Thanks for the advice. I think I’ll start some in pots to make sure I know what I’m looking at, and maybe use those to harvest some young greens. I remember you mentioning you can cut them off at about 4 feet to harvest some leaves, as well. I’ll plan on doing that too.  I really hope this succeeds. Everything I read about it suggests amaranth could be a versatile, reliable staple.

Redneck, I’m about to plant amaranth at your suggestion. My fear is that I won’t be able to tell the difference between the amaranth and weeds in the early stages. It seems like all the photos out there are of mature plants, so I’m not sure what I’m going to be looking at. 

I read this book that Ayoob wrote. Eye-opening, to say the least.https://a.co/d/icyYtpL

I’m sorry to hear about your accident, Gideon. I’ve got a ton of admiration for you, having come through that experience to reinvent yourself and thrive. I think Darwin’s quote was, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one most adaptable to change.” 

Having watched dementia progress in my father, I can appreciate the situation you’re in. You make a good point. Most of us are one run of bad luck away from being in pretty dire straights. Who knows what could push someone in your life over the edge. I feel for you having someone you love suffering from dementia. That’s a gut punch under the best of circumstances. On the positive side, you’re prepping; and it’s great that your family doc is part of your group. Best of luck to you, sir.

Agreed on Mechanic gloves. I’ve owned the leather versions and the Material 4x version, which I preferred because they’re more flexible and generally more comfortable. FWIW, for me anyway, if the 4x material gets wet, it stinks like a herd of diseased goats used a locker room as a comfort station. There’s a pair airing out on my porch now, and when I walk by, it hits me.  Fantastic product, but I’m sticking with leather in the future…

We recently acquired some experience using a CleanWaste toilet, a Luggable Loo alternative. During a six-day power outage, it was golden. Best purchase of 2021.

The quote that comes to mind for me came from a teacher, a former World War II era Air Force pilot. As a smart ass middle schooler, I responded to a directive from him with, “Do I have to?” He answered, “You don’t have to do anything except die.”

Gotcha. My experience was that although they worked well for me, they’re heavier and bulkier than a little snack baggie full of cotton balls, which work at least well. Cotton balls win.  

I’ll second this. We’ve made fire starter briquettes by putting drier lint in the cells of egg cartons, then pouring melted paraffin over them. They work very well.

Yes, it’s a natural vegetable fiber.

Jay, thanks for running this test and sharing the results. I’m definitely going to try Method 7. I’m also going to try it with jute twine.

I’d like to be part of the Slack group too, please.

I saw Salomon footwear mentioned as a recommended option. I’ve still got a pair of Quest 4Ds that are going strong, but I blew through a pair of GTX mid boots and a pair of GTX low shoes unacceptably quickly when the uppers separated from the soles. I read that this was a common problem. My experience was a couple years ago, though. I’d like to hear from anyone with more recent experience with Salmon products. Has quality/durability improved? I love the fit and comfort, but can’t shell out $150 every few months for something that falls apart.

With respect to training, take a look at the Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness First Responder programs run by organizations like NOLS and SOLO. They go far beyond what you get in a standard Red Cross first aid course, and are designed to equip you to deal with situations in austere conditions, when EMS isn’t 5-10 minutes away. The WFA course is 16 hours, and the WFR course is 72+ hours. There are classroom and practical components, and you’ll leave with very useful ideas about how to build your kit and how to improvise when you don’t have the “street” equipment you might need. If you get the right instructor who doesn’t mind going off the record occasionally to share unsanctioned ideas that aren’t in the approved curriculum, you can learn cool stuff like how to get multiple doses out of a single epi pen.

Glad to see your recommendation of the Li variety. A local nursery stocks those, so I’ll probably be paying them a visit. 

Redneck, first of all, thanks for your contributions to this forum. I’ve learned a ton from you already. Do you recommend any particular variety of jujube? We’re going to try some fruit trees this year, and might as well throw one of those into the mix.  The amaranth is already in the plan.

I’ve been looking at rigs like those found at flojak.com. There are other manufacturers/suppliers as well, and I’m thinking it would be very useful sort of system to have in place. I’d love to read about the experiences others may have had with them.

Thanks for the recommendation. I listened to ICHH and got a lot out of it. Looking forward to The War on Everyone.