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Is it Crazy to Worry About the Golden Horde?

For years, I have listened to people in prepping circles talk about “The Golden Horde”. What is that you ask? Well, the golden horde is a concept that as far as I can tell was introduced by James Wesley Rawles. I like Mr. Rawles – have several of his books in my prepper library and I have been going to his website for years. Mr. Rawles is the writer of several prepper fiction novels (Patriots, Survivors), and probably the first survival book I ever read How to Survive the End of the World As We Know it . He is also the owner of the popular survivalblog.com website. Mr. Rawles’ golden horde concept roughly says that if we have a TEOTWAKI type of event, the major population centers will soon see a mass exodus of people out of the cities and into the surrounding countryside because the cities will be unlivable. The thinking will be to head to the countryside where there is more room, less violence, more food and a safer existence than in the cities.

The historical Golden Horde was a Mongol tribe back in the 13^th century, but for the sake of Prepping and how the modern interpretation of this concept could apply to you, I will use Mr. Rawles’ own words in describing what he meant by this concept:

Here is a mental exercise: Put yourself in the mind set of Mr. Joe Sixpack, Suburbanite. (Visualize him in or near a big city near where you live.) He is unprepared. He has less than one week’s food on hand, he has a 12 gauge pump action shotgun that he hasn’t fired in years, and just half a tank of gas in his minivan and maybe a gallon or two in a can that he keeps on hand for his lawn mower. Then TEOTWAWKI hits. The power grid is down, his job is history, the toilet doesn’t flush, and water no longer magically comes cascading from the tap. There are riots beginning in his city. The local service stations have run out of gas. The banks have closed. Now he is suddenly desperate. Where will he go? What will he do?

Odds are, Joe will think: “I’ve gotta go find a vacation cabin somewhere, up in the mountains, where some rich dude only goes a few weeks out of each year.” So vacation destinations like Lake Tahoe, Lake Arrowhead, and Squaw Valley, California; Prescott and Sedona, Arizona; Hot Springs, Arkansas; Vail and Steamboat Springs, Colorado; and the other various rural ski, spa, Great Lakes, and coastal resort areas will get swarmed. Or, he will think: “I’ve got to go to where they grow food.” So places like the Imperial Valley, the Willamette Valley, and the Red River Valley will similarly get overrun. There will be so many desperate Joe Sixpacks arriving all at once that these areas will degenerate into free-fire zones. It will be an intensely ugly situation and will not be safe for anyone. In some places the locals may be so vastly outnumbered that they won’t survive. But some of the Joe Sixpacks will survive, and then the more ruthless among them will begin to fight amongst themselves for the few remaining resources. They will form ad hoc gangs of perhaps 6 to 30 people.

Now, with that context I will try to give my perspective on this question because I have heard a few of my fellow bloggers, some with no more expertise in this topic than Mr. Rawles or anyone else for that matter, give their opinion that is it foolish to think that the cities will disgorge themselves of people in a TEOTWAWKI event. They argue that people will sit and wait and never leave major metropolitan areas for all number of reasons. They say it could be they are too used to being catered to and will just sit waiting for handouts to come from the government. Others say that the roads will be blocked so there is no way to leave. Not wanting to be left out on the fun, I’ll give my own unlearned opinion below.

What is the Event we are talking about here?

As with all things in life, the situation you are actually faced with will determine the available choices you have or more appropriately, what choices you are forced to make. To say this entire concept is without merit is foolish I think and it shows a lack of imagination to say that this could never happen. I can easily see situations that would force people to leave their homes or cities and if you only have one potential disaster in mind you aren’t seeing the big picture. Everything depends on the disaster as I have said before so while one event might not cause any disruption at all, another could change the world. People are fleeing all the time so this isn’t some bizarre concept that lives solely in the realm of prepper fantasy.

In Mr. Rawles’ mental exercise he was using a power outage. What caused this power outage? We don’t know but it has been long enough that for Joe, “his job is history, the toilet doesn’t flush, and water no longer magically comes cascading from the tap.” We have to assume the power has been out for a long time or the outage was extremely severe and the Just In Time inventory has been depleted. Utilities are out so a major city would get ugly fast. Have you ever seen a sanitation strike in New York? He goes on to say “there are riots beginning in his city. The local service stations have run out of gas. The banks have closed.”. Now, imagine this Joe Sixpack is living in a major city when this happens like New York or Los Angeles.

Do you really think there won’t be people leaving if these things were happening? Do you honestly believe in a city of over 8 million people that nobody is going to leave that type of disaster? Even if we are only talking about 10% of the entire population that decides based upon the information they have (maybe we were attacked by terrorists with an EMP) that they need to get out of the city no matter what, you are still talking about 800,000 people. That’s only 10% of one city!

Let’s go ahead and continue with the theory that this is New York. We have to assume from Mr. Rawles’ mental exercise that since he said that this is TEOTWAWKI, that the same thing has happened across the country. This isn’t a small power outage caused by a storm that brings the power back in a few days. Now take the 10% from all the towns around New York and New Jersey and add those together. Can you begin to see how an event like this could trigger a “horde” of people moving into the countryside to escape the riots and lawlessness?

Where you live matters

In real estate, you know the phrase… Location, location, location. Where you live matters just as much as the event that causes the crisis or the crisis itself. If you live in the backwoods of Tennessee, you probably don’t have to worry about hundreds of thousands of people making their way out of the city, but what if Memphis and Knoxville were looking for a place to go?

Back in 2013, the Business Insider showed a map of the most populated counties in the United States. They used the census data to determine that over 50% of the population of our country lives in just 146 of the over 3000 nationwide counties. Do you live near one of these?

Half Of The United States Lives In These Counties

It is my belief that with the right disaster, the Golden Horde concept is very likely. I can easily see having to worry about people fleeing major cities if you live near some big metropolis. Now if you are out in the middle of East Jesus, then you probably don’t have to worry about it as much, if at all. However, that doesn’t mean it is crazy for anyone to worry about the golden horde. It might be crazier to think you know everything and everyone else is wrong. It is wise to research it though and find out for yourself if maybe there is something you need to plan for. Where do you live? Is there a big blue spot near your home?

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For years, I have listened to people in prepping circles talk about “The Golden Horde”. What is that you ask? Well, the golden horde is a concept that as far

The Grey Man Theory: Living at Home VS Living Abroad

What is the Grey Man Theory?

There are many different ideas, rules and trains of thought about the Grey Man theory. Some would view it as a way of life, others a tactical style or type of camouflage and others an exercise in preparedness.

The Grey Man however is universally recognized as a person who remains unnoticed in all situations. Someone who is not only physically but physiologically average and everyday. These people wear non branded clothing that blends in with the crowd and does not draw attention. They are of average height or build and have facial features that do not attract attention in any way. For example, a short balding man in a camouflage jacket with a large nose would attract attention no matter what. The same could be said of an average sized women wearing nondescript clothing who happens to be stunningly beautiful.

Some would say that some people are just born to be Grey Men and others not. However, looks aren’t everything. The places you go and the things you do can also make you stand out. Ordering a flamboyant cocktail in a bar or a specialty dish at a restaurant will also attract attention. The car you drive, the house you own, the job you have, everything leaves people with a memory or note worthy point about you. The Grey Man does not have these things. This is where people tend to have different ideas on how far to go or how to do it.

The other side to the Grey Man is how they think. A true Grey Man will assess the situation in every room or location that they are in trying to take note of the number of people, exit points, hazard points and threats. They do this via a military technique called Situational Awareness.

Being Grey in a Grey World

100 Deadly Skills: The SEAL Operative’s Guide to Eluding Pursuers, Evading Capture, and Surviving Any Dangerous Situation

Staying unnoticed in a place where you and the people all share the same or similar physical traits can be a huge advantage. Also, by having similar habits, mannerisms and speech it allows you to go better unnoticed. Having these things means that the minds Reticular Activating System will have a harder time identifying you as a threat or someone worth noticing.

This system is part of the way your mind processes information. It is a lot like the way computers process information when searching. Certain signals, actions, images or sounds processed by the brain set off alarm bells that make us take notice of things. This is how we pick people out in a crowd or overhear odd conversations in a room full of people.

No matter how we think as individuals this system remains active for everyone and works on the basis of what is different is a threat or to be feared. This is why being a Grey Man in a place full of people that look just like or act just like you is a major advantage.

Many sources of information would state that the Grey Man never speaks out or puts himself in the center of attention. However, in many cases speaking out or getting in the spot light every now and again is what makes people seem normal. Keeping too much to yourself and being too quite can often signal that something is wrong to others alerting them to your presents.

Being Grey on Color TV

As a survivalist and prepper living in a foreign country I can put weight behind the point of how hard it can be to simply blend in. This has given birth to a whole new way of thinking about the Grey Man. Trying to blend in when you obviously stick out will only bring more attention to yourself. So, how do you hide the wolf amongst the sheep? Not by trying to be a sheep, but by being something different to either one.

In Japan for example, there are a lot of preconceptions about foreign people’s. By adopting some of these it will aid in your acceptance and in time blending into the public. If the preconception is that you are loud, be loud. Work with these preconceptions and once you are not perceived as a threat, move to fade away into the backdrop.

This idea of conforming to people’s ideas about you also works for creating your own. Many would agree at by wearing tactical clothing draws attention and gives people the idea that you may have something of value in a SHTF situation. However if you have already created the misconception that you do not but wear such clothing as for example fashion or a work functional preference then people in your area are less likely to approach you or question your reasons. For example, if you do a lot of sport, wearing something a little more tactical or survival based would not raise an eyebrow.

This can also work in an offensive way as well as defensive. By appearing as an outsider and not one of the group, people will be less willing to confront you for fear of the unknown. Especially if you are in a physical situation and employ the right body language.

While this is all well and good for people that you know, strangers will still perceive you as different or a threat. Creating a balance of openness and concealment is important and will take time.

What shade of grey are you?

So how do we find out what people thing is grey and what is not? While a lot of preppers keep very much to themselves, some of us have a few friends and contacts that can help lend a hand in his regard.

A good technique for training your mind to pick out and mimic greyness in any given area is to look for it. Find a spot where you can sit relatively unnoticed, like a coffee shop window, which a good view of passers by. With each passing person try to find something to ridicule or mock. This, while not particularly nice is an effective way of finding something noticeable about a person that could be taken note of. When you find a person you can’t find anything to make fun of, you have found a truly grey individual.

Greyness is in the Eye of the Beholder

All of the ideas and view points discussed in this article have merit and are effective in their own way. However, the main point discovered by looking at all of this things and the additional element of living abroad highlight a key flaw in the current way of thinking when it comes to the Grey Man theory. You are only grey if everyone else things you are. By taking the culture, people and their preconceptions of you into account you can create a real camouflage for yourself beyond just clothing and body language.

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What is the Grey Man Theory? There are many different ideas, rules and trains of thought about the Grey Man theory. Some would view it as a way of life, others

Long Term Food Storage Issues in Canada

Food storage has generated a lot of controversy over the decades and will do so over the next decades if SHTF fails to arrive.
How do you tell if someone is a vegan? They tell you!!!

[Disclaimer: I have been a vegan for the last five years and I was a vegetarian for twelve years prior to that].

Meat canning/storing is not my thing nor my focus. That said I have zero intent to be 100% vegan in SHTF but frankly the concept of not being mainly vegan in SHTF for everyone who is prepping is likely unachievable and unhealthy. In SHTF I plan on eating meat, fish, and eggs but not dairy other than goat cheese (I am serious anti-casein- the protein in dairy). In fact I would eat anything to avoid starvation in SHTF and I plan to.

I store what I want to eat and so should everyone. This article is just looking at my specific case and specific circumstances here outside Toronto. Obviously if you live in warmer climes you can plan on a mixed farm and enjoy fats from pork and cattle. This would not really work in an area with a growing season of six to seven months maximum so here are my thoughts on long-term food storage issues in places like Canada.

Fat

Living in Canada one thing I always worried about when storing food for SHTF was fat (fat is oil). I am nowhere near walrus or seal meat so what could I do? Nuts are a possible idea and certainly I have black walnut and acorn near at hand and have experimented with both as a source of fat as well as protein. They take time, effort, and knowledge. Harvesting might be dangerous or impossible depending on the scenario. Squirrels and rodents I should be able to get but they have little to no usable fat. Same with deer but I think they will be very rare near any city for years after SHTF.

Carrington Farms Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Storing nuts and oil seems pointless given the really short shelf life of both. Of course, with notice, I’d hit Costco and buy bulk cooking oil, olive oil, and nuts but five years into SHTF those supplies would be gone or be rancid.

My answer is currently storing coconut oil. Not just any coconut oil but extra-virgin. A little goes a long way in supplying calories and essential fats. Storage is as simple as buying a small bottle or tub (I prefer glass) and placing one in each 5 gallon bucket.

How long does coconut oil last?

This supply can be used and stored relatively easily in most temperatures provided you keep the container size small. Once opened it will go rancid the same as other sources of fat. It can be frozen, heated, and repeat without any issues provided the container is unharmed.

The link above also gives useful information on telling if the coconut oil has gone off. I had expired peanuts and experimented with various methods of cooking and spicing to get rid of the horrible taste. Nothing worked. Expired oil is truly awful!

Protein

This is worth storing in small amounts. Nothing like a tin of SPAM added to white rice and beans for taste and protein in the apocalypse. Yet really the amount of protein should be very, very small. The SAD (Standard American Diet) truth is most people eat far too much protein for their own health. Excessive protein leads to kidney failure and a lot of other avoidable diseases.

Protein for me is in the category of condiment or small requirement. I mean small here! In SHTF one tin of tuna would be added to one week’s worth of meals per person. Would this make me as weak as a vegan? In SHTF I hope so and you can look up how weak vegan athletes are yourselves. As an ex-ultarmarathoner I can tell you most endurance athletes long ago went vegan or vegetarian.

Most of my added protein would come from beans and quinoa. Long term they are easily stored and reasonably priced. Quinoa in bulk is often available at Costco for $34 Canadian. Yet honestly protein from my garden will supply almost all of my needs and protein is the least important issue in SHTF yet the one many preppers are storing the most aggressively. They would be healthier and better off financially storing kale seeds!

Carbohydrates

I do not use sugar and have not for years. Still I like to think about my preps and it dawned on me a few bags of sugar would actually make a lot of sense in SHTF. A bit added to flour really helps the taste of bread and it is very cheap and stores easily. Again most of my carbohydrates would come from the garden and home-grown potatoes are wonderful! For storage I have lots of white rice and some pastas. This area I am not very worried about.

Of course being Canadian I also store maple syrup which is the best carbohydrate in the world, eh! I have spiles and tubes (food grade) to harvest maple syrup in SHTF once the ability to move around becomes safe. Anyone living near maple trees really needs to think on this and also other sap trees.

Smart Long Term Stores

Can you sprout? It is very easy and very helpful in many SHTF scenarios. Make sure you can do it and have the equipment to do it daily in SHTF. Why not store grains and seeds long-term that you can eat, sprout, and plant? This is as easy as buying organic chia seeds (they need clay pots for sprouting) and putting them in a Mylex™ bag inside some of your food buckets. Most dried beans are easier to cook and healthier to eat after sprouting for a couple of days.

Pink Gourmet Himalayan Salt

Vitamin C is a key ingredient for us all to live a good and healthy life. Storing it is an issue. Sure have lots of vitamin tablets but consider canning or strong lime and lemon juices. I cannot grow oranges up here but if you can then start now. I plan on using apples a lot in SHTF and storing blackberries and raspberries. These skills will be essentially long-term in SHTF so I have started now. Basic good quality bottles of jam is another essential and smart long-term storage item that I’d have in every food bucket. I cannot stand marmalade but I can added it to white rice easily enough so I store marmalade.

Salt

I am guessing everyone has salt but what about iodine? Those of us who live a long way from the ocean or on land that never was ocean will become iodine deficient in SHTF. Is your salt also a supply of iodine? It needs to be unless you live near the ocean.

I add very little salt to my diet at present but I have a small package of iodized salt in all my buckets for long-term use. I am expecting convenience foods to disappear in SHTF and the large and excessive amounts of added salt we all eat at present will be a memory. Plan for a lot of salt and make it iodized. If you check your preps and it is sodium chloride with nothing else listed and/or does not say “Iodized Salt” then put that aside and use for barter.

Dried Spices

Pepper, garlic, onion, turmeric, etc. are all easily available and store well enough for years If you have not put one in each of your storage buckets you might regret it after a year or more of living off your stored rice and beans. You can also store a lot of small plastic bags (UK coin bags are great for this) and divide up very small amounts for barter in SHTF. There are many spices available and buy one each time you shop. Variety is the aim once salt and pepper are dealt with. Hot spices are great but bottles tend to go off over time so grab handfuls at fat food places. Put them in a Mylex™ bag with lots of oxygen absorbers as their packaging is fast food not apocalyptic! Basil and arugula should be available to you via seeds as should mustard. A quick survey of your local area would find many greens available that will spice up food and help you stay healthy. Purslane and Dandelion are weeds for me but a snip them frequently to add to my salads now. Avoid harvesting near rods, polluted rivers, and dog walking areas!

Conclusion

What do you store as long-term food and why? If you mess this up there’s no quick trip to Costco’s available in SHTF to fix it. Take a hard look at what you have now and think about how you will use it in SHTF. Can you make different textures and flavors easily? Will this food supply vitamins, fiber, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in variety? Can the food stored be easily extended by wild foraging and/or gardening? When you open it will you be using the entire amount before it goes bad? Sure 5 gallons of X in the bucket makes you feel secure but can you use all 5 gallons before it goes rancid? Pack small Mylex™ bags inside the big buckets so you have both choice and shelf life after opening.

Hopefully my errors and mistakes here will get picked up in the comments section. I am not going to explain or justify my current diet nor why I feel casein is not a great thing to eat. This is about food storage and SHTF not current nutrition! Bon appetite!

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Food storage has generated a lot of controversy over the decades and will do so over the next decades if SHTF fails to arrive. How do you tell if someone is

Waka Waka Power: Review

Planning for power outages is one of the most common things you can do in the realm of prepping. To that end we talk about storing fuel, purchasing generators or inverters for back-up power or installing solar panels to augment your electric grid-tied system. These are the problems of anyone in the West normally who has reliable access to power. There is a whole other world out there where the reliability of constant power is spotty. In some remote locations, it is non-existent.

You don’t have to get your passport stamped to imagine life without power though. Winter storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, extreme heat all cause power outages here in the US too as I mentioned above. And, some people even willingly go far out into the woods for fun with, you guessed it. No power.

I was given an opportunity to review a product called WakaWaka Power which is essentially three devices in one. It is a solar charger, a battery and a very bright LED light. WakaWaka, Swahili for “shine bright”, is a creation of Off-Grid Solutions. Immediately apparent are the applications for this little device which gives you a long lasting LED light (up to 80 hours on a full charge at 25% power) and it can also charge your smart phone via USB. Something like this could really be a bonus even if you are stranded at an airport and don’t want to try and find the coveted spot on the floor next to the outlet for the lonely privilege of being able to stare at everyone’s feet for two hours while you answer email and wait for your phone to recharge.

The Waka Waka Power unit is pretty light at about 7 OZ so this could easily fit in your Get Home Bag or your Bug Out Bag if you don’t have other charging options. It probably weighs as much as a couple of packs of batteries and would last a lot longer provided you have a lot of access to sun. Assuming you could use a charger in place of batteries.

Waka Waka Power is light enough to throw in your Bug Out Bag

I have had my unit for a couple of weeks now and I have taken it outdoors a few times. The solar panels will charge through your window which is much easier during cold days, but the result is basically a trickle charge. For a good fast charge you want to have this right outside with direct and bright sun. This isn’t really a surprise, more of a known aspect of any solar powered equipment. You get the best results with direct sunlight and under full sun, the charging lights blink rapidly letting you know the Waka Waka is storing up power quickly.

Waka Waka charging my iPhone 5c in about 2 hours.

Hole in the base is perfect for mounting to a water bottle.

The Waka Waka Power takes 10 hours of full sunlight to charge according to the website. You could strap this to the back of your pack if you are hiking as long as you are always facing away from the sun. I was able to charge my iPhone pretty quickly with the Waka Waka even though it didn’t have a full charge and this could come in handy for business trips even as a backup battery. I know there are plenty of those already on the market, but not all have solar capacity and these super bright LED bulbs. The Waka Waka Power also uses a mini-USB that you have to supply to charge directly from the wall. This is faster than the sun, but would you believe that with all of the electric devices, I don’t have one single mini-USB plug?

The light bulbs have 4 different power settings. I assume these are 100%, 75%, 50% and so on so you can choose the amount of light you need. At 100%, these lights will easily brighten up an entire room so if you had to cook or you wanted to read, the Waka Waka would put off plenty of light. You could reduce the light down to 25% if you just needed to navigate to the bathroom or wanted to be romantic for instance and save power.

One nifty little feature was the hole on the base that fits over a plastic water bottle. You can use this as a stand or there is a small eyelet that you can run some paracord through to suspend the waka waka power from up higher. These are simple additions, but it does make the unit much better suited to be used for lighting.

Waka Waka has two very bright LEDs

The idea behind WakaWaka Power isn’t necessarily new or revolutionary, but the goal of the organization is vast. The Waka Waka Foundation aims to eradicate energy poverty for over 1.5 billion people worldwide and that is no small feat. To that end, for every WakaWaka Power charger sold, WakaWaka makes a donation to the WakaWaka Foundation to finance entrepreneurial education, micro-loans to women energy entrepreneurs, and subsidies for the very poor in countries like in Nigeria, Haiti, Nepal, India and Latin America to replace polluting, dangerous kerosene lamps. These initiatives increase safety for girls and women at night, help students complete their homework after dark, and much more.

From a practical standpoint, I really like the Waka Waka power device and this follows a trend of bringing cleaner technology advances (rocket stoves, solar power) to remote regions to increase safety and improve health. I have other solar chargers, but they charge batteries separately and do not have a light. This could conceivably eliminate two things I needed to pack. I could take this on business trips for example instead of a headlamp, my charger and the spare batteries. I could make arguments on both sides, but this does give me options. The Waka Waka is pretty solid, but it isn’t waterproof so you don’t want to take this camping without a good dry sack to keep it in. If you don’t have any solar power charging capacity right now, you might want to try out the Waka Waka.

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Planning for power outages is one of the most common things you can do in the realm of prepping. To that end we talk about storing fuel, purchasing generators or

Site Planning for Your Survival Homestead

A great deal can go into site planning for your survival homestead, even when the infrastructure is already in place and funds don’t exist to renovate lines or move buildings. Where we place things can increase or decrease our defensive abilities, success in growing, and how likely we are to see something – which can be good or bad. It can also hugely impact the efficiency of a site, whether it’s a small suburban or urban lot or a large rural retreat. While more space creates more options, planning for efficiency has major merits for any size site. When things are more efficient, they require less work to maintain. Whether that work is manual or powered, using less time, labor and resources frees up our abilities elsewhere, allowing us to do more.

Site Planning Factors for your survival homestead

The three most important factors in site planning for efficiency are arguably access, sun, and water. They are equally important, although when aspects like defense and drought resilience come into play one or another may take more precedence. There are variable levels of importance within factors as well. For example, access for ease and convenience might drop to the bottom of a list, but access for maintenance should stay near the top.

Cattle on silvopasture – Trees can be saw logs, firewood, forage/fodder or fruit and nut trees in a rotational pasture system that creates shade and stacks the functions taking place on a piece of land, creating a more efficient use of that land.

Sun

Sunlight plays a lot of roles in our lives, far more than just which plants will be successful – and where. Sunlight can be manipulated to create passive heating and cooling, such as using deciduous trees to shade greenhouses, coops, homes and windows, and livestock in silvopasture. Shading even just the entrance of a cellar can help dramatically reduce the amount of heat-cool transfer while loading it during harvest season. Shading can also significantly reduce moisture loss. On the flip side, opening canopies can not only increase availability of sunlight for plants during winter, it can help us dry up spring-bog areas and provide free lighting.

Using sun and shade to create passive heating and cooling by combining livestock and deciduous trees with a greenhouse, or locating coops and hutches beneath trees.

When we look at shading, a lot of times we only look at trees, but buildings, fences, and walls come into play as well. One rule of thumb is to place the tallest things on a site to the north in the northern hemisphere, to allow the most light through. However, if we want that shading factor to limit our irrigation or keep our rabbits breeding longer without running fans, we can play with them, interspersing buildings and alleys of pasture to create the best fits for our needs.

Another school of thought – especially in areas heavy on buildings and trees – is to group tall things together and slope mature heights to create either a peak effect (tallest in a central area) or a valley effect (tallest things on the rims sloping down to the center).

All three have their pro’s and con’s, and the slope of land, amount of irrigation, soil types, and purposes or function of the land play a big role in deciding which works best for us.

If you are building a survival homestead, take advantage of the sun’s natural path to position your home most effectively.

Something to remember is that sunlight changes through the year and by location, with summer and winter, extreme elevations, and distance from the equator affecting not only the track the sun takes in our skies, but also the intensity of the light – light quality, compared to light quantity. Even quantity comes with some wiggle room. “Full” sun is about 6-8 hours of direct light, but 8-10 hours of diffused light works too, unless the quality of light is low the way it is during winter in the middle and upper latitudes.

Water for your homestead

Water is one of the basic necessities of life. Manually hauling water sucks big time, and so does hand pumping water if mechanical systems fail. Ideally we plan our site so that things with the greatest volume needs are nearest the pumps and catchment systems.

When we’re accounting for high-volume needs we need to take into account our own varied uses such as laundry, cooking, and cleaning our homes as well as direct consumption. Livestock, young trees, and crops also require water. The closer they are to a water source, the less time and labor (of any kind, manual or mechanical) is needed to provide that water for them. We also want to bear in mind year-round needs, as opposed to seasonal like a garden with three months of growing season.

There are two types of water catchment systems that can decrease the need for pumping water – passive and active. Studying the sheep and cattle stations of the Australian outback, especially at the turn of the century, can provide a number of examples of how people survive near-desert conditions using active and passive water catchment systems.

Active catchment includes things like water barrels and buckets, which can be highly complex or pretty darn simple, or rain-filled water catchment on towers and roofs – both of which then disperse water through lines via gravity. Another example of an active catchment includes old-style towers that are filled by pumping, but then provide a gravity-fed reservoir for use during dry periods.

There are all kinds of passive water systems, some of them overlapping with the sunlight and wind vectors that we take into account as incoming and outgoing factors on a site. Some of the most common passive water-catchment and water-conservation systems include:

Simple low spots or dug swales that increase the infiltration of water by slowing its loss, making water available longer after a rain.
Ponds
Hugel-type, lasagna-type and Eden Gardening style growing beds with layers of material that absorb water and release it slowly
Gabion-style and stacked stone walls and fences that create drip-back microclimates by condensing evaporation on the underside and lee of the stone
Trees and shrubs planted to block and filter drying winds from the north and west or block sunlight and provide shade during the hottest hours (usually 1-4 p.m.)

Access

Arranging things for ready access is arguably the most important of the three factors, depending on the primary focus of site planning. At the simplest, we have to be able to reach things to use them. With some foresight and planning, we’re able to reach them in the most efficient and economical way(s) available to us. In the best case, things are conveniently near each other as well as just being accessible, saving time and work transferring them.

We can increase efficiency by locating things that need regular care close to our daily paths, like putting greenhouses and veggies near our homes. Alternatively, they could go near water sources, or be located beside chickens and pigs that till, turn compost, provide manure, and will be helping with garden clean-up. We don’t want to have to cross a yard to get tools and hoses and come all the way back to a garden plot, though.

When we plan the space we want to leave to facilitate access, we want to take into account our methods of reaching our targets:

walking with hand tools, with hay bales on hooks, with forks or bags of feed or seed or fertilizer, or with buckets, blickeys and crates
wheelbarrows, push or pull carts
tractor or ATV and attachments
truck or gators/field carts
tree pruning tools, branch removal or chipping (and chipper size and type)
firewood harvest methods
distance between storage and harvests of hay, straw or crops
type of brush control and access for it
longevity/sustainability of methods chosen for all phases (we all get old unless we die young, and what we can manage by now may become impossible due to age, illness or injury)

Tall hugelkultur beds increase our efficiency not only by decreasing water and fertilizer needs but also by increasing by 3-5 times the amount of growing space we have. Tall beds also eliminate some of the stooping involved with veggie gardens, creating longevity in our growing systems.

We also want to leave space for things like sorting, curing, drying, and curing harvests of various types, running our chipper-shredders, PM’g and repairing our equipment, and to get out of sight of nosy neighbors for livestock culling and harvest. Ideally, that space is conveniently located to the origin or destination, to water, and to where we collect and leave our tools for the tasks. Leaving room for living space and accounting for where we’re creating shadows, damper areas, windbreaks, open sight lines, and cover or concealment for thieves and worse as we plot out our sites is also important.

Something I’ve seen lower harvests in both small-scale and large-scale is somebody cutting a corner with a wagon or tractor a little too close and wrecking the end of a row, or having room when everything is small and new or just seeded, but having no room to maneuver once perennials or large crops grow in. Paying mind to the turning radius of our chosen methods can help save those. (So can practicing when a field is still empty.)

The general rule of thumb when planning for access is that things that need the least care go farthest away and off beaten paths, while things that need the most care and attention go nearest the living space(s) and along walkways.

Our own needs and desires and our infrastructure plays into where we might stick things. I may not use my shop much, but it may be easier to run power to it if it’s close to the house and since my trucks are near the house, I may not want to cross an acre or two for my air pump. Fruit and nut trees traditionally go further away from my home since they don’t need daily care, but if I’m using them for passive heating and cooling or am stacking the productivity of the space by keeping birds or rabbits under them, I may want them closer. My soil type and spring bog might also lead me to avoid an area that would be considered prime, or I might choose to locate things further away so I have a yard space where I can see my young kids easily from a window. Everyone’s situation is different.

Convenience factors into access – The easier it is to reach and see something, the more likely we are to deal with it. There’s no reason not to put veggie beds near the house even in a large yard, or to incorporate herbs and veggies into traditional flowers and landscaping along our driveway and footpaths.

Convenience should also play a role when it comes to access, and for some people the convenience is more important than for others. If it’s difficult to get to something, most of us are less likely to deal with it. It’s up to us to accurately judge ourselves and decide how likely we are to ignore or procrastinate with chores and checks.

Likewise, the “out of sight, out of mind” factor plays a role. Not only are we more likely to remember that something needs dealt with if we’re seeing it every morning on the way out, we can also arrange things to serve as canaries in a mineshaft for us.

Planning & Efficiency

Planning is a big part of efficiency – with anything, military excursion to home to garden to daily tasks. As a permaculturist, efficiency is basically my Holy Grail. The interactions of biotic and abiotic factors get manipulated to death to allow nature to do a lot of our work for us and to limit the time and effort of our labors.

It’s helpful to start with sketches of what already exists on a site, what is staying and what can go, and the inputs from the surrounding area when planning for an efficient site. Permaculture zones and sectors are excellent research points for anyone just starting out.

Wasted steps are wasted time and wasted energy, no matter what scale we’re living and growing in, just like allowing runoff, sunlight, and wind to enter and exit a space without ever harnessing them. In some cases, poor site planning ends up costing us extra money when we upgrade, downsize, or need a repair.

We can limit some of our inefficiency just by making lists.

Lists start as big, general goals of our wants and needs. We can make other lists of our potential resources, challenges, and capabilities. In the case of our homestead – urban balcony to 5-50 acre farm – knowing our long-term goals lets us start accounting for them from the get-go. Lists also help us streamline and prioritize, which allows us to stay focused.

We can refer back to our lists as we approach each step in making our goal a reality. Likewise, sketching a plan and making lists of the pro’s and con’s of placing various components where we have can give us a guideline to refer back to as we move forward over months and years. Lists and a sketch can keep us from feeling hemmed in to a decision we made five years ago because we didn’t realize what a pain it was going to be to haul water 500 yards because the hose pressure won’t reach the spot where we put in our annuals.

Increasing efficiency can be as fast and simple as putting coops and hutches over compost and worm bins to decrease some of the back-and-forth steps of moving manure to those systems and being able to check levels and moisture and harvest worms at the same time we care for other livestock.

Planning for Efficiency for your Survival Homestead

Water, sun and access are just the tip of the iceberg for site planning. There are dozens and dozens of things that can factor into creating an efficient self-sustaining homestead. People have written books on the subject, and placement considerations – from the things we’re possibly going to want on location to how we decide where to put them – occupy week-long lectures. Particularly when it comes to access.

Another aspect of efficiency we don’t regularly want to consider is old age, if not a Seventh Generation outlook. How much annual care does what we’re putting in need? Will it start spreading beyond our control when we hit cane and walker age? Will that oak destroy the lawn between the house and “yard” in 10 years, leaving dogs and people ginger stepping 8-12 times a day and washing away good soils? Will those coppiced trees start wrecking fences if we’re injured or busy standing watch?

Most of us just can’t plan for everything, but at least being aware of goals, of some of the factors that affect our efficiency and the long-term effects of inefficiency, and of the priority we’re willing to assign components in and around our homes, we can be better prepared for smooth transitions and limit some of our wasted labor. Being aware of site planning and efficiency as something to research allows us to let the environment around us and that we build do some of our work for us.

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A great deal can go into site planning for your survival homestead, even when the infrastructure is already in place and funds don’t exist to renovate lines or move buildings.

Stressed out by Prepping?

Some people who are preparing for the future get stressed out by prepping. It can be for many reasons. Maybe you feel you have too much to do to get ready. Maybe you don’t know where to start. You are on a limited budget and are beginning to understand what needs to be done. Maybe you are headed into too many different directions at once. You’re waiting for the other shoe to drop. Things take time to prepare, get ready, and you feel time is getting short. Perhaps you are concerned that you have not prepared completely or realize there are many more facets to being prepared than you initially thought. Maybe you are caught in a large city and cannot/ will not be able to move anytime soon.

Food, medical supplies, guns and ammunition, physical security of yourself, family and home, water availability in crisis, barter items, awareness of world events, fuel storage, electricity backup, inadequate time, so much to do and so little time, end time events. There is a plethora of things to consider. Overwhelmed by the thought of it all?

Many are faced with the same problems you have identified. Some people have only just started. Maybe one or more of these subjects is on your mind. Events in the world do seem to be speeding up. Events in the economic sphere, civil unrest, wars and rumors of wars, the chances of war where you live, the golden hoard, market manipulation on a criminal scale by our supposed leaders, laws that prevent adequate preparation, social change heaped upon us through non-democratic means, leaders ignoring the Constitution and a Congress that is emasculated and bought and paid for and too comfortable. Civil unrest. Where do I stop????

There are many things to consider. Trying to tackle all or many at once is never a good idea. It will cause more frustration and that can divert you from accomplishment. The best course is to concentrate on one thing at a time. Make a list detailing your concerns and then head in the direction you feel is best for your situation. List priorities. Communicate with others with similar problems and see how they dealt with the same problem you are facing How do you find others with similar concerns? On-line is a good start. Visit prepper websites. There are many. Google it. Develop a network. Speak with friends to find others who have similar concerns.

If the stress is causing you to be diverted from accomplishment of goals there are other methods of stress reduction. Read a book. Something that you have wanted to read for a while. Take pleasure in your large and small accomplishments you have done. Never put yourself down. Think positive. Take a break if you find yourself overwhelmed. Make a list and quantify it, then review it. Take a nap, enjoy life. Plant a herb garden. Take a college course. Do something you have thought about for a long time. Recognize that you are not alone.

One method for stress reduction is spiritual. Are you in contact with God? I approach this from a Christian viewpoint.

John 14: 27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

The Lord has given you this promise. Have you acted on it? Have you asked? Do you pray? The Lord wants to help you. Ask Him and then let Him do that. Pray and ask for direction. Trust in the Lord. If you don’t do that now, learn to trust Him, learn how to do it. Ask in prayer for help. Listen to the Spirit. Give your problems to the Lord.

It is also a good idea to develop a working relationship with Heavenly Father. He is there, seek Him.

Luke 11: 9 “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

Seek the Lord’s help in all good things. It is available. Too often we don’t think to ask. You do not want to be alone in this endeavor. Seek the Lord’s help and direction. You need to ask though and have an ounce of faith that it can be obtained. Listen carefully for the answers. Develop a daily communication with God. Remember that the world is unaware of His Son and prophecy that is occurring right before our eyes and what the end result will be. You want to be personally ready for that end result. The end result is a much better world to live in which includes peace. Christ will return. It is in process as I write.

Beware of prophets of doom. There are many out there crying wolf all the time. Read them first and then evaluate what they are saying. Does it sound credible or are they simply throwing fear your way. Do they offer alternatives to their so-called facts? Or is it just a one direction only event with no alternatives? If you find their arguments have no merit, drop them like a ton of bricks. Do not go there again.

Evaluate real world events. The main stream media will not help you out. But there are also many non -mainstream sources that are just as full of lies and error. They make money by how many viewers they can attract. Is the event being described actually occurring? How reliable are their sources? Are their sources in their own head and no place else? What are they selling – besides propaganda? Just fear alone?

Get started.

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Some people who are preparing for the future get stressed out by prepping. It can be for many reasons. Maybe you feel you have too much to do to get

5 Things You Need to Go Off Grid Now – Pt. 5

Welcome back to the last installment of our series on the 5 things you need to go off grid where we are discussing preparations you can make right now that could possibly save your life if you find yourself without the conveniences of the grid. As I stated in other articles, we frequently hear people planning of a simpler, more self-reliant life where they can live untied from the complex systems of our current 21^st century lifestyles. For obvious reasons, this dream is one that many of us strive for, but frequently are unable to obtain.

In a disaster though, that dream of being untied and self-sufficient may not be something we opt for by making various lifestyle and geographic changes; it may come to us without much advance warning whether we are ready or not. The news of the impending blizzard in New York is a perfect example of the possibility of disaster. In extreme cases, the conveniences of the grid might be unavailable to people for an extended time. If a disaster strikes, what would you need to have prepared ahead of time to make it through your own off grid scenario?

To briefly catch everyone up; our first article talked about the importance of water and having a renewable source if we have any hope of lasting a long time without the benefits of modern utilities. The second article dealt with food and creating systems now that would feed you if the grocery stores never opened again. The third article focused on sanitation and hygiene so that as much as possible we reduced our exposure, and conversely our risk of infection from disease. The fourth article discussed topics of shelter. The last item we will discuss is the need to have an alternate source of power.

Electricity

It is hard to imagine our days without the benefits of electricity. We have become so reliant on this source of energy that most of our modern lifestyles are dependent upon having a reliable source every single place we go. Without electricity, the obvious things like light bulbs and microwaves no longer work, but I wouldn’t have a job without electricity. In the past when I worked in various other careers, if there was a disruption in power, there was always something to do. Usually this involved cleaning in some capacity or reorganizing supplies.

Now, in my current profession if the power went out I wouldn’t be able to do any of my job responsibilities. I rely on power which enables the internet for every aspect of my job, from computer to phone. Meetings are held over the internet as well as presentations and conference calls with our VOIP phones. Our service is a web based application and without internet, nobody can access your service. Zip. Zilch, Nada. It is that way for many millions of other people, but outside of work, almost every other system relies on power too. ATM machines, wireless internet routers, gas pumps, cash registers, credit card transactions and on and on. We can’t really conduct many of the main transactions of commerce without power, but we also rely on power in our homes for simple survival.

Having a backup source of power is important if some event or circumstances take down the power grid. In the example of the anticipated blizzard in New England, power could be lost for millions making an already undesirable situation worse. To prepare for power outages or blackouts I think there are several layers of backup power and associated items you can consider. They might be too late for the people in New York, but you can make plans now to prevent a disruption in your future.

When the elecricity goes out, so do the lights. Make sure you have backup lighting options.

Short Term Power Outage Supplies (up to 8 hours)

For this relatively short duration you shouldn’t have to worry about more than simple navigation (light source) and minor power needs. Batteries should all be topped off in anticipation of outage if possible.

Rechargeable Batteries X 2 for the important items (radio, lights)
Battery Charger w/ solar or vehicle adapter for batteries and cell phones
USB External Battery Charger – Essentially a large battery that can recharge your smart phone up to 7 times on a single charge.

LED Flashlight with spare batteries – 1 per person
Candles – 15 Hour Emergency candles
Battery powered lantern for common areas

Small generators will greatly improve short-term outage conditions.

Medium Term Power Outage Supplies (1-3 days)

Alternate sources of power will most likely be needed for essentials. You can plug an inverter into your car’s auxiliary outlet and power a decent amount of items. Plan for storing fuel.

1000 Watt Inverter connected to car battery for charging devices/running small appliances
Spare fuel to run vehicle (min 25 gallons)
5 – 5 Gallon gas cans
PRI – G gas treatment for long-term fuel storage.
2000 W Generator
Headlamps for each individual – infinitely easier and more practical than flashlights. Allows for hands free tasks.
Propane lanterns – great outdoor lighting option or use within well-ventilated area. They also put off a decent amount of heat.
Battery Recharger – It is important to get one that can charge multiple battery sizes if you have different battery uses.

Long Term Disruption in Power Supplies (4 or more days)

Larger generators and solar are good options to consider for longer outages.

Tri-fuel generator (gas, propane, natural gas)
Spare fuel for generator (min 90 gallons)
7 – 14 gallon gas cans
PRI – G gas treatment for long-term fuel storage.
100 Watt Solar Panel kit
1000 Watt Inverter
Deep cycle Batteries
Siphon pump to acquire additional fuel

So there you have it. 5 areas to consider now if you want to be prepared for an unexpected Off grid moment in your life. Are there other areas to consider? Of course, but I think this covers some of the most major bases we have. If you have a plan for Water, food to feed your family, Shelter from the elements, Sanitation to keep diseases at bay and Electricity, I think you have a good handle on the crises and should be able to weather the disruption. There are security aspects too, but those are dealt with in other posts on the Final Prepper that can be read here, if you are interested.

I hope this series was informative or helpful in some way. As always, I love to hear comments so please let me know what you think and stay safe!

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Welcome back to the last installment of our series on the 5 things you need to go off grid where we are discussing preparations you can make right now that

What is the Best AR-15 Scope for SHTF?

If you have an AR-15 or any rifle really, and you plan on using this in a defensive role should the need arise, you need to consider what is the best scope for your use. Even if you have the venerable AK-47, the scope that you use will greatly determine your capabilities after your natural skill and training have reached their limits. A good scope is a huge benefit in allowing you to accurately acquire a target and with a properly sighted rifle and good fundamentals hit what you are shooting at. There are many different configurations that are possible given the role you intend your AR-15 to be in but I wanted to discuss what I think are some of the best AR-15 scope options you have right now in order to help you hit what you are shooting at in a SHTF scenario.

Before I begin, let me state to everyone who is reading this that I am not trying to say any scope will make you a better shooter. No amount of money you spend on optics will make you a better shot with whatever rifle you have and there are people who can shoot better than you(or I) could ever dream with nothing more than iron sights. I understand this and so should everyone reading this post.

Scopes do enhance our abilities though by augmenting our ability to focus and select objects usually at a distance. You can’t ignore all of the other aspects of the shooting skills, but a scope does help. Another aspect to consider is cost. Will you get $1000 worth of value out of that scope you have your eyes on, or would something much less expensive be perfectly suited to your needs?

Different AR-15 Scope for different missions

A quality maintenance kit is a good idea when you no longer can go to Amazon for spare parts.

For the purposes of this article, I am only going to focus on Red Dot sights and Rifle scopes. What are the differences? The over simplified version is that Red dot sights usually have zero magnification and project a red (hence the name) dot onto glass for a heads up display instead of the typical cross-hairs, of where the bullet will hit. Assuming of course that you have the rifle sighted in to your sight.

Red dot sights are usually preferred in close quarter combat (less than 20 yards) situations where target acquisition speed is crucial. They are also designed to be used with both eyes open.

If you plan on pushing your rifle out to longer distances (50 to 300 yards), have older eyes or want the best lenses for low-light (not night vision) you are typically looking for a rifle scope that has some magnification factor and greater light transmission.

Red Dot Options for the AR-15

The EOTech XPS2-0 HOLOgraphic Weapon Sight is extremely rugged and durable. It’s compact size also leaves you more room on your picattiny rail for a magnifier if you want, but if you are buying a magnifier, why wouldn’t you get a dedicated scope? I understand options. Options.

EOTech’s are not cheap and this one is currently $477 on Amazon which is a pretty decent price, but you have to determine if spending this much on an optic is necessary for your skill level and what you plan on needing in a SHTF scenario. When I first started prepping I was convinced that I would need a red dot sight for close quarters, but my thoughts have evolved since then.

EOTech XPS2 HOLOgraphic sight.

If you like the idea of Red Dot sites, but are trying to keep from spending a new car payment on one, the Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 is a much more economical option. I have one of these myself and while there are some things I don’t like about it (the adjustment knob is hard as hell to turn) it is a great little optic that gives me the same red dot feature for a much more reasonable price of around $80. Now, I am not comparing the quality of the Bushnell to the EOTech, but it is an option you could consider.

Bushnell Trophy TRS-25. Lower cost alternative to something like the EOTech.

Moving away from Red Dot sites and going into scopes, another good option is the Nikon P-223 3×32. This scope was made specifically for the trajectory of the .223 Rem/5.56 NATO round. There isn’t an adjustable magnification with this scope, but once you have it sighted in at 100 yards, there are reticules for targets at 200, 400 and 600. It is nicely set up so that if your rifle is sighted in, and you have a target out to 600 yards, you can elevate the rifle to get the bottom reticule on the target and the ballistics should work out. One thing about this scope is the lack of magnification makes sighting in at 100 yards impossible without a shooting scope or someone to tell you where you are hitting. Once sighted in you won’t be able to choose between head or body really, but you should be able to hit them. For me this is a good balance of close quarters capability and long range assistance with the reticules. Target acquisition at long ranges wouldn’t be easy with this scope, but I could hit them.

Nikon P-223 3×32 – Great mix of functionality in a scope for the AR-15

For excellent magnification and much longer range, the Redfield Revolution 3-9x40mm TAC-MOA is a great scope with a very good price point of $265. No, this isn’t the same quality (or cost) as a Leupold or NightForce, but if you are looking to spend 1 to 2 thousand dollars on a sniper scope, you should be looking somewhere else for advice.

There are many more options depending on what you are looking for and this great video from Nutnfancy lists off many more options. I have added links to all of his suggestions below the video. What do you think is the best AR-15 Scope?

Best AR-15 Scope Suggestions from the video above.

Weaver 2.5-7×32	206
Burris Fullfield II 3×9	165
Bushnell Elite 3200 5-15×40	398
Burris 6.5-20×50	364
Nikon ProStaff 4.5-14×40	199
Bushnell Elite Tactical LRS 2.5-16×42	628
Weaver 6-24×42	355
Weaver Classic 3-9×32	259
Weaver 2-10×38	209
Nikon M223 2.5-8×32	350
Nikon M223 3-12×42	398
Redfield Revolution 2-7×33	168
Redfield Revolution 3-9×40	185
Burris Fullfield II 3-9×40	185
Burris Fullfield II 4.5-14×42	275
Burris Fullfield I 6.5-20×50	364

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If you have an AR-15 or any rifle really, and you plan on using this in a defensive role should the need arise, you need to consider what is the

5 Things You Need to Go Off Grid Now – Pt. 4

Welcome back to this series on the 5 things you need to go off grid now, where I have been discussing the scenario of a collapse or long-term disruption of “the grid”. The term ‘the grid’, can mean different things to different people, but for the sake of this series, the grid I am referring to would be many of the systems and services we have come to rely on in our western culture. This would include things like electricity, water, sanitation, natural gas, emergency services, the internet and communications.

Some people think of the grid as the information collected about our lives through various electronic transactions. “Jason Bourne has gone off the grid”, meaning his whereabouts are not known because he isn’t using credit cards to pay for anything and they can’t track his cell phone. When Jason is spending that cash he had so brilliantly hidden in the safe deposit box, the CIA spooks can’t find him using their usual systems of detection. That is certainly one aspect of the grid, but when we talk of a lifestyle of living off the grid, we don’t normally associate that with running from a rogue department in a shadowy government agency that is hell-bent on killing us.

Going off the grid has become synonymous with living more simply and in many ways reducing or eliminating our dependence on systems like electricity. In an effort to go off the grid we may purchase solar panels as an example, or drill a well in our yard to provide fresh water instead of relying on city or municipal sources. It is an achievable goal for many, but not all of us. This series is focusing on that goal from a different angle and that is if you find yourself forced to go off the grid due to a natural disaster or some catastrophic event that renders these systems temporarily or permanently out of commission. You don’t leave the grid, the grid leaves you.

Gimme Shelter

In our first article in the series we discussed the importance of water and having a renewable source if we have any hope of lasting a long time without the benefits of modern utilities. The second article dealt with food and creating systems now that would feed you if the grocery stores never opened again. The third article focused on sanitation and hygiene so that as much as possible we reduced our exposure, and conversely our risk of infection from disease. The fourth article will discuss shelter.

Human beings are incredibly resilient and resourceful creatures when we put our minds to it, but we weren’t really built to live outside in the elements. Humans need shelter from temperature extremes as well as exposure to the elements so if the grid does go down; shelter needs to be high on your list of priorities.

Unless you are a gypsy, homeless or happen to be backpacking your way across Europe, most of us do have a place to live already. You may be asking why this is one of the 5 things you need to go off the grid. It’s true that there should be no shortage of shelter, at least in the form of a shell, for pretty much anyone in the world. What we may not have though are the heating and cooling systems we have today. We also may be forced to leave our homes and make our way to another location. You may be stranded away from your home and need to get back to it.

Without constant irrigation many cities would quickly become wastelands.

How many people would want to live in Arizona without air conditioning? I have been there and I know a lot of our readers live there now, but can you imagine summer without being able to get out of the blistering 100 degree temperatures that last 4 months out of the year on average? What about growing crops with minimal rainfall? On the flip side, would places like Maine, Minnesota or North Dakota, be a lot of fun in the winter without heat? Sure we can burn wood, but that is not a resource all people have access to right now. Even if everyone had their own wood burning stove, how many cities have forests right outside your door for fresh firewood? Can you imagine how quickly Central Park in New York would be decimated if people were looking for a source of wood to heat their homes? It would probably look a lot like that scene in Lord of the Rings…

Could you build your own shelter if you had to?

Electricity is responsible for the majority of our temperature regulation in our homes and businesses. When the power goes away, life will be a lot less pleasant. For some in the extremes, it can be deadly.

But shelter doesn’t only need to be considered from the standpoint of a roof over your head, although that is pretty important. Your clothes are a more important aspect of shelter I believe because with the right clothing, the outside weather is less of a danger. Do you have warm clothes in layers that will keep you alive when the temperature drops into single digits? By the same token, do you have lighter weight clothing that will protect you from the sun in the summer? What about hats to keep rain and sun off of your head?

My daughter, much to my chagrin will frequently go to leave the house in clothes that while they are perfectly fine for inside, would not protect her from the elements. Like a broken record, I say “It’s freezing outside, better grab your coat”. To which she replies: “but I’m going to be inside”. It is at this point in the conversation that I repeat my mantra which everyone in my house has heard before, “You need to dress like you would if you have to walk home”. If something were to happen, would you have the proper clothing to make it back home or would you freeze to death? What if today was the last day you could ever buy any clothes from the store? Would you have appropriate clothes for spending a lot of time outside, possibly living in the elements for short periods? Would you have work clothes if you were forced to begin your garden and work outside of the home more than inside?

Protection from intruders

Shelter from the elements is one aspect, but what about protection from the human element? Yes, we can lock our doors, but in a grid-down crisis I anticipate desperate people doing desperate things. As part of my strategy for if the grid goes down, I also consider security from the standpoint of reinforcing our home as much as possible to prevent easy access. Would we be able to hold off a determined band for long? Probably not, but we can slow them down.

Strengthening doors is a great step you can take to make your homes more secure, but that is only one access point. Windows are more vulnerable and if someone has a hard time getting in the front door, they can decide they want to bash out your windows. Protective window films offer additional protection and can be easily applied by anyone to make your existing windows act like safety glass. Instead of shattering, the film holds everything together and could buy you some time.

Similar to hurricane preparations, having extra lumber in the form of plywood would make sense so you could board up windows if things really got out of hand. Sandbags are another worst case item that I think would be very useful, right up there with barbed wire and a home defense plan with your neighbors. Assuming of course that is isn’t your neighbors you have to worry about.

Tomorrow we will be discussing the last item to consider for going off grid. I hope you’ll come back and please let me know your thoughts on shelter options that preppers should consider below.

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Welcome back to this series on the 5 things you need to go off grid now, where I have been discussing the scenario of a collapse or long-term disruption of

What to Consider Before You Bug out by Boat

One only has to watch the news during a holiday weekend or a severe storm event to image the difficulty bugging out using the interstate highway system. Even secondary country roads, while perhaps more practical, may either be less than ideal or could present even a more hazardous situation for a number of reasons.

But, making the decision then to hoof it with your gear and your family might be a death warrant, just waiting to be issued-(especially if your living in the desert southwest with triple digit temps).

However, there is another highway to consider: The Watery highway.

You could conceivably bug out by boat if you live within a short drive from the coast, lake, large river or even stream. Before you throw in with Gilligan and the Skipper though, here are some things to consider.

Geographical Location and Destination

Where you live or perhaps what body of water is closest to your location that you can get to quickly and safely reach will be a key factor in determining what kind of boat to consider.

You also need to consider your destination or if you plan to keep moving from location to location. Are there islands especially isolated ones with perhaps a cover where you can retreat to? You would need to select one with good protection from storms; you will need one that offers concealment and also good visibility in case of unwelcome visitors. Finding one that has a fresh water supply and small game is ideal. And don’t forget, streams, rivers, lakes and oceans are usually abundant with food.

Maybe we don’t get our own stick of Special Forces operators, but a boat could be a great option for many preppers.

Yet, another thing to consider is the watery highway you plan on using. For example, I live near the Colorado River. I might consider a sailboat as my main bug out vehicle. But I would not be able to navigate the entire river in such a craft. A rubber raft or kayak would be more practical if I had to traverse the entire length.

That is why it is best to plan for many different type of bug out scenarios. But remember, you must practice your plan, refine it as required and remember all your prepping plans must be flexible so you can adjust to any current situation.

Reconnoiter before you Bug Out by Boat

No matter what body of water you are considering, you need to take the time to scout the land and get to know the land on either side of it. It is vital to know where there are places you can hide; places where you can bring a boat close to shore-so you can gather water, hunt wild game, dig up supplies that you buried earlier or tend to a prepper garden or even camp. Location landmarks, or build some that you can spot from the water. Have a nautical map with you so you can transfer the information to it. Remember that landmarks can look different from the water especially at night or bad water conditions. Create or convert a get home bag to a going ashore bag.

Depending on the intended use-you only would need a limited amount of supplies and tools unless you are planning or forced to hunker down on land for an extended period of time.

What will the costs be?

Some may dismiss the idea of using a boat for a bug out vehicle because of costs. In this day and age, especially in this economy, you can purchase a sail boat with a shallow draft with trailer in reasonable condition for about the same price of a used car or perhaps a bit more. Plus remember that a boat can also be used and should be used for vacations. Why not combine a weekend get a way with prepper training. The more training your crew has the easier it will be when that SHTF HAPPENS.

Something like this 4-Person Inflatable Boat Set with Aluminum Oars and High Output Air Pump could give you a bug out advantage if you live near a waterway.

Still one has to be careful not to purchase something that will become a money pit. There are numerous videos on you tube and books available to guide you in the purchase process. There are tax advantages to consider and many banks offer boat financing.
In addition, depending on your situation, you should also consider purchasing a rubber raft or kayak. Both are perfect for fishing, scouting and going places where you main craft are unable to go.

Maintenance for your boat

Boats like recreational vehicles can be costly if not properly maintained. Yet, with a little knowledge and foresight, you can carry spare parts, fiberglass patch kits and make many repairs while on the run. Look at it this way, if you are considering buying some land in a remote area, building a cabin, hauling in water and supplies-the idea of a boat that already has a cabin, can carry your supplies and fresh water. It is also mobile which means you have a chance to sail away to another area if your current location becomes too dangerous- the cost factor might start to become more attractive.

What Equipment do you need for your boat?

OFFGRID by Recoil SUMMER 2014 Bug out boat/Urban Survival issue

Boats are self sufficient or can be for longer periods of time. While this statement is factually true. It depends on the boat you have. A kayak or small fishing boat would not be equipped with all the bells and whistles. The larger boats such as a sail boat can be equipped with a full kitchen, redundant power systems to include generators, solar power and wind turbines. Showers, sewage systems, radar, GPS, marine and ham radios, televisions, freezers, ice makers as well as a water maker which turns salt water into fresh water. It can also filter fresh water. A huge bank of batteries could also be installed and used to provide power without depending on the boats main engines and fuel supply.

However no matter what type of craft you decide on. You should also make sure you have the following.

Life Jackets: While required by law, these are essential for all passengers in a boat. Your attention will be focused on moving from point A to Point B. A child could easily fall overboard. Expect the unexpected and think safety.

Water tight containers: Used to carry your food, fresh water supplies, extra clothing, prepaid cell phones, weapons, ammo, tools- everything you need to protect from the water or bad weather. You should also have a supply of plastic trash bags, zippered sandwich or freezer bags for dry storage.

You also need to carry rope, first aid kit, pocket knife, insect repellent, spare parts and even a spare paddle.

Plastic Bail out buckets, beach towels or large sponges: Besides bailing or mopping up water, these items have many uses both on and off the boat.

Portable toilet, some type of reusable system along with toilet paper, small paper bags, a normal size coffee can and a separate container with a toilet chemical. Being on the move may require you to wait until a later time to get rid of such waste. Therefore, you can use the paper and or plastic bags to hold the human waste and used toilet paper and seal it up in the coffee can (s) until such time you can dispose of it properly. Remember, in proper disposal can be a clue to others that you are in an area or point out what direction you are traveling. Be sure to take the time to dispose waste properly.

One might think that preppers should not consider such luxury. But, I disagree. Your job is not only to survive and keep your family safe. If you have to bug out for a long period of time and can provide your family with a normal sense of life’s conveniences psychologically you are increasing your chances of survival, reducing fear, anxiety, and the breakdown of the family unit. Ask yourself this, if you build a cabin, what basic conveniences would you spouse demand that it come with. Ask yourself, How long would it be before the kids start to rebel. The right boat purchase, if practical for your area and bug out plan, would have many if not all of these options and may help convince your spouse to agree to the purchase.

Security on your boat

There are pros and cons to strongly consider before buying a boat. Your geographical location, the waterway you plan to navigate. Is the boat primary for transportation or are you going to live on it. You and your crew would need to stay vigilant. A watch program and or a drone scout would be practical requirements to keep marauders, pirates, or others away from you, your family and your boat.

A larger amount and a larger variety of weapons and ammo can be carried on a boat. However, again being out on a boat, you could be exposed. Watchers on shore, in buildings, on other boats could spring a trap and track you to your final location..

Weather and other dangers

Boating can dangerous. Your exposure to heat, humidity, adverse weather conditions, bugs, mosquitoes, snakes, water lice, leeches can quickly cause illness or even death. Objects in the water, logs, reefs, junk, could damage or even sink your boat. Proper training and education, practice trips, proper first aid kits and training would help minimize the threat level. Anytime and especially during a bug out situation, boats and boaters will most likely face some unique hazards that one may have experienced in the past during normal outings.

Exposure: Being out on the open water, you and your craft will be highly noticeable. There will an ever threat from marauders, pirates, or others. You could find yourself in a sudden fight or flee situation. It will be important to gauge your travels based on many of the concerns listed above.

Hidden dangers: If you have the opportunity, make trial runs to become familiar with your planned and un-planned routes. Mark known or potential hazards on your map and be sure to have a back up map. In addition assign a member of your crew as a spotter. Have them watch for V-shaped patterns on the surface of the water. This could be an early warning of stumps, sandbars, branches or other objects that are under the surface and could damage your boat or cause an accident that might cause injury to a crew member.

Where ever possible, scout the shoreline as part of trial runs. Know where someone could hide a boat and set up an ambush or fasten a chain or heavy cable across a river or narrow opening.

Noise discipline

Sound travels over water. You and your spotter need to not only watch for hazards, you need to listen for them too. In addition, you, your boat and your crew need to practice noise discipline. It must become second nature.
This also applies anytime you leave your craft to make excursions on land. Being a gray man out on the water or in a boat is much harder than in an urban or rural setting. But, it can be done with practice and being aware of your surroundings at all times.

There is no law that states that being prepared cannot also be a way of bonding and creating wonderful memories for you and your family. Boating is a great way to get your family accustom to outdoor activities, living off the land, and having prepping become second nature.

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One only has to watch the news during a holiday weekend or a severe storm event to image the difficulty bugging out using the interstate highway system. Even secondary country

5 Things You Need to Go Off Grid Now – Pt. 3

Welcome back to our series on the 5 things you need to go off grid now, where we began with the premise that going “off grid” might not be something that as Preppers you elect to do for the sake of your family in hopes of greater harmony with Mother Nature. The “Grid” might simply take the kids and leave you in the middle of the night like Katie Holmes did to Tom. You wake up and something is wrong but it takes you a few minutes to realize your world has changed – in a big way.

To prevent something like this from taking you completely by surprise, or rendering you helpless when you least expect it; we can make plans now to prevent a loss of the grid from being as awful. It could save your marriage too. Well, maybe. I made that last one up, but if making your spouse’s life better and providing for their survival earns you points, this is something to consider.

In the first article in the series we talked about the importance of not only having water stored, but developing a renewable source of water for your family’s needs. If the grid down emergency lasts longer than the amount of water you have stored for emergencies, you will need to collect and filter water; possibly in significant amounts.

After water, we discussed planning for food that will feed your family which would not only take care of short-term emergencies but also allowed you to sustain yourself and your family for longer durations. Long term food storage, gardens and even raising livestock were discussed as part of a balanced plan of food preparedness that can benefit you now as well as if the grid went down.

So you have food and water taken care of or at least an idea on how to start prepping for these essentials in your family plan. What next?

Sanitation and Hygiene

Sometimes the throne is a little less regal, but just as practical.

What goes in must come out. Yes, I know this concept isn’t the sexiest out there, but everybody has to go, sooner or later and we have to have a plan for dealing with “the poop” when it hits the fan. What about electricity or transportation or something else like that? We will get to other items, but sanitation and hygiene are so much more important to the overall health of your family that I chose to deal with them first. Not having electricity won’t kill you, unless you rely on it to live as in life support or breathing machines. Getting sick from germs can kill and frequently does kill in disaster scenarios.

In January of 2010 you may remember the earthquake in Haiti that caused tremendous loss of life, but even after the direct effects of the earthquake stopped, the risk of death from disease only became worse. Ten months after the earthquake, cases of Cholera began to spring up. Cholera is an acute intestinal infection causing profuse diarrhea, vomiting, circulatory collapse and shock. If left untreated, 25-50% of severe cases of Cholera can be fatal.

How do people get Cholera? They get Cholera by drinking water or eating food contaminated with the cholera bacterium – which usually comes from fecal contamination of water or foods. How does food and water get fecally contaminated? Poor or non-existent Sanitation and Hygiene. In Haiti alone from that earthquake they estimate that over 470,000 cases of cholera have been reported. But cholera isn’t the only disease you have to worry about. Poor sanitation can cause Intestinal worms, Schistosomiasis, Trachoma and a whole host of others. We want to have a plan for keeping these germs away from your family so that illness like cholera, which can be prevented doesn’t show up on your door.

Waste Removal

It doesn’t have to be pretty, but you need to have a plan.

So the grid goes down and you need to go to the bathroom. Can’t you simply go in the toilet or just find a good spot in the yard and let her rip? It really depends on what infrastructure is in place and what services are functioning. If the septic or sewer systems are still functioning, you can use the toilet in your home. The only thing you need is water to flush the waste down and out of your home. If this isn’t possible you have to make other accommodations and since we are talking about the grid going down we have to assume that water isn’t flowing.

Waste needs to be eliminated and you have to do this in a way that does not contaminate water supplies and can be covered to prevent flies and other insects from spreading disease. Human waste should be kept at least 150 away from the nearest water source and you can create grid-down bathroom facilities in a number of ways. Five gallon buckets with modified lids make a simple option that will allow you to do your business inside and carry the waste, usually in a plastic garbage bag outside for disposal. Keeping a supply of lime to cover the waste is a good idea also and will keep odors down, dirt works in a pinch too.

You can also dig cat holes or slit trenches and get fancy if the need to sanitation lasts for a long time. If the grid actually goes down for more than a few days, you will need to look at a more permanent solution for waste disposal.

Hygiene

The basics of keeping your cooking utensils clean and germ free.

Eventually, you may need to make your own soap.

Even with waste being kept far away from humans and the water supply, you will still need to practice hygiene to keep surfaces clean that will come in contact with your body or the food you put into your body. Hand washing is an obvious one and you will need to wash your hands to reduce infection. Some people simply plan on stocking up on giant containers of hand-sanitizer but I prefer good old soap and water. Plus you will want to shower occasionally or bathe I am pretty sure. As part of your prepping supplies, you can learn how to make your own soap, or just buy a couple of dozen bars of cheap soap. It won’t go bad and doesn’t need refrigeration.

Along with your hands and body, you will need to keep cooking surfaces clean. You can stock up on paper plates and plastic cutlery but like anything else, that will eventually run out. Plastic spoons can be washed, but you can’t really do that with paper plates so at some point you will need to consider a wash station. This can be as simple as two plastic bins. One with clean, soapy water and the other for rinsing. Keeping your cooking utensils will eliminate the risk of disease and give the slacker in your group something to do if they don’t want to dig another latrine hole.

Tomorrow we will continue on the journey of planning for off grid living in a disaster. I hope you will join us again.

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Welcome back to our series on the 5 things you need to go off grid now, where we began with the premise that going “off grid” might not be something

Emergency Survival Gear for Students

The dangers in this modern century require survival basics from all of us. This article provides some essential information on a few prepping basics of emergency survival gear which may be especially useful for older students. Learning some of given rules and tips may save time in a dangerous situation or to keep you alive in case your life is threatened.

Every Day Carry

EDC is a basic of the basics if you want to be prepared for something out of the norm. It is a misconception that such a gear is a large bag of stuff which most of the people would never use. Firstly, if you think about the critical situation which may occur ‘you never know when’ having it already guarantees some feeling of security. Secondly, EDC should consist of small light tools which make the whole gear comfortable to carry around.

The specialists advise some obvious tools like some sort of small knife, multi-tool, watch, and flashlight as well as things not everyone could figure out as survival kit: spare cash, flash drive with copies of necessary documents or handkerchief which can be used as a dust mask, sling or tourniquet. The pro-gear will also include something to make fire with, firearm, paracord, and other tools which are better to learn before carrying around. You can fit each of these pieces together to make your own variant of EDC that works for you.

“Big Three” Rule

You just can’t predict when a critical situation occurs; this is the reason to keep your emergency kit in three places: car-home-university. By doing that you are able to reach some necessary tools in a limited amount of time and increase your chance to save your or somebody else life. Don’t forget to organize your ‘Get Home Plan’ if getting an emergency kit from your class is impossible.

Get Home Plan

Our natural instincts force us to get home in a disaster and it is reasonable as usually at home we have supplies designed especially for survival, we know where they lie and how to use them. For those students living in their family’s house, it is also important to reach their parents and make sure the rest of the family is safety. But what about getting home? Specialists advise thinking about a Get Home Bag for students studying more than few miles from their home. It has to contain basic supplies you might need to reach home: water, some food, gloves, lighter, multi-tool, headlamp, dust mask, and some medical tools. A number of supplies depend on whether you’ll drive home or walk in case car is damaged. Make several plans of getting home for alternative situations, for example, “roads are blocked” or “impossible to reach the car” and plan about 5-6 routes home through different areas. It is very useful to have a communication plan with your family: remember that in a disaster it is difficult to rely on cell phone communication.

Plan multiple routes you can take away from school back to safety and a communication plan with family.

Reacting to Active Terrorists’ Attacks

One of the most extreme situations possible to happen in your university building is a terrorist attack in which your aim should be not to get shot. Dealing with the hostile situation is all about reaction: when every second counts it is better to have already planned actions in mind. Consider the plan of building, possible paths, means of communication in the building, and the safest zones. Panic can be fatal during hostile and avoiding it is only possible through good prepping. If there is an accessible escape route, attempt to leave the premises; don’t try to hide under the desk in case there is still an unblocked emergency path.

If you’re locked in the building and attacks have begun, think about the cover. Look for positions you may use as a cover from the view (bush, tabletop, door, rubbish bin, shadow), and from the fire (concrete wall, dead ground, car, heavy furniture, thick tree, curbstone). While using a cover as a shield always look around it, not over the cover. If you need to move while staying in cover, look around and select a piece of cover you will fast move to but stay low.Be careful with light-colored walls and lights as you may silhouette yourself. Camouflage yourself using light colors: black is always easy to notice even at night as there is quite a little black in nature and interior.

Moving Through a Building and Evacuation during Terrorists’ Attack

It may be dangerous to go through the doorway: always consider that there are no threats in the room or corridor you enter any possible way. If you have to evacuate from the building – do it as fast and quiet as possible: plan your path and don’t use obvious routes which could be already blocked or trapped. Always keep low while walking down corridors staying a couple of feet off the wall: that may prevent ricocheting part of the wall if you get under fire. Also use the door as a cover in the corridor while moving. It should be noticed it is important to check behind you constantly but not to stand up: stay on knees if you want to check what is happening behind your back and be aware of possible shadows you cast. Don’t stay behind the door for too long: if terrorists use rifles, they may shoot through the door easily.

It should be mentioned that even in such a critical situation it is vital to keep a cool head: avoiding panicking may save not only your life but lives of many people. If you’ll manage to escape the building – leave the dangerous area and summon support.

On the Run

It is very important to get familiar with the basic instructions on how to escape from terrorists or kidnappers. In planning your actions, you should consider having good knowledge of the area where you study and live: learn all the safe areas in your locations and possible paths as long as your goal in such situation is to reach a safer place. Download the app which enables to track you in case you need to escape quickly and make sure needed maps are downloaded so they may be opened without network or Internet access. Be very attentive with booking tickets in case you escape from the unfamiliar city: some programs show your current location. It’s useful to remember that equipment which helps you to survive and escape has to be small, light and nondescript, like a thin wire, small lock pick set, razor blades or whistle.

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The dangers in this modern century require survival basics from all of us. This article provides some essential information on a few prepping basics of emergency survival gear which may

What is the Event we are talking about here?

Where you live matters

What is the Grey Man Theory?

Being Grey in a Grey World

Being Grey on Color TV

What shade of grey are you?

Greyness is in the Eye of the Beholder

Fat

Protein

Carbohydrates

Smart Long Term Stores

Salt

Dried Spices

Conclusion

Site Planning Factors for your survival homestead

Sun

Water for your homestead

Access

Planning & Efficiency

Planning for Efficiency for your Survival Homestead

Electricity

Short Term Power Outage Supplies (up to 8 hours)

Medium Term Power Outage Supplies (1-3 days)

Long Term Disruption in Power Supplies (4 or more days)

Different AR-15 Scope for different missions

Red Dot Options for the AR-15

Best AR-15 Scope Suggestions from the video above.

Gimme Shelter

Protection from intruders

Geographical Location and Destination

Reconnoiter before you Bug Out by Boat

What will the costs be?

Maintenance for your boat

What Equipment do you need for your boat?

Security on your boat

Weather and other dangers

Noise discipline

Sanitation and Hygiene

Waste Removal

Hygiene

Every Day Carry

“Big Three” Rule

Get Home Plan

Reacting to Active Terrorists’ Attacks

Moving Through a Building and Evacuation during Terrorists’ Attack

On the Run

Social

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