Backwoods Survival Blog

Guest Post: Keeping the Fires Lit -- Easy Ways to Stay Warm and Cook Food

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:39:00 +0000

Nearly every survival gear has some kind of fire-making material in order to keep you warm and the food cooked. These can take a variety of forms and could mean the difference between freezing and staying alive. You should never underestimate the need for lighting a fire as it's one of the basic components to surviving should things go horribly wrong. It's always a good idea to have several methods in case others fail and added to every backpack of family and team members. If separation occurs, then your family member at least has the capability to light a fire. 1. Waterproof Matches -...

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Guest Post: Ensuring Your Family Has the Skills to Survive Out of Doors

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:39:00 +0000

We’ve all seen the movies and television shows. Zombie apocalypses, alien invasions, natural disasters and world wars shatter the insulated bubble that people of the twentieth century have forged for themselves. When the grocery stores are no longer able to stock mass quantities of food and the infrastructure that ensures our personal safety collapses, a lot of people will lack the skills that will be required to survive. Prepper’s believe that we should be prepared for that possibility. By learning the skills now, we ensure that our families will have a better chance of survival. Skills...

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Guest Post: The Importance of Planning - Part 6

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:36:00 +0000

Previous articles in this series by author Allen Currie: The Importance of Planning - Part 1 The Importance of Planning - Part 2 The Importance of Planning - Part 3 The Importance of Planning - Part 4 The Importance of Planning - Part 5 Editor's Note: Mr. Currie returned to his remote retreat and his cozy little shipping container cabin several weeks ago. He actually sent me the balance of these articles in one large email before, once again, saying goodby to civilization for months. I, for one, look forward to hearing from him again when he comes back out of the...

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Slight Format Change

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:40:00 +0000

I just wanted to give you good folks a heads-up that the regular format, wherein I post a book review every Monday and a movie review every Tuesday will still appear this week. It is just being pushed back a few days.

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SURVIVAL GEAR REVIEW: Rothco 36 Bulb LED Solar/Handcrank Lantern

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:39:00 +0000

Today I'm taking the opportunity to review the Rothco 36 Bulb LED Solar/Handcrank Lantern sold by our sponsor Camping Survival. Basically, what I did was to field test the unit here in my home; essentially, I just performed the handcrank motion for the one minute that is prescribed in the specs and then timed how long the lighting lasted on each of the two available brightness settings. Then, I tested the small solar panel on top of the unit by leaving it out in the sun for an entire day, and then timing the lighting in the same way I did during the first set of tests. First, let's...

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How to Keep Dogs and Other Household Pets Out of Your Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:39:00 +0000

You spend all season hoeing, planting seeds, and keeping weeds out of your garden. You finally see your peas start to grow and your tomatoes start to climb -- and then your dog goes running through your rows and tramples it all to the ground. All your hard work is lost. Or maybe your dog's more of a muncher than a runner. Instead, he prefers to belly up to the salad bar that is your garden and to enjoy all-day grazing on your budding crops. While you certainly love your dog, you also love having healthy and delicious food that you grew yourself. Here are a few tips for how you can keep your...

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How to Make Use of Landscape Timbers for a Garden Retaining Wall

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:36:00 +0000

A timber retaining wall is an excellent addition to any garden. If you are looking to add beauty and personality to your outside area then this is a fantastic way of doing so. There are many possibilities a retaining wall offers. You can use this to mark out a space for a vegetable patch, a play area for your children, somewhere to relax, or for a flower bed. The options at your disposal are vast, yet all offer the same quality; they bring more excitement, style and better utilization of space. Not only this, but timber soars in comparison to other options such as concrete or stone. Timber is...

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Simple Guide to Foraged Plants

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:39:00 +0000

There are many reasons for foraging for plants: from an extra food source to just being more aware of your environment. However, you should always make sure that you correctly identify all plants before eating them. Here are a few examples of plants that you can forage for in the United States: 1. Agarita - Scientific name: Mahoniatrifoliolata.This bush is an evergreen shrub that stands out due to its red berries. Common in the Southwest, the leaves are very sharp and pointy, much like a holly plant, and can make harvesting the berries difficult. However the berries are high in Vitamin C....

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Smart Investment in Silver and Gold as a Means of Debt Reduction

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:36:00 +0000

Investment in silver and gold has always been a favorite for millions. Of course the preference isn’t baseless at all. Investment in precious metals like gold, silver and platinum is considered to be a convenient way of accumulating significant amounts of real wealth, which can help you to get rid of debt. So, obviously silver and gold investment is pretty much essential when financial well being is the ultimate goal. Invest according to the market condition: Perfect timing is the key factor of every investment decision. Before you decide to invest, you need to read the market condition...

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Passing Along An Opportunity

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:33:00 +0000

I recently received an email from a Casting and Development Producer, reaching out to me in hopes that I might be or know of the person(s) for whom she is looking. She is currently in the process of casting a documentary series about which she seems very excited. I am passing this info along: Casting Call: Do you and your family need a change? Something that will put family time back to the top of the priority list. The makers of GOLD RUSH are looking for a family in need of a new challenge. If you want more family time round the table and less in front of the tv; if...

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SURVIVAL GEAR REVIEW: MSR Stowaway 1.6 Liter Stainless Steel Pot

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:39:00 +0000

by Matt M. Through the years, I have seen many trends in outdoor cookware, from aluminum, non stick coatings, titanium, and various shapes and sizes to fit many needs. Having tried quite a few of the various offerings on backpacking trips, in back country base camps, and in every day life, I consistently come back to one material. Stainless Steel. Unlike aluminum, it does not impart a flavor to high acid foods, like tomato based pasta sauce. It can be scrubbed clean with a handful of sand, unlike non-stick coatings which would be ruined. It is economically priced, unlike...

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MOVIE REVIEW: "Children of Men" (2006)

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:39:00 +0000

As with the book reviews, we return this week from our little break to take a look at the Doomer Fiction film "Children of Men" (2006) Blu-ray (DVD version). Set in a dystopian future that is now only 14 years distant, this film places the viewer in a world not terribly unlike the one we awake to every day -- except that no child has been born to the human race anywhere on Earth in a span of nearly two miserable decades. Needless to say, things do not look well for us as a species. It appears as though humankind may soon near an ignominious extinction. In this world, things are...

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Guest Post: The Importance of Planning - Part 5

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:36:00 +0000

Previous articles in this series by author Allen Currie: The Importance of Planning - Part 1 The Importance of Planning - Part 2 The Importance of Planning - Part 3 The Importance of Planning - Part 4 A few years into my planning efforts, I finally realized that all my work was theoretical. True, I had lived on a dirt poor farm, AND during the dirty 30’s, so I knew some of the problems and solutions I was dealing with. More so than most people alive today. Still, I knew that theoretical planning was very prone to mistakes. I decided to move out to my camp, and immediately began...

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BOOK REVIEW: "Survive and Thrive: 100 Tips for Obtaining Food After the Stores Close" by C. Jeff Oakes

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:39:00 +0000

We return to our Monday afternoon book reviews this week by delving into the non-fiction title "Survive and Thrive: 100 Tips for Obtaining Food After the Stores Close" by C. Jeff Oakes (Kindle edition). This book is a follow-up to the author's earlier work "Survive and Thrive After the Collapse of the Dollar," and is meant to expand upon the central idea of that work: that it is possible for one to do rather well for themselves, even in a collapse scenario. Few aspects of survival rival the importance of the basic human need to obtain quality food, so it is only fitting that the second...

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PRODUCT REVIEW: Augason Farm's Chocolate Morning Moo's Low Fat Milk Alternative

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Sat, 11 May 2013 19:35:00 +0000

I recently had the opportunity to try some of Augason Farm's Chocolate Morning Moo's Low Fat Milk Alternative, and thought I would share my impressions. This is, of course, a whey-based milk alternative, but be advised that it does contain both dairy and soy, in case there are concerns about allergies or intolerances. Also, pictured to the left is the Everyday Size can with two standard 8-oz drinking glasses for size/scale referencing. And, as you can see in the photo below, once opened the actual product really doesn't look (or smell, by the way) any different than standard dry...

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Mountain House Freeze Dried Food Sale Through 15 May!

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:39:00 +0000

(Click graphic to access sale) Price good on all in-stock items online only. No back-orders allowed at sale price. Offer good until 5/15/2013. All discounted products are already marked down, no coupon code required.

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Guest Post: Pest Control Advice for a Rural Homestead

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:36:00 +0000

Image courtesy of http://www.vincenzo.gr/periv/tilastika/3.html From spreading diseases to chewing through equipment, there are no two ways about it - rats are a pest. If you live on a rural homestead, an infestation of rats or mice can do some serious damage to your crops and livestock. As soon as you begin to notice signs of some furry co-residents, you should take action to prevent the problem from getting worse. Fortunately, there are several easy, affordable and environmentally friendly ways of removing rats and mice from the area. Here are some of the best. Tidy up Before anything...

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Guest Post: Storage Technologies for Renewable Energy Sources

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:33:00 +0000

Renewable energy is taking the world by storm. More and more there are wind and solar farms popping up as well as new technology that allows us to harness energy from biomass and even landfill gasses. Therefore, as the world makes this shift and discovers energy where it was not previously being derived from, the big question is how we store our renewable energy. This is a relevant question for both large-scale energy grids and providers and small communities or households with their own renewable energy sources. The reality is that currently renewable energy sources feed into the system...

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Life On The Ranch

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:39:00 +0000

By Matt M. This story follows up on my previous entry in the non-fiction writing contest... I hear the alarm going off next to my head. I open my eyes, seems later than usual with so much sunlight creeping over the horizon, then I remember that it is spring and the mornings are brighter, no longer starting my work day in the dark. Within minutes, the sound of a computer booting-up lets me know that we still have electricity; it will not be a grid down morning, at least so far. Water is soon boiling and, as I measure out the last few scoops of dark roast coffee into the lexan...

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5 Ways That You’re Wrong About Surviving Disasters

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:36:00 +0000

Women and children first Everybody remembers the kind captain in Titanic, drowning in his own guilt when he realizes he has compromised safety regulations for fame, and his decision to go down with the ship. Before meeting his demise, he first makes sure the women and children make it off the ship. Surely this is the proper thing to do in such situations – women and children first... right? Research suggests otherwise. To be fair, the survivors of the Titanic were mostly women and children, so its captain seems to have favored the women and children during the ship's evacuation. But most...

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Chilly Hearth, Empty Table: A Meditation on the Wealth of the Household Under a Colder Sun, Part 6

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Wed, 08 May 2013 19:39:00 +0000

The following piece is one in a series of very dense writings, concerning how the world may soon change if we were to enter into a solar minimum -- which the author believes may be imminent and has been on my list of concerns as well. In truth, I think that it will be useful information, even for those who don't necessarily believe in the idea of a impending solar minimum. The idea of the economy of the family and household and how, in a simpler world, it will all revolve around the ability to produce your own food and skills to allow you to thrive could very easily apply to...

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Guest Post: How to Install Decking in Your Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Wed, 08 May 2013 19:36:00 +0000

Improvements don’t just stop inside the home. Upgrading the looks and utility of your outdoor spaces is also important, especially during the spring and summer months as you make more use of your garden. Make those seasonal BBQs and garden parties even more enjoyable by improving your garden with a decked area. For a small cost, wooden garden decking can add a smarter and more stylish appearance to the exterior of any property and allow you to make the most of the space you have outside the home. Whether you are planning to use the area to house a new furniture set or want to create a safe...

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Guest Post: The Importance of Planning - Part 4

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Tue, 07 May 2013 19:36:00 +0000

Previous articles in this series by author Allen Currie: The Importance of Planning - Part 1 The Importance of Planning - Part 2 The Importance of Planning - Part 3 In my previous articles on this subject, I mentioned the five years of research and planning that had gone into the project of bugging-out. To plan, one needs as much data as possible to determine what exactly one is planning for. It does not help to plan for a Tsunami when it is a drought that breaks your back. You are never going to be totally correct, but you must pick things that will serve you well in a variety of...

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Taking the Week Off From Being a Critic

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Mon, 06 May 2013 19:39:00 +0000

This is just a heads up to let everyone know that the normal Monday afternoon book review and Tuesday afternoon film review will not appear this week. Finishing up the work for my most recent Master's degree class and life in general seems to have caught up with me, and the more recent books I've been reading have been longer than others. Both of these regular article series' will resume next week. Thanks!

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Chilly Hearth, Empty Table: A Meditation on the Wealth of the Household Under a Colder Sun, Part 5

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Mon, 06 May 2013 19:36:00 +0000