The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Democracy can hardly be expected to flourish in societies where political and economic power is being progressively concentrated and centralized. But the progress of technology has led and is still leading to just such a concentration and centralization of power.” – Aldous Huxley

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — July 24, 2022

A decade has passed, so quickly… The late Jerry Ahern passed away on this day, July 24th, in 2012. His survivalist novels created an entire genre.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 101 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.

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 101 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.

Zone 3 Vegetable Gardening, by HollyBerry

My husband and I have been residing in the north woods of Maine for 17 years now. The USDA map shows that we are Zone 3b but we are situated in a low pocket that is Zone 3. Keeping a gardening/homesteading journal is the best advice I can give. You might think you will remember what types of plants did well last year and when that 1st frost was but in reality….

Gardening is very humbling. One sneaky frost or good hail storm can destroy weeks or months of hard work. Never take the weather for granted. Keep track of last and first frosts in your journal and write down successes and failures. USDA states that zone 3 has last frost of May 15. As I’m writing this, it is May 24th and yes, we had an unexpected frost this morning. And then 1st frost on September 15th. These dates are only vague guidelines. Keeping an eye on NOAA and having your own thermometers, barometers, etc is essential during the beginning and end of the growing season. I have seen mid 40’s in July and 85 degrees in late September. Knowing how to read the sky and clouds is also valuable info. On a cloudless night we know the temps will drop lower than the weather man will predict. A full moon also brings on cooler temps. We learned all of this the hard way. As we live literally in the woods, it is a constant battle keeping back the woods. Everything we do is small scale… rabbits, chickens and our garden. We have very little flat, usable land and are able to make the most of it. Last year we added a rainwater collection system and that has been a blessing.Continue reading“Zone 3 Vegetable Gardening, by HollyBerry”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

To share this, you can find it here: https://www.kapwing.com/videos/62d99e20194b9d008fa5325c

Meme Text:

Up Until August 24th, We’ll Still Be 80% Free

After That, Ol’ Creepy-Sniffy Joe

Wants Us To Be 0% Free

So, I’m Stocking Up On Plenty of Freedom

News Link:

https://www.80-lower.com/80-lower-blog/80lowercom-statement-regarding-atf-rule-2021r05f-definition-of-frame-or-receiver-and-identification-of-firearms/

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:

For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:

Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.

Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” – 2 Corinthians 9 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — July 23, 2022

On July 23, 1777 Polish military leader Casimir Pulaski arrived in Marblehead, Massachusetts, to volunteer in the Continental Army cavalry.

On July 23, 1944 the Battle of Kursk ended. This massive tank battle in the USSR was a defeat for the Nazis, with 1331 German tanks destroyed. Though the Soviet tank losses were higher, most of the German tanks were irreplaceable at that stage of the war.

—

I just heard of the death of Milo Nordyke. He passed away on July 22nd. He was a brilliant physicist, pianist, and friend/traveling companion of the Rawles family. Milo led the DOE’s Operation Plowshare, developing peaceful uses for nuclear devices — primarily in excavation. In addition to his ear for music, Milo had an ear for languages. He became a fully-fluent Russian linguist and served a key role as a translator in nuclear disarmament treaty negotiations for several successive U.S. Presidential administrations. Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev insisted that Milo Nordyke be present whenever Heads of State-level talks were held, because he liked the way that Milo was able to explain complex technical issues to laymen in both Russian and English. Milo also verified Soviet treaty compliance for Lawrence Livermore Lab’s Z Division, as well as monitored the Soviets’ use of nuclear devices for excavations. In his spare time, he also served as the Mayor of Livermore.

Milo will be greatly missed!

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 101 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.

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 101 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.

An Important Truth, by Kevin S.

Humans are easily influenced. Humans are extremely suggestible. Humans are easily manipulated. Humans are very controllable. All Humans. Throughout history. Regardless of sex, age, race, nationality, and education level. You dear reader are human, as am I. Thus we are also easily controlled. Not a pleasant realization is it? I would guess for many there is a level of denial. “I know some people are easily manipulated but not me! I’m not easily influenced”. Okay… well for safety sake please assume you are easily controlled. Think about the ramifications of that potential reality. What does that mean at a practical level? How does that play out on a day in day out basis?

Let me give some proof of this Truth, that humans are easily manipulated.

“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.

We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society.”

– From Propaganda, by Edward Bernays

These are the first two paragraphs from this famous book, written almost 100 years ago. A book which I have read and would highly recommend. Written when radio was still in its infancy. Meaning this manipulation Bernays is writing about was done primarily through text; newspapers and magazines. Which have since been overshadowed by much more powerful and effective tools of control. Radio, Television, Computer, and VR (virtual reality).

Bernays is considered the father of propaganda. His uncle was Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis. In his book Propaganda he gives a real-life example of how to create demand for a product, in this case Pianos, without ever mentioning the product. Which really is profound and disturbing. Because if one can create demand for a product without mentioning it, then one can create demand for an idea, or ideology using the same techniques. But let’s get back to the more easy-to-grasp concept of creating demand for a product.Continue reading“An Important Truth, by Kevin S.”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make 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 this column, in the Odds ‘n Sods Column, and in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

On Tuesday, we wrapped up our annual hay hauling and stacking project — a total of 21.6 tons of grass hay. It feels good to have it all safely tucked in the barn. Now I can get back to my summer firewood cutting and other projects.

Now, over to Lily…

Avalanche Lily Reports:

Dear Readers,

We have guests this week. My parents are visiting with us after three long years of not seeing them face to face.  We’re having a wonderful time together.

My mom is very interested in our homesteading life, so I have been showing her some of the things that I do here around the ranch.  One of the things I showed her was how to thresh turnip seeds from their pods that regrew as volunteers in my Extension garden this spring.  I let them go to seed. I had harvested them a few weeks ago and dried them out in the greenhouse.  This week I cut all of the seed fronds, put them in a pillowcase and stomped them to thresh the seeds out of their pods.  Then I shook the seeds out from the pods and removed the stems and pods until I had mostly just the seeds left and put them in a jar.

The other thing we have been doing is washing our clothes in our off-grid James Washer out in the Main garden and hanging the wet clothes on laundry racks.  In some ways the James is much better at cleaning our clothes than our electric washer and dryer because I can use much more water and it is faster.  The sun also dries our clothes faster than the propane dryer.  Our washer and dryer are newer, bought in the past three years and I think they are very shoddily made.

I’ve been harvesting my strawberries and they are just about finished.  My Raspberries are slowly coming on.

From the greenhouse, I harvested oregano, parsley, anise, lemon mint and basil. I washed them and dehydrated them in our dehydrator and then put them in jars.  I foraged mint that I planted around the ranch and dehydrated that too at the end of the week.  It’s still in the dehydrator, as I’m writing this.  I need to go put it in a jar.

I weeded the Annex garden. As I weed and thin our beets, I have been collecting the greens and Lamb’s Quarters, washing them and putting them in bags to use in my smoothies.

I weedwhacked the Orchard.  I am weed whacking the orchard slowly because I like seeing what will grow naturally in there.  I like foraging in there for Plantain, Clover, Dandelions, Self-Heal, St. Johnswort, and so forth.

An Animal Story

H. our almost yearling pup loves to do chores with me.  Whenever I feed the steer and the bull, who are now residing in the bull pen, H. squeezes in under the low bar and barks at and tries to herd the bull and steers.  You all have heard about the antics of our bull, SH.  Well, he loves sparring with H.  He is so gentle with her.  She bites his poll and nose and ears and he just butts at her in the sweetest gentlest manner.  They love each other.  You know that if he wanted to he could severely hurt her, but he just plays with her. I love our animals!

Please continue to pray for Miss Eloise.

May you all have a very blessed and safe week.

– Avalanche Lily, Rawles

o o o

As always,  please share and send e-mails of your own successes and hard-earned wisdom and we will post them in the “Snippets” column this coming week.  We want to hear from you.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.

And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.

So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.” – Genesis 11: 1-9 (KJV)

A Piece of The Action: Pricing a Gallon of Fuel

As I was pumping $5.96 per-gallon diesel into my pickup’s tank the other day, I marveled at how quickly the dollar digits raced by, on the pump’s display. I began to ponder what costs go into each gallon of fuel. This sent me off on a web-wandering search for some relevant data on what drives fuel prices. Most of that can be summed up in one word: Government.

Liquid fuels are some of the most highly regulated and heavily taxed commodities in the world. The reasons for this are obvious: They are highly concentrated forms of potential energy. Think of them like liquid gold or liquid dynamite. They have the power to accomplish great things. Whoever controls these fuels — and the commerce in them — effectively controls modern society.  And of course, governments like to control nearly every aspect of our lives. So by controlling fuel, starting from leases and drilling through refining and distribution all the way to your local pump, they assert their control and extract their multiple “pieces of the action.” Ah, the Mafia must be envious!

Taxes

The amount of tax — state and Federal, combined — that is tacked on to each gallon of fuel is now more than the 49 cents per gallon that I was paying for fuel at the pump en toto, back when I was in high school. The magnitude of that accumulation of taxes seems both absurd and obscene to me.  These tax increases were added gradually, so they largely went unnoticed by the Generally Dumb Public (GDP). As always, the GDP remains oblivious to what drives prices, the full extent of taxation, and even the nature of money itself.Continue reading“A Piece of The Action: Pricing a Gallon of Fuel”

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 stocking up on magazines, as a legislation hedge. (See the Tangibles Investing section.)

Precious Metals:

Reported back on July 14th: Gold hammered, analysts warn of capitulation event if price drops below pre-pandemic levels.

o  o  o

Copper/gold ratio shows Fed monetary policy is too tight – MKS PAMP.

Economy & Finance:

At Zero Hedge: Container Shipping Spot Rates Still Falling: What Will Be The New Normal?

o  o  o

Paul Craig Roberts: The United States Does Not Have an Economy.

o  o  o

‘The worst bear market in my lifetime’: Here’s why Jim Rogers thinks stocks will decline for a long time — but he also suggests 2 shockproof assets for protection.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — July 21, 2022

July 21st is the birthday of Ernest Hemingway. He was born in 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois. He committed suicide on July 2, 1961 in Ketchum, Idaho, after being diagnosed with haemochromatosis, and after electroshock treatments failed to lift him from chronic alcoholic depression. He lived a sad life but was a great writer.

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Today we present an article that is too short to be considered as an entry for Round 101 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Round 101 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.

An Ex-Pat Homesteading Croatia, by Robert S.

I have moved to Croatia from Israel to join a self-sustaining farmer in building an organic permaculture homestead.

I would love to share with you today my homesteading experience in a few categories. I hope something of this can help somebody with something, I am young and learning all the time so forgive me if the info is not relevant.

Health

The usage of organic foods as preventive medicine is a key but nevertheless when overstated in any direction can be overused.

We produce our own meat eggs cheese and vegetables.

Consume Curcuma on daily basis mixed with oil and black pepper.

Our diet is based on combination of the keto diet and other types of ideas.
Mainly fats and proteins but let loose on cake if the desire is there.

As you all know, preparing for a disaster is a lifetime of a job.

We are very far from our farming goals but the tractor saved our backs.Continue reading“An Ex-Pat Homesteading Croatia, by Robert S.”