Out of the 444 entries only three guessed the correct number which is 42.
The winners are
1st Ash Marsh
The winners are
1st Ash Marsh
2nd Peter Martin
3rd Clive Mcelhinney
3rd Clive Mcelhinney
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Show Notes
I start this week
with the Bushcraft Show, then Blizzard Survival discount, my survival meal,
support these companies, Midimax 10% discount, Top of the Food Chain, Tips for
Over Night Survival, Ribz 30% discount, route planning, wilderness 121’s 10%
discount, survival napping, more companies to support, field leisure’s 10%
discount, How to Choose the Best Survival Knife, buggrub’s 10% discount, So You
Want Your Own Land, hunters knives 10% discount, building a survival shelter,
further companies to support, vegetarians and prepping, when the power stops,
common prepping mistakes, the best meal of the day, survival thoughts,
Wilderness Gathering.
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My Survival Meal
This is a survival meal I have designed not only to be cheap
at around 25p each meal but to also to be filling and more importantly tasty.
I have made some trial pasta meals (my own recipe)
The ingredients cost
me
Pasta 1kg £0.38p
Lentils1/2 kg £ 0.99p
Cup-a-soup x10 £0.57p
Total £1.94p
Put as much pasta into a zip bag as you want then put in as
much lentils as you like and bring to the boil once cooked then add the
cup-a-soup and instantly your meal is ready to eat.
I made 8 meals at a cost of 24.1/4p each I think that is
fantastic and very cheap and very filling too.
It is easy to add food to them say hotdog's, luncheon meat,
bacon grill etc. chopped up, as they are already cooked and just need heating
up.
You can also change the flavour by using different
cup-a-soups flavours, or use garlic salt, spices or curry powder, dried onions
or even fresh or dried peppers.
All you need not do is put the cup-a-soup packet (unopened)
into the zip lock bag along with a half-a-cup of lentils and then fill the bag
with the pasta.
Mark the soup flavour on the bag. Instead of cup-a-soups you
can use Pot Noodles; Pasta sauce mixes etc. to flavour your survival meal.
This way you can vary
the meal flavours as you like each day.
To cook you firstly put the pasta and lentils into water and
bring it to the boil and let it boil for 10 minutes when the pasta is cooked
then add the cup-a-soup and stir then simply serve.
Please note that the lentils may not be fully cooked but
they will be cooked enough to eat and the fact that they are chewy allows for a
different texture to the meal anyway.
If you are looking
for some new kit then please Support these Companies
The following
companies have supported this station and I will support them they are:
You will never need to boil water again
For I-shields UV Protection
For top quality 550 Paracord
For Survival Knives and Survival Kits
For the Nano Striker fire starter
For tasty MX3 Meals
The Lifesaver bottle
For the Knot Bone Lacelock
For the Wild and Edible Nutrition E Book
Browning Night Seeker Cap Light RGB
Multi lite Multi-tool
For the Ghillie Kettle
For the Blackbird SK-5 or his handmade leather sheaths http://www.hedgehogleatherworks.com
For the Farside Outdoor Meals
The Survivor knife
For the Chris Caine companion survival tool
Day Ration Pack
Vango Storm Shelter 400
myFC PowerTrekk
It runs on water, it really does
The Paper Shower
The Life Straw
Nut, gluten- and milk-free foods for nearly a decade here.
Ken at MidiMax.co.uk is offering 10% off any product by using
the code Midi10 they offer all types of great knives, survival gear, camping
equipment, torches and loads, loads more check out www.midimax.co.uk
Top of the Food Chain
After a SHTF event most of us accept that our control at the
top of the food chain will be disrupted.
It may be a temporary situation and we may soon get our
control back, in individual cases it may not occur and in some cases we may not
be able to regain our status at all.
The differences between these outcomes is going to be how
prepared you are physically and mentally, the local predators and if you are
armed or not.
Weapons are going to make a big difference here and you need
to bear this in mind. There will be nobody to phone up and get help.
It is down to you and the predator and it is only through
our society and technology that we are top of the food chain. It is a fragile
position and we can quickly find that for a period, a short brutal and fatal
period, our society or technology has left us vulnerable and we drop a few
links in the chain.
You read about it all the time in the news. People just
recently were eaten by sharks, others by polar bears and others have died due
to storms.
Our position at the
top is precarious.
Of course as well as what we see as natures predators we
also have to deal with the most dangerous predator of all. “Man” is currently
the number one predator of man.
This takes up most of the news, one man harming another in
some way. Where this should be a major consideration in allowing us to defend
ourselves it appears that it does the opposite.
After an event we have already considered local predators
and have stocked up on traps, weapons and defensive capabilities.
We can handle the wolves, dogs and other wild animals. We
can even handle the weather and the loss of our food, water and shelter. We are
fully prepared for those.
They are on our lists, we have weapons that can deal with
them and we should be thankful that we live in the UK where we don’t have
Grizzlies, Lions, Alligators, Sharks and other major predators.
We don’t have as
standard tornadoes, tsunamis and earthquakes either so we really are lucky.
What we do have though, and plenty of, are human predators.
Some are obviously predators and will come up against your defences.
Just hope that you
are armed enough. There are others though who are not so obvious.
Those that will kidnap your children during the disruption
of an event, those that will infiltrate your security at home and kill you in
your sleep.
They will disarm you with guile and lies and you will be
defenceless against them. If you don’t think you will fall for lies and deceit
just look around and see what is going on today as we are being screwed over by
politicians
You need to prepare
but there are some things that you just cannot fully prepare for.
Liars and con men are
one of those.
You can only be aware. Phase your acceptance of people until
they prove themselves.
Even then be careful how much access they have. It is (need
to know) and being careful that will serve you best here. Real people will
understand.
Predators cannot
afford to wait as they cannot hide their true identities for long.
One thing I am always accused of is that I am not very
forgiving. I’m friendly enough but I only get screwed once. I rarely forgive
people screwing with me but I never forget.
They only get one
chance.
I will be honest with everyone and if they are honest in
their dealings with me then I can forgive mistakes but never something
deliberate.
After a few years this issue will almost disappear and it
will be less dangerous. Everyone will know who is trustworthy and who is not.
In the olden days people’s integrity was known for miles.
So all you will have to worry about is those who are
wandering. They should be few and far between.
Keep your friends close and kill your enemies, or at least
keep clear of them if they don’t deserve killing.
Tips for Over Night Survival
In the UK, most people who become lost are often day hikers
or climbers who fully expect to sleep in their own bed (or at least in their
own sleeping bag) that night.
But a turn onto the wrong trail or an extra twenty minutes
of late afternoon climbing can result in an unexpected overnight stay. Not
forgetting an injury event either.
If you don’t carry a “survival kit” as such, there are a few
inexpensive yet essential items I seldom venture far from home without.
Among these are:
A reliable, sturdy knife (I recommend the Chris Cain
Survival knife).
A good-quality multi-tool. (I recommend the True utility
Multi-tool+Lite)
A length of Parachute cord.
A competent knowledge of how to use these three items will
allow you to cut poles, prepare kindling, lash together a shelter, make a
bow-drill fire, and perform a host of other tasks.
Other items include:
A foil emergency blanket can also be used as an improvised
poncho, ground cloth, or tarp.
First aid kit. It should include gauze, bandages,
butterflies, antibiotic cream, plasters etc.
Compass: Worthwhile if you know how to use it, or know the
approximate direction of nearby major landmarks.
A Woolley hat (even in warm weather). In addition to keeping
you warm, it can be used as a bag.
A magnesium striker
A method of water purification (such as a Purificup or
lifesaver Bottle).
A whistle. In really remote areas, a signal mirror is also a
worthy addition.
Tips:
Learn to construct a simple cold-weather survival shelter.
It doesn’t take a freezing night to bring about fatal hypothermia. Temperatures
even in the fifties can be disastrous if you are improperly dressed or wet.
Always carry or wear a bandana. It can be used as a bandage,
sling, or carrying bundle. A belt is useful, too.
Wrap a quantity of duct tape around your water bottle. Use
good quality tape.
Stay put: You
arrive at “lostness” from one direction, a single degree out of 360.
You have 359 chances to depart your situation in the wrong
direction.
Make a base camp: As humans, our sense of well-being is
improved when we have a place to call home, even if it is a temporary one.
Locate it in an area that is out of the wind, and where it
won’t be flooded during a rainstorm.
Learn how to tie and use half a dozen or so simple but
useful knots. Overhand knot, square knot, clove hitch, bowline, sheet bend,
lark’s head, timber hitch, and variations on the half-hitch are good
suggestions.
Customize your list: Include items specific to your needs
such as daily or emergency medications, inhalers, or epi-pens.
Practice your skills and become familiar with your gear
before you need it, so you know what to expect! When the time comes to use
them, as it is then too late to learn them.
Having to night –out even with what some would see as
sub-standard kit is not the end of the world so don’t panic.
Having clothes on is better than being naked, being behind a
wall, hedge or tree is better than being exposed to the elements.
Being under a poncho is better than being wet, being in a
cheap tent is better than being in a poncho, being in a sleeping is better than
being without one, I think you get the message.
Any shelter is better
than none.
You main priority in finding shelter is to defend your body
from the weather that is it you must keep dry and warm to have a chance of
survival.
And as long as you understand the basic principles you can
go on survival exercises even without the top of the range designer kit,
because people have survived with far less before they were invented and I
promise people will continue to do so in the future.
You are listening to
the UK preppers Radio network on KPRNDB-UK I’m your host Tom Linden
30% DISCOUNT FROM RIBZ
A front pack is a pack or bag that allows for access of
equipment from the persons chest. Front packs first and foremost allow for easy
access of gear without the removal of any equipment.
In many adventure outdoor activities it can be critical to
the sport to have the ability to reach essential gear fast without the removal
of a backpack. Simplicity is the foremost purpose of the front pack but there
are many additional benefits as well.
Weight distribution and balance is a key element in the
utility of the front pack. Shifting weight forward in situations when carrying
heavy loads can be critical to the comfort and balance of an individual.
Backpacking is a sport where in many situations it is
critical to both minimize and maximize the contents of your load for a longer
or lighter duration of stay. The ability to move small amounts of weight to the
frontal region significantly reduces overall stress on a person’s shoulders and
back.
Moving a small amount of heavy equipment forward to a front
pack can allow for an individual to either maximize or minimize the overall
load contained in a backpack.
In all there are unlimited uses for the front pack. Front
packs are the best compliment to any outdoorsman’s gear when accessibility, functionality,
mobility and simplicity are required. From horseback riding, long distance
biking, motorcycling and kayaking. All sports where fast and easy access of
gear is essential, a front pack is your best solution and as you can imagine it
is going down a storm within the prepping and survivalist community.
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and can be used in the coupon section within the Store. http://www.ribzwear.com/store/ Have a
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Route Planning
Route planning is an essential navigation skill and one you
must master if you are planning bug out
Even for the more experienced survivalist or prepper who has
been training for years and only walks for pleasure, a few minutes route
planning is very valuable.
Some experienced survivalists and preppers see it as an
unnecessary chore but I say that even in a familiar area it can make you think
about things you may have missed and help prevent you becoming complacent.
Think of route planning as a sort of risk assessment, the
important thing is to think about what if, and how you would deal with that.
Also it is vital not to overestimate your fitness that of your party. You may
be much fitter than other members so escape routes and alternative routes are very
important.
Many people who are experienced day walkers also
underestimate the difficulty of multi day walks with a full pack on.
Route Cards
A route card is quite simply the route you plan to take
broken into stages with the time you expect to return on. It can be written on
anything in any form as long as copy is left with a responsible person who will
be able to contact help if you do not arrive back when you should.
This means if you get
into trouble help will know where to look, for a multi-day expedition a card
should cover each day. Make sure when you do get back safely that you inform
the person with the card.
The more detailed a route card the better, as it is much
better to work out compass bearing etc. at home than up a mountain and allows
you to plan a more enjoyable trip and means if something does go wrong from a
sprained ankle to a broken leg you are much better prepared.
Designing your own route card is fairly simple and most
navigation books have an example. Below is an example, which you can use or
adapt.
Date:
Members in group:
Weather Forecast:
Starting grid Ref:
Description:
Departure Time:
To (Grid Ref) Finishing Point Grid Ref:
Estimated Arrival Time:
Phone Check in Time:
Party leaders Mobile No:
Escape route
Estimating Time
The speed which you cover ground will depend on many things,
fitness, how much your pack weighs, experience, weather and ground conditions,
and the terrain.
If you have time the best way is to work out a pace card
where you time the number of paces and time it takes you to cover a set piece
of ground say 100 meters and then work out your average speed over a 1km, but
this takes time and experience to do.
Generally you will cover 3km or 2 miles an hour over rough
trails with a pack on with this falling to about 2km over hilly or steep
ground.
A large group will travel more slowly than a solo or pair of
walkers as it must travel at the speed of the slowest member but also more time
is needed while the group waits as they cross obstacles such as styles and
streams or wait while people go to the toilet.
One good way of estimating time is Nasmith’s Rule. W. Nasmith was a Scottish mountaineer in the
late 19th century who came up with a formula for estimating the time needed to
complete a hike in the mountains which is still widely used today.
The rule states that you should allow 1 hour for every 5km
(3 miles) adding 30 minutes for every 1,000 ft. (300 meters) that you gain in
height.
This rule assumes a fit experienced party and does not allow
for rests (and is therefore used by the British military in its training).
It also doesn’t allow for bad weather and makes no allowance
for downhill (steep descents will also slow a party and contra to what people
think you do not tend to gain time coming down compared to if the ground was
flat).
This rule works well for UK land ranger maps (1:50,000)
where you can add 1 minute for every 10-meter contour line.
Example a 20km (12 miles) walk gaining 2000ft of height
would take 5 hours without breaks (4 hours for distance plus 1 hour for ascent)
Escape Routes
You will note on the example route there is a space for
escape routes. This is an easy way off the mountain at a certain point or a
quick route to the nearest shelter or help.
They should be easy routes to follow even in bad weather
(which may be the reason for needing the escape route in the first place) and
should not be too steep of difficult as you may have a party member with a
minor injury.
The reason for using an escape route may not be serious, it
could be that members of the party are not as fit as they thought or the
weather is worse than planned.
IF IN DOUBT, USE THE ESCAPE / ALTERNATIVE ROUTE, many groups
get in trouble when they soldier on despite problems which then become much
more serious, it may not be macho but it is sensible and mountain rescue will
not thank you for getting yourself in trouble when you had a chance to get out
of danger earlier.
Wilderness121’s 10% discount
The new supplier of Purificup to the UK is Wilderness121 and
they really mean business, having spoken to the director Rob Williams he has
agreed to offer you dear listener a 10% discount just by putting the letters
UKPRN into the code box it is that simple.
Now pop along to www.wilderness121.co.uk
and check out their great range of survival related products.
Survival Napping
As expert survivors
we often think in terms of taking action in order to survive.
For example we have our bug-out bags pre-packed and are
ready to go, so that we may walk or drive many miles with enough supplies to
get us there.
Survivors know how to build a fire in many different ways
under a variety of adverse conditions. Survivors can obtain drinkable water and
forage edible foods from a plethora of sources.
As survival experts
we can defend ourselves and our property to the best of our ability.
And that is just the beginning. When the going gets tough
the experienced wilderness and urban survivor springs into action, taking
adversity head on.
But not always. A wise old friend of mine once told me,
“Sometimes the best thing you can do - is do nothing!”
When the going gets tough sometimes the best thing to do is
to take a long nap. During very bad weather or social unrest it is often not
wise to continue on with your plans.
Rather than flail about in wind and storm or risk
altercation during social unrest, simply go to sleep and wait it out! You will
save your energy, reduce the risk of injury, and get a good rest besides.
Sometimes the best
thing you can do- is do nothing!
This strategy has been employed by experienced wilderness
survivors such as the northern Native Americans during foul winter weather,
arctic explorers, and high mountain expeditions like those on Mount Everest and
K2.
Even the very squirrels and other animals, natures
experienced survival instructors, will hunker down during the worst of
conditions. They simply curl up in their dens and go to sleep.
During a survival situation of any kind, the ability to
sleep warm, dry, and comfortable is very important and can mean the difference
between health and the ability to take action during waking hours or possibly
not making it out alive.
If you have the proper survival gear and knowledge, your
outdoor sleep system can get you through the most trying of times with little
expenditure of precious energy or exposure to danger.
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The RIBZ Front Pack
The LuminAID
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How to Choose the Best Survival Knife
All those who have ever devoted a quality amount of time in
the outdoors will vouch for the effectiveness of a good knife but to the
survival professional his knife is one of their best friends and the most
securely guarded of his survival equipment.
These days most
people have forgotten the importance of always having a survival knife.
Without a doubt it is now normal to meet those who are
scared of knives and question people who keep them. It is an unfortunate fact
that many present day individuals have no clue regarding the numerous functions
of a great survival knife.
When I was a little boy around 10 years old my father gave
me a pen knife and I used it every day from sitting on my back step whittling
to using it every day, all day without even thinking about it.
I then joined the boy scouts and was able to wear a “bone
handle sheath knife” and I have to tell you that whichever knife I had it never
crossed my mind to stab someone with it, even in anger on the day my next door
neighborough shot my frog with an air rifle as I released it into a local
stream
A great survival knife is a vital piece within your survival
equipment and is among the essentials that all survivors need to have with him
or her.
With a capable knife you can take or acquire almost anything
you need to thrive as well as succeed in the outdoors. With this in mind, your
selection of the best survival knife for your requirements has to be dependent
on solid build quality, correct parts, craftsmanship, and capability.
To newcomers, survival knives usually conjure up images of
the huge Rambo style knives as shown in Hollywood cinema.
Though they look like powerful tools that could take on
everyone, these oversized blades really are a phony from the best of blades
used by survival pros.
The big blades have problems with being tough to handle as
they are very hefty and huge. Additionally, double edged knives are recommended
mainly for thrusting. As their tips are fairly weak they are prone to breaking
up.
A number of survival knives are sold which may have hollow
handles – the idea being you can stash survival necessities like matches,
compass, and various strings within the water-tight handle.
One issue empty grip survival blades experience is that they
are prone to being sluggish compared to solid handle selection and also they
can easily break at the hilt as the handle or the blade fly’s during heavy use.
There are exceptions,
but usually you’re best holding the survival gear somewhere else.
One benefit is if you
should lose your survival knife you will still have survival kit items to use.
The best survival knives need to be functional in the number
of things they are often called upon to do. At the same time mass and weight
are crucial considerations just like any survival items.
Some people advise that the ideal survival knife blade
length is approximately four to six inches long. This particular size blade
gives good mixture of size and control.
If a larger sized survival blade is necessary then you would
possibly be best taking a machete or an axe. Whatever the case, you would still
do well with a normal sized survival knife.
The best survival knife is constructed of one joint of
metal, to which there might be sections of material joined to create a snug
grip. This kind of construction is well known in the blade community as “full
tang” or “narrow tang”.
Full tang survival knives are manufactured so that the blade
fuses the handgrip. Typically 2 parts of materials attach to each side of the
steel to create a secure handle.
To be able to save money on weight and mass some knives
avoid adding grips and the steel remains bare, these can be wrapped with
paracord to make a comfortable hand grip for example.
Narrow tang survival knives reduce the proportions of the
blade material as it makes its way into the grip of the knife. A handle is then
connected on the smaller bit of the blade.
Often the knife handle consists of leather-based disks.
Narrow tang knives sometimes use a pommel attached to the handgrip end of the
tang.
Cheap survival knives tend to be made in order that the
metal blade is split from the handgrip. The weaker point on these terribly made
blades is when the blade and grip are bolted and glued together. You’d do best
to stay away from such cheap knifes in favour of the full tang or narrow tang
types.
There are two major forms of knife blades that the survivor
need, specifically smooth and serrated. Serrated survival knife blades do best
at slicing artificial materials, garments, and skin.
For self- defence and
paramedics, serrated sides make the perfect choice.
A downside of serrated cutting sides is that they are tough
to sharpen effectively in the wilderness. This is really a major disadvantage
in a survival situation where keeping a sharp edge in the course of tough use
is extremely necessary.
In addition, serrated
knives don’t have an effective blade for carving and chopping.
A plain smooth edged blade is the blade of preference for
almost all survival circumstances. This kind of blade is useful for chiselling,
dicing, and sawing.
Although it might not chop through nylon material webbing,
clothes, or flesh as efficiently as a serrated blade, the straight bladed
knives will still make quick work of such elements.
The added benefit of the normal blade is that you may
sharpen your survival knife on a stone or piece of cement should you not have a
normal sharpening rock on hand whereas the serrated blade typically needs
special sharpening equipment and technique.
Around the back of numerous survival knives are a saw
designed for sawing through metal or solid wood. In lots of situations, as in
the Rambo variation knives, these saws simply do a bad job at very best.
In the event you require a small saw in your survival tools
you would thrive to add a tool specifically developed for this instead of use
your knife for this purpose.
The best survival knife will usually have a blade width of
around 6/32 and 9/32 of an inch. Any thinner and the knife will become too
bendable. It is crucial that the tip of the knife sustains its durability, as
this is a likely spot where the knife could fail.
There’s two primary
forms of metal used in producing top quality survival knives:
Firstly stainless-steel knife blades are decay immune and
function really well in damp settings. They need much less care compared to
carbon steel knives. Disadvantages to using stainless steel in knives is
because they tend to be more costly, are more tough to sharpen, and might not
hold an edge as nicely.
Carbon Steel knife blades however may rust if not used
frequently or sprayed. Many people think carbon steel knives hold an edge much
better than their stainless steel counterparts.
I carry the Chris
Caine Companion which is in my view the complete survival tool
Buggrub 10% discount
Peter at buggrub is not only sponsoring the competition on
my website he is also offering a 10% discount on all his products. So have you
got the gonads, can you walk the walk, dare you, I dear you to buy some buggrub
and then eat it, go on I dare you. Peter’s website is www.buggrub.co.uk
So You Want Your Own Land
Do you hold a dream to live off of the land and experience
the joy of sustainable living? There really are countless things to consider
when living off the land. However, if I was wanting my own land then these
items would be on my list and I think they should be on yours.
1. Land
2. Natural Fresh Water Source
3. Food
4. Shelter
5. Power
6. Medical Skills
7. Methods of Communications
8. Disposal of Waste
9. Positive Mental Attitude
Land
I put land as the number one priority on this list ’cause
without land, there’s no living off of it! There is a huge debate about how
much is enough. I say, you make do with what you have.
But in order to produce enough to truly live off the land,
you will need at least 5 acres. This allows for enough space to produce for
your family and your animals. When considering where to purchase cheap land you
must consider things such as acreage, amount of timber, quality of soil,
presence of water, cost of land taxes, and weather.
Natural Fresh Water
Source
We can live days, even weeks without food, but we will
surely die without water in about 3 days. A fresh water source is crucial to
your success in living off the land. Whether it is a lake, river/stream, spring
or well, it must be close by and it must be drinkable.
The cost of digging a well depends on your location, water
table, and contractor, but you can expect to pay up to £3,000. Water Storage
(tanks, cisterns, aquifers, and ponds for domestic supply, fire and emergency
use) is also a necessary system to consider and install.
Food
Nutrition, and the production of food, is super important
and a key factor in living off the land not only for your family, but for your
animals as well.
In most zones a greenhouse for the winter is a must as well
as a garden in the summer. Books such as The Winter Harvest Handbook teach
sustainable year-round gardening methods and will give you a good price point
for getting started. Additionally, you’ll need a working knowledge of
traditional food preservation techniques using salt, oil, sugar, alcohol,
vinegar, drying, cold storage, and lactic fermentation. Preserving Food without
Freezing or Canning is a great resource for this.
Production animals (i.e. bees, chickens, cows, ducks, goats,
pigs, rabbits, and sheep) provide a fresh source of food, among countless other
things.
The start-up cost of purchasing your animals will vary as
will the initial cost of heirloom garden seed. Depending on where you wanted to
start, chickens and goats seem logical to me, you may be looking at around £500
for animals, garden, and seed. If £500 seems like too much initially, get
started with a small flock of chickens; the eggs alone are enough to sustain
and nourish.
Power
When constructing your home/shelter, positioning it for
power efficiency is of upmost importance. When living off the land, the hope
is, our use of power will decrease. Some of the sources for off-grid power are
wood/fire, solar, wind, and hydro. Ideally, your property and/or your local
area should contain enough timber to provide a heat and cooking source.
The old-fashioned cook top stove would need to find its
place in your home. Solar chargers, wind turbines, and water powered generators
are all rather expensive forms of generating power, initially.
Which one’s better? It depends on who you talk to and where
you live! Anyway you go, you can plan on investing around £2,000. Bottom line,
the less power you need the less power you have to generate. Power conservation
is your best bet when choosing to living off the land.
Medical Skills
Basic medical skills are a necessity for anyone living
off-grid. Simply because in most cases you will be quite a distance from the
nearest medical facility and you may not hold health insurance.
For a £50 start-up cost you can construct an emergency
medical kit.
Purchase books like Where There Is No Doctor, Where There Is
No Dentist, and Where Women Have No Doctor: A Health Guide for Women.
And for sustainability’s sake you will need to learn how to
make homemade herbal bandages, tinctures, and syrups; all of which require
knowledge of medicinal herbs.
Methods of
Communications
Communication has been and will always be a very important
aspect of our lives. Modern technology (aka The Internet) has dramatically
changed the way we communicate with others.
There are a variety of Satellite Internet Services providers
that are for the most part, pretty inexpensive. The initial equipment and set
up fee will cost you approximately £200 with a monthly charge of around £30
depending on what provider you go with.
If you don’t want the monthly charge? CB radio works well
for local use and the Ham radio is better for long range communications.
Disposal of Waste
In order of least expensive to most expensive, here are 3
options for the disposal of human waste.
Humanure.
Composting human waste is free. The most amazing system has been created and
you can read all about it in
The Humanure
Handbook. If you are even remotely considering living off-grid this book
should be in your home library.
Incinerator Toilet.
The waterless incinerator toilet can be set up anywhere and is the perfect
alternative to a septic system. One of these lovely things will cost you
approximately £1.000.
Septic System. The
septic system is the most expensive costing anywhere from £5,000. This system
requires modern electricity and running water in addition to routine
maintenance.
Positive Mental
Attitude
If you are going to live off the land and thrive, you have
to have your mind right. A positive mental attitude, and a willingness to
learn, will see you through the tough times of sustainable living.
However, living off the land is no joke. It’s not romantic
or sexy. It’s blood, sweat, and tears. It’s up with the sun and working for
hours.
It’s unpredictable. An agrarian way of life is a willing
submission to the laws of nature and to the Creator. This will cost you
everything!
Don’t ever give up on your dreams of living off the land! I
promise there is a way…you just have to find it.
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Building a Survival Shelter
Knowing how to build a survival shelter can save your life.
While lack of food can kill you in 3 weeks, and a lack of
water kill you in three days, exposure can kill in a matter of a few hours!
Regardless of what type of outdoor survival situation you
find yourself in, you may need to build a shelter until a more permanent
solution can be found.
Lean-to shelters are the easiest to build and can be
constructed from almost any material. A blanket or tarp suspended on one end
and weighted down on the other is considered a lean-to.
Wood supported by any upright is also a lean-to. All of
these will provide some protection from wind, sun, rain, snow and all can be
made with items that can be found or carried in a survival backpack.
Conical structures will also provide emergency shelter and
while they are a bit more difficult to create can be made from items easily located.
Branches, sticks, lumber and pipe are all materials that can
be used to construct a conical shelter. Arrange your support material in a
circular motion. Starting with two poles on each side, prop them up so that
they help support each other.
Working on a north/south and east/west grid, create a circle
of supports. As you fill in the gaps on each directional side you will find
that the structure becomes more stable.
Choose one area to leave open for your entryway. You can
place a few branches or sticks sideways at this area weaving them into the
outer supports to reduce the height of this opening.
You can close up this
opening with a blanket, backpack or rubbish bag once you are inside.
When the basic shell has been constructed you can cover this
conical structure with smaller branches, cloth such as blankets, curtains,
carpet and so forth. Leaves and grass also work as a covering.
If your structure is constructed in an area where there is
no danger of escaping natural gas or propane you may build a small pit fire
inside. There will be a natural centre hole in conical shelters that will allow
the smoke to rise and escape from inside.
A tipi structure is also an option for some. Taller supports
are tied together at the top forming an inverted ice cream cone shape. Around
these poles, fabric such as sheets or blankets, carpet or plastic is placed.
Again if this structure is in an area where no danger of
escaping natural gas or propane is present, a small pit fire for warmth and
cooking may be placed inside.
Tents and other types
of pre-made shelters are useful as well.
Many modern tents are small, lightweight and some are
designed for very cold temperatures. While these modern shelters have specific
types of stoves and heating equipment that must be used they can be a valuable
shelter option for some.
Canvas was once the fabric of choice for many temporary
outdoor structures. Unfortunately, it is heavy and is a poor choice today for
the survival backpack. However, it is possible to pack one of those lightweight
silver tarps in a backpack and then have it available.
Drape it over a pole lodged between two trees, so that each
end touches the ground. Anchor the ends with rocks and logs and close one end
with branches, twigs and leaves.
Providing shelter during an emergency is as important as
water and food will be.
Before you find yourself in an emergency situation you need
to practice making a survival shelter. Having the supplies for an emergency
without having the skills to use them is like not having the supplies in the
first place.
Be prepared. Practice
your skills before you need them.
Further Companies to
Support
Uses natural fuel
EDC steel tools
Highlander Trojan Hydration Pack – Multicam
CUDEMAN HEAVY DUTY OLIVE WOOD BUSHCRAFT KNIFE - 111L
Alum Crystal and natural spa products
Tool logic Survival 11 Credit Card
BackHawk Web duty Belt
Guppie Multi=tool
Go Survival Pack
Beautiful Handmade Catapults
1 Person BASIC Backpack Survival Kit, the back pack that
does it all
DD Hammock –The ultimate in Travel Hammocks
Elzetta ZFL-M60 Tactical Weapon-Grade LED Torch
Ultimate Adventurer Survival Kit everything in one kit
Adjustable Knife Lanyard Review
Handmade knives by James D. Sanders
Mini alarm Device with an Ultra bright White LED
Lightload towels
The LUCI light
Fire Dragon Gel
TBS Boar Folding
Pocket Knife
Live Fire Emergency Fire Starter
THE ultimate Emergency Survival Fishing Kit
Vegetarians and prepping
How would a
vegetarian prep to survive?
You know that is a question that I could not answer straight
off as, as a meat eater I have not thought of this question as I am not
bothered. Well I was not bothered until he asked that question it then occurred
to me that there will be thousands of vegetarian preppers and survivalists out
there who need to know what to do just as much as we meat eaters do.
The question I asked myself was can vegetarians get complete
nutrition if they never eat meat? Well is seems that they can and all it takes
are two simple, timeless ingredients.
Muscles, blood, and bones are built from basic elements
found in protein. These elements are called amino acids, and there are 22 of
them that the human body needs to keep the factory in business. The body can
make many of these building blocks for itself. There are nine essential amino
acids, though, that only come from food.
Meat is a complete protein. Like a bookshelf from Ikea, it
has all the parts in one neat kit. There is no single non-animal food that packs
in all nine essential aminos. Lucky for vegetarians, protein comes from
many sources. You don’t need an all-in-one kit to build a bookshelf.
Beans and rice, diet staples since the first folks learned
how to farm, each have their own share of amino acids. It’s a mix and match.
Eat them together in one meal, and they combine to make complete proteins.
Dozens of types of beans are grown across the globe. Here is
a short list of the most common and healthiest:
Black beans
Pinto beans
Navy beans
Kidney beans
Lima (butter) beans
Don’t hesitate to stockpile beans. Canned varieties have a
shelf life that can stretch as long as five years, under the right conditions.
That is, the standard Cool Dry Place. Dry beans can be stored even longer;
sealed in an airtight container and kept out of the light, they can survive for
an amazing twenty years or more, without losing any of their nutritional
benefits.
Canned beans are much quicker to prepare than dry. The downside
of precooked beans is a higher level of sodium, added during the canning
process. Also, since they are cooked in the can, there is no way for the
complex sugars in the beans to escape. Rinse canned beans very well before using them to wash away as
much of the residual sodium and sugars as possible.
Plan far ahead to cook dry beans. They need to soak
overnight to soften. The soak time can be shortened by briefly boiling the
beans first, but there is a risk of food poisoning because they still need to sit
for several hours. The elevated temperature is a better environment for
bacteria than cool water.
You’ll notice foaminess forming on the top of the water;
this is the sugar escaping. Dry beans cause less gas than canned beans. Sugar
is water soluble, and the more you rinse away, the less there is to ferment
after you eat it.
Instant rice is not a special variety. It’s merely rice that
has been precooked, then dehydrated. It’s popular because it is quick and very
easy to cook. It’s unpopular because it is bland and chewy.
Cooking conventional rice is not as difficult as it seems;
just plan ahead for it. Instant rice is better than none at all, but if you do
the easy prep work and cook up some real rice, you’ll see a major improvement
in texture and flavour. Nutrition, too. Give it a shot!
There are thousands of varieties of rice. Here are the
basics:
Long grain rice cooks up fluffy. After it is cooked, the
grains don’t stick together. This type of rice is best for side dishes and stir
fry’s.
Medium grain rice is moist and tender, also good for side
dishes, and for soups.
Short grain rice is used to make sushi, rice balls, and
risotto. It is very sticky, and has a good strong flavour.
Brown rice and white rice are not separate varieties; they
are just milled differently. Whole grain brown rice gets its colour from a
layer of vitamin rich bran, which is ground off to produce white rice. While
brown has more nutrition and better flavour, it takes longer to cook and must
be refrigerated so the oils in the layer of bran don’t get rancid.
White has a much longer shelf life - 25 to 30 years, when
stored properly. To compensate for the loss of the healthy bran layer during
milling, white rice is often fortified.
Some folks say that cooking rice is an art form. These are
the folks who don’t like to share the two simple rice cooking secrets. For
outstanding results, follow these steps:
Wash away excess starch and any possible residue pesticides.
Use a large pot; ideally, you want three times as much water as rice while
you’re rinsing it. Get right in there with your hands and really work it. Drain
the rinse water, and repeat. If the water is not running clear after the second rinse, go ahead and do it a
third time.
Let it sit in fresh water before you cook it up. The grain
will relax, and the rice will need less time on the stove. Soaking is the key
to cooking rice with the best texture. Thirty minutes is a good start for
regular white rice, but it can go as long as 10 hours. (Hint: set it up before
you go to work, and it will be ready & waiting for you when you get back
home.)
Once the secret prep work is done, cook the rice in a heavy
pot. Use a little less water than the standard 2:1 ratio, so it won’t get mushy
and soggy. Don’t boil the water before you add the rice, and no peeking - if
you lift the lid, the steam will escape before the job is done.
Beans and rice have been fuelling us since the days of the
first farmers. Every major culture has a variation of this simple mix of staple
ingredients. Whether you are a vegetarian or not, a meal of beans and rice is
incredibly healthy.
If you’ve looked at purchasing food storage from any number
of companies, you’ve probably encountered TVP.
But what is TVP? And do I need
any of it in my food storage?
TVP is an acronym for Textured Vegetable Protein. It is also sometimes called Textured Soy
Protein (TSP), or soy meat. It is a
non-meat product that provides a comparable percentage of protein per serving
when reconstituted as meat. It is high
in fibre and low in fat.
TVP is made from soy flour after the soy oil has been
extracted. The flour is mixed with
water, then cooked under pressure and squirted out of a machine to dry. Because of the pressure, the TVP fluffs with
air pockets when it comes out of the extruder, giving it a texture and mouth
feel, similar to meat. TVP can be dried
in various forms like strips, flakes, and crumbles depending on what the final
product will be used for.
TVP is also a great protein source for vegetarian’s as it is
soy based and has no meat products in it.
In its natural state, TVP is tasteless, so most food storage
TVP has flavour added. There is chicken,
ham, beef, and bacon flavours of TVP.
Why would you want TVP in your food storage when there are
perfectly good freeze dried meats and canned meats available? One good reason is the cost. TVP is quite a bit less expensive per serving
than freeze dried or commercially canned meats.
Because of the cost savings, TVP is an enticing alternative that can be
used alone or as a meat extender to add protein to a variety of meals.
Some people actually prefer TVP to regular meats. I’m not a huge fan of it personally, but it’s
not bad as an extender or occasional pie filler.
To rehydrate TVP, either add boiling water to it, or boil it
in water until it is reconstituted.
Usually it is about 3/4 cup water to 1 cup TVP, but can vary depending
on the variety of TVP you’re cooking–check your product label for more specific
instructions.
I hope that this has given the vegetarians among us some
idea on what to prep, the usual rules on storage still apply and only your lack
of imagination will limit your recipe choices.
When the Power Stops
It is a fact that our country is more reliant on electrical
power today than at any time in its history. Our way of life – from everyday
conveniences and the security of local emergency services to commerce and
communications – is contingent upon an always on, always available flow of
electricity.
But an aging infrastructure coupled with a rise in natural
and man-made disasters threatens our entire modern day digital infrastructure.
According to many experts from the private and public sector, we’re just one
major catastrophic event away from a complete meltdown of life in the United
Kingdom as we know it today. An EMP springs to mind.
So, what happens if and when the grid goes down for an
extended period of time? Aside from the aggravation of not being able to
determine what is happening through traditional media channels, for the Average
person, his problems have only just begun.
Our dependency to the power grid doesn’t just stop at the
lack of electricity in our homes to power our appliances or an inability to
charge our mobile phones; it is much broader and affects every aspect of our
lives.
We often hear news reports of power cuts that last several
days or weeks resulting from bad weather or snow storms. During those times,
when entire areas or regions are left without power, we get a very basic idea
of what a truly widespread emergency might look like.
It is often the case that the first thing residents of
affected areas do is rush to the supermarket and DIY stores hoping to acquire
critical supplies like food, water, batteries, flashlights and generators.
And while these supplies acquired at the onset of crisis may
provide short term sustenance, any long-term power cut situation that lasts for
many weeks or months will prove dangerous, and perhaps fatal, to the
unprepared.
Consider, for a moment, how drastically your life would
change without the continuous flow of energy the grid delivers. While
manageable during a short-term disaster, losing access to the following
critical elements of our just-in-time society would wreak havoc on the system.
Challenges or shut downs of business commerce
Breakdown of our basic infrastructure: communications, mass
transportation, supply chains
Inability to access money via ATM machines
Payroll service interruptions
Interruptions in public facilities – schools, workplaces
might close, and public gatherings.
Inability to have access to clean drinking water
The last widespread outage in the Northeast with over 80,000
homes without electricity, showed how intimately interconnected and alarmingly
fragile our power grid is.
If our society is more reliant on power than at any time in
history – without it, we’ve got no commerce, no communications, and no clean
water – and if power becomes less reliable in the future, the big question is:
Will we be able to hack it?
THE TROUBLE with the future of power isn’t that there is one
big problem that could knack us. It’s that there are a host of them, any one of
which could knack us.
These things that
could knack us I would class as Extreme Natural Disasters
This includes earthquakes, hurricanes, snow storms,
thunderstorms as well as massive solar storms that have the potential to
seriously damage the electrical grid. You don’t think it could happen?
“It took just 90 seconds for a 1989 solar storm to cause the
collapse of the Hydro-Quebec power grid, leaving 6 million Canadians without
power for up to nine hours.
A 2008 NASA-funded report noted the risk of significant
damage to our interconnected grid in light of the forecast for increased solar
activity. The 11-year solar cycle is expected to peak in 2013, and just two
weeks ago we saw one of the biggest solar-radiation storms in years.
Acts of Terrorism
This category includes, but is not limited to a physical
attack on the bulk power system, either at its source of generation or
somewhere along its transmission route, cyber-attack on the computers controlling
our interconnected grid, electro-magnetic pulse, or an EMP, weapon.
Have you read me “effects of EMP” article. EMP’s will create
long-lasting damage that would incapacitate electronic systems across the
country and forever change our way of life. Cyber-threats are another concern
and someone with serious hacking skills could easily take out computers,
networks or information stored therein to cause lasting damage to our way of
life.
The Ailing Grid
Our ailing power grid is almost as sick as our failing
economy. With one malicious event, be it man-made or by natural means, it is
down. Our power delivery system is as old and stooped as a pensioner. As it is
upgraded and its capacity is expanded, our rapacious need for more electrical
power races to max it out once again.
A wide-spread emergency, such as a massive power surge,
solar flare or a rogue electromagnetic pulse (EMP) detonation have the capacity
to render our entire power infrastructure useless. Transformers and other key
elements on which the grid depends could be permanently damaged as a result of
massive electric surges.
In an event such as this our immediate problem will be
finding a way to order, manufacture and take delivery of the components needed
to replace the faulty ones.
Most of the parts made for our electrical grid are made in
China – and many are decades old. It would take months to get the parts shipped
to this country and replaced.
During the power cut, millions would be adversely affected;
some even suggesting that within a year 9 out of 10 Britons would be dead from
starvation, disease and violence.
Ladies and gentleman, if there’s one thing that can cause
the veritable “S” to hit the fan, this is it.
So how do we remedy and/or prepare for a grid down scenario?
Think retro – like pioneer retro- and by that we have to go way back to when we
were not so dependent on the luxury of on-demand energy in its various forms.
When preparing for a grid-down scenario, we must comprise different contingency
plans for short-term and longer-term issues.
That being the case, we have to admit to ourselves that it
could last longer than we expect and much more than just a minor inconvenience.
Therefore, the best way to prepare is to start with your basic needs. That is
the need for light, heat, water, and food. Some preparedness items to stock up
on are:
Alternative fuel sources such as solar and diesel, wood for
burning.
Food preservation supplies – dehydrators, canners, smokers,
fermenting/pickling supplies. To learn more, click here.
Bulk food – Canned, freeze-dried, dehydrated or dry goods.
Water filtration supplies, rain harvesting supplies and
large quantities of stored water.
Light sources: Lanterns, flashlights, candles and matches
and alternative light sources
Batteries and chargers
Emergency stove – solar oven, rocket stove, camping stoves,
etc.
Wood burning fire place – Central air heating systems, even
if they use natural gas or propane, depend on electricity for the blower that
will circulate the heated air. When the grid is down, this system will not
work. Having a wood burning fire place is an alternative to central heating
systems.
Cash money and/or
silver or gold currency
The vulnerability of our grid is nothing new to preppers.
Some have seen this problem coming for a long time and changed their entire
ways of life by going off-grid. They have found alternative sources such as
solar, wind and diesel to power their homes and machinery. A majority of us,
who have not gone off-grid, are making a concerted effort to avoid dependence
on this ailing infrastructure and preparing for life without it. That being
said, all we can do is stay the course, prepare accordingly and continue on.
Common Prepping Mistakes
With the abundance of bad info out there, it’s easy for new
preppers to make a lot of mistakes.
I, myself, when I was a new prepper made many mistakes and
I’m sure I’ll make more, but that’s part of the learning process.
To help you speed up this process, here are some common
prepping mistakes you’ll want to avoid:
Not having a survival library is one, OK books are less
common these days because we do so much reading on the Internet and Kindles.
But if the power goes out, having a good collection of survival books could
save your life.
They’ll give you something to read when you’re bored, and
will have important instructions on things like purifying water, building
fires, and medical care.
While you want to learn as much of this info as you can
ahead of time, no one can know everything, and there are bound to be times when
a survival library will come in handy.
Focusing on supplies instead of skills is a common mistake.
Of course, just because you have all the best books on survival doesn’t mean
you shouldn’t bother to learn survival skills. It’s possible your books will be
destroyed or you won’t be able to get to them.
The same rule applies to your survival food and gear. What
if you’re at work when your home is destroyed by an explosion, earthquake or
some other disastrous event? Would you still have the skills to survive, or are
you completely dependent on your food and gear?
Not having enough water preps. I cannot overemphasize the
importance of water. There are many survivalists who have six months of food
and only two weeks of water on hand.
Considering that you can survive without food about ten
times as long as you can survive without water, you’d be better off with two
weeks of food and six months of water.
Don’t do that either by the way, but at least make sure your
water will last as long as your food. If you don’t have enough room for that
much, there are many ways to collect and purify water.
Not having enough variety in food supplies. Too many new
preppers buy nothing but rice, beans, flour, salt and sugar. If that’s all you
have to eat after a disaster, you’re going to be miserable.
Your body will have trouble adjusting to the new bare-bones
diet and you’ll suffer from food fatigue, where your survival food won’t be
appetizing even when you’re very hungry.
Make sure you buy the ingredients for a variety of possible
meals so you’ll feel satisfied every time you eat.
This leads to my next
point…
Not eating what you store. This was the first mistake I made
when I started stocking up on food. I bought all kinds of food, sealed it up,
put it in the cupboard, and forgot about it.
Inevitably, some of my food went bad and I had to throw it
out. It’s important you store what you eat and eat what you store.
I’m a mate of rotate, in other words rotate your food and
water supplies
If you’re not sure how to cook meals from the basic
ingredients, I’d recommend getting some cookbooks and a guide like Emergency
Food Storage & Survival Handbook 10 Common Prepping Mistakes which has a
lot of great recipes.
Not having enough vitamins. Personally, I think everyone
should be taking multivitamins since most modern diets don’t provide the
nutrition we need, but this will be even more important in a survival
situation.
The stress of having your life turned upside down, constant
threats to you and your family, and manual labour will take a lot of energy and
tax your immune system. Vitamins will help keep you strong and healthy,
especially Vitamin C.
While the last few points have been about food, don’t forget
all your other survival needs. When a lot of people think of prepping, the
first things they think about are food and water and they proceed to stock up
on them while neglecting healthy and beauty supplies, first aid kids, bug out
bags, cooking implements, clothes, weapons and other important items.
While food should be
your first priority, don’t forget your other priorities.
Relying only on an arsenal is another common mistake. At the
other end the spectrum, there are some preppers who focus all their attention
on guns and ammo. The reasoning is that not only will they be able to protect
themselves, they’ll be able to hunt their food and trade ammo for other
supplies.
This is unrealistic, especially if you’re in or near a city.
The little bit of wildlife in your area will be picked clean by others, and
most people won’t be interested in your ammo as they, like you, will be looking
to trade for food and other vital supplies. Sure, have some weapons for
self-defence, but don’t go overboard.
As much as we all love our pets, for some reason it’s easy
to forget that they need preps, too.
Animals require more
than just food and water.
Planning on bugging out. Although having a bug out bag and a
vehicle survival kit is important, unless you have advance warning of a
disaster it will be very difficult to get from your home to your bug out
location.
The streets will be congested, roads and entire areas could
be inaccessible, and fuel could become unavailable.
That’s why I think
it’s so important to be ready to shelter in place.
The Best Meal of the Day
Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day.
This is especially true for backpackers, survivalists and
preppers on exercise. A healthy breakfast is responsible for replacing the
glucose stores depleted each night and for providing the body with the
nutrients it needs for jump-starting the day.
The consequences of skipping breakfast -- a drop in blood
sugar levels, fatigue, poor concentration, irritability and lethargy -- can
manifest themselves throughout the day, making hiking a miserable experience.
Energy Requirements
Backpackers commonly burn anywhere from 3,000 and 6,000
calories a day and have to consume between 2 and 3 lbs. of energy-dense food
each day to meet their energy requirements.
Breakfasts are typically a backpacker's biggest meal,
accounting for 25 per cent of the day's required calories and nutrients.
A healthy breakfast that contains a balanced ratio of
protein, fats and complex carbohydrates can provide a backpacker with the
energy needed for a successful hike without the blood sugar crash that
accompanies the consumption of simple sugars.
Along with complex carbohydrates, fats are the preferred
fuel for muscles. Calorie- and nutrient-dense, fats are typically a
lightweight, trail-friendly food that provides the body with a reliable source
for long-term energy.
Fats are typically found in oils, nuts, avocados, fish,
meats, butter and cheese. Roughly 35 to 40 per cent of the calories in a
backpacker's breakfast should come from fat.
Fats are especially important for backpackers on long,
strenuous treks or those in colder climates.
Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates refer to the starches found in the
whole grains, cereals, fruits and vegetables that contain glucose. As the
body's main source of energy, glucose provides an immediate supply of energy
that replenishes glucose stores and jump-starts the body.
An important component of a backpacker's diet, roughly 50
per cent of a breakfast's calories should come from complex carbohydrates. As
the brain's sole source of energy, glucose is also important for maintaining mental
focus and boosting mood.
When combined with fibre, complex carbohydrates can help
stabilize the body's blood glucose levels and prevent fatigue and hypoglycaemia
during a morning hike.
Protein
While complex carbohydrates provide the body with an immediate
source of energy, protein provides the body with longer-lasting energy stores.
Since proteins take longer to digest then carbohydrates, they can stop hunger
throughout the morning and provide the body with a sustained energy source.
However, since proteins are not as energy-dense as fats or
carbohydrates, they should only make up 10 to 15 per cent of a trail breakfast.
Protein sources like dried eggs, peanut butter, fish, beans,
nut, legumes, whole grains and meats are healthy, trail-friendly protein
choices.
Weight and Bulk
It is not uncommon for the majority of a pack's weight and
bulk to be food. However, unlike fresh ingredients, dehydrated, freeze-dried
and powdered foods do not spoil and can cut down on weight and bulk.
When planning a trail breakfast, it is important to consider
weight, preparation and energy requirements.
Granola and oatmeal with nuts, seeds or dried fruit are
common trail-friendly breakfasts since they are calorie-and nutrient-dense,
easy to pack, and quick to cook.
Breakfast and cereal bars can also be a good source of
energy, unless they are contain large amounts of refined carbohydrates.
Survival
Thoughts
We not only risk natural and man-made disasters, we risk
financial, commercial, political and social collapse. Things can go wrong
slowly - or things can go wrong very quickly.
Without trade, transport, banking or manufacturing, life
could quickly diminish to desperate subsistence. It would be uglier than most
people can imagine, and in the worse scenarios, you and your unprepared family
will likely die.
Do you see your lifestyle as a birth right? Do you believe
that you deserve perpetual prosperity? Will you choose a sustainable lifestyle
and reduce your standard of living? You may be forced to make these
changes.
A societal collapse would be fast and deep, and would hurt
developed countries the most.
Yet survival will have little to do with luck.
In 1977 New York City suffered a power failure for one
night. Over 3,000 arrests were made for looting, 400 policemen were injured,
500 fires were started, more than 25,000 emergency calls were placed and four
times the usual number of hospital emergency cases were admitted - all
following one lightning strike.
Civilization is just a veneer.
Many empires have declined and fallen. Persia, Greece,
Egypt, Rome, Turkey, Spain, China and Russia ... and many of their collapses
were self-inflicted, not from being attacked but more often from attacking
other countries. Wars are always costly.
American politicians wanted to police the world while
maintaining its people's lifestyles beyond their ability to pay.
America is losing its wealth ... like so many countries
before.
America's military options seem to increasingly focus on
exit strategies that are not too humiliating.
In the UK we sack full time fully trained battle hardened
troops and employ part timers to do the same job, and believe this or not we
have just built an air-craft carrier but we cannot afford the planes to fly
from it.
So what can you do? An economic collapse will likely hurt
the richest countries most, although many if not all other countries will be
affected. Survival in any country will require broadly similar strategies.
Decide to live - choose to survive!
Be prepared - most people will do nothing!
Get yourself healthy and understand the risks!
Learn what to do before, during and after a collapse!
Read, read, and read! Perhaps start with Global Research
Your best insurance? Decide to survive and stockpile
essentials!
Professor Sir John Beddington, (UK government chief
scientific adviser), says that the world faces a perfect storm of climate
change impacting food, energy and water.
Will your Social Parachute Open?
Little information about the risk of collapse and the
difficulties of survival is available in any media. Despite the risk, survival
training is nearly non-existent. Government agencies tasked to prepare for and
mitigate disaster have been exposed as ineffective. I suggest that you assume
that you will be on your own.
Rule One: Don't trust your government to protect you.
You can trust them to protect themselves.
At best, life in the coming decades will become increasingly
local and smaller scale. This can happen if cheap energy decreases smoothly, if
people act intelligently and if global competition for food, water and oil does
not trigger world wars or financial hyperinflation.
At best, energy-dependent enterprises and cities will
gradually contract as the supply of cheap power (also cheap food, cheap
medicine, cheap communication and cheap education) dwindles.
At best, cheap power gradually vanishes, taking industry
with it. As cities are products of an industrial revolution based on cheap
energy, expect city and suburban homes to lose value catastrophically. Expect
people who invested in suburban mansions to lose their illusions of
equity.
Expect the disruption of urban infrastructure to create
logistical nightmares for people stuck in cities.
At best, after years of collective paralysis, political
expediency and social upheaval will gradually increase. Your community probably
depends on electrical machines, electronics and computers ... how fast will
your community die without electric power?
At best, expect populations to migrate away from cities and
threatened areas, with food, oil and water shortages limiting movement. Greatly
reduced food production will result in vastly increased prices.
Expect a return to rural values - and increasing interest in
self-sufficiency and perhaps even small family farms.
THE ELEVENTH
WILDERNESS GATHERING 2014 14th to the 17th August
The Wilderness
Gathering has over the years become a firm date in the diaries of those who
enjoy bushcraft, nature and wilderness survival skills. The previous ten years
have seen this event grow from a small event in one field with some traders and
schools sharing bushcraft skills and knowledge to a festival of wilderness
living skills encompassing bushcraft/survival and woodland crafts.
The show has grown
into an event with something for all the family with stories and music by the
campfire in the evenings and skills workshops and activities throughout the
three whole days of the festival.
The Wilderness
Gathering has without a doubt become the premier family event for all those
interested in bush crafts and the great outdoors.
The show has bushcraft
clubs for all age groups of children to get involved in plus more activities
for all including den building and wilderness skills classes for all.
There are hands on
demonstrations of game preparation, knife sharpening, basha boat building,
bowmaking, greenwood working, archery and axe throwing and primitive fire
lighting to name just a few. There are talks on survival phycology, classes on
falconry and wilderness survival fishing. All of these skills are there for
everybody and anybody to participate in.
You can probably
pick up information on nearly all the skills needed to live in the wilderness
and prosper at The Wilderness Gathering.
There is a wealth of
good quality trade stands that are carefully selected to be in theme for the
show selling everything from custom knives to tipis and outdoor clothing to
primitive tools. The organisers have even laid on a free service bring and buy
stall where you can bring along your used and unwanted kit and they’ll sell it
for you.
There are local
scout and explorer group’s onsite promoting the World Wide Scouting Movement as
well helping out with some of the classes and site logistics.
The catering is
within the theme of the event with venison and game featuring on the menus plus
organic cakes and drinks. The woodland and open field camping facilities (with
hot showers) giving you the option to visit for the whole weekend or just to
attend as a day visitor.
So dear listener don’t forget the 20% discount at www.blizzardsurvival.com by
inserting the word “Prepper” at the checkout.
For 30% discount use the word "TRAILBLAZE" in the
coupon section within the Store. http://www.ribzwear.com/store/
Now pop along to www.wilderness121.co.uk
and check out their great range of survival related products and for a 10%
discount use the letters UKPRN at the checkout.
Now thanks to the
Managing Director Paul listeners visiting http://www.fieldleisure.co.uk/ at can
get 10% OFF by entering the code UKPRN at the checkout now Paul guarantees next
day delivery all over the UK and fast European and US delivery and that is
reassuring and refreshing too.
Nigel at www.hunters-knives.co.uk has offered you dear listener 10% discount on
all his products simply by using the code PREP10.
Peter at buggrub the edible bug suppliers is offering you
dear listener 10% discount across his range, bugs provide much more protein
pound for pound than steak and they are what I would call unusual snacks and
even survival food. Perfect for macho pub games, stag night dares and of course
for you survival instructors to build into your survival diet student
experiences. So I dare you to pop over to www.buggrub.co.uk
and order yours.
Ken at
MidiMax.co.uk is offering 10% off any product by using the code Midi10 so check
out www.midimax.co.uk
Peter at buggrub the edible bug suppliers is offering you
dear listener 10% discount across his range by using the code PREPPER bugs
provide much more protein pound for pound than steak and they are what I would
call unusual snacks and even survival food. Perfect for macho pub games, stag
night dares and of course for you survival instructors to build into your
survival diet student experiences. So I dare you to pop over to www.buggrub.com and order yours.
Please support our wounded http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk
Remember you can text my show on 0044 75545 07957 or leave a message on my voicemail box. On
the same number 0044 75545 07957
