tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38425523360154119542024-03-05T22:58:58.364-08:00Pack-For-SurvivalReal Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-29403344236006991272013-04-25T07:48:00.001-07:002013-04-25T07:48:21.746-07:00Hiking Packs Spring time, what an awesome time of year, the weather is finally warming up a bit. Yes for some of us here int he Midwest it hasn't hardly come close to feeling like spring yet, but that should change this week according to the weatherman. There have been a couple decent days so far, not nearly as many as I would like.<br />
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Which brings me to this post, if you and yours are like my family we go out on what our 4 y/o calls "nature walks". We just load up and head out to the woods for a nice long walk on nice days, I am not talking miles and miles here. (how far can you really walk with a four year old in tow). We walk maybe a mile or two when we have the whole family along. There is one thing that I NEVER leave home without and it isn't my credit card, it is my day pack.<br />
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I have several different packs for different things, the one we will focus on today is my hiking or out for a walk pack. There are things in this pack that are a bit different from say a overnight pack or a few days pack. Bear in mind that you should tailor your pack to fit your needs, this is by no means a be all end all list of what you should have, that is up to you. This is to give you a great starting point of things to consider. I am about to list a few things that would be a very good idea to have in your pack in no particular order.<br />
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1. First Aide Kit: This should be a a staple in every pack for sure! There is no a reason to go out and buy a per-assembled kit. A zip lock bag with a few band-aides, a small roll of gauze, some tape and antibiotic ointment is about all you really need in it. If an injury requires more than this, you are in far worse trouble than you can take care of in most cases.<br />
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2. Emergency Blanket: These weigh next to nothing and cost very little, but can be a life saver if the weather were to take a turn for the worse if you are in an area where you are prone to freak spring snow storms. They can also be used to stay dry if it begins to rain, plus many other uses.<br />
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3. Folding Saw: Small folding saw, these can normally be picked up at camping, discount or big box stores for less than $10.00 If something were to happen, for instance you walked farther than you thought or maybe you just got tired and decided to spend the night. These are great sawing small limbs to help make a shelter even a simply lean-to. <br />
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4.Water Bottle: Stainless steel water bottle, or a water bottle for sure. I say a stainless bottle because if the need were to arise you are able to boil water to disinfect it. <br />
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5. Firestarter: This can be in the form of a lighter, ferro rod, or a magnesium block and striker. I do have 2 different firestarters in my pack for those times when one will not work for some reason or another.<br />
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6. Knives: Remember the rule of two: Two is one and one is none. There are so many things that a good knife is useful for, it should be common sense.<br />
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7. Cordage: This can be in the form of different things, a roll of tared bank line, about 30 feet of 550 para-cord or even a survival bracelet. <br />
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All of these things can help you in most any situation. You should tailor these to your individual needs. Not only are these things helpful but also grant you peace of mind that you are prepared if the need comes.<br />
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If you feel that there is something that I should include, or even if you disagree with this list please feel free to leave a comment.<br />
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<br />Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-22153543212193610682013-04-09T08:07:00.001-07:002013-04-09T08:07:03.845-07:00Beans, Peas and CucumbersIn staying with my gardening series, I know that this method for growing is not new by any means to some people, to others though it could be. As with anything, making things easier on you in the long run will help you become more productive. The same can be said with gardening. Who doesn't like fresh green beans, peas or cucumbers? <br />
Whats the best way? The best way to grow them is what works for you! Now, what works best for me is to let them climb. No bending over, no back strain, just easy pick'ns. As far as what to let them climb up, that is entirely up to you. I have done it many ways, I will post below a few pictures of the ways I have done it, from simple pole and string to more of a permanent area using wooden lattice. <br />
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I do not have pictures of the lattice trellis that I used last year, I will have to do an update later this spring with that. As you can see you can eliminate the back breaking of bending over or being on your hands and knees when picking these little pots of gold. Not only is it easier on you, but it is also easier on the plants, (especially if you have younger ones out there helping you pick) they wont be stepping on the vines.<br />
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Remember to plant in an area where they can get lots of sun and plenty of water. A good shot of compost tea does wonders also.<br />
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Till next time!!<br />
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Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-53480202874691378982013-04-01T08:54:00.002-07:002013-04-01T08:55:35.150-07:00Spring TimeThose of you that have followed my posts for the last couple of years, you know that I do not strictly stick to survival. I have done things on canning, cold storage and different things also. I try to write about things that people can use in a practical sense.<br />
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I am going to be doing a series in the next little while on gardening. Yes, I know that most people can plant a seed, give it a bit of water and watch it grow. What I will do in this series is offer some tips and tricks on making your garden so it is not as hard on YOU to do.<br />
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Lets start off with something easy like onions. Did you know that you can have green onions all year long no matter where you live by planting them in the house in a planter? Yes, you sure can here is the proof:<br />
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Keep in mind that these are only about a week and a half old. There are a couple different methods to growing these little gems all year long. One of which is the obvious, getting enough seed to last you the year and just use and replant. The other, which I do normally but couldn't this time do to the fact that the ends were accidentally thrown away. You will have to forgive me, I do not have a picture of the ends that I have replanted in the past. I will remember to take one when I replant these.<br />
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In order to replant onions once you have harvested them, simply cut from the root end about a half an inch up (leaving the roots and a half in of the bottom of the onion). Once you have cut the bottoms, place them in a bowl of room temperature water to rehydrate them for about 15 minutes. After you have gotten the ends re-hydrated, simply replant them. I have done this as many as 6 times.<br />
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If chives are what you are looking for, just let the onions grow and simply cut off the green stem part down towards the bottom and they will regrow.<br />
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If there is something in particular that you would like to see an article about, feel free to leave me a comment and I will do my best to get one done for you!<br />
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<br />Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-22421514834655019452013-02-14T10:21:00.005-08:002013-02-14T10:21:42.224-08:00Oven Canning Dry GoodsSorry all, I know I haven't posted much lately, but I promise you will love this one!!!<br />
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After thinking about trying to buy a vacuum sealer and realizing that they are pretty spendy to say the least. That got me to thinking, how else can I store some dry goods. I could, put things like rice, beans and flour into number 10 cans. Then I thought, well, that wont work because I don't know anyone that has a caner like that. So, that option is out. I have also heard about using freezer bags, and storing it in the freezer. Ok, that might be an option I thought, but then, what happens while moving things around in the freezer and you tear a bag? you will have a mess, not only that but if you have an odor of some sort in there it will probably take that on too.<br />
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Well..... now what....<br />
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Then I had the bright idea, hmmmm, how about heat canning some how in glass canning jars? So, I did a little experimenting. After a couple of unsuccessful efforts, I tried one last time. How did I finally figure it out you ask, well sit down and listen (read close) It should be noted that since I have done this, I started with flour and have moved on to also include, dry beans, rice, corn meal and oat meal all uncooked of course.<br />
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1. The first thing you HAVE to do is to make sure that your jars, quarts or pints are clean and MUST be dry, that is very important as I found out.<br />
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2. Fill your jars to with in about a half inch of the top, giving it a little shake to get it all settled. Do NOT put lids or rings on yet.!!<br />
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3. Place a cookie sheet into the oven, set your filled jars onto the baking sheet. Turn the oven on to 200 Deg. Shut the door (obviously) and set your timer for 60 minutes or 1 hour which ever is greater. (ha ha a bit of humor there)<br />
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4. Lay out a towel onto the counter or the table so the hot glass does not come in contact with the table surface. One by one take the jars out of the oven and screw down the lids till they are pretty tight. As they cool, you will here them start to seal just as if you were water bath canning or the such. There you have it.<br />
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I should note here, that the ONLY issue I have had doing this, is that the flour will cake a bit inside of the jar, What I have done is take a knife and push it close to the bottom to loosen the flour up a bit. Once you have it loose, just pour it into a gallon zip-lock bag and finish getting the "clumps" out of it. Then just pour it into your canister or whatever you store flour in. As far as the other things that I have tried, the ONLY other issue I have had, is that the oat meal does take on a bit of a "roasted" taste which, honestly I like.<br />
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Disclaimer, In being totally honest here, AFTER I went through all of the trial, and mess-ups I did a bit of research on this very thing, and it turns out that people have been doing this for a long time. Hmmm, who'da knew..... In doing my research, I found that by using this method, these things can be kept reasonable for about 15 years.<br />
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Well, there you have it my way of oven canning. If you think you have a better way, please feel free to comment.<br />
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Thanks and have a great day!!<br />
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<br />Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-2690627065215308502012-10-31T10:44:00.001-07:002012-10-31T10:53:49.695-07:00Always thinking! In the horrific aftermath of Hurricane Sandy got my mind to thinking of ways to be able to warm up soups and heat water and the like. Outside of the usual ways, like a camp stove, solar oven, I wondered if there might be another way. As I sat there thinking and putting different things in my head trying to conjure something cool.<br />
I think I have come up with something! I have not seen this exact thing so I decided to give it a try. What I did was to take a large coffee metal coffee can and cut the bottom out of it. Next I took a half inch drill bit and drilled about 20 holes at various places on the side of the can. Once all of the holes were drilled. I went out and bought one of those unscented 3 wick large round candles. I set the candle inside of a plain disposable pie tin. I next lit the candle and slide the coffee can down over it. I took a small pot and filled it with cold tap water to see how long it would take to warm the water to be able to be hot enough (if at all) to make hot cocoa or at least have luke warm instant coffee. To my surprise within 15 minutes, the water had reached 120 deg. F. I next then tried the same thing with a can of heat and serve soup, this took a bit longer to heat up, about a half an hour.<br />
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All in all I would say that it was a pretty good idea. I had heard of alcohol burners and such, but none that you would use a candle with. From now on I will most definitely keep this in with my family's 72 hour in home kit.<br />
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Till Next time, help your fellow man! Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-65633561948207521462012-09-26T07:12:00.000-07:002012-09-26T07:13:18.532-07:00DIY's and an Update<h2 style="text-align: center;">
DIY Fabric Softener</h2>
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After making and using my own laundry soap for almost a year now, I decided to venture out there and see if there were any alternatives for fabric softener. After doing a bunch of research I decided to give it a try. What I found was that vinegar is even more awesome than I had thought. Not only does it have uses that I had not known about, it even made great fabric softener!!</div>
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Here is how I make DIY fabric softener:</div>
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6 Cups Hot water</div>
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6 Cups Vinegar</div>
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1 Cup Hair Conditioner (yes like you use in the shower)</div>
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Add the Hot water and the conditioner together and shake in a container well till it is all dissolved. Then add in the vinegar and shake well. Use the same amount that you would normally either in a softener dispensing ball or add to wash on the rinse like usual.</div>
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A Quick Update </h2>
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I am going to do a bit of an update today. It has been nearly a year now since I started making my own laundry soap. I have to be honest here folks, after this amount of time, I have spent a total of $12.38 on the materials to make my families own laundry soap since February!!! Yes you read that right, $12.38 considering I do, on average 10 loads a week, that is a true savings for my family!! After the whole time I have not noticed our clothes being "not clean" or having "bad" smells to be honest, the clothes have no smell when they come out of the washer. <br />
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As always I appreciate all of the loyal people that come to my blog and follow it!!!Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-84856110061757088702012-09-03T21:21:00.000-07:002012-09-03T21:21:39.120-07:00Canning TomatoesI know that a while back I wrote some on canning tomatoes. I finally broke down and made a quick video on how I do it. The way you do it could work just fine for you and if it does that is awesome!! All in all I have done 29 quarts so far this year, it didn't cost me much since I already had all of the jars already, just had to buy the lids. If you would like to watch the video please do so. If it is able to help just one person then it was well worth the embarrassment. I am sorry about the extreme close-ups at times on it. This was my first venture into making a video like this.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYwKnfSczgk&feature=plcp" target="_blank">Canning Tomatoes</a><br />
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Since my youtube account is different from my blogger account, I had to do it in link form, sorry about that!<br />
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If there is anything that you would like a video done on please leave me a comment and I would be happy to try and do one! Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-37657511400508909502012-04-27T14:52:00.002-07:002012-04-27T14:52:50.641-07:00Simple and Cheap Cleaning DIY'sI know I know, It has been a while since I have posted. Sorry, there comes times where our daily lives get so busy that we just get caught up. I did take the time to build the new website which you can check out by visiting <a href="http://realpreppers.com/" target="_blank">Here</a>. Now on to today's post.<br />
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I recently have been trying to cut costs for me family and outside of the normal coupon here and there and having a garden I was stuck not sure what else I could do. Until, I did some research I realized I could make my own house hold cleaner for pennies. Yes, that's right pennies, all natural household cleaner and great smelling at the same time.<br />
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<b>Orange Cleaner</b>: If you like the smell of oranges you will love this. The cleaner is about as easy to make as it is to breathe. Take a 1qt. canning car, fill it with orange peels. Next fill the jar, covering the peels with vinegar and let sit for two weeks. After the time is up, strain the liquid off and there you have it a GREAT smelling all purpose cleaner. Pretty easy huh?<br />
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This next one takes a bit more involvement but the cost savings far outweighs the time it takes (about an hour of actual prep) to do it.<br />
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<b>Laundry Soap:</b><br />
Making this the first time, I thought to myself there is no way it is going to work the the store bought stuff....boy, was I wrong. There is a whole 3 ingredients to this, yup thats it. It costs, depending on the store and where you are from about .30-.40 cents per gallon to make. Pretty nuts isn't it?<br />
<b>What you need:</b><br />
1 Bar of Fels-Naptha bar soap.<br />
1 Box Borax<br />
1 Box Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda (not baking soda)<br />
Thats all you need, oh and a bit of water....<br />
Large bucket or plastic tub.<br />
Grater<br />
Large Spoon <br />
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<b>Directions:</b><br />
Cut the Fels-Naptha soap into 1/4's (set the other 3 chunks aside for another batch later. Grate or shred the bar soap into small pieces. (any grater will do) Put the shredded soap into a small pot with 1 cup of water on the stove on medium heat. You will have to stir this almost constantly until it is completely melted. It may end up with some suds but that is normal.<br />
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Once it is all melted transfer it to your bucket and <b>20 cups OR 5 Quarts of water, 2 table spoons of Borax powder and a 1/4 cup of the washing soda.</b><br />
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Stir the batch again you may notice some suds which is fine.<b> </b>Place a lid on your batch and let it sit over night. In the morning you wil notice a big change, it will look like soft jello.<br />
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Stir it up and divide it into (2) 1.1 gallon laundry bottles. Once you have it divided into the bottles finish filling them with water give them a good shake and as simple as that you are ready to wash clothes.<br />
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<b>Usage:</b> If you have a HE (high efficiency) washer use about 1/3 if a cup and a regular top load washer use about 3/4 cup.<br />
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Happy Washing!! <br />
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<br />Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-28807660507581404522012-04-03T10:11:00.000-07:002012-04-03T10:11:00.490-07:00New SiteAs some of you have seen, I have taken a bit of a break from my frequent blog posts to work on a new website. I will, however continue to post on here also. I would like to thank you all that visit this blog on a regular basis! Without you all I wouldn't keep doing this. I feel that it gives me that little extra "umph" to keep it up.<br />
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If you would like to visit the new website you may do so by going to <a href="http://realpreppers.com/" target="_blank">Real Preppers</a><br />
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Once again I would like to say thank you for all of your wonderful support.Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-63797097119037264662012-02-27T09:02:00.000-08:002012-02-27T09:02:55.971-08:00SaltDo you include it as one of your prepping essentials? Salt has so many uses people should try to keep at least 10 lbs. I personally keep 10lbs of reg iodized salt and 10lbs pickling salt. I don;t think that many people give salt much thought when it comes to storing and specific quantity. Below I will list my uses for salt, I hope these help you out also.<br />
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Some of the uses for salt in a prepping/survival situation.<br />
Curing Meat-Included smoking<br />
Food seasoning-(no brainer)<br />
Mouth rinses (sore throats)<br />
Drying hides<br />
Preserving other foods such as in canning.<br />
Used in egg freshness<br />
Can be used as an aticeptic <br />
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There are far more uses for just around the house. As you can see, salt, to me is one of the most overlooked essentials for the survival/prepper. It can also be used as a barter tool if it came down to it.Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-88466446356558855452012-02-08T07:28:00.000-08:002012-02-08T07:28:54.926-08:00Education: not just for schoolYou may have recently read the article or saw it on the news about the three adults that were lost in Oregon while out mushroom hunting. In case you did not hear about it, it was a father, mother and their 25 y/o son. Thankfully they were found alive suffering from only minor injuries one of which was hypothermia.<br />
They left to go out mushroom hunting and got lost. In reading this story I put myself in their situation, and what would I do. First off, I would not have went out without any kind of survival equipment like they did. NO, matter when I go out or where I go out, I always have a basic kit with me, which consists of a lighter, a back-up fire making device, a knife, cordage, an unopened bag of trail mix and a small signal mirror. All of which can be carried in a small backpack. I have several kits that I take with me depending on the time of the year it is.<br />
The story did not tell whether the people were smokers or not, I would have to assume they weren't because there was no mention of a fire but, did mention that the mother was suffering from hypothermia.<br />
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If you get lost while out the first thing that you should do is remain calm. Sit and collect your thoughts if you have to. Implement a plan to stay alive until you can either walk out or be rescued. Your best survival tool you have is your mind. If you can not keep calm, in most cases you will not make it out alive. There are all sorts of things that could have been done to ensure their own safety. For the majority for my readers reading the "what to do's" is old hat. I wont get into what they should have done.<br />
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We need to do our part to educate others so that if it happens to them they can stay alive if they are in a situation like this. As survival and prepper experts need to do our part in teaching others. <br />
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As always feel free to comment Have a great day!!Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-84802434484313995262012-01-18T08:56:00.000-08:002012-01-18T08:56:30.998-08:00Staying WarmNow that winter has returned to most of the country I thought I would spend some time on various situations you may encounter. One of the biggest problems in winter situations obviously is staying warm. Whether you are stranded in your car, out in the wilderness or even in your house during a power outage. Staving off hypothermia and frostbite can be the difference between life and death in any type of survival situation. Over the next few posts, I will be concentrating on staying warm to stay alive!<br />
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<b>Stranded in your car:</b><br />
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If you live in an area where the winter comes on hard and is utterly relentless staying warm while stranded is a must. The first rule is being prepared. You should have with you at all times a winter driving kit. You may refer back to <a href="http://packforsurvival.blogspot.com/2011/11/winter-driving-kits.html" target="_blank">an earlier post</a> as to what should be included in your kit. The first rule to winter driving is to keep a full gas tank. The second rule is to NOT go out in bad weather. (we all know this one but never really grasp it I don't think). To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, make sure that the tail pipe is clear of snow and ice. Remember that your car is essentially one big metal box thus becoming a freezer in the winter when the heater is not running. It will not hold heat very well once it is shut off. Pick a time schedule and stick to it! Only run the cars engine for 3 minutes out of every half hour to conserve gas. Here is another thing to keep in mind, if you are able keep your feet off of the floor. We all know that cold air drops to the lowest point, so keeping your feet off the floor will keep them warmer while the engine is not running. If you do happen to run out of water, cut the top off a plastic bottle and fill with snow. When your running your heater melt some of the snow to drink. Another thing you may do is fill 2 different bottles and let one become fully melted. Leave it on the heat as much as possible. As the water gets warm, you can drink the warm water during the times when your car is off to help maintain body heat.<br />
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As always, I hope that you find this post helpful. Till next time!!Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-79337312683234381422012-01-02T07:49:00.000-08:002012-01-02T07:49:03.655-08:00The Birch TreeThe Birch tree can be identified by it's bark, it has silvery white smooth bark with dark to black horizontal lines. The tree grows primarily in the northern parts of the U.S. as well as other countries. The Birch tree is also known as the tree of life because of all the medicinal properties it has. <br />
The leaves contain saponin, a bitter substance, mucilage, procatechinic tannin, essential oil, betulin, saccharose, resins. These substances offer the following properties to the birch leaves: diuretic, detoxifying, cicatrizing, anti-rheumatic, astringent, antiulcer, choleretic, slightly hypertensive, anti-fever. The buds also have a diuretic and antibiotic role. The bark is diuretic, digestive and anti-fever. The juice squeezed out of fresh leaves is used in treating infections and inflammations of the urinary tract.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MMHR3P2IPI6uWP74GXfdJQsUbIp3wydp3PgXf6CqTQ2aWD3Pgsug6ZTspFG74s9Hnf6w5gSH6Y_FEjeu0uZUf9QHx4netNxo2HNmWg-gpfxsgK5ndkxjA-G_PBTULWBadPJ2WwRaGpQ/s1600/Birch+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MMHR3P2IPI6uWP74GXfdJQsUbIp3wydp3PgXf6CqTQ2aWD3Pgsug6ZTspFG74s9Hnf6w5gSH6Y_FEjeu0uZUf9QHx4netNxo2HNmWg-gpfxsgK5ndkxjA-G_PBTULWBadPJ2WwRaGpQ/s320/Birch+tree.jpg" width="251" /></a></div>Birch leaf baths help strengthen hair roots, prevent the forming of dandruff and contribute to the healing of skin irritations. Externally, it is used for treating affections of the skin such as dermatitis and types of eczema. An interesting side note an infusion of birch leaves, water and sodium bicarbonate can be used externally to strengthen hair roots. Birch bark decoct is made by 2 teaspoons of dried and cut bark, which is boiled for 5 minutes in 200 ml of water, it is infused for 10 minutes, let it stand for 6 hours, then it is filtered, sweetened and drunk in portions of 3 cups per day, before meals, having digestive, depurative, anti-ulcer effects, with applications in gastric ulcer and skin diseases.<br />
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The Birch sap can also be mixed with water as an energy supplement. As you can see, the birch tree has many many beneficial uses.<br />
Once again, I hope that you find my posts informative and helpful. If you have any comments and questions feel free to post them and I will do my best to answer them.Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-56160541448374725542011-12-26T07:39:00.000-08:002011-12-26T07:39:07.504-08:00White Oak<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsd7VdKbMliMTbERabYB8GoxhSm3nWiDWtjQjkRg56ByZKwDCY4S29iLX4aEOAmJh569qXYGJWUD-jX2V63JEhqmBvaS8aPNnjzzxGf1xkFpsTt_nvMDPBacAtqlN1CVcRkG5rDwS458M/s1600/250px-White_oak_foliage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsd7VdKbMliMTbERabYB8GoxhSm3nWiDWtjQjkRg56ByZKwDCY4S29iLX4aEOAmJh569qXYGJWUD-jX2V63JEhqmBvaS8aPNnjzzxGf1xkFpsTt_nvMDPBacAtqlN1CVcRkG5rDwS458M/s400/250px-White_oak_foliage.JPG" width="335" /></a></div><br />
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The white oak tree is another one of the great medicinal trees. The size and shape of the tree can vary from area to area. The white oak also grows acorns that have many uses. The most used part of the white oak tree is the inner bark.<br />
It also provides numerous minerals and nutrients including vitamin B12, iron, calcium, and zinc, helping to replace needed compounds in the body while it helps your health conditions to improve. <br />
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The inner bark can be used for many things from an anti-diarrhea tea to a mouth wash to help with bleeding gums. You can also boil the inner bark and use it was a compress to sooth bug bites, poison ivy and poison oak. It will also promote the healing of minor cuts and scrapes. Drinking white oak bark tea and using the bark itself externally can help to combat varicose veins. It has been shown to help remove gallstones and kidney stones as well as helping internal bleeding of the stomach, rectum, and lungs. Gout and other inflammation related problems may benefit from the use of the tea as well.<br />
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It should be noted, that if you are allergic to aspirin you should not take white oak tea. It is recommended that you take oak bark 4 hours before or 4 hours after any prescription medication. To avoid negative side effects.Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-57982731825137061762011-12-20T09:34:00.001-08:002011-12-20T09:34:07.104-08:00Black WalnutToday is the start of my medicinal plant series. <b>As a disclaimer:</b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">as with any plant, you should know for sure what it is before using it for any type of medicinal purpose, also as with anything allergic reactions could occur.</span></i> Black walnut trees are found virtually across all the the United States. Almost all the parts of the Walnut tree can be used as a medicinal purpose, and has been for many many years by the Native Americans.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK165zB35jvu6vwxKex7rj3XgfB9QobkBE6Z2128oqGPYAfJL30fGLBFptPYfQONlVSYh2fTjIIkP-8-txToBhqIdD-Bk85rCw-GmefVcDk8qI9bA0zzXLunicP1W_y976MVF5PA9_2gw/s1600/blackwalnut.gif" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK165zB35jvu6vwxKex7rj3XgfB9QobkBE6Z2128oqGPYAfJL30fGLBFptPYfQONlVSYh2fTjIIkP-8-txToBhqIdD-Bk85rCw-GmefVcDk8qI9bA0zzXLunicP1W_y976MVF5PA9_2gw/s400/blackwalnut.gif" width="400" /></a></div><b>Identification:</b> The sight of the nuts on the tree is a dead giveaway obviously. There are other ways to identify the tree, breaking a piece of bark off will also give off that distinctive walnut smell.<br />
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<b>Medicinal Properties</b>: The <b>leaves</b> can be crushed to help relieve itches from bites and rashes. The leaves can also be soaked and wrapped around the affected area.<br />
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The <b>green hulls</b> can be used for many things. When the hulls are green, they are NOT edible, but a great source of iodine for external use. Uses for cuts, scrapes and other external body injuries. They can also be boiled to make a tea for intestinal problems. It can also help cure athlete's foot. <br />
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The <b>black or over ripe hulls</b> have more uses, they can be crushed into a fine powder and diluted and used for parasitic worms. It can also be used for mouth sores. Probably the coolest thing that the black hulls can be used for in dried powder form is taking care of cavities in your teeth. You can either brush your teeth with the powder or just simply swish it around in your mouth to help rebuild tooth enamel. Incidentally the black hulls can also be boiled to be used for wood stain or cloth dye.<br />
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The <b>bark</b> can be pulverized and used to stun fish in a dammed up stream. The bark can also be used in hide tanning. The wood can be made into tools that you can use such as throwing sticks and handles for hatchets and hammers.<br />
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I hope that you will find this series informative and useful. Please leave comments below if there is something you would like to discuss.Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-59014430302279873032011-12-19T09:36:00.000-08:002011-12-19T09:36:40.937-08:00Off the Beaten PathChristmas is just around the corner, so let me wish you all A very Merry Christmas! I know that it has been a few days since I last posted, things get a bit busy for me now and then. Before I get started, just a couple things, I have in the works (beginning stages) a survival/prepping school that will be here in Iowa. I have been teaching people on an individual basis, but I am seriously looking into doing groups. Ok, enough about me, on with the show.<br />
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Today we are going to focus on truly being prepared. You have to ask yourself some serious questions when it comes to being prepared. Sure, you can go with out your cell phone, blackberry and other things for a couple days here and there. but are you really prepared to going without them long term? Computers are another staple in today's society that are such a big part of our lives, I mean I am obviously not writing this on a stone tablet or carving it in a chunk of wood. Being prepared is just that, not only to have everything ready but to ALSO have the knowledge to use the things around you. One thing that I have done is to make a 3 ring binder with information in it on the things that i might not be as familiar with. Things such as medicinal plant uses with pictures of the plant and or leaves. Maybe the directions to a simple recipe that your able to make in a survival situation using the things in your bug out bag or 72 hour kit. There is all sorts of good information out there, and while we are all able it might just be a good idea to take the time and put together your own preparedness binder. Sure you could always buy one, but the chances of it having the information in it for your area of the country could very well not be in it. Over the next few posts, i will be a series of posts on medicinal plants and trees in case you do not have the time to do the research your self. I hope that you will all find it helpful and informative.<br />
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Until next time!Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-66786607776709835952011-12-09T10:12:00.000-08:002011-12-09T10:12:22.231-08:00Seeds and saving themA bit off the normal posts today for something else that my family does. As it looks to me more and more people are returning to gardening, with that people are learning that you can save your own seeds. This is something that my family has done for nearly 10 years. It is one of the easiest things you can do but it does take some time and dedication. It might be easier for some just to go out and buy the seeds, but for my family, it is our way of knowing our seeds and what we can expect. <b>One important note</b>, hybrid seeds should not be saved, as they will not turn out like their first year parents. <br />
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<b>Best seeds to save:</b><br />
The things that are the best to save seeds back from are tomatoes, peas, beans and pretty much all peppers. Each of which have a bit of a different way that is best to preserve and save the seeds. Since these are all self pollinating they make about the best plants to save seeds from. Heirloom seeds are just that, passed down from generation to generation. These would make the best ones to save! If you have a certain plant that does exceptionally well, this might be one to think about using for your save.<br />
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<b>Tomatoes:</b><br />
Saving tomato seeds does require a bit of time and a trick to knowing how to do it correctly. The first step is to allow the fruit to ripen completely. Cut the tomato into either sections or slices and scoop out the seeds along with the protective gel that covers them. Put them into a glass jar and cover the seeds and "goo" till the jar is about 1/3 to 1/2 full depending on how many seeds you are saving. Put the lid on it and let it sit on your counter out of the way. Each day take the lid off and give the seeds a gentle stir. On or about day 6 the protective gel will have degraded and the seeds will have fallen to the bottom of the jar. There could be a bit of scum on the top during this process, don't worry that is natural. Once the seeds have all been de-goo'd place them into a small holed wire strainer or something similar and rinse them well. After they have been rinsed, spread the seeds out onto a plain white paper towel and let them dry for 2-3 days. Once the seeds are dry, simply put them in an air tight container, label as to what they are and the date you put them in and store them till your ready to use them.<br />
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<b>Peppers:</b><br />
Peppers seeds are one of the easiest to obtain and save. The best way is to allow them to fully ripen on the plant until they just start to wrinkle. Pick the peppers and cut the seed pods out. Gently pull the seeds off the pod and spread them out on a white paper towel to dry for 2-3 days. Once dried, just like above place them in a labeled air tight container and store. Pretty simple huh.<br />
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<b>Peas and Beans: </b><br />
These do take a bit longer to harvest. Wait for about a month after you would normally harvest both of these. You will need to wait until the pods turn brown and are very dry. You should be able to hear them rattle around a bit. once you can hear them rattle, bring them in for final drying. Usually a week or so. You can either remove them from the husks or store them in the pods until you are ready to plant them.<br />
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Storing your seeds in a cool dry place is the best way to do it. you may also think about placing a silicone gel pack in the container to help ward off moisture.<br />
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As with all my posts, feel free to ask questions or leave me a comment. I do my best to answer them all.Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-14948185593403158722011-12-05T09:50:00.000-08:002011-12-05T09:50:25.267-08:00Canning your own food is a lost art.The way the world is today and the state of the economy are you really preparing or are you just going through the motions? Think about it, if something were to happen at this very second, could you make it? Could you keep your family warm and safe? Unless you live in the tropics or some place where it is warm this time of year winter is about to rear it's ugly head and hard. Picture this, January, the dead of winter, an infrastructure failure. This means, no lights, no heat and no water among other things. What are your going to do now? There will probably be little to no communication so if shelters are set up you will not know about them. How will you feed your family? Sure you might have your 72 hour kit ready to go, but what happens if it goes into days or weeks or heaven forbid longer than that. How will you provide food for your family?<br />
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<b>Canning:</b><br />
Canning your own food has been around for a long time and in my opinion it is becoming a lost art. Personally our family cans as much as we can during the summer from tomatoes to corn (freeze) and most other vegetables. Home canned foods will last up to a couple of years. Home canned food provides safe nutrition, there are no additives or preservatives in any of it. Best of all it is not hard to do at all. I know that when people think of canning, they think they have to have all of the fancy pressure cookers and all the gadgets but you don't HAVE to have them.<br />
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<b>Jars, rings and seals:</b><br />
If you are just starting out usually a case of quart jars will run anywhere from 7-10.00 for a dozen. Your first set generally comes with the seals and rings. While they come made and look clean, to be sure, you should wash all of the things in HOT soapy water (as hot as you can stand), rinse them very well. Set them upside down up on a clean dry towel. They do not have to dry. In a very large pot fill with water and bring it to a boil. Once it is boiling, place a couple jars, seals and rings in the water for about a minute to sanitize them. You can use a long set of tongs, or a jar lifter to get them out of the water and set them back on the towel.<br />
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<b>Preparing your veggies</b>, is pretty common sense and easy, simply wash, cut to desired size and fill the jar to within an inch of the top: In a separate pot, bring to a boil 1/2 teaspoon of salt to each 1 qt of water. Using a funnel, fill the the jar with the water/salt until it covers the veggies or within a 1/2 inch of the top. Dip a clean cloth into the water that you used to sterilize the jars and wipe off the rim of the jar to make sure it is clean for a good proper seal. <br />
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<b>Sealing your Jars:</b> Place a seal on the jar and screw on the ring pretty tight. Use a towel to hold the jar in place as it will be very hot. Repeat this till all of your jars are full that you have veggies for. Once that is done, place 2-3 jars right side up into the sterilizing pot making sure that the water level is about 3/4 up the side of the jar. Bring the water to a boil and let it boil for 15 minutes. When the time is up, carefully remove the jars and set them in an area where you will not have to move them for 24 hours. Depending on the temperature of your home, it could take as long as 5-6 hours for them to seal. You may also hear them "pop" when sealing themselves. Once they are completely cooled and sealed, store them in a cool dark place like a basement or the bottom of a closet. If by chance, you have a couple that do not seal, put them in the fridge and use them up in a week or so.<br />
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Not only does canning food provide an emergency food source, it will also save you money in the long run as the rings and jars can be reused year after year. The only thing that you can not reuse is the seals.<br />
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I hope that my blog is giving people the insights to help themselves, not only in prepping but also other little tricks. As always, feel free to comment on anything that you might have a question on.Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-62296292249130630062011-11-29T09:21:00.000-08:002011-11-29T09:21:32.181-08:00Simple Water Storage What if I told you that there was no reason to go out and buy gallons and gallons of pre-bottled water. There is such a simple and cost effective way of storing water for your family. How many people now days go out and buy soda in the 20 oz bottles? I would be willing to bet there are many many people that do so. Or how about those gallon jugs of apple juice. Instead of buying the 20oz, why not buy the 2ltr bottles a few times. Not only water, but there are so many uses for these bottles, that it is worth hanging on to a few of them.<br />
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Water Storage: It is pretty simple when you think about it. Wash the bottles out with hot soapy water, the hotter the water the better so you can rinse all of the sugars and things out of them. I personally put about 2 cups of really hot water in them. Be a bit liberal with the soap and shake the ever lovin crap out of it, trying to fill the bottle with suds. Let the bottles sit until the suds are all back in the bottom of the bottle. Rinse the bottles very very well. Now, depending on if you have city water or well water will determine the shelf life of your water store.<br />
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If you will be filling your bottles from a municipal water source you do not have to do anything special to it, just fill and place the cap on tightly.The water has already been treated and therefore will be safe. Store it in a cool dark place such as the back of a closet or in the basement. <br />
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If your going to be using well water for your storage. It is best to put 4-5 drops of bleach in the water to sanitize it. As well water has not been treated, and over time things may start to grow in it that you do not want to drink and could become harmful. Again, store it in a dark cool place where it is easily accessible.<br />
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Having said all of that, I truly think that there is no reason to buy "commercial" water. You can save lots of money in doing it yourself.<br />
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<b>TIP:</b> When it comes to storing your water, I would suggest writing a date on the bottle so you know when you filled it. If you do not use the water within a years time, empty them out and refill to maintain as fresh of water as you can.<br />
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You never know when disaster may strike, wouldn't you rather be prepared, than be the poor shlub down the street that looses his or her mind because they didn't prepare?Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-49670417052855035982011-11-25T03:39:00.000-08:002011-11-25T03:39:11.903-08:00Call Me Simple Minded I didn't get to bed very early last night but, still I woke up this morning way before anyone else in the house thought about stirring for the day. For some reason I just laid there and started thinking to myself about all of the people who are not even remotely prepared or those that live in the big cities. ya know, the ones that go through life thinking that each and every day they wake up they will be able to go and turn the coffee pot on, or stop at the next fast food place and grab breakfast. How many of them could go and catch fish or trap an animal. Hell or even think about the simplest things like heating up soup or cooking by candle right in the house. yup, you read that right, cooking with candle power. It does take a little bit of time, but has worked for me in the past when the lights have gone out and I didn't want to break out all of the "good gear".<br />
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Candle cooking: If you are like me (or not) I am sure you have plenty of candles in your house in case of emergency. Believe it or not, all it takes is three of the about 4 inch diameter candles (unscented). Are you laughing yet? You shouldn't be it really does work. Depending on the heights of your candles, you will need something about an inch taller than they are to hold your pan on at least 2 sides. Lite the candles and set it above the flame and wait a few minutes and there you have hot soup.<br />
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Folks, there are so many ideas and common sense solutions to any problem that you face in ANY kind of a survival situation. You do not always have to follow the path that others have made. Be bold and make your own trail, use your own ideas it is the only way that you will learn and hone your skills.<br />
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If there is something specific that you would like to know about, please feel free to leave a comment. I will be more than happy to help you out with it.Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-77554545704779525212011-11-22T10:13:00.000-08:002011-11-22T10:13:44.354-08:00Urban Area Bug Out TipsWe all know there are millions of people that live in urban areas in the country and around the world for that matter. If and when something happens, whether that is another attack, natural disaster or a financial collapse, what are you and your family going to do? I will highlight some tips or questions to help keep your family safe should you decide to bug out and get somewhere else other than your Urban or Suburban home.<br />
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Decisions:<br />
Is it safe to move around? If it is safe do you have a preplanned area you are going? Know the risks is the route safe to travel? Remember the more urban the area the more it could be broken down and the people desperate. All people have an instinct to help others, but would you help someone if it endangered your family?<br />
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Be Prepared:<br />
Having your Survival bags ready or your 72 hour kits in a place where they are easily accessible is a good start. Should the need arise, you should be able to carry your bag on your back, such as a backpack or a long handled duffel. I would also advise for those that do not know how to use any item in your kit to get familiar with it.<br />
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Your Location and Travel<br />
As most of us prepare for anything can be headed our way, we all should have our meeting place planned out. I know that my family has a place in the woods picked out that is complete with a cave on a hill. Over looking a water source. You should also try to map out the best routes to take with back ups if needed. Depending on where you are heading, infrastructure that could be down and so on. How will you be getting there? Will there be gates locked along your way? I would suggest keeping a pair of bolt cutters in your car along with other common tools. Most people sleep at night even in bad situations, your best time to travel is at night especially on foot. Be careful to travel quietly, stick to the shadows as much as possible.<br />
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I am a firm believer in taking care of your own, I could offend someone by saying this, If I do I am sorry in advance, but when it comes to a survival situation my family and I will come first. If we have extra I will be more than willing to share. Each family should be prepared on their own. We all know that there are people who are so dependent on things in their everyday lives they just will not make it. I have pitty for those but, at the same time I must protect my own.<br />
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Anything that i write is not meant to scare people it is meant to keep people safe in a time where they have no knowledge.Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-27387722398969329412011-11-14T16:07:00.000-08:002011-11-14T16:07:25.138-08:00Your biggest and BEST Survival tool.Take a look through all of your survival things. What is your biggest, best "go to" tool you have? Could it be your knife? It can be used for many things, cutting, carving, chopping and skinning. Or could it be your fire starter whether that is a plain old lighter, flint, ferro rod or any of the commercial fire starters. Nope, neither of those are what you should be using as your "go to" tool. I know your sitting there racking your brain trying to figure out what else it could be, maybe a water purification system of some kind? No, still not it.<br />
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Ok, here it is, the single greatest survival tool you have is your mind. I know it was kind of a trick question. Seriously think about it, your greatest tool is your mind and knowing how to use it will keep you from just curling up in a ball sucking your thumb and waiting to die when faced with a survival situation. When faced with a survival situation, whether it is because you were hiking and got lost, or for any other reason, your mind is your biggest asset. Here are some things to think about to keep you safe.<br />
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Stop and calm down, you will just make mistakes when your not thinking clearly. Look around you, can you see anything that looks familiar like, landmarks, trees or roads etc. If nothing looks familiar now what? depending on the time of the day you will have different priorities.( will cover in a later post) The first thing you should decide, is what can I do to better my situation and be able to survive for a couple days if you had to. You need to find shelter or construct one. The weather will help you determine the type of shelter you should build BUT, I always say build it once and do it right so you are ready for anything. Look around you, are you in a low lying area or a water run off area, this would not be a good place for a shelter in the rain.<br />
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Fire, if you are out hiking you should have a way of making fire with you such as a lighter, flint or other means. This and a knife are the 2 things that I do not leave out on a hike or fishing trip without. Fire does many things, most of which provides warmth, sometimes even more than that, it provides you peace of mind. There have been times I have been out and didnt have a fire for one reason or another. You will hear all sorts of things all around you, some of which you can even call into question your sanity.<br />
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Water, you need to find a water source, in most places water can be found fairly easily. You have to have water (no brainer). Find it, purify it and drink, stay hydrated, stay alive. Not sure I really need to expand on why you need water.<br />
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The bottom line, is that your mind and knowledge are the greatest tools you have, without remaining calm, thinking clearly you will lessen your chances of survival.<br />
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As always, feel free to leave me a comment if you do not agree with something, I will be happy to talk about anything, we are all here to learn from each other.Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-77577506479507033012011-11-07T08:19:00.000-08:002011-11-07T08:19:52.102-08:00Winter Driving KitsPeople from the big cities should head this and take it seriously. How many of your friends live in a warmer climate but go to the mountains to ski or to just get away? Do any of them actually go prepared for an emergency or a blizzard? Like it says in my profile, I will tell things like it is, I will tell them as I see them. This post in particular is not meant to offend anyone at all. How many times have we traveled the roads and seen some yuppie broke down or in a ditch or stuck in the snow? How many of them are really prepared, I would venture to guess not very damn many of them. Take for instance, the late winter of 2011 that hit Chicago. There were and estimated 700 people stranded on Lake Shore Dr. How many of them even gave it a second thought to keep water, or even some food in the car with them? Another thing to remember, NO matter the vehicle with all that metal surrounding you it will act like a ice box in cold weather, if you can not run the engine, it will be very cold in there.<br />
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Winter Kits and Why<br />
Food: such as Granola, candy bars and dehydrated fruits will keep for a bit longer than most things and do not need to be cooked to eat and provide a decent amount of nourishment.<br />
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Water: There is no need to go out and buy bottled water to keep in your trunk or behind your truck seat. Most people drink soda, so why not buy a couple of 2 liter bottles wash them out good and refill them.<br />
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First Aid Kit: If you are stranded in bad weather, it could take a long time for medical help to get to you, bandages, gauze and medical tape will help you out until medical services can get to you. <br />
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Booster or Jumper Cables: You should have a set of these in every vehicle regardless of the time of year. I Don't think I should have to explain why.:)<br />
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Extra Blankets or a Sleeping Bag: If you travel with your family depending on the size you may have to bring more than one. this can be one of the more important items in your kit. If you get suck in the snow and you are low on gas ( which you shouldn't be) a sleeping bag will allow your gas to last far longer than if you didnt have one.<br />
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A small shovel: There are many uses for this, such as, digging your self out if you are stuck. you can also use it to clean out around the exhaust of your vehicle to keep from getting covered thus reducing your chance for carbon monoxide poisoning.<br />
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Cat litter: I say cat litter over sand for a couple reasons, one is the particles are bigger and you will get better traction over sand. Also in case you have a cat with you ( ok just kidding) Because Cat litter is bigger, it is also much easier to clean up if you gets broke open or it spills.<br />
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Flash Light: I prefer to use a rechargeable flash light with a regular battery flash light as a back up. You could use it to signal someone in a rescue situation, for light obviously.<br />
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Infant care Items: If you travel with small children, keep them in mind, a few extra diapers and a change of clothes should also be added over and beyond an normal diaper bag.<br />
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Extra clothing items: These should be hats, gloves and boots.<br />
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A can of Fix a Flat: A can that you can temporarily repair a flat tire.<br />
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You should always keep your gas tank full when venturing out in the winter time, not only will it give you more piece of mind, but keeping your tank full will also reduce the chances of moisture build up in the tank. As with all of my tips these are not set in stone, I give you what my kits and strategies are for all kinds of survival, you may have to tailor to your individual needs.Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-37056927938511681282011-11-03T07:59:00.000-07:002011-11-03T07:59:52.109-07:00Your Own Cold RoomI will start this off by saying that I may not always be the most grammatically correct, but I put things in the most simple terms as I can so that anyone can understand.<br />
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What is a cold room you ask? A cold room is somewhere in your home or on your property that will stay dry and well,... cold. If you do not have a basement in your home it can get a bit more expensive to build. Cold rooms can be used to store a variety of things such as potatoes, squash, onions all of your home canned goods amongst other things. You can also store all of your food storage in it (except frozen) safely. The best part is, you do not have to buy a commercial grade one, you can build it yourself. For arguments sake we will assume you have a basement. Pick the driest corner that is the least used away from the most direct heat source ( furnace-water heater) Since you are putting it in the corner you will only need to build 2 walls and a door. Bare in mind that in some states you may have to obtain a building permit and check the local codes.<br />
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<b>Building your Cold Room </b><br />
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What will you need: Note: all room sizes will be different so there is no set materials list.<br />
2x4's<br />
1/2" plywood<br />
Rolled Insulation<br />
Screws/Nails<br />
Level<br />
Hinges<br />
Door pull<br />
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<b> </b>Your cold room does not need to be fancy with drywall and the whole nine yards. It just needs to be able to hold in the natural cold. Start by building the walls making sure to leave room for a door. The door size is determined by the amount or size of the containers you will be taking in through it. Once the walls are built, it might be easier for you to put in the ceiling now. Just simply take plywood and cover the top to make the ceiling. Once you have that completed, line the walls with plywood on the inside and the rolled insulation between the 2x4's on the outside. Cover the outside walls with plywood. There is no need to buy a premade door, although you can if you want, but there is really no need. If your cold room is very near an existing light there may be no need to install one as it may give off enough light. If this is not the case a simple mechanics corded light that you can hang on the wall and take in with you will work just fine.<br />
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Depending on what you want to store, you can build shelves in all or part of it. I would though recommend leaving space on the floor to be able to store things such as plastic boxes for potatoes, onions and other such things. Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3842552336015411954.post-80001704023180246262011-10-31T11:30:00.000-07:002011-10-31T11:30:51.435-07:00Food PrepHave you ever really thought of how much food you would need to sustain your family for a year? Below is a guide for a 4 person family. This list can be adjusted to fit you families needs. All of the items listed below are measured in pounds unless otherwise stated.<br />
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GRAIN<br />
Wheat 450<br />
Flour 74<br />
Corn Meal74<br />
Oats 74<br />
Rice 150<br />
Pasta 74<br />
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LEGUMES<br />
Dry Beans 90<br />
Lima Beans 12<br />
Soy Beans 30<br />
Split Peas 12<br />
Lentils 12<br />
Dry Soup Mix 12<br />
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OIL & FAT<br />
Shortening 12<br />
Vegetable Oil 6g<br />
Mayonnaise 6qts<br />
Salad Dressing 4qts<br />
Peanut Butter 12 pounds<br />
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COOKING ESSENTIALS:<br />
Baking Powder 4<br />
Baking Soda 4<br />
Yeast 2<br />
Salt 16<br />
Vinegar 2g<br />
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DAIRY<br />
Dry Milk 120<br />
Cans Evaporated Milk 120<br />
Other Dairy 90<br />
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SUGARS<br />
Honey 8<br />
Sugar 120<br />
Brown Sugar 8<br />
Molasses 4<br />
Corn Syrup 8<br />
Jam & Jelly 8<br />
Tang Type Fortified Fruit Drink 18<br />
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FRUIT<br />
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Dried Apples 120<br />
Applesauce 120<br />
Banana Chips 90<br />
Fruit Mixture 105<br />
Juice 120<br />
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VEGETABLES<br />
Corn 90<br />
Peas 90<br />
Green Beans 90<br />
Carrots 90<br />
Potatoes 120<br />
Onions 15<br />
Tomatoes 60<br />
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Most of these things can be done in your own home, you may consider even building a cold room in your basement if you have one.Real Survivalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061362376291936487noreply@blogger.com0