Active New Top (30 days) Compact Card What’s the best prepping advice you have ever received? Gideon ParkerStaff - December 10, 2020 Sharing the best advice that we have received will help new preppers and also teach us what others have found most helpful as they got started. The best advice my wife has ever received is: “Start with the basics” and “It doesn’t matter how much money you have if you don’t have food” The best advice I’ve received is the advice found in The Prepared’s Sane Prepping article. It really helped me out at a time when Prepping was overwhelming and stressful. It helped me have a level headed look at prepping and made it seem attainable for me. Read More 16 33 Advice Child needing regular hospital treatments Darren - December 10, 2020 Hi. We live in the UK and my 10 year old has recently been diagnosed with leukaemia requiring regular hospital visits for chemotherapy (around a 35 mile round trip each time). Does anyone have any experience or ideas around planning for this? Instead of getting away from a disaster, we are likely to have to drive into it and into a city to still access life saving treatments. Read More 7 3 Advice The point I wanted to make (but was cut) on this recent BBC podcast about prepping going mainstream John AdamaStaff - December 10, 2020 It’s a nice segment that went out to their worldwide audience. About 18 mins long: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3csz799, my part’s around 3:00. Another TP community member, Julie Fredrickson, also joined. EDIT to add: The podcast was popular, so they did a follow-up article with Julie and I https://www.bbc.com/news/business-55249590 There was a part of the interview that was cut for time. It wasn’t hugely insightful, but wanted to ramble the point here since it keeps getting cut from these interviews: When someone like Bill Gates says “we have major SHTF risks around disease/bioweapons and it’s important to prepare now,” we need to do a better job of listening and taking those people seriously. In that example, Gates has spent more money on trying to solve medical problems than any other individual in history. He’s abundantly qualified to make that statement. And he’s certainly smart, known to be rational, and has a track record of being right about these kinds of problems / solutions / the future. Yet people will hear someone like Gates say these warnings and dismiss it with a “hmph, so you’re a crazy prepper!” Crying wolf is a good way to lose credibility. But there’s a difference between people like Gates and someone like an actress who spouts anti-vaxxer stuff. But what’s happening is people hear one person cry wolf too many false times, then when another person cries wolf, they dismiss it and ignore who the new person is. “The last times we heard someone talk about a wolf, it wasn’t true.” Well yeah, but this is a different person, and in fact this new person crying wolf is a trusted wolf expert! A non-prepping example of this problem where people won’t let credentials override stereotypes: When Michael Phelps was “caught” smoking marijuana, people reacted with statements like “oh thats so horrible, how could he do that!” … well, maybe if the greatest athlete of all time is smoking marijuana, your stereotypes about cannabis were wrong? The evidence that the stigma was wrong is right in front of you. Dismissing the best people in society because what they say/do sounds similar to what the worst of society say/do is a recipe for disaster. This societal problem, a twist on the No True Scotsman problem, is one of the biggest meta reasons I’m pessimistic about the future — we can’t avoid massive problems if we keep ignoring the people best qualified to lead us away from / out of those problems! Another bit that was cut from the BBC interview perfectly demonstrates why people would rather put their head in the sand than face an inconvenient truth: Me: “We’re not talking about some theoretical alien invasion. These problems like worsening natural disasters and late-stage capitalism are happening right now.” BBC: “Here in the UK, someone is likely to say to you ‘cheer up love, it’ll be fine!’ A keep calm and carry on sort of thing.” Me: “That’s part of the problem!” Read More 14 8 Meta Catalogs with A+ tech information Bob - December 10, 2020 Good morning, The catalogs with high-quality and expensive products can also be loaded with high-quality technical information. One example is: https://www.streamlight.com/ecatalog/2020FullLineCatalog/index.html DISCLAIMER: Not making recommendations or have any interest in company. I do use some of their products. At above link – hopefully it hyperlinks – is a half page chart titled “Different Lights For Different Hazardous Locations”. This tech info is super because it is to the point and product examples explain and clarify. …… Recently I posted a link to Forestry Suppliers of Jackson, Mississippi with their tech info in catalog. Some of the industrial safety products catalogs have charts on eg explaining the catagories of face masks like the 3M N-95 to the P-100. As I get to my pulp catalogs, will post those with decent web links with tech info. Again: I am not “pushing” ant company or products. ~ Bob Read More 7 2 I am an experienced outdoorsman with an eye for conservation and sustainable land use Thomas GomezStaff - December 9, 2020 Besides being a writer and researcher for The Prepared, I consult in the outdoor industry and work as a precision rifle instructor. I am an experienced hunter and angler and have spent thousands of hours in the outdoors catching fish, hunting, bird watching, and exploring planet Earth. Here to answer any questions about hunting, angling, or general outdoor activities. Questions related to gear selection, ethics, game recipes, stalking, training, mindset, and hunt preparation are welcome. Here are a few photos from a recent mule deer hunt in Central New Mexico. A tripod is an excellent tool in the woods. Approaching with caution and reverence. Solid kit. Mystery Ranch pack, semi-custom Remington 700 rifle, Athlon scope. Read More 15 7 ScenariosSkills Treking staff; the pike pole Bob - December 9, 2020 https://www.google.com/search?source=univ&tbm=isch&q=%22pike+poles%22&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjB8arstcDtAhUJ2qwKHXK-CVcQjJkEegQIARAB&biw=1280&bih=641 Good morning, For those who have basic plans to evacuate from home via walking, it can be advantageous to carry a stick, cane or pole of some sort. For my plans involving much walking – but no wilderness expedition – I have a 9 ft fiberglass fighter fighter’s pike pole. The fitting is a non-ferrous metal. Above link has some examples. For my situation, next to the Chesapeake Bay, weather problems involve lightning storms. Am mentioning this because metal can be dangerous when elevated over one’s body. Thus, aluminum shafts are “verbotten” and so too, even the non-ferrous metal tips. My pike pole is rigged with a sling made of an old cotton web belt and attached by wrapped 550 paracord. Without specific needs, a wooden pole from a hardwood tree can exceed requirements. A couple in our preparedness group developed something noteworthy. I forgot the actuals dims but for illustration, they have 2 each 7 ft lengths of PVC pipe. One is 1 inch diam and other is half inch diam. Fitting the smaller into the larger, they drilled holes at the top and bottom. The contraption is held together by a wing nut and bolt at both ends. For versatility, when not walking/hiking with their treking pole(s), they can disassemble the poles yielding 4 poles for a makeshift canopy tent. Thry, too, have paracord and web handles on their “walking sticks”. Read More 7 0 Everyday footwear matthew.Contributor - December 7, 2020 When I think of my own personal safety and vulnerability, and the absolute “must-haves” in any kind of emergency situation, a good pair of shoes or boots is very high on my list. I know what I’d want to be wearing if and when the SHTF (in my case a good pair of waterproof, lightweight hiking boots) but I am very aware that wearing such footwear all the time simply doesn’t make sense. Some professional and social situations demand for more formal attire, and sometimes you simply want to relax and “put your feet up.” But let’s face it, much formal attire is ridiculous and makes us very vulnerable. I cringe at the idea of ever wearing something that would hinder me from running, walking long distances, climbing a fence, etc. I know footwear choices are very subjective, and highly affected by one’s gender, style, career, and environment. That said, I’m interested in how others have approached the conundrum of needing to meet formal expectations while not wanting to put themselves in a vulnerable state. Personally, I am a big fan of Keen’s PTC Oxford series. They may not be the most stylish shoes around, but they get me through most professional and formal situations. I believe they were designed for service-industry workers who need comfortable shoes with good traction, and I find they give me comparable support to a pair of lightweight day-hiking shoes. Does anyone have any awesome everyday footwear advice? How are you approaching this challenge? I’d particularly like to hear how women are approaching this, as I understand the choices are likely fewer and the societal expectations are (unfairly) more demanding. My wife has really struggled to find an everyday shoe that fits all her needs. Read More 7 3 AdviceGear What are your thoughts on pull-tab lids on cans? Essie Carroll - December 7, 2020 I am starting to see more and more cans get these pull-to-open type lids. What are your thoughts on these from a prepping standpoint? I can see them being nice to get into food quickly without a can opener. But I see the traditional style where you do need a can opener being sturdier and less likely to failure. I’ve heard that you should avoid the pull-tab lids for long term food storage, because they give way over time and can expose and spoil your food. Read More 12 2 Lockdowns, part 2 matthew.Contributor - December 6, 2020 Welp, a new round of lockdowns in several states across the US, and less than a day after the Governor announced specifics here in Washington state, there are already wide reports of empty shelves and mayhem at the grocery stores. Canned food and toilet paper, once again, have been wiped out (sorry for the bad pun). My household was already stocked up and steered clear of the stores this weekend, but I can’t help but to shake my head at the inability of the broader public to assess situations and plan ahead – how anyone could be surprised by these new lockdowns is beyond me. It’s really disappointing, and reminds me that we are actually prepping for two things at once: the disaster that strikes, and the disaster of the masses who seem unable to recognize, and plan for, the potential threats around them. Read More 14 23 Growing rice RedneckContributor - December 6, 2020 I really don’t know why, but I’ve never grown rice before. It is usually an integral component of most prepper’s long term food stores… it sure is for me. I like to grow items that could help me become self sufficient during a SHTF crisis, and I don’t see why rice shouldn’t be near the top of the list. I especially like items that store easily and rice surely does that. So I’ve ordered some seed and will try it next year. I think the main reason I never grew it was because of images in my mind of rice grown in Asia and actually over in Arkansas, with these large perfectly flat fields that need to be flooded. I was considering doing that but as I researched rice, I found out there are two main types. Lowland rice is what I was thinking of, where the rice grows in flooded fields. But I found out there is a type called upland rice, which grows like any normal crop. It does not need flooding but does need an inch of water a week… similar to corn. This rice can be grown all over the US, including the far north, such as Maine. There are a bunch of varieties available. I’ve ordered Loto, which is a risotto type of rice. Been doing a bit of research. Seems upland rice produces about half the yield of the flooded lowland rice. I’m reading where the lowland rice average yield is around 7000-8000 lbs per acre. So obviously half of that would be say 3500 lbs per acre. Now being realistic, growing during a crisis with limited resources, I’d count on maybe 1000-2000 lbs per acre for upland rice, to be on the safe side. One pound of uncooked rice has around 1600 calories. So just looking at rice, which I understand is not a balanced diet, someone would need around 1 1/2 pounds of rice per day. Multiply that by 365, you get around 550 lbs per year. That tells me an acre of rice could feed two people for a year… and probably more. That is rather impressive. Now of course I grow more food and one needs more balance, but still, in my book that is great news. My main go to survival crop is amaranth, and just those two would provide a lot of nutrition. Mix in the three sisters (corn, beans & winter squash), which I store lots of seed, and you have a very healthy diet. Then of course other things can be made from rice… such as wine (sake) and flour. I will test this next year & report back. Anyone here grown upland rice? Read More 9 4 Skills Learning from the past – Otzi the Iceman Jose Martinez - December 5, 2020 In 1991 hikers found the glacial well preserved remains of a mummy from the Copper age (around 3300 BCE) who came to be known as Otzi the Iceman. I want to just share a bit about him what scientists have been able to figure out about his life. This man was a true primitive survivalist, as that is what he had to do to live. Research has revealed educated guesses into Otzi’s background and they believe that he was a high-altitude shepherd. In his stomach they found partly digested remains of ibex, goat, chamois, and red deer meat, einkorn wheat grains, herb bread, roots, sloes (plum-like fruit), and various seeds and berries growing in the wild. So pretty much a diet of meat, fruit, and grains. They found that he had an intestinal parasite, from his fingernails they show that he was sick three times in the six months before he died, cavities from his high carbohydrate diet, and that he was lactose intolerant. Otzi had 61 tattoos on his body made from pigment manufactured out of ash or soot. He had wear on his spine, knees, and ankle joints and may have used the tattoos as a form of acupuncture to treat pain from those issues. Life probably was not easy for people during this time period. Incredibly limited medical knowledge meant that people probably relied on their own immune system for healing. Otzi wore a cloak made from woven grass, coat, belt, leggings, loincloth, and shoes made of leather. He had a bearskin cap, and waterproof shoes designed for snow walking that were made up of bearskin, deer hide, and tree bark. He had soft grass inside his shoes that acted like socks. Sinew was used as thread to hold everything together. He had a small pouch on his belt with a scraper, drill, flint flake, bone awl, and dried fungus (probably used as tinder). His tools consisted of a copper axe made with a yew handle, a knife with a stone blade and wood handle, and 14 arrows. I just think this all is so fascinating. We can learn so much about survival just from how people lived day to day in the past. I imagine myself back in that day without my Lifestraw water filter, BIC lighter, weather proof coat, and more. What would I do? How would I survive? I’m not going to go into the cause of Otzi’s death, as I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but I recommend you look into it if you are curious. Stuff You Should Know did a great podcast on him. Read More 11 1 Getting started into canning Zombie Bry - December 3, 2020 Hi Everyone, I have been leveraging this site for a while now and it has been very helpful with my journey into being more prepared. As I lay here in my food coma from Thanksgiving dinner, I have been thinking about getting into canning. Searching on Amazon for supplies is overwhelming. Any advice for a beginner and which supplies/Brand you prefer that balances cost with quality? Finally, any good websites or articles that you found helpful to get started? I searched this site and forum for canning information and couldn’t find anything. If I missed something that already exists, please reply with a link. If not, hopefully this thread will help others as well 🙂 Read More 16 8 Advice Situational awareness (digital, near real time?) Rich DCContributor - November 30, 2020 This is equal parts suggestion, question, and brainstorming – I’m looking for ideas for gathering [near real time] situational awareness. As I’ve read this site and others I get the impression that different parts of the country are experiencing things in very different ways. I see people sharing images of empty shelves in a store on the other side of the country but down the street things seem “normal.” I realize a lot of online content is more anecdote and less data but I also figure that with a lot of anecdotes you might be able to tease out some data/trends. One idea (not my favorite) is twitter, there are some interesting advanced searches. For instance if I want to see tweets within 50 miles of Washington DC, this search term seems to work: near:”38.901862736383556,-77.0102291245727″ within:50.07mi https://twitter.com/search?q=near%3A%2238.901862736383556%2C-77.0102291245727%22%20within%3A50.07mi&src=typed_query likewise if I want to search for recent tweets about “groceries” or “grocery store” this seems to work (and would perhaps work through the end of the year?) this search string appears to work: (groceries OR grocery store) until:2020-12-31 since:2020-11-15 -filter:replies https://twitter.com/search?q=(groceries%20OR%20grocery%20store)%20until%3A2020-12-31%20since%3A2020-11-15%20-filter%3Areplies&src=typed_query It seems I can combine these manually, too: (groceries OR grocery store) until:2020-12-31 since:2020-11-15 -filter:replies near:”38.901862736383556,-77.0102291245727″ within:50.07mi https://twitter.com/search?q=(groceries%20OR%20grocery%20store)%20until%3A2020-12-31%20since%3A2020-11-15%20-filter%3Areplies%20near%3A%2238.901862736383556%2C-77.0102291245727%22%20within%3A50.07mi&src=typed_query I feel like with a few saved search strings you could search your area for recent activity at various distances. You still have to sift through random people on twitter but maybe there are more filters/tips I’m not aware of that others could share. My only other thoughts on “real time awareness” are things like crime maps, however these often lack context (trends over time, comparisons, etc) so its hard to know what a “normal” amount of crime looks like. These also tend to be specific to certain areas and each area may have different reporting parameters making it hard to gauge changes between jurisdictions. https://www.crimemapping.com Not sure how many tech/code savvy people are on here, but this was inspired by a surge in ‘bots’ to scrape retail websites for available stock of PC video cards. I thought it would be neat to scrape data from retailers by store for stock of things like toilet paper or other “in demand” items to get a sense of where demand was spiking, but thats probably a bit niche and beyond my coding skills. Any other ideas, either different resources or tips for refining twitter searches? Read More 16 6 AdviceMeta Black Friday – Cyber Monday deals 2020 Gideon ParkerStaff - November 30, 2020 This forum thread is going to be updated throughout the next week with various Black Friday and other holiday deals related to prepping. Keep checking it out often and share it with others to get the best deals on your preps. ThePrepared.com’s Water Essentials Course – 50% off if you preorder. Olight – Free i1R 2 EOS flashlight, Free $5 credit, and ability to earn more free store credit. Up to 45% off all but one flashlight on their website. HUGE deals on Berkey Water Filters – Here and Here (our review on best home water filter) Legacy Food Storage – Starts now. Use code BLACKFRIDAY to get 20% off your order. (our review of best food buckets) Valley Food Storage – 15% off. (our review of best food buckets) Emergency Essentials – Up to 50% off site wide. (our review of best food buckets) Thrive Food Storage – Up to 40% off. (our review of best food buckets) Harvestright – Save up to $400 and free shipping on home freeze dryers. myfoodstorage.com – 20% off Battlbox subscription box – Free tent with every new subscription on Cyber Monday with coupon code: cybertent Survival Frog – Up to 75% off. If you spend +$150, you get a free electric hand warmer. Solostove.com – Over 30% off fire pits Darn Tough Socks – 25% off through November 30, 2020 Mymedic.com – 30% off sitewide. No code necessary. Orders over $49 will get a free neck gaiter and cold & flue medpack. Rapid Medical – 30% off sitewide Traeger Smokers and Grills – various discounts 32 Degrees clothing – 70-75% off site wide Lowe’s Giftcard – $100 gift card for $90 Apple Products – Various apple gift cards with purchase Rush 72 packs -dropped in price from $180 to $100 SanDisk Extreme PRO Portable SSD V2 – $100 off Amazon: Sawyer Mini Water Filter – Price dropped 28% from $25 to $18. (our review of best portable water filters) Lifestraw Water Filter – Price dropped 35% from $20 to $13. (our review of best portable water filters) Ka-Bar Tactical Spork and Knife – Price dropped 25% from $9 to $7. (our review of best spork) FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer Machine – Price dropped 35% from $200 to $130. Augason Farms Variety 4-Gallon Pail – Price dropped 29% from $85 to $60 (our review of best food buckets) 12X Magnification Binoculars – Price dropped 58% from $60 to $25.50 Craftsman 20V Cordless drill driver – Price dropped 32% from $87 to $60 64 Drawer Plastic Parts Storage Cabinet – Price dropped 34% from $42 to $28 Ring Video Doorbell 3 + Echo Show 5 – Price dropped from $290 to $150 – (our review of best Home Security Cameras) Ring Video Doorbell Pro – Price dropped from $250 to $170 (our review of best Home Security Cameras) SimpliSafe 9 Piece Wireless Home Security System – Price dropped from $300 to $210 (our review of best Home Security Cameras) Blink Outdoor wireless weather resistant HD security camera – Price dropped from $250 to $150 (our review of best Home Security Cameras) Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet 32GB – Price dropped from $150 to $80 (forum post about E-Readers for use in a survival situation) Amazon Kindle w/ Front Light – Price dropped from $90 to $60 (forum post about E-Readers for use in a survival situation) Samsung Cube Smart Air Purifier – Price dropped from $700 to $600. Molekule Air Purifiers – up to 20% off Instant Pot Ultras – up to 33% off – (our blog post about using an instant pot to cook dried beans) Masterbuilt Electric Smoker – up to 17% off Samsung EVO microSD cards for your trail camera, security camera, phone, and more – various discounts Coleman Outdoor Gear – Up to 40% off LifeStraw Go Water Filter Bottles – Up to 30% off Walker’s Ear Muffs – Up to 50% off 9-Hour Emergency Candles – Price dropped from $30 to $20 – 33% discount Enbrighten LED camping lantern – Up to 20% off Read More 15 14 Gear Prepping for civil unrest ccross - November 28, 2020 Anyone here anticipating/prepping for civil unrest? Read More 11 11 Scenarios Toilet paper vs. a bidet Gideon ParkerStaff - November 26, 2020 With toilet paper in short supply, many people are switching over to bidets that you can attach to the side of your toilet. I know bidets are very popular and common place in countries other than the US, but it is something I’m not too familiar with. Do any of you have one? What was installation like? What are the steps to using one? Do you recommend it to others? Read More 12 5 Shout-out for arugula! matthew.Contributor - November 24, 2020 My wife and I experimented with some cool-weather crops this fall, our first time doing so since recently relocating to northeastern Washington state (zone 6). We planted spinach, kale, and arugula from seed in late September, but then winter came early and we had 2 hard freezes (when the temperature drops below 27 degrees f), 10+ frosts, and 3 snowfalls totaling about seven inches, all before the middle of November. I all but gave up on the crops, but as the snow melted off we were pleasantly surprised that things were still alive, and the arugula was nearly ready to harvest. Granted, the growth was rather stunted, but after spending a week covered in snow I was amazed we had anything. The spinach and kale produced enough to garnish a salad, but the arugula stole the show. Note the frost in this picture! Read More 10 3 Non ham radio choices Mark J - November 22, 2020 Which non Ham radios format do you recommend, FRS, GMRS or MURS? And second to that which hand radio do you recommend that would also allow for listening to NOAA, emergency radio, FM, AM, etc? Read More 13 2 Mini flashlight recommendations? matthew.Contributor - November 20, 2020 Hello! Has anyone found a mini flashlight that they love? By “mini flashlight” I mean a flashlight about the size of your index finger. A single AA battery type, or rechargeable, but something that could easily fit in a pocket. Thanks! Read More 14 16 AdviceGear Silica gel packets – keeping your preps safe from moisture Gideon ParkerStaff - November 19, 2020 The disaster is here! But you aren’t worried, because you are prepared. You have food, tools, ammo, and more. Only to open up your preps to find that moisture has destroyed them! Tools have rusted closed, food has spoiled, and you don’t dare shoot that ammo for fear of exploding in your face. If only there was something you could have done… There is my friends! Enter the Silica Gel Packets! Remember those little bean bags that you got with your new TV that says “DO NOT EAT”? That’s them. I bought a package of 50 reusable food safe silica gel packets on Amazon back in 2018 . These had the included feature of having a clear window on the little packet and color changing beads inside so you could visually tell when they had absorbed their limit and needed recharged. The packets that I got are a bright orange color when they are dry and unused, but will change to a green color when they are saturated with moisture. I used these silica gel packets in with my electronics, photo albums, tool boxes, ammo, gun storage, and anything I could think of that I didn’t want moisture buildup. And when I got into that item again and saw that it had changed to a dark green color, I replaced it with a new bright orange pack. Now that I have used up all my packets, it is time to test reactivating, and see if paying extra for this reuseability really was worth it. There are two ways you can reactivate. Putting it in the microwave for 7-12 minutes on Defrost, or baking it in the oven for 30 minutes – 2 hours. I started out trying the microwave method. I placed them on a piece of cardboard because I didn’t know exactly what would happen. I didn’t want to have melted plastic all over my wife’s nice dishes. BEFORE: After one minute in on the defrost setting, I noticed that the packets were expanding like they were about to explode! All the moisture in the silica gel was escaping from the beads and was trapped inside of the packet and was visible on the clear plastic window. There are little perforation holes in the packets though, and this is how they are designed to be recharged, so I decided to keep them going, but watched them a bit more closely. I didn’t need exploded plastic all over my microwave. After the recommend minimum time of seven minutes, they still had moisture buildup on the inside of the packet so I kept them going in the microwave at two minute increments until the maximum recommended time of 12 minutes. At 12 minutes, they no longer had any visible moisture on the inside of the packet and were no longer a dark green color but now were a dark orange. Still not the bright vibrant orange color like a brand new packet though. Maybe the oven would fair better. Again, I didn’t want my wife to kill me when I melted plastic on her nice cookie sheets, so I lined it with aluminum foil. After 30 minutes at 200 degrees, the packets looked a brighter orange than the 12 minute defrost from the microwave and I did not see any moisture on the inside. But some of the packets still were not that original bright orange color. I contacted the manufacturer and asked what I could do to get the silica gel packets back to the bright orange color that they originally were at. Their recommendation was to bake them in the oven at 250 degrees for 2 hours, and that should get the silica gel packets back to almost bright orange. The manufacturer also said that they wanted to send me out a package of their newest silica gel packet for free. My email wasn’t complaining or anything, but they just wanted to do something nice for me. A+ customer service. In hopes to get the packets back to a bright orange color, I put all of them from the oven and microwave test onto the cookie sheet and threw it back in the oven. In my impatience, I turned on the convection setting on my oven, which just blew warm air around the oven during the normal bake setting, thinking this would dry them out faster. This was a mistake… In summary, I highly recommend silica gel packets as part of everyone’s preps. Keeping your gear dry and protected is important to increasing it’s life and function when you need it most. If you get the reusable kind, follow the instructions and use the oven over the microwave. Read More 12 3 AdviceGear Any options for cooking indoors when the power is down? Jonnie PekelnyContributor - November 18, 2020 I’m helping a friend with some prepping stuff. She lives in a townhouse in an area which has often been affected by bad air from wildfires and where our local power company has also been shutting down the electricity for days at a time, in an attempt to prevent said wildfires (which they haven’t prevented anyway). One problem the friend has is cooking or heating food because she has an electric stove. I would recommend a small propane stove, but her area is really dry and last year the fire department pleaded with people to not create any sparks outside. I realize that these small butane stoves don’t produce much in the way of sparks, but she just really felt like she didn’t want to risk it. So, I’m wondering what her options are for cooking or heating at least minimally, if she has to cook inside and rely on power from a backup solar generator or other rechargeable source of some sort. Regular hot plates and toaster ovens are massively expensive in terms of electrical use. What else can she do? Read More 18 50 Garden experiments with hard soil Josh CentersContributor - November 18, 2020 I had a pretty good garden last spring, but my hard, rocky clay required a lot of mechanical intervention to be workable. I decided to take the fall to experiment with making fixed beds with handtools like my broadfork and pointed hoe. My goal was to make the nice borderless raised beds you see in books by Steve Solomon and John Jeavons. That just doesn’t seem to be possible with this soil. I’m experimenting with heavily amended narrow strips, which are easier to dig out. I’ve made a video showing some of what I’ve tried. David the Good has posted a video from a friend of his with a similar soil profile to mine, who tried the lasagna gardening method. She piled on straw and woodchips and let it rot for a couple of years. In theory, this builds a new soil layer and softens the soil underneath. While she got that nice upper layer, the soil underneath is still hard as bricks and limits the size of her vegetables. She’s now trying to break that layer up with a broadfork. I’d be curious to hear if anyone has had success gardening with hard soil. If my strip plan doesn’t work, it looks like I either need to buy a tractor or construct raised beds. Read More 9 5 Skills What is the best eReaders for field use ? Ironclad Amoeba - November 13, 2020 Hello, I ordered an eReader recently, as a convenient way to read technical books and pdfs without having to bother cluttering my bookshelf with the physical items (my phone is quite harsh on my eyes). It made me wonder how useful an eReader would be in a survival situation, to store survival information and entertainment in a compact, light format that can be recharged with solar panels and a power bank. Is it a good idea at all, and is there an eReader that could be sturdy enough for lengthy field use, both in terms of physical resilience (and waterproofing, etc.), battery life, the ability to access and replace said battery as well as a guarantee this device will not be bricked if the company’s servers ever go under ? Read More 9 9 Gear What to say to kids instead of “be careful!” Bradical - November 8, 2020 Thought this was worth sharing with any parents. I like the spirit behind this idea – get their brains configured the right way early on! You can see how small differences in wording make the difference between being average and having an aware/prepper mindset. Read More 23 19 Advice Ham radio recommendations? Josh CentersContributor - November 6, 2020 I recently earned both my Technician and General Class licenses, and I’m pondering about radios to buy. Of course, I have a number of BaoFengs, but they don’t get great reception where I am. A lot of hams recommend the Icom 7300, sort of the gold standard of HF radios, but it’s expensive and very large. I’ve considered the mobile Icom 7100, because it’d be a bit easier to work in my space and it also does VHF/UHF, though it’s not as “fancy” as the 7300. Then you have the Elecraft K3, which is small and can run off batteries, but is very expensive and has low transmit power. For the hams in the forum: what radios do you like? I’m also open to suggestions about antennas, power supplies, and all the other necessary accouterments. Read More 22 63 < Prev 1 2 3 … 53 54 55 … 59 60 61 Next > Recently Active How to sew and repair a leather glove - 5 days agoMoooooooo…Can you rec a powdered milk? - 5 days agoLight weight backpacking gear and techniques - 5 days agoNews for the Week 12-16-24 - 5 days agoNews for the Week 2024-11-18 - 1 month ago RULES This forum is heavily moderated to keep things valuable to as many people as possible. Full community policies are here. The basics: 1. Be nice to each other. 2. Stay focused on prepping. 3. Avoid politics, religion, and other arguments. 4. No unfounded conspiracies, fake news, etc. 5. Debate ideas, not people. FILTER Show all Advice Gear Meta News Scenarios Skills

What’s the best prepping advice you have ever received?

Gideon ParkerStaff - December 10, 2020

Sharing the best advice that we have received will help new preppers and also teach us what others have found most helpful as they got started. 

The best advice my wife has ever received is: “Start with the basics” and “It doesn’t matter how much money you have if you don’t have food”

The best advice I’ve received is the advice found in The Prepared’s Sane Prepping article. It really helped me out at a time when Prepping was overwhelming and stressful. It helped me have a level headed look at prepping and made it seem attainable for me. 

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Advice

Child needing regular hospital treatments

Darren - December 10, 2020

Hi.  We live in the UK and my 10 year old has recently been diagnosed with leukaemia requiring regular hospital visits for chemotherapy (around a 35 mile round trip each time).

Does anyone have any experience or ideas around planning for this?  Instead of getting away from a disaster, we are likely to have to drive into it and into a city to still access life saving treatments.

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Advice

The point I wanted to make (but was cut) on this recent BBC podcast about prepping going mainstream

John AdamaStaff - December 10, 2020

It’s a nice segment that went out to their worldwide audience. About 18 mins long: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3csz799, my part’s around 3:00. Another TP community member, Julie Fredrickson, also joined.

EDIT to add: The podcast was popular, so they did a follow-up article with Julie and I https://www.bbc.com/news/business-55249590

There was a part of the interview that was cut for time. It wasn’t hugely insightful, but wanted to ramble the point here since it keeps getting cut from these interviews: 

When someone like Bill Gates says “we have major SHTF risks around disease/bioweapons and it’s important to prepare now,” we need to do a better job of listening and taking those people seriously.

In that example, Gates has spent more money on trying to solve medical problems than any other individual in history. He’s abundantly qualified to make that statement. And he’s certainly smart, known to be rational, and has a track record of being right about these kinds of problems / solutions / the future. 

Yet people will hear someone like Gates say these warnings and dismiss it with a “hmph, so you’re a crazy prepper!”

Crying wolf is a good way to lose credibility. But there’s a difference between people like Gates and someone like an actress who spouts anti-vaxxer stuff. But what’s happening is people hear one person cry wolf too many false times, then when another person cries wolf, they dismiss it and ignore who the new person is. “The last times we heard someone talk about a wolf, it wasn’t true.” Well yeah, but this is a different person, and in fact this new person crying wolf is a trusted wolf expert!

A non-prepping example of this problem where people won’t let credentials override stereotypes: When Michael Phelps was “caught” smoking marijuana, people reacted with statements like “oh thats so horrible, how could he do that!” 

… well, maybe if the greatest athlete of all time is smoking marijuana, your stereotypes about cannabis were wrong? The evidence that the stigma was wrong is right in front of you.

Dismissing the best people in society because what they say/do sounds similar to what the worst of society say/do is a recipe for disaster. 

This societal problem, a twist on the No True Scotsman problem, is one of the biggest meta reasons I’m pessimistic about the future — we can’t avoid massive problems if we keep ignoring the people best qualified to lead us away from / out of those problems! 

Another bit that was cut from the BBC interview perfectly demonstrates why people would rather put their head in the sand than face an inconvenient truth:

Me: “We’re not talking about some theoretical alien invasion. These problems like worsening natural disasters and late-stage capitalism are happening right now.”

BBC: “Here in the UK, someone is likely to say to you ‘cheer up love, it’ll be fine!’ A keep calm and carry on sort of thing.”

Me: “That’s part of the problem!”

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Meta

Catalogs with A+ tech information

Bob - December 10, 2020

Good morning,

The catalogs with high-quality and expensive products can also be loaded with high-quality technical information.

One example is:  https://www.streamlight.com/ecatalog/2020FullLineCatalog/index.html

DISCLAIMER: Not making recommendations or have any interest in company. I do use some of their products.

At above link – hopefully it hyperlinks – is a half page chart titled “Different Lights For Different Hazardous Locations”.  This tech info is super because it is to the point and product examples explain and clarify.

……

Recently I posted a link to Forestry Suppliers of Jackson, Mississippi with their tech info in catalog.

Some of the industrial safety products catalogs have charts on eg explaining the catagories of face masks like the 3M N-95 to the P-100.

As I get to my pulp catalogs, will post those with decent web links with tech info.  Again:  I am not “pushing” ant company or products.

~ Bob

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I am an experienced outdoorsman with an eye for conservation and sustainable land use

Thomas GomezStaff - December 9, 2020

Besides being a writer and researcher for The Prepared, I consult in the outdoor industry and work as a precision rifle instructor. I am an experienced hunter and angler and have spent thousands of hours in the outdoors catching fish, hunting, bird watching, and exploring planet Earth.  

Here to answer any questions about hunting, angling, or general outdoor activities. Questions related to gear selection, ethics, game recipes, stalking, training, mindset, and hunt preparation are welcome.  

Here are a few photos from a recent mule deer hunt in Central New Mexico. 

A tripod is an excellent tool in the woods. 

Approaching with caution and reverence. 

Solid kit. Mystery Ranch pack, semi-custom Remington 700 rifle, Athlon scope. 

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ScenariosSkills

Treking staff; the pike pole

Bob - December 9, 2020

https://www.google.com/search?source=univ&tbm=isch&q=%22pike+poles%22&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjB8arstcDtAhUJ2qwKHXK-CVcQjJkEegQIARAB&biw=1280&bih=641

Good morning,

For those who have basic plans to evacuate from home via walking, it can be advantageous to carry a stick, cane or pole of some sort.

For my plans involving much walking – but no wilderness expedition – I have a 9 ft fiberglass fighter fighter’s pike pole. The fitting is a non-ferrous metal.

Above link has some examples.

For my situation, next to the Chesapeake Bay, weather problems involve lightning storms.  Am mentioning this because metal can be dangerous when elevated over one’s body.  Thus, aluminum shafts are “verbotten” and so too, even the non-ferrous metal tips.  

My pike pole is rigged with a sling made of an old cotton web belt and attached by wrapped 550 paracord.  

Without specific needs, a wooden pole from a hardwood tree can exceed requirements.

A couple in our preparedness group developed something noteworthy.  I forgot the actuals dims but for illustration, they  have 2 each 7 ft lengths of PVC pipe.  One is 1 inch diam and other is half inch diam.  Fitting the smaller into the larger, they drilled holes at the top and bottom.  The contraption is held together by a wing nut and bolt at both ends.  For versatility, when not walking/hiking with their treking pole(s), they can disassemble the poles yielding 4 poles for a makeshift canopy tent.  Thry, too, have paracord and web handles on their “walking sticks”.

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Everyday footwear

matthew.Contributor - December 7, 2020

When I think of my own personal safety and vulnerability, and the absolute “must-haves” in any kind of emergency situation, a good pair of shoes or boots is very high on my list.  I know what I’d want to be wearing if and when the SHTF (in my case a good pair of waterproof, lightweight hiking boots) but I am very aware that wearing such footwear all the time simply doesn’t make sense.  Some professional and social situations demand for more formal attire, and sometimes you simply want to relax and “put your feet up.”  But let’s face it, much formal attire is ridiculous and makes us very vulnerable.  I cringe at the idea of ever wearing something that would hinder me from running, walking long distances, climbing a fence, etc.

I know footwear choices are very subjective, and highly affected by one’s gender, style, career, and environment.  That said, I’m interested in how others have approached the conundrum of needing to meet formal expectations while not wanting to put themselves in a vulnerable state.  

Personally, I am a big fan of Keen’s PTC Oxford series. They may not be the most stylish shoes around, but they get me through most professional and formal situations.  I believe they were designed for service-industry workers who need comfortable shoes with good traction, and I find they give me comparable support to a pair of lightweight day-hiking shoes.  

Does anyone have any awesome everyday footwear advice?  How are you approaching this challenge?  I’d particularly like to hear how women are approaching this, as I understand the choices are likely fewer and the societal expectations are (unfairly) more demanding.  My wife has really struggled to find an everyday shoe that fits all her needs.

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AdviceGear

What are your thoughts on pull-tab lids on cans?

Essie Carroll - December 7, 2020

I am starting to see more and more cans get these pull-to-open type lids. What are your thoughts on these from a prepping standpoint? 

I can see them being nice to get into food quickly without a can opener. But I see the traditional style where you do need a can opener being sturdier and less likely to failure.

I’ve heard that you should avoid the pull-tab lids for long term food storage, because they give way over time and can expose and spoil your food. 

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Lockdowns, part 2

matthew.Contributor - December 6, 2020

Welp, a new round of lockdowns in several states across the US, and less than a day after the Governor announced specifics here in Washington state, there are already wide reports of empty shelves and mayhem at the grocery stores.  Canned food and toilet paper, once again, have been wiped out (sorry for the bad pun).

My household was already stocked up and steered clear of the stores this weekend, but I can’t help but to shake my head at the inability of the broader public to assess situations and plan ahead – how anyone could be surprised by these new lockdowns is beyond me. It’s really disappointing, and reminds me that we are actually prepping for two things at once: the disaster that strikes, and the disaster of the masses who seem unable to recognize, and plan for, the potential threats around them.  

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Growing rice

RedneckContributor - December 6, 2020

I really don’t know why, but I’ve never grown rice before. It is usually an integral component of most prepper’s long term food stores… it sure is for me. I like to grow items that could help me become self sufficient during a SHTF crisis, and I don’t see why rice shouldn’t be near the top of the list. I especially like items that store easily and rice surely does that. So I’ve ordered some seed and will try it next year.

I think the main reason I never grew it was because of images in my mind of rice grown in Asia and actually over in Arkansas, with these large perfectly flat fields that need to be flooded. I was considering doing that but as I researched rice, I found out there are two main types. Lowland rice is what I was thinking of, where the rice grows in flooded fields. But I found out there is a type called upland rice, which grows like any normal crop. It does not need flooding but does need an inch of water a week… similar to corn.  This rice can be grown all over the US, including the far north, such as Maine. There are a bunch of varieties available. I’ve ordered Loto, which is a risotto type of rice.

Been doing a bit of research. Seems upland rice produces about half the yield of the flooded lowland rice. I’m reading where the lowland rice average yield is around 7000-8000 lbs per acre. So obviously half of that would be say 3500 lbs per acre. Now being realistic, growing during a crisis with limited resources, I’d count on maybe 1000-2000 lbs per acre for upland rice, to be on the safe side. One pound of uncooked rice has around 1600 calories. So just looking at rice, which I understand is not a balanced diet, someone would need around 1 1/2 pounds of rice per day. Multiply that by 365, you get around 550 lbs per year. That tells me an acre of rice could feed two people for a year… and probably more. That is rather impressive.

Now of course I grow more food and one needs more balance, but still, in my book that is great news. My main go to survival crop is amaranth, and just those two would provide a lot of nutrition. Mix in the three sisters (corn, beans & winter squash), which I store lots of seed, and you have a very healthy diet.  Then of course other things can be made from rice… such as wine (sake) and flour.

I will test this next year & report back.  Anyone here grown upland rice?

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Skills

Learning from the past – Otzi the Iceman

Jose Martinez - December 5, 2020

In 1991 hikers found the glacial well preserved remains of a mummy from the Copper age (around 3300 BCE) who came to be known as Otzi the Iceman.

I want to just share a bit about him what scientists have been able to figure out about his life. This man was a true primitive survivalist, as that is what he had to do to live.

Research has revealed educated guesses into Otzi’s background and they believe that he was a high-altitude shepherd. In his stomach they found partly digested remains of ibex, goat, chamois, and red deer meat, einkorn wheat grains, herb bread, roots, sloes (plum-like fruit), and various seeds and berries growing in the wild. So pretty much a diet of meat, fruit, and grains.

They found that he had an intestinal parasite, from his fingernails they show that he was sick three times in the six months before he died, cavities from his high carbohydrate diet, and that he was lactose intolerant. Otzi had 61 tattoos on his body made from pigment manufactured out of ash or soot. He had wear on his spine, knees, and ankle joints and may have used the tattoos as a form of acupuncture to treat pain from those issues. Life probably was not easy for people during this time period. Incredibly limited medical knowledge meant that people probably relied on their own immune system for healing.

Otzi wore a cloak made from woven grass, coat, belt, leggings, loincloth, and shoes made of leather. He had a bearskin cap, and waterproof shoes designed for snow walking that were made up of bearskin, deer hide, and tree bark. He had soft grass inside his shoes that acted like socks. Sinew was used as thread to hold everything together. He had a small pouch on his belt with a scraper, drill, flint flake, bone awl, and dried fungus (probably used as tinder).

His tools consisted of a copper axe made with a yew handle, a knife with a stone blade and wood handle, and 14 arrows.

I just think this all is so fascinating. We can learn so much about survival just from how people lived day to day in the past. I imagine myself back in that day without my Lifestraw water filter, BIC lighter, weather proof coat, and more. What would I do? How would I survive?

I’m not going to go into the cause of Otzi’s death, as I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but I recommend you look into it if you are curious. Stuff You Should Know did a great podcast on him. 

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Getting started into canning

Zombie Bry - December 3, 2020

Hi Everyone,

I have been leveraging this site for a while now and it has been very helpful with my journey into being more prepared. As I lay here in my food coma from Thanksgiving dinner, I have been thinking about getting into canning. Searching on Amazon for supplies is overwhelming. Any advice for a beginner and which supplies/Brand you prefer that balances cost with quality?  Finally, any good websites or articles that you found helpful to get started?

I searched this site and forum for canning information and couldn’t find anything. If I missed something that already exists, please reply with a link. If not, hopefully this thread will help others as well 🙂

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Advice

Situational awareness (digital, near real time?)

Rich DCContributor - November 30, 2020

This is equal parts suggestion, question, and brainstorming – I’m looking for ideas for gathering [near real time] situational awareness.

As I’ve read this site and others I get the impression that different parts of the country are experiencing things in very different ways.  I see people sharing images of empty shelves in a store on the other side of the country but down the street things seem “normal.”  I realize a lot of online content is more anecdote and less data but I also figure that with a lot of anecdotes you might be able to tease out some data/trends.

One idea (not my favorite) is twitter, there are some interesting advanced searches.  

For instance if I want to see tweets within 50 miles of Washington DC, this search term seems to work:

near:”38.901862736383556,-77.0102291245727″ within:50.07mi

https://twitter.com/search?q=near%3A%2238.901862736383556%2C-77.0102291245727%22%20within%3A50.07mi&src=typed_query

likewise if I want to search for recent tweets about “groceries” or “grocery store” this seems to work (and would perhaps work through the end of the year?) this search string appears to work:

(groceries OR grocery store) until:2020-12-31 since:2020-11-15 -filter:replies

https://twitter.com/search?q=(groceries%20OR%20grocery%20store)%20until%3A2020-12-31%20since%3A2020-11-15%20-filter%3Areplies&src=typed_query

It seems I can combine these manually, too:

(groceries OR grocery store) until:2020-12-31 since:2020-11-15 -filter:replies near:”38.901862736383556,-77.0102291245727″ within:50.07mi

https://twitter.com/search?q=(groceries%20OR%20grocery%20store)%20until%3A2020-12-31%20since%3A2020-11-15%20-filter%3Areplies%20near%3A%2238.901862736383556%2C-77.0102291245727%22%20within%3A50.07mi&src=typed_query

I feel like with a few saved search strings you could search your area for recent activity at various distances.  You still have to sift through random people on twitter but maybe there are more filters/tips I’m not aware of that others could share.

My only other thoughts on “real time awareness” are things like crime maps, however these often lack context (trends over time, comparisons, etc) so its hard to know what a “normal” amount of crime looks like.  These also tend to be specific to certain areas and each area may have different reporting parameters making it hard to gauge changes between jurisdictions.

https://www.crimemapping.com

Not sure how many tech/code savvy people are on here, but this was inspired by a surge in ‘bots’ to scrape retail websites for available stock of PC video cards.  I thought it would be neat to scrape data from retailers by store for stock of things like toilet paper or other “in demand” items to get a sense of where demand was spiking, but thats probably a bit niche and beyond my coding skills.

Any other ideas, either different resources or tips for refining twitter searches?

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AdviceMeta

 Black Friday – Cyber Monday deals 2020

Gideon ParkerStaff - November 30, 2020

This forum thread is going to be updated throughout the next week with various Black Friday and other holiday deals related to prepping. Keep checking it out often and share it with others to get the best deals on your preps.

ThePrepared.com’s Water Essentials Course – 50% off if you preorder.

Olight – Free i1R 2 EOS flashlight, Free $5 credit, and ability to earn more free store credit. Up to 45% off all but one flashlight on their website. 

HUGE deals on Berkey Water Filters – Here and Here (our review on best home water filter)

Legacy Food Storage – Starts now. Use code BLACKFRIDAY to get 20% off your order. (our review of best food buckets)

Valley Food Storage – 15% off. (our review of best food buckets)

Emergency Essentials – Up to 50% off site wide. (our review of best food buckets)

Thrive Food Storage – Up to 40% off. (our review of best food buckets)

Harvestright – Save up to $400 and free shipping on home freeze dryers.

myfoodstorage.com – 20% off

Battlbox subscription box – Free tent with every new subscription on Cyber Monday with coupon code: cybertent

Survival Frog – Up to 75% off. If you spend +$150, you get a free electric hand warmer.

Solostove.com – Over 30% off fire pits

Darn Tough Socks – 25% off through November 30, 2020

Mymedic.com – 30% off sitewide. No code necessary. Orders over $49 will get a free neck gaiter and cold & flue medpack.

Rapid Medical – 30% off sitewide

Traeger Smokers and Grills – various discounts

32 Degrees clothing – 70-75% off site wide

Lowe’s Giftcard – $100 gift card for $90

Apple Products – Various apple gift cards with purchase

Rush 72 packs -dropped in price from $180 to $100

SanDisk Extreme PRO Portable SSD V2 – $100 off

Amazon:

Sawyer Mini Water Filter – Price dropped 28% from $25 to $18. (our review of best portable water filters)

Lifestraw Water Filter – Price dropped 35% from $20 to $13. (our review of best portable water filters)

Ka-Bar Tactical Spork and Knife – Price dropped 25% from $9 to $7. (our review of best spork)

FoodSaver V4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealer Machine – Price dropped 35% from $200 to $130.

Augason Farms Variety 4-Gallon Pail – Price dropped 29% from $85 to $60 (our review of best food buckets)

12X Magnification Binoculars – Price dropped 58% from $60 to $25.50

Craftsman 20V Cordless drill driver – Price dropped 32% from $87 to $60

64 Drawer Plastic Parts Storage Cabinet –  Price dropped 34% from $42 to $28

Ring Video Doorbell 3 + Echo Show 5 – Price dropped from $290 to $150 – (our review of best Home Security Cameras)

Ring Video Doorbell Pro – Price dropped from $250 to $170 (our review of best Home Security Cameras)

SimpliSafe 9 Piece Wireless Home Security System – Price dropped from $300 to $210 (our review of best Home Security Cameras)

Blink Outdoor wireless weather resistant HD security camera – Price dropped from $250 to $150 (our review of best Home Security Cameras)

Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet 32GB – Price dropped from $150 to $80 (forum post about E-Readers for use in a survival situation) 

Amazon Kindle w/ Front Light – Price dropped from $90 to $60 (forum post about E-Readers for use in a survival situation) 

Samsung Cube Smart Air Purifier – Price dropped from $700 to $600.

Molekule Air Purifiers – up to 20% off

Instant Pot Ultras – up to 33% off – (our blog post about using an instant pot to cook dried beans)

Masterbuilt Electric Smoker – up to 17% off 

Samsung EVO microSD cards for your trail camera, security camera, phone, and more – various discounts

Coleman Outdoor Gear – Up to 40% off

LifeStraw Go Water Filter Bottles – Up to 30% off

Walker’s Ear Muffs – Up to 50% off

9-Hour Emergency Candles – Price dropped from $30 to $20 – 33% discount 

Enbrighten LED camping lantern – Up to 20% off

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Gear

Prepping for civil unrest

ccross - November 28, 2020

Anyone here anticipating/prepping for civil unrest? 

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Scenarios

Toilet paper vs. a bidet

Gideon ParkerStaff - November 26, 2020

With toilet paper in short supply, many people are switching over to bidets that you can attach to the side of your toilet. I know bidets are very popular and common place in countries other than the US, but it is something I’m not too familiar with. 

Do any of you have one? What was installation like? What are the steps to using one? Do you recommend it to others?

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Shout-out for arugula!

matthew.Contributor - November 24, 2020

My wife and I experimented with some cool-weather crops this fall, our first time doing so since recently relocating to northeastern Washington state (zone 6).  We planted spinach, kale, and arugula from seed in late September, but then winter came early and we had 2 hard freezes (when the temperature drops below 27 degrees f), 10+ frosts, and 3 snowfalls totaling about seven inches, all before the middle of November.  I all but gave up on the crops, but as the snow melted off we were pleasantly surprised that things were still alive, and the arugula was nearly ready to harvest.  Granted, the growth was rather stunted, but after spending a week covered in snow I was amazed we had anything.  The spinach and kale produced enough to garnish a salad, but the arugula stole the show.

Note the frost in this picture!

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Non ham radio choices

Mark J - November 22, 2020

Which non Ham radios format do you recommend, FRS, GMRS or MURS? And second to that which hand radio do you recommend that would also allow for listening to NOAA, emergency radio, FM, AM, etc?

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Mini flashlight recommendations?

matthew.Contributor - November 20, 2020

Hello!  Has anyone found a mini flashlight that they love?  By “mini flashlight” I mean a flashlight about the size of your index finger.  A single AA battery type, or rechargeable, but something that could easily fit in a pocket. 

Thanks!

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AdviceGear

Silica gel packets – keeping your preps safe from moisture

Gideon ParkerStaff - November 19, 2020

The disaster is here! But you aren’t worried, because you are prepared. You have food, tools, ammo, and more. Only to open up your preps to find that moisture has destroyed them! Tools have rusted closed, food has spoiled, and you don’t dare shoot that ammo for fear of exploding in your face. If only there was something you could have done… There is my friends! 

Enter the Silica Gel Packets! Remember those little bean bags that you got with your new TV that says “DO NOT EAT”? That’s them.

I bought a package of 50 reusable food safe silica gel packets on Amazon back in 2018 . These had the included feature of having a clear window on the little packet and color changing beads inside so you could visually tell when they had absorbed their limit and needed recharged. The packets that I got are a bright orange color when they are dry and unused, but will change to a green color when they are saturated with moisture.

I used these silica gel packets in with my electronics, photo albums, tool boxes, ammo, gun storage, and anything I could think of that I didn’t want moisture buildup. And when I got into that item again and saw that it had changed to a dark green color, I replaced it with a new bright orange pack. Now that I have used up all my packets, it is time to test reactivating, and see if paying extra for this reuseability really was worth it.

There are two ways you can reactivate. Putting it in the microwave for 7-12 minutes on Defrost, or baking it in the oven for 30 minutes – 2 hours. 

I started out trying the microwave method. I placed them on a piece of cardboard because I didn’t know exactly what would happen. I didn’t want to have melted plastic all over my wife’s nice dishes.

BEFORE:

After one minute in on the defrost setting, I noticed that the packets were expanding like they were about to explode! 

All the moisture in the silica gel was escaping from the beads and was trapped inside of the packet and was visible on the clear plastic window.

There are little perforation holes in the packets though, and this is how they are designed to be recharged, so I decided to keep them going, but watched them a bit more closely. I didn’t need exploded plastic all over my microwave.

After the recommend minimum time of seven minutes, they still had moisture buildup on the inside of the packet so I kept them going in the microwave at two minute increments until the maximum recommended time of 12 minutes. At 12 minutes, they no longer had any visible moisture on the inside of the packet and were no longer a dark green color but now were a dark orange. Still not the bright vibrant orange color like a brand new packet though.

Maybe the oven would fair better. Again, I didn’t want my wife to kill me when I melted plastic on her nice cookie sheets, so I lined it with aluminum foil.

After 30 minutes at 200 degrees, the packets looked a brighter orange than the 12 minute defrost from the microwave and I did not see any moisture on the inside. 

But some of the packets still were not that original bright orange color.

I contacted the manufacturer and asked what I could do to get the silica gel packets back to the bright orange color that they originally were at. Their recommendation was to bake them in the oven at 250 degrees for 2 hours, and that should get the silica gel packets back to almost bright orange. The manufacturer also said that they wanted to send me out a package of their newest silica gel packet for free. My email wasn’t complaining or anything, but they just wanted to do something nice for me. A+ customer service.

In hopes to get the packets back to a bright orange color, I put all of them from the oven and microwave test onto the cookie sheet and threw it back in the oven. In my impatience, I turned on the convection setting on my oven, which just blew warm air around the oven during the normal bake setting, thinking this would dry them out faster.

This was a mistake… 

In summary, I highly recommend silica gel packets as part of everyone’s preps. Keeping your gear dry and protected is important to increasing it’s life and function when you need it most. If you get the reusable kind, follow the instructions and use the oven over the microwave.

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AdviceGear

Any options for cooking indoors when the power is down?

Jonnie PekelnyContributor - November 18, 2020

I’m helping a friend with some prepping stuff. She lives in a townhouse in an area which has often been affected by bad air from wildfires and where our local power company has also been shutting down the electricity for days at a time, in an attempt to prevent said wildfires (which they haven’t prevented anyway). One problem the friend has is cooking or heating food because she has an electric stove. I would recommend a small propane stove, but her area is really dry and last year the fire department pleaded with people to not create any sparks outside. I realize that these small butane stoves don’t produce much in the way of sparks, but she just really felt like she didn’t want to risk it.

So, I’m wondering what her options are for cooking or heating at least minimally, if she has to cook inside and rely on power from a backup solar generator or other rechargeable source of some sort. Regular hot plates and toaster ovens are massively expensive in terms of electrical use. What else can she do?

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50

Garden experiments with hard soil

Josh CentersContributor - November 18, 2020

I had a pretty good garden last spring, but my hard, rocky clay required a lot of mechanical intervention to be workable. I decided to take the fall to experiment with making fixed beds with handtools like my broadfork and pointed hoe.

My goal was to make the nice borderless raised beds you see in books by Steve Solomon and John Jeavons. That just doesn’t seem to be possible with this soil. I’m experimenting with heavily amended narrow strips, which are easier to dig out. I’ve made a video showing some of what I’ve tried.

David the Good has posted a video from a friend of his with a similar soil profile to mine, who tried the lasagna gardening method. She piled on straw and woodchips and let it rot for a couple of years. In theory, this builds a new soil layer and softens the soil underneath. While she got that nice upper layer, the soil underneath is still hard as bricks and limits the size of her vegetables. She’s now trying to break that layer up with a broadfork.

I’d be curious to hear if anyone has had success gardening with hard soil. If my strip plan doesn’t work, it looks like I either need to buy a tractor or construct raised beds.

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9

5

Skills

What is the best eReaders for field use ?

Ironclad Amoeba - November 13, 2020

Hello,

I ordered an eReader recently, as a convenient way to read technical books and pdfs without having to bother cluttering my bookshelf with the physical items (my phone is quite harsh on my eyes). It made me wonder how useful an eReader would be in a survival situation, to store survival information and entertainment in a compact, light format that can be recharged with solar panels and a power bank.

Is it a good idea at all, and is there an eReader that could be sturdy enough for lengthy field use, both in terms of physical resilience (and waterproofing, etc.), battery life, the ability to access and replace said battery as well as a guarantee this device will not be bricked if the company’s servers ever go under ?

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9

Gear

What to say to kids instead of “be careful!”

Bradical - November 8, 2020

Thought this was worth sharing with any parents. I like the spirit behind this idea – get their brains configured the right way early on! You can see how small differences in wording make the difference between being average and having an aware/prepper mindset.

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Advice

Ham radio recommendations?

Josh CentersContributor - November 6, 2020

I recently earned both my Technician and General Class licenses, and I’m pondering about radios to buy. Of course, I have a number of BaoFengs, but they don’t get great reception where I am. A lot of hams recommend the Icom 7300, sort of the gold standard of HF radios, but it’s expensive and very large. I’ve considered the mobile Icom 7100, because it’d be a bit easier to work in my space and it also does VHF/UHF, though it’s not as “fancy” as the 7300. Then you have the Elecraft K3, which is small and can run off batteries, but is very expensive and has low transmit power.

For the hams in the forum: what radios do you like? I’m also open to suggestions about antennas, power supplies, and all the other necessary accouterments.

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