Survival Basics

There are lots of ways to stay cool off-grid without air conditioning. Since I am living in a century-old home off-grid without air conditioning during what is shaping up to be the hottest summer on record in the Pacific Northwest, I am learning some lessons on staying cool. First, we need to take heat seriously.

When you lose power, the first thing you usually think of is how to keep your food cold during the outage. Whether it’s the wind of a severe thunderstorm in the summer, the weight of an ice storm in the winter or even a traffic accident that takes down a power line, you can experience

There are several grass clipping uses that actually improve your soil. People that have lawns both small and big can understand how much of a chore cutting the grass can be. But even worse – what do you do in all the grass clippings once you’ve finished mowing? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that

Butterflies are attracted to many different flowers. Butterflies — those small, beautiful “flying flowers” of nature — are always a welcome sight in our gardens and herald the coming of summer. Their unique and colorful designs inspire artists and enchant children. How do we encourage butterflies to visit our garden? By having a variety of

Gasoline Stockpiling? Stockpiling supplies for an emergency is at the very core of survival. Unfortunately, though, not everything stores well, especially when we’re talking about months and years. Most food items don’t store well, but we are able to make up for that by the way we preserve and package them. Other items aren’t quite

Dandelions aren’t just weeds In today’s world, people want everything to be neat, tidy and uniform – including their yards. The grass, we’re told, should be one smooth, green carpet. But that’s easier said than done! Everyone knows that if you don’t pull them or spray them, “weeds” such as dandelions will be the first

Listen To The Article Always ask landowners before wildcrafting and foraging. Wildcrafting is the term that people refer to for collecting wild plants. Wild plants often have strong healing properties and exceptional flavor. I have never tasted a store bought strawberry that compared in flavor to the tiny alpine ones that grow freely in wild

Spring Storms are upon us. The spring storm season is here, and for thousands of people in the United States, that means time to start preparing the homestead. It is important to becoming mentally aware of how to react should you find yourself in the midst of a natural disaster. Summer and fall seasons bring

Food Shortages As the new case count for COVID-19 patients decreases and then increases according to media needs, we need to realize that the pandemic is far from over. In fact, some medical “experts” now predict that we will be dealing with COVID-19 well into 2022. With that being the case, chances are pretty high

Hunters will be able to choose a Tier One license, the traditional option, which allows six ducks, with some restrictions on the species and sex of the ducks in their bag. Tier Two will be the three-splash limit. Hunters are limited to a total of three ducks with no restrictions at all on species or

Keeping warm during a winter power outage can be difficult. The recent polar vortex hit Texas hard. While the entire country suffered with unexpectedly cold temperatures which lasted for days; no other state had as many people without power, without water and dying from the cold weather. But why should this be so? First, no

After learning about the enormous catch, the New Mexico Game and Fish Department said that the state record for blue catfish is 54.25 pounds, and that Ordaz’s fish likely would have edged out the record. However, since the fish was not weighed on an official state scale prior to release it was ineligible for a

If there is a hint of good news here, it’s that you don’t have to worry about eating deer exposed to neonics. Although the studies raise important questions about the effects of these pesticides on wildlife, the levels found in deer are much lower than the levels deemed safe to eat in domestic livestock. “I

Taking inventory gives me the chance to see what I actually have. Yet, it also gives me the chance to check the condition of everything in my prepping stockpile as well. Many people have special things they do at the beginning of the year. For me, that means taking inventory in more ways than one.

Chicks There’s nothing that hints of spring quite like newly hatched chicks. If you haven’t ordered yet, now is the time to do so, either through a nearby breeder, the local feed store or a mail order hatchery. You’ll also want to have your brooder set up so you’re all ready to go when that

DIY Warm Winter Blankets Anyone Can Make As the winter temperature drops far below freezing, many people start to get out their thicker blankets and perhaps add a throw or two on the couch to stay warm. Learning how to make a quilt or even just simple layering blankets is a great skill to have.

Frozen Pipes One of the biggest issues during winter are water pipes freezing and possibly bursting. Frozen pipes can be a serious problem if they do burst and — depending on the damage — can cost quite a bit to fix. Not to mention it creates a mess and leaves you without running water. If

Survival in a Winter Blackout Many people prepare for winter weather by putting together a winter survival kit in their car. But too few prepare an additional kit for their home, which can leave them unprepared when a winter ice or snowstorm hits and leaves them trapped there. Because preparing your house for a winter