This weekly column is a collection of short snippets: 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. We may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.
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F.J. wrote to mention a Kentucky family that survived the catastrophic December 10 storms and tornadoes by taking refuge in a prefabricated underground storm shelter.
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For those looking for American-made products, reader H.L. recommended this site: Mammoth Nation.
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Speaking of American-made, a couple that reads SurvivalBlog runs a small business making some very nice furniture from used oak wine barrels. Most of the chairs and tables components are reclaimed barn wood and barrel parts: oak barrel staves, steel barrel bands, and oak barrel ends. Very clever, and a great way to repurpose American-made products. David and Aimee do business under the name Reclaimed in the USA. They are looking for customers that want sturdy, attractive, American-made furniture. They are also looking for investors or business partners, with the goal of a larger manufacturing operation in the American Redoubt, most likely in North Idaho. They already have a business presence in Richland, Washington. Hiring local workers in the Redoubt will be a “win-win”. See their Facebook page, for contact information.
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POLICE STATE: Australians Mass Protest After Churches Raided, Moms Arrested, Citizen Snitches.
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SaraSue suggested this:
“I couldn’t believe the price of wood/manufactured wood/metal buildings! I wanted to build a large chicken house. (With help). I ended up purchasing two more coop kits that are large, heavy, and sturdy, from Tractor Supply. It’s actually less expensive to have several of those than to build a chicken house. My water heater died a few days before Thanksgiving, but I was able to find a local plumber willing to do the job. Yay!
In other news, my family in Middle Tennessee survived the massive 6-state weather system that spun up multiple tornadoes and did a lot of damage. Prayers for those terribly affected in neighboring states.”
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The latest from Michael Yon: Space Famine.
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A video from Norwegian prepper and pundit Bjorn Andreas Bull-Hansen: Find your people. Build your tribe.
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Those clever Swiss, again: Surprisingly, It’s Not Americans Who Hid a Gun Inside a Secret Pickup Truck Storage Compartment. (Thanks to James C., for the link.)
I’ve always considered TEOTWAWKI a low-probability event but with all the saber-rattling going on with both China and Russia at the same time, the likelihood of a SHTF situation has greatly increased IMO. As Mark M. pointed out, if we don’t get out of Dodge while the gettin’s good, many will be looking back with huge regrets realizing, yes, we could have sold the house and made some big adjustments, and no, I shouldn’t have put off my life’s dream of living on a self-reliant homestead in the country. Tim S.’s article on living in a wall tent with his family was one of the most inspirational articles I’ve read in a long time. If his move to the country doesn’t represent the worst-case scenario, then I don’t know what would. The take-home message is, if his family could do it under those kinds of circumstances, anyone else can do it under far less extreme conditions. My life’s dream since my single-digit years was to live a self-reliant life in the country so I retired way early and took a vow of poverty to be able to do it. And looking back, no regrets whatsoever! Being poor after putting a large percentage of my assets into land and building a house and shop made me even more conscious than I would have been about how to do things the most frugal and self-reliant way possible. For those wanting to do it, quit dreaming! Poverty is far better than working for someone else the rest of your life and you don’t want to be laying in your bed in the Big City on your 70th birthday still dreaming of doing it, and then getting up and going to work. Turn off your TV this week and take Mark M.’s advice to start planning right now on how to accomplish it in the very near future before it’s too late.
P.S. It would be awesome if Tim S. could write a follow-up to his article, with a few more details on how they carry out some of the basics like water, sanitation, sleeping arrangements, among others.”
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Texas Takes ‘Unprecedented’ Action As Greg Abbott Unveils State-Built Border Wall.
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Tim J. sent this video link: The Ultimate Solar Powered Fridge: ACOPower LiONCooler Pro 12v Refrigerator Freezer Review.
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Tunnel Rabbit sent us this advice on water treatment:
“The old Katadyn is heavy, but it pumps it out quickly and enough for several persons within a reasonably short period. Pre-filtering the water with many cotton layers is also very helpful for any filter system. If only for myself, I use a filter straw type that connects to the water bladder so I can grab and go if that is necessary. And I carry a metal container to boil.
If the water is particularly nasty, nothing sanitizes water better than boiling it. Even the most refined filters we normally can buy will not filter out viruses. If there could be a dead body in the water and there is known to be a pandemic in the area, boiling it is the only option. Chemical means require very small suspended particle sizes to be effective after a 45-minute wait. The risk is that larger particles might encapsulate a contagion and the wait time before consumption should therefore be extended, and extend it even more if the water is very cold temperature, since this does affect the speed of the chemical reaction. Therefore: Prefilter it with at least 5 cotton layers if the water is muddy and full of other debris. If the water is still cloudy, wait twice as long, or several hours if cold when treating with a chemical of any kind. If nothing else is available and we wish to provide for a team or family, then a Berkey water filter element, or other ceramic filter can be installed a plastic cylinder (I’ve used a Tupperware spaghetti container with lid), or flexible heavy plastic water bag, or dry bag to house the filter and provide an adequately large reservoir that allows the filter to work. Just hang it in a tree. The Black Berkey is expensive, so other brands of ceramic filter might be a good choice and often filter out smaller particles than the Berkey so the water is less cloudy. Berkey is a faster filter as it filters to 0.9 microns, just small enough to take out protozoa, and amoeba that cause Cholera, and Giardia that produces dysentery.
During earlier wars, dysentery was by far the cause of most of the combat ineffectiveness in the field. It can debilitate armies. Therefore I also carry veterinarian grade, Metronidazole, Doxycycline, and Azithromycin for that emergency. It can take up to 3 days after drinking bad water for it to cause dysentery. If I have to drink bad water, or accidentally do so, I want to have the cure with me. If we need to be moving and cannot, it is a bad day.
Because few have solar power well pumps, or wells, there will be little water to grow food with. In low-lift situations the Dankoff Slow Pump can irrigate land adjacent to the shore that is no more than 50 feet higher in elevation with great ease, and without an expensive pump controller as it draws no more than 3-4 amps @ 12 Volts DC. with that lift. It is capable of much more, as well, as it can also pump water through whole building filters designed for 45psi or higher. My three-stage filters are designed to filter out industrial waste and everything else. Without batteries, the Dankoff #1303 pump can deliver up to 1,000 gallons per day using only two 100 watts panels, and if used seasonally, it can do that without maintenance for around 10 years. With spare intake filters, brushes, and pump head, the service life could be 20 years.
The pump is also portable, even packable with the right fold-able PV panels, the 1303 or 1308 can produce several hundred gallons per day using only 50 watts, given a 30 foot lift. If you are in the woods for good, this could be a very useful pump. And can be moved to a neighboring property where a cistern can be filled. Or it can pump up to 450 feet in elevation (Mod. 1308, pump controller required), or several miles on more level ground. It is also ideal for a community garden, where river bottom land is irrigated. It can also be run off the battery bank of a large PV system, 24/7, producing up to 3,600 gallons every 24 hours. Roughly 300 gallons per acre of potatoes is required. One pump running 24 hours per day off a small 400 watt PV system, can irrigate 12 acres. That much acreage is enough to feed 20 to 30 families. That would be a sizable community garden. If you are interested, I recommend consulting with Thad at
Humboldt Solar Water Pump. He is an wesome dude, and more knowledgeable than the current licensee and manufacturer of this pump, as he actually has been using them for many years.”
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In New Mexico: NOT your Typical Home. It’s built in a Mountain.
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Reader D.S.V. sent us this alarming news: New York legislature wants to establish COVID camps.
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Covid pass now law in England despite Tory rebellion.
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I heard about this by way of Alex Jones: Meet Ray Epps.
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And lastly, from Tim J.: Marine amphibious assault vehicles permanently pulled from deployments.
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