During emergencies or civil unrest, intruders can become a real concern. Looting tends to focus on locations with useful or valuable supplies, and prepared households may draw attention when normal protections break down. That’s why awareness and planning matter. Placing deterrents, booby traps, or countermeasures may be illegal in your area, but when the government […]
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Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
There are two kinds of survival items: those that last forever, and those that don’t. Let’s talk about the former. As it turns out, yes, there are many survival items that will last you indefinitely (as long as you take care of them) and it is these survival items that could prove to be the most valuable in a disaster.
Here are the top survival items that will last practically forever. (This is in alphabetical order.)
Okay, alcohol and other beverages and foods won’t last you forever once you consume then, but it will last you indefinitely in the pantry in normal conditions.
Alcohol will be very valuable in an SHTF scenario for a number of reasons. It can be used as a valuable bartering item, it can help alleviate stress in the middle of disaster (when consumed moderately), and it has many survival uses.
Apple cider vinegar, commonly abbreviated as ACV, is a staple in kitchens with numerous health benefits. So long as the bottle it comes in is kept sealed and stored at normal room temperature, it will last indefinitely.
In a long-term grid-down scenario, an axe will be a very important survival tool. You'll need it for chopping firewood when electricity is unreliable.
I'm not talking about electric can openers or the modern ones made with lots of plastic like this, which will eventually break. I'm talking about old-fashioned can openers that soldiers used in World War.
Cast iron cookware is among the most durable kind of cookware in existence, and it’s also very good at distributing heat evenly. BTW, here is how to restore and season cast iron cookware.
Although I recommend having plenty of lighters and matches on hand, you really can't beat an old-school Ferro rod. A typical Bic lighter will give you 30 to 40 minutes of burn time, but you can keep using a Ferro rod indefinitely.
High-quality firearms will last you forever even after continuous use (shooting, packing them in a holster, etc.) to the point that you can pass them on down to your children or grandchildren one day.
Think along the lines of quality and well-known guns that have a reputation for being well built, such as the Glock 19 or the Ruger GP100 or the Winchester Model 70. Those kinds of guns won’t ever fail you or breakdown, so long as you take care of them.
Honey is well known for being able to last forever. After all, there’s honey stored deep in the Ancient Egyptian pyramids that is still fully edible (even though it does crystallize over time, but all you have to do is heat it up to bring it back to liquid form). Here are some more reasons to stockpile honey.
So long as you invest in a high-quality knife, the blade should last you forever so long as you take care of it and sharpen it every once in a while. A knife is one of the most multipurpose tools in existence and will be invaluable to your survival efforts.
Leatherman multitools are among the highest quality multitools on the market. Take good care of the tool from rust and moisture, and you should still be using it more than ten years on down the road. The same goes for Swiss Army knives.
Electric grain mills are convenient, but in a long-term off-grid scenario, a manual grain mill is the way to go. These hand-powered tools are built from cast iron or heavy-duty stainless steel and will last indefinitely if you keep them clean and dry. Use them to grind wheat, corn, and other grains into flour for baking.
A map and compass will continue to work a hundred years from now just like today (so long as you protect the paper map from getting wet, of course).
The great thing about maps and compasses is they don’t require batteries like a GPS device does (this is why you shouldn’t be reliant on a GPS only for navigation purposes). Don't think maps are important? Check out these maps you should have in your bug out bag.
A durable metal water bottle or canteen from a reputable company should last you forever, even if you drop it on hard surfaces repeatedly.
Mirrors will last forever so long as you keep the surfaces from being scratched. Not only are they good to view your face for viewing injuries or for personal hygiene purposes, but they can also be used for signaling.
Oil lamps have lit homes for centuries and will continue to do so when the power goes out. A good-quality oil lamp made of metal and glass, paired with long-lasting lamp oil (like pure paraffin), will serve you for decades. Just protect the glass chimney, replace the wick as needed, and you’ve got reliable light for life.
Good quality paracord will literally last you forever. You can use it for everything from shelter building to rappelling to hauling wild game out of the woods and so on, and it’s so durable that it can be used repeatedly in this manner for several years without it being ruined.
In fact, the only thing that could really ruin paracord is if you were to cut and shred it apart with a knife (and that would require effort on your part).
Pressure canners are an invaluable item to have for storing and preserving food over the long term. They will also last you forever so long as you take care of them.
Tactical pens are pens built out of a tough metal such as aircraft-grade aluminum, and usually with a pointed end for defense. Even though the ink will not last indefinitely, the pen itself will and can sustain hard abuse.
Just like honey, syrups such as corn syrup or regular maple syrup will last for an incredibly long time thanks to their high content of sugar. If you’re going to still be making pancakes or French toast after the SHTF, make sure you have some syrup.
Durable ripstop tarps can easily withstand rain, snow, dirt, and the elements. Buy a tarp now, and even if you use it constantly there’s a good chance it will still be usable ten years later. Plus, tarps have multiple survival uses.
A quality signaling whistle should continue to work several years down the road just like it does now. What’s more, plastic whistles float on water and won't rust from the rain.
Emergency whistles are fairly easy to come by. There are even companies that give them away for free to people who join their newsletter.
Survival items like the ones discussed above will be incredibly valuable during a disaster or long-term grid-down scenario. Don’t overlook them when putting your survival and disaster preparations together.
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The post 21 Survival Items That Can Last a Lifetime appeared first on Urban Survival Site.
I know what you’re thinking: Who plants things in January?! January isn’t considered a prime planting and gardening month, but gardeners in frost-free zones know this is the perfect time for cool-season vegetables. Knowing what to plant in January is the key. In case you missed this post, What Flowers to Plant in January
If you live in an area with frost, you can always plant indoors and move your stuff outdoors as the season temperatures warm up. I highly recommend CowPots and Organic Seedling Soil for seedlings. This way, you can plant your seeds and place the CowPots in your garden when the temperatures are correct.
It has been harder to determine the optimal time to plant outside over the last few years because the weather has changed, unlike at any other time in history. I believe regular planting zone times will have to be changed very soon due to the uncertainty of the weather. We’ve been having temps in the mid 60’s for much of December here in Utah. Records have been set for high daily temperatures multiple times during the month.
When gardening, it’s essential to know your zone. Check here to find your zone. All you need to do to find your zone is type in your zip code. Below, you’ll see what you can plant in your zone in January!
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If you live in zones 1-5, it’s cold outside in January. This means that you must stick to growing things indoors.
Some vegetables, called microgreens, can be planted indoors and harvested when they are young. In addition to microgreens, here are some other plants you can try:
In zone 6, you can start your plants inside because you can transplant them outside in 8-10 more weeks. You have more options in this zone than in zones 1-5. Some seeds you can start inside to transplant later include:
You know how tricky the weather is to predict if you live in Zone 7. However, in this zone, you can plant things inside and transplant them outside when the weather warms up. Some things that do well inside Zone 7 include:
Start these at the end of the month:
If you live in Zone 8, you’re in luck because you can plant things indoors and outdoors. Many indoor seeds can be transplanted in 8-10 weeks. Here is what you can plant both indoors and outdoors in Zone 8:
Plants you can start indoors in January include:
These will need extra time to grow indoors before being transplanted outside. Start them early in the month.
Before planting outdoors, you want to check your soil and make sure it can be worked. If it’s workable, then you can plant the following outside in January:
If the ground is not still saturated from winter, you can also plant the following:
If you want to know what to plant in January in Zones 9-10, remember that gardening is in full swing.
The incredible growing season is ideal for many herbs and vegetables indoors and outdoors. If you live in these zones, you have a lot of possibilities.
In January, you can start seeds of vegetables and herbs inside and transplant them outside later. Here is what you can begin to:
As the weather heats up, these seedlings can be transplanted outside.
In Zones 9-10, you also have quite a few options for planting outdoors. Here’s what you can transplant outdoors:
Here is what you can directly sow outside during January:
Because most zones are still cold in January, you may have to start many of your plants indoors.
Some plants, such as tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers, require much longer growing seasons than your zone may offer. To ensure healthy growth, many gardeners start their plants indoors.
If you are new to gardening, you may not know the best way to do this. Follow the instructions below to learn how to start your seeds indoors!
Before you begin, you have to buy your seeds. You don’t want to buy any old seeds, however.
You want your seeds to come from a trusted source. Fresher, higher-quality seeds have a higher germination rate.
This means you’ll have more seeds sprouting, giving you a head start in growing delicious, nutritious veggies.
The seed-starting mix isn’t soil. However, it provides near-perfect conditions for sprouting seeds. It does this by providing a good balance of drainage and water-holding capacity while minimizing disease.
Most garden soil is unsuitable for starting seeds because it doesn’t drain well and may contain plant disease spores.
You can plant your seeds in whatever you want, as long as you poke some holes in the container to allow water to drain. Without water drainage, you can drown your plants or cause the roots to become diseased. Here are some pot ideas you can try:
One thing that many tend to do is plant their seeds too deeply. If you plant them too deeply, they won’t sprout. The rule of thumb is to plant your seeds 2-3 times as deep as the seed is wide. For example, a bean would be sewn about an inch deep.
After you sow your seeds, you will want to place the pots in a warm location. Some good ideas would be on the refrigerator or near a radiator.
Your seedlings will need both air and water. Therefore, you should keep the mix moist but not completely saturated. To do this, think of a damp sponge containing air and water.
You will want to move your seedlings to a bright or sunny location as soon as they begin to sprout. You can place them in a sunny window.
However, if you aren’t getting much sunlight, adding consistent light from supplemental fluorescent bulbs does the trick. Be sure to suspend the lights an inch or two over the plants.
Once your seedlings have sprouted one or two sets of leaves, it is time to start fertilizing. Use a half-strength fertilizer. Organic fertilizers are the best choice because they provide nutrients and micronutrients your plants need to thrive.
You may notice two or more seedlings popping up. You only want one seedling per pot. Then, choose the healthiest and strongest-looking seedlings to keep. Cut the other seedlings off in the soil and discard them.
Planting and growing your seedlings is a fun and rewarding way to kick off the gardening season.
Depending on your location, being able to pollinate the plants may be an issue. You can do this by hand. All you need is a paintbrush or cotton swab (see above). If you need to hand-pollinate because you’re not seeing any fruit develop, here is something to try. You do this by removing the male blossom (male blossoms don’t have fruit behind them).
They produce pollen, leaving the center covered in pollen to collect with the brush or swab. Use a brush or swab to apply the pollen you collected to the center of the female flower. This works for squash, melons, and cucumbers every time.
These are my favorite garden gloves: DIGZ Garden Gloves. They come in different sizes, which I love the most. These are the best rose bush gloves: Rose Bush Garden Gloves. I have to get a large size for my hands. These are awesome!
As you can see, what you plant in January depends on your zone. If you live in zones 9-10, you have many more options for planting in January than other zones, particularly in zones 1-5. Check out our other posts to find out what to plant each month of the year! May God bless this world, Linda
Copyright Images: Lettuce Deposit photos_229581018_s-2019, Pollination Depositphotos_303237778_S by rukawajung, Broccoli Depositphotos_256183770_S by z Author zlikovec, Basil Depositphotos_109353736_S by ridofranz, Kale Depositphotos_11167868_S MonaMakela, Strawberries Depositphotos_55743949_S DLeonis, Celery Depositphotos_177873386_S l Author lzf, Green Peas Depositphotos_9652114_S nevenm, Green Parsley Depositphotos_81961194_S karandaev,
The post What to Plant in January appeared first on Food Storage Moms.
Most people think a deep freezer is the key to long-term food storage, but what happens when the power goes out? There’s a reason pioneers and survivalists alike have turned to freeze-drying. It locks in flavor, nutrients, and freshness for over a decade without needing constant electricity. And you don’t even need a $3,000 machine […]
The post 10 Ingenious Ways to Freeze-Dry Your Food at Home for 10+ Years Shelf Life appeared first on Ask a Prepper.