Including Old Books in Your Preps, Part 1, by Marica Bernstein

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My aim in this essay is to convince you of the worth of building a home library consisting mainly of old books. I will not suggest that you pack a set of Encyclopǣdia Britannicas in your bug-out-bag. I’m addressing those of you who are, or hope to be, hunkered down in your homes when the lights go out. Throughout, I’ll be making the same assumption that JWR makes: “Survival is not just about guns, groceries and gadgets.” To my mind is it also very much about preserving Western Culture– the values, traditions, mores, histories, and even anecdotes and funny pages that shaped our lives and the lives of our ancestors. Western Culture– American Culture– is preserved in old books. These old books should be on your shelves.

Preserving Western Culture is a good and lofty goal. It is jokingly what I said I was up to years ago when I began collecting old books in earnest. A dollar at the junk store here, $40 at the library sale there, and my collection has grown to over 3,300 books. So be forewarned! Western Culture and Civilization are rich. Building a library can become an obsession.

A subset of my library contains 300+ old cookbooks belonging to my husband who truly believes America’s cooking heritage is the only thing worth saving. A fair number of his cookbooks are spiral bound and come from Ladies’ Auxiliaries. But that’s another story.

“There are three services books may render in the home: they may be ornaments, tools, or friends.”  – Lyman Abbott, “Books for Study and Reading,” in The Guide to Reading (1925, p.1)

A good and lofty goal is a good and lofty goal, and worth pursuit in and of itself. But its grandness can overshadow other, more practical reasons for a prepper to build a library of old books. So let’s turn to Abbott’s “three services books may render in the home: ornaments, tools, and friends” and examine each from a prepper’s perspective.Continue reading“Including Old Books in Your Preps, Part 1, by Marica Bernstein”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

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SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— 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. Today, we look at the demise of the Federal Solar Tax Credit.

Hydro-Powered Idaho Retreat – Reduced

I just heard that there was a recent $60,000 price reduction on the home on 13 acres with hydro power near Clark Fork, Idaho that I first mentioned this property last week.) It is an amazing, affordable property.

How Bureaucrats Ruin Everything

I noticed this linked over at Claire Wolfe’s great Living Freedom blog: How Bureaucrats Ruin Everything From Dishwashers To Gas Cans To Cars.

All Hangs on the 2nd Amendment

A “must watch” video from John Lovell of Warrior Poet Society: All Hangs on the 2nd Amendment.

Staying Safe When a Flash Mob Descends

Frequent content contributor DSV sent this: How To Handle Yourself In A Flash Mob Looting
Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:”

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 Redoubt region. Today, we focus on North Idaho vloggers.   (See the Idaho  section.)

Idaho

Several North Idaho homesteading vloggers recently held this event: Meetup With North Country Off Grid, Essential Mountain Homesteading, Plus many more!! Be sure to check out their vlogs. They include:

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H.L. spotted this mention of Boise, Idaho: City Halls Use Facial Recognition To Blacklist And Ban Residents

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Gunfighters slated to move to North Idaho. A key quote:  “Dixon says the move to Idaho was driven by a variety of reasons, including Idaho’s more relaxed business climate and more gun-friendly attitude.”

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The big annual Festival at Sandpoint will be held August 1st to 11th, 2019. The entertainers this year will include Jackson Browne, Kool & The Gang, Walk Off The Earth, The Avett Brothers, and Nathaniel Rateliff.

CRKT Du Hoc, by Pat Cascio

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Wicked! That one word, aptly describes the CRKT Du Hoc fixed blade knife. It it is made by Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT).  Most knives are designed to be used as everyday working tools, and they can double as a weapon for self-defense. However, make no mistake about it, the Du Hoc, designed by Austin McGlaun, in Columbus, Georgia – is purely a combat blade – in my humble opinion. It was designed specifically as a combat fixed blade knife. It is modeled after the Karambit, a curved blade that was meant for combat or self-defense.

If you have never heard of Pointe Du Hoc, it is worth your time to read up on this deadly battle in WWII – it was one of the targets during D Day – and it was one of the toughest areas to attack – mainly because it was about 100-feet above the beach. Our Rangers were assigned the task of scaling this cliff, using ropes and ladders, and it was a costly battle. However, if you leave military tactics to the military, and a good plan, we always prevail – just give us the wind under our wings and the tools and men to get the job done – and we’ll do it.

Many WWII movies showed how tough the fight was, for our Army Rangers to get up this cliff, and then battle the deeply entrenched Germans who held that position. Next time you see a WWII movie, that involved the Normandy beach invasion, you’ll more than likely see scenes of our Rangers and their fight to scale this heavily defended cliff and the heavy loss of life.

With the above in mind, Austin McGlaun, designed the Du Hoc, in memory of his late uncle, who was awarded the Silver Start because of his heroism at Pointe Du Hoc. To be sure, it was no small task to under take this battle to start with, and to win the Silver Star – wow! Not many in the military have earned the Silver Star, and many who did, it was awarded posthumously.

With the help of custom knife maker Ryan Johnson of RMJ Tactical, the Du Hoc came to fruition. To be sure, this large Karambit fixed blade is mission inspired and it is an eye catcher when you pull it from its sheath, and the curved tip and large thumb ring on the handle – all I can say, once again is – wow! I’d like to mention that, many custom knife makers have taken new and upstart designers and makers, under their wing, and helped to bring their designs to the buying public. I worked with a couple custom knife makers over the years, and even though I can’t draw a straight line with a ruler, those makers patiently tried their best to make a knife maker out of me! However, they did bring many of my designs to light by producing my designs.Continue reading“CRKT Du Hoc, by Pat Cascio”

Recipe of the Week: J.J.’s Cornmeal Dry Mix

Reader J.J. kindly sent us this recipe for a multipurpose cornmeal dry baking mix. This was tested as a 9-cup batch  (1 cup equals 5 ounces.)

Ingredients
  • 4 cups (18 ounces) finely ground cornmeal
  • 4 cups (18 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup (4 5/8 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons (42 grams) baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons (10 grams) table salt
Dry Mix Making Directions

Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large container with a tight-fitting lid (15- to 16-cup capacity), until thoroughly mixed.

Seal in an airtight container, label and store at room temperature until ready to use.

Using The Dry Mix

To make an 8-inch square or loaf (8  1/2-by-4 1/2 inches), use a fork to whisk together 2  1/2 cups Dry Cornmeal Dry Mix, 1/3 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar or packed light or dark brown sugar and up to 1 teaspoon of your chosen spices in a mixing bowl.

Continue reading“Recipe of the Week: J.J.’s Cornmeal Dry Mix”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

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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. And it bears mention that most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at investing in silver. (See the Precious Metals section.)

Precious Metals (Silver):

The recent breakout in the spot price of silver to above $16.28 per Troy ounce probably has some short-selling traders quaking in their boots. The price ratio of silver-to-gold is now running around 88-to-1, which although down from the recent absurd 92-to-1 high still screams opportunity for silver investors. I suspect that the price of silver will escape the market manipulators and the silver-to-gold ratio will revert to around 75-to-1, or possibly even lower. (75-to-1 would mean a spot price for $18.88 for silver, assuming that gold holds at around $1,415 per ounce.) And in the long run, with more silver than gold being consistently “used up” in unrecovorable industrial processes, I expect the silver to gold ratio to be down around 25-to-1, by the end of the 21st Century. Watch the metals markets closely, folks. I’ll admit that I’ve always had a predilection for silver, but the fundamentals here would convince just about anyone that the Silver Bull may soon have his day!

Economy & Finance:

The “Scared & Desperate” Fed Is Playing The Most Dangerous Game. Here is a key quote:

“On Wednesday odds for a 50bp rate cut had dropped to 34%, by the time Clarida, Bullard, and Williams were done these odds had skyrocketed to 71%.

Come on. None of this is an accident.

JP Morgan now expects 12 central banks to cut rates in the next 2 months. The global easing cycle has begun. With negative rates still in place.

What’s all this really tell us? A recession is coming, they know it and they are desperate to prevent it. It also says zero rates are coming back and I suspect, in due time, negative rates. Which means markets will eventually drop despite the current efforts to jam things higher.

But a Fed desperate to jawbone markets higher, to “influence markets” is playing the most dangerous game.

A Fed admitting they have limited ammunition and are openly abandoning their data dependency mantra to stop the business cycle is an open admission of weakness. And a weak Fed may commit the worst sin a Fed can commit: Lose confidence of the market. And once that happens all things are possible…”

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The Victims of Inflation

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — July 21, 2019

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

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 83  of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The more than $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A $3,000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any 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. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  7. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Second Prize:

  1. A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of their sun-tracking models, and 10% off the purchase price of any of their other models.
  2. 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.
  3. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  4. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  5. 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).
  6. 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. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances.

Round 83 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.

My Toolbag, by P.G.

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One of mankind’s distinctives from the animal world is in our use of tools. While other creatures may make use of twigs to fish insects out of cavities, or crack shellfish by banging them with stones, only man has exercised his mind and used tools to make so many things possible. The history of tool making is a fascinating study in itself, as our parents have progressed from the simple to the complex. Today it’s quite possible for a person of modest means to have a hobby woodshop or machine shop with astonishing capabilities.

But what about most of us who just want the tools to take care of minor repairs or to do simple projects? Maybe we’d like a basic kit for our apartment, house, or RV. Maybe you’re thinking about a box or bag or bucket of tools to throw in your vehicle to get you through most needs during an evacuation and the following events.

This discussion is based on my experiences over forty years plus, including various construction trades, farm work, and manufacturing. There’s twenty years of military service in there, half active duty and the rest in reserve components that included training as a combat engineer. We’ve owned several homes in four states and while we still have two of them, we’ve been living in RVs for the last eight years. This list is based on the bag of tools in the back of my truck that I rely on at work and at home every day.Continue reading“My Toolbag, by P.G.”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

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SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— 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. Today, we look at Asian Longhorned Ticks.

‘Clone Tick’ Swarms are Killing Cattle

Reader Jon C. sent us this: ‘Clone tick’ swarms, new to U.S., are killing cattle by draining their blood, chasing after humans.  A pericope:

“Asian longhorned ticks, also sometimes called “clone ticks” because they can reproduce without mating, have killed five cows in the Tar Heel State this year — by draining them of blood. Each cow was infested by hundreds of ticks.

“The official cause of death,” writes technology news site Ars Technica, “was acute anemia, which is typically associated with severe hemorrhaging.”

These ticks are extremely aggressive; New Jersey health investigators in 2017 reported them swiftly clambering up their legs while they investigated a tick assault on a sheep paddock. The ticks’ usual killing grounds are in Russia and Asia, where they are known to spread various serious diseases to humans. It’s not known how or exactly when they arrived in the U.S. So far the ones found in North America have not carried disease.”

CPS Using ‘Predictive Analytics’ to Snatch Kids

Another article sent to us by DSV at Big League Politics: CPS Is Taking Kids Away Based on ‘Predictive Analytics’ Computer Program To Judge Parents.

Soil Degradation: Only 60 Years of Farming Left?

Reader G.P. sent this probably alarmist news item: Only 60 Years of Farming Left If Soil Degradation Continues.Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

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“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.

He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” – Galatians 3 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — July 20, 2019

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Fifty years ago today, on July 20th, 1969, At 10:56 p.m. EDT, American astronaut Neil Armstrong, 240,000 miles from Earth, spoke these words to more than a billion people listening at home: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” Stepping off the lunar landing module Eagle, Armstrong became the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. Despite the Apollo 1 tragedy which took three lives, the lengthy Apollo moon mission series was an overall success. In all, there were six moon landings. Some of the later missions incorporated electric lunar rovers–such as Apollo 17, pictured.

On the same day as the Apollo 11 landing, 16 American servicemen died in Vietnam and Laos–mostly in combat. In the war, 40,934 died in action, but 9,107 died in various accidents. A side note: Navy Lieutenant Stanley Kutz Smiley, flying an A-4F Skyhawk from the deck of USS Oriskany, was shot down over Laos on July 20th, 1969. There is still some debate as to whether he died that day, or later as a POW.)

July of 1969 was near the peak of the ground combat, in Vietnam.

—

Today is also the 82nd birthday of novelist Cormac McCarthy (born, 1933.) He is the author of the survivalist novel The Road, which later became a popular movie with the same title.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 83  of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. It was authored by Dan Vale. Preppers who have a special interest in physical fitness might want to view his Amazon author page.

The more than $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A $3,000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any 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. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  7. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Second Prize:

  1. A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of their sun-tracking models, and 10% off the purchase price of any of their other models.
  2. 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.
  3. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  4. A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
  5. 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).
  6. 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. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances.

Round 83 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.

Hobbies Can Make You a Better Prepper, by Dan Vale

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Preppers are blessed if their family members take prepping as seriously as they themselves do. The children in a prepper family, however, may not be as easily convinced of the need for the prepping lifestyle as will the older generations. These seniors have lived long enough to have encountered natural disasters such as tornadoes and man-made disasters such as the Great Depression and the Great Recession of 2008.

If this naivete is a problem, however, all is not lost. “Stealth prepping” through fun hobbies is one way to prepare young, naive children for emergencies. By encouraging your family members to pursue prepper-related hobbies that they like, your family members will be more likely to contribute to the readiness of your family.

So, what are some prepper-related hobbies? This article will describe a wide variety of prepper-related hobbies. Chances are that at least some of these hobbies might be of interest to your family members. Look upon the hobbies in this article as you would look upon descriptions of food on a restaurant menu. Nobody eats all of the foods on the menu.

If a family member becomes interested in some of these prepper-related hobbies, preppers can encourage that interest. Methods of doing so include making sure the family members have the money, transportation, or whatever they need to pursue the prepper -elated hobby or hobbies of interest to them.

Who does not enjoy vacations? Traveling vacations can be a special treat. Packing for a vacation trip in some ways is like a slow motion procedure of bugging out. A family that has taken a number of traveling vacations probably will be more effective at bugging out.

If the family members enjoy camping, these traveling vacations will cheaper than staying in motels, and camping also can present good opportunities to teach and practice many prepper-related skills. Examples of such skills are putting up a tent, starting a campfire, hiking, compass reading, and cooking over a campfire.Continue reading“Hobbies Can Make You a Better Prepper, by Dan Vale”