Bullseye
Television, who last year made ‘Preppers UK: Surviving Armageddon’ for
the National Geographic Channel, are now working on a follow up
documentary
and are looking for Preppers and Survivalists from all over Europe to
take part.
They
very much want to speak to anyone who is interested to find out more
and would like to talk to them about the issues their country faces and
what they
have done to prepare for them.
“Our
experience with the first documentary means that we are aware of the
issues facing Preppers and we understand that keeping your personal
information safe
is key. Under no circumstances will we share your details with anyone
else and contacting us in the first instance does not mean you are
obliged to take part in the documentary”.
If you would like to know more please send Kelly a message at: kelly.lillywhite@bullseyetv.
Show Notes
I start this week’s
extremely packed show with its Never Too late to Start Prepping, Breeding
Rabbits to Eat, The following companies have supported this station, Survival
Preparedness is a process or a condition of being prepared to survive, Power
Cuts Happen, Treat Your Water or Die, Wood Pigeons in a Pot with Plums, Here
are some more companies to support, Adjustable Knife Lanyard Review, Bartering
Your Skills, Emergency Essentials, Further Companies to Support, Some of My
Favourite Recipes, The Benefits of Animals When Living Off the Grid, The M1
Ridge Knife Review, Wilderness Myths, Wilderness Hygiene, Why do Some of Us Find it easier to Survive
Than Others?, Travelling with Vehicles during a Crisis or Survival Situation, The
Humble Dandelion, Urban Survival Preparation– Testing the Bug Out Plan, Every
Day Carry (EDC), A Tough Question, Survival
Hygiene, Surviving the Effects of Nuclear Weapons, Crossing Rivers, Prioritizing
Survival Needs Using the Rule Of 3’s
Blizzard Survival Discount Offer
Blizzard Survival .com have a fantastic offer for you the listener
they are offering a 20% discount on all
goods bought from them at www.blizzardsurvival.com
The Ultimate in
Lightweight Thermal Protection.
The Blizzard Survival Brand incorporating Reflexcell™
material has become the new standard wherever thermal performance in a
lightweight compact package is essential - for military use, casualty care,
emergency preparedness, disaster relief, personal survival, outdoor
activities...and more.
Reflexcell™ products are totally unique: weight-for-weight
far warmer than goose down, yet 100% weatherproof, tough, ultra-portable and
re-usable.
Life-saving
technology has never been so affordable.
Their product represents a step change in the way both
civilian and military users prepare for emergencies and treat trauma cases.
Here is an exciting
New Product from Blizzard
Blizzard has launched the Blizzard Heat Blanket an insulated
and active warming system for the whole body. Utilising it's unique 3-ply
Reflexcell™ material in a reflective
insulating blanket with self-activating heating pads it incorporates front
& side vents for easy access, and integral hood for head protection. Now is
the time to visit www.blizzardsurvival.com
All you have to do to get a 20% discount is enter the code
“PREPPER” at the checkout, it is that simple. Thank you Blizzard Survival.
It’s Never Too late to Start Prepping
If you’re the kind of person who’s concerned about emergency
preparation, a large emergency food supply is true wealth. Just imagine a
hurricane, flood, or earthquake that disrupts the infrastructure for several
weeks.
While the sheeple panic because the supermarket shelves are
bare, you’re sitting pretty on a year’s supply of food. How does it feel? Why,
it feels like opulence and abundance — wealth.
You know It’s Never Too Late To Build Up Food Stocks
I’m addressing a situation in which you’re basically
hunkered down in your home, or else you’ve reached your bugout location. A
foundational element of any emergency preparedness plan is the food stock.
OK, your neighbour has a four-year stock, but it’s never too
late for you to start. In fact, you probably have a three-day supply in your
pantry, but we’ll get to that.
But before you build up your food stock, a few tips to keep
in mind:
Make sure your selections are shelf stable. Canned and dry
goods are best. In case of power cuts, the freezer will keep your food for only
two or three days.
Don’t turn your nose up at processed foods; they tend to store
longer, and while processed food is not as good for you as whole foods, it’s
better than starving.
Remember to stock
food you will want to eat.
You should Stock dry and canned goods in a cool, dry, dark
environment. Darkness is especially important if any of your canning is done in
glass jars, because the light breaks down vitamins and protein in the food.
Remember variety is important. It prevents monotony and
balances your diet.
Don’t shun convenience. Particularly for the short-term
stocks (three days to two weeks), it’ll lift a great burden off your shoulders
if you can just open a can and heat your meal, or eat something that’s good
cold.
Small containers have a higher unit cost, but prevent waste
(which is in itself costly).
Don’t make it too complicated. You certainly can go deep and
calculate precise calorie and nutritional requirements, but if uncertainty is
stopping you from getting something in the cupboard, then just simplify. Use an
ancient, tried-and-tested method — trial and error.
I think that beginners to prepping can build their Emergency
Food Stock in Six Months
Building up a year-long food supply is a big endeavour, but
you can do it by tackling this in three steps:
Week 1, build up a
three-day supply
Week 2, build up a one-month supply
During the next five months, build up your one-year supply
Week1 (right now!) — Get your three day supply. Most power
cuts are short, and a three day supply of dry and canned goods will get you
through most bad weather-induced power cuts.
Now check your cupboards. You might well have a supply that
will get your through three days without power or transportation. If not, a
single trip to your local supermarket will get you up and running. Here’s a
suggested 3-day list (per person):
Can opener!
Muesli mix – 8-ounce serving
Crackers – 1 box (8-ounces or larger)
Peanut butter – 1
(12-ounce) jar
Canned juice – 1 6-pack of 6-ounce containers
Peaches – 1 (8-ounce) can
Fruit cocktail – 2 (8-ounce) cans
Beans – 1 (8-ounce) can
Corn – 1 (8-ounce) can
Tuna – 1 (3 1/4-ounce) can
Beef stew or Chili – 2 small cans
Tomato or other soup – 1 can
Raisins or dried prunes – 2 12-ouncepackage
Mixed nuts – 1
package or jar
Tea and coffee – 1 box with 16 bags or 1(2-ounce) jar
instant coffee
Water – 1 gallon
Of course, if you have more than one person to stock for,
combine quantities in larger containers to save on the unit cost.
That is, buy a big jar of peanut butter instead of several
small ones. However small quantities can still be useful, like small drink
servings. You don’t waste as much.
Also, there is a convenience factor here — you’re looking
for a quick and easy way to get an emergency stock. Save the heavy calculations
for your long-term survival stock.
I have found that with dry goods such as whole wheat, beans,
and rice. I freeze them for two weeks to kill parasites before sealing in
plastic buckets.
Week2 — Build up your one-month supply. There are too many
differences from one household to the next to make a precise grocery list.
But don’t worry; figuring what you need is fairly straight
forward. Just see how much food you need to prepare a meal for your entire
family, and multiply that by three to cover three meals a day.
Remember, it’s possible to get extremely precise about how
many calories and what kind of foods you need, and by all means do so if you
like. But if you don’t go to all this trouble, you still need something to eat,
right? Here are some suggestions— add your own, of course:
Pasta, Spaghetti, macaroni, are a great source of carbs, and
everybody loves them. It’s not huge on vitamins, but that’s what canned fruit
is for.
Canned fish. Salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, kippered
herring. All these make great survival foods. Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids,
protein, and flavour.
Dried beans and rice. Yes, there are lots of Y2K jokes about
this, and I bet some of you still have some, twelve years later.
But if you store them properly they will keep literally for
decades. One interesting thing about beans and rice — together they make a
“complete protein.” Rice has some of the amino acids that make up protein, and
beans have the rest of them. Together, it’s great food.
Get a variety of beans (black, pinto, navy, kidney, and
lima),vegetables (tomato, corn, and your favourite greens), and fruit (peaches,
pears, apple sauce, or just a cocktail).
These few items will cover nearly the entire gamut of
vitamins, minerals, and fibre you’ll need long term, all while providing all
the variety you’ll need to maintain morale.
How about a Special canned produce, for an occasional treat,
say a few cans of blueberries, summer fruits, pineapple, capers, olives, or
whatever your favourite canned goods might be.
Staples like olive oil, flour, sugar, and salt. Buy them in
bulk keep flour safe from mice and moths
A long-term supply should go beyond basic survival -- a
balanced diet and occasional treats are good for health and morale.
Month 2 through 6 — Build up your one-year supply. Now that
you have a one-month supply, buy another two-month supply for each of the next
four months, and a three-month supply the last month.
When all is said and done, you’ll have everything you need
to keep your family fed for a year
Breeding Rabbits to Eat
We all talk about storing food but have you thought about
raising animals for a food supply. A mate of mine in Germany raises rabbits.
And sells them to local kids at fairs and other events, but
he primarily raises them so when the crunch hits he’ll have a source of meat
and barter.
Rabbits are very high in protein and low in fats so they
really are a good food source once you get over the harvesting your pet thing.”
I have eaten plenty of rabbits over the years. Not necessary
something I would order in a restaurant but that’s not the point, is it? Rabbit
meat although a good source of protein but is not very high in carbs nor does
it have all the essential amino acids like beef.
None the less,
roasted rabbit would sound (and smell) very good if you were hungry.
We do not talk much about raising animals such as rabbits,
chickens, goats, sheep or even cattle because it is not something an urban or
even suburban dweller would do.
However, now that I think about it a couple of rabbits,
maybe 2-3 females and a male (buck) rabbit kept apart then used to breed when
the coming economy and therefore food collapse happens would be a good idea.
Not all urban survival preppers will want to do this. But
one thing they can do is locate retail or private supplies of animals and be
prepared to immediately buy animals when the indicators for SHTF are aligned.
The raising of rabbits or any other animals would require
some facilities such as cages and stored feed. If your Survival Plan includes a
Bug Out Plan (as it should!) then preparations for transport of these animals
would be necessary.
There is a gent about ¼ mile from me who raises pygmy type
goats. I have struck up several conversations with him (building rapport and
winning the hearts and minds) and even took him a brace of pheasants that I
shot
He knows me as someone on the fence about make a decision to
raise goats or perhaps not, if she who must be obeyed gets her way.
I have some t-posts and hard wire fencing stored in my
garage and my plan is to buy a couple of goats to breed for meat if I can time
it right based on the collapse indicators. I can always try and buy or barter
for some later as well.
If your plan to raise
rabbits works for you, then great. However, don’t let this food source be your
only one. Good luck.
If you are looking
for some new kit then please Support these Companies
The following
companies have supported this station and I will support them they are
You will never need to boil water again
For I-shields UV Protection
For top quality 550 Paracord
For Survival Knives and Survival Kits
For the Nano Striker fire starter
For tasty MX3 Meals
The Lifesaver bottle
For the Knot Bone Lacelock
For the Wild and Edible Nutrition E Book
Browning Night Seeker Cap Light RGB
Multi lite Multi-tool
For the Ghillie Kettle
For the Blackbird SK-5 or his handmade leather sheaths http://www.hedgehogleatherworks.com
For the Farside Outdoor Meals
The Survivor knife
For the Chris Caine companion survival tool
Survival Preparedness is a process or a condition of being prepared
to survive.
To Survive. The phrase could be taken literally – that is,
to stay alive. The words, ‘to survive’, could also be interpreted less
literally – more like staying healthy or healthier than otherwise.
In the context of survival preparedness, some will describe
this notion to its very basic core – like the ability to survive in the
wilderness without any modern help whatsoever, you are on your own, life and
death circumstances, black and white.
Others will describe survival preparedness more-or-less in
the context of living within today’s modern society parameters, and utilizing
the modern tools available today in order to prepare or be prepared for various
problems that may occur tomorrow.
What I’m trying to say is that there are some ‘survival
preparedness’ “preppers” that are more hard-core than others and I’ve noticed
that the movement has been coined with two labels in an apparent attempt to
delineate their core values.
I’m not so sure that I agree with labels and definitions,
knowing that there are all sorts of ‘shades of grey’, but having said that, the
two labels are Survivalists and Preppers.
Survivalists are the hard core while the Preppers are the
soft core. Again, I do not agree with the labelling here, but the fact is that
it exists.
The Prepper is thought of as someone who is fully
functioning within the system of modern society, preparing for minor
disruptions that may come their way, while the Survivalist is considered to be
on the edge, perhaps already hunkered down in their bunker or survival retreat
– ready for Armageddon
As in all walks of life, there are truly the extremes, and
lots of in-between. When it comes to survival preparedness, I believe that the
spectrum is all pretty much OK, so long as it’s within the law of the land.
Since there are so very many different types of people,
personalities, skills, and interests, there will likewise be a multitude of
variety when it comes to how one prepares, and what they are preparing for.
People will interpret risks differently from one another and
people will be in varying vicinities of the risk themselves. Some face much
higher risk than others based on their geographical location, their occupation,
their own current financial and preparedness situation, etc.
Personally, I think that it’s great how more and more
ordinary people are waking up and realizing that things are not all Rosy out
there and that there are very real risks facing us all as the world’s economic
systems are teetering on the brink of failure while the rumour of wars fill the
air.
There will always be ‘newbies’ to survival preparedness and
there will always be veterans of the same. There’s room for everyone.
Just remember this…
by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
Power Cuts Happen
We’ve already had winter like storms and power blackout in
Scotland and here in the North of England. Tens of thousands were left without
power, and some areas suffered greatly.
Although our weather has been nowhere as bad as it has been
in the North Eastern United States a survival situation can develop in your
home when the power goes out. You must have a backup plan and it must include
emergency lighting.
If you lived in those affected areas, let’s hope you were
prepared for power cuts. Here are some tips to keep you from sitting in the
dark.
This brings an important topic to the forefront : What
happens when High winds, heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures combine to
knock out the electricity in your home
Emergency preparedness means you should have backup systems
or plans for heat, lighting and water. If you’re lucky, the power won’t be off
long, but batteries are gone after a few days, unless you have a way to
recharge them. A generator will only work until it runs out of fuel.
One of the more important aspects of urban survival during
winter storms is lighting. Without a lighting plan, you could end up in the
dark from when the sun sets at around 5:30 p.m. until dawn. The right lighting
supplies can make this situation more bearable.
For the long term, candles may be one of the best choices,
because they’re cheap, easily available and easy to use safely.
And if you’re a scrounger/recycler/prepper, candles are
something that is always on the “To-Buy” list. And they have a place in any
urban survival kit.
When buying candles for a potential power cut, all you’re
really concerned about is quantity. The
aesthetics and mood of aromatic candle-lit dinner will soon wear off, and
everyone will soon be more concerned about seeing what is for dinner.
A single candle may
provide enough lighting in some power cut situations.
Great places to find really cheap candles are garage and car
boot sales and pound shops. It doesn’t matter if the candles are outdated
Christmas or novelty candles, odds-and-ends from a dinner party, or clunky art
projects – all they have to do is provide light. Buy all you can find and
stockpile them.
Another good lighting choice is the old-fashioned kerosene
lamps our grandparents used plus a supply of kerosene to fuel them.
A standard hurricane lantern, according to the manufacturer,
will burn up to eight hours on one tank full of fuel.
Other car boot sale treasures can include old Coleman gas
lanterns. These run on Coleman camp fuel or (in some cases) unleaded gasoline
and they can be dirt cheap.
Before you buy in a stock of lighting sources that require
combustion, consider how safe they are, and if they will work for your intended
purpose.
Probably the first consideration is if your lighting source
emits carbon monoxide. This odourless gas is the leading cause of accidental
poisoning deaths in America, according to the Journal of the American Medical
Association. Carbon monoxide results from the incomplete combustion of fuels
such as wood, kerosene, gasoline, charcoal, propane, natural gas and oil.
This means a gas, kerosene or propane-powered lantern has
the potential to be life-threatening in a closed, well-sealed space.
The red kerosene and Coleman gasoline lanterns can provide a
source of efficient lighting, but be aware of potential carbon monoxide
problems.
All of these light sources must be used in a well-ventilated
area however I would recommend an emergency illumination source that is
battery-powered.
In any emergency lighting situation, you should be prepared
with battery-operated lamps or flashlights. Be very careful with candles or any
open flame.
An important part of any emergency preparations is The Plan.
Come up with a plausible lighting scenario for your area, and then decide how
you will handle it.
Think about your lighting needs when there is no electricity.
When the sun comes up, will you need a light source to work? If so, can you
move any work area to take advantage of sunlight?
Look at window placement as it relates to lighting. Would
the best idea be to shut down other areas of the house, and move into a central
area that is more easily lighted and heated?
Another consideration is what the lighting needs are when
the sun goes down. Decide what area you’ll be in when it becomes dark, and then
think about the most effective way to light it for different activities.
A single candle might be enough to light one area for
certain activities, while more light might be needed later for cooking, bathing
or washing clothes.
In some cases, such as two people reading together, a single
candle will be enough. In situations where it can be done safely, you can use a
candle or lamp to save batteries.
While you’re picking up candles, stock up on extra
batteries, too, and be sure to check your flashlights or electric lanterns to
determine which batteries they require.
Here are some emergency power cut tips:
Avoid opening the refrigerator and freezer.
Do not run a generator inside a home or garage.
If you use a generator, connect the equipment you want to
power directly to the outlets on the generator. Do not connect a generator to a
home’s electrical system.
Listen to local radio
and television for updated information.
Turn off or disconnect any appliances, equipment (like air
conditioners) or electronics you were using when the power went out. When power
comes back on,it may come back with momentary surges or spikes that can damage
equipment such as computers and motors in appliances like the air conditioner,
refrigerator or washer.
Leave one light
turned on so you’ll know when your power returns.
Treat Your Water or Die
I want to hammer home to you the importance of always,
always, always (did I say “always”?) treating any water before you use it for
anything you will ingest into your body. In short, before you use water for any
purpose that ends up in your body including drinking water, oral hygiene such
as rinsing your mouth or brushing your teeth, cleaning of vegetables and other
foods cleaning of cooking and eating utensils or even showering. The water must
first be de-contaminated so that all water borne pathogens are destroyed or
rendered inert. Otherwise you may become very sick indeed.
Your best chance of survival and staying healthy depends
upon proper treatment of ALL sources of water. One of the most basic concepts
you must completely understand in order to stay healthy in wilderness survival
situations is that all sources of water are suspect.
Urban dwellers that we tend to be, we are usually accustomed
to simply turning on the tap and drinking the water that comes from it.
It is important to note that tap water usually comes from
protected sources and has been treated
to destroy disease causing organisms. This water is also frequently
tested in order to insure it meets the required
standards. In more rural areas tap water often comes from wells and
springs where natural processes have purified the water.
Because we usually obtain our water so easily from the tap,
the mind-set to always consider water from untested sources as contaminated can
be difficult to fully accept.
Old habits die hard and many people will be tempted to
ignore my advice and drink any outdoor water source that appears to be fresh
and clean. But I want you to drop any preconceived notion you many have on this
subject and trust this information completely when it comes to treating your
water. It could very well save your life.
Too many times to count people have told me that a certain
stream or lake is safe to drink because it is clear, cold, and natural. I have
some important information that could very well prevent you from becoming very
sick:
That crystal clear mountain stream may seem clean enough to
the eye, but invisible microorganisms are thriving in its waters by the
millions.
Most of the tiny living things in water are harmless to
humans, but all too often there are types that can make you very sick should
you ingest them.
Many disease organisms contaminate water sources due to
improper disposal of human wastes including faeces. Another common natural
source of water contamination comes from the local wildlife that often
defecates in or near the water.
Birds and mammals that live in or near water think nothing
of releasing their bodily wastes into it. But worse, many ignorant humans will
improperly dispose of urine, faeces, and kitchen wastes close to communal water
supplies. No matter how remote you feel you are, I guarantee someone has been
there before you. They may be swimming, washing up, or even have deposited a
steaming pile of faeces just upstream minutes before you filled your water
container.
Humans are veritable poop machines and wherever they have
been you can be assured there is plenty of faeces laying about. Historically,
wastes and human faecal contamination of water supplies has resulted in large
epidemics of cholera and other diseases that have ended the lives of millions.
Do not let the actions of dumb people take you down: treat all water before you
ingest it.
Water can contain a range of nasty organisms you would do
well to avoid. These include bacteria such as
Giardia
E. Coli
Salmonella
Protozoa, which also often come from human an animal faeces:
Microsporidia including
Cryptosporidium
Toxoplasma gondii
Amoebae
Ciliates
flagellates,
And lets not forget
helminth zoonoses such as:
Nematodes
Ascarids
Pinworms
Hookworms
strongylids
angiostrongylids
capillarids
guineaworms
liverflukes
tapeworms
So much for crystal clear mountain streams being safe to
drink from Eh!
Wood Pigeons in a Pot with Plums
Fruit is widely used in savoury recipes in the UK and the
delicate, slightly sharp flavour of plums goes well with game. Pigeons are
widely available in early autumn, when plums are at their best.
You can used imported plums or even tinned at a pinch but
this recipe tastes great so please try it.
ingredients
serves 4
25 g (1 oz) butter
15 ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil
4 young pigeons, prepared
10 ml (2 tsp) plain wholemeal flour
1 medium onion, skinned and chopped
2 cloves
15 ml (1 tbsp) chopped fresh mixed herbs, such as
rosemary, sage, thyme, or 5 ml (1 tsp) dried
100 ml (4 fl oz port
450 g (1 lb) purple plums, stoned and halved
salt and pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
method
1. Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan. Coat the
pigeons lightly in the flour, shaking off any excess, then add to the pan and
fry, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides. Transfer to an
ovenproof casserole.
2. Stir the onion into the frying pan and fry gently until
beginning to soften. Spoon over the pigeons, then sprinkle the cloves and herbs
over the top.
3. Stir the port into the frying pan, bring to the boil,
then pour over the pigeons. Arrange the plums over the top. Cover tightly and
bake at 170°C (325°F) mark 3 for 1 1/2 hours, until the pigeons are tender.
4. Transfer the pigeons and plums to a warmed serving
platter. Boil the juices for 2-3 minutes to thicken them and concentrate the
flavour. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg, then pour over the
pigeons. Serve at once.
Here are some more
companies to support
72 hour survival pack
Blizzard Survival jacket
Survival Ration Packs
SOL Complete Survival Kit and SOL Bivy Bag
The answer to rough ground sleeping
Simply your EDC supplier
For all your military equipment needs
NEW MRE’s
The Fire Piston
Great tasty MRE’s
The 95 Puukko
Gold Standard Whey Protein Isolates which are 90% pure
protein by weight
Adjustable Knife Lanyard Review
The Paracord Weaver is offering this compact, High yield
paracord in a beautiful package. It is designed for years of service while
looking good.
View the video on how this is made and the features
incorporated into this knife lanyard
Just enter “The Paracord Weaver: Final Release of The Knife
Lanyard”
This lanyard is adjustable from 6 inches to 14 inches
It has an adjustable button knot for keeping the lanyard
tight against your wrist
It will fit most knives, even single strand lanyard
attachment knives, if in doubt please contact them as they can help.
This lanyard contains approximately 10ft of made in the USA
550 paracord
Pick your two colours from the pull downs during checkout.
For one colour lanyards; choose the same colour from both
pull downs.
This Lanyard is available in many different colours
including, but not limited to; White, Black, Desert Camo, Coyote Brown, Purple,
MultiCam
Ask about your favourite colour.
Now when I feel better I shall be making a video review of
this new and exciting paracord lanyard.
For now though what do I think of it.
The first thing to mention is the quality it shines at you
and just says well-made and made to last.
I chose to attach this new design knife lanyard to the Chris
Caine Survival Knife and they look great together and more importantly they
work very well together.
While the lanyard is firmly attached to my wrist by the
button know so I know I will never lose my knife the adjustable lanyard gives
me loads of room to be able to work freely with the knife.
I also tried using the knife with the lanyard attached to my
belt, it worked very well for close knife work like dressing game and wood
carving etc.
Using the lanyard in this way allowed me to rest assured
that I would never lose my knife whatever I was doing and still had my hands
free.
Every Lanyard they sell is Hand Made in the USA by The
Paracord Weaver.
So pop onto their website and order yours now http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheParacordWeaver
Bartering Your Skills
People sometimes forget that the smallest 20 Skills You Can
Trade After SHTF and most convenient storage space is in their own heads. If
you find yourself in the midst of a disaster and you need to either build or
fix something, having the knowledge and experience already in your mind will
hugely benefit your ability to survive. And if there’s something you need from
your neighbours but you’re not willing to trade any of your supplies, you could
do some work for them in exchange.
But what sort of skills will be the most useful after SHTF?
Knowing Microsoft Excel might not do you much good, but knowing how to make
soap could mean the difference between health and sickness. Or maybe you could
trade your soap for more food. The point is, you need to learn a few skills
that will be useful in a post-disaster world. I suggest you take up one as a
hobby while you still have time to learn.
Here, then, are 20 skills you can trade after the SHTF,
listed in alphabetical order:
Animal Husbandry The ability to raise animals such as
chicken for eggs, rabbits for meat, goats for milk, etc. There is a limit to
how much meat and dairy people will be able to store, and there will be a huge
demand for fresh food.
Cleaning Not just
washing your hands, but the ability to clean clothes without a washer and
dryer, make cleaning products to use around the house, and keep your home germ
free.
Clothing. If times are tough, people won’t be able to go out
and charge new clothes and shoes any time they need them. They’re going to need
to fix shoes, patch torn pants, and mend shirts. This is an important skill
that has become very rare in modern society.
Construction Especially without power tools. Is worth
knowing, how to properly fix roofs, board up windows or build outhouses using
only basic hand tools.
Cooking skills will be very much sought after as people are
going to get sick and tired of eating canned soup and freeze-dried food. If you
can cook a tasty meal and dessert without power, people in the neighbourhood
will thank you with favours or supplies they don’t need.
Most people live their entire lives without realizing how
much misery they would experience if not for the dentist. A perfect example of
this is in the movie Cast Away where the main character has to knock out one of
his own teeth. Someone who knows how to clean and remove teeth could be a great
help.
Fire Making will be a great skill to have as people won’t
know how to start a fire once they’re lighters run out of fuel. People in your
area will be safer and healthier if you can help them get a fire going so they
can boil water and cook food.
First Aid/Medical skills will become vital as people tend to
take doctors for granted. Without them, they will need help sewing up wounds,
setting bones, performing CPR, and deciding which herbs and medications help
with which ailments.
Food Storage. Canning, dehydrating, sealing, smoking skills
will come into their own as people don’t know how to store food without a
refrigerator. Offer to preserve someone’s leftovers in exchange for help or
supplies.
Gardening. Yet another skill that has become more and more
rare. Learn to grow fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables, preferably indoors
unless you have a secure backyard.
Gathering is great and the main thing here is knowing which
naturally-occurring plants in your area have nutritional and/or medicinal value
and which ones are useless and/or poisonous.
Gunsmithing will also be a vital skill If you’re facing a
long-term disaster, people are going to need guns for hunting and
self-protection. It will help if you know how to repair guns and reload shells.
But only help people you completely trust.
Hunting and Fishing. When food supplies get low and gardens
fall short, people are going to have to hunt and fish. If you can provide meat
for your friends and family, they’ll have time to take care of other
necessities.
Mechanic. Even if the Great Recession turns into Great
Depression II, most people are still going to have jobs (remember, unemployment
only got up to 25% in the 1930′s), which means they’ll need a way to get to
work. The problem for many people is that they won’t be able to afford to get
their cars fixed. If you learn how to work on cars, or any machine for that
matter (lawnmowers, generators, etc.), you’ll have a particularly valuable
skill.
Plumbing. People will still need their sinks and toilets,
even more so if they’re washing clothes in the sink. Learn to remove clogs, fix
toilets and replace leaky pipes.
Psychology. A lot of people will crack up under the stress
of seeing their entire world turned upside down, especially those who lose
friends and/or loved ones. It is important to know how to help these people and
keep them from wallowing in despair.
Security. In a world full of criminals and looters, someone
is going to need to stand guard when others are busy or sleeping. This person
will need to know how to use weapons and be practiced in hand-to-hand combat.
Soap/Candle Making. If the disaster goes on for long, soap
and candles will be in high demand and a valuable trade item.
Teacher. Even if the schools are closed, it’s still
important that children spend part of their spare time reading and learning.
Remember, these are the children that will grow up and rebuild the world.
Water Purification. One of the most important skills of all!
In the weeks after a major catastrophe, many people will die from dehydration
or from drinking unsafe water. It will help a lot if you learn all you can
about cleaning and filtering water.
There are several other skills I thought about including in
this list such as bee keeping, brewing, and electrical work, but I think the 20
listed above will probably be the most in-demand skills.
Emergency Essentials
Even though emergency situations don't happen very often,
when they do, they impact our lives to a great extent. To minimize or eliminate
the negative effects of a certain emergency, you need to be prepared and have
the emergency essentials, in terms of knowledge, food, water, shelter, and an
escape plan.
When disaster strikes, we are caught by surprise and usually
unprepared. But emergencies sometimes have a similar pattern and cause the same
problem even if they're different in nature, therefore the steps to prepare for
them is the same, for example stocking food and water are steps that can help
you in most national emergencies, and that's what we will discuss now.
Imagine there is an emergency in your city, or country,
people will scramble to the shops, there will be a panic, looting, and so on
will result, if you still decide to go to the store, you will find empty
shelves or even closed shops. Wouldn't it be better if when there is such an
emergency, you sit with your family, and use the food and water you have
stored? You bet it would be.
As you stock food, take into account your family’s unique
needs. Try to include foods that they will enjoy and that are also high in
calories and nutrition. Foods that require no refrigeration, water, special
preparation, or cooking are best. Take into consideration individuals with
special diets and allergies such as babies and the ill. Make sure you have a
manual can opener and disposable utensils. Don’t forget non-perishable foods
for your pets.
Keep food in a dry, cool dark area if possible.
Open food boxes and other re-sealable containers carefully
so that you can close them tightly after each use.
Wrap perishable foods, such as cookies and crackers, in
plastic bags and keep them in sealed containers.
Empty open packages of sugar, dried fruits, and nuts into
screw-top jars or air-tight canisters for protection from pests.
Inspect all food for signs of spoilage before use.
Throw out canned goods that become swollen, dented, expired,
or corroded.
Use foods before they go bad, and replace them with fresh
supplies, dated with ink or marker. Place new items at the back of the storage
area and older ones in front.
The following list shows the rough expiration dates of many
types of food. So make sure to replace the easily perishable food more often.
You should use the following within six months:
Powdered milk - boxed
Dry, crisp crackers
Potatoes
These foods should be used within one year, or before the
date indicated on the label:
Canned condensed meat and vegetable soups
Canned fruits, fruit juices, and vegetables
Ready-to-eat cereals and uncooked instant cereals
Peanut butter
Jelly
Hard candy and canned nuts
Vitamins
These foods however may be stored indefinitely (in proper
containers and conditions):
Wheat
Vegetable oils
Dried corn
Baking powder
Soybeans
Instant coffee, tea, and cocoa
Salt
Noncarbonated soft drinks
White rice
Bouillon products
Dry pasta
Honey
Powdered milk – in nitrogen-packed cans
Having an ample supply of clean water is a top priority in
an emergency. A normally active person needs to drink at least two quarts (half
gallon) of water each day. People in hot environments, children, nursing
mothers, and ill people will require even more. You will also need water for
food preparation and hygiene.
Store at least one gallon per person, per day. Consider
storing at least a two-week supply of water for each member of your family. If
you are unable to store this quantity, store as much as you can. If supplies
run low, never ration water. Drink the amount you need today, and try to find
more for tomorrow. You can minimize the amount of water your body needs by
reducing activity and staying cool.
If there is an emergency, and you used up all the water you
stocked in your home, try the following. Safe water sources in your home
include the water in your hot- water tank, pipes, and ice cubes. You should not
use water from toilet flush tanks or bowls, radiators, waterbeds, or swimming
pools/spas.
You will need to protect the water sources already in your
home from contamination if you hear reports of broken water or sewage pipes, or
if local officials advise you of a problem. To shut off incoming water, locate
the main valve and turn it to the closed position. Be sure you and other family
members know beforehand how to perform this important procedure.
To use the water in your pipes, let air into the plumbing by
turning on the tap in your home at the highest level. A small amount of water
will trickle out. Then obtain water from the lowest tap in the home.
To use the water in your hot-water tank, be sure the
electricity or gas is off, and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Start
the water flowing by turning off the water intake valve at the tank and turning
on a hot-water tap. Refill the tank before turning the gas or electricity back
on. If the gas is turned off, a professional will be needed to turn it back on.
Further Companies to
Support
Uses natural fuel
EDC steel tools
Highlander Trojan Hydration Pack – Multicam
CUDEMAN HEAVY DUTY OLIVE WOOD BUSHCRAFT KNIFE - 111L
Alum Crystal
Tool logic Survival 11 Credit Card
BackHawk Web duty Belt
Guppie Multi=tool
Go Survival Pack
Beautiful Handmade Catapults
1 Person BASIC Backpack Survival Kit, the back pack that
does it all
DD Hammock –The ultimate in Travel Hammocks
Elzetta ZFL-M60 Tactical Weapon-Grade LED Torch
Ultimate Adventurer Survival Kit everything in one kit
Adjustable Knife Lanyard Review
Ultimate Adventurer Survival Kit
Handmade knives by James D. Sanders.
My Jingle
Some of My Favourite Recipes
Quick Fried Camp
Squirrel
INGREDIENTS
One to two squirrels
2 to 3 cups flour (bread crumbs)
3 to 4 whole eggs
Some seasoning if you wanted to spice it up.
A tablespoon or two of white wine.
Directions
Place pan on High.
Add spices to the eggs.
Dip squirrel into the eggs until fully covered.
Next place into the four or bread crumbs.
Place into the pan turn the heat down to medium high.
Add white wine just before adding the squirrel.
Cook the squirrel for roughly 3 to 5 minutes or until golden
brown.
Then serve.
When preparing game birds, you can cook young birds by
broiling, roasting, or in any of your other favourite recipes. But older birds
should be stewed or braised to tenderize them. Or if you wish, you can try a
commercial tenderizer.
Just sprinkle the
tenderizer in the body cavity of the bird and let the bird stand in the
refrigerator. The amount of time the bird needs to remain in the refrigerator
depends on the size of the bird. For example, a large bird such as a turkey
will need 12 to 24 hours for the tenderizer to work.
If you're not sure
how many servings you'll get from each bird this may help you:
1 serving = 2 quail
1-2 squab
2-3 doves
or 1 small duck.
You can figure on at least 2 servings from 1 pheasant or 1
large duck.
A 4-6 lb. goose should feed 4-6 people.
Rabbit Stew or
Pheasant Stew
1 or 2 rabbits or pheasants
Salt, pepper and paprika to taste
1 c. sour cream
1 c. cream of mushroom soup
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. chopped onions
Preparation:
Season cut up meat. Mix sour cream, soup and Worcestershire
sauce. Add chopped onions. Cook in slow cooker on low for 8 hours. Or on the
edge of a camp fire stirring regularly and moderating the heat.
The Benefits of Animals When Living Off the Grid
If you go the extra mile and decide to raise animals, you
will greatly reduce your dependence on the outside world shops &
supermarkets for example because animals can provide you with the following:
Meat and Poultry (fresh meat, no hormones, healthier food).
Milk and Eggs (will make you happy every morning).
You can obtain other by-products such as cheese and butter
(once you learn how to make them).
Animals are great pets and can bring joy to the whole
family.
Can keep the grass mowed down for you.
Can provide you with fertilizers for your plants.
They can multiply, which means you have the option to sell
or increase production.
Goats are the best choice when living off the grid, because
they're low maintenance, they can basically take care of themselves. Goats can
survive on bushes, trees, desert scrub and aromatic herbs when sheep and cattle
would starve to death. Goat milk casein and milk fat are more easily digested
than cow milk. Goat milk is valued for the elderly, sick, babies, children with
cow milk allergies, patients with ulcers.
Goats have a lot to offer, and they don't ask much in
return. They can clear invasive weeds, offer fresh goat milk, and they can be a
fun pet. They can also be used for meat if necessary. Goats can be quite a bit
of work too, but many city dwellers are finding that raising urban goats is
quite rewarding.
Before getting a cow, think hard about it. A cow is the
biggest tie in the farm, you will have to milk her twice a day, to feed the cow
you need to grow fodder, to use up the manure from the cow you will have to dig
or plough more land ... unless you’re dedicated to spend more time in the farm,
think loud and often before getting a cow. On the other hand, a cow will save
you more money in the farm than anything else, milk, butter and cheese go up
and up in price, you can also sell or trade calves if you want for something
else you might need more in the farm.
Sheep are a very good thing to keep, for the self-supporter.
Sheep live and fatten on grass. Don't even make demands on your hay unless the
ground is covered with snow (and even then they won't eat hay unless they have
previously learnt to); they are thus cheap to keep. A good number would be 4
ewes and a ram (or ask a neighbouring farmer if you could borrow his ram for a
few days).
Choose the breed that is native to the country you live in.
Very good pasture may carry three ewes with their lambs per acre, less good two
ewes and their lambs. You might average one and a half lambs per ewe. But they
will do far better if you rotate them around the farm: put them on, say, a
quarter of your grass acreage and keep them there until they have nibbled the
grass right down, then move them on to the next quarter. In this way let them
follow the cows—sheep will graze very advantageously after cows have had all
they can get: cows will starve after sheep.
To raise chicken the humane and healthy way is to give them
enough space to scrap, to perch, to flap their wings and take dust baths (which
is not possible and even cruel in a wire cage). If you want to have eggs all
year then a couple of dozen of hens will do. Give each hen a handful of grain
every evening and a handful or two of high protein food in the morning, and any
scraps you can spare, and they will do the rest. They will eat a lot of grass
and a lot of earwigs. They will hatch you out a clutch of pretty little chicks.
Keep them out of your garden or they will play hell with it.
Always keep a cock among your hens, hens like having it off
as much as we do. Let your chicken run right out into the fields and woods.
They will be getting so much free food. Why go in for incubators and brooders
when hens will do all that work for nothing for you? Hens will be able to give
you eggs from grain and household scraps alone, but not many. If hens are
really to produce eggs they must have some protein.
Raising geese is very easy and require very low maintenance
if any. A pen of geese, say three geese and a gander will run happily about the
fields, and live on grass with just a handful of grain thrown to them every
night to lure them home to shut them in from the foxes, otherwise they don’t
need any grain.
But you must protect them from rats and foxes. Rats will
pull goose eggs, or young geese, right out from under the feathers of the goose
mother. A fox will go miles to get a sitting goose. When geese begin to lay,
say in February or March, if you are lucky enough to have a broody hens then, you
will have to splash eggs with water every day, because a hen doesn’t know this
part of goose mother’s duties.
JDS Custom Knives
Handmade knives by James D. Sanders.
The M1 Ridge Knife Review
Each knife is made by hand and given much attention to the
details of form and function. JDS knives are practical working knives that are
designed to be the most useful field knife available at a reasonable price. I
insist on quality and function rather than gimmicks to sell knives says James.
Etowah County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its
name is from the Cherokee language, which means "edible tree". It is
the centre of the Gadsden Metropolitan Area which includes Etowah and Cherokee
Counties.
So there is some history there then.
Field Knives are multipurpose knives for the extended trips
in the wilderness. Most people call them "survival" knives today.
They will be expected to do it all.
Rugged and robust describe these knives.
Making camp, cleaning game and defence are tasks they may be
used for.
In our line-up we have a basic drop point called the
Cruiser. There is a smaller version called the Sub-Cruiser. The spear point
survival version is called the Ridge. They are available several popular steels
and finishes.
Well it was the Ridge M1 Standard that James kindly very
sent me to review and what a beautiful knife it is to look at and you could
tell it was of outstanding quality from first glance. But to draw it from its
Kydex sheath is a complete pleasure as you begin to feel its weight in the palm
of your hand and the ergonomic shape that says I was meant to be here.
The M1 ridge is just over 8 inches overall with a blade
length of 4 1/4
It is a full tang knife with Black Micarta Handle Scales and
two striking thin red liners, completing the look are two steel rivets and a
steel lined lanyard hole.
The Knife is made from A2 steel which it is an all-round
favourite steel for those who will use a knife for cutting only, it takes and holds a spooky-sharp edge and is
really good for meat and veggies I would say it is the best all around
trade-off for hardness vs brittleness.
The perfectly fitting Kydex sheath has a fire steel held in
place by a swivel button on the rear of the sheath next to the Tek-Lok belt
loop
So let’s have a play with it.
The first task I gave the M1 Ridge was feathering a stick
for fire making and it was like slicing through butter, it was so easy to do
and took hardly any time at all.
Next I wanted to split a small log around 3inches diameter
so with another piece of solid wood I began battening through the log, again it
was so easy to do, so I did two more to prove a point.
I further split each log to form small fire sticks and in an
attempt to dull the blade.
Next I dug a hole for a solar still and although the M1
Ridge is not designed for digging it did the job very well and it was an asset
due to its sharp blade when it came to cutting through the underground roots.
Due to its uncomplicated shape it was very easy to clean the
dirt off afterwards and return it to its pristine self.
I had brought a pheasant with me to use the M1 Ridge on and
although I was only removing the breast meat it easily cut through the feathers
and the breast meat removing each breast with any problems.
Finally it was the tomato test could the M1 after what it
had been through still slice a tomato, you bet it could it sliced the tomato
like it had just come out of the box what a knife.
This handmade knife exceeds my expectations in every way, it
is exactly what you need when your life depends on kit that works and the M1
Ridge will not let you down that is for certain.
Order your hand made M1 Ridge at http://etowahedge.com/
Wilderness Myths
FIRE MYTHS
Survival Matches - I see "waterproof survival
matches" listed in more kits than I care to count, and I got to say...
terrible idea.
While it may add a sense of drama to a movie when
"Rambo" is down to his last couple matches, you don't need that kind
of drama if you're in a life or death situation!
The space and weight taken up in a kit or in your pocket by
a dozen "survival" matches would be better filled with a small Bic
lighter.
A lighter will start a LOT more fires than those few
matches. If you're worried about the lighter failing, then bring a magnesium
fire starter. These are 100% waterproof, will light thousands of fires, and the
magnesium burns a lot hotter than any matches.
Torch Method - This is a method I've seen by which you can
break the bulb of your flashlight, and then use the coil inside to light a
fire. Don’t count on it buy a fire steel and save your torch
Simply put... give it a shot in your backyard and I think
you'll find that it's great at destroying torches but terrible at actually
starting fires!
Recommendation bring a lighter and a fire steel, and uses your
torch for... LIGHT!
Ice Lens Method - Can you start a fire with a lens that you
fashion from ice? Probably not.
Scientifically, it's possible, but in all practical sense,
the odds are really slim to none. Seriously, give it a try in the comfort of
your own backyard on a nice warm day.
Feel free to let me know how well this works. Also, while
you're wasting hours on this, imagine that you're also freezing to death in a
snowy, icy environment.
You'll quickly realize that this is a colossal waste of your
time and energy, and you won't get a fire going. I guarantee you that.
Recommendation bring a lighter and a fire steel!
SHELTER MYTHS
High Ground is Warmer - This is one survival tale that keeps
popping up all over the place.
We're told that when considering locations for a shelter, we
should avoid valleys and low lying areas because cold settles there and it may
be several degrees colder than higher ground.
This is scientifically sound, but in actual practice... it's
pure, unadulterated bullshit. This is because while a thermometer may show a
few degrees difference between two elevations, thermometers are incapable of
measuring wind chill factors.
In most cases, higher elevations are exposed to a lot more
wind while small valleys and lower areas are sheltered from it.
A thermometer may show that actual air temperature has
increased 2 or 3 degrees by moving to higher ground, but the temperature as far
as your body is concerned is likely to have dropped by 20 or 30 degrees.
Wind will suck away your body heat faster than you can
generate it. Today as I write this, it's almost 50 degrees and sunny outside...
a seemingly nice October afternoon.
However, today's wind chill factor drops that to somewhere
between 20 and 30... And suddenly it's not so great!
Now consider what happens once you get a fire going. Most
fires will quickly heat the surrounding area, but when you have some wind
factored in, most of that heat is carried off.
Also remember that a fire in the wind is going to consume
about twice as much wood. You'll spend most of your time and energy finding
firewood, and then get very little heat as a reward!
Not a very good trade off. As such, one of your primary
concerns is to find a place that's very sheltered from the wind and elements,
and then build yourself a nice, warm fire to keep you warm!
Shelters Should Be Built From Dead Materials - This one came
from our friends in the "green"survival movement.
They are far more concerned that a few trees might get
killed than they are about your life.
All advice from them should be considered highly suspect.
Imagine building your shelter as a big pile of dead leaves and wood.
Now imagine having a campfire anywhere near that. Do you
really want to climb in there and go to sleep? Nuff'said.
In a survival
situation I say do what you have to survive
WATER MYTHS
Boil for 10 Minutes - This is one so old, I don't even know
where it came from. I've also heard 5 minutes, 15 minutes and even 20 minutes
of boiling time.
All of these are B S
I'll keep this short... if the water reaches boiling point, it's safe to
drink, period, end of story.
The only reason why I say let the water reach boiling point
is you will probably not have a thermometer with you.
Divining Rods - This is another old wives tale. Use your
common sense and you'll probably find water
Use a forked stick and "mystical psychic powers",
and you may find yourself very dead.
I've heard people claim that a divining rod is simply
tapping into one's subconscious thoughts. I suppose if you're some sort of
walking emotional wreck who keeps every shred of logic and common sense buried
away in your subconscious... then sure... go ahead and wave your stick.
Hold a séance while
you're at it. Maybe the spirits will tell you where to find water.
The rest of us (sane folks) will simply think our way
through the situation. Common sense says water runs downhill.
If you walk downhill, you're pretty likely to find water.
Birds and animal trails can also lead you to water... they need it as much as
you do.
FOOD MYTHS
Plants Are a Good Source of Food in the Wilderness - Unless
you're a certified expert not just in plants, but in the plants of the given
region you happen to be in, stay the hell away from the plants!
Here's the facts...
- ALL fur bearing mammals are safe to eat, and will provide
you with nutrients and calories.
- ALL 6 legged insects are safe to eat, and will provide you
with nutrients and calories.
- Almost all freshwater fish and almost all birds are safe
to eat, and will provide you with nutrients and calories.
...and finally - MOST plants will harm you, make you sick,
or worse... poison you. There are actually very few that will provide you with
any nutrients or calories.
It's a simple equation... if it walks, crawls, swims, or
flies, the odds are in your favor that it's not only safe to eat, but that it
will provide you with the nutrition and energy your body needs.
If it sits there like... umm... like a plant, the odds are
against you both for your own physical safety, and for nutritional content.
It's just not worth the gamble unless you're absolutely sure!
Wilderness Hygiene
Mate you Stink! - a common phrase heard in the woods. But beware of the pot calling the kettle
black. “Camping sanitation practices” - “personal hygiene” – whatever you want
to call it, it’s about more than just smell. Your health and the health of
fellow hikers; the aesthetics of the wilderness; avoiding fines; and your
personal comfort are all at stake as well.
It’s all about the bugs – bacteria, viruses, and other
various nasty’s. Keep them at bay thru better personal and environmental
cleanliness, and you’ll feel better, smell better and be less likely to end up
gut-wrenching sick.
Survivalists and Preppers are usually knowledgeable about
water contamination and proper treatment, but are less cautious about other
sources of germs from food and waste - witness a trio of survivalists or
preppers all sticking their grubby hands into a bag of trail mix at break time.
But just because you don’t have a gold-trimmed taps, a bidet
and a rubbish disposal at camp doesn’t mean you can’t keep yourself and your
trail area reasonably clean when out in the woods. I’ve put some suggestions
together on the subject so you can be a friend to the woods - and to your tent
mate.
Make a point to carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer in
your pocket and use it frequently – after toilet use; before grabbing a handful
of trail mix; before cooking dinner. This cuts down on the prospects of
ingesting bacteria that can make you sick – a doubly unpleasant experience when
on a survival exercise let alone the real thing.
Carry a small bottle of rubbing alcohol and some cotton
balls. Soak the cotton with the alcohol and give yourself a rub down at night
under the arms, feet and groin area. You’ll be amazed at how dirty the cotton becomes
– yes, that all came off you - and how much better you feel afterwards. A light
weight to carry with big benefits.
Whenever you can, don’t pass up the chance to dip your feet
in a creek. A quick 5-minute stop a couple of times a day to clean your feet,
dry and move on does wonders for eliminating bacteria and relieving hot spots
that may have been developing into blisters as you hike. Better still, rotate
your socks in use while you’re at it.
Speaking of socks, if you camp near water, wash out your socks
and hang out to dry overnight. Just make sure you have one dry pair for in the
morning, as sometimes they won’t dry out completely at night. Tie outside your
pack to finish drying the next day.
Carry a bandana and a small bottle of biodegradable soap to
give yourself an occasional sponge bath of sorts – at least your face,
underarms, groin, buttocks and feet. This reduces chafing, odors, and bacteria,
and you’ll sleep better if not so sticky everywhere. For minimal impact on the
environment, carry water away from the source to take this bath if you are
using soap – one way is to include in your pack a container cut from a 1-gallon
jug, or buy a collapsible bucket.
Carry a small container of body lotion or muscle rub and use
it on your feet at night after cleaning. Try to sleep in something other than
what you hiked in, and hang those hiking clothes to air out overnight when
possible. If near water, rinse them out when you can.
Maintaining dental hygiene while camping is comforting and
healthful. Include dental floss and a travel-sized travel toothbrush and
toothpaste in your pack. Don’t rinse out your mouth right near your tent
though. As with dishwater, either dispose of it well away from your sleeping
area or in running water that will quickly dilute it.
An alternative to bathing with water is using wet-wipes you
can remove a lot of grunge from your body with one or two of these
alcohol-soaked cloths, when used burn them.
I’ve heard of survivalists and preppers going as long as a
week without “going” because of either being uncomfortable with the process, or
too bashful of sorts to let nature take its course. No point getting your colon
all up in knots over it; just emulate your cat, as explained below.
First, on urination – not a problem for us blokes; the world
is our bathroom. Do relieve yourself away from camp sites as the urine odour
can remain for some time. Ladies have more difficulty, but are encouraged to
either drip-dry, carry out the TP, or bury it where allowed by using a
backpacker's trowel.
Second, There’s actually a good-selling book titled “How to
S#!+ in the Woods”, but I’ll try to condense that issue down to a few points:
Go off trail and at least 200 feet from any water source,
including springs and streams.
Always carry a lightweight plastic backpacker's trowel when
you hike for toilet purposes. Like your
cat tries to, dig a hole 4-6 inches deep. If the ground is covered with snow,
be sure to dig through the snow and create the cat hole beneath the topsoil –
this can be quite hard work if the ground is frozen.
Then just squat above it. This is the part novices fear the
most, but actually results in much more natural and healthful elimination than
sitting at a 90 degree angle on your home toilet. There are a couple of
pointers – make sure you’re really out of sight; squat with your rear downhill;
hang on to a tree for balance; and make sure your shirt or coat is lifted up in
the back. After wiping with TP, get yourself even cleaner back there with wet
wipes this will reduce the chances of chafing and later discomfort.
After using the cat-hole, cover it and the TP with the soil
you removed. Revert the site to its natural look by re-scattering leaves, rocks
or pine needles over the top. Place a rock on top so the next person along
doesn't step in it or animals try dig it up.
Always follow with a good hand cleaning with hand gel or
soap and water.
Keep your trowel as clean as possible - wipe off on grass or
sand or wash off after each use. Keep it and your roll of TP in a plastic bag
and carry in or on your pack away from your food.
According to many countryside polls rubbish left on the
trail and at camps – wrappers, toilet paper, plastic jugs can distract from the
wilderness experience. Here’s how you can be part of the solution.
Plan ahead and pack consumables with minimal wrappers. Use
Ziploc re-sealable baggies to package individual meal servings instead of their
original containers, then use those bags to hold your rubbish coming out. Avoid
cans and other containers with metal – you’ll have to carry those in and out.
If fires are permitted where you camp, you can burn some
trash items, but beware of paper not burning all the way to ash, or you still
have a rubbish problem. Cigarette butts can hang around for years, and don’t
easily burn up – if you’re going to smoke, carry out the butts.
If you see rubbish on the route – be a trooper and pick it
up; don’t wait for “someone to do something about it”.
Bring a heavy duty black bag with you – it has many
potential purposes such as water protection, ground cover, or sleeping bag
protector while you are out there – and then put your unburned rubbish in it on
your way out.
Why do Some of Us Find it easier to Survive Than Others?
We are all familiar with somebody who’ll probably be a
friend, a work colleague or just an acquaintance but who seems to thrive on
adversity and no matter what difficulties and challenges they face, they
approach them head on and tackle them until they’ve conquered them.
There are adventure pioneers who have lost toes and fingers
to frostbite and who’ve gone on to scale the likes of Everest and face those
hurdles again and other less noticeable examples of people who seem beset with
one struggle after another but who overcome them and still have a smile on
their face.
I think here of our war wounded who return with life
changing injuries and bounce back and conquer their injuries with feats of
human endurance.
Also, consider those who have survived a parachute failure
or have been taken hostage for a long time. These are all entirely different
situations but which all have one thing in common - the ability to survive.
For many of those who find it difficult to ‘survive’ any
given situation, quite often they’re defeated before they’ve even had to face
the challenge. The truth being that any form of ‘situation’ often means
‘change’ and ‘adapting’ and for many people who prefer their lives to tick
along in an orderly fashion, change and having to adjust to anything unfamiliar
can instil intense fear - that’s a fear of the unknown whether it’s something
as relatively simple as going out with a new ‘date’ or braving a hurricane on
top of a mountain. The fact is that these types of people are terrified of
losing ‘control’ which makes survival in any given situation seem impossible.
However, for those who seem to face adversity time after
time in good spirits, it’s usually because they embrace the concept of change
and the unpredictable and have learned that not only is there little to fear by
change and that change is a natural evolution but that in embracing the concept
of change, it instils an even greater courage and steely determination in them.
It’s these kinds of qualities that are deeply ingrained
within the majority of outdoor adventurers and which is why they are typical of
the kinds of people who are able to survive when faced with an emergency
situation. Nevertheless, there are some steps we can all take to improve our
mental resilience which can enable us to survive the worst-case scenarios in
any situation we may be faced with.
Recognition of a survival situation is the first step in
helping you cope. You need to quickly gain an understanding of the predicament
you’re in and to accept it. Questions you should ask at this stage might
include, 'what has taken place?' 'who is affected?' and 'how is this affecting
us?'
Once you have identified how the situation has changed, you
need to use your mind and explore the alternatives to what is familiar that
will help you cope with the situation better. After weighing up all the pros and
cons, you then need to create a course of action to which you’re ready to
commit for survival.
Once you have completed the necessary actions, you need to
stop and assess how effective they’ve been and to determine whether or not the
actions have helped to move you nearer to some kind of satisfactory survival
solution, no matter whether the solution is a makeshift one or not.
If you find that your course of action has not achieved the
results you had hoped for, you need to evaluate where things might have gone
wrong and devise more suitable solutions for those areas which might need
improvement.
You must adopt the mentality that there is no such thing as
‘can’t’. People only fail because, ultimately, they give up trying. That’s not
to say that they are a failure themselves but there is always going to be a
solution or at least a resolution of some kind if people pursue one through to
its natural conclusion. As long as you never give up, there is always going to
be hope that a satisfactory conclusion to any predicament can be reached.
Travelling with Vehicles during a Crisis or Survival Situation
In case of an emergency or crisis situation it is good if
you have your vehicle in a good working condition and with some basic gear in
it. A vehicle can serve as transport for wounded or as fast transport during an
evacuation.
A vehicle intended to be used during evacuation is often
referred to as a Bug Out Vehicle (BOV). A car with four-wheel drive is good for
getting around in off road driving and if the roads are covered with snow. Make
sure that the fuel in your car doesn’t get too low, check the tyres regularly
and maintain a good service.
Make sure to keep your windscreen clean so can get a good
view. I strongly suggest that you get some extra rear view mirrors so that your
passenger can help you keep an eye out as well.
Every year over 3,300 people die in motor vehicle accidents
in the UK alone. When you are driving always take your time and use the
seatbelt. The faster you drive the more likely you are to get killed in an
accident.
Never drink alcohol or use drugs when driving. If the
weather is bad or the visibility low adjust your speed accordingly.
Using Smartphone’s and text messaging while driving are
other activities that can often result in accidents. Remember that even if you
don’t engage in these activities when you are driving others do. Stay alert.
There are combination safety tools with a seat belt cutter
and glass breaker that is very good to have in your car in case of an accident.
Victorinox has a model of the Swiss Army knife called Rescue Tool that has a
seatbelt cuter, glass breaker and other features.
A Bug Out Bag (BOB) or Get Home Bag (GHB) in addition with
appropriate clothing and footwear should be brought along if you have to
abandon your vehicle and make it back by foot.
Vehicle Emergency
Equipment
[ ] First Aid Kit
[ ] Road Map, Compass and GPS
[ ] Things that help you stay warm; extra clothing, wool
blankets, sleeping bags. It may also be a good idea to include equipment to
build a fire and some hand warmers.
[ ] Some Water and Food
[ ] Some sources of Light; torch and extra Batteries
(lithium). Chemical Light Sticks are a good addition if you have to make
reparations or change a tire during the night. A signal vest is a useful addition
if you have to leave your vehicle during low visibility conditions like a
snowstorm or during the night.
[ ] Extra Fuel
[ ] Folding or Compact Shovel like the E-Tool
[ ] Axe, Chainsaw or Folding Saw
[ ] Short Wave Radio or Citizen Band (CB) Radio
[ ] Jack, Spare Tire , Tier Iron and Fix-A-Flat Spray.
[ ] Adjustable Wrench, Duct Tape and Screwdriver
[ ] Leather working Gloves and Latex Gloves
[ ] Fire Extinguisher
[ ] Driver License, Insurance Information, Registration and
Repair Handbook
[ ] Windshield Scraper and Towel
[ ] Snow Chains (for winter conditions)
[ ] Towing Cable
[ ] Jump Cables
Secure all equipment. If you are in a car crash and haven’t
secured your equipment it may cause severe damage to you. Even light weight
items may become extremely dangerous in a high speed crash.
Some basic equipment can also be useful to have if you ever
get caught in a traffic jam. Especially during winter conditions people often
get stranded because of accidents and severe weather. If the weather is severe
I recommend that you either wait until the weather clears or take precautions
before you leave.
Anticipate that the travel may take much longer than you
first thought and bring extra clothing, a vacuum bottle with something warm to
drink, something to eat and water.
Make sure that you always travel with at least two persons
in every vehicle if possible.
Always travel with two vehicles or more if possible. If you
are travelling with two vehicles walkie-talkies are good tools for
communicating between the vehicles.
Make a radio check before you leave. The passenger should
act as radio operator and navigator.
Make sure to inform someone about where you are going, what
route you are planning to take, who is travelling in the party, what you are
planning to do and when you are planning to get back. Also make sure that
everyone in the party that’s going knows this information.
Don’t let the distance between the vehicles get too big, if
you get pulled over at a check point make sure to park the vehicles close
together so that no one can get between the vehicles. When you park your car,
park in the direction you intend to leave.
Don’t leave any valuable items in plain view, for example on
the dashboard. Cover all equipment. Don’t carry fancy jewellery or expensive
watches in plain sight.
Close all the windows and lock the doors before you go.
Don’t have alcohol containers, illegal drugs or something
else that is illegal or can be seen as suspicious in your car. Be aware of your
passengers so that they don’t carry anything illegal.
Bikes are an excellent way to get around and really good
exercise. I suggest that you get a good reliable bike that you can use every
day and a mountain bike that you can use if you want to go off road. A bike
rack for your car is a good accessory if you want to take your bike with on a
camping or hiking trip.
The most important safety feature is off course a good
helmet, When you take your bike out I recommend that you carry your Pocket
Survival Kit and Folding Knife, Swiss Army Knife or a Multi Tool. Wenger has a
special Swiss Army knife called Biker 37
A good front light and a headlamp plus a red rear light are
good when you ride your bike at night. A small GPS unit that you can mount on
your bike is available from Garmin; The Edge 705. Gaiters are good for keeping
your trousers away from the chain.
Checklist for other Equipment:
[ ] Puncture Repair Kit
[ ] Pump
[ ] Spare Valve
[ ] Adjustable Wrench or Barbell Spanner
[ ] Screwdriver
[ ] Helmet
[ ] Water Bottle or Water Bladder
Stick to what you know, keep it simple, think and then act.
The Humble Dandelion
Once again the Dandelion offers itself to be eaten and
enjoyed
Before we get to the dandelion coffee, let's learn a bit
about dandelion.
Volumes could be written on the many uses of Dandelion, indeed
they have been!
This common weed is often hated and poisoned by those
preferring a “weed free” lawn, while those of us in love with dandelion and its
many uses happily support it taking over our lawns.
This plant was purposefully brought to North America by
Europeans not wanting to leave this valuable resource behind. Every part of the
dandelion can be used as food or medicine, making back door herbalism simple
and easy, as it should be.
When the first spring leaves pop up out of the ground they
can be harvested heavily and eaten fresh with salads, made into a delicious
pesto, or dried for tea.
The leaves are highly nutritious, containing large amounts
of vitamin A, calcium, potassium, and many more vitamins and minerals. The
French call this plant pissenlit, which alludes to its strong diuretic
properties.
A tea of dandelion leaves is a great way to flush excess
water from the system. (Of course, before using this effective remedy we always
want to make sure the water retention is caused by a non-serious condition like
sitting on an airplane too long.)
When eaten with meals, the bitter taste of the leaves helps
to promote digestion by stimulating bile to relieve indigestion and other
digestive disturbances.
The root is a great ally for the liver. It can be eaten
fresh in a variety of recipes.
Dandelion root can help clear up acne and other skin
disruptions with the root cause being a stagnant liver. Most herbalists agree
that long-term use of dandelion is needed for best results.
The flower can be eaten in salads, or fried up as fritters
as below. An oil made from dandelion flowers is warming and can be applied
externally to relieve arthritis and other aches and pains.
Lastly the latex, or sap, from the dandelion stems can be
used topically on warts. Apply several times daily for best results.
My favourite way to enjoy dandelion is by making dandelion
coffee with the roots. This beverage doesn’t contain the caffeine found in
coffee, but does have a rich, dark taste similar to coffee.
Like burdock, dandelion’s strong diuretic activity makes it
an inappropriate choice for someone with low blood pressure or excessive
urination.
Dandelion Coffee
Prior to decocting the dandelion root, roast the dried
chopped root in a cast iron pan until it fragrant and has changed colour from
being off-white to light and dark brown.
For each 8 oz of water you are making, use 1-2 teaspoons of
the roasted root.
Add the root to simmering water and continue to simmer while
covered for 7–15 minutes
The resulting brew will be darkly coloured.
I enjoy my dandelion coffee with cream, and many people
enjoy adding honey as well.
Dandelion Fritters
This time of year, one of my favourite activities is making
and eating dandelion flower fritters.
The simple dandelion is one of my favourite herbs. Did I just say herb in reference to dandelion
Yep! This plant is tenacious, despite
many peoples best efforts to eradicate it from their lawns, and thankfully so
since she has so much to offer. But, I
was going to tell you about fritters.
First of all I love gathering the dandelion flowers – just
the tops for fritters. They are easy to
pick and so bright and cheery on a sunny day.
Usually, I want to pick more than I need, just because the gathering is
so fun. Pick them in the sunshine when they are open, and when you have time to
make the fritters right after gathering.
Bring your basket of flowers inside, find a bowl, and mix
together one egg and one cup of milk.
Stir in a cup of flour and your fritter batter is ready to go. (If you like your fritters sweet you can add
a little maple syrup or honey.)
Now, prepare a skillet on the stove with gently warmed olive
oil – keep it over medium heat.
Take one of the flowers and hold it by the greens at the
base of the flower petals. Dip the petals into the batter and twirl until the
flower is covered.
Drop it into the skillet, flower side down. Continue dipping and dropping flowers,
checking the first ones every once in a while to see if they are brown. When they’ve lightly browned, flip them over
and brown them on the other side.
When they’re brown on both sides remove them from the
skillet and drain the excess oil on paper towel.
For a sweet treat, drizzle them with maple syrup, honey,
jam, or powdered sugar. For savoury
fritters try dipping in mustard or adding some savoury herbs to the batter.
Urban Survival Preparation– Testing the Bug Out Plan
The Urban Survivalist in Planning and having completed his
basic Survival Bug Out Bag, needs to develop the when the shit Hits The Fan”,
known by its acronym of SHTF, Bug Out plan.
The Urban Survivor will have to develop or otherwise have an
idea on when it is he needs to leave his urban environment for his safe haven
or BOL.
Human nature being what it is, that is hoping and expecting
things to get better – hoping that the government will fix things, may hold the
Urban Survivor back from leaving or delaying the departure to a point when it
becomes riskier.
Without stocks of food, the ability to provide security and
defence and a source of water, the Urban Survivor cannot afford to wait.
The Bug Out will need to be put to the test. This testing is
a process of “what if’ing” the plan. It is used to determine the problems and
develop solutions.
For example:
Time to put the Bug Out Plan into action, you will need a
full tank of fuel to get from the house to the safe haven.
Problem: What if I only have a half tank and the ability to
get commercial fuel is no longer an option?
Solution: At an appropriate time when things are getting
worse, you would need to ensure that you stock fuel at your house which will
require fuel storage tanks such as 2, 3 or 5 gallon containers available at
garages or motor accessary shops.
Problem: Fuel stored for a long time will go bad.
Solution: Routinely replace the stored fuel.
Problem: The vehicle has a mechanical problem during the
movement from your house to the safe haven.
Solution: Carry parts and tools for common problems that are
within your ability to fix such as a broken belt or flat tire. In fact, having
two full spare tires complete with rims are a good idea,or you could take a
basic mechanics course.
Problem: The primary route from the house to the safe haven
becomes clogged with traffic or otherwise too dangerous to drive.
Solution: Plan Alternate and Emergency routes on less
travelled roads.
Problem: You may have to stop and hide the vehicle during
darkness as driving during the night with lights on is a very bad idea.
Solution: You need a large canvas or earth tone tarp to
cover the windshield and a camouflage net to drape over the vehicle. You will
also need green or brown duct tape to cover exposed shiny parts of the car.
Problem: Your route becomes impassable and there is no
option to take another and/or the vehicle becomes disabled.
Solution: Plan to walk overland to the safe haven. You will
probably needs maps and have areas selected along this foot route that would be
tentative safe areas to hole up in for a day or two. If you need maps, you
probably need some map reading and land navigation training.
Can you carry enough
food, water (water is more important) in your Bug Out Bag to make the trip on
foot? If you are initially traveling in a vehicle, you should drink and eat
stocks placed in your vehicle rather than use it from your Bug Out Bag.
Remember your Survival Bug Out Bag is your last ditch option for when you are
on foot or on the run.
If you carry this testing through to arrival at your safe
haven, you would need to plan how you are going to approach and identify
yourselves to people at the safe haven. You may even have the forethought to
pre-place supplies and material at the safe haven, either stored openly at a
safe haven that is full time occupied or cached.
A cache is a hidden store or equipment, supplies or
material. Sit down and think about your trek from your house to your safe haven
and imagine what can go wrong. This will identify what contingencies you need
to plan for. Remember Murphy’s Law,…….What can go wrong, will go wrong.
Every Day Carry (EDC)
The equipment that you carry with you on an everyday basis
may be the only thing that you will have available if a survival or crisis
situation hits. This equipment is often referred to as Every Day Carry or EDC.
I would like to will give you some examples to equipment that you can carry
with you to give you some resources to handle a survival situation or everyday
problems. This equipment is similar to what I carry myself.
A Survival Knife is one of the most versatile tools that you
can carry with you. Knives come in many shapes and forms. Fixed Blade Knives are
great for hiking, hunting and other wilderness activities but are not an item
that can be carried in your pocket.
For every day carry more compact alternatives such as a
Folding Knife, Swiss Army Knife or Multi-Tool is a more practical solution. A
Compact Folding Knife like the Fällkniven U-4, Spyderco Ladybug, Victorinox
Classic SD or Wenger Executive 81 can easily be carried along with you keys. I
carry the true Utility Mulit tool+multi lite.
Torches can be used for many things during your everyday life.
During a survival situation a torch may provide light, be a tool for searching
after people or lost equipment and signalling for help.
I recommend that you get a compact LED Flashlight that uses
either an AA or AAA battery since these are widely available and have a low
price. Modern high quality torches are often digitally regulated and can give a
very low or high output of light, making it possible to have the advantage of
very strong light for signalling with the possibility of very long battery life
if this would be necessary. There are many companies but the torches from
Elzetta are among the very best. The
best thing when ordering from Elzetta is that you actually get to design your
very own torch I selected the Elzetta ZFL-M60 Tactical Weapon-Grade LED Torch
and what a piece of kit it is.
A compact First Aid Kit containing some basic medication can
help you if you would get a headache, diarrhoea or small cuts. Plasters,
sutures, sutures, disinfection wet-wipes, hand disinfection, pain-killers and
anti-diarrheal tablets can help you cope with many problems.
Compact tweezers can be used to remove splinters and other
small discomforts. If you have any medical condition that requires medication
like asthma or allergies make sure to include these in your Every Day Carry.
A Water Bottle is an excellent item to carry with you on an
everyday basis. It allows you to always have water available. A normal soda
bottle or mineral water bottle works very well but there are also high quality
Hydration packs available I wear the Highlander Trojan Hydration Pack –
Multicam I use the Purificup to filter the water before filling the pack.
A Lighter and or a Fire Steel are the most common tools
used. A normal BIC lighter is one of the cheapest and most effective methods of
starting a fire but if you want a more good looking alternative you can check
out the lighters from Zippo and check out the Nano XL.
The mobile Phone is a very useful item today. It allows you
the contact friends gather information and call for help during an emergency.
Many modern cell phones also have GPS, a torch, FM/AM radio, camera and many
other features. You can carry survival
information and even pictures of safe plants to eat in your mobile plus much, much
more
A water proof container is a very useful thing to have when
hiking or traveling through bad weather since it protects your phone from dirt
and water. If you put “In Case of Emergency” (ICE) numbers in your phone as I
have then it’s easy for others to contact your friends and family if for
example you had an accident. If the battery capacity for your phone is low a
spare battery or charger may be a wise addition to carry with you.
A wrist watch allows you to always keep track of time and
can also be used for navigation if you learn this skill. Many watches also have
other useful functions like electronic compass, altimeter, barometer, countdown
timer, thermometer, sunrise-sunset alarm and other features.
Suunto and Casio make some watches that have many of these
features. There are also compact button compasses that are designed to be
carried on a watch strap like the Silva Carabineer 40 and Suunto Clipper. I
favour the Timex E-expedition series like mine which have temperature, tide and
compass options.
Pen and Paper are useful items that allow you to leave a
message to others during an emergency and write down useful information. A
normal notebook will do just fine for most occasions but if you often have to
make notes outdoors or in bad weather I recommend that you get one of the notebooks
from Rite-In-The-Rain.
There are also very useful notebook covers from Maxpedition
and Blackhawk. A normal pen will make do for almost every situation but there
are a large number of companies that makes high quality pens like the Matthew
Martin Tactical Pen.
550 Paracord is another very useful item that can be used
for repair, to secure equipment and much more. Paracord is often made into
bracelets so that it can be carried with you at all times.
Your wallet normally contains critical items like ID, Passport,
Credit Cards, Cash and Coins for making calls. There are also credit card tool
kits like the Tool Logic 11 Survival cartd that can be easily carried with you
at all times.
There are also other specialized credit card kits like
sewing kits available. A fake wallet with an old ID and a little cash can be a
useful item to have if crime rate and the risk of robbery are high in your
area.
There are compact Nylon Pockets designed to either be
carried in the pockets of cargo pants or packs called EDC Organizers from
Maxpedition, Blackhawk and other companies.
These pockets can make it easy to store all the items in one
location, keep them organized and move them from one set of clothing to
another.
There are many alternatives that can hold your gear, if you
want a container that keeps your items even more safe an alternative can be the
compact containers from Pelican.
The Pro Survival Kit Company have a belt called the “Multi
Purpose Belt” with small pockets that can hold some basic items concealed and make
it easy to always have some gear with you.
A Pocket Survival Kit is a simple concept that makes it easy
to carry the most important items with you at all times. The Get Home Bag and
Light Weight Bug Out Bag are also concepts that can make it easy to always have
the most important gear with you. There is no clear line between Pocket
Survival Kits, Get Home Bags, Light Weight Bug Out Bags and a comprehensive
Every Day Carry.
I carry the 1 Person BASIC Backpack Survival Kit from
http://www.moreprepared.com
Your clothing is also a very important part of your Every
Day Carry. Your clothing provides you with your shield against elements like
heat, cold, rain and wind. Your clothing must be appropriate for the climate
where you live. A Shell Jacket provides excellent protection from wind and
rain.
Merino wool is an excellent fabric for base layers,
t-shirts, socks and underwear that is both durable, still provides heat if it
gets wet, is resistant to odours and can still be washed in a normal washing
machine. Your foot wear is also critical, can you run or walk long distances in
the shoes you are wearing and can they cope with the terrain around you?
There are compact whistles that can be attached to zippers
like the AeroWave, these whistles makes it easy to always have a whistle
available for signalling, these are both compact and can be found for a price a
pound or less.
How many items one should be carrying is a very hard
question to answer. It’s fully possible to fit almost every conceivable item
for survival into a pair of cargo pants. The important question is how much you
feel comfortable with carrying. You must find a balance between the space and
weight of the items in relation to your personal needs.
It’s better to have a few important items that are always
with you, than to have a high number of items that you never carry with you.
Some items you may never actually need and other items you may end up using
almost every day.
Your personal situation may mean that you can’t carry all
the items with you at all times, your work situation or other factors may
prevent this. So for this reason it can be important to have a flexible system
and EDC organizers can make this easier for you as they let you separate
different gear but still make it easy to include them into your pack or
clothing.
When you change your clothing ALWAYS put your Every Day
Carry items at the same place or location, this makes it easy to always find
your items and see if you have them with you or not.
Your EDC items are not of much use if you can never find
them. It’s also good if you always keep your items in the same pockets of your
clothing or at the same place in your pack so that you can easily find them and
notice if they are missing.
So your Every Day Carry is the set of items that you carry
with you at all times to help you with your very day problems and provide tools
to handle a crisis or survival situation.
There is no set of gear that is perfect for every situation
and every setting so you must find a set of gear that works for you and your
specific situation. Since these are items that you carry with you at all times
I suggest that you go for compact, lightweight and high quality items.
It is possible to carry a very comprehensive set of
equipment that can allow you to perform a high number of tasks on a smaller
number of items. What you should be carrying and how many items you should
carry is decision that you have to make based on your personal setting.
Even if you can carry all the items you would like to on
your person it is still possible to have a few extra items in your jacket or
bag, a small kit where you work, some basic tools or even a fully equipped Bug
Out Bag in your vehicle. Find an overall solution that fits your specific
needs.
Your equipment is only a small part of being prepared for
disasters and survival situations. The most important part of being prepared is
your own skills, knowledge, training, physical fitness, health and will to
survive. The tools that you carry with you can be very useful but even if you
have high quality equipment it can always be lost or break.
A Tough Question
My wife asked me yesterday, what I plan to do with family
members who don’t prep, in the event of an actual SHTF emergency. My brothers and sister and their families are
some of those non-preppers, even though they know all about my views on that
subject. On a side note, does it tarnish
my prepper credibility when I can’t even convince my own siblings to prep?
I think that there are two questions in my Wife’s question,
firstly will I help them if the SHTF? how far do I plan on helping, in terms of
number of people/days? And if at all, I am going to help them in the first
place.
These are questions I feel that every prepper must ask
themselves when they start prepping, and it probably needs to be re-asked every
few years or so as situations change.
I figure the answer to the first question will depend on the
type of the emergency. If it’s a small local emergency, like a house fire,
flood or say the loss of their roof in high winds then yes, I am of course
going to help them.
I can offer them a place to stay. I know my food preps would
feed the family for some time.
What about a major SHTF event?
No one is perfect, in fact we all have weak points and
perhaps illness’s to. What they may not have in health, they could make up for
with experience, knowledge and skills.
Bringing extra adults (who you know) into my group would
help greatly as there would be even more people to forage food and fire wood
etc. and also allow for some sort of guard rota to be set up.
Remember if there are long standing fractions between you
and the proposed incomers then stop, think, and re-think, can you handle that
level of friction and argument? Do you need it? Perhaps joining up is not going
to be good for you, perhaps all you can offer is some of your prepps as you
decide to not let them in.
Before any of this happens and you are faced with a decision
of the heart, why not plan for what you would do IF this situation arose in the
first place.
Work out, (knowing your family members etc.) how much extra
food and water etc. You would need if they joined your group.
How long that food and water would last and where they all
would sleep. As preppers we usually only prep for our immediate family so in
this case the numbers change and we must take this into account.
Perhaps the actual question is, would I help in the first
place, are my family behind any decision I make? can I afford to provide
exactly the same quality of prepps for my extended family as I do for my
immediate family? If I and my family
agree to help then should my extended family members help me financially in
some way as it is they who will benefit should SHTF
My sister and her family live near Birmingham 130 miles
away, one brother and his family live down south 135 miles away and the other
and his family live about 15 miles away. Two are too far away to make it here
if the SHTF, which means I don’t really only have one to prep for. And on one
level, it is not good because I love them dearly, and want them to make it too.
I think that it might help me and my conscience if I inform
my brothers and sister that I cannot be there from them all and perhaps include
information on what to do to start prepping for themselves in the future and
explain that not to do so is very serious indeed, in fact I would go so far as
to say it would be like planning to not survive.
In conclusion I would finish by telling them that I have
planned for me and my immediate families’ survival and ask them not to rely on
knocking on my door.
As I have said many times before this question is one of the
toughest you will have to ask and now is the time to ask it. Gather your
immediate family together and discuss it and come up with your own answer then
act on it.
Survival Hygiene
Hygiene and survival, are you really serious? Absolutely!
Your best line of defence for disease and other simple, but debilitating
conditions, is following good hygiene habits and procedures, religiously.
If your idea of being a survivor is being a “mountain man”,
with a big bushy beard, wiping your mouth off on your sleeve and bathing “every
so often” you’re in for a potentially life threatening surprise.
If you’ve ever had bum-crack-rot, fat thigh rash, cracked
toes with gooey toe-jam funk and other cleanliness related issues you have
experienced what in today’s world are minor issues. You can just go take a bath
in hot, steaming water and use plenty of soap and some “Lotrimin”(available on
Ebay and Amazon) you are “healed”. Not so in a survival situation.
In a survival situation you have to strive to avoid
developing the problems in the first place. Your first line of defence against
disease and functional debilitation is just plain, simple cleanliness. If you
are in your “bug out place” and you have reasonable water supplies then by all
means bathe every day, without fail. At least have a sponge bath and stay
clean. If you are hoofing it, you need to take a “cat’s bath”, cleaning under
your arms, your crotch, and between your toes at least once a day.
Baby wipes are a good portable solution, just don’t use
“kitchen counter” disinfectant wipes as they will cause irritation and actually
cause problems. Preventively, use Lotrimin or some other anti-fungal on your
feet, and talc or some other powder on your privates, thighs, bum crack and
under the arms.
If you’ve ever had cracked toes with itchy, gooey, toe-jam,
funk and it gets really bad, walking becomes a problem and if you are walking,
guess what? You could be in real trouble if you have to lie up for a few days
to get better or can’t move at all. If you are in place, this should never be
an issue. Get prepared properly and have what you need at home or in your BOB
to avoid this and maintain your foot and other body health needs.
In either case, unless you are being chased you should stop
and let a significant problem get healed before hiking off or starting back to
work on the homestead. Also if on the hoof you can change your clothes and turn
your dirty ones inside out and lay them in the sun or hang them on the outside
of your pack. This will kill odours, and this is almost as good as washing
them.
If you have any problem areas, such as acne or
hypersensitivity to plants or other tactile contaminants you must keep them
clean as well. If you are in place it is much easier to meet these needs and
shave as well.
Unless you have a bona fide hypersensitivity to shaving you
should shave every other day at least..
Being clean-shaven prevents odour, dirty skin, boils and
reduces lice and other infestations. If you are on the trail try and shave as
much as you can, but remember, the heavier your beard the shorter the lifespan
of your razor.
The most probable way of making yourself sick is with your
hands, either by hand to mouth/nose/face/eye contact or by damaging a very
dirty hand or extremity. Hand washing is THE number one disease prevention
hygiene habit.
Most illnesses are acquired by touching someone else (hand
to hand) or something they touched, and then touching your
face/mouth/nose/eyes. Develop the habit of NOT touching your
face/nose/mouth/eyes and keeping your hands washed and/or use hand sanitizer,
religiously.
When using tools or engaging in other hand and arm
activities, keep your extremities clean. If you skin your knuckles, scratch
your arm or have a really bad looking hangnail, be proactive and trim it/clean
it up and rinse it with alcohol and put antibiotic on it and a plaster.
If you can swing it the well-prepared survivor should also
have on hand tetracycline (Doxycycline), Cipro (or some form of methicillin
analogs) and some sulfa drugs. These have different uses depending on what
illness/injury you have. Some of these drugs can be found on veterinary sites
and ordered OTC without a script and used on humans (check this out, thoroughly
on your own before using these, and only use them in a dire emergency where
medical care is not available but ONLY IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO SO).
To recap, keep clean and address open wounds immediately.
Being on the move is no excuse for not being clean. If you are in place then
cleanliness should never be an issue. Stay clean-shaven, cut your hair, clip
your fingernails, bathe, wear clean clothes, clean shoes and socks, and wash
your hands.
Make sure you have a supply of disinfecting materials,
plasters, and antibiotics. Also if you can find one get a Combat LifeSaver
(CLS, Army manual) and find a trained individual to train you in it.
These few simple things can prevent you from surviving TSHTF
and then dying from something simple like a boil or skinned knuckles.
Be safe and survive
well!
Surviving the Effects of Nuclear Weapons
I spent 12 years in the Royal Observer Corps and I was an
N.C.O. instructor specialising in the effects of Nuclear weapons.
The thoughts of being under Nuclear Attack, suffering from
the effects of a nuclear attack or being subjected to a “Dirty Bomb” terrorist
attack do not bear thinking about as they would be too devastating to describe
and would lead to TEOTWAWKI.
But even a Nuclear attack would not be the end of the world,
let’s face it there has already been a nuclear war plus hundreds of atmospheric
nuclear detonations since the bomb was first built and we and the world are
still here.
I do not want dismiss the horrors connected with nuclear
weapons at all or the fact that we have allowed the growth of these weapons to
get to a point where “Mutual Destruction” is guaranteed, is that not obscene as
I think it is.
But I have to say that surviving the effects of nuclear
weapons is just another set of rules and guidelines that we must learn and then
follow as if we survive the initial effects of a nuclear detonation then we
have to continue to live and survival knowledge will be all that we will have.
The initial effects of a nuclear detonation (everything
within one minute) are the same as those for any chemical explosion Heat, Light
and blast, anyone close enough to suffer from these initial effects will not be
killed by radiation.
There are two types of radiation, initial and residual,
initial is all radiation released within one minute of the detonation and
residual is all other radiations released after that.
If the detonation is an air burst then there is no fallout
to worry about, if however the detonation is a ground burst then everything
under the detonation like buildings vehicles and the ground itself will be
taken into the air by the intense heat and updraft of the fireball rising to
thousands of feet, becoming ionised (radioactive) and falling back to earth as
radioactive fallout the larger particles falling closest to Ground zero while
the smaller particles will travel downwind.
The radioactive
fallout can only go where the wind takes it and at the speed of the wind.
The only option most of us will have to survive radioactive
fallout is to stay at home and wait it out there. Radiation is diminished by
“distance and shielding” in other words the further you are away from the
radiation and what is between you and it.
The damaging effect of gamma rays comes from their ability
to ionize. Shielding materials containing large numbers of electrons will
filter (attenuate) gamma rays.
The more massive the material, the greater will be the
attenuation factor. It has been found that certain amounts of shielding
material will attenuate half the gamma radiation. This amount is referred to as
the "half value thickness" for that particular material.
The material is said then to give a protection factor (PF)
of 2. Two half-value thicknesses will give a PF of 4. Three half-value
thicknesses will give a PF of 8. It takes 10 half-value thicknesses to reach a
PF of slightly greater than 1,000.
Below are some HVT examples
Steel 1 inch
Concrete 3.3 inches
Earth 4.8 inches
Water 7 inches
Distance means being as far away from the roof and outside
walls as you can get, say under the stairs, in a cellar or in another county.
We have another
weapon on our side which is known as the 7/10th rule yes time is on our side.
All radiation decays with time. During the fission process
in a nuclear detonation, many isotopes with different decay patterns are produced.
It has been found that the average decay rate behaves exponentially and can be
estimated with the 7 / 10 rule. Simply stated, this rule says that for every
seven-fold increase in time after detonation, there is a ten-fold decrease in
the exposure rate.
This rule can be used to roughly estimate the future
exposure rates. As an example, if the exposure rate were found to be 1000 R/hr.
at 1 hour after the explosion, if there were no other explosions, the forecast
for the future would be a rate of 100 R/hr after 7 hours; 10 R/hr after 49
hours (roughly 2 days); and 1 R/hr after 2 weeks. In all but the highest
radiation levels, this decrease should allow for activities outside the shelter
during much of the day. People should be taught to stay inside the best shelter
that can be found for at least two weeks.
If you go down the route of buying some dosimeters please
don’t forget to buy a charging unit as well. If you are going to buy military
kit then buy enough filters for two weeks per person.
Just remember if you survive the initial effects of a
nuclear detonation then you will need to learn these rules to survive post
attack.
Crossing Rivers
The beauty of a mountain stream flowing through a forest can
be the highlight of a hike. But knowing how to cross a river is a critical
hiking skill.
The fact is that crossing rivers, especially when they’re
running high, is among the riskier things you can do on the trail. Rocks and
logs may offer a bridge to the opposite bank. But they’re often wet or covered
with algae and mosses. That can lead to slips and falls, and, therefore, any
number of things that you really don’t want to experience: head injuries,
broken bones, and the chance to get swept downstream.
The rate of runoff in streams and rivers is highly variable.
In years of light snowfall and hot spring days, streams may run at
low-to-moderate levels by early summer. However, in years with heavy and
late-season snows, rivers can run so high that trails, even ones with actual
bridges, remain impassable well into summer.
Two points to remember: Don't take any unnecessary risks.
And don't push anyone past their skill and confidence level. You're only as
capable as the weakest hiker in your group.
Before You Leave
• Check on conditions. Identify your destination or route.
• Carry a staff. They can help you assess water depth and
rate of runoff, then provide additional stability when you do cross a stream.
If you don’t have a staff, find a pair of sturdy branches that you can use
instead.
• Wear shorts or convertible pants. Long pants will increase
drag in the stream and can be uncomfortable to hike in once they’re soaked.
• Pack hiking sandals or gym shoes. If a stream is shallow
enough to cross, it’s often easier to walk through the water instead of trying
to boulder hop on slippery rocks. With spare shoes or hiking sandals, you can
keep your hiking boots dry. But don’t cross barefoot or use flip-flops because
the current can easily sweep them off your feet.
• Get out early. Cooler overnight and morning temperatures
mean that the volume of snowmelt is lower early in the day, which means that
streams will flow more slowly. Thunderstorms are also more common in afternoon
and make currents more treacherous.
At the Crossing
• Assess the situation. The actual point where your route
meets a river may not be the best place to get to the other side. Scout the
river (ideally from an elevated perspective) or look both up- and downstream
for alternatives. If you can't identify a safe crossing location, then don’t
take the risk and turn around. Wishful thinking has no place in this decision,
so be conservative and assume the worst. Invariably, streams are faster and
deeper than they appear.
• Straight. Wide. Shallow. That’s what you’re looking for
when identifying a place to cross.
• Watch out for debris. If the river is carrying a lot of
debris, such as branches and small logs, it’s not a good idea to cross. The
debris is an indication that stream flows are high. And objects flowing
downstream can create a serious hazard if they strike you as you’re crossing.
• Look for braided channels. The crossing may be wider where
a river breaks into separate channels. But the current's intensity will be
dissipated and there may also be small islands or gravel bars where you can
take a break and plot your next steps.
• Test the current. Toss a branch and watch how swiftly it
moves downstream. That will give you a better sense of the direction of the
main current and how fast it’s moving.
• Don’t cross where flows are much above your knees. Even
comparatively shallow water can knock you off balance and carry you downstream
if it’s flowing rapidly enough. The only time to wade through deeper water is
when you locate a flat pool with little or no current.
• Loosen your pack before crossing. Undo your waist belt and
let out the shoulder straps so that it's easier to remove. If you fall in and
your pack gets soaked, it can drag you down or get snagged. You might lose your
pack but consider the alternative.
• Look for low and open exit points on the opposite bank.
Once you reach the other side, you’ll want to be able to get out of the stream
as quickly as possible. A scramble up a steep bank could lead to a slip that
puts you right back into the stream.
Crossing the Stream
• Face Upstream and Shuffle Sideways. Slide your feet along
the bottom while facing the river. Angle yourself diagonally to the flow and
move in a slightly downstream direction toward the opposite bank.
• Always maintain two points of contact with the bottom. Use
your staff to steady yourself as you shift your feet. The more contact you have
with the bottom, the more stable you'll be.
• There’s strength in numbers. Crossing with a partner or
with a group of people creates additional stability. Link arms and coordinate
your movements.
Prepping/Survival Tips
As more catastrophes seem to be accelerating more and more I
am becoming convinced that the collapse of society is only a matter of time.
The true survivalist can feel that they are ready for the chaos, but without
actually experiencing these extreme adversities first hand are they?
In the military soldiers are conditioned and trained
beforehand and made to be as prepared as possible for the real hardships on and
off the battlefield. The survivalist can to be more mentally and physically
prepared for the falling apart of civilization that so many survivalists and
the general public feel is inevitable.
Self-reliance also has to do with being ready for the sudden
loss of everything we all have become way too accustomed to. Experiencing a type
of mock realism can get you more mentally prepared for when society starts to
quickly disintegrate around you. The following tips (suggestions) should help
you, ‘the survivalist/prepper cope better when things do start to fall apart.
See what it is like to go without the utilities such as
electricity by turning them off for at least a couple of hours.
Go at least 24 hours without electronic conveniences; no
computer, no television, no cell phone, etc. This will be a wakeup call for
many.
The internet will not be there after many catastrophes,
become use to receiving information from other sources such as books.
Spend some nights using only candles and or battery operated
lights to illuminate the darkness.
Start storing rainwater and start watering your plants and
garden with it.
Try cooking some of your meals using a solar oven, barbecue,
fire pit, something not dependent on the electric or gas companies.
Flush the toilet for one day or more using only water you
have previously stored, or use a portable toilet.
Instead of throwing away a piece of damaged clothing, try to
repair it, sew it, then wear it again.
Take any household item and write down every creative way
you can use it.
Find other means of some of your trash disposal, something
else rather than the city or county trash pick up services.
Have a fake imaginary illness and fictionally treat that
sickness with only what you have available to you in your home.
Gather your family and even your friends together that feel
like you do, and see what it like for all of you to be confined to a smaller
space.
Use ‘other” means of cooling or heating your home for a few
days that is of course safe.
Actually walk or bicycle to run some of your errands other
than using a motor vehicle.
Start spending some very quiet time alone. You may have to
be alone after ‘it’ happens.
Try using alternative means of bathing occasionally, like
using one of those solar showers, or heating water over a fire to be used to
bathe with.
See what ingenious gadget made from junk you can think of to
make hard times easier.
Try washing dishes and clothes on occasion without using the
dishwasher or washing machine, dry clothes on a clothes line.
Experiment by trying to purify dirty polluted water, without
drinking it, and see how clean you can get it.
Scavenger hunt. Take some time and collect everything, not
hazardous, you find on the ground and ask yourself, what can I do and use what
I have?
Take along a pad of paper and write down everything you see
at a park or recreation area. Observation skills will help you stay alive
better after chaos breaks loose.
Try to locate someplace off the beaten path using only a
paper map, compass, or landmarks.
Spend some days outdoors when the weather is miserable (not
dangerous), like raining all day long, you may have to live this way in the
future.
See how fast you can get your essentials together and ready
to leave.
If you plan to stay where you are, thoroughly become
familiar with every street, landmark, trees, houses, etc. within 2 miles of
your home, walk the area often.
The truly “ready” survivalist should be training themselves
to be prepared to undergo things that are going to be vastly different and very
difficult to adjust to and handle.
By using some or all of these prep tips now and before the aftermath of
“the nightmare” that is coming, you will be more adept at handling it. Add your
personal preparation exercises to this to make you even more mega disaster
ready.
Prioritizing Survival Needs Using the Rule Of 3’s
Life must be prioritized and priorities are never more
important than when you are in a survival situation. Decisions have to be made
quickly and they must be the right decisions. To prevent panic and to keep from
making the wrong decisions you need to prepare and prioritize.
The Most Commonly Accepted Survival Rule Of 3’s is:
You Cannot Survive:
Longer Than Three Minutes Without Air
Longer Than Three Hours Without Shelter
Longer Than Three Days Without Water
Longer Than Three Weeks Without Food
Three minutes without air is accurate. However, there have
been cases where people have survived longer than three weeks without food and
longer than three days without water.
Shelter is subjective; it can be a hollow spot under a log
or burying yourself in a pile of leaves. A lot depends on what you call
shelter.
Remember your priorities: you must escape the vehicle within
three minutes if submerged, or find the shore if dumped out of your canoe in
the middle of the rapids. You need air and it is your first priority.
Begin Prioritizing Survival Needs Using the Rule Of 3’s
Assume for a moment that you have plenty of air, so your
next priority is shelter and water. The reason you need to focus on shelter
first is you will become weaker from lack of water and calories. Therefore,
build your shelter first. Keep in mind this must happen within a matter of
hours. You must also soon be hydrated, it will help keep you warm at night and
hydration will keep your energy level high enough to forage for food.
If you became lost on a day hike, for example you probably
have a water bottle to get you through the night. It typically takes rescue
operations 72 hours to find you or be close to finding you. Your pack should
have:
A knife to help you in building a shelter,
Fire starting tools,
Water purification tablets or 2% liquid iodine for water
purification,
Protein bars,
A full quart canteen or water bottle. The average person
requires 4 liters of water a day for drinking and hygiene.
For now, your priority is shelter and fire to survive the
night. Get a fire started for your comfort and moral. Fire is needed to signal
rescue personnel, as well. If you are lost, stay put. If you knew how to get
out you would not be lost, so wandering around lost is dangerous and makes it
harder for rescue personnel to find you.
If you are hiking to a campsite, you may have a tent or
canvas. If you do not have any type of shelter material in your pack you need
to put a shelter together using what nature provides. The ground next to a
fallen log can be scooped out. Pick the south side if you are in a cool
climate. Prop pine boughs and saplings against the log and ground. If you do
not have a knife or small axe or hatchet you will have to break the limbs. If
you have to break limbs use dead ones, live saplings will bend but not break easily.
Leave one side open; the opening will face along the log and
not away from it. Build your fire close to the entrance but not inside. You
will be overcome with smoke if it is too close. If you have rain gear or a
poncho set the gear so it collects the morning dew. Dew is simply the
condensation of air that has been heated by the sun during the day.
Once the air cools down it allows moisture to settle on
surfaces typically, in the very early hours. The moisture will collect on
foliage and your poncho. Create depressions in the poncho for water to pool.
Begin the process of gathering water regardless of your current supply. You can
never have enough water.
Start another fire in a clearing if you are in the deep
woods. The fire can be spotted from the air and ground. Do not wander at night
but stay in the shelter and maintain the fire.
In the morning, consume the water from dew and save what
water you may have brought with you. Work on enhancing your shelter and begin
looking for a stream, natural ground springs or fissures in rock faces that
seep water.
Gather pine cones and place in the fire to split open for
the pine nuts and if you find a stream look for fish. Other animals will need
water so there will be game trails. Set snares or wait for rabbits, squirrels,
game girds and other game to come by. Spear or stone the game.
If you do not panic and begin running in circles you will
survive. Stay calm and rely on your common sense. Remember prioritizing
survival needs using the rule of 3’s.
Here are two great Bushcraft shows for you to attend this year.
What is The Bushcraft
Show?
It’s a jam-packed, three-day event filled will amazing
bushcraft activities that will take you, your friends and family on a bushcraft
and survival adventure that you’ll never forget. Whether you come for the day
or stay for the weekend, you can try your hand at woodland crafts, fire
lighting, shelter building, tracking, foraging, woodland games and so much
more. Click onto their site to learn more http://www.thebushcraftshow.co.uk
The Wilderness
Gathering
If you've never been to the Gathering before and you love
nature and the outdoors, then we have the family show for you - Wilderness
Gathering, the original Bushcraft Show, is the premier festival of bushcraft,
survival and primitive living skills.
The Gathering has become a social event and brings together
families and friends, all those interested in Bushcraft and Wilderness living
skills to enjoy a weekend of knowledge sharing in a relaxed and family friendly
atmosphere.
Yes it is the Original Bushcraft Show and this year is the
11th anniversary of the event.
Exclusive to weekend ticket holders, the 'Gathering' is a 4
Day Event, day visitors are welcome on the Friday, Saturday or Sunday too.
Onsite you will find leading Bushcraft schools and an
international band of professional instructors hosting introductory lessons on
all kinds of skills, trade and demonstrator stands, acres of woodland to
practise your skills in and yes individual campfires are permitted, two lakes
plus a heard of North American Bison! The Gathering has established itself as
the ideal outdoor FAMILY EVENT of the year and is recognised as the original
bushcraft show.
It takes place between the 15th and the 18th of August in
Wiltshire for full details go to www.wildernessgathering.co.uk
see you there.
So don’t forget the 20% discount at www.blizzardsurvival.com by
inserting the word “Prepper” at the checkout.
Please support our service personal who are in harm’s way http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk
What is The Bushcraft
Show?
It’s a jam-packed, three-day event filled will amazing
bushcraft activities that will take you, your friends and family on a bushcraft
and survival adventure that you’ll never forget. Whether you come for the day
or stay for the weekend, you can try your hand at woodland crafts, fire
lighting, shelter building, tracking, foraging, woodland games and so much
more. Click onto their site to learn more http://www.thebushcraftshow.co.uk
The Wilderness
Gathering
If you've never been to the Gathering before and you love
nature and the outdoors, then we have the family show for you - Wilderness
Gathering, the original Bushcraft Show, is the premier festival of bushcraft,
survival and primitive living skills.
The Gathering has become a social event and brings together
families and friends, all those interested in Bushcraft and Wilderness living
skills to enjoy a weekend of knowledge sharing in a relaxed and family friendly
atmosphere.
Yes it is the Original Bushcraft Show and this year is the
11th anniversary of the event.
Exclusive to weekend ticket holders, the 'Gathering' is a 4
Day Event, day visitors are welcome on the Friday, Saturday or Sunday too.
Onsite you will find leading Bushcraft schools and an
international band of professional instructors hosting introductory lessons on
all kinds of skills, trade and demonstrator stands, acres of woodland to
practise your skills in and yes individual campfires are permitted, two lakes
plus a heard of North American Bison! The Gathering has established itself as
the ideal outdoor FAMILY EVENT of the year and is recognised as the original
bushcraft show.
It takes place between the 15th and the 18th of August in
Wiltshire for full details go to www.wildernessgathering.co.uk
see you there.
You are listening to
the UK preppers Radio network on KPRNDB-UK I’m your host Tom Linden.
So don’t forget the 20% discount at www.blizzardsurvival.com by
inserting the word “Prepper” at the checkout.
Please support our service personal who are in harm’s way http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk
Tom, another wonderful show. Keep up the good work. It is very refreshing listening to sound advice week in and week out. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteFensox
-North Yarmouth, Maine, USA
Fensox, how are you keeping, I hope very well indeed.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your very kind words, please let me know if there is any subject that you would like me to cover in the future.
Take Care
Tom