Preparedness Notes for Monday — July 1, 2024

On July 1st, AD 70,  Roman General Titus (Titus Flavius Vespasianus) and his forces set up battering rams to assault the walls of Jerusalem.

July 1st, 1535, Sir Thomas More went on trial for treason for refusing to accept King Henry VIII as head of the Church of England.

On July 1, 1798 Napoleon‘s fleet reached Alexandria, Egypt.

July 1st is the anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War Battle of Gettysburg, in 1863.

Today is Canada Day. On July 1, 1867, the Dominion of Canada was formed, comprising the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec, with John A. Macdonald serving as the first Prime Minister.

And on July 1, 1898, Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders charged up San Juan Hill during the successful assault on the city of Santiago.

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

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Today’s feature article is a review written by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.

Case Marilla Folding Knife, by Thomas Christianson

With a razor-sharp, 3.5-inch, drop-point blade made of satin-stonewash-finished S35VN steel; a carbon-fiber and aluminum handle with a frame-lock; a one-handed, ambidextrous flipper for deployment; and a reversible, deep-carry, steel pocket clip, the Case Marilla Folding Knife represents an outstanding example of a modern everyday carry (EDC) knife that is made by an iconic American company.

With a price at the time of this writing of $207.99 a the caseknives.com website, the Marilla is neither the cheapest nor the most expensive EDC knife on the market. But as a well-crafted, American-made knife built of high-quality materials, the Marilla represents a good value for the money. It has earned a place as a “keeper” with a small number of other EDC knives in my life.Continue reading“Case Marilla Folding Knife, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week:  Melon-Mint Smoothie

The following simple recipe for a Melon-Mint Smoothie is from SurvivalBlog reader I.J..

Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice, from a lime
  • 2 cups cubed ripe cantaloupe, from about half a medium-size melon
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 10 mint leaves, plus more for garnish if desired
  • 1/2 to 1 tablespoon honey (adjust to taste)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 ice cubes
Directions
  1. Add lime juice, cantaloupe cubes, yogurt, mint, honey, salt, and ice cubes to blender.
  2. Blend until completely smooth, about 30 seconds.
SERVING

Serve immediately, garnished with mint if desired.

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Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long-term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic shows the median age by country, according to the CIA’s World Factbook.  (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.)

The thumbnail image below is click-expandable.

 

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

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — June 30, 2024

On June 30, 1893, the Excelsior diamond (blue-white 995 carats) then the world’s largest, was discovered in Jagersfontein Mine, South Africa.

On June 30, 1834, the U.S. Congress created Indian Territory (now Oklahoma).

June 30th is also the anniversary of the tragic death of 19 hotshots in the Yarnell Hill Fire, in 2013.

On June 30, 1908, a giant fireball, most likely caused by the air burst of a large meteoroid or comet flattened 80 million trees near the Stony Tunguska River in Yeniseysk Governorate, Russia, in the largest impact event in recorded history.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 113 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2,000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $359 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  5. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 113 ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

 

A Crash Course in Veterinary Medicine, by 3AD Scout

Dave Ramsey, a talk radio show host who discusses financial matters, is fond of saying that people who make expensive financial mistakes “just paid the stupid tax”. In my opinion, “stupid mistakes” of any kind are learning opportunities and sometimes that education can be expensive, but if you learn from it, that mistake and the subsequent education can be priceless.

In the Summer of 2019, we moved full-time to our bug-out-location (BOL). In the spring of 2020 we purchased our first animals for our homestead, chickens. We soon added pigs and cows. Like any living creature, animals have basic needs and are susceptible to illness. In order to have a good return on investment (ROI) on livestock, it is best to do as much of the health care for your livestock as you can.

But where can you learn about veterinary care? Over the years I have picked up a few books on veterinary care, unfortunately most of the books have a problem. As the books age, many of the veterinary medicines are replaced with newer drugs. Recent FDA guidelines are also making it harder for a farmer/homesteader to gain access to certain drugs for the care of animals. One of my solutions was to look back at publications printed before the advent of penicillin and modern drugs. I found some great publications from the late 1800s and early 1900s on the USDA website. There are also a great selection of veterinary medical books available for free on the Project Gutenberg website.Continue reading“A Crash Course in Veterinary Medicine, by 3AD Scout”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

The Clear Winner in the June Trump-Biden Debate?  Depends

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

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” – 1 John 1 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — June 29, 2024

On June 29, 1939, Ford introduced the revolutionary Ford-Ferguson 9N tractor incorporating Harry Ferguson‘s three-point hitch system.

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On June 29th,  1540, the UK parliament passed The Act of Attainder over former Chancellor of the Exchequer of England Thomas Cromwell, indicting him as a heretic

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today’s feature article is a review written by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Thomas Christianson.

We are in need of entries for Round 113 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running the contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 113 ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

OGRE Enviroclean FA Gun Cleaner, by Thomas Christianson

OGRE Manufacturing Enviroclean FA is an effective, versatile, low-odor gun cleaning solvent.

It is made in the USA, and competitively priced at the time of this writing at $10 for a 4-ounce bottle from www.ogremfg.com (by way of comparison, a 4-ounce bottle of Break Free CLP was priced at $11.99 from safariland.com ). If you plan to use a lot of Enviroclean FA, you can get a whole gallon for $90.

The low level of odor that Enviroclean FA produces while it is being used to clean firearms at the kitchen table is valuable for helping to preserve the domestic tranquility. I highly recommend it.Continue reading“OGRE Enviroclean FA Gun Cleaner, by Thomas Christianson”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

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

Jim Reports:

I had a fairly hectic week, starting with three vehicle oil change and repair appointments in a row on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, in three different towns. First, a pickup truck oil change, then an SUV brake job, and then a UATV steering box replacement.  On Thursday I was on the road to a gun show, that I attended just on Friday. But on the way, I dropped off a cow-calf pair to their new owners. (I drove our pickup with our three-horse trailer in tow.)  Those two critters were the last of our old herd. We are now building a new herd with all A2/A2 stock, from another small cattle breed. We already have a bull and a disrelated cow-calf pair with the more desirable genetics. We will also soon be buying a couple of disrelated heifers.

I shipped out five Elk Creek Company orders this past week.

On my way home from that gun show trip, I dropped by my FFL Buddy’s house.  He had several pre-1899 guns waiting for me, that I had bought at out-of-state auctions.  To explain:  Many auction houses have been buffaloed by the overbearing ATF and now insist on all guns being shipped to FFLs — even pre-1899 antique guns. They often say that they do this “just to be safe.”  That is really silly and not in accordance with the law.  Of course, my buddy with the FFL then just hands the antiques to me, because as pre-1899 guns, he cannot legally enter them in his ATF Bound Book. They don’t belong there any more than BB guns do. Per the Gun Control Act of 1968, pre-1899 guns and blackpowder replicas are not classified as “firearms.”

I usually buy him dinner, as a thank you for taking those deliveries for me.

I stayed up late last night, adding six new guns to the Elk Creek Company online catalog. There are both pre-1899 cartridge guns and several modern percussion blackpowder guns. These include a scarce 1898-dated Swedish Model 1896/38, a very early production S&W Model 2 single-action .32 S&W revolver, an early early production stainless steel Ruger Old Army with a three-digit serial number, a Chilean Model 1895 Mauser 7.62mm NATO arsenal conversion, and a scarce SAKO Mosin M39 “SKY” Finn on an 1896 Antique Receiver.  Take a look!

On a hike out to the west end of the Rawles Ranch, I noticed that the brackens are growing taller than usual, this year, because of the rainy spring.  That is usually a sign that we are going to have a bumper crop of large  Huckleberries. Yum!

Now, Lily’s part of the report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day

 “Moreover the Lord said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man’s pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz.

And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the Lord to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz.

For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.

The Lord spake also unto me again, saying,

Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son;

Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks:

And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.

Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.

For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,

Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.

Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” – Isaiah 8:1-14 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Friday — June 28, 2024

On June 28, 1880, the Australian bushranger and outlaw Ned Kelly was captured at Glenrowan.  He was executed on November 11th of the same year.

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June 28th, 1703 was the birthday of theologian John Wesley. He died March 2, 1791.

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Today’s feature article is a guest piece by Brandon Smith, the Editor of Alt-Market.us.

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We need some entries for Round 113 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $900,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 113 ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

The Five Stages Of Economic Collapse Denial, by Brandon Smith

This article was originally published at Birch Gold Group. It is reposted with permission.

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In light of the recent resurgence of inflation on top of increasingly rigged employments stats, declining manufacturing and stagnant wages I think it’s important to revisit a fundamental question: What does an economic collapse look like?

As I have said for years an economic collapse is not an event, it’s a process. When people think of a historic crisis they usually imagine something like the stock market crash of 1929 at the beginning of the Great Depression. However, there were numerous indicators and warning signs leading up to that crash that should have tipped people off. There were even a handful of economists that voiced concerns about impending instability, yet they were ignored.

Then, after the crash occurred numerous establishment economists denied that the system was in any real danger. They continually claimed that recovery was “right around the corner”, but the recovery never materialized. Instead, the crash spiraled onward for over a decade until world war erupted, largely because the Federal Reserve raised interest rates into economic weakness (a disaster they have openly admitted to causing and a policy they are instituting right now).Continue reading“The Five Stages Of Economic Collapse Denial, by Brandon Smith”