A DIY Solar Water Heater – Part 1, by St. Funogas

If you had to list ten things that would be most missed in a post-TEOTWAWKI world, opening a tap and having free-flowing hot water whenever you want it would have to be near the top of the list for a lot of us.

In this article I’ll present an inexpensive solar water heater (SWH) which has gotta be the most efficient for the cost. I use this on my homestead almost six months of the year and in a non-freeze situation such as a greenhouse, this could be used year-round. Even with minimal skills and hand tools, you can build this yourself.

This can be a stand-alone system or incorporated into your normal hot-water home-plumbing system, allowing you to take advantage when the sun is shining, then by closing two valves, you easily fall back on your propane/electric water heater on cloudy days. In a separate SB article, I’ll show how to connect alternative water heaters to the main plumbing lines so your regular water heater can be a quick backup.

This is one more solar project that pays for itself in energy savings today and will provide an easier transition to a post-TEOTWAWKI world tomorrow.

WHY A SOLAR WATER HEATER?

Due to the high density of water, it takes much more propane to heat water than it does to fry bacon and eggs. The last thing I want to do when the SHTF is waste propane heating water if the propane man is going to be just a distant memory I’ll tell my great-grandkids about. With nothing more than the sun, a 25-watt solar panel (or a battery from your post-SHTF vehicle and a $15 solar trickle charger), you can run this solar water heater for years. There’s very little work involved in heating water: open two valves, flip a switch, and ignore it until a few hours later when it’s time to turn it off. How long would it to take to heat 30 gallons on your woodstove or campfire in the backyard? How dangerous is it walking around with pots of hot water on your way to the bathroom or kitchen? How nice are hot showers compared to a sponge bath?Continue reading“A DIY Solar Water Heater – Part 1, by St. Funogas”

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, we focus on Yellowstone’s busiest month ever. (See the Wyoming section.)

Idaho

Totely Fire burning near Plummer burning 650 acres, 15% contained. [JWR’s Comment: This is the same fire that Patrice Lewis described in her blog. And, as I mentioned on Thursday, Patrice has established a GoFundMe campaign, on behalf of her former neighbors who lost their home to the flames: Help Dallas and Susie Rebuild Their Home. Please consider donating.]

o  o  o

Former A-10 pilot Rep. Priscilla Giddings gave a great speech exposing Critical Race Theory at the Regeneration Church in Sandpoint.

o  o  o

Over at WND: Supreme battle over couple’s home construction is now in its 17th year.

o  o  o

Mountain lion spotted in Eagle neighborhood.

o  o  o

Orofino WWII veteran takes to the skies on a flight he will never forget.

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

Preparedness Notes for Monday — August 23, 2021

August 23rd is the anniversary of the declaration of the independent state of “Franklin” in Eastern Tennessee by the settlers there in 1784. Unfortunately, the Continental Congress rejected it, so the state of Franklin never became a reality.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 96 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. Naturally Cozy is donating a “Prepper Pack” Menstrual Kit.  This kit contains 18 pads and it comes vacuum-sealed for long term storage or slips easily into a bugout bag.  The value of this kit is $220.
  5. An assortment of products along with a one-hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).

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. Siege Stoves is generously donating a SIEGE® STOVE kit, including a Titanium Gen 3 Flat-Pack Stove with titanium Cross-Members and a variety of bonus items including a Large Folding Grill, a pair of Side Toasters, a Compact Fire Poker, and an extra set of stainless steel universal Cross-Members. (In all, a $200 value.)
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $150 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!

—

Round 96 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.

Ruger 9mm MAX-9 Pistol, by Pat Cascio

The folks at Ruger don’t introduce a lot of new firearms each year, but when they do release a new model, it is almost always a winner. And as usual with Ruger firearms, they are almost always in demand by the gun-buying public. I think a lot of people were caught off-guard with the release of the new Ruger Max-9, 9mm pistol. But we shouldn’t have been.

The trend for the few years has been sub-compact or micro-sized 9mm pistols, especially designed for concealed carry with two-column magazines–providing a lot of ammo. Anyone who knows Ruger handguns  knows that when Ruger calls something “compact” it is really a smaller, but not by much, version of a full-sized handgun. I own a Ruger American full-sized 9mm handgun, and the same in their compact version – and the compact really isn’t nearly as small or compact as you think it is – still, it’s a stellar 9mm handgun, that holds either 10 or 12 rounds of 9mm Parabellum in the magazine.

I’ve liked the Ruger LC9 sub-compact pistol since first seeing one, nice little concealed carry pistol, chambered in 9mm. The only thing was that it only held 7+1 rounds. Sure, it sounds like a lot of ammo, and of course, everyone should carry at least one spare magazine these days. Still, the way things are going when it comes to crime statistics, many attacks are being carried out by multiple attackers, and you might wish you had more ammo. I’ve near heard anyone who has been in a real-life gunfight complain that they had too much ammo. Keep that in mind.

At first glance, the new Ruger Max-9, appears to be a kissing cousin, to the LC9, and it many respects it is, just a little bit “different” than the LC9. The good news is that the Max-9 is only slightly larger – not by much, than the LC9. But the Max-9 is a double-stack 9mm pistol. It comes with two magazines, one is a flush fit 10-round version, and the other is a 12-round version. The latter really isn’t all that much longer than the 10-round mag, with the included “pinky catcher” floor plate on it. One nice thing that I am happy to report is that  the Max-9 magazines, either capacity model, are a lot easier to load than some of the other micro-sized 9mm magazines. That’s a good thing in my old age, with arthritic hands/fingers. I used to breeze through loading any type of magazines. However these days, I mostly use a magazine loader of some type to aid me in loading magazines, especially if I’m going to do a lot of shooting.

The Max-9 is a striker-fired pistol, with no exposed hammer. There is no second strike capability – if you pull the trigger and nothing happens, you need to pull the slide back and chamber another round. Not a deal breaker, as I’ve trained that way most of my life – if there is a “click” instead of a “bang” I just chamber another round. It is noteworthy that many other striker-fired pistols also don’t have a second strike capability.Continue reading“Ruger 9mm MAX-9 Pistol, by Pat Cascio”

Recipe of the Week: Carl’s Trail Mix

The following recipe for a high-protein nut and trail mix recipe comes to us from SurvivalBlog reader Carl B.

Ingredients
  • ½ cup dried blueberries
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup dried cherries (tart style)
  • ½ cup salted dried sunflower seeds (optional)
  • 2 ½ cups salted mixed nuts (preferably with almonds but without any peanuts–unless you love peanuts.)
  • ½ cup small dried pineapple (chop first to 1/3-inch cubes, if the chunks are too large)
  • 1 cup M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces

Carl’s Note: The last ingredient is optional or can be reduced. You may substitute one cup of something else that is sweet and about the same size pieces. For example, raisins. But whatever you choose must be low moisture!  I found that most dried apricots are high moisture, and therefore will ruin any trail mix that is stored more than a day.

You can also substitute low salt nuts and low salt sunflower seeds if you are on a low-salt diet.

Directions

Combine all the ingredients and mix until evenly blended.

STORAGE

Store in any sealed container that is airtight.

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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!

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 the return of some ammunition to gun store shelves. (See the Tangibles Investing section.)

Precious Metals:

All eyes are still on Afghanistan. Mark my words: If you begin hearing the words “American Hostages” coming out of Afghanistan, then you can expect to see precious metals zoom up 10% or more, within a few days. If any hostage situation drags on, then we might see a 30% gain in gold. Buy low and sell high, folks.

o  o  o

Platinum still looks strong enough to reach that long term sub 1:1 equilibrium versus gold.

o  o  o

Gold to Silver Ratio: Long Term Trend 1693 to Present.  JWR’s Comment: I still predict that the silver to gold ratio will revert to below 20-to-1 before 2030.

Economy & Finance:

Bonds Flashing a Death Cross.

o  o  o

Fed Signals Pullback of Monetary Stimulus Likely to Start This Year.

o  o  o

U.S. consumer sentiment nosedives as Delta variant spikes.

o  o  o

At Wolf Street: The Extra $300/Week Unemployment Benefits Encouraged Many to Not Work: Details about the “Labor Shortage” Pile Up.

o  o  o

Who Bought the $5 Trillion Piled on the Monstrous US National Debt in 15 Months?

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — August 22, 2021

Today is the anniversary of the founding of the London Armoury Company, in 1851. It was founded by Robert Adams (1810–1870). He patented the first successful double-action revolver in 1851. His revolvers were used during the Crimean War, the Indian Mutiny, the U.S. Civil War, and the Anglo-Zulu War.

On August 22nd, 1949 the USSR detonated “Joe-1”, its first atomic bomb.

August 22nd, 1992 was the second day of the Incident at Ruby Ridge. FBI sharpshooter Lon Horiuchi wounded Randy Weaver and Kevin Harris, and murdered Weaver’s wife, Vicki. It should be noted that in 1994, after being acquitted by a federal court, Weaver filed a federal civil rights case against the FBI and U.S. marshals stemming from the siege. In 1995 the government settled Weaver’s case for $3.1 million. It is commonly thought that had the Weaver family stayed with the trial, the award would have been the full $200 million. In true FBI style, Lon Horiuchi was not prosecuted by the Federal government. When Idaho brought manslaughter charges against him, the trial was moved to federal court and dismissed. Horiuchi has also been accused of firing unauthorized shots at the Waco siege as well.

—

A Special Request: Do you have some .33 Winchester brass that you can spare?  I’m looking to buy 20 to 60 once-fired pieces of this scarce brass.  Hopefully, yours is actually marked “.33 WIN” and it is priced below  $1.50 per piece. It would be great to have that to include it as a bonus for whoever buys the Model 1886 in .33 Winchester that I have in inventory. Thanks! – JWR

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 96 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. Naturally Cozy is donating a “Prepper Pack” Menstrual Kit.  This kit contains 18 pads and it comes vacuum-sealed for long term storage or slips easily into a bugout bag.  The value of this kit is $220.
  5. An assortment of products along with a one-hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).

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. Siege Stoves is generously donating a SIEGE® STOVE kit, including a Titanium Gen 3 Flat-Pack Stove with titanium Cross-Members and a variety of bonus items including a Large Folding Grill, a pair of Side Toasters, a Compact Fire Poker, and an extra set of stainless steel universal Cross-Members. (In all, a $200 value.)
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $150 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!

—

Round 96 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.

Life Without Modern Transportation, by C.J.

We can be almost anywhere on earth within 24 hours using the various forms of modern transportation. Automobiles have greatly increased the amount of area we can cover in our daily lives, but what happens if we can’t use our vehicles anymore? The average human being can walk around 3 mph and can cover about 20 to 30 miles in a day. This of course varies by an individual’s fitness level and many other factors such as the terrain’s roughness/steepness, the weather, and the amount of load carried. Just think of it this way: it will take 2 to 3 days to walk the same distance that you can cover today by hopping in your car and driving an hour on a major highway. It will take a day to walk the same distance you can drive today in one hour, on a back road. The purpose of this article is to get you thinking about how quickly you can cover large distances today and how to come up with a plan to deal with getting there if modern transportation resources are not available.

Why can’t I travel?

You may be asking why can’t I drive, I store plenty of gas? That may be true at least for a short period of time, but I want to discuss long-term options. The two most obvious events that would limit our abilities to get around are an EMP/CME or total financial collapse. A few other events that I can think of that could put us in this situation are: Cyber-attack causing our fuel infrastructure to be down for months, localized natural disasters, the Marxist regime in DC doesn’t agree with state governments and decides to cut us off, or a supply chain breakdown that makes critical components unavailable.
Why do I need to travel?

I’m sure I’m not alone, but I think nothing about hopping in my vehicle and driving 20-30 minutes to go fishing or to forage plants. In a grid-down scenario the four main reasons that we need to travel are to: collect food (hunt, fish, and forage- including medicinal plants), collect firewood, collect water if the utilities go offline, and to get healthcare treatment. If you are lucky enough to live within walking distance of where you hunt, fish, forage and collect firewood this may not apply, but think about hauling home the heavy loads such as that deer you shot or the firewood you collected. If that ability suddenly ended tomorrow, what would you do? The longer this grid-down scenario goes, the fish and game closest to you will become depleted, so you will have to travel farther to hunt them.Continue reading“Life Without Modern Transportation, by C.J.”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.

For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.” – Luke 6:27-49 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — August 21, 2021

In 1986, Lake Nyos in Cameroon erupted with an estimated billion cubic yards of carbon dioxide gas. The gas had apparently been accumulating in the crater lake, held down by the weight of the water. When it finally erupted, the gas cloud smothered and killed every living animal, including insects, in its path until it dissipated. Outsiders learned of the disaster when they approached the villages and found animal and human bodies on the ground. The best estimate is that 1,700 people and thousands of cattle died.

—

A Special Note: We are now running very low on feature articles for the blog. Round 96 of the writing contest ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Thanks! – JWR

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 96 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. Naturally Cozy is donating a “Prepper Pack” Menstrual Kit.  This kit contains 18 pads and it comes vacuum-sealed for long term storage or slips easily into a bugout bag.  The value of this kit is $220.
  5. An assortment of products along with a one-hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).

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. Siege Stoves is generously donating a SIEGE® STOVE kit, including a Titanium Gen 3 Flat-Pack Stove with titanium Cross-Members and a variety of bonus items including a Large Folding Grill, a pair of Side Toasters, a Compact Fire Poker, and an extra set of stainless steel universal Cross-Members. (In all, a $200 value.)
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $150 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!

—

Round 96 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.

Mosquito Protection and a Headlamp, by The Novice

It is said that even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then. In this second installment of the Blind Squirrel series, I would like to pass along some nutty discoveries for your amusement and edification.

Mosquito Protection

The area where I live is quite swampy. At certain times of the year, being outside without some sort of protection is almost unbearable.

Whenever possible, I like to avoid the use of insect repellent. It feels sticky, smells stinky, and I don’t like the idea of absorbing chemicals through my skin. Fortunately, there are some other tools available that provide excellent protection from mosquito attacks.

Head Nets

If it is not too warm, a head net used with a broad brim hat and a jacket can provide excellent protection. Just put on the hat, pull the net over the hat and down to the collar of your shirt, put on the jacket and zip it all the way up, and you are ready to brave the wilds of mosquito land. Head nets are light, can be packed into the tiniest of spaces, and can save you a lot of misery when blood-sucking creatures are swarming. (Well, with mosquitoes at least. Politicians are more difficult to deal with.) Head nets are widely available at reasonable prices wherever camping gear is sold. The best deal that I could find on eBay at the time of this writing was a four-pack for $11.99.

Bug Jackets

Some days, it is just too hot to put on a regular jacket. A bug jacket is a good alternative. It is made entirely of mesh, and includes an integrated head net. Just put on a broad brim hat, pull the bug jacket over your head, put your arms through the sleeves, and tighten the drawstrings at the wrists and waist. Bug jackets in various sizes are also widely available at reasonable prices wherever camping gear is sold. The best deal that I could find on eBay at the time of this writing in my size (large) was $17.45. Bug jackets can also be packed in an extremely small space. This is not always an advantage. I had to buy a new bug jacket this year, because my old bug jacket is packed away so well that presently I cannot find it. I was not too terribly upset, because I suspect it will turn up sooner or later, and… “two is one, but one is none.”Continue reading“Mosquito Protection and a Headlamp, by The Novice”

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 had a fairly quiet week here at the Rawles Ranch.  As an answer to prayer, we had a couple of days of rain. That good soaking will go a long way toward ending the fire season in the region.

I’ve been very busying gathering inventory and packing orders for Elk Creek Company. Take note that I will be putting the biz on hiatus for the month of September, while I travel. I really need to get out there and find more inventory!

This week, I helped my wonderful wife Avalanche Lily tote in her crop of potatoes.  She’ll provide all of the details on that…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”