Failing to Prepare is Preparing to fail

"Surviving to Fight means Fighting to Survive"

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Saturday, 7 June 2014

Show Contents 6th June 2014



Show Notes
I start this week with the Competition Winners, then move onto the Bushcraft Show review, then the Blizzard Survival 20% Discount Offer, How to make a survival heater, The Mule Light Review, companies to support, Campfire cooking, Uses of a pocket knife, Ribz discount 30% offer, The 1940’s diet, Wilderness121’s discount offer, The Humble Dandelion, Fish Farming as a Source of Protein, More companies to support, Hunters knives 10% discount offer, Let’s look at Nuclear Threats, Ilumni Meals Review, Gun control, Further companies to support, The get home bag, The wilderness gathering.

Competition Winners
I would like to thank Peter at Buggrub for sponsoring the competition and I hope it generated extra traffic to your site and therefore increased sales.
Out of the 144 entries only three guessed the correct number which was 42.
The winners are
1st Ash Marsh
2nd Peter Martin
4rd Clive Mcelhinney
Thank you everyone for entering.
The Bushcraft Show 2014
Firstly I want to thank Olivia and the guys at the Bushcraft magazine for a truly great event. Even though the weather did its best to dampen the weekend, I have to say that it failed in every way.
There really was something there for everyone from children’s activities to interesting and informative talks from the likes of Lofty Wiseman, Codi Lundin and David Scott Donelan and many others to great food and homemade beer, fudge and ice cream.
The location was great well sign posted, and easy to find, and I was very impressed by the quality of the portable toilets which were clean non smelly and frequently serviced.
The evenings were entertaining as new friends were made and faces put to names from youtubers to twitter and facebook posters, and the beers and spirits flowed freely.
I really enjoyed meeting people I had met at previous events as well as meeting loads of bushcrafters, survivalists and traders.
As the old saying goes I can’t wait until next year’s event.
Blizzard Survival 20% Discount Offer
Blizzard Survival .com have a fantastic offer for you the listener they are offering  a 20% discount on all goods bought from them at www.blizzardsurvival.com
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Life-saving technology has never been so affordable.
All you have to do to get a 20% discount is enter the code “PREPPER” at the checkout, it is that simple. Thank you Blizzard Survival.com
How to Make a Survival Heater
Getting stranded in your car can be a dangerous possibility, being stuck in your home during a power cut can be equally as dangerous without the ability to heat your surroundings. Therefore I suggest that you plan now to have the ability to provide that lifesaving heat.
This is the equipment you will need
A small empty metal tin: You want this to be slightly taller but thinner than a standard roll of toilet paper. My can of choice is an unused 1 quart/ 2 pint paint tin found in most DIY shops. You can also use an empty food tin that is the same size.
A larger metal tin that can easily accommodate the first one: I use a 1 gallon used paint tin (again found in most DIY shops). Another option is a coffee tin or a metal bucket and so on.
Some type of lid that can be placed over the larger tin: I also like to get a lid for the smaller can which I will explain later.
Toilet paper (unscented)
Six bottles of 70 to 91% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) seen on Ebay £2.229 for 500ml
Matches or some other fire startThis is what you do
Prepare the toilet paper: The first step is to take out the central cardboard tube from the toilet paper roll, leaving only the paper behind.
Squeeze the paper into the smaller tin: Next you’ll want to squeeze and roll the paper into the smaller tin. If the tin is so small that a full-size paper roll has no chance of fitting inside it, then you can remove some of the external sheets (just like you would if you were going to the bathroom) until it does squeeze into the tin. It’s important that it fills up the entire volume of the can.
Add the fuel: If you are now ready to use it, simply add the alcohol until the toilet roll inside the can is completely saturated. One of the benefits of using a 1 quart/2 pint paint tin is that you can store the stove with the fuel already added by placing the air-tight lid over the can. This saves space and allows you to have more fuel available. The lid can also be used to control the output of the flame.
Place the smaller tin into the larger one and position it in your car or room to be heated: The larger tin provides an insulating barrier and some protection for passengers and your car. You’ll also want to position it in a place that’s far enough from anything combustible. Use the palm check. Put the back of your hand against the surface you’re worried about and if you can’t keep your hand there without burning it then it’s either to close or you’ll need to adjust the flame.
Light the stove: First, open a window just a crack to provide some airflow and then carefully place a match (or throw some sparks using a firesteel) onto the saturated toilet paper and viola! You’ve got yourself a burning stove.
Use caution in lighting as it will combust very quickly. It’s best to partially cover the smaller tin with a lid to decrease the size of combustion (you can always increase it later).
Controlling the Burn Rate
You may notice if you follow the steps above, that a pretty sizable flame results from having the smaller tin’s opening completely exposed. While this is fine if you want to warm up faster, it does tend to go through the fuel fairly quickly and is not so efficient.
A better way is to partially cover the smaller tin with a lid. Or if you used a 1 quart/2 pint paint tin, you can make a small hole (about the size of a 10p piece) in the lid it comes with and place that on top of the can. Both of these methods control the burn rate and allow the stove to provide a constant heat.
Another option is instead of completely saturating the toilet roll you can pour just a few ounces of alcohol on the paper and regularly add more as it burns up. This will also control the size of the flame and conserve fuel. I prefer to use the lid method over this one, since you don’t have to regularly add alcohol (it’s nice to sleep for a stretch of time and not have to regularly add fuel).

A Word on Carbon Monoxide
I’m sure by now many of you are thinking, “What about the dangers of carbon monoxide?”
Carbon monoxide is produced from the partial oxidation of carbon-containing compounds. “Partial oxidation” is just a big word for what happens when combustion (fire) takes place in an area where there isn’t much oxygen. This is most apparent when one operates a generator inside a home or if their wood stove is improperly vented.
In the case of this alcohol stove, while there is risk of carbon monoxide emissions (rubbing alcohol contains carbon: C3H7OH) the risk is very minimal. Opening your window slightly should provide sufficient oxygen for a clean burn.
If you still are concerned about it, I would recommend purchasing a battery-operated carbon monoxide alarm and turning it on (putting in the batteries) when running the stove. This will provide you ample warning should there be an issue.
The Mule Light Review
What Makes UVPaqlite Products Brighter?
Glow-in-the-dark intensity (brightness) depends on the particle size; generally, the bigger the particles, the better the glow. Our products use patent pending large crystals of strontium aluminate making them brighter, charge faster, and even glow longer than other glow items available.

How Do the Crystals Charge?
Strontium aluminate is a photo luminescent phosphorous material, it absorbs photons (electromagnetic radiation) & UV rays to charge. It does NOT require direct or indirect sunlight to charge. It will charge well in low level indoor light conditions.

Your Eyes Should Be Adjusted to the Dark.
Our products work best when your eyes are fully adjusted to the dark because the light diminishes over time. When your eyes are fully adjusted to the dark a little light goes a long way.
For example the light is measured at 39,000m immediately after charge, 1245m at 10 minutes, and 226m at 60 minutes.  It continues to be visible by the human eye more than 24 hours after the initial charge. When your eyes are adjusted to the dark, 226m -3m of light still provides a functional light source.

You can find glow in the dark items all around: stars on the ceiling, toys, frisbees, water bottles, stickers, clothing, and most recently emergency exit signs. All of these products utilize different glow-in-the-dark powders to achieve different levels of brightness and cost.
Basically, you get what you pay for when it comes to glow in the dark. These differences can be seen when comparing the glow in the dark items bought in a pound shop to the glow in the dark exit signs like those installed in public buildings, and the products we make.
What is the Mule Light? The Mule Light is a hybrid light. It combines the brightness & efficiency of LED lights with the reliability & simplicity of glow in the dark. The Mule Light uses a high intensity LED flashlight & a U.V.Glostik made from enhanced glow in the dark crystals to create this hybrid light. It is designed to conserve battery life and reduce waste caused by disposable glow sticks.
How does the Mule Light work? The Mule Light works in energy saving cycles:
4 second bursts of light from the flashlight every 2 or 4 minutes keeps the glow in the dark crystals at a super bright level allowing users to maintain a glow stick illumination for 300 - 600 hours. It's simple...how do you keep glow in the dark at really bright level? You keep recharging it with a light source.
How Does Hybrid Technology Conserve Battery Life? The Mule Light turns on & off in timed intervals. Four seconds ON - turns OFF for 2 or 4 minutes. During those 2 or 4 minutes your batteries are not being drained, the lighting is coming from the glow stick.  Read the scenario below for more understanding.
This product is mind blowing in the way it works, it is simply the best light source I have ever used that illuminates an area without blinding light and also attaches to any product or bit of kit that you need to locate in the dark.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
We understand that night vision is very different for every person that is why we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you're not satisfied with our products just email us at uvpaqlite @ gmail .com Get yours here https://www.uvpaqlite.com/
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
Campfire Cooking
Camping is what I really enjoy doing wither in a tent or a survival shelter.
I think that the best part of any camping trip is sitting around a fire that you built yourself, surrounded by your closest friends in the middle of the woods, and charring a hot dog or bannock on a stick. But cooking outside doesn’t mean you’re not eating well.
Here are some of the best recipes I know for campfire meals that are sure to impress your mates next time you head out into the woods for the weekend.
Sunrise Breakfast Bowl
A super easy and super delicious breakfast than can be made anywhere. Ingredients
12 slices of bread with crust taken off
1 dozen eggs
1 pack of precooked bacon
Butter
Optional: spinach, cheese, tomato, etc.
Grease a cake tin with butter and place one slice of bread into each hole pressing down in the middle.
Crack one egg directly onto each slice of bread (you can also scramble if desired). Warm the precooked bacon over the fire a bit, and then put one cooked slice into each egg. You can add spinach, tomatoes, cheese or any other topping you like to your egg.
Place the tin over your fire and bake until egg is just cooked, or until desired consistency. Once you pop each one out of the muffin tin, the breaded bottom makes this breakfast easy to eat with your hands.
Mini Grilled Pizzas:
Perfect for making on the campfire, individual-sized and easily personalized. Ingredients
1 package of English muffins
1 jar pizza sauce
1 bag grated cheese
Your favourite pizza toppings
Spread pizza sauce on English muffin halves. Sprinkle cheese on top of each slice. Add toppings as desired. Put foil down and cook on an open campfire with a grill on top until cheese is golden brown. It’s that easy!
Turkey and Apple Campfire Panini
You don’t need to haul a Panini press around with you to get a great sandwich in the woods.
Ingredients:
1 loaf of unsliced artisan bread
Cranberry horseradish mustard or your favourite condiment
1 red delicious apple or a granny smith for a tarter taste
Blue cheese or brie
1 lb deli turkey (peppered turkey is best)
Salt and pepper
Brick or a big rock
Cut a loaf of artisan bread in half lengthwise. Spread cranberry horseradish mustard on the bottom half of the bread. Slice red apple and place in a single layer on the bottom of the bread, and add turkey on top. Layer with cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and wrap in tin foil. Place over fire on a grate and press down with the brick or rock. Cook until toasty, and slice into servings.
Sushi Hot Dog:
Hot dogs are a given on any camping trip. This one, though, is both incredibly unexpected and incredibly good.
Ingredients:
Hot dogs
Hot dog buns
Sliced avocado
Seaweed flakes
Cook hot dog as per usual on a stick or skewer over the campfire. You can grill your hot dog buns over the fire too, if desired. Top your dog with avocado and sprinkle some seaweed flakes, and enjoy!
Uses of a Pocket Knife
I have always said that every responsible person should carry a UK Legal pocket knife at all times. However a friend asked “Why? What would I do with it?” my answer was this brief and incomplete list of typical uses: (It goes without saying that it would be kept sharp, oiled, and appropriately cleaned before and after each use.)
Frequent Uses
Opening Mail. Removing staples. Opening boxes and packages, removing tags.
Peeling fruit and vegetables. Halving sweetie bars for children.
Cutting up cardboard boxes for recycling.
Repairing and cleaning fingernails,
Removing splinters and thorns. DE burring wood, plastic and metal objects.
Chamfering holes and sharp edges. Marking parts for drilling or cutting.
Repairing handles on hoes, shovels, and axes before getting a splinter from them.
Scraping away rust, paint, dried or wet glue, labels and adhesive.
Cutting and trimming thread, string, fishing line, shoe laces, cord, wire, straps and rope.
Cleaning cracks and recesses. Extracting objects from slots, cracks and crevices.
Prying things loose. Trimming plants. Fashioning Wood and Plastic items by whittling.
Repairing clothing and shoes by trimming fabric, cutting threads, making holes.
Occasional Uses
Opening canned goods, Preparing food, and as an eating utensil. Preparing kindling for fire.
Dividing an aspirin for a fractional dose.
Sharpening pencils. Killing centipedes and scorpions.
Making stick horses, marshmallow roasters, and other utensils and toys.
Opening cheap locks. Making or modifying bandages.
Rapping on jar lid to loosen seal.
Trimming candles and wicks, and fishing line.
Scraping corrosion from electrical terminals.
Trimming insulation from electrical wires.
As a Screwdriver substitute, to repair glasses, watch, car, computer or other machinery.
Field dressing game animals. Making all the components of a spear, sling, or slingshot.
Extracting nails from tires. Tapping on pipe to loosen stuck valve.
Digging meat from a pecan.
Potential Uses
To cut seatbelt to extract trapped driver cut shoelaces to extract trapped foot.
To remove clothing from injury in First Aid.
To write by scribing on something.
For Personal defence against man or beast.
Cutting hose for snorkel or breathing tube.
To dig through a wall to safety.
Remove thorns from prickly pear, so it can be eaten.
For the steel part of fire making by flint and steel (sacrificial; this really tears it up.)
To fashion weapons and snares for catching small animals, or cages to hold them.
To improvise clothing and shelter from available materials.
Since no human has survived more than a few days in the natural world without having or making some kind of tool, and the quintessential tool, and tool-making tool, is the knife.
Anytime something needs to be made, cut, killed, trim med, blunted, butchered, altered, fixed, fashioned, assembled, disassembled, divided, pried, probed, scribe d, scraped, perforated or dug
At any time you need to interact with the physical world by fashioning or modifying materials more precisely than you can do with your fingers, or with greater pressure than you can apply with your nails and knuckles, a pocket knife is useful.
While it is useful for small tasks at all times, the extended capability represented by a knife for similar tasks in an emergency makes it an especially valuable accoutrement.
And the kind of knife you are most likely to have with you at a moment’s notice,
Everywhere you go, day or night, is a pocket knife.
I rest my case.
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.
To get your 30% discount the code is "TRAILBLAZE" and can be used in the coupon section within the Store. http://www.ribzwear.com/store/    Have a Great Summer!
The 1940's Diet
Are we storing 'too' much food for bugging out? 
Could we actually live on what the British families did in the 1940's?
Perhaps a rationed diet would be healthier for us as well?
When rationing was introduced in England on January 8, 1940 it was to ensure that food was distributed fairly and that the dwindling food supplies lasted. 
However, rationing did vary slightly month to month depending on the availability of foods increasing when it was plentiful and decreasing when it was in short supply.
Here is the weekly ration allowance for one adult in the 1940’s… remember that in addition to this people were encouraged to incorporate lots of fruit and veggies into their diets and grow even more in their back gardens!
Weekly ration for 1 adult
Bacon & Ham 4 oz
Meat to the value of £1.50 (around about 1/2 lb minced beef)
Butter 2 oz
Cheese 2 oz
Margarine 4 oz
Cooking fat 4 oz
Milk 3 pints
Sugar 8 oz
Preserves 1 lb every 2 months
Tea 2 oz
Eggs 1 fresh egg per week
Sweets/Candy 12 oz every 4 weeks
In addition to this a points system was put in place which limited your purchase of tinned or imported goods. 
16 points were available in your ration book for every 4 weeks and that 16 points would enable you to purchase for instance, 1can of tinned fish or 2lbs of dried fruit or 8 lbs of split peas.
Does this sound a lot or little to you?
When you try and produce all your own food from scratch using the above ingredients and realize just how precious or even how difficult it was at times to obtain other necessary food stuffs like flour, oats etc.
It really makes you appreciate how difficult and how IMPORTANT the role was of the1940’s housewife to feed her family and keep them healthy. 
It was for sure a long and hard job.
I have designed this recipe from the rations available.
BREAKFAST
2 slices of wholemeal (whole-wheat) toast with margarine and marmalade or marmite or large bowl of porridge oats (oatmeal) made with water, splash of milk and a little sugar or honey mixed in.
LUNCH
Oslo Meal-
2 slices of whole-wheat bread spread with a little margarine or butter small block of cheese grated and placed over salad if wished fresh lettuce leaves other salad items like carrot, cucumber or tomato and a glass of cold milk
OR,
Meat Gravy
 1 lb mince beef
Corn-starch
Water
Thyme
Salt & pepper
Old ripe tomatoes (optional)
OXO cubes or marmite
DINNER
Two large baked potatoes topped with a little bit of strong cheddar, generous serving of meaty gravy, a chunk of freshly baked wholemeal bread, a few spoonful’s of steamed carrots, big mound of steamed cabbage. For dessert one pear.
OR
A big mound of mashed potato (a blob of marge and some thyme, salt & pepper for seasoning), served with large portions of cabbage and cauliflower and the remainder of the meaty gravy made yesterday. 
For dessert two freshly baked Rock Buns and two steaming hot cups of tea!
SUPPER
Round off the day with a glass or two of milk- usually one small glass of cold milk and a cup of milky coffee. 
The amount depends on how much you have left to use!
This diet depends on what is available or what recipes have been created. 
You can always make veggie stews with beans and pulses in for extra protein
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.
The Humble Dandelion
Before we get to the dandelion coffee, let's learn a bit about dandelion.
Volumes could be written on the many uses of Dandelion, indeed they have been!
This common weed is often hated and poisoned by those preferring a “weed free” lawn, while those of us in love with dandelion and its many uses happily support it taking over our lawns.
This plant was purposefully brought to North America by Europeans not wanting to leave this valuable resource behind. 
Every part of the dandelion can be used as food or medicine, making back door herbalism simple and easy, as it should be.
When the first spring leaves pop up out of the ground they can be harvested heavily and eaten fresh with salads, made into a delicious pesto, or dried for tea.
The leaves are highly nutritious, containing large amounts of vitamin A, calcium, potassium, and many more vitamins and minerals. 
The French call this plant pissenlit, which alludes to its strong diuretic properties.
A tea of dandelion leaves is a great way to flush excess water from the system. (Of course, before using this effective remedy we always want to make sure the water retention is caused by a non-serious condition like sitting on an airplane too long.)
When eaten with meals, the bitter taste of the leaves helps to promote digestion by stimulating bile to relieve indigestion and other digestive disturbances.
The root is a great ally for the liver. It can be eaten fresh in a variety of recipes.Dandelion root can help clear up acne and other skin disruptions with the root cause being a stagnant liver. 
Most herbalists agree that long-term use of dandelion is needed for best results.
The flower can be eaten in salads, or fried up as fritters as below. An oil made from dandelion flowers is warming and can be applied externally to relieve arthritis and other aches and pains.
Lastly the latex, or sap, from the dandelion stems can be used topically on warts. Apply several times daily for best results.
My favourite way to enjoy dandelion is by making dandelion coffee with the roots. This beverage doesn’t contain the caffeine found in coffee, but does have a rich, dark taste similar to coffee.
Like burdock, dandelion’s strong diuretic activity makes it an inappropriate choice for someone with low blood pressure or excessive urination.
Dandelion Coffee
Prior to decocting the dandelion root, roast the dried chopped root in a cast iron pan until it fragrant and has changed colour from being off-white to light and dark brown.
For each 8 oz of water you are making, use 1-2 teaspoons of the roasted root.
Add the root to simmering water and continue to simmer while covered for 7–15 minutes
The resulting brew will be darkly coloured.
I enjoy my dandelion coffee with cream, and many people enjoy adding honey as well.
Dandelion Fritters
This time of year, one of my favourite activities is making and eating dandelion flower fritters.  The simple dandelion is one of my favourite herbs.   
Did I just say herb in reference to dandelion Yep!  This plant is tenacious, despite many peoples best efforts to eradicate it from their lawns, and thankfully so since she has so much to offer.   
But, I was going to tell you about fritters.
First of all I love gathering the dandelion flowers – just the tops for fritters.   
They are easy to pick and so bright and cheery on a sunny day.  Usually, I want to pick more than I need, just because the gathering is so fun. Pick them in the sunshine when they are open, and when you have time to make the fritters right after gathering.
Bring your basket of flowers inside, find a bowl, and mix together one egg and one cup of milk.  Stir in a cup of flour and your fritter batter is ready to go.
(If you like your fritters sweet you can add a little maple syrup or honey.)
Now, prepare a skillet on the stove with gently warmed olive oil – keep it over medium heat.
Take one of the flowers and hold it by the greens at the base of the flower petals. Dip the petals into the batter and twirl until the flower is covered.
Drop it into the skillet, flower side down.  Continue dipping and dropping flowers, checking the first ones every once in a while to see if they are brown.   
When they’ve lightly browned, flip them over and brown them on the other side.
When they’re brown on both sides remove them from the skillet and drain the excess oil on paper towel.
For a sweet treat, drizzle them with maple syrup, honey, jam, or powdered sugar.   
For savoury fritters try dipping in mustard or adding some savoury herbs to the batter.
Now thanks to the Managing Director Paul listeners visiting Field Leisure - The Bushcraft & Wilderness Store    at  http://www.fieldleisure.co.uk/ 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.
Fish Farming as a Source of Protein
Fish farming has become an increasingly popular way for people to raise their own source of edible fish, right in their backyard.
The idea of fish farming may have once sounded like a silky, eccentric concept, but today it can be a lucrative business. Do you think that lobster at the seafood restaurant and all that shrimp will just continue to come from the ocean?
Not even Mother Nature is an unlimited supply of fish, which is why we see an increase today in lobster farms or shrimp farms, etc. We are simply using the vast supply given to us by nature faster than it can reproduce itself.
As interesting as "aquaculture" is, large scale fish farming is not what will be covered here. We will be looking at fish farming for the single family, from the benefits of raising your own supply of fish to the equipment needed to do so.
So, with the abundance of fish on the market shelves, in whatever form, why would anyone want to go to the trouble of sustaining their own fish farm?
First of all, the alleged "fresh" fish in stores can be rather pricey, and if fish is a major source of your protein requirements, then you may want to consider investing in your own continual supply.
Secondly, commercial fish is more likely to contain high amounts of pesticides. If you raise your own fish properly, they are guaranteed to be healthier, without additional pollution residues.
Third, farmed fish has a higher fat content than commercial fish, but it is monounsaturated so it helps raise good cholesterol (HDL) levels but not the bad (LDL).
To raise your own fish you will need good water with a pH of 7, a temperature of 55 degrees F, and a high oxygen content. There is simple equipment that can be used to achieve these ideal conditions.
To begin with, you need a tank. A tank can be a small swimming pool the size of 12 feet across and up to 3 feet high. 
Or, you can make a more permanent concrete structure and coat it with waterproof compound.
Along with the tank you will also need an aerator and a filter. An aerator is needed as fish need plenty of oxygen to survive, and studies have shown that constant aeration can double fish production. 
You can find commercial aerators at a few farm supply stores that carry aquaculture supplies and set it up in your tank, or you can purchase a submersible spray fountain.
Homemade filters are made from a large metal drum filled with gravel or rock. The filter needs to be set up with a hose from a pump going into the filter at the top, and then a hose or pvc pipe at the bottom for the water to come out of and drop back into the tank.
To keep your water in optimum condition you must regularly check the pH. As stated previously, it should stay at 7. If it becomes too alkaline (8 or above) add gypsum. If it becomes too acidic (6 or below) add lime.
The overall water temperature should remain at 55 degrees, but it honestly depends on what type of fish you are farming. The two most popular types of home farmed fish are carp and trout. Carp do well at temperatures of 85 degrees while trout thrive at 55 degrees.
Some raise trout in the autumn and spring and Carp in summer.
These types of fish should not be raised together. Not only because of the difference preferred in water temperature, but because they will not get along.
To actually begin farming your fish, you need to set up your tank with aerator and filter and run it for at least 10 days to get the water in optimum condition for the fish.
The best place to get your initial supply of fish is a fish hatchery, or someone else you know in the business. The best source for fish hatcheries near you is Dept. of the environment. 
When you get your fish they will more than likely be in plastic bags, and, just as you do with indoor goldfish, set the bags, unopened, in your tank until they reach the same temperature and then the fish may be released.
Fish can be fed with a commercial food supply and or fish scraps. Portions should increase as the fish grow but it is very important not to overfeed.
To harvest only a few fish at a time, use a net. If you desire to harvest them all at once you can drain your tank.
Fish farming is not a project that can be undertaken hastily or lightly. It requires commitment and work, but if you're a fish lover the rewards are well worth it.
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
Here are some more companies to support
72 hour survival pack
Blizzard Survival jacket
Survival Ration Packs
SOL Complete Survival Kit and SOL Bivy Bag
The answer to rough ground sleeping
For all your military equipment needs
NEW MRE’s
The Fire Piston
Great tasty MRE’s
The 95 Puukko Survival Knife
Gold Standard Whey Protein isolates which are 90% pure protein by weight
The RIBZ Front Pack
The LuminAID
Your own water purification system­­­­
Nut, gluten- and milk-free foods for nearly a decade here.
Let’s look at Nuclear Threats
Just because you don't live next to a nuclear power station does not mean that you are free from any possible nuclear radiation threats. There are several facts and factors you need to know:
Look at Nuclear power plants - As the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 demonstrated, even if you are several hundred miles or away from a nuclear power station, if an unlikely but possible major nuclear accident happens and you are downwind of it at the time, your safety would be seriously at risk.
Then there could be nuclear material accidents - These can happen at a plant that works with nuclear material or nuclear waste or during the transportation of radioactive material in your area.
Don’t forget Radiological Dispersal Devices (RDDs) - These include terrorist attacks with radioactive material devices, as in "dirty bombs", which are caused by conventional and not nuclear explosions.
Nuclear weapons attack - You may say: "But the cold war is over". Yes, but the world is still full of crazy people, and there are now more nuclear weapons in the hands of more countries and terrorist groups than during the cold war.
Take this news report for example: On June 24 2009, a news report from the Associated Press started with: "North Korea threatened Wednesday to wipe the United States off the map as Washington and its allies watched for signs the regime will launch a series of missiles in the coming days." Plus there is still great animosity between many nations with nuclear capabilities.
The other factor that we have learned from the past is that historically, war has followed the collapse of the economy of a nation. I hope there are no economy collapses anywhere in the world. But if it happens, war is possible, and it could quite likely be nuclear.
There is also the possibility of a terrorist attack with a portable nuclear device like a "suitcase bomb".
There are 2 main dangers of a nuclear bomb: the initial blast effect and the radioactive fall-out afterwards. Fall-out is sometimes misunderstood.
There are different types of fall-out radiation, and its dispersal will depend on several factors, but it is basically fine dust from the explosion that continuously gives off invisible radiation as it falls to earth.
The largest, most dangerous particles will reach the ground first, closer to ground zero.
According to the research those particles that are concentrated and dangerous enough to require the use of fall-out shelters to protect you, will fall to earth within a few hours.
The finer particles will be carried by the wind, some taking months to settle to earth.
Fortunately the radiation from radioactive particles reduces with time, which helps man and nature to recover.
The initial radiation, which is fatal with one hour of exposure, weakens to only 1/10th as strong 7 hours later. Two days later, it's only 1/100th as strong.
 Is a nuclear attack survivable? Absolutely - contrary to popular opinion! There are many myths about nuclear war, including this big one that no one will be able to survive it. To the contrary; nuclear wars are very survivable, IF people are prepared, excluding a small percentage of people near ground zero (the point directly below the explosion).
In fact, in Nagasaki during the atomic bomb attack, some people who were far inside tunnel shelters built for conventional air raids located as close as one-third of a mile from ground zero, survived uninjured.
This was true even though these long, large shelters lacked blast doors and were deep inside the zone within which all buildings were destroyed.
Another myth is that fall-out radiation penetrates everything and will kill all those who survived the initial blast.
Again, this is not true. 
Adequate preparation can protect you from any harmful doses. And even minor preparations can save your life, even though your health may be adversely affected.
If nuclear wars are not survivable, then it would not make any sense to build nuclear fall-out shelters, and governments would not spend large amounts of money doing so for their citizens.
Some countries have done just that, including Russia, Switzerland and some Scandinavian countries. And, some countries have built them only for their leadership and not for their citizens!
There have been 100’s of nuclear detonation tests so we have actually had a nuclear war in real terms and we have all survived.
Nigel at www.hunters-knives.co.uk has offered you dear listener 10% on all his products simply by using the code PREP10.
Ilumni Meals Review
I took with me to the Bushcraft Show some great tasty meals from a company called ilumni.
 ilumi! Has been cooking up nut-, gluten- and milk-free foods for nearly a decade in beautiful County Durham. Their team of chefs and nutritionists are creative and allergen-savvy: they know which ingredients are safe, and how to combine them to create delicious meals you can trust.
After all, food is one of life's great pleasures - but you can't enjoy anything until you're 100% confident it's safe.
And from this springs their mission is to create delicious, colourful, deeply flavoursome foods that their customers can trust, to make them accessible and convenient, and to spread the word about eating for wellness to the wider community.
All of ilumi products have a 12-month shelf life from the day of their production. They will always endeavour to make sure that you get at least 4 months remaining shelf life when you buy from us.
All of their products have been designed to be stored at room temperature, so they can be safely kept in your cupboard, bug-out-bag or back pack. Once the pouch or tray has been opened, the food is best heated and eaten straight away.
You can keep the pouches and trays in the fridge if you wish, but they don’t recommend freezing them.
ilumi’s absolute guiding principle is to make food that tastes great for everyone to enjoy. Nut-, gluten- and milk- free shouldn't mean free from taste - and with ilumi, I can promise you it doesn't.
To accomplish this, they craft our recipes by focusing on what delicious flavours go in, not what has to be taken out.
Taking away compromises the taste, which they don't allow! They make everything from scratch in their own kitchens, controlling the entire process to make it allergy-safe.
And lastly, they cook their meals in modern space-saving pouches in a pressure cooker to naturally preserve all those fabulous flavours (which also conveniently means they don't need refrigeration).
So whether you're eating at home or out and about, and whatever your taste preference, they have got something delicious for you to try.
These meals are the tastiest MRE’s I have ever eaten they rock with flavour, they are filling and very moreish indeed.
The meals I tried were Beef Meatballs in Tomato Sauce, Kerala Chicken Curry, Tom Kha Gai (Thai Chicken Soup), Sweet Five Spice & Chilli Pork, Zaatar Chicken. They really excited my taste buds as I have never tasted such flavours before nor such tender meat from an MRE. I just love them.
The flavours are very subtle, delicate almost I would say, but you can certainly tell the difference between different meals that’s for sure.
The only addition I can see is perhaps to add some rice which would be
And at £3.75 for a 275g pouch they are not going to break the bank either. You owe it to your taste buds to get some of these meals and try them out. You can get yours at http://www.ilumiworld.com/
 
Gun Control
The deaths of 16 children aged five and six together with their teacher in the Scottish town of Dunblane in 1996 was one of Britain's worst incidents of gun-related violence. The massacre stunned the country, but what did the UK do to try to prevent such a tragedy happening again?
Well in the wake of the 1987 Hungerford massacre, in which one lone gunman killed 16 people, Britain introduced new legislation -- the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 -- making registration mandatory for owning shotguns and banning semi-automatic and pump-action weapons.
Within a year and a half of the Dunblane massacre, UK lawmakers had passed a ban on the private ownership of all handguns in mainland Britain, giving the country some of the toughest anti-gun legislation in the world.
After both shootings there were firearm amnesties across the UK, resulting in the surrender of thousands of firearms and rounds of ammunition.
Britain has never had a "gun culture" like that of the United States, but there were about 200,000 legally-registered handguns in Britain before the ban, most owned by sports shooters.
All small-bore pistols, including the .22 calibre, were included in the ban, along with rifles used by target shooters. Penalties for anyone found in possession of illegal firearms range from heavy fines to prison terms of up to 10 years.
Look if guns kill people then forks make people fat, pencils misspell words and cars make people drive drunk.
The truth is that people kill people and they will use what they have to hand to do that. Having a weapon at home legally simply allows you to participate in shooting as a sport or to go hunting and yes, if necessary defend your family and home from invasion and I see nothing wrong with that, in fact, I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
To me living in a country were only the police are armed is a very dangerous prospect indeed especially now that the U.S.A. as well as the UK have seen a drastic militarization of the police including the delivery of what can only be described as armoured vehicles.
Banning legally held guns will not stop gun crime because to hold a gun license you must be squeaky clean in every way, and it is obvious to anyone that these model citizens do not commit crime at all.
Criminals however will always gain access to illegal weapons as generally speaking their crimes far out way the punishment for not having a gun license in the first place.
It is also very clear to me that in the UK we are actually prevented legally from carrying any form of self-defence at all, in fact to do so leaves us open to a charge of carrying an “offensive weapon”, this of course stinks in many ways but simply put, if UK police need body armour, Tasers, guns rubber bullets, dogs, drones and helicopters to do their job in our communities then don’t we?
OK perhaps not helicopters, but certainly something that we can use to defend ourselves legally.
The increase in police brutality in the U.S.A. is a frightening reality. In the last decade alone the number of people murdered by police has reached 5,000. The number of soldiers killed since the inception of the Iraq war is 4489.
What went wrong? In the 19070’s SWAT teams were estimated to be used just a few hundred times per year, now you are looking at over 40,000 military style “knock and announce” police raids a year.
The police presence in America is being turned into a military with a clearly defined enemy, anyone who questions the establishment.
Looking at the most recent numbers of non-military US citizens killed by terrorism worldwide, that number is 17. You have a better chance of being killed by a bee sting, or a DIY accident than you do a terrorist. And you are 29 times more likely to be murdered by a cop than a terrorist!
There is in my opinion a worldwide plan to keep the people down and more over to prevent any uprising should their “peaceful methods” fail.
Here in the UK many have been arrested just for talking, that’s right daring to challenge the system, daring to tell the truth.
In fact in a recent high profile court case here in the UK a judge told the defendant that the “truth was no defence” how can this be I here you say, especially when you must swear in the Bible to tell the truth.
The tail is wagging the dog, the lunatics are running the asylum it seems to me and it can only get worse in every way.
The legal gun owners of America must band together and protect the 2nd as if they fail to do this the system will gun grab and remove the legal right to ownership as sure as God made little green apples.
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
Gerber Mini Remix - Drop Point, Fine Edge
The Mule Light
For a great range of Solar powered chargers
Stocking everything the prepper needs
The Get-Home-Bag
WTSHTF maybe you are prepared for an extended survival scenario away from civilization, but you have to get out of the city first (maybe). In a disaster situation that might not be so easy. However If you have these three things in place you will greatly increase your chances.
Get Home Bag (GHB) Imagine for a minute that you work downtown in a large city; maybe you take the underground or take a bus to work every day. 
You are in a large office building with many floors, thousands of people, and you are on the fifteen or twentieth floor.
If a disaster strikes, how are you going to get out? I mean literally. 
If there is an earthquake or a catastrophic man made event how are you going to get out of your building? How are you going to get down the street? How are you going to get home? 
Do you want to be one of the people covered in dust wandering around in shock? I don’t.
But I have my Bug out Bag you say!
Oh really, where is it? Even if it is in your car it is useless to you at this point. The car park is at street level and possibly hundreds of yards away. That could mean life or death in this situation and you need to act now.
Even if you could get to your Bug out Bag, how much good would it do you in this environment? Most people’s B.O.B. is packed for survival with wilderness Camping gear, food, clothing, etc.
A Get Home Bag contains an entirely different set of tools and serves one purpose: To get you from wherever you are to your Home.
How to Choose an Urban Survival Bag
Your GHB should contain things that are going to get you out of the building like a crowbar. Things to help you make it through the aftermath like water and breathing masks.
Things you might use to help rescue others like flashlights or radios. Things that will help you on what could be a very long walk home such as food and maybe shoes.
Clearly a GHB is not a Bug out Bag. Sure they have some overlap, but a GHB can be much smaller, less weight conscious, have more specific tools, and be planned for one purpose. Do you have one cached in your office or place of work?
Gear for your Get Home Bag: 2. A Bug out Plan so you made it home, now what? Let’s assume that the SHTF out there. 
You have surveyed the situation and determined that the city is in mass chaos and you need to get out now. What do you do? Again, you have your Bug out Bag, but you still have to get out of the city. 
Do you have a Bug out Plan?
For our purposes here, let’s assume that your Bug out Plan needs to get you from your home to your serious survival cache or Bug out Location outside of the city. 
I understand that not everybody has caches hidden in various places, and even fewer people have a dedicated Bug out Location. While you should probably be working on that, you still need a Bug out Plan.
There’s no way I can go through all of the various problems you might encounter while trying to bug out of your city so you will have to plan for yourself. 
What I will give you are some questions to consider and one rule: Contingency. Is your way out double, triple and quadruple backed up?
If the motorways are shutdown do you have an A road route?
If no roads are passable do you have an off road route?
If driving is out of the question do you have a planned walking or riding route? (Do you have maps of your area in your Bug out Bag?)
Do you have a rendezvous point with other family members?
A Bug in Plan Let’s back up a minute. Pretend you just got home again, but this time you surveyed the situation and decided that you are not in immediate danger but are still not at situation normal.
Now what do you do? A Bug in Plan is for emergency situations where you can stay in your own home but have to rely on your own preparations to survive.
This might just mean that you will be without power or water for an extended period. Maybe it means you actually can’t leave your home at all for whatever reason.
What plans do you have in place to live like this? A Bug in Plan should include food and water preparations first and foremost.
What will you eat since all of the food in your refrigerator is going to be bad soon? Do you really want to live on the backpack meals out of your Bug out Bag when you don’t have to?
How much water do you have stored? Do you have a sewage system set up? Do you have unprepared neighbours’ to worry about? (To help or guard against?)
Starting out in a survival situation in an urban environment is almost an immediate set-back compared to those bugging out from more rural areas, but with a Get Home Bag, a Bug out Plan, and a Bug In Plan you are better off than most people.
Survival Preparedness is a process or a condition of being prepared to survive.
To Survive. The phrase could be taken literally – that is, to stay alive. The words, ‘to survive’, could also be interpreted less literally – more like staying healthy or healthier than otherwise.

In the context of survival preparedness, some will describe this notion to its very basic core – like the ability to survive in the wilderness without any modern help whatsoever, you are on your own, life and death circumstances black and white.

Others will describe survival preparedness more-or-less in the context of living within today’s modern society parameters, and utilizing the modern tools available today in order to prepare or be prepared for various problems that may occur tomorrow.

What I’m trying to say is that there are some ‘survival preparedness’ “preppers” that are more hard-core than others and I’ve noticed that the movement has been coined with two labels in an apparent attempt to delineate their core values.

I’m not so sure that I agree with labels and definitions, knowing that there are all sorts of ‘shades of grey’, but having said that, the two labels are Survivalists and Preppers.

Survivalists are the hard core while the Preppers are the soft core. Again, I do not agree with the labelling here, but the fact is that it exists.

The Prepper is thought of as someone who is fully functioning within the system of modern society, preparing for minor disruptions that may come their way, while the Survivalist is considered to be on the edge, perhaps already hunkered down in their bunker or survival retreat – ready for Armageddon.

As in all walks of life, there are truly the extremes, and lots of in-between. When it comes to survival preparedness, I believe that the spectrum is all pretty much OK, so long as it’s within the law of the land.

Since there are so very many different types of people, personalities, skills, and interests, there will likewise be a multitude of variety when it comes to how one prepares, and what they are preparing for.

People will interpret risks differently from one another and people will be in varying vicinities of the risk themselves. Some face much higher risk than others based on their geographical location, their occupation, their own current financial and preparedness situation, etc.

Personally I think that it’s great how more and more ordinary folks are waking up and realizing that things are not all Rosy out there and that there are very real risks facing us all as the world’s economic systems are teetering on the brink of failure while the rumour of wars fill the air.
There will always be ‘newbies’ to survival preparedness and there will always be veterans of the same. There’s room for everyone.
Just remember this… by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

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.
Check out www.wildernessgathering.co.uk or call 0845 8387062 you really won’t regret it.

 




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