The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“There can be no socialism without a state, and as long as there is a state there is socialism. The state, then, is the very institution that puts socialism into action; and as socialism rests on aggressive violence directed against innocent victims, aggressive violence is the nature of any state.” – Hans-Hermann Hoppe, A Theory of Socialism and Capitalism: Economics, Politics, and Ethics, (2007)

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — January 30, 2022

January 30th, 1925 was the birthday of Douglas Engelbart, who invented the computer mouse.

Actor Eugene “Gene” Allen Hackman was born January 30, 1930.

January 30th is the birthday of historian Barbara Tuchman. (Born 1912, died February 6, 1989).

—

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. Please e-mail us your entry for Round 99. 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 4, by C.I.

(Continued from Part 3. This concludes the article.)

Protection

If you can’t legally stand in front of your property, with a means of self-protection for your life and your family, then you will lose it to those with evil in their hearts.

Desperate men and women will do desperate things to feed themselves and their children. About 2-3% of the population are sociopaths and are quite dangerous. Along with refugees, these individuals will migrate out of the large cities as supplies run out there.

Your Dog: Usually the first casualty in an armed invasion. However he or she will give you a warning.

Shotgun: Remington 870 pump (or another similar type) 12 gauge (most common) get one chambered to accept 3-inch shells, that way you can shoot both 2 ¾-inch and 3-inch shells. Use the # 4,5,6 birdshot ammo for bird hunting. For protection or deer, then either single 0 buck (if you can find it,) otherwise 00 buck. If the recoil of 12 gauge is a problem for you, then perhaps get a 20 gauge.

Stick with the common ammo types as they will be easier to find, when things go down.
Some common military calibers are 5.56mm NATO (.223 Rem.), 7.62mm NATO (.308 Win.), and 9mm Parabellum (Luger). Buy 2,000-to-3,000 rounds for each gun. This is considered “a good start” in my part of the country. Get hollow point for 9mm and .45 ACP for self-defense. Buy plenty of extra magazines. Keep ammo dry in containers that are waterproof.  Moisture is an ammo killer, as are penetrating oils and excessive heat. Note that 5.56 NATO is slightly different than regular .223 Remington ammo and you will need a “Wylde”-chambered rifle to be able to use both.Continue reading“Some Basic Preparedness Information – Part 4, by C.I.”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

To share this, you can find it here: https://kapwi.ng/c/tGBa4blDmM

Meme Text:
Hey, Joe: What Defines a “Minor Incursion” Into Ukraine?

It All Depends on Whether or Not You Live There

Some Historical Context: French people staring and waving at the French Army remaining troops leaving metropolitan France at Marseilles harbor, 1940.

Current Events:  Biden warns Ukranian leader: “Kyiv could be sacked”, and essentially tells him that he’s on his own.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.

But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.

Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.

For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.

Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?

Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper.

For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? what shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.” – 1 Corinthians 11

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — January 29, 2022

Today is the birthday of actor Tom Selleck (born 1945), best known for playing the title role of Magnum, P.I. He is an avid shooter and quite pro-gun.

On this day in 1845 Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven” was published.

Today is also the birthday of journalist and inventor Thomas Paine (1737–1809.)

—

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 3, by C.I.

(Continued from Part 2.)

Cooking

Use a stove as long as you have electric power, natural gas, or propane. If you can find an old fashion wood-burning cookstove, great. This allows you to be able to cook when fuel or grid electrical power is gone. With a lot of gas stoves, the surface burners will work without electric power, but you will need to light them with a match or some other spark source. The oven will not work in modern models without electric power.

A camping stove, gas, propane, or charcoal grill can be used. However, you will need fuel supplies. And, of course, proper ventilation is a concern.

If you have a large propane tank then you can install a “wet leg” with this you can fill the smaller 15-20 pound propane tanks. This doesn’t go very fast, especially in the winter. In the summer, cool the small tank and it will fill a lot quicker.

There are also some cooking options with Sterno, in the short term. You can also cook in a fireplace. Even more basic is a and outdoor campfire. But leep it small as you don’t want to attract attention. Practice cooking with a Dutch oven with charcoal or hot wood coals. Anything you can bake in an oven you can do in a Dutch oven. Nothing beats cast iron. But you do need to practice, practice! Tongs to move charcoal or hot coals around, and leather gloves and a  lid lifter are very helpful. Cast iron does get hot, and stays hot. Dutch oven cookbooks are very helpful here. Again, practice! The base size is a 12 inch diameter,  6 quart. However, I would get the deeper 8-quart size, as you’ll find that it is easier to bake bread in it without burning the top of the bread. The range of available sizes includes 8 inch, 10 inch, 12 inch, 14 inch, 16 inch, and even a 20 inch. The size you want will depend on your needs. (Cast iron is heavy.)

Flaxseed oil (edible) is the best for seasoning cast iron. (See: Cooks Illustrated.) First, clean and dry and then warm the cast iron to 200 degrees to open the pores in the cast iron. Carefully rub the oil over the surface, then in 350-450 degree preheated the oven, put the cast iron upside down in the oven over some foil to catch the oil drippings and bake it for an hour. Let it slowly cool for two  hours or more in the oven to further season it. They say to repeat this five times. Avoid soap and water for cleaning at first to give it more time to get a good surface, scrape and dry it. Over time, oils from cooking will produce a stick-free surface and you can then use some soap and water. Don’t store with the lid on tight, but put a folded paper towel between the lid and the pot to allow water to escape, and decrease the possibility of rust. A lot of new dutch ovens are sold pre-seasoned.
Sources of cast iron include camping stores, Ace Hardware, Cabela’s, and Agri Supply.
Lodge cast iron cookware is the best, and made in the USA and they also have a number of dutch oven cookbooks.

Cast iron deep fry pans with fry pan lids – Cabela’s or Lodge are dual usage as dutch oven and frying pan. Agrisupply.com has old fashion cast iron cooking ware and cast iron pots up to the 90 gallon size, imported.

A Tripod stand to hold the pot or dutch oven over the campfire is very helpful, as is a grate, one source is Cabela’s. You can make your own tripod with three metal T-posts and a short chain or wire. T-posts laid side by side will make a grate with rocks or logs holding them over a fire.Continue reading“Some Basic Preparedness Information – Part 3, by C.I.”

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:

We enjoyed a pleasant sunny winter day this past week for a hike with one of our daughters, and both of our half-grown pups. (“H. & K.”)  We followed some lightly-packed snowmobile tracks up into the National Forest, so we didn’t have to wear our snowshoes.  That was great fun. Lily will fill you in about what we saw on those hikes.

I took a day trip to Missoula, Montana, to pick up several antique rifles and some ammunition that I had bought for Elk Creek Company. I should have those all cataloged soon. They include four Ludwig Loewe Chilean contract M1895 Mausers and a scarce Swiss M1896/11 that was made in 1898.

I haven’t had to do any snowplowing for a couple of weeks, but it looks like we’ll be getting another wintery blast, next week.

Now, over to Lily.

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.

But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:

And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.

And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.

And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.

When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.

So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.

And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.

And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.

And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan.

And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.” – Judges 7 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — January 28, 2022

January 28, 1855 was the birthday of William Seward Burroughs, who invented the adding machine.

January 28th is also the anniversary of the rescue of General James L. Dozier from his Italian Red Brigades kidnappers. Tangentially, Colonel Jeff Cooper created a shooting drill in honor of those who freed him – The Dozier Drill.

—

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 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.

—

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.

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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.”