There is a growing trend of folks who are stocking up canned food and supplies in their homes, because as we continue along, a lot more people are stressed about the economic uncertainty of the U.S.. Along with this we also have a lot of tension culturally, which is frustrating considering that it felt like we've come so far. But when you couple political anger with generalizing of people that's what you get.
Many people, regardless of party are very upset with the politicians who currently hold office, most notably congress and the senate. Everyone worries about the reliability of their social security as one example. People are also concerned about paying more taxes, but most people are willing to do so to get the country back on track so long as there are appropriate cuts in the budget. However considering that we are always faced with the fiscal cliff and no cooperation from both sides of the isle, this only leads to more angst for the American people.
This has led many folks to formulate a plan of survival, just in case they should need it. This is good, and I hope that we won't need it of course. However, what you store in your basement or closets or even under the bed can only last for so long. Imagine that the country could not get itself back on track as quickly as expected. What would you do? could you survive when your supplies vanished? probably not. This is why
survival seeds or heirloom seeds are very important to think about. If you've never gardened before, I would suggest getting a couple of books on the subject matter and immersing yourself in the knowledge. At the very least - pick someone's brain.
It's not difficult to start a vegetable garden using survival seeds, it just requires that you understand when to plant certain vegetables, learn a little about fertilization and keeping deer and rabbits away from your crops.
Heirloom seeds are not expensive in the least, and coupled with a well built root cellar, you could feed your family throughout the year and probably never have to shop in the produce section of your favorite grocery store again. Just imagine that you had a little bit of land to work with and got a pig and/or a calf. Keeping them well fed would mean having plenty of meat to feed several families. Mix this with your own, freshly grown produce and you could live almost completely off budget with food. I'm not saying that this is convenient for everyone given that some people live in urban areas, but the fact that we have such wonderful
options to use is a positive thought.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Monday, December 10, 2012
Dakota Fire Hole To The Rescue!
If you've ever been camping, you know how difficult it can be to build a proper camp fire. Sure, it may not always be a challenge, but imagine having limited resources and being in a real life survival situation.
And if you've ever watched any survivalist television shows, then you already know that if you are stranded outside, then getting a fire started is a top priority. It provides heat, comfort and a means to cook food with or boil water to make is safe for drinking.
But there are numerous problems with your traditional camp fire design that could pose a serious risk to your safety during a survival scenario. One is that it will produce a lot of smoke, and the other is that the flame can be seen from quite a distance. This is important if your anonymity is important.
Well the Dakota fire hole is a brilliant, expert survivalist trick to avoiding these problems, and yet although it's so small, it burns very hot which reduces the presence of smoke. Because it acts like a bellows, the fire can be intense, but because it's dug into the ground, the flame can be hidden. Here's how you build a Dakota fire hole.
1. The first thing to do is get the right location. You do not want this near any marsh or wetlands, as the hole could fill quickly with water. You also want to determine whether or not you can avoid hitting rock or roots when constructing it.
2. Remove sod about 1 foot in diameter. Once you have carved this out, set is aside and dig a hole that is 1 foot deep as well as wide.
3. Next, determine the path that the wind is blowing. Simple wetting your finger and holding it up can help you determine this, even when the air is very still. When you feel the area of your finger drying faster than the
other, this is a good indicator of the wind direction.
4. Facing this direction you will want to dig an air tunnel to go to the Dakota fire hole. This should be about a foot away, should be 3 - 5 inches in diameter and should angle downward to meet the base of the main fire hole.
When you are all finished it should look like this..
This works well, because the air will travel down the hole and feel the fire. The oxygen makes the coals burn hotter and works much like a bellows. This is good for cooking or boiling water, but will reduce the sight of flames from a distance and can easily be covered up to conceal your tracks.
You can now also use the Dakota fire hole for cooking as well. Because the top of the hole that you dug is flush with the ground, it's easy to lay a pot or grill surface across from it. If you don't have that and you are in a pinch, you can use some other item as well. A thin rock for instance would work in this case for cooking fish on.
And if you've ever watched any survivalist television shows, then you already know that if you are stranded outside, then getting a fire started is a top priority. It provides heat, comfort and a means to cook food with or boil water to make is safe for drinking.
But there are numerous problems with your traditional camp fire design that could pose a serious risk to your safety during a survival scenario. One is that it will produce a lot of smoke, and the other is that the flame can be seen from quite a distance. This is important if your anonymity is important.
Well the Dakota fire hole is a brilliant, expert survivalist trick to avoiding these problems, and yet although it's so small, it burns very hot which reduces the presence of smoke. Because it acts like a bellows, the fire can be intense, but because it's dug into the ground, the flame can be hidden. Here's how you build a Dakota fire hole.
1. The first thing to do is get the right location. You do not want this near any marsh or wetlands, as the hole could fill quickly with water. You also want to determine whether or not you can avoid hitting rock or roots when constructing it.
2. Remove sod about 1 foot in diameter. Once you have carved this out, set is aside and dig a hole that is 1 foot deep as well as wide.
3. Next, determine the path that the wind is blowing. Simple wetting your finger and holding it up can help you determine this, even when the air is very still. When you feel the area of your finger drying faster than the
other, this is a good indicator of the wind direction.
4. Facing this direction you will want to dig an air tunnel to go to the Dakota fire hole. This should be about a foot away, should be 3 - 5 inches in diameter and should angle downward to meet the base of the main fire hole.
When you are all finished it should look like this..
This works well, because the air will travel down the hole and feel the fire. The oxygen makes the coals burn hotter and works much like a bellows. This is good for cooking or boiling water, but will reduce the sight of flames from a distance and can easily be covered up to conceal your tracks.
You can now also use the Dakota fire hole for cooking as well. Because the top of the hole that you dug is flush with the ground, it's easy to lay a pot or grill surface across from it. If you don't have that and you are in a pinch, you can use some other item as well. A thin rock for instance would work in this case for cooking fish on.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Survival Gear List - Top 6 Survival Products
A complete survival gear list of 10 essential tools and items that any serious survival enthusiast should have in his or her inventory.
I've compiled this list of things that you can purchase right off of the Amazon.com website. I feel that these are the most important when considering the most crucial aspects of survival, but of course you may have your own opinions as well.
To assess these I thought seriously about the 4 most important resources need for human survival. They are water, heat, shelter and food. This survival gear list comprises products that can help with all of these problems.
1. Emergency Fire Starter by SE
This little device is small enough to fit in your pocket, but can get a fire up and going quickly and efficiently. It's also very inexpensive. Shop around and you shouldn't expect to pay more than $10 for it, and at most places it won't even come close to costing you that much. The way it works is simple. You use the serrated end of the striker to shave off a small piece of magnesium onto your burnables (paper, dried debris, etc). Then strike the flint with the striker until you can get a spark to make contact with the magnesium shavings.
2. Portable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets
This little bottle contains 50 iodine tablets that are designed to make contaminated water potable. And as the description explains, it is even effective against Giardia Lamblia (intestinal parasite) when used properly. There is no after-taste and after 30 minutes the water is ready to drink.
3. Leatherman's multi-tool
Any Leatherman will pretty much suffice. But just make sure that a regular knife blade is included, a serrated blade, wire cutters, phillips screw driver, flat head, pliers and scissors. Most multi-tools contain these basic features and many more, making this one of my favorite survival gear list items.
4. MREs (Meals Ready To Eat)
You can get these all over the place, in different quantities and so forth. They are designed with military personnel in mind, but are open to civilian use as well. Each meal contains a lot of calories made up of protein, fats and carbs. Often times a box of them will come with a small heater.
5. Mylar Thermal Blankets
These are cheap and you typically get a lot in each package. They work to trap heat radiation, which is the heat that your body gives off. During cold conditions you lose most of your heat naturally, but wrap yourself in one of these and you will retain 90% of your heat. But how you use one is important. You need to fully wrap yourself in it so that body heat does not get lost beneath your body. Also, these won't keep you warm from the outside elements. They are perfect as an inside layer when in a sleeping bag or wrapped in blankets.
6. Generator
Sure, not your typical outdoors survival product, but it made this survival gear list, because it's so handy in many situations. All you need is some gas before a major storm and you're set to go. Actually this unit in particular uses 4 gallons for every 8 hours of usage, so 12 gallons of gas per daily use. That may seem crazy, but if you've got no other choice and need heat, this can really do the trick.
To assess these I thought seriously about the 4 most important resources need for human survival. They are water, heat, shelter and food. This survival gear list comprises products that can help with all of these problems.
1. Emergency Fire Starter by SE
This little device is small enough to fit in your pocket, but can get a fire up and going quickly and efficiently. It's also very inexpensive. Shop around and you shouldn't expect to pay more than $10 for it, and at most places it won't even come close to costing you that much. The way it works is simple. You use the serrated end of the striker to shave off a small piece of magnesium onto your burnables (paper, dried debris, etc). Then strike the flint with the striker until you can get a spark to make contact with the magnesium shavings.
2. Portable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets
This little bottle contains 50 iodine tablets that are designed to make contaminated water potable. And as the description explains, it is even effective against Giardia Lamblia (intestinal parasite) when used properly. There is no after-taste and after 30 minutes the water is ready to drink.
3. Leatherman's multi-tool
Any Leatherman will pretty much suffice. But just make sure that a regular knife blade is included, a serrated blade, wire cutters, phillips screw driver, flat head, pliers and scissors. Most multi-tools contain these basic features and many more, making this one of my favorite survival gear list items.
4. MREs (Meals Ready To Eat)
You can get these all over the place, in different quantities and so forth. They are designed with military personnel in mind, but are open to civilian use as well. Each meal contains a lot of calories made up of protein, fats and carbs. Often times a box of them will come with a small heater.
5. Mylar Thermal Blankets
These are cheap and you typically get a lot in each package. They work to trap heat radiation, which is the heat that your body gives off. During cold conditions you lose most of your heat naturally, but wrap yourself in one of these and you will retain 90% of your heat. But how you use one is important. You need to fully wrap yourself in it so that body heat does not get lost beneath your body. Also, these won't keep you warm from the outside elements. They are perfect as an inside layer when in a sleeping bag or wrapped in blankets.
6. Generator
Sure, not your typical outdoors survival product, but it made this survival gear list, because it's so handy in many situations. All you need is some gas before a major storm and you're set to go. Actually this unit in particular uses 4 gallons for every 8 hours of usage, so 12 gallons of gas per daily use. That may seem crazy, but if you've got no other choice and need heat, this can really do the trick.
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