Friday, December 31, 2021
40 Drought-Tolerant Plants for Your Survival Garden
Drought tolerant plants are an excellent choice for a survival garden no matter where you live. Periods of little to no rain have plagued gardeners for centuries, even in mild climates. The month of July, in particular, always proves to be an obstacle for garden and herb crops.
You can garden successfully even in hot climates that are prone to periods of drought if you choose the proper plants to cultivate and grow them in a way that helps them retain moisture and flourish.
While fruit is the most difficult crop to grow during a drought, a vast array of vegetable and herb plants can survive drought conditions and still generate a robust harvest from the survival garden.
Top 40 Drought-Tolerant Plants
The following vegetable and herb crops are highly suitable for growing in drought conditions and in hot climates in general.
- Amaranth
- Black Diamond Watermelon
- Black-Eyed Peas – also known as field peas and cowpeas
- Borage
- Calendula
- Cassava
- Chia
- Chickpeas
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Dandelion
- Dragon Fruit
- Echinacea
- Eggplant
- Golden Oregano
- Grapes
- Groundnut
- Heatwave Tomatoes
- Jerusalem Artichokes – sunchokes
- Lavender
- Lima Beans
- Mullein
- Mustard Greens
- Okra
- Peppers
- Pole Beans
- Pomegranate
- Pumpkin
- Quinoa
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Savory
- Sorghum
- Spring Radishes
- Summer Squash
- Sunflowers
- Sweet Potatoes
- Tarwi
- Thyme
- Zucchini
Drought Crop Growing Tips
Soil
It all begins with the soil, no matter how amazing the seeds or starter plant are that you want to put in the ground. The nutrition of the soil is especially important when planning on growing successfully during times of drought.
To have healthy soil that will retain moisture during periods of little to no rain, make sure that the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are optimal. The exact amount of each nutrient needed in the soil will be specific to each plant that you are growing. If you are trying to keep fruit trees and bushes alive during a drought, ample amounts of these three essential nutrients will be necessary.
Because livestock manure contains a large amount of soluble salt, use it only sparingly as compost in a survival garden to survive a drought. Skipping the manure entirely may be advisable if keeping plants alive during a drought is a major concern. Manure compost has many advantages, and I have used it a lot when growing various types of plants, but it does have disadvantages, as well.
Arid soil, or soil that will become arid during a long drought, will have a high alkaline content. Lowering the pH levels in the soil to keep all plants, especially fruits, healthy will be necessary. Infusing the soil with sulfur is one tried-and-true way to bring down the pH level.
Sun Protection
The intense heat of the sun can cause both tip burn and scalding of plants during a drought. Using a tarp, dark sheet, or some other type of awning or protective covering can help prevent crops from being scorched and ultimately, killed.
Watering
It is never a good idea water plants from the top down, especially during a drought. Using a drop hose (soaker hose) that waters the plants at ground level should help prevent scorching during times of intense heat and no rain.
Always water crops in the survival garden in the morning or at dusk to further prevent them from getting scorched by the application of water as heat is raging all around them. While the amount of water each crop requires varies, it is the general rule of thumb that all plants need roughly two inches of water per week to survive.
The drought tolerant vegetable plants on the list above are prone to developing deep root systems which both help them sustain themselves when water is stunningly lacking yet the sun is intense.
Young plants will typically fare a lot better during a drought than recently planted seeds. If a drought hits or is anticipated to hit not long after you plan to plant seeds in the garden, consider sprouting them into young plants indoors before planting them. Once the plants are nearing the flowering stage, they are more likely able to withstand intense sun and a lack of natural watering.
If you absolutely need to get seeds into the ground right away to start cultivating a survival garden, consider using seeds that are quick growing and can be harvested in a shorter amount of time, like zucchini and spring radishes.
Drought Plant Selection And Growing Plan
Grouping vegetable plants with similar watering needs together or engaging in vegetable and herb companion planting may help your survival garden even during a drought. This method of crop cultivation can help prevent overwatering of some plants while focusing on providing the optimal amount of moisture for a guild or grouping of plants.
This type of a growing plan is also known as “intercropping.” Farmers in Africa have used the intercropping process with great success, especially when growing corn, sweet potatoes, and cassava together.
Cowpeas
While cowpeas are not known as a traditional garden crop in the United States, farmers in both Brazil and Nigeria cultivate this hardy seed extensively. Cowpea is highly capable of thriving even in regions prone to drought where farmers are forced to consistently deal with parched garden soil due to receiving less than 12 inches of rainfall annually.
As long as the cowpea seeds are able to garner enough moisture to take root they should be able to survive a drought. The stalks and stems of the cowpea plant are not consumed by humans but can be used as a nutrient dense type of livestock fodder.
Another wonderful benefit of growing either cowpea, corn, or Jerusalem artichokes during a drought is the shade they cast onto other crops planted nearby in the survival garden.
Chickpea, also not a typical garden crop in the United States, is heralded as one of the most vital legum grain crops around the globe. Farmers in unusually dry regions of China and throughout South Asia invest their cultivation time heavily in chickpeas because of its drought durable nature.
Chia
Chia and Tarwi may be the two most unusual survival garden plants on this list – but they are definitely worth attempting to grow as part of a drought food security plan.
During ancient times, Aztecs communities in Central America widely grew chia for its edible and tasty seeds because of its ability to not only survive but thrive during periods of acutely dry weather.
In our modern world, a growing number of farmers in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Bolivia, and Ecuador are harkening back to the olds ways and planting chia as part of their drought harvest plan.
Chia seeds are full of rich protein and can either be eaten whole as a snack or tossed into a casserole or soap, ground into a flour, or pressed to make a cooking oil.
Tarwi
Tarwi is a type of a pea plant that develops a vibrant blue blossom as it grows into maturity. The Incas and Bolivian farmers largely considered tarwi as one of their most reliable and drought resistant survival crops. This is a relatively quick growing crop that is now also being grown increasingly by sub-Saharan African farmers seeking a more drought resistant crop, as well.
Tarwi seeds, like chia, boast a high percentage of protein. They can be eaten whole and raw or cooked, ground into a flour or pressed to make a superbly flavored cooking oil.
Beans
Beans area “go to” drought-resistant crops throughout Latin and Central America. Agriculture scientists are consistently and diligently working to develop even more drought-resistant bean varieties to further the nutrient-rich crop options to feed people in drought-prone areas of the world.
The Centa-Eac bean (named for the National Center for Agricultural and Forestry Technology where the development research for the bean strain took place) is one of the newest hybrid drought-resistant beans that was created by crossing red beans and black beans over the course of several years.
Farmers who struggle annually with drought in Nicaragua are growing the INTA-Tomabu red bean that was also created by agricultural scientists specifically to withstand periods of very little rain.
Preparing to grow a survival garden that is able to produce a sustainable harvest during a drought should be an essential part of any homesteader’s or prepper’s food security plan. While you can stockpile seeds explicitly to plant during a drought or for an SHTF event, it is far better to incorporate such plants into your annual survival garden now.
The success rates for the crops as well as the development of the soil will likely be much higher if you have experience cultivating both the plants and the dirt they grow in ahead of when there is a dire need to rely upon their harvest.
Heirloom seeds should be purchased for the drought-resistant survival garden plants whenever feasible. Saving some seeds from each year’s crops will help to better ensure you have a variety strain that is hardy to your environment and growing soil. Proper storage of any type of seeds is essential to its potential germination and ultimately, the yield the plant that grows from it will produce, as well.
Thursday, December 30, 2021
10 Reasons Why You Should Be Canning Your Own Meat
By Andrea
The truth is, though, canning meat has so many advantages that it’s worth getting past the hurdle of intimidation and jumping in.
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
HOW TO GROW ELDERBERRIES
by Ashley Adamant
Elderberries are a common wild edible berry, easily spotted by their bright blooms in early summer, followed by huge clusters of small purple berries in the early autumn. The fact that elderberries readily grow in the wild means that they’re a good choice for beginning gardeners, and they’ll thrive even with neglect.
Though their delicious and make excellent pies and jellies, elderberries are better known for their medicinal properties. They’ve gained a lot of attention in recent years because new studies show that they can reduce the duration and severity of flu symptoms.
One study found that just a small amount of elderberry extract (tincture) caused the participants to recover from the flu 4 days earlier than people given a placebo. While they might not “cure” the flu, they seem to good a job of supporting a healthy immune system to help your body recover naturally.
With all that press, it’s no wonder why dried elderberries sell out every flu season. If you grow your own elderberries at home, you’ll always have plenty of elderberries for homemade remedies like elderberry syrup, plus enough to make a few fresh elderberry pies in season.
Tuesday, December 28, 2021
5 Safest Places to Hide During Martial Law
By Tom Marlowe
Martial law is one of those concepts that is once again clinging to people’s thoughts. It is not hard to see why, with levels of social division, political strife, rioting and other forms of civil strife becoming so commonplace and so intense it stands to reason that, eventually, the authorities are going to put their foot down in a big way. That means martial law will be declared to restore order.
It is frightening to consider that your comings and goings as well as all local law enforcement duties and procedure could soon be under the military’s umbrella of responsibility.
I know that many patriots have nothing but the very best opinion about our nation’s armed forces and the members that populate it, but almost never in recorded history has placing the military in charge of policing civilians ended well.
Instead of risking their survival efforts being hampered by curfews, travel restrictions, confiscations and other activities that are so often attendant with martial law, many preppers plan to hit the road, and hide somewhere else until things get back to normal, assuming they do.
In today’s article we will share with you five places you can hide when martial law is declared.
Monday, December 27, 2021
Worm Castings 101
by Rebekah White
Composting with worms is one of the best ways to create your own fertile, nutritious soil – even if you don’t have a lot of room outdoors for a full-fledged compost bin. You can get rid of all kinds of garden waste as well as kitchen debris, like vegetable peelings.
Plus, worm composting helps free up space in the county landfill (a win for the environment!) and provides you with free soil for your garden. What’s not to love?
Today, I still continue worm composting (vermicomposting) even though I have a large outdoor compost pile. It’s a great way to keep the composting action going even during the dead of winter – and as an added bonus, I don’t have to step outside when it’s -20 outside to do so, either!
Here’s everything you need to know about worm composting and its byproduct, worm castings.
Sunday, December 26, 2021
Why “Gray” Is the New Black: Assessing Baseline and Blending In
by Daisy Luther
In the fashion world (which I’m assuredly not a part of), every year there’s a color or pattern that is deemed “the new black.” That means it’s a new basic, works well in just about any setting, and in any wardrobe.
The world I am a part of is the survival and preparedness world, and in our little corner of it, “gray” is the new black. Yep, I’m talking about the gray man principle of just blending into the background regardless of where you happen to be. With all the violent divisiveness, the uptick in crime, and the “cancel” craze, hiding in plain sight can be your best bet to avoid trouble.
You may find this article seems geared more toward women but that’s just because I used personal examples. Whether you’re male or female, being able to assess the baseline and blend in is a valuable skill.
Being “gray” means blending in with the baseline.
Saturday, December 25, 2021
After the Bug Out
By Bill White
We all know that bugging out and being ready to bug out, is an important part of prepping.
I’ve seen countless articles about building a bug out bag through the years, along with countless lists about what to put in them. Most of those are pretty similar, but they all seem to have an item or tow that the author of that list thinks is important to have, and which others have ignored.
Which of us doesn’t want to have that proverbial cabin the woods, someplace we can take our family to, when everything else falls apart? For that matter, it would be nice to have that cabin, even with everything going good. Who doesn’t need a place to get away to? But having it set up to be a survival retreat, when everything else goes south, definitely makes owning that cabin more than worthwhile, even if we don’t get to get away every weekend.
The tricky part about that isn’t so much the cabin, that’s just expensive. It’s stockpiling the cabin, making sure it’s ready to use as a survival retreat. It’s hard to stockpile supplies in a remote place and even harder to make sure that those supplies are secure. So even while bugging out, our minds would be filled with questions of how we’ll find the retreat, once we get there.
Friday, December 24, 2021
The Pros & Cons Of Raising Smaller Livestock
by Samantha Biggers
A lot of people who are interested in raising farm animals feel daunted by the task, especially if they don’t have a lot of acreage. But there are plenty of livestock options out there for those with limited space.
In this article, I’ll discuss the pros and cons of raising various smaller types of livestock.
Raising livestock is not a decision that should be made without any significant consideration. Animals require regular care and attention. Above all else, you want to be humane in how they are treated and in giving them acceptable quality of life — which takes devoted care and attention. It can be a challenge to find someone to care for your animals the way you do should you have to go away on business or want to take a vacation with your family.
Thursday, December 23, 2021
29 Ways to Prepare for the Hard Times Ahead
By Gordon Atkins
Personal catastrophes are happening all the time. National and global crises can have a devastating effect on countless people causing hard times for everyone.
In recent history, the oil crisis caused a stock market crash in 1973-74…
The Iranian Revolution made the recession that hit during the time of President Carter in 1980 worse…
A spike in oil prices caused a recession in the late 1990s…
The “dot-com bubble” burst during 2001, resulting in a recession…
During 2007 the so-called Great Recession appeared…
With the virus hitting in 2020, the world is headed into a new recession.
Other horrific events tropical storms, hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes are also guilty of creating terrible times for thousands and at times millions of people.
Most of these events are unpredictable, however, if we learn from history we can be certain that another catastrophic event will happen soon.
With such a wide range of catastrophes, how then is it possible to prepare for hard times ahead?
Wednesday, December 22, 2021
8 Ways to Practice ADVANCED Situational Awareness
by Fabian Ommar
In one of my recently published articles, I defined situational awareness. I also presented a list of risks and threats commonly found in the urban environment and those posed by large and smaller groups of people and individuals. Selco, who survived in an urban setting, offers excellent examples of the differences between Urban Survival and Rural Survival as well as guidance for survival planning.
Here I will go over techniques for development and practices to improve situational awareness. Before we move ahead and get practical, let’s see one more aspect of situational awareness theory and psychology. Let’s also look at how it works in our minds to apply it in the most productive manners during training and everyday situations.
Tuesday, December 21, 2021
10 Reasons to Stock Up On Rubbing Alcohol
By Linda Loosli
Today, I have 10 reasons to stock up on rubbing alcohol. There’s a pretty good chance that you already have some form of rubbing alcohol in your home, whether it’s stowed away in your first aid kit, or hanging out in your cleaning supply closet among the other cleaners.
As it turns out, rubbing alcohol has many different therapeutic uses that you can benefit from, besides cleaning off your countertop space. It’s a natural, cheap, and effective solution to help you with a handful of problems that will make your life much easier. Check out these reasons to stock up on rubbing alcohol.
It’s one of those versatile items that every prepper should consider having, especially if you were forced to live off the grid for a while. If you are spending more time outdoors, you’re more likely to run into some of the unpleasant situations mentioned below.
Monday, December 20, 2021
One-Week Meal Plan From The Great Depression
Most meals during the Great Depression came with what you already had or could barely afford to buy. Neighbors traded with neighbors, people grew and harvested their produce and meat, and canned foods were cherished.
Three meals a day for these families is ambitious, as food and money were so scarce for so many people.
It’s easy to get comfortable, but if we do not learn from our mistakes back then, we could very well head into a similar situation in the future.
Sunday, December 19, 2021
Active Shooters In The New Normal
By Joseph Alton MD
On March 23rd, 2021, a man thought to be mentally disturbed entered a Boulder, Colorado grocery store and began a shooting rampage. 21-year-old Al Aliwi Alissa, born in Syria but living in the United States since the age of three, managed to kill 10 people, including a police officer, before disrobing and surrendering to authorities. It’s thought that the gunman has a long history of anger issues and may have paranoid tendencies.
The shooting follows an incident where another 21-year-old killed 8 people in Georgia at local massage parlors, which he saw as a form of temptation for what is described as a “sex addiction.” The recent shootings in diverse settings follow a lull during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
In the last few years, shooting events by the disaffected, disturbed, and disgruntled have occurred on a regular basis. Schools, churches, places of business, and other public venues are now fair game for those with bad intentions. Armed not only with weapons but with a blueprint from previous incidents, gunmen can identify soft targets easily and are more “successful” in achieving their goal of creating mass casualties.
Like COVID-19, have these events become part of the “New Normal”? Should we just get used to them?
You might think that the “successes” achieved by active shooters occur at random. The increase in the sheer number of casualties, however, reveal a strategy that is being refined to deadly effect.
The selection of soft targets is becoming a science and is leading to higher numbers of deaths and injuries. In the 2018 South Florida high school shooting, for example, the gunman activated the fire alarm to make sure there would be lots of targets in the hall. To create confusion, he tossed smoke bombs (but prudently wore a gas mask).
If the ill-intentioned are now that much better at creating mayhem, it stands to reason that our society must become better at thwarting those intentions. Here are ways that would, in my opinion, decrease the number of shooter incidents and the deaths caused by them:
Improve security in areas at risk. I would define an “area at risk” as just about anywhere where a crowd of people would gather. Better protection at malls or grocery stores may just be a matter of hiring more security personnel. Given the loss of so many jobs during the pandemic, it’s not a bad idea to train and hire workers specifically to keep an eye out for those with bad intentions. If the money isn’t there, establishing and training a volunteer safety team in places like churches, schools, or workplaces can increase the level of vigilance and identify threats early.
Although the recent attacks occurred in cities, rural areas aren’t immune. Establish volunteer safety officers in small towns where there may not be law enforcement and emergency medical personnel just around the corner. These persons should have training in security, firearms, and first aid for bleeding wounds. If there are volunteer fire departments, while not trained volunteer safety departments?
Instill a culture of situational awareness in our society. Situational awareness is a state of calm, relaxed observation of factors that might indicate a threat. These are called “anomalies”; learning to recognize them can identify suspicious individuals and save lives.
Situational awareness involves always having a plan of action when a threat occurs, even if it’s as simple as making a note of the nearest exit in whatever building you’re in. Seems like common sense, but in these days of smartphone distractions, many are oblivious of their surroundings.
Identify persons of interest through their social media posts. Some active shooter candidates are vocal about their intentions. You might be concerned about “big brother” monitoring our public conversations on social media. It concerns me also, but you must answer this question: How many deaths are you willing to accept in your community due to a lack of vigilance?
We must always be on the lookout for signs of trouble. Even if this drives some potential gunmen underground, it might identify others in time to abort their mission.
In the case of Alissa, his sister-in-law felt compelled to take a gun away from him when he was acting erratically. In some states, it is possible for family members or police to ask the court to order the temporary removal of firearms from someone who may present a danger to others or themselves. A judge makes the determination to issue the order based on statements made and actions of the person in question. Controversial? Yes, but it could save lives.
Each municipality must set a mechanism (and an earlier trigger) for the authorities to apprehend and interrogate suspicious characters. Indeed, Ali Aliwi Alissa was a known person of interest to authorities before the attack.
Learn how to stop bleeding in emergencies: Teach our citizens to avoid the natural paralysis that occurs in an unexpected event. This paralysis occurs as a result of “normalcy bias”, the tendency to discount risks because most days proceed in a certain standard manner; we usually assume that today will be the same.
By teaching simple courses of action such as the Department of Homeland Security’s “Run, Hide, Fight” triad, the decision-making process may be more intuitive and more rapidly implemented. This is more effectively taught and ingrained at a young age. Make sure it’s a part of every child’s education.
We should also teach our students simple first aid strategies to stop bleeding, the most likely cause of death in these scenarios. Rapid action by bystanders is thought to decrease the number of deaths from hemorrhage. Add “Reduce” hemorrhage to “Reading, ‘Riting, and ‘Rithmetic” as part of school curriculum, and lives might be saved.
Provide first aid kits for bleeding in public venues. In the last few years, bleeding kits have been packed into fire extinguisher wall cabinets in many public venues and can be accessed by those at the scene. Unfortunately, in most places, there isn’t a sign that indicates their presence. With supplies, the Good Samaritan will be more likely to save a life. I predicted, years ago, that these kits will be fixtures everywhere one day. It’s good that they’re there, but let the public know they are.
Our response as a nation has been to do little to correct the problem. I say that era must end. Let’s stop being “soft” targets. We must forsake the notion that shootings are just part and parcel of the New Normal and begin the process by which we change our attitude and level of vigilance, not in isolated cases, but as a society.
The above recommendations wouldn’t affect the average (sane) citizen’s right to bear arms. It would mean more situational awareness so that people can be more ready to “Run, Hide, Fight”.
If it means more surveillance, we should realize how much there is already. Watching people who publicly threaten violence more closely makes sense; so does increasing access to mental health resources to, perhaps, prevent someone from going off the rails.
The New Normal is an angry, dangerous place. The American identity has been replaced by many tribal ones; Most seem to hate each other. It’s a recipe for disaster that’s likely to get worse if we don’t reverse course, but that takes fortitude and determination on the part of all parties.
You don’t have to be a Department of Homeland Security official to know that there are more active shooter events on the horizon. Watch for anomalies in behavior and always have a plan of action. A prepared nation wouldn’t be invulnerable to attacks, but its citizens would have a better chance to survive them.
Joe Alton MD
Saturday, December 18, 2021
25+ Survival Uses Of Resin
When disaster strikes, will you be prepared?
You likely already have a list of all the foods you need to grow and stockpile, as well as the emergency and first aid supplies you need, should an emergency occur. However, resin is the ingredient you should consider keeping on hand – here’s why.
Resin is the secretion from a tree that is caused by a cut or break. Trees secrete resin to seal up injuries and reduce the likelihood of infection from disease.
Most often gathered from pine trees, there are 25+ survival uses of resin you’ve got to consider.
Friday, December 17, 2021
Thursday, December 16, 2021
3 Survival Bread Recipes for Preppers
Bread has been a survival staple since ancient times. Even the Roman soldiers carried hard tack with them on expeditions, and they were a staple carried on ships, sealed into barrels to protect them from seawater.
In the 1700’s, the shortage of bread was part of the reason the riots leading to the French Revolution began.
Every culture in the world has different variations of flat breads made with locally available flours. Then there are the breads made with a sourdough or cornmeal starter, those made with commercially produced yeast, and those that rely on baking soda.
Preppers have a couple of stock recipes for bread making, but in the event you are new to bread making or want to ring the changes with some alternate bread recipes, from quick flatbreads made in a skillet over the fire to Dutch oven breads, there are plenty to pick from, as long as you have some flour in your pantry.
Some recipes can be combined with foraged items like cattail flowers, and others with produce from your survival garden, like corn. Read on for inspiration.
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Hyperinflation: Cause for Concern or Food for Fiction?
Do you ever feel like “enough is enough” when it comes to bad news in the headlines? That’s how I’m feeling after more than a year of covid-19 news and watching more violent protests than I ever care to see again. Now, with news of more trillion-dollar government spending, it seems inevitable that talk of economic collapse and hyperinflation prepping will once again take center stage in social media and in news sources.
Tuesday, December 14, 2021
How to Dehydrate Pineapple
Food storage and learning what foods your family likes can involve a lot of trial and error. And in our home there has been a lot of error. In fact the kids seem to focus on all my errors and sometimes don't exhibit the proper appreciation for my efforts in trying whatever it is out now, when we can feed the mistakes to the chickens and dogs, rather than later, when they may just have to eat and grin and bear it.
Fortunately for you, I have made a lot of errors that you can learn from and not have to repeat yourselves.
Monday, December 13, 2021
SHTF delusions that can bite you in the butt
By JAMES L
I have talked about a few of these before in previous articles, and yet these delusions have seemingly grown stronger over the past few years.
A long-term, grid-down disaster is not going to be like what is portrayed in movies and on TV. It is going to be a extremely difficult. It is going to tax you mentally, and test you physically.
Sunday, December 12, 2021
Storing Food in Glass Jars for the Long-Term
By M. I. Grey
As I get older, I reflect more and more on the generations that came before me and my family. Every fall, I send my father a picture of the four tons of wood pellets I’ve loaded into the garage and the canning that we completed over the year.
My grandmother was a practical woman. It has been said that she was happiest two days a year: the day they filled the coal bin, and the day they completed the canning.
A full coal bin guaranteed that her family would be warm throughout the winter. A cupboard filled with jars ensured they wouldn’t go hungry.
Saturday, December 11, 2021
The Ultimate Guide to Bugging Out
by Tom Marlowe
Even if you are a complete newbie to prepping in general you have doubtlessly already heard the term BOB, meaning “bug-out bag”, referenced countless times in various articles, books and discussions on the matter.
The bug-out bag is the backpack you’ll carry containing all of your supplies you’ll need for the bug out itself that the pack is named for, the self-starting evacuation that will hopefully see you and your loved ones escape from trouble.
So that’s great. Now what do you do? Seriously, it is time to grab your pack, grab your family, and flee your home with the hope that you’ll reach someplace safe. Where do you go? How do you get there? What do you do?
Friday, December 10, 2021
What to Do If You Run Into a Snake?
Pretty much anywhere you live in the world you can be assured you’ll eventually run into a snake in your travels. These slithering, cold blooded reptiles give many people the willies and often inspire panic.
Though the vast majority of snakes are not venomous and nearly harmless to people a close encounter with a venomous snake can turn into a life-threatening altercation, and even a bite from a non-venomous snake can have serious consequences. Do you know how to handle one of these close encounters?
Thursday, December 9, 2021
9 Reasons Every Prepper Needs A Landline Phone
Following a Disaster, a Landline Phone is Often More Reliable Than a Cell Phone.
According to a recent study, more than 50% of people no longer use landline phone service. They are totally dependent on their cell phones. According to the same study, 71% of 24 to 34 year-olds solely use cell phones.
The logic for many is obvious. I pay a lot for my cell phone service so why should I pay for a landline that never rings anymore? That makes sense, especially if your finances are tight, but the old landline phones may be one of your best bets for communication in a disaster.
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
What To Add In An EMP Survival Kit
The threat of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) being used as a weapon against the U.S. isn’t as far-fetched of a threat as many out there would like it to be. There are a number of other nations with EMP weapon capacity, and many of them hate the United States with a passion.
Perhaps it’s in recognition of this fact that you’ve come to the conclusion that you need to do something to prepare for such an event.
If you’ve read One Second After and both of the Lights Out books and know that the threat is real but aren’t really sure where to start in mitigating your disaster, you’ve come to the right place.
Let’s take a look at what you’ll need in such a kit.
The Kit Itself
If you read enough on EMPs, you’ll hear the term “Faraday cage” thrown around a lot in conversation. The term sounds all scientific and all that, so the concept of actually crafting your own Faraday cage sounds like something only an engineer can accomplish. Thankfully, it’s rather easy.
All you need are the following:
- A metal trash can (with lid)
- Aluminum HVAC tape
- Lots of newspaper
If you have those three items, you’re all set. Stuff everything you need for your kit inside this trash can, using balled up newspaper to ensure that nothing comes into contact with the metal of the can. If it comes into contact with the metal, it could easily be fried in the event of an EMP.
It’s best to insulate all of the electronics within your kit from each other as well. Try to keep everything inside from physically touching other objects.
Related: 5-Minutes DIY Tested Faraday Cage Out Of A Trash Can
Once this is accomplished, put the lid on tight, and then seal around the edge of the now closed lid with the aluminum HVAC tape.
Tada! You made a Faraday cage! Everything inside should easily survive an EMP.
But what should we stuff inside this EMP Survival Kit? That’s where the real conundrum lies, isn’t it?
A Rocket Stove
At the very bottom of the can, I would place a Minuteman Rocket Stove.
While this most certainly isn’t an item that needs a Faraday cage, the goal here is to create a total EMP survival kit.
So while there are going to be protected electronics within the cage, there are also going to be other items that don’t need such protection but will help you to survive an EMP.
In the event of such a disaster, this makes your EMP survival kit a one-stop-shop.
The reason you want a rocket stove is that post-pulse, you’re going to quickly run out of options for cooking your food. There will be no microwaves and few stoves, and what grills are out there will quickly run out of propane and charcoal.
However, a rocket stove can run on sticks and leaves, lights incredibly easily, and is very portable. I can’t recommend these highly enough.
Ham Radios
The next thing that you’re going to want to place in your Faraday cage is going to be ham radios.
Ideally, you’re going to want to stuff in as many different types of these as possible.
Handy talkies, base stations, portable and mobile units – you’d ideally want them all.
There will be no other means of long-distance communication after an EMP, and those without ham radios will be at a huge disadvantage.
Related: Quick and Easy Cheat Sheet to Learn How to Operate a Ham Radio
If nothing else, I recommend having three UV-5Rs in here for group comms on supply runs and for retreat security. If possible, see if you can put an Icom handy talkie that can hit the HF bands in there as well.
This will help you to listen in on out-of-state conversations so that you can get a better glimpse of what’s going on in the rest of the world.
Mission Darkness Faraday
This may not initially sound like it makes a lot of sense (What’s the point of having a Faraday cage after an EMP?), but hear me out.
If somebody is willing to destroy a country with an EMP, they’ve already shown that they have the ability to do so. As such, there is a possibility that they could launch a second EMP a few months after the first one so that all backup equipment would be fried. This would truly plunge the U.S. into the Dark Ages.
Personally, I would invest in three or four MD dry phone sleeves and store my ham HTs in these when they’re not in use. Better safe than sorry.
Food and Drink
You likely already have food stocked elsewhere in your home, but it never hurts to add more of what you can to an EMP kit as well. The more food you have after a disaster, the better off you will be.
As such, you should throw some supplies in here that store for a long time, and don’t take up a ton of space.
So here are some of the things that I recommend:
- Power Bars
As far as I’m concerned, these things last forever. They’re not the most flavorful of snacks, but they’re virtually indestructible and have a reasonable amount of nutrition. I’ve often found myself on backpacking trips chewing on one that was more than a few years old. I highly recommend keeping some of these on hand at all times.
- MREs
While somewhat of a bulkier item, if you can fit it, I highly recommend stuffing a few MREs into your can as well. Most of the time I make my own, but I am a fan of Patriot Supply MREs as well. A lot of times you can find them on fantastic sales of three days’ worth of food for $10 or so.
Related: How to Make Delicious MREs at Home
- Cup of Soup Packets
I’m personally a fan of these little individualized packets of dehydrated powder. They last fairly long, take up virtually no space whatsoever, and can serve as a wonderful base to a host of recipes. I do a lot of cooking with different online recipes and a cup of soup packets get featured in there pretty regularly.
- Instant Coffee
Because living in a post-pulse world will be hard enough, attempting to beat a caffeine addiction on top of things is just too much. Throw in a couple of those vacuum-sealed bricks of the cheap stuff. They should last for a very long time.
A Handpump
You’re still going to want to have access to gasoline if you can find it. Pre-1964 vehicles don’t have computers built into them and are still going to work post-pulse. There may be other vehicles that you’re able to get started as well. Gasoline is going to be a hot commodity item for a number of reasons. But the problem is that people aren’t going to be able to access the gas that’s right under their feet.
A handpump is essentially two long pieces of tubing that have a bulb pump in the middle of them.
You squeeze this part to begin pumping gas out of one container and pump it into the other container.
Even if the type you get isn’t long enough to reach down into a gas station’s underground storage, you’ll at least be able to siphon off gas from abandoned vehicles without having to suck through a garden hose.
A Sizeable Amount of Cash
I, and many others, argue that there will be a maximum of three days post-pulse until society collapses.
If you have reason to believe that it was an EMP strike that took out your power, I highly recommend getting to the nearest grocery store or gas station to clean them out of anything edible.
This will help top off your food stores with what has now become worthless.
Hygiene Tips
Proper hygiene is essential to health, and there’s a reason that strange diseases begin to pop up all over the place within disaster populations. Germs thrive in filthy environments, and post-disaster is no time to end up with some obscure form of infection simply because you couldn’t keep yourself clean.
So here are some of the things you should consider adding to your EMP survival kit:
- Toothpaste and Toothbrushes
These really don’t take up a lot of space, and your teeth are something you’re going to want to take very good care of post-disaster. If you’ve ever experienced the pain of a toothache, you know how it can absolutely devastate your ability to get anything accomplished. The pain quickly becomes all-encompassing.
Related: 10 Home Remedies for Emergency Toothache Relief
If you imagine such a situation occurring when there is virtually a zero percent chance that you’ll be able to see a dentist anytime soon, you’ll understand why it’s so important to take care of your teeth.
- A First Aid Kit
In my opinion, one of the prime pieces within your first aid kit should be Neosporin.
Our soldiers in the Vietnam War quickly learned how even the tiniest of nicks can quickly grow to be a nasty source of infection, and thus, how important it is to keep wounds clean.
A small kit with plenty of antibiotic cream, a variety of bandages, and other odds and ends can both easily fit within the can as well as be a great aid post-pulse.
- Camping Shower
While improper handwashing and drinking contaminated water are going to be the chief culprits of disease, you’re still going to want to take a shower as often as possible as well. With a camping shower, all you have to do is fill the bag up with water and then hang that bag up from a high enough height that you can stand underneath it.
Besides the hygiene benefits of such, this is a huge morale booster after a disaster.
A Fire Striker, Bic Lighters, and Vaseline-Soaked Cotton Balls
You’re going to need a reliable means of starting fire now that there’s no electricity, and using a bow saw takes a heck of a lot of effort.
By keeping a fire going and having plenty of Bic lighters, and a couple of old pill bottles full of Vaseline-soaked cotton balls within your EMP survival kit, you’ll have a number of ways to ensure that you always have the means to cook your food and stay warm.
Candle Wicks
While you can easily find a number of DIY emergency candle articles out there online, I’ve had trouble getting any of them to actually hold a flame.
The best form of wick is still going to be a candle wick that was created for that specific purpose. Possessing a bag full of these will save you a lot of trouble in the future, and can potentially serve as the seed to a valuable source of future income as well.
LifeStraws
You likely already have a few different means of purifying water. However, there’s simply no reason to not throw a few more LifeStraws in this kit.
All of your water is now going to need to be treated before you drink it, and you need to ensure that you always have the means to do so readily available.
Powerless Tools
It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to fit these tools within the can, but that’s okay. They’re not going to need to be protected from an EMP to begin with. Provided that you have easy access to these post-pulse, you’ll be fine.
- A Crank Drill
Do you know those really old drills that rely on your spinning a handle to power them?
They’re absolutely fantastic tools, and you’re going to need them post-pulse. On a daily basis, my power drill is without a doubt the tool I use the most.
However, if the insides were fried or I no longer had access to electricity, I could easily resort to one of these old drills that I picked up from my grandpa. They’re readily available at antique shops.
- A Hammer
Who doesn’t have a hammer in their home? That’s a good thing because, as an old Marine taught me, you can do just about anything with a hammer.
- An Ax and Maul
Though I do prefer getting to use my chainsaw, gas will be at a premium post-pulse, and things are going to begin having to be done the old-fashioned way. Chief of these things that need to be accomplished is keeping your house warm, and that involves firewood. It’s wise to always have a well-maintained ax and maul handy.
- A Crowbar
I live on a farm, and a crowbar is quite simply one of the most useful tools out there. I end up using it all the time for projects that I never thought that I would need it for.
Related: Farm Murders: What You Need To Know If You Live On A Homestead
It’s not always used for demolition jobs either. I constantly find myself using it to help pry up tree roots, lift up a board so that I can screw it flush with an adjacent board, and so on.
Honing Stone
Post-pulse, you’re going to be using edged surfaces a lot. Whether we’re talking about an ax or a knife, you need to be able to sharpen all of them. A honing stone will enable you to do this.
Self-Defense Weapons
You’ll likely want to have your self-defense weapons kept out of the can, as once again, they’re not going to need pulse protection. The best weapon that you can have in a post-disaster world is a quality gun that can spit out lead when you need it most. I’m personally a fan of platforms that can be beat up and abused and still fire.
If you’re living in a world where you’re going to have to have a firearm on your person on a daily basis due to a very real threat of engaging in a gunfight, you’re going to be exposing your weapon to a lot of dirt and grime.
Having a weapon malfunction in the middle of a shootout is a good way to get yourself killed, and you want something that can handle a bit of dirt and still go bang. I highly recommend the AK-47 platform, Glocks, an SKS, or lever-action .30-.30s.
Generic Survival Gear
There are two other main items that you’re going to want to have within an EMP survival kit that will also easily fit in the can.
- A Quality Tarp
I use tarps for just about everything at my place. They get used on backpacking trips, to cover firewood, as makeshift shelters for farm animals, for covering lawnmowers, and for a host of other uses. I highly recommend picking up two or three of these from your local Harbor Freight and lining the edge of the can with them.
- Paracord
You wouldn’t buy a gun but never buy ammo, and buying a tarp without picking up some paracord is kind of the same concept. You may as well get the other half of the kit. This will easily fit within the can, and you’ll find a host of uses for it without any problem.
Final Thoughts
Throughout history, mankind has done what he can to insulate himself against specific threats. For the ancient Romans, this entailed training with swords. For the British Empire, it involved learning how to fight at sea. Although mankind’s weapons now are more abstract and out of sight than they’ve ever been in history, this is by no means an indication that we should do nothing to prepare for disaster.
The threat of an EMP is very real, and it only makes sense to do some things to help to lessen the havoc that such an event would unleash on your family. However, by following the above steps to create an EMP survival kit, you’ll be exponentially more prepared than the greater part of the American populace.
Are there other items that you think we should have included in this kit? Have you made one of these before? Do you have any experience with making Faraday cages in general? Let us know in the comments below!