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:

The past week entailed a lot of driving. I had to make trips to Coeur D’Alene two days in a row, for my cataract surgery, and a follow-up examination.  After my surgery, since I had one eye dilated and covered, Lily did all of the driving. She is such a wonderful blessing, as a Helpmeet.

My vision in my right eye is recovering about as well as  can be expected. That eye is optimized for “close” focus — the distance of my desktop computer  screen or a pistol front sight. Hopefully, it will be nearly perfect by the time the surgeon does the lens replacement on my left eye. That one will be optimized for driving.

Now, Lily’s part of the report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.

And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.

He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.

The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay.

He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.

I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.” – Psalm 18:1-23 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — February 14, 2025

The Battle of Cape St. Vincent was fought on February 14, 1797: The British fleet commanded by Admiral Sir John Jervis defeated the larger Spanish fleet under Admiral Don José de Córdoba y Ramos near Cape St. Vincent, Portugal. Captain Horatio Nelson distinguished himself in this naval battle.

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February 14, 1803: Writing the majority opinion in the landmark Marbury V. Madison decision, Chief Justice John Marshall declared that any act of U.S. Congress that conflicts with the Constitution is null and void.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 117 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 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 $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

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 $287 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. 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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. 3Vgear.com is providing an ultimate bug-out bag bundle that includes their 3-day Paratus Bag, a Posse EDC Sling Pack, and a Velox II Tactical Backpack. This prize package has a $289 retail 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 $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 ends on March 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

 

Fuels for Cooking, Warmth and Comfort – Part 4, by Lodge Pole

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

Cooking with Wood and Propane

We do not regularly use our house wood stove for cooking. We can, but since we installed the wood stove, it has not been needed. Recently, I was given an old, homemade wood stove from an old-timer’s cabin. The stove is very well made. I have it outside of the shipping container and use it to cook on. It is an extremely large stove inside and out. It stays outside and will likely never be indoors again. Whoever built it, put several feet of ¾ inch steel pipe inside along the backside. There is probably five feet of precisely fitted piping, that has a snake pattern from the upper left to the lower right. Outside, two threaded male ends supply and deliver water. Apparently, this is how the old timer provided hot water in his cabin, or perhaps he used it to prime his hot water tank so that it used less propane. I plan to run a water line from one of our orchard’s standpipes to the top fitting and install a spigot on the lower so I can have hot water when cooking outside. This will also be great to have on hand when butchering chickens.Continue reading“Fuels for Cooking, Warmth and Comfort – Part 4, by Lodge Pole”

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — February 13, 2025

February 13, 1692: The Glencoe Massacre. About 38 MacDonalds were killed early in the morning by rival Campbell clan members, allegedly for not promptly pledging allegiance to the new king, William of Orange.

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On February 13, 1861, the first military action to result in the award of a Medal of Honor, as Bernard J.D. Irwin volunteered to lead the rescue of 60 soldiers from Chiricahua Indians at Apache Pass, Arizona.

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And on February 13, 1945, Allied planes began bombing the German city of Dresden, resulting in a devastating firestorm that destroyed the city and killed more than 22,000 people.

—

 

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 117 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 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 $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

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 $287 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. 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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. 3Vgear.com is providing an ultimate bug-out bag bundle that includes their 3-day Paratus Bag, a Posse EDC Sling Pack, and a Velox II Tactical Backpack. This prize package has a $289 retail 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 $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 ends on March 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Fuels for Cooking, Warmth and Comfort – Part 3, by Lodge Pole

(Continued from Part 2.)

When the 2024/2025 woodstove season started, I had roughly seven cords of stacked, seasoned wood in the shipping container. We use about two cords of wood each winter. My goal is to always have at least two years of firewood on hand. To me, three years is an insurance policy. If I am unable to gather firewood one summer, I do not need to worry. I will simply gather more the following summer. I also store everything I need to gather, cut, carry, and split wood to prep it for storage. Our log splitter, chainsaws, axes, hatchets, crosscut saws, chains, kindling splitters, and kindling storage racks are all housed in the shipping container. This spring, after I tidy up the end I was pulling from, I am going to install a heavy-duty metal rack to store the tools on. I will also use the rack to store all of our canning supplies and outdoor cooking gear.

Wood Varieties to Burn

I have met people who obsess over which wood to burn because of the BTUs (British Thermal Unit – A measure of heat) certain woods have. I know people who will go out of there way and only harvest/burn lodgepole pine when there are other varieties in the same area that will burn hotter and longer, like fir and oak. I know others who will not burn other varieties because of the amount of ash or smell it creates. To each their own. Find a variety of wood that is readily available in your area, that you prefer, and use it. I burn almost any variety of wood I can get my hands on, but my favorite is fir. I love fir for many reasons. It is abundant near my home. It splits straight, so stacking is easy and neat. It makes great kindling that ignites fast. Most of all, I love burning fir, because even though it is considered a “soft wood”, it heats my home very well. |

Seasoned hardwood burns longer and hotter, but fir suits us just fine. I clean my chimney once a month and I rarely have much creosote buildup. (Creosote is a byproduct of burning wood. If creosote is allowed to build up too long, it can ignite and create a flu fire. Flu fires are extremely dangerous and can damage your chimney, stove/flue pipe. If you have a flu fire, have your stove and piping checked out by a professional.)

Another type of wood that I like to burn is Red Iron Bark Eucalyptus. When we bought our home, there was a large Eucalyptus grove at the very back of the property the previous owner planted. I am no fan of Eucalyptus. In fact, I have a great disdain for it. Eucalyptus trees are extremely messy. Each month of the year, a Eucalyptus tree drops something to the ground, be it leaves, bark, branches, seed pods, flowers, etc. On our property, if there is an ornamental, non-native tree that does not produce food, it gets cut down.Continue reading“Fuels for Cooking, Warmth and Comfort – Part 3, by Lodge Pole”

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: Dismantling the Deep State.

Team Trump’s Substantive Swamp Draining

Some fascinating reading, over at the EKO substack: OVERRIDE — INSIDE THE REVOLUTION REWIRING AMERICAN POWER.  A key quote:

“The secret wasn’t just speed—it was precision. Instead of waiting for Senate confirmations, the transition team prioritized non-Senate-confirmed positions. While Democrats prepared for traditional confirmation battles over cabinet posts, an army of aligned personnel was already moving into place. Strategic positions were identified. Legal authorities were mapped. Support networks were established.”

JWR’s Comments:  So far as I can tell, as a former Marine, J.D. Vance has a good bit of Smedley Butler and Chesty Puller’s blood flowing through him. There is no stopping him, and his talented team.  And if the Deep State is stupid enough to orchestrate an assassination of Donald Trump, then we’ll have J.D. Vance as President. Mark my words: Hell Hath No Fury like a Marine with a full-blown case of righteous Indignation.

See also: Vance and Musk question the authority of the courts as Trump’s agenda faces legal pushback.

And… A-Z index of U.S. government departments and agencies.

Lastly, a pointed (and lengthy) Steve Bannon interview: ‘A lot of you are going to prison’ — Steve Bannon Talks Justice, Revenge and Trump 2.0. (For the real meat of this interview, skip forward to the 18:53 mark.)

Starlink and T-Mobile Could Redefine Backcountry Comms

Starlink and T-Mobile Just Made a Super Bowl Announcement That Could Redefine Backcountry Communications.

Argentina to Withdraw from the WHO

“Kepi” sent this: Argentina to withdraw from WHO after Trump exit, citing ‘deep differences’.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Children who reach the age of eighteen with their entire skillset composed of Nintendo and eating Doritos have been neglected. Their parents neglected to give them the character traits necessary to live successfully.” – Dave Ramsey

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — February 12, 2025

On February 12, 1818, Chile gained independence from Spain.

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February 12, 1870: An official proclamation set April 15 1870 as the last day of grace for US silver coins to circulate in Canada.

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Ready Made Resources (our longest-running advertiser) has announced a special overstock sale on military contract canned freeze-dried foods. These include some premium meats and are available in individual #10 cans, or in six-can case lots. Stock up!

—

I’m scheduled for cataract surgery on my right eye, today. Even though this surgery is now considered a “routine” outpatient procedure, I’m still feeling a bit anxious.  So I’d appreciate your prayers. – JWR

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 117 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 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 $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

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 $287 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. 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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. 3Vgear.com is providing an ultimate bug-out bag bundle that includes their 3-day Paratus Bag, a Posse EDC Sling Pack, and a Velox II Tactical Backpack. This prize package has a $289 retail 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 $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 ends on March 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Fuels for Cooking, Warmth and Comfort – Part 2, by Lodge Pole

(Continued from Part 1.)

Tools for Cutting Wood at Home

Wheelbarrow or manure cart- I use these to haul wood and cutting equipment. Occasionally, someone will offer me free firewood they cut some time previously. Sometimes, if it is seasoned and not split, the wood can be heavy. In these circumstances, I will use a furniture dolly, but I try to never cut and/or haul anything that large/heavy.

Hunting/Boy’s Axe – I prefer using a two-pound “boy’s axe” because it is extremely light, and easily maneuverable. This is strictly used for delimbing.
Splitting maul – I use these not only for splitting wood, but also for driving wedges. An eight, or ten-pound splitting maul seems to work best for me and the wood I split. The weight of your splitting maul is strictly personal preference.
Gas-powered wood splitter – These are a time saver and are very helpful in processing a lot of wood quickly. Ensure all your limbs and appendages are clear of the blade, rams, and wedges. Until last year, I split most firewood by hand. I love a beefy eight-pound maul with a synthetic handle. I prefer wooden handles, but I have had far too many of them break after very little use. The synthetic handled mauls can withstand far more abuse and for a much longer time. Eventually, they all break, but it takes a lot longer with a synthetic handle. In early 2024, I finally broke down and bought a log splitter. I love it. Under the right conditions, I can split a cord of wood in about an hour.
Chainsaw and associated tools/fluids – I currently use a Stihl 271 Farm Boss. It’s a great chainsaw and has never failed me. When this one needs to be replaced, I may look at other brands.
Sledgehammer – Either handheld or full-size. On too many occasions, I have had a stubborn piece of firewood get stuck on the wood splitter wedge. A few hits from a sledgehammer usually take care of the stuck piece quickly. Be careful though. I swung and hit a stuck piece of wood once, when the wooden handle broke, launching the hammerhead and a sharp piece of handle flying into my friend’s chest. Fortunately, he wasn’t hurt too badly.
I also use full-sized sledgehammers for driving steel wedges into hard, stringy or stubborn wood. Sometimes, a splitting maul just won’t do the trick, or isn’t balanced enough to turn around and use the flat, hammer side. Again, the weight and size are a matter of personal preference.Continue reading“Fuels for Cooking, Warmth and Comfort – Part 2, by Lodge Pole”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

Our 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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Will North Carolina Be The 30th Constitutional Carry State?

o  o  o

A recent purchaser of one of our waterproof 2005-2024 blog archive USB sticks wrote to ask about what appeared to be inconsistent access to the “Index” page and to the library of bonus books.  I sent him this explanation:

The archive essentially emulates seeing the blog with a WWW connection. The internal links in the archive stick display point you to the archive contents, but the external links point you to the World Wide Web (WWW), if your computer is connected to the Internet.  Once you are on the web with an active connection, if you click back to SurvivalBlog, then you will be on our active website, rather than sourcing the archive. Thus, the bonus books will seem to disappear.
The best way to test the archive stick’s key functionality is with the Internet disconnected. (Either disconnect your Ethernet cable, or turn off the connection to your wireless router.) That will simulate what you’ll be able to access on the SurvivalBlog archive USB in the event of a disaster — with no working Internet service. All of the bonus books and every SurvivalBlog post since August 2005 is available, again without the need for web access.  – JWR

o  o  o

EVs Lose 20% Range On Average In Freezing Weather, Study Finds. (A hat tip to D.S.V. for the link.)

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — February 11, 2025

On February 11, 1851, gold was discovered in east-central New South Wales, sparking Australia’s first gold rush.  Pictured is Bernard Otto Holtermann with the world’s largest monolithic gold specimen, in North Sydney.  It reportedly weighed 630 pounds.

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On February 11, 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini seized power in Iran. Just a few days after Khomeini’s triumphant return from French exile, the Iranian army stepped aside, making way for the creation of an Islamic theocracy.

—

Because I have the first of two eye surgeries scheduled for tomorrow, I have put a pause on the automated ordering system for Elk Creek Company. I’m mailing out one order today, and I have two other orders boxed and ready to mail, as soon as checks clear. But I won’t be taking any new orders for a while. (The gun and knife inventory is still visible, but the ordering buttons and “shopping cart” have been temporarily disabled.)  Assuming that my recovery goes well, the “store vacation” will end on March 5, 2025.  Thanks for your patience.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 117 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 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 $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

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 $287 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. 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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. 3Vgear.com is providing an ultimate bug-out bag bundle that includes their 3-day Paratus Bag, a Posse EDC Sling Pack, and a Velox II Tactical Backpack. This prize package has a $289 retail 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 $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 ends on March 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

 

Fuels for Cooking, Warmth and Comfort – Part 1, by Lodge Pole

Before buying our home, we rented it. The first winter living there, I had forgotten to call and get a propane fill-up. When I checked the tank level, it showed 1%. I called the propane company, explained that I needed a fill-up, and was told they could not service me for another week or more. The only exception was if I agreed to be placed “on route”, which meant they would fill my tank when they were in our area, every two weeks. We needed propane to stay warm since our only heat was an HVAC system, so I agreed to be “on route”. If you are a “will-call” customer, the propane company will not fill your tank unless it is below thirty percent. Being “on route” means the propane truck will top off your tank regardless of the tanks propane level. Our tank was filled the following day after a credit check and agreeing to be placed on route. As I said, these “top-offs” were every two weeks and began to get expensive. It was about two to three hundred dollars each time we were refilled. As soon as we didn’t need to run the heater, I called the propane company and changed our service to will call.

One day during a fill-up, the propane delivery driver told me the cost was .47 cents a gallon more than my neighbors because my tank was smaller than 200 gallons. He told me not to say a word about it, but since I no longer use that company, I believe it is acceptable to warn you that you might currently be taken advantage of. At the time, our house only had a 150-gallon tank. My wife and I planned to put a 500-gallon tank in, but the costs skyrocketed right before we bought our house. A 500-gallon tank ran about $500 a few years prior. Over the past few years, I have seen them reaching as much as $3,500 in some neighboring counties. We shopped around for almost three years until we finally found one.Continue reading“Fuels for Cooking, Warmth and Comfort – Part 1, by Lodge Pole”