Prepper's World Summit

I just wanted to make everyone aware of the Prepper's World Summit that is going on right now. Unfortunately, I've missed a few days, but it goes on until the 20th. the following text is from their website...

 

Natural disasters, terrorist attacks, rogue governments, economic collapse, medical emergencies, martial law, home invasions, no matter what the emergency is, natural or man made, long term or short, they can all strike with deadly force, at any time, anywhere, without warning.

What are you doing to prepare? Do you know what to do during and after disaster? ​Will you survive?

 You can register and watch it for free at http://www.prepperworldsummit.com

Book Review - Prepper's Survival Hacks - 50 DIY Projects

I was just provided a copy of Jim Cobb’s latest book, Prepper's Survival Hacks by the publisher in exchange for an impartial review. Like his previous books, I am glad to say that I read this one. Topics in this book range from water and food acquisition to fire, lighting, survival kits and more! Need to know how to make an emergency water filter or how to be prepared at work? Yep, that’s covered and so much more. Focusing on 50 Do-It-Yourself projects, this book will leave you saying, “Why didn’t I think of that?” while at the same time making you thankful that Jim did think of it! 

From start to finish, this cool book is chock full of succinct and very practical, easy to put together hacks from everyday materials that will help to make your life easier if times get tough or even if they don’t. This book deserves a spot on your prepper/survival library shelf!

Prepper's Financial Guide - BOOK REVIEW

I recently received a copy of Prepper's Financial Guide: Strategies to Invest, Stockpile and Build Security for Today and The Post-Collapse Marketplace by Jim Cobb. This book was provided to me by the publisher for my consideration, objective thoughts and opinions.

I can honesty say that I’ve never heard of an entire book that looks at prepping financially… until now. The Prepper’s Financial Guide has great information for anyone with any concerns about their financial future whether it’s in our current economy or in the aftermath of a financial collapse.  The book covers practical topics, listed with pros and cons with well thought out steps that anyone can implement.

Jim Cobb starts off this book with a great history lesson of hard economic times from around the world, explained in easy to understand sections. While I knew of the situations that were discussed, I learned that I didn’t know what I thought that I knew. I now understand the causes for the individual crisis as well
as their interdependencies.

Next, the book gives some practical advice for reducing debt as well as making and saving money. Following this, currency then precious metals and minerals and how to reliably obtain them are explained in easy-to-understand detail.

Midway through the book, Mr. Cobb discusses the popular topic of barter and trade with some common and out-of-the-box ideas as well as necessary skills to have so that you will be able to have recurring income. Following this, the author discusses various ways, including pros and cons of safeguarding your wealth

The best thing that I liked about this book in addition to the main topic mentioned is the author’s encouragement during the entire journey towards financial preparedness. Jim Cobb lays out practical, easy-to-follow strategies that will result in a lifestyle change for the better that will yield great results for the reader, even in the event that we never see a financial collapse.

The Prepper's Complete Book of Disaster Readiness - BOOK REVIEW

I recently received a copy of The Prepper's Complete Book of Disaster Readiness by Jim Cobb. This book was provided to me by the publisher for my consideration, objective thoughts and opinions.

This is the third book that I've read by the author and have to say that I really enjoy his down to Earth writing style as well as the wealth of information that he freely shares. In reading this book, there are a few chapters that jump out at me.

The book opens with the practical question of, "Why should we prepare?" as it discusses  That question is asked in Chapter 1 as it discusses short, medium and long-term emergencies. In thinking about emergencies, being able to do your part is essential so that you don't have to rely on others, which in turn frees up resources to help other people. It also, and for me more importantly, makes sure that you and your family are properly taken care of. Remember, you are your best advocate!

The book gives us insight and practical advice as to what it takes to develop the survival mindset as well as covers the similarities and differences between survivalists and preppers. This is perhaps the most important "thing" to have.. the mindset and will to survive.

There is also some great information on bugging out vs sheltering in place including very good information on properly caching supplies as well as having backup plans and backups to your backups. Also discussed is the almost always overlooked topic of a planning and packing for a delayed bug out when you have a bit of advanced notice ahead of your departure time. There are also several realistic scenarios provided to help you think through your plans. What I really liked about this chapter was the well-thought out caching information. I also liked the scenarios, which were all realistic, in that there were no brain-eating zombies running around. They were simply some of the most probable likely scenarios to occur.

Chapter Five talks about pantry organization and storage. There's lots of good, solid advice here to both get started and to take your food storage to the next level. Information such as what to store and what not to store abounds as does information on the preparation of food in general. My favorite unexpected take-away of the chapter was the cool use of the oft-overlooked plastic food storage bag.

When I first saw the title of Chapter Six, Foraging, I was very interested as that is something that I am getting more and more involved in.  This chapter covers foraging, in my definition of wild edibles, but also included in this chapter are also discussions on gardening and a straight-forward clarification of the difference between scavenging and looting. While it's impossible to fully provide one with an education on wild edibles as that would take a book on it's own, Mr. Cobb hits the highlights on several widely available plants that the reader can research.  The chapter also touches on some areas that I wouldn't normally think of when I think about foraging. The item that I really liked the most about this chapter is how the author stresses that planning to do something or even reading about doing something is not enough and is not the same thing as getting out there and doing it.

Security is talked about very well in another chapter. As one who has read some of Mr.Cobb's other works on the subject, I feel that he has his finger on the pulse of prepper security with this chapter. It covers topics such as cognitive dissonance, situational awareness and operations security (OPSEC). Not only are these topics covered, but areas such as secured storage and practical defense are mentioned as well.

While the common topics of security, food storage and water are covered as would be expected in this book, there is also information on the care of children, pets and the elderly and the very different needs that they have. If you have any of these in your family, you need to read his information and advice.

Aside from the items listed above, one of the things that I liked most about this book is the down to Earth way of looking at prepping topics from different angles. The solid, practical advice offered and the encouragement to practice your prepping will help make you a more prepared person.

From mindset to the essentials, Mr. Cobb is a very knowledgeable and thoughtful writer who covers prepping topics that are most often not considered by others. He will take you from making the plan to implementing the plan in a wide variety of prepping areas that will make the reader a better prepper.

Twelve Prepping Lessons Learned from Laser Tag

This week, I had the opportunity to accompany my daughter and her boyfriend to an end of the year sports party. Towards the end of the party as people were leaving, it was discovered that the party package included a game of laser tag. Since some of the people left the party, there was an extra ticket available. I was asked if I wanted to join the game, to which I said yes. This was going to be fun!

What followed was definitely a fun game, but it also taught me some lessons that pertain to prepping. They are, in no certain order, as follows:

Lesson #1 - I thought that I did A LOT better that I actually did. When the game was over and we piled back out of the maze into the room to divest ourselves of the equipment, I eagerly awaited the results of the match, waiting for my name to be called. "I think that I did pretty well, I thought to myself." When my daughter's boyfriend scored first place, I thought, "Well, I'm OK with that. I'm probably somewhere in the top three." When I got handed my scoresheet, my hopes were dashed. I came in 10th out of 12 people. Over all, I thought that I was 'shot' in some form or another about 5-7 times. I also thought that I had tagged other players roughly 75 times. The scorecard revealed the cruel reality that I was actually shot 20 times and tagged other players 40 times.

Lesson #2 - Some people will freak out. I cannot count the number of people that I surprised which then led them to scream, lower their gun or just stand there out of shock.

Lesson #3 - Some people will not care. There was one person in the game who almost seemed nonchalant about just slowly walking past people and tagging them. While this was dangerous for others, it was also dangerous for them to not pay attention.

Lesson #4 - People repeat the same mistakes. Going back to the same places where they were previously shot. For them, I just waited for their vests to re-energize and shoot them again when they came out. It wasn't that there was no where else to go. If your hit, the other team knows where you are. Go somewhere else to regroup.

Lesson #5 - You can't go it alone. My daughter and her boyfriend, both scored considerably higher than me. Thankfully we were on the same team during the game. I'd hate to think of what it would be like if they were on the other side. At the same time, it's good to know that in a real emergency, that I have them both on my team!

Lesson #6 - Things sneak up on you. Always try to be prepared ahead of time. When we got our passes for the game, it was a surprise to us. We were attending a party and playing laser tag was not something that we had planned on doing. I was wearing heavy boots with thick socks for the game. Man, what I wouldn't have given for my sneakers!

Lesson #7 - People will sell you out. Sometimes they are the officials or people in charge. There was numerous times during the game where, as a team, we would guide others to where the opposing team was. That is sort-of expected. What wasn't expected was when one of the people running the game walked by me and said "The 'Red' team is up in the front hallway." While I loved that bit of intel, had this been something other than laser tag and I was on the 'red' team, that would've spelled disaster. At the same time, thoughts ran through my head that if the official would rat out the other team to us, then they would probably do the same thing to us.

Lesson #8 - Events can last longer that expected. When we all entered the maze, we were told that games lasted about eight minutes. Ours lasted twenty. While I definitely enjoyed getting our money's worth, it it another variable to consider.

Lesson #9 - The odds may be worse than you think. When we were getting our equipment on, we didn't have a clue as to who was on what team. After they were activated, we learned that one team had 5 people while the other had 7. Not too bad for my team, but adds another dimension of difficulty if you are the 'Red' team. See Lesson #7

Lesson #10 - Training is everything. Yes, I had tactics that I used, but having not actually played laser tag for two years was a detriment for me. When we used to play paintball, laser tag or even target practice fairly regularly, I used to be pretty decent. Not training consistently is bad for your survival. On the other hand and to prove my point, my daughter's boyfriend, who plays with family members that are in the military faired very well. See Lesson #1. I'm sure that it also helped that he was 28 years younger than me.

Lesson #11 - Know your equipment. Having unfamiliar equipment equates to you being in trouble. My vest was flashing. Was this good or bad? I couldn't tell if that was due to a hit or from simply being activated. Being in the heat of a situation is no time to learn how stuff works.

Lesson #12 - Look at things from a different angle. There was a number of times during the game that people would be expecting me to come around a corner. Setting myself up to shoot through "windows" and from kneeling on one knee helped me better surprise the other players who were expecting a target to walk out from around a corner.

All-in-all it was a great time and is something that I would absolutely like to do again. It's a good way to help develop critical thinking skills and iron out some tactical issues before you have to use them in the real world. Even better, it was a great way to have fun with some of my family.

Prepper's Long-Term Survival Guide - BOOK REVIEW

The Prepper's Long-Term Survival Guide by Jim Cobb is a book that I greatly anticipated reading.

In reading this book, I love the way that each chapter begins with the concept that the reader is currently dealing with a long term situation that coincides with the theme of the chapter. That opening in each chapter helps with the mindset needed to deal with the information that follows.

Chapter 1 begins with some events from history and then lays out several probable, potential scenarios that could occur in modern times from pandemics to economic collapse. The case is cogently laid out that whatever your concern, that right now is the time to plan for whatever it is that concerns you.

Chapter 2 deals with the topic of water. The human body can survive roughly three days without water after which our bodies start to shut down. From water procurement to filtration and proper storage, this chapter deals with all of the aspects of this precious resource.

Chapter 3 talks about food and what types of food to store. While this book is not the place for in-depth conversations about hunting, fishing and trapping, those topics are also touched on and provide some food for thought. Food preservation techniques are also talked about, including how to make a small root cellar-like storage area to keep food cool. The chapter ends with the topic of cooking and includes a section on making a simple solar oven.

Chapter 4 is the medical chapter. It talks about training and medicine and includes a comprehensive listing of a medical bag. It wraps up with some great information of common natural remedies.

Chapter 5 goes into hygiene which is an oft overlooked area of prepping. This chapter speaks about topics from proper human waste disposal to bathing to garbage disposal. While not too pleasant, it is an important area for which to prepare.

Chapter 6 discusses clothing and the proper items needed for the tasks that will most probably be done in a post-collapse environment. The fact that one will be spending more time outdoors than he/she probably does now figures into the important considerations of this chapter. Later on, the chapter discusses shelter and the importance of it as well as various common sense ways of keeping warm and cool.

Chapter 7 covers security, including structures and weapons as tools as well as a description of the mindsets that one needs to adequately provide for the protection of a yourself and your family.

Chapter 8 talks about tools of all kinds that will be needed in a world of an extended crisis. Tools for basic repairs, tools for gardens and tools for various jobs around the house and property are covered. Overlooked topics such as protective safety gear and communications are also discussed.

Chapter 9 deals with a topic that I admittedly have not heard a lot about when reading or talking about preparedness… entertainment. After the initial realization of what is happening regarding the crisis sets in, people will be spending time performing manual labor and other duties, but there will still be periods of down time.

Chapter 10 examines well thought out bartering parameters for items and services as well as potential post-collapse professions.

Chapter 11 discussed the importance of communities and community planning. A lot of people think that the lone-wolf approach to survival is the way to go, but this drastically overlooks the necessity of having others and the diversity of skills and resources that that brings. This chapter also covers very practical ways for dealing with refugees.

Chapter 12 ends the book on a high note, that is the hope that being prepared can provide. It is a pleasant change from the doom and gloom that is often portrayed by some preppers.

At the very end of the book, there is a pretty complete checklist as well as a suggested reading section for the beginnings of your own survival library.

The depth of information that is covered in this book is incredible as is the unique way that the author makes us really think about ideas, situations and resources that are mostly overlooked in the usual short-term survival planning resources. All that being said, this book belongs in the hands of anyone who is concerned with a long-term disruption in society as we know it today. It's practical, common sense approach makes it a valuable asset to all those who wish to not only be prepared, but for those who want to thrive.

Most prepper books provide you with the fundamentals and tell you what it takes to make it through a temporary crisis, be it a hurricane, tornado or ice storm. What happens, though, when the crisis lasts longer? What will happen in the event of a pandemic or economic downturn? This book fills a much needed information gap in the prepper community for a resource that deals with the long-term events of a disaster that lasts beyond the first 72 hours.

Savings on Seeds

Last year, after Halloween, I was able to pick up some glow sticks relatively cheap because they were on sale after the holiday.

This week when I walked into our local store I saw a shopping cart full of seeds that "expired" last month. Because these seeds were past their so-called expiration date, I was able to pick them up for 10¢ each!

These were either all organic or heirloom seeds that were discarded for being one month out of date. I just couldn't believe it.

Now, as I look over my Baker Creek and High Mowing catalogs, I can plan and imagine where I will fit these new found seeds into our upcoming garden.

A Prepper Christmas - Conflicted: The Survival Card Game

For Christmas we as a family don't focus on gifts, but on the greatest gift that is Jesus. Usually, we give each other inexpensive gifts that we think would be useful for the other person.

This past Christmas, I was fortunate enough to receive something that I've wanted since hearing and reading about it. It's a game called, "Conflicted: The Survival Card Game" and it's  tough, thought provoking and fun.


Conflicted: The Survival Card Game is a post apocalyptic scenario game that was developed for preppers. The game comes in a plastic case and consists of 52 cards along with 2 two cards.


According to the web site, here are 10 reasons to purchase the game:

1. It opens up in depth discussions regarding what kind of world we’ll live in after the collapse of society.
2. It shows to you where others in your group draw the line between their will to live vs their own morals.
3. It helps you create a mutual understanding among the members of your bugout group when it comes to who’s more suitable for what role after the collapse of society.
4. It helps you discuss with significant others what kind of survival philosophy your camp will have after the collapse and why that philosophy is important.
5. The game will raise an awareness regarding other areas of prepping that perhaps you didn’t think about.
6. Practice your barter, negotiating and leadership skills to perfection on the subjects that matter most.
7. Conflicted: The Survival Card Game is like a mirror that exposes your real survival philosophy to yourself.
8. Over 50 scenarios that will reveal how unprepared emotionally humanity really is to the collapse of modern civilization.
9. See what other preppers all over the world think a post apocalyptic society will be like, as they submit scenarios and we publish more decks periodically. Have a way to bring this knowledge to your bugout group.
10. It exposes who the true leader of your bugout group really is. Hope you and your group can handle that….

The creators of the game say that its to educate, entertain and inspire people and I agree, but I would also add challenge. I had read through some of the cards and knew that I liked the game, but wasn't sure how others would react.

I brought the game to a small group function and showed it to a friend of mine who I knew was interested in survival/doomsday themes. He looked at it several times with great interest, reading the rules and thumbing through the deck, finally asking anyone if they wanted to try it. After he and I explained what the game was about, we played a few rounds.

I have to say that I was surprised to see that there were non-prepper-types that were interested in playing and the game took off.

As players received their information from the card and explained their logic and reasoning, a lot of discussion took place. During this time, we learned a lot about each other and the extents that people will go to protect and provide for themselves, their friends and their families.

As a group we decided to host a follow-up "apocalypse party", which I am hoping will provide another avenue to speak with people about prepping.

This is a highly recommended game as a great way to facilitate discussions as well as gauge likemindedness on survival topics. It will challenge you in a fun way and allow you to gain insights to others and their survival philosophies.

Proper Preparedness Pays Off

Today is January 7, 2014 and it's 0° on our back porch. Our phone Internet and cable TV are out, which is not a really bad thin, since it gives one other (more important) things to do.

This was the second in what has been a small series of events to test our preparednessss. It's the first event that I would like to address.

Last night we had company (our oldest daughter's boyfriend). With no warning, our power went off. Immediately, the kids sprang into action. With the whole house in darkness, someone grabbed an emergency flashlight that was illuminating the kids hallway. After making sure that everyone was OK and accounted for, I went to grab the flashlight in my hallway as our youngest boy was on his way to get our "Lights Out Kit". Our oldest daughter took her little sister (who was scared) to be with my wife in our room.

We broke out out "Lights Out Kit", which is essentially a Wal-Mart tote, labeled and kept in a location that everyone in the family knows.

Inside the kit are flashlights, candles, batteries, matches, lighters, extension cords, light sticks, electronic camping lanterns, and several battery powered radios with AM/FM, weather and shortwave frequencies.

We then distributed flashlights to all of the people in the house and got our oil lamps from a hutch in the dining room, lit them, placed them in the living room, where there was also a fire going. We then had a quick family meeting laying down our action plan which was who was going to do what along with some safety procedures such as no one goes outside without a partner, etc. Following this, two of us went (cautiously) outside to size up the extent of the problem, which looked to be impacting our entire neighborhood.

After all that, we broke out our Family Disaster binder, which among other things has the contact information for the electric company. We called the electric company to report the outage and with noting left to do, my youngest son and I went outside to check our "light discipline" to see how much light was "leaking" from the house. This is not a big problem in this situation, but in a larger one, having the only house with some form of lighting may make one a target.

After rejoining the others in the living room, we broke out a game called Apples to Apples and played until the lights came on.

Our daughter's boyfriend was eager to help the whole time, but there was really nothing else to do. As we were going through the outage, I explained to him what we were doing, what the kit was, what our Preparedness Plan was, etc. so he would be aware and maybe be able to bring back some information and preparedness planning to his family.

Lessons learned:

• We need more emergency flashlights (the ones that come on in a power outage) around the house. We used to have more, but they were never replaced as they died.
• We need more lamp oil and wicks. Although we were fine and do have some spares, thoughts go though ones mind about what would happen in a much longer outage.
• Having others witness your plan during an event is a great way to positively spread the message of preparedness.
• When you step up to lead in an emergency, other see that you know what to do and will follow the plan.

I hope reading this helps you to think more about preparedness!

The Farm Hand Who Could Sleep Through Anything

This is the the re-telling of a story that I found on "Another Voice of Warning", which an Latter Day Saints Preparedness web site. While I am not LDS, I admire their resolve for preparedness.

Ironically, one of our sons said that I was the farm hand who couldn't sleep through anything. True, I am a light sleeper, but it's not because we don't try to be prepared or because preparedness isn't important.

For those who would rather watch a video of the telling of the story, please see my video here.

Anyway the story goes like this...

There once was a farmer looking for a young man to help out at the farm. There were several young men who interviewed for the job and as far as the farmer could tell, they were about equally well qualified. He then asked them each one final question, "Tell me," he would say, "why should I hire you above the others?"

Of all of the applicants and their replies, there was one that was really different. One young man said, "Because I can sleep through anything." At first the farmer thought it was just strange. The more he thought, the more he was intrigued and mystified by the response. So he figured, well I will give this young man a chance, and hired him.

Weeks went by and the farmer was pretty happy with the young man's work. He still wondered sometimes what the young man had meant by his strange reply, but he never got around to asking about it. Then one night the farmer was awakened in the middle of the night with a phone call from a neighbor. "There's a big storm coming in with lots of wind, maybe a tornado. Better get ready for it." was the quick message.

Indeed as the farmer went to the door and looked out, he found that the wind was strong and rising, and rain had started. He quickly ran and tried to awaken the young man to help him get everything ready for the blow. Try as he might, the young man couldn't be stirred. Muttering to himself about what a stupid thing he had done in hiring a lazy boy who wouldn't wake up when he really needed him, the farmer went out to the farm.

He went out to tie down the hay, but discovered that the hay was already tied down securely. Next he went to the barn and the corrals. Everywhere he looked, everything had already been prepared. After a time of just wandering around the farm, learning that there was nothing that needed to be done at the last minute, because it had all been done (prepared) before, the farmer returned to his house, but instead of muttering, he actually found himself singing the praises of this young man. He had realized, to his great joy, that the reason the young man could sleep through anything was because before he went to bed each and every night he had already prepared for the very worst. And so the farmer followed the example of the young man, since everything was already prepared, he undressed and was soon fast asleep, with a huge smile of peace on his face.

This young man had nothing to fear and was not stricken with panic at the onset of the storm because he was fully prepared. He had put forth the necessary time and effort to secure everything well in advance so he could rest the night through with little concern for the howling winds outside.

I hoped that you enjoyed reading this story and that it provides motivation to help you either get started or to continue to live your life prepared.

Glow Sticks, Sales & Prepping On The Cheap

One of the things that I hear when I speak to others about preparedness is that is costs too much money. While going into how much it will really cost you later if TSHTF is beyond the scope of this post, I would like to bring up a point that people often overlook. That point is that you can usually find some of the items that you need for prepping on sale if you know when to look.

Case in point, today I made it a point that while going to Wal-Mart with my wife that I would check on glow sticks.

Today is the day after Halloween and those sticks go for about $1.00 each. While that's not enough to break the bank, getting them on sale would be a great thing :)

We went looking through the Halloween merchandise and all of it was marked 50% off. I found the glow sticks and they were not marked, so off I went to find a price scanner. Two aisles later, I confirmed that the glow sticks were included as a part of the sale for forty-eight cents each!.

Some may argue the point of needing glow sticks in an emergency situation. People have said that they don't produce enough light, etc. While that may be true, that does not mean that one light source fits all situations. A 1,000,000 candle watt light is too much to be used to work on a vehicle. It's also the wrong light for reading maps at night, if one is looking to maintain Operations Security (OPSEC)

If you have children, you know the importance of what feeling secure means to them (and to you). A forty-eight cent glow stick may be just the thing to calm a child's nerves or fears as it acts as a little slice of security. This is especially evident during a nighttime power outage.

Glow sticks are just one example of some of the items that can be gotten at a good price. The key is to have the items that you are looking for/those that you need on a list. Try to notice when products go on sale and when.

Another key is to try to think outside of the box. For those into prepping, Halloween sales also cover "makeup" that one could use as camo paint for their face. Why spend $8.00 for a camo compacts when you can get $1.00 tubes of face paint half-price?

I hope that this helps!

Getting Started with Homesteading

I have come to find that one of the best things that we can do as homesteaders is to encourage those who have a similar mindset. I am still trying to escape the bonds of “the Great American Success Story” and return to a more simpler time and lifestyle of self-reliance and sufficiency, but want to encourage anyone who may read this.

There were some things that I thought about that really help get one started, which is the key. The journey, is the goal. I've found that is important to try to do something... anything on a daily basis that helps move you towards your goal of self-sufficiency. Some things to think about to get you started include:
not the destination really

Getting out of debt
Once this is tackled, a whole new word of opportunities open up and you have the funds to not only achieve your dreams, but help others as well.

Become more informed of the world events around you
In order to make a change in the world, even if it's your world, you have to be aware of what is happening. It may, according to what is happening in the world, or with the economy, make sense to make a more to a more rural location at a certain time over another.

Plan your work, then work your plan
Once you know what you want to do, purpose it in your heart to work a little more towards your goals every day, even if it's just planning or talking to others about being self-sufficient.

Learn new “old” skills (gardening, hunting, fishing, foraging, canning, sewing, etc.)
With the passing of each generation, I am firmly convinced that there are a lot of skills that simply vanish. I've heard it said over and over again, "My grandfather used to hunt," or "My grandmother used to sew." We've become so accustomed to being a microwave (I want it now) society that the "old ways" are simply not taught anymore.

Plant a garden
Do you know where your food comes from?... What's sprayed on them?... What genetic manipulation was done to the food?... What could be better than taking control of what you and your family eat to ensure that it is healthy, nutritious and grown with your own two hands?

Raise chickens
Similarly to the statement above. Do you know what is in the chicken that you buy at the grocery store?... What hormones are in it? Not to mention that chickens are a remarkable (and easy) animal to start of with.

Take personal responsibility
It seems like we (as a culture) have lost a sense of personal responsibility. There is always some excuse for mistakes that we made. People are always looking for someone, increasingly the government, to bail them out, give them food, provide a house, transportation, a cell phone, etc. There is little that is more rewarding than being the master of your own destiny, in a matter of speaking. God is the ultimate Master of us, but there is such incredible personal satisfaction in knowing and celebrating your accomplishments. Imagine, eating a meal provided by your garden and own animals in a house that you and your family built.

Learn how to store food
This goes hand-in-hand with growing your own. There are times of surplus. These are the times that you put back food either through canning, dehydrating, smoking or freezing to preserve it for future lean times. Having stored food also lets you be a blessing to others in need. A pastor once told me that we are blessed to be a blessing. How true that is!

Do something everyday, no matter how small, to further your goal
This goes along to what I've said a few times above. Do something, anything, everyday. You will not regret it and it will help to keep you focused on living the lifestyle that you want to live.

299 Days: The Community - BOOK REVIEW

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing 299 Days: The Community, which is book three in the ten book series, 299 Days by Glen Tate.  After reading books one and two in this series, I could not wait for the third installment and 299 Days: The Community doesn't disappoint.

This book contains the continuing story of Grant Matson, his family and his close group of friends ans associates. We see  "The Community" organize and develop during this, the first part of the collapse as we have  front row seats to the importance of communities in general and to how diverse skills and hobbies can come into play.

Throughout this book, one sees a high level of realism woven into the storyline that brings events to life without specifically dating them. While reading this, one wonders if a similar possible future is in store for this country.
The book, 299 Days: The Community is entertaining yet has applicable truths that we can apply to our
everyday lives.

One of the truths that shines through is that one person can't possibly know it all or do it all, especially all of the time. The value of community; a diverse group of people with valuable life skills, is seen throughout. From metal workers, to doctors and nurses to electricians to farmers, everyone has valuable skills to contribute.

Also, the book with it's well-developed characters, showcases a group of people that show the innate good that is present in some people. There are those people who are good and  trustworthy and who see events coming. It's because they are able to supplement their natural caring tendencies with the planning, skills, knowledge/training and equipment necessary, that they now fall into the role of sheepdogs, essentially guardians of the people.

For those in the "prepper" community or mindset, this book will help you to look at your preps (including knowledge and relationships) and the different areas of prepping more carefully and from a different angles that you have previously. At the same time, people who are not "preppers" and who simply love a good story won't be disappointed either as this story continues, but doesn't get mired down in the weeds and the jargon of preppers.

This is developing into an excellent series! For a self-published, first time author, "Mr. Tate" really delivers. I find it a pleasure to read his writings and look forward to the rest of the series.

The Prepper's Cookbook - BOOK REVIEW

Recently, I had the pleasure to review The Prepper's Cookbook, 300 Recipes to Turn Your Emergency Food Into Nutritious, Delicious, Life-Saving Meals by Tess Pennington. This book contains practical information for the beginning as well as for seasoned preppers, but doesn't stop there. It's more than a cookbook of great recipes. It's a how-to guide for preppers and newbies.

In the introduction to the book, Ms. Pennington sets up a beautiful and rich story of the history of these recipes from tales of her great, great grandmother, who traveled across Oklahoma in a covered wagon with seventeen children. They not only lived on the food that they produced, but also put a portion of their harvest aside for future use.

She addresses homesteaders and preppers as neo-pioneers and begins her book by starting with the basics of prepping, food storage and rotation. Topics such as how much food to store, how to rotate your supplies and why you need to store certain types of foods are covered. There is even good advice offered on how to economically stretch your meals.

Ms. Pennington then addresses how to store and treat potentially unsafe water for use.

In the next section, food preservation is tackled. This section contains information on water bath and pressure canning including considerations for "Canning Off The Grid". It also covers the topic of dehydration, including some delicious recipes for jerky.

The Prepper's Cookbook then moves on to the mouth-watering recipes which encompass everything from breakfast to dinner and from snacks to desserts. The meals listed go from from simple to complex and include a great variety of cultural (Southern, Italian, Greek and Tex-Mex) recipes as well as comfort food. This book is packed with a lot of different ideas and recipes for food that would suit even the pickiest of eaters as well as those with special dietary needs, such as diabetics.

When I received this book, my wife saw it and literally ran with it, looking through it, noting various recipes for us to try. One of our personal family favorites is King Ranch. Thank you, Tess!

I'd like to conclude this review with some thoughts from my wife, who is a great cook in her own right.  My wife read the book as well and when I asked her her thoughts, she commented, "It is a great cookbook and is not just for preppers. It's a great cookbook in general and the author was brilliant in creating it."

This book is kid friendly and contains something for every palate, from drinks to full meals. As the author recommends, "Don't just survive, thrive!" This book will definitely help you to do just that and belongs on your list of "must haves."

Prepper's Home Defense - BOOK REVIEW

I recently had a unique opportunity to review a copy of Prepper's Home Defense: Security Strategies to Protect Your Family by Any Means Necessary, by Jim Cobb. Being an avid reader of homesteading and preparedness topics, I am not always too sure what to expect from any book on the subject. Some authors on these topics are spot on while others are very off. I am happy to say that Jim Cobb was spot on. The basic concepts of Prepper's Home Defense are laid out in a practical, easy to read and digest manner. Additionally, the amount of information that is contained in the book is varied and well rounded.

The book begins with the premise that some of the information that is contained may be against the law in our current society, but continues that if there is a breakdown in the structure of law that one must take whatever measures that are necessary in order to protect your family.

Mr. Cobb's writing style is such that someone who is a beginner at prepping can easy understand. Topics like Operational Security (OpSec), commonly known as "loose lips sink ships" aptly begin the book. The author then covers the basics, moving to physical security, then on to weapons, and finally to other, often overlooked areas such as "Children and Security."

While reading this, I quickly learned that there were numerous areas and topics that I hadn't even considered. I found myself frequently taking notes and highlighting areas for further investigation. Although there are some topics that I wish that the author would've gone into additional detail as the topical areas are not very deep, the framework that was laid by the author gives you a great starting place in areas that are often overlooked in other works. These points should be looked at so as to serve to pique one's curiosity to probe further into the topics, rather than to be an encyclopedic tome on the areas covered.

This book provides a wide range of information and when it comes to prepping, it's not what you have, it's what you know that matters. This book gives you a great places to start you on your way. I highly recommend it!