(Why I prep, and how I do so in a family that thinks I’m crazy.)

In the summer of 1977 my mother dragged me to see my older brother’s Cub Scouts meeting.  I was closing in on my sixth birthday and she informed me in no uncertain terms that I would be joining.  My mother was one of the multitudes of single mom’s in my part of Brooklyn.  A neighborhood where at the time crime was high, money was tight, and involved dads were few.   The only place for many boys to find any kind of positive male role model was in Scouting.  So off to the basement of the local savings bank I went, passing along the way many other kids whose parents weren’t making them go off somewhere that required stuffy uniforms on humid July evenings. 

Shortly after arriving, “Signs Up” was called and the scouts were ordered into their Dens so the meeting could open with The Pledge of Allegiance.  When that was done and all outstanding business concluded I watched in absolute amazement as the older boys (the Webelos) proceeded to learn how to treat shock and minor wounds on one side of the large room while the younger boys (Cubs) were learning how to lash branches together to build a tripod for use as a camp table complete with seats.  Those relatively simple things spoke to me on a level I still can’t comprehend.  I was “all-in” right then and there.

From that night until I turned six I was at every meeting.  I became a mascot of sorts, treated as a member of the team but not quite in the game.  It was a big deal for me when I was finally able to wear the uniform.  At the time (I believe it has changed now) the neckerchief had a picture of a bear cub and the logo: “Be Prepared”.  Words that still echo in my mind and a philosophy that continues to permeate everything I do.

The Modern World:

So here I am: A full grown man, husband and father both, having grown up hearing some variation of “Be Prepared” on a regular basis…  “Make sure you have a dime for the pay-phone”, “Make sure you have extra pencils for your test”, and “Make sure you check your engine fluids before you drive that far”.  The list of recommendations of how and why to be prepared just keeps going and going. 

In a modern world a fully charged cell phone has replaced the dime for the pay phone, but otherwise little has changed with regards to what we tell our children on a daily basis.  So you can imagine my surprise when upon building an emergency kit some year’s back, my wife looked at me with “that look”. 

You know the one you get… it sort of says: “Poor fool just doesn’t know any better”, the visual equivalent of a condescending pat on the head.  I guess I just didn’t realize that being prepared was somehow strange.  So my wife and I proceeded to have a conversation where on one side was the feeling that you can’t ever be too careful (especially in light of how many times we lose power in Upstate N.Y.), and on the other the assertion that I’m paranoid; backed up with the ever so logical “what will the neighbors think?”  I was astonished.

Having grown up about five cents below the poverty line and being raised with Scouting at my side, I had learned to always hedge my proverbial bets.  To find out that according to the people who loved me preparedness was considered crazy…  that most people truly believe the government can and will take care of them in a crisis… just confounds me. 

Had these people not been watching the same news I had?  Do they not remember any of the natural disasters over the last ten years?  Katrina, Irene or Sandy anyone?  Were all of my tidbits of wisdom thrown out like the mornings coffee grinds?

After several discussions about the topic of preparedness I realized I was alone.  I would not receive any assistance in gathering, organizing, storing or in any other way getting my stuff together for an emergency of any kind let alone for TEOTWAWKI.

I had no choice but to become: “The Secret Prepper.” (Cue ominous music.)

Logistics of a dual identity:

Deciding on where to begin is kind of like being an eight-year-old with a $100 bill in a candy store: Overwhelming in its possibilities.  So in looking at the logistics of fulfilling the requirements of my shadow-self, I decided to create 3 basic (but in retrospect woefully inadequate) categories to manage the tasks:

1. How to pay for it?
2. What to get and where to get it?
3. How and where to store it?

The most difficult of these three options, for me, was how to pay for it.  Having a stay at home parent raising a child, in my humble opinion, far outweighs the negative financial effect resulting from only one income.  The problem I came across is that my wife wears so many hats.  I make the money, take care of the yard, kill the bugs and protect us from things that go bump in the night while she does pretty much everything else.  This includes balancing the checkbook.  (Remember, she’s not on-board because I’m nuts.)

How was “The Secret Prepper” to accomplish any of his preparedness goals while not tipping his hand to the one-woman oversight committee that thinks he’s insane?  Not to mention maintaining Operational Security (I will make references to where I adhered strictly to OPSEC.)  Over time it became a game to me.

Getting ready for the Schumer on the cheap:

Finances came from good old-fashioned sacrifice.  I’ve found that when money is tight you have an obligation to stick to what you feel in your gut is important.  As such, sacrifice is an imperative.  At that time, when all was said and done I could allot myself $25 each Friday for the following week.  This money was to pay for my lunch, coffee or anything else I wanted while I was at work. 

I realize this doesn’t sound like a significant amount of money, but once you learn how to squeeze blood from a stone you’d be surprised how much those suckers can bleed.  So I thought back to my childhood and how my mother managed to feed us and came up with some practical solutions as well as some that were foreign to me.

Two things that I did were start a vegetable garden and learn how to jar/can.  This was a completely foreign world to me.  Growing up in an apartment building, the only reason I wanted a good-sized property hours from the city was to get away from people.  I didn’t realize what could be done until I bought a homesteading book.  The amount of money I now save on produce is astonishing.  This has served to help my entire household and not just “The Secret Prepper”.

Otherwise, I spent the first few weeks stocking surplus goods in my locker at work.  Nothing too big mind you, just the basics for the purposes of masking my future purchases.  Ferreting away an excess item from home here and there and bringing it to work, I managed to stash several days lunch in my locker and needed less money the following week.  My surplus cash went into an envelope there as well.  I made it a point to only use cash so as not to create any kind of a paper trail (OPSEC).  It was good practice for my later and larger purchases.

I soon had a sizeable bankroll and a grocery store in my locker with none the wiser.  Some of this food was moved to buckets in the basement and some was consumed for lunch but all of it served to free up $100 a month in cash.  This process took several weeks but once I had it down to a science there was no stopping it.

Saving about $100 a month, I was able to start prioritizing the next objective: What to get and where to get it?

I decided on what my most immediate need would be in the event of the most likely emergency in my area: Nature’s fury and her prolonged power outages.  So with that particular goal in mind, and the knowledge that needs are similar in many emergencies, I proceeded to spend my hard saved money.  Candles, matches, water purification tablets/canteens, solar blankets, first-aid kit, tent and sleeping bags, walkie-talkie’s, batteries, MREs. Thus, all of the basics.

My cup runneth over:

Pretty soon my work locker, my car and my super-secret-hidey-hole were near to bursting at the seams.  It was time to consider task three: How and where to store it?  The problem was, I was still working on what to get.  It became clear to me that a two-pronged approach was in order.

I went to a “mom-and-pop” hardware store in the next town and bought two footlockers, paying in cash (OPSEC), making sure that they could fit into the trunk of my car in case I had to bug out rather than in.  One I labeled camping gear and proceeded to fill it with pretty much anything that fit the bill, storing it where I keep all of the other things my family has no interest in. The other one I left unlabeled and filled with surplus goods.  I added to them some large desiccant packs that I got for free at a piano store and hid the unlabeled one in a dark corner among the spiders.

With room at my outside locations freed up, I went back to my list of necessities.  After buying and waylaying various supplies, I started looking into the next phase of purchase and storage: Mylar.

Nowadays there are a lot of good videos on YouTube about the use of Mylar bags.  Not so just a few years back.  I’ll tell you what I believe to be the most important piece of information I learned about Mylar bags after I had started using them.  I have decided (once again my humble opinion) that I prefer to fill smaller bags.  I can then use these bags to create a variety of items in a single storage bucket.  If I had to grab just a few buckets and bug due to an emergency I won’t have to think about which ones to grab.  Each has a little of everything.  But I’m getting way ahead of myself…

I bought some 5-Gallon 5mil Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers through a dummy persona from an Internet retailer that accepted money orders (OPSEC).  Then, to save money I went to a bunch of grocery stores out-of-town (OPSEC) and basically trash-picked or asked for some food-grade buckets.  When I had a good bucket to Mylar ratio I proceeded to fill my dried stores.

Filling Mylar bags is a simple thing to do.  It’s pretty much a 3-step process:

1. Put bag in bucket and fill with dry goods.
2. Add Oxygen Absorbers.  I use 300 to 500cc absorbers per pound depending on how much “dead air” is left in the bag. For instance ziti leaves more air than rice.
3. Fold the bag over, squeezing all of the air out and run a hot iron across the open end to create a seal.  I usually iron the outermost part of the bag, near the opening, and an extra two inches to create a bigger seal.  By leaving a lot of the bag below the seal you can re-use it.

My dried stores consisted of what you’d expect: Beans, rice, pasta and various grains totaling a paltry five buckets-worth.  To supplement them I proceeded to add cans of various meats like tuna, sardines and the like.  Anything with a shelf life extending out for a few years that I could and would eat over time was collected and stored away.  After a while my secret stash, which was in plain sight, was becoming noticeable (definitely not OPSEC).

It was about then that I read on a blog about how a couple in Manhattan with a considerable shortage of space managed their preparedness needs. 
While I couldn’t follow their example strictly I did learn a lot from it.  Here are three examples of what I did with this wisdom:

1. I made a workbench using stacked buckets for the legs and camouflaged it on three sides with storage shelves. (They had made a kitchen table camouflaged with a table cloth,)
2. I stored food in Mylar bags under (my side) of the bed in those under-the-bed storage containers, surrounding them with out-of-season clothes.
3. Started using 1-gallon Mylar bags to fit a greater variety of items per bucket.

Now it bears note that following number three is a less efficient use of food-space. When you seal the items this way and put them into a bucket there is a lot of dead space between the bags.  What I do with those spaces now is add things like: ammo, toilet paper, water filters/tablets, basic first aid supplies and pretty much anything else I can cram in there.  [JWR Adds: Never include anything on a food container that might exude toxic vapors such as lubricants, paint, Sterno, cans of lighter fluid, hexamine tabs, or Trioxane fuel bars.] So long as I can lift and carry them without straining myself I fill the buckets as much as I can.

Now, instead of having to open a 5-gallon bucket of rice and risk spoilage, I can open smaller amounts as needed and preserve freshness to greater quantities of supplies.  Plus, I have the added benefit of knowing that a single bucket is roughly equal to a full month of a majority of my supplies.  I’ll delve into this momentarily as I know it sounds like a ridiculous estimate.  Just bear with me.

Hiding in plain sight:

Over time my stores grew and my available space was shrinking.  I needed to find a new way to hide my stores in plain sight.  One of the way’s I’ve done this is to put storage buckets next to the items they resemble.  What I mean by this is that I have a bucket with a re-used label stating “Activated Carbon” next to my house’s water filter.  I have a bucket with a manufacturer painted fertilizer label on it among my garden supplies. The variety of things that now require buckets for “organization” in my house is amazing.

All of my buckets have been cleaned and sterilized, and the use of Mylar goes further to ensure the supplies are safe.  Plus, the buckets are among the items they are pretending to be.  This adds a level of camouflage that I otherwise wouldn’t have achieved (OPSEC).  If you think about it, you can find many different ways to not-camouflage your hidden stuff.

Like pulling a rabbit out of a hat:

So now that I have some experience in this, what do I fit in my magical, invisible buckets?  I’m glad you asked.  It takes some creative packing but here’s a typical inventory:

-8 Lbs Rice                                               
-5 Lbs Beans
-5 Lbs Pasta                                               
-5 Lbs TVP (taco, beef or chicken chunk)
-1 cup Sugar                                               
-1 cup Salt
-1 cup Italian Seasoning                       
-100 rounds .22 Long (for small game or ballistic wampum)
-4 Bottles of Water Purification Tablets in a wide mouth quart jug (totals 50 quarts)
-25 each of Chicken and Beef Bullion Cubes (also in the quart jug)
-1 roll of compressed/vacuum sealed toilet paper (cardboard removed)
-50 (ish) compressed/vacuum sealed napkins (can double as kindling after use)
-200 strike anywhere matches in a sealed plastic tube
-2 solar accent lights removed from their stakes
-Whatever first-aid supplies I can get in

Coupled with my jarred stores, garden and chickens (see below), these supplemental items should do just fine.  And if something should go wrong what buckets I may need to bring should I have to evacuate/bug out will still have a solid variety of supplies.

I will touch briefly on canned goods.  We can all agree on the fact that they last a long while and offer up a variety of ways to supplement protein and calories as well as ways to avoid Food Fatigue. 

Food Fatigue is basically getting so sick and tired of eating the same things repeatedly over a long period of time that you slowly starve yourself because you choose not to eat them anymore.  Please feel free to look up a literal definition.

Setting up a rotational stock system should be high on your list.  Canned goods must be stored in such a way that they can be rotated with every purchase.  Optimally you can set up a shelf that lets you put new stuff directly in back and allows you to easily take from the front.

Just imagine that the Schumer has hit the Fan.  You’ve used everything in your refrigerator first and now are going to your stores.  You open up a can of tuna and it just doesn’t smell right.  So you open another… same thing.  As the fear sets in you realize your mistake.  The best way to avoid this is to rotate your stock and stay on top of it. 

Rule of thumb: One in, one out. [Quickly replace everything you use, and use your oldest stocks first.]

Other things you need to keep along with your canned/jarred stores are:

1. Bleach: You can’t beat it for keeping things sanitary, especially if you have a designated area for butchering game.  It can also be used for treating water, but I’m not entirely comfy with that.
2. Vinegar: It’s a great non-chemical cleaner that can be used where food is prepared/consumed.  You’ll also need it for jarring foods, post-SHTF.  Store different types of vinegar.  White for cleaning/jarring, apple cider for poultices or treatment for conditions like Gout.
3. Alcohol:  The drinking kind.  I do not partake often, but if there is any kind of prolonged crisis you may need it for tincturing medicines.  It’s also a great barter item.  Make sure you have vodka and high proof rum.

An old dog learns new tricks:

So to address the obvious shortcomings in my monthly supply estimate, I did after all say it was a rough estimate, I had to learn a few new skills.  Under the guise of boredom (OPSEC) I decided that I wanted to enter the magical world of keeping chickens.  I had to think long and hard about this one.  There are a lot of reasons not to do this.  Among them are:

1. Chicken coops require maintenance.  If you can’t keep up on things you have no place having them, especially when it comes to living creatures.  They may only be chickens, but their still Gods creatures.
2. Space is a factor.  If you have a rooster and your neighbors are as little as an acre away, you won’t be friends for long.
3. Town ordinances.
4. My limited experience with animals of any nature.

If you look on YouTube there are a lot of instructional videos dealing with coop construction.  I strongly recommend watching them.  Also, though my acreage is small I’m surrounded on three sides by state land.  As for town ordinance, the clerk told me that, though illegal, if there were no noise complaints from my nearest neighbor then there weren't any chickens in existence on my property. 

After about six months, I decided that all was well on the chicken keeping front.  The next thing I had to learn was how to jar and can the produce from my ever-expanding garden. 

I firmly believe that it is my duty not just as a Christian, but also as a human being, to give charitably whenever possible.  I have found that a garden can go long ways towards helping others when needs are great.  As unemployment in my area exceeds 15% at the time of typing this, I am finding more and more people within five miles of my home who are in need of food assistance than I ever though I would see.  Having gone to bed hungry many times as a child I find this to be an affront to my very existence.

As such I keep producing as much as possible.  Along with this, I have found that it has become a simple matter to jar foods like pickles, salsa, tomato sauce, chutney and bean salad.  I give my surplus to the food pantry run by my church versus direct giving (OPSEC) and I’ve managed to streamline my process and make better quality stores for myself.  I still have a lot to learn, but I’ve always believed that you learn best by doing.

I’ve now spent the last couple of years secretly creating my cache of supplies.  While doing so I’ve come across a like-minded individual who brought me to my current phase of preparedness: Security and Defense.

I had come to realize that there is a giant hole in all of my preparation.  I did not have the ability to defend it.  I have a fairly decent ability to fight hand-to-hand and with knives.  I honed this ability growing up in a rough neighborhood.  My biggest problem was that I didn’t want to end up being the fool who died because he brought a knife to a gunfight.

To that end I sought to get my pistol permit.  During my journey to permit-hood I met a firearms instructor who, as it turns out, lives not too far from my home.  My gut told me we were kindred.  After my class we got to talking and our belief systems seemed to be in sync.  So I decided to break operational security and divulge my preparedness.  I have not had a single regret about it yet.

My newly discovered partner-in-preparedness is a retired SWAT-experienced police officer.   He has helped several people on the road to “Emergency Security” and has decided to not only teach this to me, but to train with me.  I have been introduced to the world of the “three gun” philosophy and am currently taking steps to hone my skills along with others like me.

A man’s home is his castle:

When it comes to home defense, it’s not enough to just know how to shoot.  I had heard numerous times about “Hardening your home”.  Hardening, in general, is a very simple concept: Don’t make it easy for the bad guys to get in and win.  Use things like thorny plants below but not overgrowing your windows, security system, motion lights etc.  But what about when the Schumer hits the fan?

These basic precautions would likely not be enough to fend of a few hungry people let alone stand up to a full-on assault by looters.  With that in mind I spent a good amount of time walking the perimeter of my property looking for places where my property, as well as my home, could be compromised or used against me.

My property, which borders hundreds of acres of state land, is heavily wooded.  I don’t expect to be set-upon by a fast moving vehicle based force from any of the sides facing forest.  Any approach on foot from these directions would have plenty of cover, but only after traversing 12 acres of swamp on one side, and hundreds of densely forested acres on the others.  I have made good use of a chainsaw and thinned out the woods for a hundred feet in each direction past my property line.  This wood will do a lot of good in my fireplace.

Additionally, I have taken the liberty of re-populating the now thinned areas with low growing vines for ground cover.  These will serve to entangle all but the most dexterous foot thus slowing any approach, and even offering up targets should they get stuck on approach.

With three of four areas of approach taken care of I then needed to contend with my homes three weakest points.

1. My proximity to the road.
2. The gaping hole in my home created by my glass deck doors.
3. The gaping hole in my home created by the Bay Window facing the road.

There isn’t much I can do about how close to the road my home is.  Here are a few solutions I have applied or am in the process of at the time of typing:

1. The digging of a “Water Run-off” ditch along my road frontage will do considerable damage to smaller vehicles.
2. A six-foot privacy fence, using concrete in the pillars running the length of my property.  On the “Yard Side” of the fence, concrete “Planters” with decorative brick facing have been added at intervals that will make it impossible for anything to drive between (should my fence be rammed).  Plus they look nice and are the future home for my medicinal herb garden.
3. My glass doors will be removed when SHTF.  To take their place I have constructed a ballistic and fire resistant blockade that I refer to as “The Portcullis”, though it doesn’t really look like one.

2x8 pressure treated lumber was used to frame out the door opening.  The framing was done in such a way as to allow for the installation of a steel fire door in the center.  The outside of the structure will be closed around the door by screwing plywood to the framing and allowing it to overlap the house by one foot in all directions. 

This plywood is then covered with sheet metal, which when needed for actual use will be coated in barbecue paint.  The whole effect, with the steel fire door installed, is to create a standard door opening that offers protection from nasty things like Molotov cocktails and bullets. 

The additional ballistic protection comes from gravel.   Once the outside of The Portcullis is installed, the inside will go up in sections.  The bottom four feet will be covered with plywood.  At which time gravel, cleverly disguised as additional parking on the side of my driveway (OPSEC), will be used to fill in the space between the outer and inner plywood. 

When I reach the top of the first section, three additional feet will be added in the same manner.  The final foot will be filled this way but with a bit more difficulty as there is little room remaining for the shovels of gravel to be manipulated.

The final product results in excellent ballistic and flame protection.  The same process will be used for the Bay Window with the addition of two gun ports.

The beauty of this assembly is that all of the parts can be stored unassumingly in my basement, shed or anywhere else such things seem ordinary (OPSEC).

It all comes full circle:

As I type this I am still living this secret life.  I have learned how to raise chickens, grow crops, jar and can, purify drinking water, store food, use multiple weapons and harden my home.  I am surveying my land for an area suitable for fuel storage and I have even signed up to take “classes” on battlefield medicine.  But I have yet to re-visit the topic of preparedness with my family.

To an extent I am a coward.  I know how I will react in an emergency.  We’ve had multiple hurricanes and nor’easters. We’ve had a “gas crunch” which saw people fighting on long lines.  I have stared-down armed assailants and fought violently to clear a path through harm’s way. And worse, I have performed CPR on my dying child, and failed, while others either panicked or froze in fear. I know exactly who I am.

I’m just still trying to find out how to be him.  Until then I am shrouded in Operational Security in my own home.  I am “The Secret Prepper”.

Mr. Rawles:
In every decent sized town I've lived in there has been at least one "discount" grocery store. The stores that sell almost-expired food, dented cans or torn bags, local farmer over-production, that sort of thing. (And FWIW, only one can in a flat has to be dented for "the powers that be" to deem the entire batch unfit.)

My most recent good buy has been repeated three years in a row here. It's May, and the local store is selling one-pound bags of black-eyed peas at the discount price of 3 for $1. New Year's Day was 5.7 months ago and the bags are marked 2012. It's a seasonal product, like Thanksgiving cranberries or Christmas and Easter candy. The peas will be good for 4-10 years, at least, if treated properly. Given that every other grocery store in town still has black-eyes at anywhere from $1.29 to $2.29 a pound, three pounds for a buck is ridiculously cheap. The best price I usually see on any form of dried beans in pound bags is about a dollar. The best price I've EVER seen at a normal store is 50 cents a pound for pintos at Sam's, but that's gone up recently, and it's a 25-50 pound bag.

Point being, smart shoppers should know what average prices are, know what the "buy" price is, and (best yet) know when to buy everything the store has, or all they can afford. I now have about 60 more pounds of viable food for a $20 expenditure. The buckets are free at another store's cake-frosting department, and the mylar bags are a necessary, arguably negligible expense.

For those who don't know: Red beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, field peas, pintos, etc. can all be put in a crock-pot or solar cooker with good results. One pound of dried beans and four cups of water (more or less, with no pre-soak usually necessary) and you have food. Add an onion, half a pound of smoked sausage and Tony Chachere's to taste, and you've got a Southern classic, best served over fresh cornbread with sweet tea on the side. Just don't add the sausage or spice mix until the beans are cooked, or the beans will get tough.

And up next (starting in about two weeks) we've got blueberry season, organically grown pick-your-own for $9 a gallon. - J.D.C. in Mississippi

Sir:
As a retired corn farmer, I find it quite interesting that the Fed's USDA is still keeping to it's hard-and-fast immutable "projections" of 97.3 million acres of corn being planted this year. Just like building a house, call the Fed's number the "planned" or projected blueprint idea.

But now let's look at the "as built" story. Here, where the "rubber meets the road," or I should say "where the planter tucks in the actual corn seed,' the "actual" or real situation is quite another story due to very late corn plantings, if at all. The surprise is that the market has not yet reacted much.

Last Monday USDA reported that only 12% of the nation's corn crop was in as of Sunday night (12 May 2013.) This should have shocked the markets--but didn't. As of today, US corn planting is up to 28%, but a far cry from the "fast planting" of last year which stood at 85% [on the same date] one year ago.

Western states show significant delayed corn planting because of wet soils.

With long corn crop maturation days here in Ohio's Corn Belt, common wisdom is that if you don't have your seed in by May 10th, you may as well forget it (or switch to planting soybean.) Here we are almost the middle of May and very little corn is planted and the media and markets seem to say: "Ho-hum...nothing to see here, move along folks." This is not good; we are not being told or shown the truth that a nation can rely and act upon.

Maybe this all just doesn't matter; maybe all the corn will eventually get in, maybe we'll have excellent weather and no drought or natural disasters, maybe insects and diseases won't affect the corn, maybe the price at harvest will be just ducky. "Maybe" is the operative word here and that word ain't even good a notion as "close enough" like when you play horseshoes or toss hand grenades.

My thanks to Marlin Clark, commodity trader at "Market Monitor" on pages A6-A7 in Ohio's "Farm and Dairy" newspaper, issue of 16 May 2013, for is alert on this same subject..

Thoughtfully submitted, - Woody in Ohio

JWR Replies: Thanks for that early news tip. SurvivalBlog readers should consider themselves forewarned. This would be a good juncture to buy few more super pails of whole corn and cornmeal. Be sure to buy them before prices jump!

Hi Jim, 
The reader who contributed the food saver  storage bag post gave a lot of great ideas.  I would like to add my experience with Food Saver and how I solved some serious problems with the vacuum system itself.  Nine years ago I started a serious food storage program. Life is full of trials and errors, and lots of lessons learned from other's trials and errors.  I made the move into dehydrating foods,  primarily beef and vegetables for long term storage.

I bought Cabela's large dehydrator after researching everything out there that I could afford.  It has performed marvelously after I made a couple modifications to it and fixed the problems that others complained about.  I also bought the Game Saver Food Saver,  which of it self is an okay machine.  The glaring flaw is the food saver bag itself. First they are way too thin at around 2 mills and very expensive,  plus they are not mylar, which is needed to prevent oxygen penetration.  Any thing that I stored in them that had sharp points vis-a-vis jerky strips, dehydrated peppers etc. would perforate the bag and lose the seal.  I also had many other items lose the seal-----frozen meat that touched some sharp point in the freezer like another bag's pointed corner would make a pin hole and fill up with air.
 
Vacuum sealing is a must for preppers,  So this had to be remedied. The answer came from Sorbent Systems in Los Angeles. They sell a large selection  of heavy duty 6 mil mylar bags and a very cheap vacuum machine that uses a snorkel to suck out the air.  You cannot use this vacuum on wet foods without putting a piece of paper towel along the inside of the edge to be sealed to absorb any liquid. They periodically have specials.  They will once in a while discount overrun items that were special ordered by a large customer.  6 years ago a bought a bunch of military green gun-sized bags that must have been run for the government.  They actually called to confirm my order and asked what I was going to do with the green bags.  My pat answer for questions like this is: "You never know."  
 
Another source for the commercial grade bags and oxygen absorbers is USA Emergency Supply. They have great prices and a flat $4.99 shipping fee no matter how big the order is.  I have bought over 3,000 bags from these two companies.  I don't use the fill up the bucket method.  I store everything in the vacuumed bags with oxygen absorbers and then put the bags in the buckets.  I store multiple bags per bucket. So you don't get as much weight per bucket but as you use your food you are opening smaller packs and can also use them to trade or charitably help others without having to pass on a whole bucket.  I hope this helps others skip the mistakes I learned the hard way.  Keep the info flowing.   Regards, - Jim W.

Late spring and early summer are the times to buy the Seal A Meal or Foodsaver machines. They are both made by the same parent company and can be found at any major grocery or department store in the kitchenware section-the Seal A Meal is the less expensive version that can be found for under $30 on sale, and the bags to go with it will cost you about the same again. You can make this a game or a family activity like an assembly line, just have all your items stacked in little piles, and start sealing--it's actually fun to use it-I feel like a squirrel storing up nuts for the winter. See below for the myriad uses I have made of my unit. These also make wonderful gifts to your church for emergencies if they are given food items that may go stale.

1-Batteries-as we all know, moisture and air are the enemies of batteries, buy in bulk when they are on sale and seal them up airtight and watertight and keep them in your fridge.

2-Ammo--seal up your ammo/bullets in their boxes in individual sealing bags labeled with the date of purchase, that way if you have to ford any bodies of water (rivers, swamps, canals etc) or are caught in deluges, your extra ammo will stay nice and dry and untarnished.

3-Precious Metals--your silver coins and bars and gold coins and bars can be portioned out and individually sealed in similarly valued amounts. I haven't tried burying them to see how long it would take the heavy plastic to degrade but it should be good for a few months at least, unless rodents get into it or its in very wet or alkaline earth--you could try burying them inside a jar or can. One good side effect is that vacuum sealed items do not clink and clank as they are packed solidly together so they make no noise when carried.

Medicines-I sealed up individual pouches containing baby aspirin, Pepto Bismol chewable tablets, chloraseptic cough lozenges (the heavy duty ones that really numb your throat), over the counter allergy pills like generic claritin, sinus pain and pressure pills, Lanacane or Neosporin cream for insect bites and scrapes, insect repellant wipes, tooth and gum numbing gel for toothaches, moisturizing eyewash to help with dust, soot and gunpowder grit, small jars of Vicks and Noxema and aloe sunburn gel, and advil or tylenol. I also throw in a small bottle of Thompson Labs Fish Mox Forte which is the same as human grade 500 mg amoxicillin (antibiotics) that you can buy online without a prescription (it's a shame we cannot locate a family preparedness-friendly doctor who would be willing to give out prescriptions for tranquilizers or anti-anxiety meds for those individuals who will undoubtedly freak out big time after a week of no gas and no grocery deliveries). If you put together several of these as your finances allow, they make great trading items. You can also add condoms, or bag them up separately, as after the existing supply of condoms and birth control pills goes away, expect a flood of pregnancies as nature tries to naturally replenish the ranks. You can also bag up your medicinal marijuana separately if you anticipate needing it later.

Clothing Repair Kits--needles, thread in 4 basic colors, small scissors from the dollar store, buttons in half inch and three-quarter inch sizes (these are standard waistband and shirt front sizes, if the button holes are too big you can sew the holes partially shut so the buttons will not come unbuttoned.

Surgical Kit-a basic surgical kit containing over the counter items such as tweezers, silk suture thread and suture needles, a couple pairs nitrile gloves, gauze and medical tape, a couple surgical masks if you can obtain them, wound clotting powder or gauze saturated with same (expensive but may save a life), small bottle of silver solution or betadine wound area disinfectant, a small X-Acto knife, and a basic pair of dental pliers for extractions. Salt could also be included for rinsing mouths after extractions.

Children's books and small toys--bag up a couple of those old beanie babies and some Lego or Playmobile toys and a few standard children's books, they can be a great comfort and distraction to anxious small ones.

Fire Strikes and Sharpening Stones (and small pocketknives)--these are messy to carry loose in your bag but sealing them up minimizes the marks and grit, worth their weight in gold if unable to obtain later. I also buy the multi packs of bic lighters when they are on sale and keep a few in every location along with several cheap flashlights that I test semi-annually and replace batteries if needed.  

Coffee, Tea bags, Creamer and Sugar packets--I bag up sets that include a small bag of good brand ground coffee, a couple dozen individual sugar packets and some individual creamer packets, and do the same with tea bags. Don't combine coffee and tea as one will absorb the smell of the other. You can buy the individual packets in bulk from any restaurant supply store or from www.minimus.biz.

Newborn Gift Sets--use a larger size seal a meal bag that you can make yourself from the endless roll you can buy, you can cut it to any size, seal one end, fill it, and seal the other end. About half a dozen good thick cloth diapers, a few diaper pins, a baby bottle with nipple, a few packets of powdered infant formula and a flannelette baby gown will be a welcome gift for all those unprepared mothers with babies.

Sugar, Salt, Seasoning Packets--I buy the cheap seasonings when on sale for .99 cents, I get Lite Salt, Coarse Ground Pepper, Dried Onion Flakes, Cinnamon, and I buy the individual packets of salt and sugar online and throw in a big handful of those. You can add vanilla extract and garlic powder as well if you enjoy those flavors. I also include the strips of 6 quick rising yeast packets for "just in case". You can also throw in a couple packets of jerky seasonings or rubs if you make your own jerky. I also like to add a packet or two of uncle dan's dill dip as a seasoning for fish.

Important ID Papers--open your passport so the page with your photo is visible, then right below is, put your drivers license face out so it's visible, the on the reverse side, put your birth certificate face out so the details can be seen, that way you can show it without having to remove the documents.

Jerked Meats-you can seal up your own venison or salmon jerky, it will last for quite a while.

Local Honey--Honey has been known to last indefinitely if well preserved, I get local organic honey at the farmers market in glass jars, and then wrap the jars in bubble wrap and seal them up. Glass will break if dropped or clinked against something so make sure to bubble wrap the jar well.

Dried Fruits and Nuts-I especially like pecans and cashews so I buy cans of those and portion them out in seal a meal bags--they have the good fats in them. I also like dried cherries and strawberries and papaya, a spear or two of dried papaya every week will make your poop the consistency of mush and you will never be constipated-stands to reason, papaya is a natural tenderizer that breaks down food fibers. You can get a large bag for under $2 in the bulk foods section of any major grocery store

Photo Albums--if you are going to seal up any kind of paper goods they have to have stiff corners as the sealing process will crumple them all up otherwise.

Clothesline rope and clothespins--good to have for when you get to where you are going. Any good man can build the end supports for the clothesline and attach the rope for you--may take a pie or two to persuade him though.

Emergency Toilet Paper--as we all know, TP is a very fragile item if not stored properly and the most desirable in an emergency. The sealing process will flatten the roll but you can bend the internal paper tube back into shape once you open the bag. I bag up one roll per bag and throw a couple in your car trunk. Also to put it delicately, tampons and menstrual pads pack up easily and would be a great comfort to a female who may be embarrassed when her period begins. [JWR Adds: They also make good wound dressings.]

Clothing--a pair of clean socks, a pair of gloves and a clean pair of underpants can make a world of difference when yours are soaking wet and smelly. I keep a bagged set in the trunk-doesn't take up much room.

Laundry detergent--I pre-measure 2 heaping cups of powder type laundry detergent and seal it up. I do not like the liquid as the lids on the jugs are not tight and the liquid will leak out all over your other goods. One bag should be good for a small load of heavily soiled clothing when hand washing in a bucket or washtub if you don't have access to a motor driven washer. This way the powder is protected from absorbing water and spillage.

Soap and Washcloth--seal up a bar of your favorite soap and a washcloth or small hand towel. I make up several of these and keep one at work, one in the trunk, one in the go-bag at home--you never know where you will be when the smoke, dirt etc, will land on you. Throw in a handful of individual wet wipes if you like.

Make your own Breakfast and Lunch packets--I buy the boxes of high fiber oatmeal packets when on sale, and bag up 8 at a time--if watered down, that is enough for a family of 4 to have a nutritious breakfast for a couple days. I also make up emergency group lunch packets by combining 2 cups of instant rice with an envelope of the cheap brown gravy mix. You can do the same with stuffing mix or instant mashed potatoes, the goal is to get as many carbohydrates into you as possible if you are on the march and these items will not create much of a cooking smell to attract predators.

I will not mention liquor or cigarettes as those are wants, not needs, And if your adrenaline is pumping hard you won't need any further stimulation.

Another suggestion: Once the SHTF, if you are near other humans and will be cooking anything that has a smell, like baking bread or frying meat or making coffee, wait until full dark, and keep lights from being seen. That way another person may smell what you are cooking but will not be able to see the smoke or follow the scent exactly.

And one closing suggestion: Every time you have an empty mineral water bottle or juice bottle, rinse and fill with water and add a couple drops of food grade hydrogen peroxide, and cap tightly and put up on the top closet shelf or under the sink, there's always a little room, and the worst that will happen is in a year you may need to empty and refill them. As a test, try going for 8 hours without drinking any liquid and you will appreciate the necessity of having clean drinking water on hand.

The survivalist movement is growing at great rate today.  You only have to read some of the articles posted in this blog to know that.  But with all the fancy accruements available today some of the more fun and lowly survival items are overlooked.  Among them: The hobo and emergency pocket stoves.

These are so much fun to make, and so easy.  I remember first seeing them in an ancient tiny camping book from the 1960’s.  The book itself was a hoot.  When I cracked the book open the faded and almost crunchy yellowed pages revealed what I thought was an amazing thing: a complete recipe section with everything from biscuits to roast beef, puddings, jams, and eggs, and all off it made by can stoves, can cooking implements, and can ovens.

There are several basic designs of the hobo stove.  If you are cooking for multiple people and really want to test out complicated recipes, go for the large industrial sized cans.  You can go all out and use metal cutters, hole punchers, and even a saw to make things nice, but I’ve also found that a rock and a nail or screw works just as well.  With whatever tools you decide to use, there is a basic design among hobo stoves.  First off, cut the top and bottom off the can. A can opener is great, but use what you have on hand as needed.  Remove the two steel discs for a later use.  Cut a door in the bottom of the can, in a square, and flip it up. It now looks like a little house with an awning over a door.  Puncture holes around the top of your stove so the fire can breathe.  If you want to cook a pot on the top take a wire hanger, straighten it, and thread the pieces of wire through the top holes to make a place for your pot to rest. 

Now you are ready to build your fire.  Please clear a safe area, free from extra debris.  You can use whatever you like to build your fire.  For a medium sized can a good fire should take about six to eight minutes to boil water.  Your imagination is up to you as to what you would like to cook.  My personal favorite is eggs.  Missing a ladle?  No problem.  Take the leftover can top (or bottom); use a rock to bend it into a ladle shape, notch a stick, then thrust the “ladle” into the stick.  Wa-la, you go yourself a ladle.

This basic hobo stove design is of the most simple.  I’ve seen people do all sorts of different variations and they all have their merits.  One variation is to use a wire hanger to make handles and attach them to the top of the can, omitting cutting the bottom out.  Punch holes in this design on both levels of the stove, top and bottom.  The advantage is that in case an emergency, provided you have heavy gloves, you could take your stove and run.  However, the stove itself will be very hot and a safety hazard.

If it is windy consider building a fire screen attachment.  For this example, start with the biggest size can for the bottom stove section.  You may want to make bigger holes for this design.  If you are down to basic equipment: i.e. a rock and nails, for example, try and find a sturdy piece of metal to widen the holes.  Now take your smaller sized can.  The best fit would be for the medium can to balance nicely on the larger bottom can, seamlessly, within the seams.  Think of balancing a standard 15-ounce can of beans on top of a larger pasta sauce can.  It would be an ideal fit.  If that’s not possible line the two cans with tin foil when setting up the fire.  Take the medium sized can to make the fire screen.  Cut off the top and bottoms as well.  Instead of holes this time cut a “V” notch in the can, the point of the V pointing down. 

Now things are getting exciting and it’s time to build your fire in the lower can.  For this design it’s okay to add bigger branches.  The fire may reach all the way up through the screen with the V in it.  Experiment with air flow to make your liquid burn faster.  After the water is boiling an added egg should take about four minutes.  If using a larger cooking device it may take a little longer. 

Now let’s look at emergency pocket stoves.  These are great devices, easy to make, tiny, and there are a bunch of different types you can make with materials easily found around your house.  They are super inexpensive, and, therefore, disposable.

My favorite device is one that seems at first far too easy and simple to make.  Literally just tear or cut 10-30 sheets of a paper towel into circles that just peek out from under whatever you want to heat up.  It could be a soda can, a tin of vegetables, or even a coffee pot.  Find a smooth fireproof surface.  The top of an uncut can would be fine.  Soak the paper towel sheets in91% Isopropyl alcohol. 70% may work directly and it should be "salted out."  Fuels that float on water are not recommended.  A ring of blue flame should surround the pot and then the pot should begin heating up.  If the fuel burns up before the desired temperature is reached, no problem. Just remove the pot, replenish the fuel and put the pot back on followed by relighting.
Please be absolutely sure to replenish the fuel only after the flame is extinguished.

There are some very good web sites to examine this process step by step.  Another favorite of mine is made from small tins, such as pet food and tuna cans.  Take the smaller tin and puncture holes all around the top.  Remove the top of the larger tin.  Cut a hole in the bottom and remove, as best you can, with what materials you have at hand, enough of a hole so that you still have a perimeter existing around the sides of the can.  For example, if you have a tuna can, make the hole about the size of a half-dollar.  Now cut holes in the bottom of the can, the edge opposite of the hole.  Next, take the small tin and place it upside down inside the large one. If you have it, take aluminum muffler tape to go around the can and split it up the middle.  However, this isn’t strictly needed.  Now, put a layer of fiberglass into the can so it’s loosely filled.  The fiberglass will hold its shape after the first burn and it makes a reusable wick.  Please note that you should use only alcohol based fuels.  Gasoline could easily blow up if using fiberglass.

I’ve seen some pretty awesome “penny stoves,” that look spectacular but are somewhat short of practicality.   They are are easy to make, but in an outdoor situation they  fall short, due to wind factors and the length of time spent building one.  It also worries me that online directions on how to make them always are sure to say that they may explode and kill you.  Needless to say they are not my favorite.

The last idea I’ll leave you with is a mini grill made of a circular mint or candy tin.   Take the bottom part of the tin (the belly), and remove a large circle out of the bottom.  You can get professional and find the old fan part of a computer for the bottom grill, or go old school and fashion a grill from a coat hanger.  You will need one grill to hold charcoal on the bottom and one for the top.  Hold the grills in place by wedging them in, or, for a more pro look, use screws.  Your mini grill will resemble a typical rounded grill.  Create legs from either screws, additional lengths of wire hangers, or anything metal.  If windy you will need a fire break for this grill, made of folded tin foil or whatever you can find to screen it.  The advantage is that you don’t need an alcohol fuel, just a piece of charcoal.

All in all, it’s easy to make and prepare emergency stoves for just plain fun, camping and as cooking devices.  Man’s ingenuity is endless and these simple designs can easily be mucked around with to create imaginative stoves best for your particular environment.  The local weather, time of year, and altitude should all be considered in your personal designs, and also what materials you have on hand.  Some of these designs are perfect if you find yourself in a disaster situation, and even if you decide on more professional equipment for your survival stash, I’d recommend practicing making these devices.  No matter what the scenario, most disasters, natural or man-made, are inherently dangerous, and one of the number one dangers to us is lack of fresh water and possible contaminated water.

These simple and effective designs could very well save your life and the lives of your friends and family!  I hope you have enjoyed reading about them.

  
This article intends to uncover mechanisms to assist the reader in self-help, self-mastery, and self- improvement.  The topics covered are meant to provide discovery of self- improvement ideas, identification of some techniques to improve your life, and give the reader further tools to pursue a deeper dive into the subject.  The reader will come out of this article with an awareness of the many topics to improve their thoughts, feelings, emotions, physiology, and performance.  The article pulls from sports medicine, psychology, martial arts, health and fitness, and self-help guides.  To really master some of these topics, it is highly encouraged to revisit this article from time to time, discuss these ideas with peers, relatives, friends, neighbors, and practice each day until the self-help tool is internalized into positive habits.  It is also recommended to take unfamiliar words and look them up throughout this article to understand the concept behind the idea.

So why discuss self-help and self-improvement?  At the core of this article is honing our natural ability to adapt and overcome any situation.  We are given both a naturally honed and God given gift to survive and adapt.  The current lingo of today’s expression of this idea is resiliency.  Call it what you like, but those that have adapted tend to survive longer, live healthier, and pass on to future generations a greater propensity to survive, adapt, and overcome.  I feel it is the single most defining mechanism, if highly developed, gives the best chance of living a meaningful, healthy, and thriving life.  It is my intent to introduce ideas about improving your body, mind, and psychology to not only survive, but to thrive. 

My background in these topics comes from 25 years of serving our great nation in combat and peace time for the Army and National Guard.  I also worked for a fortune 500 company for 10 years as a chemist (and sat on numerous panels that discussed root cause analysis, chemical disaster response, and Six Sigma), earned a black belt while teaching adults and children Tae Kwon Do, and being a leader throughout.  Recently I had the honor to attend the Master Resiliency Trainer’s Course for the Army that provided instructor level mastery of self-help.  Much of my experiences with self-help come from mentoring foreign armies and leaders on how to improve.  I have been a trainer for the Latvian Army, a combat advisor to the Afghan Army and Police, and worked with the Liberian Army to improve their post-conflict situation after the civil war.  Stateside I have trained American Service Members on counter terrorism, counter insurgency, and agribusiness best practices.   I have taken my natural propensity to help others and melded into my professional and personal life.

Last year I realized something was terribly wrong.  Mentally I was quickly snapping to conclusions and had a muddled brain, I couldn’t control my emotions and would snap, physically I was getting sick with colds and I looked like a balloon.  Spiritually I was lost and could not find center and was not at peace.  Professionally I was holding it together, but privately my family and I suffered.  I had spent years teaching people how to improve their lives, and yet my life was falling apart.  For years I had been a runner, weight lifter, martial artist, cyclist, rifleman, and led an active lifestyle.  This culminated with a bone break in my hand while playing ball with my daughter.  I asked myself, “Am I really this weak, that my bones are so fragile, that they break when throwing a ball around?”  That experience was an eye opener, and started my journey to improving my life beginning with diet and exercise.    

Nutrition, Diet, and Exercise
It would be irresponsible to not include a disclaimer before talking about life style changes and recommendations.  We must consider and critically analyze any serious endeavor such as nutrition, diet, and exercise, and determine if it’s right for you as an individual.  What works for some people may not work so well in others, and can potentially have unwanted consequences.  Consult with a doctor, physician, nutritionist, or medical professional before beginning a new program like this article suggests.  Get your blood work done to determine any deficiencies or problems, an annual physical, and seek regular advice from the professionals.   For some of the bad rap western medicine gets from over medication and big pharma business, there are numerous advantages to seeking traditional medical care.

I love fat, all kinds of fat from bacon fat, to pecans and walnuts, to creamers and cheese, and everything in-between.  As a kid I used to sneak my mom’s coffee creamer drinking it right out of the jug.  I loved fat so much my parents and friends thought I was strange.  Over time I was taught that fat was bad, especially animal fat.  My gym teacher in 8th grade introduced us to the food pyramid and why it was important to eat 6 helpings of grains and carbs a day.  These ideas of a high-carb, low to no fat, and small amounts of protein diet were reinforced daily in television ads, billboards, in teachers, parents, adults, and peers.  Maybe I was weird, and everybody else was right, so I changed. 

The point is we have been conditioned psychologically to believe carbs and sugars are actually good for you.  We all intuitively know the opposite is true, that fats and protein should be our core diet.  The Paleolithic man lived for thousands of years on a diet consisting of animal meat and fat.  Our brains are encased in roughly 6 pounds of fat.  Every major organ in our body has a layer of fat.  Your nerves are encased in goo.  There is a layer of fat under your skin.  You have fat everywhere on your body, and guess what; it’s actually good for you.  People have stigmatized fat so much that I feel I have to say it over and over to get the point across. Fat, fat, fat, fat, fat, fat, fat!  Increase the amount of fat and protein in our diets, and leave that highly processed garbage food on the shelf. 

Ever notice in a grocery store that the stuff actually good for you tends to be on the outer wall?  The natural, fatty, and protein stuff is usually on the outer wall, (and in coolers).  All the garbage food that contains sugars, starches, carbs, and chemicals tend to be in the middle  I don’t know if grocery stores design it that way because of the electricity outlets for the coolers, or if there is something more nefarious going on with marketing-it doesn’t matter. Did you know that soda contains phosphoric acid, the same acid used in car batteries?  The point is the bases for improving your life come from eating the correct nutrition that our common ancestors ate; God didn’t give us bicuspid teeth to gnaw on tofu, so bite into some bacon and be happy.  For further study see Atkins diet, the Paleo diet, or similar diets that preach meat and fat.

We are awash in chemical toxicity.  There are synthetic chemicals in our soaps we wash our babies in, sweet smelling shampoo that contains petroleum products that makes our Suzy’s and Sally’s go bald, optical brighteners and synthetic chemicals in our laundry soap, MSG in our food, fluoride in our toothpaste, petroleum in our vitamins, and even synthetic additives in our ice cream.  We are so awash in chemicals from big business it’s hard to find a product that does not contain synthetic chemicals of one sort or another.  Our household cleaners contain so much toxicity it warns the user not to mix it with other chemicals, and to use in well ventilated rooms.  Does that sound like something you should touch in the first place?  

Reduce our toxicity by realizing anything derived from petroleum products that touch our skin or we swallow is potentially harmful in the long run.  Be very picky about your bar soap, shampoo, deodorant, and read the labels before you buy.  It’s too easy in this day and age to look at a product’s label, pull out your smart phone, and look up a particular additive or ingredient on the internet.  Why own a smart phone if you don’t use it to get smarter?  Decrease toxicity by using modern tools such as smart phones to increase awareness of harmful additives and ingredients.  Look for natural remedies and ingredients and choose the healthier of two products as much as possible.  Sodium Bi-carbonate and white vinegar do wonders for cleaning up the house, as well as Pine Oil.  Borax and Sodium Bi-carbonate gets your whites whiter.  Use Johnson’s Bar Soap or similar natural soap that touches your skin and get rid of the synthesized fragrances.  I’m sorry, I’ll admit it; I still use the nice smelling deodorant that contains aluminum (and toxic over long periods of time), but we’re all not perfect right?  Along with reducing toxicity, increase the ability to fight off toxicity, infection, sickness, and the like by increasing our vitamin, herbs, and supplement intake. 

One way to reduce your personal toxicity is to increase the amount of cilantro intake.  Besides tasting good in pesto and Mexican dishes, this natural herb has reportedly the ability to remove Mercury and heavy metals from the body.  Next time your tomato crop comes in, think about making a pesto of tomato, peppers, onion, garlic, and cilantro.  I put cilantro in my morning protein milk shakes from time to time for that extra zip and benefit all day long. 

I have to admit my diet of meats and fats leaves missing components out of a healthy food lifestyle.  I also fall off the wagon from time to time and eat stuff that contains the synthesized chemicals because it tastes so good.  To combat these slides into chemical oblivion, I started taking vitamins, herbs, and supplements.  There are a core group of vitamins that really ramp up our body’s natural healing, buffers our body from bad chemicals, and potentially increase our ability to survive and thrive. 

The first is plain old Vitamin C.  I’m not going to get into why our government only recommends 75-90 milligrams a day, but will pitch the idea of dramatically increasing your amount to 500 milligrams a day.  The potential upside of taking the increased amount of C more than offsets the negative effects it has by taking such large quantities, (some people get stomach irritation from taking large amounts).  Some of the time it’s plain not practical to eat 5-6 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, so consuming this pill takes care of part of that. 

The Vitamin C pill should not be considered a first choice, because the pill lacks the live enzymes and phytochemicals you get from fresh fruit and vegetables.  But taking Vitamin C at 500 milligrams may provide protection from cardiovascular disease, immune system deficiencies, eye disease, and skin wrinkling.   The natural way to get Vitamin C is to take in 1 cup of Orange juice (and not Orange sugar drink), red/green/black peppers at ½ cup each (my momma always said eat the rainbow son), 1 cup of Tomato juice, Red Cabbage, Kiwi, and Cantaloupe. These fresh fruits and vegetables put not only the Vitamin C in your diet, but also put positive enzymes in your gut as well.

The sun is evil, and you should stay out of the sun or your skin will burst with cancer.  We have been conditioned to think that sunshine and its benefits are actually bad for us.  Ever wonder why grandma and grandpa break their hips when they attempt to stand up?  Is it a sign of old age, or does living in a cave turn them into withering hobbits and dwarfs?  Get out in the sun, people!  As with anything in life, moderation is the key.  Sunshine is the preferred way to get Vitamin D barring any skin problems. 

Vitamin D3 is the most beneficial of the D Vitamins that provides a natural hormone to control phosphorus, calcium, and bone metabolism.  Vitamin D3 is considered a natural hormone that if the body is deficient, can lead to depression, back pain, cancer, impaired immunity, and macular degeneration.  If your skin is too sensitive for the sun, or you’re stuck in your cubicle working for the man 12 hours a day, consider taking natural D3.  The government recommends from 200-600 International Units (IU’s) per day.  My personal choice was to take much more than that due to my once weak bones.  The doctor can pull a blood test and determine where you are sitting with Vitamin D, so get the test before considering taking extra doses.  I strongly urge the reader to look up the benefits and potential harmful effects of taking several thousand IU’s a day.  I found for my health and body 6,000-10,000 IU’s a day works (10X or more than the government recommends).  There are so many benefits to this Vitamin that this article would be too long if explained.  Vitamin D is fat soluble, and goes into your body where it matters; brain cells, liver cells, and your eyeball cells. 

Recently I have been taking a pill called Astaxanthin (Ass-Ta-Zax-An-Thin).  This natural chemical is found in Salmon and gives them the ability to swim hundreds of miles.  I have taken 4-12 MGs a day for two months and have noticed a dramatic increase in my cardiovascular system, resistance to sunburn, and a restoration of my night vision (it’s like being a teenager again).  Consider taking Astaxanthin with fish oil and Vitamin D3 in conjunction with each other. 

My technique is to wash it all down with a heavy dose of milk, to ensure my body uptakes the calcium as well.  Milk also helps line the stomach and makes the pills easier to digest.  With all pills, do your research and find out what the filler ingredients are before taking them.  Some low end manufacturers fill their pills with petrol synthesized mineral oil.  Look for brands that are all natural, organic, and have been rated positively by other customers.  Taking the combination of 4-12 MGs of Astaxanthin, 2400 MGs of fish oil pills, and 6,000-10,000 IU’s daily of Vitamin D3 has restored my night vision and increased my ability to run.  I have also noticed after 2 months of taking them daily is an increase in my body’s ability to heal after heavy workouts. 

Working out physically not only increases your ability to perform the act, but also reduces stress, gives you a greater self-image, and releases positive feeling chemicals (endorphins) in the brain and body.  The principles of working out I use comes from the Army.  The principles are Progression, Variety, and Precision. 

You should start slow and advance slowly through a Progression of harder workouts over time.  Consider Variety in your workouts to fight the body’s natural ability to adapt and the brain’s ability to wander off and get bored.  Conduct all your workouts with Precision, and focus on correct posture and execution of the task.  In other words, make it real by setting goals and surpassing them, mix it up and conduct physical fitness such as running, dancing, rowing, cycling, lifting, jumping, swimming, playing, etc… you get the idea.  Make each workout count by doing it correctly with skill and precision.  Do new things, work out with a buddy or a group, and most importantly have fun with it.  My fun is combining workouts with rifle drills.

I have started doing dry fire drills with my rifle as part of a workout routine.  Basically I run 3-4 miles, then come inside and start doing ready up drills focusing on the little screws on the electrical wall outlet.  I do a mix of 40-50 of these ready up drills with an unloaded rifle, or just stand with the rifle up to my shoulder as long as I can stand being uncomfortable.  Either way my body is being conditioned, and this confirms my natural point of aim.  Consider combining skills such as hunting, shooting, knife throwing, and axe tossing with traditional workouts.  I find running and rifle drills give my workouts meaning.

Resiliency, Mental Toughness, Character Strengths, and Strong Relationships
Resiliency is basically defined as your ability to bounce back from adversity, deal effectively with stressors in daily living, and adapt to ever changing personal and professional relationships with other people.  Realize that building resiliency takes time, patience, practice, and effort to accomplish.  This is not a quick fix topic that you can simply read and incorporate into your life; it takes real effort and inner reflection to hone this skill.  People aren’t born with a greater natural propensity for resiliency (or survival) over another, they become good because they practice and have internalized self-improvement.  There are preconditions that exist we should identify before moving on to discuss what we can do about them.

Back in the Stone Age people lived daily with life and death situations.  They always had to look out for larger animals like the Saber-Toothed Tiger that could eat them, the other tribe that could raid their camp and spear them, and the like.  Those that were always looking around for these dangers, and reacted quickly enough, tended to survive longer.  The generations that followed these original people continued to hone their fight or flight mechanism until humans as a whole got really good at surviving. 

What happens when you get mad at your buddy at work, your wife or husband, or your neighbor?  Usually voices get raised, arms and legs start pacing, you lose the ability to think, and it becomes like two animals getting ready to dual.  Ever think about why this happens?  In a nutshell the brain has a hard time determining when a threat is real or imaginary (or in your head) over something your partner did.  It’s basically a throw-back to the Saber-Toothed Tiger days of fight or flight. 

When the fight or flight mechanism kicks in adrenaline and cortisol gets pumped into the body.  You get jittery and anxious as a result.  Blood starts pumping to your arms and legs, hence pacing.  The frontal lobes of your brain, you know the “smart” higher reasoning part, slows down, and base brain activity picks up (or the “reptilian” part of the brain).  Your eyes focus on the threat.  You start sweating like a fat baby in a candy store.  This is all well and good if the threat is real and you have to high tail it away from the threat.  But is this mechanism very helpful during an argument with your spouse or co-worker? 

You see we are chemically hardwired to fail in heated conversations with our spouses or co-workers because the fight or flight mechanism was never designed to assist us in that way.  During crucial talking points, or during critical negotiations, we have chemicals coursing through our veins that make us look like maniacal clowns at the circus show.  The strongest-willed among us have this fight or flight mechanism even stronger.  As I stated before, recognizing when a threat is real or imaginary is critical if we are to carry on effectively in our personal relationships with each other.  Recognition is the first step that this propensity exists in every one of us to a degree is the first step at being effective in our relationships with other people. 

What can we do to calm down, reengage the conversation, and prevent our partners from permanently hating us to death?  The first step is to never get to the point that the fight or flight mechanism starts in the first place.  Calm down, separate yourself from the problem and emotions related to the problem, and attempt to see the problem through the other actor’s eyes.  Frame the problem to very specific talking points, and avoid using, “you always are late,” “you never come through for me,” or absolute judgments about the other actor.  Keep the problem in perspective, and keep the conversation on track.  If the conversation does ramp up, and you find yourself starting to exhibit the fight or flight mechanism, politely tell the other actor you are stepping out to make a quick phone call.  As a side note, sometimes during critical negotiations or anticipated messy meetings, I will have a friend call 15 minutes into the meeting, to allow me an out to cool down and leave the room.  In any case, once the fight or flight mechanism kicks in, and chemicals get dumped into the body, it takes practice to keep it under wraps.  Basically the best husband, wives, bosses, whatever has displayed high emotional self-regulation. 

Another technique is start doing deep diaphragmatic breathing to come back to center.  Deep breathing combined with focusing on an object above or to the side of the other actor’s head helps to come back to center.  Sometimes I will start counting backwards, or do simple math in my head while the conversation is going on.  This all aides in re-energizing the frontal lobes, and keeps the adrenaline at bay.  

There are volumes that speak to the topics of building resiliency, mental toughness, character strengths, and strong relationships.  If I may persuade you to look up The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson, and 25 Ways to Win with People by John C. Maxwell. Also look up “Resiliency” on the web and do some more research. 

In summary you are what you eat and touch, use nutrition as a base for fitness, we live in a toxic world and avoid becoming a toxic avenger, work out and fight complacency, and control your fight or flight mechanism to build stronger relationships and improve emotional temperament.  I hope this article compels the reader to seek out a better life, to not only survive but thrive, and to improve your station in life by dealing effectively with yourself and others.

Hi JWR,
Just a quick note regarding the posting of “One Year Food Supply at COSTCO”. Just in case Walt G. and others are not aware, that particular food storage system has no meat
In Costco’s THRIVE special, it’s all TVP. True, there is milk and egg protein, but if someone needs actual meat, there isn’t any--it is [soy-based] TVP (textured vegetable protein).
 
Take care, and thanks, Steve N. in Arizona

JWR Replies: There are other food storage packages on the market that do have real meat. And one alternative is to supplement with real canned meats (such as tuna, salmon, ham, and chicken), or retort packaged meats (such as smoked salmon fillets). These are available in case lots at COSTCO and other Big Box stores. I describe how to do an "11th Hour" food shopping trip at any of these stores in the Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course.

James,
What is you opinion of the "30,144 Total Servings 4-people 1-year Emergency Food Kit" now at the COSTCO website? Are the shelf lifes realistic? (Are they really long term storage kinds of foods?) What can you tell me about the company that makes them? Are they legit? Is this price realistic? I appreciate your sage counsel. Thanks, -Walt G.

JWR Replies: The THRIVE brand foods are packaged by Shelf Reliance, a very reputable company that has been a SurvivalBlog advertiser for many years. Unlike many of their competitors, they do their nitrogen packing under controlled conditions. (Tests have shown that some companies have packed their foods in #10 cans so sloppily that the oxygen and nitrogen levels were little different that normal atmospheric levels, yet they had the temerity to call their products "nitrogen packed.") In contrast, THRIVE foods, are packaged correctly, so you will get the longest possible shelf life.

BTW, I discuss some options for storage food stocking with other inventory (bulk foods) at Big Box stores such as COSTCO in the Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course. Now available only by digital download, the course is now advantageously priced under $20.

I take a different approach, but one that may prove useful for other ladies. My husband is military, so that would make me the military spouse. However, I can tell you from experience that there SHOULD be a survival guide to being a military spouse. Now, I don’t plan on making this some betty home maker guide; Because in my opinion there is so many other survival aspects that us ladies should be aware of when our husbands are away. Unfortunately, we are not aware of these survival tactics until some misfortune is staring us in the face and we are left to handle it by ourselves.

First off ladies, you should ALWAYS make sure you have a survival travel pack in your vehicle. (Mind you it doesn’t need to be a pack so to speak, just a tidy area with survival things handy.) In this “pack” there should be jumper cables, fluids for your car, a jug of water, road flares, a jack, tire rod, first aid kit, fix a flat, MREs (or some sort of compact food, protein bars are nice to.) A knife/and or multi tool, a fire starter (rather it be a good name brand lighter, matches, or an actual fire starter), tinder shavings, rope, extra set of clothes and shoes, and an emergency radio/flashlight (I, personally have a 2-in-1) with extra batteries. I also HIGHLY recommend a book called,“SAS Survival Guide Handbook”, They sell this in a pocket size version which you can easily put in that survival pack. This book not only shows you what plants to eat, but which one too not eat. It has great first aid advice, talks of poisonous animals, insects,etc….it truly is an all-around lifesaving book. (You can purchase it on Amazon for about $8.)

Since, I am on the subject of jacks and tire rods; one should become familiar with how to use these tools. (Have your husband show you before he leaves and YouTube is great as well.) You should also know how to change your own oil/fluids, jump your battery, and you should become familiar with your engine. I recommend a short mechanical course on the weekends, or again YouTube can be useful or Google. When packing MREs or food related items, keep track of your expiration dates, and make sure there is enough for each person (in my case I have two children.) The same goes for the water. I keep bottled water in my car; The jug of water is good in case your vehicle over heats or you just need extra water.  When it comes to the knife, learn how to sharpen your knife and learn its different uses. (Same with the multi-tool.) Also, make sure to Google and/or YouTube ropes and knots…it may make a real difference on day. For the clothes/shoes make sure you change them out with the season. If its winter you will need good insulated boots and wool socks, gloves, hat and long johns. (Remember Wool is the better choice as cotton will keep you cold and wet.)

Since I have mentioned water, I want to take a minute to go over some important factors on water. We all know its vitally important, more so than food. If you ever get in a situation where you are out of water and need to find more water then follow some of this advice. First off, NEVER, drink unsterilized water. If you are prepared for an emergency (such as your survival pack in the car.) you should have your jug that had your water, tinder shavings and fire starter. You can collect the water and boil it before you drink it. Un-boiled water can have dangerous pathogens in it. If you are in a cold climate and think you’re going to eat snow…DON’T! Eating snow can bring down your core body temperature. Again, you can boil the snow down to water…kills pathogens and in turn heats up the water. If this sounds like too much work you can buy filtrated straws that will filter the water your ingesting.(Make sure to buy one for each person or even two for each person, as the straws only filter about 20 gallons of water and you never know how long it will take to get rescued.)

And with water is food. Now, I will touch base with you on food preservation and proper storage. Canning food is a rather simple task and it can not only be useful, but even lifesaving in case of an emergency.  I will start by informing you of the importance of proper canning, to help prevent illness due to improper storage. Fresh foods, like those out of your garden, consist of a high percentage of water.
The high percentage of water in most fresh foods makes them VERY perishable. They spoil or lose their quality for several reasons:

• growth of undesirable microorganisms-bacteria, molds, and yeasts,
• activity of food enzymes,
• reactions with oxygen,
• Moisture loss.

Microorganisms live and multiply quickly on the surfaces of fresh food and on the inside of bruised, insect-damaged, and diseased food. Oxygen and enzymes are present throughout fresh food tissues.
Proper canning practices include:

• carefully selecting and washing fresh food,
• peeling some fresh foods,
• hot packing many foods,
• adding acids (lemon juice or vinegar) to some foods,
• using acceptable jars and self-sealing lids,
• Processing jars in a boiling-water or pressure canner for the correct period of time.

Collectively, these practices remove oxygen; destroy enzymes; prevent the growth of undesirable bacteria, yeasts, and molds; and help form a high vacuum in jars. You can purchase a good vacuum for roughly $100-$200 to make sure a tight seal forms, which will keep liquid in and air and microorganisms out.
The “canning” world is full of excitement, and great potential in all aspects of daily living. I would HIGHLY suggest one par take in this living experience; And even pass it on to children and grandchildren.  Its can save money, and is can be a healthy way of eating.

Another, more far out idea is if your stranded outside, one can eat off the land (plants, insects, Etc.). (Remember that awesome book; I said to buy off Amazon? “SAS Survival Handbook”…yes that $8 book MIGHT help save your life.)

I would also like to touch on the importance of taking a defensive driving course. Being military you never know where you will be and each place has different climates (I went from Florida to Alaska, and learning to drive on ice has been a challenge)

Next, I want to talk with you about protection. When our husbands are home, we rely on them to protect the home front. However, when they are way it is OUR job to protect and defend our home front.  I want to advise you to take a shooting class. Research guns, their specific uses (as each gun has a different use/specs) then take a safety course and learn how to properly defend yourself, family and home.  I would also recommend getting a carry permit if your state allows it. Again research the gun, and your state laws. If you do not like guns, learn to self-defend with a knife or even take a self-defense course.

I also want to stress the importance of Always being familiar with your surroundings. It is one of the most lifesaving things a person can do. Research your surroundings, take trips and learn it like the back of your hand.  When or if you work, learn to take different ways home. You never know if you have a stalker and this way you keep people guessing which way you might go.  This also comes into play within your home. If a stranger is to break into your home…DO NOT, I REPEAT…DO NOT go an try to find the intruder…remain calm, and quiet. You know your home better than they do. Lay low and wait for them to come to you and then take action.

As for more home front survival; learn and familiarize yourself with the more laid back task such as: power tools, fire extinguishers, and your breaker box.  If a fire breaks out, you need to have an escape plan and know how to use that fire extinguisher. If you need to fix something you will need to learn how to properly and safely use the power tools. The breaker box is great to be familiar with as you never know when you might trip a breaker.

I know this is not your everyday…stuck out in the wild survival things. However, Ever since my husband has joined the Military, I have come across a lot of women who truly have no idea what to do in case of an emergency or they depend on others to save them.  Even if I only reach out to one person, maybe that one person will survive, become stronger and pass along this vital information to another.  I hope you all have enjoyed my brief ideas and knowledge and happy, safe living to you all.

James,
Costco sells a bucket of freeze dried food that provides 2,000 calories per day for one person for 30 days. Not a huge variety of entrees but quite adequate and rather tasty. Normally it sells for $100 per bucket including shipping. They sell a 36 bucket pallet for $3,300. That pallet is on sale now for $2,700 and the sale ends Sunday evening April 21st. That's $75 per bucket. I don't think it's possible to get this much food for this low a price. The link is below.

Thanks so much for all the information you provided. - K.T.

JWR Replies: I discuss some options of storage food stocking at Big Box stores (such as COSTCO) in the Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course. The course was written before they added the buckets of freeze dried foods to their product line. But do consider that if a roughly five to eight year shelf life is your goal and you are willing to take the time to rotate what you store, then the per unit cost is much lower for dry packed, canned, and retort-packaged foods. These too are sold in bulk at COSTCO stores, and you will get three to four times as many calories, per dollar. (See the course, for details on specific foods.)

With food prices soaring with no end in sight, it is extremely important to use our food purchases and harvests wisely. How we manage our kitchens and decrease food loss will become even more critical in the face of increased economic pressure that seems to be increasing at breakneck speed.  The people of this country have been blessed with such food abundance in the past that many people automatically assume the supply of food will continue to be endless in the future.  The average person has no idea where their food comes from nor how it is constructed, processed, and shipped. One of the most appalling realizations of this country’s food ignorance came while I was listening to a radio talk show host engaging a west coast “animal rights” advocate.  She was castigating all of us “animal killers” for the practice of slaughtering animals for food.  The radio host asked her if she was a vegetarian.  To my shock, she answered “No, I eat meat”.  There was a long moment of silence.  The host then asked her where she purchased the meat she consumed.  She then said glibly, “well from the store where they make it” of course!  I felt as if I had been hit with a hammer. 

This moment, and several other encounters with people who have had no idea about food production caused me to examine my own food beliefs.  I came to the conclusion that most of us take our food production way too causally. It is so easy to be wasteful and careless about our food if we don’t see the effort of others who provide nourishment to all of us.

I have always had a love of gardening, but when we moved to the Rocky Mountains I was easily frustrated with how hard it was to produce food compared to the fertile plots we had left in Ohio.  After several seasons of fighting poor soil, rocks and critters I gave up.  Then, several years ago, the Lord began prompting me to return to my gardening, food preservation, and the teaching what I call the “lost kitchen arts” concerning food management and conservation.
The first steps were to understand how to reduce waste. What has developed over time is the process of managing a “zero” waste kitchen. What do I mean by the term “zero waste”? It is a process of looking at the food you purchase, produce, and consume and find ways of managing it with producing as little waste as possible. I have been shocked at the amount of food I used to waste and why I wasted so much.
 
Where does your food come from?  Do you know how it is produced and who produces the products?  What are the ingredients in your food?  Do you know what the unpronounceable chemical names listed do to and for your food?  Do you know if your food is genetically modified in some manner? Do you know if your food has been safely handled in its production to keep you safe from contracting food borne illness? If these are questions you can not answer, then you need to begin educating yourself to become better informed so you can make good food choices in the future for you and your family.

Once armed with a little knowledge you can begin to control what food comes into your home and how to care for it properly.  Many of us in the “prepper” community have found that gardening is a central element to our security.  The process of learning to produce some of our own food helps us control the cost of our food and also gives us the ability to know our food has been safely handled and isn’t full of pesticides and chemicals our bodies don’t need. There are countless articles, videos, and books about food production.  Begin to practice food production even if it’s just a few pots of herbs on a windowsill.
Next we look at how we care for the food that comes into our possession.  Buy or harvest what you need, understand how to store it properly for maximum longevity in your cupboards, refrigerator, or freezer.  Many times folks take their fresh produce and shove it in the refrigerator.  By the end of the week, a good percentage of it is brown, slimy, and forgotten in the back of the fridge.  It’s then dumped into the trash, plastic bag and all.  God forbid we touch the icky mess! Wash your vegetables carefully and let most of the water drain. Then carefully pat most of the moisture off.  Things like leaf lettuce, kale, celery, head lettuce will last longer if you package them separately and store them in the crisper drawer. If you use the “ziploc” type bags, place your produce in the bags and squeeze out as much air as possible.  Oxidation is a threat to all foods and spoilage occurs rapidly.
 
Many times we trim the outer leaves of our vegetables or throw away the stems and peeling.  I will save these bits and pieces over a day or two being sure to keep them well refrigerated.  I then toss the lot into a pot of water and simmer till I have a vegetable stock that I strain and use for soups, stews, or add to my home canned tomato juice to make my own “V8” type of drink.  The left over well cooked material is saved in my counter top covered container to add to my compost pile. When I have a lot vegetable debris from a days worth of canning, I will take the scraps and put them in the blender with enough water to liquefy them.  I take this liquid and pour it directly into my raised beds.  The liquid drains into the soil and in a day or two the green mat than forms on the top of the dirt is dried.  I just crumble this residue into the soil.  It’s like “instant” compost!  There is no smell and will not attract flies. Even if you are living in a subdivision and have raised beds, this “composting” method will add nutrition to your soil.

If I have any bread, cracker, or cereal leftovers, I toast them slightly, let cool and then crumble in the food processor. To these crumbs I add assorted dried herbs and use for seasoned coating for meat.  At the end of each month I go through the refrigerator and pull out the extraneous jars of jellies, fruit juice, ketchup and other condiment bits and pieces and simmer them together to make flavorful dipping sauces.  Bits of hard cheese are grated and stored for use on pasta or vegetables.  I make a white sauce with butter, flour, and milk and then add all the soft cheese bits and pieces to make yummy cream sauce for vegetables or poured over baked potatoes.     

Meat must be handled with extreme care.  Today we see many cases of food borne illness due to organisms contaminating meat at some point in the production of or the processing of meat products.  It is imperative to keep meat stored cold, covered, and separated from other food while in the refrigerator. If meat touches any surface in your kitchen you must thoroughly wash the area with soap and water. I follow that with a bleach water rinse.  Wash your hands with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds anytime you handle meat products.  Keep all meat products separated from contact with other foods in the refrigerator to prevent cross contamination.  When there are sales on a particular meat product, I buy all the budget will allow and can it in the pressure canner. I take the fat trimmings and render them.  This fat can be repurposed for feeding the birds in the winter, making bio-fuel, or burning as a light source so I freeze the rendered fat in small portions. I also save used cooking oil that could be burned as lamp oil.

It is important to the zero waste concepts to cook only what you know you will use.  I will often cook a double batch of a meal to save fuel but have already made a plan on what to do with any leftovers.  How often have you cooked extra food and just let it grow fuzz in the refrigerator?  We’ve all done it, but if you plan ahead and immediately freeze leftovers you have saved fuel and the food.  Don’t cook more that normal portion size requires for most meals.  Not only will that habit prevent overeating but also prevents leftovers migrating to the back of the refrigerator where it will grow the next batch of bacteria. 

In my zero waste kitchen, I reuse or repurpose all containers if possible.  Glass jars with tops that can be closed with a regular canning lid are washed well and saved for storing beans, rice, or other appropriate supplies. The 2 liter soda bottles store extra water. Even used paper towels and the compressed paper egg cartons are soaked in a little water and added to my compost bin.  Of course, coffee grounds and tea bags, and egg shells go back to the soil too. Aluminum foil is washed and dried, folded and kept for a second or third use.  Plastic “Ziploc” type bags are washed and dried and reused.  The only exception to that is if I have stored meat in the bags. No sense in playing Russian Roulette with salmonella!  All other containers are rinsed and placed in the recycle bin. Cardboard boxes from cereal and the like are flattened stored in bundles for use as fire starter material. If I have too much saved then it’s easy to cart off to recycle.  I save the tubes from paper towels and stuff them with dryer lint and a little baby oil for fireplace “logs”. Get into the habit of looking at “waste” and try to imagine it in some other form. My grandson came up with the idea of using lids from canned food to make mobiles to hang near the garden to keep animals and birds out of the plants!

Look around your kitchen.  How do you use your precious food?  How do you prevent waste? You might be very surprised how much your “garbage” decreases by using some of these tricks. In the process you will become more in tune with your food and how you use it.

Lastly, but most importantly, thank God for the abundance of nutritious food available. Use it wisely now so you will be better prepared to stretch what you have in the time of need.

To follow up o my article Off Grid Cooking Solutions, Part 1: One of the first items we purchased for off grid cooking was the humble Dutch Oven.  There are many enthusiasts of this time honored way of cooking.  The Dutch oven is surprisingly versatile as it can be used over a fire, with charcoal briquettes, on a regular kitchen stove, a woodstove, portable camp stove, or the rocket stove.  Because of the fuel consumption required and the logistics of storing charcoal and wood, I am not as interested in using my Dutch oven over an outdoor camp fire or with charcoal in emergency situations.  I feel the Dutch oven is better suited for the rocket stove in good weather or an indoor wood cook stove in areas that have cold winters.

Many people picture a Dutch oven containing a delicious stew or chili.  But it can also be used as an actual oven – producing bread, cake, biscuits, baked pasta, and so on.  As the bottom of the Dutch oven gets quite hot and could burn the bottom of baked goods, I recommend a trivet to be used to hold up the pan that you are using for baking.  A small round wire cookie cooling rack or even three or four canning lid rings placed on the bottom of the Dutch oven work well.  A pie plate or bread loaf pan, whether glass or metal, can then be used to bake in.  In traditional Dutch oven cooking, less heat is needed on the bottom and charcoal briquettes are used on top of the flat lid, providing browning from the top down.  Although the heat source is moved to only the bottom when using the rocket or wood cook stove, satisfactory results may be achieved. 

Although there are many bread recipes, I have recently found one that I believe would be ideal for a crisis.  It tastes good and is easy to prepare.  Many variations are possible.  Although the blog is a little wordy on instructions, it really is simple.  It is called Peasant Bread and reminds me of the artisan bread I have made in the past.  However, the recipe I have for the artisan bread makes a large amount and is to be placed in the refrigerator to be used over several days.  This recipe is a smaller amount with no refrigeration required.   And here is a video that shows a Dutch oven being used to bake bread on a wood stove that could be used with this recipe. 

If you already own a Dutch oven (and many households do because of previous camping trips or passed down from family), why not put it to use in your preparedness efforts?  If you don’t own one, there are garage sales and thrift stores that often have Dutch ovens for sale, and even stores like Wal-Mart carry them.  The flat bottomed Dutch oven can be used with both the rocket stove and cook stove.  Some footed versions (mine is a size 12) would work on the rocket stove, although great care should be taken in order that the pot not slide off the stove, resulting in serious burns.  I encourage you to search the Survival Blog archive for additional ideas and recipes as well as searching YouTube for informative videos, thereby adding to your knowledge and skills in this method of cooking.

Although I did extol the virtues of the rocket stove in part one of this article, I want to touch on two areas not previously mentioned.  First, a pressure cooker can be used with the rocket stove.  Although I have not (yet) invested in a pressure cooker, it is another way to quickly prepare food with as little fuel consumption possible.  The Survival Mom blog has a page that shows how to do this.

Second, I am pleased to discover that a pressure canner may also be used on the rocket stove.  This is possible by controlling the ventilation door and the amount of sticks in the combustion chamber of the rocket stove.  Even in a grid down situation, you could still preserve your garden harvest by canning.  I have also been told that those who own a glass top cooking range should not use pressure canners on the range.  Not a problem!  Gather some sticks, set up a rocket stove under a nice shade tree or in the shade of your home, and can your produce outside!  One benefit is that you avoid heating up your kitchen in high summer temperatures.  Here is a link to a video that shows how this may be done.

As far as actually starting a fire, we have come to enjoy the use of cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly.  They are easy to make, inexpensive (you can get supplies at the one dollar stores) and they burn for several minutes when lit.  To make them you simply slightly open a cotton ball, place a small amount of petroleum jelly on the ball, and then wrap the cotton around the jelly.  We store them in a plastic jar, away from any heat or flame.  Since they do burn for a while, they are an aid when dealing with wet wood or if you are a little inexperienced in getting a fire going.  And why not put that dryer lint to use that you ordinarily would throw away?  Save the cardboard tubes from paper towels or toilet paper.  Cut them in lengths about 3 inches long, stuff with dryer lint, and they are also an excellent way to start a cooking fire.

No matter what, there will always be some who refuse to actually prepare for emergency cooking scenarios.  The one thing that most homes have (at least judged by the many examples at local garage sales) is an oil lamp.  Wal-Mart sells an adequate one for about $6.00 as well as the kerosene to fuel it.  If a home has this item, then a makeshift stove can be fashioned.  Simply remove the glass chimney and place the oil lamp into a pot that is just slightly deeper than the lamp.  Place the pot in the kitchen sink, taking care to have nothing flammable within the area.  Place a wire cookie cooling rack over the pot, light the lamp, and put a small pot on the rack.  You can at least heat up a can of soup to enjoy.  It will take some time as this is not an efficient system. It will warm quicker with a lid on the cooking pot to contain the heat. Although slow, it would be better than cold food on an even colder night.  This would actually be used in a worst case situation.  When one has all these other options to choose from, this would certainly be a last resort.  Yet, it might be worth mentioning to a neighbor to at least have this much available in the home should a crisis occur.

I hope I have given you many options to ponder and that you are encouraged that these cooking methods are easy, affordable, and efficient.  Remember, if you are not financially able to purchase professional products, almost all can be substituted by a handmade version that work amazingly well.  Make a list and prioritize where you want to start and where you want to end up concerning preparedness.  Start today!  Simply look up the links included in both parts of this article.  They really contain valuable information that would add to your knowledge and skills.  It’s really about peace of mind knowing that you can provide for your family, even in extremely hard conditions. 

About three years ago, my husband and I jumped in with both feet and decided to invest in emergency preparedness and survival skills. It's been quite a journey, and we certainly have learned a lot. My husband's main interests are in security and heating the home, while mine have been food storage and off grid cooking. We make a good team as we rely on each other's strengths and abilities. Although we are not yet at the level we hope to be, we are a lot further down the road than where we once were. I recently taught a small class in emergency preparedness in my community. We live in an area that loses electrical power due to ice storms, high winds, and tornados. After hearing the tale of a neighbor who spent a miserable day and night following a snowstorm without heat or a way to cook, I asked a friend to help me teach a class to demonstrate several different ways to cook and light a home when the power is out. One of the methods we discussed was thermal cooking. What is thermal cooking? Let me give the example of cooking spaghetti. Sometimes after bringing a pot of water to boil and add the noodles, I turn off the heat, put on a lid, and let the retained heat cook the spaghetti. It only takes about five minutes more to cook the noodles this way than if the stove had been kept on high to boil the noodles. I like to do this in the summer to keep the kitchen cooler when temperatures soar.

The technology is not new.  The pioneers practiced a form of thermal cooking called hay-box cooking.  They put their Dutch ovens in boxes of hay, and their food cooked while they traveled. Margaret Mitchell (not to be confused with the author of "Gone With The Wind") wrote a book a hundred years ago called “The Fireless Cookbook” which describes earlier forms of this method and how to make your own.

I also searched the Internet and found instructions on how to make different thermal cookers as well as some demonstrations of professionally made products.  Although I thought it was a great idea, I decided to first try a do it yourself version of the cooker.   It actually worked!  I did a few experiments and was encouraged that this could be done so easily.

At our preparedness meeting, my friend brought her Saratoga Jacks thermal cooker to discuss.  I had previously told her about Saratoga Jacks, and when she and her husband saw what it could do, they bought one.  As her family is large, she chose the larger size, which cooks enough food for 6-10 people.  After seeing it in person and hearing of her experiences (and how it fit into emergency preparedness), we ordered the smaller sized unit, which can cook food for 3-5 people.  We saw an advantage of a professionally made model, and since I usually request preparedness items for my birthday, we bought one.  We couldn’t be more pleased and plan to use it often.

How would a thermal cooker be a benefit to any family or small group?  One of the first things that comes to mind is that in hotter climates (and especially with no air conditioning), you can cook a meal by bringing your food up to a boil in the inner stainless steel pot, pop it in the insulated base unit, and up to 8 hours later have hot food ready to serve.  It definitely would keep the kitchen cooler if supper is started early in the day, therefore not heating up the kitchen in late afternoon.

Other than bringing the food up to a boil for a few minutes, no additional power is needed.  You can leave home, have nothing plugged in, and return home to have a hot meal waiting for you.  Anyone could easily benefit from thermal cooking on a daily basis!
One very nice feature is that the unit is small and portable.  It can be taken in the car, boat, or even on a camping trip. You can avoid eating out when you travel because your food cooks while you drive.  Even on vacation, if a small butane camp stove is used, you can cook up a meal in the morning before you leave to enjoy the day’s activities and have a hot meal ready to eat for supper.

I was secretly a little wary of the taste of the food cooked in the thermal cooker because I have not been a huge fan of crock pot cooking.  I was pleased that you can brown meat, onions and spices on the stove before adding water, tomato sauce, or broth without dirtying another pot.  This is a bit different than a traditional crock pot recipe where all ingredients are just tossed in.   My first attempt was a vegetable beef soup, which was cooked to perfection in 5½ hours.  It was much improved in flavor over the crock pot and the texture of the vegetables was excellent.   And the temperature had only gone down from 212 to 180 degrees after 5½ hours, which was quite hot. 

Some foods, like beans, require boiling for 20 minutes in order to completely soften and cook through.  I also recommend that beans be soaked overnight prior to cooking them.  This is so much easier than keeping a pot simmering for several hours, making sure that the water doesn’t boil out, and checking on it numerous times.  Not to mention how much fuel would be used to keep the beans simmering for several hours.
I can see that I will want to use our thermal cooker on a daily/weekly basis from now on.  I am currently re-working my regular and slow cooker recipes to adapt to my thermal cooker so I can use it to its full potential. 

Both of the large and small units include an optional smaller pot that can be used in conjunction with a larger pot.  Two different foods, such as a stew and rice, can be cooked at the same time.  And as far as capacity, my small unit is listed for 3-5 people.  Without the optional smaller pot in place, it holds about 19 cups.  Depending on the meal, I think I could feed more than 5 people, especially if there were children.
Another nice feature is that a thermal cooker can also keep cold foods chilled.  If you pop the steel pot into the fridge for a while, you can bring foods like potato salad and slaw to a picnic and keep them cold for hours until ready to serve.

One thing to keep in mind with the thermal cooker is that in order for it to retain its maximum heat, it must be filled completely full.  Although you can cook smaller amounts, it doesn’t work as efficiently.  The amount of people you are cooking for regularly would determine the size required.  And they do urge you to have a food thermometer to check the temperature to make sure it is within the safe measure of no less than 145 degrees.  If the food should get that cool, you would need to reheat to insure safety.

A couple of rules to follow are first, use only fresh or thawed ingredients so the unit will retain the maximum heat when in use.  Second, no peaking!  The heat will escape if you open and shut the unit.  You must let the recipe cook the minimum amount of time before opening the lid.  Once the minimum time is reached, then you can serve the food or simply let it sit for up to 8 hours.

In an actual emergency or grid down situation, the thermal cooker would be invaluable.  Not only can it be used on a gas or electric stove or a wood cook stove, you can also use portable butane or propane camping stoves.  And I was so excited when I learned that it can be used with a rocket stove (which I will be mentioning later in this article).  The benefit of the thermal cooker is that it only uses enough fuel to bring ingredients up to a boil for a few minutes and then the meal is cooked without any additional fuel or tending – up to 8 hours later.  This translates into less fuel to be gathered and stored.  It also saves the family from tending a pot when other matters may need attention – especially in emergency situations.

I recommend that you watch a short video at SaratogaJacks.com which demonstrates how the unit is used.  They were nice folks to deal with and shipped my order promptly.  Although there are only a few recipes supplied, they did mention that they are working on publishing a full cookbook.
While my experience is with the Saratoga Jacks unit, there are several other brands available.  You can read reviews on Amazon’s web site and decide which is best for you should you decide to purchase one.   The price of the Saratoga Jacks is around $100 for the large size and $90 for the small.  There was one brand that was about $65, but reviews were not as favorable because the steel pot that you cooked in had a very thin bottom, which people did not like.   I did see other brands, but they were $200 and $275, which is much more expensive.  For about the same amount of money, you could own the Saratoga Jacks thermal cooker and also a StoveTec rocket stove.  In combination, they make an excellent investment in emergency preparedness.

The rocket stove is my other “must have” recommendation in emergency preparedness.  In a previous article published by Survival Blog in May of 2012 “Teach Your Children Well,” I mentioned the rocket stove.  And Pat Cascio did a nice review on the StoveTec for Survival Blog also in May of 2012 should you want to check out what he had to say.  I personally own a 2 door deluxe StoveTec rocket stove which costs about $125, but there are other similar stoves on the market. Two that come to mind are the Grover and the Ecozoom. 

Rocket stoves are being made and sent to third world countries to help provide people with safer and more economical cooking fires. The man who holds the patent to the stove’s design apparently allows different companies to manufacture the stoves to aid in humanitarian efforts.   In parts of Africa, a woman may have to walk for hours just to find wood to cook the family’s meal.  It is very dangerous for women to go beyond their own villages and opens them up to being assaulted.  The rocket stove allows the same meal to be cooked with just a small amount of wood.  In fact, the amount of wood used with the rocket stove is the amount of kindling used just to start a regular cooking fire.  That’s quite a reduction in fuel!

Just like my thermal cooker, my rocket stove is not being saved for emergencies, but will be used spring through fall in cooking up delicious meals.  As the stove is used outdoors, there are only a few days a month where I would use it in the winter.  Thankfully, we have a woodstove in the house to cook on during the colder months should we lose power and not have the option of our regular kitchen stove.

I can use my rocket stove in several ways.  I can simply put a stainless steel or cast iron pot, frying pan, or Dutch oven on the stove and efficiently cook a meal using a small amount of fuel.  The rocket stove is so effective that food can be cooked with only 3-6 sticks that are about 14 inches long and an inch or two in diameter!

But what if I want to prepare something that needs to be simmered for several hours?   My deluxe rocket stove has two doors that allow extended simmering time by closing the top door and using just the coals of the sticks that were used to bring the food up to a boil.

But what if I am not able to watch over the rocket stove because I need to do something else?  That’s where the thermal cooker comes in.   I can bring my food up to a boil in the inner stainless steel pot, using very little fuel, and then transfer the pot to the outer thermal unit to continue cooking for up to 8 hours, which would free me to do other things.

Two tips that I have found to be useful deals with the soot that occurs on the bottom of stainless steel pans.  You can coat the pot or pan lightly with liquid soap so that the soot washes off more easily.  You can also wrap the pot in aluminum foil on the bottom and sides so that the soot doesn’t get on the outside of the pot.

My rocket stove came equipped with a pot “skirt” to direct the heat up the sides of the pot and cook more efficiently. But I recently discovered that the StoveTec corporation has started manufacturing a steel pot called a Superpot that sits securely on the stove and helps avoid tipping the cooking pot over when stirring the contents.   It is made to cook more efficiently than a regular pot because it has its own built-in pot skirt.  It is easily cleaned inside and out, but the unique feature is that the bottom (which becomes blackened with soot) doesn’t have to be cleaned at all.  Check out this nice video on this pot and an explanation of how rocket stoves work.

Because it was out of stock for a time, I was unable to order the Superpot from Stovetec when I needed it, so I looked into another company that sells StoveTec supplies.  The Afterburner Stove Corporation has several really nice videos on YouTube that explains how the rocket stove works.  Topics covered are how to quickly start a fire in the stove, how to fine tune the fuel amount to burn efficiently, how to clean it, what to do about any rust that may form on the cast iron top, how to fix it if you drop it, and two videos on where to get fuel all around your yard and neighborhood to use in the rocket stove.  Since I had gained a lot of invaluable information from those videos, when I found out that they were selling the Superpot and had it in stock, I ordered from them.  They have other educational videos filmed but need to be edited before publication.  I will be looking forward to viewing them as I learned so much from the first ones.  If you are interested in checking the videos out for yourself, go to afterburnerstoves.com.

You may ask why I would want to have to purchase two pots. The thermal cooker would be great to use on days that my fuel supply is low, I do not have time to tend a pot, if I need to leave home, or I want a meal to take with me.  The Superpot is useful to bring larger amounts of food or water (almost 7½ quarts) to a boil quickly, which would be especially useful to feed a larger amount of people or sterilize water.   It also has a safety feature that “holds” it on the rocket stove and isn’t likely to tip when stirring the pot, which could cause burns.  I like to have options.  As the Superpot was relatively inexpensive, about $60.00, I have added it to my supplies.

If you simply want to try out the technology of a thermal cooker or rocket stove without spending as much money, you could make either one very easily.  There are various plans available for free on the Internet.  However, if you have funds available, I recommend purchasing the StoveTec rocket stove and the Saratoga Jacks thermal cooker.  The quality can’t be beat and you should get many years of service from them, regardless if there is any emergency need of them.  I personally own both.  I am not affiliated with these companies and am not receiving any compensation from them.  I just believe in these products and wanted to share my experience with them.

My research of finding alternate cooking methods brought the Coleman Camp Oven to my attention.  What do you do when you want to bake bread, muffins, biscuits, meat, or even lasagna?  The camp oven can help.  It is a metal box with a rack inside.  It folds down flat when not in use.  The oven can be used on an indoor wood stove, but it can also be used outdoors on camp stoves or the rocket stove.  It is fairly inexpensive, about $35, and is completely portable.
I understand that the temperature gage on the oven is not very accurate, but purchasing an inexpensive oven thermometer that is placed inside will take out any guess work.  The oven is not large, and you do need to have baking sheets and pans that will fit inside (8x8).  Since this method is not as consistent as a home oven, some practice would be advised prior to actually relying on it.  The reviews on Amazon were very helpful and gave several tips should you want to explore this option.

I urge Survival Blog readers to become proficient in using their emergency prep items, especially where meals are concerned.  In an emergency situation or where power is out for weeks at a time, a good meal can give strength, courage, and boost morale.  Take the time to fine tune your skills and recipes.  They will be invaluable should disaster strike.

Dear Sirs,
I would like to address something in the recent article, Losing Weight, Prepper Style, by Caleb E. that I hope will provide some further information to your readers.
 
The author of the article describes an approach based largely on the theory that calorie intake/outtake is the root cause of modern health and obesity problems. This is an extension of the classic food pyramid we were all taught since the 70s. This is not necessarily a wrong approach, but its important to know that there is growing evidence that the underlying theory is deeply flawed; that calories aren't the problem, but rather the types of calories.  There is even evidence that the obesity trends in the US can be correlated to the introduction of the food pyramid and its emphasis on high carb, low fat diets.  Understanding the competing theories on this can have profound impact on how a person prepares for disruptive events.

I am not an expert in any of this and only wish to suggest folks investigate with an open mind to the proposal that everything they've been taught about nutrition may in fact be wrong.  I've found the book Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About Itby Gary Taubes is an eye opening introduction to the leading counter-theories.  The whole food and paleo trends also mesh well with what Mr. Taubes discusses.
 
A simplistic overview on the different approaches is as follows.  We get our body's fuel, measured in calories, from only three classes of chemical compounds; protein, fat, carbohydrates, with approximately 4,7, and 7 cal/g respectively.  We are metabolically limited in protein intake to appropximately <200-300g/day, which only takes us to  roughly 1,000 calories/day maximum.  A sedentary existence consumes at least 2000 cal/day and would be multiple times that for high activity.  The majority of our calories in most scenarios must come from either fats or carbohydrates.  This is the crux of the competing theories.  The food pyramid and current dominant theory pushes us to almost entirely carb-based energy, which its premise of using fats sparingly.  This is the whole grain, lean meat, fruit/vegetable,  'healthy diet' approach, which ultimately is high carb/low fat.  The counter theory is that a reliance on carbohydrates, even whole grain based, is the root cause of most western diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.  It is proposed that our metabolisms are more suited to fat-based energy sources...the very things we are taught to avoid.

My wife and I have both embarked on an exploration of this counter theory on food and have had significant positive effects on our health.  Everyone is different, but the change we've seen after 1 year versus the many decades of life under the old theory has been simply amazing.
 
How this impacts preppers can be profound.  As a newbie prepper embarking on developing stores of food for my family, I found myself running calculations based on daily calories times people times days to estimate the amount of stores required.  This is straightforward, but ultimately leads to a significant reliance on carbohydrate calories in the form of wheat, rice, other grains, and legumes.  (Beans and whole grains provide protein as well, but still are largely carbohydrate calories.)  It's easier due to the long shelf life and storage density of those items and the poor storability of fats..  But ultimately, this leads one to have months or years of food that will result in a diet that has the vast majority of calories coming from carbs.  Typically on the order of 75:20:5 Carb:Protein:Fat and often even higher on the carbohydrates.  This is an extreme diet and if the counter theories are even partially correct, this could lead to significant health issues after a TEOTWAWKI event.  Aggravating the long term issue is that fats are just not that readily harvestable in the wild anymore.  Even areas with significant wildlife availability currently, it will not last long after a massive ramp-up in hunting/fishing.  Animal farming is the only surefire long term way to maintain significant fat intake, although nut and seed farming can be an alternative is some regions.
 
My family doesn't currently have the capability of animal farming, but it is a goal.
For the immediate term, we've explored foods that have a reasonable shelf life and have a high fat to carbohydrate ratio.  Even with a limited 1-year shelf life, if your family has transitioned to a daily higher fat intake, maintaining a years worth of these foods can provide significant benefit and diversity in a TEOTWAWKI diet.

Cooking Oils and their storage certainly have been addressed on this site, and we store as much olive oil as we can use within its shelf life. 
Other options that may not be commonly thought of are:
 
Canned almonds.  Lots of flavored types for diversity and can readily find with a 3-4 year shelf life. Other Nuts and seeds in plastic or bags often list a 1-2 year shelf life.  Eating them regularly and storing at your consumption rate can lead to a significant store of fats.  Nut and peanut butters are a common staple and stores should certainly be maximized.

Tuna in olive oil.  some brands list a 5-year shelf life.  People worry about contaminant buildup in tuna (PCBs, mercury), but most of the tuna in olive oil is based on 'light' tuna not albacore so the risk is supposedly lower.  Still, it should be a significant storage item, but a favorable alternative would be sardines, anchovies, and mackerel packed in olive oil.  A outstanding food source with a low risk of contaminants since they are low on the food chain.  typically have a manufacturer list 4 year shelf life.  Every diet theory recommends eating more fatty fish like sardines.  Highly recommended addition to your stores, but as always best to be eating it routinely and rotate based on your family's consumption rate as canned meat of any kind has a higher cost/calorie ratio.
Canned and bottled olives, and other items stored/packed in oil.  Sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, artichokes, etc.  Learn to use and cook with these items.
 
They aren't a 'bulk' daily food item, but using regularly and maintaining a supply close to their shelf life can add significant 'fat' options and dietary diversity.
 
But ultimately, these will only take you so far.  Carbs will still be dominant and its critical to look to your fat sources post-TEOTWAWKI and make securing this for your family a priority.
 
Also please note that food energy and vitamins/minerals are two separate considerations.  Energy is only carb/fat/protein, while vitamins/minerals provide the secondary chemicals that our bodies need to function.  They can be found in a range of food sources, and many things we eat only for their presence (leafy greens.)  Grains are typically limited in their vitamin/mineral content and is yet another reason to look to food diversity away from stored wheat and rice.
 
Regards, - Mike

James Wesley,
Greetings from the Northern Redoubt! I read Caleb E.'s entry on dieting with interest.  As a physician, I can find little to disagree with in it - except to say that it is not simply a matter of calories in minus calories out.

For some very readable advice I sometimes recommend to my patients the work of Gary Taubes, who has written several books on the subject:

Diet Delusion  

Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It  

Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health

Suffice it to say that everything most people know, have learned from schools (including medical school) or from the Government, and believe, is total nonsense.  The food advice from the FDA in particular is what I would call dangerously negligent.  In particular, fructose (a component of table sugar, and the thing that is 'high' in high-fructose corn syrup) is particularly risky to overindulge in.  An occasional soft drink isn't going to kill, but a routine diet of that stuff is dangerous.  Fructose is a normal component of fruits, but there is quite a difference between say, eating an apple and downing a gallon of 'healthy, natural' apple juice a day.  One probably won't make you fat, the other certainly will. - R.A.D.

Jim:

For another perspective on Caleb's topic, see this Wikipedia piece: Low-carbohydrate diet of meat and fish

"Stefansson is also a figure of considerable interest in dietary circles, especially those with an interest in very low-carbohydrate diets. Stefansson documented the fact that the Inuit diet consisted of about 90% meat and fish; Inuit would often go 6 to 9 months a year eating nothing but meat and fish—essentially, a no-carbohydrate diet. He found that he and his fellow explorers of European descent were also perfectly healthy on such a diet. When medical authorities questioned him on this, he and a fellow explorer agreed to undertake a study under the auspices of the Journal of the American Medical Association to demonstrate that they could eat a 100% meat diet in a closely observed laboratory setting for the first several weeks, with paid observers for the rest of an entire year. The results were published in the Journal, and both men were perfectly healthy on such a diet, without vitamin supplementation or anything else in their diet except meat and entrails."

Please also see the Book Calories Don't Count.

Regards, - Vlad S.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, I am not a dietician, I am not a nutritionist. I am an average, overweight guy, who happens to be a prepper and believes that, after trying numerous ways to lose weight and a great deal of reading, research, trial and error, he may have a solution to wading through the sea of dietary B.S. that many people get lost in. All those who take this advice, do so at their own risk and are encouraged to seek the advice of a medical professional first.

Many of us, including survival/self-sufficiency minded people, have a problem with maintaining or getting rid of our excess baggage and I don’t mean the spare sets of luggage you’ve accumulated throughout your life. Losing or maintaining a healthy weight is a national and personal problem especially in this country, myself included. Despite all of the different dietary options available such as, low-fat, low-carb, low-fat & low-carb, smaller more frequent meals, calories in – calories out, selected starches and meats, and the ever popular liquefied wheat grass, spinach, kale, and black bean smoothie with low-fat vanilla soy diet (yea I made that last one up, but doesn’t it sound about as terrible as some of these healthy food options). Dieting can be especially difficult for some “preppers” because we’re spending money, very precious money in this economy, on what I call “future-food” (long-term food storage), that often times don’t think about what we’re eating and doing right now to ensure that we will physically be able to survive and then eat that “future-food”. Several issues need to be addressed in relation to this topic. First the root cause of most weight related issues. The second is portion sizes. Third, stock what you eat and eat what you stock.

One of the biggest questions concerning weight loss or gain and healthy living concerns what the root cause of weight gain is. Taking out hormonal changes, water retention and temporary fluctuation in weight, most dangerous weight gain is caused by an increase in the consumption of calories without a corresponding increase in the expenditure of calories over an extended period of time (the reverse is true, a continued consumption of calories with a drop in calorie expenditure over an extended period of time).It only gets worse when you increase the number of calories you ingest and decrease the amount of calories you normally expend. When looking at society as a whole we see that the third option is what has happened. Our serving sizes have been increased well beyond what “most” (Henry the VIII basically ate himself to death) of our ancestors consumed on a daily basis. While our daily lives have become mostly sedentary.

I will use myself as an example for the individual case study on this issue. While I try to watch what I am eating and when I am eating it, I am still a pretty hefty person and I would like to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. At restaurants I tend to eat everything on my plate (bad idea, restaurant plates are notorious for being over-portioned), because growing up it was drilled into me that I had to eat everything on my plate. As a teen I ate everything on my plate because, “Yea, I am manly and eat a lot, arghghghgh”. As an adult I continued to eat everything on my plate mostly because I didn’t think about it, at that point it was just routine and normal. Now, when I make my own plate, I try not to pile it high with any kind of food (except meat, cause, “Yea I’m a man and I eat charred animal flesh, arghghghgh”). Now, as a prepper I am facing the often-seen-as-insurmountable problem of losing this weight that I have accepted all my life.

Excess weight is much harder to take off than it was for a person to put on. It requires almost a gutsy, grim, determination that is just too much for most people to assume. Overweight and especially obese people have to make a clean break (much like addicts do), with the things and the lifestyle that they have become accustomed to. Their lifestyle has become an addiction, and “Supersize Me” (the movie about McDonald’s making people fat, where Morgan Spurlock basically eats himself into poor health by consuming an all McDonald’s diet for one solid month) has some great commentary on the topic. Other addictions including certain snack foods at certain times, like popcorn at movies (I’ll address another factor of this in a second) chips or cookies with our TV shows, etc. We will indulge ourselves and eat an entire bag of chips or popcorn in a single sitting without ever thinking of the cost, not in dollars but in pounds (and I don’t mean sterling). Even when we have the knowledge of this, when we know what we’re doing is bad; we will still do it, because it is an addiction. We have developed an addiction to bad food. Think about this, if I were to give you the option orange/yellow unnaturally colored, fake butter flavored, overly salted and oiled, movie theater popcorn and homemade popped corn made the same way, in a pan with a little oil and a dash of salt, which would you prefer? I know that I would take the homemade popcorn, because that stuff rocks. I think most people would choose homemade popcorn too, because honestly movie popcorn is terrible, and yet most of us will eat and entire bucket of it. Why would we eat a bucket of something that we don’t even like, that we know is unhealthy?

Because it is an addiction. If we want to lose weight, we must make a solid break from that lifestyle and it requires a deep inner strength. When you’re an adult who can go anywhere, anytime and purchase anything you want without answering to anybody it means that in the weight loss game your ability to control yourself will be the only thing keeping you from falling off the wagon. Just like no one can stop you from buying cigarettes or consuming a fifth of whiskey in a night, no one can stop you from eating a whole fast food menu. To lose weight, you must be able to control yourself and your addictions. The good news, much like other addictions, is that once you’ve distanced yourself from the bad foods and food choices that set off cravings, it becomes easier to avoid them (I can honestly say that I once went a week without eating a McDonald’s sandwich, and when I tried to eat it again the taste made me want to be sick).

Once you have made the decision to get serious about losing weight it becomes a matter of two things, 1) decreasing the number of calories you consume (where those calories come from, and when those calories are consumed is important too, but the number of calories comes first), and 2) the number of calories you expend. That means altering our diets; NOT DIETING! The concept of “dieting” implies denial and restriction, which you don’t want, you want as many options on the table as possible without those options consisting of bad imitations of good foods. A burger, for example, can be a good food item. Grilled lean burger, veggies galore, mustard or even a little mayo, and a whole wheat bun can be a very healthy meal. Just the burger is a good meal, adding in fries or chips, and a soda is where we move from healthy to unhealthy.

The number of calories that we intake is key, and for most of us it is as simple as getting our portions under control. There are some great guides to understanding portions on the web, one of my favorites though is found at the web site for Prevention (it’s the health pamphlet found at the front of most super markets and grocery stores, at the check-out isle so you can pick up a copy after you’ve bought all the necessary items to make your 3,000 calories double meat, double cheese, bacon and fried onion and mushroom burger with deep fried jalapeno bites and chili cheese steak fries dipped in Ranch dressing, yum!). The recommendations I find to be useful are as follows: for most of your starches; rice, pasta, fruits, veggies, a cup is approximately the size of the average woman’s fist. For your meat products; chicken, fish, steak, pork, three ounces is about the size of your palm. For snacking foods like nuts and dried fruit (really high fat or sugar content) one ounce is equivalent to a single handful (not a heaping handful either). For lighter snacking foods like popcorn or pretzels, that same one ounce serving is two regular sized handfuls. Foods like cheese or peanut butter, a one ounce serving is approximately equal to the size of your thumb. For spread, and oil, basically items that are pure fat, a proper portion is equivalent to the end of the thumb.

Using these portions or close to them, for instance, six ounces is a large serving of meat but still an appropriate serving size for a male whose muscle mass burns more calories, we can reduce significantly the number of calories that we take in during the day. Once you do this you will find that you may naturally eat more frequently throughout the day but less in the actual number of calories. Don’t try to force yourself to make that alteration, just let it happen naturally as you change your portion sizes. At this point it is important to note a few cautions and options. 1) Portions are not enough, if you just eat more portions, you must count your calories. A calorie tracker is very helpful, one of the best can be found for free at www.fitday.com, and includes and app for the iPhone. 2) You need to eat when you are hungry, the hard part is stopping before you are full; a) “full” does not describe satiated or satisfied, which is the feeling we’re after, and b) just cause we finished chewing the last bite doesn’t mean that food has made and impact on our body and its chemistry that takes time. 3) Timing; timing your meals and eating when you feel hungry (not to be mistaken with bored) can be difficult but can be manipulated easily.

The sugar and carbohydrates found in starches and grains are necessary for recuperating muscles from strenuous activity and makes for long lasting energy to keep you full throughout the day. So eating them earlier in the day or directly after hard work (whether its lifting weights or a long session of chopping wood) is beneficial to weight loss and maintenance. Proteins require time to break down and provide the body essential nutrients for a variety of functions and so can be eaten anytime but the key is to remember leaner meats later in the day. Fish or seafood is better for dinner as it has the least amount of fat, fattier meats are burned off through activity and are stored when the body is at rest and should then not be eaten before an extended rest. As we can see when we eat certain foods plays a role too. Because so many people take only one aspect of healthy dieting into account and focus on just carbs or just fat, or just calories they often become discouraged and give up on their attempts to be healthy.

The fact of weight loss comes down to a few simple facts that taken together seem complex, 1) control your portions and you will control your calories, 2) don’t control when you eat, but what you eat when and 3) increase your caloric output. The last one is the simplest. Walk more. Walking is one of the best activities to increase caloric expenditure with little strain on the body.

Personal note: I spent a year during college studying in London (I was majoring in English Literature and thought that I might as well study in the land that it came from). When I left I weighed in at a nice round 300 pounds (again, not sterling). I went from not walking much to walking between six and ten miles each day. At first I developed blisters on the sole of my feet, my feet ached, my legs hurt, I lived on the third floor which in England means four flights of stairs. Only after a few weeks all of those problems went away, a combination of rapid weight loss, which decreased pressure on my joints and muscles and a strengthening of the muscles engaged in activity. By the time I came home eight months later I had lost 100 pounds from my six foot, two inch frame, and eight inches from around my midsection and yet I had not changed many of my eating habits. I continued to drink (might have had a few too many some nights), eat what and when I wanted to. This unfortunately facilitated putting most of that weight back on when I returned and was no longer walking miles a day.

Exercise is a critical component of weight loss. Just decreasing our calorie count is not enough to keep us motivated to stick with a weight loss program. To see results more quickly, we must increase the number of calories we use. Most people will think this means they need to join a gym, purchase equipment and clothing and a gym bag and a set of matching 80’s head and wrist bands (no? that was just me? Okay). In reality this means a few slight changes or our daily routine that will take up a small amount of time in our overly busy lives. Park farther away from entrances, take stairs instead of elevators, stand instead of sit, make our own food (yea moving around the kitchen burns calories), or walk around the neighborhood for an hour after dinner and before you watch TV, or walk on a treadmill (if you have one) while you watch your TV shows. This doesn’t even have to be fast or power walking. A normal pace, approximately three miles per hour, is a great start push yourself to do a mile or more depending on your physical ability. Remember it’s about the mileage not the time. Your goal is ten miles per day at a minimum. It seems impossible but it isn’t buy a pedometer and spend a Saturday just walking, no need to go fast, just walk, walk to a store, walk through an entire mall from store to store, wander through the stores, get a diet soda or even a smoothie at the food court, just walk and see how far you go in a day (warning: your feet, regardless of your shoe choice, may hurt the next day, yet your shoe choice will determine if hurt is a dull ache or a desire for amputation). Other than the initial aches and pains of unused muscles, walking is so helpful because it is relatively injury and potential for injury free, which means no downtime due to injury.

Other physical exertions that do not require a great deal of financial expenditure include calisthenics and body weight exercises. These may require depending on a person’s physical limitations modifications or alternative exercises. Weights require some financial investment, but you don’t need a full rack of weights or the fanciest machine you need a bench, and a set of dumbbells at weights of ten, 15, 20 and 25. This should cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $150-$200 dollars. Consider it part of your prepper investments and instead of buying future-food for one or two months buy this. With just these weights, especially if your overweight or obese (cause let’s face it you’re muscle development and tone is lacking), you can burn off a lot of calories and perform hundreds of exercises to keep things interesting. It’s not about getting in the gym and throwing up big weights, it’s about maintaining a focus on calorie output. At first it’s not about perfectly even sets and reps, it’s about good form so you don’t hurt yourself, and about every rep (repetition) being another calorie or ten calories or fifty calories burned off your body. When you’re muscles begin to get used to it then you can start to widen your focus, but at the center needs to be the idea that it’s all about calories out. Many years ago when we worked from before sunrise to sundown, this would never have been a problem, but today with our sedentary lifestyle, and office jobs, we’re less active than ever, and so when we would have been chopping wood and managing a plow, and bailing hay, now we lift weights and walk. Sometimes it’s not fun, but it’s something that most of us have got to do.

Beyond the aspects of portion control (calories in), when to eat what, and exercise (calories out), there are literally thousands of approaches and suggestions and recommendations. I will only make one: do not push too hard. You will want to, you’ll want to buy up the best of everything, the “best” diet food, and the best treadmill. You’ll want to hit the ground running to get this weight off fast cause summer’s coming up and you want to look good in the speedo you just bought while reading this. NO! Pushing yourself to your limits, the limits you remember when you were younger, thinner, stronger, etc. are no longer the limits you have now. Now, you need to take it slow. Speaking from experience it will only set you back or make things worse. Walk, don’t even jog, because your first severe case of shin splints will be nearly crippling and set you back days to weeks of recovery time. Lift light, so what if you think someone else will think it’s girly, man up and do it right. Light weights help to retrain the muscles to get used to strenuous exercise without cause severe muscle soreness and allow you to focus on perfect form and eliminate the possibility for injury. Work your way up slowly, it’s all about climbing that ladder one step at a time. When it comes to food, bypass manufactured stuff, and go after the whole foods. Real food is going to taste better and be better than anything that is processed. Stay to the outside of the grocery stores and when you go to the interior make sure that you’re label conscious. Only buy what you will eat.

This brings us to our last point, “eat what you stock, and stock what you eat”. If we are preparing for long-term, then we have stores of foods that will need to be rotated, and stores of foods that we need to be using. Canned vegetables and fruits, dried rice and beans, and for some of us it’s a metric ton of MRE’s (if they are all chicken and rice flavor, I’m very sorry for you). While long-term storage is important, it is more important to stock the foods you’re actually going to eat and then actually eat them. Rice and beans may sound like good survival food because you know it’s nutritionally sound and that it stores well, but you’ll need to adjust to eating that unless you’re already use to it. Also they don’t last indefinitely, so what happens to your year’s supply of rice and beans if their expiration date is approaching and “the end” hasn’t happened. You have a year’s supply of food to eat that you only planned to eat in a survival situation. If you have a lot of “survival” foods stocked, which mostly consist of starchy carbohydrates and need to lose weight, and so need a more balanced diet, fear not.

Begin by adjusting your food storage plans to a more balanced diet, which includes more proteins frozen, dried or canned (think beef jerky and canned chicken or tuna) and balance out your stores. You might have to can things yourself, which is a great opportunity to learn something new and if you screw up, learn from it. While proteins are not easy long-term storage items, they will keep for a while and can be used easily with other stores. Examples include using canned ham or even SPAM chopped up in navy bean soup, or canned chicken being used for soup or chicken salad. Remember the suggestions from above, you can, while trying to lose weight, basically eat whatever you want by eating the proper portions and at the right times. If you feel like have rice and beans and corn bread prepare accordingly and make it an earlier meal and then have your veggies and ham or beef steak (but not both) for dinner. Vegetables and fruits are somewhat limited storable items beyond canned for long-term storage but you can purchase fresh and froze for the now and canned for the later (or when making awesome chicken soup, which you can then can), and then you can make an infinite number of meal options and varieties. If you have the space set up a small garden there are many ways to garden even in small areas. Grow fresh foods, save money at the grocery store, and have seasonal food source for you kitchen.

These suggestions should enable preppers who are not as fit as they would like to be, to lose some excess fatty weight, develop their physical fitness, while eating from existing stores rather than purchasing both storable food and “diet food”. Hopefully it will help people to realize that it isn’t really “what” you eat, as much as how much and when during the day we are eating it. A final note, is simply to say that if you lose yourself, fall down on or off of your plan to lose weight, don’t be discourage, but chose to get right back on then and there. If that means you’re half way through a terrible meal choice, stop, do finish and if your done eating and allow yourself to realize you just made a bad meal choice, don’t beat yourself up, make an effort to correct it by taking a walk (don’t try to walk off all the calories you’ve eaten in two days to try and make up for it, but take a walk to lessen the guilt) and reaffirm your plan to lose weight.

After having lost weight then you enter the maintenance phase, and now that you have become active, you must stay active. Continue to exercise and mix it up, go hiking, climbing, backpacking if you like the outdoors, if you’re more of a traditional “exercise” person then pick up biking and sports like racquetball, tennis, basketball, swimming etc. and continue to expend those calories. It’s not like a bank and we’re not bears storing up for winter. Continue to watch meal sizes and individual portions, doing so will keep you from slipping back into old habits, and if once in the maintenance phase if you do notice yourself slipping back into bad habits, do not let it continue, stop as soon as you see it.

I know this blog is primarily aimed at folks preparing for a long-term crisis, but I have a unique perspective on living without electricity after a regional disaster that I thought some might find informative. I live in the hills of northwestern New Jersey, and I have lived through three sustained (my definition: 4 or more days each) power outages caused by extreme weather events during the last two years. These power outages were caused, respectively, by Hurricane Irene, 19 inches of wet, heavy snow in October before the trees had lost their leaves, and Hurricane Sandy. I have learned important lessons from each power outage that I would like to share.
 
A wood stove and lots of firewood are necessities. I live in a county with tens of thousands of acres of forest. Today, however, most folks are too lazy to cut and process firewood. As each generation passes, fewer and fewer know how. Fortunately, I grew up on a farm and my dad always heated our home with firewood so I learned the joy of hard work and more about trees than I could begin to write here. As the temperatures plunged in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the inside temperature of homes in my neighborhood dropped to near freezing and those of us with woodstoves became havens of comfort each day for friends, children, the elderly and neighbors in need of warmth. I think anyone who doesn’t have a wood stove and 10 cords of split, stacked and dried firewood in the backyard by October is unprepared. It’s a low-technology essential that works on simple principles, it warms your home, cooks your food and dries your clothes. Get a wood stove. Trust me when I say your wife won’t complain about the mess that comes with one when it is warming your house. Get a bigger wood stove than you think you need, it will make it easier to load and you won’t have to work as hard cutting small pieces of firewood. The side benefit is that a wood stove will save you thousands in heating costs each winter and will pay for itself in short order.
 
Water. It seems so obvious, but even most country folk today are dependent on electricity to run their well to provide them with water. Having a generator is much more useful if it powers your well. For starters, this means you can flush your toilet, wash your hands and take a shower, things we take for granted when the electricity is running. I learned after our first extended power outage that I wanted to get a generator and a lot of gas cans to protect the venison in my freezer. After the second one I realized that I wanted a Reliance transfer switch to hook up my generator in a safe way to my electrical box so that I could provide power to my well pump. As a bonus, I could also run my freezers, a refrigerator, a few lights and outlets. But I needed water. For a longer-term crisis, I am looking into a hand pump such as the Simple Pump that has the capability to pump water by hand from my existing well. Because I believe in redundancy when it comes to water, I also picked up some high-quality water containers that hold 7 gallons of fresh potable water. You can use it for drinking, cooking, washing and filling up the toilet. There’s a stream about a mile from my house that I could drink from if I had to (I strongly discourage this unless it is a true survival situation because of water-borne illnesses found in most surface streams), and I would be glad to haul the water back home in a wheelbarrow each day if it came down to it.
 
A generator coupled with a transfer switch. I made this a separate category because I think it deserves special attention. I personally bought a 5,000 Watt generator that can surge to 6,250 Watts, made by Briggs and Stratton. There are myriad choices in this area so do your research, evaluate your budget, and get the most appropriate generator for your circumstance. It has performed admirably for over 100 hours and has only required minimal maintenance. For starters, it is recommended that you change the oil every 40 hours or so. You should also drain the gas out when you are done using it. No problem here, but if you don’t use the generator for six months you ought to run it for half an hour or so. This means you are bi-annually putting a little gas in, running the generator, and draining the fuel out. A model which lets you easily detach the fuel line to drain the leftover fuel out makes this chore much less of a hassle.
 
I suggest having a two-week supply of fuel on hand, because it is amazing how quick it runs out during a crisis. I never would I have believed that I would live to witness gas lines, gas rationing, people driving to other states to get fuel, etc. until I actually experienced it. It can happen. That being said, I believe that within two weeks after a regional disaster, supply chains will develop to get things moving around again. If they don’t, then we are talking about a situation that is truly dire and you’d better think about how to live without electricity from any source for the long haul. My generator burns a little less than 4 gallons of gas in twelve hours (I turn mine off each night), so 10 gas cans gets me there if I conserve a bit. I could get by on eight hours, but my wife immeasurably appreciates being able to open and close the refrigerator with four kids. If I have learned only one thing in thirteen years of marriage, it is that having an appreciative wife is invaluable.
 
I had a neighbor with very large whole-house generator that was burning over 10 gallons of gas a day, and he ran out of fuel within a few days. So bigger is not always better. I also learned that diesel fuel is more available than gasoline during these situations, so if I were to do it again, and money were not an issue, I would consider a diesel, natural gas or propane generator. I found out the hard way that having a can of carburetor cleaner and a small piece of wire is invaluable because carburetors get gummed up easily if a little gas sits in there for a few months. If this happens, you have to clean it (which is easy once you have done it once) or run your generator on partial choke all the time (which is less than ideal and may not work). Drain your gas completely when you put it away and this shouldn’t be a problem.
 
Food. This was actually the least of our worries. We had plenty of food on our shelves to last for months if necessary, and we didn’t really even plan it that way. I guess with four kids and one income we are just used to buying in bulk when sales hit at the local grocery store. There has been a lot written already on this subject, so I will defer to other essays on this topic.
 
Medical Supplies. Everyone has different needs here, but it is just good sense to keep a few extra of whatever you need around in case the pharmacy isn’t open (which it won’t be if the store doesn’t have a back-up generator).
 
Feminine hygiene products. Keep a few extra boxes around.
 
Lighting. Because we had plenty of firewood and a fireplace, we lit the fireplace each night and everyone in the family loved it, but it didn’t light up the bathrooms or the other rooms in the house. And when I went out in the dark each night to turn off the generator and bring it in the garage, a lantern came in really handy. LED lanterns that can run over 100 hours on one set of batteries are great, and are easily available on Amazon.com. Get two of them because you need one in the bathroom and the rest of the family doesn’t have to sit in the dark while they wait for your return if you have two. I also purchased two old-fashioned kerosene lanterns and a gallon of kerosene after the last power outage. The more flashlights and batteries you have around the better when the power goes out. Those little LED book lights are nice luxuries as well when you want to settle down and read a book in the evening.
 
A hand crank radio. This is one item I used every day during lunch. We sat around and listened to the local AM radio station as people would call in with all sorts of useful information, such as which gas stations had gas to sell and a generator to power their pumps, which stores were open, where one could get potable water (some buildings have emergency generators), what roads were cleared of trees and now passable, and where the electrical crews were working. On top of this, listening to a radio lifts your spirits when you have no other contact with the outside world.
 
Relationships with your neighbors are vital. No one knows everything, and a plumber, electrician, farmer, mechanic, doctor, dentist, police officer, etc. each possess unique and valuable skills and knowledge. You can only access those skills and knowledge if they trust you before the crisis and are regularly communicating with you during the crisis. Build friendships now with your neighbors. Find out what their strengths are. Forgive those whom you have had past disagreements with, as those arguments will seem truly unimportant if the SHTF. One of the unexpected benefits of Hurricane Sandy was that I built several long-lasting friendships with neighbors as we spent two weeks cutting trees, dragging branches, splitting wood and stacking firewood. We worked together to get warm, make food, get gasoline and other supplies, take showers and watch children. And everyone in my area has give a lot of thought about surviving when the government and the utility companies cannot help you. I can honestly say it was, in some ways, a blessing.  
 
Cash. Try buying something when nobody in town has power and you find out real quick that cash is still better than a credit card or a debit card.  A few hundred bucks was more than enough for the short-term outages I have experienced, but a longer-term situation would require more. In a truly long-term disaster situation, actual goods that you could barter with would have the most value.
 
Intangibles. I would like to conclude by suggesting that maintaining a positive attitude in spite of adversity is of immense value. Being a person who smiles while working to meet daily challenges lifts the spirit of everyone you come into contact with, and your attitude will have a marked impact on children. My children actually think that power outages are something to be celebrated (no school and you get to pretend like you are living Little House on the Prairie)! Having faith helps us see the good that comes with difficulty, and gives us strength to forge ahead, no matter what.
 
Our world is becoming more like a Rube Goldberg machine every day. Our infrastructure and supply lines become more fragile as they become more dependent on new layers of technology. My advice to everyone is to build redundancy into every system you control, and pass on practical knowledge to the next generation. A co-worker who was not prepared for any of these circumstances suggested to me that preparing for them was wrong, that it amounted to cynically saving yourself at the expense of your neighbor. I replied that quite the opposite was true: those who are prepared are far more able to help their neighbors than those who are not, and my real-life observations actually back up this assertion. Thank you for taking the time to read this essay and God Bless!

James –
I am on Long Island in New York. Recently I ran into a great deal at my two local Costco stores for 72 hour [storage food] buckets.  This was advertised as a combination food, cooking (fire) and water (filter) kit. At Christmas these buckets were $79.99 each--a bit pricey. However when I was there on Tuesday, the [local store's] price had dropped to $9.98 a bucket! So I cleaned them out. These buckets are still on their web site for $79.99 apiece. I just wanted to pass this on to you so your readers could get in on it.   
 
Thanks again for all you do. - Rick C.

JWR Replies: The Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course was designed for beginning and intermediate preppers, with this premise: Could you prepare your family for a major disaster, with just one or two trips to your local COSTCO or Sam's Club store. It seems that COSTCO is now making that shopping a little easier.

Mr. Rawles;
Yesterday I was in my local Costco store doing some shopping for my prepper pantry, and I noticed something new that Costco is selling, a vegetable oil blend. It's labeled as "Mediterranean Blend" and is a mixture of canola, olive, and grapeseed oil. It may be attractive to value-conscious preppers, because the cost per liter is low; $2.97 a liter vs. Kirkland (Costco's house brand) olive oil for $5.97 a liter. 

Beware of this oil. According to Mary Enig, Ph.D., who is the current world authority on trans–fatty acids, Canola Oil is actually derived from the rapeseed, a member of the mustard family. Rapeseed is generally unfit for human consumption and was once more commonly used as a pesticide and lubricant, among other things. Because of its high sulphur content, Canola Oil goes rancid easily, and baked goods used with the oil will rather quickly develop mold. Gross!

The fact that it does go rancid easily means that Canola Oil is not fit for storage food; it just won't keep. The canola oil in this "blend" make the whole bottle rancid. The low price may be attractive, but what good is that if it all goes bad? - C.H.R.

JWR Replies: In the Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course I mentioned that Olive Oil as the best choice for preppers to store. When purchased in plastic bottles (as sold at COSTCO), it can be stored frozen for at least eight years and still safely used.

Mr. Rawles,
[Since they have been superceded by flat screen HDTV technology, many] old projection-type big screen televisions are being hauled away daily to landfills or "e-waste" collection points.

I believe that many preppers who find themselves without sufficient fuel post-Collapse, could benefit from a devices such as the one shown in this video and this video.

This easily assembled solar cooker could really stretch the use of precious fuel supplies, and it would cost "peanuts" to construct. Just about all of it could come from salvaged materials.

Waiting until after a Collapse to begin searching for the components, however, might be problematic, so "strike while the iron is hot." (No pun intended!) - E.M.

JWR,
I work in the oleochemcals industry, just a little info on oil storage.
Oxygen is by far your worst enemy when it comes to long term storage for any fat based materials. The oxygen will primarily interact with any of the double bonds located on a fatty acid chain, breaking down the fatty acid and creating the compounds that cause the oil to become rancid. The more unsaturated the oil is the more double bonds that will be available for the oxygen to interact with. Coconut oil is naturally highly saturated (typically ~94%), therefore fewer double bond sites on the fatty acid chain for oxygen to attack and degrade the product. That said, it is still best to store any of these oils in an environment where there is little to no exposure to oxygen.
• Purchase only high quality oils, if it is a major brand - it is high quality. These will already have been processed to eliminate the vast majority of the compounds that occur naturally in the oils that help to speed up the degradation of the oils.     
• At our facility, we nitrogen blanket our tanks for product protection. Use of dry ice, similar to long term storage of grains, will provide the same effect. 
• Plastic is NOT impermeable. While convenient and unbreakable, I have had Olive oil (poly unsaturated) go rancid while still in its original unopened plastic bottle. Metal and glass are better choices. 
• Storage as a solid (frozen) will ensure that only the material on the top can have any exposure. We actually do this also at work for some of our high $ materials that don't get processed as often. Melting point of coconut is ~75 Degrees F, just keep in a cool place.
Use of these methods can stretch oils storage times greatly - far past the 2 years on the label. - P.M.R.

Jim,
I'm writing about the recent letter on coconut oil. It takes away odors as well. It is antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal. I use the natural tasting extra virgin coconut oil when using for everything except cooking items where I really don't care for the coconut taste in a particular food. Since coconut oil melts at 76 degrees it can be easily melted and used in place of unhealthy corn oils. My local Costco started selling this only about 6 or 7 months ago. I have found unflavored Extra Virgin coconut oil at Swanson Vitamins (an Internet/mailorder company that I have used for years that has very good prices in North Dakota). We only use coconut oil for my daughter's babies and not only is it healthy, no stinging or horrible taste if it gets into their mouth. Hope this helps. God Bless, - Diana

Dear JWR:
The excellent article, "Fire: Your Partner in Survival, by Pledger" mentioned the BTU ratings of certain trees. Wanting to know a bit more, I did some searching and found a chart of the BTU ratings of various types of wood.

On another note, Pledger's reference to a cord as 4x8 feet by 16 inches threw me. I looked it up and found that a "full cord" measures 4x4x8 feet, which is the number I was familiar with, ranging from 80 to 100 cubic feet stacked. The web site I found uses 90 cubic feet for its BTU ratings. However, a "face cord" is one-third of a full cord and measures 4x8 feet by 16 inches. This is the one Pledger's article uses. - Larry X.

Jim,
When I was in Costco this week, I noticed that they had Organic Coconut Oil. This coconut oil is a good storage fat because it is very shelf-stable. The manufacturer says it has a shelf life of two years, but a friend of mine told me that she had some that she stored in her basement for 6 years, and when she used it it was just fine. 

Coconut oil is definitely healthier for you than Crisco (which is hydrogenated vegetable oil) or hydrogenated lard (the lard you commonly find in the grocery store); we've all heard about the health issues associated with hydrogenated fats. Coconut oil is very heat-stable, and can be used for high-temperature cooking. It can also be used as a skin moisturizer, and it has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. 

It seems like an ideal storage item! - L.A.

JWR Replies: The health benefits of coconut oil are well known. I highly recommended it. In my Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course I described the quandary that many preppers face: Fats and oils are essential for nutrition, but they generally don't store well. It is easy to find foods that store for a decade or more, but not so for fats and oils. The good news is shelf life of olive oil and coconut oil can be extended to ten years or perhaps more by storing them in a chest freezer.

Dear JWR:

Like most of us I am storing food in preparation of something bad happening. I have some super pails along with regular grocery items as well as some freeze dried items. I have a pantry which has long since been over run with supplies, so I built a couple heavy duty cabinets in which to store my overflow. When the great SEE (Society Ending Event) comes about I am quite sure our government won't just shrivel up and go away. Quite the opposite, they will go from house to house looking for stored supplies. If they come to my house and search they will rejoice in the cash of supplies they will retrieve from my family. Not to be selfish but these are my supplies that I made personal sacrifices to acquire. They Are Mine! What can I do? If I hide them in my attic the heat will destroy them in the summer and the cold could possibly freeze the can goods in the winter. Under the house is a decent place to hide my stores with an even temp year around, but who are we kidding... this location is difficult to get to and under most houses there isn't a lot of crawl space. More importantly the men in the black suits will probity take a long and hard look under the house anyway. And what can You do if your house is built on a concrete slab?

I have read several articles about burying your supplies. I am ashamed to admit I currently have 65 pails in my supplies and more on the way. I have an old barn on my property and over the years I have given serious thought to tearing it down. I am so glad I didn't. In my stall area I have dug a hole 4 X 8 that is four feet deep. I built a simple box from plywood. On the outside I sealed it with [asphalt emulsion] the same sealant used on the outside walls of a basement (this can be purchased at your local hardware store). This tar-like coating will protect moisture from reaching my stores for some time. I am able to store 63 buckets inside. When I am done I lay plastic over the lid and cover and conceal everything. If you don't have a convent barn then a small metal shed will suffice as possible cover. I have plans to install a second one for my can goods which I will use old milk crates for easy storage and access of any can goods inside.
Cool! This idea has some merit... but if I don't have an old bard or the space or even the time to build this vault what is another option? I have 5 gallon buckets buried around my place. With this the problem lies in finding your bucket later without digging up half the yard. One cool way to remember their location is take a photo of the exact spot with your kid or dog in the photo for subject matter. One minor problem is finding the exact spot again. While this is a good idea I have another thought, a map. I already hear your grumblings about this idea, if the men in the black suits find my map then they find my food. Not If It Is Coded.

I live in the sticks, I have a lagoon for my sewage needs. The county requires a fence built around this to keep unwanted animals out. I have numbered the corner post 1-4. On my "map" I write 1S (this tells me to go south from that post) 1S 65 + 2S 53. I measure from post 1 on the south side 65 feet. I also measure from post number 2 53 feet. Where these two points intersect there is my bucket. I also have color Gamma Seal lids for the buckets. Red is for dry goods like beans and rice and noodles etc all mixed together. This is enough food in each bucket for my family to eat on for a week. Yellow is used to store different types of can goods. and Green is for meat items like stew and ravioli etc. Blue is bullets. A typical entry for my 'map' would be R 1E 73 + 4E 25. From this I know what it buried in the bucket and the precise location of it as well. If I need more can goods I go to the yellow location and dig. Any reference point can be used as long as you remember the points, such as a flag pole and a mail box or the corner of your house. Use your imitation.
This won't do you a lot of good if the whole neighborhood watches you dig these holes in your yard while you have your bucket siting next to you ready to place in the hole. I have a small 2x4 tee, this is the depth of the hole needed and how wide it needs to be. Once my hole is dug I can come back under the cover of darkness to place it in the hole and cover it up quickly and quietly. This needs to be done early enough in the spring to allow the grass to grow back over the top of this bucket. An easy place to put your 'map' is on the inside of the breaker box cover, if the map is discovered it is a bunch of meaningless numbers. I personally don't store this info on my computer in the event of a power down situation. My stores are in a safe location from the elements and any one who wants to come and take them from me. Happy Digging.

In His Service, - WKR

In January, 2012 Washington State went through what the locals called Snowmageddon. My family and I had just returned from being stationed in Germany for the preceding nine years. Some of our belongings were still packed up out in the garage. Mostly my “camping” things. Having just started at the new assignment, I had not yet taken the time to unpack everything. I had bought some heavy duty shelves for the garage (in anticipation of unpacking my gear). While in Germany, I was stationed in Bavaria (Schweinfurt and Graffenwoehr specifically). I had been raised in the Midwest, so I was used to a lot of snow. The love of my life was a military brat, born in Lost Wages, raised in Europe. To the kids, lots of snow meant extra days off of school.

I arrived in Washington in time for the salmon runs, so my freezer was full of fresh fillets, family value packs from the butcher, and a bunch of frozen fruit from COSTCO. I had started to stockpile some canned soups that I got a good deal on, as well as several cases of bottled water. My wife and kids just rolled their eyes and called me a prepper like it was a dirty word. Then, on the 18th of January, the snow fell hard enough to knock the power out, luckily after dinner.

When the power died, so did the heat. While in Germany, we had purchased large down comforters for each bed, as well as some full size blankets. We normally keep the heat at 65 in the house; if we get chilly; we put on some layers or cover up with a blanket. I was not worried about staying warm or food, but cooking it soon presented a problem. The next day, I went out to the garage and started to dig out the camp stove. My gut clenched when I saw that it had been murdered. A forklift tine had punched through the box at some point and the stove was the casualty. The box had been re-packed and nothing said to me or my wife. It happened to be the only thing that was damaged in the move. I went into the house and looked at my wife through the hole, grinning at her facial expression.

I hiked through knee deep snow out to Cabela's, about two miles away. They were operating on generators and the debit cards were still working. On the way, I stopped at the Shell station and got lucky with the ATM and was able to get a couple hundred dollars cash just in case. When I got to Cabela's, the stoves and propane were all gone. I also noticed that most of the sleeping bags and trail food were gone. Undeterred, I tromped another 1.5 miles to Wal-Mart. Same result there. I then went to Big 5 Sporting goods, and was able to get a stove for $45 cash. They were also out of propane. I made my way to Wholesale sports and got lucky on the propane; I got the last six cans. Sales were cash only. While in line, the guy behind me tried to talk me out of half of them “They last a while, what do you need with 6 cans?”.  I told him to pound sand, and he grumbled something about Army attitudes. Since I do not have my concealed permit, I was carrying openly, which he noticed. I got out of line under the pretense of having forgotten something, just to keep him in sight. There was no incident, but I was not going to take any chances. In each of the stores, there was generator power only (while the fuel lasted), cash was the only thing accepted (with the exception of Cabela's), all the stay warm gear and camping food was gone. I went across the street to Safeway and got another can of coffee. Cash only.

I got home, wiped down my sidearm, and started cooking dinner. The psychological effect of a hot meal cannot be under rated! The next day (19 Jan), I took a couple of my Rubbermaid tubs out back and piled snow around them. Everything from the refrigerator went into one and the now semi-frozen fruit went into the other. I cooked all of the pork sausage up and it went into a cooler out on the patio. I had a sedan; it took me 3 minutes to back out of my driveway and 45 minutes of shoveling and pushing to get it back into the original position. A couple of hours later, one of my coworkers roared up in his 4WD and we made our way to Fort Lewis (now Joint Base Lewis-McChord or JBLM). We secured a couple generators and fuel from his shop and drove/ slid home. FYI, the use of the generators was sanctioned by the Brigade Commander.. The generator was enough for the water heater and the kitchen lights were very dim. We decided to leave them off. The value of a hot shower ranks right up there with a hot meal.

Our cell phones we working intermittently, either due to the fact they are 3G, the ice and snow build up on the towers, or both. I have an inverter for the lighter socket in my vehicle, so keeping them charged was no issue. My boss called and told me to just check in on the phone until I was able to get my car on the road. That night we did not run the generator, but you could hear all the other ones in the area and see lights here and there. They would have made good targets if the power was out longer than 6 days. On the 3rd day, I cooked everything from the freezer and put it all into the Rubbermaid containers. We were not going to freeze or starve, and we played a lot of board games, some match stick poker (Texas hold em and 5 card stud) and a couple of snow ball fights. Neither my wife nor I were able to go to work for the whole week.

Most of our neighbors had left to either relatives or hotels where the power was still on. Some of them had even left their pets, which really angered me. On day 7, the power was restored. I disconnected the generator, wiped out the fridge, and put all of the food back into it. I cleaned the propane stove and put it on a shelf in the garage, along with 4 bottles of propane. We had not touched the food stores in the garage, still had plenty of food in the fridge, and our bellies were full.  My neighbors started to return in the afternoon. The single mom next door threw out all the food from her freezer and fridge, as did most of the others who had left. The HOA had not even made the attempt to plow the roads.
My wife and kids no longer make fun of my preparations, and they no longer dive into the bottled water stash. I was extraordinarily lucky to find a working ATM, new stove and fuel when I did. Almost every one of my neighbors chose to flee the situation instead of make due, allowing all their perishable food to spoil and leaving their homes and possessions susceptible to loss. Some even abandoned their pets. I do not associate with them; I find their values and morals to be lacking.
Looking back, I have learned a few things.

1. Stocking up may not be the cool thing with the family, but do it anyway.
2. Make sure you have distractions (other than books) for the whole family.
3. Rubbermaid containers can impress your wife.
4. Even in the Pacific coast, a truck is a must (I now have a 4x4).
5. Above ground power lines are stupid.
6. Make the time to check all of your gear, especially after a move.

This is not a complete list, but it encompasses the points I feel are the most important. The next purchases for my new 4x4 will be a brush guard, winch, and plow. If the HOA will not honor their commitment, I will be able to help my neighbors. I continue to read and learn on a daily basis, as we all should.

Keep prepping and keep your powder dry.

Dear James,
I wish to make a comment about the article on preparing an emergency bag for your car. This is a prudent and good idea. I currently have one for each vehicle I own.

The only problem with the article is the choice of food. I have a tendency to leave my emergency bag in my car. The problem arises in the summer when the outside temps start to rise. With the outdoor temp at 100 degrees F the car's inside temperature is 120 to 130. The MRE entrees only have a shelf life of 30 days at 120 degrees F. Unless you were to replace this every 30 days more than likely the meal would be unusable when a need would arise.

I was recently introduced to the New Millennium Food Bars. These are designed to with stand +300 degrees F to -60 degrees F without going bad. I leave these in my kit and I don't have to worry if they will be good when I need them, and they don't taste half bad. - Keith R.

Most preppers probably have a pretty good handle on how to assemble a bug-out-bag (BOB). And, it’s probably so large and ungainly, that it gets stuck in the closet, just like mine. Let's be honest, are you going to have it when you need it? I think we have covered the likelihood of being at home when “it” happens in plenty of detail in the past. We have seen that the chances of you being at home on your couch with your BOB beside you are slim. What about all the other situations? In other words, where to you spend a sizeable quantity of your life in a situation that can easily turn against you? And, in this situation, are you adequately prepared? Lastly, are you just thinking of yourself, or thinking of your dependents…who are what really matter.

Ironically, about a month ago, Alabama had one of those Jesus Is Coming moments when the white stuff from hades started falling. If you don't catch the joke, it's that Alabama shuts down at just the threat of severe winter weather. I was sitting here in my office when the loud speaker told us to go home. In the ice and snow. 2,500 people all recklessly driving to pick up their kids. Not only does Alabama shut down, but Alabamians don't know how to drive in bad weather, of any kind. But they are particularly incapable of driving in snow and ice. Case in point is that on Interstate 65, wrecks caused 24 hour delays. Most of these delays were between exits in a very rural area. Families were trapped in their vehicles for a whole day.

I guess you can see where I am going with this article. The fact is, you use your car every day. You spend a sizeable amount of your life in a car. And of all things that you do, driving is probably both the most dangerous and most likely to put you into one of these situations. Here is the kicker: it is also the most likely time that you will have to fend not only for yourself, but for your entire family. Face it, being stuck in the snow for 24 hours is bad. But, you…by yourself…could hump it, if you had to. It wouldn’t be the end of the world. But it wouldn’t be the case for me.

So, my wife...ever supportive of this hobby of mine...saw a real application of survival prepping. She asked me to make an emergency kit for the car. While most of you reading would think about gas cans, flashlights, and tow straps, recall that many of us have kids. Young ones. We can't just start humping it up the interstate. We need food, water, and warmth. Now, I know times are hard and people have a tough time spending money on things they will probably never use. But, you can't put a price on safety, convenience, or comfort. These things do happen. All the time.

I am going to show you how to put together a simple kit that will buy you 24 hours of comfort and assurance for you and your family. And I am going to do it on a budget that anyone can feel good about, while maintaining the useful space in your vehicle.

After a few weeks of procrastinating, I finally got serious (and got paid...). The first thing I did was to shop at the Emergency Essentials web site. They have plenty of “all in one package” items, but not only was the all in one survival bags a little bit more than I wanted to spend, it took the fun out of shopping and building it for myself. Not only that, but everyone is different in their level of survivability. I started out by buying the 72 Hour Improved MRE kit. This cost $58 dollars.

Contents of the Improved MRE 72-Hour Food and Water Supply

• MRE Main Dish Entrees 9
• MRE Side Dishes 6
• MRE Dessert 6
• MRE Drink Mix 3
• Water Pouch 18
• Bread/Biscuit 3
• Peanut Butter 2
• Jam Packet 1
• Cheese Packet 1
• Hard Candy 3
• Accessory Pack 9

Now, that's a big box of stuff, and honestly, as I counted up the calories, I realized that we didn't need all of this, nor could we fit it in the car conveniently. I figured we needed a solid 1,000 calorie meal and days’ worth of water. After all, we are American and it would take weeks to starve us fat people. But kids get cranky and it's hard to keep your wits about you when you have 3 of them telling you how hungry they are. Turns out, by counting the calories in each item, it took one MRE main dish, one dessert, and one fruit for a 1,000 calorie meal. Multiple that by 5 and I actually had 1 person's day worth of food left over, which I added to my 24 hour bag.

Additionally, I added:

• Wool survival blankets for $11.99. That's a steal. These things are heavy and huge. And they normally cost $25.
• 5 Hothands Super Warmers. I bought these for $1 each.
• 3 Mylar emergency blankets. I bought these in a lot of 10 from Amazon for under $5
• 3 glow sticks. I bought these in a lot of 10 for $11
• Baggie of vitamins and OTC pills.
• One large flashlight
• Basic hand tool kit
• Straps and bungee cords
• Can of Fix-A-Flat

Even after I put this together, I noticed that there were some other things that I think should be added, but aren’t necessary. For you, they may be, so don’t forget about things like playing cards, sanitary wipes/toilet paper, extra plastic sacks, spare sets of clothes, and, if you need it as we do, baby formula.

While the people reading this already are like-minded and see the benefit of this kit, I am trying to appeal to those that aren’t. The Top Two Questions you are asking are: 1) I bet it’s a lot of money for something I will never use and 2) That much stuff would be impossible to fit in my vehicle. These two questions were foremost on my mind when I put this together. Why? Because like everyone else, I am on a budget and I have three children and all of their stuff. Yet, it fits nicely behind the back seat of my Chevy Yukon. It isn't very heavy. The total cost was under $60.

I’m older than you are. I’m female. Wanted to get that out of the way early, so you can decide whether to keep reading or not.
I assume you’re new to being prepared. Long-time survivalists wouldn’t want to read an article titled “start.” But you do. You’re interested in the subject of preparation, but you’re also a little overwhelmed by what you’re seeing on survival sites. You don’t think you can do all that stuff.

The fact is, you probably can’t. You’re a bank teller, not a former Marine. You’re alone, not affiliated with 30 like-minded survivalists. I’ve read all the warnings that I “can’t do it alone.” Maybe I can’t, but my situation today is if I don’t do it alone I might as well go rock in that chair. I am doing it alone, but with the idea that if any of my family or elderly neighbors need a place to go, I’ll be ready for them.

Of all the people I know personally, none are preparers. Since you want to be one, you’re already prepared more than most. You didn’t realize that any experience you’ve had with “hard” living (homelessness, unemployment, any abuse situation) would one day be useful to you. You’re already a survivor. You can do this.

It’s probably a good idea up front to tell you “one day at a time.” That means starting with today and what you can do with it and letting God show you what to do tomorrow. The most productive time you will ever spend will be while investigating the fact that Jesus Christ is the only reason we’re all here. A good start would be reading John in the New Testament. The John that comes after Luke.

Two more useful slogans for beginning preparers and alcoholics are “first things first” and “keep it simple.”

First get notebook paper and a good pen then simply stare into space while you think of what you really wished you had the day the power went out, the gas station closed, and the grocery store was just an empty building. I’m laughing here. I used to smoke. I’d have wanted a cigarette.

Write down what first came into your mind. Let the thoughts continue to flow from your mind, down your arm, through the pen. Nothing you write down is stupid. Your list will tell you who you are. Keep writing. When your words trail off, you can stop. Put the list down and pet the kitty. Look out the window. If you’re at work, put the list away until you get home. Once home, put the list down, pet the kitty and look out the window.

On my list I first wrote toilet paper, coffee, water. My priorities were a little skewed, but that’s what I wrote. Gather clean paper and begin a neater list from your free-form list. Pay special attention to what interests you most. This will probably turn into your area of study and expertise. Make this list neat, but be aware that you’ll make many more and much neater lists as time goes on. I finally have my needs and desires for preparation neatly hand-lettered on 3 x 5 cards.  When I acquire something on my list, I color it with a yellow marker. That’s how I do it. You do not have to do that. Develop the list that works for you.  If you can keep track of it all in little columns in your head, wow, go for it.

After I reworked my free-form list, I put the water first, then the toilet paper, then the coffee. About that time I decided I needed separate categories. I now have cards marked Medicinal, Paper/Cloth Goods, Metal Goods, Tools, Lights/Fire, and Food/Water. I see I need one labeled Play. I’ll do that this afternoon.

Let’s take Metal Goods and work through some of what is on my list. My weapons are there. I inherited the 16 gauge, 12 gauge, .22 pump and WWII bayonet. I bought the .32 revolver because I fell in love with it. A great challenge these days is locating and affording ammunition. Not a problem with the bayonet, but I really don’t want people with evil intent that close to me. If talk of arming yourself is alarming, you are allowed to put off thinking about it. We’re prioritizing. Your priority is not self-defense. Your strength lies somewhere else.

Maybe you’re an inventive cook. If everything goes kersplat, survivors will eventually wish for inventive cooks. Your skill could be in high demand. You could trade grub-worm gumbo for personal security.

Now think about the Medicinal list. If you take a prescribed medicine, stocking some extra is a first-level priority. Maybe explain to your doctor that you’re building a “blackout” supply. Except for the ones caused by alcohol and pill consumption or medical issues, we don’t have blackouts down here in the lower south. We’d tell the doctor the extra prescription was for a hurricane “power outage.”

Time to talk about keeping one’s mouth shut. This is a required quality in serious survivalists. In a long-term worse-case situation, being an amateur, and thus a blabbermouth, can get you and yours dead. Practice keeping secrets. Don’t write that down.

Since, except for the metal roofing, I built a house once, I have carpentry experience.  For fun I build sheds and animal pens   To save myself personal aggravation and what little hearing I have left, I only work with hand tools. In what looks like a hardship, I have the advantage. When the power goes out, I won’t grieve over the loss of my tools or have to build up a different set of muscles.
   
My most-used tools are a Stanley 15-inch small-tooth saw, a WorkForce hammer, and a Stanley hammer. Didn’t cost much, but I’ve used them for years. If you take time to choose tools that fit you and please you, you’ll use them for years, too. If you don’t own any, I suggest you first purchase a handsaw, a hammer, pliers, and wire-cutters. Over time you’ll learn what else you need.
    
For you to get a handle on all the “I can’t do its” pouring into your mind right now, calmly think about yourself and your skills. What do you do now that could translate into back-to-the-land style living? Do you have a knack with indoor and patio plants? You’ll make a fine gardener. Do you visit or help care for your handicapped or elderly relatives? You’ll make a fine counselor and emergency nurse. Do you volunteer at the animal shelter? You’ll make a fine shepherd.
    
When you were in Scouts, did you learn to make a Dakota Hole for cooking and heating? … No? … A Dakota Hole is a hole dug in the ground with a vent dug off one end. Complete directions abound on the internet, but the gist is once you’ve dug a 2 x 2-foot-or-so hole, you lie on your stomach and dig a “cave” (I use a spoon) at and parallel to the bottom of the hole as far as you can reach. Then you get up and find where you think the cave (aka vent) ended underneath you and dig down to meet it, all the while pulling dirt out like a terrier.
     
Build a fire down in the pit. Use a grate over the hole for steaks, pots and pans. Or lower a covered Dutch oven onto and down into the coals, cover the oven with foil, then bury the whole shebang with dirt. You can fill the hole entirely if you’re so inclined. If you’re cold, pull your sleeping bag over the mound and take a nap. If you need a third reason to spend time digging a large hole, consider that the only enemies who might see the flames of your fire will be flying overhead.

In a worse-case scene with armed nuts shooting at everything, you do not want to give away your location. Liberal use of flashlights is for the early minutes after the crisis when you and your children are getting accustomed to the dark. And by the way, if you’ve hunkered down near the python-riddled Everglades, I suggest you use the lights to find a way out of there.

My store of matches, lighters, LED palm-size flashlights and solar flashlights is not large enough yet for my feelings, but week-by-week I work at it. One valuable find is a 7-inch solar-with-battery-backup flashlight. You can charge the solar part right there under the lamp you’re writing your list under. If you want one, see HybridLight.com or go get one for about $13 at Wal-Mart.

The Paper/Cloth category is of course where I list toilet paper. I intend to store enough for trading. Also in that soft-goods group are cheesecloth, bed coverings, tents, clothes/coats/rain gear, shoes, boots, socks, towels, tarps, and drop-cloths.  I go overboard on socks. If you do as I do and lay in more toilet paper and socks than you can use in a lifetime, after the apocalypse you will be a wealthy person.

Food/Water is a first-rate category card. I left it for last so it wouldn’t get lost in the crowd. I don’t think I have to explain why. This is the category where I spend the most time thinking, planning, and doing.  I can’t afford a case of MREs, but after dining on several after Hurricane Katrina, I surely would like to.

Dehydrating foodstuffs is easy, cheap and fun.  Carrots, onions, peppers, and yellow squash are good practice produce and put all together can make a nice soup.

My dehydrating technique is low tech. If it wasn’t so humid here, I’d use the even lower-tech sun. As it is, I turn my gas oven on as low as it will go, put the chopped carrots (I cook mine a little) on a cookie sheet and into the oven, prop the door open with a spoon, turn on the inside light and go away for several hours. When I remember, I go stir the carrots. They’re ready when they rattle when I shake the cookie sheet. Three pounds of raw carrots make about a half cup of dried ones.

By reading this far, I imagine you’ve picked up on the state of my budget. Knowing a fixed-income person is building a store for harder times should be the best kind of news for you. If I can do it, you certainly can.

If you aren’t preparing now, but are encouraged to begin, here are starter suggestions I wrote for my grown son (who will make a weird face and ignore them).

Every payday, buy a small silver coin. Save it. (Pawn shops usually have them.)

Every payday buy an extra can of food you like. Save it.

Every payday buy an extra of something you need often or wouldn’t want to do without. Save it.

If you don’t cheat, in one year (with twice-a-month paydays) you will have 72 survival items stashed in the armoire you bought for storing your survival goods.

If you live on the 16th floor of an apartment building, you might want to store most of your things in the trunk of your always-half-full-of-gas vehicle or with your beloved non-snoopy country grandmother.  If you don’t have a car or a nice grandmother, consider renting an out-in-the-boonies storage unit.

The best-case apocalyptic scene for a car-less city-dweller will be that a day before things fall apart forever, you rent a vehicle with a trailer attached, drive to your rental unit, load your supplies and head where, very, very early on, you planned to go.

One caution here:  survival preparation can become an obsession. Obsessions make you blind. Obsessions remove people from your life. Obsessions make you talk too much.

So go at preparation gently. You have time.

"Food and energy are the two keystones of any community economy anywhere on earth.   If we produce and distribute food and energy locally, we have the food, the energy and the money.   We establish the capacity to create and retain wealth in our community.   We put in place the two foundations of any human economy."  -David Yarrow.

More and easier food and energy production immediately raise standards of living. Less time worrying about essentials, leaves more time to do everything else.  Do not overlook this simple truth in preparedness and future planning. 

Top Lit Up Draft (TLUD) stove technology has many virtues: 

• Less fuel required, less time spent gathering fuel
• Works with small fuels, brush, twigs, bark, husks, hulls, cobs, cones, even stemmy grasses.
• Little or no fire-tending necessary after lighting
• Smoke free operation when done with skill
• Easily controlled, reduced risk of spreading fire
• Easy and reliable concealment of smoke and light during combustion (used in WWII resistance movement)

MAKES CHARCOAL 

Stove made charcoal has many uses:
 

• Medicine, anti-diarrheal, poison control, burns poultice
• Liquids filtration 
• Low power explosives since the 9th century
• Long term soils improvement  
• NOT typically suitable for gas phase filtration  

The invention of Top Lit Up Draft heating and cooking appliances goes back at least to the WWII resistance movement, possibly much farther back.  Resistance fighters "burned smoke", a two stage combustion process, to conceal position while making heat.  The gas flare could be left open for visible light, or easily concealed with a shroud. Proper design of a shroud increases water boiling performance for a pot nestled into the shroud.  The trick to "burning smoke" is counterintuitive for experienced fire builders. Combustibles are loosely piled into a can with open air holes in the bottom, then

LIT ON TOP

Lighting on top creates an upward draft of warmed air, that pulls fresh air up through the pile to the flame front, technically termed a "pyrolysis" zone.   

The difference is similar to burning off a field of dry grass with the wind, or against the wind. A regular campfire burns "with the wind", a pyrolysis system burns "into the wind", a more easily controlled combustion process. 

The simplest example is an open can without a lid. 

• Punch a few small holes in the bottom  
• Loosely fill the can about 3/4 full of combustibles (small, dry paper wads for testing)  
• Outdoors, on a still day, light it on top  
• Observe how it makes smoke, and the smoke catches fire as it escapes the top rim of the can   

A lot of smoke will probably escape unburned during this test. If it eventually "goes to smoke", all smoke no flame, quickly try lighting the smoke. Note how easily the smoke ignites.  It may progress into a clean burn, or a smoky mess. 

The next advancement is concentrating the smoke and introducing the second shot of fresh air below the point of concentration.

• Make a cap lid with a central hole about 1/4 the diameter of the can  
• A slightly oversized lid with a deep downturned collar works best  
• Make the hole by "pizza slicing" and folding the resulting tabs alternately upward and downward is fast with a pocket knife, and forward looking, but leaves sharp edges  
• Just below the top rim of the can, punch an odd numbered ring of holes, evenly spaced, with a total face area about twice the total face area of the holes in the bottom  
• be sure air can move freely through all holes  
• Light the pile on top  
• As the pile begins burning well, cap the can with the oversized lid   

You should see a ring of flares coming up through the concentrator hole, almost like a burner. The number of flares likely corresponds to the upper air intake holes and/or tabs.  If it goes to smoke, light the smoke.  The flare becomes more durable as the process continues, then fades near the end of the run.  When the flame disappears, the process has entered char burning mode. With enough oxygen, char burns to ash, emitting elevated levels of poisonous carbon monoxide in the process.  Stainless steel drink mugs, thermos bottles, and serving pots are a great way to experiment. 

With a little experience you will learn to tailor custom designs to balance heat output to runtime. You can also scale up or down to a size that suits the mission.    I carry a TLUD made from a small tapered thermos in my bugout bag.  While I have not tried any of the commercial units, I already know from design experience that what I have made suits me better than what I can buy. I can taper the flame from yellow to blue, use it as a light, conceal the light, and even snuff it at mid-process for long lasting catalytic style heat. 

CHARCOAL
Ancient charcoal makers, known as colliers, held guild status in their communities.  Upconverting wood was a combination of art and science, tuned by years of practical experience.  When using TLUD stoves, rather than burning charcoal which can generate dangerous levels of carbon monoxide (read the warnings on a bag of charcoal), it is best to save charcoal for uses outlined above.  To save charcoal, at the end of the run, using tools or gloves to protect from hot surfaces:  

• Remove the run time cap and replace with a solid cap, preferably one that tightly seals the upper air holes 
• Set the can on solid ground to block the holes in the bottom   

After sealing, the volatiles continue to "cook" from wood pores, until all oxygen in the can is consumed. This final conditioning opens up pores, elevating the charcoal into a more activated state. A nice low heat is produced during the process.  After cooling, the charcoal is poured into a second metal container and tightly sealed.   

A very common mistake of charcoal making newbies is believing that charcoal has cooled enough to pour into a plastic container.  If you wish to try plastic, try it outdoors, far away from anything that can ignite. Later, you will likely come back to a small ring of plastic goo.  Charcoal is highly reactive in certain states. It is an essential component of black powder.  TLUD char generally has different characteristics than retort char.  Technically TLUD char making is an oxic rather than an anoxic process.   In practice that means retort char generally retains more weight from the original biomass by holding more volatiles inside the pores.  That makes retort char generally better for cooking and selling by the pound.  Oxic char making is more prone to releasing the volatile elements, creating a lower weight per volume product with higher adsorption capabilities.  In practice that generally makes TLUD char better for filtration and as an emergency substitute for activated carbon.   The original feedstock and process temperatures also affect the adsorption properties of the finished char.

Google the works of Dr. Hugh McLaughlin for in depth discussion of the technical aspects.  The variations in some cases are quite significant.   A report published by Professor Kaneyuki Nakane from the University of Hiroshima reported that bamboo char had seven times the water holding capacity of hardwood char made for cooking. That is a very important characteristic when adding charcoal to soils for drought resistance when growing crops on rooftop gardens.  This author can vouch for the fact that crushed bamboo also works great for fuel, in a specially adapted TLUD. 

MICRO-GASIFICATION
Next steps toward micro-gasification, creating combustible vapor from biomass, include adding chimneys, insulation, dampers, fan power and alternate materials.  

• Chimneys add draft to make air flow more reliable. An inside chimney diameter slightly greater than twice the concentrator hole diameter is magical. Chimney heights up to 20x concentrator hole diameter add draft. Taller chimneys begin to negatively impact draft.   
• Insulation or shrouds maintain a high process temperature and ideally pre-heat the second shot of oxygen to reduce accidental "quenching" of the flare with cold air.  
• Dampers rationing air to the top and/or bottom of the process, allow fine user adjustments during runtime. Dampers are also a huge convenience for shutdown.  
• Fan power can further simplify control. Requires fans and power.  
• Stoves can be made from pottery clay, bricks, 55 gallon drums, dug into a hillside, etc.   

The learning odyssey has practical forward applications. Skilled practitioners use these basic gasification concepts to create gas to power internal combustion engines.  Woodgas is simple, once you understand it.  Understanding the basics first, saves a lot of experimenting on bigger projects. 

BIOCHAR
Charcoal created from biomass, applied in the root zone, has improved crops production on many soil types.  A new term "biochar" was coined in 2007 as researchers study the effect.    Earlier crops, greater production, and enhanced drought resistance are nearly universal effects reported from TLUD char.  Improving downstream water quality, sequestering atmospheric carbon, and purifying soils prior to medicinal herb plantings are more ethereal use cases that make sense considering the physical properties of charcoal.  In my experience, and by many reports, very little TLUD charcoal is required to create a noticeable response in plant growth and crops improvement.  A handful under a fruit or nut tree planting, or a light sprinkling under mulch that the worms will work into the root zone of plants does wonders.  Feeding small quantities of char to poultry was studied at the University of Georgia with reports of better bird health and higher quality fertilizer droppings with less odor. 

ECON 101
Assured energy, food, and medicine at the most local scale possible is not only practical in short-term survival situations, it is 21st century thinking with deep historical roots that holds promise of great days ahead.  My favorite woodgas engine builder, Wayne Keith, is fond of saying "With woodgas, the buck stops here, in my pocket". Wealth creation cannot be much more local than that.  Plentiful food and energy are essential to a high standard of living. TLUD technology is more than a passing fad in stoves making, it is a key to long term better living at the smallest practical scale.  More info is available at resiliencemovement.com on the energy tab, including pictures and links.

Mr. Rawles,
Regarding the letter, Food Storage in the Southern United States by Gary S.,, 
in Florida, from May until October, the heat is merciless, making food storage difficult. Some items, like powdered milk, barely last the summer without electrical cooling. Most folks turn their A/C up or off during the day when they are away from home or pay a very high electric bill. .With the droughts of the past few years, even heavily canopied forest home sites can be too hot. Power outages from wildfires, hurricanes, storms, tornadoes,  or heat waves can cause loss of air conditioning for days or weeks, greatly reducing the storage life of foods.

It seems to me that the best place to store food would be in a fallout shelter, which had better be a cool dry place or it won't be livable for very long. Nuclear warfare may come to the CONUS unexpectedly, like Pearl Harbor, the WTC and Pentagon attacks, or like a thief in the night, from a multitude of enemies. This is pretty evident in the lectures, interviews, and books of Joel Skousen and others, In his book Nuclear War Survival Skills, Cresson H. Kearny, advocated dual use buildings, with one being for a fallout shelter, and the other could certainly be for cool storage. A cool storage building is a lot better explanation to family and friends than a fallout shelter is, just as long as it meets the fallout shelter specifications. We can put some kind of a green energy spin on this, like calling it a planet saving earth cooled utility building, the bureaucrats will love that, and think of all the carbon fuel that will be saved.

With the high water tables, above ground structures seem to be the way to go for cool storage independent of electricity, using thermal mass to keep things cool. However, moving thermal mass is backbreaking work, Below is a list of structures that is by no means complete, but should provide the reader with a starting point. On all of these structures, you will want the entrance facing away from the sun. I would like to hear from other readers who have addressed this issue.

1) Steel drum bunker - I saw one of these at the Patriot's Point museum in Charleston, South Carolina, at the Vietnam Support Base. It is an ammo bunker from the Vietnam War, which has a lot of thermal mass to it, consisting of standard 55 gal drums, which are 22.5 inches in diameter and 33.5 inches high, it is eight drums wide (15 ft)  by two drums high (67 inches), the interior is probably 11ft x 11ft and the roof used either Marsden Matting, Pierced Steel Plank (PSP) or aluminum AM-2 matting, along with about three layers of sandbags, dirt and sod. For root cellar purposes, the door area would have to be expanded out with drums, four on one side, two on the other, ended with two more for a ninety degree turn. This would require about 68 drums and a heavy duty door would be needed. They obviously had a lot of 55 gal drums to spare, lining the whole perimeter with them, for added protection. But, that was how they shipped fuel back then.

2) Hesco/Gabion bunker - A wire and cloth, earth filled structure. In overseas areas these days, there are a lot of hesco or gabions being used similarly, but the kits can be expensive.
Wiki page on HESCOs
Wiki page on Gabions
HESCO corporate page
Defencell corporate page

3) Nuclear War Survival Skills - Aboveground, Crib-Walled Shelter.  I would use treated wood in the South.

4) Low-Cost Multipurpose Mini-building Made With Earthbags

5) Emergency Sandbag Shelter

6) Large culvert pipe - I've seen these in both concrete and metal. Kind of like this one, only one end has a regular door and you berm up around the rest of it, Mini Blast & Fallout Shelter, By Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine (OISM).

7) FEMA above ground Permanent Fallout Shelter - concrete block and concrete construction, back filled with earth. There is also a design that has a building within a building, filled with dirt or gravel.

8) Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) Storm Shelter - the forms are filled with concrete after assembly and can be bermed for additional protection.

9) Thin shell concrete dome - an inflatable form is used to shape the concrete structure until it dries. See:
Monolithic Dome, EcoShell, and Basalt Roving Dome. These can be reinforced with rebar or basalt roving.

10) Thin shell concrete dome panel kit - kind of like an igloo, the panels are assembled to form the dome, and then the concreted is applied.
12’ DOME POD KITS FROM AMERICAN INGENUITY, Inc.
12' Dome Utility Pod Kit - Out Building - Storage Shed - Well House - AiDomes
They sell a strengthening kit, but you might also be able to use the basalt roving technique as well

Jim,
I just noticed while in COSTCO today that they have 6 gallon buckets of freeze dried food on offer. For $99, you get a one-month supply of 2100 calories a day, enough for one adult. I wonder how many people caught in the megastorm that hammered the East Coast recently had any food stored in, and how difficult it was for most folks to get provisions before the stores were stripped bare?  Just another reason to keep something one hand. For more variety, though, folks should really consider storing other stuff, as taught in your Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course. - S.J.

I laughed my way through the entertaining and informative (even for me – I had no theoretical knowledge of waxing skis whatsoever, just did “what the other kids did”) recent article on the “exotic Norwegian” cross country skis. So I thought that maybe a couple of other Norwegian experiences might be of interest to survivalblog-readers:

Having lived the first 30 years of my life in Norway and had ample experience with both skiing and offgrid living as a part of everyday life, I have some personal tips on not just surviving offgrid, but actually having a good time even though:
(Before I go on about offgrid living: Nowadays most cabins (“hytter”) in Norway have electricity and outdoors electrically heated bathtubs, but my tips are from a time without electricity and tap water in the cabin.)

To get to our family cabin/Bugout Location (BOL) or “hytte” in winter one has to use skis some kilometers from the car parking (there is only car access in summer). This can, like mentioned in the ski-article last month, be compared to a bug-out situation, although without the psychological stress. The cabin was, by the way, a real life BOL during the occupation of Norway in the 1940ies when my grandma lived there all summer long with two children. There were mountain farms nearby so there was fresh milk available; drinking water had to be fetched in pails from the brook - and the family walked “cross mountain” for a whole day to get hold of the famous sweet and brown goat cheese that is for Norwegians almost like chocolate, for anybody else rather, ahem, challenging to eat… Blueberries and cranberries grew uphill, cloud berries in a bog below the cabin, and fish from the nearby mountain lake made life all in all worth living there.

 Anyway, to get there in winter one still has to carry personal things like clothes, toiletries and first aid essentials in a rucksack and to load a “pulk” or cargo sled with any children or pets, and with necessities like concentrated fruit syrup for juice, mashed,dried potatoes, spaghetti, powdered spaghetti sauce mix, dried onions, rolled oats, powdered or concentrated milk, instant coffee, tea, cocoa and some strong alcohol – just in case. The point is to assume you might be weather locked by snow storms and/or fog for days, and bring enough stuff for everybody (and of course enough pet food) to stay in the “hytte” without buying anything at all for at least two weeks. Nowadays I would include rice and lentils and dried or fresh carrots (assuming you have things like salt, sugar and spice already stored in your BOL). We used to joke about bringing instant water as well, but normally Norway in winter usually has enough clean snow, so that is ok for drinking when properly boiled (remember – at high altitudes water boils at lower temperatures, so I suggest to keep it at a rolling boil for at least five minutes to be sure to kill as many bugs as possible if your BOL is located substantially above sea level.) We melted the snow first in an enormous pot on the woodstove – this was good enough for washing up and so on – but drinking water got properly boiled in a tea kettle.

A word about the weather: There has been cases of otherwise weather-experienced Norwegians dying in a blizzard ten meters from their own cabin because they went to the “outhouse” in a snow storm without a guiding rope and never found the way back. I once experienced fog so thick it literally squeezed into the cabin when doors or windows were opened – in this kind of fog one also better either stays put or uses a rope for any movement outside the cabin. Fog has the strange effect of making distances seem totally different than usual, so even if you are doubly sure of your way, please don´t take any unnecessary risks .
So, a typical arrival at the cabin would be: first of all, get the fire going, then collect snow for melting, then bring in enough wood from under the shed to dry inside, then cook while storing provisions away.

One woodstove in the kitchen running day and night and one fireplace (only burning when guarded) in the living room kept the cabin warm and dry, and since one bedroom was an open “halfloft” under the main room ceiling, just to be reached by a ladder, and the other bedroom opened to the kitchen, both rooms were cozy and warm in almost no time.

Now we come to the part on “good life”: Since this generally was a freely chosen situation, the real challenge was staying entertained if skiing was impossible because of extreme weather. The jobs of cooking, fetching snow, tending the fire, hacking wood, cleaning and shuffling snow to keep walkways free were divided, and then the job was just to keep oneself and everybody else entertained. So, here my tips for staying sane when a group of people are cooped up for some time in one or two rooms: You can never have enough board games, card games, jig saw puzzles and old magazines! Books like fairytale collections, old crime novels (like Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers where there always is some kind of happy end), the Chronicles of Narnia books, the Perelandra Trilogy and, for a good morale booster, “The Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis are maybe even useful as read- aloud-material for almost all ages; throw in books on the flora and fauna of the area and an old encyclopedia that take up too much space at home and you have saved everybody´s sanity. A map of the area, (preferably one of the many extra ones you already have in store) and a compass can be used to teach children “how to” in the middle of a storm since the compass works anyway.  Don´t forget knitting wool, fabric and needles  for “grown up” projects – I once read that a female south pole explorer unraveled and re-knitted her own and her team members´ sweaters to avoid going crazy when they were snowed in for weeks.

For kids: a small knife for carving stuff out of wood rests can keep the older ones entertained for hours while they learn useful things; and crayons, paper, scissors, fabric and wool rests guarantee that younger kids can stay entertained while making boats, cars, (paper-) dolls and doll clothes.( A sailboat my father made from wood rests as a child one summer, complete with hand sewn sail and tin foil keel, still decorates the cabin wall). Some Lego or other building toys or some toy farm or zoo animals, maybe made out of fabric or wood rests there and then, can keep kids happy for days. Musical instruments can be fun for kids but might drive everybody else crazy, so they are best used in a closed bedroom. Having your kids happy instead of bored makes an enormous difference in a cramped area! A hand crank charger for mobile phones and USB is a great help to keep games electronics going… Please remember to pack all essential part: After we got electricity in our cabin my husband and I ended up taking our son and his friend for a day trip to the nearest town to hunt for a missing Playstation connection. After a whole day of searching the bigger town shops we found the missing part in the end in a drawer with odds and ends in the local tourist trap shop, and the boys were happy for the rest of the holidays. This taught us to make sure that ALL parts for such things are along, and that kids, even if they feel like they can´t live without something – still can forget to pack essential parts! (And by the way, they also went outside swimming in a nearby mountain brook for hours on end!)

Building snow lamps outdoors for a party evening is by the way a delightful job for children: with some snowballs you build a mini tipi or igloo with an air hole on top, put a burning tea light inside and enjoy the sight in the evening!  Another fun winter game for “staying around the cabin” is a bottle racing track: fill a straight glass or plastic bottle (without paper) with snow and make a racing track in a snow heap for it, complete with tunnels and open parts. Try to make the track long and complicated without stopping the bottle in it´s tracks.

Back to offgrid living: A dart game on one wall can keep everybody entertained for hours, and can give the need for movement a fun outlet if the blizzard shakes your cabin. A propos of blizzard: have your tool shed connected with an inner door to your cabin/ living area – it might happen that you are so snowed in you just get out through a window with the help of a snow shovel.  For very extreme weather, it is a good idea to have a high up window big enough to crawl out through if the snow is above your ground floor windows!  And keep your pet on a leash if you have tons of snow – then you can pull it out of deep, loose snow if necessary! As far as I know there are snow shoes available for dogs as well, and anyway you should have leather snow socks along for your pet since some kinds of hard snow otherwise can scratch paws bloody in little time. Making these would be a good project for a weather locked day.

Things to store in your BOL BEFORE winter or WTSHTF : firewood enough to last all winter, batteries, flash lights, jams, heavy cans of stuff your family likes to eat; all food of course stored in your earth cellar (with access through the kitchen floor!) Assume that mice will keep your house company while you are away, so plan accordingly with packing sugar, oats, tea etc. in glass or metal containers. Forget plastic containers – mice have no problem eating plastic that smells of food – I have dolls with grisly looking mice-eaten lips to prove that. It is also a very good idea to hang all your bedding from sturdy wood cross beams under the ceiling – anything else invites mice to use the nice, soft, warm, fluffy stuff humans have provided for them.

Another important thing to store: woolly house shoes for everybody and to spare! Wet, muddy or snowy boots need their own place for slow drying by the entrance door and have no business whatsoever in the living area. And when you leave the cabin: ALLWAYS store any rubber/ rain boots you leave in your BOL upside down – a hungry but dead mouse that was unable to climb the steep rubber walls out again is NOT NICE to discover in your boots and really sad for the mouse...  The same counts for tea kettles, water buckets and other stuff a mouse cannot climb out of. Speaking of rodents: In Norway we have the original Vikings: the lemmings. These fearless mini-fighters (here are some examples – reminds me of Monty Python´s “come here and I´ll bite you to death”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8zVo8IkMQs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNW3B-lAodQ )

They usually stay out of human habitations, but they can fall into cisterns and pollute surface water sources. What they don´t like is if you throw graywater, especially hot water where they live, (and they will let you know by cursing your carelessness in loud lemming language if you transgress), so please take care that you throw used water in the same place if possible, so you and the lemmings can stay out of each other´s way.

If you are stuck for longer in your BOL in winter weather – and vegetables are getting low – remember you can eat the shoots of pines and juniper – and these shoots are full of vitamin c – make best use of the vitamin content by eating them fresh. For medical help: Blue juniper berries are a good medicine against bladder infection : steep (maximum) three berries in a cup of hot water for ten minutes or longer for a disinfecting and healing tea, repeat three times daily until well. The blue berries are best since they are ripe – leave the green ones on the bush. For a disinfectant wash you can steep juniper needles or berries in water, for disinfecting the air in your BOL let some juniper needles smoke on the top of your wood stove.

Assuming you are staying for longer in your cold weather BOL: Take care to have a book on plants that grow around your BOL and their medical uses available: A  certain fungus that grows on birch trees is called “kreftkjuke” in Norwegian; “Chaga” in Russian and has traditionally been used as a medicine against cancer as the Norwegian name also shows. If you search for “Chaga mushroom” on the net you will see that it looks very different from a nice, healthy mushroom, but if you find it (and you are sure you have found the right mushroom) you obviously have a fantastic medicine at your disposal! Check the net for “how to” – I have no personal experience and can give no specific advice other than: don´t take all you find, and get the help of a local expert if you can, to learn to find and recognize Chaga.

Oh yes, I almost forgot: take some nylon hose along – the sock part protects against blisters if you wear them under your woolen socks.  Re. skiing: as a child I had to use skis to get to my friends´ homes, so based on that I recommend: ALWAYS put reflective “dangles” or bands on your kid´s clothes in case they ski on or near roads. Children don´t understand the concept that a car driver cannot see what they see themselves. Emergency rockets or walkie talkies for older kids (if reliable) is also definitely a good idea.  Always wear double mittens: a pair of wool mittens underneath and then a thin pair of (woven fabric) wind protection mittens over that to stave off wind chill and save fingers. A kid having fun in the snow can forget tingling fingers a little too long… The same goes for dressing for winter weather generally: silk or wool underneath, more wool and then wind protection on top.
And in the end, a short lesson in world politics and a really fun game in the snow is “King of the Hill”: A gang of children try, like in musical chairs, to be the one that manages to stay on top of a snow heap while the others try to take it´s place.  After having played this with other kids in a situation where one doesn´t get hurt falling off the “peak” a child has learnt to see through this as the childish game it is. Wouldn´t it be nice if some people in power had had the same lesson?

In the past year, prepping has gone from an interesting concept to a way of life for us. There are countless resources for information, products and equipment available to the person who has an open calendar and a bottomless bank account. Unfortunately for the rest of us, even if we can carve out enough time to fully devote ourselves to prepping, we tend to find a large portion of supplies to be out of the realm of our current budget. And, with the economy in crisis, it doesn’t seem probable that the budget will be increasing anytime soon. In our case, money seems to be even tighter since I am not paid hourly and my husband is retired. We don’t have the option of getting overtime or holiday pay. It can be a daunting task to come up with ways to keep gathering preps when there is no extra cash on hand.

Jonathan Swift wrote: “Necessity is the mother of invention.” I believe that was never truer than for a cash poor individual/couple/family/group who is dedicated to preparing for disaster and protecting their loved ones. That being said, our household’s answer to this dilemma is Do-It-Yourself (DIY) prepping. When you commit to taking a step back and looking at what you already have with a new perspective, you will certainly be surprised at the resources you possess. The challenge is transforming those things into valuable prepping materials. This article will cover just a few of the endless possibilities for you to begin your end day preparations even during financial strain.

“Learn on how little man may live, and how small a portion nature requires.” – Lucanus (St. Luke)

First, I would like to cover household products that almost everyone has already, and uses that you may be unaware of that could come in handy during a disaster scenario.

From the kitchen: (uses other than the obvious one of cooking)
Baking soda: absorbs radiation and heavy metals, can be used as toothpaste, deodorant and hand cleaner, relieves insect bites and bee stings, is useful for washing dishes, cleans clothes, cleans batteries, cleans fruits and veggies, treats colds, flu and heartburn, soothes sunburn.

Honey: can be used as moisturizer and antiseptic, boosts energy, enhances vitamin A, improves blood flow, treats sore throats, coughs and burns, removes parasites when mixed with vinegar, relaxes nerves, heals diabetic ulcers, eases arthritis pain (see: cinnamon). Honey contains large amounts of vitamins and iron which help strengthen the immune system. The natural properties of honey make this one of the only foods that will never spoil! If at all possible, stock up on locally grown, organic varieties. This tends to alleviate allergies and increase potency when used as a health remedy.

Apple Cider Vinegar: ACV is rich in potassium, acetic acid, ash, and malic acid. These minerals are vital to our bodies for muscle growth, nerve impulse transmission, blood sugar regulation, maintaining proper PH levels and supporting the immune system with anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. ACV also has been found to regulate blood pressure, reduce bad cholesterol, improve bowel function, heal yeast infections, reduce sinus infections, and protect against food poisoning.

Cinnamon: eases arthritis pain when mixed with honey and water (Mix one part honey to two parts lukewarm water and one teaspoon of cinnamon to form a paste. Massage gently into painful areas.) Helps cures bladder infections when mixed in a glass of water with a teaspoon of honey. This has also been found to relieve indigestion, gas and upset stomach. A cinnamon/honey mixture also aids in regulating blood sugar levels and can help with weight loss.

Shortening: Push a wick or even a piece of string into a tub of shortening and light the end. This will provide you with an astounding 45 days of light and warmth! When faced with having to travel long distances on foot, shortening can be used as a foot cream to prevent painful cracks and splits in overworked heels and toes.

Food Preservation:
Some of us have not yet mastered the art of canning to preserve foods. (I’m working on that one.) Thank goodness there are few simple ways to keep fresh stock on hand of foods that you may not expect can be stored for extended periods of time.

Eggs: Perhaps you are not zoned for chickens on your property. Unfortunately, it seems as though fresh eggs will not a feasible part of your available food stash after an apocalyptic event. Thankfully, that would be an incorrect assumption. There a couple of different methods for preserving eggs for a period of months to years. The quickest and simplest way is to rub each egg with a liberal coating of warmed mineral oil. They can also be rubbed with salted butter and nestled into a layer of salt, bran or dry oats. Yet another trick is to dip the eggs in paraffin. With all methods, it is crucial that you begin with fresh eggs! Purchasing from a regular grocery store is always a crap shoot since you have no idea how long the eggs have been in the delivery trucks or sitting on the shelf. It is highly recommended that you buy from a friend who has chickens, or possibly a local chicken farm or farmer’s market. It is also important to store the eggs small side down in a cool (not freezing), dry environment. Keep in a covered container. Eggs can be stacked as long as they are not touching one another. When stacking, provide a barrier between layers. Remember to flip the eggs once a month to preserve the integrity of the yolks.

Cheese: Hard cheeses can be preserved for up to twenty five years when coated with cheese wax. Dip into the wax several times, apply your label and then brush one final thin layer of wax over the cheese. (Do not use paraffin. Black or red cheese wax is recommended because it lets in the least amount of light. This can be purchased at specialty stores, health food stores or over the internet.)

Household “trash”:
Empty toilet paper rolls: Insert a wick an fill with melted wax for lightweight emergency candles. The rolls can also be used as yet another form of kindling for starting fires (see below for more fire starter info). Flatten and wrap with duct tape or string for a makeshift knife sheath, neatly organize rope or para-cord, use as “planters” for starting seedlings.

Old clothing: Everyone has a corner of the closet or dresser that holds clothing too stained or torn to be donated to charity. We tell ourselves we are saving them for rags, but the rag bag is overflowing already. What can be done with old T-shirts, socks and other cotton materials? Tear into strips and store as back up first aid! Eventually, depending on the length of time it takes to re-stock in an emergency situation, you may run out of gauze. These scraps can be used as bandages, tourniquets, washcloths, or face masks for filtering dust. In a pinch, large scraps can be sewn together to create blankets or coverings for extra warmth and shelter. Stuff a handful into the corner of your bug out bag to mark a trail or alert group members of your location if you end up traveling on foot.

Dryer lint: “Wait..what? Lint??” Absolutely. Dryer lint is the core of one of the simplest DIY fire starters to make. Begin by collecting the lint from your dryer. Loosely fill the sections of a cardboard (NOT Styrofoam!) egg carton, and pour melted wax into each well. Once set, cut the tray into bricks. To use, place under a bit of kindling and light the cardboard corners. These will burn nicely for 10-15 minutes. Store in a plastic zipper bag. (Use up old candle remnants if you don’t have canning wax on hand) Another easy method for making fire starters is to fill a mason jar half way with leftover wine bottle corks. Finish filling the jar with rubbing alcohol and allow to soak. Position a couple of these underneath your kindling, and you will soon be enjoying a warm fire.

Hair clippings: If you are supplementing your food preps with a garden, consider using hair clipping in two different ways. First, add to the compost pile. Hair is high in nitrogen and excellent for enriching the soil. Second, sprinkling hair around the perimeter of the garden will discourage critters from raiding your vegetable patch.
Soap slivers: Don’t throw away those tiny slivers of bar soap. Keep them until you have a good handful collected. Tie inside a thin washcloth, knot into a pantyhose foot, or insert into a mesh bag/bath mitt for a sudsy, exfoliating tool. Alternatively, recycle by melting down the shards with a little olive oil in a coffee cup. Dip a shaving brush in the mixture and sweep onto face for use as a low cost shaving soap.

Makeshift weapons/alternative weaponry:
Although a large majority of preppers own traditional weapons for home defense purposes, there are still people who choose not to include guns/knives/etc. in their arsenal. In such a case, what would you do to defend yourself or your family in the event of a physical attack? Look around you. No matter where you are standing at any given moment, it is most likely that there are a number of items within close proximity that could be used in self-defense. Even from my office chair, I can spot several things that would certainly put a hurtin’ on an intruder.

• Mini souvenir baseball bat (striking/thrusting)
• Large TV remote control (striking)
• Scissors (stabbing/slicing)
• Sharp edged picture frame (jabbing/slicing)
• Old style glass soda bottle (striking while intact or cutting if broken)
• Metal edged measuring ruler (slicing/cutting)
• Steel toe boots (kicking vital areas/stomping/crushing)
• Flashlight (striking)
• Screwdriver (stabbing/using as a yawara)
• Fishing pole (whipping/slicing) and yes, I have a fishing pole in my office.

I also know a woman who used a traditional weapon in a non-traditional way when her home was breached by an intruder. As he attempted to climb through her bedroom window, she stabbed him in the shoulder with a crossbow bolt. His injuries were serious enough that he immediately fled and was soon picked up at a local hospital.

Of course, it would benefit everyone to learn the basics of self-defense and mental focus. Wielding a weapon of any kind will only get you in trouble if you don’t have the courage or know-how to use it when the time comes. Additionally, there may come a time that you are faced with an opponent with bad intentions, and you have nothing at all to use as defense. This is when it is important to be skilled in hand to hand combat. Don’t let that intimidate you! There are many ways to take down an attacker that can make even the most petite person effective. Check your local community listings. Self-defense classes are readily available in most areas without significant monetary investment. This can also be a great bonding time for a family or couple who chooses to attend together. Remember to practice what you learn outside of the classroom. Run drills; act out scenarios. Keep your skills sharp and stay alive!

Although this article has only touched on a fraction of the information available in each category, you now have the opportunity to use these tips as a catalyst for developing your own creative preps. You do not need to be wealthy or have a genius IQ. It is not important that you possess a thousand acres of woodland or millions of rounds of ammunition. In order to adequately prepare for your family’s protection and well-being, you simply need a good plan, some creativity and a willingness to learn. I encourage you to get started today.

(Note: These methods have all been tried/tested/utilized by either me, my family or friends who follow a preparedness lifestyle.)

I have tried to think about things that you may not have thought of, in regards to The End of the World as We Know It (TEOTWAWKI.) And maybe not just fresh ideas for readers, but even for those that write about these things. And, it's possible that you may even think that I am going waaaay out there to bring you fresh ideas. But I'm not. I bet you haven't thought of how silly and secret addictions can really hurt you. Have you? While the effects of hard drugs, even seemingly minor alcoholism, have their own withdrawal symptoms that are easy to point at and identify. It's the ones that you haven't thought of that may be your undoing. Let me share a story.

Last week, I traveled by commercial airliner for some on behalf of NASA. My flight left at 6:08 am. So, I didn't really have time to fix a pot of coffee. I figured I would grab a cup when I got the the airport and enjoyed a fabulous $10 re-warmed biscuit. And, verily, that's exactly what I did. I enjoyed said biscuit with a small coffee, then boarded the flight from Huntsville to Houston.

Knowing that this would be a long day, judging by post experience on United, I drifted off to sleep on the flight. When I woke up, I found out that we had been diverted to Alexandria, Louisiana due to fog. We sat on the plane an hour, then deplaned into this tiny executive airport. Alas, it has no restaurants and only one kiosk that sold bottle drinks. Since 7 other planes arrived before me, the kiosk was drained. No big deal. After all, I have sworn off soft drinks in an attempt to lose weight.

Boarded, once again, and we finally made the flight to Houston.

That's where it began.

I had a splitting headache. I was sick to my stomach. I had ZERO energy. When I called my wife, she immediately could tell something was wrong. I could barely speak, I was trying to figure out what I needed to do to make it to Salt Lake City with all the delays. But I couldn't think. At all. My brain simply wouldn't work. I told her I didn't know what it was and that I felt I was dying. Being ever so intuitive to her loving spoonful, she knew what had happened. I had 1 cup of coffee. All day.

Sounds stupid, doesn't it? Because I had only 1 cup of Java that day, I couldn't mentally function. And this isn't the product of just a long day. It's happened over. And over. And over.

In fact, I can't start my day without having a pot of coffee. Not because I am spoiled, but because I can't mentally function. See, my every morning revolves around dressing my kids, packing snacks and diaper bags, and getting them to school. There have been days that I have gotten to work and had to seriously think about if I actually took them.

Laugh now. But consider. Are you in the same boat? Do you have a long term tradition of stopping at Starbucks? Do you have to have a pot of coffee at your desk while you read the news, before you start your work day? Do you have to have that Mountain Dew at 2 pm? How about that Redbull or 5 Hour Energy Drink?

You do. Don't you? Don't lie to yourself. It's ok.

And if you don't? Do we dare go down that path? Well, I've already told you about my inability to function. As a NASA engineer, I recognize many of the stereotypes in myself, and one of those is the need to "mainline" caffeine directly into my blood stream. And if I don't....I cannot function.

Okay. So, I think we have beaten that dead horse enough.

What does this mean for our survival? Do you realize just how dangerous this is to your TEOTWAWKI plan? We have had many talks about being on top of your mental game. Having a plan and enacting it, having thought of solutions to conceivable future issues. Making. Critical. Decisions. At. Critical. Times.  This takes clarity of thought. And if you don't have this, you have a problem.

I couldn't wrap my mind around how to change a flight to make it to my destination. How would I ever be able to make a split second decision on how to save my and my families life? I wouldn't. That doesn't even get into the physical ailment I felt. I am willing to bet that I would have been throwing up had I not downed a 34 ounce Dr. Pepper.

Now, I am much better off with my coffee consumption that I have been at other times in my life. I drink about 10 fluid cups a day. That's the only caffeine in which I partake. Let's look at some facts.

According to CoffeeFAQ, a standard 8oz coffee has UP TO 200 mg, but usually around 110mg.
According to Mountain Dew, a standard 12 oz can has 55 mg
According to 5 Hour Energy Drink, a standard shot has 208 mg
According to Red Bull, a standard 8.4oz can has 50 mg

So, while many people may laugh at the amount of coffee I drink, many of those drink multiple 20 oz bottles of Mountain Dew everyday. Or multiple Redbull. According to this, I consume a gram of caffeine a day. A GRAM!

Where do you fit? Have you ever gone without? If so, what were your experiences? I honestly would like to know.

What this past weekend showed me was that I have a severe addiction to coffee which can completely inhibit my physical and mental cohesiveness. It is something that I MUST consider in my survival plan. But, I will be honest. I enjoy coffee, so weaning myself off of it is improbable. So, what's my solution? Well, it's silly and simple.

I had been thinking about this topic and just how dangerous it really is, for something as stupid as a daily habit. I mean, honestly, I don't rank my addiction up there with heroine...and yet, I can now identify what Kurt Cobain must have felt (though I identify that I didn't have Courtney Love to deal with). When I got to my hotel that evening, the first thing I saw was the prepackaged Coffee on the sink. I thought to myself....hey. That's at least a Band-Aid solution. After all, in TEOTWAWKI, our plan all along is that we will have scavenge at least some. But until it's safe, just a few packets of prepackaged brown goodness would get me by. So, I snagged it. And now it's in the pack.

While this may sound stupid and you may not even believe me, others have considered it. In the "Outlanders" series of books by James Axler, coffee is a regular staple of commodities that are held in high regard in the Post-Apocalypse. In "Pitch Black", Cole Hauser's character Johns, has an addiction that is never specified, yet it renders him physically and mentally incompetent after their space ship crashes on a hostile planet.

So you don't care about media? Consider this: Coffee is a staple in military Meals Ready to Eat (MREs). Why? Maybe not for addicted souls like me, but certainly for some of the reasons that I am addicted to it. It's a stimulant. It keeps you alert. It's comforting.

The fact is, the TEOTWAWKI is a scary and harsh place where survival is already walking a razor thin edge. Just to survive and prosper, you already will require a great amount of luck, not to mention the planning and sharper-than-razor mental capacity to make even the smallest decisions that mean life or death. You cannot have anything keep you from making the right call at the right time. Loosing your mental capacity over something stupid, such as missing a days worth of coffee, is a silly way to go out.

And, again, we aren't even considering the more serious addictions that you may have. Doing a quick search, I learned that 30% of Americans have a drinking problem. That sound about right to you? It does to me. The effects of alcohol withdrawals are just as dire, and even more so. I have seen it first hand. So, 1 out of every 3 of you that read this now know that your alcohol addiction should be something to consider.

I'm not telling you that you must kill off your secret addictions. It's not my place. And, considering how unlikely an earth-shattering TEOTWAWKI would be, it's probably not worth quitting. Shoot, I know I can't quit coffee. But, it's certainly worth planning for, even if it means raiding the hotel's freebee coffee stash.

Jim,
I have been building a library of preparedness-related documents to store on a DVD data disc. In my search for cooking recipes, I found this web site: U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps School: Food Service Publications & Links

The page contains a link to a ZIP archive of recipes use by the Army -- about 100 MB of indexed recipes of all types.

A direct link to the ZIP file is here.

Watch 'Yer Top Knot and Keep Your Powder Dry, - The Wyoming Geezer

As Seen on TV – My Humble Beginnings
I admit I've watched just about every episode out there from all of the popular survival shows – Survivorman, Beyond Survival, Man vs. Wild, Dual Survival, Man Woman Wild, and yes, even Worst Case Scenario with Bear Gryllis . I ate it all up. Those shows got me hooked on wilderness survival. My Christmas and birthday lists went from a focus on video games and computer upgrades to things like paracord, solar blankets, magnesium fire starters, etc. I also got a few great books that gave me vast amounts of knowledge. Everything I stocked up on I saw as something to use should the power go out, the car break down, etc. This is all before the term prepper went mainstream. I didn't consider myself a 'prepper' at this point – just someone who prepared for a few emergency scenarios. Then I saw the first season of The Colony. That got me thinking about home security and stocking food. There was nothing romantic about The Colony like there was with the other shows. I quickly realized my problem – I didn't live in or near the wilderness. I have always been, and will most likely always be, a suburbanite. I had my wife watch the episodes with me so we could talk about what we would do. How would we fare in that situation? Unfortunately, that's all it was at that point – just talk, no action.

My Reality Check – Survival School
For my birthday, my wife registered me and my brother for a wilderness survival school in Florida (http://www.byronkernssurvival.com). I had an absolute blast there and realized something very important. Seeing how to do things on television is no comparison to doing it in real life! I know – common sense right? Before the class, I was completely confident that I could make a friction fire or snare some dinner if I had to. Not only did I learn many important basics in the school, but I also got a lot of hands-on experience on making a knee-high fire in no time, building a proper debris shelter, as well as a plethora of other life-saving skills. I would highly suggest all of you out there to get registered for a course. Get your hands dirty. Better yet, bring your spouse or your friends along. You don't want to be in a life-or-death situation to try something for the first time, especially something as important as making shelter or fire. Practice, practice, practice! If you look at some survival school schedules, you'll see that there are discounts many times or even free classes posted (http://www.survivalogic.com/2013/01/esee-offering-free-training-courses.html)!

Podcasts – Free Information on Just About Anything
Next to YouTube, you can find a podcast for just about anything – from investing, to gaming, to travel – even Prepping. If there was any podcast that got me into the whole 'prepper' movement, it was In The Rabbit Hole (http://www.intherabbithole.com/). I did try out some others, but for the most part, the hosts always seemed a little odd or too political for my tastes. These guys (Aaron and Jonathan) were my gateway to prepping – I quickly found many other sites (http://www.emsnewbie.com, http://americanpreppersnetwork.com/, etc) and people to follow, like Lisa Bedford (http://thesurvivalmom.com/), who often has free webinars. I give a lot of credit to these guys in getting me up to speed. This is about the time I started considering myself a 'prepper'. Some of their episodes that were eye-opening to me included being 'gray', home schooling, survival skills vs survival gear, situational awareness, bug out bags and every day carries…I could keep listing more and more. Every episode was filled with so much useful knowledge. They also have a great forum and unbiased gear reviews. If you're new to, or just plain interested in, prepping, I would start with these guys. You can download their episodes and listen to them whenever you like.

Don't let your quest for knowledge stop there. The Internet is full of free resources and advice. Get out there and search for other forums. Get involved. Ask questions. Find a group of preppers with the similar mindset you can share ideas with.

Food Storage & Gadgets on the Cheap
There's a very simple method called "copy canning" (http://www.survival.com/y2kpreparations.htm) for food storage that anyone can put in the practice right away. I believe I first heard about this on In The Rabbit Hole.It doesn't involve going overboard buying $5,000 worth of freeze dried food. Well, if you can afford to do that, more power to you! For the rest of us, this is a great, affordable method. The article has a lot of information, but here's the most simplistic way to look at it: Every time you go to the store and buy a can or box of food, buy an extra one (or more if you can afford it). That way you know you're buying what you already eat. When you get home, always put the newer items in the back. Then, eat the older stuff. A lot of people who stock up on food mistakenly stock up on foods they have never tried before. There's no point in buying 3-months of food that no one in the family will go near. With copy canning and the information in the article above, you can stock up on plenty of the things you already use. Even if you're not 'prepping' per-say, think of it as a hedge on inflation (as Aaron and Jonathan say). This method can be used for all of your consumables (toothpaste, feminine napkins, toilet paper, soap, etc).

Canned food? Check. I also knew I wanted to get a dehydrator so I could preserve foods and make things like jerky and fruit leathers. Just like anything, you'll always find the best deals online. I watched craigslist for a food dehydrator a month before I spotted a great deal. I paid $80 for an Excalibur 2900. It has 9 trays and comes with waxy paper for making things that would otherwise spill through (like fruit leathers, chilli, etc). It helped that I watched many, many videos from Dehydrate 2 Store (http://www.dehydrate2store.com/). She has the most helpful and comprehensive videos out there when it comes to dehydrating food. Quick Tip: You don't need to buy more wax paper inserts – I bought a pack of five silicone cutting board sheets and cut them to fit on the dehydration trays. They work like a charm and only cost about $6. So you don't have to pay full price – just be patient and watch the classifieds or Craigslist or eBay. That reminds me, I also found a guy on Craigslist that sells food-grade 55-gallon barrels for $10 each! I now have water storage taken care of as a result. It's all out there, you just have to look!

I recently bought a Foodsaver 3880 kit using a coupon and saved a ton of money on that as well. That in conjunction with my Excalibur makes an unstoppable food storage combination. Did you know the Foodsaver is also good for keeping important documents and electronics protected as well?

It was the food dehydrator that got my wife excited about storing food. It was such an awesome feeling when she came home from shopping and said she bought an extra crate of fruit for us to dehydrate for later. I never thought I would've seen the day. This came from someone who would roll her eyes when I talked about anything prepper-related. Now she regularly buys extra food and consumables from the store to stock up.

Keep in mind this is over a period of about a year and a half. I didn't just go out there and start buying things up right away. Don't prep yourself into debt!

Another quick tip – I have five 1-gallon and ten 5-gallon food grade storage buckets, all of which I got for free. All I do is call my local Wal-Mart and ask to be transferred to the bakery department. I ask if they have any buckets they'd like to get rid of. These usually had icing in them for all the cakes. They cleaned them up and gave them to me for free. Your results may vary, but I've heard this working just about everywhere.

When It's Time to Have The Talk
No, we're not talking about the birds and the bees. We're talking about firearms. Some people are from families that are very open to guns, and some people aren't. Growing up, my family never had a gun in the house. My wife's parents absolutely object to the very thought of guns (thank you media). I always knew I wanted my own firearms. If you don't want anything to do with firearms, I respect your decision as well. You can skip this section.
I turned to people for advice asking how to convince the wife to let me buy some guns. Unfortunately, the most common response was "Just buy them, and she'll learn to live with it. Then you can just keep buying them." Yes, that does work surprisingly well for many people. That's not how I wanted to approach it.

My wife and I are members of a couple different ranges here and have been for a few years now. We'd rent the guns and just shoot for an hour or two. That's about it. Over a period of about three months or so, I would pick times to talk to my wife about the possibility of gun ownership, what it meant to us, and what the pros and cons were. She talked about what scared her most and I would tell her my thoughts. If I didn't have an answer to any of her questions, I would do some research and then tell her what I thought. It was quite a process, but I gained a lot of knowledge (and mutual respect) as a result.
It just so happens I got a gift card to Bass Pro Shop from the survival school I attended. When I asked her if I could use it to buy a Ruger 10/22, she simply said "yes." Had I asked the same question three months prior, I already know what the answer would've been. It would've been a flat out "No Way! No guns in the house!"

I've since gotten my concealed carry permit (again, a gift from my wife) as well as a concealed carry pistol. We still aren't exactly where I want to be yet, but we've taken great leaps forward. I know in the future, if I'm thinking about anything, firearm or anything else, I can talk to her about it. If we decide to purchase something or not, it'll be a mutual decision.
Note: By all means, if you have kids in the house, be sure to take them to an Eddie Eagle class if possible. Our gun range offers them free of charge every few weeks or so. If those aren't offered in your area, teach your kids the proper actions to take should they find a gun.

If any of you are in a situation where your spouse is unwilling to let you purchase a firearm, I urge you to talk things out. Don't Argue. Talk. Respect your spouse. Don't go behind his or her back – while it may be easier, it's not right.
A quick few tips:

• If you purchase a firearm for defense, get one that you can hit the target with. You don't need the highest caliber known to man. You're no good to yourself or your family if you can't hit someone trying to do you harm.
• Practice, practice, practice! Again, if you decide to have a firearm, you have a responsibility to know how to use it properly.
• Get a gun safe (or two) and keep it locked. Too many people are too lazy to lock their safes. Robbers count on this. Especially if you have kids, be sure to lock things up.

The Journey Continues
I've only been actually 'prepping' for about a year and a half now. I think I have food storage down for the most part. I have a way to hunt for food and protect my family. I even have some wilderness survival gear and training. My journey is far from complete, however. I still have things I want to work on, and ideas to talk through with the wife.

James,
I really learned a lot from the Cooking the Farmyard Fowl article by Irishfarmer.  My chicken flock is reaching an average of two years of age and they are laying fewer eggs.  It is time to learn how to put them into the stew pot.

I had two questions raised from that article.  How do you make a killing cone, and how do you kill and process a chicken?  I found good information at the following links:

How to Make a Killing Cone  It includes sizing information ranging from bantams to turkeys.  That page referred me to How to Kill and Process a Chicken

On another subject, I have been compiling information, such as the above, on all subjects of preparedness, by creating PDF files using the free openoffice.org Writer software, and storing the files onto 4GB SDHC cards, which are suitable for use in any basic Android OS type of e-reader device.  I select e-readers based on their ability to display files from SD cards and to be able to charge up from a 12VDC power source.  One such suitable device is the Pandigital Novel, which is now showing up on discount electronics web sites.  I believe that these e-readers and SD cards will be highly useful for both survival and barter in the post SHTF world.

Regards, - Curtis from Texas

Around two years ago, I was sitting at my friend’s house visiting and he tells me about the supposed end of the world on December 21st, 2012.  At first I thought he was feeding me a line of horse manure.  He went on to tell me that he was going to buy the car of his dreams that he wouldn’t be able to afford, rack up his credit cards, get a big loan and live it up.  He wasn’t going to have to pay it back anyway, the world was going to end and we were all going to die.  Well my stomach got queasy and was left feeling very disturbed.  Well thank God for him that he didn’t do just that….right?

As time went by I tried to put it out of my mind.  I wouldn’t watch any kind of movies that had anything to do with the end of the world.  If my boyfriend would bring up the subject, I would choke up and ask him to change the subject.  I would just try to put it out of my mind, what I didn’t know didn’t hurt me.  I lived by that motto.

About one week before the rumored Mayan Calendar end of the world date (12/31/2012), I finally had a sudden feeling, a calming, easy feeling about the situation.  I don’t know if I finally came to terms with the fact that there was nothing I could do with that situation, so whatever happened, happened.  I really felt good for some reason.  I was really okay.

When the date came around, and then went, that was when the reality of it set in.  What if something did happened?  I wasn’t even a little bit prepared for what could have happened.  If something did happen, I wouldn’t have lasted a week.  I didn’t know the first thing about preparing for a huge catastrophe. 

Not knowing where to start, I sat down in front of my laptop and began my investigation.  To my surprise, there are web sites on prepping.  I couldn’t believe all this information, I wish I would have thought about this sooner.  Have I been living with my head in the clouds?  On my search I immediately found a blog site called SurvivalBlog.com.  I read a few articles and I was hooked.  It’s been only a few weeks now and I must say, I have learned a lot over a little time. 

My first thought was food so that’s where I began.  I went on to learn that it’s ok if you have a small income because you can do it a little bit at a time.  Make a list, then from that list figure out how much extra money you can put aside each month or every two weeks to buy and put away.  I have all kinds of big plastic containers not being used that I could store this stuff in. 
I am not much of a cook but a few months ago, I did a search online on easy ways to cook while camping.  I found recipes that you can breakfast, bacon and eggs in a paper bag over the camp fire.  Very impressive.  I will take those recipes and modify them if I need to, organize them and put them into my binder labeled “What to do in a Crisis” under “Cooking”.  I also studied the ins and outs of bottling food from the garden.  That doesn’t seem like an easy chore but I have the rest of this winter and all summer to figure it out.

First aid was the next thing on my mind.  I found a few sites online that you can buy antibiotics without a prescription called “Canadian Express Meds” to name one.  I don’t know how legit they are or if their medication is any good.  I could talk to my doctor, she might surprise me and be understanding to my needs.  I already have a good first aid kit but learned that I will have to add quite a lot to it.  I will look through my first aid books and add another section in my binder called “First Aid”.
A big item on my list of needs is Essential Oils.  I would have lavender in my first aid kit along with Calendula essential oil.  Calendula essential oil helps regenerate your skin.  The men in the War used to have Tea tree essential oil in their First Aid kits.  They would use it to disinfect their wounds or so I was told.  You can on the other hand definitely use these oils for many other purposes.  Cypress essential oil can be used to help control bleeding. I would put it on my wrist holding a cloth over it so it would soak into my bloodstream.  If you had to do a small surgery and have to create a sterile environment, you could get a bucket, fill it with hot water and put some lavender and tea tree essential oil in it.  I would put 2 drops of each kind of oil per one cup of boiled water but cooled down enough to stand putting your hand in it.  Lavender oil can be a mood stabilizer, give your young ones a warm bath or a good wash down with just a few drops of lavender in with the water, your children will sleep soundly all night long.   Ylang Ylang essential oil is a good aphrodisiac.  There are many oils to choose from and if you don’t know much about them, it would be very beneficial for you to read up on it.  You can even make different medicine with essential oil as well as dilute some in with your kitchen fats and message it into your tired, aching or pulled muscles.  You can get tiny bottles of different oils so it could fit in your pocket and make a good trade item.  To the right person they are worth a bundle.  Chamomile essential oil that I have is worth almost forty dollars with the tax.  Ylang Ylang is worth a fortune also.

Then I learned about Bug out Bags/Bail out Bags and what to put in them.  Of course there is fire starter, matches, lighters and cooking tools, safety gear, personal hygiene, I found many lists that people where kind enough to provide online.  For newcomers like myself “The Desperation Shopping List: The 7 Critical Items That Are Guaranteed To Be Stripped From The Store Shelves When You Need Them The Most” is a good list to consider.  Although, I just found it a few hours ago, it would have been good to start with.  More sections that I will add to my binder.  That was an enormous help.  It’s amazing how other people’s thoughts could be such a big help to other people.  A lot of these things I have laying around here and there but mostly I will have to set some sort of budget for that as well.

Then came shelter, now that could be a problem.  If I couldn’t stay in my home, where would I go?  Yes, there is ways to make temporary shelter with paracord, survival blankets, tarps and so on.  I live way out in the country with miles and miles of woods.  Where there is a will, there is a way.  I am doing my homework on shelters in the woods.

If I had to leave my home on foot and I set up shelter, eventually I am going to want to sleep.  What about security?  I can be pretty handy with a knife but if I don’t see or hear them coming, I’m done for it.  I am a 5 foot 3in., 105 pound female so I am going to have to have the jump on them.  So far I have found one way to get ahead of this situation.  I was looking on YouTube the other evening about trip wire set ups and one of them really stood out to me.  It is by CripticCRICKET and it is titled “Trip Wire Alarm-Homemade, Simple, and Loud.  He added some string to a key chain alarm and it turned out pretty great.  As for the shelter situation, I am going to have to do a lot more reading up on the subject.  I am sure I will come up with something creative and safe.

Of course there are my two dogs.  My two, four year old sister pit bulls are great.  I love them so much and they love me so I have them for protection as well.  My dogs love to carry there doggie back packs when we go for their walks.  They look pretty proud with their back packs on and their heads high in the air.  So to be able to store extra stuff you need for your bug out bags, you can now put in your doggie bug out bags or you can simply fill it with their stuff that they will need such as their first aid kit, water food toys, doggy wipes and treats.  I can also make an extra handle for on their pooper scoopers with paracord and attach it to the outside of their packs.  I even have two little plastic poop bag holders with a roll of baggies in each that have clips attached to the.  I can clip that to their packs as well.  Don’t fill it too heavy because if your dog is not used to carrying one, it may be quite awkward or too heavy for them.  I suggest that when you go for regular walks with them, you can get them used to their Doggie Bug out Bag little by little by first starting them off by putting two bottles of water, one on either side of the pack to distribute the weight evenly through.  After a few walks with two bottles, add a few more and so on. If and when the time comes that they will really need to carry these bags, they will have no problem.   It won’t take them long to get used to them and they will feel so good about helping you, believe me or not.

Budgets: How does a person budget for this stuff when their paychecks don’t even cover the bills they have to begin with?  Go to flea markets, yard sales, dollar stores, even trade with other people.  If you see a good deal or a sale, stock up then.  You can make a lot of these things. If the time comes that you are in need of these things, you are going to wish you had them.

So people may be wondering why this chick is only bothering to prepare herself when the scare is over.  I feel that the world we live in can be very unpredictable, as we found out the last week of December, 2012.  People predicted that something would happen and nothing did, but that doesn’t mean that things won’t happen in the future.  I don’t want to feel the awful queasy, uneasy feeling of being totally helpless in the event that something where to happen.  After all, I am a women alone in this world when it comes to preparing.  I expect that I wouldn’t be alone if something was to happen, I would have some people that I would have to lead and take care of.  I don’t mind but I would never want to let them down.  If I am to be a leader, I want to be the best leader I can be.  Until that time comes, every day or every other day, I will be filling my head with all the knowledge that I can.  If that time is just around the corner, the way I see it is that I know a lot more information then I knew a few weeks ago.  I’ll be that much more ahead. 

One last thing I would like to add.  When I see a person in need, I will still be the first one to give aid.  No matter what, I will not be stripped of my humanity.  If a person is starving, I will feed them.  If a person is dying of thirst, I will give them a drink of water.  If they need medical attention, I will do what I can to help them medically.  My heart couldn’t take not giving and helping someone in need, especially children and animals.  Make no mistake though, I will proceed with much caution.  Being a push over has no place in that kind of world.

Good luck to all, and to all the other newbie preppers out there.  God bless.

In an austere situation, or even an economically challenged one, what do you do with those old hens, the ones eating more than laying, and especially, extra males, like all those roosters that hatched or came with the hatchery order?  We're not talking here about raising broilers from the hatchery, feeding and sweating over them for the required number of weeks, doing the killing all in one or two days and then packing them into the freezer. 

This article is for the person who is facing eating real barnyard birds.  It is also for the person whose family is used to the store bought bird.  It's hard enough doing without things the family may be used to, but then putting a tough bird on the table is a sure way to make everybody feel deprived.

Cooking the farmyard fowl begins long before the killing cone.  It's really important for you and your family to get a 'farmers' mindset' about eating meat you grow yourself.  First, don't turn an animal into a pet if there's even a chance that animal is headed for the pot.  Some don't even name the birds, but it's hard not to do that, especially if you have a breed where you can tell them apart.  Some give names that foretell the destiny - when we first started, we had a chicken called 'Soup' and a turkey called 'Thanksgiving.' 

Better would be to begin with the philosophy that this bird is going to help feed us by giving eggs, by breeding, and by eventually having a clean and painless death.  We will give them a wonderful life in return.  Unlike their wild counterparts, they will always have clean conditions, human companionship, bird companionship, treats (even dandelion leaves are treats if they're penned), good food and clean water, protection from predators and a peaceful end. They will not die at the teeth of a fox or coyote, starve in the woods, freeze to death or be de-feathered while still living by a hawk. They will not have to fight for their place at scarce water or food and be left lamed, an easy target for predators.  If a bird is coming to the end in your pen, its end will be painless and easy.

I personally use a killing cone, tie the legs of the bird so it will not struggle (they won't, instinctively), always speaking in a low voice, and tie both the bird and the cone to a tree. I usually pray a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord Jesus Christ and also ask for the skill needed, because even experienced people can slip.  I'm an advocate of the 'brain stick', where a specially honed knife is slid through the slit in the upper beak and into the back of the brain, killing the bird instantly.  A single squawk and the relaxation of the neck feathers is the sign you hit the right spot.  Then the cutting of the side veins and arteries, and bleeding out.  Bleeding out causes the bird to jerk, as JWR has warned in his novels about violent ends:  the bird is dead and this is a muscle reaction, but to keep blood from flying from the cut neck, I use a can with stones in it and a hook to the lower beak as a weight.  This also keeps the neck straight so you can find and slice the arteries cleanly.  Pull off feathers if you need to, but if the bird is sliced just below the head it may not be necessary.  People I teach this process to are surprised how quickly the bird dies and how simple it is.
 
Some of the videos online are really silly, chopping off the head and letting the bird run around, or using an axe with no restraints so the bird flops all over, and this is often what people fear.  Blood all over.  My method is more humane, cleaner and least likely to cause everyone in your family to become vegetarian.  Draw and pluck as usual.  This is described in all the old cookbooks and innumerable books on raising fowl.  You should be able to do a chicken in 45 min when experienced, using a hot water dip.  A turkey may take 2 hours, dry pluck, or only dipping wings and stubborn portions. 

Don't waste the feet in an austere situation.  Cut off the toenails and dip feet for 20 seconds in 160 - 175 degree water. (Don't do this while your teenager is in the house.)  The scales should scrape off, and the tough skin.  There's a lot of gelatin in this portion of the bird and the old Italian ladies used to add them to tomato sauce to add protein and thickness.  They can go into your soup stock, too.  Turkey feathers can be made into writing quills (this is a great homeschool project), and the down of a turkey can be collected and put into a tightly woven bag like a pillowcase and washed, dried and used if necessary.  Don't throw away any eggs you might find in the oviduct, they make good animal food.

The bird should be chilled for 24 - 48 hours to allow the muscles to relax.  At this point, you will have noticed the dark yellow fat that indicates an old chicken, much dark meat in the thighs, or abnormalities.  Unless the liver looks bad or there is some obviously wasting disease present, you can use the bird, but you can't pretend you've just pulled one out of the case at the grocery store.

First, let's notice the differences between the chicken and turkey you're used to eating and the bird sitting on your counter.  Store birds are injected with water (sometimes broth that contains salt) to make them plumper and more tender.  This can be up to 10% of the weight of the bird - check the labels next time you go into the store and you'll get a surprise.  The degree of treatment varies with the brand.  Also, if you're looking to rotisserie your bird and expect it to come out like the deli birds, beware.  Those birds have been soaked in brine (I've watched them take the birds out of it myself, on an early trip to the grocery) and it wouldn't surprise me if a teaspoon of Tenderquick wasn't added, or something like it.  Do not believe recipes that claim short, high heat cooking will make any tough meat tender.

If the fowl before you has mostly run around the barnyard, what you have is essentially a stringy, tough, well-exercised bird with a lot of dark meat.  It probably only has fat in the cavity.  If this is the case, only slow cooking will make this fowl tender, and you'll use it for soup, stew, chicken and dumplings, or the broth for soup and the meat for croquettes.  Do not try to roast this bird. 

Use a dutch oven with a tightly sealed lid or a crockpot with a lid sealed with aluminum foil.  Cut up the bird and sear the pieces in hot fat just to get some of the skin browned, a few pieces at a time.  Transfer these to the pot.  You may use a base of carrots and celery and onion, or add those later, cooked separately.  Put no more than 2 cups of water into the hot pan you just seared the meat in (caution, it will steam up) and scrape off all the pieces of flavor from the cooking.  Add this to the dutch oven/crockpot, put it on the lowest setting, make sure no steam can escape, and let it simmer.  There should be no large bubbles, just a gentle simmer, so if your stove doesn't go that low, consider a trivet.  This is a good thing to do on the woodstove, too, choosing a spot of the right temperature and/or trivet.  You'll have to check from time to time to be sure it's not boiling, but a clear lid will help you keep from losing the moisture inside.  I've never had to add water, but if you do, you lost it by evaporation somewhere so be more careful with the covering next time, but don't let it burn.  When it's done you'll find much more than the 2 Cups you started with because of the juice that came out of the meat.

After several hours a fork should pass through the meat easily.  Cool the meat (but don't let it dry out!) and separate the fat in the broth from the broth itself.  Choose your cooking goal from the list below:

CHICKEN SOUP

Very simple.  Skim off any extra fat to use in another recipe, but do leave some fat, both for the nutrients it contains and because this is the part that is the decongestant famous in Jewish circles.  Yes, it really works.  Cut up the meat, or the best parts into bit sized portions. If too tough, just leave it out.  Saute onion, carrots and whatever else you might have on hand in the chicken fat or butter and add it.  Add soup noodles, cook for the required length of time, and eat. 

Dumplings make it a more substantial meal and these can be used for stew, as well.

Cut 4 Tablespoons cold fat into 2 cups flour, 3 teaspoons baking power, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 Tablespoon of minced parsley.  Some of the fat can be butter or hardened chicken fat.  Use a pastry cutter, two knives or a granny fork and work it until it is like coarse corn meal.  Add 3/4 Cup of milk and stir.  If the dough won't hold together, add a little more milk.  Broth can also be used if milk is not available.  Stir only enough to hold it together.  Bring the soup/stew to a bubbling boil and drop by Tablespoons full, trying to leave space between them.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. 

CHICKEN STEW

Separate the fat from the broth.  Cut up the best pieces of meat into bite sizes, usually the breast.  Cut up any vegetables you might have cooked with the bird or begin to saute onions, carrots and celery and boil some potatoes.  Take the fat and melt it in a large pot.  Add flour until the mixture is bubbly but not grainy.  Stir and cook a few minutes to cook the carbohydrates, all on low heat.  Now add broth, beginning with two cups, stir well.  A whisk helps with this.  Continue to add broth, cooking and stirring until it is thick but spoonable.  Add the meat and vegetables.  Add more broth if it is too thick.  Follow the recipe for dumplings if desired.  Milk can also be added in place of some of the broth.  I don't use exact measures because each bird will produce a different amount of fat and broth, but know that if you add too much water you won't get a flavorful meal. It's better to cook down the broth, in this case than to try to make watery broth taste good.  I also use powdered chicken bouillon instead of salt for the extra flavor.  Other vegetables can be added in season, such as spinach, kale or dandelion greens.  Precook the ones that are tougher or need changes of water.

CHICKEN POT PIE

Follow the above recipe until you have a thick sauce with the meat and vegetables.  Put it in a pie shell, just like an apple pie, slash the top seal it well with cold water and a fork, and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes then lower the heat to 375 until it bubbles through the slashes you put on the top.  It's a good idea to put a pan under the pie tin to catch any drips.
 
CHICKEN CROQUETTES

By far this is the way to make a bird feed the most people, the toughest bird will do, and it's delicious.  What it lacks in tenderness is more than made up for by the flavor. 

Take pieces of meat you didn't use for soup or stew, or all the meat off an old bird.  Chop this finely (don't food process it - you don't want paste).  Saute some onion, use cooked carrot or any leftover vegetables that aren't watery, such as peas, carrots, celery, sauteed mushrooms, chop them fine.    Measure.  Next, make enough FRESH breadcrumbs to match the amount of meat mixture you have plus one or two cups to roll the croquettes in.  Your old, homemade bread will do and can be grated on a cheese grater if you don't have a food processor or don't have electricity.  Set aside.

Make a White or Bechamel Sauce.  This recipe will make about 2 cups, double as needed.  Remember you will need at least a cup to spoon over the top of the finished croquettes.  Melt 4 Tablespoons Butter or part butter and part chicken fat, add 4 Tablespoons flour.  Stir until this paste begins to bubble, being careful not to burn it.  You do want to see a 'cooked' or dry appearance to the flour, then you'll know the carbohydrates have cooked.  This is important for the flavor.  Slowly add 2 Cups of Milk, or part milk and broth,stir on low heat until it thickens.  A whisk is useful for this.  You want a very thick sauce, which won't be apparent until it starts to bubble.  Add salt and pepper as you like.

Now take your meat crumb mixture.  Add any spices you might want at this point (paprika, parsley), and one Cup of the sauce for each 2 cups of meat.  Mix.  At this point some recipes advise to chill the mixture, but if it's stiff enough you can go on to the frying right away.

Form into balls (cones are much harder, although traditional, and smaller is easier to fry, one good tablespoonful each).  Dip each one into lightly beaten egg to which a small amount of water has been added to break up the cohesion of the egg.  Then roll in the remaining crumbs. If you run out or didn't have enough fresh crumbs, dried crumbs can be used at this point, only.  Fry the croquettes quickly in a small, high saucepan of oil only half full. They're already cooked, so you are just browning them.  It takes longer to use a small, tall pan but uses less oil and is less expensive.  If refrigerated, the oil can be used again within a few weeks if you strain it.  Drain.  Serve, two or three per person, with White Sauce poured over.  Mashed potatoes are traditional, but any side dish works.  These freeze very well and can be quickly heated and served.  One chicken can make easily 40 croquettes and they're filling.

BACK TO THE CHICKEN PEN

Should the bird you're wanting to cook be one of the old-fashioned dual-purpose birds, they don't lay as well but have more meat on them.  It might be a good idea to put two of these in a pen by themselves and let their muscles become a bit atrophied, as yours would if you didn't exercise for a period of time, feed them extra bits of bread and so on.  Never put one bird alone, because they're flock creatures.  If you don't have two you want to cook, borrow one from the flock for a companion.  Two males should be separated by wire so they can see, but not fight with each other.

A bird of this type could be roasted, but don't just throw it in the oven.  Use the recipe below for turkey.

Cooking the farmyard turkey

I personally raise turkeys for eggs, meat and to breed the next generation.  We chose the Midget White Breed because the bird is extremely tasty, gentle, doesn't have to be artificially inseminated, the females set and the males don't usually get to be more than 16 or 17 lbs.  Wrestling a bird larger than that would be more than I want to handle.  Turkeys take an extra large killing cone - it's worth the money.  You don't want a bird that size flopping around and the confinement upside down seems to calm them.  Still tie the feet and proceed as above, but all the tools must be bigger and I use a metal saw with a scalded clean (not painted) blade to cut off the head and neck.  If you can't buy an unpainted blade, use steel wool to clean off the paint.

Our turkeys have a more oval body than store turkeys.  Whatever the type, you'll need to obtain a covered roaster - I like the black, spatterware kind - again with a tight-fitting lid.  Most don't fit tightly, so be prepared to use foil to keep the steam in. Put 2 cups of hot water in the bottom of the pan.  A rack will probably not fit - you don't need it.   The bird will brown and there will be liquid in the bottom for gravy.  Oil the top of the roaster so it doesn't stick to a large bird.

A homegrown Midget White of 12 lbs. will be done in 2 hours and 45 min., three hours, max.  This is a major difference between the store and homegrown bird, and my time is for stuffed fowl with the hot bread-onion-sage stuffing ladled in just before cooking.  Always be sure to use a meat thermometer to determine that it is fully cooked, but the reason for this is that slaughterhouse conditions are so mechanized and so dirty that parts of guts are left inside, birds are handled in bulk, and so on.  Also, people who stuff a bird with hot stuffing the night before cooking are taking a chance.  Keep hot food hot and cold food cold!   If you do a good job of cleaning your bird and keeping it properly chilled and/or frozen and thawed, stuffing it just before cooking, you shouldn't have to worry.  But it's better to be safe and cook to 165 degrees.  Put the thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh and be careful not to push it through into the cavity - you don't want the temperature of the stuffing.   

The method for cooking the homegrown bird depends on the result you want.  You can just cook it, as is, but because the bird has more dark meat and is tougher, and the white meat has less fat and more grain, it will not be like a store bird.  This article keeps in mind a transition from store bird expectations to your own, home grown and home cooked fowl.  So, for the 'Cadillac' result, I suggest all of the following:

CADILLAC ROAST TURKEY

---Obtain a syringe-type flavor injector.  This looks like a giant hypodermic needle from the 1940s.  You can get them from Butterball. They're not expensive.  Buy a metal, not plastic one, so you can scald it between uses, and get two of the same type (two is one and one is none, and you can use the parts if one breaks).  Each time you cook a bird, save 1-3/4 to 2 cups of your own broth, either canning or freezing it.  You may add some melted butter when ready to use.  This mixture must be kept cold.  Inject the broth into the breast, thighs, legs and the 'drummette' part of the wing, 10 oz for a 12 lb bird, using as few punctures as possible.  Instead of piercing the skin, move the needle inside the meat to a different location.  This takes less time than thoroughly cleaning the injector. If the liquid spurts out you pulled out the needle too fast, but just put a finger on it for a minute and the broth will spread into the meat.   Chill immediately for 24 hours.

When ready to cook, remove the bird for 2 hours and allow it to warm so the broth, especially if it contains butter, can soften. 

Take the fat from the cavity, flatten it and tie it on to the top of the drumsticks with kitchen twine.  It will baste the leg and also add fat for your gravy, and believe me, it's the best, with a deep-roasted turkey taste.

If you want to guild the lily (and especially if you didn't use butter in the broth), slip your hand under the skin of the breast.  It will come loose.  Slide in slabs of butter from a stick you've cut into 5 pieces the long way, and if there are some left over, slip those toward the leg and thigh.  Roast at 325 degrees for 2 hours and 45 minutes to three hours.  Baste if you like, but try to keep the lid on.  If guests are late, or family is busy in the farm and doesn't get in on time for dinner, you can put towels over the covered pan on the protected counter and it will hold for an hour.  In any case, it should rest for  1/2 hour to keep the juices in the meat before cutting.

Make gravy the usual way and don't forget to save some broth for the next turkey.  

A bird cooked the 'Cadillac' method will be one of the best turkeys you've ever put in your mouth, regardless of the age, and no one will compare it unfavorably to the store bird.  I recently tried this on friends who are definitely not farm eaters and they were amazed.  'It's like a whole different kind of turkey,' they said, slowing down to savor each bite. 

FRICASSEE

This method is for dark meat parts of a turkey or a whole chicken.

Cut the dark parts and wings up and fry in fat until brown. Add some flour to the fat, to make a paste as above, and add hot water until it thickens.  Return the turkey to the pan and simmer, very gently, until the meat is very tender.  Serve over rice with the gravy.  The secret is long, slow cooking, so be sure the pan is tightly covered and never boils, only simmers gently.  Any leftovers can be made into croquettes.

In the interest of honest and complete coverage of the topic, I’d like to clarify and expand upon the comments made by a contributor about the "brown sugar" typically marketed in the United States and Canada.
 
Brown Sugar is indeed just white sugar with molasses added to it. But what is not clear to most people is that molasses is what is left over when you refine sugar cane or sugar beets into white sugar.
 
Some sugars labeled “turbinado” or “demerara” sugars are made from partially refined sugar-juice that have had some of the water driven off by a centrifugal process.  The darkest brown sugar, “muscovado” is not centrifuged, but pan dried and pounded to a thick paste like consistency.
 
Brown sugar and molasses were once demonized by the white sugar processors in the early 1900s as being “impure” – pictures of the molasses and brown sugar were taken with a microscope to show the microscopic organisms that were processed with the cane or beet that made people think that brown sugar and molasses was contaminated.  It worked, people stopped buying partially processed sugar, and insisted on the highly processed white form. 
 
Molasses, as a source of carbohydrate, is low on the glycemic index – while there is still some sucrose bound up in the matrix, it is slow to release and doesn’t give you a sugar buzz if consumed.  Beet sugar molasses is more deficient in micro-nutrients, like biotin.  Sugar cane, however, can have a root system that reaches up to 12 feet underground, which gives it a wider area to acquire nutrient minerals like zinc.  Sugar beet roots reach about five feet into the ground and are much less sectionally dense(thick) and are thought to be less efficient that sugar cane roots.    

A tablespoon of molasses has about 20 percent of the minerals needed by an adult on a daily basis.  It is theorized that the uptake of minerals from molasses may, in fact, yield a higher percentage of usage minerals versus a vitamin pill as the molasses is slower to digest and releases it’s contents more gradually – and thus may not contribute much of it’s mineral content to elimination.   Gardeners use molasses to encourage friendly bacterial growth in their gardens.   Sugar beet as silage is almost as nutrient dense as corn, and is a major crop export for sugar producing countries (the bulk materials that are left over after sugar production) to countries that produce cattle.  Cows love sugar beets, but can choke on them, so grind em up or chop them if you’re using them as feed supplement, after having about 20 percent molasses added back into the mix for lactobacillus growth encouragement.  Point is, molasses is GOOD on many levels.
 
How to make brown sugar from white...
 
By weight, molasses is about 10 percent of light brown sugar, by volume just slightly more than 6 percent.  A good measure is one tablespoon of molasses to one cup of sugar for a light brown equivalent.    Another two teaspoons will yield the equivalent of dark brown sugar.  If this is how you made your brown sugar, you will need to blend the sugar and molasses in a food processor if you intend to bake with it (cookies), if the sugar/molasses is going into something that’s melted (like caramel) then you do not need to blend it.   Brown sugar is soft because molasses is hydroscopic, that is it attracts water molecules – yes regular sugar has water in it from the sucrose, but it’s bound up chemically and not attached in a non-bonded chemical form to the molecule. 

To revitalize hardened brown sugar you can either heat it (be careful you don’t melt it) or put a slice of two of bread in the container and come back in a day – the water will have been slowly absorbed and spread into the hardened brown sugar, making it soft again.   We typically buy something called “blackstrap molasses” an American coined word,  which is simply a made-up, meaningless name – it  indicates that the molasses was derived from the third boiling (processing) of the sugar cane or sugar beet. 1st and 2nd boiling molasses (sometimes called green molasses) still has a lot high of sucrose in it and is sold commercially to large food processors, but is not generally available to the public.  

Unsulphured molasses means that the sugar cane was mature when processed and did not need the addition of sulphur to help break down the immature sugar cane for processing.   Sulfured molasses was made from less mature plants and is more common, most store brand molasses are of the unsulphured variety – where does the other stuff go?  Into the baking industry!   There is a difference between the molasses from sugar cane and sugar beet, ultimately most sugar beet molasses ends up as feed for animals or for use in making yeast or other things like stout beer – there is a bitter taste to beet molasses and considerable more indigestible bio-mass in the mix.  
I hope this information helps! - J.M. in Colorado

I woke up a few months ago. Literally, I woke up one day and realized if TSHTF, I was toast. In a big way. It all started with Hurricane Sandy. I live in a coastal town in the Northeast. The beach is a comfortable twenty minute walk from my home. Three streets behind me is Water Street, so named because not only is home to various Marina’s and marine supply stores, it has a tendency to flood every high tide. I woke up the morning Sandy hit to an eerily lit sky. Even though a hurricane was heading our way my employer expected me to show up on time ready for work. I had been at work for all of two hours when my manager informed us we had permission to close the store and go home in three hours. Half an hour later, we lost power and it was a half an hour later that we were finally allowed to go home and brace for the storm.

Since I am a single parent who’s currently without a vehicle and bus service was suspended for the duration a co-worker gave me a life home. When we were two blocks away from my home both of us noticed an awful amount of water on the street, what frightened both of us the most was there was no rain. When she dropped me off in front of my home a utility truck was parked in the drive way notifying the residents in my neighborhood they were cutting power and shutting off the gas to reduce the possibility of fires. After all part of the Long Island Sound was now in my front yard.

I ran up the stairs to my apartment and rushed through the door, frightened beyond belief. As I went through the cabinets I realized I had absolutely nothing to feed my children that didn’t require adding water and cooking. I walked down the hall to my bedroom my heart racing a mile a minute. “What am I going to do?” I asked myself repeatedly. As I was changing, the local radio station mentioned that local schools were opening as emergency shelters. As quickly as I could I packed up the family, and we headed out. As we were walking my youngest whom is all of eleven years old kept saying. “This is not cool mom; we’re walking in a hurricane. We would have been safer staying at home.” I didn’t have the heart or the courage to explain to him, home was not good because his mom who is ninja at paying the bills, and making sure there is always food in the house was not ninja at making sure she was prepared for this. His mom, who will wash clothes in the tub to make sure he and his thirteen year old brother can go on a field trip, was not so cool on this.

It took a little under a half an hour for us to get to the school, the first thing I noticed as we were walking in was the fear that it inspired in me. Armed police officers stood guard at the door. People in bright orange vests herded the new comers into a line. Once you got to the table another orange vest asked for identification, and the names of all in your party. After we were checked in another orange vest escorted us into the school gym, and showed us our area. As we set up our cots and prepared to hunker down for the worst, another orange worker came over and informed us that dinner was being served and we needed to follow the rest of the crowd down to the cafeteria. As we walked to the cafeteria I noticed that there were armed police officers in the halls drinking coffee, and listening intently to the noise squawking from their radios. Suddenly, I didn’t feel like a refugee from Monster Storm Sandy, I felt deep within my soul and in my heart that my children and I were in a farce of being shipped off to a concentration camp similar to what I had seen in Schindler's List. I didn’t like that feeling one iota.

As the night wore on and the storm finally hit, I was gripped by the terrible fear that if I survived the night with no bad happening, I was going to do everything in my power to make sure my boys were never placed in a similar situation ever again. When the next morning dawned it was business as usual. I called my job, we were open for business and I was expected in. I told them I’d be late and why. I packed up the boys, called their grandfather for a ride and we headed home. The lights and gas back on, the Long Island Sound back where it belonged. All day while I was working and my kids talking about their grand adventure I knew I had to begin to prepare for whatever would could and probably will happen next.

So I set myself up a mission, I needed to learn how to prepare for the worst. I did countless web searches. I read blog after blog, message board after message board. It seemed at first as if I just wouldn’t be able to the expense was just too great. Then I remembered " Keep It Simple Stupid" (KISS). What do I know, so I made a list.

1) The human body cannot live for more than three days without WATER.
2) The human body cannot live more than five days without FOOD.
3) Depending on the weather conditions you have to be able to stay warm, cool, dry.

So I started with the basics. Water. The next time I went grocery shopping post Sandy bottled water was on sale. Buy 2 get 2 free. I bought 4, and I got 4 free. Four went into the kitchen for the house; four got hidden under my bed. I felt good doing that. I can’t describe how totally back in control I felt. So I began to expand. My kids love fruit snacks, what kid doesn’t? I noticed one day while grocery shopping that all the way down on the very bottom shelf was an off, off brand of fruit snacks 10 for $5.00. I bought 20. Ten went into the kitchen; ten got hidden under my bed. I felt even more empowered.

One week when my paycheck wasn’t quite what it should have been, and the non-child support paying ex gave his usual, “I’ll see what I can do,” speech. I had no choice but to go to the dollar store for groceries. It was while there that I realized I really could have been prepared. I purchased thirty cans of beef stew for $15.00. Half went into the kitchen, half, you guessed it, went under my bed. Hey, cold beef stew may not be an ideal dinner, but it’s better than no dinner at all. It was a start small and insignificant as it seems, it was a start. I kept it simple, when I got a bonus at work because my department exceeded our monthly sales goals I invested in an item that I had read about over and over again.

I bought a vacuum sealer, three rolls of bags, 100 Mylar bags and 100 300cc deoxygenators. Then I went back to the dollar and bought 14 boxes of just add water pancake mix. Three made it into the kitchen; the rest got measured out vacuum sealed with a deoxygenator and tossed into the freezer for two hours. After they came out they got sealed into a Mylar bag and stacked into a really useful box, and put under the bed.

Soon it was joined by more water, some alcohol, first aid kits, coffee, and a camp stove. This month I again got a bonus and instead of paying down debt decided to invest in water treatment and a really good gas grill from amazon. One that I can fire up under my dining room window and cook a nice hot meal for my boys, where the neighbors can’t see it, and I don’t have to worry about carbon monoxide poisoning. Soon enough my income tax refund will be here, and as my neighbors are discussing which model of big screen television they are going to be purchasing. I’ve already spent mine. First on my list is a car. A nice used SUV or Wagon. Next up camping gear for me and the boys, a pistol firing course for me and archery lessons for the boys. I also plan on purchasing a six month supply of MREs, a 21 quart pressure canner, and canning supplies.

The big one though is I’m a city girl. I signed up for a plot at the community garden; I’ve got a list of seeds of things I’d like to grow. A book on gardening for dummies, some potting soil and plenty of empty egg cartons for seedlings; I can’t wait to get started.

So how do you prepare for TEOTWAWKI? Well it’s like they say, you can’t run until you’ve learned to walk. You can’t prepare unless you know how. One thing at a time, start with what you know. In the two months since Sandy hit, I went from being a scared sheep with no idea what to do. To a soaring Eagle with a nice supply of necessaries for me and my boys, if we have to hunker down for a day we’re good. If we have to hunker down for a week we’re good. Even if we have to hunker for a month or longer we’re good.

I no longer shop in the dollar store for groceries with my head down as if it’s something to be ashamed of. I shop there on a regular basis with twenty to thirty dollars a week stocking up on things I know I’ll need if TSHF. From soap, shampoos and grocery items to basic first aid items and possible barter items. I have learned how to prepare. As I think back on the night I evacuated my home for a monster storm and I peek under my bed and in my closet and in my kitchen at how far I’ve gotten, I realized that my income didn’t matter. What mattered was I was able to prepare all along and just didn’t know it. That I just had to start at square one.

In six months the oldest of my boys leaves for the Marine Corps, and told me that for the first time since he enlisted he’s no longer afraid of what will happen with me and his younger brothers. He’s actually okay with really leaving now, because in two short months I’ve managed to squirrel away enough supplies to take care of all of us, and instead of believing that the powers that be will take care of me and mine in an emergency, I’m being proactive in taking care of me and mine. If it happens, when it happens, this Mama is more than ready.

Sir:
As a Central Texas Prepper, I have solved my food storage problem affordably, as follows: On my property there was an existing 20 foot by 24 foot sheetrock walled tool shed. I gutted this building and installed slabs of 8 inch styrofoam panels against interior walls.

These blocks of foam were salvaged from floating docks on a local lake as most people were installing plastic floats under their docks. The styrofoam blocks were free for the taking..As the floats were used and had been in the water in some cases for years, they looked gross and smelled bad also. I found if you cut as little as 4 inches off the side of the float, you now have new looking and smelling styrofoam blocks. The foam blocks come in [usually] 4 foot by 12 foot dimensions and need to be sized for re-use. This was accomplished with a 20 inch chain saw, with a tube sawing guide extending past the chain bar,and cut around the perimeter. The entire block will not be cut thru at this point but if you pop rivet two regular carpenters hand saws together to make a 5 foot blade, the remaining styrofoam cuts easily. You now have a 4 foot by 12 foot by 8 inch slab of pure insulation. Cut and tightly fit these slabs against your interior walls. Use foam sealer to seal the joints and you have an air tight interior. Inside the interior foam slabs, I built a 2x4 framed wall and insulated it with fiberglass insulation. These walls were then sheetrocked and taped. The ceiling received the same treatment with cutoff chunks of Styrofoam placed on top of the slabs in the attic. The thicker the better. A sheetrock ceiling was put up after all seams were sealed with foam. A solid core door with a foam rubber gasket was installed to keep things airtight.

Next, a high efficiency 10,000 BTU window air conditioner with a power saver feature was installed to cool the interior. The whole thing works better than expected, keeping the interior of the storage building at 60 degrees or below, no matter the outside temperature. The window unit is shut off in the winter with the interior temperature staying around 55 degrees. The electricity consumed by the window unit is negligible.The exterior of the building was left worn and weathered looking even our closest friends have no idea about the contents of the tool shed. Some work required but this resulted in a cheap and effective storage facility. - Don in Texas

Dear Editor:
My father worked for many years at a sugar factory, and I can tell you there is no such thing as a natural "brown sugar".  Brown sugar is simply post-production white sugar with molasses added.   As you make your recipe, use slightly more than the called for amount of brown sugar--maybe an extra teaspoon or two, and then add molasses.  If the recipe calls for light brown sugar, add a little molasses.  Dark brown sugar? Just add more molasses. 
 
Also, because you're storing the components separately, your "brown sugar" never gets hard as a rock, because you mix it at the time of use.  Why people will spend twice as much to buy brown sugar, when they probably have both white sugar and molasses already on hand, escapes me.  Homemade brown sugar is less expensive, softer and so easy to to make. - Shirley A.

Many of the things we love today, and take for granted, will probably be very hard to come by, if things fall apart. This long list certainly includes condiments.

You may be ready to grow your own food, and purify your own water. I hope you are. And you hopefully have tons of wheat and rye and rice and beans packed away, to fall back on while you learn to produce all the food you need. (I figure it may take me 3 years to get self-sufficient, and have stocked up accordingly.)

But even if your pantry is stocked deep, with all the important staples to fulfill your caloric needs, you still need to consider whether you have enough of the little things necessary to make your meals better than just tolerable. Have you got plenty of Sugar and Spice and everything nice?  I do.

I started by buying a dozen 50 pound bags of sugar and salt from Restaurant Depot. The bags cost about $30 for sugar and $5 for salt. A bargain, really.  I'm sure there are other restaurant suppliers in your area, if you don't have a Restaurant Depot.  Check the yellow pages.

Then I packed it all in 6 gallon pails, to protect it. Sugar and salt won’t spoil, of course, and bugs aren’t interested it them, but I want to keep it all nice and dry. The paper bags are just too vulnerable to moisture and tearing.  And they take up too much room in bag form.

And the food grade buckets I use stack 5 high in my cool basement, as long as I place a 10” X 10” piece of 1/2” plywood on top of each bucket. That way all the weight from above rests on the strong bucket sides, rather than on the weaker lid.

Before I did that, I had the lid on a bottom bucket crack and break in. Of course, the buckets were so full you could hardly tell it had happened.

I have also packed away lots of brown sugar, since I have hundreds of pounds of Oats, and I hate oatmeal without brown sugar.

And remember to pack away many gallons of Soy sauce, if you want to eat all that rice you've packed away.  Rice can be pretty sad without it. Sam’s Club has it by the quart, very cheap.  They have the same brand that I see on the table of our favorite Chinese restaurant:  Kikkoman.

And I accumulated jars and jars of jellies and jams, to brighten bread meals. Strawberry and Raspberry and Grape preserves are a must.  Again, you don't have to worry about their shelf life for a good while.

And I put away pounds of honey, since it lasts forever, though it can be quite expensive. I try to find it at $2 a pound, in 5 pound containers, but that's getting harder to do.  Again, Restaurant Depot has been the best place for me to buy honey.  5 pound containers used to cost $9, but now they are up over $11.  From time to time, I've found it at half price at Walgreen’s, which then makes it $2 a pound.

Then I bought jumbo size containers of other spices, like black pepper and oregano and cinnamon.  And the big buckets of Seasoning Salts, like Lawry's, may come in handy if you have to eat a lot of rabbit and squirrel!

Stock up heavily on whatever flavors you enjoy in your favorite foods now. Otherwise, you’ll really miss them later.  One big concern we will face during a depression will be food fatigue.  People will literally stop eating, if their diet is just too bland and unvaried.  Kids especially may resist the same dull food day after day.

You can rotate the spices, of course, if you worry about them losing some of their potency. Salt and sugar won’t change, but some things may well.

But after I packed all those goodies away, something occurred to me – every day I walk away from all sorts of perfectly packaged flavor treats, without giving them a thought. I’m talking about all those nice little packets of sugar and salt and pepper sitting on the tables of most restaurants.

So now, instead of pouring that sugar pack in my coffee, I tuck a packet of it in my pocket.  A salt and pepper packet too. If I hit Starbucks, I grab a couple fancy Gold’N Natural sugar packets. Sweet.

I also noticed that there are packets of lots of other fun things I could use, if TSHTF.  Honey packets. Ketchup packets. Jelly. Mustard. Lemon juice. Maple syrup. You can even find big packets of various salad dressings, which would perk up your garden greens come TEOTWAWKI.   All these various condiment packages have the shelf life of a Twinkie, and I know they would really brighten a post-apocalypse meal.

After a while, I had accumulated quite a large collection of packets, which I stored away in ziploc bags, separated by type.  But I decided I really wanted to stock up in a more serious way. 

I realized that a small 1/8 oz of sugar, in a sealed pack, might well function as a great currency, in a broken world. Small, tasty currency. And I wanted to have plenty of them, to last a long hard decline of civilization.  And I knew I probably don't have years to save them up, one meal out at a time.

So I headed back to Restaurant Depot, and bought a box of 2000 sugar packs, for $12. That got me more than 15 pounds of sugar, in handy little packs.

That was just 80 cents a pound, compared to about 60 cents a pound in 50 pound bags. Hardly any premium at all, considering the added convenience.  I had expected it to be much more.

I also bought a big box of salt packets, and another of pepper packets. Very inexpensive.

In fact, everything you could ever want in a packet, can be purchased by the boxful.  I think it’s well worth the small premium over the bulk cost, to have something you can trade, or give away for good will.

Plus, if you are ever living on your pantry goods, and you just need a little of something to spice up a meal, you won’t need to open a big jar, or a 6 gallon pail. You'll just tear open a little packet.

I don’t believe in the artificial sweeteners, which I think are quite bad for you.  But since others do seem to like them, you may want to stock some of those for trading as well. Diabetics may need them, after all.

For some people, soup or chili just aren't complete without those little crackers that come in packets.  You can always put a few of those away, each time you have a bowl out at a restaurant.

And if you like those little mints and candy treats by the cash register, ask them if you can have a couple, as you pay your bill.  I guarantee you they will be happy to have you take a few.   Some day, when the kids are bored and need a treat, you can pull out your bag of restaurant mints, and be the hero.

And don’t just think about edibles. I always grab a “wet wipe” packet when I’m done eating at Quaker Steak and Lube, or KFC. Many other places have them too, if you ask.

The End of The World is likely to be a very messy place, and the single packet wet wipes are going to be great to have. Every one you tuck away now will be worth it’s weight in silver, when water is like gold.

Some of you may be uncomfortable pocketing a couple sugars at McDonalds, but I don’t lose any sleep over it. The packets I bought from Restaurant Depot cost 1/2 a cent each, and I suspect McDonalds pays less. The salt and pepper were even less per packet.

I’m sure if I asked any restaurant manager, if they were willing to have me pocket 2 cents worth of extra packets, in return for my buying a meal for both my wife and me, they would all say “be my guest.”  It's much better for them to have our $20, and have me take a couple salt packets, than have me go somewhere else!

If you feel bad about it, you can always stick to a place like Restaurant Depot. But either way, I urge you to stock up on all the little taste treats that come in packets, while you can. Once you start noticing them, you will be shocked at all the different things people have packaged for you in handy, durable little packs.

You will be glad you have them for your own use, if times get hard.  And they will probably trade like money when you're dealing with all the people who failed to see trouble coming, and didn’t prepare. Which seems to be most people.

Dear JWR:
I'm writing in response to Gary from Georgia's request for food storage help.

We also live in Georgia and storage is an issue for us too.  I hope other readers have some suggestions for us as well.

Currently we are considering three options:

1.  Dig a root cellar and store the food in there (expensive & time consuming)
2.  Purchase a few 30 or 55 gallon barrels with screw on lids, fill them with a good variety of very long term food sealed well in individual mylar bags (we might even double bag them just in case there is a moisture problem).  Dig some big holes and bury the barrels.  I'm sure this would be back breaking work but they would hold a lot of food.  We've considered renting a small backhoe for the day to dig holes.
3. You could also make a bunch of tubes out of large pvc pipe, fill them with long term food in mylar bags, seal the tubes and bury them.  (look on You Tube for videos of how to make them)  They could be as big and long as you want and they would be easier to bury than a large barrel.  Easier to carry also.  You'd just have to make more of them.

Burying your food would serve two purposes.  It would help reduce theft of your food stores and it would also keep it cool.  Make sure you bury it deep enough to keep it cool.  A few inches below the surface won't cut it.

If you put your food in your garage, any gasoline you store in there could contaminate it.  If there is no risk of that you could put in a good window air conditioning unit and keep your garage air conditioned so that your food is okay.

My last suggestion is to find a self storage unit near your house that is air conditioned.  I know that is not ideal since your food would not be at your home but it's better than it all going bad due to extreme heat.  Do not store it in your attic - ours gets so hot you can barely breathe up there in the summer so I'm sure yours does too, how about in your crawl space instead? 

Good luck, - Georgia Mom

James,
I too live in the south, Texas to be precise. I also wondered about my food stores, so I installed a window A/C unit in the room with most of my storage.
It will not keep it cool, but it will at least maintain about 80 degrees when it is 100+ outside.

Now the way I figure it, half of the year the temp in the room is below what most storage gurus recommend, and half the year it is above. Therefore I would think (though I may be wrong) that the damage to the foodstuffs should be minimal.
 
Maybe someone can confirm, or correct me on that. Thanks for all you do, - TexasPrepper2

Mr. Rawles,
I also live in Florida, and have the same concerns about temperatures and food storage.  I cleaned out a walk-in closet inside my home to use for food.  Since I can't afford to turn the central air conditioner much lower than 77 in the summer, I  put a small de-humidifier in the closet, leave the door open with the room ceiling fans on all the time. It seems to help - a small temperature gauge I have in the closet usually says 75. - Vicki B.

Useful tips and advice for the rest of us. Don’t have lots of money? Just started prepping when it hits the fan? This guide is for you. Free of charge!

Tip #1: Bug-in
Chances are that you won’t be in such immediate danger (dirty bomb, lava about to engulf your house, spiders like in that Arachnaphobia movie) that you actually have to leave your home. Most likely the government will stop functioning or the power grid will be down for a long time. Of course, there is always risk of civil unrest, but that is not likely to effect your home. There is no switch that will turn your peace loving neighbors into homicidal maniacs. Most likely life will simply become more difficult. Ask yourself, how will I best be able to survive for a few years in this situation? Was the answer, out in the wilderness with no supplies? I’m not a big hunter myself, but I’ve heard how crowded it can get during hunting season. Now imagine that times ten. I’m just not seeing it. It would be a bad situation if it does happen. I put my money on a few running to the hills and coming home about two days later hoping their house with all the supplies they left hasn’t been ransacked. Even a beginning prepper will have some food, water, shelter and supplies at home. If you have to leave and can only take what can fit in your car, or worse yet, in your backpack, how long will you be able to survive. Check the G.O.O.D. section. There are many detailed articles on this point, and if you are a po’ boy like myself (hence you reading this article), you couldn’t afford a nice retreat in the hills anyhow, so stay where you’re at and lay low. It’s your best bet, and it won’t cost you a dime.

Tip #2: Water
Okay, so you’ve made the decision to stay home. Lucky you, you already have shelter. Now you need water. Even if you didn’t have the foresight to store a few hundred gallons, you still have a few options. Option 1: If time permits fill everything you can that will hold water. Those with two or thee bathtubs have an advantage here, but even if you live in a small apartment with only a shower, you still have this option. Fill every bowl and pitcher with water. That water tight bag you have to keep your stuff dry, guess what, it works in reverse. You can even use the water in the toilet tank (not the bowl, and be sure to purify) if you run out of every other supply. The idea here is not to have enough for two years, the idea is that everyone else around you won’t have water either and that means the population will either get water restored and you won’t have to worry about water anymore, or the population will decrease rapidly and you can come out of seclusion a month later and not worry about the hordes of people between you and the nearest lake or stream for a refill. Presumably by then you could also find a few good containers to bring back a good amount of water so you aren’t making trips to the water hole every day. Option 2: You don’t have time to fill containers. I assume here that water may stop flowing quickly or may be contaminated out of the tap. In that case you only have one good option, the hot water tank. Hoping of course that this hasn’t gotten contaminated as well. Remember here that water really means liquid. A few two liters of Coke will keep you alive just as well as anything else. If you still have the option to get to a grocery store, do it. If the bottled water is already cleared out, go for the juice, or the milk, or soda. In a pinch a few bags of oranges or the pre-squeezed lemon juice bottles would give you enough water content that you would survive (just make sure the food you eat is high in water content, eating food without drinking can cause you to dehydrate faster). As prepper Allen C. said in his article “Why I Hate Preppers”, we may actually have 25 days of food at the grocery store. Utilize this. Just remember a rush on the store is different from a normal shopping period and some things may well run out very fast. Don’t wait a week if it hits the fan and you don’t have supplies. You may have a timeframe to get to the store before everything runs out, but it may be a small one. This may necessitate tip 3.

Tip #3: Cash
Have some cash on hand. Bartering may become the norm in a while, but at first, if the stores are still open, cash might save your life. That lady at the checkout counter may be sweet as molasses, but she won’t make trades. If the power is down your credit cards may not work and the banks may not be open to withdraw cash. As we’re all po’ boys here I’m not talking much. Even $50 would be enough to buy food for a few weeks. More would be better of course, but don’t go crazy. Hyperinflation is always a concern, so after you pass a certain cash point start looking into silver or other tradable goods. Just because we couldn’t afford that ranch retreat doesn’t mean we po’ boys can’t have a few bills laying around for emergencies. Just remember, unless it is a true emergency don’t use that cash reserve. It would be a shame for it to hit the fan and you need some cash, but you used it to pay the pizza boy last week and haven’t replenished it yet.

Tip # 4: Food
Edible vegetation in your neighborhood, pets, stray or wild animals, your garden, bugs (earth worms…yum) or charity from neighbors more prepared are just a few places you may find food if you run out. If things get really desperate and stores have closed check break rooms at local employers, warehouses that ship food to stores and dumpsters (you may be surprised what people throw out). I don’t however recommend two things, hunting unless you are quite alone. 100 city boys with rifles all gunning for the same deer is a recipe for disaster, and cannibalism. I’m sure I don’t have to get into why I don’t recommend cannibalism. Just remember here that a little knowledge of possible food sources around you could save your life. This doesn’t, however, mean you should forego food storage. I still highly recommend a deep larder--at least a few months worth. It doesn’t have to cost much.

Tip #5: Hygiene
If basic services stop, lack of good hygiene could become the number one killer. That cut that becomes infected or your medication that you can’t get refilled may be more deadly than your desperate neighbor. We may all be using the latrine we dug in the back yard. If you can’t flush it keep it out of the house. Be extra careful to wash every little cut, then keep those cuts properly covered. This means bandages, antibiotic ointment and alcohol or something similar. First aid kits don’t have to be expensive and it’s a good idea to have one at home and in the car. You won’t need a bug out bag if your bugging in, but keep one in your get home bag. This parleys nicely into tip 6.

Tip #6: Get-Home-Bag
Here’s the situation. You’re at work or otherwise away from home. Public transit isn’t running and the roads are gridlocked even if you have a car. Your commute home just turned into a six hour ordeal. Who’s prepared to run a marathon tomorrow? Me neither. Having a get home bag can give you the vital supplies to make it back to home sweet home. Water, some high energy food, a knife or anything else your situation requires. If you work in a high-rise some paracord would be good. Even if you don’t it’s not bad to have on hand. Add a flashlight, fire starter or anything else you may need depending on your situation. Don’t, whatever you decide to pack, overload your get home bag. It’s better to have one bottle of water and 40 miles to go, than 50 lbs of gear and collapse after 5 miles. Speed and stealth may be more important in the moment than how hungry you are. You can go without food for a long time. A straw filter will same you lots of water weight and now is not the time to have all your survival books on you. You have a limited supply of energy and the more you carry the more you need. Don’t blow it all in the first half of the race and not get to the finish line. Simple is often better, and cheaper.

Tip #7: Peace of Mind
Don’t sweet all the fancy equipment that you can’t buy. You won’t need most of it anyway and what you can’t buy other people can’t buy either so at least you’re on level playing ground. If you are constantly worrying about doomsday or your neighbor who you think will shoot you, you may have a mental breakdown.  Take a minute to de-stress and cope with the situation at hand. A clear mind is worth all the preps you can buy. Are you a high stress person? Find a good relaxation exercise. Not a high stress person, good, just remember in a bad situation you may be looking at a dead body for the first time, or forced to kill. Many things can cause mental stress and the more stressed out you are, the less likely that you are thinking clearly and will survive. Be mentally prepared for the worst, then when the not too good happens, you can handle it without issue.

Tip #8: Practice
To really get yourself mentally and physically prepared you need to test your limits and learn where your weaknesses are. Never fasted? Try it for a few days. Hunger is a powerful thing. You may just have a spiritual experience along the way. Try living without electricity for a week. Ride your bike to work. Live off only your food storage for a while. These things will do much more than educate you, they will prepare you for when you have no other choice. Many preconceived notions will fail and truth will become quickly apparent. The knowledge that it takes more time to do something than you thought or that you aren’t in as good shape as you used to be, may just be the crucial piece of information you need to get truly prepared. We also get better with practice. Those with military experience know practice will save your life if it hits the fan and you’re not left with time to think and plan.

Tip #9: Be Realistic
Everyone likes to think that the whole world will be trying to steal your stuff and kill you. Remember that everyone is in the same situation. If someone goes to a neighbor with a gun to steal their food; chances are the neighbor has a gun too and will use it. Will there be an increase in violence and clime, probably, will it be like Titanic, sudden chaos and almost everyone dies, not likely. Some disasters bring a whole lot of death with them, but they are not things that could effect the whole world at once. Things that would effect all of us are not likely to cause everyone to start running around shooting each other. We’ll all be too busy running for our lives. Stay grounded in your life and in your preps. A home made rocket may get you into orbit and save your life if the earth explodes, but when you’re dying a slow death alone in space you will wish you had never left. We as human beings have an immense ability to adapt to whatever situations come our way. Stay grounded, be realistic and you will be ready for whatever comes your way.

Tip #10: Don’t forget the rest of your life
Prepping can become an obsession and life isn’t stopping for you to get ready for tomorrow. If you don’t have it together now, that won’t change when it hits the fan. You are the person you are and if you can’t seem to keep things together now, how do you expect to later? Do you have health issues, marriage or job problems? The same set of skills that will allow you to survive and thrive when it hits the fan are the same as those that you used to solve problems now.  Critical thinking, awareness of environment, planning and follow through to name a few. The best indicator of survival tomorrow is how you are doing today. Take a self assessment and see how you are doing. If you find something lacking, consider that your first task in prepping for tomorrow.

Always remember that your survival isn’t dependent on how much money you have. Nor is your piece of mind. Our greatest asset is our mind. Use it to it’s fullest and find ways to be prepared without taking out a loan, and if you do have some spare cash, use it to it’s fullest. Don’t forget your family and friends in your preps. Do more than just survive, save someone else.

Hello,
I am searching for the answer to a question I am sure has been answered, but I have not been able to locate.  I live in Georgia and have been stocking up on foods.  I have very limited storage space in the house and have started to consider the need to move food stores out to the garage or up into the attic (I have no basement).  Our summers are extremely hot.  Many foods cannot be left in the extreme heat, and I am sure people in colder climates face the inverse problem.
 
It is not yet a issue for me, but it is likely to be a bigger issue for almost everyone if the power goes out long term.  In a scenario without climate control, how does this change the types of food we stock up on?  Is a can of beans and a bag of rice good until expiration when kept in 100% humidity and 95 degree heat for months?
 
Thanks, - Gary S.

JWR Replies: Food storage lives do drop off dramatically, with higher temperatures. The following chart was developed by Natick Labs, summarizing the shelf life of the U.S. Military "Meal Ready to Eat" (MRE) rations. SurvivalBlog reader "Mr. Tango" (BTW, don't miss reading his fascinating profile) had a round of correspondence with the U.S. Army's Natick Laboratories in Massachusetts, on the potential storage life of MREs. The data that they sent him was surprising! Here is the gist of it:

Note 1: Figures above are based on date of pack, rather than inspection date.

Note 2: MREs near the end of their shelf life are considered safe to eat if:
   A.) They are palatable to the taste.
   B.) They do not show any signs of spoilage (such as swelled pouches.)
   C.) They have been stored at moderate temperatures. (70 degrees F or below.)

Note 3: Not enough data has yet been collected on storage below 60 degrees F. However projections are that the 130 month figure will be extended.

Note 4: Time and temperature have a cumulative effect. For example: storage at 100 degrees F for 11 months and then moved to 70 degrees F, you would lose one half of the 70 F storage life.

Note 5: Avoid fluctuating temperatures in and out of freezing level.

Perhaps some SurvivalBlog readers have some suggestions. Other than digging a cold cellar, constructing a spring house, or building a large scale evaporative cooler, not much immediately comes to mind.

As a result of moving into remote retreat areas, you may begin to have encounters with North America's bear population. Even in suburban/urban areas, a lack of hunting and the return of forests has seen bears make a comeback, raising the likelihood of a bear-human encounters. Even if you live somewhere with a low likelihood of bear encounters, you should know the proper actions and make preparations, because bears can turn up anywhere. I'm going to outline the steps for bear camping, keeping your homestead secure from bears, traveling in bear country, tactics for a bear encounter, and bear defenses that will help keep you, your family, and your property safe. There is much confusion surrounding bears, so I hope I can clear things up for people with limited bear experience and remind experienced back country folks about good habits. Over the years, I have heard a lot of information about bears that is silly, wrong, or dangerous passed off as fact. Everything in this piece comes from personal experience or what I have been taught by friends with first hand experience. Here are two "facts" that I have heard thrown around that are preposterous:

Myth: Menstruating women should stay away from the woods because bears are attracted to the odors. Call this one busted; the National Park Service shows no correlation, with the possible exception of polar bears.

Myth: Bears are attracted to gasoline because they can smell the dead organisms that make up "fossil fuel." A fellow student in a wildland firefighting class tried to tell me this one. Some of the other students actually believed him (bears may actually be attracted to the smell of gasoline but I highly doubt it has anything to do with the dead dinosaurs).

As with all things survival, seek out good advice, do your own research, and get multiple opinions.

There are three bears living in North America: Black Bear, Brown Bear, and Polar Bear. I have been lucky enough to observe all three North American bears the wild. They are fascinating but dangerous animals that should be kept at a distance. Bears are not your friends, but they don't have to be your enemies either.

Black bears are the bear that most folks in the Lower 48 are going to encounter, as they live throughout North America. Black bears are expert tree climbers and prefer wooded areas. Sometimes they can be a bluish or cinnamon color instead of black. They are the smallest of the bears, although I have seen black bears in Alaska that looked big enough to be dark colored Grizzlies. Don't let the smaller size fool you, as they can be feisty and mischievous, being notorious camp robbers. While they usually eat berries and plants and avoid confrontation, they can be dangerous if they feel threatened. Like all bears, they will violently defend carrion and cubs. My father, who is a former guide and bush pilot, has only once killed a bear in defense when a young black bear tried to liberate the moose that he had just bagged.

Brown bears have two subspecies: the inland grizzly and the coastal brown. They prefer open areas, like mountains above the tree line and tundra. Historically they were found in the American west as far south as Mexico, but now they are confined to Alaska, western Canada, and parts of the American Redoubt. They are omnivorous, with the bulk of their diet coming from salmon runs. Brown bears account for the majority of fatal attacks every year in the United States. They are less shy than black bears, simply because they are apex predator with no fear of anything in the wild except other bears.

I'm not going to discuss polar bear precautions and defense because it isn't relevant for most of us, but I will throw out a few fun facts. Polar Bears eat almost exclusively meat, mostly Ringed Seals. They roam the Arctic Icecap during the winter, and I have personally seen them on the polar icecap just a few hundred miles south of the North Pole. They sneak up on their prey and attack by surprise, so many human victims aren't even aware that an attack is imminent until the polar bear pounces. An Arctic marine biologist confirmed to me that polar bears have actually been seen covering their black noses with their paw to make themselves completely invisible against the ice as they sneak up behind seals. Also, Polar Bears are often unfazed by the sounds of gunshots because they are accustomed to the loud noises of cracking ice packs.

All of the bears I encountered in Alaska were very wild and still had a natural fear of humans. In the Lower 48, bears I have met have been less frightened by humans, possibly because they have come to associate humans with trash and other food. A bear that becomes habituated to people is a dangerous animal, as it will be more aggressive in seeking out humans and human activity as a potential food sources. This is especially true of cubs that are taught early on by their mothers to forage for trash and other food created by humans. By keeping bears in your area wild through best practices, you are protecting yourself and future generations, as well as the wild bear population.

Whenever traveling in bear country always stay vigilant, and if the situation allows, alert bears to your presence. This is especially thick brush and undergrowth, where you should announce your presence to any bears by yelling, singing, or whistling. Bears will generally move over for humans if they know you are coming. If you are hunting or in a survival situation that necessitates noise discipline, it is doubly important to keep a sharp look out for bears that might be sleeping or foraging, as a surprised bear is an angry bear. I almost learned this lesson the hard way walking in some dense alder brush in Alaska when I was fifteen years old. I accidentally got within 30 feet of a sleeping brown bear that looked about as big as a VW bug at the time. When he woke up, he roared loudly, and ran away towards the mountains as fast as he could go, leaving me shaken but wiser about bear country travel. Also worth noting is that I had become complacent because I had seen so few bears in the area over my years of exploration. Bears roam around and you never know where one might turn up. There's a survival lesson that applies to all areas: Complacency is the enemy. This is a case where there is real safety in numbers. For every additional person in your group, the chances of attack decrease and drops to near zero once you have five people. Leave your dogs at home if possible, as dogs will chase and try to fight bears, probably resulting in the deaths of both the bear and the dog.

There are three general bear situations that you may encounter:

• Meeting a bear that is traveling/foraging/resting,
• Meeting a bear defending carrion or other food, and
• Meeting a bear with cubs.
  

The latter two are the most dangerous situations, as the bear could be confused about your intentions and become aggressive.

Never get between a female bear and cubs. Always give a female with cubs a wide berth. To the sow bear, you are the equivalent of the stranger with the rusty van and free candy. A mountaineering guide I knew was out walking one day with his wife on a trail near Anchorage, Alaska when they inadvertently moved between a female and two cubs. They held there ground at first, but the mother bear started to charge, and they did not have a firearm or bear spray. He turned to run, and the bear was on him in an instant. Ultimately, he survived the mauling, but he almost lost an eye and his face had to be rebuilt with metal plates. A few lessons: (1) Always hold your ground or retreat slowly facing the bear (2) Always pay attention to where you are going (3) Have a means of defense.

In the wild, carrion or other meat is something that a bear will fight for. If you come to a bear that is sitting on carrion, avoid the bear, try to leave the way you came, and give the bear wide berth. The bear sees you as a possible competitor for precious food and may become aggressive. If you are hunting in bear country, do your best not to leave killed game unattended, as a bear will not hesitate to claim your kill. Of course, in a survival situation, you may have to kill the bear to ensure that the bear does not take what you need to survive.

Walk through the woods and open country long enough, and you will run into bears who are minding their business. Some bears may be curious when they meet you, stopping to look and even standing up on their hind legs for a better view. In any bear stand off, help the bear make up its mind by holding your ground, waving, and yelling. The goal is to present the bear with a novel situation that makes it want to retreat. If the bear still doesn't budge, fire warning shots to get the bear to run. My former employer, who was a hunting guide on Kodiak Island and a polar bear guard for oil crews on Alaska's north slope said that this was enough to put almost every bear he encountered on the run. By helping bears associate negative things with humans, you protect bears and other people. Try to end all bear encounters by scaring the bear away. If the bear begins to charge, use your bear spray or gun to stop the bear. If you do not have a means of defense available, stand your ground because as soon as the bear sees you run, it will chase you. The possible exception to the "stand your ground rule is if you are near an easily climbable tree (keep in mind that bears can climb trees). Often, bears will simply be bluffing when they charge, so continue to hold your ground and do not run. If it the bear is attacking and you have not been able to stop it with your means of defense, get into a tight fetal position to protect your belly and face. This may help you survive the worst of the attack. You can't outrun a bear, so don't try.

Of course, many of us venture into the wilderness so that we can see bears and other wildlife in their native habitat. If you see a non aggressive bear at a safe distance (outside 200 yards is my comfort zone) it is fine to watch and take pictures, but don't try to get closer or do anything to antagonize the bear. It seems like many people (people who don't read SurvivalBlog) expect the wilderness to be like Disneyland. Bears are wild animals with claws and teeth, so leave them alone.

When you set up camp, there are procedures that should be followed to keep your food secure and to keep you safe and to prevent bears from coming to the tent to look for snacks. I was taught to establish a camp in a type of triangle with each side at least fifty yards long. At the first point of the triangle you should have your food storage area. Your food can be stored in bear proof containers or on a line between two trees at least twenty feet off the ground. I have used Garcia Bear-Resistant containers and have not had any problems. Home made bear containers can be made from PVC pipe with a plug and a threaded cap, but these are very heavy if you are traveling on foot. Buried caches are a bad idea in general for bear country, as bears are expert diggers. The second point of the triangle should be your kitchen area. Keep all utensils, dishes, and vessels here, as well as any scented items such as soap and toothpaste. You should keep any clothes you cook in here as well, but this often not practical. The third point of the triangle is the sleeping area. Keep it sanitary, and do not bring any food to this area. All human waste should be buried well away from the camp. In an unplanned survival situation where you are unable to cache your food you may have to combine all three stations into one, but don't do this unless you have an appropriate firearm. When you break camp, always exercise 'leave no trace" (called trash discipline by military types) by packing out all garbage and burying human waste to prevent the habituation of wildlife to human food.

Bears can wreak havoc at your homestead because of their curiosity and their perpetual hunt for food, but there are steps you can take to make your retreat secure. A good start is to make sure all structures are sturdy and "over built" (at least by the standards of what passes for construction in America nowadays). Bears can easily claw through thin plywood and break down weak doors. Make sure your dwelling's doors have strong hinges and bolts that can be locked from the outside on the top and bottom of the door. At remote areas in Alaska, we used "bear boards" as a deterrent for bears trying to break into unoccupied cabins. These are made from pieces of plywood with 16 penny nails driven through [facing outward and covering] the whole area spaced every 2 square inches. These were placed over every ground level window and in front of the door. For livestock pens, chicken coops, and other sensitive areas, electric fences can be effective for keeping curious bears out. One of my friends in Alaska whose cabin was over a mile from his airstrip used this concept to build a small solar powered electric fence enclosure around his Piper Super Cub, as bears are notorious for shredding cloth covered bush planes. It is possible that concertina or barbed wire would be an effective alternative, but I have never seen this used. Do your best to not give bears a reason to come around by keeping garbage and other food secure. "Haze" problem bears by firing warning shots or using air horns.When securing the homestead, think of bears as extra large puppies who will chew on anything they can reach. They are crafty scavengers and will exploit any shortcomings in your retreat's security as some friends of mine learned when they had a bear hibernate under their remote cabin in Alaska.

I left the discussion of bear firearms for last because if you use your smarts in bear country, your likelihood of needing your firearm to kill a bear is low. Your good habits in the wilderness will be your first and best defense against bear attack. I have met far too many newcomers to Alaska who believed that their gun was a magical talisman against bears. The simple act of taking a gun into the woods is not a comprehensive plan on how to deal with bears. While I am usually the last person to enter into the endless debates on the pros and cons of this or that gun/caliber, I do have a few pretty strong opinions about bear guns. When it comes to killing a bear, a gun inadequate for the job can be worse than no gun at all. Empty your .22 or 9mm into a bear to get a bear that is twice as angry, clearly a counterproductive move. That being said, a firearm is as much a noisemaking device for bear defense as anything else because firing warning shots will send the vast majority of bears on the run. A bear is nature's version of a Panzer tank, with dense bones, thick fir, and heavy layers of fat and muscle, calling for some serious firepower. First, there is no such thing as an ideal bear pistol, because there simply isn't a caliber powerful enough to guarantee that you can stop a charging grizzly in its tracks. However, a .44 Magnum is the minimum for an acceptable bear defense for those of you who don't want to live be your long gun. Just so you don't think I am being biased here: I love automatics. The first paycheck I ever earned I used to buy a 1911, but no experienced woodsman I have ever met in grizzly country ever carried anything smaller than a .44 Magnum. If you are exclusively in black bear country, .45 ACP might be sufficient but a .357 Magnum or larger would be preferable. Go big or go home when it comes to pistols for bear defense.

In my opinion, a semiautomatic 12 gauge shotgun is the king of bear defense firearms, and that is what I prefer to carry in the back country. I usually load the first two rounds as slugs, with the rest as three inch double aught buck shot. If you don't have a semi auto shotgun, a pump action 12 gauge is a close second. A lever action .45-70 is also a good choice, and some professional guides swear by them. A large caliber rifle can also be an effective defense, but you will have fewer shots, and it will be more difficult to aim and take quick follow up shots. JWR's SurvivalBlog has a static page on survival guns that is well thought out and a good guide for building your battery. If you currently do not own any firearms, I believe that a shotgun is the first gun that you should get, simply because it is so cheap and versatile. Whether it is used for rabbit hunting, bear defense, or as a tactical weapon it is an indispensable tool for the survivalist. In no way am I suggesting that it should be the last firearm you should procure. Like JWR, I believe that the "ultimate survival gun" debate is irrelevant. If you are carrying a long gun that is under powered for the job (that includes assault rifles), you really should be backed up by a secondary weapon or bear spray.

What about bear spray? If you are a good survivalist, you already have a bear gun. However, I think that bear spray, for casual purposes, such as backpacking and walking around the woods can be an effective alternative in these pre-TEOTWAWKI times. Bear spray has been shown to be more effective than a firearms for stopping charging bears, so it definitely belongs with you preps. It is convenient because it is light to carry, requires virtually no training to use, and is easy to aim. It is five times hotter than pepper spray for human attacks, so don't get any on you when using (pay attention to wind direction), and always put it on the outside of any vehicle or aircraft in case of accidental discharge.

I think it is useful to do a few bear specific firearms drills to prepare yourself for bear attack. To simulate a charging bear, set up three targets, one at 50 yards (a typical distance for a hostile bear encounter), one at 30 yards and one at 10 yards. With your bear gun of choice, practice putting a third of your rounds into each target starting from the farthest and working to the nearest, with the goal of accurately emptying your weapon in 3-5 seconds. You need to be highly proficient with your weapon if you hope to stop a charging bear.

There are two broad schools of thought for bear-human encounters. On one side, there is the idea that as a visitor into bears' home, it is your duty to be respectful and do everything possible to avoid a confrontation with bears. On the other side, you have people like the hunting guide I used to work for who always said "I'm sleeping on top of my food. If a bear wants my food, I'll shoot him in the face!" I've always believed that it is in everyone's best interest to minimize bear-human confrontations, and people who come to the wilderness without the knowledge to stay safe are, but we should never hesitate to defend our lives and property. Follow safe procedures for travel, camping, and securing your homestead, and the likelihood of needing to actually kill a bear are low. My greater fear while solo in the wilderness is death by hypothermia or being injured and not being rescued. Sometimes I think we survivalists can get too focused on the exciting, adrenaline pumping aspects of survival and ignore the fact that the difference between life and death is often the mundane: starvation, exposure, disease, etc.

Bears kill approximately one person per year in the United States, including Alaska. Almost all of these deaths are preventable, because bear behavior is predictable. Bring your smarts and your means of defense into bear country and you will be fine, and make sure to teach your children exactly what to do if they encounter a bear if they are alone. All in all, I think human predators are far more dangerous than bears. After all, when is the last time a bear killed someone to get $20 for their next crack cocaine fix? Stay safe out there.

There is a plethora of good, sound information and articles on SurvivalBlog.com that I have researched, absorbed, and adapted into much of what we have done to prepare.  I would like to personally extend my gratitude to all the contributors of this subject and let them know that the information they have freely shared has been very helpful.  In addition, there are countless other informative sites, books, and organizations gained from this web site that has also been very useful.  This article describes our particular situation, the challenges, and planning to make our escape from the crowded suburbs of Atlanta to the sanctuary of the American Redoubt.  It is not a perfect plan and there are many risks involved, but in the end, one must do what they must with what they have and be prepared for the worst.

Finding adequate long-term retreat locations in the southeast United States is proving expensive and leaves one to doubt its protection near so many people.  As with many beginning prepper’s, we started over a year ago with the basic focus to improve our food & water situation at home along with basic gear needed for an extended bug-in situation.  In the midst of this, we realized we were not in an ideal location and would not be able to bug-in forever if things got really bad.  We decided to start looking for recreational acreage in the southeast to provide a retreat and develop into a new homestead over the long term.  The problem has been finding the right place, in the right location, for an affordable price.

Having grown up in the California, Colorado, and Idaho areas, I’m very familiar with the region’s resources, geography, political climate, and culture.  Overwhelmingly it appeals as the better place to be when SHTF and we have changed our focus to purchase property and move to the Redoubt region to establish our retreat/homestead for retirement.  The goal is to purchase ample acreage to build a self-sufficient, off the grid home and make the move.  My troubles began when I questioned what we would do if the excrement hits the rotator before that plan is finalized.  What do we do, where do we go, and how do we get there?

It comes down to a choice of hunkering down in the suburbs, bugging out to nearby forest or wilderness, or high-tailing it west where we want to be.  Believe it or not, we decided that if it comes down to it, we’re making a bee line for the northwest.  Since that decision, our prepping has focused on that being the primary plan until we are able to relocate.  Once we move, the prepping focus will change accordingly.

Since I have traveled the road between Atlanta and Twin Falls several times, planning a 2200 mile bug out seemed simple enough but quickly became a monumental task.  The more I got into it, the more challenges I uncovered.  This undertaking is much more involved than a simple road trip and the necessary planning becomes complicated and risky – almost to the point of scrapping the idea entirely as hopelessly impossible or insane.  I’m not here to profess one thing over another, but to pass on what I’ve found to be noteworthy getting from point A to point B, 2000 miles away, within my comfort zone.  None of this is a guarantee of mission success.

Living east of the Mississippi one quickly learns there are a number of circumstances and factors to consider in developing a workable escape plan.  The most troublesome element is that 58% of the country’s population resides east of the Mississippi river in roughly 1/3 of the total land mass.  This is a huge impediment in reaching and crossing the Mississippi river, a formidable natural barrier.  It will be a continuous challenge avoiding the mass of people, possible road blocks, checkpoints, and other hazards on the first third of the journey.  Another issue is multiple large rivers to cross with limited bridges away from populated areas.

My current location requires 7 hours of driving to reach the Mississippi river – by interstate.  For me, this is my first tactical objective.  It’s not west enough, but it’s a line that once I’m on the west side, the bulk of the population is behind me, my odds of success are improved, and I can breathe a little easier.  The goal is to get across it as soon as possible, before the bridges become impassible in a worst case scenario.  Naturally, this all depends on the nature and scale of the event and in some scenario’s, this trek would not be possible and we’d have to find refuge elsewhere.

Planning a route to carry you a thousand miles or more during a crisis is challenging.  In this case, to go from Georgia to Idaho requires some 230 gallons of gasoline (my vehicle only) and 46 hours driving time – under normal circumstances.  In this plan, I have added an additional 400 miles to the route by avoiding the larger cities and denser counties.  I cannot carry enough fuel for that entire distance so I must rely on the availability of gasoline along the way.  It is the single most critical item in the plan and without it we are dead in the water.  This is certainly not the ideal solution and the only way it can be successful is to get going before the fuel runs out – before the panic.  This is easier said than done.

Two days before hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast, word was spread over the Atlanta news that the Colonial pipeline, which supplies Georgia and parts of the eastern seaboard with gasoline from the gulf coast, would be temporarily shut down.  It was also mentioned that there was at least a 10 day supply of gasoline in the Atlanta area for normal consumption and the supply line was expected to be back online before any shortages occurred.  It didn’t take long for a needless panic to ensue.  A gas buying frenzy started and prices jumped to $6/gal in 4 hours.  Within 3 days, most urban stations were as dry as the sand in the Mojave.  That’s how quick a situation can change and any plans will be bust if you wait too late.  It was weeks before supplies and costs returned to normal so fuel will be a constant critical item in the route plan.

To aid this situation, I have designed and in the process of building a 50 gallon rectangular stainless steel fuel tank that can be quickly installed in the bed of my truck.  Basically it’s a simple transfer tank to be used to refill the truck’s main tank via a hose and hand-crank pump. Combined I now have approximately 75 gallons of fuel capacity giving me a 900 mile range.  This should easily get me across the Mississippi river as my cross country route is only 600 miles.  The idea is to have sufficient fuel to cross the river and the plan calls for refueling at any opportunity along the way.

The questionable availability of gas requires specific gear and consideration.  Two critical pieces are the siphon hose and a 12 volt dc pump to reach the gasoline in the underground tanks.  It’s the only way to get fuel if power is down.  Underground tanks can be accessed through the lids found on the lot surface and the tank cap can be removed to allow a suction hose to be dropped inside.  Most underground tank bottoms are around 15 feet below the pavement surface.  (I reckon it should be mentioned that this is extremely hazardous.  One good spark and everyone around will know where you are and what you just attempted to do).  The pump needs to be self-priming, explosion proof or hermetically sealed, powerful enough to lift fuel at least 20 feet, and provide a minimum of 5 gallons per minute flow using at least a 1/2” outlet.  (Plans for a suitable pump setup are available at SurvivalBlog.com using a spare automotive fuel pump).

Many variables can adversely or favorably affect the route plan.  A road or bridge being open or closed is a simple example.  Fuel being available here or there is another.  Since it would be nearly impossible to know before getting within sight of a bridge, etc., I decided to plan for both possible situations, one being primary and the other secondary, and in some cases, a third alternative.  Every critical part of the bug out route is thought through for possible problems and solutions.  If we get to the primary bridge over the Mississippi River and find it impassible, we divert to bridge B.  Rather than stand around and scratch our heads figuring out where to go, we keep moving toward a new target.  If that one can’t be used, plan C is implemented and so on.  The plan has to be flexible and if all else fails, we bug in somewhere and wait.

We found one of the most critical components of our planning was the preparations needed just to get us on the road.  Unless the event is an instantaneous major tectonic malfunction of cosmic proportions, events should unfold and develop such that we have time load and go.  Two things become vital in the beginning stage; vehicle readiness and the loading process.  Naturally, any bug out vehicle must be maintained, fueled, and ready to go at a moment’s notice, but we are not always that disciplined.  This requires that we have the means to do it very quickly and carry spares.  The plan requires us to leave town in a moment’s notice so all our ducks need to be in a row.

A whole article can be written on the proper condition to maintain a bug out vehicle.  I simply treat it as I do any other vehicle and keep it maintained such that I have no worries to jump in it right now and head for the west coast.  I know it will make it, but there are always those rare times when something takes the opportunity to unexpectedly fail.  To counter this, I keep an assortment of spare parts stashed under the rear seat.  Accessory drive belt, ignition coil, spark plugs, and tire plugs just to name a few.  The key is to keep it in good running order; oil changed regularly, good tires, healthy battery, etc.  If you are concerned about it making a 2000 mile trip, then it isn’t ready or reliable.

Unless one has a dedicated bug out vehicle that stays locked and loaded, we must factor vehicle loading into the equation.  What can be thrown into a particular vehicle in the least amount of time and how does it all fit?  The clock is ticking and the window is rapidly closing so there isn’t a whole lot of time to waste figuring out what to take, where it all is, and how to pack it all.  To simplify and minimize loading we pre-packaged everything and keep it stored in 2 places that can be reached easily and quickly.  Normally, most of this gear and supplies would be stored at a hideaway location, but in this case, we are creating a mobile retreat of sorts.  God help us.

We pre-packed our food supplies in identical boxes that can be easily stacked and transported.  Each sealed box contains 4 to 5 days of food and supplies for two adults.  Like a deluxe family size MRE, each box contains a variety of canned & dry goods, stove fuel, water purification, can opener, personal hygiene, meds, and other items needed for living and surviving comfortably in the boonies.  Except for the canned items, everything else is vacuum sealed to protect against moisture.  We store the boxed food supplies in a cool, dry place along with the backpacks and med kit to maximize shelf life.  Our plan is to carry a minimum of two month’s supply of food in the event we have to hold up somewhere and wait out a situation, recover from an injury, etc.

Containers of gear are pre-packed in a similar manner – tent, stove, first aid, fishing and hunting gear, radios, spare batteries and the like.  These are loaded along with a shovel, dry wood, axe, tool bag, extra fuel, water drum, camo netting, and the ice chest full of what refrigerated and frozen food will fit in it.  In addition, the backpacks (BOB’s) are tossed in full of clothing, MREs, water, sleeping bags, maps, and other survival gear.  Included in this is our financial pouch of documents, currency, and coinage.  All the gear is stored together in the garage where it is easily accessible and can be quickly loaded.  Lastly, the firearms and ammunition will be retrieved and loaded in the cab.

We found it was highly beneficial to practice loading as we learned several things; order and method of loading, where to store things, waterproofing the load, and the physical aspects of gathering everything.  It took several attempts to fit everything in the truck and find the right places for some of the gear.  The loading process was too time consuming and required too much physical effort.  We also had items stored in several different places which required more time to collect.

To improve these issues we moved the gear to a special storage area built above the garage door to put it closer to the truck.  Originally it was scattered between the garage, utility room, and in the basement with the food supplies and significantly increased the number of trips up the stairs.  Another solution was to improve the loading of the food supplies stored in the basement.  Rather than haul the boxes up the stairs and through the house to the garage to load, we moved the truck to the back yard and passed the basement supplies through a window.  The house is a tri-level and the basement is actually concreted crawl space with about 4 ½ feet of head space.  By removing the widow sash from the utility room (where the crawl space access is), we could easily pass the boxes through to just above ground level in the backyard.  With the truck right there the loading was much simplified, saving a substantial amount of time and labor.  An added benefit was that we were concealed from the street in doing this.

Once we got the loading figured out, in 30 minutes we can be on the road heading due south to our primary rally point located about 80 miles away.  We picked a location that will allow us to stay if needed and have an alternate site picked out in case the primary is compromised.  The rally point allows us the opportunity to re-assess and monitor the situation, take stock, meet-up with others, prepare for the longer march, and if necessary, bug in for the duration.  At this point, we have escaped the Atlanta area and are in a relative safe zone.

Masses of people trying to escape the urban areas will have, for the most part, a predictable flow.  Like water, they will follow the path of least resistance.  They will generally follow the interstates until they clog up and then to the nearby smaller highways, and so on.  Authorities could be implementing evacuation plans and I found it useful to read those I could find for major cities along our path.  One thing I learned is that they provide evacuation routes out of the city but indicate no defined shelter or specific location to go to.  People will be ushered out of the cities and the surrounding outskirts will be highly congested with lost, stranded, and confused people.  This situation also introduces a big uncertainty of where the government will set up refugee camps.  So far I have found nothing defining where those may be and it would be a bad thing to unexpectedly come upon one in the middle of bugging out.  With all this in mind, our route will stay at least 80 to 100 miles from all large metropolitan areas and avoid interstate corridors exiting those areas.

A valuable source of useful information in planning our route is the U.S. census bureau.  On their web site one can find state population density maps that show you by state, what the population density is for any given county.  These maps were used to define a primary corridor through each state to avoid more populated areas.  Even when using this method to define a path, the routes still funnel to the few river crossings available so we still have to navigate a few populated areas.

Each city or town along the route can be a potential problem or benefit.  A handy web site to use is www.city-data.com to find the population, number of gas stations, grocery stores, demographics, crime statistics, and other useful information.  The local crime statistics revealed an unknown (but not unexpected) vulnerability in our initial route planning.  Many of the counties along the shore of the Mississippi River have above average crime rates of robbery and assault.  In addition, these are some of the least densely populated counties and are some of the most depressed in the country.  Just because the density is low doesn’t mean it’s without other hazards.  In addition, the web site provides the past voting history of the town as well as the county.  We used that information in defining routes by traveling through areas that are more conservative than liberal – for obvious reasons.

Discovering all the crime statistics along the river didn’t create a warm fuzzy feeling about getting across without issues.  The possibility of the highway robbery or the bridge being blocked by a band of thieves is increased and one might have to fight their way across.  That’s not something to look forward to and in this case, it makes the interstate crossing worth a second look.  Each has risks involved that have to be mitigated in order to reach the goal of getting across.

Since we were unfamiliar with the area, we diverted a recent trip out west to follow our initial route through the countryside of Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas.  We learned several things both good and bad.  The population along this route is low as we traveled mostly through agricultural lands and the bridge across the Mississippi is a few miles outside of the nearest town and can be reached without having to travel through it.  The down side was the fact that the area of the crossing is economically depressed, had higher than average crime, and we stood out like sore thumbs.  On the west side, we were dumped into a light suburban area that will require navigating through to reach the more rural farmland.  Along this entire route we passed through several small towns, some of which could be a problem in a bug out and will need to be approached cautiously.  Overall I give the route a plus and will have to have a defensive posture during the approach, river crossing, and beyond for 10 or so miles.  We have worked out an alternate route and will recon that one as well to see if it is any better.

We know the quickest and most direct route is by way of the interstate highways.  My assumption is that they will be mostly useless, especially in the east.  They all pass through highly populated urban areas and the likelihood of impenetrable gridlock and possible closure is too great a risk.  One would certainly become trapped in the city they are trying to pass through and for this reason, our primary route was planned to use only federal & state highways and back roads.

With that in mind, we have specifically addressed the points where our route crosses interstates as all of these highways have interchanges connecting them.  Most of them are packed with hotels, restaurants, and gas stations.  We want to avoid these interchanges as they will most likely be blocked with traffic.  People on the interstate needing fuel, food, or shelter will exit at these locations causing major gridlock and the filling stations there will be dried up.  We plan to use less traveled points around these interchanges to cross that will require slight detours from the main track.  Many nearby roads cross interstates without access and are the ones to use - preferably those that cross over the interstates than pass under.  I used Google maps to zoom in to these interchanges and then scan up and down the interstate for overpasses without an interchange.  Then I printed out that segment and added it to the route plan.

In rural areas, federal and state highways will have less congestion than the interstates.  In addition, there are countless county roads crisscrossing the countryside.  Detailed county maps will be needed to navigate and use these roads.  These can be downloaded and printed from the web or printed directly from Google maps.  They are used for the necessary bypasses and detours around specific points and are stored in a binder in the vehicle.  For state maps I prefer the large fold out maps over the ‘vacation map’ books for the greater detail they provide.  These can be ordered through the web or obtained at state welcome centers.

Along the way it is highly important to listen to all radio news reports and gather any information concerning the route.  This, of course, depends on somebody still broadcasting.  We must constantly keep up on what’s going on locally and soak up every scrap of information available.  This data is used to update the maps, note the areas to avoid, and make navigation decisions.  It will be important to constantly gather intelligence, adjust plans accordingly, and to be acutely aware of where you are.

With regard to crossing major rivers, there are a limited number of bridges available to use.  Interstate, federal, and state highways generally have bridges across the major rivers that you will have to use.  In some cases, a secondary road or an old highway roadbed may cross a river by way of an older bridge, sometimes right next to the newer bridges that’s still used for local traffic.  These are the gems to look for because they are off the beaten path and less traveled.  Find all of them and list as alternates, they may very well become the primary.

The census maps and city-data information was used to determine likely fuel locations in the sparsely populated rural areas.  The idea is that the fuel stations there will not have been drained dry by the evacuating masses because the rural folks may choose to stay where they are.  In addition, our route keeps us away from the evacuating mass where fuel will still be available.  There are numerous little towns dotted along the state and federal highways that will have fuel longer than the urban areas or along the interstates.  If the grid is down, we’ll rely on our 12 volt pump.

We also considered small aircraft as an alternative means of transport.  Taking to the sky is not a bad consideration since I have the skills to fly, but cargo capacity would be limited with my rating.  In pursuing this train of thinking, I realized that most small airports and airfields have a modest supply of aviation fuel.  As a refueling alternative, general aviation 100LL (low lead, also known as 100 octane Avgas) fuel will burn in an unleaded gasoline engine.  It will eventually play havoc with your emissions (catalytic converters & sensors) but will not harm the engine.  With this in mind, we located and noted all small airports along our route as possible refueling points.  There are airport/facility directories available in the aviation market that publishes airport information regarding available services and fuel availability.

The whole point of this essay is to stress the importance of deep thought and planning of the possibilities and factors involved in a long distance bug out.  Having the gear, supplies, and knowing how to make cornbread from tree bark are the easy parts.  The further I dig into the details, the more I discover I’m not as prepared as thought.  Just writing this article has revealed several deficiencies in my preparations and adjustments are warranted, the plan is refined, and I learn more.  No plan will ever be perfect and hopefully I get moved before this one is ever needed.

Go over your plans inside and out, determine the variables, and look at the risks involved.  Work on mitigating the risks so that the impact does not negatively affect your goal.  Practice your plan, take a vacation and drive your route and see what you may be up against.  Adjust your preparations accordingly and carry the necessary items to deal with the potential problems and provide options.  Be ready for the unexpected but more importantly, think of the unexpected and plan for it.

Regardless of the situation, we have to do what we can with what we have and if the world goes to hell in a hand basket tomorrow morning, we execute our current plan.  I urge everyone to stay informed, refine and practice your plan, and learn new skills.  The goal is to get to a safe zone and survive.  The future depends on it.

If you're a long-time reader of this blog you know what to do to get prepared. Stock up on food for short and near term survival, find a location where like minded people live. Become physically fit and active, and train in self defense. But all of these things cost money. My article goes towards moving to an asset orientated lifestyle to achieve your goals.

When you're cash poor, it is tough to even think about planning. If you read these articles about guns and survival food, and retreat locations and wonder, while the dispute between .223 and .308 is interesting, or the decision to buy a retreat in Idaho County, Idaho versus somewhere in Eastern Oregon is interesting – the more practical and immediate matter is how to pay your current bills. Trying to focus on these long-term goals can be stressful if you are cash-poor or have lots of debt. But by readjusting your every-day purchases to be asset orientated, everything you buy or own can be a step towards your preparation goals.

Consumerism is America. We are inundated from the moment we turn on the computer, television, or radio with ads for something. We are told that the newer product is a must have, and is definitely worth buying. As we know, it usually isn't.

Most of us have bought a car, and are familiar with automobile depreciation. The car, from the moment it rolls off of the dealer’s lot, is worth less than when purchased. Magazines like Consumer Reports emphasize buying cars, if you buy them new or used, with resale values closest to the purchase price. This way you can recoup most of your purchase price when you sell or trade the car in. This mindset of asset orientated purchasing can be applied to everything you buy.

The first step towards becoming asset orientated is to view everything you own as having resale value, and everything you plan to buy as having future resale value. Marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Craigslist have revolutionized the marketplace for your possessions, and created a global instant market for them. In a pinch, you can sell most things in a matter of days for partial value on any of these sites. While in the past you were limited by who could come to your garage sale, or what you could sell or trade with your friends and neighbors, this is no longer the case.

So what stuff of yours has this resale value? Literally everything. Clothes, shoes, books, food, electronics, dishes. Anything. Now as you might imagine this resale value varies. Let’s use a purchase of a pair of jeans as an example.
Suppose you’re somewhat fashion conscious and have worn holes in your jeans that you wear everyday in the office. After staring at the jeans in disgust, you decide that you want to spend no more than seventy dollars for a new replacement pair. What do you buy? Do you go to department store A to buy Levis for $50 and keep $20, or do you go into debt using the store credit card at department store B to buy the Sevens for All Mankind you really want for $159?

As Margaret Thatcher would say, No. No. No. Debt is evil.
The first think you do for your jeans purchase, or the purchase of any item is to see what your purchase is selling for on Ebay or Craigslist. This will give you a base value for your purchase, or what you could get for it in a pinch if you needed the money you spent for it for other things. Suppose the average resale price of Levi's on eBay is $9.99, and the average resale price for the pair of Sevens you want are $65.

The next decision for you to make is to see if you could do with buying a used pair of jeans. This would be the cheapest and most efficient purchase, since your base purchase price would equal your resale price. Thus, the $9.99 or $65 investment you make into the pair of jeans could be almost fully recouped (assuming your treat your clothes carefully) upon resale. It is like getting free use of a pair of jeans for as long as you need. In realizing this, I do not buy new clothes or other items if used ones are available. But what about sizes or fitting you ask? You may be scared to buy an item online if you are unable to return it and it does not fit. So here is what you do. Go to wherever the item is sold, and try on the article. After trying it on, write down or record the the item details on your phone, and see if the item is being sold by a trusted seller on eBay or craigslist. That way you've “tried on” the clothes without having to buy
them, and can purchase them cheaply used online.

Now it is worth mentioning that eBay does take about 10% cut of the item should you list it for resale, but even still, a $1 loss on a $10 item or $6.50 loss on a $65 item is much better than the $40 loss you would take on the new Levis or the $84 loss you would take on the Sevens. Ouch. So by doing this, you learn to take care of your clothes and start thinking about resale value. Also, by routinely churning through your belongings you also lose attachment to material things – which is a good thing since they don't matter spiritually in the end.

Full Exchange Stores

One way to ensure a high resale value for your purchases is to shop at stores that offer 100% return policies - even if they are more expensive. If something were to go wrong or not work with an item you buy, you rest assured that it is exchangeable or returnable. Or if you need the money you spent for the item in a pinch, your purchases are easily returned if in saleable condition. Its the ultimate willing buyer, willing seller exchange. Now are these returns moral? Remember, the stores with more lenient return policies often have higher prices and build into their prices that people will return their items. Thus, the consumer is paying a premium for the cost to the store of returned items up front. So if the store offers the policy, use it if you have to, since it is included in the price. Some stores even recoup their returns by reselling the returned items – REI’s gear sales are great example of a resale of returned outdoor equipment and
clothing, especially barely-worn boots, for clearance prices. Find and use these sales where you can. Thus, it is my belief that if a store offers seemingly lenient return policies, they want consumers to use them. So keep those receipts and take advantage. But be aware that stores can change their policies at any time, so only buy necessary items with a resale value close to the purchase price to protect yourself should the store policies change. And if you don’t believe this to be morally correct, don’t do it.

Food

You can use the asset approach approach for food purchases as well. Make a list of food that you would like to stock up on. As other writers have suggested, try to mimic your usual diet in your preparedness food. So if you normally eat frozen pizza rolls, a preparation purchase at Costco for 50# of wheat germ probably would not be a wise choice for a smooth diet transition WSHTF. But then or now, you probably should not keep eating the processed frozen pizza either. Others have written about the diets you can plan, and how you can improve your diet. I offer nothing new here, except on how to buy the food you need.

When you buy the food, think of each purchase as the purchase of assets. Get the lowest price you can. Figure out the items you want and look at couponing sites to see if and when any coupons exist or the items. Coupons are money given from the manufacturer to you to entice you to buy their products.
The manufacturers print coupons every week to entice new buyers. Take them up on their offers. Say you really like Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice drink and would like to stock up on ten two-quart bottles for your provisions. Many people have gotten into the couponing craze, and there are coupon blogs for all parts of the United States that show when coupons are printed in the newspapers, and how to combine them with store advertised and unadvertised specials to stock up on really cheap food. Take advantage of them and clip them for the juice if they are available.

Because many of the stores in the blog are in my area, if I was purchasing the Ocean Spray drink, I would review www.frugallivingnw.com, to see if coupons for the drink are coming up for print. If they are, I would either buy the newspapers where the coupons are printed, and cut the coupons out of the papers myself, or buy already-cut ones on eBay., Then, I would use the coupons and combine them with any deals indicated in www.frugallivingnw.com to obtain the best deal.

Why pay $4.29 a bottle for the juice when, after couponing, you pay $1.99 - or sometimes if its a really heavily promoted by Ocean Spray, nothing at all. And if you “overbuy” or you don't use it, keep your receipts and return the food, again if it is in saleable condition. If you itemize your taxes, you can also donate to charity to recoup your unused food purchases this way as well. YMMV.

Preparation is achievable for anyone who becomes asset orientated. To avoid being overwhelmed, make a list of all the things you want to buy or need to get prepared. Only buy necessary things with high resale value. And shop, where possible in stores with 100 percent return policy. And help your neighbors with your “overbuys” when you can. Good luck.

I am a widow of over three years whose youngest son was serving our country in the Middle East when my husband’s death happened.  My husband lost his job and was forced into early retirement before his death.  I will not go into the details of all the turmoil then and of having a child home with injuries of war.  In a SHTF situation there will be many people with war injuries in our own neighborhoods.  My other children and I are so glad he is still alive.  My income dropped further not long after this.   It was the end of the world as I knew it mixed in the downward spiraling economy. I cannot move from this area.  I live in the country near cities.  I have grandchildren and children who will no doubt come here if cities rapidly become uninhabitable.  For several it is within walking distance if they must walk, about 13 miles. I can only think of how living in a heavily populated area can work to my advantage.  Buying and storing bulk foods is not an option.  Here is how I am surviving and preparing for a future on a fixed income.

I will be doubling the size of my garden this coming spring.  Weather from the drought literally scorched the ground this past summer.  I planted lettuce over and over never to see it raise from the ground. That is just one example of what the drought did to my garden. I am sixty years old today and have never seen anything like the weather this past summer.  Horrible and truly scary but now I only see it as a lesson for future gardening and for the times when my garden may be raided. I have to think outside the box. I now have a simple irrigation system to help through another drought. My garden is located on the back of my property so I may plow for another garden closer to my house.  Two better than one.  Though I have plenty of seed for my garden needs, I will be buying extra seed for barter and trying to save more heirloom seeds than I do now.  I am using a hoe for weeding instead of a tiller.  I can plant more this way and keep in shape at the same time.  Gardening is the best summer gym!  I can barter fresh produce. For now, winter is just a stone’s throw away yet I can walk to my garden and pick greens I planted late in summer when the drought was over.  Asian greens, an onion, pepper, mushrooms with other vegetables and a chicken breast cooked in a stir fry over organic brown rice is a cheap and healthy meal, especially if the veggies come from the garden.  A chicken breast from the grocer can be replaced by a squirrel.

I have two grain mills I purchased since my husband’s passing.  One mill is a used hand mill I paid ten dollars for and the other a small electric Blendtec I purchased from Amazon.com.  Since I live in an area of corn, grain and soybean fields I hope I will be able to bargain {barter} with local farmers for grains to use in my mills.  I ordered a large bag of organic wheat from a local health food store a while back and the bread is delicious made with fresh milled grain. Trading fresh bread or produce for grains will be an option. 
 I have two woodstoves.  I heat my home with the one in the basement and the other is in my garage/workshop. Most of my 8 acres is wooded so I will not be cold in winter.   I could barter extra wood for food, gas etc.  I pile brush from cut trees to attract quail that are coming back into this area.

I can cook over a fire when I run out of fuel for Coleman Cook Stove during blackouts.  I keep two Coleman outdoor stoves plus one of their ovens to place on top the burners for baking. Coleman ovens can be purchased for around forty bucks.  Once I thought of outdoor stoves only for camping.  Several years ago the tail winds of Hurricane Ike helped me prepare for days of no electric.  That hurricane was a true wake up call!

Many homeowners in my area have ponds.  I can barter for fresh fish.  I really need to have a pond built on my place.  That is something to think about for the future.  I advise anyone with the acreage to build a pond.  There will be no fresh or frozen fish if electric is out for weeks.  A pond will provide fresh bluegill, bass, crappie, catfish etc.
I do not have chickens.  I buy eggs from a couple neighbors when they have extra eggs.  Again, I can barter for eggs. 

This area is abundant with deer.  I have deer in the freezer.   Deer would be scarce in a collapsed society but I would still have a few around my property plus other wildlife.   Again, think barter.
Double coupon for groceries and other products.  It is a pain to categorize coupons cut from newspapers but it is a must when economizing.  I use envelopes for coupons in a small folder.  My canned section of the folder has envelopes for canned soup, veggies, condiments, meats, salad dressings etc.  The health section has individual envelopes for cold medicines, band aids and salve section of drug store, shampoos, etc.  The list goes on for dairy products, frozen foods, cereal brands, ethic foods such as Italian, Chinese etc.  Sometimes you can buy food for little or it may be free after couponing. 
 Catch the sales.  Since most of the garden burned this summer I purchased canned veggies at 25 cents per can early this fall.  There was no limit so was I able to store over 200 cans in my basement until the garden comes in next summer.  By Thanksgiving canned vegetables were more than twice that price when on sale.  A vegetable stand in a nearby city sells 50 pound boxes of potatoes at half the price of 10 pound bags in the local produce section of big chain grocers.  They will store well in the garage until zero weather hits then I will bring them into the basement. 

I have a lot of designer clothes in my closet from Goodwill [thrift] stores.  I constantly receive compliments on clothes I pay little for.  I try to buy when there is a half price sale.  My hiking boots are a name brand I purchased at a Goodwill Store still in their box.  I have a juicer, DVD/VHS player, steam canner, cook books and much more at a fraction of the new price purchased from Goodwill, Salvation Army and other second hand stores.  I do not make special trips to town for shopping.  When I go to work in town I always run several errands to keep from wasting gas.  An extra trip to town for a single item is unaffordable.

Eating out is a definite no, if possible.  If I do, I use coupons or use the dollar menu at a drive-thru.  I keep snacks in my desk at work.  I make 24 pizzas at a time using a #12 can of pizza sauce, bread flour from a 25 lb bag from GFS, two 5 lb. bags of cheese, salt, yeast purchased in bulk at GFS and olive oil.  I mix the dough in four used bread machines purchased for few dollars each.  Add ingredients such as pepperoni on top before placing in oven.  Grandkids and guests love the pizzas made for less than two bucks.  It is hard work for one half day but worth it.   Three pizzas can be made with one small jar of pizza sauce if you are not up to making 24 at one time.  Beats paying fifteen bucks for a single deluxe pizza.

One of the grocers where I shop gives discounts on gas at the pump.  Some months I can save up to 30 cents per gallon.  I sold a vehicle I loved for one that is more economical to drive.  The increase in mileage per gallon has saved me.  I paid cash $3,500 for the vehicle.  This way I will not have to make payments that would amount to several hundred dollars per month for a vehicle to drive.  If I have to sell my present vehicle and drop down to a $1,000 vehicle it can be done if need be.  There are good deals out there for good used cars that have former owners with a good track record taking care of their vehicles.  It took a while for me to find one and drove my granddaughter’s car a couple weeks before finding my deal.  I borrowed her car before she got her license. 

Most important are personal relationships.  My neighbors and I have never held a meeting as a survival group.  I have been lucky through our conversations that many of us are like minded and we will be there for one another when needed.  I am a private person for the most part and so are my neighbors or we would not be living where we live.  I know by their lifestyles I can barter with them.  I have skills, they have skills.  We can complement each other.  Further on relationships, as a widow I chose not to pursue a relationship with a man.  I decided if God chose to send someone my way it would happen.  I went about my life with all its problems and I have had many the past years.  Well, God did send someone in my life most unexpectedly.  He is a widower who hunts, can fix nearly anything, has grandchildren and has not run when problems in my family have seemed overwhelming for me as when two of my children were sick.  That is important.  When a person’s world falls apart, patience for any type situation must be in order or a relationship will not survive. I was not progressing past my husband’s death as I should have.   I am healing and the new man in my life has been a big part of that process.  Again, if you find yourself single for any reason please take your time getting into a new relationship with one of the opposite sex.  You need the breathing time to catch up with knowing yourself again as single and go from there.  I would certainly have sabotaged a relationship had I started dating too soon after losing my spouse.

I also want to point out that we live in a society that falls apart after a few days without electricity.  Other traumatic events will spur post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD )in the best of us.  Part of my survival experience the past three years is with a person with PTSD in my life.  In a world spinning out of control all of us need to become well read understanding what war and a society falling apart does to the human psyche.   Please read and find out all you can about the emotional fallouts caused against individuals before, during and after war and societal unrest.  It may mean the survival of a child, grandchild or a dear friend.
Two of my grandchildren cannot play outside their condo in a nearby city because of crime.  Crime is everywhere, even in the countryside where I live but children can play on my land.  I keep a swing set, plenty of toys, bikes, games, a pool table in my basement, scissors, paper and more for children.  If I can eventually afford an above ground pool I will have one for grandchildren to enjoy.  Such things relieve stress in children and is good exercise.   There is always a small pile of brush needed burning for marshmallow roasting on my place.  I have been purchasing VHS tape movies for 50 cents to a dollar and stocking up.  Games for children help too.  I dedicated a room in my basement to sewing and crafts.  Small things costing little mean a lot to small children during times as these.

I have guns and ammo in a safe.   My family has lived in this area a long time and most around here know I have guns.  I am left alone as far as thefts go, so far.  My safe is tied into the floor joists of my house.  Presently it would take a chain saw to remove it in less than an hour’s time, not within the five or so minute time frame of local thieves.  At my husband’s death my oldest son drove in from Colorado and picked up my youngest son at the airport.  They bought the safe on their way home from the airport and installed it.  My own sons and daughters have helped me make it to today.  I do not know what I would have done without them.  Sure, we have our problems and disagreements from time to time but we are tight, regardless.

As you can see my preparedness is quite cheap and simple.  I would love to have solar panels for electric and more for the future but economics limits the extremes I would love to go with.  My small generator would run my freezer long enough to can frozen meat over a gas grill burner.  Would not want to do that but I could if need be.  Boundaries as lack of funds keep me thinking outside the box.
The best preparing is letting God be in control.  It is unbelievable at the situations I have found myself in to come up with funds to pay bills.  One time a check came in the mail within minutes I urgently needed to pay bill.  I have been humbled many times by the grace of God these past years.  No one is perfect and all of us make mistakes, some quite terrible but God is there regardless if we let him in our lives.  He helps us prepare if we let him.

Years before my husband’s death we took an extreme cut in income.  I was upset and could not understand why God was letting this happen to us.  Little did I know we were being prepared for a further loss of income.  When an economic fire storm hit the area we lived in we were a great deal more prepared to face the music than most because we had already had to live through that loss.  So the problems you have today may be God’s way of preparing you for the future. 

I have been watching the evening news more often as of late.  It is unbelievable the amount of shootings, stabbings, robberies and home invasions taking place in the area I live.  It will continue in this direction for many years to come.  I cannot move as I stated once before.  For economic and family reasons I will remain here and sit it out.  I search the web and stores like Goodwill for items that can be purchased at prices I can afford to make life more comfortable the coming years.  I know the fire storm is coming.  One of my grandfathers of many generations past was one of the first white men to come down the Ohio River to the lands of Kentucky.  I love reading the history of our country and I know we are headed for rough waters.  It cannot be stopped at this point regardless of who is in charge in Washington.  It is too late. We may remain the United States of America but it will be an entirely different landscape.  Practice preparing. Prepare as best possible with what you have, even if it is only a tomato plant in an Earth Box on your condo patio.

As any survivalist quickly learns, the “three basic essentials” to survival are air, water and shelter. However, I learned to realize that there is a fourth basic essential, that being a stove--which provides a way to reliably purify the water, cook the food and make the shelter more comfortable.

Of course, there are many types of water filters, solar ovens and warmer clothing for those needs but, somewhere along the line, the ongoing need for a practical, portable, concealable, quick and highly-efficient means of heating will be needed. SHTF heating that can purify your water, cook your food and warm your shelter.
Like many other survivalists who began their prep “journey”  in preparation for Y2K, my knowledge and supplies have since grown exponentially, expanding my supplies and knowledge with countless lists, articles and learning from invaluable web sites (such as survivalblog.com), to prepare for the soon-to-come world upheavals to come.

Over that time, I’ve also concentrated on learning ancient & medieval survival techniques, as well as learning how people survive in today’s war-torn areas and third world countries. Such information has given me real insight into real-world situations, with the internet and books such as “Life in a Medieval Village” or the “FAMA Sarajevo Survival Guide” being invaluable resources.
My explorations began in ancient history, where cooking fires were open, basic and offered no protection from wind or rain. Perhaps ringed by stones and supporting some type of grill, this type of fire continues through U.S. campgrounds today, as well as many parts of the world. The biggest disadvantages to this type of fire are a tremendous inefficiency in cooking and fuel use, as well as the smoke-trail. Fuels then, as now, include anything that will burn, including animal dung. Also, smoke is composed of unburned particulates so, the denser the smoke, the less efficiently the fire is burning.
In addition to outside fires, native peoples began moving fires indoors with holes in the center of the shelter’s roof, for smoke to draft upward and escape. This was much more efficient, lowering problems with wind and rain, as well as heating the shelter interior. However, it was still largely inefficient and still had the very visible disadvantage of a smoke-trail.
The medieval world brought about the castle and the fireplaces large enough for a man to stand in. While used for cooking, another crucial purpose of these larger-than-life fireplaces was for the heating of the stone castle rooms, aided by large tapestries on the walls and covering both doorways and floors. With an addition of a canopied bed with side-curtains and thick blankets, one could stay cozy on a cold evening. But these also left a dense smoke-trail and were inefficient in fuel use.

South American adobe ovens brought about more efficiency by enclosing the fire and concentrating heat to an interior cooking space. The smoke escaped through the chimney and, although more efficient for cooking, the dense smoke-trail continued.

Victorian times brought  multi-story dwellings with a fireplace in every room and the Colonials continued that practice here in America.
The industrial age brought about the smelting of metals and the iron age. Fireplaces evolved into standalone stoves which would allow a home to be fairly airtight and still vent smoke outside with piping. However, once again, portability and efficiency was’t available.

Since then, standalone units have evolved to be highly efficient, but many are now dedicated to heating only, using pellets or some other renewable fuel source. This evolution will, no doubt, continue… That is, until the SHTF. Once this happens, and it gets closer every day, you will be forced to re-think your methods of purifying water, cooking food and warming your shelter.
That is why you must learn now the principles of making and using a Rocket Stove, as well as having one in your supply. The Rocket Stove concept was developed to aid third-world countries, where fuel-wood is scarce and resultant pollution is severe.  Over the past years, many experiments, tests & contests have been conducted worldwide to develop a highly-efficient method of heating, which also uses a minimum of fuel.

The recent leader in tests has been the Rocket Stove design, the principles of which were presented by Dr. Larry Winiarski from Aprovecho in 1982 and stoves based on this design won Ashden Awards in both 2005 and 2006. The Rocket Stove design has been shown to operate on ½ the fuel as a traditional open fire, using smaller wood.
The principle is simple in that it is based on an “L” shaped combustion chamber, which allows for maximum draft at the low end and heat/height enough vertically to fully burn any fuel particles, which we call “smoke.” Many Rocket Stove designs are also highly-insulated, to minimize heat loss and maximize efficiency.

The Rocket Stove excels by having excellent air flow and high-temperature burning of fuel, as well as allowing the user to carefully control the heat by addition or removal of fuel as needed. There are four main components to the Rocket Stove: Fuel Load Area, Burn Chamber, Chimney and the Cooking/Heating Vessel.
The Fuel Load Area is at the lowest area of the Rocket Stove and enters toward the center of the stove. The fuel is not merely thrown in, but is set upon a “pedestal” which is usually ½ way up in the opening and allows a excellent air flow beneath the fuel. The pedestal does not fully enter the Chimney, but extends to the forward edge of it and allows the fuel (i.e.: sticks/branches) to hang over into the center of the Chimney.

The Burn Chamber is the intersection of the Fuel Load Area and the Chimney. It is the area where the fuel is burned and, when in operation, the burning ends of the fuel wood are centered in the chimney area.

The Chimney is a round, vertical shaft, extending upward from the Burn Chamber and of such height to both provide enough  updraft to maintain the fire, as well as enough length to assure the complete burning of all fuel particles (smoke), resulting in a burn clean enough to allow little or no smoke to be seen.

The Cooking/Heating Vessel is whatever unit you are using your Rocket Stove for. My StoveTec Rocket Stove came with a “pot skirt” to retain heat closer to the pot sides and is very useful for that purpose.

There is an abundance of videos on YouTube on how to construct your own Rocket Stove, of which I have made several. There are even Rocket Stove designs which have gravity-feed fuel loading and many different designs, such as off-the-floor ideas which can allow fuel storage beneath and less danger of child burning.

My current Rocket Stove was purchased from StoveTec (www.stovetec.com), a leader in Rocket Stove research and manufacturing which also provides these to third-world countries.
Their Rocket Stoves come in several model designs and have the benefit of being totally portable, designed like a 2-gallon steel bucket with side handles. Their basic 1-door model (the one I own) is excellent for general cooking, while their 2-door model also allows slow-cooking and baking capabilities. With whichever model, fuel use is minimal, usually needing only small sticks or branches.
They also offer cooking accessories and a “water pasteurizer,” which I just purchased, which fits onto the Rocket Stove. It holds several quarts of water, has a hole through the center to allow heat up through the middle of the unit and, looking down through is, has somewhat of a “donut” design in that the water is housed in a “jacket” which surrounds a “chimney.” The water is also “pasteurized” for purification and a reusable “dipstick” lets you know when the water is safe for consumption.

In addition to a main convenience of transportability, the lack of smoke trail is an obvious benefit in a SHTF situation. When water or food becomes scarce, neighbors will be on the lookout for any type of activity denoting cooking

In addition to no smoke trail, another excellent reason for owning a Rocket Stove is the ease of concealing your firelight in night or dark situations. Although there will be obvious firelight coming from the top of the Rocket Stove, the addition of a potskirt and pot will minimize any upward or side-view shining of  light coming out of the top of the Rocket Stove. However, light will still shine out of the lower Fuel Load Area. To help conceal this light, the easiest way is to face the Fuel Load Area away from any prying eyes. In addition, I also recommend the construction of a “tunnel,” much like the entry to an Eskimo igloo, long enough to minimize light and, ideally, painted flat black or blackened with ash to minimize reflection along the tunnel. The only drawback to that being the need for longer branches/sticks to keep fueling the stove without the tunnel needing to be removed.

In summary, my Rocket Stove has all the features necessary to be that fourth Essential, which is easily transportable, highly efficient and leaves little or no smoke trail.

With an endless and ever-growing supply of preparedness items and gadgets for TEOTWAWKI, it is easy to forget where we all came from.  Each and every one of us alive on this planet today is in large part due to the sheer will, strength, and survival ability of our ancestors.  We are all, literally, direct descendants of the toughest and smartest humans the world has ever seen.  Our ancestors were the ones who survived plagues and diseases of all types, hunted the largest of beasts, survived harsher conditions than most of us can imagine, always procured food, and still managed to procreate, eventually passing on that genetic material to each and every one of us.  In each one of us, is them, and we contain hundreds if not thousands of generations of genetics that survived.  We are the culmination of all those who have endured before us.  Sure, luck and the grace of God has much to do with this and I do not discount that fact.  Frankly, I thank God everyday for my life and the lives of those I love.  The reason I decided to write this article is because I feel that too little emphasis is placed on these necessary skills by both survivalists and preppers alike.  Don’t get me wrong, I am 100% in favor of being fully stocked with everything necessary for any “what if” type scenario.  I fully believe in the necessity of being well prepared whether stationary at a retreat location, mobile in a vehicle, or loaded like a beast of burden on foot.  But I don’t like to be dependent upon store bought items.  For me, preparedness is a mindset and a lifestyle.  So, my point is, what happens when we lose those items, they break, are stolen, or our supplies run out?  Don’t think it can’t happen to you.  We’re all preparing because it provides a sort of insurance against the countless what ifs.  Think of primitive survival skills as your reinsurance or back up to your back up plan.  The purpose of this article is to provoke thought and discussion to the subject of primitive survival and to serve as a brief introduction on “how to.”  When I say bare bones survival I mean just that.  No knives, saws, axes, cordage, rope, water filters, bottles, bladders, portable shelters, lighters, flints, matches, stoves, fuel, or food.  I think you get the point.  The one exception is the clothing on your back since practicing primitive skills nude in the woods would probably be a one way ticket to the insane asylum.

SHELTER
Most primitive survival situations, pre or post TEOTWAWKI, will require shelter.  It’s probable that this will also be your most pressing need, one to be fulfilled first.  Shelter keeps you warm, dry, and concealed. It gives you the ability to escape the elements as you plan your next step.  Six of our seven continents are inhabited and have been for millennia.  What this translates into is that almost anywhere on earth the natural materials already exist to provide you with a sufficient shelter.  From igloos to adobe settlements, all these materials are free for the taking if you know how to use them.  These are just examples, so I’m not suggesting you build an igloo or sun bake bricks because of the time and energy required to do so.  What I am suggesting is that you familiarize yourself with the natural materials present in your neck of the woods in order to build an efficient and expedient shelter.  Be it sand, snow, dirt, grass, rocks, sticks, moss or leaves, they all can keep you relatively warm, dry and alive.  After that, you must practice repeatedly.  Otherwise you’re simply an armchair survivalist, and we all know what happens to them. 

I live in an area with plenty of deciduous forest and mild winters (mid-Atlantic state), which is probably one of the easiest places to construct a survival shelter.  The shelter I build most is often referred to as a debris hut and I do so because it’s simple, efficient, and the materials required for doing so are abundant in my area.  I typically make a pile of leaves two feet deep and two feet longer than I am tall against the trunk of a fallen tree.  I then lay sticks perpendicular to the trunk over the entire length of the pile angled from the ground to the top of the trunk and tight enough together to not let leaves fall through.  A few more feet of leaves are piled on top of what should by now resemble one half of a ribcage with the trunk being the spine and the angled sticks being the ribs.  A few feet of leaves will shed absolute downpours leaving the interior dry.  I leave a small opening so that I can enter feet first and keep another pile of leaves at the entrance to plug it when I’m in.  For colder temperatures it’s necessary to keep the interior barely larger than yourself to minimize heat loss.  In windy conditions you may need some sticks on top of the shelter to keep the leaves in place.  Before constructing, be sure to look up and around you for any dead or dying trees or branches that could be brought down on top of you during a storm.  If possible face your shelter opening to the east to take advantage of the rising suns warmth.  If you cannot tell direction without a compass, learn to do so.  

There are countless primitive shelters one could build, and they all have advantages and disadvantages based upon where one resides.  This article is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all those shelters and how to build them, but rather an attempt to get you thinking along the lines of what you would do without a permanent or portable roof over your head.  Most of these structures can be constructed within a few hours and really do not require hand tools or supplies of any kind.  Do your research and see which type of primitive shelter best fits your locale.

Under normal survival circumstances, such as being lost or caught in an unexpected storm, one would usually choose a shelter site with plenty of natural material nearby as to minimize having to carry debris any distance and thereby conserving energy.  Ordinary survival situations also assume that someone wants to be found.  In TEOTWAWKI type scenarios we probably do not want to be found, therefore minimizing our “sign” left behind as we construct our shelter is paramount.  Leaving bare spots on the forest floor as we rake up every last leaf to use as insulation may be noticed by others and further investigated by them.  The point is to do your best at leaving as few clues behind as possible.  Using the existing landscape to your advantage will help in this regard.  Caves, crevices, overhangs, thickets, hollow logs, boulders, etc may provide the basis for an adequate shelter with minimal caloric expenditure as well as provide added insulation, wind proofing, and concealment.  By taking advantage of natural structures, your shelter will blend in to your environment much better than otherwise.  When you’re finished you should be able to step back from your shelter, looking from different angles, and not even recognize it as such.  If possible, construct shelter near a water source, just be sure you’re above the high water mark, which should be obvious.  Locating shelter near a water source isn’t always possible, just try to if feasible.  But don’t force it, shelter is typically priority number one unless you’re already approaching dehydration, starvation, are being pursued, or it’s warm and dry enough to forego it.  If you’re not familiar with basic primitive shelters I suggest that you research it.  You may even want to construct one near your retreat or on the way to it as added insurance.  Once you have established a sufficient shelter that will keep you warm, dry, and well concealed, you can move on to priority number two, which is hydration. 

WATER
Where I reside, water is abundant and very easy to find.  I have no experience in more arid regions of the US so I’ll leave that to others to discuss.  First, let’s dispel some myths regarding water.  Clear, fast moving water is not always safe to drink.  Springs are not always safe.  Dogs do drink disease laden water.  And the liquid in some plants can kill you, or at minimum make you ill.  Frankly, I treat all water as potentially disease causing until I’ve purified it in some manner.  Notice I said purify, not filter.  All too often I see people touting their homemade water filter consisting of leaves, moss, sand, charred wood, etc as a viable means to filter pathogens from water.  Simply put, this is incorrect and should only be used for filtering sediment from water and not pathogens.  Charred wood is not the activated charcoal commonly used in water filtration. 

Just a side note, activated wood charcoal is vastly inferior to activated coconut carbon in terms of the porosity needed for high level water filtration.  We’re talking about macropores vs micropores so keep your coconut hulls or stock up (they’re inexpensive, in bulk) if you make your own activated carbon for these purposes.  When searching for water keep a few things in mind.  First, water flows downhill which means that you’re generally more likely to find it at lower elevations than at higher ones.  There are exceptions to this, but I’m speaking in general terms.  Specific vegetation is an excellent indicator of water or at least wet ground.  Certain trees, shrubs, vines, and herbaceous plants will only grow in or very close to water or damp earth.  At higher elevations, look for threads of more dense or more varied vegetation tracking downhill.  The same principle applies to lowland areas as the vegetation will usually change and be denser near water or damp soil.  Learn the plants in your geographic locale that need wet earth and memorize them.  Learn to recognize them year round.  Knowing your trees in the dead of winter without leaves present is a critical skill to have.  The same thing applies to the dead dry stalks of certain herbaceous plants.  Also, having the ability to recognize these plant species from a distance can save you time and energy on your search.  Once you’ve located damp earth, try to figure out the drainage in that particular area and start your dig in low points located along the drain path.  If enough water is present it will seep into your hole.  If you don’t want to wait, somehow mark or remember this spot so you can return as you seek other sources.  Once again, minimize your signs left behind.  I like to thoroughly scatter any dirt I excavate and fill the hole lightly with leaves to conceal my efforts.  Where you decide to dig is critical.  I’ve dug two feet down in a dry streambed and did not get any water but moving ten feet in another direction with the same size hole yielded a quart every hour.  For dry stream beds, usually stick to the outsides of any curves.  Only practice and experience can make you better at this.  You can use a broken stick, rocks, and your bare hands to excavate.   

Animals, including birds, can also tell you where to look.  Many animals, but not all, must drink water to survive.  Therefore, following animal trails, especially when these trails converge and widen more and more, can be a reliable indicator.  Birds, with the exception of flesh eaters, are fairly reliable indicators of the presence of water.  The overall flight pattern of birds in a particular area at dusk and dawn is a great clue.  Also, bugs and insects can be telltale signs.  Bees, small black ants, flies, mosquitoes, and others are rarely too far from water.  Although in the case of some of these insects it could only be a few ounces of water in the crotch or rotted section of a tree.   Another great and often overlooked source of water is dew or condensation.  Given that you do have clothes on your back, use some article of clothing to “mop” it up.  From dusk to dawn is the best time for dew formation and gathering.  Sometimes in shaded areas you can still gather dew hours after the sun has risen.  If you’ve experienced a rainfall recently, keep in mind that rotted wood and moss will hold water long after everything else has dried.  Simply squeeze the water out.  The last source of water I would like to mention is tree sap.  It’s my favorite since it doesn’t require boiling. I’ve consumed box elder, red, black, and sugar maple, black birch, black and white walnut, shagbark and shellbark hickory, and sycamore sap as my sole source of liquid for days.  I’ve also drank large quantities of sap from many other tree species. 

Some refer to the sugar content as a possible source of dehydration.  I haven’t experienced this to be true but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t.  As an added benefit, most tree sap has an abundance of vitamins and minerals.  Not all tree sap is potable.  Check out the Plants For A Future Database and look under the heading “plant uses” and scroll down to “sap” to see which trees grow in your area.  Just a side note, many of the trees with potable sap also have edible inner bark, which was extensively used by Native Americans.  Once you have positively 100 percent identified that species, sample a small amount first.  Then progress to larger amounts of consumption.  You should do the same with anything your body has never consumed before.  We all may potentially have food allergies were not yet aware of.  The downside to using sap for hydration is that it doesn’t flow year round and not all trees flow at the same time or for the same length of time.  Maple sap, for instance, will flow best when nights are below freezing and days are above freezing and it’s sunny or partly sunny (high pressure).  With maples in my location, sap flow begins after the trees have gone dormant in the fall.  This usually occurs after a few hard frosts and will continue through winter and into spring as long as the tree isn’t frozen and the aforementioned criteria are met.  These principles do not apply to all tree species. 

An example is birch, which averages 3-5 weeks of sap flow in early to mid spring depending on the weather.  Once the leaves have emerged the sap of most tree species loses its clarity and palatability as the chemical components change.  Shortly thereafter, sap flow will cease and does not begin again until the weather warms after a sufficient dormancy period.  Given that all trees do not leaf out all at once in the spring but rather in a slow progression this can be a source of water for many months if you have the knowledge.  In my area, by utilizing all tree species with potable sap, I can drink for nearly six months out of the year as long as the trees are not frozen.  Maples are among the first to leaf out in the spring therefore they flow first.  In my area, this is followed by birches, walnuts, hickories, etc.  Tree sap is highly perishable and must be used quickly.  One of my favorite methods for preserving it in early spring is to pile the melting snow around and onto the container to keep it cold.  Be sure to cover the container opening with wood or a rock to keep the snow out.  Using this method sap will keep for days. 

Harvesting tree sap without tools is more difficult but not impossible given that it were Native Americans who taught Europeans how to do this and did so without steel implements.  Maple and birch syrup producers rely on drills, buckets, taps, tubing, etc to procure their liquid.  Primitive survival does not afford these luxuries.  Gouge a v shape incision into the tree on a side that faces the sun using a sharp rock (research flint knapping to provide you with an adequate knife).  Then insert a thin twig into the base of this v and slope it downward so that the sap can drip down it.  Better yet, break the end off of a lower branch that is pointing in a downward direction or hang deadfall on it to make it point downward.  You can also bore a small hole into the trunk with a rock and insert a hollow stem of a non poisonous plant to act as a tap.  Just match the diameter of your tap very closely to the diameter of your bored hole creating as tight of a fit as possible.  You can speed up the flow by sucking as through a straw.  While testing certain trees pre-SHTF to see if they are flowing I suggest breaking off the very tip of a twig instead of gouging a hole into the trunk unnecessarily.  This is just a good conservation practice in my opinion. 

Grape vines are also a good source of liquid during certain times of the year.  When grape vines are flowing I like to break one off low to the ground, wrap it up, and bring it with me.  When I’m ready to use it, I’ll cut or break this vine into many equal sections and bundle them together allowing the liquid to drip into a container.  As with trees, grape vines have a prime flow period which closely coincides with trees.  Other times of the year sap doesn’t flow or isn’t palatable.  Although these are just a few of the plants I like to use for water, there are many others available as well.  As a general rule for herbaceous plants, if the entire plant is edible so to is the liquid within it.  By now you should be asking, “okay, well I found water, but what do I put it in and how do I purify it?”  The answer is found in fire.

FIRE

Making fire with sticks is referred to as friction fire.  The concept is to rub or spin two pieces of wood together producing a fine dust that will ignite into a glowing ember or coal at around eight hundred degrees Fahrenheit.  This coal is then transferred into a tinder bundle and blown into flames.  The flaming tinder bundle is placed underneath a pre constructed arrangement of small twigs and progressively larger pieces of wood.  I like to arrange my sticks in a tepee fashion with one side open to insert the flaming tinder bundle.  There are countless methods invented throughout history but the two I like the most are the bow drill and hand drill methods, with the latter being my preference.  An experienced person could easily write a 50 page article on all the nuances of friction fire.  Instead of giving an in depth “how to” I think it’s better that you start by watching internet videos on this subject as it’s much easier to understand when you see it.  It can be rather verbose to explain.  Do searches for both the “hand drill fire” and “bow drill fire” and watch many different videos to gather more information as no one video or source of information is the best. 

The bow drill is the best place to start for beginners as it’s usually the easiest.  This video shows the basics of the bow drill by Ray Mears.  Although he does use a knife, machete, and nylon cordage, a sharp rock and natural cordage can achieve the same results with slightly more time invested.  Developing an understanding of sound basics and technique on the bow drill will make the hand drill that much easier.  Outside of proper technique and form, the next most important factor for success is the right selection of wood or plant material.  Not all wood can be spun together to make fire and dead but not rotted wood is almost always best.  If you can dent it with a finger nail with moderate pressure that is likely an appropriate hardness.  Softer woods are easier to create fire with than harder woods.  Avoid most oaks, most maples, hickories, walnuts, persimmon, beech, birch and any other wood than is generally considered hard and durable.  This is not to say that it can’t be done with these woods, it’s just much harder than with woods such as buckeyes, basswood, elms, willows, sycamore and some members of the pine family.  If you’re using the bow drill method you’ll need to make some sort of natural cordage. 

My favorite sources of natural fibers are stinging nettle, milkweed, dogbane, and basswood, although there are literally hundreds of other trees and herbaceous plants that can provide adequate fibers.  Do a search for making natural cordage to see this first hand and to see which of these species grow in your area.  Also, pencil thick roots from some members of the pine family make excellent bow drill cordage.  When you’re first learning the bow drill use paracord or an old shoe lace as you’ll quickly get frustrated when your natural cordage wears thin and breaks.  My favorite tinder is cedar bark shredded and balled up like a birds nest but many other materials will work as well.  For firewood, especially in wet or rainy weather, it’s imperative to gather wood that is off the ground.  Dead twigs and branches still attached or hung up in the tree are an excellent choice.  Fatwood, which is the heartwood of certain pine trees usually located in decaying stumps, is probably the best kindling there is.  Its high resin content makes it rot resistant and will easily catch fire.  Friction fire can be physically demanding and to have your tinder bundle fail to ignite wet wood is not a good thing.  As far as wood selection goes, the easiest to produce fire using a bow drill in my locale are buckeye, basswood, elm, willow, and eastern white pine.  There are many others that work well, but these are simply my preferences. 

The hand drill consists of only a spindle, fireboard, and tinder bundle.  It has the advantage of not needing cordage or as much preparation time but is less technically forgiving.  Here is another clip of the same guy performing the hand drill.  Although he is performing this in the desert, all the materials needed to do so are easily found anywhere south of the tundra.  My favorites for this type of friction fire are basswood, buckeye, willow, elm, and yucca for the fireboard and mullein, cattail, evening primrose, and goldenrod for the spindle. After you learn the basics, it is persistence and a desire to succeed that makes all the difference in success.  Because this method most often utilizes the dead stalks of herbaceous plants it’s imperative to be able to recognize them at this stage.  Many people can recognize plants when they’re flowering but cannot do so when it’s a dead dry stalk in mid-winter.  As with any skill truly worth learning, it takes practice and dedication over an extended period of time.  I constantly read how these methods are impossible or worthless.  Well, I’m here to tell you that if you’re willing to put in the effort you can start a fire with these methods at will anytime you please.  I do it all the time.  The last primitive method for fire starting I feel worth mentioning is flint rock.

Most of us are familiar with the flint and steel method of fire starting as well as the more modern ferro rod.  But given that we’re talking about primitive skills this would predate the invention of steel.  Flint rock has a decent distribution across the US and that’s why I mention it.  Before steel, many native cultures simply scraped flint against an iron ore containing rock.  Quite a few different rocks will work but the most commonly used was marcasite or pyrite.  It produces small sparks and is tedious but can be a viable alternative to friction fire if your local geology has plenty of these rocks available.  This is another good research topic specific to your locale.  Here’s an excellent link showing how.   And one more for a different look  Once you have fire it’s now time to purify your water. 

You’ll need to fashion a container by using coals from the fire to burn out the center of a piece of wood.  You can make bowls and cups capable of holding large quantities of water with this method.  Find an appropriate piece of wood and place some hot coals onto it.  You can speed up the process by blowing on the coals.  Every so often remove the coals and gouge out the charred material of your cup and repeat the process until you have something capable of holding your desired amount of liquid.  I recommend sticking to something quart sized for mobility.  If stationary, burn a large depression into a fallen tree capable of holding gallons of water.  Birch bark containers, animal stomachs and hides work very well for transport.  You can use pine sap to seal up any leaking areas of the bark.  Once you have a container you need to heat up rocks in the fire and using two sticks in a chopstick manner transfer them into your wooden container to boil the water.  Your rocks should be gathered from a very dry area that doesn’t sit in water.  The reason being is that trapped moisture will cause the rocks to crack when heated and sometimes these sharp sections are flung outward.  Basalt is the rock of choice as it rarely cracks and if it does it doesn’t go flying outward towards your face.  Rocks gathered from stream beds or any other wet areas are poor choices as they almost always invariably crack.  If you must use these types of rock, cover your eyes when placing them into the water and keep back while it’s boiling.  Continue to transfer more rocks into the water until you’ve boiled it for the desired period of time.  Placing a large leaf, flat piece of wood or rock over your boiling container will increase efficiency and negate any flying hot stones.  Burn out multiple containers to gather tree sap and place them under your taps.  Or if you live in an area with bamboo you already have a container.  Check out this kid to see what I mean.  Instead of cutting the bamboo into sections as he does, I like to keep the bamboo stalk intact and gouge a hole at the top of each section and lay the entire bamboo stalk into a water source to fill up.  This way all the sections will fill with water and can easily be transported to the fire location.  You can then keep the stalk upright and take off one section at a time for boiling.  Fire is sort of a double edged sword, you may need it to keep warm, cook food, and purify water but its presence may give away your location.  My favorite low profile method for fire is the Dakota fire hole.  Research it.  It consumes far less wood, doesn’t smoke as much, and doesn’t cast as much light.  Also, to keep your fire “near smokeless,” use the driest wood possible and keep the flames going.  A fire smokes the most as the flames are dying down. Now that you have shelter from the elements, water to quench your thirst, and the all important fire, it’s time to eat.

FOOD
In a short term survival situation food is the least important.  However, in a long term scenario food is paramount.  To date, I’ve consumed and or used approximately two thousand different edible and medicinal plant species and I can recognize them at all stages of their growth.  I do not use this number to boast but rather use it to illustrate what our Creator has given to us that is free for the taking.  Even in the dead of winter an abundance is still available if you have the knowledge.  Domestic produce pales in comparison to wild food in taste and nutrition, although certainly not all edible plants taste great.  I always feel my best when consuming wild plants and animals and I try to consume something from nature daily.  Many people feel that one cannot entirely survive off wild food indefinitely.  They claim that too many of the Native American staples have been greatly diminished due to loss of habitat.  This is true to an extent and I’m deeply concerned with loss of biodiversity.  However, with this loss has come a substantial influx of Old World plants and animals to fill the fields and meadow that were once forested.  Many years ago I set a goal for myself which was to see if it was possible to still “live off the land.”  Honestly, I doubted that one could only consume wild food and make it.  But the more I continued to learn the more I realized that I was wrong.  Simply put, it is my firm conviction that one can not only survive but absolutely thrive consuming only wild species when armed with the right knowledge and skill set.   

As I mentioned in my introduction, almost everywhere on earth has been inhabited by natives that did just that.  The downside to this is that it takes years of learning to develop this skill and knowledge and a TEOTWAWKI type scenario will make it much more difficult to live this lifestyle.  Procuring wild food by far has the longest learning curve of all primitive survival skills.  It involves plant identification, harvest, and preparation.  It involves hunting, fishing, tracking, trapping, stalking, snaring, processing, as well as other skills.  These are things that take time to learn.  I don’t say this to discourage you but rather to be realistic.  Shelter, specific to your locale, can be learned in a day.  You can become really proficient in finding water in a slightly longer period of time.  It takes a few months to become good at fire, practicing twenty minutes a day three to four days a week.  And it can be nearly mastered in a year to the point where you can do it almost anywhere anytime.  But to learn food, you really have to be dedicated.  It’s probably best to start learning all the poisonous plants in your location to rule out what cannot be eaten.  These will be a huge minority of the overall number of species in any given area.  In fact, in most geographic locales it’s extremely difficult to locate more than a handful of species that can kill you.  Besides, with very few exceptions, poisonous plants taste so terrible that it would be difficult to ever consume enough quantity to kill you.  We have taste buds for a reason, don’t ignore them!  To really learn plants you’re going to need books and some basic botanical knowledge.  You can also learn a tremendous amount on the Internet.  Just like survival authors, some wild food authors are better than others.  I consider only a few to be authorities, as I find mistakes in almost all wild food literature.  Fortunately, these aren’t mistakes that could kill us.  Many authors, I think, just copy others’ work.  The authors I find to be most reliable and accurate are Samuel Thayer, Thomas Elpel, Linda Runyon, Steve Brill, and John Kallas.  There are many others so do your research, read reviews and make an informed decision.  Outside of books specific to edible plants you’ll need field guides for your region that cover all plants not just those that are edible.  A taxonomic guide for your locale is indispensable. 

Once you have positive identification, research that plant for its edibility.  Basic rules for foraging are: 1) never eat anything unless you’re one hundred percent sure it’s not poisonous.  2) know at which stage of growth and what part of the plant you can consume since some are edible young but become poisonous later or may have one edible part and other poisonous parts.  3) know if any special preparations such as boiling are required for that plant species.  4) when consuming any plant for the first time, only sample a small amount to be certain you’re not allergic and then increase your consumption.  5) use at minimum three references to ensure a plants edibility.  6) use latin names including genus and species for identification purposes.  Start learning plants now since it takes time to become proficient.  Don’t assume you’ll be able to head to your retreat with a few field manuals and then start learning these necessary skills.  I say this because plants are mainly identified by dissecting and/or counting their flower parts and the edible parts may precede or succeed flowering, which would leave you out of luck.  So, just because you’ve identified an edible plant it doesn’t mean it’s at the appropriate stage for consumption.  It can be, but not always.  If you haven’t learned edible plants in advance then at least memorize the universal edibility test to leave you some options.  Type in into a search engine to learn it.  I chose not to go into detail on which plants are edible simply because it would be specific to my locale and would only be good info for some.  I would rather conclude with you knowing that there are tens of thousands of edible plants within the United States and if you apply yourself you and your family will never be without food.  I love to gather seeds of edible plants and scatter them near where I live, as well as my family’s garden, to add to my local abundance.  I may succumb to disease, I may be shot or die in an accident, I may live to a ripe old age and simply die of natural causes, but I can assure you I will never starve to death. 

I’ve chosen not to cover hunting, trapping, snaring, and fishing in a primitive manner simply because it’s illegal in most areas.  Most places require steel snares and traps that conform to state laws as well as fishing with a rod and reel and hunting only with certain weapons.  However, it’s certainly not illegal for you to research these topics and I strongly suggest doing just that.  Snares and traps work round the clock in as many locations as you place them.  They will consistently outperform a hunter for this reason as he or she can only be in one location at one time and only for a limited amount of time.  I personally prefer snaring over trapping because of all the supplies needed to trap.  Trapping is heavy and bulky and I can carry many more snares than I can traps.  Trapping can be great when you’re stationary but if you’re on foot, I wouldn’t even consider it in my opinion.

This concludes Bare Bones Survival.  I hope I’ve sparked your interest in some of the things within our past that make our present possible.  God is simply magnificent, and as we all scramble to make sure we purchase everything on our “list of lists” before the SHTF, it’s easy to forget that He has already given us everything we need in nature.  Slow down a little and get back to nature and you’ll find peace that doesn’t exist within the rat race of American culture.  When you start learning and practicing these skills, by all means use anything that will make success more of a probability.  If something doesn’t work for you, don’t assume it doesn’t work altogether.  You may just need to adjust something in some way.  Be persistent.  Don’t run out into the wilderness without gear and expect to be able to do these things overnight.  Start small and work your way up.  Take a trip with a fully stocked backpack and work on these skills over an extended period of time.  The first time you make shelter, bring your tent, bag, and pad as a backup.  Bring your water and filter when you work on finding water.  Bring your flint and knife when practicing friction fire.  And bring food when working on edible plants.  Learn to hunt, fish, and snare using legal methods as you will learn many things that are transferable to doing the same in a primitive manner.  If you’re willing to put in the time necessary to learn these things, you’ll be rewarded by always being at home in the wilderness, never to hunger or thirst or to be left out in the cold.  Good Luck and God Bless you all!

My husband tells it the best: the utility power was out for miles around after the transformers blew. Driving up to our home in a darkened neighborhood after a harrowing commute, our house shined with soft glow outside of solar lights along the driveway and in the windows, candle light flickered inside, food was cooking out back on what appeared to be a stack of blocks, music from a wind up radio played in the background and my wife handed me a steaming mug of hot chocolate as I walked in. No generator in use….no power….yet warmth and reassuring life in a grid down neighborhood! "Lord, am I glad I married a prepper”!

Massive snow/ice storms, utility interruptions,  hurricane aftermath, solar flares, EMPs….many different problems can cause serious and lasting power outages. Thinking about having a plan….and having a real plan that works and that you have tested is different. When responsible for food preparation, you have to Plan to “Never Fail”!!!

We all know of the massive “bug out plans” in the event the grid goes down. Unfortunately, most of us who live in more populated areas such as suburbia would not be able to implement such a plan due to the traffic gridlock and high security risks that would occur within minutes. Being trapped on the highway exposes needless vulnerabilities for short term (weeks) of rustic food preparation. Setting up now and staging in needed skills and food stuffs will help you to transition into primitive skills our grandmothers were experts in.

Call it “Short Term Transition Crisis Cooking”. In every situation, the first stage can be the most frightening and you will feel overwhelmed. Face that fear head on and work through it a step at a time calmly. With a little planning, scheduling and advanced preparation, you can keep a regular nutritious and comforting meal schedule. You will calm the jangled nerves of all family members by your preparation.

Establish a Routine, then expand it. Families exist better with an established daily routine. Set meal times, then work backwards to ensure your preparations are in order and ready and all is done before darkness descends. Our grandmothers were marvelous at not wasting energy, food resources and keeping everything on track. Any bored or restless youngster was instantly put to work helping prepare for the next meal or tomorrow’s meals. Without modern conveniences we all take for granted, there will be a lot more manual preparation tasks to be done. Learning by doing will also teach your youngsters better self reliance; a mind set skill that is vastly needed.

Make a list for instant response for the first three days while you adapt to your new reality! Include how you will cook, what you will cook and how you will clean up. It matters equally!

Know your cooking resource, and know better it’s limitations! I hear many urbanites touting their piped gas stoves which are wonderful. However, many piped natural gas systems rely on electric pumps to move the resource. Depending on your utility’s emergency plan, you may have interruptions due to location, pumping limitations, physical damage (earthquake) etc. I highly recommend having a few back up plans. Practice every chance you have now. You’ll thank me later!

For example, our cooking plan is as follows:

Now for the meal planning itself:

Plan time for each meal to “build” to the next meal. For example, when cooking dinner, use the residual heat to start that pot of beans or rice rehydrating for tomorrow. If cooking pasta for dinner, I stir fry dry pasta in a little oil at lunch to enhance the flavor before adding water/broth using the last heat of the lunch cook time. I personally cook from bulk supply, so when I cook oatmeal for breakfast, I use the extra leftovers in bread for the dinner meal etc to avoid waste. (you can set up your recipes this way too) If you are a “store bought” kind of cook, stock up on the large sized pre-packed soup mixes in different varieties. Having these ready to go will only require some type of hot bread to be fried, baked etc. Reduces stress….for the cook and those eating.

Plan for more hot food than needed in the first weeks of any high stress time. I can not stress this enough. During these first days there will be many demands on your time, and bringing a hot delicious meal on time to the family will be a huge comfort.  The first week is the hardest! Start with tried and true items that are hard to burn (like a simple soup) and build your skill set as you evolve. Nothing breaks a cook’s nerves worse than choruses of “I’m hungry” in between meals and ever circling herds of family foraging while you are trying to work! Setting up a stockpot of constantly low simmer soup will help deal with the high stress, technology void and fear of the unknown and instantly supply a cup to anyone hungry in between meals. I recommend a slow cooker method such as a cinder block rocket stove so that few resources are used for hours of cooking. (good to add any leftovers into as well!)You can also have a constant pot/kettle of hot water on the ready with one of these. Our grandmothers knew this lesson and always had a soup pot on the stove and a kettle filled and ready. It brings normal into an otherwise surreal situation.

An often overlooked item is clean up. Paper plates are wonderful, but chances are will not last. Establish how you will clean up after meal time. Personally when starting the meal, I set a large older dishpan on the second rocket stove to start heating for wash up. A dish pan is wide and not so deep, and add a little soap and dishes as needed to begin soaking. When full pull off the fire (add another one) and wash, then rinse in cold water. Use the final pot of water to wash your dishcloths/sponges to hang dry, rinse any food residue near your cooking area, clean tables/counters etc. so that you can begin set up for the next meal making it easier to start over. (If needed you can add that last hot wash water onto any waiting laundry too for presoaking)

Most of us have endured utility interruption….we can overcome this by creatively planning and not just knowing our limitations…but by showcasing them! Practice your plans and experiment with your cooking methods. In times of stress, we all need the comfort emotionally and physically of timely meals or a hot drink, even a plate of rice crispy treats! Choose to cherish these skills you are learning, and face the challenges with a smile and cheerful outlook! With a few resources and practice, you provide inspiration and encouragement, uplifting the spirits of those around you.

Hi Jim;
Here is an easy project with some super results. A clever fellow used an old television to create a 2,000-degree solar oven. You can see:

• The build video,
  
  
• The user test video,
  
  
• ...and a collection of his other videos 
  

Merry Christmas, - Karl G.

James,
35 years ago I knew a very old Sourdough mountain man who lived very high up in the Colorado Rockies.  He once told me you could leaven bread with the yeast that grows on aspen tree bark.  Rubbing your hands on the bark of the aspen tree will remove a bunch of white powder that he claimed was very close to bread yeast.  I never heard of this before and have never tried it.  If any of your readers know about this or would be willing to try it, this would be a very good survival skill to know.  I also found this article online from The Mother Earth News that verifies what the old Sourdough told me. Thanks, - Montrose Prepper

Dear Mr. Rawles,
Another advantage of sourdough bread is that it is lower on the glycemic index than most other breads and is better for diabetics and people with blood sugar problems. As a diabetic myself, it's about the only kind of bread I eat and would be very useful in a survival situation in which I would be forced to to regulate my sugar levels with diet.
- Burke in Ormond Beach, Florida

You may have a years worth of wheat (or more) stored, but will you be able to make it into bread and other baked goods after TEOTWAWKI?  Sourdough is the solution for preppers.  No need to worry about expiration dates on your commercial yeast packets, a properly cared for sourdough starter can last indefinitely, providing an unlimited source of yeast.  There are several known sourdough starters in the United States that are over 100 years old.

Sourdough is a method of bread preparation that has been used for thousands of years.  It probably originated in Egypt around 1500 BC and was widely used until the Middle Ages.  Today, true sourdough is rare (store-bought “sourdough” bread is usually artificially flavored [with vinegar to make faux sourdough]) but making a comeback among artisan bread bakers. With modern conveniences of dry yeast and cheap store-bought bread, homemade sourdough bread has fallen out of favor with the general public, but mastering the sourdough technique is helpful for anyone choosing to decrease their dependence on commercial goods.

What is sourdough?

Sourdough bread products utilize wild yeasts and friendly bacteria to leaven the bread (i.e. cause it to rise).  A small amount of sourdough starter is added to a larger amount of flour and the dough is allowed to ferment for a time.  During the fermentation the dough is pre-digested, making it more palatable and nutritious, and the chemical process releases gases, causing the dough to rise.

Sourdough gets its name from its slightly tangy flavor caused by the production of lactic acid by the lactobacilli during fermentation. Though it is usually associated with bread, it can be used to make many different kinds of yeasted (for example, pizza dough) and unyeasted (for example, muffins) flour-based baked goods.  

Why sourdough?

Modern bread recipes require a continual dependence on dry yeast manufacturers.  On the other hand, sourdough is a self-generating, never ending supply of yeast.  Sourdough has many further benefits and advantages for the prepper as it is simple, versatile, and nutritious.

Sourdough may seem intimidating for a beginner, but the technique can be quickly mastered. Cultured yeast requires a specific temperature in order to activate and rise.  Sourdough is more forgiving, especially for flat breads. Many recipes call for just four ingredients (flour, water, salt and oil) in varying proportions.  For example pizza dough, crackers, bread, biscuits, tortillas, pita and rolls can all be made with just these four ingredients.  

Sourdough is also versatile.  With just a few more ingredients on hand, a myriad of other baked goods can be made including muffins, cinnamon rolls, noodles, cookies, english muffins, crepes, cake, pot pies, pocket pizza, pancakes and waffles.  An additional benefit of sourdough is that it pre-digests the flour in a way that gives the dough a lighter flavor and texture, making whole grain versions of baked goods like cinnamon rolls more appealing than their non-soured, whole grain counterparts.

Furthermore, utilizing the sourdough method increases the nutritional benefits of baked goods.  As previously mentioned, the souring process gives baked goods a lighter flavor and texture, making whole grain goods more palatable to picky eaters.  Whole grains are higher in B vitamins, fiber and minerals than refined grains.  Furthermore, souring breaks down phytates which are present in whole-wheat flour, anti-nutrients which inhibit the body’s absorption of minerals.  The souring process also makes whole grains easier to digest and breaks down some of the gluten.  In recent years, many people have developed sensitivities to gluten (possibly because of our modern bread-baking techniques) but many of these people can tolerate baked goods that have a long souring time, because the gluten is pre-digested for them.

How to make and care for a sourdough starter.

As previously mentioned, sourdough involves using a little sourdough starter mixed into a larger amount of flour.  Therefore, the first step to making sourdough baked goods is to make (or obtain) a sourdough starter.  If you plan to make sourdough goods on a regular basis, you will want to have a sourdough starter on hand at all times.  That means once you make or obtain a starter, you will want to continuously feed and maintain it, although you can take breaks by putting it in the refrigerator for up to a couple weeks.

Sourdough starters can be purchased from various internet sites.  They come dehydrated, and you just add water to reactivate them.  If you know someone who makes sourdough goods, you can get some of their starter (I have given starter to at least four of my friends since beginning my sourdough journey a year and a half ago.) 

Another option (which is also a great skill to learn for future use) is to make a homemade starter.  There are as many opinions on how to make a starter as their are recipes for using your starter.  I will give you the method that I used, but feel free to research others.  Most people say that it is easier to start a sourdough starter when it is warm outside, but I was able to begin my starter pretty easily on the first try in the middle of a December. (Granted, I do live in a coastal area where winters aren’t too cold.)  Regardless, it is helpful to keep your starter in a warm area of the kitchen (such as next to the stove, crockpot or in the oven with the light on).

To make a starter from scratch, take a cup of water and a cup of flour, and mix together in a glass bowl, large mason jar or ceramic crock.  It is important to use non-chlorinated water, as the chorine can inhibit the growth of the helpful lactobacilli in your starter.  If you use unfiltered tap water, leave it on the counter for 24 hours before using it to allow the chlorine to evaporate.  Make sure to only use wooden or glass utensils to stir, as metal can react with the starter.  After stirring, scrape down the sides of the bowl or jar.  Cover with a cloth to keep out dust.

Let this mixture sit in a warm area of your kitchen for 12 hours.  Then remove half of your water/flour mixture, and add another half cup of flour and half cup of water.  Continue removing half of the mixture and adding more flour and water every 12 hours. (I aim to do it while making breakfast and after making dinner, which is about 12 hours and coincides with my time in the kitchen.)  After about 3-5 days you should start to see some bubbles forming around the side of the glass and/or on the surface of the starter.  This shows that wild yeasts and bacteria are starting to colonize the culture.  You will want to wait until your starter is very active before attempting to bake with it.  Bread shouldn’t be attempted until the starter is well established, as it requires the most yeast activity to turn out well.  Once your starter is established, you don’t need to throw out half of it every time you feed it, but plan to use it regularly so that your don’t have too much starter building up (you can use up extra starter by making pancakes, I share a  recipe for that below).

Caring for your sourdough starter is simple, but it must be faithful.  Keep in mind that your starter is full of living, active bacteria and yeasts.  It must be tended to and fed like any member of your family.  Keep your starter in the warmest part of your kitchen except for in the hottest parts of the summer, when you may want to keep it in a cool part of the kitchen (such as on a low shelf of a cabinet... but don’t forget about it!).  Your starter needs to be fed at least twice a day. (I shoot for first thing in the morning and then after dinner at night) with equal parts of water and flour.  You can rest your starter in the refrigerator, during which time it only needs to be fed once a week, but don’t let it go for more than a few weeks in the fridge without pulling it out and using it.  Store your starter in a glass bowl or mason jar, and stir it with a wooden spoon or other non-reactive utensil.  Your sourdough starter should never come in contact with metal (though I sometimes use a stainless steel spoon for a quick stir after feeding it, as stainless steel has low reactivity,)  After feeding your starter and stirring, make sure to scrape down the sides to discourage the growth of mold.  Always cover your starter when not in use to keep out bugs and dust.  Fruit flies are especially attracted to the scent of sourdough starter.

Depending on your rhythm of life and frequency of baking, you may choose to keep your sourdough starter on the counter continuously (during which times it needs to be fed at least twice per day), or you may choose to let it lay dormant in the refrigerator for periods of time (during which times you only need to feed it once a week.) I have used both methods in my year and a half of doing sourdough, because of varying life circumstances.  To give you an idea, I will provide some examples from my experiences with sourdough.

For my first six months of doing sourdough, I was feeding seven people three meals per day (my husband and I had four foster children plus my mother living with us) and my starter rarely went in the fridge.  I was making sourdough baked goods on a daily basis, sometimes multiple times per day.  I was continually taking from my starter and continually feeding it.  I rarely had too much starter and often faced the problem of not having enough due to poor planning or forgetfulness.

Then the four children went back to living with their birth mother, and my mother moved out, and I was down to cooking for two.  I was pregnant and trying to up my protein intake, and I decreased the amount of grains that I was preparing.  During this time, I kept the starter in the refrigerator and sometimes went for 2-3 weeks between uses (without feeding it for the whole time and it survived.  Sourdough can be very forgiving!)

Currently, we have a college student living with us, two babies and frequent guests over for meals.  I keep my starter out about half of the time, and in the refrigerator the other half of the time.  I usually lay out a meal plan at the beginning of each week, which helps me to know when I need to keep it out and build up the starter, and when I can leave it to rest in the refrigerator for a few days.  All this is to say that you can make sourdough fit with your lifestyle, and it will bring great benefit if you do.

Sourdough Recipe Tips

Few modern cookbooks include sourdough recipes, but there are an increasing number of recipes to be found on the internet.  It can be intimidating to know where to start for someone new to sourdough.  I have found the most reliable recipes come from sites that emphasize traditional foods and preparation methods.  Here are some terms and other things to be aware of when choosing recipes to try.

Souring time.  The longer the souring time (also called rising time), the more nutritious the end product will be.  Look for recipes that call for 8-12 hours of fermentation, which is enough time to break down most of the phytic acid.  If a recipe calls for a shorter time than this, it often requires supplemental commercial yeast.

Percentage of hydration.  In some recipes you will see terminology about the percentage of hydration.  This has to  do with the flour/water ratio of your starter.  For example, 100% hydration means that a starter is fed equal parts of water and flour.  I find that a starter fed equal parts water and flour works for most recipes, but to be safe, you can stick with recipes that call for 100% hydration until you are more familiar with sourdough baking.  If a recipe does not specify the percentage of hydration, it is usually safe to assume they are calling for a starter fed equal parts of flour and water.

Your flour. Store bought flour is more compacted than freshly ground flour.  So, depending on the type of flour you use, you might need slightly more or slightly less than a recipe calls for.  I have found that the more times that I make a recipe, the better the idea I get for how the dough should look and feel, and I can adjust accordingly.  If possible, use freshly ground flour.  Not only do whole wheat berries store longer than flour, but freshly ground is the most nutritious form of flour.  By some estimates, flour loses 90% of its vitamins within three days of being ground. (Although refrigerating or freezing freshly ground flour will slow down this micronutrient loss.)

Sourdough bread requires more skill and patience than other sourdough products.  Approach bread baking as a learning experience, and expect to make a brick from time to time, especially at the beginning. Instead of throwing out a dense loaf, grind it up into bread crumbs, store it in the freezer to use when you need bread crumbs for a recipe, or feed it to your chickens, ducks or pigs.  To ensure success with bread baking, make sure your starter is very active and that you allow the bread to rise in a warm place (I like to put it in my oven with the oven light turned on.)

I will leave you with a recipe for sourdough pancakes, which is probably the sourdough recipe that I use the most.  It is easy and forgiving, and a great recipe to start with as you learn sourdough. Even a weak starter that is just a few days old can be used for this recipe.  When you have an excess of starter, this is a good way to use the extra up quickly.  It is also a quick and easy breakfast for when I fail to plan ahead, as it only calls for starter and requires no souring time.

2 cups sourdough starter
2 tablespoons sweetener (honey, brown sugar, etc)
4 tablespoons of butter or coconut oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda

Heat your seasoned griddle to a medium-high heat.  Mix together all ingredients except the baking soda.  Add the baking soda right before you are ready to pour the batter.  Cook the pancakes on the griddle until they are golden brown on both sides. 1/3 cup of batter per pancake makes about nine medium sized pancakes.  Enjoy! 

We decided that our family needed a root cellar for maintaining root crops, cold storage and for more extensive water storage, here is our story. Hopefully, others can learn from us and not make the same mistakes. One Sunday afternoon, we went out to the yard and sized up the area we wanted, and marked our spot. Our property borders Federal land that occasionally has people lingering around, we have even caught people in our other shelters on the back of our property, so I wanted to keep this one as close to the house as possible. When we purchased our property it was all woods and we bulldozed a small area for our home. We know where every well water, electric, cable and septic line runs, we knew the area we had chosen was clear. In the back of my mind, we had saved this spot from the beginning to bury a secondary propane tank or water cistern. However; in our state it is mandatory to call “Holy Moley” a specific number to locate underground lines and cables prior to digging anything, even a garden spot. So we called, and waited for them to come out and mark all existing underground elements. We were told we did not need a building permit because it was just a ‘root cellar’.

We have found over the years that there is a little magnetic anomaly on our property, so all the compasses and detectors in the world will be off anywhere from a little to a lot. A kid that looked like he should still be in high school came from the electric company and ended up marking three lines wide, saying “It could be here, or here, or here. It’s somewhere between these lines.” I thanked him and was thankful that I knew where they were. We also noticed others marked the location of the Texas pipeline almost six foot from where it is on the Federal land and across the very corner of our property.  On the opposite side of our land, about six feet from the property line, lies a forced sewer main from the hotel lodge two miles away. They marked it 7 feet off target--we know because we found it very unexpectedly when we planted new cedar trees five years ago. Bottom line, I’m glad we know where everything is located because those who are ‘supposed’ to know don’t always know, and their instruments are not always accurate. NOTE: Always know exactly where your utility lines are on your property, measure from a point that does not change.

Having worked some years of my professional life in architectural design, I had made notes on our set of blueprints exactly where everything is located, measured from the SE corner of the house. My personal notes let us know that the area we wanted to dig in was clear.   We knew the water table was low in our area, as years ago we had to go down 120 feet for our well.  NOTE: Know your local water table and local frost line. We figured we wouldn’t hit water when we were digging the root cellar, nor would there be a need for a perimeter drain as our soils type was good for drainage. Now that everything was officially marked, and materials were gathered, it was time to start digging. We chose to dig by hand as the area we were working in was in the woods, surrounded by mature trees close to our home. We weren’t sure we could get a backhoe in between the trees, and we didn’t want to disturb any tree trunk-roots. Our area was about 12 x 16 feet, hoping after the concrete was poured and the stairs were in, it would end up about 10 x 12 feet finished.

We squared off our area and started digging, all of us, but it seemed to go slowly, so we had a dig party, everyone brought shovels and we started in again. Then the kids shoveled daily after school and the next, and so forth. The ground was much harder than we had considered. NOTE: use a Bobcat or backhoe and pile extricated dirt in area out of the way if at all possible. So after the two weeks we were down about 16 inches on half of the area, so we brought in pickaxes, as we had broken three shovels. We could only work one at a time with the pickaxes so we didn’t hit each other in the head while we worked. Working one at a time slowed us down considerably. We intended to go down about 6 feet, and according to our plans, that would be about 5 feet below ground level and 2 feet above ground level. That would get us below the frost line and above the water table. We also had not planned where we were going to pile the dirt we took out, so initially we all started putting it on ‘our side’ as we were digging, till we realized what we were doing. Then we stopped and cleaned up our mess, and re-piled all the excess dirt in one area and all the rocks in another area.  Telling this makes us sound like  a segment of a ‘Three Stooges’ movie, but we did all have fun with this project and now have precious, priceless family memories. Note: family projects of any kind can strengthen family bonds.

We were coming in contact with some large stones we had not thought about, so we had to devise a way to remove them without giving us all hernias.  After about 6 weeks to 2 months we hit a snag, literally. We were about 3 foot to 4 foot down when we uncovered metal pieces and bones that looked like human remains. I will not desecrate a grave site because I am part Native American, and understand the Grave Repatriation Act, and we understand the historical significance of our area and what we had possibly found. So we called the State Archeologist, and waited another two weeks until he could come. Meanwhile, we were on a ‘stop work’ order. In my heart I knew I had saved that area for some reason. HINT: Obey federal laws, someone will find out, some way at sometime anyway, consequences are much worse after-the-fact. While we were stopped, we revised our plans and decided to use this as a tornado shelter also, since it would be easier to access in our older age than the one we currently had, that was if we could go ahead with our project. There are different requirements for tornado shelters than for root cellars, the concrete walls needed to be stronger, the entry door needed to be different, etc. We incorporated these changes into our plan, since it was only half dug.

After the State Archeologist finally came, he identified the metal parts as being from an early buckboard wagon, as were the wooden fibers. However; it took weeks to get the results of the tests on the bones that in the end tested out to be animal bones. So the ‘stop work’ order was lifted and we could get back to work. At this point we were considering revising our plans again so we could finish quickly as it was late in the fall and we wanted to have the root cellar in by winter. No such luck, an early snow and the seasonal flu knocked us all off schedule. So the deep square filled with fall leaves and snow. People who visited us over the winter could see our little experiment from the house, and constantly asked what we were doing. Our favorite answer was digging a ‘water feature’. When we told someone the truth, that we were building a root cellar/tornado shelter, everyone started laughing at us.

Come spring, we noticed the ground was so very hard that the sides had actually held up very well, even down to the squared off corners. Also it had never collected any water, so it was draining well, even though the ground was very hard. Looking back, it’s a good thing we left it over the late fall and winter into spring, as that gave us vital information about the ground performance that we needed. HINT: In retrospect; leaving the ground gaping open over the winter gave us vital information and hardened the ground. Come springtime we resumed our project, but changed our plans. Instead of pouring concrete for it all, we decided to lay brick for the steps, as we needed the steps to finish digging. Our initial plan called for poured concrete, but we did not wish to pay for poured concrete twice with two delivery charges. We needed the steps at that time, to be able to get down into the ‘hole’ to keep digging, so we used old bricks instead. We gathered together all our spare bricks and used them on the steps. It didn’t match, but it was cute and we made designs with the odd colored bricks in concrete. Our use of brick steps ended up working well, because in the dark you can feel the difference between the brick steps and the concrete flooring.

We put up our concrete wall-forms close to the smoothed dirt, arranged the supports and were ready to have the concrete poured. Then, with a site check from the concrete company, we found out the concrete trucks could not get close enough to the site to pour the concrete. This was like a punch in the gut. With everything in place and ready we decided to make our own concrete. Working with friends, we mixed and poured homemade quickcrete walls, we kept the concrete constantly coming and of consistent value. We had enough help to pour the walls all on the same day. We poured the floor last, then built shelves from 2 x 4 s and ½ inch plywood. We used ½ inch plywood for shelves to support the weight of glass jars without bowing. We put a 110 gallon water cistern in the corner. We realized we were very close to an outside water outlet so we ran a water line over to the inside of the root cellar to the water cistern. Being 32 feet from an electric pole, we had an electrician drop an electric line, so we could put electricity in our root cellar. HINT: We love our water and electric that was spur of the moment decisions, plan for them. Our neighbor is a brick mason, so he volunteered to lay the three rows of concrete brick on top of the concrete wall to bring it up above ground. We laid our beams to support the flat roof. As we replaced the dirt on top of the flat roof, and up the sides, we found since it had been almost two years since we started, that much of the pile of dirt we took out had washed away, even though we had it under tarps. We ended up having to haul two loads of dirt (and transfer it to our site in a wheelbarrow) to cover the sides and top. We had to chose an entry door and now set it in concrete. Our experience of shoveling the dirt out was not near as fun as shoveling it back, we even covered the sides with dirt too, till it was completely covered into a little ‘mound’ then we sowed grass seed. 

In the end we are very glad to see it finished, even though the grass is not growing yet. Our ‘bare minimum’ budget was stretched considerably as the finished cost was almost twice as much as what we had initially projected. The majority of that cost was in the steel reinforcing rods used in the concrete when we moved from plain root cellar to root cellar/tornado shelter, and in the type of door we used. We are glad we ran electricity, for a dehumidifier as well as lights. The running water came in handy for clean-up when we dropped some glass home canned jars of peaches. We have not yet put doors on our shelves as was suggested to us by someone who had been in a tornado. They suggested plywood doors over all the canned goods that lock so the cans and jars do not become airborne during a tornado. We are going to listen and install them over Thanksgiving when all the family is here. In the end we are pleased with our new little spot, but if you plan to do this yourself here are our suggestions; have friends willing to help, don’t modify your plans in mid-stream, double the cost your expect and be prepared for any surprise when you are digging.

This is a little like a “how I spent my summer vacation” story, as I spent mine learning how to can the #10 cans of dried food at a local Latter Day Saints (Mormon) cannery.  The canneries are also referred to as Home Storage Centers.  I have to say up front, I have heard that different canneries may differ in policy regarding non-Mormons using their facilities, but I had the most wonderful experience in Reno with the good people of their cannery.  God bless them for welcoming me with open arms. 
 
Let me explain briefly the “summer vacation” comment.  My husband and I were planning to build a home on some property nearby, had sold our big city home and moved to the Reno area.  Then we found out the neighbor was a major liability and for other reasons as well thought perhaps we had not chosen so well for a retreat in the mountains. After spending the summer trying to make an impossible situation work, we decided to move on and put the property up for sale.  I have always believed in the “Invisible Hand” as George Washington called it, (thanks, Glenn Beck) and our temporary misery had a purpose: to move us on to where we have a better retreat and to give us the time and resources to build our food stores.  My connection with the Mormons was a beautiful light this summer when everything else felt so rotten and disappointing.
 
So one day after moving here, I called the LDS cannery and was given the number of the man in charge of the food storage mission. I called and explained I was new in town and didn’t know anyone, and that I was hoping they would let me do some canning.  He was gracious and told me when to come in.  In many canneries, they prefer that another Mormon accompany you. They showed me their Bishop’s storehouse and explained they fast two meals every month and used the money they save for the Bishop’s storehouse to help provide food for others in need.  I was deeply moved by how they provided to those in need. Then they put me to work in the cannery.
 
I have to digress here; I had one misconception of the cannery before I went in, thinking that they are canning jars of food.  They are not. They are canning large #10 cans of dried food, many with items that store roughly 25 to 30 years.  They do have some items that have lesser shelf life, and also some items in bags, like the pancake mix.  It is all dry canning.  I think #10 cans have an advantage over 5 gallon buckets in that they are lighter and easier to handle, and you are not exposing as much food to the air once you open them. 
 
Here’s how it works.  The canning was done by appointment two mornings a week.  I called the contact person and would ask if they were canning and if they needed help on a team.  Sometimes they had too many people coming in, but I was still able to place an order if I needed something.  Orders are placed BEFORE the canning session so they can tally up how much canning of different items they need to do and still have items on the shelf for others.  Then they go to work. 
 
Team members wash their hands, put on an apron, gloves and cap before going into the food storage room.  Bags of the first item are brought out and six #10 cans are placed in a tub so that when the food (like dried carrots or beans) are poured into the cans, the tub catches the spills and can be poured into another can.  The #10 cans are already sealed on one end, and after the food is poured, an oxygen absorber is placed on top of the food. Then the lid is laid on the top and the whole can is fitted into the mechanical canner to seal.  The now sealed can is taken off, and flipped over onto the counter for an upright label to be put on it.  Once the canning is complete, you can pay for your order and take your newly canned items home.
 
You may ask, why flip the can?  I learned that if you use a can opener that leaves a clean edge (basically cuts the side of the lid) on the now upright end, you can later reuse the can and just buy a lid for 10 cents.  It saves 75 cents a can the second use if you do your own canning at home with a portable canner. I honestly don’t know the difference between the ends, but this is just how it was explained to me. The cannery sells the cans, lids and absorbers. 
 
Aside from just having some good, clean fun, what is particularly exciting is that is much cheaper to obtain many storage foods this way.  Here is a link to the order form and prices. 

This is the form you will fill out and turn in when you first get there so they know how much canning they to do that day.
 
I was also fortunate enough to be allowed to check out a portable canner short term a couple of times.  Because I have diet restrictions and cannot eat gluten, I went to the local grocery store carrying bulk food items and canned lots of gluten free pasta!  I also bought some other items, lentils, 13 bean mix, brown sugar for my oatmeal, quinoa, popcorn and some other grains that I could have. It took about four days to get my bulk bagged food items in at the store and I had to calculate how many cans, lids and oxygen absorbers I would need to buy from the cannery for the process.  When I bought my items, I first calculated how many cans I needed based on the weight of the items.  For heavy grains and sugars that compact well, plan on about 6.0 to 6.2 pounds per can.  For lighter items like large beans, plan on about 5.8 pounds per can.  When I did my last canning session, I just totaled all the weights and divided by 6, and had just the right number of cans!   From this, you will also know how many lids and oxygen absorbers you need.  If you are canning sugars, like powdered, white or brown sugar, do not add oxygen absorbers for those as it will dry the sugar into a hard block!  You can still order extra absorbers if you want, I have thrown them into jars full of spices like bay leaves and red pepper flakes, and it creates a good vacuum.  When using your oxygen absorbers, keep them wrapped up tight until the last moment before you put them in a can.  They will start absorbing oxygen as soon as they are exposed to the air, and you will know this is happening if they feel warm to the touch.  Also, don’t forget to make labels in advance for your cans, so you can label them as they come off the canner and be sure to date your cans for storage.  The LDS cannery also has the plastic lids for using once you’ve opened the can, and you do not necessarily need to have a plastic lid for every can as you will not be opening all of the cans at once.  Just get a few lids.   I was able to do 70 cans in about three hours.  It goes fast.  When you store your cans, it is still ideal to store them in a cooler location, away from your salt stores!
 
One very crucial thing I learned on the storehouse tour was that grains like rice, wheat and quinoa needed to be frozen for about 4 days to kill any potential bug contamination before canning. It’s definitely something to be planned for in terms of time and freezer space.
 
In writing this article, I was concern that everyone would now rush to their local LDS cannery and overwhelm them with requests and demands. If you would like to try canning this way, call first, ask politely and work around their busy schedule. When you go in, be freshly washed as you are handling food.  And of course, no foul language!  Wear shoes, not sandals.  One dropped can on your toe really hurts. There are times when they may be too busy to have you come in, and if so, then roll with it.  At Reno they didn’t have the cannery open in July, and they also aren’t in between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  They were busy after Hurricane Sandy as well because people were (at least momentarily) more aware of their need to be prepared. Be willing to go in and contribute to a team when they need extra hands even if you don’t want to buy anything.  Sometimes they do get shorthanded, so give back.  If they are gracious and willing to let you check out a canner, plan well and have everything else in place, so that when you check out the canner, you can use it and return it quickly. Clean it off before you return it. Be appreciative and thank them!  Each cannery has slightly different policies and may ask you to come with another Mormon, so call and check.  Here is a link for the cannery locations in the U.S. and Canada.
 
Do try the LDS cannery's brand of cocoa.  It is the most expensive item on their list, but well worth it!  God bless all those who touched my life at the Reno cannery the past few months.  I am most grateful for the lessons and the love.  Thanks to God for his Invisible Hand.

Good day, Mr Rawles...

Here in West Virginia, we have experienced a wide variety of weather from Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy.  Last Friday, it began raining well ahead of storm making landfall. Rains continued off and on thru the weekend, gradually increasing in steady rains all day Sunday and well into Monday. Around 7 pm our local time, that rain turned to snow and that's when things began to get interesting. 

I tend to be a light sleeper so it was the 'sound' of power going off at 2:34 am on Saturday morning that awakened me for the day.  I got coffee started with the percolator then sat by a window watching and listening as trees and branches snapped due to winds and the weight of a foot of heavy, wet snow that fell since dark the night before.  Once your eyes have a few minutes to adjust to the sudden darkness, it is quite uncanny how aware of things you become.  Sounds are amplified, movements are detected more quickly, response time to your surroundings are automatic, perhaps mechanical in a way. I think I like this!

As of this writing (Friday), we do not have power nor do we expect it to be restored anytime soon.  On top of the more than 2 feet of heavy, wet snow that Sandy delivered, there are literally hundreds of trees and power lines down throughout the state.  Our county suffered structural damage to some main power stations (including transformers). Yesterday, I was told by the Dept. of Highways that the county road about a mile from our house would not be plowed due to downed power lines. At the same time, the power company stated they could not begin to work on electric lines when the roads had not been cleared. Go figure!

For us, our preps and food on hand prior to the storm will keep us sustained for a very long time. Heat is not an issue. We have free natural gas on our property, plus more than one heat system that does not require electricity to function.  Water is also not an issue. We have a gravity fed spring, not a well, that does not require electricity to get our water. Cisterns collect thousands of gallons of this pure water and gravity flow delivers it to our home. Water pressure isn't optimal (like having city water) but it's a reliable clean water source (one of many). I can live without being pressure washed in the shower. We have not yet finished our secondary power source installation for maintain electricity but it is still in the works. Currently, we run our generator 2-3 times a day for a couple of hours at a time to keep the freezers and inside refrigerator cold. We keep fuel topped off at all times as well as have plenty of other fuel sources on hand for lights, cooking or whatever else might arise. After the first 2 days following the storm, we were able to clear paths to the main roads and can still get to town for things if needed. 

About five months ago, our area endured an unexpected, black-swan weather event (a derecho) over the summer. Five counties in this area were completely black and without electricity.  It left thousands without power for days, some even weeks. Our electric was out for more than 10 days in a 100 degree heat wave.  I would much rather endure loss of power during winter than summer. That event left many without food and water simply because they failed to heed even the basic guideline of having a minimum of 72 hours worth of food and water on hand in the event of a crisis. Folks did not connect (in their brains) that a lack of power to the city water systems would result in their water supply to suddenly stop flowing. They questioned why didn't the city just have generators in place to take up the slack (they did). These same people also didn't realize lack of power meant no way to pump fuel to power the generators. Panic ensued from many who finally realized their ATM, debit/card cards weren't going to work. The shock of businesses not accepting checks, only cash for payment of goods or services was enough to bring out the 'zombiesque' in many people. I was prepared to begin canning hundreds of pounds of meat, etc. even with the summer heat, rather than throw it away. Many people I talked to hadn't even thought about canning and these are people who grow gardens and routinely do some food preservation each season. Duh-mazing! Fortunately, we were able to keep enough fuel on hand for the generators in order to prevent such loss.

Superstorm Sandy was not a sudden surprise. There were many advanced warnings. Local, state and federal officials spent hours on television, radio and Internet pleading with those in harms way to evacuate or be fully prepared to hunker down with sufficient supplies for possibly a long while. In our area, we are used to snow storms...bad ones are not uncommon here. Yet, people still fail to plan or prepare, fully expecting someone to come rescue them when the going gets tough. The term 'normalcy bias' immediately comes to mind.

Now, we are in the middle of another natural disaster and there are still plenty of people who are clamoring about officials not having some kind of plan in place for everyone. These are the same folks who were demanding they get their food replaced from the summer storm losses.  There are people in our area (and others) who do not even have enough common sense to make a natural, outdoor cooler from all this snow to their cold/frozen goods in for preservation. I have been continually shocked at the complete absence of critical thinking, especially from folks who I really thought 'knew better'.

I read recently that a first responder in the New York/New Jersey area said, "We simply cannot save people from themselves." I don't believe I fully realized just how critical mindset is in a SHTF situation until now.  Sure, I talked about it, saw things first hand with how mindless and crippled society has become but I never really grasped the brevity of that until this storm.  Granted, this is not a TEOTWAWKI situation or even a long term SHTF event (thus far). We are fine in our supplies and, thank the Lord, have not endured loss other than some structural issues with our farm fencing due to falling trees. Our current setup is better than most but yet it is very painful to see other human beings suffer, often times simply due to their failure to do anything to protect themselves or their family.

For those of you out there who are still reading and planning but not yet doing anything, please, please, please get off that carousel of inaction and begin putting that gray matter to use! Don't be one of those people who freeze up during a catastrophe or one of those who crawl back into bed, hoping they will wake up and everything will be okay. You have been awakened for a time and a purpose. Don't waste the opportunity to do better for yourself and your loves ones. Just remember, "indecision is still a decision". Are you ready? - C.A.T., the Transparent Shepherdess

Good Morning,
We faired very well, thanks to our preparations, which were enhanced by the knowledge gained from your fantastic web site these last several years.  Being “old Yankees” farm raised, we always knew that we needed to be as self-sufficient as possible.  We have thirteen older house cats, one feral outside, and one of our cats is insulin dependent.  Hence keeping his insulin at proper temperature is very important.  We have standard size refrigerator/freezer, a smaller one, and a small upright freezer.  We always have frozen freezer packs and containers of ice and many thick foam coolers, so we are set for many days.  Sterno stove is great for warming and even cooking, as well as backup with twig camp stove, small pellet camp stove and charcoal grill.  We ate very well:  grass fed beef, organic vegetables from local farm, and have months worth of No. 10 cans or all kinds of food and MREs.  Hundreds of gallons of drinking and flushing water as we are on a well.  Filled up both cars before the storm hit, and being retired no need to go anywhere, nor plans to do so.   

The living room has propane gas stove and three 100 gallon propane tanks.  We just completed installation of 15,000 watt Wenco generator and 500 gallon propane tank.  The “maiden voyage” of Wally Wenco and Polly Propane was 100% effective, plus we were able to provide basic services to the tenants in the 1200 sq. ft. guest house.  Neighbors notified they could come for hot shower, etc. if need be after the storm.  We ran the Wenco only a few hours AM & PM, to conserve propane.  Had plenty of flashlights, batteries, two crank radios, hundreds of books, hundreds pounds of dry and canned cat food, and the “means” to defend ourselves.  So, these two old ladies were just fine, and the year before had 22 trees removed from near the house on this almost four acre lot in a small town, so the house was safe!  Power went out Monday afternoon and came back Wednesday night.

Because we have always been financially frugal, maintain our older vehicles, and do not spend our money on fancy electronics, clothes, etc., we were able to upgrade our survival comfort with the propane generator.  We know that a long term survival in a true TEOTWAWKI for us is not possible, but we have that covered also, especially as just a few miles from us is a nuclear plant.  Were we a few decades younger, we would be living in the American Redoubt, because we have “knowledge” that would be useful, and physically be able to survive.  We are still trying to convince our younger relatives to be more prepared, because someday we will not be around, though they know that our long term food and other supplies are a legacy we can leave them for America’s uncertain future! - L.H. in Lyme, CT

Jim:
Good morning. If still of use to your readers, here’s Storm Update #3 for Princeton and Margate City, NJ, that I just sent to our friends.
 
Friday morning. No power still.
 
Yesterday, after my early run for gasoline, we did the first laundry since Sunday. I cranked open the window and rigged up the extension cords to the genny. Our daughters hardly issued a complaint with helping to fold – a chore they dislike – but under the circumstances, I’m guessing there’s something extra nice about fresh, warm, clean clothes. I continued cleaning-up the property and then helped my wife (Steph) make lunch. We heard back from our eldest daughter’s piano and singing teachers… they were willing to accommodate lessons cancelled by the storm if we could get there. Both are within a few miles of the house and a minute away from each other. The piano teacher gives lessons from her home and the singing teacher uses a local Church. Both had power restored. Needing a break of normalcy, my wife and I agreed. I would stay at the house with our youngest, while she ventured with the other. My wife was also going to see if the local farmer’s market was open.
 
Steph went to the farmer’s market and did her first ever shopping by flashlight. There was a line, and the store was allowing five people in at a time with an employee escort for each with flashlight to assist with shopping. Cash payment only. They only had non-perishables and the shelves were sparse. Several items she wanted – mostly soups – were gone. She did find a wonderful organic butternut squash soup among other groceries, and a bag of carrots. These were part of our dinner mix last night. On the way there, she sadly observed the destruction around Princeton. Trees down everywhere, debris, cars and houses hit, but lots of lucky falls as well – a few feet in either direction and the tree damage would have been far worse for many people.
 
In the afternoon, mail was delivered. I spoke at length with our delivery person. The workers that had reported for duty were sorting mail by lantern/flashlight, first class was backed-up for this week, and if they didn’t find more gasoline, mail would not be delivered for a few days even if the power was restored.
 
About an hour later, our next door neighbor knocked… they were leaving to find a hotel. This is a neurologist who works at a major medical center. Not wealthy, but he could have afforded a house generator system if like minded. I offered our home (these are also good folks), but they didn’t want to be a burden to anyone. They simply asked that I text them when power returns. Coincidentally, I checked in via mobile text with my best friend from Maplewood, NJ, telling him my concern that all of our neighbors were vanishing to hotels or extended family, and the reply text stated that he was in a hotel in Philadelphia with his family.
 
So, at this point, we have three categories of people. Those without generators who left days ago, those who have generators but not hooked up to the critical systems (leaving for lack of water, food, sanitation, heat, etc.) and those with hard-wired generators staying put as long as the natural gas flows or gasoline is available. Remember, these aren’t hardy country folk or preppers. They aren’t used to grid down or even making do with less. My friend in Maplewood – I’ve known him since 5th grade – he can afford anything he wants and still no house power system or supplies. I wonder how many people have now received the wake-up call? Perhaps Sandy is a blessing in that regard. Still, as much as I’m grateful not to be overwhelmed by cold and hungry neighbors, the evening walk with Aslan our dog was eerie. Empty houses greatly outnumbered the occupied. What would these people do if there was no external refuge in which to retreat? Would my family be a target even among friendly neighbors? Last night, I began thinking more seriously about the Mossberg secured under our bed… I train/shoot at Range 14 at Fort Dix in NJ.  I’d also like to put in a half-way plug here for solar lighting. My experience is that even the top of the line flood/spot lights will have a failure rate approaching 50% after a year. However, beyond a sizable alert dog, there are few better crime deterrents here than good exterior lighting. Our house is bathed in a blue glow of solar lighting for most of the night. I understand this cuts both ways in terms of standing out… but there are other homes with accent solar lighting on walkways/driveways, so perhaps it does not make us that much of an oddball, especially with the interior of the house dark.
 
We received a message that there would be no school on Friday - today. The roads and lack of operating stoplights are still a safety hazard, and it turns out the school’s fire safety system shorted out during the storm. They estimate that it will be fixed by Monday, November 5th, and that classes will resume then. Things in Princeton are improving each day, and we hope to have power back soon. Other parts of NJ are still chaotic as you get more urban (Jersey City, Hoboken) and closer to the Shore.
 
Turning to Margate City, under immense pressure, the barrier island access restriction was partially lifted by the Governor late yesterday. Several of my Shore friends – the locals – were finally getting into town to survey the damage. The ones that stayed had been giving us a reasonable heads-up on conditions. No food or water available on island (but the local bar was serving drinks) and the word is that wherever the water surge line stopped at your house is the measure of damage. Margate has modestly varying heights of property, bulkheads and dunes for protection. But when ocean meets bay, pretty much everyone is in a jam. Mom is stubbornly making her way back to our family home on the beach block. Bull dozers are clearing walking paths through the sand on a street by street basis. We should have a full report later today on the interior water damage. Ventnor City remains voluntarily closed due to the infrastructure issues, and the access restriction for Atlantic City still holds – at least that’s what I last heard.
 
I’m going to start the day’s work. Best to all. - Bill H.
 

Hi Jim,
Where I live in southern Pennsylvania, it rained solid, although very lightly most of the time, for 6 days straight. Today it's finally letting off. We did have some high winds on Monday and Tuesday, but we haven't had any flooding (despite living in a valley beside a stream) and no wind damage. The power did go out for a few hours Tuesday morning while we were sleeping, but otherwise it was a non event here.

Having lived through a high wind storm a number of years ago that took out our power for a week, we're a little more prepared than we were then. We now have a 500 gallon propane tank and a gas range (cooking stove), a wood burner with plenty of seasoned wood, and a hand pump for water if needed.

A few notes about that might interest readers:
Regarding the gas range, we can light [the cooktop burners] with matches, which means we need to have a large supply of matches on hand for extended power outages. Also, we didn't realize the oven [portion of the range] won't light without electricity because it has a fancy-dancy electronic control mechanism. Fortunately we don't use the oven much, but we now know better and next
time we'll make sure the oven is usable without electricity.

Also, our
house and well are situated in such a manner that we have a Bison hand pump in our basement. In the event of a power outage, all I have to turn is turn a few valves and we can pump as much water as we need. We also can hook up a hose from the pump directly into our water system. It won't be enough to shower, but it'll be enough to flush toilets, which certainly beats using buckets to flush!

Lastly, where I work, we have a lot of customers that were hit hard by Sandy. I've been astounded by how unprepared they were. It's very clear many did not make any effort to have disaster recovery tests. They need RSA security tokens to access our system, and we've had numerous calls from customers stating "when we evacuated, we left our tokens at the office". I've also heard "our server is under water". I hope they had an offsite backup! If nothing else, this [relatively] "minor" Category 1 storm should help them be prepared for the next one.

Regards, - C.G.

Hello,
I'm a long time reader of your blog and books. I live in Philadelphia. We have a house in Stone Harbor, New Jersey, which was devastated by Hurricane Sandy.

Please look at Seven Mile Island Times and Stone Harbor on Facebook for an idea of our situation there. The whole island was underwater. Our docks washed away and our boat is on the sidewalk, still chained to the trailer. 

We lucked out, the house is fine and built high. We still have electricity and water in Philly. What I took away from this experience can be seen in this HuffPo article.

We were prepared: I filled the tub with water, and topped off all our [vehicle] gas [tanks] prior. A buddy of mine lost power and has no water (pump to well died). His new generator is useless because there is no gas available anywhere. He couldn't even drive to work. Thousands are in line to buy gas all across the region, cans in hand. Stations are either empty and can't rely on distribution, or their pumps are down because of power outages. A family member left NYC this morning to drive to the house in Jersey to see the damage. Despite his full tank, he didn't have enough gas and after reaching a line of cars a mile and a half long had to turn back to NY. We have our vehicles filled up and a few cans topped off. I'm the only one that can get there to see the damage first hand, going Friday myself. Things are bad, but this gas situation shocked me and I heard about it all day from friends and co workers who were in a bad way because of it. Many here were caught with nothing. No power, no water, no gas. Thanks to our preps and luck, we're fairing well. Point being, take this type of disaster seriously and encourage people you know to prepare ahead of time. Fill those fuel tanks and stabilize them! Best, - T.H.

Good Morning,
We live just north of Philadelphia in a suburban area. Because of a house fire we are living in a recreational vehicle (RV) on our property during the [insurance] settlement and restoration of our house. Prior to the storm, the RV was parked close to our apple trees (we have several acres and are blessed with a large garden and fruit trees) and so decided that for the hurricane we should move it to the driveway where it could sit on a hard surface.  About the time that it looked like we should head west to our retreat area instead of waiting out the storm...the roads were closed for all high profile vehicles, trailers, etc. so we couldn't leave. As a side note, our retreat area was dealing with high winds and snow. So having said all that, here are some of the results and my thoughts:
 
1) Had this been a true emergency (G.O.O.D.) we would have been in real trouble as we couldn't get the RV out of the yard (she is older, 37 ft. long and 20,000 lbs. loaded). We had to call a towing service to winch her out and fortunately did so several days before the storm hit. The point? Make sure if you are using an RV as a bug out vehicle that it can actually move. Parking it off to the side somewhere might be convenient but not do so well if you need to get it out fast. The ground was solid when we originally situated her but soft when we went to move her due to recent rain and cloudy days not drying things out. Also, make sure you start all of your systems regularly as they are no different than any other piece of equipment. Heat, air, truck engine, generator, batteries, all need to be maintained and started monthly to ensure that they will work for you when you need them. Tires crack and get dry rot when not taken care of or used.
 
2) Because of the weight of the vehicle we had very little movement of the RV during the high winds. A couple of scary moments when gusts reached 70 mph but over all, pretty good. My complaint of how much gas she uses over the road because of her weight is no longer a complaint as the weight kept the RV grounded. We put the stabilizers down just enough to support and level but not enough to take the RV off of her tires. I keep the gas tank topped off and stabilized just in case, so always have 75 gal. of gas for driving and generator use but in a bug out situation she will only go about 400 miles on that tank. Our retreat area is 650 miles away...so we would have to carry extra gas. Another consideration is, what if gas is used for generator power before bugging out.
 
3) We had heat, electricity(generator), water, food and septic when everyone around us was in darkness so things stayed normal for us. We ended up putting the RV right next to the neighbors house so we could use the RV generator to keep his septic pump, sump pumps and our freezer working (he has been so kind as to allow us to put our fully loaded freezer in his garage since the fire). Although we had over 125 gal of gas, 2- 100 lb propane tanks and kerosene, had this been of long duration we would be hoofing it out on foot after a few weeks or in a real rough camping environment. Also, our food stores are in a storage unit for the time being and would have to be left behind if we had to leave. Reality is a sobering thought.
 
4) If you are bugging out, get out before the roads are closed. That one is a hard decision to make as before a storm or an emergency everything seems normal and you have no idea how bad things will get or good they will be. So when do you leave? Good question and one that we are discussing for the future. We waited too long in this case and had it been catastrophic for this area we would have been part of the catastrophe. Even though we have 2 years of food and our beans, bullets and band aids in order.
 
5) I went to our storage unit a few hours before the storm was to start to get a couple of buckets of grain and my grain grinder, along with other supplies. While there, decided to pay the unit rent early. Inside the office the young man behind the desk was fielding calls from other storage facilities as to what to do to prepare their properties for the storm. He responded that he had no clue and told me that there wasn't anything in their manual on how to handle this sort of situation. I asked him if he had any personal supplies, he responded that he some canned food. I then asked him if he had a non electric can opener to open his cans with and he didn't think so. WOW... For those who have supplies in storage units, check to see what provisions they have in place for security in grid down scenario and for goodness sake don't let anyone know that you have food stored there. Our storage unit is a mile away and I realized that in a serious situation we would have to move those supplies quickly and quietly.
 
6) We were able to stay in communications with the children who live in our retreat area through texting when the phones and cell service were spotty. I was able to use my hotspot intermittently for e-mails, news and weather. We also have a hand cranked weather radio that works very well had we needed it.
 
7) This is off topic but I have a years supply of my blood pressure medicine. I was able to get it through an online pharmacy in Canada. They require a hand written script and communication with your physician but I get six months of name brand prescriptions for what it costs for one month here in the States. I can reorder as often as I feel the need. Just thought that might help some folks out there that are having trouble getting more than a couple of months of their medicines.
 
I will close this by saying that we were very blessed! This area is pretty much back online with electricity being restored, roads open, shops opening and things getting back to normal. Yes, there were/are trees down and power outages but compared to our neighboring states we fared very well. As for as our personal conversations are concerned...we thought we were reasonably prepared but realized that in spite of our preparations we are still very vulnerable and our way of life, very fragile. I don't know what conclusions will come out of our discussions but I do know that adjustments will be made.
 
I have really appreciated this blog and the information it contains, which I check daily. It has inspired us and educated us so that we can be a part of the solution instead of part of the problem.
 
God's Blessings to all, - Lynda H.

Dear Sir,
 
I am an resident of New York City and a long-time reader of your web site.  I endured Hurricane Sandy without incident, but frankly, the storm poked a few holes in my urban preparedness model.  Rather than provide a play-by-play account of my experiences, I want to share some of the valuable lessons I gained from this exercise in survival.
 
*  For starters, I will acknowledge that a densely packed urban environment situated on an island (aka Manhattan) is the worst place to endure any crisis.  I am surrounded by millions, many of whom would have no issue with taking from me by force, largely because they remain entirely dependent on government handouts and have little concept of independence and self-reliance.  Political commentary aside, that is a real threat to my safety.  That threat, coupled with the uphill battle to legally possess a firearm in the city, puts me at a strategic disadvantage should the situation degrade beyond a certain point.  New York City, by its very nature, requires a vast and steady influx of resources via bridge, tunnel, and air.  Cripple this transport infrastructure and the city is left helpless without provisions.  Take home lesson:  some locations are better are inherently superior for a survival situation – this city is not one of them.
 
*  Fight or flight.  When the reality of the storm hitting New York was largely certain, I had to make my first major decision:  I either stay put and ride it out, or flee the city in advance of the storm.  After careful consideration, weighing factors such as the size of the storm, my transportation options, where I could go, family and work obligations, and others, I decided to ride it out.  Immediately, and without hesitation, once I committed to staying put, I was “all in” – there was no downtime at that point until I was satisfied with my planning and execution.  That said, one of my next projects in my preparedness practice will be to flesh out just what my options are in leaving this city in a pinch.
 
* Checklists are essential.  In the past, I have scoffed at maintaining a preparedness checklist on the basis that I could pretty much rattle off the items on such a checklist without much thought.  But in crisis mode where my stress levels were elevated, doubt crept in.  I found myself Googling various web sites for preparedness checklists since I was now second-guessing myself.  Granted, I had most of what was on these lists, but I wasted valuable time and introduced doubt into my planning.  Not a good start.  So lesson learned, have a list, periodically review it, and refine as needed.
 
*  If you use up any of your supplies or preps, replace them ASAP.  I had no water reserves going into this storm.  I had used up my water supply cache some months ago when our water filter was malfunctioning, and never replaced it.  Never again.  I took a three prong approach:  first, I filled used water bottles, canteens, sealed containers and such and put them in the fridge.  Made sense to me to use what I had first, rather than attempt to seek it out at stores.  Second, I ordered some Chinese food for lunch and had them bring me several liters of water with my meal.  I am not trying to sound flippant here; I was hungry, busy with final pre-storm prep work, and needed water – so I leveraged a delivery service to help me on all counts.  Expanding on this point, most people flock to stores to buy water, only to scavenge the shelves bare very quickly.  Restaurants, especially takeout places have generous bottled water supplies for sale, and most people wouldn’t think of is this avenue for a last ditch prepping effort, but I did.  Lastly, I did venture out to a store once done with all my at-home work to literally walk among the sheep and serve as a reminder to myself to never be in this situation again.
 
*  Beans, Band-Aids, bullets – and batteries.  I was somewhat surprised when a friend of mine told me that the stores had run out of batteries.  Who doesn’t stock up on batteries, I wondered.  I was well stocked, and furthermore have a whole kit dedicated to small-device charging.  I cannot tell you the number of people whose mobile phones were without charge and this was shortly after losing power!  There are battery packs, solar chargers, adapters for charging through a laptop or car.  Not to mention the basic premise of keeping your phone or other devices charged in the first place.  I guess this mirrors the principle of always keeping your gas tank at least half full.  Lastly, I counseled several friends of mine who were without batteries to purchase cheap consumer electronics that came with batteries – there were plenty of these sitting on shelves.
 
*  Be prepared to leave.  Everyone and their cousin has a Bug Out Bag today.  Filled with survival gear, emergency rations, weapons, and the like.  What about valuable and irreplaceable documents (passport, birth certificate, titles, deeds, business papers, etc.), irreplaceable computer files, cherished possessions (including cash, jewelry, precious metals).  All of these are resources that may not help you survive during the actual crisis, but will certainly help you thrive after the crisis has ended.  While holed up in my apartment, I went over several scenarios where I would be forced to leave.  Regardless of why I would have to leave, I posed the question:  assuming I had to flee with 5 minutes notice and the apartment was later destroyed, looted, or whatever – what items would allow me to rebuild my life?  What was essential, and what wasn’t? I find these questions to be of great value, not only in a weather emergency, but also when applied to other, greater threat scenarios.  It really forces the individual to distill their thinking to what’s vital, and what’s not.  In my case, much, but certainly not all of what I would need to rebuild my life is largely portable and small.  The deficiency in my case was computer backups – not portable by any practical measure, nor weather proof.  This is now being rectified.
 
*  Communication is crucial.  Ahead of the storm, I contacted the important people in my life, told them I was going to stay put, and that there was a real chance the grid could go down and I could lose communications.  This contact put my mind at ease, which of course makes any survival situation more endurable.  Furthermore, during the storm and its aftermath, cell phone and internet service was largely disrupted.  It’s an important question to answer:  how do you communicate with the important people in your life when the telecom networks are degraded or down?  Small things, like utilizing text messaging (or SMS) more than voice calls.  An SMS will use less bandwidth than a voice call, and will never arrive garbled.  Mind you, it may never arrive at all, but I found the use of SMS to be more useful than having to deal with spotty, hard-to-decipher voice calls.  Technical issues aside, brevity and clarity are key.  During and right after a storm are not the time to talk at length.
 
*  Emotional health is vitally important.  I had food, water, shelter, not to mention power, TV, and Internet.  I was not lacking materially in any way.  But while holed up at home during the storm, I was anxious, feeling unsettled, and had difficulty sleeping at night.  Uncertainty, doubt, fear of the unknown – these were all forces I was battling with.  Granted, this is normal as the city I live in was being battered.  In truth, I thought with all my provisions and creature comforts, I would not be upset or agitated in the slightest.  Reminding myself that I had taken good precautions and was well-supplied helped to assuage my concerns.  Prayer or meditation may have been helpful as well, but I engaged in neither.
 
*  Start small.  My preparedness model was premised on a 3-day survival situation in a grid-down situation.  It was uncomfortable mentally to fathom a prolonged disaster situation, and my role in it.   I now see that burying my head in the sand is hardly the answer, and the only way to feel safe will be to expand and refine my survival model.  I am now looking into preparing for incidents of greater severity and duration, one variable at time.
 
Sincerely, - M.D.A.

Jim:
I live in Princeton, NJ with my wife and daughters, and my mother resides in our family home on the beach block in Margate, NJ (i.e., the Shore – Atlantic City area). I put together two updates for our friends. Thought they might be of interest to your readers – though I apologize for the clipped writing style.
 
Update # 1 – Wednesday morning. I finally slept a fair bit last night (Tuesday) and as the electronics have charged from the generator, here’s the scoop. Make no mistake Mother Nature still rules. You are going to lose the head on collision, so best to lightly sidestep her dominion whenever possible.
 
I prepared my family and house in Princeton, and was still surprised. I think a lot of people were, especially at the Shore. There aren’t a lot of locals left who can remember the 1944 Hurricane, and there was a much different population for the 1962 storm. From the little I have heard from my Shore friends, those who stayed regretted the decision. The Shore got crushed, power will be out for a week or more and the drinking water is compromised – there is a boil alert as well as filtration. That’s assuming they get the news. Generators are great, but few folks had them, and those that did, well let’s just say that six feet of storm surge pretty much kills your genny… as you are unlikely to have it placed much higher on the property.
 
Let’s come back to Princeton for the moment. I had the house pretty well fixed. Outside stuff stowed and roped, and I put two little giant pumps on the floor of the basement and rigged their hoses 75 feet out one of the basement windows. If the power went early, I had the portable gasoline driven genny on the front porch… sheltered enough to run and ventilate. Many people don’t know that your typical portable genny is not designed to operate in significant rain - though many will last for a while – there is a good chance of shorting the electrical systems and in getting shocked. I also had two 100 foot extensions cords through the front window to the basement for each. Short story – we thankfully didn’t get as much rain as was forecast. No real issue in basement.
 
On Monday afternoon, before any of the heavy storm impact hit, we were surprised by a knock on the door. Our neighbor lost part of his roof and is looking for tarps, caulk, tape, rope, etc. I was able to help with these items and also the contact info for our home contractor who had put out an e-mail earlier advising they were available for emergency repairs. This neighbor has a wife and three children – good family – bad sign to lose the roof before the real storm winds arrived. Told him our house is open and to let me know if he needs anything else.
 
While we had the utilities working, my kids were fine. Though by about 6:30 pm, the winds began to escalate dramatically. Even with the games and TV, they were nervous. It was dark and loud outside – things were flying by and the power had been flickering. At 7:00 pm power failed. By 7:30 pm, we made the decision to go down to the basement. The wind was roaring at 60-70 mph plus sustained and higher gusts in the 80’s – learned this later. So we set up an area with sleeping bags, pillows, lanterns and snacks. Our basement is unfinished – cold concrete floor – but does have shelves, storage bins, etc. I was not prepared for the fear in my kids’ eyes, nor was I expecting the knot in my chest as we could hear the house shutter and pipes rattle with the faster wind bursts.
 
So with all my readiness… I was still humbled and doing my best to reassure the kids that we were fine. Best decision was to give each of them a chocolate bar and burn through the charge on my wife’s laptop watching episodes of Psych – a funny detective show on TV. We had the occasional trip upstairs to go to the bathroom – no flushing without the power. We are on well water. I had water in the bathtub ready for this, but not during the height of the winds. The flashlight showed trees down, fencing gone, stuff flying and I was worried about one of our old growth trees hitting the house. No detours – bathroom and then back to the basement.
 
After midnight, when the winds had settled at more like 30 to 40 mph, we moved to the first floor guest bedroom. The kids nodded off with my wife and I went outside to start the genny. The temperature was dropping – though we had ample blankets for that – it was more to avoid food spoilage in the refrigerator. Most refrigerators will give you 4-6 hours unopened of decent cold. You can extend it a bit by turning the temp down pre-storm (which I did on both refrigerator and freezer), but after that… food will spoil. Freezers are better – probably 2 to 3 days if not opened - possibly more, and especially if full of food or home-made ice bags to take up the empty space.
 
So, in the wind and rain, and with a hat to protect against flying branches and lantern, I repositioned the genny near our exterior hard-line hookup. This is where we plug the genny into the house systems and I use the man-high garage door as the rain shield. Exhaust vents outside. Again, never run a genny in a closed garage or home – the fumes will penetrate and kill. I had just serviced and tested our genny before the storm – you need to know how these things work. Choke on, first pull and she kicked in with a reassuring hum. By 1:00 am we had power to the systems. I had to unplug items that were power drains which I forgot, but essentially as I flipped the breakers in the basement on the genny auxiliary panel and we had heat, water and power to the refrigerators/freezers. I spent the night on the living room sofa waking up every hour to walk the house looking for leaks, broken windows, and checking the genny (overheating, gas leaks, oil, venting, etc.).
 
Yesterday (Tuesday) is a bit of a blur.  Mid-morning, I discovered that our neighbors had sheltered in their basements as well. Trees were down everywhere, roads were closed, flooding by the river, no power. Anyone without a working genny was leaving for friends and family that had one. Temps are getting colder this entire week, and then there’s food and water. I made fresh coffee for folks, offered food and then began assessing damage and clean-up. I always keep the chain saw oiled and ready from the last use, and so I put on my Kevlar chaps and began cutting trees.
 
Around mid-day I refueled the genny. This means shutting everything down, then pouring in the gasoline, then restart, then circuits. If you don’t, you can blow the systems starting the genny with a full electric load. I heard from one neighbor that there was access to Highway 206 via one road, and I thought about gasoline. Between chain saw and genny… it was a priority. The kids played games, saw another show on the laptop which was charged as were phones, and we had another knock on the door from another neighbor friend – April. After she got hot apple cider, food and good company she walked back to her home.
 
At about 3:00 pm, and before daylight sank further, I headed out for gasoline. Got about four miles, passed two police roadblocks, all traffic lights out and roads closed, and after passing my 3rd gas station that was closed with a no fuel sign, I called it a day. What was I thinking? This was a surprise to me, but should not have been. Everyone else was burning gas like crazy too. The stations were out until roads opened for refueling, and even then, the rest of NJ is in deep, so who knows how long that will take.
 
Returning home, I hit my emergency gasoline supply under the tarps outside – the five gallon steel safety cans had been there since last summer, but I had put Sta-Bil in the gas to keep it good beyond the usual 3 months. There are commercial grade versions that will give you years, but I don’t have access to that stuff… at least, not yet. Short story, the gasoline went into the genny and is just fine. This means I am good to go for several days with 24-hour genny use. I’ll venture out tomorrow to see if any of the gas stations are open with fuel.
 
Back to the Shore… I hopped onto Facebook for a few minutes. It is not easy using your mobile phone for Internet access on some web sites. On a serious note, the Shore is a mess. I was able to find out that our home still stands, but that in all likelihood has been flooded out. Our basement would be a swimming pool with all systems killed. There is 3 to 4 feet of beach sand filling the entire length of the street and from every home. High tides are still bringing in flooding, but not nearly as much as the full-moon tide on Monday. People were evacuated by chopper, the island was cut-off with all roads impassable, and clean-up will take weeks. People had live wires in their yards, short circuits in homes as water flooded, natural gas lines that need to be secured, trees down, windows broken, etc. Numerous homes, though elevated, have been hit with 2 to 4 feet of ocean water (this means mold), overnight temperatures are headed to the 30’s and 40’s this week, and they do not have any systems to boil water, etc. My mom is still evacuated, not sure when she can return. Have not heard anyone mention looting in Margate, but I did see one report in Atlantic City (though I cannot tell credibility of source). Let’s see what happens the next few days.
 
Going to start the day now… there’s work to be done, kids need breakfast, no school until maybe Friday, Halloween cancelled, and my wife (who is now standing beside me) says her throat is swollen and sore.
 
Thanks for checking in with us… I’ll send another update when I have a free moment. Internet access is spotty, but I have to say I am grateful for our Verizon portable secured 4 G Wi-fi device. It is no bigger than a cell phone and has about a six to eight hour charge capacity. But it lets us access the Net with multiple devices from anywhere. The data package is expensive for this, but in emergencies that’s not my first concern.
 
Storm Update #2:
 
Thursday morning. Yesterday, Halloween was cancelled by executive order, but I spent the day doing more clean-up anyway. Chain saw cutting, and stacking some wood for the fireplace even though green. Helped neighbors across the street who had a rental genny. Offered showers and heat as their genny is only extension cords for refrigerator and small appliances. My girls had a bit of cabin fever and it doesn’t help that my wife is not feeling good. Made tea, soup and fresh wholesome food left in the refrigerator. Also, we still have lots of kale, onions, scallions, leeks and herbs in the garden. These are my winter hardy plants that last well into the cold weather. They survived the storm winds being low to the ground and well rooted. The girls are also helping with the hand washing of the dishes… not fun.
 
Also took some time to walk the dog… Aslan needed a romp for his mental exercise. Spent an hour fixing the back fence so Aslan could be let outside without a leash and deer could be kept out. The fence will probably need total replacement, but at the moment, there are no gaping holes. The power drill and deck screws worked like a charm. Lots of periodic sirens – I’m guessing medical and fires related to generators/space heaters failures and accidents.
 
The girls don’t have school this week. We got word that power was restored late yesterday to the school, but that the roads were still impassable. There is an order from the Governor to stay off the roads unless essential travel only. It gets dark early, so by 3:30 pm things are winding down and the lanterns are on for reading and general action around the living room. I have rechargeable lanterns and battery throw away… no issue for now.
 
The temperature all day yesterday was cool and very chilly by evening. People without power were warming themselves in their cars. On Aslan’s evening walk, I could see the car headlights in various driveways. I think it also let people charge cell phones. This brings up the glaring problem for the moment – gasoline. Our genny is doing very well on gas consumption… but between it and the chain saw, we are burning a fair amount. Same with the neighbors, and especially the ones using the cars for heaters. The town has opened the Rec/Senior centers for temporary warmth and water – but not after 8:00pm. Don’t know how many people are driving to use these facilities. Anyway, back to gas. While I used on/off shutdowns for the genny for a few hours of the time to save gas – I had the living room fireplace raging yesterday – this is not optimal especially for the refrigerators. Yesterday, I heard from two neighbors that they had found open gas stations with ridiculous lines and rationing. As it was getting late, I opted to stay home and deal with it today.
 
Woke up today (Thursday) at 6:30 am, and headed out with 4 five gallon safety cans looking for open gas stations. The Traffic lights were still out and only the main artery roads are dependable to be open. I was lucky to find two gas stations within 5 miles of the house. Gas stations that were open yesterday were now empty of gas. As to these two that were open, they already had lines of cars 50 deep. They also had police officers enforcing the lines, gas rationing (10 gallon maximum per person) and general traffic flow order. It took me and hour plus, and it was cash only as I expected, but I started home with 20 gallons of gas. I thought about coffee on the way, and pulled into our main shopping center with a Thomas Sweet, or in the alternative, a Dunkin Donuts in the ShopRite Supermarket. The entire center was closed. ShopRite was open with minimal lighting and I had hope, but when I got to the door, there was a sign saying they only had non-perishable items for sale. The mini-Dunkin Donut stand was closed. By the way, we are hearing from other supermarkets… same story. They cooked what they could, donated to soup kitchens and have thrown out the rest of the spoiled food. At this point, I think Whole Foods on Route 1 may be our best bet for fresh food. As you guys know, I have plenty of non-perishables. And yes, I do have organic coffee at the house, so I am enjoying a cup as I type. I just have to unplug other stuff to brew it.
 
I am breaking to refill our genny with gas. Next agenda once things warm up is to get the fireplace going, and then I will rig up extension cords so that we can do laundry for the first time since Sunday morning. Bear in mind, my genny is only hard-wired into the home for critical systems, and that didn’t include the washer and dryer. So I will need to power them and the house water system – should be fine – but they are energy hogs.
 
We also got word that five nuclear power plants had issues during the storm, and that Salem actually had a “controlled” emergency steam release and pump failures. Nice. I’m sure it was only safe levels of radiation, no harm to the public. Right. Oyster Creek was offline anyway, but had cooling issues with the spent fuel pool. I’m assuming that the state and Federal folks are on top of this. Hopefully.
 
The update on the Shore is pretty dim. We still don’t have good onsite intel. Island access is closed and the residents are upset/trapped. On the positive side, there are parts of Margate with power. There is limited non-perishable food and no fresh items, and water remains contaminated. Some areas are still flooded – though its draining. Ventnor City which is right next to Margate, is sealed off due to city septic failure and more than 1,000 homes with moderate to severe damage. We have received limited pictures of our home from locals and a Sheriff friend. The sand is piled against the house three feet deep which means the six feet of water on top of that probably got into the entire first floor and basement. All critical systems will be trashed. We are beginning the process of talking to contractors and getting mom situated at a nearby hotel to make daily trips to the home to coordinate. She’s upset, but holding up - tough nut.
 
Cheers. I mean that: single malt whiskey does not need refrigeration, is good for brushing teeth and warms the soul. - Bill H.

James,
I'm located in central New Jersey not far from the Delaware River. In the days prior to the hurricane hitting, everyone packed the supermarkets, warehouse clubs and home improvement stores to stock up.

At the home improvement stores, the people who had best luck getting generators were those who purchased them online and selected in-store pickup. There were lines of people 100+ deep from the front of the store to the back waiting for new shipments of generators to arrive. The only people who were guaranteed anything were those who had already purchased and paid online.

For those lucky enough to get a generator, they'd have a hard time fueling it if they didn't already have gas cans and gas stored at home. The shelves were cleared of gas cans days before the storm hit.

The warehouse club that we are members of sold out of water the day before the storm hit. They normally have pallets of water on shelves up to the ceiling along the length of an entire aisle. That aisle was completely bare. They also sold out of most fruits/and vegetables that could store for a little without power. The displays that normally hold bananas and apples were bare.

Flashlights and D batteries were gone days before the storm too. The only ones that were left were plug-in rechargeable flashlights that would be of little use after the first discharge in a power outage.

My sister had luck finding a huge display of batteries at a big chain baby store. Most people went straight to the supermarkets and home improvement stores, not thinking that many other types of stores also kept basic supplies.

The winds really started to pick up Monday afternoon. There wasn't much rain, even at the height of the storm, but the winds were very strong. Our house, which is only 4 years old, shuddered a couple of times in the highest gusts. We didn't sustain any physical damage to the house, but a couple of small trees tilted over but didn't uproot or break. Some sections of vinyl fencing in our neighborhood blew out and shattered from the force of the wind.

Sections of our neighborhood started to lose power around 6 PM not long after the hurricane made landfall. Street lights were out and the power to houses across the street were out. From our upstairs windows, we watched the sky glow blue and pink in all directions as transformers blew. Every minute or so another one would blow.

Finally, around 8:30 PM, we watched a transformer light the sky up for about 30 seconds. When it finally darkened, we and the rest of our neighborhood were out of power.

I had filled our spare refrigerator in our garage with cases of water and the spare freezer with bags of ice. I also took every empty plastic jug and bottle out of our recycling bins and filled them 3/4 of the way with water and froze them in our main/spare freezers. Every inch of freezer space that wasn't packed with food was packed with an ice bottle.

I knew our refrigerator wouldn't keep food cold long, so we immediately transferred our most critical food (milk for the kids, etc.) into ice filled coolers. The main freezer with most of our frozen food and frozen water bottles was never opened. It stayed perfectly cold until the power came back on, and most of the ice bottles had barely started to thaw. The food in our ice-filled coolers also was fine. We did sacrifice non-critical food that we didn't have space for in the coolers to the garbage bin.

We lit the house with long-lasting led lanterns that definitely did the trick. We hunkered around an old battery power radio to keep up with storm news, and gave our two-year old son a spare lantern to play with, which kept him happy. With no power and little news expected until morning, we turned in early (for us) at around 10 PM.

Our furnace was out and we don't have a fireplace, so the temperature dropped to the low 60s in our house overnight. It was a little chilly, but we were comfortable enough. We were definitely lucky it wasn't colder outside.

By the morning the storm had passed and a family that we are very close friends with down the street had their generator running. We and several of our friends congregated there for the day. They had enough power for their refrigerator, several lights, a tv and cable box, and a power strip for charging phones.

Although the power was out, the cable stayed on until around noon so we were able to see the first images of storm damage. After the cable went out, most of us switched to our web-enabled smartphones and social media to stay informed and reach out to friends.

We grilled outside for lunch and dinner, with everyone pitching in food that would go bad if unused. Everyone with spare gas stored was prepared to pitch in whatever they had until the power came back on to keep the generator running. We brought over 10 gallons that wasn't needed.

Cell phone service was spotty. People who were subscribers of one the two major cell providers in our area had no problem making/receiving calls and surfing the web. Subscribers of the other major service had a signal, but couldn't make calls and their data service only worked intermittently.

The day after the storm, most traffic lights remained out. All gas stations and most stores were closed. One home improvement store opened under emergency power. They only let a limited number of people into the front part of the store where they had set up displays with their remaining emergency supplies (flashlights, batteries, power cords, and a new supply of gas cans). They surprisingly even accepted credit cards. Some other stores we checked out only accepted cash if they were open at all.

24 hours after the power went out, it came back on for most of our neighborhood. We're definitely lucky since of the 2/3 of our state that was without power, only about 15-20% of homes had been restored when we were reconnected.

It was an interesting experience for a day, but something that none of us would have been happy to have continue. We all realized, individually and as a group, what things we were missing that could have made us more comfortable.

Although we were lucky that our part of the state suffered little more than downed trees and power lines, New Jersey is very small so we all have friends in the hardest hit parts of the Jersey Shore and we are very familiar with the popular vacation spots that have been destroyed.

I've been in contact with friends who live just blocks from the beach who have raised homes and still have standing water lapping at their front doors. A few other friends live in beach neighborhoods that have essentially become islands with bridges, highways and other access roads out of service and surrounded by water. Others left some of the very hardest hit communities before the storm hit and don't know if their homes are still standing.

Some neighborhoods devastated by storm surge and flooding are now burning. Along some of the barrier islands, emergency services from the mainland are cut off and fires will likely be left to burn themselves out. Some entire towns are expected to burn.

There are a lot of people who have lost everything and many who are still in harm's way. Keep them in your prayers. Thanks, - Brad S.

James,
I have family from Pennsylvania to Maine.  I tried to encourage my family and cousins who I knew would be affected by Sandy to visit me in the mountains of New England, but they were all so sure that they could survive the storm. 
 
Only one family had a generator.  It wasn't wired into the house, so plenty of extension cords are in use there.  The others had nothing at all setup.  So I briefed them on filling the tub, freezing extra containers for ice, etc.  And all were briefed on staying put during and after the storm.
 
Of course, some don't listen so well.  While all survived in some fashion, here is the latest and worse from my cousin on Long Island:

"Pumping out water all day.
We had absolutely not a drop of [drinking] water. Storm surge at 830 p.m. and we were seeing it force its way in at the rate of a foot a minute!! I have never witnessed anything like that in my life!
Scary stuff!!!

We tried to hold it back just no way hydraulic pressure was just too much.
Total 10 feet of water. We jumped ship when it got to 6 feet. Then couldn't get to [deleted for OPSEC]'s house... Every path home and on every road trees were down, we didn't plan for that. We slept at a friend's aunt's house. She welcomed us (dog and all) with open arms and we are total strangers. The walls all cracked assuming will be a total loss.

We are going to call it quits soon will be back at it again tomorrow. No [phone] service so can't call our insurance company. Friends are coming from all over to help. No big deal--It is just a material asset. Insurance hopefully covers hurricanes. We are fortunate, as it could've been much worse."

He was right.  They were fortunate.  They could have drowned leaving during the night.  They could have been injured trying to leave that location to their 'safe' house.
 
I suspect that the next time they will evacuate in a timely fashion.  I doubt that they will ever disparage a prepared mindset again.
 
We can't save folks from themselves.
 
I will head into New York and New Jersey when possible to reach them with support.  I expect to have to wait until after this coming Tuesday.
 
Thank you for your SurvivalBlog site! Regards, - Mike A.

Good Morning to You!
Our area of the East coast was spared the worst brunt of the storm.  Massive snowfalls to our west, and massive flooding to the east.  We were very fortunate.

We live on top of a hill, and by Monday morning, we had water filling our basement.  I went outside with middle son, and we found a deep hole filled with water next to the foundation of our house.  We dug a ditch from the edge of the hole far, far away from the edge of the hole and down the hill well past the fall line.  I would estimate we dug at least 30 feet of mud.  While I dug, my son took the shovels of dirt that I pulled out of the ground and put it back into the hole by the foundation.  Once we were finished, we moved the drainage pipe from the gutters so that it, too, fed into the ditch we had dug away from the house.  10 more inches of rain fell over the next 24 hours, but no more of it ran into our basement. 

I understand now what you mean when you say you need to be physically fit!  I'm a 40 something mother of three, and my 17 year old son and I put in a good two hours worth of physical work in the driving rain, diverting water away from the house.  Maybe insurance would have covered the damage if we hadn't done the work, but I prefer the effort of digging a ditch in the rain to the effort of clearing a basement of water and carpets and furniture.  Best two hours worth of work I've ever done, and our house is still in one piece!
 
Besides the obvious water and wind damage around here, there is one thing that stuck out more and more:  The number of people killed by falling trees.  Tall trees close to the house really do need to be trimmed back so that damage is lessened if a tree or limb falls on a house.  One gentleman told the story of how he and his father had a conversation on Saturday about how they needed to trim or cut down the tree next to the house.  Then on Monday, his father was killed instantly when the tree fell on the house during high winds. 

Peace to you all. - B.L.W.

James,
The report from Delaware. With the exception of flood prone and some beach front areas we dodged the bullet.

It was an excellent exercise for our small family. The preparation for with this sort of an event turns on do you stay or leave. Different priorities for equipment supplies and staging following from each of those two choices. However what this storm brought home to us (since we have a shelter in place default ) is that within the shelter in place paradigm is,"suppose that tree falls on your house and you must leave in a hurry anyway' sub-plan. Since for us in our location Sandy was forecast to be a wind event, this latter sub-plan rose up from the back burner rather forcefully.

Now, we had to pull out and check the go bags (not seen since last year's windy scare) marshal water, food rations, range bags (did I restock those mags after the last week) , document case, comms and other take-with items by the door while preparing to deal with prolonged electrical outage (potentially weeks) therefore check generator, water reserves, fuel, etc etc.. 

I found that while our shelter in place preps and SOP were fairly well in hand, the "Yikes, we got-a-go now" end was pretty confused. Part of the reason for this is that we really need to have more duplicate gear stashed in the "Go now" configuration, and it was clear from this go round that we ain't there yet. I also know as I write this that I have all sorts of essential items stowed carefully labeled clearly that I will want to toss in the vehicle, but it will take me days to think through the inventory. Not something to be doing as water is cascading through a rent in the building.

So I tell you to tell me, "build the list now while it is still fresh."

One side note: We were "powerless" for only 8 hours, but as a result I am looking to replace my noisy old Generac (such a headache! The thing just roars. I must be getting old) with newer quieter Yamaha or Honda digital. While researching I found this very useful worksheet for calculating loads on the Yamaha web site.

Blessings... Pray for the folks in New York City, Connecticut and New Jersey.... They have a long way to come back. - Dollardog

JWR:
As per your request for info out of the New York City area: Having grown up in Florida, I kind of knew what to expect. Needless to say, I was well provisioned and my powder, so to speak, was high and dry and at the ready well in advance of Sandy's final approach...

My wife and I rode out the storm in our "Brooklyn Bunker," a fourth-floor apartment in a solid pre-war building. We spent a long night watching for the flashes of transformers exploding in the wind, and darkness encroaching as lights went out in the homes all around us. Luckily, the lights managed to stay on in our neighborhood, and we didn't lose power once. After the storm passed, we emerged to discover no major damage, some trees down on cars and roofs, limited cell phone service, but that's about it...

The same can't be said for lower Manhattan and parts of Staten Island, though. The six-foot security fence around some rental property I own there came down, right into my truck. A violent storm surge turned most of the coastal communities on the island into what looks like a war zone, with the National Guard deployed to keep order. No working street lights, no stores open, no gas. People are attempting to drive into northern New Jersey to find gas stations that have power, with little luck. Con Edison now says power will be out to 60% of the island for more than a week. My tenants are in the dark with no heat...

Looking across the East River into Lower Manhattan at night, I am reminded of my time as a journalist in New Orleans during Katrina, where I witnessed another entire American city abandoned, darkened, and brought to its knees by Mother Nature (combined with a healthy dose of human stupidity). The entire subway system here is paralyzed, and along with it commerce, and most of the city's inhabitants. There are already some rumblings on blogs and other social media platforms about the "lack of government response," like this one here, but for the most part, people have remained unusually calm and accommodating to each other, at least for New Yorkers.

As with Katrina, Sandy reminded me of just how fragile the veneer of civilization that most most city-dwellers often take for granted truly is. During the final 24 hours leading up to Sandy's arrival, lines at every major grocery store in Brooklyn and Manhattan were several blocks long, with hours-long wait times just to enter the stores and clerks taking small groups of people in to shop, just a few at a time.

Given the mentality of the average city-dweller, the run on grocery stores was to be expected. Perhaps more importantly for the SurvivalBlog readership at large, what's transpired here over the past 48 hours is nothing short of an amazing exercise in the efficacy of state control circa 2012 (much better execution than what I witnessed during Katrina). I am at once somewhat pleasantly surprised yet shockingly dismayed by just how quickly the authorities were able to shut down and subdue the country's biggest metropolis. Within a few hours, they were able to - successfully - deploy several thousand National Guard troops, shut down the country's biggest subway system, 15 major bridges and tunnels, three major airports, and cut power to eight square miles of a world-class city...all with nary a whimper nor major objection from the populace.

New Yorkers in three major boroughs were - and in the case of Lower Manhattan, still are - effectively cut off from the outside world. Moving forward, most SurvivalBlog readers like myself who either choose or are forced to reside in cities should perhaps (re)consider their long term plans and preparations given the recent tactics on display here in NYC.

Thanks and best, - KTC in NYC

Dear Jim:
Sheeple no more here. Sandy came and went. Our area is Bucks County about an hour north of Philadelphia. We border the Delaware River. Power here went out early and and only came on today.

I think we weathered it well. I was one of the last minute "run to the store" folks. Bought a gallon of milk. Everything else was in place. As soon as the power went out, I fired up our generator and hunkered down for the 70 MPH winds.

We did lose a couple of shingles and some aluminum trim on the house. Those unprepared suffered flooded basements, many areas will not have power for a week or more. Lots of trees down, snapped telephone poles, sink holes in the road. The emergency services were running 24 hours for two days. Constant sirens all over the place.

Where did I come up short? I never got around to getting my ham radio license or programming my Baofeng UV-5R. It would have come in handy to keep in touch with the others in my group. I have some Uniden walkies and they proved worthless.

At the end of the storm my wife she thanked me for being prepared. Up until this happened she kind of went alone with my "hobby". Always a little smile on her face. It's different now.

What I need to do:

• Get my ham license.
• Run a dedicated electrical line to the crucial items in the house. Pumps, freezer, frig, security lights.
• Replace my burned out chainsaw.
• Read "How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It" for the 12th time and update my (your) lists of lists.

Take care and God Bless, - M.

When I think of Dutch Oven cooking I usually have visions of campfires and Scout Camp, of apple cobbler and savory stews. But as I further my preparations for TEOTWAWKI I realize that I want my Dutch ovens at my retreat.

Any heavy pot with lid can be used and called a Dutch oven. But when I say Dutch oven I am referring to the three legged cast iron (or aluminum) covered pot that is normally used outdoors. 

Much of the information I give you is basic and you may wish to explore these topics in depth. One of the best sources of information would be your state’s Dutch Oven Society. There you can find classes, recipes and knowledgeable people.

My first introduction to the outdoor art of Dutch oven cooking was at a Boy Scout Leader Introduction to Outdoor Skills class.

The aromas coming from the cooking fires on that autumn morning are still in my memory.
I purchased my first Dutch oven soon after returning home from that training weekend. Years later my collection has grown to fourteen Dutch ovens and now I usually teach that class at the training once or twice a year.

Not only does food taste better cooked outdoors, it tastes better yet when cooked in a good quality Dutch oven.

Let me help you avoid some mistakes and perhaps some disappointments in buying and using a Dutch oven.

As I said earlier, I definitely want Dutch ovens at my retreat. You can bake bread, pies, cakes, and biscuits. You can make stews, casseroles, and other dishes. A Dutch oven can act as a type of pressure cooker to tenderize tougher meats.

Buying Your Dutch Oven
Like any tool, quality counts!
If I could have only one Dutch oven I would buy a quality, name brand, twelve inch cast iron, three legged oven with a rimmed lid. By rimmed lid I mean a mostly flat lid that has a raised rim around the edge. This rim helps to hold coals during the cooking process. FYI, some Dutch ovens have a domed lid, some with points on the inside which helps in self-basting. While these have their place and use, I would stick with the campfire style oven.
There are many brands of ovens on the market. The most common is probably Lodge. They are US made and excellent quality.  My first oven was a Lodge.
Camp Chef also offers ovens in a variety of sizes and styles. I believe that they are now all Chinese made. I do have some and like them very much.
Cabela's offers Dutch ovens under their own name. Like everything from Cabela's, they are great. Also they have one of the best Customer Service Departments anywhere.
There are other brands out there, some custom made, and some junk. I have one of those junkers and use it fairly often. It just doesn’t cook evenly or retain its finish. It is however expendable and that matters when teaching Boy Scouts how to cook in one.
You should be able to purchase a good quality twelve inch Dutch oven for less than $80 USD. It would be frugal of you to pick it up at the store if you can versus having it shipped, as they are quite heavy.

Your New Dutch Oven
After you have unpacked your Dutch oven you will notice one of two things:

1. Your oven has a nice black finish or
2. Your oven looks like raw metal

If the former, all you need to do before using is to wash it, as it is already seasoned. More and more ovens are coming seasoned from the manufacturer.  NEVER USE SOAP ON A SEASONED DUTCH OVEN! I suggest you use warm water and baking soda. Rinse with hot water, wipe out with a paper towel, and let air dry.
Once your oven is clean you may use it, or put away for later use. If it is going to be several days before you use it, or you live in a humid area, I suggest you oil it. You may use any good grade vegetable oil. I prefer olive oil spray like Pam. Lightly oil the oven and lid inside and out. Take a clean paper towel and make sure the entire oven is covered, removing excess oil.
Store your oven with the lid ajar or the oven setting on the lid in a dry area. Many manufacturers also make storage bags for their ovens.
If your oven looks like raw metal then it probably has not been seasoned. Many of the lower end ovens are raw. Also many people prefer to season their ovens themselves.

Seasoning a New Dutch Oven
Seasoning is basically taking oil and baking it onto the metal giving it a slick (almost Teflon-like) finish (patina).
Wash your Dutch oven with HOT soapy water. Okay I know I said to never use soap on your oven, but yours is not seasoned yet. Soap will remove the patina on your seasoned oven and will leave a soapy taste in food.
Scrub your oven thoroughly with a plastic scrubber. Wash it inside and out. You need to remove the oils used in manufacturing and those used in protecting from rust during transit.
Rinse well with copious amounts of hot water. I will fill my oven with water and place it on the stove bringing it to a slow boil. Drain your oven, towel dry with paper towels (I always use paper towels with my ovens to avoid previous odors including fabric softeners on dish towels). If the water was hot enough the remaining water will soon evaporate.
With the oven still warm lightly coat your oven with a quality pure vegetable shortening like Crisco. Make sure the oven and lid are thoroughly covered inside and out.
Place the Dutch oven upside down on a rack in the kitchen oven. Place the lid right side up on a rack. (Place foil under the oven to catch dripping oil). Bake your oven at 350 degrees F for at least an hour or until smoke quits coming off the Dutch oven. I usually try to do this when my wife is away from the house. I also try to open a window or two to help eliminate the aroma and smoke.
You can also do this outside on your gas fired grill, although I don’t personally think it does as good a job.

Cleaning
One of the secrets of Dutch oven cooking is to keep your oven very clean.
Some people will line their ovens with ready made foil liners, parchment liners or aluminum foil. I too sometimes use these items, but usually only when I am making a desert with a lot of sugar which tends to burn onto the bottom of the oven. Using liners does help in the cleanup, but it does change the taste of many foods.
After using your oven scrape out any remaining food. I always use wooden or plastic utensils to avoid digging into the patina. Using a plastic scrapper is very handy at this point. Remove as much food as possible.
Wipe the oven with a clean paper towel, adding a little warm water as necessary. Wash the oven with another paper towel and warm water. DO NOT USE SOAP AND DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE ELSE TO DO SO EITHER!!!
You can use a plastic scrubber if there is a spot or two that needs extra cleaning. Sometimes I will use table salt to scrub the oven. Make sure that you rinse it very well as the salt will corrode the oven.
Rinse well with hot water, wipe out with paper towels, and oil with a high quality vegetable oil (again I prefer spray olive oil).
Note on storing: If you use too much oil on your oven it will thicken as lighter materials evaporate leaving a gummy mess. The oil will also turn rancid (although that doesn’t really hurt anything). This is why I use the olive oil cooking spray. It leaves a thinner coating of oil.
When you heat your oven for use the rancid oil will cook off enhancing the patina.

Refurbishing  
Sometimes you may put your oven away with moisture inside and it will rust. If it is very minor just scour it with a plastic scouring pad or table salt and a paper towel. Rinse, dry well, oil and use or properly store.
A friend of mine once brought me a beautiful fourteen inch Dutch oven that he had been storing in an outbuilding. The roof must have leaked and filled the oven with water. The outside was perfect but the inside totally rusted.
There are several ways to treat this, but my method was to get a plastic pan large enough to put the oven in. Then I filled the oven with Classic Coca-Cola. In about two days it was totally clean. I washed it in hot water, dried it well and treated it as a new raw oven.

Storage
Storage is particularly important, especially in a humid environment. Always make sure the oven is clean, dry and oiled. Store with the lid askew or separate from the oven. Storage bags are helpful.
I take 3-4 pieces of electrical wire about four inches long. I bend them first in a “U” shape. Then I take one leg of the U and make a second bend about halfway down, at 90 degrees out. I place these over the rim of the oven with the straight part inside. Then I place the lid on, place in the bag and store. This keeps the lid from settling in and making a seal, trapping moisture.
I also will place a folded paper towel in the oven to absorb moisture and/or excess oil.

Aluminum Dutch Ovens
I have not mentioned anything up till now about aluminum Dutch Ovens. Some people do not care for them, but I feel that they have a place in Dutch oven cooking.
There are several manufacturers who make aluminum ovens, including GSI and Camp Chef.
Warning! Do not preheat an empty aluminum Dutch oven with the lid on. It can weld shut, destroying your oven.
Some advantages to aluminum ovens are the lesser weight, faster heat-up, and ease of cleaning.
Just wash your aluminum oven like any pan, in hot soapy water.
Also you do not need to season your aluminum oven although you may if you wish. If you do then treat it like cast iron and do not use soap in it.
I have taken one of my aluminum Dutch ovens backpacking…try that with a cast iron oven!

Using Your Dutch Oven
You can use your Dutch oven in a variety of ways.
It can be used for browning meats and for frying. This is a good time to mention that the lid is slightly curved. If you invert it and place in on some coals, top down, it becomes a shallow skillet. I usually place 3-4 small dry stones under to make it level. Do not use wet rocks, especially from a creek bed or lake as the water inside the rock may turn to steam while in the coals and explode.
The oven may be used like a kettle, even suspended by the handle over a fire, to heat water, cook soups or stews or any other use a kettle might have.
And finally it can be used to bake.
The main difference in cooking and baking is how you use the coals. For this point of instruction we will speak of charcoal briquettes.
A simple way to figure how many briquettes needed is to take the diameter of the oven, multiply by two, and then divide by three. To cook put two thirds of the coals beneath the oven and one third on top. To bake put two thirds on top and one third beneath.
Here is an example:
You have a twelve inch Dutch oven. You want to bake a cobbler. Twelve inches times two is twenty four briquettes. Divide the twenty four briquettes in thirds, or three piles of eight. You want to bake and so you want most of the heat on top. Take two of the three piles and place on top evenly, including around the rim. Evenly place the remaining pile of eight briquettes under the oven.
By following this formula the interior temperature of the oven should be close to 350 degrees F. Of course that can fluctuate because of ambient temperature, wind, and ground moisture and temperature.
You can adjust the temperature 25 degrees by adding or subtracting one coal top and bottom.
When baking, I usually rotate the lid 45 degrees clockwise and the kettle 45 degrees counter clockwise every fifteen minutes to ensure more consistent heating and to avoid hotspots. Try not to lift the lid when rotating to avoid letting steam escape. Otherwise your food may dry out. It is actually the steam that cooks the food.
 
In a TEOTWAWKI situation or just for economy you may use coals from a fire. I will get a campfire going well, add larger logs and allow them to burn down to coals. Then using a small shovel place the coals on and under the oven. Usually they will not burn as long as charcoal and so you will need to keep replenishing them.
If you are using two or more ovens at the same time you can save charcoal and space by stacking the ovens, one atop the other. Place the largest oven on the ground with the next larger and so on. Usually 3-4 ovens are as high as I go. You must have level, firm ground to do this.

You are using the top coals of the lowest oven as the bottom coals on the second oven and on and on…

Accessories
There are many accessories that make using a Dutch oven easier or more convenient.
Probably the most important tool needed is a lid lifter. These are sometimes included with your oven. Basically they are a piece of heavy wire bent to a shape handy to slip under the handle of the oven’s lid. With it you can lift the lid off the oven with the coals still on top. That way you can add seasonings, stir, or just check on the food.
Usually the lifter can also be used to move the oven such as rotating on the coals, or moving to the table to serve.
Some people prefer tongs or pliers such as Channel locks to lift lids and move the oven.
Next most important tool in your Dutch oven toolbox would be a part of long tongs. I use them mainly to arrange the coals on top of the lid. They can also be used to turn meat while browning or to serve.
Another useful tool, if you are using charcoal is a charcoal chimney. This is a sheet metal tube used to “start” charcoal burning. This is done by placing charcoal in the top of the chimney, adding a sheet or two of crumpled newspaper in the bottom and setting the paper on fire. In about 15-20 minutes you will have nice red coals.
A lid rack or rest is nice when you are cooking outside and need to remove the lid for a moment. These are just a rack made of bended rod that keeps your lid (and coals) off the ground.
The final tool I wish to mention is a Dutch oven table. This is a steel table with removable legs and a windscreen. This allows you to cook at a level that requires less bending, and keeps the danger of fire at a minimum.

Finis
As I think of the prospect of life after TEOTWAWKI I can’t help but think that feeding ourselves could be a major event each day.  With a Dutch oven or two and some experience before hand using it, I expect we will take a lot of the work and worry out of preparing meals. Furthermore, we will be more likely to enjoy baked breads and sweets.
Dutch oven cooking, now before hard and desperate times, can be fun and delicious. Don’t wait until disaster hits to enjoy a wonderful outdoor cooking skill.

Bonus Recipe
As a bonus I am going to include my own favorite dessert recipe…Pineapple Upside-down cake.
Ingredients:
One can drained Pineapple rings (save the liquid)
One can crushed Pineapple
About one cup Brown Sugar
One yellow Cake mix (or the dry ingredients for one)
One stick Butter
Maraschino Cherries (optional)
For ease of cleanup line your Dutch Oven with foil or Parchment liner
This recipe is sized for a 12” Dutch Oven

Instructions:
Place your lined Dutch Oven on 12 coals. Allow to heat for a few moments.
Place the stick of butter in the Dutch Oven to melt.
When the butter is melted arrange the drained Pineapple rings in the bottom the Dutch Oven.
If you are using the Cherries place them in the center of the Pineapple rings (color and flavor).
Sprinkle the brown sugar over the Pineapple rings and cherries.
Empty the cake mix into a bowl and add the crushed Pineapple.
Add enough of the saved juice from the rings to make a batter.
Pour the batter over the rings cherries and brown sugar.
If using foil fold the foil inside so that none sticks out of the oven.
Place 1/3 of your coals under and 2/3 of the coals on the lid of the Dutch Oven.
Bake for an hour, rotating the lid one way 45 degrees while rotating the oven the other way every 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to stand a few minutes.
You can serve out of the Dutch Oven or remove it.
To remove the cake I take a piece of heavy cardboard and cover it with foil. I lift the cake out of the oven by the foil or Parchment and place it on another piece of cardboard. Take the foil covered cardboard and place it on the cake, foil side down.
With help (it may still be hot) we flip the cake over and place the foil covered cardboard on the table with the cake above it.
Carefully remove the foil or Parchment liner to keep the rings and cherries intact.
You should have a beautiful and delicious dessert.
(Aside: I usually put about ½ teaspoon of cinnamon into the batter, but then I really like cinnamon!)

Jim:
To follow up on a recent post: According to canning sources, it is the Vitamins A, C, B1, B2 that are the most susceptible to degradation over time with  33%- 50% losses immediately upon canning and additional losses of 5-20% per year (based on storage conditions).  Let us look at best (33% loss at canning and 5% per year ) and worst case (50% loss at canning and 20% per year) losses per year for five years.

Thus, under best case conditions, five years of storage. yields about a 50% loss.

Under worst case conditions a near total loss of 84% with only 16% of these vitamins remaining.  

Consider these losses in your storage planning.  Regards, - S.F. in Hawaii

James Wesley, Rawles:
Sometime in the middle 1990s I put away four litre (quart) jars of tomato sauce. Now, at least 20 years later I opened, processed and consumed this tomato preserve.
The storage was in a cool, dry, dark and undisturbed location. The product was cooked, skin-removed italian tomato.

The canning process I had used was simple: cook, skin, fill, bottle, water bath, etc.
The result was acceptable.  Although I had to cut away the ring with a can piercer to loosen (destroy) the ring on the jar - the cap (lid) was intact.
There was no bulging or other signs of contamination - there was no off-gassing or warning smell.
The contents was brought to a boil before being added to a meat sauce.

The result was adequate but the flavour level was low.  Certainly it was not contaminated with any opportunistic organisms and nobody had any gastrointestinal issues. - Richard S.

JWR Replies: That was an interesting experiment, but keep in mind that even though older canned foods are often safe to eat and marginally palatable, their nutritive value is negligible. As stated many times in SurvivalBlog, it is crucial to mark dates on all of your canned goods--both commercially-canned and home-canned. Rotate them religiously, using First-In, First-Out (FIFO) rotation. Using specially made canned food rotation racks (such as those made by Shelf Reliance) makes this process fool-proof. If you are on a very tight budget, there are plans available for making your own, out of cardboard. While not as durable or sturdy (DO NOT stack multiple cardboard units!) and they are time-consuming to make, the cardboard racks do work adequately.

Hi!
I liked the article [by James M.] on pallet wrap. In it, the author mentioned that he wanted a source for narrower rolls of shrink wrap. I'm writing to mention that ULINE sells 2"-wide rolls. Regards, - Trysch

JWR:
This was an excellent, informative piece.  There is an additional use for this that Mr. M did not mention: My wife is a high school earth science and biology teacher who has her students build solar ovens every year using cardboard boxes, aluminum foil and shrink wrap.  The box is lined with aluminum foil and covered in shrink wrap.  The students not only cook hot dogs in these, but have baked biscuits and even melted plastic cups trying to boil water.

This is an inexpensive alternative to expensive solar ovens for survivalists on a budget. -   G.I. Jim

James Wesley,
I expected James M. to mention this potential use, but since he didn't, I'll throw it in: stretch wrap would make an excellent temporary binding of prisoners in the field. - ECB in Illinois

Not Saran Wrap, I’m talking about what is commonly referred to as pallet wrap. I thought there was no way possible that something as versatile and useful as stretch wrap could have been overlooked in the survival community, but after hours of searching it certainly looks that way. I’ve only found a few vague references to other possible uses for it. Today I hope to enlighten you and further prepare you for TEOTWAWKI.

Firstly, it’s a lot of bang for your buck. You can pick up an 18 inch wide roll of stretch wrap that’s 1,500 feet long for less than $15. That’s over 2,000 square feet of material! You can also find them in 5 inch wide rolls, 12 inch wide rolls, 20 inch wide rolls and 30 inch wide rolls. Unfortunately I have yet to find 1 inch or 2 inch wide rolls which I believe would be extremely useful, but I can cut up the bigger rolls on a lathe. So now you have a 1,500 foot long roll of stretch wrap right? Well technically yes but do not forget the name, “Stretch Wrap”. Your 1,500 foot roll can almost triple its length. You actually have about 4,000 useable feet. That’s the better part of a mile out of just one roll. It is extremely compact if you consider how much you’re getting out of such a small package. 

Now let’s move on to its possible uses.

The first and most obvious use we all know.  Securing loads. Many of us wouldn’t think about using stretch wrap to do that though. We use rope, Bungee cords and tie downs most of the time. Depending on the weather we might use a tarp as well. I’ve found that stretch wrap a lot of the time does a much better job at helping secure loads, as well as keeping them weatherproof. I always keep a roll behind my seat now.

Another great use that I’ve found that’s not related to survival is use as a packing material. To be honest I have not done the math cost wise to see if it’s cheaper than regular packing material. It sure beats dealing with peanuts and packing paper though. And it does an excellent job keeping delicate items from breaking during shipping. In fact whenever pallets get delivered to my company, I save the stretch wrap for use as packing material, so a lot of the time it’s free.

Now I’ll cover its uses as a great survival tool.

One of the most important things for survival is shelter. We all know this. You can actually within a matter of minutes make a quality survival shelter with nothing but stretch wrap and whatever you can find lying around. If you’re out in the woods you can wrap it around a few trees and then make a roof by wrapping it over the walls you just made. You can find a few branches and make a teepee and wrap that. I’ll get into this later but you can make rope to secure the top of the teepee by twisting the stretch wrap up. If you’re in the city you can make a shelter out of almost anything. A bus stop, a few signs, a porch, you can even use a couple cars as supports for a shelter. Your imagination is the only limit. You’ll also get a natural greenhouse effect for warmth with a stretch wrap shelter.

One of the other most important things for survival is water. And believe it or not stretch wrap can be a very important tool in acquiring water. Firstly I did a test to see how well water clings to stretch wrap. It doesn’t. Poor a little water on some and you’ll see it shed off like water on a ducks back. This is useful if you are in an area that hits dew point a lot. You can set up a frame at an angle and wrap it. When the stretch wrap reaches dew point temperature you’ll see moisture collect much like you do on the windshield of a car. All you have to do is set up a water collection device at the lowest edge of the frame and catch it. You can also use a framework wrapped in stretch wrap to channel water that naturally drips from trees or anything else into a collection device. You can also use it for water de-salinization. With nothing more than a bucket, a cup, a rock and some shrink wrap you can de-salinize salt water. I won’t get into its design as you can easily find it on the interweb. I’d rather stay on subject.

Next is rope. I did a quick test with a 30 inch wide roll of stretch wrap to see how well it holds up as rope. I unraveled 4 feet of wrap and twisted it about once every 6 inches for a total of 8 twists. Then I stretched it out. Interestingly it will stretch to 3 times its length when twisted up and stay there. I turned a 4 foot piece of makeshift rope into a 12 foot piece. It held up to 100 pounds of force without breaking. Now think about that 1500 foot roll as rope or lashing material. That’s 4,500 feet of it.

You can use it as a makeshift poncho to protect yourself from the elements. You can even make a makeshift umbrella if needed. Wrap it around your boots to make them water resistant. And wrap it around all your gear to protect it from the rain. You can make things like 2 way radios and other electronic devices rain proof while still keeping full functionality (speaker and microphone still work through stretch wrap).

You can also use it for an extra layer of heat insulation in your sleeping bag or clothes. I’m not sure how well it would work but I’m sure it would be better than nothing. Layer it under your sleeping bag not only for heat insulation from the ground but it will work for bedding just as well as it will work for packing material. Speaking of bedding it wouldn’t be very hard at all to build a hammock with nothing but stretch wrap, a few sticks and a couple of well-placed trees.

It would also greatly aid in the making of a splint for a broken bone. And it would be perfect for isolating a burn or rash from scraping against clothing. It will seal ointment where you want it without absorbing half of it. (Warning: Use my medical ideas at your own risk. I’m by no means a medical expert. I’m just thinking out loud.)

Yet another simple use for it would be trail markers. Just stuff a bunch in your pocket and use when needed. It’s also fairly reflective so it could be used as an emergency signal. Although not ideal, it is flammable and would greatly aid in starting a fire. And when burned it produces wax like droplets that may be able to be used for making candles or waterproofing or preserving things.  
   
I’ve read that it can also repair a split radiator hose. I’ve not seen this personally but it does make sense to me. I’m not sure what kind of heat it can withstand but I’m sure it would work as a temporary repair. It would also be a great temporary fix for broken car or house windows. It’s durable enough to last a while and it will keep you separated from the elements.

In a chemical, biological, or rediological contamination situation having a quickly deployable means of sealing-off your house or shelter is of utmost importance and stretch wrap would be an invaluable tool to aid in that. It wouldn’t replace your current measures but it would definitely aid in them and probably fill some gaps.  

Now that I’ve covered defense, let’s move on to offense:

Preserving food is a necessity when the SHTF. Food grade stretch wrap could be an added barrier of protection between your food and the elements. It can also be used just like Saran Wrap to keep all those pesky bugs and critters out of your food.

Lastly (and I say that loosely since there’s a million other uses that I haven’t thought of) stretch wrap would be of great benefit for those trying to grow their own food. It is the perfect material for a greenhouse that could be constructed easily with minimal tools and supplies. And according to some guy on YouTube who built one, it is very UV resistant and will last a couple of years. You could also use it to line irrigation ditches to stop the soil from soaking up too much of your water before it gets where it need to go, etc. I could go on all day, butit is better to be brief.

Remember, it’s always better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

Jim:
I did some research on the storage life of yeast. I started with this article: Red Star Yeast which sates:

"Each package and jar of dry yeast is stamped with a 'Best if Used by' date.  This date is two years from the date the yeast was packaged.  The month and year reflect when you should use your yeast by.  The last 4 digits are for manufacturing purposes and have nothing to do with when to use the yeast by.

"Example of code: FEB 2010 08 09 - Use by February 2010

"Unopened  packages and jars should be stored in a cool, dry place such as a cupboard; and can also be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Yeast is very perishable when exposed to air, moisture and/or heat. Once your package or jar is opened the yeast must be refrigerated or frozen in an airtight container (see storage tips below). Under these conditions, we recommend using the Dry Yeast within 4 months after opening if refrigerated, or within 6 months after opening if frozen.

"Dry Yeast should be at room temperature before using . When you are ready to bake, take out only the amount of yeast needed for your recipe and let it sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before using.  Immediately put remaining yeast back into storage, following the storage tips below. 
Yeast is a living organism, and will lose activity over time - even if the package is unopened. If you are unsure of your yeast's activity, perform the Yeast Freshness Test before using."
 
SAF Yeast

"We offer SAF yeast in vacuum sealed 1 lb. packages. The yeast is granulated and until the package is opened it feels almost like a solid brick because of the airtight vacuum seal. The packages are printed with the date of production as well as a "best if used by" date. The "best if used by" date is set 1 year from the date of production, and in doing this, SAF assumes that you open the package as soon as you get it and keep the entire opened package at room temperature. Instead, we recommend that you open the original container and pour a portion of it into a small resealable container to keep in your cupboard (not out in the light) for daily use (a baby food jar works fine.) Then roll the top of the SAF container down, clip it so it doesn't unroll, and store it in your freezer. Kept this way, the yeast in the cupboard will be good for a least 1 year and the remaining yeast in the freezer will remain good for a minimum of 5 years. We know from experience that SAF yeast, stored frozen in a re-closed container, retains its potency for several years. If you have a small airtight container for the frozen yeast, that can be used in place of rolling and clipping the foil pouch. When you transfer more yeast to your cupboard container, that yeast will remain good for another year in the cupboard. Unopened, vacuum-sealed containers of SAF yeast stored in the freezer actually remain potent for 10 years or more."

More On SAF Yeast:

This article says frozen shelf life is 10-15 years and one pound of yeast makes 96 loaves of bread.  One of the comments says it works using it straight from the freezer, it doesn't have to be brought up to room temperature.

This article says this yeast reduces the amount of yeast needed in a recipe by 25% and that it is GMO free.  That means a one-pound package will make more than 96 loaves.

SAF Instant Dry Yeast for Baking

King Arthur Flour's yeast article-- Excellent article!
More on the differences between Instant and Active yeast.  Are Active and Dry yeast interchangeable?  Difference between SAF red label and SAF gold label yeast.  "A vacuum-sealed bag of yeast stored at room temperature will remain fresh indefinitely. Once the seal is broken, it should go into the freezer for optimum shelf life."  Use glass or acrylic air-tight containers to store in freezer.  Also concurs that you need not defrost yeast and can use it straight from the freezer.  If you double your bread recipe, do you double the yeast?

http://www.lesaffre.com/en/press-news/faq.html
And FAQs from the manufacturer. 
 
The Difference Between Instant Yeast & Active Yeast

"Both active dry yeast and instant yeast are designed to be used in recipes for breads and other yeast doughs. Instant dry yeast has the additional function of multiplying quickly, causing dough to rise in a shorter time.

"Both types of yeast are sold in individual packets and in larger jars by many different companies. Instant dry yeast is also sold under the names of bread machine yeast and Fleischmann's RapidRise yeast.

Mixing
"When mixing dough, active dry yeast should be combined with warm water before being added to other ingredients. Instant dry yeast, on the other hand, should be mixed directly into dry ingredients, and then the liquids should be heated to 120 degrees F and added.

Time Frame
"Active dry yeast requires about two hours to cause the dough to double in size. Instant dry yeast only takes ten minutes to multiply enough for the dough to double in size.

Flavor
"Bread made with instant dry yeast may not have as good of a flavor as bread made with active dry yeast. To improve the flavor, allow bread to rise more slowly in the refrigerator overnight.

Article on Yeast, in General.

Conversion factors amongst types of yeast at the Wild Yeast blog

Regards, - Cheryl N.

If you’re just now catching on to the need to prep, it’s not too late, but to be done effectively, it will cost you some money up front.
There are plenty of suggestions and web sites galore for the budget-challenged to prep ranging from buying a little extra each week---see the LDS shopping list for newlyweds---to hunting, fishing and foraging on state land. At the other extreme are those who can afford survivalist-consultants to build and stock extensive underground bunkers, which require the employ of a staff including farmers and Blackwater-type security. But, since no one else is, I’m going to focus on the needs of someone who needs to get up to speed fast and has enough money to cover it.  And getting up-to-speed has recently been sped up to two years of preps from six months.
Let’s get going.

Time’s Running Out
There are already sporadic shortages of various consumer products and, depending on how bad things get, there may come a time when some items aren’t available at all, especially things that come from far away. A few years ago when surveying the wreckage after the 2008 crash, a consumer-products analyst was worried about what choice the consumer would be left with as the Great Recession deepened. Yes, I know, choice will be the least of our concerns going forward, but you should stock up on what’s important to your family now while it’s still possible.
The take-away here is not that the needs of what’s left of the middle class are different from anyone else’s. The point, again, and unfortunately, is that it will take that kind of income or enough room left on credit cards to catch up to storing two years of necessities. And preferably, this should be accomplished before the November elections in the US. Our long-time friend, FerFAL, has a few insights about what to expect from mid-November (scroll down to What will Happen in the USA after the Elections.)

Everybody’s got to Eat
The shopping list below will cover bulk purchases and storage of food, water and minimal toiletries in quantities sufficient to get by for two years. You can still buy the dips when favourite items go on sale; however, I don’t think there’s enough time left to use the Mormon’s weekly shopping list that is spread out over a year.

Whether or not you buy into TEOTWAWKI mentality or not, at the very least, storms and other natural disasters can keep you running your generator for a week or a lot longer. This happened in the Northeast during last October’s freak snowstorm and happens repeatedly in other parts of the country. Oh, wait a sec; you do have a generator, don’t you? It’s at the top of 100 Things that Disappear First. You gotta have a generator. You also gotta have fuel for it, which you gotta store. If it’s gasoline, you’ll need a gasoline additive like Sta-Bil. Get the original formula for the [gasoline] generator and lawn tractor, Sta-Bil marine for your boat if you have one and Sta-Bil diesel for your Mercedes.

Talking about Mercedes, when the drought reached crisis stage in Somalia more than year ago, many Somalis---but not all---had to walk for days, weeks and sometimes a month to get to the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya. One woman who didn’t have to walk was approached by reporters as she got out of a car with her kids. Her car was a Mercedes, but she didn’t have food and had to go to the refugee, camp. And why didn’t she have food; why didn’t she barter her car, cell phone or expensive wristwatch for food? Because there wasn’t any. There wasn’t any food at any price. Can it happen here? The US had a drought this year after a lousy growing season last year. The effects of these things are cumulative. So’s radiation poisoning, BTW, but we’ll get to that some other time.

Many items will end up in short supply or not be available at all. Note the Iranian diplomatic staff stocking up on consumer products (at dollar stores, mind you; times must be tough over there) while in New York to attend UN meetings. You’d think they’d have a few bucks, so I guess the items they bought were no longer available in Iran. Their currency plunging 20-30% over a day or two didn’t help either. I hope no one still thinks it can’t happen here.

Rule of Thumb
The rule of thumb has been to store six months of food, cash and anything else you need. Some think two years are safer and I do too. While you may have to increase your food budget 100-fold short term, keep in mind that this is a no-lose proposition. Anything you buy today will be more expensive tomorrow. So, as you effectively pull consumption forward, you will be average-costing down your household expenses. Even if prepping in anticipation of scarcity doesn’t grab you, blunting the effect of inflation, or a potential jobless stretch, should. I don’t see much of a downside here. Preps not used can be donated to a local food pantry for a tax deduction. If you have the extra funds, that would be a nice idea anyway.

Two Years’ Worth...

Drinking Water: This is considered the most important prep. The plastic containers water is sold in leach so you should store drinking water in glass containers. I bought gallon glass jars from: http://www.freshwatersystems.com 

The Mayo Clinic recommends [a minimum of] 72 oz/day for women and 104oz/day for men [for a sedentary lifestyle]. Together, that’s about a gallon a day with enough left over to fill your cat or dog’s bowl. FreshWaterSystem’s price break for gallon jars is $4.24 for 24+. Here’s where the bucks come in. If you want to safely store drinking water for six months for two adults and a cat, that would be about 180 [one gallon] jars for $339.20; one year $678.40; and two years $1,356.80. The plastic jugs that you buy milk in are now formulated to biodegrade, but can be used to store water for bathroom use should it not be forthcoming from the faucet.

Tip: You can fine tune water purity by filtering it through a Big Berkey or other countertop water filter. If you’re looking at second homes, with prices coming down, look for something with a well. If you can dig a well where you are now, do so and install a solar pump.

Adequate Nutrition: The recommended daily calories for women* are 2,400—1,600/day depending on age and 3,000—2,000/day for men.** The easiest way to get sufficient calories and

Tip: Rice, beans and maybe a few other veggies can be made quite palatable with teriyaki or soy sauce. I bought a lifetime’s supply of Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce at http://www.buythecase.net $39 a 36-bottle case, which was a bargain over grocery-store prices.
Sautéing veggies and meats in olive oil improves the taste and adds nutrients. Oil lasts several years in unopened glass bottles or metal cans; just make sure you get it in glass bottles or cans.

*A woman aged 19 to 30 years needs between 2,000 and 2,400 calories daily; 31 to 50 years 1,800 to 2,200 calories daily; those over age 51 need 1,600 to 2,200 calories daily.

Males** ages 19 to 30 need 2,400 to 3,000 calories a day, those 31 to 50 need 2,200 to 3,000, depending on level of activity. Males over age 51 need 2,000 to 2,800 calories a day.

Coffee and Tea: I don’t think it’s asking too much to include coffee and tea in a survivalist diet. ByTheCase.net carries several brands and sizes of coffee and tea including non-dairy creamer, which probably has a shelf life of infinity. Honey will last indefinitely too. Ground coffee in an unopened can will last two years or longer. Tea in bags in their unopened box or transferred to a lidded glass jar will last at least two years.

Spices and Condiments: Among common household items that store indefinitely are salt, sugar (preferably stored in glass or metal cans), honey and mayonnaise (unopened in a glass jar).
Those that last two years or more include dried or powdered garlic (2 years), dried or powdered onion (2-3 years); ground pepper (2-3 years); peppercorns (3-4 years). Here’s a good site to lookup shelf life: StillTasty.com.

Dollar-Store Spices: Prices are so much better at dollar stores that, for these items, I suggest actually shopping in a store. If you don’t want to spend the time, but are okay with spending the extra money, there are online sources. You can also buy cases of spices from the dollar store.

Pet Food: From a vet: “Generally speaking, if you buy the more expensive all-natural foods, the natural preservatives such as vitamin E used do not work as long as the preservatives used in cheaper foods. They break down. This is reflected in the best-used-by-date posted clearly on the higher-end pet foods. Dry pet foods with natural preservatives may be kept under 85 degrees sealed in a container in the original bag for about 4 months, while foods with other preservatives may be kept as much as three years if kept properly sealed up cool and dry. Just kept in the bag, I would not keep dry pet food past three months."

Dog Food: Nutritional requirements for a dog aren’t that much different than for a human. They can be fed people food and do fine.

Cat Food: This isn’t so for cats, however. There is a good article on the subject from Cornell’s Vet School.  In a SHTF scenario, kitty may have to make due with certain people foods. Low acid foods have a greater shelf life than those with higher acids in them. Fish and meat are low acid foods, hence, can be stored for a long time. Canned fish and meat can be stored unopened for about 2-5 years. Ask your vet about vitamin supplements.

Toiletries: Preppers are obsessed with toilet paper. I don’t know why, but I bow to their greater experience. Since it’s bulky, it’s a lot easier to have delivered than to buy it at the store. Here’s where I bought Ultra-Soft Charmin (the price break is at 40 rolls) at  Restockit.com.  Conservatively, budget 1.5 rolls per person, per week. That’s 78 rolls per year/one adult or 156 rolls for two adults. For two years/two people you’ll need 312 rolls or about 8 cartons @ $38.94/carton for a total of $311.52.

Tip: Toilet paper is considered to be a high-value barter item amongst the prepper cognoscenti. It also makes a nice hostess gift or Christmas stocking stuffer. Think of all those omelet brunches you’ll be invited to by backyard chicken farmers when they know you’ll show up with a roll. Not having gone through the above formula before I placed my order, I now have plenty to barter with.

Wrapping Up

If you place orders for the above items---all of which can be done online---you and your companion pets will have two years of adequate nutrition and safe hydration plus toilet paper. I’ll go into other food and toiletry items that will help maintain well being in subsequent articles.

JWR Adds: I realize that in many jurisdictions inside city limits with civic water supplies it is illegal to drill a well. But if you live in a region with a high water table and it is legal to do so, then go ahead and drill!

Regardless, you should convert your roof downspouts to fill water barrels. That water is fine as-is for gardening or toilet flushing. If you have a composition roof or a roof with treated wood shakes, you should plan to re-roof with a metal roof. Not only will it give you better fire protection, but it will also eliminate most contaminants from captured rainwater. If used for drinking, captured rainwater should be run through a good quality high volume ceramic filter such as a Big Berkey. (Available from several SurvivalBlog advertisers.)

Not all plastics leach toxins. Food grade HDPE is perfectly safe for water storage. Glass jars are not advised in earthquake country, but they are fine anywhere else. However, the cost per-gallon cost of storing water in jars is dramatically higher than using HDPE barrels, tanks, or tank totes. That is the only affordable way for most folks to set aside a large supply for dry seasons.

I wish I could remember the exact moment I became a “prepper”, although I would much rather use the term “aware”.  I’m sure everyone has that “A-ha” moment that sets them on the path to enlightenment, and that brings me to the subject of the day.  I would like to re-introduce canned food to all of those food snobs out there, because I once was one. Yes, it’s true – for me it was always “freshly caught”, “freshly killed”, “never frozen”, “minimally processed” and most especially “organic”.

As a child of the 1950s I was the unwilling guinea pig of early food engineering.  It was that heady time of instant coffee, minute rice, canned biscuits, and TV dinners. Forget all those home cooked meals that my grandmother used to cook. No more long hours slaving over a hot stove to put something nutritious on the table. This is sad to me because my Mom was actually a great cook – she was just a victim of misleading television advertising as many people still are today. If people were more interested in how their food is processed, and what actually goes into it, there might be some healthier folks walking about!

As a young adult during the 1970s I became a part of the early natural food movement in my own small way.  My husband and I were fortunate to have a few acres in the far suburbs of a major metro area.  We had a large vegetable garden and chickens, and I learned the arts of canning and freezing from his mother.  You see she was from an earlier generation than my Mom.  She was a product of the Depression and knew that you could not always count on being able to get food from the local grocery store. Having access to those fresh eggs and fresh vegetables inspired me in my own “slow food” movement. I came from a long line of excellent cooks, and I began to develop my cooking style to include everything from Southern-fried to haute cuisine. I even found the time to make homemade baby food when my children came along.

Flash forward to the present. As we all know life is not static.  First husband dies, family sells property, kids grow up, Mom marries again and boy does she luck out.  New husband is an outdoor guy and an electrical engineer to boot. We decided to purchase some acreage for our bug out location several years ago.  We are fortunate to be in a position to travel once or twice a month to our “farm” to practice living off the grid. We have a big metal building with no electricity or running water - just creek water, solar panels and LEDs, a generator and propane camp stove, which brings me in a roundabout way to “Cooking from Cans”.  You see, I’m one of those people who don’t care to eat “just anything” and my challenge was to see how creative I could actually be with those cans! Now I am well aware of the potential dangers of food in cans containing BPA (Bisphenol A) and the sodium factor, but when you are in a survival situation I think the possibility of long term side effects will take a back seat to starvation any day. 

So without further fanfare I would like to introduce you to some of my pantry cooking.  Even without a missile crisis or EMP these recipes will come in handy.  Maybe you are too tired to cook the full meal deal one evening, or perhaps paychecks aren’t coming quite as regular as they once did.  Food inflation is just around the corner folks so stock up while you can. The recent severe drought as well as the continued use of crops for fuel rather than food will have a dramatic effect on our financial well being, not to mention the continued insane monetary policies of the Federal Reserve.   I don’t call it hoarding – I call it being prudent!

SPICY MEXICAN CHICKEN
1 Can 10 oz. Rotel Drained (whichever flavor you prefer)
1 Can 15 oz. Black Beans Drained (any bean will do)
1 Can 12 oz Canned White Meat Chicken Drained
Here comes the hard part – dump them in a skillet and heat through for about 15 minutes. When I am preparing this under optimum circumstances I like to sauté an onion before the can dump. I usually add garlic, cumin, and salt and pepper.   I also add a “dash” of Mrs. Dash Southwestern Chipotle seasoning.  You can do a lot to jazz it up. I like to add cheese, green onion and crunched up corn chips if I have them on hand.  This is also really yummy in a flour tortilla burrito style. You could replace the canned chicken with rotisserie if you so desire or even fresh grilled chicken. Now here is where the food snob thing comes in.  All of my life I have eaten tuna from a can but wouldn’t be caught dead eating canned chicken.  Why not?  I guess ‘cause my Mama said it was icky.  Sad I know.  Costco has a six pack of canned white meat chicken for around $10.00 and it is delicious. Dried beans are fine to use as well, but what if you don’t have water or fuel to cook those for hours on end. Learn to trust the can.

Italian
Same as Mexican but add drained, regular or Italian style diced tomatoes instead of the Rotel and add a can of tomato sauce. I like to add some garlic, Italian seasoning and some Parmesan. If it’s not during said missile crisis or some other catastrophe it’s nice to sauté an onion and green pepper to jazz it up.  Serve it with some pasta, or if you want it vegetarian omit the chicken add some Cannellini beans. Spices are totally up to your imagination.

Cajun
Here again, basic chicken, tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Add onion and peppers if available.  Here’s where it gets interesting – OKRA!  Know what that is?  If you are from the South and don’t know, your momma is probably disappointed. Okra has a pretty fair amount of fiber. It comes in cans – just be sure to drain it first. Google it and see what you come up with. To me okra defines Cajun food – gumbo is just not gumbo without okra!  Use some garlic, Old Bay or bay leaf to jazz it up and serve over rice.  Try red kidney beans instead of chicken if you are so inclined.

Greek
 Rummage through those cans of beans and find two or three different ones – I like cannellini, kidney and garbanzo.  Drain, rinse and throw them in a bowl.  Got any jars of roasted red peppers?  Chop a few and throw them in.  Now if the hurricane left anything in your pantry or fridge, add a little olive oil, red wine vinegar, Garlic Mrs. Dash, chopped green onions (dehydrated or fresh), halved cherry tomatoes (or drained diced), and don’t forget the piece de resistance:  drained canned artichoke hearts. Green or black olives are always welcome and if you’ve really been industrious some homemade feta cheese crumbled over the top would be nice. I realize that most survival pantries probably don’t contain artichoke hearts or olives, but if we’re not talking imminent asteroid destruction they really add some flavor.  This is a hearty dish containing a lot of protein especially if you are able to add some cheese.

Home Style Vegetable Beef Soup
Now for a little variation let’s try canned beef instead of chicken (although you can use chicken if you like).  I prefer to rinse it off before using, but in a worst case scenario every little bit of nutrition and calories help.  Into a stock pot add the beef, non-drained tomatoes, onion (fresh or dehydrated), beef bouillon (if available), Veg-All, a bit of rice or potatoes, water to cover, and my favorite, okra. Add salt and pepper to your liking. You might not be as fond of okra as I am so skip it – the okra police will not come knocking I am sure! I realize that I am not giving exact proportions here – it’s not an exact science.  It will all depend upon the number of folks you are trying to serve and how hungry they are! 

Minestrone
This is the same recipe as the vegetable soup, but substitute macaroni for the rice or potatoes.  Skip the okra and add kidney beans; spice it up with garlic and oregano and add some torn spinach if available. What could be easier?

I hope these few simple recipes will help you with your pantry planning. It’s an easy way to stock your pantry without having to spend large amounts of money at one time.  Buy a few extra cans each week; we are only talking about ten or twelve varieties of canned food. If you don’t have a “pantry” put the cans in a box and slide it under a bed or in the back of a closet. Hopefully you will have rice and/or pasta on hand, and if you are really fortunate you have stocked up on dehydrated vegetables like onions and peppers.  I read once that the most difficult aspect of survival living was food boredom.  It seems as if people, and especially children, will actually refuse to eat if they are served the same food day in and day out. I’m not sure if this really applies to children as I could swear my kids ate peanut and butter and jelly sandwiches 24/7/365 for years on end!  Stock your pantry with plenty of spices and sauces – most are fairly inexpensive, and try to mix things up.  It could be the difference in living and thriving.  Happy Pantry Tummy!

James,
I recently fabricated my first two rocket stoves using $25 in parts per stove, and gave one to my local volunteer fire department fundraising auction.  It takes just over an hour to make one and it works great.  The fuel/vent stand is key for ensuring air flows under the fuel for maximum combustion.  The pot grill is key for ensuring maximum heat transfer to your cooking pot without choking the fire.  

It was pretty nice the other morning making scrambled eggs without having to use propane, electricity, or the fire pit.  The rocket stove is one of the most efficient wood fuel stoves ever devised.  

You can find a photo of one of the finished stoves, here.

The following is how I made the rocket stoves:

Materials
- 5 gal steel paint pail from commercial paint store, with lid $12 (or free if you find a used metal paint can)
- 18" x 24" wire deck from Lowe's SKU# 319519 $5 
- 4" galvanized duct elbow $4
- 24" piece of 4" galvanized duct $4
- small sheet metal screws
- Wood ashes

Tools
- Saber saw with metal blade
- drill bits and drill motor
- tin snips
- pliers
- vise
- electric hand grinder with metal cutting wheel
- half round file

Fabrication
- Cut the wire deck with the cutting wheel to create both the fuel/vent stand and the pot grill
- Bend legs of fuel stand at stable angle so that top of stand lines up with center of vent pipe when raised off of bottom of pail about an inch
- Taper front end of fuel stand so that three inches of it can fit into vent pipe without binding.  Leave two small studs protruding so that they can fit into notches cut into vent pipe
- Mark paint can on side where vent pipe would be centered and draw 4" circle
- Do the same in center of paint can lid
- Remove foam seal in paint can lid
- Drill starting hole with 1/4" bit and wiggle to widen hole enough for saber saw blade to fit
- Cut out both circles (don't worry much about the quality of these holes
- Attach vent to elbow and fasten with three sheet metal screws, avoiding screw at top of vent where fuel will be shoved through
- Measure width of bottom of paint can and cut duct with grinder cutoff wheel so that the pre-assembled 90 degree angle will easily fit in the bottom of the can (it will protrude properly once the  duct is centered vertically in the can)
- Attach remaining section of duct to other end of angle duct
- Pre-install duct into both holes to confirm fit, and mark top end of duct at 1/2" above top of lid and cut off excess duct with grinding wheel
- File cut edges of both ducts with half round file to reduce risk of sharp edges
- Fill paint can with wood ashes and slightly compress with hands as you fill it, while maintaining duct centered in can
- Put lid on and crimp closed with pliers
- Mark horizontal duct 1" in from edge to align with the two attach stubs and drill clearance hole for fuel stand stubs
- Cut clearance notch in duct slightly above clearance holes to allow stubs to slide along duct and drop into place into the clearance holes like a detent position
- Cut remaining piece of wire deck so that you can bend four support legs and bend the outside corners in a bit to fashion a grill
- Cut the support legs so that the grill stands at 1/2" (or slightly under) above the duct edge (this may take trial and error, but you want to maximize heat transfer to your pot without choking your air flow)
- You're done.  The commercial guys sell an adjustable pot skirt which directs the heat up the sides of the pot.  I might make one of those as an accessory one of these days.

JWR:
There was a very interesting article in my local newspaper yesterday regarding soil conditions here. We have had so little rain of and consequently that the soil here is turning to stone. Farmers are working at feverish pace to harvest this years crops that are yielding far less volume than normal and of poor quality. However they say that the ground is too hard to till and plant over the winter crops such as wheat. This sound pretty ominous to me If this condition is more widespread the impact on food availability that therefore prices could be very serious. I am buying any 25 pound bags of wheat that Wal-Mart has on hand whenever I stop at the store. It is time to top off the larder. - Carl R.

Lately I have begun speaking, teaching, and writing on topics such as How To Eat An Acorn; Ancient Food Preservation Methods Today; Permaculture, How and Why; and Edible Common Landscape Plants. I have also been writing on Christian Culture, and various things concerning our time, from first-hand experience. In 1999, we suddenly became aware of Y2K.  We had a two-year old child, and were horrified [at the prospect of a power grid collapse.] I borrowed from my Dad to get out of bank debt, and sold antiques in order to stock up on foods and other items that made me feel prepared, but which I wouldn’t bother with now. Y2K was a wake-up call for us, as it was for so many; we gave up gluten and casein and white sugar a few years later.  We have continued to grow healthier, more energetic and alert, even as we age chronologically. Our family menu and lifestyle have changed steadily, conforming more closely to what is prudent; surprisingly, we are more and more happy and zestful, as our bodies become ever more able and healthy!

We have family prayer every evening, go to Mass in the morning, and do not have television service.  We read books, many of them not novels but “how-to” books.  Some of us learn new skills, other practice the ones they are perfecting. We buy well-made, name-brand, modest, classic clothing used, and wear it for years.  (Underwear and socks, and a lot of the shoes, are new.) We drive older vehicles; we have gotten gluten and casein and chemicals out of our diet entirely. We grow a lot of edibles here, and often buy high-quality foods like raw honey and organic fruit with the money we don’t spend on medical bills and pharmaceuticals.  But most importantly, in the time since the Y2K scare, we have been set free from fear, by having long trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ and by walking in the way He has shown us.  We are ready to live unto Christ and to die unto Him, in His good time; we have seen for ourselves that the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him.  We have been led and protected.

 But even so, I am afraid! My fear is for the many, who continue to “prep” by buying the indicated items and attending seminars and classes like mine, and by reading Survivalblog entries.  I am afraid for the vast majority of folks who call themselves Christians, and are unloving, distrustful, and prone to avarice; those who are priming themselves for violence with violent reality television and video games; I am afraid for those who think they are ready for anything, because they have guns and ammo and a stack of MREs, and plan to fall back on the oak tree in the yard, for acorns and squirrel meat.

Let’s take that scenario, and see how full of holes it is; and we will explore the remedy.  You live in a small subdivision in the suburbs; or in a condo in the city, it doesn’t matter. Perhaps the Powers That Be (PTB) have begun a Search And Seizure of all guns and ammo from the homes of citizens. There is a new version of “Angry Birds” out,  created to help the PTB to target people just like you.  In the wake of violence following the cessation of “dole” by the PTB, people have looted, murdered, and rioted nationwide, and we now have Martial Law.  The PTB wants total power; which means, they are the only entity with guns and food stores.  Fresh water and food supplies are trucked into your area regularly, but ongoing conditions of scarcity cause even your good neighbor to “tweet” you to the authorities (for a reward) and they come, suddenly, to seize your supplies. Many people have told me that this is not going to happen to them; that they have guns and know how to use them.  But don’t underestimate the forces arrayed against you; (think Waco, Texas.)  So, gone are the MREs and the guns and ammo; gone even the knives, bow and arrows, and  medical supplies.  You have been labeled a “Hoarder” and are now an irritant [or criminal] in the public eye.  Hungry people are watching you closely, hoping to get some information that will earn them points in the “Birds” game, points they can exchange for  special luxuries, like a box of Cheese Nips or some peanut butter.  Everyone is hungry, angry, fearful, and on their guard; nobody feels well, because they are making do with substitute meds and bad food, given out by the PTB.

Well, you didn’t really want to have to do it, but those squirrels and acorns are starting to look pretty good.  You know how to make a snare, for when the squirrels show up in force.  It is August; there should be some acorns on the tree already.  (Did you know that you can pick green ones?  They are not poisonous; keep them until they are brown and easy to peel (a few days)  and crack and peel the nut, then soak.

Look at the Oaks, in August; what kind of harvest is it going to be? Oak trees do not have regular cycles of production, but a “masting cycle” (large harvest) only every fifth or sixth year. Most folks know that acorns have to be leached of their tannins before you can eat them. There are two ways, the quick/hot way, and the slow/cool.  For the first one, either use two pots of boiling water, and pour the peeled acorn pieces/meal into one until the water turns brown, on the heat; then quickly strain and dump immediately into the second pot of boiling water, and then refill the first and bring it to the boil, alternating, until the water no longer turns brown.  If you let the acorn cool before the boiling out of the tannins is accomplished, the tannins will be permanently heat-locked into the acorn, and you may as well throw it away, unless the process is close to done; so this is not something to do without adequate time, safety, and water, even though it is the quicker method.

 The other way is to soak the acorn meal or pieces in a mesh bag in a stream or pond; or in a container, changing the water as it darkens, until it stays clear. Acorns store, whole in the shell, for years, after gentle drying out of the sun until they rattle when shaken. For storage, coat lightly with diatomaceous earth and store in metal or off the ground, so rodents won’t get them. Many foods can be made from nothing but acorns  (Bread, “oakmeal”, oil, flour for pancakes, “nuts” and “olives”) – if you know how, and have the right equipment. What simple tools and experience do you need; do you have them?  The only way to find out is to act now!  Yesterday, I drove to the Wal-Mart while my child was with her math tutor.  I noticed a Red Oak (big, oil-rich acorns!) on public land that was masting; the nuts completely covered the ground.  I parked close by, prayed fervently that I would not be molested and would be a sign to the wise to do likewise; then I took out my little small (hazelnut-size) long-handled nut-roller and a large, flexible-plastic lug with two handles, and started harvesting, standing comfortably and collecting large amounts quickly.  In 40 minutes, I had collected 75 or 80 pounds of acorns, pouring them into large containers in my Tahoe as the carrier filled.  I was out of there in no time, with a lot of acorns, because I had tools and some experience. It was a learning experience for me, as I ended up with blisters inside my thumbs from vigorous use of the nut-roller without work gloves.  (Even though I have been collecting and using acorns for years now, I forgot to pack an important piece of equipment; and it was a stress-free day, not TEOTWAWKI!)

Arriving home, I dumped everything into a cattle-trough full of rainwater, and discarded everything that floated.  (There are worms inside many of the acorns, especially those that fall early.  The holes you see are from the emergence of the mature grub; before then, the acorn will float, as does an old, empty shell) Now my acorns are drying safely indoors.  They will keep a long time in shell, since tannic acid, the very component creating acorns’ bitterness, is a preservative. (In fact, because of the tannins, you do not need to worry about spoilage of acorns that are leaching in water, even if they have been soaking a long time!  ) If you have chickens, or if you like to eat insects and worms, you may keep the floating stuff, after drying, in a bucket for a while.  Check the bottom in 4 or 5 days; it will be crawling with useful, delicious food.  (If you don’t need to use these, please destroy them.)

But, back to our scenario: perhaps it is not a masting year, for your oak tree; and besides, everyone is picking up those acorns. The Powers That Be (PTB) are evacuating the neighborhood, aged and infirmed people first.  Many homes are empty; who will they come for, next?  You decide to “bug out” at least for the time being. Fortunately, there are all sorts of items the PTB have not taken, all over the house.  Because you have been living the “readiness lifestyle”, you know just which items to bring, and how to rig up a backpack for everyone (the PTB have taken everything you had ready, since you were Hoarding and they need you to Share.)  Everyone is, as usual, feeling fine; nobody has allergies that are very bad, or any kind of gastrointestinal trouble, because you have been following a strict gluten-free, casein-free diet for years now.  You are trim and in shape, because of said diet and the lack of a television; and because you are always busy, in healthy ways.

  The “busy” that is widespread now, like a wasting disease of the soul, is the opposite kind. Like gerbils on a wheel, so many people are caught up in empty, self-gratifying activities. A people that are subclinically ill, because of the dead/processed/junk diet, and grouchily assert their rights to an evening of “chilling” in front of a screen, after a meal of something easy to prepare, are a vulnerable people, a bunch of house pets unfit for life outside of a cage.  And our only survival is in getting, and staying, free.

Perhaps you are ahead of things, and have a great number of hidden food plants in your yard.  You decide to dig up and harvest some stuff to take with you…As we said, it is August.  You will take some Yellow Asphodel and skirret roots, and some Jerusalem Artichoke tubers; you dig up some oca plants (later in the year you would just take the tubers) as well as scorzonera and crosnes tubers; throw in a bunch of potatoes. All of this to transplant, and not, unless absolutely necessary, to eat. (Or, leave everything undisturbed, hoping that no one will be able to identify your garden plants as food; hope to be able to return, once the neighborhood is emptied.)  I have a feeling, though, that there will be mechanical watchdogs all around, and that return will be impossible if you live near a city.

Go to the freezer and get out packages of sprouting seed, as well as and various garden seeds (especially annual and perennial beans, summer and winter squashes, and turnips, perennial oats, broomcorn, and millet).  Make sure you wrap the frozen seeds immediately in heavy items that will insulate them as they slowly come up to temperature; else, you will have a lot of condensation just where you do not want wetness.  From the kitchen, you grab peelers, one or more small graters, metal tongs. A slotted spoon and flat spatula, a ladle, a couple of pots, and some mel mac or stainless bowls, cups, plates, and flatware.  Grab any sharp knives, an ice pick, a steel or small sharpening stone, and a small folding pruning saw; wrap these in a medium-weight tablecloth or light bedspread that can serve as a blanket and operating stage. Take salt; Zip-Loc bags; first-aid stuff as available; mylar bags and duct tape; rubber bands, rawhide laces, cording, and wire; clothespins, safety pins, sewing supplies and a couple of rolls of toilet paper, without the central tube (or use the tube for packing a Ziploc full of small items).  Fisherman’s Friend is a really great cough drop/decongestant/mucus reliever; these never get stuck together and are extremely effective!  Nobody needs toothpaste, although you might take a small tube, and wean the fainthearted onto ashes and a stick over the course of time. The most important thing is to expect hardship, and start getting used to it now; as extreme emotional reactions later, such as shock,will be the biggest threat to everyone’s safety and ability to thrive.

Finally, dress yourself for business, in double underwear and ripstop outerwear, hiking boots and smartwool socks, work gloves, and a sunhat and sweatband. Tie a cotton bandana around your neck. Pack a long raincoat, a wool sweater, and extra smartwool socks; depending on the number and strength of the party, add more items as room and weight permit. Your ripstop nylon pants should be a size too large (pack wool long johns or fleece pants to wear under them, for winter; also pack a  balaclava and one other warm hat, muffler, warm gloves and at least one pair of extras (a pair of those expensive, waterproof, cold-weather gloves would be wonderful);  work gloves, and extra socks and undines, if you have room). Ladies who do not wear pants will have to wear some for now; the ripstop will prevent shredding of the legs in briars and rocks, and allow for extra warmth in winter or at night.  A dress or skirt can go over the top.

 If you have plenty of extra wool socks and warm gloves, you can make it with one pair of hiking boots; though an extra, dry change of footwear can be a great thing.  Perhaps a pair of flip flops, as they can be cut apart as needed to make fishing bobbers, bottle corks, and cushioning for splints, among a hundred other uses; and you can wear them under your wool socks while your boots are being dried with hot rocks from the fire at night. (Put a dry, heavy piece of cloth in the bottom, and pay attention that you don’t burn that!) 

You may wish to bring a small washing ball, which can be thrown into a washer now instead of detergent, and used when washing by hand whether at home or away. We have been using these products for at least eight years in our home; they work by saponifying the water (breaking the surface tension, making the water “wetter”, as detergent
does, without adding anything that will need to be rinsed out.)  A “breathing washer” from Lehman’s is nice, to use with it.  I don’t know that you would want to pack it, nothing is guaranteed; you may need it at home for a year before you ever think of leaving.  It is certainly a great tool; and the handle does come off! 

 As for actually doing your laundry, you can wash your ripstop nylon things at end of day (or several days!), shake them out, and hang to dry.  They should be dry by morning, and if  not completely so,  at least dry enough.  The outside pair of underwear will go on the skin-side, and the inside pair in the wash.  Ladies will need to bring even more panties, and many pieces of toweling, maybe stitched together in layers, to use as pads.  They should also have a Zip-loc bag to keep these in, at that time of month, rinsing them and hanging to dry at night.  If necessary, drying ones can be pinned with large safety pins to the outside of packs.

 You most likely will not be returning.  Put your solid gold rings and any hefty sterling ones on a sturdy piece of string around your neck, under your shirt.  Put other items in a tied-off sock, here and there; in a pinch, you can pierce the sock and slip it onto your cord, as well.  Marauders may leave you alive, but grab your gear; so you may not want to sew things into linings, even when you do have time.  This is not the time to start going through treasures and photos.  Get your favorite photos laminated and put them in your bible as a bookmark.  Bring your smallest bible.  An extra gospel of John, New Testament and Psalms, or other small partial is good, if you have room.  These may be worth more than gold in the times ahead; it may well be that they are seen as tools against the State, since the New Age targets the Abrahamic Religions, scapegoating Jews, Moslems, and Christians together.  We do all share a belief in one God, Who has given us moral absolutes. Ultimately, the state of things has been foreseen and is inevitable; and we have total freedom to choose whether we are to live and die in love, as sons and daughters of the Most High, or in fear and thralldom, as His enemies.  There is no middle ground.

 The thing that needs mention now, is how to pray.  Even unbelievers pray, in  times of great need, out of fear; and it can lead them to faith and then to salvation.  But it is not the way for believers to pray!  We need to keep our trust and our joy and our worship before us, we need to go with a psalm in our minds and hearts!  There is no other way to be prepared, for anything, except to put ourselves wholly into the hands of the Almighty One , Who loves us.  Become comfortable without the noises that are in the way, and spend time in silence, quieting your anxieties and over-busyness with silent or audible praise and worship songs.  If you are not a Christian, think about prayer, anyway; in an emergency, wouldn’t you rather be full of peace and assurance?  That doesn’t come while things are hitting the fan, but is built up slowly, like the strength of muscles from weightlifting.  It lifts the eight of the world from our minds, and lets God hold it, while we attend to our immediate business. 

Noise is another of the addictions of our age, another of the things we and perhaps even more so, our children, cannot do without. It is psychologically calming to a person, to spend the day with the accustomed noise level; whereas suddenly moving from noise to silence, or vice versa, causes anxiety.  The ramifications of this are staggering; how is a sudden lack of loud music, or the “background noise” of a television, going to affect you and your loved ones?  In fact, psychologists tell us this is one of the wedges driven between the generations by the Evil of our time.  I can imagine buses with happy teens and children on them, stopping at every street.  They are playing a movie, loudly, on the bus.  Maybe the smell of popcorn is coming from somewhere.  It is parked right out there, waiting for your child.  The destination is a camp for young people exclusively.  "They" tell your child, hesitating in the doorway, that you will be okay, and they have a special place for you to go, as well. You can be in touch.  In fact, they will give everyone a subdermal I.D. number, so nobody will get misplaced.  You will only be irretrievably lost.

Pray, silently and in hope.  Pray, audibly and with scripture. Sing and recite the psalms.  Quiet your vociferous modern heart, and you will hear the voice of God, who never left, but Who never raises His voice.  He is found in silence because if He used force, we would not be free; and our freedom is the richest of God’s gifts to us, by which we may decide to love Him back, and be His servants.  A good antidote to loud-music addiction is to sing praise and worship songs.  You can find them on youtube, at prayer meeting, or just ask a Christian friend.

 The best of these are repetitive and short, and easy to learn. (Example: “He gives us incense for ashes; the oil of joy for mourning; the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that we may be trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified”.)  You may very well go to a church that has different songs; memorize the ones that speak to you, and sing them as you quietly go about your business.  “Quietly” really is the operative word; we need to quiet our hearts and listen, now, so s to be able to distinguish the voice of God, within, from the great faker who prowls unceasingly.  Learn scriptural songs.  The healthier your body gets, on your new regimen, the clearer your mind will be.  Challenge yourself to love learning, especially from the word of God.  Hide it in your heart, where He can activate it when you are in need, and where no one can take it from you!

Back to our packing.  You would want a hatchet, cleaver, or machete. But let’s say, for our scenario, that the PTB have taken all of these; because of  general unrest and murderous intent, they will say; but loss of tools also deprives you of the ability to do anything for yourself, and makes you less sure that you can make it without the help of the PTB. You might have, still, a folding pocket saw; it is better than nothing!  Also, pack a few mesh onion or citrus bags and lots of knee-high nylon hose.  Both can be used for leaching acorns, and the latter are good for many other things, such as straining, filtering, and sprouting while hiking (pour a little water through the sprouts at each stop; hang off the outside of your pack or in the campsite, to keep drained). Pack field guides to edibles, and copies of these articles, as well as a boy scout or military field guide. But never has there been a time when we were less prepared to make fires, snares, cording, and to find our own food.  No book can substitute for going out now, this week, and beginning to gain actual experience!

Pillowcases are a great thing!  I buy them from the Goodwill; often, they are brand new. They can be stuffed, to make a pillow; held open with vine or sapling and used for gathering grass seed as you walk; as part of an improvised water filter; a source of bandage or tourniquet cloth; and many other things.  When not in use any other way, use them for carrying things, inside a larger piece of cloth or tarp.  They will take the place of the pockets and compartments of a backpack, which you no longer have. You have a real lot of stuff, and time is running out! A little bug repellent is a good thing; in the field, some yarrow from the roadside or garden, or geranium or several other like plants, can be rubbed on as an insect repellent.  A very low, smoky fire of leaves and moss (“smudge”) can help at night, where there is no risk of detection. A bee-keeper-type arrangement of tulle or finer net may be drawn over the bill of your cap at night, and tied around your neck with the bandana; in a pinch, the panty-part of some large hose will do; get the longer queen size ones, and wedge the baseball cap, on your head, into one thigh, with the waist elastic at your neck, wrapped shut with your bandana.  These do not last forever, but they are small and easy to pack, and have many uses, one of which is to be worn next the skin as an extra layer of warmth in coldest weather.  Sunscreen can be good, but there is no substitute for shade, and so you are wearing a long-sleeved ripstop shirt, with ventilation mesh under the arms, and a hat with a brim.

You can do a lot with duct tape and mylar!  A couple of mylar emergency blankets take up very little space, but in extreme weather they may be held around you with duct tape, and can make the difference between comfort and sleeplessness, or life and death.  You can make a sturdy handle and provide reinforcement in a big pack made of tarp, with thoughtful application of duct tape.  And you can create a long-lasting, sturdy water bucket with a large mylar bag, a small stick, and a wrapping of duct tape as strapping around the bottom of the bag and crossing around the wrapped-stick handle grip.  This may seem wasteful of duct tape; but  almost all of it is reclaimable, as needed; and this is actually a way of reducing that heavy, bulky roll of tape.

Okay, you might or might not have a compass or GPS.  Let’s say you don’t.  You will have to think ahead, so as not to take a wrong path.  There is no substitute for asking God for direction.  Do not err by expecting Him to do everything for you! You will be traveling at night, since during the day, your party will be reported and stopped.  But at night, there is surveillance. A pair of night-vision binoculars might be very helpful.  Recite Psalm 91.  Think and remember which neighbors are gone; cross through those yards when you can.  Make for a safe house (friends who won’t turn you in; relatives- work this out ahead of time! You may want to give each other your house keys, or tell where to find them,)

In this time, if you have been asleep, as have so many Christians, you will have to wake up, and choose radical faith and trust, and count on supernatural guidance and protection.  The alternative is fear, distrust, and violence.  If you have really never seriously considered Christianity, have sneered at it; if you have loved New Age stuff, and are a vegan, but want to be free – the only way is to “consider the heavens”.  There is a wonderful book called The Real Meaning of the Zodiac. It has information that will help you find your way to Jesus Christ, our Salvation.

 There will be miracles of provision, multiplication of goods, protection and invisibility to the enemy, and many other kinds, in these days.  Somewhere along the way, those who have put All of their faith in Jesus Christ will be suddenly “raptured”, or taken away in the blink of an eye; and even the godless are predicting this.  The thing to do is to put on the faith you have been pretending to have; and to do so, you need strength.  Stop doing the things that hinder you!  There are invisible webs and nets and chains holding us down…Change your diet, cancel your cable television service and sell your television.  This may seem radical, but think again.  Why does the thought of no television hurt so much?  Why do you think it is not possible; and besides, there are so many “good” programs?  Listen, friends; there are no good programs!  You wouldn’t eat food every day that only had a little bit of poison in it, would you?  Even the best things are seasoned with stuff that seduces, perverts, stupefies.  That popular television preacher is telling you comforting things, and his lovely wish next to him is not as virtuous a model as we could wish, for our young women; and in the end, that is not what you are really watching, anyway. Even watching Animal Planet with a child reveals hidden New Age agenda specifically geared toward the young mind; and the filthiness or subtle perversions of the commercials is just extra gravy on top.  I am a prophet of the Lord; I say to you now that He calls His people out of the harlotries of  life in 2012 America.  If it isn’t bad to you, if you can justify everything, and sneer at changes recommended here, then you are as the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah, and other places destroyed by the Lord, because of the contagion of the inhabitants, and their hardness of heart.  If you do not see it and think this warning and these precepts are ridiculous, then I say to you that you are already dead.

For everyone else, you may be wondering – after we get rid of the television and video games and smartphones, what will we do instead? The answer is that you will recover lost ground!  You will go from strength to strength; you will find out that you have more energy; and that the day is not long enough for all of the projects you have going!  Beware, however;  lest getting rid of television pushes all of your family members into separate rooms with other electronics, and even alienates your children.  If they have been in public school, you will have lost them, and they may report you to the International Children’s Council, and asked to be moved to a friendlier environment.  If your children are in a Christian school, and are young enough, there is still time to reach them.  Be converted, yourself, first; and without delay!  This is still a time of grace, but it cannot go on much longer.  Change and return to the Lord with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.  Do this with your whole family; win the hearts and minds of your young ones through your own conversion example and by prayer and family bible time.  Don’t go hungry!  Just get off white rice and potatoes, packaged edible things of all kinds that substitute for food, and gluten and all items containing dairy or casein or sodium caseinate.  (Read the book Devil in the Milk: Illness, Health and the Politics of A1 and A2 Milk, if you are not convinced.) Yes, it seems hard; like anything else you are not used to.  But think of how many times you have done hard things! You are reading this now, but once you thought reading too hard. Have faith; be obedient, and decide to believe!  God always rewards our obedience; our freedom of choice exists, because He craves our love and obedience, neither of which can exist without absolute freedom!  

While you are thinking about that, let’s get back to our journey.  You may know that many common landscape plants have edible parts. Cannas, those tall, tropical-looking masses of pretty, broad leaves with flower spikes, are very common throughout much of the U.S.  Did you know that they were bred in the mountains of Peru, along with oca, yaucon, and our familiar potato varieties, as starchy root crops?  Starch is harder to find, in nature, and very important in the diet, especially in winter. The very young, unfurled leaves are an excellent cooked vegetable, and are okay raw, as a trail salad item. Canna corms (underground part) make a delicious long-cooked sweet, starchy treat or a good source of starch to use in cooking or baking.  (Cut into chunks, grate into water, stir and remove fibers.  Let settle and pour off the water.  The stuff in the bottom is the starch.  Dry it and put through a sieve to get out fibers and lumps; or use wet, cooked in cakes with oil; or added as thickening and filling goodness to any kind of soup concoction. This method of starch collection is why you have packed at least one small grater; the process is the same for cattail, briar, and all starchy roots.

Canna leaves are used in South America as a tamale wrapper.  Even the young seeds are fried and eaten, and are good raw as well.  Another common landscape plant is the althea, or Rose of Sharon.  It is in the mallow/malvacea family, which includes okra, hollyhock, rose of Sharon, hibiscus, and the wild swamp mallow or marsh mallow.  The leaves of all of these are good and edible, especially cooked; in fact, mallow leaves have been used this way from antiquity, and are still a major perennial vegetable in parts of North Africa and the Mediterranean.  I do not have experience in the western half of the U.S., but can say with authority that these thrive for years without care (and so are unlikely to have been sprayed with chemicals) in the entire Eastern U.S. 

Most of us know a little about daylilies.  The young shoots are eaten cooked; the leaves, when boiled, are supposedly like creamed onions, but can cause flatulence if used in great amounts as the sole menu item; the flowers and unopened buds are good raw, cooked, or dried; the tubers are delicious, but even if you manage to dig all of the small bits up,  the reward is smaller than most people expect; they are like fibrous sweet potatoes the size of garlic cloves, but often occurring in great numbers, as these plants easily naturalize. 

Perhaps we are safely away, and are living on the land, somewhere.  You have been filtering and boiling your drinking water, and making low, invisible shelters with branches and tarps and cordage. Maybe you have even brought fish hooks, and can make snares. But even if you are not molested, what are your chances of making it long-term on your own, with the little you have brought, even without one of the tribe getting sick or having an accident?  How long will you be able to simply go on, before you, or half of your family, wish you were safe in the arms of the State again?  The only remedy for the potential desperateness of this situation is to get this information out to everyone you know!  Make plans; tell others; trust in God; wean yourself off of all of the entrapments that suck up our time and cause stupefaction and lethargy. Things such as television and Farmville and alcohol and FaceBook and casinos and gluten and casein and white sugar and artificial sweeteners (read Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills ). Most importantly, after you have made the dietary changes, with your doctor’s supervision, wean yourself off of prescription drugs (yes, you can!  It is unnatural for most of the population to be dependent on prescription drugs just to get through the day.  Get healthy, God made our bodies to be self-healing!  If He hadn’t, then you’d be a goner after surgery or accidents!

Decide today, if you refuse to be marked or numbered or collected; if you will instead accept hardship in order to live free. The angel of the Lord will guide you to other Christians, on small farms and homesteads. We need host families to be physically and mentally prepared to welcome refugees; we need those moving to be  healthy and off medications, and ready to move when the Lord tells them.  We need to rework our way of thinking, and realize that, instead of conditions of scarcity and crowding, the resulting communities will be blessed with a lot of labor, so that all are fed and provided for; and with convivial Christian fellowship like that in the early Church; and that they will be crowned with miraculous occurrences, as the day of the Lord draws near and His people draw nearer to Him. We will need all of our skills to be in good working order, and our faith to be pre-tested and found strong. Parents, pastors and Christian leaders, be converted and ready to lead in new ways; and everyone, learn to pray without ceasing, carrying on a n inner dialogue with the One Who loves you and Who is mighty to save.  This is an integrated approach to Survival issues, as the entire spectrum of concerns is put into right order. Survival means more than ending the day alive, at whatever cost! God is intimately concerned with our well-being and survival in His Kingdom, which starts here and now, for those who are His own. We only need to awaken and respond.

Dear JWR:
Stockpiling food has been performed for centuries.  Our earliest ancestors were hunter gatherers.  If they didn’t save up food for the winter, their existence would most certainly be doomed.  It has been recorded that in hard times throughout history people have re-learned preservation techniques that would ensure their survival for the months and years ahead.  I believe we are in a similar trend at the moment.

Most everyone has a reasonable supply of food in the pantry for convenience purposes.  On the other hand some people, like our neighbors who we have affectionately named the “Pod People”, exist using the “just-in-time” method.  These folks patronize a fast food restaurant for most every meal.  If the Golden Arches drive-thru is not visited, then assuredly the pizza delivery guy will stop by.  The only time we have seen “real” food go in their house is when they buy a 50 lb bag of dog food for their large dog.  I worry that even a minor issue, like losing power for several days, would completely deplete the Pod People’s presumably meager supply of food and would force them to venture into a dangerous situation to obtain proper supplies.

My husband and I have always had a reasonable amount of food on hand. We could probably have gone a month on what was in the pantry.  We like to eat!  Even so, I hadn’t really thought about storing much more food than that until last year when I met a co-worker who is a self-proclaimed “prepper”.  He introduced me to dehydrating and re-sparked my interest in canning. 

With this new interest in food preservation, I began to think back to my childhood.  My father was a meat cutter.  We always had a large chest freezer and full pantry in the basement, and he closely watched grocery store sales.  He memorized prices on a variety of items we commonly used and “cherry picked” the many sales, stocking ahead whenever he could.  My mother taught me to can.  One year when they had a wonderful producing garden, she canned 60 quarts of what she called Dynamites (a mixture of tomatoes, peppers and onions).  These memories made me realize that my parents were the first “preppers” I knew.  Not only did they have adequate food for months, but they had alternative ways to cook, extra candles, a shortwave receiver and many other items that our preppers of today commonly stock.  It was a way of life, something I accepted and I thought everyone did this.

Within a year of my re-sparked interest in this lifestyle I’ve expanded our one-month supply of food to an estimated seven-months.  A Craig’s List score on free canning jars by a friend was helpful, along with my dehydrating frozen and fresh vegetables when they were found on sale.  We also purchased commercially canned food, and stocked up on water as well.

Both my husband and I have been solidly employed for the past 25 years.  But as luck would have it, this year my husband became unemployed for two-months and then shortly after I was unemployed for four-months.  While we didn’t have to delve into our food stockpile, this completely unplanned and unwanted occurrence was a wake-up call.  It showed me that the way of life that my parents instilled in me needs to be continued.  My goal is eventually to have one-year worth of food.

I often wonder how our Pod People neighbors might have fared in a similar occurrence.  With dwindling funds, the constant fast food runs and pizza deliveries become very expensive.   What would they do?  Lean on the government, or family for assistance?  What if those avenues dry up?  I hope they like dog kibble. - Wendy Q.

With the current economic climate and the recent drought, there is a lot of concern about an impending increase in food prices.  As I browse through homesteading blogs and review comments from recent news articles, more and more people that have not been a part of the "prepper  movement" in the past are now starting to open their eyes and see a need to increase their food stores.  When you first begin to build your pantry, it is helpful to think about the purpose of food storage:  The true goal of storing food is to be able to provide enough calories to sustain life. 

Everyone has a basal metabolic rate (BMR) which is the number of calories that you burn a day at rest with no digestion occurring.  Your BMR is based on your gender, age, weight, and height.  A quick online search will yield links to multiple BMR calculators, so that you can figure your individual BMR.  For sake of an example, let us assume that you are a 40 year old 175 pound man that is 5 feet 10  inches tall.  Your BMR is approximately 1,700 calories per day.  Remember, this is how many calories your body burns doing nothing at all, not even eating.  If you lead a sedentary lifestyle with little to no exercise, you multiply your BMR by 1.2 to get your daily calorie requirement.  In the example above, this would give a calorie requirement of  2,055 calories in the setting of little to no physical activity.  If you have a high level of activity with exercise 6-7 days per week, your calorie requirement would jump up to 2950 calories per day (BMR  times 1.75).

For those of you who have looked into long-term food storage, you see advertisements all of the time for a "year supply of food."  One popular web site offers a premium year supply which contains enough food to supply one person with approximately 1,600 calories per day for a year.  As you can see from the above example, this would not be enough food to support the basic metabolic functions of a large percentage of  people, much less provide the needed energy for daily activities.  In a post-SHTF scenario [without the benefit of power tools, most water pumps, and gas engine vehicles], the general activity level of the populace will most certainly increase, so most people can expect their current calorie requirement to go well above their BMR.

There are other prepackaged supplies of food that supply around 2,000 calories per person per year.  One such example at Emergency Essentials provides 2,000 calories per day for 371 days for $2,700, as of today.  If you do the math on a package like this, you will figure out that you are getting 275 calories per dollar spent.  That sounds pretty good, but how does that compare to other items that you can purchase?  And, what if you don't have three grand to drop on food and just want to get started putting food by?  How can you see if you are getting your money's worth with regards to total calories purchased?

I have been a prepper since 2006, but honestly, the money spent per calorie of food never crossed my mind until recently when we starting making regular purchases for a local food bank.  The first few donations included cans of vegetables, namely corn and green beans.  I had purchased a few flats of each of these around Thanksgiving when they were put on sale for $0.50 each.  Each can had 3.5 servings of food according to the label, but as you will see, "servings" are not all created equal.  Although the serving size of each was the same (one-half cup), a serving of the corn contained 60 calories, whereas a serving of the green beans only had 20 calories.  That equates to 210 calories in a can of corn and 70 calories in a can of green beans.  So, with the corn, I was able to buy 420 calories/dollar but only got 140 calories/dollar with the green beans.   That is a big difference!!

Being cognizant of the number of calories I was getting for the money spent made me reevaluate my food bank purchases. I wanted to be sure I was getting the most for the money that I was donating.   Not only did this change the way that I looked at the purchases for the local food bank, but it also changed the way I looked at the purchases for my own pantry with regards to both long-term and short-term storage.  I began to think about the #10 cans of food that I have purchased over the years without true regard for the calorie density of their contents.  On my shelves, I have cans of freeze dried green beans, spinach, broccoli, and mushrooms.  I am happy to have them to provide variety, but in a post-STHF scenario, these cans will be useless in terms of providing energy for me to work around our compound.  Before now, seeing these cans on the shelf provided a sense of "food security" because they are indeed food, but what I am really looking for is "calorie security."

That can of freeze dried green beans has 21 one-half cup servings with 30 calories per serving.  So, if I ate the whole can, I would only get 630 calories!!  That same can of green beans costs $14.95 right now which means I am only getting 42 calories/dollar spent.  Consider a #10 can of dehydrated carrots that contains a total of 3,710 calories and costs $11.50.  You are getting 323 calories per dollar in that can.  It is easy to see which is a better purchase if your goal is to provide calories.

Now, don't get me wrong.  There is nothing wrong with spending the money on products that have fewer calories.  I personally love dehydrated mushrooms and use them all of the time when I cook.  I will continue to buy them as long as I can although they have basically no calories.  Nonetheless, the concept of the total calories you are getting for each dollar you spend is important to consider, especially when the money available for building your food storage is limited.

For those that are just beginning to build their short term (3 month-2 year) food storage, what are some of the more cost effective items to buy in terms of the number of calories you get per dollar spent?  Well, if you have ever been on a diet or have read about a diet, this should be pretty easy to think about.  Those items that are high in carbohydrates are usually going to have the most calories per unit cost.  These would include rice, beans, potatoes, wheat, pasta, corn, etc.  These groups of foods are the ones that everyone tries to stay away from when trying to lose weight.  Right?  Why is that? Well, it is because they are calorie dense, meaning you don't have to eat much volume to get a lot of calories. But since in a post-SHTF scenario most people will not get to continue to be couch potatoes (or desk potatoes) and the level of physical activity will dramatically increase,  we will be less worried about eating low-cal.  You will need those calorie-dense items (that we all try to avoid currently)  in order to sustain a higher level of physical activity.

Conversely, the items that cost more per calorie are usually those things that you are allowed to eat without consequence on a diet.  These would include spinach, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.  Like we saw above, you can eat a whole 14 ounce can of green beans from the grocery store and only get 70 calories.  You would have to spend all day eating green beans to get enough calories to live and would have no time left over to work.  :)

Okay , so let's get down to the nitty gritty.  Let us take a look at specific foods that you may consider for short or long term storage and see how many calories they provide per dollar spent--you can also see how that compares to the 275 calories per dollar that we would get purchasing that prepackaged premium year supply of food.  The prices that I am quoting were looked up online at my local warehouse club this morning.

1.  Long grain white rice:  50# bag for $16.86.   There are 1650 calories per pound which gives 82,500 calories in the bag.  So, you get 4893 calories/dollar spent.

2.  Potato flakes:  3.2# box for $5.76.  There are 65 one-half cup servings with 80 calories each giving 5200 calories in the box.  So, you get 903 calories/dollar spent.

3.  Dehydrated hash brown potatoes:  2.06# box for $5.98.  There are 60 one-third cup servings with 70 calories each giving 4200 calories in the box.  So, you get 694 calories/dollar spent.

4.  Pinto beans:  25# bag for $20.49.   There are 1440 calories per pound of beans, giving 36,000 calories in the bag.  So, you get 1757 calories/dollar spent.

5.  All purpose flour:  25# bag for $8.00.  There are 1600 calories per pound of flour, giving 40,000 calories in the bag.  So, you get 5,000 calories/dollar spent.

6.  Angel Hair pasta:  6# box (wrapped in 1 pound bundles) for $5.76.  48 two-ounce servings with 210 calories per serving, giving 10,080 calories per box.  So, you get 1750 calories/dollar spent.

7.  Tang powder:  4.5# container with 88 servings (to make 88 cups) with 90 calories per serving, giving 7920 calories per container.  So, you get 1135 calories/dollar spent.

Now, I know that these items don't qualify as long term storage products,  in the manufacturer's packaging, but they are ideal staples for a short-term pantry.  Also, with a little extra work, all of them except the flour could be placed in long term storage by sealing them in mylar bags inside of buckets. This does add to the cost but it may still be more reasonable than buying the pre-made super pails from an emergency supply store.  Example:  If you had to pay $11 for storage supplies (bucket, lid, mylar bag, and oxygen absorber) to put away the bag of rice, you would still be getting 2,961 calories per dollar spent on that bucket of rice. A 44-lb pail of white rice from Emergency Essentials is currently selling for $57.95, giving 1,239 calories per dollar spent.  This is much more cost effective than the 275 calories per dollar in the year-supply package we discussed earlier, but you can definitely improve your calorie per dollar ratio by packaging the rice yourself.

I consider all purpose flour a great item for a short-term storage pantry since its shelf life is listed as 8 months to 1 year, but whole wheat is certainly preferred for long term storage.  The wheat can then be ground into flour when it is needed, but it can also be used without grinding to add some variety to food storage meals.  Where I live, wheat is not available for bulk purchase, so I end up buying pre-made super pails of wheat for my long term storage.  Currently the 45 pound hard red wheat super pail costs about $47.  This contains 385 one-fourth cup servings with 180 calories per serving, giving 69,300 calories per pail.  So, you would get 1,474 calories per dollar spent buying that super pail.  For those of you who are fortunate to live in areas where you can buy wheat in bulk, I am sure that you could package it yourself and increase the number of calories you are getting for your money, just as we saw with the rice. 

Overall, the number of calories you get per dollar spent is much higher with the bulk foods from the warehouse store than in the long term storage year-supply packages.  Because of this, I recommend that you first make sure that you purchase some of the more cost-effective items initially to build up a short-term pantry before you start spending lots of money on the items packaged in #10 cans and super pails.  You will be able to build up your calorie reserve much faster on a smaller budget starting with your short-term storage.   

Short term storage isn't limited to bulk items from the warehouse stores.  Don't forget about the goods in your local grocery store.  Most canned goods can be kept in the pantry for at least 2 years.  Creamy condensed soups usually contain more calories than their ready-to-eat counterparts because you are storing less water in the can.  One brand of cream of chicken soup on my pantry shelf has 300 calories per can, which is fantastic.  If you can find it on sale over the holidays for $1 per can, you are getting 300 calories per dollar.    Starchy vegetables such as beans, corn, and sweet peas are going to have a higher calorie density than green beans, asparagus, and tomatoes--so for cans of similar price, the starchy vegetables will add more calories for your buck.  And, remember the ever-favorite ramen noodles.  At our local grocer, you can get a 12-pack of ramen for $2.44.  Each individual pack contains 380 calories, giving 4560 calories in the box.  So, ramen yields 1,869 cal per dollar spent.  Pretty impressive!  No wonder college students live off of it.

Although I advocate shopping wisely to make sure you are getting plenty of calories for the dollar spent, I do not recommend buying empty calories.  Yes, you could purchase 10 buckets of white sugar and have lots of calories, but these calories provide little nutrition, meaning there are no vitamins and minerals, no protein, and no fat.  Although you need calories to live, empty calories alone won't keep you healthy.  Make sure you are familiar with the USDA recommendations for protein and fat intake.  On average, individuals should consume around 50 grams of protein a day, but the amount needed will increase if you are doing heavy physical labor.  It is also recommended that you get about 30% of you daily calories from fat.  Knowing this, you will need to have variety in your food storage--don't stock up on one item alone just because it provides adequate calories.

When protein is mentioned, people often get discouraged thinking that they need to purchase expensive meats to provide adequate protein.  Remember, proteins are found in lots of foods other than meat, including grains, nuts (and nut butters), powdered milk, and beans.  Examples:  One-fourth of a cup of wheat provides 7 grams of protein, one-third of a cup of rolled oats provides 6 grams of protein,  and 3 tablespoons of dry pinto beans provides 8 grams of protein.  The high protein content of these high carb items make them even more attractive as core staples in the pantry. They are a relatively inexpensive way to add calories and protein.

I honestly could go on forever discussing different foods to store or not to store, but entire books have been written on that.   The concept that I want you to take with you from this discussion is that you need to THINK about the PURPOSE of the food you are buying.  Don't base your purchases on the number of servings per container or on someone else's concept of a years-supply of food.  Understand how many calories you and your family need to survive and buy food accordingly.  Build your short-term and long-term storage up around items that cost less per calorie until you have an adequate supply of calories, and then use your extra money if you would like to add in items that provide different flavors but may not give you much in the way of energy.  If you buy wisely, you will be able to meet your requirements by spending less money than you would expect based on browsing emergency storage web sites.  Remember, it's not about the food itself, it's about the calories!

After you have spent the summer growing all of that fresh produce, it always seems like everything ripens all at the same time.  There are many ways that you can preserve those fruits and vegetables for the winter; canning, dehydrating, freezing, and root cellar.  I do not have a root cellar, so I rely completely on canning, freezing, and dehydrating. 

To dehydrate your produce you will need a food dehydrator or you can simply use the sun and sundry them.  Some items such as apples, potatoes, pears, et cetera need to be pre-treated to prevent browning.  You have the choice of buying a product called fresh fruit or use lemon juice.  Fill a large bowl with water and one tablespoon of your produce protector and after you peel and slice your items, soak them for a few minutes and then place them in a single layer on your dehydrator racks and dry.  If you are sun drying, bring your trays in at night and then in the morning place them back out in the sun until done.  If you are using a commercial dehydrator, all you have to do is set it to the appreciate temperature and plug it in.  I always check on them every couple of hours to make sure everything is going good.  Once they are done, place whatever you dried into a glass jar and screw on the lid after about an hour so that the remaining moisture can redistribute evenly then place in a sunny window seal for a couple of hours, make sure to place it lid side down.  When you go back to check on it, if you notice moisture on the top (bottom part) of the jar, then you need to dehydrate longer as there is too much moisture remaining, if there is no moisture, then it is safe to package and put up.  Make sure to label everything with what it is and the date that you packaged it as to help with rotation.

Canning is a little more complicated and time consuming.  I did peaches two weeks ago and have an order in for 80 lbs of tomatoes and 38 lbs of pears that I will be picking up this weekend on top of what is coming out of my garden this weekend.  When I did the peaches, I made and canned a peach pie filling, peach butter, peach jam, and sliced peaches.  Since I have already done the peaches that is what I will be talking about.  When you do sliced peaches, make a light to medium syrup, I used a medium which is 5 1/14 cups of water and 3 cups of sugar.  Place in a pot and stir until the sugar has dissolved and then bring to a boil.  Fill your water bath canner with water and get that started heating up.  Wash your jars and keep them hot.  Get your lids soaking in warm water.  Peel, slice, and pit your peaches and treat them to prevent browning.  You can peel them by placing them into a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes and then place them into another pot or bowl of ice water.  The skin will peel right off.  Pack your peaches into your hot jars and then cover with your syrup leaving a ½ in headspace (the amount of space between the top of the jar to the top of your peaches and syrup).  Make sure to remove any air bubbles and add more syrup if needed.  Wipe off your rims and cover with your two piece lid and screw band and place in your canner.  For my altitude I process mine for 20 minutes for pints and 25 for quarts.  Check your altitude before you start your timing as this will affect the amount of time needed for processing.  When you are canning anything, you are heating your product up to a high enough temperature to kill and molds and bacteria that cause spoilage while pushing the remaining air out causing a vacuum seal.  Once you remove your jars, leave them alone until completely cooled or overnight.  Remove your screw band and press on the center of the lid, if you do not feel it give then you have a good seal.  I always then just to make sure, try to pull off the lid and if it doesn’t then I am positive that I have a good seal.  Label the lid with what is in the jar as well as the date and store in a cool dark place.  The higher the temperature, the less amount of time your canned goods with last.  As the temperature goes up, the nutrients go down. 

Some items have to be processed in a pressure canner.  I did corn a couple weeks ago and they are a perfect example of one.  Husk and wash your corn and then blanch it.  Blanching your corn stops the enzymes that corn naturally has that makes them go bad.  Cut your corn off of the cob and pack in you jars (this is cold packing).  That or you can cut the corn off of the cob and then boil it for several minutes and then pack them in your jars (this is hot packing).  Just like with a boiling water bath canner, you want everything ready when you get started.  For pint jars add 1/2 teaspoon of salt on top of each jar and quarts add 1 teaspoon.  Wipe the rim clean and adjust your two piece lid.  Place in your pressure canner and add the lid.  Corn needs to be under 10 pounds of pressure so place your pressure rings on.  Once your vent pops up then begin your timing.  For my elevation, I process corn for 90 minutes for quart jars.  [JWR Adds: Consult a standard home canning reference book such as Ball Blue Book of Preserving for details for you elevation.] When processing is over turn off the heat and allow all of the pressure to escape before opening you canner.  Do not remove the weights to speed up the process as your jars or entire canner can explode.  Once you can safely open your canner, the process is the same as with a water bath canning, place the jars on the counter and allow to completely cool and then check your seals.

When you are ready to use a jar of something that you have canned, first look at it, check for mold or discoloration, or cloudy liquids.  If any of those is present don’t eat it, throw it away.  Once you open your jar, smell it, if it has a bad odor, and again don’t eat it.  If all is good, enjoy.  Preserving your own harvest is a very rewarding thing to do.  You get to dictate what goes into your food and therefore what you and your family are eating.  You know the quality of the food that you are canning/dehydrating and therefore know you are eating the best most nutritious foods.

When it comes to freezing, some things need to be blanched prior to freezing.  I just did some corn on the cob and this is something that has to be blanched first.  Get a big pot of water boiling, husk your corn, when the water is boiling add your corn on the cob.  Allow to return to a boil and boil for 1 minute.  Remove from the water and allow to cool and dry.  Package in your freezer bag, label with the date, and freeze.

For preserving the harvest, freezing has to be the easiest to do and the less time consuming, however if the power were to go out and not come back on for awhile or not at all, this method is the least effective since everything would defrost and you would have to either process again by either canning or dehydrating or eat it all before it goes bad.  Canning and dehydrating are the most effective for food storage as they do not need refrigeration or a freezer to maintain their freshness.  Yes, these methods are more time consuming, however, if there is no power, there is nothing else that you have to do with them and you are not process the same products twice, they are already done. 

With my garden I plant only heirloom seeds that way I can save the seeds from what I grow to use the next year.  I always save more then what I need to plant next year so as to have some for barter should TEOTWAWKI happens prior to the next summer coming.  It doesn’t cost me anything to save some extra seeds and it doesn’t take any more time to clean and dry the extra.  I don’t have the money to be able to stock up on extra food for bartering with, however, I can save seeds to barter with and then someone else will be able to grow their own food as well.

The last thing that I am going to touch on is what to do with all of the peels and pieces of the fruits and vegetables that you do not keep.  If you have animals, feed these parts to them.  We have chickens and they eat most of the scraps that I have left that I don’t use.  What I don’t feed to them, I put in my compost bin to use in the garden next year.  Nothing should go to waste.

Dear JWR;
When visiting relatives in Ohio Amish country, we always stop by two or three Amish "bent & dent" stores.  These stores purchase truckloads of goods that have just expired, are about to expire or are in some other way slightly flawed at very, very, very low prices, and sell them at very, very low prices.  Some examples:  Starbucks coffee in sealed, non-expired bags for $2.50 (used to be 75 cents, the owners have been raising the prices over time), normally $12.50 at the grocer.  Swiss Toblerone chocolate bars, normally $4 for 50 cents.  Feminine hygiene products at 20% of the normal price, presumably no expiration date.  Claritin allergy pills at 10 cents on the dollar, among other non-prescription items.  Indian cooking sauce (Patak's), normally $4.50 a bottle for less than 50 cents per bottle, must not be very popular out in the country.  

There are lots of food items. We once found real San Marzano tomatoes, normally $5/can, for 75 cents per can.  Spices tend to be about 15 to 20 cents on the dollar compared to retail.  Very wide variety of other canned goods and cereals, including expensive yuppie food such as Kashi cereals at about 10 cents on the dollar.  Usually lots of olive oil & canned sauces.  Once in a while one of the cans is bad, the nose knows.  Great deals for those on a budget.  

Also:  We found canning jars (quart, pint & jam) at Big Lots this weekend for about $7 - $8 per dozen, with lids at $1.20 per dozen.  We got an additional 20% off due to a "frequent buyers" discount. - John M.

Mr. Rawles,
I just discovered emergency storage food is sold at Costco.com. They have a sale going on right now that bears mentioning in your blog. A year's supply package of THRIVE food from Shelf Reliance for $1,199.99 including shipping and tax-free. No additional cost for existing Costco members. Non-members can also purchase this but must pay a small surcharge. They quote shipping as 5 to 7 days. 

This is the best deal on emergency storage food I've found after quite a long search and was the first deal that prompted me to pull the trigger and stock up.

Thanks for all you do. - L.B. in Western Washington

Sir:
Thank you Mr. Rawles for your blog. The recent post about scouting from Louie in Ohio brought back a flood of memories for me and the scouting program of so many decades past. One such memory was from a wise Scoutmaster at the beginning of a 50 mile 6-day hike through Alpine wilderness . He stated that in 6 days we would walk out of these woods a different person than had walked in. Most of the twenty or so young men scoffed at hearing such counsel. Of course we ran out food on day four, we were responsible for allocating our food per day and we over-ate in the first two days. Yes our packs were lighter but that foolishness was soon evident. 

For a group of young men in their mid teens to struggle on those last two days hungry, tired and our Scoutmaster driving us on those last 20 miles was a life changer for me. Yes we tried the 'Living off the land approach.' We caught plenty of those high lake Cutthroat trout. No matter how many we ate we were still famished. To this day I  still carry a MRE packed with my First Aid kit when I travel.

This brings me to a key point. No matter how much food storage you think you have, you don't have enough. I cringe when I watch on YouTube when people show off their "one year supply" of food. At best they have half of that. I use a very simple formula: people eat three pounds of food a day, some more some less. So at 365 days you need a minimum of 1,000 pounds of food per person per year. All food weight is calculated at the time of eating. So dehydrated food would weigh much more when re-hydrated. Please stock up now when food prices are so incredibly low. To prove my point I was standing in the check-out line in my favorite restaurant supply store last month and  three young ladies were pushing those flat bed carts , each were heaping with food. I had to ask the one young lady with the clipboard who were they feeding? She stated they were feeding a Girl Scout camp of 150 girls and 20 staff members for one week. I was astonished, I stated there is no way a bunch of girls could eat that much food in one week. She laughed and smiled and said "Oh yes they can!" The food would easily weigh down two pick-up trucks. Please stock up now. We are about to enter a life changing experience, and no you don't have enough food. - Matt in the Evergreen State

Preppers get painted is crazy doomsday people, sitting around waiting for the world to end, disappointed when it doesn't.  I think National Geographic has done a disservice to prepping with their show.  The people on the show explain "what" they are preparing for.  To many, their reasons are crazy.  To me, some of the reasons are crazy.  I think it's important to make it clear that it's not about a specific event or cause.  It's about planning for the future and protecting yourself.  Does it really matter if an EMP, financial collapse, or natural disaster disrupts your basic necessities?  What it comes down to is that you need to provide for your own essentials and survival.

Being a prepper is planning for your future, just like investing. When you invest for your retirement, you know you need to diversify your portfolio. You buy stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and gold. You do this because you need to spread your risk. You buy some things that are risky, that you hope will rise in value (stocks), and you buy things with certain intrinsic value that will not decrease (gold). Prepping should be added to your retirement portfolio too.

If you look at the big picture of the economy and the world, you invest your money in the stock market and retirement funds hoping they gain value, and now, hoping they will still be there when you retire. I think it is safe to say there is no guarantee that these assets will be there in the future. With the state of our entitlement programs and Social Security, they will run out of money. What then? Could the government take private assets such as investments? I think there is a chance. It would be easy for the government to say, "We are confiscating everyone's investments and savings to fund Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. In doing this, everyone will now be eligible for these benefits." The things that you have based your future security and comfort on, have just been taken. Now you are waiting in lines to get your rations because you didn't prepare.  Like any investment you need to evaluate it based on your situation and beliefs.  Maybe you are an optimist and only want to store enough for a short term emergency and wait until the government is able to come in to help.  This would be like a Hurricane Katrina situation.  Just enough to survive the rough period, then get help from the government.

Now there is some risk that if it gets that bad, the government could say, "You are only allowed to have 1 month of food and 20 gallons of water saved. Give me your extra 3 months of food and 100 gallons of water." But this is much more difficult than just confiscating your money. So look at prepping as part of your retirement portfolio, and start investing in it.
Just as you would set aside a certain percentage of your income for retirement, choose an amount to set aside for prepping.  It doesn't have to be a lot, just prioritize your spending. Food and water first, then purchase the items appropriate for you.  But also think about what others might want; such as alcohol and tobacco.  Maybe you have moral objections to either, but there are many who don't, and many who will want those items.  Think about the Great Depression and Prohibition.  Those with alcohol did pretty well.

The physical items you buy to be prepared can also be handed down from generation to generation.  Now, I know that not everything will last.  But if that can of green beans has been in your basement for 25 years, are you going to throw it away?  Probably not.  You will keep it and eat it when the times comes.  It may not taste the best, but it probably won't kill you.  Your guns, tools, certain foods, bags, tents, etc. can be handed down from too.  There is the potential for them to greatly increase in value as well.  What if the sale of certain guns becomes prohibited?  What could your gun be worth then?  It can be left to your kids, like your investments could, but it would be tax free and provide for their future better than money.  It is also important to teach your kids the importance of prepping.  If they don't value it and invest their own time in it, what you leave to them could be wasted.

Just like your finances and investments, your preps need to be protected.  Where do you keep your supplies?  Are they where guests can see them?  What would happen if your house was lost?  The FDIC insures your assets at a bank up to $250,000, so you shouldn't keep more money in one bank than that limit, or it could be lost.  The same is true for your supplies.  This is where your network could be a great advantage.  Try to diversify your supplies and don't put all your eggs in one basket.

I'm a 30-something civil engineer.  Like many, I've never needed to survive "on my own."  I'm not a survivalist.  I don't go out into the woods for weeks and live alone and practice.  I have a family; I don't have time for those things.  So my prepping portfolio is different than someone in a different situation.
Once your start prepping, it becomes its own portfolio. You have:

• Physical assets/supplies.  These are the things you buy at the store and save.  Food, medicine, water, equipment, guns, ammunition.
• Skills.  Skills are particular abilities you have.  You can have skills without knowledge, and knowledge without skills.  As an engineer, I can design a weld to meet a required shear stress.  That doesn't mean that I could actually complete the weld myself.  People with a skill and no knowledge compensate by "over-designing."  Look at medieval buildings.  They didn't understand the math behind what they built, they just built the hell out of it, and things are still standing today.
• Knowledge.  See above.  You compensate for your lack of skills by doing things "the hard way."  You don't know the "tricks of the trade."
• Resources.  These are the people, skills, and knowledge that you will have at your disposal.  If things get really bad, we will have to work in small communities.  There's no way around it.  You can not possess every skill and resource you need to survive.  You may come close, but there will always be something you are lacking.  You need to know people and have a network.

Take a look at your prepping portfolio and evaluate it.  Could you buy more supplies to compensate for a lack of skills?  Could you study and read more to invest more in your knowledge?  

Think back to when you teachers or parents said "everyone has something they are good at."  Find that thing, and make it an asset.  You may not think it's important, but I guarantee someone will find it important.  For an example, I've designed water treatment systems.  I can determine alum dosing, settlement time, and contact time for disinfection.  I've designed septic systems.  I've designed dams.  That knowledge may seem trivial when everything is fine, but when TSHTF, they could be pretty valuable.  So I would rate the knowledge section of my portfolio pretty high.  But I'm lacking in some of the skills.  I've never had to build those things.  I've never been in a survival situation.  I don't know how to farm.  Objectively evaluate your portfolio.
I've read a lot of disparaging comments about "armchair preppers."  "They just go online, buy some dehydrated food, and say they are preppers."  So what?  Maybe that's all they can do.  I think that should be encouraged.  Those people, "armchair preppers," have many more supplies in their portfolio.  Someone who has skills, but limited money, should include this armchair prepper in their network of resources.  There are factors which will affect your ability to prepare:

• Where you live.  If you live in an apartment in the city, how many 55-gallon barrels of water will you be able to store?  Are you allowed to own a handgun?  An AR-15?  If you live in a rural area, how many houses are near you?  Five within a 50-mile radius?  Where is the doctor? veterinarian? store?  You might be limited to only getting supplies over the Internet if you live in a remote area.
• Physical abilities.  You could be limited by your age, illness, or handicap.
• Finances.  Maybe you are a great craftsman, but you don't have much money to buy supplies.

Get creative.  Look at canning food, for instance.  You don't have to have a garden to can food.  One weekend, prepare a lot of frozen green beans.  Then can them.  It may seem a little pointless, but you've just learned how to can your own food.  A hobby like home beer brewing is a great example.  Many do it and the skills could be very useful.
The point is don't underestimate yourself.  Look at your talents and knowledge differently. Don't get discouraged by an elitist prepper who rants on a web site about "armchair preppers."  They could be the MacGyver of prepping, but they won't have all the skills, supplies, and knowledge needed to accomplish all that is necessary.

Editor's Note: This article first appeared at the Georgia Preppers blog site.

Jim,
That was a nice submission by Tom T., but with a couple of items that aren't completely wrong but aren't entirely correct - or that can at least be interpreted incorrectly.  First,  he said, "The last way to prevent food borne illness is to cook the food to the proper temp.  Cooking to proper temperatures eliminates the threat of these harmful pathogens... Reheating to 165 degrees ensures that the bacteria are killed and the food has become safe to eat." 

Cooking food may eliminate bacteria but it doesn't destroy all bacterial toxins (the stuff that  actually makes you sick).  Staph aureus, for example, can produce a toxin that will withstand cooking and some pasteurization processes.  This means that if you store food in the temperature danger zone Tom mentioned, then even if it is cooked it might still be unsafe.

The second was a suggestion that dented cans are unsafe.  As long as a can isn't dented on a seam (top, bottom or welded side seam) it's fine.   In truth, most cans with minor dents in the areas mentioned are probably fine.  But "they" suggest discarding them, which is probably the wiser choice if there isn't decent medical care available and for children, the elderly and those who are already weakened or sick. Best, - Matt R.

I have heard many preppers talk of the massive food supply that they have.  Some have months supply.  While others have a year plus of food.  All of this food will do no good if it isn't prepared safely.  I have been in the food industry for twenty plus years.  In that time we have all seen the news of the mass explosion of food borne illnesses.  We have seen the recalls of thousands of pounds of beef and the closure of several chains of restaurants.  In a SHTF scenario I doubt we will be living in the best of conditions and using commercial ovens and ranges.  I doubt we would even have an electric George Foreman grill.  Instead we will be cooking old school, by fire or some type of portable camping propane stove.  We could be preparing our meals in the foot hills of the mountains or some dirty ransacked dwelling that should be condemned.  Any way you slice it, no matter where we cook we must prepare our food safely.  According to the CDC every year 76 million people are infected with some type of food poisoning in the U.S. alone.  Of those 5,000 people die every year to these related symptoms.  The most affected are the young, the old and the ones with compromised immune systems.  Where do these illnesses come from? I'm glad you asked. Food borne illness comes from drinking beverages or eating food that is contaminated with bacteria, parasites or viruses.   Food borne illnesses have a variety of symptoms.  These symptoms include upset stomach, diarrhea, fever, confusion, abdominal cramps, dehydration and even death.  One or more of these symptoms could be a death sentence in a SHTF scenario.  With the lack of medications and diagnosis from a doctor you could be in serious trouble.  Imagine if you cooked a wild game bird for dinner and your entire family got ill.  Who would tend to them?  Who would continue the daily chores needed to survive?  Who will protect them from invaders?  It is not a pretty thought. The treatment to remedy most of the symptoms is to drink plenty of fluids and keep your electrolytes up and wait it out for a few days. However, sometimes dialysis or a blood transfusion is needed.  Kinda tough to do in a SHTF world unless you are a skilled doctor with access to the equipment needed. Here is a list of some of the most common types of pathogens that cause food poisoning:

Salmonella -caused by under cooked poultry or eggs.  The symptoms are abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting and nausea.
E coli-caused by under cooked meats. Symptoms are bloody diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and possible death.
Botulinum-caused by improperly canned goods, smoked or salted fish.  The symptoms are double vision, inability to swallow, inability to breath, difficulty speaking.
Vulnificus- caused by raw and undercooked shell fish. The symptoms are chills, fever and collapse.
Shigella and Staphylococcus-cause raw foods, unpasteurized milk and dairy products.  The symptoms are nausea, fever, abdominal cramping and diarrhea.
 
First lets talk about where food borne illness comes from.  Food borne illness comes from a variety of things.  It can occur in produce during the growing, harvesting, processing, storing, shipping or preparation.  In raw meat it can occur in the slaughter of the animal.  It can occur in eggs as well.  In fact one in every 10,000 eggs contains Salmonella.  It can also come from the contaminated fertilizer or the water that is used to grow the food.  Food can also become inedible by being left out for to long in warm temperatures. This is what we call the food danger zone.  The food danger zone is the temperature of food between 40 and 140 degrees.  In these danger zones bacteria multiplies rapidly.  In two hours you could be eating a BFD (bacteria filled dish).  The contamination is almost impossible to detect because it doesn't produce an odor nor does it change the color or texture of the food.  There are several ways to prevent this.  The first is to control the time and temperature which the food is in the danger zone temps.  If food starts to enter the danger zone try to bring the temperature down to the safe level ASAP, below 40 degrees. Second is to sanitize the area, your hands and utensils you are using. 

Bleach is a great cheap sanitizer. a single cap full can go a long way to killing harmful bacteria.  Never touch a raw product and then a cooked product. This can cause cross-contamination.  Always sanitize when switching to different food  products and utensils.  Latex or vinyl gloves are a great item to put in your bug out bag.  The last way to prevent food borne illness is to cook the food to the proper temp.  Cooking to proper temperatures eliminates the threat of these harmful pathogens.  The easiest way to test for the correct temp is a food thermometer.  These can be picked up just about anywhere for $8-$15.  I must advise that getting a non digital one would be best unless you have a stock pile of batteries for it.  Who knows how hard it could be to find batteries in the SHTF world. 

One thing about food thermometers they must be calibrated regularly, and whenever you drop them.  It is very easy to do, no tools required.  Either use the ice and water method or the boiling water method.  The ice method is the quickest and easiest.  The ice method is get a cup of room temp water and ice. Stir very well.  Just as the ice begins to melt place your thermometer in the water. the water should cover the small dimple in the rod. (that is the actual temperature reader).  Let it stand for 30 seconds or until the dial stops moving.  Your thermometer should read 32 degrees.  If it does not turn the nut at the base until it reads 32 degrees. Don't worry it comes with the tool to do it.  It is the sheath itself. The boil method is virtually the same.  Bring water to a rolling boil place the thermometer into the water for thirty seconds or until the dial stops moving.  It should read 212 degrees.  If not, then adjust the nut.  In either case be sure not to touch the container the water is in as you will get a false reading.  If you forget how to do these simple steps, the directions will be on the box of the thermometer and it literally takes 30 seconds.  Next, always reheat food to at least 165 degrees.  Reheating to 165 degrees ensures that the bacteria are killed and the food has become safe to eat.  When you are done eating place left-overs in a shallow pan and cool as quickly as possible.  Stir if it is necessary.  If a fridge or cooler is not available try using an ice cold creek.  The water will lower the temp of the food quickly.  In the food industry we use an ice bath.  This is fifty percent ice and fifty percent water.  It works rather well.   

Here is the proper cooking temps for various food products.
beef, pork and veal=160
turkey and poultry=165
seafood=145
eggs cook until yolk and whites are firm

Always keep raw foods separate from cooked foods.  The juices from the raw foods can contain harmful organisms that can ruin and contaminate all of your survival food.  If you do have a way to store food, store it like this from top to bottom.

1. Cooked foods
2. Fruits and vegetables
3. Fish and seafood
4. Beef and pork
5. Ground beef
6. Poultry. 

The reason it is stored like this is do to the various degrees you cook these items to make it a safe eating experience.  You can eat a med rare stake but not a med rare chicken leg.  Chicken needs to be cooked to a higher temp then beef to kill all of the organisms. If it was stored backwards chicken blood gets on the beef.  you would make your steak med rare and not kill the chicken bacteria and could get very ill.

In the event of a power outage situation keep all refrigerators and freezers closed.  A closed refrigerator has about 4 hours of cold in it.  A freezer has about 48 hours of cold if it is full.  If it is half full combine all of the food together so that it will remain colder longer.  A half full freezer only has 24 hours of coldness.   Open the doors only when necessary.  If the food reaches the danger zone either cook it or discard it.  You or your family's health is not worth the risk. If you end up scrounging for  food in a post SHTF world there are a few things to look for to ensure that what you gather is not contaminated.  Always go for the commercially packed food if it is available(as they are held to higher standards then mom and pop are).  Any canned good with broken seams, dents or leaks is ruined. Move on and don't bother.  Any crack in a jar is just as dangerous and can contain harmful bacteria.  All items that are found should be kept in it's container and immersed in a solution of bleach (2 teaspoons of chlorine bleach per quart of water) for fifteen minutes.  Make sure that the water is room temp. Regardless if the SHTF or not (I pray to god not), we must all be aware of how to prepare our meals safely and soundly. Proper sanitation,cleanliness and cooking procedures affect each and everyone of us everyday. In a TEOTWAWKI situation this is even more so. Everyday our lives and those we love depends on proper food preparation. For more info on food safety please visit www.cdc.gov  www.fda.gov  www.foodsafety.gov They have a vast selection of information on this topic.  The statistics used here were obtained from these sites.

Dear Mr. Rawles,
I'm a fan of lentils from way back.  Some things I didn't see in the article and the follow-up letters are:

1. Lentils can indeed produce intestinal gas like beans or most other legumes. However this can be significantly reduced by introducing a single peeled whole carrot into the lentil dish when cooking.  Remove the carrot before serving the lentils.  No, I do not know why it works.  I just know that it does.

2. Brown/Green lentils have the same cooking time and temp as brown rice.

3. Red lentils have the same cooking time and temp as white rice.

These comparable cooking times make it easy to bash together a casserole with the right ingredients in one pot and one cooking operation.  Couldn't be easier.

Here is my favorite lentil dish, published by The Tightwad Gazette.  I've been cooking it for donkey's years. It is filling and well-balanced.  Remarkably inexpensive, too.  BTW, all of The Tightwad Gazette book editions are highly recommended.

                    LENTIL-RICE CASSEROLE, from "The Tightwad Gazette II"

3 cups chicken broth or use water and 1 tablespoon vegetable
       seasoning
3/4 cup lentils, uncooked
1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
3/4 cup chopped fresh onion
1/2 teaspoon sweet basil
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Blend all together in a casserole dish.  Bake, covered for 90 minutes at 300 degrees F.  During the last 20 minutes, you may top with 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, if desired.

This dish is an all-around excellent.  Easy to fix (but not quick, alas), inexpensive, low fat, nutritious, and tasty.

John's Comments: I use this recipe as a starting point for lentil cooking.  I often add a chicken breast cut up in it, and/or carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, etc or whatever is in season in the garden when you're cooking.

I change the seasoning to my taste, of course.  I use a lot more garlic (not powdered) and sometimes cloves, mint, or bay leaf. And I tend to use more basil, but then I like basil and garlic.

Chicken tends to lose its flavor and character when mixed in with this dish.  Probably better to serve chicken pieces on the side.  Ham cubes or pork sausage might be better to mix in if you want real meat in it.  Although the point of this [complete protein] casserole is that meat really isn't needful.

JWR:
I have a couple of comments on the recent lentil article. Brad mentioned: "Mannaharvest.net sells 25 lb. for $24.70"

Restaurant Depot (which I learned about on SurvivalBlog) sells 25 lb bags for about $13. They also have 25 lb bags of many other beans for similar prices.

JWR mentioned: "Lentils can harden in long term storage, just like beans. This limits their practical shelf life to about eight years."

Since we store what we eat and eat what we store, using up lentils before they harden is not a problem. We empty the large bags into quart canning jars and then suck the air out using the canning jar attachment for a FoodSaver machine. While this may help them store longer, the main reason we do this is to keep insects and vermin out of them. Also we find the quart size to be handy to fit in our kitchen cabinets. We keep a wide variety of dried items in quart jars, and pull another jar from the pantry when each one in the kitchen is used up.

Our favorite way to use lentils is in soups and stews, sometimes mixed with brown rice or barley. We start with a large pot of water with some bullion, add the lentils, a pint jar of home canned chicken or other canned meat, whatever fresh vegetables are available, and then supplement the fresh vegetables with dried if needed.

Thanks for all you do! - Suburban

JWR:
Another good thing about lentils is that they are high in resistant starch, which is good for diabetics like me on a low carbohydrate diet. In an emergency situation, I can eat such foods in small amounts spaced out in a way so as to keep my sugar stable. You can read about resistant starch at About's Low Carb Diets web page. - Burke C.

Mr. Rawles,
Lentils can be cooked over one to three candles, using one of those one-man mess kit pots with lid. One cup of lentils, two cups of water, and one hour. One half cup each of lentils and rice also works [to provide a complete protein, for more adequate nutrition]. - Gman

This article is about a food that I have become familiar with just recently.  The nutritionist at my chiropractor’s office has me on a detoxification program.  One of the things I am “allowed” to eat during this detox is a portion of lentils each day.  I had never had lentils before this detox, but became a fan rather quickly.  The more I looked into the details of this small but mighty food, the more impressed I became that it would be a great addition to my emergency stockpile.  The lentil is a cousin of the bean, and both are in the legume family. These are not just “beans,” they are what you might call a “super food.”  I know that term gets tossed around quite a bit on television shows, but I am really sincere when I give it this title.  I believe this will be a vital part of your survival planning if you grasp the benefits of this small legume.

I hope to convince you of why you should be stocking up on lentils.  I believe this should be your “go to” bean for stockpiling.  Being a pastor/preacher, I will cover this in outline form, which is the way I think best when writing.  So now the question – “Why should I consider lentils for stockpiling and prepping?”
Well, here is why . . .

1.  FAST COOKING TIME.
Lentils only take about 20 minutes to cook.  Most lentil bags say 15-20 minutes.  A big plus is that unlike most dried beans, they don’t have to be soaked ahead of time.  This is perfect for the meal needed quickly or the meal on the move.  When I used to imagine stockpiling beans, I always thought of pinto beans; but the pinto beans need to be soaked for some hours to get them ready to cook.  The best way to cook the lentils is to get the water boiling and just toss them in, and then simmer for 20 minutes or until they reach your desired consistency.  Use a 2 to 1, or 3 to 1 ratio of water to lentils.  If you don’t need to cook them quickly, you can still make a hearty bowl of lentils in a slow cooker as well.  Either way, just cook until they are as soft as you like them.

2.  LONG SHELF LIFE.
Lentils have the same shelf life possibilities as other beans.  You can seal them at home on your own with Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers, or you can buy them already sealed in pails (40 lb. plastic buckets).  Even if you never use them in an emergency, you will probably only have to replace them once in a lifetime for a fresh supply.  Beans just keep well.
            Also they are easily portable.  What I mean by this is that you can move them, pack them, or stuff them in a full bag without having to worry about smashing or breaking them.

3.  NUTRITIONAL VALUE.
Now we get to the good part, the details of these little giants.  I was surprised when I found out what was in these lentils.  The following stats are from Wikipedia:

“With about 30% of their calories from protein, lentils have the third-highest level of protein, by weight, of any legume or nut, after soybeans and hemp.  Proteins include the essential amino acids insoleucine and lysine, and lentils are an essential source of inexpensive protein in many parts of the world, especially in West Asia and the Indian subcontinent, which have large vegetarian populations.” “Health magazine has selected lentils as one of the five healthiest foods.”

Naturalnews.com says this, “Though hardly used in Western diets, lentils are perfect for high nutritional yields on a budget.  They are so high in protein and energy producing nutrients that a Canadian firm is working on putting a lentil sports energy bar together.  Canadian studies on athletes proved they performed better with more endurance after eating lentils dishes than pasta.”

Green lentils have a fiber concentration of 31%.  Fiber is good for you in a great variety of reasons.  This fiber acts like a little scrub brush that cleans out the digestive system.  This also helps with glucose and cholesterol levels.  Think of this too.  We all know fiber keeps you from getting constipated.  If the world as we know it ends, at least you can endure it regular and healthy!  Lentils are also a good source of iron.  Folic acid is an important nutrient also found in lentils.  Studies show that one cup of lentils has 90% of the recommended daily allowance of it, more than any other unfortified food.  This is especially helpful to expecting mothers.
      And now, here are the nutritional facts for those who want to know the specifics.
            --Nutritional value of lentils per 100 g (3.5 oz)
                        Carbohydrates………60 g
                        Sugars………………...2 g
                        Dietary fiber………...31 g
                        Fat……………………1 g
                        Protein………………26 g
                        Water……………...10.4 g
                        Thiamine (vit. B1)…(76%)
                        Folate……………..(120%)
                        Calcium………56 mg (6%)
                        Iron………..7.54 mg (58%)
                        Magnesium...122 mg (34%)
                        Phosphorus…451 mg (64%)
                        Potassium…..955 mg (20%)
                        Sodium…………6 mg (0%)
                        Zinc………..4.78 mg (50%)
                   --Percentages are relative to U.S. recommendations for adult daily consumption--

What do all these numbers mean?  For one thing, it means they are a good source of protein, especially when meat or eggs are in short supply.  Also, they are a much better alternative than Ramen Noodles which are outrageous in sodium content.  They are a great energy food.  They are also easily digestible.  I have just scratched the surface of the nutritional benefits of lentils.  If you research them more, you will be surprised at all you find. “Surprised by a lentil?” you say. Oh, yes.  Some of the simplest things of God’s Creation are the most amazing

4.  PRICE.
            One word describes it best – Cheap.  Lentils, like other beans are very affordable.  I have purchased mine for no more than $1.10 per 1 lb. bag in the supermarket.  You may ask, “What about buying in bulk?”  They can also be bought in bulk.  We are going to start getting ours through a co-op we are in with some friends through Azure Standard.  Sam’s Club sells a 40 lb. can for $51.12 on their web site.  Mannaharvest.net sells 25 lb. for $24.70.  I’m sure you can find more if you just look online.  If you are like me, cheap is good!  With a family of six, like we have, it doesn’t take long to go through the vittles.  We need all the bang for the buck we can get. 
            Lentils do come in brown, black, orange, yellow, red, and green.  Most of the ones you will find here in the U.S. are brown and green.  This is because these ones retain their shape better when cooked.

5.  TASTE.
            I would say they taste very much like pinto beans, in my opinion.  They are not strong or overpowering.  The way I have been eating them (in allowance with my diet restrictions) is to salt them, pepper them, and a few drops of Louisiana Hot Sauce.  That’s all, and they taste great.
            Of course, as with other beans, the ways you can spice them are unlimited.  Oh, and I almost forgot. Since they soak while they cook, they soak up a great deal of the flavor of the water they are cooked in.  Therefore, you could flavor the water too any way you like. For example: bullions, broth, hot sauces, herbs, spices, etc.  A smoked ham bone is hard to beat in a pot of beans. 

6.  FILLING.
            The high protein in lentils keeps you full longer than other foods. Another great thing I have found is that they don’t give you gas like pinto beans do.  Of course, if you are outdoors or are a teenage boy, you may not care about gas!  When times get tough, you will want to get as full as possible on as little as possible.  You want your food to last a long time.
            You can also mix in lentils with other foods to make them more filling.  You can extend meats and meals with them.  If meat is being rationed, you can mix some lentils into sloppy joes, meat loafs, chili, burgers, casseroles, soups, and such.  You could do this even if meat isn’t being rationed.  Those of you who may cook a rabbit or squirrel because it’s all you have could make a stew go farther with lentils.
            For example, when I process my deer in the fall, I always save the necks and sometimes the rump bone.  I will cook the neck in a big slow cooker with a mess of beans and spices.  The next time I do this, you can be sure I’m going to use lentils.  Cooking this way makes the meat tender and makes it go farther for a very small cost.

Closing thoughts:

• You can find lentils in your Bible (KJV) in Gen. 25:34; 2 Sam. 17:28; 2 Sam. 23:11 and Eze. 4:9.  They are always mentioned as a good food. 
• I hope this has given you some insight into a food you may not know much about.  My goal of this article is to help others like myself who are looking to provide for their family in a cost effective way.  It wouldn’t take you long to build up a supply if you bought just a couple pounds each week when you did your grocery shopping.  Or if you just want a “get it and be done” solution, you could get a big sealed bucket.
• As the saying attributed to Napoleon goes, “An army marches on its stomach.”  Part of keeping your wits when society falls apart is having a full stomach.  You may be able to think good even when you are hungry, but you will think better when you are full.  It may sound crazy to some, but many know how true this is.  Most anyone will trade anything for food when they are starving to death.  Don’t get to that place; plan ahead.
• I know this article is primarily about stockpiling lentils, but I hope this inspires you to make them a part of your normal diet.  The health benefits are such that you should really take a closer look at them.  They are good for your heart and your whole body.
• As a Christian and a beginning Prepper, I hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and ultimately trust my God and Savior.  God bless!

JWR Adds: Lentils can harden in long term storage, just like beans. This limits their practical shelf life to about eight years. But even hard lentils can be softened if you cook them in a pressure cooker, or grind them to a fine paste before cooking.

I have read that you should not add salt before or while they are cooking, since this can cause lentils to harden. Just wait until after they have cooked through, then add salt.

Also keep in mind that unless they have been irradiated, lentils will sprout. As with other sprouts, this provides a great nutritional multiplier effect and can help break up the monotony of a storage food diet.

I hope that what I have to say will help someone that is just getting started with their survival preparedness situation, SurvivalBlog has helped me in streamlining our preparations, and I believe in giving back some of what I have received.  I have read many different blogs and forums, and come away with the impression that most of the blogs are for the arm chair survivalist that do not try anything for themselves, but only go on what they have read or heard.  SurvivalBlog.com is one of the few that have individuals that seem to have tried what they say they have done and shared their experiences.

My experience with a survival mind set started almost a decade ago, but only limited for a few weeks or month at most.  That all changed several years ago when I started really looking at the way our country was headed.   I will admit that I still have a long ways to go, but with God’s help, and if the world will hold together long enough, I will get to where I desire to be.  If not, then my family and I will survive with what we have on hand for a long time.

FOOD

We do have enough for me and my family for at least a year, longer if we just go to two meals a day.  My youngest daughter is almost 17, and I have 4 boys that range in ages from 19 to 33, then two older daughters and their families.  You can imagine the appetite of young men so I have taken that into account.  Only one son is married and has two small children.  I have endeavored to teach my children to always be prepared for as much as possible, if only for a short time.  Again, that has changed over the last couple of years.  We live in a hurricane prone area, so it is imperative that we always have plenty of food on hand that can be eaten with little or no cooking.  I am not talking about MRE’s.  I do have two cases of MRE’s that I obtained during the last hurricane that was not eaten, but I like to store what we usually eat daily, and eat what we store. I read that on a blog and it made sense to me.

It was very difficult to get my wife onboard, but during the last hurricane a few years ago, she and my daughter went to my sister’s house because it was further away from the coast than our old house (built in 1925).  My sister and her husband had nothing to eat but a few bags of chips and some crackers, and two bottles of soda.  They did not even have matches to light the one decorative candle that was in their house.  My brother-in-law had unplugged the refrigerator before the hurricane hit so it would not be damaged from power surges.  Hence, all the food that was in the refrigerator and their freezer was ruined before it was truly needed.  When communications was restored about two days later, my wife called and talked to one of our sons.  He told her that we still had cold milk, and were eating fine.  At the time, we only kept about two months’ worth of food on hand.  It was two days later before she and my daughter were able to come home, and a month before we had electricity restored.

It was at that point that my wife fully came on board with storing extra food.  There are times that she will say “I think we have enough”, but we are still building our “lauder” as she sometimes calls it.

There have been times that we were only able to add one or two cans or a bag of rice and beans every two weeks or so, but every little bit helps.  There have even been a few times that we could not add anything, but had to use what we had stored just to make it for the week or two before we could buy something.  In those cases, we were very glad we had something to fall back on.

It doesn’t matter if you have very little at this point.  The time to start is now.  Even if you have to do as we did during our lean times with just a few cans of something or a bag of rice and/or beans.  You need to get something to hold you over during a natural disaster or the eventual TEOTWAWKI.

FIREARMS

I have been an avid hunter all my life until the last decade or so.  Hunting leases just became too expensive for my budget.  I did try hunting the National Forest for a few years, but they are a dangerous place.  You think you are alone, and then a bullet hits a tree just above your head.  I decided that was enough of the National Forest for me.  My sons’ still hunt the National Forest on occasion, but they too are not having very good success.

Because of where we live, I had built a range in my pasture years ago.  I have taught all my children how to shoot firearms from the time they were about 4 years old.  At that age, they do not have the concept of how to aim, but they enjoyed shooting with their dad.  In my opinion, you can never be too young to learn gun safety.  As they grew, their marksmanship also improved, and the enjoyment of just shooting.  I still have the Chipmunk and the youth .22lr rifles that they learned with.  My granddaughter that is now 3 years old has been shooting with her mom, dad, and papa using that same Chipmunk.  That is the first thing she wants to do when they come to visit.

All my children now have their own .45 ACP Glock or XD .45 handguns, a 12ga. Mossberg pump shotgun, a .22 lever action rifle, and a main larger caliber rifle (MBR).  My wife can handle the .45 ACP, but prefers her 9mm Glock, and a 20 gauge youth 870 pump shotgun.  She is not into rifles yet, but I am still hoping that one day she will ask me for one.  I do have a few extra rifles that have been in the family for a long time that she might be able to handle, but I would like to get her something she will enjoy and not be afraid to shoot.  We also have several .22 LR handguns that we use for just plinking on occasion.  We try to train with the handguns and rifles at least once a month depending on the funds available for ammunition.  Ammunition can get expensive with that many shooters at one time.  I do reload all our handgun ammunition only, and replace all that we use during our practices. 

I was striving for everyone to shoot the same make/caliber/ga. to cut down on the different types of ammunition that I would have to have on hand.  I would interject here that it doesn’t matter what you decide for your family.  It is what you and your family are comfortable with.  My daughter, who is almost 17 likes the Glock, but the XD45 fits her hands better.  It is all in your size, training, desire, finances, and ability.  Do not buy cheap, since cheap will get you hurt, or killed, or will break down when you need it the most.  If you do not have the funds to get everyone their own firearm, buy quality, and each learn to use that quality firearm until you are able to purchase another.

At this point, I would like to say that you cannot go wrong by storing factory ammo for all your firearms.  I trust my reloads but do not count it as part of my stored ammunition.  I have not had a malfunction with any of the reloads that I have made, but that is not to say it will never happen.  I am only human, and could make a mistake.  I have read about various amounts of ammunition that should be stored for each firearm, but your comfort level may be different from mine.  Personally, I am trying to store at least a thousand rounds of factory ammo for each firearm that we have.  I am not quite there yet, but getting closer.  At this time I have switched my priorities again.  I am trying to build our food supply to a much larger level.  That is my number one priority so the ammunition storing will be a little less for now.  I am comfortable with what I have on hand, but not so much with our food supply.  I believe that it could be over a year to years before everything settles down again, if ever.  We also have lots of seeds for the garden.

MEDICAL/PERSONAL HYGIENE

My family has been truly blessed in that none of us have to take any type of medications.  Therefore, it has been relative easy to stock what we think we might need.  We have stocked Band-Aids and bandages of various sizes.  Antibiotic creams and anti-itch creams, and large quantities of various types of aspirin are in our stores.  I just recently purchased a blood pressure kit and a stethoscope.  You just never know when you might need this.  Along with the various salves and creams, we have items for stomach problems and for dry eyes.  We are not as far along in this area as I would like, but we need so little (right now) in this area.  We have lots of tooth brushes and tooth paste, dental floss, oral jell, emergency dental repair kits, and some mouth wash.  Not to be left out, a lot of TP, and personal things for my wife, daughter, and daughter-in-law.  Also we have some preventives.  That is all I will say about that.  Soap and shampoo will be at a premium, so we have quite a bit of that along with alcohol, peroxide, and disinfectant washes.  We have also saved any prescription antibiotics and pain killers from the past.  Most of these were for tooth ailments, and from my daughter-in-law.  Babies are always taking medications for something, so she has saved them for me.

All my family’s teeth have been taken care of, and kept up with regular cleanings and any minor dental decays have been fixed.

We also have some medications and things for small children, including dozens of cloth diapers.  The cloth diapers can be used for almost anything. 

Needless to say, we do have other things for medical and personal hygiene, but this is just to give you a rough estimate to what we have on hand for a healthy large family.  We didn’t collect all of these preparations overnight.  Everything takes time.  Just remember that you can only take one step at a time.

There are other areas that we could talk about having on hand, such as alternate power sources, heat sources, clothing, tools, retreats, children’s games, bug or ant solutions, or etc., but you may be able to only concentrate on one specific area at this time.  Start there.  Start where you are now, and do not get frustrated that it is going so slow, and you feel that you may only have a short time.  Something now for your family is better than nothing while waiting for a government that doesn’t have the resources to take care of the millions that depend on it now as proven by the Hurricane Katrina.   Your family is depending on you.

There is a certain amount of “snowball effect” when someone decides to invest in survivalist, TEOTWAWKI, or prepper knowledge.  The initial decision is not a light one, nor is a “set it and forget it” for the type that bounces from one fad to the next.  There are many different types of survivalists.  But all survivalists have one thing in common – a beginning.  Whether it is your views on the ever changing political arenas or natural disasters that have piqued your interest or even steered your choice to the survivalist lifestyle, the initial influx of information can be a bit overwhelming.

First off, TEOTWAWKI?  The End Of The World As We Know It.  It sounds simple, but your everyday life is filled to the brim with simple things you normally take for granted.  If your power goes out, you usually can count on it being restored before your freezer defrosts.  But what if it doesn’t?  Sure, candles around the house are great, but if a widespread, long-term power outage occurred, you’d be stuck trying to get anything you could just to warm up a can of beans.  That is, if you can get into your can of beans because your electric opener isn’t working either.  And your car is low on gas trying to find any kind of supplies, so you can’t get yourself to the hospital because you impaled your thumb trying to open the “stupid” can of beans.  Even if it was a TEOTWAWKI on a smaller scale, like a corrupted water system, you need to be prepared to provide for yourself and your family as others scramble around trying to find even a 12 ounce bottle.

You know your own personality and know how far down the rabbit hole this decision will take you.  Prepare in moderation.  You already have responsibilities in your life, albeit work, children, and maybe hobbies.  If you are thinking that becoming a survivalist is going to be a new “hobby” along the lines of hunting or snow skiing or scuba diving, there is some truth.  The truth to that statement is that you will spend a decent chunk of change committing to this.  If you choose to devote your time and effort to learning a new way of thinking, you will learn that survivalist gear is like good hobby equipment; some will buy the cheap stuff and come to find out later that cheap doesn’t equal good.  Along with this decision to survivalist, you’ll need to learn a lot and then disregard what you don’t need, want or will use. As stated above, you know yourself best and will need to weed out the useless-to-you information.

Prepare for situations that would be likely, but keep the worst-case scenario in mind.  Natural disasters happen frequently, whether it is a hurricane, tsunami wave, earthquakes or fires.  Hurricane Katrina and the recent droughts show how hundreds of thousands, even millions, can be brought to their knees.  Man-made disasters also occur along the lines of a bombing, terrorists or political corruption that can shut down governments that trickle down to public sector jobs and then to private sectors.  The tsunami triggered nuclear reactor meltdown in Japan was mostly glossed over in the United States of America, with the exception of the chance of sensationalism.  The natural disaster occurred in the dead of winter.  If you were in a similar situation and survived the initial onslaught, would you be able to survive the repercussions? If the weather conditions were survivable, would you be able to protect yourself from looters?

You will never see me, nor know my real name.  To me, my survivalist choices are best kept to my family and a few other families that we are close with.  Each family is responsible for their own level of skills, supplies and knowledge, but we encourage each other and pass on useful knowledge and places to buy or barter for good supplies.  Being involved with a group may not be for you.  I take pleasure in knowing that I will have friends to be with should we have to leave most everything behind.  However, we all take great pains in not being the ones to discuss it openly with others.  It’s not that we hoard our skills or knowledge.  I’d rather not have 15 friends knowing that I have a cache of ammo or a supply of food, because if my 15 friends know and TEOTWAWKI happens, I’ll have 15 people asking me to help them out.  My first responsibility is my family.  Lack of planning on their part doesn’t constitute an emergency on my part.  So, gather your supplies, skills and knowledge quietly.  Don’t sign up for a reality show unless you want trouble. 

There are as many different camps on where and how to start as there are name brands for toilet paper.  Being practical has to play into your launching point.  My personal preference is basic necessity.  You cannot build a sturdy house without a good foundation (although I’m sure some would argue that point) and the same is true for beginning preppers and survivalists.  Water is essential for life.  You can buy cases of small bottles, one gallon jugs, or water containers from canteen size to 5 gallons to 50 gallons.  If you are leaning towards “bugging out” or “heading for the hills,” then a 50 gallon drum probably wouldn’t be the wisest choice.  But quality should play a role in your decision.  A cheap 5 gallon jug with a flimsy handle could break and any loss of water in a TEOTWAWKI could be a point of life or death.  There are water purification tablets, water hydration packs, knowledge on how to find water in the wilderness, the list is practically endless.  Never forget, though, that your body will fail without water.

Food follows a second close to water.  Being able to feed your family during a prolonged disaster is essential.  Not one of you reading this would care to see a child or loved one die of starvation, but it is a real possibility in a TEOTWAWKI situation.  Again, the choices on food storage are plentiful.  There are the classic MRE’s (meals ready to eat), which could be useful in a “bug out” situation.   If the scenario calls for staying put in your own home, however, food storage could be a lot more feasible and, to be frank, a lot more tasty.  There are many articles on life expectancy of home canned food, store bought cans and storage of dry ingredients to make meals.  Be sure to figure in how your storage is affected by weather, i.e. if you live where the summers are regularly over 90 degrees and how it influences the stored food.  Garden seeds could be useful for long term crops.

It may sound contradictory, but cash will speak in a broken society.  If you have studied, stored and mastered skills, there may be something you missed.  It is the one tiny thing that will pop up and send your “plan” sideways.  This is where cash comes in.  If there is a lack of electricity, banks won’t have computers to tell them how much is in your account and they certainly won’t let you “borrow” it.  Bartering could also prove useful in this type of circumstance, but cash is king with most people.  The amount you decide to keep on hand will be something that you find reasonable, but a good jump off point is $500, in bills that are 20’s and smaller.  Why so much to start out with?  If you think gasoline prices are unreasonable now, just wait until there is no electricity to automate the pumps. 

Lastly, for a brand new survivalist, consider your own medical needs.  Are you one daily, weekly or monthly medications?  If you are, you may need to consider getting a month more and then rotating it so that you have at least a month’s supply.  Do you have allergies that need an over the counter or even a prescription for?  Buying a box or two and rotating the stock is wise and easy.  Women need supplies for their “lady days,” and that may include special medications.  You can take a basic first aid kit and expand it with more supplies to start out with.  If you have any unused elastic bandage wraps, arm slings or splits, make sure that you include them with the medical supplies.  You will be able to gauge what you need for your family in your own medical kit.  Consider keeping your supplies in a red storage tote or bin to signify that it is for medical supplies.  In a panic, it is a lot easier to yell to someone to “Grab the red bin!” than it would be for someone to read the labels. 

For a beginner, sometimes you just want someone to spell out exactly what you need and which order to buy it in.  Unfortunately, it just doesn’t work that way.  What is good for my family may or may not be good for you, but it can give you a general idea of which direction to go.  Checklists are abundant on the internet, but can either be missing something you need or want or the list can be bogged down with advanced supplies to be collected once the essentials are there.  As you advance past the beginning stages and gather your basic needs, you will branch out into a plethora of different areas.  But the basics will have you covered in case TEOTWAWKI happens much sooner than you expect.

Hi Jim
One thing that our family is fond of is bread - especially whole wheat bread.  I read Pat's review of the Family Grain Mill from the perspective of someone who's been-there done-that.  Our grain mill journey began with an attachment to the Champion Juicer - it does grind wheat but the flour is fairly coarse and the resulting bread is not what I had come to expect from the bread that typical (store bought) whole wheat flour yielded.

We wanted a mill that offered the user the ability to grind flour by hand if needed.  After a long search we opted for the economically attractive Family Grain Mill.  It was a marked improvement as far as the consistency of the flour on its finest setting, but still fell short of the store bought flour.  Additionally, our Kitchen-Aid mixer was at the minimum power requirement and although it was able to grind wheat, the mixer did warm up considerably.  Grinding by hand is certainly do-able, but it will be a family task to grind enough (fine) flour for a couple of standard sized loaves.  Most of the Family Grain Mill is plastic, everything fits well and the burrs are well-machined, but again, most of the mill is plastic - I don't know if this mill will make it through generations.  However, one real positive feature of this mill is its ability to make rolled oats (with an optional attachment) - no comparison to store bought rolled oats.

We definitely wanted a mill that could stand up to our family's needs for many years - our search continued.  Our search thus far had yielded adequate mills, each better than its predecessor, but still had us making flour that was substandard to store bought.  We found two that looked promising and neither was inexpensive.  The GrainMaker mill and the Country Living Grain Mill were the two that rose to the top - either, when reviewed, had accolades and some issues. 

We opted for the GrainMaker and have not regretted it for a moment.  The flour is just as fine as that in the store.  We have motorized it - deciding to use our time more productively until the power fails.  We have made everything from cornmeal to grits, cracked wheat beans, - whatever - easily.

Here are several reviews that helped push us over the edge to spend more than we ever thought we would.  (However when we compare what we spent leading up to the GrainMaker purchase, we would have been far better off saving our money to get this workhorse first.)

http://www.goodbadanduglycomparisons.com/page/2/

http://www.grainmaker.com/independent-reviews.html  - the grain mill comparison - this document is a very good reference for someone considering a high-end mill.

Also, I'm on a personal quest to make an excellent loaf of bread from only what we have stored for whatever comes.  No yeast (sour dough starter instead) and no white flour.  An appeal to your readers for a proven recipe would be very, very much appreciated.

As always - thank you for all that you do! - John T.

I learned to cook out of necessity - I was raised by my grandmother, and she was one of the worse cooks, ever! However, she managed to raise 9 children and myself, but her cooking ability was lacking. So when I was quite young I started experimenting in the kitchen and learned to cook on my own. Of course, over the years, I learned a lot from other folks along the way. And, being from Chicago, and being Sicilian, I learned to cook some great Sicilian style Italian meals. My pasta sauce is next to none. Now, with that said, I can't bake for diddly! That's my wife's department. So, when I received the Family Grain Mill from Internet Prepper,  I turned to my lovely wife for her assistance. She was raised on a ranch, and knows quite a bit about baking and cooking from scratch.
 
The Family Grain Mill can be had in different configurations - you can have a complete "system" with the right attachments. You can set-up your Family Grain Mill as a stand alone set-up, using the hand-crank for those times when the power is out. Or, you can use the optional stand alone electric motor attachment. If you have some other kitchen appliances, like the Bosch or Kitchen Aid mixers, you can attach your Family Grain Mill to those for faster wheat grinding with an adapter attachment.  And, it's very easy to alternate between using the hand-crank or the electric motor. What my wife really liked about the whole thing was that it was extremely quick and easy to set-up. She's not mechanically minded, and doesn't enjoy having to read through a long list of steps to put something together.
 
The quality of the Family Grain Mill is outstanding - made by Messerschmidt in Germany, for the past 27 years. This is top-notch in all respects. However, this mill isn't nearly as expensive as some other mills on the market, in fact, it is quite a bit less expensive - and I enjoy saving a buck whenever I can, while still getting the best quality I can afford. These days, we all need to spend our hard-earned money wisely. Any more, if something isn't a "deal" in my book - I'll just pass on it. I've got to get the most and best I can afford. Made from premium Lexan and hardened surgical steel burrs, and BPA free, the mill is capable of a lifetime of dependable service.
 
Fast, light, and easy to use, this was important to my wife (and, "no" I still don't know how to use it-- I just watched my wife). A cup of fine flour is produced in approximately one minute from wheat grain, with the electric base installed and just two minutes with the hand-crank installed. More importantly, the hand-crank base turns easily, even a child can turn it. The large 5-cup open-top hopper allows for continuous grinding, too. Another feature the wife liked is that clean-up is fast and easy, and dust-free. Everything removes easily and quickly for cleaning. The Family Grain Mill is one of the quietest mills on the market, too.
 
Some of the things the Family Grain Mill is capable of grinding are: wheat, oats, corn (not popcorn), rye, spelt, barley, rice, most beans, coffee, flax seed, sesame seeds, dried herbs, dried peppers, dried peas and other foods. My wife ground coffee beans and  lots and lots of wheat. This was a "difficult" test and evaluation period for me,  for the past month and a half - hey, someone had to test and evaluate all the different types of freshly baked breads that my wife made - yeah, a "dirty" job, but I was up to the task. And, other than pizza cooking in the oven, there isn't anything better smell in my kitchen, than fresh bread baking. I made a lot of "sacrifices" for Survival Blog readers, doing all these taste-testing, but I was up to the task. There is also a meat grinder attachment, and that would be great for grinding-up some venison during hunting season.
 
Oh yes, you can also get a variety of additional food processing drums for the Family Grain Mill, that will allow you to grind nuts and larger seeds such as pumpkins seeds, sunflower seeds, hard cheese and baby food. There is another drum for Julienne for soups, one for slicing for dehydrating veggies, one for grating, and yet one more drum for making mash potatoes, squash and pumpkins - great for souffles.
 
There is also a flaker attachment for the mill, that will roll and flake: oats, wheat, rye, spelt and flax seeds. You can make your own oatmeal at home or even cream of wheat. My wife experimented with quite a few different recipes and dishes, and came up with some very cool things for us to eat. One of my favorite breads she made was a wheat bread, almost flattened, with Jalepeno peppers cut-up small, inside the bread itself, and in the final few minutes of baking, she added sliced Jalepenos on top the bread with cheddar cheese - mouth-watering good!
 
Quite frankly, I never once gave any thought, to storing buckets of whole wheat - I just figured that we could use white flour - and we have hundreds of pounds of it stored-up, for making bread, pancakes and other things during hard times. However, to be sure, pre-ground white flour won't last nearly as long as whole wheat will. On average, if whole wheat is properly stored, and the buckets left unopened, the whole wheat can last 25 years or longer. Try that with a bag of white flour - ain't gonna happen. We found some great buys on whole hard white wheat and hard red winter wheat at the local Wal-Mart. We only rarely shop at Wal-Mart for a number of reasons, one is, we don't especially enjoy supporting the Red Chinese economy in the least. We have found, that Wal-Mart is carrying a small section of freeze-dried and dehydrated foods in #10 cans, as well as 26 pound buckets of wheat - priced under $15 per bucket - and that's a deal. Needless to say, we have a good number of buckets of wheat in our stores now - and as soon as the local Wal-Mart restocks their shelves with more wheat, we plan on buying more. However, for the most part, we prefer to take our business to other local stores, whenever possible - just a personal thing with us.
 
Now that we have the Family Grain Mill, I'm wondering, how we ever got along without it for all these years? Any more, in the local grocery stores, the cheapest white or wheat bread is $1.50 on-sale, and there really isn't any nutrition in this bread, and for the most part, it is pretty tasteless. My wife hasn't hardly made a dent in one bucket of whole wheat, and she has baked quite a few loaves of bread and other things. Now, if you could buy this same bread in the local grocery stores, it would easily cost you $5 per loaf. For less than $15 for a 26 pounds of whole wheat, we will make dozens and dozens of loaves of bread - fresh-baked bread, with nutritional value as well. For the little bit of time it takes to grind-up your wheat, and put it in a bread-maker, and let it bake, it's hard to find any fault at all with the Family Grain Mill, and the ease to use it. Of course, during the times when there isn't any electricity available, you can still bake bread a number of different ways, and you can still use your Family Grain Mill with the hand-crank attachment, to grind-up your wheat or other foods.
 
Notes from my wife:  Finding a recipe for 100% whole wheat bread was difficult.  Most recipes called for regular flour with just a small amount of whole wheat.  This is a basic recipe she found that is light and easily adapted for variations; and can be kneaded by hand and baked in the oven or done in a breadmaker. It is for one loaf of 100% whole wheat bread.
     1 1/2 cups warm water
     2 Tbsp. powdered milk
     2 Tbsp. margarine or oil
     2 Tbsp. honey
     2 Tbsp. molasses
     1 1/2 tsp. salt
     3 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
     1 1/2 tsp yeast or l pkg.
 
Some optional variations to the recipe:
1. 1 1/2 cups water and powder milk can be replaced with all water, all milk, or a combination of milk and water.
2. 2 Tbsp. honey & 2 Tbsp. molasses (total 1/4 cup) can be replaced with all honey, 1/4 c. brown or white sugar, 1/4 c. maple syrup, or reduced to about half the amount of sweeteners for variations in tastes.
3. I also understand part of the whole wheat flour can be replaced with other flours like rye, bulgar, cracked wheat, etc.
 
She also found some tricks that make 100% whole wheat bread lighter.
1. Run the grain through the mill twice for a finer, lighter flour.
2. To minimize gluten with the same effect for light bread, shake whole wheat flour through a wire mesh strainer and even dump in the bran or coarser pieces that don't sift through.  It does NOT work if you sift through a crank sifter. (for whatever reason this works -I can't explain.  I tried it and got nice light bread.)
3. Knead bread for 20-30 minutes.
 
There are various options you can add to your Family Grain Mill. However, the basic mill starts at only $139.95 with free shipping - making it one of the least expensive grain mills on the market. However, I highly recommend adding some options to your grain mill. If you have any questions, contact the Internet Prepper, and they will be more than happy to help you in your decision making, or answer any questions you might have. They are selling a quality product, at a great price and the free-shipping only makes the deal that much better if you ask me.
 
If you're serious about long-term survival, then you need to look at the Family Grain Mill, and start turning out some of the best home-made breads you'll ever taste. Store bought breads just don't cut it for us any longer.
 
Note: This article was co-authored by Mary Cascio

People who are interested in preparedness seem to love lists.   So, I have compiled a list of 30 steps that may be useful for average families who don’t necessarily have a hideout in the mountains (yet).  This list is by no means all-inclusive and it presumes a basic background in preparedness.  In other words, I hope you have been reading this blog for a long time already!  I am a proud military wife and mother of two grade school students.  I have a master’s degree in chemistry.  We are just an average family trying to get by in uncertain times. I am just optimistic enough to believe that there is hope for the future and just realistic enough to prepare otherwise.  
Coming from Alaska, where power outages can mean the difference between life and death at forty below zero, prepping is as mainstream as owning a TV.  Geomagnetic storms knock out power regularly and a good aurora borealis may mean you better get out the generator.  It is good to see the preparedness trend catching on in the Lower 48 states.  Alabama recently held their first tax-free weekend from July 6-8, 2012 to purchase hurricane preparedness equipment, with tax exemptions on generators, batteries, flashlights and more.  There also appears to be a massive education campaign going on throughout U.S. schools.  My kids are coming home with all sorts of flyers and papers encouraging them to get their parents involved in basic preparedness for hurricanes, tornados, ice storms and more.  Propaganda mission?  Who cares—If we want to make preparedness the norm, then asking kids to make sure their parents have flashlights is one place to start.  There is certainly an emerging capitalist market for all things survival related.  Embrace it and get the goods while you can.  These are the steps that have been useful to me so far, but it is a never-ending job to be prepared.  Good luck.
1.  Water is always number one on any survival prep list, so I have to start here.  Learn the location of the nearest source of fresh water to your home and how to walk to it with filtration equipment and water containers.  Not everyone lives near an Alaskan glacial stream, but it doesn’t matter if you are in inner city Philadelphia next to the Schuykill River (I’ve tried both places), it pays to know your drinking water source in case the taps run dry.  Try drinking it too--AFTER boiling it for ten minutes or filtering it with a Katadyn filter or adding iodine or bleach of course.  Add some Gatorade powder if you have to. If it gives you giardiasis or cholera now, at least you will be able to see a doctor now while we still have a functioning society.  Then, you will definitely know that you need to work on your water purification skills.   
2.  Learn to grow something.  Tomatoes in an upside down hanging basket, potatoes in a bucket on your rooftop, sunflowers on your back patio, or anything you can. You can do a lot with potatoes.  I have grown them from sprouted organic potatoes from the supermarket.  Don’t be afraid to experiment with seed saving techniques.  Pumpkins and watermelons are great starting points for saving seeds.  Kids can help rinse and dry those seeds easily.  A great resource on seed saving that I like is the book Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth.
3.  Practice outdoor cooking.  We love our Volcano stove and use it for everything from S’mores to grilled salmon.  You can even put a Dutch oven in it.  Dutch ovens are great because you can practice using them indoors in the winter when outdoor BBQs are not as appealing.  “The Scout’s Outdoor Cookbook” by Tim and Christine Conners is an invaluable guide.   
3.  Get off the couch and get in shape now.  Walking is a great place to start.  There are elderly people who walk laps around the malls of America that are in better shape than the average high school student.
4.  Lose 5 pounds.  Stop eating all that delicious Hershey’s chocolate and start saving it for bartering.  With the price of groceries going up every day, it’s not too hard to cut back the caloric intake in an attempt to break even on food inflation.
5.  Take care of your teeth now.  Make an appointment to see the dentist for a cleaning and/or fillings now while you still can. Don’t be afraid to get your kids the braces they need just because the end of the world is near.  There are numerous articles on this blog on how to remove orthodontics in an emergency survival situation that involve little more than a wire cutter.
6.  Go to the library and check out some books.  Better yet, start your own survival library.  National Geographic’s  “Complete Survival Manual” by Michael S. Sweeney is very useful. You can get books on everything from how to make goat cheese to how to knit socks to how to can peaches in a water bath.  If the library is not your thing, go online or to Amazon Kindle or Pinterest or whatever works for you.
7.  READ the books and learn a new skill, such as how to make goat cheese or how to knit socks or how to can peaches in a water bath.  Read to your kids too.  There are great books for kids about gardening or keeping chickens for example.  One book I have found useful to get kids thinking about prepping is “Farmer Boy” by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  9 year old Almonzo in 19th century upstate NY does more after school chores than you can imagine. He gets a calf yoke for a birthday present!  Happy Birthday Almonzo, now go break in the calves.  I haven’t heard any more complaints about taking out the trash after reading that with my kids.  
8. Download the Latter Day Saints Preparedness Guide for free.  The 2012 15th Anniversary Edition is available now.  You will be amazed and forever grateful for this outstanding contribution to society.
9.  On your next trip to the grocery store when you are stocking up on extra rice and toilet paper, don’t forget to throw in a bag or two of bird seed.  I’ve been known to eat a handful of those sunflower seeds myself when I’m refilling the feeders.  I’m not too sure I’d eat suet, but you never know.  Just skip the millet because most birds don’t even like that and it tends to get left uneaten by even the hungriest chickadees.  The corn cobs designed for squirrels are cheap and can attract all sorts of game in range of your gun or traps.
10.  While you are at the store, spend some time in the drug aisle and look for things beyond the usual hand sanitizer, multi-vitamins and Band-aids that preppers stockpile.  There was a sale on lice shampoo the other day and we picked some up. It even came with two nit combs, which we didn’t have on hand. We also grabbed some pinworm medicine.  It seems like there are OTC meds for everything these days.  Take advantage of it while you can.
11.  Take a quick stop at the pet store or online and while you are getting an extra bag or two of dog or cat food, grab up some FishMox, FishFlex and Bird Sulfa.  Vetdepot.com sells FishMox 250 mg, 30 tablets for $8.87.  Yes, these are identical to human antibiotics.  Ever taken amoxicillin for strep throat?  In a true emergency with no hospitals, I will not hesitate to take 250 mg of Fishmox three times a day for strep throat even if it were 10 years after the expiration date.  It’s best to store them in the fridge though.  Just please consult one of the many useful survival preparedness antibiotic guides if you have no medical training, or better yet, get medical training now while you can.
12.  Prepping supplies cost money, I know! Budget and get your financial house in order now.  Get out of bad debt and don’t rack up credit card debt. If the SHTF or not, you do not want credit card debt.
13.  De-clutter your life.  Get and eBay account.  Learn to sell stuff lying around your house.  Supplement your income. It is really so easy my school age kids can do it.  They are accustomed to helping me scour their drawers and toy boxes for things they no longer need.  You would be absolutely amazed at the things people will buy.  I have sold half-used bottles of perfume that I didn’t like. Get rid of all that useless stuff around your house to make room for more useful supplies.
14.   While you are thinking about used stuff, take a trip to your local thrift shop.  Do it regularly. Volunteer there if you can so you can get first dibs on incoming items.  I have found some great preps at thrift shops from cast iron pans to down parkas.
15.  Get organized now.   With all the material stuff people deal with, it pays to stay on top of your game and be organized.  My WaterBOB to fill up the bathtub with drinking water is useless in a hurricane if I can’t find it.
16.  Don’t let your bug out bags sit in a corner collecting dust.  Unpack and repack them regularly to stay familiar with what you have.  That is an easy task for us with kids because we have to constantly re-evaluate kids’ clothing to account for their rapid growth.
17.  Take a camping trip this weekend and pack nothing but your bug out bags and see how you do. Try to start a fire with that fancy flint tool you have.
18.  Include kids in prepping.  Start them young.  I’m sure it’s not easy trying to talk to a thirteen year old plugged constantly into Facebook about potential life without power.  Little kids feel more empowered and less anxious when they have confidence that they can do some useful things.  Start small with where they are, and include them as much as you can. It could be as simple as making sure you have extra foods on hand that they like, such as macaroni and cheese, or it could be a more involved task like teaching them to swim.  Be open with them about the reality of our times, but help build their confidence to alleviate some of their fears.   
19.  Invest in a good pair of hiking shoes and break them in. Don’t forget the kids.  Do you really expect junior to haul water with flip flops?  You get what you pay for and that goes for clothes too.  You may not need a new North Face Gortex rain jacket for everyone in your family, but don’t expect to thrive in the tissue thin cotton T-shirts from Old Navy.
20.  Find a good old fashioned washboard.  They have been selling nice American-made ones at Columbus Washboard Company since 1895.  I love this company because they send donations to our troops overseas that include a washtub, washboard and supplies.  Just make sure you get stainless steel.  After you buy it, make sure you stain it with several coats of waterproof stain.  I’m not sure why they even sell galvanized ones (they rust) and I sure don’t know why the wood doesn’t come pre-stained, but I guess most people just buy them for decoration.  Try using it in your bathtub with a bucket of water and see what a pain it is to do laundry in third world countries like Afghanistan.
21.  Learn how to make a honey bucket.  No, I’m not talking about a bucket of the delicious golden stuff, but that is good to have on hand also.  Having lived in Alaska for many years, where many people still voluntarily live in cabins with outhouses and no running water, I learned that a honey bucket is not so sweet.  In the remote Alaskan bush, people just don’t have the amenities that you know and love down in the Lower 48.  In Alaska, a honey bucket is defined as a place where you go to the bathroom like a chamber pot that you fill up and then go dump.  It basically consists of a 5 gallon Home Depot bucket lined with a trash bag and an adult-size potty chair insert.  You don’t need to buy the fancy camp toilets that they sell at Cabela’s.   
22.  Practice using one weapon or help train someone in your family to use one.  Have a “Take-Your-Wife-To-The-Range-Day”.  Get her a pink gun if you have to: they do make them.  Our daughter has a pink Ruger 10/22.  There is something for everyone.  Slingshots for squirrels are great for kids.  Just be sure and protect their eyes and teach them basic safety rules.  Don’t overlook axes and knives.  I know I am preaching to the choir when I lament about how many American children have never helped butcher a chicken or a deer.  Make it a point to train others if you have skills.
23.  Convert some of your assets to silver and/or gold and have it on hand, not in a safe deposit box or ETF.  Junk silver coins (pre-1965 quarters, dimes and half-dollars) are available for sale at such places as Northwest Territorial Mint.  It is worth buying now while you can.  You may experience a three month wait to receive your package since it is so popular.  In this economy with the dollar’s value rapidly sinking, yesterday was the time to convert your hard earned savings to tangible assets such as silver, gold, food, ammo, medication, chainsaws, or whatever preps are on your list.  The general rule of thumb in the investment portfolio brochures is that you should have at least 20% of your savings in the form of gold or silver.  Just don’t stick it under the mattress.  Buy yourself a good safe.
24. However worthless the dollar is, it is still good to have some cold hard cash on hand in small bills.  Even nickels are worth stashing around since they are worth more in metal content than face value.
25.  Get a passport for yourself and everyone in your family.  If things get really bad, you can always head for New Zealand, Northwest Territory or central Patagonia with all that silver for a while.
27.  A supportive community is key.  Choose your allies well and always have backup plans.
28.  Practice, practice, practice.  Everything from cooking rice over a camp fire like they do on the Survivor television show to composting with your morning tea bags or coffee grinds.
29.  Have faith in yourself and confidence in your abilities.  Just don’t get overconfident.  Confidence with humility is essential to a prepper’s lifestyle.
30.  Pray.  I’ll be praying for you all if things get as bad as some of the National Geographic Doomsday Preppers think it’s going to get. Lord have mercy on us all! Amen.

I live and prep on a tight budget – at least for the time being. I am lucky to have a fireplace in my home, not a woodstove, nor the room for one, but at least a fireplace. It’s better than no fireplace, but rather inefficient for heating or cooking. It would do in a pinch, but a rocket stove would greatly reduce the amount of wood needed to cook a meal. On my budget even $100 is a lot right now and I began looking into building my own rocket stove. The knowledge is out there, and “improved stoves” are being made in many third world countries to reduce fuel use and increase efficiency. The number of sizes, shapes and applications for improved stoves is incredible. I decided to try to make my own, and the money I saved could then be spent on something I couldn’t make for myself (like ceramic water filters, for instance).

Why DIY?
There are some very good reasons why learning to do-it-yourself (DIY) with an improved stove is a good idea. Not least of which is the cost. Cost was the initial factor for myself, and remains a benefit for me. Not only can I make myself low-cost rocket stoves, I can make them for extended family members and gift them as emergency kits disguised as camping stoves. In learning how they operate, you can also troubleshoot your stove, fine tune it to the task you require, and fix your problems yourself without resorting to someone else’s customer service. The fact that you are learning a new skill, and a potentially lifesaving one at that, is another great motivator. In a disaster scenario the ability to boil water efficiently is essential. Fuel is likewise inexpensive or free. The aftermaths of disasters almost always will have broken lumber which provides a useful and readily available fuel, or they can burn previously overlooked fuel such as branches of smaller diameter (around the thickness or a finger or thumb works well in my little stoves) that may have been considered too small to be worthwhile issuing in a proper wood-stove. I have purposely tried to make all my rocket stoves out of locally available and free re-purposed materials, or very inexpensive materials which are readily available. I have found some ‘non-free’ materials really help the process, and create a superior product (like JB Weld) but I also want to be able to make them out of the most basic materials around if needed.

The Science of Improved Stoves
There are a number of principles that go into making a good rocket stove. From what I know, the most important is that they need to be hot. Very hot. The goal is create a clean, complete burn that burns the combustive gases and the particulate (smoke). For that you need temperatures that go beyond your simple three stone fires. Most of the other principles are a part of trying to create that heat required for a good burn. High temperatures equal full combustion. For that reason, improved stoves need an insulated combustion chamber, top keep the heat in. Pre-heating the combustion air makes a hotter fire. By having a shelf for the wood to sit on, air can move underneath freely, providing all the oxygen needed, and is heated by the fire before being burned. Thus cold air is not as likely to get into the main combustion chamber and reduce the temperature, keeping it hot.

A flange or shroud can be built to surround your cooking pot, forcing the hot air to move further along the side of your pot, transferring more heat to the pot and cooking your food faster.
Another principle is that the air volume in needs to equal the air volume out. Sounds simple when your inner chamber is a consistent 4” diameter, but when adding a shroud you have to make sure there is enough area/space in between the pot and flange for the equal volume of air to escape through the top. If not, you get a backdraft and smoke pouring out of the bottom of the stove.

Construction Basics
The basic design of any improved stove starts with an “L”-shaped combustion chamber. Combustion is meant to take place at the right angle corner of the “L”. The chimney/upper part of the “L” must be long enough to allow time for complete combustion of the gases. On the bottom of the “L” you typically run a wire shelf for the fuel (wood) to rest on. This allows air to enter horizontal portion of the “L” freely, beneath the fuel, and pre-heats the air before it gets to the actual combustion area.

Around this “L” is the outer sleeve. The sleeve should surround the vertical portion of the “L” completely, with a few inches gap in between to fill with insulation. You will need to cut a hole in the side of the sleeve for the horizontal “L” section, and in the top for the vertical “L” section. There are lots of ways and styles in which to do this. The main idea is that the sleeve holds the insulation against the “L”.

Three DIY Stoves
I made my first stove out of an empty white-gas/naptha can and some old drain pipe from a downspout on the house. I cut a 90 notch in the drainpipe, angled at 45 degrees to its length, with tin snips and folded it to make a simple 90 degree bend in the drainpipe. I then traced the entrance hole to fit the drainpipe on the narrow side of the naptha can and punched it out with a chisel and tin snips. I removed the top of the can with a can opener and tin snips, and traced and cut an exit hole for the vertical chimney portion of the drainpipe. I then sealed it with insulation (more on that later). I slid the top of the tin over the chimney drainpipe, and let it set and dry. I used a cut section of another drainpipe, drilled with a bunch of holes at one end, and slid into the horizontal section of the “L” as a rack to place the fuel on that also allows air to enter underneath and pass through the drilled holes directly into the coals of the fire. A wire rack for the pot to sit on top completed the stove, and allows for the smoke and flue gas to escape. So far this stove has performed fairly well. Not perfect, but an encouraging first attempt.

My second stove was a better built model, loosely based on a plan from the internet. Two #10 cans, one with top removed and one with top and bottom removed (with a can opener) become the body of the stove. I taped them together end to end along the interior of the can with duct tape. This allowed me to use JB Weld to join the cans together, which form the outer sleeve. When dry I removed the tape. The inner sleeve I made from purchased 4” stove pipe, though I later found that standard food tins are also 4” diameter, and could also be used. Having a 90 degree elbow stovepipe section greatly decreases the work involved, and makes the stove look much more streamlined inside, but I am confident I could work up a 90 degree elbow out of 4” food tins as well. Again, I cut holes for the 4” combustion “L” tube on the side of the lower can and on the removed lid of the upper can. Fill with insulation, replace the lid, add a fuel platform and pot rack, and viola. It has performed much better than the first, I think because there is more insulation, and perhaps because the height-to-diameter ratio of the combustion chamber is better. Either way it produces less smoke.

The third stove I tried came from a Webster called Practical Action (practicalaction.org) and is a build-in-place stove in the backyard made of simple red bricks. The principles are the same, creating an “L” shaped combustion chamber, tall chimney, insulate and create a fuel platform and pot rack. I like this type of stove particularly for use as a summer shack for outdoor cooking. It is easy to make, and can be made out of just about any sort of bricks, earth, or rock. Some in-place improved stoves get pretty fancy, similar to the old homesteading wood ovens, and have chimneys that vent right out of the house. The brick version is very similar to the survivalist “adobe stoves” that are dug into the side of clay hill side.

For any stove, efficiency can be greatly improved if you use a flange or shroud to surround your pot when you cook. It works by holding the hot gases close to the sides of your pot as they rise, rather than the gases just heating the bottom of your pot. I was able to make shrouds for a few pots, but they do have to be tailored to the size of your pot to maximize efficiency. I made mine by cutting a hole slightly larger than the diameter of the chimney into a round sheet of metal (mine came from a big popcorn tin). I put that over the chimney, and the pot rack on top of it. On goes the pot, and surrounding the pot I made a shroud out of the sides of the popcorn tin. It sits right on the bottom sheet, and I bend it to fit around whatever pot I use. I tend to leave about a ½-inch to 1 inch gap between the shroud and the pot. These work on the same principles that you see with many ‘windscreens’ for single burner back-country stoves like the MSR Whisperlite.

Insulation
I have tried three types of insulation in my first stove – wood ash, sand, and my favourite a concrete-perlite mix. Wood ash was messy, and though perhaps a very good insulator, it kept leaking out of the gaps in my stoves. You also have to be sure to use completely burn wood ash, or you may get an unintentional smoldering fire inside your stove. Sand was the second choice, and it worked well, but again leaked through any sloppy joints. I found that a mix of concrete and perlite (a soil additive from a gardening store) was the best all round for ease of mixing and performance in the stoves. Perlite is an inert volcanic mineral that has the consistency of small Styrofoam beads. It’s light and fluffy and very insulative. I mixed it with concrete to keep it in place, and it sets well, doesn’t leak out the gaps, and adds some rigidity to the stove so your whole pot weight isn’t sitting on the JB Welded joints. It’s another concession to modern materials, but if they are available then why not use them and get a longer lasting product.
I have seen informative instructions and videos on making firebrick, the gold standard in woodstoves for insulation properties, out of sawdust and clay which is then fired in a kiln. The resulting bricks are porous (the sawdust burns away in the kiln) and extremely insulative and lightweight. However, they are beyond my expertise and resources.
I also found that whatever insulation I use, I seem to get closer to complete combustion as the stove runs a while and heats up.

Caveats and Warnings
One issue that I was concerned with was the use of non-intended materials for cooking over. Galvanized stove pipe, for example, may release toxic fumes when heated. Even the liners from some food tins are probably not too nice if you burn them. I personally don’t feel this is a major concern if you cook outside and your pot has a lid on it. I also burn a good hot fire in the stove for a good while to hopefully cook out any fumes before I use it for food preparation. If I am frying, I do not use a shroud with my frying pan, and feel that most flue gas and fumes likely blows off in the wind. To be be completely technical remember that simply burning wood and other biomass releases carcinogenic chemicals that are likely not good for human consumption in quantity. I feel it is a measured risk. Each person must make their own choices for themselves.

Conclusion
Though a store-bought rocket stove is still on my wish list, I am happy to have an in-the-meantime solution to cooking without power, and one that can be replicated over and over, or adapted to the materials at hand, and given to friends and family. I encourage you to look online for plans - youtube has a several videos on making brick backyard stoves, for example - and get cooking. Though I have yet to rival the clean burning store models in my home-made designs, I find them very useful in the meantime, and as gifts in emergency “camping” kits.

Hello Mr. Rawles,
Regarding the man who found his canned food rims rusting in his basement. I can recommend OSPHO, which is a liquid which will upon application changes the rust to a more stable compound. I was in the Merchant Marine and we used it on the ships and it works very well. You can get OSPHO through Amazon.com or at a ACE hardware store. It is basically phosphoric acid [suspended in a coating.]
 
He may also want to invest in a tabletop buffer or wire wheel to quickly remove surface rust before applying the OSPHO which improves the effectiveness.
Thanks so much for your site, I read it each morning. - Robb M.

Greetings Jim,
I hope you can help me figure out if much of my preps are imperiled. I had water leaks in my basement a few months ago after major storms overran my roof's gutters and caused water to seep down
into the front half of my basement. So I turned on the dehumidifier I keep in the basement and let it run until the basement floor was dry, then let it run an extra 24 hours just for good measure. Well, there appears to be a bit of residual moisture in the air in my basement, and when I went down into my basement a few minutes ago after being gone for a couple weeks, I glanced over at a shelf of canned goods and noticed that just about all the cans on that shelf--more than 300 cans on that one shelf, plus a couple thousand other cans of items--are showing rust on their rims. I've got a huge investment in canned goods in addition to hundreds of pounds of dry goods, and I'm really worried now about losing well over 1,000 pounds of canned goods if this rust poses a risk. Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

God bless, - Chad

JWR Replies:
Once rust starts on bare steel it is very hard to stop.

1. Keep that dehumidifier running! Even though a concrete floor appears dry, it can still hold a lot of moisture. An accurate Air Humidity Monitor is a good investment.

2.  Buy a quart or two of clear lacquer.  At this point, even though it is laborious, you need to lacquer the tops and bottoms of all of your steel cans, and the metal lids of your home-canned jars to arrest the already started oxidation process.

When people stockpile food they like to stick to the basics; beans, rice, and pasta. The one crop I would like to include to this list is corn. The corn I will be talking about is fresh corn and not the canned corn you can buy all year round. Unlike rice and pasta, many people have the ability to grow more corn if they run out. With beans you have limited ways to prepare it. Corn on the other hand can be used in many different ways.  From one ear of corn you can collect enough seeds to grow enough corn to feed a family.  Corn is not only a lifeline for the Navajo people but a sacred plant that is part of us.  We use every part of the plant as we would an animal. The two varieties of corn that are used are white and blue corn. White corn can be found in your local supermarket in the summers as well as grown at home. Blue corn never sold in super markets and would need to be grown at home. Seeds can be found online and I would suggest Hopi heirloom seeds.  I would like to share a few of our traditional recipes and uses of this wonderful plant with everyone who reads.

Steamed corn
Possibly one of the most common preservation methods we have is steaming and drying corn. This is a delicacy because of the amount of work involved.  As a plus, the corn can last years in storage.   White or yellow corn is best used for this method.  In order to do this you must first build an oven. Our ovens are usually made out of sandstone blocks arranged into an igloo shape and stand 3 ½ feet high and 4 feet across.  The roof is formed by metal pipes that are placed side by side and stacked until they form a corbelled dome.  A door and an opening on top will need to be left opened. The door will later be closed off with another large sandstone slab. The roof opening will need a round metal barrel lid that is big enough to cover the opening.  The exterior is then covered by 2-3 inches of mud and left to dry.  The end result will look somewhat like a Navajo Hogan or pueblo oven.  Before starting your fire it is best estimate how much corn will fill your oven.  Our oven usually takes 4-5 wheel barrels to fill our oven. Hard wood is burned inside the oven until it becomes coals and is spread out evenly. While the fire burns down get a mud pit ready with mud soaked potato sacs and a gallon of clean water ready.  The water will be used to steam the corn.  The potatoes sacs are needed to plug holes and seal the doorway once the oven is filled.    You will then need to collect and stack your corn. When stacking your corn pile it helps to place the tops with the silk side facing your oven.  That way you will be grabbing the top and tossing and flipping it in, so the tops point towards the exit door.  This makes it easier to pull out and prevents the bottom and back corn from catching on fire while the rest are being thrown in.  Once everything is in place, line the roof with mud around the edge of the opening. This mud will be used to seal up any holes on the roof once the round metal lid is dropped.  It is best to have 3 or more people helping out because speed is important if you do not want to burn the corn on the bottom of the oven.  Then start to quickly toss the corn into the oven through the door.  Seal the door with the stone slab when you cannot toss anymore corn in. Then plug the edges with the potatoes sacs and cover with mud to trap in the steam. Keep filling the oven through the opening on the roof until it is full.  Prepare to finish by having one person hold the metal lid at an angle on top so it can be quickly dropped once the gallon of water is dumped into the oven.  Quickly dump the water and drop the lid closed.  Push the mud onto the lid and the surrounding area to close off all holes where steam may escape.  It helps to spot the small openings by dumping some water and wetting the outside if the oven.  The corn is left to steam for 10 hours or overnight to cook.  The corn will be hot and steam can quickly escape when opening the oven, so use caution.  A shovel or hoe can be used to take the corn out safely.  The freshly steamed corn can be eaten or dried.  To dry simply husk the corn leaving two or three leaves on the ear of corn.  Tie the two ears together using the left over leaves and hang to dry. Once dried, the kernels can be taken off the cobs and stored to be used in stews. The following are some recipes:

Roasted corn
A simpler alternative to steam corn is dried roasted corn. This can be done by husking fresh corn and roasting it on a wood fire to infuse more flavors into the corn. It is then left out to dry. Once dried it is ready to be stored or to be used in stews
Cornmeal
Cornmeal is uncooked dried corn that has been ground into a fine texture. Once in this state it can be prepared different ways such as corn bread or used as a creamer in coffee.  If you have a favorite pancake recipe you can substitute the flour for corn meal to have corn pancakes.

Blue corn mush
One popular way of using corn meal is to make a blue corn mush. To make this, start by straining a tablespoon of juniper ash to 3 cups of water and bring to a boil.  The ash is there to provide both coloring and vitamins and minerals.  Then slowly whisk in 3-4 cups of blue corn meal.  Continue stirring until you have a texture similar to running cream of wheat.  Eat just as you would cream of wheat.

Blue corn dumplings
Making blue corn dumplings is very similar to blue corn mush. Start by boiling a tablespoon of juniper ash in 3 cups of water.  Stir in 6 cups of corn meal and continue to stir until all lumps are removed and corn becomes dough like consistency.   Once the corn is cooked remove from the heat and kneed the dough. Shape the dough into little balls and dropped into a stew or boiling water to create dumplings. The dumplings will make its own gravy and add flavoring to the stew and water
Blue corn bread
Blue corn bread is a simple corn bread recipe which resembles a hard flat tortilla.  Similar to hardtack once it hardens, it becomes difficult to eat without soaking in liquids.  To make blue corn bread boil 3 cups of water with a tablespoon of ash and a tablespoon of salt.  Stir in 6 cups of corn meal with a whisk until the cooked corn becomes a dough consistency.  Remove from heat and kneed the dough into a flat bread loaf.  Place on a skillet and brown on both sides or bake in the oven.

Kneel down bread
Kneel down bread is another delicacy.  It requires a lot of fresh corn to have decent size bread. Start by first getting a pit dug in the ground about 3 feet wide and 10 inches deep. Start a fire inside the pit and until the wood becomes coals.  The recipe is easy because all it asks for is fresh corn and nothing else.  The corn you can buy at a grocery store or pick from your garden if you have one.  You start off by cutting the kernels off the cobs.  Then grind by hand or with a blender into a mush consistency.  If you will be eating the bread right away with no intention to dry, you can add small bits of meat, green chili, or other vegetables to the corn mixture. Rinse the husks that originally wrapped your corn with water and air dry.  Place your mush mixture inside a husk and wrap with additional husk as you would with tamales. Remove the coals from the fire pit and place on the side.  Place your kneel down bread into the pit and cover with the left over husks.  Cover the husks with enough dirt to prevent the husks from catching on fire from the coals.  Place the coals on top of the dirt, like you would with a Dutch oven.    After baking for an hour you can dig your bread out.  To dry your bread simply cut it into small 1/2 inch cubes and dried. The dried kneel down bread can be rehydrated with stews, milk, or other liquids. 

Once the ears of corn have been picked the rest of the stalk can he used to feed animals. The cobs themselves can he dried and used as fuel for your fire or pellet stove. I hope you enjoy these recipes and choose to add this wonderful vegetable to your dry storage. 

Most of the citizenry in the United States has seen at least one of the movie theater box office hits “Armageddon,” “Deep Impact,” or “The Day After Tomorrow.”  Those are just movies, but the human brain not in touch with reality doesn’t entertain the thought of these scenarios actually happening in this day and age.  But one day, one or several of the things displayed in those movies will. Experts say that so many apocalyptic events we preppers expect have a very low chance of happening; but nothing is a 100% certain, anything could happen at any moment.  Experts set out percentages about the possibilities of nuclear war, massive solar flares supervolcanoes, super-earthquakes, EMPs, failure of our nation’s infrastructure, pandemics, asteroids hitting us, etc. and we are always led to believe they are unlikely to occur.  But we know for certain that all of the naturally caused ones are 100% certain to occur at some time in the future, we just don’t know when; because they’ve all occurred at many points in the past and the forces that made them happen are just as in motion now as they were then.  We must prepare for our friends and family.  Most Americans believe that since we survived the “Ice Age” that we can learn from the survivors’ mistakes and the ‘do’s and don’ts’ they made. But do we really have that inner strength to adapt to such harsh conditions for years to come?  Modern technology has spoiled us with cell phones, internet giving us access to news and information, and also through television and radio. Not to mention air conditioning and heat to keep us comfortable; as James Wesley, Rawles mentions in his book “How to Survive the End of the World as we Know it”,”  the concept of" "The Big Machine" meaning the everyday things we all take for granted in life.  Grocery Stores, Law Enforcement, Distribution Centers, Hospitals, and Electricity, he asked the one simple question that fuels the whole idea of ‘prepping:’ “What will happen if the big machine is missing pieces?”  Pure chaos of people running down the streets killing others in cold blood for the little food they might have on them.

One thing many government officials and even experts are always reluctant to face is the idea of just how quickly things might happen.  Assume that a disaster occurs that leaves “The Big Machine” broken.  Most people probably will flock to the supermarkets to get the same things they do right before a known big storm is about to hit any city, and clear the shelves just as fast (typically hours).  For those individuals that have waited until that moment to think about their survival through the chaos; they, if they’re lucky, might have expanded the typical one to two week supply of food they may already have in their homes to three weeks.  With water however, most people rely on municipal water or well-water which both require electricity to operate and would be non-existent if “The Big Machine” stalled.  Whatever water they could get from a store or might otherwise have on hand if they typically drink bottled water might give a family of four a couple of weeks at best.  Look at Hurricane Katrina and how quickly society and survival rates devolved over just a few days.  The average person will die after three days of water.  What you can readily see is that having prepared enough to be able to stay in your homes with the doors bolted and making it appear as though no one is home for three weeks would put any family at a major advantage.  They would at least be able to ride-out the initial chaos.  After those initial three weeks raiding of other homes by the few that have survived would increase and people would be salvaging for supplies.  If we consider the possibility that an un-prepared individual is able to use what they already had in their kitchen and got in their rush to the grocery store and then to raid surrounding houses effectively and steal from others to the point of being able to replenish their stock-pile, they might be able to extend their survival to six weeks.  So imagine, if you can simply be able to stock-pile enough water and food, and the ability to defend those supplies, to last you six weeks you will likely out-live the vast majority of the population.  By two months, you will likely find yourself looking for other people that are still alive.  We like to believe that our government would eventually get enough resources together to help rebuild, but if a disaster is widespread enough (it took over a week for FEMA or the National Guard to get to some areas affected by Hurricane Katrina), the government will be so depleted in its own personnel and had to deal with its own basic survival that a truly widespread Hurricane Katrina level or higher disaster would leave us on our own for at least two months.  Just think, 6-8 weeks of survival supplies and skills can get you through the initial chaos and into the phases where communities might be able to have consolidated enough supplies for the survivors so that true re-building and putting society back together can begin.  Just be realistic with yourself about how quickly you would run out of supplies and others would as well, how quickly others would start invading other homes looking for supplies, and how long it would take society to recover from something as simple as a loss of electricity.  Two months is optimistic, but every week past that you can prepare increases your family’s chances of survival many-times over.

 As humans who have had way more expansion and growing of new technologies more than any other decade, we’re too comfortable with our heated blankets and express cappuccino machines during a cold winter’s night.  Its small luxuries like that this country and much of the world knows, things being so easy and so carefree with life.  People believe that they ‘need’ luxuries like these, they have become so dependent on them.  What they need is food, water, and shelter.  People in this country don’t have to go out and hunt their own food, process and cook from start to finish; most wouldn’t know where to start when it comes to field dressing an animal you just killed to feed your family for the week.  It’s the vulnerability like this that makes this country so unprepared for the tragic scenarios that could face us in the future.  When a Global Financial Crisis, EMP, or Pandemic comes into play, average everyday civilians will have no clue what to do or where to start to further provide for their families. When the thought of your children going hungry starts to sink in, that’s when preppers like us become endangered.   For those of us who know the survival tricks and tactics from dedicating our time and passion into preparing, we will be the first targets for attacks.  As prepper’s, in order to save our own lives, we have to help save others before a global crisis happens.
There are 2 steps to getting your friends and family who may be skeptical of the whole idea of “Prepping”.  Getting informed and then getting prepared.

 A highly recommended resource to get friends and families thinking about the “What If’s?” is the fantastic book I mentioned earlier by James Wesley, Rawles.  “How to Survive the End of the World As We Know It”.  This book is a great resource for not only information about any crises that may come to our cities, but it also includes very helpful tips about water filtration, food storage, and medical advice. This book could very well save your and your family and friends lives. It is very important your friends and family have a hard copy of this book, because of course if something were to happen; chances are we won’t have electricity to plug in our Kindles or Ipads to look up survival tips. Calling community meetings and talking to friends and family about the possible situations is one step in the right direction to get a larger group of people informed.  The more our people are exposed to this information mentioned in Rawles book, the more they’re minds will start to wonder about the real possibility of these catastrophes happening.  They will do one of two things, decide they don’t care and not want to be around for the chaos to happen, or two, they will decided to protect their families and do whatever it takes to get ready.  The more information they know about prepping, the better.  Not just for them, but for you as well.  One more neighboring family that knows how to take care of itself is one less family that you have to fear (and one more potential ally) in a survival situation.

Getting prepared the right and successful way is easier said than done. We want to encourage people, not intimidate them with a thousand dollar stock room of dry goods.  Encourage a small “Emergency food” kit, just as most American’s have an Emergency First Aid kit hidden somewhere in their home or car. Something is better than nothing.  20 dollars here, 10 dollars there is a good place to start, slowly building little by little so they can feel comfortable and confident being on their own for a week or two after their pantry runs low. If your budget won’t allow hundreds of dollars for #10 cans of dehydrated food, you’re not doomed for starvation. An easy much less expensive way is to dehydrate your own food and store them in ‘Mylar bags’ since they will help keep your dehydrated food stay fresh for up to 25 years, if done properly.  It is a pretty good investment that isn’t very expensive at all! After getting your dehydrator, which they are readily available for around $40 on Amazon.com (no need to spend $1,000 if you can’t afford it) plan a trip to the grocery store and plan to spend 20 dollars. On your shopping list should be boxed dinners like ‘mac-and-cheese’, ‘Pasta Roni ,’ and canned fruits and veggies. $20 dollars spent on 58 cent ‘mac-and-cheese’ and $1.48 pasta packets should get you quite a few dinners to make ahead. This way when you get home, you can pre-make these easy inexpensive meals and dehydrate them, this way they are already sauced and mixed! Not only will it be faster and easier to reconstitute when it comes time to break open the package, but it will cut down on your cooking time because your meal is already sauced and mixed, so you will save on your fuel that needs to be conserved as much as possible.

One thing people do not want to do is get too ambitious in a short amount of time. Don’t start off by having a goal of a years’ worth of food, that is a great goal but it can also get very overwhelming very fast. Start with a small goal.  Tell yourself you would like to have a weeks’ worth of food, then when you have conquered that goal, do it again. Water is the most important item to have in your prep kit since you can only survive three days without water, the meals you have are no good if you have no water to drink or to reconstitute and heat them. When it’s convenient with your finances buy an extra pack or two of water and store it away. If you work little by little, you’re prep stockpile will grow before your eyes in just a matter of a few weeks.  Along with a stockpile of bottled and jug water, a purification system as a back-up can very well save your life if you happen to run out of water.  With a water filtration system you can drink water anywhere there is a supply that you can get to.

Weapons are a very ideal thing to have (and you need to be sure you know how to use them); if you put all this time, money, and work into building your disaster preparation kit for your family, the last thing you want is to be attacked and taken over by a riot or gang desperate for food.  You have to be able to protect your family and your chance of survival: your water and food.  If you can’t afford to buy a gun, a less expensive alternative is an electric Taser; but, compared to firearms, these are not ideal because of the close proximity needed to do damage.  Also, if someone is attacking your house and you tase them (assuming they're alone, if they’re not then a Taser will leave you defenseless in a hurry), even if you manage to drag the spasming body miles away the person will recover with the knowledge of where you live and that you have something to protect and he can just come back with some of his survival-mates.  The price of an electric stun gun can range from $15 to $80 (and a Taser can cost $400 to $550), so it is a good alternative along with knives if you have nothing else but hand combat.  Remember though, having a knife or firearm that can actually threaten someone else’s life is useless if you do not physically prepare yourself with the knowledge and mettle to use them.

If you’re a new prepper, these trips should help you get on track on the things you need to do, and if you’re a veteran to prepping maybe a few alternatives and ideas were helpful and more cost effective if you’re on a tight budget.  Of course we’re all hoping these unfortunate events won’t happen, but we have to be prepared to survive, and rebuild society when the time is right. My hope for the future is that together, we can inform more people so they can prepare and be safe. If you get one person to start prepping, you may have just saved lives. Let that drive you to inform and save as many as you can. Every person saved is a stronger community when the tough times start. Good luck and God bless.

Just over three years ago I started prepping for the first time. I keep an eye on what's going on in the world for my job and I could/can see very bad times ahead. I started my prepping with firearms of course since they are so much fun and it was a great hobby the wife and I could do together. Being the halfway prepper I bought the least expensive firearms I could fine. Some people might say that’s a problem and I should have gotten the best on the market. I feel that I'm not going to be more accurate with a more expensive gun and I couldn't afford a second for the wife. We try to go shooting at least twice a month to stay proficient. We have gone shooting at night and practice malfunctions and magazine changes. We haven't done any formal shooting classes but that’s on the "to do" list for this halfway prepper.

Next I looked into food and water, we started to buy a little extra canned food and bottled water every month. About the time we started stocking up I convinced the wife to move out of West Texas and head to the Redoubt. I started looking for a job in the Redoubt and after a year we sold our house. My job in Texas was working for the government as a contractor, we were living very comfortably. After we sold the house we moved in with some friends. We overstayed our welcome with the first friends and had to move in with some other friends. After living with friends for over a year, we decided to stay and find a house. The job search hit a dead end, with only one chance of a job (our year grant job) in the Redoubt area. We wanted a house that would be a great retreat but in West Texas all the good qualities aren't there for properties. We found a house with a little land and a well that met our needs at a very low price. We decided that my wife would go to school and a get a degree in the medical field, while I hold on to this job until the contract ends s and then we will move to the Redoubt. So the halfway prepper in me decided to settle...for now. I still look for job openings in the Redoubt. If your hiring let me know.

Next came the challenge of prepping since we finally had a house and a place to store things. Well, this is where we are at the moment. We have enough ammo for the guns saved up and have started on food storage with about three months worth. I'm looking into getting a Flojak so we will always have water since that is the biggest deal where we live. Then there’s our survival group or lack there of. We had a good group that we were starting up but one member left and the whole group fell apart. And my wife’s family is nearby and the rest of the group didn't want to take them in. The wife said she could never leave them if they were close by. Her family understands what's coming but doesn't want to put anytime or effort into prepping. So now we will have to prep for the family as best as possible. The problem is that I'm a halfway prepper. We want to live life comfortably and don't want to make it to hard on life while prepping. So every week we at least do one thing for prepping to keep us going in the right direction, use the solar oven for practice, build solar power system, build garden, chicken coop, take the family shooting, rotate canned food, use hand crank washer, et cetera.

My main and final point is that it is okay to be a halfway prepper. Remember you are halfway there. The more you do little by little the closer to your goals you are. You will never be 100% prepped, as long as you are trying you will be better off than most. Someone else will always be more prepared then you in some aspect. Don't be discouraged and frustrated. Just make your goals and work toward them. Just keep getting better day by day. You know what you need to do to get ready. Don't be lazy and do nothing. Be a halfway prepper and gradually get it done! Don't forget to live now while you prepare for the future. Look to God and take care of your family. - Z.T.

Dear Captain Rawles:
 Each year we dehydrate and can a lot of tomatoes.  In past years we used a "Squeezo" device to separate the skin and seeds from the pulp.   A better way is to slice each tomato into about 8 slices, from top to bottom.  Then (over a sink) with one's fingers strip out the seed pulp and seeds.  This also removes the water surrounding the seeds and pulp.  Put the slices into a blender.  Liquefy for a couple of minutes.  Pour the homogenized tomato into the stockpot to heat for canning. The homogenized skin in nutritious.  By removing the water and pulp one begins with a more concentrated product than the Squeezo produces and this greatly reduces the time required to simmer the sauce down to the desired thickness. - Les in the Smokies

We are never completely prepared, we either are unprepared, or prepared to some degree. So I want to review the past year and see what or how far I’ve come. For those new to the game, they can find it a bit overwhelming, and do little to nothing to prepare. Then there are those that are part time preppers and those that are full time preppers. I fall into the former, but a meeting with some friends 8 months ago re-ignited the drive it takes to prepare. So my one-year odyssey in review.

First order of business is get your family onboard, and perhaps those you want to include in a group, but foremost your family, and don’t just say tings are bad, show them some of the articles you have found on the dollar collapse, EMP, etc, the real reasons you feel the need to prepare, if they are with you it just got a lot easier.

Second get organized, what do you already have? This will save you a lot of money in the long run, as you are less likely to duplicate items.

Next is your plan to bug out, or stay in place. If you are bugging out do you have a location that you can cache some of your gear and foodstuffs, or are you going with what you can haul?  If that is the case, figure out what you can haul in one trip. There is no sense in buying 50 cases of MREs if you only car is a Geo Metro it won’t fit. If you do not have a specific location to bug-out to, I’d strongly urge to plan to stay in place and make the best of it.

Next if you are new to this, start small, plan for 3 days, then 10 days, then 30 days, then 3 months and so forth.
For me my retreat is where I live, I’m not in the American Redoubt, but in the Midwest. My property is in the country, and I’m about 15 miles from the nearest city, (population about 14,000) would I like a retreat further out? Yes, but it is not going to happen I simply can’t afford to move.

I’m an avid shooter, and already have arms, ammo, a lot of ammo, and all the gear that goes with it. I was a bit light in the Battle Rifle category so I sold a few handguns to purchase an M1 Garand (I already had about 2,000 rounds of .30-06 ammo, so it made sense) and an FN-FAL, I had planned on two PTR91s (HK91 clones) but the FAL came along at a price I couldn’t ignore, the seller wanted $650, and admitted the gun wouldn’t cycle. So when I inspected it I found the gas plug installed upside down, I offered $600 and he took it I went home and reinstalled the plug properly and it cycles fine. I also managed a trade of a 1911 for a used PTR91. HK magazines are currently selling at unbelievably low prices.

If you are new to this I’d suggest a 12 gauge pump shotgun to start, and there are a lot of affordable guns out there, even a .22 rifle, and a lot of ammo should be considered. I’ve studied criminal behavior and the majority will be looking for soft targets, and when the SHTF there will be plenty, usually no one stands around and asks what caliber is that?, when you drop the hammer.

Yes there is a lot of cool accessories out there, but paying more attention to the more mundane things in life will go a lot further in insuring your survival. Watch those big box stores for seasonal closeouts, do a lot of shopping, (not buying) keep notes and get the biggest bang for your buck you can. Of further note the biggest of the “Big Box” stores is now selling AR-15s in a lot of locations, at much lower prices than you’ll find at a regular gun shop. I have seen SIG-Sauer, Bushmaster, and Colt.
Remember that it is not the gun that wins the fight it is your training and willingness that win the fight.

 I have a propane fired generator, in the 10-Kw range, and a 500 gallon propane tank I put it in 5 years ago, after a two day outage and a the loss of a lot of food. You might see these advertised as “whole house” generators but that is really stretching it, you need to get around at least a 17Kw for an average size house. Of course any generator is likely only going to be good for a short period, for once the fuel is gone that’s it.

I am a self employed firearms instructor, so for me most weeks I have no idea what my income will be until class starts. Some weeks I make $125 before expenses, and some I can much more, so in 2011, I earned the princely sum of less than $10,000 before taxes. So my income is   less than half of the other individuals in my group.

If you have a known income, even small you can prep, I so often hear people saying they would like to, but can’t afford to, and that in a word is denial, and if you live in denial it will cost you when the time comes.

My last effort at full scale prepping had been in 1999 with the dire warnings of Y2K, which did not materialize. So after a meeting a year ago, I started my prepping with research, planning and organizing. The gathering begins after the first 3 steps are met, but not completed

Research
Now once you organize things you already have, you start research, and this is vital, you can run helter-skelter and buy a bunch of stuff, but you may have more wants than needs when you are done. Focus on want you need, and if you have less you need to have intensified focus

 I first read Patriots, by James Rawles, then dug out my copy of the “How to Survive the End of the World as we Know it” by the same writer. I also went to the internet and checked a lot of the prepping web sites, making notes to links of free information. It ranged from Military manuals, the LDS Preparedness Manual to articles on how to milk goats.

I also referred to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Think on this one. Have you thought this one through? Are you prepared in each category?
Water
Food
Clothing
Shelter-Security
Sanitation
First Aid
Communication
Transportation

While the research continues every day, I began planning...

Planning
I started making lists, and I began to shop, note I did not say buy, but shop I have a limited quirky income so I can’t afford to just throw money at things. In the planning stage you have to think things through, and play what if in your planning.

For instance water, 18 years ago my shallow well pump died, and for need of water I found a small pump I could attach to a cordless drill, attach a hose to each end of the pump and I could draw water, so if the grid is down how do I keep the drill charged?, which lead to a power pack and a small solar charger being added to the list.
The lists will grow every day; make at least a mental note of what you use every day, from toilet paper to food, and think how much of this will I need to get through uncertain times of unknown length? In the planning stage do not focus on any single category above; you have to address each category as you go. If you focus on food, and not security someone can take your food, and if you focus on security you can starve behind a well fortified wall.

The preparations have to be a multi-prong effort, and you need to give yourself some leeway if you are on a budget, that while in the pursuit of certain items, you run across a deal on something else you get it instead.  I’ve seen here on the internet some preppers that focus on one subject at a time, then move on to another chapter, this could lead to imbalance. I know one lady who has been solely focused on medical and first aid, and has spend a lot of her resources on items to fill those needs, I explained to her this is stuff you might need, but no matter what happens you will be hungry, If she had spent half of her money on food supplies she would still have enough to outfit an EMS team. Not real sure how good band aids taste, although she may be able to barter.
Also pay close attention to the mundane items like socks and Q-Tips. Yeah I know night vision and body armor is a lot more cool, but feeling like you have a bug in your ear and suffering foot rot is more likely to really happen. How about laundry? Check out some of the low cost items RVers use. Take a close look at what you consume and try to make sure those needs are met
Also for the budget minded think used instead of new

Organizing
Bugging in or bugging out?  My plan is for staying put, and here is where the group will gather, so in that regard those coming here are bringing supplies here, so space is a problem, and I continue to work on getting more space to store buckets, bullets and Band-Aids
I’ve made a considerable investment in adjustable wire mesh shelving units, I did wait till they were on sale, and bought them as need arose but in the past 12 months bought  19 sets at $40 bucks a set. But it allows me access to items without un-stacking stuff to get the container on the bottom.
Also it pays to keep inventory of what you have, and not just what you want, it is easy to use excel  and simply update as you add items, once a month I print them out, and review them  looking for what I need to balance things out.
In all keeping organized with proper planning and research will help you stay focused on what you need to get done, rather than an aimless quest unsure of your destination.

So in a nutshell with less than $10,000 income, and cashing a useless IRA of less than $8,000 where am I, 12 months later? I have enough stored food to feed 8 for a year, (a mix of store bought, dehydrated, #10 cans and bulk) I have 200 feet of garden fencing the mix of garden tools rain barrels and heirloom seeds to start a garden, started a small raised bed garden with hybrid seeds, and will save the heirlooms, for later.

I have several rolls of barbed wire for security, a few hundred sandbags, and a truckload of sand I have some solar around 200 watts worth plus connections wiring controllers several 2 way radios, four Swedish field phones, a solar powered base station and a couple of emergency radios, I also have four portable power packs that I can plug into,
3 kerosene heaters and around 90 gallons of kerosene, a camping oven stove combo, and 2 camp stoves, 60 cans of propane.100 lbs of charcoal, Pressure canner and jars etc, a food saver and a dehydrator, cast iron cookware, meat grinder, grain mill about 200 lbs of medical supplies, and the training to use it all.
1000 batteries from AAA to D cell, half dozen sleeping bags, rope bungee straps, come-alongs axes 3 chainsaws one gas powered and 2 cordless Black and Decker, for a cordless tool by the time the batteries run down so do I and they are pretty quiet, and log chains, crow bars, bolt cutters, nails, boots to blades, packs, webbing, magazine pouches etc.

I even acquired about 80 ounces of silver, in pre-1965 coins, there was no sense in just leaving the money in the IRA, and stocking up on Nickels
I also invested in a small trailer; it made it a lot easier to haul a lot of the bulky items
It came in handy when I hauled in over a ton of compost, peat moss, and lumber for the raised bed gardening, also several hundred cement blocks, to build defensive fighting positions  

I’m planting evergreens and hedges to help hide the property; although with the recent drought we have had they will need to be replanted.  I’m 1,000 feet from the nearest road, and prefer to be hidden and just let those that use the road pass by, it does reduce are fields of fire somewhat, but will also lower the chances of having to use those fields of fire, which is better all the way around.
I think the key to getting what I needed was I spent a lot of time planning and looking and little time buying; I worked hard at finding the best deal for my money. So if you don’t have money, spend time.
I’m not as prepared as those in the novel "Patriots", but I’m way ahead of those in "Survivors."

I’m writing this article to encourage you, if you’re in a similar situation as I am.  I may be writing it also, to encourage myself.  I want to say that it is possible to prepare for emergencies to some extent, even if you aren’t exactly doing it as a team.  I will share some of my story in order to give you some ideas.

I am a happily-married woman living with a wonderful husband and my four children in a Midwestern state, in a town of less than 5000.  I have been increasingly concerned about an economic collapse, and have been educating myself about preparedness in the last 2 years.  My husband is not happy with the way the country is going, but also isn’t willing to “over-react”, or get “paranoid”.  As a christian woman, I believe that it is my responsibility to submit to my husband with a good attitude, but also my responsibility to see to the needs of my household.  How do I balance that all out?
First, I trust in God.  He has never failed us.  As we have honored Him, and given Him the first fruits of our income, He has always taken care of us.  For example, 3 ½ years ago, we became convinced that God’s will was for us to try to become debt free.  We prayed that somehow God would provide a way for us to become debt-free.  Little did we know that within 6 months, my husband’s job in a large metropolitan area would end and we would sell our house for $30,000 less than we had into it, but still pay off our mortgage.  He would end up, not in his profession, but rather working 5 part-time jobs, and we would buy a foreclosed house in a rural area that needed some work.  After all of the difficulty we’ve had, we are now debt-free in a nice house, in rural America.  God’s ways are definitely not ours!

Secondly, don’t discount the assets you have or want, as something your spouse would automatically reject.  We have a lot of great camping gear that my husband loves.  I suggested a few additions that he has enthusiastically embraced, such as a Dutch oven.  This summer, we used it for every meal on our camping trip in order to really get the hang of it, and I made sure to include meals he likes.  A few of the other  things I’ve  gotten are a couple of flashlights that can work on a hand-crank charge (almost free after a Menard's rebate),  a solar heated hanging “shower” for camping ($1 at a rummage sale),  a lantern that works on a hand crank, and a charcoal starter.  The addition I’m most excited about is our sand-point well. It turns out that this little town has very high sewer rates, thanks to a large new sewage treatment plant which was built recently, anticipating a housing boom that didn’t happen. The sewer charge is calculated off our water use.  It’s nothing to get a $400 quarterly water/sewer bill, so my husband was willing to put in a backyard well so we could wash the vehicle, and water the garden without city water.  It cost about $400 or $500 including the permits, equipment, and 1 afternoon rental of a jackhammer.  Although it runs on electricity now, he was agreeable to spend $40 to get the hand pump attachment and store it for an emergency.

If your husband has any interests that line up with preparedness skills, then encourage him.  My husband is a hunter, and fisherman, so I am very supportive.  We usually discuss purchases together, and if he brings up an interest in purchasing any “hunting equipment”, fishing tackle, etc., I say, “Go for it”.  When we have the money for a conceal carry class, I’ll support his interest.  When he expressed an interest in my pickling his fish, I did it, even though I dislike pickled fish.  He was willing to build me the square food garden boxes I asked for, so I will be willing to can all the tomatoes and salsa he wants.  I don’t complain about all of the venison we eat.  Although my husband isn’t willing for me to tear up any more of our small lawn for a larger garden, he IS willing to tear up some lawn in order to put in a raspberry patch.  I’ll take what I can get. 

I have been keeping an eye out for preparedness books at rummage sales, GoodWill,  and library sales.  So far, I’ve spent less than $20 to get:  “The PDR Pocket Guide to Prescription Drugs “ (includes dosages), Where There Is No Doctor edited by Dr. David Werner, Making the Best of Basics - Family Preparedness Handbook by James Talmage Stevens, “12 Month Harvest”,  “Home Canning”, and a 20 volume set called “The Creative Workshop”.  I also used my Christmas money from my mother-in-law to get "How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It",  “The Urban Homestead”, “Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs”, and “The Prepper’s Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do To Ready Your Home For a Disaster”.  (I definitely didn’t tell my mother-in-law which books I bought with her gift.  She would think I had cracked up.)

Other rummage sale finds include a vacuum-sealer, and a box of canning jars.  I picked up a set of solar pathway lights for half-price last week, and have gotten several used food-grade buckets from the bakery dept. of our grocery store.  That is how their frosting is delivered, so I got them for $.50 each just for asking, and just had to wash them out.

One piece of advice; for what it’s worth.  Don’t go for everything you want all at once.  Two years ago, I talked him into buying a six month supply of dehydrated food from Augason Farms.  This was a very big purchase for us.  We tucked it away.  This winter, I approached my husband asking for a one -month supply of more accessible, “normal” food such as canned goods, and he was fine with that. I had been concerned that the one of our children with multiple serious food allergies would not have any protein that he could safely have from that 6 month supply we had purchased.  Soy, beans/peas, and nuts were out of the question, so I needed canned meat/seafood.   If there was a dire need, that child could eat protein from the new stuff for 6 months, and the other 5 of us could eat the other proteins.  Because of our finances, it has taken 6 months to gradually buy enough additional food to feed 6 people for a month.  I just finished this week, and it feels great! The next step is to get a rotation system in place for those foods.  I keep the food stored out of sight, (out of mind) so that my husband isn’t constantly reminded of how much money we’ve spent. J Also, the kids aren’t as likely to blab about it if they don’t see it.

My plan now is to focus on learning skills.  I got a pressure canner for Christmas, and have started teaching myself how to use it comfortably.  I also plan to learn to make bread without my breadmaker.  Perhaps I’ll try sourdough bread, or yogurt.   Other goals are to organize car emergency kits, research and plan for updating first-aid kits, and to make a wish list of things to keep an eye out for at end-of-season sales, or rummage sales.

As an aside, don’t forget that you may already have more food available than you think in your cupboards, and freezer.  I tend to forget to count the food that’s on our shelves, and in our freezer, but of course that would be the first food we would use up. 

Finally, there may be some preparations that you would like to make, that your husband doesn’t agree to.  In my case, it’s a woodstove.  My thought is, “It would keep us from freezing.” His thought is, “No, because it would aggravate two kids’ asthma, and also aggravate a dry- eye condition I have.”  What I have decided to do is forget about it.  If it came down to it, my husband, with God’s help, would figure something out.  God’s Word clearly tells me not to worry, so I choose to let it go.  I’m at peace, even though there’s a big question mark in the area of heat.

Anyway, my point is, don’t get discouraged.  No matter how much you can do, it’s more than the average citizen is doing, and your family will be better off for it.  Just trust God.  He knows your husband, and gave him to you.  If you are honest and have the right attitude and motives, your husband will be able to trust you.  He may not always agree with you, but it’s better to be partially prepared to struggle through TEOTWAWKI while happily married to your best friend, than to be fully prepared to survive TEOTWAWKI in a miserable, resentful marriage.  Our children learn how to honor and respect their future spouses, by watching how we honor and respect their Dad.  It is a legacy to pass on that will be a blessing to them all of their lives.

JWR,
I just thought I'd pass the word on some shopping options people might not think about too often. My wife is originally from Vietnam and we often go to an asian market for food supplies. I assume the following is true for other non-western stores, but you might want to check out what is within driving distance. These places are a preppers oasis.

There are a few major advantages to shop at these stores. Please note I am talking about small stores, not a place like the asian mega-marts in California.

First is money. Not just that they are usually less expensive, but more important they are less dependent on a cash register working. I'd expect if there are issues, wally-mart wouldn't be able to sell anything without a cash register working. In these places, that would not be much of an issue.

In addition, cash is king here. Bring cash, buy in bulk, and talk to the owner. You might be surprised to find that you can get 10-20% discount just by asking, or by getting 10 instead of the 2 you planned for. Try haggling over a price at the local supermarket and see what success you have. But in these small, mom and pop stores, it is not only allowed, it's almost expected.

Second, foods tend to focus on non-refrigeration items. (Asian market focus)

25-50 lbs sacks of rice - it's common to see from 50 to 80 sacks of rice at the front of the store. Note that brown rice is usually in smaller sizes due to a cultural tendency to serve that to the elderly, and not for general consumption.

Store bought vacuum packed brown, white rice - long/short/medium grain.

Dried everything. Squid, beef, fish, mushrooms.. everything. Not sure what it is? ask.

Pickled everything. Vegetables , fruits, meat.

More dried noodle options than I ever knew existed.

Candy and treats designed for long term storage - i.e. hard candies, hard cookies, etc.

Spices for everything and in large quantities. In countries where meat might not be of the best quality, there tends to be a focus on cooking with enough spices to cover the flavor of the meet. In TEOTWAWKI, you might just need to make that days hunt taste a little better.

Third, electricity independent food preparation tools.

Remember, many of these countries do not have a stable electric grid, so non-electric cooking tools are very common in these stores. Butane cooking stoves are very common, and you won't have the price markups that you will see in a camping store.

Fourth, experience

Remember, many of these stores are owned by first generation Americans. They know what keeps best when there is no power, or unstable power. What rice keeps longer, what tool works better. They know it first hand. Don't be shy to ask.

Yes, sometimes you might have to put up with a different cultures approach to standing in a line (or lack there of), and you might have to have a little patience with a language barrier, but for me it's well worth it.

Remember, these stores stay alive by having personable relationships with their customers. If you go out of your way to be friendly, you just might find that if Stuff hits the Fan, they will sell items to you (store open or not), where other places will be boarded up.

As always, thanks for your blog. For me, its one of the most valuable web sites on the Internet. - Robert B. in North Carolina

The "extreme couponing" movement is fascinating. In larger communities than mine, people can combine coupons, sales, and store policies (like double- or triple-coupon days) to walk out with free or dirt-cheap groceries, hygiene items, and other goodies. When you're trying to build a survival stockpile, every dollar matters; it's great to get a years' worth of toothbrushes for the entire family for just a few dollars, for example, and to stock up on canned vegetables for twenty cents apiece.

However, I live in a small town. This rural part of Texas includes a Wal-Mart Supercenter, a local grocery store, and a small supermarket. All have sales, and they accept coupons (no doubling or tripling allowed, though, and they won't accept most online/home-printed coupons), but it's difficult to get fantastic deals like twenty-five-cent tubes of toothpaste or fifty-cent bags of flour.

This doesn't mean that Mom and I pay full, retail price for most of our groceries and other essentials. Mom and Dad are living on his Social Security retirement, which doesn't go very far. Also, we're still building our survival stockpiles, so we end up spending the same amount of grocery money—we're just coming home with a lot more these days, a good chunk of which is stored for later.

Our process is a bit time consuming, but we're motivated to make the investment, especially with recent word that drought conditions in Indiana will affect food prices. We have to eat no matter how expensive or scarce food becomes in the future, so we figure that having a buffer now, when the biggest pain is investing time in the stocking-up process, is best.

We're Wal-Mart Shoppers
For ninety-something percent of our grocery shopping, we go to Wal-Mart. Regardless of how anybody might feel about that corporation—we can all agree, I'm sure, that they don't have a perfect track record—they're the go-to source for groceries where I live.

Why? Wally World honors competitors' sales ads. Each store has its own policies, which you can check out by calling or visiting the customer-service desk. In most cases, a local competitor's sales circular is acceptable as long as an actual price is printed; Wally World won't generally honor sales like "Buy one, get one for a penny" or "Twenty percent off X item."
One huge advantage is that Wal-Mart substitutes its own, store brand for generic or store-brand items in circulars. The catch is that they must be the same item as far as weight and contents are concerned. I can't get a fifty-pound bag of Ol' Roy dog food (Wally World's brand) if the advertised, store brand is forty-four pounds. I also can't get Neufchatel cheese for the sale price if the advertisement is for cream cheese.

However, because most Supercenters stock a large selection of groceries and other goods, finding a comparable item in the store isn't difficult. Wal-Mart also carries quite a few national brands, which often go on sale somewhere. It's rare for me to find something I want in a sales ad that I can't find on the shelves.

Finding Ads
On Wednesdays, I get online and look at the sales circulars for other stores. If the supermarkets are nearby, these ads will show up in the mailbox. That applies to the supermarket and local grocery store I mentioned earlier; the other dozen-plus stores don't mail us anything, as we live too far away, so I use the Internet.

My Wal-Mart honors ads from stores up to sixty miles away, which includes a very-large, well-populated region. The sprawling metropolis has supermercados (Hispanic supermarkets), which tend to have excellent sales prices on meat and produce. They're also good for deals on paper products, various soaps, and cleaning items.

I visit the supermercados' sites first. That's where I find sales like:
Tomatoes: 5 pounds for a dollar (Wal-Mart price: $1.98 a pound)
White or yellow onions: 5 (sometimes 8) pounds for a dollar (Wal-Mart price: at least $1.49 a pound)
Cantaloupe: $1 each (Wal-Mart price: $1.98 each)
Boneless, skinless chicken breast: $1 a pound (Wal-Mart price: $2.99 a pound)
Eggs: $1 a dozen (Wal-Mart price: $2 a dozen)
Other supermarkets also have great sales. Mom and I like McCormick's Grill Mates seasonings for some cooking. They're $2.50 apiece at Wal-Mart, but we have a few dozen of them in storage. They were $1 apiece at one grocery store about fifty miles away, so we stocked up by "comp shopping" at the local Wal-Mart. (Try the Montreal Chicken next time you grill chicken breasts; it's delicious.)
Also, we can combine sale prices with coupons. When that happens, we do our best to stock up on those items. Coupons aren't easy to find out here unless we buy the newspaper—people aren't interested in setting up a coupon swap, for some reason—but we do what we can.
Since we started doing this more than two years ago, Mom and I have learned that ads run in cycles. The first week of the month, for example, is not a great time to go stock-up shopping; stores tend to have fewer sales, or worse sales prices. That, I suspect, is because lots of people are paid around the first of the month (retirees, for example). They're going to do the bulk of their shopping that week, so why offer them the best sales prices when they're going to show up to buy food no matter how much or little it costs?
Sales cycles run throughout the month and, in some cases, by seasons. The third week of the month, for example, is a good time to stock up on toilet paper and paper towels, as this is when stores tend to have the best sales. Why? I have no idea. All I know is that the pattern is rather consistent, so Mom and I buy our paper products for the month (and for the long-term stash) that week of the month.
Making Menus and Lists
When I'm finished writing down sales prices for items or printing the pages of ads that we want to use, Mom and I plan the weekly menu. Most of what we make around here is based on what we found on sale, at least for fresh goods like meat and produce. Even perishables like vegetables and meat are preserved—we have a Food Saver, food dehydrator, and freezer—but some of the fresh food goes into this week's meals. Basing food on what's inexpensive this week saves money and, because Mom and I have loads of recipes that we all like, there are few complaints about the menu. Fresh, homemade meals can be inexpensive but nutritious, especially if you don't pay full, retail price for the ingredients.
Using my ads or notes, Mom makes the grocery list. She's shopped at the local Supercenter so long that she knows exactly where to find each item, so she writes the list in that order. We hit the pharmacy first, so those items are at the top. We hit the produce section last, so those items are at the bottom.
Mom's list, usually on notebook paper, includes several columns titled "Item," "Description," "Store," "Price," and "Other." For example:
Item: Canned corn
Description: Store brand, 15 oz.
Store: Dave's Fiesta Mart
Price: 50 cents
Other: Limit 5
This way, she doesn't have to go through a stack of ads, which we regularly see other shoppers doing. Why not spend some extra time, while we're at the house, to organize the list into one, neat page? (Mom writes on the front and back side of the paper; it's rare for her to need a second page, but it does happen.)

The Shopping Trip
The entire trip to Wal-Mart, from entering to exiting the front doors, takes an hour and a half to two hours. That seems like a long time, but we're shopping for both the week and our stockpile; it's common for us to push two carts full of goods out to the truck.

When we first started, trips took longer—up to four hours in a couple of cases—because we weren't as efficient as we are these days. We've learned, mostly through trial and error, to plan things before we leave the house so that we aren't wandering up and down the aisles, spending what seems like forever trying to find one stupid thing we need.
While we're in the store, we separate sale items from the rest of the things in the cart. Sometimes, Mom and I both push a cart: one for sale items and the other for the rest. Either way, staying organized while we're going up and down the aisles makes things go faster when we get to the cashier.
The main problem with shopping competitors' ads at Wal-Mart is the extra time involved with checking out. Mom and I have cut time from that process by keeping everything separated while we're in the store, but that does only so much.

We have to tell the cashier where that item's on sale and how much it costs. He or she might have to verify by looking at a copy of the ad, which management puts at each register. The cashier must manually override the computer every time he or she scans a sale item which, even with an experienced employee, eats up time.
When I'm pushing two Wal-Mart carts full of purchases out the door, after paying all of $200 for them—including non-grocery items like pet food, laundry soap, and the like—I'm fine with the extra time spent on all this. We don't have much money around here, but we have extra food and other essentials because of comp shopping. If I have to spend thirty minutes looking ad ads and then an hour and a half shopping for those goods, that's what I'll do—and keep doing as long as there's money to spend at the store and items on the shelves to buy.

I have been reading your articles for quite a while now and I have a comment on the article Prepare To Share. This has been a difficult subject to deal with. I have been prepping for 2 1/2 years. At times my wife thinks I'm going a little over board. Last winter when we had such mild weather ( I work on heaters) we lived off the food I had stored due to the lack of work and income. This was eye opening and it has set my resolve to store more for the coming problems while I have work and money. In my efforts to prep I've talked with my brother and other family members to encourage them to prepare. As of now they are taking a laid back approach and plan to rely on the Lord for their needs. God is awesome and great and can do all things, but I believe he expects me to do my part. So the dilemma starts with my family. If I have enough stored for my wife, son and myself for when things un-zip, how can I take care of my brother and his family as well. This would add another 12 people to the mix. And what about the wonderer who come to my door with kids who are crying because they are hungry. Soon I will not have enough for my own family. I'm reminded of the story of the ten virgins. Half prepared for the unexpected and the rest didn't. The ones who did not prepare were not evil bad people, they were just unprepared. The ones who prepared weren't able to help them and have enough for themselves at the same time when the unexpected happened. This is the point I struggle with.

One idea is something I am reminded of from the great depression. Those without went looking for help while those who had offered to help in exchange for work. I live in the country, and I have a big barn. My thoughts have been to offer help to those who seek food, shelter & water in exchange for work. I heat with wood, I will surely welcome the help. If some one is un-willing to work then I might not have anything to share. If they help then I can share. These guest will sleep in the barn and I will offer food shelter & water. This is not slavery... I am reminder of the scripture "If a man will not work then he shall not eat."

With my family and friends who might need a hand, I have another thought: I have some super pails I made up for my-self with various items. While preparing these the thought occurred to make a pail to share. I have included some basic food items like noodles and sauce with a couple cans of meat down to two rolls of toilet paper and a P-38 can opener. There are matches, a candle and a inexpensive flashlight with some inexpensive over the counter meds. These 5 gallon pails are filled to the max. My wife is excited about these and she wants me to make 10 more. This is something I can do for my family members and friends without taking away from my wife and son.

I do not know if this is the right way to prepare and share with those around? I pray that when I am faced with this decision he will provide the means and the wisdom.

In His Service. - Keith R. in Kansas

I found myself in a rather uncomfortable and vulnerable position. Hurricane Frederic hit Mobile, Alabama in September 1979. I thought it was going to be exciting. In fact several friends of mine had a party the night before Frederic made landfall. There was no preparation made on my part for this hurricane. I had no anxiety and could have cared less. At the time I didn't even have a gun. I had barely a quarter of a tank of gas in my car. I did not have a battery operated radio or a flashlight. There was very little non-perishable food in my pantry and a small amount of food in the fridge. I had no idea about hurricane preparation and I did not heed the warnings issued. My family lived in north Alabama about six hours away so I was on my own.

Well, Hurricane Frederic made landfall and it was very destructive. The winds were fierce and the rain was relentless. A large pine tree fell on my house. Many trees were downed throughout the city proper and county making it extremely difficult to navigate. Electricity was out for most of Mobile County so there was no way to obtain gas to fill my car up. Price gouging was rampant - a bag of ice was selling for $10 or more, that is if you could find some. Most of the stores were emptied out prior to the storm. I had never experienced power outages on this scale. My home did not have power restored for 22 days. What little food I had in the fridge if not eaten in 24 hrs was ruined. There was also a curfew imposed by the National Guard. There were very long lines for ice and emergency food being distributed by the National Guard. Fights broke out and looting was rampant. 

I was stuck in a very hot house every night. We were afraid to leave the windows open because of all the looting. Luckily I did have a gas water heater and fortunately the gas was never turned off. My home was a popular stop off for friends who wanted a hot shower. For a few days my neighbors shared what perishable food they had and there were nightly cookouts until the food ran out. I ate well in the beginning. Several weeks later I was finally able to get some food supplies and batteries thanks to my family. My brother drove to Mobile with a well-received load of supplies for me. Federal assistance was slow to arrive and I was feeling desperate still I was luckier than most folks. I made so many stupid mistakes. It was an extremely miserable time that I will never forget. I made a promise to myself to never let that happen again. I was not going to be a helpless victim especially when this could have been avoided with some minimal preparation. And I certainly was not going to depend on any government assistance.

Since Hurricane Frederic I have experienced a number of hurricanes over the years including Ivan and Katrina. I also went through a house fire in 2009. The house fire started due to a lightning strike. It totaled my home. I had to start all over on my emergency kit. The good news is that I was able to rebuild my home and fortify it against category four hurricane winds. This also helped me keep my homeowners insurance at a more affordable rate. But I have learned some valuable lessons.

Preparing
In this article I will share with you how I now prepare for emergencies since my dreadful days during Hurricane Frederic in 1979. 
I first came up with a list of what emergency items I might need. I kept adding to the list after reading a number of survival books and blogs.
Initially it was frustrating because I wanted everything right now. But I had to sit back and realize it was going to be a slow process. Each month I purchased a few items from my list.
It has taken awhile to obtain what I currently have and my emergency kit is not complete yet. But as I add items I feel more confident. As with most people I had to budget purchasing my emergency items. But you have to start somewhere. Now I do not feel so vulnerable. I feel that I can protect and provide for my family. Even though they think I'm a little weird prepping for the unknown. But whenever the power goes off they come to me for flashlights and lanterns. They expect me to take care of them and have even commented they would have been disappointed in me had I not been prepared.

First thing - I always fill my gas tank up when the gauge nears the halfway mark. You never know when you are going to get stuck in a traffic jam.
I also have (5) five gallon empty gas cans in my garage attic and I fill them up at the early stages of a potential tropical storm. If the storm doesn't materialize I just put the gas in my cars so nothing is wasted. You simply
cannot wait until the storm becomes a hurricane. By then there are long lines at the gas stations and shelves are emptied at the grocery stores.

I purchased a Honda 3000 watt generator that I can plug it into my electrical system. The generator is attached to a heavy chain and locked in place for security. I run the generator for several hours every month to ensure it is in good working order. I also have a small window A/C unit stored in the garage so I can have a cool room to sleep in at night. The generator is mainly to keep my refrigerator and freezer running.
My pantry is kept stocked with at least a month of food - canned goods, peanut butter, crackers, granola bars and dehydrated foods. As a backup I have a closet stocked with long shelf life freeze dried foods.
I have a several six gallon water jugs along with five collapsible one gallon water jugs. I keep a minimum of six cases of bottled water on hand. I have several Aquamira frontier water systems, life-straw, and polar pure water treatment. I fill up both bathtubs and all of my sinks. I recently located a nearby water stream within walking distance from my home. Remember folks a water supply is extremely important. You can go longer without eating than you can without drinking water.

I keep a three month supply of AA, AAA, C, D, and Nine Volt batteries. I have several battery/solar powered short wave radios along with a ham radio. I keep a wind up watch in my emergency pack.
I started out simply with a hurricane kit to get me through at a minimum of 3 to 4 days of survival. Now it has evolved to a more elaborate emergency kit. My goal is to be able to survive at a minimum of three to six months. In this emergency kit there is duct tape, Paracord - various lengths, snakebite kit, hatchet, 15" knife, 18" machete, hiking shoes, solar link radio, binoculars, first aid kit, machete, manual can opener, rain ponchos, tarp, wet fire starting tinder, blast match fire starter, bacterial soap, toilet paper, spork eating utensil, haululite ketalist tea kettle, outdoor 10" fry pan, siphon pump, emergency tent, emergency blankets, nine volt battery with steel wool-(you can easily start a fire with these two items), and camping cookware. I plan on getting some seeds so in the case of a long lived disaster I can grow my own vegetables. I already have several fruit trees in my backyard.

I inventory all of my emergency items monthly and refresh the list when needed. I also include a note where each item is stored. All of my important papers are kept in a fireproof/ waterproof safe.

I have ammo stored in watertight ammo cans. I clean my weapons on a regular basis. There are plenty of flashlights and lanterns. I keep small flashlights and lanterns throughout my home and garage. There are several battery powered fans to use during the day.

I have a grill and an Emberlit stove for backup in case the gas company shuts down our gas supply. I have a camp stove coffee maker so I can start my mornings with my caffeine fix. I practice using a flint/steel fire starter and my Emberlit stove. It's good to learn how to use your emergency equipment when there is no emergency rather than wait until there is one. That also includes going to a range and firing your pistols and rifles.

I have a corded phone stored in my emergency kit. Cordless phones will not function without electricity and I have experienced problems with spotty cell phone usage during hurricanes. For some reason land line phones have always worked for me.

I have precut plywood and each piece is numbered so I don't have to wonder which piece goes to each outside window. I use plylox brackets to quickly and easily insert the precut plywood to protect my outside windows.

I have my rear and garage doors hinged so they open outward making it difficult for hurricane force winds or humans to force the doors inward. Although my front door does open inward I brace it at night with a buddy bar. There have been a number of home invasions in our county occurring at night. It usually involves kicking in the front door and before you can react they are in your bedroom. I also have shutters on every inside window for privacy and it also helps keep cooling costs down. I decided to use spray foam instead of the traditional insulation in my attic. Even in the hottest month my attic is never more than 84 degrees. When the power is out my home should not heat up like most houses.

I have several neighbors close by that I keep in touch with. We have agreed to help each other out if need be. There is strength in numbers. I recently installed a wireless detector alerting me if anyone walks up my driveway to the back of my home. I plan on getting two way radios so I can easily keep in touch with my family and neighbors. My biggest fear is of people becoming desperate and dangerous. From my research it appears to only take several days for some folks to begin looting and killing. Once that begins it multiplies. I want to be able to protect my family at all costs. So ammunition and additional firepower are priorities for me. Most of my emergency items are stored in a backpack and a rolling canvas bag should I need to bug out quickly.

My pipe dream is to buy some land in a wooded area near water. I would build a small but comfortable shelter and an underground bunker. But that is only a dream and not in my budget so I plan to survive with my current method.

When it comes to food storage, people that I have talked with have almost always made the comment that they can barely afford to feed their family now much less afford to have food storage.  I am currently working with a few people and teaching them how to feed their family and still put food up for TEOTWAWKI.  There are three things that I tell people to always do, (1) gardening, (2) couponing, and (3) food co-ops.

(1) Gardening.  When TSHTF, you don’t want to be changing the way that your family eats because then you could be facing worse problems.  So the number 1 thing to do is to start a garden.  You are going to want to already know how to grow your own food to be able to replenish your food storage and maintain a constant supply of food.  I always tell people to both feed your family from your garden as well as preserve what you grow.  Start with heirloom seeds so that you can also learn how to save the seeds from what you grow.  Your startup will be more with getting the proper seeds and tools to do the work.  When you grow and preserve your own food storage, you have the ability to learn the art of gardening, seed saving, and know that your family will eat and already be adjusted to the foods that you grow as well as save money.  Fresh fruits and vegetables from your home garden are healthier for you because you are able to control the pesticides and environment that they are grown in.  Once you have all that fresh fruits and vegetables, you need to preserve them before they go bad.  You can dehydrate and can them.  Look at thrift stores and yard/garage sales for canning equipment including canning jars as well as dehydrators.  You would be surprised at what people get rid of, especially in the times that we are in.  Get creative with this, there are so many things that you can do with all those fruits and vegetables.  Tomato’s for examples, you can dehydrate them and then eat them as a snack or put through a blender for tomato powder.  When you can them, you can make spaghetti sauce, chili sauce, tomato sauce, ketchup, barbeque sauce, et cetera.

(2) Couponing.  There are so many coupons out there that no one uses.  Ask around and I’m sure you can find people that will give you theirs that they aren’t going to use.  Check the local library, they usually have a box for people to drop off coupons, and join a couponing group where you can swap ones you will not use for ones that you will.  I was just at the store and had been able to get a total of 28 Heinz Vinegar coupons for $1 off any one.  They were priced at Wal-Mart for $1.12, so after the coupon I only paid out of pocket 12 cents each.  You can get a lot of stuff for storage fast using your local stores sales and combining a coupon.  Not only can you get the coupons from the Sunday papers, but there are lots of sites online that you can print coupons as well such as coupons.com, as well as being able to download coupons on your store saving card.  Watch at the stores, there are always displays that have coupons attached to.  You can either use them then or save them for a sale.  I got some coupons in the Sunday paper for Ball or Kerr canning jars, when I went to the store and bought them, there was coupons on the side of the packages and inside were coupons for the lids, pectin, produce protector, and more.  There are also times when there are coupons put out for items that will give you an overage.  There was a $3 off any Bayer aspirin coupon and at Wal-Mart the regular price for the low dose is $2.22 resulting in a 78 cent per bottle overage.  I had 10 coupons so I bought 10 of them and all of them were free and I got a total of $7.80 off of my shopping trip.  There are times when you don’t have to wait for a sale, but for the most part you are going to want to hold on to your coupons to combine with a sale and if possible a store coupon.  Always remember to check your expiration dates, you don’t want to stock up on a bunch of items that will be expiring in a month. Coupons are everywhere you just have to keep your eyes open for them.

(3) Food co-ops.  My favorite is Bountiful Baskets.  Check their web site as see if they have a page for your state.  I go on and get my basket as well as being able to get fresh fruits and vegetables in bulk at discounted prices as an add on to bring home and preserve.  I have gotten wheat, fruits, and vegetables from there.  Co-ops also give you more of a variety of new things to try and see if your family likes or not.  You can also find food co-ops through any local farmers in your area.  When it comes to co-ops, the sky’s the limit.  My father-in-law has apple trees and my kids and I will go over there during harvest time and pick as many as we can hold.  My father-in-law provides his own canning jars and in exchange, when I am making apple butter, apple sauce, jelly, apple pie in a jar, etc., I can up extra jars for him and get my apples for free all it takes is my time.  Ask around to people that you know that fruit trees and see if you can come over when they are ripe and pick some, most of the time they will let you because they don’t want what they won’t use to go to waste.  I always offer to can some extra for them if they supply their own jars and lids.  It doesn’t take any longer to do up a couple more jars for them and then they will be happy that you are offering to do something for what you are wanting from them.  When people see that you are offering to do all of the work they are willing to let you take as much as you want.  Another place to look is your local farmer’s market.  You can find lots of good prices there as well as being able to get an idea on what items grow good in your area.  You don’t want to stock up on a bunch of seeds that will not grow in the region that you live in.

Go out and talk to people and see what they have and what they do.  Talked to the people that work at your local nurseries, they know what will grow and what not to waste your time on for the area that you live in.  A good rule of thumb is try it yourself.  Everyone told me that you couldn’t grow peanuts where I live and I decided to try it myself.  They are growing good in my garden, I just have to wait and see if they produce.  If they do, then I will be glad that I tried it out for myself.  Listen to what people have to say but also try it for yourself.  It is best to find out now then when it’s too late and you are counting on your garden to be able to feed yourself and family when there is no grocery store to go to.  You don’t have to tell them what you are doing, from my experience when I ask questions