Homemade Yogurt as Survival Food – Part 1, by N.C.

Yogurt isn’t something most of us think about. I love my classic “Back to Basics” book, it’s chock full of things that I say “oh yeah I should try that”, from carpentry to basket weaving to tinsmithing to blacksmithing. I love that book. But the section on making your own yogurt I looked at and said “yeah…no. Why would I ever do that?” Fast forward 5 years and I’ve lost count of how many batches of yogurt I’ve made.

Some advantages of yogurt:

  • Yogurt can get around lactose intolerance for some people,
  • It is a form of milk preservation,
  • It is economical.

There were two things that changed my attitude: The first was an episode of Alton Brown’s “Good Eats” about yogurt and the second was my children trying a mango lassi at a restaurant. The Good Eats episode noted that some people who are lactose intolerant can tolerate yogurt, the pre-digestion by the bacteria in yogurt can make it acceptable to their systems. That’s some real survival value, that would allow milk from livestock or dehydrated milk to be available to people who normally wouldn’t benefit from it. My children’s enjoyment of the lassi drink led me to look into that and it is incredibly easy to make lassi. That means that people who don’t like eating yogurt can have it available as a drink as well.

The real kicker is that it doesn’t require refrigeration the same way liquid milk does. That’s why yogurt was a staple food pre-refrigeration in hot climates like India. Likewise, it was a common food among nomadic peoples in the middle east and turkey. You could have milk in the morning, have the yogurt ferment during the day’s travel, and use the yogurt as a base for the evening meal. It will go bad. I had a batch go bad on me but that was after 3+ weeks in the fridge. The bacterial cultures that turn milk into yogurt keep other bacteria from spoiling the food for a significant period of time. How long? It’ll depend on what your weather is like but it will last longer than the milk would have in the same conditions, especially compared to raw unpasteurized milk. Which is what we will have if the balloon goes up.Continue reading“Homemade Yogurt as Survival Food – Part 1, by N.C.”

August 2022 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover gold’s performance, and the factors that affected gold prices.

What Did Gold Do in August?

This was a rough month for gold, as central bank rate hikes sent the dollar to 20-year highs and US markets began to think that inflation has already peaked.

The Bank of England raised interest rates by 50 bp as expected on August 4th, but its forecast of a 15-month recession starting by the end of the year AND 13% inflation shook markets and sent gold to its first settlement over $1,800 since June 30th.

A huge beat on non-farm payrolls the next day sent the dollar zooming, which tanked stocks and gold. Gold fell $25 immediately after the report, but made up half of the loss by the close of the day.
The damage was only temporary. Gold prices stayed above $1,800 for the entire second week in August, peaking at $1,815 on Friday the 12th. Gold then fell into a string of heavy losses, losing $67 over six days. It was guaranteed to end the month with a loss when the DXY dollar index broke above the 109 mark to hit a 20-year high on the 29th.

August marks the fifth monthly drop in a row for gold, the first time this has occurred in four years.Continue reading“August 2022 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran”

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 the increasing risk of a second civil war in the United States.

September 17th: Great Lakes Prepping Expo

The announcement: “After being unable to hold the show for two years due to restrictions on large events, we are excited to announce that The Great Lakes Emergency Preparedness Expo or “GLEPE” will be held at the Eastern Michigan State Fairgrounds in Imlay City on Saturday, September 17.” The address: 195 Midway, Imlay City, Michigan.

Fentanyl Deaths Overwhelm US Morgues

Frequent link contributor H.L. sent this: Fentanyl deaths overwhelm US morgues.

Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The real things haven’t changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong.” –  Laura Ingalls Wilder

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — August 31, 2022

The Harrier jump-jet fighter-bomber had its first flight on August 31, 1966. It was designed to fly from combat areas and aircraft carriers and to support ground forces. It was originally built by Hawker Siddeley Aviation, and also later produced by McDonnell Douglas, in the United States.

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Today’s feature article was written by SurvivalBlog’s Senior Editor, JWR.

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We are still seeking articles for Round 102 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $750,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 102 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.

WIN: Whip Inflation Nonconformably

In recent months, I’ve had several consulting clients ask me about how they might protect themselves from the ravages of inflation. The official rate of inflation is now at 9.2%, but everyone knows that the real-world rate is somewhere north of 14%. I’m offering some concrete suggestions that I will relate in this essay, but first, let me digress into some history:

According to the Wikipedia article about the WIN campaign:

“[President Gerald] Ford had taken office in August 1974 amidst one of the worst economic crises in US history, marked by high unemployment and inflation rising to 12.3% that year following the 1973 oil crisis. As a Republican, Ford favored the WIN campaign’s emphasis on addressing the problem through voluntary actions of citizens, instead of price restrictions imposed centrally by a big government bureaucracy.

The campaign began in earnest with the establishment by the 93rd Congress of the National Commission on Inflation, which Ford closed with an address to the American people, asking them to send him a list of ten inflation-reducing ideas. Ten days later, Ford declared inflation “public enemy number one” before Congress on October 8, 1974, in a speech entitled “Whip Inflation Now”, announcing a series of proposals for public and private steps intended to directly affect supply and demand to bring inflation under control. Suggested actions for citizens included carpooling, turning down thermostats, and starting their own vegetable gardens.”

Ford’s WIN campaign had lackluster success, mostly because it failed to address the real roots of inflation, which the U.S. Treasury’s monetary policy and the credit policy of the Federal Reserve banking cartel. To his credit, Ford came into office at the tail end of a five-month long Arab oil embargo, an already weak economy, and already high inflation. This was when the term “stagflation” was popularized. Ford served as President for just 895 days. In 1974, inflation peaked at just over 12%.Continue reading“WIN: Whip Inflation Nonconformably”

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. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

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First up, over at Redoubt News, there is this pointed and downright poignant essay: Baby Boomers Don’t Recognize America.

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Reader R.D. spotted this: He turned his weed-filled yard into a low-water jungle of fruit trees.

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Mrs. Alaska wrote:
“I loved your update to your retreat location suggestions. Question:  You talked about housing off of a secondary road.  Would you like to comment on the benefits or detriments of access to old and new forms of alternate transportation and routes, like boats for rivers and creeks, whistlestop train routes, trails for ATVs, snowmobiles and motorbikes, small plane landing strips?  All or some of these are common in Alaska and various rural areas throughout the country.  My question could be both/and (road plus alternate) or either/or. (Just a boat or just dirt trails).  Keep up the good work.
Here, we have transport just by snowmachine (snowmobile) and small planes that can land on the smallish lake.”

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A great video by Bill Whittle, that is definitely worth 28 minutes of your time: That’s Who They Are.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — August 30, 2022

August 30th is the birthday of the late Joachim Rønneberg, a hero of the Norwegian resistance during World War II. He was born in 1919. His exploits earned him the War Cross With Sword, Norway’s highest military honor. In April 2013, Rønneberg was presented with a Union Jack during a ceremony at the Special Operations Executive (SOE) monument in London to mark 70 years since the successful Gunnerside heavy water plant sabotage mission. Rønneberg died in 2018, just one year short of his 100th birthday.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 102 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 low-cost 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 SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  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. 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. A LogOX 3-in-1 Forestry MultiTool (a $189 value) and a WoodOx Sling (a $79.95 value), courtesy of LogOx, both made in USA.
  4. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $750,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 102 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.

 

What’s in the Rest of My Bags and Why – Part 1, by D.D. in Arizona

I suppose this is more of a continuation of the first article link that I submitted to SurvivalBlog and that was posted back in March of 2013: What’s In My 72 Hour Bag (and why). I was surprised to see over 400,000 downloads from my website and I got more than a few e-mailed comments.

Some Background: In 2011, I started carrying a 5.11 satchel with a Glock inside since I obtained a CCW permit in Colorado. Over the years that messenger bag turned into an intermediate between my EDC key ring and my 72-hour bag. But recently, while in California, my Jeep was broken into — and pretty much everything was stolen. So I had to recreate my tactical satchel from memory. I took this opportunity to document it for your enlightenment in Parts 1 and 2. Later installments will show the reformation of my trauma bag which was also stolen, and I’m sure, discarded as useless by those jamokes.

A Side Note: The thieves also took my range bag with all my magazines and ammo. Let me tell you that rearming yourself in California is an expensive chore – and those terrible leaders laugh at us for wanting to protect ourselves while we do it.)

Overview

As I go through this analysis I’ll give part numbers when relevant. Also, I am no expert, I am simply an intentional civilian who learns through testing gear and placing himself into situations where I need to perform. I want to be effective and a good steward for Jesus.

This loadout is right around 10 lb. with water. My personal view is that if you need to save 2 lb. then you probably need to do more sit-ups and drop 2 lb. off your gut. So I’m not saying to work harder but pick up the pace!Continue reading“What’s in the Rest of My Bags and Why – Part 1, by D.D. in Arizona”

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 listing of preparedness and storage food companies in the American Redoubt.

Idaho

Walton Feed, in Montpelier, is one the nation’s largest long-term storage food packagers.  Whether you want just one 5-gallon bucket or a truckload, they probably have what you are looking for. They also sell a great selection of dutch ovens.

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A store that is probably familiar to most SurvivalBlog readers is Redoubt Surplus & Tactical, just north of Bonners Ferry. They have a great selection of military surplus gear, commercial tactical gear, ammo cans, books, and even some MRE entrees from time to time. JWR has been known to drop by there from time to time, because: “….a man can never have too many ammo cans.”

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Grunberg Schloss Collectors Cabinet in Ponderay (just north of Sandpoint) is a coin shop that branched out into selling long-term storage foods and storage food packaging supplies such as food grade buckets and mylar liners. They also sell prepping books, ammunition, and lots more. They are at 210 Triangle Drive, Ponderay. Phone: (208) 263-6060.

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The Preparedness Store & Bosch Kitchen Center in Idaho Falls deserves special mention. They keep home freeze dryers in stock, at all times.

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The nationally-advertised My Patriot Supply storage food company is headquartered in Sandpoint, Idaho  and they have a warehouse in Utah — but they don’t have a storefront at either of those locations. They operate strictly via Internet and phone orders.

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Army Surplus Warehouse is the Redoubt region’s biggest surplus store. They do mail orders, but it is more fun (and efficient, for transport costs) to go there in person. Don’t miss seeing their mountain of steel helmets, out back. They are located at 7012 S Daisy Lane, in Idaho Falls.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And it never failed that during the dry years the people forgot about the rich years, and during the wet years they lost all memory of the dry years. It was always that way.” – John Steinbeck

Preparedness Notes for Monday — August 29, 2022

August 29th is a mournful day, as we remember the anniversary of the death of “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” – Isaiah 40:3. John, the Baptist, who heralded the first coming of our Lord and stood true to his belief in the face of death, was beheaded on this day in 29AD.

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In 1862, the Second Battle of Bull Run in Virginia began. The same day marked the founding of the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

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Today’s feature article is a review written by our Field Gear Editor Emeritus, Pat Cascio.

CRKT Butte Folder, by Pat Cascio

Some of my favorite knives are the ones that are simple in design, but still made out of good materials. The new “Butte” folder, from CRKT Knives, Columbia River Knife and Tool (CRKT) is fast becoming one of my favorites that have come into my hands for testing. I’ve always been of the opinion that “simpler” is better, when it comes to a lot of things, simply because there are fewer parts to break or lose.

The Butte is made in Taiwan (Free China), so keep that in mind – and you get as good as you want in a knife from Taiwan. And you get a lot of value for your money, too.

The Butte was designed by custom knife maker and designer Lucas Burnley, right in my home state of Oregon. He works out of Bend, Oregon – I just might have to pay him a visit one of these days – when gas prices get back to halfway normal. As it is, we limit our driving these days, to running a few errands each week – and that’s it. As this is being written, we are looking at regular unleaded gas going for $4.88 per gallon – ouch!

The folks at CRKT picked up on this Burnley design, and are doing a collaboration with him. This isn’t their first collaboration with him. Many of the knives that CRKT produces are collaborations with some well-known custom knife makers. This benefits us all, as we get some superb near-custom knives, at a fraction of the price we’d have to pay for a custom version of a knife.Continue reading“CRKT Butte Folder, by Pat Cascio”

Recipe of the Week: Butternut Squash and Beef Stew

The following recipe Butternut Squash and Beef Stew is from reader K.D..

Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 pounds stew beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cooking wine (Marsala is preferred, but you may substitute Madeira, Port, or Pinot Noir wine.)
  • 1 pound butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
  • 3 to 4 cups beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or more to taste
  • Bread, for serving (Fresh or Crusts)
Directions
  1. In a large soup pot heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
  2. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary, and thyme and saute until the onions are tender, about 2 minutes.
  3. Toss the beef cubes in salt and pepper and flour.
  4. Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the beef to the pot. Cook until the beef is browned and golden around the edges, about 5 minutes.
  5. Add the wine.
  6. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir up anything from the bottom of the pan.
  7. Add the butternut squash and sun-dried tomatoes, and stir to combine them.
  8. Add enough beef broth to just cover the beef and squash.
  9. Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
  10. Season the stew with additional salt and pepper to taste.
  11. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley.
SERVING

Can be kept simmering (covered) for a couple of hours, if need be to match a meal serving time, if there is enough liquid. (You can add some broth, as needed.) This stew is best served with bread — either fresh bread or bread crusts. This stew can also be served with biscuits or even just saltine crackers.

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Do you have a favorite 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 and slow cooker recipes, and any that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!