Get Alone Undistracted

I recently read an article called Get Alone Undistracted which talks about spending more time with
God in an increasingly technologically-connected world. The article was a review of an article in Time Magazine that mentions that in today's world that we are never offline.

There are computers in phones, watches, and in glasses. We are constantly checking our statuses, updating information, always checking on something and when we are not, we get alerts pushed to us.

We are constantly being assaulted by pings, beeps, dings and other sounds that constantly remind us that we are connected.

Although I realize the importance of not being so "hyper-connected", the article was a good reminder. I read that article, closed the computer, left the phone in the house and got some good work done.

Today around our homestead, I worked on our chicken coop, worked around our fruit trees, cut some grass, went to get feed, made dinner and went on a walk with our youngest daughter.

Now, it's towards the end of the day, I have that great feeling of a great, fruitful and fulfilling day.

There are little, simple things that can be done to unplug...

• I'd like to recommend setting a specific time to be on your computer. I remember my grandparents would watch the news at night after their day's work was done. Maybe set a time early in the morning to get your news, etc. and then put it away until close to the end of the day where you do the same.

• Leave your cell phone inside and set a specific time or times that you will check it for messages, etc. Not having the phone with you decreases the temptation to constantly check it, update Facebook statuses, etc.

• Don't end the day with a computer or TV. Our bodies react to the electronic stimulation and that affects our sleep. Instead, read a book before bed time.  

•  I also like to end the day in prayer as it relaxes and grounds me and I can't think of anything nicer than falling asleep while talking to my Lord.

That's it for now and remember that it's the simpler things in life that matter!

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.

Thrift Store Finds - Keep Looking

Earlier this week, I had the chance to go to one of my favorite places to look for great homesteading deals. the local Goodwill Store.

Although nothing is guaranteed, I have found some great deals on clothes, books, oil lamps and cast iron cookware.

On this recent visit, I came across a copy of The Boy Scout Handbook marked at $1.99. This book is a treasure trove of great information and I've been looking for a copy for a long time. Yes, I could go and buy it, but part of trying to live simply is coming up with less expensive ways to obtain the items that you need.

To make this even better, the book was tagged with a green price tag. For those that don't know, Goodwill  offers 1/2 price off every Wednesyday for items that are priced with their color of week.

This weeks color was green, which means that the book that I found for $1.99 was only .99!

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.

Eggshells For Chickens

Yesterday, my wife noticed that a few of our chickens' eggs shells were a little on the thin side. I knew that we could give our chickens their eggshells back to them to give them the needed calcium in order to make their new eggs stronger. The only thing that I was worried about was giving our chickens a taste for their own eggs. I figured that by washing them and then crushing the shells pretty small, but not powdery, that they would not resemble the eggs that they lay.

Step 1: Wash the used eggshells to get any residual egg out of them. I just opened them up, placed them in a collender and  and washed them with hot water.

Step 2: Lay out the eggshells on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 350 degrees for 10 minutes. This will kill any bacteria and dry them to make them easier to crush.








Step 3: Crush the eggshells. I used a mortar and pestle to crush the eggs. Now they should be ready to feed to our chickens. I'm going to put in in a small feeder and leave it to the chickens for whoever wants to eat it.



I hope that this helps you if you discover that your chickens' eggshells are getting a little thin.

Vertical Strawberry Planter

We just completed the build of a small vertical strawberry planter. We used some scrap wood that was given to us and some old milk jugs.

We removed the 1x4's that were part of a packing crate. We then used a hatchet to split about 1" off off the width of the slats. Then we attached milk jugs to the slats by sliding the slat through the handle of the milk jugs. After that, we re-attached the slats to the frame, then cut the bottoms of the milk jugs off. The last step is to take a nail and poke holes in the caps of the milk jugs to allow for drainage.

Following that, the only thing left to do was to fill with soil and plant our strawberry crowns.

The video of the build can be found here.
 
Thanks for stopping by!