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:

After nearly a three-week delay because of my head cold, I finally got back to firewood cutting at my usual pace.

For the first time ever, I’ve been cutting deadfall in the adjoining National Forest. Up until this year, I had only been cutting wood on our ranch.  The USFS domestic firewood-cutting permits are issued in four-cord increments and are free of charge for cutting up to 16 cords per year. One stringent limitation is that wood can be cut no more than six feet long. This is to prevent people from cutting wood to mill into framing lumber, rather than for firewood. And the permits are intended only for personal domestic use — no firewood selling is allowed.

I’ve been busy packing and mailing out Elk Creek Company orders. Our current sale on all of our percussion revolver inventory has resulted in a burst of sales.

Now, Lily’s report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.

By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.

I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.

Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,

Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.

O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.

Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.

But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.

My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.

I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.

O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.

Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!

Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.” – Psalm 71:1-20 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes for Friday — June 21, 2024

On this day in 1788, the US Constitution came into effect when New Hampshire was the 9th state to ratify it.

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June 21st is the birthday of Rex Applegate (June 21, 1914 – July 14, 1998), author of Kill or Be Killed. He was a friend and mentor of SurvivalBlog’s Field Gear Editor Emeritus, Pat Cascio.

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All of the percussion revolvers in our Elk Creek Company inventory are now on sale.  No paperwork is required. These can be mailed right to your door, in most states.  Cartridge conversion cylinders are available for many models. This sale ends on Tuesday, June 26th, so order soon!

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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.

Weather the Storm with Backup Power – Part 2, by E.R.

(Continued from Part 1.)

Charging Overview

At a high level, the stages of charging a battery include: bulk, absorption, and float. On batteries that have been discharged deeply, there is also an equalization charge required.

Bulk charging demands high current. Absorption charging requires less current but a slightly elevated voltage. Float is your trickle charge which has low current at about one volt above the stasis voltage of a charged battery.

As covered in a recent SurvivalBlog article, the charge levels of flooded batteries can be determined accurately using a hydrometer. Each cell should have an equal level of charge. If the levels differ, it is time to equalize them. The equalization charge requires a voltage about 10% higher than what is standardly used for absorption. Equalization time will vary slightly, but generally it is one to two hours. With experience, you will learn whether equalization needs to be performed monthly, or more frequently. In the case of infrequent discharge cycles, it might even be sufficient to equalize annually.Continue reading“Weather the Storm with Backup Power – Part 2, by E.R.”

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. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, another look at the U.S. Nickel 5-cent piece. (See the Precious and Base Metals section.)

Precious and Base Metals:

RBI moves 1 lakh kg of gold from UK back to India, the first such move of this quantum since 1991.  JWR’s Comments:  That is 100 tons of gold!  Perhaps this is more evidence that the BRICS nations are getting ready to introduce a gold-backed currency.

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A bit of chartistry, from friend-of-the-blog Hub Moolman in South Africa: The US Dollar or Silver: Make Your Choice.

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Over at The Burning Platform: South Korea Has Gold Bar Vending Machines…And They’re Selling Out.

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Reader Daniel K. wrote to mention that it now costs the U.S. Mint 10.4 cents to produce each “Nickel” 5-cent coin. I still recommend stockpiliing them. JWR’s Comments: The humble Nickel is composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel. Just keep in mind that they are four times as heavy as junk silver coins, per dollar of face value.  (A $1,000 face-value bag of silver dimes, quarters, or half-dollars weighs about 55 pounds. But just $250 face-value in nickels weighs about the same — just over 55 pounds.) By the way, I should mention: Boxes of nickels make great “ballast” for the bottom of a large gun vault. Adding $2,000 in nickels  — a whopping 440 pounds — is a great way to help keep burglars from hauling away your entire vault.

Economy & Finance:

H.L. sent this news: CBO: National Debt Will Pass $50 Trillion in 10 Years.

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From Peat Marwick: Election year dissonance: Midyear economic outlook.

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Stephanie C. sent this item: “It’s Just Not Right”: Major Venues Now Punishing People For Using Cash Vs. Plastic.

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After A Year In “Recovery”, The Economy Is Once Again Contracting.

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At Zero Hedge: Shock Decline In Credit Card Debt Is First Since Covid Crash, As Card APRs Hit New All Time High.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day

“To live his life in his own way, to call his house his castle, to enjoy the fruits of his own labour, to educate his children as his conscience directs, to save for their prosperity after his death — these are wishes deeply ingrained in civilised man. Their realization is almost as necessary to our virtues as to our happiness. From their total frustration disastrous results both moral and psychological might follow.” – C.S. Lewis

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — June 20, 2024

On June 20, 1840, American inventor Samuel F.B. Morse patented his telegraph.

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Today marks the Summer Solstice, here in the Northern Hemisphere.

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On June 20, 1867, US President Andrew Johnson announced the Alaska Purchase.

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On June 20, 1921, there was 11.5″  of rainfall the town of Circle, Montana (a state record.)

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June 20th is the birthday of Audie L. Murphy. He was born in 1925. He died in a plane crash on May 28, 1971.

—

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.

—

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.

Weather the Storm with Backup Power – Part 1, by E.R

This adventure begins with a windstorm after which it took crews days to repair the severely damaged power lines. At that time we had been using a pair of old end-of-life batteries rescued from a Cummins diesel pickup truck connected to a conventional marine battery charger as our backup power. We waited all day as our freezer continued operations, powered by these old batteries. Towards dusk, I finally dragged out the generator to power the rest. Surely, there was a better way. That summer, I finally made it a priority to get solar panels installed up on the roof and the batteries upgraded.

We now have choices. Some of the backup power systems available these days involve slick turn-key solutions which neatly integrate all of the main components into a single opaque package that even the less adept user can manage. Some such systems are even available with solar panels already mounted on a trailer base in case one sets up camp away from the primary residence.

While package systems are generally good and helpful to achieve a noble end, they do not facilitate understanding which would at times be most helpful. Moreover, they tend to be exceedingly high tech, expensive and highly controlled by proprietary interests. For this reason, my focus is to round out knowledge dealing with modular components, so as to nurture a fundamental understanding that will be useful in a longer-term stuff-hits-the-fan (SHTF) event.Continue reading“Weather the Storm with Backup Power – Part 1, by E.R”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, we look at ancient wheat.

Genetic Treasure: Historic Wheat Collection

Reader C.B. spotted this: Finding hidden genetic treasure: Study uncovers untapped diversity in historic wheat collection. The article begins:

“A decade-long collaborative study has discovered huge genetic potential that is untapped in modern wheat varieties. The international study which appears in Nature reveals that at least 60% of the genetic diversity found in a historic collection of wheat is unused, providing an unprecedented opportunity to improve modern wheat and sustainably feed a growing global population.

To make this discovery, a cross-institutional collaboration led by Dr. Simon Griffiths, at the John Innes Centre and Professor Shifeng Cheng at the Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), studied the A.E. Watkins Landrace Collection, a historic collection of local varieties of wheat which are no longer grown anywhere in the world and compared this with modern wheats.”

A Military Draft Coming? House Passes Automatic Registration

I’ll lead off today’s column with some news mentioned by several blog readers, covered well over at Zero Hedge: Military Draft Coming? House Passes Measure To Automatically Register Men For Selective Service. JWR’s Comment:  I’ll be curious to see how the Senate handles this, in their version of the NDAA.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The politics of envy is the politics of this commandment: ‘Thou shalt not steal, except by majority vote.’ It is the politics of two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.” –  Dr. Gary North

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — June 19, 2024

On June 19, 1991, Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar surrendered to police.

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June 19, 1778: Continental Army troops finally left their winter encampment at Valley Forge.

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June 19, 1834 was the birthday of Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon, who died on 31 January, 1892. He was a British Particular Baptist preacher.

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On June 19, 1914, the Hillcrest Mine Disaster: An explosion at Hillcrest mine, Alberta, killed 189 men in Canada’s worst mining disaster.

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On June 19, 1917, the British Royal Family, which had strong German ties since George I, renounced its German names and titles and adopted the name of Windsor.

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On Jun 19, 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed 73-27, overcoming largely Democrat opposition. This followed a famous 74-day filibuster that was led by the Southern Democrats. (See the roll call.) Notably, Barry Goldwater opposed the bill because it would expand the size of the government.

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Today’s feature article was written by SurvivalBlog Editor James Wesley, Rawles (JWR).

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I’ve just put all of the percussion revolvers in our Elk Creek Company inventory on sale.  No paperwork is required. These can be mailed right to your door, in most states.  This sale ends on Tuesday, June 26th, so order soon!

—

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 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.

D-Words: Countering American Decadence

It is abundantly clear that we are living in a decadent society.  Though I may sound like a dystopian taxonomist, I’ll add some more “Ds” to the list, to encapsulate America in the early 21st Century:

  • Degenerate
  • Disaffected
  • Democratic (founded as a Republic, but now we hear that it is “our Democracy.”)
  • Despotic
  • Demagogic
  • Depressed/Depressing
  • Debased (especially our currency)
  • Deluded/Delusional
  • Defrauded
  • Decrepit
  • Disenfranchised (our votes are now either not counted or ignored)
  • Despicable
  • Disillusioned
  • Drifting
  • Devaluation (of human life)
  • Dissident
  • Divergent
  • Decomposing/Decomposed
  • Disagreeable
  • Dastardly
  • Dissolute
  • Depleted
  • Distorted
  • Deplorable (a term that is misapplied by statists to describe honorable, traditional people)
  • Depraved
  • Disrespectful
  • Defiant (note the utter defiance of the “Pride” movement.)
  • Deluded/Delusional
  • Discouraging
  • Dismayed
  • Dependent
  • Dishonest
  • Deranged
  • Despondent
  • Duplicitous
  • Disconcerted
  • Drugged (See the statistics for both prescription drugs and illicit drugs.)
  • Dissipated
  • Dishonorable
  • Dejected
  • Disingenuous
  • Derelict
  • Discordant
  • Demented
  • Disconfirming
  • Dispirited
  • Dark/Dark-Hearted
  • Distasteful
  • Disconnected (and overconnected.)
  • Dictatorial
  • Desecrated
  • Damnable
  • Discontented
  • Disheartening
  • Declining (in education, quality of life, et cetera)
  • Discriminatory (now, ironically, in reverse)
  • Disturbed/Disturbing
  • Distorted
  • Dilapidated
  • Disobedient
  • Demonic/Diabolical/Devilish
  • Dystopian
  • Distracted
  • Dismissive
  • Debauched
  • Diluted
  • Disintegrated
  • Dirty-Minded (often pornography-addicted)
  • Dissonant
  • Draconian
  • Distressed/Distressful
  • Déclassé
  • Discordant
  • Disgusting
  • Dreadful
  • Disoriented
  • Dysfunctional
  • Detrimental
  • Dimwitted (See: Idiocracy.)
  • Discouraging
  • Dysphoric
  • Discredited
  • Dyspeptic (especially in our nation’s eating habits)
  • Dwindling
  • Displeasing
  • Defeatist
  • Disastrous
  • Deteriorating/Deteriorated
  • Defective
  • Disharmonious
  • Devious
  • Detestable
  • Demoralized
  • Diseased (Let’s not forget those diseases that are now intentionally administered)
  • Diminishing/Diminished
  • Deceptive

The last “D” on that list deserves special attention.  I’m often quoted as saying that we are living in the age of deception and betrayal. It is now a certainty that we are being systematically deceived and betrayed by all of our major institutions: all three branches of government, news media, the education system, the entertainment industry, mainstream churches, and Internet platforms.  The Powers That Be want to subjugate us under a totalitarian global government, and increasingly they want to kill us.Continue reading“D-Words: Countering American Decadence”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

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I’ll start today’s column with a video about our kind of guy, serving as a representative, in Washington, DC.: Off the Grid with Thomas Massie.

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A Practical Tip From JWR:  To avoid confusion with your family’s pairs of mud boots, use a quick blast of spray paint on the rear spine of each boot, using a contrasting color for each pair. In the long run, this will prevent mixing up pairs — especially those pairs that are close to the same size.

o  o  o

I highly recommend the Ghostnet communications protocols that are being formalized by S2 Underground. There is a new video update available. Going digital offers the best communications security and data connectivity for a collapse situation. Buy the gear, print out (and laminate) the reference pages, and get regular practice with your friends, neighbors, and relatives! – JWR

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Reader F.J sent this item: Stranded windsurfer rescued after spelling out ‘HELP’ on Santa Cruz-area beach.

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Reader C.B. sent us this sign on the times: Tupperware Announces Closure of Last U.S. Factory, Moves Production to Mexico. JWR Adds:  Whenever I go to thrift stores, I always keep my eyes peeled for large-volume Tupperware boxes — bread boxes in particular. They have umpteen uses. In addition to storing food items, they can also serve well for ammunition and small tool storage. Just throw in a packet of silica gel desiccant, and you’ll be good to go.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — June 18, 2024

On June 18, 1682, English-born Quaker William Penn founded Philadelphia, in the Pennsylvania Colony.

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On June 18, 1767 English sea captain Samuel Wallis sighted Tahiti. He is considered the first European to reach the island.

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June 18th is birthday of Pastor Douglas Wilson. Born in 1953, he is the pastor at Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho and a prodigious author of books and articles on Reformed theology.

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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.

—

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.