent No. 223,898 was granted to Thomas A. Edison for “an electric lamp for giving light by incandescence.”

Today is also the birthday of singer-songwriter Kate Wolf. (Born 1942, died December 10, 1986.) Her untimely death at age 44 cut short an amazing career and robbed America of a great songwriting talent.

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UPDATE:  The first batch of 1,000 SurvivalBlog Waterproof 2005-2021 Archive USB sticks have now all been mailed!  Mailings of the second batch (of 600 sticks) — now on backorder — should begin in late February.  Thanks for your patience.  If you want one of this year’s sticks and haven’t yet ordered, then get your backorder in soon.  Those 600 will certainly all pre-sell soon.

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 98 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. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, that have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. 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).
  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. 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)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  4. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 98 ends on January 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.

Some Basic Preparedness Information – Part 1, by C.I.

Editor’s Introductory Note: Reader C.I. has compiled some solid preparedness information for SurvivalBlog readers, partly from tried and true and widely published recommendations that date back to the 1940s, and partly from her own experience and observations. A lot of the following will already be familiar to long-time SurvivalBlog readers, but it provides a concise review that is useful for consideration for “filling in gaps” in your preps. And it is quite important reading for anyone who is new to family preparedness. This lengthy article will be serialized into four installments. – JWR

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It is hard to be a Good Samaritan when you are in the same shape as the traveler or refugee. It is best to donate through your Church as you don’t want people of uncertain character at your door.

If you have two weeks of food and water at home then you are better prepared than 95% of the population. With the recent run on garden seeds and canning supplies, wise people are waking up and getting prepared. Also, firearm sales are up. I feel this is a red flag that says to get prepared!

It is generally thought that most people would have 3 days of food on hand and the stores another 3 days, however after hurricane Sandy people were out looking for food a lot sooner than Day 3, in spite of days of warning. So unless you are planning on sudden weight loss (and possible death), having food and water on hand is wise. The recent supply chain issues are another warning.

Water, food, shelter, and means of self-protection are the keys to surviving. Long term, also have a means of being self-sustaining, with a garden, fruit trees, and livestock. I would also add: Get out of large cities, and locate somewhere out of sight.

Water

Adding 2-to-6 drops of unscented Clorox bleach will purify 1 quart of water. Depending on the quality of the water and Clorox, give it 30 minutes or longer and add more Clorox if water is cloudy and iffy. But if you can faintly smell chlorine, then it is safe to drink. Over time, Clorox will lose its strength, so rotate every 6 months or use more. Iodine can also be used, 2 drops per quart, more if cloudy. But this method is not recommended for children or for pregnant women.

Plan on at least one gallon of water per person per day for drinking and cooking. In a pinch, one could survive on just 2 quarts for a while. If you include other uses, at least 5 gallons per person per day would be needed for hygiene, washing clothes, and so on.

A traditional tank-type water heater can be an emergency source of water, in the event that the pressure drops, on your utility-provided water.

Waer storage containers can be found in camping and hardware stores, and Wal-Mart. The large food-grade plastic “tote” cubes (275-gallon capacity) are great if you can find one and it hasn’t ever had anything toxic or odorous in it.Continue reading“Some Basic Preparedness Information – Part 1, by C.I.”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “JWR”. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. Today, we look at vaccine mandate pushback.

A Russian “Countdown” for Ukraine

Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: U.S. sends tactical security teams to Ukraine embassy after Moscow warns ‘countdown’ is underway.

All Loose Monkeys Accounted For

All loose monkeys accounted for following Pennsylvania highway crash. JWR’s Comment: You know, it is the old familiar: “Nothing to see here, move along.”

Empty Store Shelves in D.C.

H.L. sent this: “Take Only What You Need:” DC Asks People To Limit Supermarket Purchases As Empty Shelves Persist

Mexican Drug Cartel Bombs Rivals with a Drone

Peter sent us this: Watch: Mexican Drug Cartel Carpet Bombs Rivals With Drone.

Huge E.U. Anti-Vaccine March Ignored by Mass Media

Also from Whatfinger.com, some news that is conspicuously ignored by Mass Media Propagandists: The number of free people marching against fascist mandates in the EU Capitol of Brussels is astonishing.  JWR’s Comments:  I loved seeing that Gadsden “Don’t Tread on Me” flag.  And it takes some serious solidarity, to see French and German nation flags being carried side by side.
Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — January 26, 2022

January 26th, 1945 is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by the Soviet Army. Established in 1941 Auschwitz was a complex of three large camps and 40 smaller camps used for slave labor, unethical medical experiments, and monstrous killing grounds where prisoners were gassed and cremated. As the Soviets headed for Auschwitz, the German Gestapo began a murder spree and began destroying the facility in an attempt to hide the evidence of their crimes. When the Soviets arrived, they encountered 648 corpses and more than 7,000 starving camp survivors along with storehouses filled with hundreds of thousands of dresses, suits, and shoes that the Germans did not have time to burn.

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For the SurvivalBlog readers who are anxious about receiving their archive USB sticks: We advertised that deliveries would begin in early February.  We actually started mailings on January 20th.  The remainder of the first batch of 1,000 will all be mailed out by around February 7th. We are now taking backorders on the second batch. Mailings of that batch (600 sticks) should begin in early March. Thanks for your patience. Oh, and please do not open a PayPal transaction dispute unless and until your USB stick delivery is TRULY LATE, or it will result in a time-consuming chargeback.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 98 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. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, that have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. 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).
  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. 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)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  4. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 98 ends on January 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.

 

Jerusalem Artichokes for TEOTWAWKI Gardening – Part 2, by Soli Deo Gloria

Consideration # 4: Pests & Diseases

Pests and diseases are a concern for any crop. They can drastically reduce your yield or even destroy your plants completely. Most people who grow corn plant special hybrid varieties that are resistant to many diseases and then they also spray their fields with various treatments throughout the season. This is because crop diseases are a huge problem when it comes to corn. The huge fields of it that are grown across much of the country every year mean that diseases can rapidly spread across vast swaths of land. Of course, the hybrid varieties are continually updated to handle new threats. But heirloom varieties don’t have this option, so they often suffer.

Because perennials are designed to survive year-after-year in the same spot, they usually have better disease resistance than annuals. Sunroots are no exception. They generally suffer from few if any serious plant diseases. This becomes especially important when access to modern chemical treatments goes away. I know there are all natural treatments that can work against certain problems, but only as long as you can stockpile the ingredients or produce them yourself. As they say “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

An important strategy that most gardeners employ to reduce diseases is to grow plants from a variety of botanical families. For example, tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, and eggplants are all members of the Solanaceae family. Many diseases that attack one of these plants can spread to attack the others as well. (This is why when you are practicing crop rotation, tomatoes shouldn’t be rotated into a bed that contained potatoes last year). Jerusalem artichokes are members of the Asteraceae family. The only other commonly grown food plant in that family is sunflowers. So adding this crop can add to the diversity and resilience of your food supply.

Insects can also do a lot of damage to crops. I wish I could say that sunroots were immune to this type of problem, but I can’t. I will say that this wonder crop doesn’t seem to be a target for slugs, Japanese beetles, caterpillars, or stink bugs (all of which are abundant in my garden). But aphids seem to like young sunroots better than anything else I grow. Early in the season I find clusters of them underneath the leaves on a regular basis. Left unchecked they slowly drain energy from the plant. Sevin™ spray seems to take care of them and the dust works even better. I also set out little trays of Terro™ to kill the ants that bring the aphids in. Given enough time, you could manually walk through your patch and crush the aphids by hand on the leaves. I’ve done that and the leaves are plenty sturdy enough to handle this. By mid-summer the plants seem to toughen up and the aphid problem starts to fade away.Continue reading“Jerusalem Artichokes for TEOTWAWKI Gardening – Part 2, by Soli Deo Gloria”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly column is a collection of short snippets: 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. We may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

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First up, this important analysis: Ukraine: Setting the Stage, and, 23 Jan Ukraine Update: The Clock is Ticking.

o  o  o

SaraSue sent us this update:

“We’ve had unusual weather here in Tennessee, according to the Locals.  Recently, three snowstorms left quite a bit of snow on my property.  Compared to Idaho, it wasn’t crippling, but it was a lot of work trudging out to the animals with gallons of steaming hot water.  Every time it goes below freezing, the pipes in my laundry room freeze and without a major overhaul of that area, I just plan on doing laundry on the warmer days.  These homes weren’t built for freezing weather – It was 12 degrees this morning.  My dogs chased off, what sounded like a Bear or Elk (thundering paws/hoofs across the pasture and huffing/puffing that I could hear from the front porch – it was that loud).  We don’t have much Elk here, so I’m thinking Bear.  Black Bears are considered a “Tennessee treasure” and unless a bear stalks you, all you can do is report a “sighting”.  I never leave garbage or dog food outside – nothing to attract predators.  I realized that I don’t have sufficient caliber to stop a bear – I’ll fix that issue.  Early (4-5am) every morning, my German Shepherds are let out and they run the perimeter of the property, barking and chasing off predators and friendlies (coyotes, cats, deer, etc.).  They leave their #2 along the fence lines, instinctively.  My animals are locked up at night, but I thought I might need a “guardian livestock dog”, such as a Great Pyrenees.  The Shepherds have no fear and seem to be doing a good job of keeping predators off the property, so I’ll wait and see how it goes.  I use a loud whistle to retrieve them if they seem to be out of sight for too long.  They sleep inside the house at night, so that’s the only downside regarding predators.  So far, no coyotes have gotten to my chickens or goats.  I have rabbit breeding stock coming, ordered Turkey poults, and am planning out, purchasing supplies, for a 10,000 sq ft deer-resistant garden.  Our last frost date is mid-April.”

o  o  o

A Reason interview: Cody Wilson Thwarts Another Attempt To Stop Ghost Guns.

o  o  o

Ed sent this: War Coming Fast; U.S. Navy Sorties 22 Warships, 4 Nuclear Subs in One Day.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.” – Sun Tzu

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — January 25, 2022

Today is the birthday of celebrated Scottish poet Robert “Bobby” Burns. He was born on January 25, 1759.

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A quick update on the latest edition of the SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick:  455 orders have already been mailed. The remainder of the first batch of 1,000 sticks should be in the mail by early February. Since the first batch sold out so quickly, we’ve already ordered another 600 sticks, and we are taking backorders. Mailings from that second batch should begin in the third week of February. Thanks for your patience.

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 98 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. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, that have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. 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).
  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. 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)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  4. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 98 ends on January 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.

Jerusalem Artichokes for TEOTWAWKI Gardening – Part 1, by Soli Deo Gloria

A lot has been written on this blog and elsewhere about the importance of gardening in order to grow your own food in a post-TEOTWAWKI world. When you think about a survival garden, the first question you need to ask is “What should I grow?” I’d like to suggest that most people are missing some important factors when they try to answer that question.

I’m going to walk you through some serious ideas to consider when it comes to survival gardening. If you are new to the whole idea, I hope this will get you started in the right direction. If you’ve been successfully gardening for years, I hope this will give you some new perspectives and perhaps lead you to consider some new crops next spring.

Along the way, I’m going to introduce you to what I call ‘the wonder crop’ and explain how it is an amazingly good candidate for inclusion in a survival garden.

Consideration # 1: Producing Calories

I’ve been gardening for years now and have also spent time talking to other gardeners. Unfortunately, most of us garden for fun. We grow crops that are exciting or things we love to eat fresh. We usually don’t approach our gardens with an eye toward feeding ourselves, only toward producing something that tastes great. For example, ask almost any gardener what they grow year after year and tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce are almost certain to be on the list. To get enough calories to sustain ONE hard-working man for a SINGLE day, you’d need about 187 tomatoes (2” diameter whole raw tomatoes), 67 cucumbers (8” whole raw cucumbers), or 375 cups of shredded lettuce (iceberg)(1). I don’t know about you, but I’ve never produced that much in an entire year.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve got nothing against these foods. They provide some vitamins and minerals, but they lack calories. When the stores are closed, you’ll die from a lack of calories long before you’ll die from a lack of Vitamin A. How many calories do you want to invest in preparing the soil, weeding, watering, and picking bugs off that row of cucumbers when you know you’ll never make up those calories with the food you eventually harvest?

In my part of the country, the one big exception to the rule of low-calorie garden veggies is sweet corn. It has been estimated that corn yields more calories per acre under cultivation than any other crop. Sounds great, right? But there are very serious drawbacks to corn, which I’ll discuss throughout this article. So I’m going to recommend that people who really care about survival gardening consider an alternative: the second highest yielding crop per acre(2). This is the wonder-crop I hinted at: Jerusalem Artichokes (a.k.a. sunchokes, sunroots, or Helianthus tuberosus). As a side note, Jerusalem artichokes have nothing to do with the city of Jerusalem or with artichokes… but over the years that is a name that has stuck.

What makes Jerusalem artichokes a “wonder crop”? Well, they do have some vitamins and minerals in them (especially potassium, iron, vitamin A, and vitamin C). They’ve also got some protein (3g per cup). But more importantly, they have calories – 114 calories per cup to be exact (22 calories per ounce)(1). That is comparable to corn or potatoes and is far beyond most garden veggies. Sunchokes are well suited to be a staple crop (and, in fact, were a staple crop in Europe many years ago). A day’s worth of food translates to only about 9 lbs of Jerusalem artichokes. Of course, you couldn’t live on any one single food 365 days a year, but a couple pounds a day would be a powerful supplement to your stored/hunted/gathered foods.

Continue reading“Jerusalem Artichokes for TEOTWAWKI Gardening – Part 1, by Soli Deo Gloria”

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, a special edition of this column, with a round-up of home architects, retreat security specialists, land finders, and real estate agents that specialize in retreat properties in the American Redoubt. Please note that many of the companies and individuals mentioned are current or former SurvivalBlog advertisers.

Region-Wide

SurvivalRealty — a SurvivalBlog spin-off — is operated by Jonathan Edwards, Rawles. He is JWR’s #1 Son. SurvivalRealty advertises retreat-worthy properties, worldwide. In a partnership arrangement, they also broker retreat properties in Idaho in Montana.

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Strategic Landscape Design of Sagle, Idaho, consults on retreat design, property evaluation, permaculture/edible landscapes, water rights, greenhouses, permitting assistance, and retreat security.

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Joel Skousen is a Utah-based author, lecturer, and retreat security/retreat design consultant.

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Aaron J. Henderson, AIA, is an architect who specializes in designing retreats.  Here is a link to one of his podcast interviews.

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Hardened Structures is a well-established retreat/bunker design and construction firm.

Idaho

Todd Savage is a North Idaho-based real estate agent and survival retreat consultant.  As a former U.S. Marine, he has a “tactical eye” when evaluating potential retreat properties.

o  o  o

Douglas Clark is an Idaho-based designer who operates Secure Life Homes.

o  o  o

Eric Craig operates Redoubt Scout, a consulting firm that does property assessments for out-of-state clients.

o  o  o

Chris Walsh of Revolutionary Realty has built his business around finding retreat properties.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The State provides a legal, orderly, systematic channel for the predation of private property; it renders certain, secure, and relatively ‘peaceful’ the lifeline of the parasitic caste in society.” – Murray Rothbard