Running The Numbers On Raising Livestock

I was raised on the farm where we raised cattle, pigs, and chickens. We hunted wild rabbits but did not raise any. Now as an adult I am limited on space and resources. So..

when running the numbers what livestock is the most economical to raise?

Cattle

Depending on the breed of cattle you raise Holsteins we butchered out at 18 months and Hereford or Angus we butchered out at 24 months. In most places they require at least 3 acres to raise livestock but if you only have 3 acres that is enough area to grow the alfalfa and grain to support this animal. To raise a steer to butchered weight requires 2 to 4lbs of grain and 3% of body weight per day in pasture or hay. Gestation is 9 months so you will have 1 calf per year.

Pigs

Dealing with pigs is a whole different thing. They usually reach butcher weight in 6 months and they need between 2 to 4lbs of grain per day but they will forage or root and they will eat a variety of things. They are also to me like a composting machine and can devour most anything. The down falls is the space along with when they get out they can make short work of a garden in no time. Their gestation is 114 days and usually have 8 to 12 (or more) per litter and usually have 2 litters per year. On the farm we put them in farrowing crates to have their babies because some sows will eat their young and they will also lay on them. My personal opinion is I really can't stand raising these animals.

Goats

I never had goats growing up on the farm but I had them as an adult on a previous farm. I cannot say enough good things about raising these as livestock. They are will eat about anything and even when my goats got out they never went anywhere except the front and back yard. I even had 2 does were the best babysitters for my son when he was playing in the yard. If he wandered where they felt he shouldn't be they would gently butt him into going back in the direction they wanted. You get both milk and meat just the same as cattle but with a fraction of space and grain a cow needs. Also the make up of goats milk is about as close as you can get to a humans mothers milk so in a survival situation this can mean life or death for an infant. From a good doe I would get about 3 quarts a day and I had 3 sons living at home so I would mix it 50/50 with instant milk. I fed my goats 1lb of grain and 1 leaf of hay per goat per day. A goats gestation period is around 150 days and they usually have 1 to 2 babies (kids) per birth. When raising for meat some will breed a doe back in about 30 days of giving birth.

Rabbits

I hunted wild rabbits (and still do) as a kid on the farm but I never really considered or ran the numbers on them as livestock in a survival situation until I listened to Nick Klein of the Hostile Hare during the Survival Summit. I had no idea that in a 20x20 space you can raise 3100lbs of meat! I knew rabbits reproduce at a high rate but I never really ran the numbers regarding space and feeding costs. A single doe can have up to 64 babies per year and that is alot of meat in a survival situation. Their gestation is 31 days and butcher weight is 5lbs or more and usually at 10 to 12 weeks of age.. According to Nick his choice of food is barley sprouts/fodder. Feeding alfalfa can produce kidney and reproduction problems so Timothy or Orchard grass is preferred.

Chickens

Most of us know about chickens that produce meat and eggs so I won't go in to this.

My personal opinion is the most economic as far as space and resources is a combination of goats for the dairy and meat, rabbits for meat, and chickens for eggs and meat.

Tell us about your experiences in raising the above livestock

Be prepared, not sorry

Being A Single Goddess Prepper Part Two

I have received much feed back regarding being a single woman and prepping and some of it was great and some was down right disturbing. I had a few individuals which I assume were male that basically said to whore ourselves out to be safe. This is the type of mentality that we are up against in the present and the monsters we will face in the WROL. The positive is I have heard from many single women that are prepping and making their plans now.

survivalistsingles.com

Survivalistsingles is the only dating site that I am aware of. This site also allows you to search for groups too. It is free which is a great feature but like any dating site it has it's share of scammers and and prepper wanna be's so if you do decide to use this site use your common sense.

survivalistboards.com

This site is full of opportunities to connect, network, and has a vast knowledge base. They have a groups section where you can locate individuals and groups by region and state. They also have a singles area. The downside of this site is be prepeared to have a thick skin because there tends to be alot of personal attacks. Myself I like to learn so I just don't make many comments unless I am asking questions.

americanpreppersnetwork.net

This site is a great resource for learning and finding a group and they have webinars every month.

Facebook

You can find alot of pages for region and state. This is a great way to network and find a group.

Please I urge you to make your plans now and as I always say....

Be prepared, not sorry

When To Bug Out - Make The Plan NOW

Like most preppers I talk about bugging out, my bug out bag, and my bug out location but I want to touch on....

When do I bug out and what's the plan?

When To Bug Out - Bug Out Plan

I hear so many preppers say I am going to bug in I have everything I need right here.

But what if??....

* Your location is over run, your supplies are taken and your forced out? Or in case of a natural disaster you have to get out of it's way?

Do you have alternate supplies stored and a alternate safe location? What are the triggers that will put your plan in motion?

* What if your separated from your family at the time of bug out? Do you have a rally point?

In many a crisis we have seen family searching for other family members. Don't be one of these families.

* Plan, Drill, Repeat

I can't stress this enough, plan and drill with your family so it is all second nature and your not standing around looking at each other wondering what you do next.

* Make sure your bug out bag is season ready.

Depending on the time of year should determine what is in your bag. If its winter your don't need bug spray in your bag. It's useless. Take that few minutes at the changing of the seasons to get your bag ready for that season.

Be prepared, not sorry

Goddess (72 Hour) Survival Bucket

We all have our bug out bags, but right next to my bag is my survival bucket. Where I work I can get plastic buckets for free and I use them for cashe' on my route to my bug out location. The survival bucket is an extension of my bug out bag. Both can be grabbed and carried on a moments notice. In my bag is the essentials to survive, my gun, ammo, fire starting tools, fishing button, snares, first aid, MRE's,  water purification, change of clothes and socks, thermo blanket, and ax so if some reason I am separated or can no longer carry my bucket I still have what I need to survive.

In my bucket is the extensions, toilet paper, MRE's and cans of food, hygiene products, bottled water, water purification, more first aid supplies, and a radio. As both are emptied they can be consolidated to my backpack and the bucket can just be used for just water. Now realize that both of these are designed to get me to my next cash. This is not the DO all.... it is just designed to get me to my next cash. So there is planning involved to know your routes and have your cashes buried.

These buckets can be designed for each member of the family. All size of buckets with lids can be purchase at home improvement stores such as Home Depot, Lowes etc. so even children can have the size bucket they can carry and let's face it.... in a bug out situation every little bit of supplies help! As crazy as it sounds even my dogs have their own packs....everyone carries their own supplies!

Now you can purchase these buckets from several different online companies but for a fraction of the price you can build your own and for the same price you can build a few of them. Just think if every person that experienced Hurricane Katrina had a bug out bag and bucket, a bug out plan and route to escape.......how many lives could have been saved? How many people would have not been dependent on FEMA or the Red Cross (which took days to arrive)?

Be prepared, not sorry

Survival Goddess American Blackout Review

Please visit my You Tube channel and my review of Nat Geo's American Blackout

Survival Goddess American Blackout

Survival Education Plan

I am sorry that I have not been posting regularly but I have taken my own advice and went back to school. I currently work in the medical field but decided I needed more skills and went back to obtain my Pharmacy Technicians certification and on July 15th I passed my boards! 

Along with this plan of going back to school was the long range goal of transferring to a hospital closer to which now is my bug out location but once I transfer it will become my permanent survival retreat.

As I have said time and time again education is going to be one of the keys to long term survival. Even if it's not formal schooling take a survival first aid course, hunting course, canning etc all these add up in your knowledge savings account.

Challenge

I challenge you to expand your knowledge savings account and I would like to hear from you. Share your knowledge plan with us and we can inspire and motivate eachother!

Be prepared, not sorry

Survival Fishing Button/Bug Out Bag Item

This is a great item to have in your bug out bag and in your cashes. It costs all of about a $1.50 to make and in a survial situation could mean eating or not.

To watch the complete video you can watch on my You Tube Channel

Be prepared, not sorry

Survival Plastic Tote Garden

I have several people contacting me asking the question "I have a limited amount of space how can I have a garden or grow my own food?". Well in a previous post I told you how to start your seeds in soda bottles

I like to practice what I preach so I wanted to give an honest answer to those that ask the questions. So I took a area of a typical 8x4 apartment balcony. Now I use a ton of tomato juice a year for chili, spaghetti, and goulash. In this area I can put 2 tomato plants and 2 pepper plants per tote for 4 totes and 1 tote I made a combination of herbs and medicinal plants.
Now I have usually produced 20 to 35 beef steak tomatoes per plant and 12 to 18 peppers per plant. So in 4 totes you can produce 160 tomatoes and 96 peppers.

Then when the season is over you pull the dead plants out and put the cover on.

And the great thing is this is portable so where ever you move this can go with you. If you have a limited amount of space this is a great idea!

Be prepared, not sorry



Taking The "Gamey" Taste Out Of Wild Game And Fish

Growing up the daughter of the the "Great White Hunter/Fisherman" I learned....

All game is edible if you do it right..

I love to fish I think more than I love to hunt..probably because you can catch a fish and have it over a campfire in a matter of minutes. Pan fish such as bass, trout, perch, bluegill are my favorite but if it swims I will eat it. Depending on what you are fishing or hunting for you can sometimes, if you don't know the tricks have a very gamey or fishy tasting entree. But here are some things you can do to neutralize that unpleasant taste and give you some fantastic eating.

Milk

I love to fish for pike and in most places you can fish away with no limit but they can be a strong fish. Bear tends to be a greasy and gamey tasting meat but soaking them 24hrs in Milk tends to neutralize those tastes. 

Baking Soda

Baking also is a great neutralizer. My dad takes his salmon and soaks them in baking soda prior to smoking them.

Lipton Onion Soup Mix

For rabbit or squirrel put a package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix in a crock pot. Than add the fixings you want...I grew up eating this and you better believe LOSM is part of my preps!

Be prepared, not sorry

Two Ways To Safely Remove Ticks

It is that time of year again.........TICK SEASON

These pesky blood sucking nuisances are not only painful but in many cases they can also carry Lyme Disease. It is good to make a practice of examining yourself, pets, and livestock especially after walks, time in the woods, etc. With many people the first instinct is the grab them with hands or tweezers and pull them off but that can result in breaking the head off which will remain embedded in its victims skin.

Here are two ways that in many cases successfully making the tick back out of the skin and be removed safely.

Liquid Soap Method

Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick
with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for 20 to 30 seconds the tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away

Petroleum Jelly Method

Apply a thick glob of petroleum jelly to the tick and the area surrounding it and make sure it is completely covered as to not let any air in. After a minute gently with paper towel or tissue paper gently try to remove the tick. If tick has not backed out re-apply and try again.

If neither of these techniques work seek medical help.

Be prepared, not sorry

Survival Fire Starting/Items for your Bugout Bag

This is a simple way to get a fire going on a day that is drizzly/rainy. I will be creating a DVD that will show other ways in a survival situation to make fire.

If there is something you would like to see included on this DVD please shoot me an email with your suggestion.

Be prepared, not sorry

Survival Goddess You Tube Channel

Just wanted to announce that the new Survival Goddess Channel is up and running. I am really excited to have another venue to get the important information out on prepping and surviving the world changes to come. Subscribe so you don't miss out on critical information.

The new Survival Goddess You Tube Channel is up! 

Dynamics of a Survival Group Part 1

I have several emails regarding forming or joining a survival group so I am going to do a series to address the different dynamics and issues that you should consider when you think about forming or joining a group.

Survival Goddess You Tube Channel

Mind Sets

I think this is probably the hugest component of a group. I have seen many groups implode due to dictatorship attitudes or what I like to call "Too many chiefs and not enough Indians syndrome". One or a handful of people seem to have all the power and dictate the rules. Whenever you have that type of environment it is just a recipe for disaster. 

I have seen groups that require their members to have 2 years worth of food, a list of weapons and ammo along with a $10,000 membership fee and store ALL of this on this one person's property! Why on earth would you hand over all your preps this way? For $10,000 right now there is listed a property of 3.5 acres 40 miles north of me with a lake 1 mile away and it's very secluded. Granted 3.5 acres is not alot of property but with good property management you can store and grow alot of preps along with some of the best hunting in the state. If you have correct management your space you could maximize 2 families and provide for them.

Suggestion: If you want to form a group and want to purchase a larger chunk of property go to a lawyer and form a Hunting Club. I have seen people do this all the time. You form a club and if for some reason a individual wishes to leave the club the other club members can buy them out, require they find some to buy in and must be approved by the group, or walk away and forfeit their share. This also puts the entire group on a level playing field because you are all equally invested.

When looking for a group of forming one EVERYONE needs to have a valuable skill set to bring to the table. They also need to have the right mind set. I have seen a group that has a doctor and a ex Army Ranger that are given card Blanche in the group and don't need to prep because the group is expected to provide for them because they have such special skills! To me that is absolutely ridiculous! 

The group needs to function as a cohesive unit. Everyone has a job and yes you need leaders but not dictators. I will take a hard working, loyal, and willing to learn individual over a walking ego that thinks he is privileged because believe me when SHTF this self privileged individual will become a source of constant irritation and won't be worth it.

And a huge mindset I look for is the willingness to share their skills with the group. If I see a person that thinks they are going to keep their skills to themselves because they think that makes them invaluable and not teach anyone in case you lose them that proves to me they are selfish and have no regards to the survival of the group and I have no use for them in my group.

What are the needed skill sets?

These are the skill sets that I look for when adding members to my own group.

* Military - Of course you need this. This person knows how to set up a  security perimeter, firearm knowledge etc.

* Hunter/Gatherer/Scavenger - This person or I recommend you have 2 or 3 of these because they always are sizing things up and are little hoarders. They will gather and haul back everything because there has to be a use for it. They know if your hungry enough you will eat anything. A large cricket contains 9 grams of protein. They know how to set snares, run a trap line, hunt, track and field dress anything they kill.

* Farmer - This is a given.

* Livestock/Rancher - If you can find a person that can do Both Farmer and Rancher you have hit the jackpot

* Veterinarian - If you can find a Veterinarian prepper count your lucky stars because they can also double as your Medical person. I know a vet that on a hunting trip one of his buddies fell off a ledge and broke his arm and he set it.

* Medical - Now here you don't necessarily need a doctor but a nurse or paramedic is fantastic.

* Mechanic - In a scenario not involving an EMP you are going to want one of these

* Einstein/Engineer - These are the people that see a need and can come up with a contraption to solve the need.

* Heart - This is the person that doesn't have any of the above skill sets but has the heart to learn because canning, gardening, livestock tending can be taught.

Be prepared, not sorry

Home Remedies

After SHTF you have to be your own Walgreens

I was fortunate enough to grow up with some amazing parents and grandparents that not only taught me how to can, hunt, fish, garden etc but I also grew up with home remedies that I believe will benefit me after SHTF and I would like to share a few with you.

Cough Syrup

This cough syrup is really easy to make and if you keep it in a cool dark place it can last up to 1 year!

Ingredients

*1-Gallon Glass Jar with lid
*4-Lemons
*2-Large Onions
*1-Jar Honey
*1-Pint Peppermint Schnapps
*1-Pint Blackberry Brandy

Slice lemons and onions and layer them inside the jar. Then add your jar of honey, then your Schnapps and Brandy. For adults 1 tablespoon and for children under 12 years old 1/4 of a tablespoon.

Calamine Lotion

Growing up on a farm you were always getting into poison ivy. I swear I can just look at it and get it! So my grandma would always be making this. She used chamomile oil but I prefer the tea tree oil because it's a natural antiseptic. I keep tea tree oil on hand because it is also great for dogs when they get hot spots in the summer. You just put a drop on the area and it not only works as a antiseptic for the sore but also the taste is so bad the dog will leave the hot spot alone so it can heal.

Ingredients

*1 tablespoon sea salt
*1 tablespoon baking soda
*1 tablespoon bentonite clay
*15 drops essential oil (use one or a combination of lavender, geranium, chamomile, yarrow, peppermint, and tea tree)
*enough water to form a paste

In a small glass or ceramic bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Slowly mix in the water until a smooth paste forms, then add the essential oils. Use as you would calamine lotion and apply directly to affected area.

Note: Because of the water content, keep this lotion refrigerated for 3-5 days. Your best bet is to keep a small glass jar of the dry ingredients pre-mixed, spoon a small amount into your hand, and make a paste with the liquids as needed.

Watch for other useful home remedies in upcoming posts and if you have a remedy that you would like to have featured please email me Survival Goddess

***The materials contained on this website are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute medical professional advice. SurvivalGoddess.blogspot.com does not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage or other liability which may arise from the use of information, or products featured on this site.**
Be prepared, not sorry

Mother Nature Provides The Lessons For Prepping Part 2

In November 2011 I published the first post of "Mother Nature Provides The Lessons For Prepping" and now in the aftermath of Sandy I wanted reiterate and update this. 

Growing up on a farm you have to be a prepper. We canned, butchered our own meat, hunted, and of course grew our own crops. It's just what you did.. After Katrina hit that's when I kicked prepping into high gear, I seen that Mother Nature is not bias in race, how much money you have, or where you live. She can unleash her wrath anytime and anywhere and it amazes me on how (sorry to say but it's the truth) foolish and unprepared people are. Our own government says you should have at least 3 days of food and water in your house for emergencies.  And it breaks my heart and angers me when I see people dumpster diving and standing in lines to just get fresh water.

It doesn't matter where you live..Mother Nature can hurl anything your way

I don't care where you live in this country Mother Nature can hurl anything at you...wild fires, earth quakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, drought, flood, and blizzards. I live in Michigan and our weather is relatively easy compared to some other parts of the country. But I remember when I was young we had the "Great Blizzard of 1978". That blizzard brought the state of Michigan to a grinding halt for 2 weeks. People died and froze to death because they were unprepared. Thank god we had plenty of food, both wood and fuel oil furnaces, my mother had the good sense of filling the bathtub and anything that could hold water before the storm hit so we had water to drink, she also had plenty of oil lamps, we filled 55 gallon drums of water prior to the storm, and we had a creek running thru our property so all we had to do was clear a path with the tractors and break thru the ice for the livestock to drink after the storm. The only disruptions in my life was no TV or school.

So what can Mother Nature do to you?

Be prepared for what Mother nature can throw at you. Now I'm sorry if this offends people and it's my opinion and blog so I can voice it, but in both cases of Hurricane Katrina and Sandy I seen the satellite images and thought "this is a Monster get the hell out of Dodge!" and both times I seen people on the news laughing saying "it was no big deal and they were going to ride it out". That is just stupid and how many paid the ultimate price for that?

Nothing you own is worth your life or families life.

Now most of us myself included plans on bugging in when SHTF but I am not foolish enough to think that plan will hold together forever and situations arise where I may have to have the alternate plan. I have plans A, B, C, and D.....do you?

*What if your location is overrun by individuals wanting what you have?

*What if Mother Nature makes it impossible to stay at your location such as a wild fire or flood?

If you don't have backup plans start NOW! Here are suggestions for plan B, C, and D

Choose 3 different alternate locations. All must be within a 3 day walk because in the case of an EMP or mass ciaos you may not be able to use your vehicle. Bury cashes along the way so you don't have to carry 3 days worth of food and water. Bury them next to a landmark you will easily remember like a huge tree or road sign etc because in a critical situation you don't want to be scratching your head trying to remember where your cashes are. I like to use plastic tubs because they are fairly inexpensive and very easy to make water tight.

My bugout bag is only designed to keep me for 3 days and or to get me to my next cashe' or bugout location if for some reason I can't get to my cashes. I have 3 different ways to make fire, a few protein bars, first aid kit, water filtration tabs and bottle, a small fishing kit, hand gun, rope, change of clothes, knife, and across the back my bow and arrows. Now I know I'm going to get people saying you need this or that in your bag but I stick to what I have said it is only designed for 3 days of survival MAX. And if you have every prepper gadget known to man in your bugout bag you will NEVER be able to carry it for a long distance so therefore it's useless and may cost you your life. You want to move quickly and efficiently to get away from the danger.

My cashes contain individual wrapped protein bars, a couple cans of ready to eat from the can meals that are high calorie and protein. 4 bottles of water. Bullets. A pair of socks, because you want your feet dry and comfortable to carry you to your destination. A small battery operated radio because if possible you want to know whats going on around you and if anything is standing between you and your bugout location. Hopefully you have your locations stocked and ready for when you arrive.

I can't stress this enough "have alternate plans" .

Be prepared, not sorry

The Threat Of All Show And No Go

My grandpa used to have a saying about people who tried to pass themselves off as something they wasn't and that was "All show and no go". In the prepper community we have that and unfortunately they are going to be what I think, a huge threat. These individuals have the mind set of the most guns and stored food will survive and that may true for a "limited amount of time"....

But what happens when WROL goes into overtime?

With no skills to grow food, hunt, improvise or barter what will these people do? A hungry pseudo prepper is going to be a very dangerous person. I always use the aftermath of Katrina as an example because that's what it will be like. Being hungry, thirsty with just enough tactical experience and the moral compass lowered to the mentality of "It's you or me" they will, by force try to take what they need. If they have a military background they also know that strength lies in numbers and may recruit their own private army.

The harsh truth...

I'm sorry but the truth is harsh and a WROL situation is not going to be going back to the Little House on the Prairie days, its going to be survival of the fittest and the most adaptable. Within hours of Katrina blowing thru the looting, rape, and murder began. This past summer with the unbearable heat people were using their AC at astronomical rates and there was a suburb in Wisconsin where the power grid went down for three days. Within only three hours of that grid going down there were armed gangs that began robbing and looting. That was was only three hours what happens when it months or years?

Don't show your hand..

If your like me I like to attend the prepper conferences and network with other preppers but I always keep in mind not to give away too much and choose carefully who I network with. This also goes for the survivalist boards etc. because I have met some pseudo peppers that quite frankly scare the hell out of me and I don't want to be around them right now let alone in a WROL situation. But on the other hand I have met some fantastic preppers that I have learned so much from and very grateful for it. The reason I started this blog was to help women take an active roll in prepping and their survival but still I don't give away information that would put myself in danger in the future.

Skills, Skills, and more Skills...

As I wrote earlier I believe it will be survival of the fittest and the most adaptable that will survive. When I say the fittest I don't mean that so much in the physical sense but the person that knows how to hunt and fish, how to grow food and preserve it, how to barter, how build shelter and fire, first aid, and has tactical sense. I am always trying to learn new skills because you can never in my opinion have enough knowledge. Many preppers play and rely on their strengths because they feel that will get them thru.....it won't. You have to be adaptable and the skills to adapt to the given situation. My strengths are hunting, fishing, and farming but yet I know this will not carry me thru. I need the tactical experience to protect myself and what I have so, I continue to learn. Work right now the skills you are lacking in so when the time comes you are not "All show and no go"

Be prepared, not sorry

Lessons Of Prepping And The Unemployed

Back in May I was layed off from my job, which in Michigan is no surprise. While my previous employers haggled about who was going to pay my unemployment, I was left hanging with no income.

Thank God I'm A Prepper

I went for 6 weeks with no money except for the occasional cash job and thank god I have a medical background so I was able to pick up a shift here and there at the local assisted living home. So there I am hitting my prepping stores hard. These are the lessons that I learned:

Diversify

You hear this term all the time when it comes to a stock portfolio but never when it comes to your skills. In my life I have been blessed to have lived about a half a dozens lives. I have a medical background, real estate, farming, marketing, sales, and title work. In January I took some of my tax return and received my commission as a Notary Public which landed me the job I have now. I am currently saving to take my pharmacy technicians course.

Always move forward to better your skills.

Addiction And Comfort Foods Are Essential

Now I know you are looking at that sentence and the one word that jumps out is ADDICTION. I am addicted to coffee and I really went thru it. I also like my wine at night and thankfully I have been making my own for about year and have been tweaking the recipe. As far as comfort food I love my peanuts and peanut butter and I went thru that too.

As preppers we concentrate on the beans and rice. Let me tell you I learned that the addiction and comfort foods are HUGE! When everyday is survival and stress these will be a small comfort which can mean the world to your sanity and how you face the next day. I really urge you to take a step back and re-evaluate your skills and your prepping stores.

Are you a smoker?

Love chocolate/sweets?

Potato Chips?

These are things that you really need to evaluate and make a commitment to put them away just like you do any store.

Be prepared, not sorry

Looking For The Perfect Bug Out Location

First of all I have to apologize for my long break from posting. I have been working 60 to 70 hrs per week and I just have to say I'm plain worn out. Extra money means extra preps that can be purchased. I am also looking to purchase my bug out location and begin building. I have already purchase plans for a cabin to be built totally off grid. So I am looking for at least 5 acres with a well and septic already present and close to another source of fresh water. 

A place fairly secluded and away from the larger metro areas. A area that still has good hunting and soil for growing within a 60 minute area from my present location.

This has been quite the task!

Its hard to find everything I want. I'm curious to hear from those that have purchase a bug out location as to what it is they have purchased and the criteria you had during your search. Did you have to sacrifice some of your criteria or did it change during your search. Can't wait to hear!!

Be prepared, not sorry

Food Prices Increasing....Backup Plans Part 2

As discussed in the first part of this series, food prices are on the rise and we need to make our food dollars stretch. We also need to be creative. I have 1 large room that is dedicated to my preps and I have to be creative on how I use that space. Currently I am installing more shelves along the walls and once that is completed in the center of the room my indoor aquaponics garden will be constructed.

I will construct a frame that will house two large totes on top and two on bottom and I will need two dual aerators. The bottom totes, 1 will contain spices (basil, thyme, etc) and 1 container of beans (Pinto and Great Northern). The two top totes will contain 1 of tomatoes and the other will be green and red peppers.

If you go on You Tube you can find many videos to create your aquaponics but I have include these 2 basic ones to give you an idea.

Be prepared, not sorry

False Information... A Test??

If you have or have not heard this past weekend, survivalist and prepper boards, blogs, email, and You Tube were buzzing with information that federal agents raided a LDS cannery in Tennessee trying to obtain customer lists. This information so far seems to be false and it has caused an uproar and apparent rift in the prepper community. SouthernBellePrepper has ties in the LDS community and decided to do her own investigation which is great that she took it upon herself to not take this story at face value.

Once it began coming to light that this was false information SouthernPrepper1 made a video that many lost the points that he was trying to make about sticking together and how the government is always throwing out false rumors and propaganda to test a foe on how they will react, to gain recon, or to cover their own tracks. My brother served during Vietnam and used to talk about the government doing this all the time.

Again I want to reiterate the points that SP1 was trying to make. Stick together and its fine to report anything you deem worthy but take it with a grain of salt and don't be afraid to dig. I am convinced this was purely done by the government to test the prepper communities reaction. To gauge how we will react and with how much resistance we will put up.

Information and networking is vital in the prepper community and we can't be afraid to share or take it personally if for some reason the information is false as in this case. Knowledge is power and we can't allow fear or ego to strip us of that.

Thank you SBP and SP1 for all you do for the prepping community.

Be prepared, not sorry