A man can leave his grandchildren a rifle, a pantry, a hand pump, and a stack of old tools. Those things have value. Good gear, useful land, and a well-built home can bless a family for years. Still, one of the strongest things a man can leave behind is a story. The stories a family […]
from Survivopedia
Friday, June 19, 2026
Thursday, June 18, 2026
7 Ways to Use Peptides for Survival
A buddy of mine cornered me at a gun show last spring, sleeve rolled up, showing me a bruise on his shoulder like it was a trophy. He’d been injecting something he ordered online, swore it was rebuilding his rotator cuff, and kept saying the word “peptides” like it was a password. At first, I just nodded and wrote him off as another guy chasing a shortcut.
Then, a few weeks later, I tore the skin off my shin going over a fence, and the cut would not close. I dug through my medical kit looking for the triple antibiotic ointment, and there it was in the ingredient list: bacitracin, a peptide.
That’s when I realized that I’d been carrying peptides in my kit for fifteen years and never once thought of them that way.
What Are Peptides?
A peptide is just a short chain of amino acids, the same building blocks your body uses to make protein. Some of them fight bacteria, some carry messages through your bloodstream, some preserve food, and a few of them keep diabetics alive.
Once you understand what they actually are, you start seeing survival uses everywhere. Here are seven worth knowing.
Your Wound Kit Already Holds a Peptide Antibiotic
Pull out your tube of triple antibiotic ointment and read the label. You’ll find bacitracin and polymyxin B sitting next to neomycin. Two of those three are peptide antibiotics, and they work in a way that matters for the long haul.
Most of the oral antibiotics we stockpile, the amoxicillin and the cipro, get chewed up by bacterial resistance because the whole world has been swallowing them for decades.
Peptide antibiotics like bacitracin attack the bacterial cell wall directly, and resistance to them is far less common.
For a topical wound in a situation where you can’t drive to an urgent care, that’s exactly the property you want. Keep several tubes, check the expiration dates, and store them out of the heat.
Snake Venom and Antivenom Are Both Peptides
If you spend time in the backcountry, you should know that snake and scorpion venom is mostly a mix of peptides and enzymes engineered to wreck tissue and nerves. Understanding that changes how you respond in the field: you keep the limb still and below the heart, you get the person calm and moving toward help, and you skip the cowboy nonsense of cutting and sucking, which only spreads the peptides faster and adds an infection on top.
The antivenom that reverses a serious bite is built from immune proteins that lock onto those venom peptides and neutralize them. You’re not going to brew that at home, so the survival lesson is sober: know which venomous species live where you operate, know which hospitals within range actually stock antivenom, and have that figured out before you need it rather than during the worst hour of your life.
Insulin Is the Peptide That Keeps Diabetics Alive
Here’s the one nobody at the prepper expo wants to talk about. Insulin is a peptide. It’s a chain of 51 amino acids, and roughly two million Americans with Type 1 diabetes will die within days to weeks if they can’t get it. No amount of dandelion tea fixes that.
The hard part for preppers is storage. Insulin is a fragile protein that degrades in heat, and unopened vials are meant to live in a refrigerator. In a grid-down stretch, that fridge is the problem. People who plan for this look at evaporative cooling setups, root cellars, and insulated coolers cycled with whatever cold they can generate, and they rotate their supply hard so nothing sits past its date.
Ever wondered how to save your insulin during a blackout? This ingenious method does it without a fridge.
If someone in your family is insulin-dependent, that single peptide deserves more of your planning than your ammo can does. Talk to their doctor about the longest supply you can legally build and the real-world shelf life of the type they use.
Raw Honey Hides a Wound-Healing Peptide
Your immune system already makes its own antibiotics. They’re called antimicrobial peptides, things like defensins and a peptide called LL-37, and they punch holes in bacteria the moment a cut breaks your skin.
Researchers are studying them right now as a new class of weapon against drug-resistant infections, which is the exact threat that keeps you up at night.
You don’t have to wait for a lab to bottle them, because nature already did.
Raw honey contains an antimicrobial peptide called defensin-1, which is one of the reasons honey has been packed into wounds for thousands of years and why medical-grade honey dressings sit in real hospitals today.
Honey is one of the best things you can keep in your stockpile. It never spoils, it carries real healing properties, and it happens to contain one of the most common natural forms of peptides. The best ways to use honey for survival are all laid out on this website.
I tried a handful of their remedies myself, and honestly, it improved my quality of life. You will find everything from simple recipes like honey and cinnamon to which foods to pair honey with to make it more potent. This is the kind of information you will not easily find anywhere else. Take me to the website
Collagen Peptides Give You Shelf-Stable Survival Protein
Collagen peptides are just collagen broken down into pieces small enough for your gut to absorb easily. The stuff sells in big tubs as a powder, it’s cheap per serving, and it stores for a long time in a sealed container with no refrigeration.
In a survival stretch where you’re rationing calories and suddenly doing far more physical labor than your body is used to, two things go first: your protein intake and your joints. A scoop of collagen peptides stirred into coffee or broth gives you absorbable protein with almost no prep, and there’s reasonable evidence it supports connective tissue, skin, and the lining of your gut. It won’t replace real food, but as a compact, calorie-dense backstop that survives a hot garage for a couple of years, it earns its shelf space.
If you’re putting a tub on the shelf, make it one built for the load you’ll be putting on it. Collagen Refresh is a Type I and Type III collagen peptide blend stacked with copper, vitamin C, and hyaluronic acid, the cofactors your body leans on to keep cartilage and connective tissue holding together when you’re suddenly working harder than it’s ever asked to.
It stores sealed for about two years, a scoop dissolves into a glass of water in seconds, and it’s backed by a six-month money-back guarantee, so testing a jar costs you nothing while a blown-out knee with no doctor to call could cost you everything. → Stock up now!
Peptide Preservatives Keep Your Stored Food Safe
The last one hides in your refrigerator. A peptide called nisin is a natural preservative produced by bacteria, and it’s used in cheeses, canned goods, and processed meats to shut down the organisms that cause spoilage and botulism.
It’s been part of the food supply for decades and it’s one of the reasons certain shelf-stable foods stay safe as long as they do.
For your own long-term storage, the takeaway is to lean on foods and methods where this kind of natural antimicrobial protection is already doing work, and to understand that “preservative-free” is not always the survival flex people think it is. When you’re choosing what goes into the deep pantry, the boring food science is often what keeps you out of trouble a year from now.
IMPORTANT! Injectable Healing Peptides Are Not What They Seem
Now back to my gun show buddy and his bruised shoulder. The peptides he was injecting, the ones marketed everywhere right now under names like BPC-157 and TB-500, are sold for tissue repair and recovery. I’ll give you the straight version, because you deserve it.
These are not approved for human use. They’re sold as research chemicals labeled not for consumption, the people buying them are injecting them anyway, and there’s almost no real human safety or dosing data behind the marketing.
On top of that, an unregulated vial ordered off a website can be underdosed, contaminated, or not even contain what the label claims. The animal studies look interesting, and the human picture is mostly testimonials. That’s the honest state of it. I’m not going to hand you a protocol, because anyone telling you they know the safe dose of an unapproved compound is guessing with your body.
If your joints are wrecked, the move that actually holds up in a crisis is building real strength and durability now, while you still have a hospital to back you up.
So instead of reaching for a needle, reach for something you rub on. For everyday joint pain, I keep a tin of Dr. Nicole Apelian’s Joint & Movement Salve around. She’s the biologist and herbalist behind The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies, and she built it from plants with a long track record for aches and swelling: arnica for bruising, cayenne to warm and quiet the pain, and cottonwood buds that carry the same salicylates behind aspirin. It’s organic, wild-harvested, and keeps on a shelf indefinitely. Get your own miracle bottle here.
How to Use Peptides
Almost everything useful here you can stock today, no prescription and no leap of faith required. Keep a few tubes of triple antibiotic ointment, a couple jars of raw honey, a tub of collagen powder, and a pantry built on well-preserved foods.
Label them, rotate them with the rest of your supplies, and store them out of the heat. Insulin and antivenom are the two that take planning rather than buying, so sort out the cold storage and the nearest antivenom supply now, while a phone call still reaches a doctor.
The one to leave on the shelf is the needle. The proven peptides earn their place because they are stable, legal, and backed by more than a testimonial. Stock those and skip the research vials.
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The post 7 Ways to Use Peptides for Survival appeared first on Ask a Prepper.
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How to Make Papercrete (Off-Grid Building Material)
Estimated reading time: 26 minutes
Papercrete was invented in the 1920s, but it was so easy to make, no one bought it. Papercrete has been used to build homes, walls, fences, and is easily formed into any object from flowerpots to furniture.
The biggest advantage of papercrete is that it’s lightweight but sturdy enough to bear loads. It also has excellent insulating properties with an R-value of R2 per inch. Better yet, you can use regular hand tools and power tools to saw it, drill it, and you can even pound nails into it.
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Table of Contents
- Basic Papercrete Ingredients
- Serious Off-Grid Papercrete
- Papercrete Colors
- What's the Downside of Papercrete?
- Getting Ready to Make Papercrete
- Papercrete Brick Forms
- Papercrete Release Agents
- Paper Pulp Directions
- Basic Papercrete Formula
- Basic Papercrete Directions
- Papercrete Formula Variations
- Off Grid Papercrete Recipe
- Making Papercrete the Off Grid Way
- Roman Concrete and Cement
- Cutting and Mixing Natural Cellulose
- Scaling up Papercrete
- Beyond Papercrete
Basic Papercrete Ingredients
As you would suspect, papercrete starts with paper. Newspaper is the source of choice, but any paper will do including magazines, napkins, paper bags, junk mail, and even cardboard.
They can all be combined in any proportion and are torn into two-inch long strips; soaked in water and then pulverized to a pulp using a plaster or paint mixer or stucco mixer attached to a large drill.
The second ingredient is cement used as a binder. Portland cement is the standard recommendation in a smaller proportion than the paper pulp. The amount of cement can vary but should never be less than 10%.
A filler like vermiculite, perlite, sand, and/or dirt are also added but the proportions and the particular filler varies. Fillers can either lighten the papercrete in the case of perlite and vermiculite or make it heavier and stronger when sand or dirt are used. The choice of filler has to do with the end use.
Load-bearing walls need stronger, heavier materials like sand or dirt while other uses that don't involve a lot of weight or stress (such as a planter) can be made with lighter fillers like vermiculite or perlite.
If you are planning on doing a lot of shaping or cutting of papercrete, you’ll be better off using lighter fillers. You could also skip any filler and go for the strongest mix of just paper pulp and cement.
Serious Off-Grid Papercrete
Papercrete ingredients are essentially on-grid components. If we find ourselves off the grid for any length of time, manufacturing processes to make cement and even paper will be compromised. That’s why we’re also going to cover a pure, off-grid recipe using an ancient Roman formula for cement as a binder and natural cellulose from certain plants.
Clay is another option as a binder, but the unique properties that make papercrete work come from the cellulose fibers in paper. If you can find cellulose fibers in nature, you can improvise without paper.
Papercrete Colors
Straight papercrete is a light grey. It can be painted or stained and sealed with polyurethane. It can also be dyed with commercially available concrete dyes.
Adding a dye saves you from the labor of painting and repainting. You’ll also find the rough texture of papercrete can be difficult to paint, although a paint-sprayer setup could make things easier.
When we explore the off-grid approach to papercrete, we’ll also cover various dyes from nature like the pure blackberry juice pictured above.
What’s the Downside of Papercrete?
A lot of that depends on the recipe and your proportions. A mixture that is high in paper pulp will be lighter, less expensive, have better insulation properties, and will be easier to saw, drill and shave.
Unfortunately, papercrete in general will form mildew if in constant contact with water, especially a papercrete mix made with a high proportion of pulp. It’s easy to seal papercrete to protect it from rain with a water-resistant deck treatment or waterproof polyurethane, but constant exposure to moisture or immersion in water will eventually create a problem.
On the other hand, papercrete with a high proportion of concrete is not only stronger but more resistant to moisture. The tradeoff is that it’s heavier, and added cement means added cost.
Also, papercrete does not bond well with stone or concrete. If you are planning to apply papercrete to one of these surfaces, you’ll have to figure out a way to attach bonding straps, rebar, or some other way to give papercrete a chance to grip the concrete or stone surface.
Papercrete with a high proportion of paper pulp can be slightly flammable. Most reports indicate that it tends to smolder rather than burst into flames, but unlike conventional brick, it should be kept away from flame sources like wood-burning stoves if it has a high proportion of paper pulp in the mix.
High pulp mixes also lack some of the structural integrity of mixtures made with proportionately more cement. We’ll isolate specific blends and proportions based on use, load, and potential exposure to water. As a general rule, you should keep all papercrete off the ground and especially avoid putting it underground or it will eventually disintegrate.
Getting Ready to Make Papercrete
Like any process, you’re going to need some tools, materials, and a cellulose source staring with paper. The amount of paper you need depends on what you’re trying to do. If you’re trying to build a small house, you’ll need a lot of paper. If you’re going to pour your papercrete into a form to create a post or a few bricks, you’ll need less.
If you get a daily newspaper, get it out of the recycling bin and into a paper storage bin. Collect other paper from the mailbox, those old magazines you’ve saved too long, and you can always ask family and friends to pitch in and even store some for you.
If there are plastic windows in an envelope from the mailbox, tear them out. Plastic and papercrete don’t mix. And by the way, who needs a shredder for bank statements and credit card junk-mail when you’re making papercrete.
With all of that being said, here’s a short-list of things you’ll need to make a small batch of papercrete that will make 2 to 3 bricks:
- 5-gallon buckets and a colander for draining the paper pulp.
- Plaster or paint mixer attachment or a stucco mixing blade attachment, although the sharp blades of a stucco mixer could cut the plastic sides of a 5-gallon bucket.
- A heavy-duty drill that will accommodate a half-inch bit.
- Enough water to cover the torn paper by two inches.
- Portland cement.
- Vermiculite, perlite, sand, or dirt. (Vermiculite and perlite are light fillers while sand and dirt are heavier and sturdier fillers.)
- Wood, nails, and hammer to build forms. If forming bricks, an actual brick will help to determine the size of the form.
Papercrete Brick Forms
Papercrete is typically poured into a mold or form. Molds are used to shape objects like pots and forms are typically used to make papercrete bricks.
If you are planning on making bricks, you can easily make the brick form out of a 2×4. The standard size for a common brick is 8 x 4 x 2.25 inches. Unfortunately, a standard 2 x 4 is actually 1.75 x 3.75. Neither measurement comes close to 2.25 inches, so you either have to rip the length of the 2 x 4 to get to 2.25 inches or make a larger brick.
That’s okay if all of the bricks you make are the same size, and that’s what we’re going to do here.
Papercrete Release Agents
Any form or mold needs to be coated with a release agent to allow the papercrete to release from the mold or form.
Common vegetable oil works fine, or you can buy professional release agents for concrete at a home center or hardware store. Paint the release agent on the interior of the form or mold with a paintbrush or spray it on for larger projects.
You’ll also need a board underneath the form, and that should be coated with a release agent as well. If you are doing large scale construction with papercrete, you’ll definitely want to use a hand sprayer with a pump to make application to forms faster and easier.
In a serious off-grid environment, you can use animal fat, old motor oil, and even waxes to prevent the papercrete from bonding to the sides of the mold or form.
Paper Pulp Directions
1. Tear the paper into long, 2-inch strips and drop into the 5-gallon bucket until almost full.
2. Pour enough water into the bucket to soak the paper strips.
3. Tamp the paper down with the paint mixer to compress it slightly so it is beneath the water level by at least two inches.
4. Let the paper soak for 24 to 48 hours. You could also boil the paper in a large stock-pot for 30 minutes if you’re in a hurry.
5. Attach the paint or stucco mixer to the drill and move it around in the paper to shred the paper to a pulp. Experiment with drill speeds to determine which speed does the best job based on the power of your drill.
You’ll want to do this out in the yard and wear old clothes. The pulp will splatter from the bucket and can splatter both you and the surrounding area.
6. Continue to pulp the paper pulling up the mixer from the bottom and sides. If the mix is too dry and resists pulping, add water. If the mix is too wet, drain off some water from the top or add more paper. (You can add small proportions of dried paper if necessary, but tear it into small pieces).
7. The final pulp should have the consistency of cottage cheese or lumpy oatmeal.
8. Once pulped, you can add a quart of bleach if you want to diminish the grey color. Pour in the bleach and continue to pulp and distribute the bleach with the mixer until blended. As the paper pulp soaks, the color will bleach to a light greyish-white.
Don’t get your hopes high. You will never get pure white. If you choose to bleach the pulp, know that any splatter that hits your clothing will bleach it in spots, so dress accordingly. You’ll also be unable to dye the papercrete. The bleach will cancel it out or turn it into a very muted color.
9. Strain the pulp through a colander or, for larger batches, improvise a strainer with a screen supported by chicken wire on a wood frame.
10. Reserve the pulp for the final formula.
Basic Papercrete Formula
- 5 parts paper pulp
- 2 parts Portland cement
You’ll need another 5-gallon bucket for this step. If making a larger quantity, you could use a wheelbarrow or concrete trough. You’ll use a trowel to mix the paper pulp and cement for smaller quantities. You could also use a shovel if mixing in a larger container.
Basic Papercrete Directions
1. Add the proper proportion of paper pulp to the mixing container (we’re using 5 parts paper pulp in a 5-gallon bucket).
2. Add the proper proportion of cement next. (For this example, we’re using 2 parts cement.)
3. Begin blending the mixture using the trowel. If it gets too dry, add some more paper pulp. If it’s too wet, add more cement.
4. When done, it should have the consistency of chunky pudding.
5. It should not settle when placed on a board, but hold its shape. If so, you’re now ready to trowel it into a form. If you are applying it to the side of a mold for a pot or other object, you’ll want to have a thicker consistency so the wet papercrete will not slide down the mold.
It’s easier in a form for a brick because the sides of the form simply contain the wet papercrete.
6. After 20 minutes, the papercrete will start to settle.
That’s the time to add a little more if you want a uniform shape for a brick.
Use a trowel to smooth the top of the papercrete if you’re making a brick. If you’re using a mold for a pot or object, apply and smooth with your hands. You’ll want to check the sides to make sure none of the papercrete has slid down.
7. Cover the mold or form with plastic wrap for 24 hours to let the papercrete slowly cure, then remove the plastic wrap and remove the form to allow the papercrete to stand freely for further drying.
8. Let dry for another 2 days.
9. If drying outdoors, cover it with a loose-fitting tarp to prevent morning dew or rain from coming in contact. If making papercrete in winter, you’ll need to let it dry in a relatively warm area like a garage or a place where you have improvised some form of heat.
10. Something as simple as covering it with a black tarp or a black plastic garbage bag could capture enough heat from the sun to do the job during a cold day.
Papercrete Formula Variations
Papercrete will shrink when drying and will settle when first put into a form. The amount of shrinkage is proportional to the amount of paper pulp in the final mix. Basic papercrete will shrink by 15 to 25% while drying.
If you are making bricks, you should add some papercrete to the form 20 minutes after your first pour if it’s settling, or design a form that will allow you to overfill it to compensate. The more cement you add to a papercrete mix, the less shrinkage and settling, going as low as 3 to 5%.
If you want to make papercrete mortar or plaster, mix paper pulp with cement in a 50/50 proportion.
If you want to increase load-bearing properties, use this formula:
- 5 parts paper pulp
- 3 parts clay
- 2 parts cement
- 1 part sand
If you want to increase insulation value where load-bearing is not critical, add more paper pulp. You should always have some cement in the mix (at least 10%), but you can and should experiment with various pulp proportions if you are embarking on some serious papercrete construction.
If you want to significantly increase load-bearing, do the 5-to-2 proportion of paper pulp and cement we demonstrated.
Avoid the temptation to simply use paper pulp only. That’s paper mâché, not papercrete. Paper pulp alone, when dried, is very weak in terms of load-bearing and also flammable.
There are other variations on papercrete formulas on the Internet that various papercrete masons swear by. We’ve covered some of the basics, but if you’re serious about papercrete, you’ll most likely develop your own favorite formula.
Off-Grid Papercrete Recipe
While it’s a bit messy, making papercrete is fairly easy. Especially with things like Perlite, power tools, ample electricity, lots of paper, and easy access to a hardware store for cement. But in a serious or sudden off-grid environment, you’re going to have to improvise. Let’s consider the tools and ingredients and think about options.
Water – No problem here as long as it’s raining or snowing from time to time. Besides, if there’s no water anywhere, you’ve got bigger problems than trying to figure out how to make papercrete.
Perlite or Vermiculite – Dirt and sand are easy substitutes. The benefit of fillers like Perlite or Vermiculite is that they’re lightweight and add to the insulating value of papercrete. While dirt and sand are heavier, they perform the same purpose to add structure to the papercrete and add some load-bearing properties as well.
Cement – Two options here. The easy one is to use clay. Dig deep enough in the ground and the chances are good you’ll hit a layer of clay. Adobe bricks are primarily made out of clay and when mixed with paper pulp, they can form a very good variation on papercrete. It’s more susceptible to water, but in a dry environment, it works fine.
The second option is to make Old Roman Concrete. It’s an ancient recipe dating back more than 2,000 years. We’ll cover that in a separate section because it’s a bit complicated.
Paper – Believe it or not, paper may quickly become a scarce commodity in an off-grid economy. The solution is to find a natural source of cellulose that has a fibrous composition. It’s the fibers in paper that give papercrete structural integrity, and you need that if you’re making it with a paper substitute.
Here are some good examples to look for:
- Burdock Stems and Burrs – These are highly fibrous. Their most common identifying characteristic is the cockle burrs that attach to our clothing during a casual walk in the woods and fields. In fact, the Romans used to make rope out of the stalks of Burdock after rubbing the stalks into fibers.
Dead Burdock is best after it has turned brown and is dry. If green, set the stems out to dry in the sun. Cut the stems and crush the burrs and toss them in the bucket along with some other good cellulose substitutes.
- Dried Grasses, Straw, or Hay – Grass is also highly fibrous, especially the seed stalks. Like Burdock, dead grasses that have dried seem to work best as a paper substitute for papercrete. Chop or use scissors to cut them into lengths about 2 to 4 inches long and soak and pulp them the same way as paper. If the grass is green, dry it in the sun and then cut.
Other plants with fibrous stalks or stems like cattail or horehound also work well.
Plants That DON'T Work As Paper Substitutes
- Leaves – It would seem that leaves could be a good substitute for paper, and while they have cellulose, they’re missing something: “Fibrous” Cellulose. Leaves have thin veins to carry water and nutrients, but the leaves themselves are fragile–especially when brown and dry–and don’t have strong fibers for support. Banana leaves are an exception, but most of us don’t have bananas growing in our backyard.
- Bark – Like leaves, bark also doesn't have enough fibrous cellulose. It has multiple bark layers on the trunk of a tree to do the same things, but bark is largely unaffected by water and won’t pulp well.
Natural Dyes
Many of us have found dyes in nature without even trying.
If you’ve ever spent time as a kid eating mulberries off a tree, you know how effective they can be when it comes to stains. Red Sumac berries are another example and can be added whole to off-grid papercrete while mixing. Other berries to consider include blackberries, black raspberries, and blueberries.
It’s best to mash them to release their juice and their color and then add the juice to the pulping bucket as you mix.
Making Papercrete the Off-Grid Way
While there are many natural sources of fibrous cellulose, there are only two options for a binder to replace store-bought Portland Cement: Ancient Roman cement and clay.
Of the two, clay is the easiest, but you’re going to have to dig to find it. It also doesn’t provide as much load-bearing strength as cement. And like paper pulp, it is vulnerable to moisture.
Adobe bricks are largely made from clay but most of the buildings constructed from Adobe bricks were built in desert areas where moisture was less of a concern. If you live in the desert, go for it. If you don’t, it’s worth taking a look at an old Roman formula for cement.
Roman Concrete and Cement
The Romans built their aqueducts, baths, some of their roads and harbors, and even the Pantheon using concrete. The Pantheon is a domed structure built with concrete that has stood without wear for more than 2,000 years.
The Romans didn’t mess around, and because their concrete pours had such a high concentration of their cement, they didn’t need rebar to reinforce walls and ceilings. The problem with rebar in concrete is that it eventually rusts and causes the concrete to crumble. The Romans didn’t have that problem.
In case you’re wondering, the difference between concrete and cement is that concrete is a combination of cement, sand, and gravel. Cement is a different story.
Roman Cement Formula “Opus Caementicium”
The original formula for Roman cement was lost for centuries and rediscovered in the 1700s by a French Engineer. Romans would take chunks of limestone and place them in a kiln. The high heat burned off carbon and oxygen in the limestone and left behind something called quicklime.
The resulting quicklime was then crushed to a powder and added to water to make a paste known as hydrated lime. This is the basic Roman cement that you could use with your natural, fibrous cellulose pulp to make papercrete. Assuming you have a kiln and access to limestone.
To make your papercrete, add 3 parts of natural cellulose pulp to 2 parts clay or 1 part of Roman cement (hydrated lime) and mix. The result will be similar to traditional papercrete and the color of the finished product will be a light shade of your pulp material and binder.
Cutting and Mixing Natural Cellulose
Without electricity, you won’t have the luxury of a power drill with a paint mixer, but if you have the mixer attachment, you can attach a handle to the top and press, twist, and turn by hand. A stucco mixer works best because it has the sharpest blades, but watch out for the sides of any plastic bucket.
It also helps to cut any grasses or stems as small as possible and smash them between two flat stones before soaking them in water. You can also dive in and use your hands to tear, mix, and crush. A branch about 2 inches thick with nails driven into the end can also be dropped, lifted, and dropped again and again into the mix to work the pulp.
It’s worth experimenting a bit with this off-grid approach if you think you’ll ever have a need for this type of masonry.
Scaling Up Papercrete
It’s time to get back on the grid and get serious. What we’ve explored so far is on a very small scale using 5-gallon buckets and single forms for a couple of bricks. If you’re planning larger projects with papercrete, you should do a few things:
- Experiment with formulations to suit your end use. If you’re looking for load-bearing, you’ll want to do some tests to see how a brick stands up to weight. You might also want to simply experiment with formulas and proportions to see what you think of the results.
- While you’re at it, experiment with mortar formulas. Most large-scale construction with any kind of masonry requires mortar. The standard formula is a 50/50 mix of paper pulp to cement, but see what happens if you vary that to 60/40, etc.
- Think mass-production. Don’t build a form for a single brick. Build long, multiple-brick forms from 8 to 16-foot 2 x 4’s in quantity so you can pour and form multiple bricks per batch.
- Scale up your mixing equipment. A 5-gallon bucket and a hand drill will make for long days and tired arms. But be forewarned. A traditional, standing cement mixer won’t cut it. That’s because it literally won’t effectively cut the paper into the shreds you need to make a pulp. Check the Internet with a search for “papercrete.” Many papercrete masons have constructed some simple and effective ways to mix large batches of paper pulp.
- Get the word out to friends, family, and neighbors that you want their paper. You could also check in with grocery stores and retailers who throw out large bundles of cardboard on a regular basis. You could even ask your local recycling center if you could have some paper. They might surprise you and just point you to an over-flowing paper dumpster.
- If you have the time, do some moisture tests on different papercrete formulations. It’s unreasonable to wait years for results, but after a couple of weeks or months you might start to understand the dynamics of papercrete and moisture a little better.
Beyond Papercrete
As a self-reliance skill, the ability to make papercrete can be very valuable. While you’re thinking about things like papercrete, it may be worth some time to look into Adobe construction, Fidobe (which is made with clay and shredded cloth), and other alternative building materials.
All of these can save you a lot of money, they have an attractive, rustic look, they can be painted and shaped to suit your eye, and they can give you another way to achieve self-reliance. It’s also fun and, at least on a small scale, easy to do.
Originally published on Homestead Survival Site.
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Dog Bug Out Bag – The Complete Prepper’s Guide to Building a 72-Hour Kit for Your Dog
When the order comes to evacuate, most preppers know exactly what to grab. The bug out bag is by the door. The vehicle is fueled. The plan is rehearsed. And then the dog is staring at you from across the room and you realize you have nothing ready for him.
Your dog is not optional equipment. He is a member of your household, and in a real emergency he is also an asset: a threat deterrent, a morale anchor, and in some cases an early warning system. Leaving him behind is not a plan. Throwing a bag of kibble in the car at the last minute is not a plan either. A properly built dog bug out bag is.
This guide covers everything you need to build a complete 72-hour kit for your dog, organized by priority, explained in enough detail to make smart gear and medical choices, and sized for the reality of a fast-moving bug out situation.
Why Your Dog Needs His Own Bug Out Bag
The answer is simple: because his needs are specific, his supplies cannot be improvised from human gear, and mixing his equipment into your own bag degrades both kits. A dog bug out bag keeps your animal’s critical supplies organized, accessible, and ready without slowing down your own load.
Beyond logistics, having a dedicated dog kit forces you to think through your dog’s actual needs in an emergency before the emergency arrives. Water requirements, food quantities, medical considerations, documentation, shelter needs, behavioral challenges under stress. All of it needs to be thought through in advance, not improvised at an evacuation shelter at midnight.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, pets are often the reason people refuse to evacuate or return to dangerous areas prematurely during disasters. A well-prepared dog kit removes that friction. When your dog is accounted for, you can focus on the situation.
Choosing the Right Pack: Does Your Dog Carry His Own Gear?
This is the first decision to make, and it depends entirely on your dog’s size, build, fitness level, and temperament. A healthy adult dog of medium to large size can carry 10% to 25% of his body weight in a properly fitted pack, making it reasonable for him to carry at least a portion of his own supplies.
A 60-pound Labrador can carry 6 to 15 pounds without difficulty on a moderate-distance evacuation route. That is enough for his food, water container, collapsible bowl, and some of his own medical supplies. A 15-pound terrier is not carrying his own gear in any meaningful way, and trying to load him will slow you down and risk injury to his spine and joints.
What to Look for in a Dog Pack
- Padded, adjustable saddle bags that sit balanced across the dog’s back without pressing on the spine
- Chest and belly straps that hold the load stable without restricting shoulder movement or breathing
- D-rings or handle attachments for leash clip and manual lifting over obstacles
- Weather-resistant material that can be wiped clean or rinsed
- Bright color or reflective trim for visibility in low-light conditions
For dogs that will not be carrying their own gear, or for overflow from the dog pack, a dedicated stuff sack or small daypack in your own vehicle or bag handles the rest. The key is that everything for the dog is together and labeled.
The Dog Bug Out Bag Master List
Category 1: Wearables and Mobility (Essential)
These are the items your dog wears or uses to move with you. They are non-negotiable regardless of dog size.
- Collar with current ID tags: Your dog’s collar should have a physical ID tag with your name, phone number, and any critical medical information. Tags get lost. Use a permanent marker to write your contact number directly on the inside of the collar as a backup. Replace the collar if the buckle or webbing is worn.
- Leash (primary): A 6-foot standard leash in nylon or leather. Not a retractable leash. In an emergency situation with traffic, crowds, stressed animals, and unstable terrain, a retractable leash is a liability. You need direct control.
- Leash (backup): A second leash or a length of paracord rigged as a slip lead. Leashes break, leashes get left behind, and a backup costs almost nothing.
- Dog hiking pack (medium to large dogs): As discussed above. Fit it before the emergency and have your dog wear it on regular walks so it is not a novel stressor when you need to move fast.
- Dog boots: Optional but high value for extended movement over rough terrain, hot pavement, debris-covered roads, or chemically contaminated surfaces. Most dogs need conditioning to tolerate boots. If you are including them in the kit, practice with them first.
- Dog raincoat: For small dogs, short-coated breeds, or cold-weather emergencies. Hypothermia in dogs is a real risk in wet and cold conditions, and a small dog that is cold and miserable is also a dog that is slowing you down.
- Paw wax: Protects paw pads from heat, cold, ice, salt, and abrasion on hard surfaces. Applies quickly and provides meaningful protection when boots are not feasible or tolerated.
Category 2: Food and Water (Essential)
The standard planning window for a bug out kit is 72 hours. Build your dog’s food and water supply to cover that window with a margin.
- Dog food (72-hour supply): Calculate your dog’s daily caloric requirement and pack 25% more than that. Activity and stress both increase caloric demand in dogs during emergency situations. Use your dog’s regular food to avoid digestive upset on top of stress. Pack in a sealed waterproof container or heavy zip-lock bags. If your dog is on a prescription diet, this is non-negotiable.
- Water (72-hour supply): Dogs require approximately 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight per day under normal conditions. Under heat, stress, or exertion that figure rises. A 50-pound dog needs roughly 50 ounces (just over 1.5 liters) per day minimum. Pack what you can and plan your route around water source access.
- Water container: A collapsible water carrier or a dedicated water bottle with enough capacity for at least one day’s supply. If you are on foot for an extended period, the ability to carry water from a source you find en route is essential.
- Collapsible bowl: Silicone collapsible bowls weigh almost nothing and compress flat. Pack two: one for food, one for water. Do not share your dog’s bowl with your own gear to prevent contamination.
- Electrolyte powder: Canine electrolyte supplements (or unflavored pediatric electrolyte powder used at reduced dosing) support hydration during heat stress and heavy exertion. Do not use sports drinks formulated for humans, as many contain sweeteners toxic to dogs.
Category 3: First Aid (Essential)
A dog first aid kit is not optional. In a grid-down or mass-casualty situation, veterinary care may be unavailable for days. You need to be able to manage wounds, allergic reactions, digestive emergencies, and tick exposure on your own until professional care is accessible. The American Red Cross strongly recommends all pet owners maintain a dedicated pet first aid kit and know the basics of its use.
- Gauze pads and rolls: For wound covering and pressure bandaging. Have both 2-inch and 4-inch sizes.
- Self-adhesive bandage wrap (Vetrap or equivalent): Sticks to itself but not to fur, making it ideal for securing dressings without causing pain on removal.
- Medical tape: For securing gauze on areas where Vetrap is not appropriate.
- Hydrogen peroxide (3%): Primary use: inducing vomiting in a dog that has ingested a toxin. Do not use without confirmed guidance from a veterinarian or poison control, as it is not appropriate for all ingested substances. Dose is 1 teaspoon (5ml) per 10 pounds of body weight, maximum 3 tablespoons, administered orally. Always verify with ASPCA Poison Control (888-426-4435) when possible.
- Sulfodene wound spray or equivalent antiseptic: For cleaning and treating minor cuts, abrasions, and paw injuries.
- Diphenhydramine (Benadryl): Antihistamine for allergic reactions, including insect stings, snake bites (as supportive care only), and contact allergies. Standard dosing is 1 mg per pound of body weight, up to 50mg, every 8 hours. Use plain diphenhydramine only, no formulations containing xylitol, decongestants, or other additives.
- Tick key or tick removal tool: A tick key removes ticks cleanly without crushing the body, reducing the risk of pathogen transfer. Standard tweezers work in a pinch but increase the risk of incomplete removal.
- Flea and tick treatment: A dose or two of your dog’s regular preventive, or a topical treatment appropriate for your dog’s weight. Wooded or rural evacuation routes in spring and summer present significant tick exposure.
- Metronidazole (Flagyl): A prescription antibiotic used to treat bacterial and protozoal gastrointestinal infections, including giardia, which dogs can acquire from contaminated water sources. Ask your vet to prescribe a course to keep in your emergency kit and confirm dosing for your dog’s weight. Not a substitue for veterinary care but a bridging measure when care is unavailable.
- Blunt-tip scissors: For cutting bandage material, removing mats from around wounds, and cutting away tangled material.
- Latex or nitrile gloves: Protect both you and your dog during wound care.
- Digital thermometer: Normal canine body temperature is 101 to 102.5 degrees F. A temperature above 104 degrees F indicates heat stroke; below 99 degrees F indicates hypothermia. Both are medical emergencies. Rectal measurement is the only reliable method for dogs.
- Saline solution: For flushing wounds and eyes. A sterile saline wound wash is more convenient than mixing your own in the field.
- Emergency contact card: Your regular vet’s number, the nearest 24-hour emergency animal hospital along your likely evacuation route, and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435). Laminate it.
Category 4: Documents (Essential)
Documentation becomes critical the moment you interact with an evacuation shelter, a checkpoint, animal control, or a boarding facility. Have a waterproof document envelope in your dog’s bag with:
- Current vaccination records: Rabies certification in particular. Many emergency shelters and all pet-friendly hotels require proof of current rabies vaccination for admission. Have a paper copy; do not rely on a phone you may not be able to charge.
- Veterinarian contact information: Name, clinic address, phone number, and any after-hours emergency contact.
- Photograph of your dog: A clear, recent photograph showing your dog’s markings, size, and any identifying features. Print two copies. One goes in the document envelope; one stays in your own wallet. If you are separated, this photograph is what gets your dog identified and returned to you.
- Medical history summary: Any ongoing conditions, current medications with dosages, known allergies, and microchip number. One page is enough. A new vet in an unfamiliar city needs this information to treat your animal safely.
- Microchip confirmation: If your dog is microchipped, include a copy of the microchip registration confirming your current contact information. Microchips save dogs but only when the registry information is current. Verify it now, not during the emergency.
Category 5: Comfort and Situational Gear (Suggested)
These items are not life-or-death essentials but they significantly affect your dog’s behavior, stress level, and performance under sustained emergency conditions. A calm dog is a manageable dog. A panicked, exhausted, or miserable dog is a liability.
- Sleeping pad or compact blanket: Insulation from cold ground during overnight stops. A closed-cell foam sit pad or a mylar emergency blanket works for most dogs in mild conditions.
- Dog light or glow sticks: A clip-on LED light for your dog’s collar or a glow stick attached to his harness makes him visible during night movement and reduces the risk of losing him in darkness. Some lights also serve as a locating beacon if you are separated.
- Waste bags: Sanitation discipline matters even in emergencies, especially in crowded evacuation areas, shelters, and staging zones where unsanitary conditions create disease risk quickly.
- Dog toy or familiar object: A small, familiar item helps reduce stress in dogs during displacement. This is not sentimental indulgence; stress significantly degrades a dog’s immune function, behavior, and trainability. One compact toy or a piece of worn clothing costs almost nothing in weight and pays back in a more manageable animal.
- Carrying case (small dogs): For dogs under 20 pounds, a soft-sided carrier allows you to move through crowds, board vehicles, and access facilities that may not otherwise admit dogs on foot. It also provides a secured, familiar space for a frightened small dog in a chaotic environment.
- Muzzle: Even the most well-tempered dog can bite when severely stressed, injured, or frightened. A soft muzzle stored in the kit costs almost nothing and could prevent a serious injury to you, a rescuer, or another animal. Ensure you have the right size.
Weight and Load Management
The total weight of a dog bug out bag depends on how much the dog carries versus how much you carry. For a medium to large dog carrying his own pack, target a combined kit weight of 10 to 20 pounds, with the dog carrying no more than 25% of his body weight and you carrying the rest.
Priority order if weight forces cuts: documents first, water and food second, first aid third, wearables fourth, comfort items last. Never cut the first aid kit below the essentials listed above.
For small dogs that carry nothing, the entire kit rides in your vehicle or pack. Keep it in a single dedicated bag or dry sack so it can be grabbed as one unit.
Pack It, Test It, Rotate It
A bug out bag that has never been tested is a bag full of surprises at the worst possible time. Once you have built your dog’s kit:
- Do a full gear check. Open every container, verify every expiration date, confirm every document is current.
- Take your dog on a loaded practice walk. If he is carrying his own pack, he needs to be comfortable with it before an emergency. An untrained dog in an unfamiliar pack will fight the gear, slow you down, and potentially injure himself.
- Rotate food and water on the same schedule as your human bug out bag. Every 6 to 12 months, depending on food type and container.
- Update documents whenever your dog’s vaccination status, medical conditions, or your contact information changes. An outdated rabies certificate will get you turned away from a shelter.
- Verify the microchip registry annually. A 5-minute check at the registry website is all it takes.
One Final Point
Your dog cannot tell you what he needs during an emergency. He cannot tell you he is overheating, that his paw is torn, that he drank contaminated water three hours ago. You are his entire support system in a crisis, and having the right gear is how you do your job. Build this kit with the same seriousness you brought to your own bug out bag. The Federal Emergency Management Agency explicitly includes pets in its household emergency preparedness guidance because the evidence from past disasters is clear: unprepared pet owners make worse decisions under pressure and put themselves and others at greater risk.
Your dog is ready when you make him ready. Start now.
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The post Dog Bug Out Bag – The Complete Prepper’s Guide to Building a 72-Hour Kit for Your Dog appeared first on Ask a Prepper.
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What Are the Most Popular Cookie Recipes?
What are the most popular cookie recipes? Few things in life bring a family together quite like the smell of cookies baking in the oven. Whether you’re pulling out a classic recipe you’ve made for decades or trying something new with the kids on a rainy afternoon, cookies are a timeless tradition that connects us to our past and to the people we love. Today, we’re going to talk about some of the most popular cookie recipes families keep coming back to, and we’ll also answer a question that might surprise you: who actually made the first cookie?
Items You May Need To Make Cookies:
Who Made the First Cookie?
Before we get to the recipes, let’s take a quick and fascinating journey back in time. The story of the cookie begins in 7th-century Persia, in what’s now modern-day Iran, one of the first countries to cultivate and use sugar. Early cookies weren’t the sweet treats we know today, but were actually small test cakes, tiny portions of cake batter baked to check the oven temperature before a larger cake was put in to bake. That simple, practical habit gave rise to what we now call the cookie. Bakels
By the 14th century, cookies were common throughout Europe, enjoyed by everyone from royalty to street vendors. During the Renaissance, new ingredients from trade routes, like spices, dried fruits, and nuts, were incorporated into recipes. This period saw the development of regional varieties like the Italian biscotti and the Dutch koekje, which simply means “little cake.” The Dutch settlers who came to the American colonies in the 17th century brought their koekje with them, and the word was eventually anglicized into “cookie.” Bakels
One of the most well-known cookies in the United States was actually invented by accident. At a restaurant in Massachusetts, Ruth Graves Wakefield began making cookies for her guests but ran out of baker’s chocolate. She decided to use a bar of semi-sweet chocolate, thinking it would simply melt into the dough. To her surprise, little pieces of chocolate appeared in the baked cookies. She called them the Toll House Crunch Cookies, and eventually sold the rights to her recipe, which was then printed on chocolate packaging. That happy accident gave the world the chocolate chip cookie, and nothing has been the same since. Jonathanlordcheesecake
The Most Popular Cookie Recipes Families Love
Now let’s get to the good part. Here are many of the cookie recipes that have stood the test of time and are still made in homes across the country.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
It should come as no surprise that the chocolate chip cookie sits at the very top of the list. Among the most popular cookie types, the chocolate chip cookie can be soft and doughy or crisp and crunchy, depending on how long you bake it or which ingredients you use. Most families have a version that gets passed down from one generation to the next, with little tweaks made along the way. The basic recipe calls for butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking soda, salt, and plenty of chocolate chips. Cream the butter and sugars together, add the eggs and vanilla, then mix in the dry ingredients and fold in the chips. Bake at 375 degrees for about 9 to 11 minutes, and you’ll have something truly wonderful. aol
My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie: Chocolate Chip Parfait Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut butter cookies are a staple in most family recipe boxes, and for good reason. They come together quickly using ingredients you almost certainly already have in your pantry. Peanut butter, sugar, an egg, and a little vanilla are really all you need. Roll the dough into balls, press them down with a fork to make that classic crosshatch pattern, and bake until just set. They’re simple, satisfying, and loved by children and adults alike.
Peanut Butter Cookies (with or without the Hershey’s Kisses)
Sugar Cookies
Sugar cookies might just be the most versatile cookie on this list. The sugar cookie is like the vanilla ice cream of cookies. Basic ingredients like sugar, flour, butter, eggs, and vanilla make up this beloved cookie. They can be easily cut into shapes and customized, leading to their widespread popularity, especially during the holidays. You can decorate them for any season or occasion, which makes them a wonderful project to do with kids. A batch of sugar cookies rolled out, cut into hearts or stars, and then frosted with simple icing is a tradition in countless homes around the country. aol
Soft And Chewy Frosted Sugar Cookies
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Oatmeal raisin is a seriously underrated cookie. Its dough is oatmeal-based and contains raisins and brown sugar. They’re warm and comforting, a reminder of simpler times and home-based cooking. If you want to make them extra special, soak your raisins in warm water for about 10 minutes before adding them to the dough. It keeps them plump and juicy, making a real difference in the final cookie. aol
Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodles have been a beloved American cookie for well over a century. Earlier names for cookies, such as Snickerdoodles, originated in New England. The dough itself is a simple butter-and-sugar base, but what makes these cookies unique is the generous roll in cinnamon sugar before baking. They come out of the oven with a slightly crispy edge, a soft, chewy center, and a warm cinnamon flavor that feels like a hug in cookie form. They’re one of the easiest cookies to make with children because rolling the dough balls in cinnamon sugar is a job little hands can do beautifully. What’s Cooking America
Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe
Gingerbread Cookies
When the holiday season arrives, gingerbread takes center stage. According to a nationwide analysis, gingerbread cookies were the most popular holiday cookie in the United States, topping purchase and search lists in 38 states and earning the unofficial title of America’s Christmas cookie. The rich combination of molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves creates a depth of flavor that’s impossible to replicate with any other recipe. Whether you cut them into gingerbread people and decorate them with royal icing or simply roll them into rounds and dust them with powdered sugar, gingerbread cookies belong in every family’s holiday tradition. aol
Gingerbread Cookies: You Will Love These
No-Bake Cookies
For days when you don’t want to turn on the oven or are short on time, no-bake cookies are a lifesaver. Made with oats, peanut butter, cocoa powder, butter, milk, and sugar, these cookies are cooked on the stovetop, then dropped onto wax paper to set. They’re rich, fudgy, and absolutely delicious. They also make a wonderful project for kids who are just learning to cook.
Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread is one of those recipes that proves you don’t need many ingredients to create something extraordinary. Butter, powdered sugar, and flour are the foundation of this classic cookie. The key to perfect shortbread is to use high-quality butter and not overwork the dough. When baked correctly, shortbread has a melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s unlike any other cookie. It goes well with a cup of hot chocolate, tea, or coffee and makes a lovely gift when packaged in a pretty tin.
These are as close to shortbread as I make: Sugar Cookies (Copycat Famous Cookies)
Why Homemade Cookies Still Matter
In a world where you can pick up a package of cookies at any grocery store, there’s still something deeply meaningful about making them from scratch at home. Homemade cookies are made with real ingredients you can actually pronounce. They fill your kitchen with the most welcoming smell imaginable. They give children a chance to learn basic cooking skills and to develop a love for working in the kitchen. And they carry with them the memory of every batch you’ve ever made before, every grandmother who handed down her recipe, every holiday kitchen full of flour and laughter.
When you keep a well-stocked pantry with staples like flour, sugar, butter, eggs, oats, chocolate chips, and spices, you’re always just a few steps away from a batch of homemade cookies. That kind of readiness is part of what it means to live a prepared, self-reliant life.
Final Word
Cookies have been bringing people joy for more than a thousand years, and there’s every reason to believe they always will. Whether you reach for a classic chocolate chip, a cinnamon-dusted snickerdoodle, or a beautifully decorated sugar cookie, you’re participating in a tradition that stretches back to ancient Persia and has traveled through centuries and continents to reach your kitchen today. So gather your family, pull out a mixing bowl, and bake something wonderful. The world is always better with fresh cookies in it. May God bless this world, Linda
The post What Are the Most Popular Cookie Recipes? appeared first on Food Storage Moms.
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