Congrats to our winner!

Is this fabulous or what? It turns out that our very own reader, Maria S., won second prize in the Safecastle Freedom Award!! How cool is that??

You might remember that Maria wrote a piece called Preparedness for Young People. Don and I both agreed that this was an excellent piece, and we selected it to send to the Safecastle folks for their final round of judging. Opened to a much wider public for voting, Maria won second place! Her prize is an Excalibur 9-tray dehydrator.

Maria and I emailed back and forth this morning, and I told her one of the reasons her essay was so strong was it addressed a very thorny topic in a very practical way. It also differed from the more nuts-and-bolts approach many of the other essays took. All in all, we couldn't be prouder of Maria.

While there is no way we could take even a modicum of credit for Maria's win, I will say this: Rural Revolution's entry was up against some of the biggest prepping blogs out there. Fifteen blogs sponsored essays, and to have Rural Revolution's choice get second price is sort of like a tiny town's high school football team competing against the big urban schools - and showing well.

At any rate, we couldn't be prouder of Maria, and offer her our heartiest congratulations.

Safecastle Freedom Award update

We received an email from Vic Rantala, owner of Safecastle.com, regarding our participation in the Safecatle Freedom Award essay contest. His email is as follows:
______________________

Hello again all. Once again -- your participation in our Freedom Awards competition is greatly appreciated.

I have posted all finalists' creations at our blog here.

We are asking for public comments/votes of approval until Jan. 20 on those entries. Readers / viewers that come to our blog can register their favorite finalist submissions by entering comments under those specific entries in my blog. Those comments will go a long way toward helping us decide the prize winners from among those articles and videos that are posted there.

Please do me (and your finalists) one more favor and post a link at your site to this finalist vote competition--our own little American Idol, if you will.

Stay safe in the New Year!

Vic Rantala
Owner, Safecastle LLC
www.safecastle.com
______________________

So let's everyone go visit Mr. Rantala's blog and vote for the best essay!

SafeCastle Freedom Award Finalist Selection!

Sorry for the delay in getting this out. What with the holidays, the complete sweep of the Lewis family by the norovirus, and preparations for a sales event this upcoming weekend, we've been either flat on our backs, in the bathroom, or standing behind a sander. Nevertheless, we have selected our winner for our part of the Safecastle Freedom Award and forwarded that selection to Safecastle LLC for inclusion in their contest.

I know it's pretty standard practice to claim that it was a tough choice. But in this case, that was true. We received fifteen entries. Patrice and I re-read all of the entries and we each chose the three that we thought were the best, based on clarity, content, and best fit for the Safecastle requirements. We made our selection completely independently of each other, and on New Year’s Eve we put our lists together. Each of us was prepared to defend our choices, assuming that we'd have multiple selections in common. After all, we've been married for 21 years, worked side by side for most of those years, and have very similar ideas of preparedness and self-sufficiency. So it would be natural that our choices would be similar.

In a pig’s eye.

In point of fact, in each of our three choices, there was only one common essay.

So without further ado (any idea what an "ado" is? And why we should be happy we don't have any further?)… the winner of our portion of the SafeCastle Freedom Award Essay is:

Actually, before we get to that I'd like to... (OWW! Okay honey, geez! Try to build a little suspense...)

The winner is:

Preparedness For Young People

We'd like to thank everyone for participating in the contest. Originally, we we're going to award ten essay writers with the coveted Rural Revolutionary tankard:

But since we enjoyed everyone's entries, we've decided to send everyone who participated a Rural Revolutionary tankard by way of thanks. I'll be emailing each of you soon as I can to get a mailing address. Delivery will be in about six to eight weeks, as I still have to make the things and I'm kind of backed up at the moment.

If you submitted a contest entry, please send your name, your shipping address, and the name of your entry to:
shrewsburydon@hotmail.com

Again, thanks and cheers to our winner,

Husband of the Boss

One last entry in the Safecastle Freedom Award

2011 Safecastle Freedom Awards -- a "New Media" Survivalist Contest

We have time to squeeze in one last entry in the Safecastle Freedom Awards writing contest. We'll read through the entries and select a winner to send to the Safecastle folks. The rules for writing are posted here. The Safecastle website is here.

Just FYI, the contest prizes were modified due to poor economic conditions. You can see the modifications here.

But our prizes remain the same! To wit:

10 Rural Revolution laser-engraved tankards for the top 10 entries!

Now to our last contestant...
__________________________

Modern Day Pioneer by Jennifer

Unlike traditional careers, a survivalist does not need to attend one university course to become skilled. The training required is not even the same from one survivalist to the other and the reasons why one has opted to become a survivalist range drastically from the worries of a rogue government to preparing to handle any natural disaster. Most people have food, shelter or clothing but few appreciate how these items are obtained. A survivalist has learned how to take life to the next level by being able to provide the basics and more.

What is unsaid is that one can survive a catastrophic event and thus become a survivalist. This is how life changed for me, as I became a survivor that augmented my life to one of survivalist. The transition was not overnight, but of several years in the making. I became a survivor not as a result of defeating all odds and living through a natural disaster, but of something so small that aside from my husband and children no one else’s lives were impacted. You see many do not realize that a survivalist prepares for anything to include something so miniscule that it did not make a ripple in the world aside from the impacted persons.

I came in the back door and crept in slowly. This is why I know that anyone can become a prepared survivalist, anywhere, anytime, any way. The cliché sounds hollow but it is true, if I can do it so can you. Time slowed to zero speed as I lived through the crisis and I was able to think years in the future with panic, dread, fear, and worry. We lost our very secure life and went from being suburbanites to nothing in a blink. Well more like on a thousand foot of highway off the beaten path in Nevada. Auto accidents happen every day all over the world and that is how I launched into living the life I live now.

I did not begin without first doing a few things. I knelt down and prayed. I knew I was completely broken, afraid and downright scared. Once I prayed, I rolled up my sleeves and planned. Until January 1, 2005 I never considered any life aside from the one of climbing the ladder of success. After January 1, 2005 my perspective drastically changed. I first decided if my loved ones were alive then I could go on. In fact, I sometimes would gasp for air in a panic and have a few times over the years as my reality was that my husband had died. Well that is what I was first told when the young officer came to the front door. The initial reports were wrong and Bill survived but he sustained neck and back injuries. As a result of that day my family is completely and forever changed.

Because of the accident we had to adapt to living far less than half of the income we had previously enjoyed, and without any benefits. So my lists making days began. I wondered first, what can go and realized we had to go. We moved as we could no longer afford to live in a neighborhood and region of the country that was so expensive. Secondly, we wanted to be able to have a small piece of land, as I recalled my childhood and growing up in rural Ohio and knew we could garden and ‘put up’ foods. I had no idea what that meant, but decided that if we wanted food to continue to feed the family that I would learn.

As a survivalist in training I discovered the public library. I was so used to buying a book when I wanted information I had forgotten that the world is truly a book away, and everything was free for the reading! I checked out many books and began my journey into becoming a self-reliant survivalist. I started first reading about how to sew things for the home, and this project lead to the next and the next. I have learned how to can, dehydrate, pickle, butcher, make soap, shampoo, deodorant, household cleaners, dog food, feed sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys and of course build simple sustainable buildings for our farm. I guess now is a good time to mention I am barely 5 foot tall.

What this means is that in any situation I am armed with something that will not be taken away in floodwaters, or lifted away in a tornado. I armed myself with the ability to survive any situation by learning how to grow, preserve, and put aside food for the future. I armed myself with skills seemingly lost a generation ago, as I opened my yard up to chickens and learned everything those that settled our nation knew. My research truly has been a hands on field study and I am no longer afraid of tomorrow. I’ve found myself reflecting upon those sturdy pioneers that settled the great American west in the 19th century. Often the settlers were alone and had to improvise for every need they had, and I realized that in a few short years I had become like those that have walked before me. The realization was one of confidence but more of humility as I really appreciate the effort it takes to be self-sufficient.

I confess that coming in the back door as a survivalist was not my choice, but I am forever grateful that I was shaken into the common sense of preparing without losing my husband of now almost 24 years. As I sit and type my thoughts on being prepared, becoming a survivalist and living life as a prepper, I must calmly remind anyone who is new to this idea, that all is well. Start small, read as much as you can, build up what you can do and you will have taken your survival to the next level, and for that I say “Welcome Aboard!”

One more entry in the Safecastle Freedom Award

2011 Safecastle Freedom Awards -- a "New Media" Survivalist Contest

Here's another entry in the Safecastle Freedom Awards writing contest. We're trying to get them all posted by the end of tomorrow, then we'll submit the winner to the Safecastle folks. The rules for writing are posted here. The Safecastle website is here.

Just FYI, the contest prizes were modified due to poor economic conditions. You can see the modifications here.

But our prizes remain the same! To wit:

10 Rural Revolution laser-engraved tankards for the top 10 entries!

If you'd still like to send in your original essay or video on self-sufficiency, survivalism, or prepping -- there's still time!

Now to our next contestant...
__________________________

Preparedness for Young People

“I’m fifteen years old and I’m worried about the future, but my parents don’t seem to notice how bad things are getting out there, and I can’t convince them.”

All over, young people are waking up to the precarious state of the world in which we live, yet are still living at home under their parents’ authority, and those parents do not agree that it’s important to be prepared. So I am writing this article to you, young people who want to prepare yourselves. What can you do to be prepared at this stage of your life?

I’ll start by telling you what preparedness means to me. Preparedness is being adaptable and resourceful, keeping oneself and those who are precious to one safe and happy.

I suggest to you that whatever your plans are, they should include your family. We need our families and they need us. So realistically speaking, your first option should not be to grab your bug-out bag and disappear, leaving your family behind to face whatever comes. Your family members can be your greatest assets, even though they may not look like it right now, and you can be theirs.

If you are hitting a brick wall when you talk with your parents about preparedness, it could be because they do not think “normal” people are prepared, that it’s only for weirdo extremists. If that’s the case, tell them the government wants them to be prepared! Show them the website ready.gov. It’s sponsored by the Federal government and explains why and how to prepare. It’s a nice, mainstream, non-weirdo-extremist source of information.

Take every opportunity to learn survival skills. Learn to light a fire, to pitch a tent, to hike through a valley without leaving any sign that you passed. Learn to break camp in silence. Learn archery. How do you find a teacher for skills like these if your parents are not interested? The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are wonderful programs for learning things that you can keep with you always, in your head. No scout troups in your area? Getting a little too old for that? - Get a Boy Scouts manual, it has the same instruction you’d get as an actual scout, though you’ll have to practice on your own. Then there are wonderful books out there to teach you more. Search “how to become an outdoorsman” on Google and you’ll find books, on-line courses, even college extension courses to teach you.

Make sure to involve your parents in this. They should know what you’re doing, and who you are doing it with. Set their minds at ease by being up front with them so that they don’t fear for your safety. It’s what we do, we parents; we fear for our kids’ safety. It’s hardwired into us. But if you tell us what’s going on and we don’t feel like you are sneaking around or tricking us, we feel much more at ease.

Once you have gained skills, see if your parents will allow you to teach them. Offer and see what they say. Your family’s financial resources are probably already committed somewhere, so try to suggest ideas that do not require a big outlay of funds, like a day spent hiking at a nearby park, with everybody carrying part of a picnic lunch, to start things off.

In the survivalist world, you will hear a lot about stockpiling food against future scarcity. It’s one of the easier ways to begin preparation and is where a lot of people start. But your funds are limited, and you do not have the right to insist that the family set aside a chunk of the family food budget OR the storage space in the home for food preps.

Here are some things you CAN do. First, change how you eat. If you are saying “This family really needs to eat more rice and beans because you can store them long term,” but you are consuming all the snack foods your parents can bring home, and you complain when nobody puts more soda pop in the fridge and you have to drink it warm, you are sending mixed messages. If you are asking for and eating fruits, vegetables, and, yes, rice and beans, then you are showing that you are willing to make changes.

Teaching people works much better if you show them how to do things and not just tell. So show that prep style food can taste good. Try making a meal of Spanish rice and refried beans. I’ll get you started: In a pan with a lid, mix 1 cup of rice, ½ cup of salsa and 1-1/2 cups of water. Put on the lid and turn on the heat to medium first, then down to low in a few minutes when the steam starts coming out. Meanwhile, in another pan, mix 2 cans of refried beans with a little bit of water and heat it up. Warm up some corn tortillas (or better yet, make some yourself, but that’s a lesson for another day). When the rice has cooked for about 10 minutes, take the lid off and give it a stir. If most of the liquid is gone, turn off the heat and put the lid back on for another 3 minutes or so. If there is still quite a bit of liquid, keep the heat on for another few minutes and check again. When it’s cooked, serve up the rice, beans and tortillas with some more salsa. This is a tasty, wholesome meal, and all of it can be made easily with foods that most preppers consider good storage foods. Next week, try another meal that you can make that’s delicious, healthy and prep friendly.

Once you have gained your family’s confidence, they may be more willing to allow you to make some choices on what food the family buys at the grocery. At that point, you can suggest buying larger quantities of foods to save money. Teach your parents to store the food properly (if it goes bad and is wasted, it was not a good deal in the first place).

Another area of preparation is your career. You have a lot of choice in what you do for a living as long as you keep your options wide open as a young person. There are not too many careers I can think of that will be completely useless after “the end of the world as we know it” - maybe politics! - but certainly some are going to be more needed than others. People will always need medical care, homes, food, and good water. They will always need to learn, and they will always need beauty to inspire them. Think in terms of what you can do that will improve other people’s lives as your career, and you will always be needed.

I’ll wrap this up with a five-part challenge for you. Each of these is a useful preparation tool. My challenge is for you to find:

• One place you and your loved ones agree to meet if there is a crisis, in case your home is damaged or compromised
• Two sources of clean water that do not depend on turning a tap
• Three ways to start a fire using just what you have on your body at any time
• Four kinds of food growing wild that you could obtain within an hour’s walking, gathering or hunting time
• Five different routes to get home from your school or place of work

Sometimes the world looks like it could fall apart tomorrow. But chances are, it won’t; people have been thinking things can’t possibly get any worse for centuries, yet time continues on. In other words, be ready for the worst AND the best. You may be around to have a career and a home and a family. You may even be around to see your grandkids. So while you are thinking of how to be ready should the power grid fail, or for there to be no food available at the stores or for martial law to be declared or for pandemic or any other disaster you can imagine, keep doing what you need to do in case it holds off for a year or two or five or more. Learn all the skills you can, and practice them. Take the ACT or the SAT and apply for college. Get a summer job and save some money. Become an excellent driver. Be healthy. Exercise. Have fun. Keep yourself and your friends safe. Not one of these things will hurt you if society goes down the toilet - and each of them will help you if it doesn’t.

You will be 18 soon and then your choices will open up wider. Until then, do what you can within the bounds of what a young person can and should do within his or her family constraints. Learn. Your sharpest tool can be your mind.

Yet another entry in the Safecastle Freedom Award

2011 Safecastle Freedom Awards -- a "New Media" Survivalist Contest

Don had been in charge of posting entries in the Safecastle Freedom Awards writing contest, but he's been super-dooper busy lately so he forwarded the entries to me. We need to have all entries posted by the end of the year, then we'll submit the winner to the Safecastle folks. The rules for writing are posted here. The Safecastle website is here.

Just FYI, the contest prizes were modified due to poor economic conditions. You can see the modifications here.

But our prizes remain the same! To wit:

10 Rural Revolution laser-engraved tankards for the top 10 entries!

If you'd still like to send in your original essay or video on self-sufficiency, survivalism, or prepping -- there's still time!

Now to our next contestant...
__________________________

Water, Water, Everywhere? Options for a Secondary Water Source by K.M.

You don’t need to be familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to know that clean water is a basic necessity for healthy human life.

Many of us depend on our municipality or rural water district to provide water to our homes. Where these are not available, each home may have its own water well.

But what if municipal service was interrupted? What if the electricity to run the pump in your well was suddenly cut off? How would you meet your basic water needs if your primary water source was eliminated?

The oft-repeated rule of thumb is that each person needs one gallon of water per day to survive. Most people adhere to this rule when preparing a 72-hour kit or stocking a storm shelter for their families. But what if water service was disrupted for longer? There’s no way to store enough water to sustain a typical family for an indefinite amount of time. And that one-gallon-per-day rule only accounts for drinking water. If a real, large-scale emergency happened (think national) and basic services such as water and power were offline, you would need a backup water source.

If you live near a lake, river, or even a small creek or stream, that is one option. The water will need to be filtered before drinking, cooking, or washing dishes. Depending on what you suspect might be in the water (for instance, chemicals from an industrial facility upstream), you may even want to filter water before use in a garden. There are many options for filtering water, and I leave it to the reader to do his own research.

If you live in a highly populated area, consider that most of the people near you will utilize that same lake, river or creek. How long will that water source last? Are there people farther upstream (or downstream) that will be counting on that water, too? And without services like sewer and garbage pickup, what will get thrown into that water?

If you’re confident that you can adequately filter any water collected from a surface source, you can also augment it with captured rainwater (filtered for consumption, of course). Cut off the bottom portion of your gutter and set a barrel or other collection container underneath it. You’ll be surprised at how much water a roof sheds during a good thunderstorm. And you’ll be happy for the reprieve from hauling water up from the creek!

If you live in an area where groundwater is accessible, another option is a well with an electricity-free pump. Both hand-operated pumps and solar pumps are available. Solar pumps are the more expensive option, of course. Dedicated solar panels can be set up for the pump, or in some cases, you may be able to wire the pump to solar panels on your house. However, most solar-operated pump packages do not include a battery, which means you’ll only be able to operate the pump when the sun is shining or the solar panels have not yet lost their charge. Furthermore, solar panels must be kept clean (and in good repair) in order to maintain high performance.

Hand pumps are more economically priced, for obvious reasons. But they are not necessarily the lesser of the two options. Water is available from a hand-pumped well any time, day or night. Some pumps have the option to adjust the “stroke,” or how much pressure is needed to operate the pump. A smaller stroke means less physical force is necessary, so children or elderly people would be able to operate it. A larger stroke means more force is needed, but it also produces more water per stroke. Hand pumps typically come in two sizes: shallow-well and deep-well. If the depth to groundwater from the surface is less than 25 feet, you may be able to use a shallow-well pump, at a significant cost savings compared to a deep-well pump.

In many areas, a permit is necessary to drill a well. You will need to make inquiries with municipal as well as state authorities where you live to see what is required. Typically, though, less regulation is placed on wells designated for landscape, cattle or irrigation use than on wells designated as a primary drinking water source.

Groundwater may appear to be “clean” at first glance. But contaminants at the surface can leach through the soil and enter the groundwater. Additionally, some naturally occurring minerals and metals—arsenic, for example—can be harmful to humans as well. A good idea, after installing a well, is to collect a water sample and take it to a certified lab for testing. Before doing this, you might want to do some research on the geology in your area. Pay attention to what elements are naturally occurring. Also, look for scientific research conducted locally by the USGS or area colleges and universities. You may find information on naturally occurring contaminants, as well as any man-made debacle that might have affected the groundwater where you live. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about what to have the lab test for.

As you might expect, it’s not cheap to have a well drilled. (It’s possible to drill your own well, but not easy). Depending on the local geology and the depth to groundwater, expect to spend $4,000 or more. Also, consider if there is access to your property for the drilling equipment (is your back yard surrounded on all sides by other homes?), as well as whether you want a drilling rig driving across your manicured yard. Even the concrete in your driveway is probably not rated to support a 20-ton (or heavier) truck. But then, yards can be repaired or re-landscaped. Even concrete driveways can be replaced. In a world without basic infrastructure services, a secondary water source is better than money in the bank.

Another entry in the Safecastle Freedom Award

2011 Safecastle Freedom Awards -- a "New Media" Survivalist Contest

Don had been in charge of posting entries in the Safecastle Freedom Awards writing contest, but he's been super-dooper busy lately so he forwarded the entries to me. We need to have all entries posted by the end of the year, then we'll submit the winner to the Safecastle folks. The rules for writing are posted here. The Safecastle website is here.

Just FYI, the contest prizes were modified due to poor economic conditions. You can see the modifications here.

But our prizes remain the same! To wit:

10 Rural Revolution laser-engraved tankards for the top 10 entries!

If you'd still like to send in your original essay or video on self-sufficiency, survivalism, or prepping -- there's still time!

Now to our next contestant...
__________________________

Anyone Can Start Prepping Today by Lynette

If only I had been prepping those 15 years instead of just dreaming about it. Maybe then I wouldn’t have failed so miserably when I finally owned my own property. Now that I live the prepper’s life, I understand how much I could have been doing while I still lived in the city. So what can city people do to prep? Just about anything they want to.

The most important tool in prepping is knowledge followed closely by experience and equipment. In our society, we purchase everything but know little about how to provide these things for ourselves. Prepper’s have an inner need to learn all we can in providing for ourselves and to prepare for The End Of the World As We Know It. TEOWAWKI may never happen to the whole world at once, but it certainly happens on a small scale all the time. If your home burns down and everything familiar to you is gone, your world as you have known it to date has just ended. Major disasters can level whole neighborhoods creating TEOWAWKI to large groups of people.

If you find yourself in a position where you’ve lost everything, your knowledge is all you have left. No matter where you live you can gain knowledge. Once you’ve learned it, practice it. Experience takes you to a whole new level of understanding. Part of prepping is accepting you can’t do it all by yourself, it will take many people and skills to help in an emergency, so anything you contribute is valuable.

Prepping can be as simple as learning how to cook or bake without electricity, though, you will learn that ‘simple’ is a relative term. You can train yourself on open fires, Dutch ovens, solar ovens, a wood stove or an earthen stove. Then if your neighborhood is out of power, your family will still be able to enjoy a nice meal.

It’s never too early to learn how to grow your own food. Get yourself a flowerpot or dig up a corner of your yard and see what you can sprout. Gardening requires knowledge of the nutrients, light, temperature, soil and moisture needed for different types of plants. Even a small garden will provide you with a world of information. Sunflowers, for example, come in many sizes, are beautiful, fun to grow, a great food crop and easy to harvest and store.

Storing food is an amazing science. There are many methods to learn; cold house storage, root cellaring, canning, dehydrating, salting, pickling and even brewing alcohol. Some foods need to be stored in a warm dry area, and others need cold and damp.

When it comes to livestock, many cities allow small livestock in the back yard: rabbits, poultry and bees to name a few. You don’t need to move to a rural setting, many suburban areas have property zoned for livestock. Raising livestock in small quantities can teach you all the basics. Are you a horse lover? Do you realize how important horses will become if we don’t have gas for our tractors or transportation? By the way, learn how to compost that manure because it’s currency when dealing with gardeners and it’s great for your lawn too.

Hunting is a perfectly respectable sport no matter what you may hear otherwise. It’s also far more complex than it may first appear to a novice. You need to understand each species behavior in order to track them down with different weapons and ammunition required for different types of animals. Many hunters are also weapons collectors, which provides protection for your family. So you get four great benefits in one hobby - hunting, collecting, protection and food; seven benefits if you count butchering, meat storage and cooking. This is an excellent example of how everything you learn and every item you acquire adds on to the whole picture.

Nobody likes the idea of washing clothes by hand, but a washboard and clothes wringer are only meaningless until you need them, at which point they become priceless; as do items such as manual clocks, rain water collection containers, matches or lighters and pots for use on open fires.

Metal working? Sure. There’s always a need for metal tools and repairs. Learn how to work metal the old fashioned way with a forge. After 20 years as a metal smith, my husband still loves learning new techniques.

Pottery is fun, interesting and useful. You can learn how to dig up clay from the ground and use different types of soil. Build your own small outdoor kiln with earth and learn how to make beautiful pottery as our ancestors did.

Communication is something we take for granted today, but in an emergency when standard communications are down, we will all be flocking to those who do have it. Ham radio operators, old-fashioned CB radios, and even simple long-range walkie-talkies will be in big demand. Of course, you may need alternative sources of energy to operate these devices, so maybe there’s another avenue for you to investigate.

Own a boat? How is it powered? In some emergencies, boats are the only vehicle we can use to rescue people and to travel. Your boat can also help fisherman feed people (and you). Building a boat would be invaluable knowledge to have, and a fun hobby for a craftsman. Speaking of craftsmen, how many of you have non electric tools?

As you look into doing things on your own, the more you will understand how little you know. You could learn to sew without electricity. Learn how to identify different types of rocks and their uses. Extracting iron ore from a rock would be an impressive thing to see even in today’s modern setting. Learn to purify water, build your own tools, make your own glue, tan your own leather or weave your own baskets. You can buy raw wool and learn how to work it, you don’t need to own the livestock. Learn to identify or grow types of plants useful in the production of cloth and how to process each. Learn how to farm fish in a tank or small pond and feed your family in the process. What about first aid? Make your own medicinal oils and tonics from herbs. Did you know honey, sugar or salt can hold off an infection on an open wound? Are you catching on? Nobody can learn it all, we each have to pick and choose what to work on through our own interests, but all knowledge is useful.

Contrary to modern thought, recycling wasn’t invented by man, it’s been the norm since the dawn of our planet. Prepper’s are some of the best recyclers around because we are learning from past generations when recycling was necessary for survival. When butchering, use the fat of the animal for cooking, lighting or soap, the hooves for glue, and the bones as nutrients in the garden after the dogs are done with them. Nothing goes to waste. Gardening requires composting old plant matter to improve next year’s garden soil. We know the benefits of all types of manure in growing our food. Even paper trash can be used for heating or fed to the worms to make compost. Excess worms are fed to the chickens or used for fishing. The ash from our fires makes lye for our soap and yet even more garden nutrients.

Without electricity where will you get your light? Candles and oil lamps work great. Did you know cooking oil or lard can be used for light? What about making your own tin or glass lanterns? On top of that you could learn how to make wicks for each type. How about making your own glass from sand and even the forge to heat it?

Start with what interests you most, there’s no wrong direction. Anything you learn now will serve you and your loved ones in ways you can’t even imagine. You may even stumble upon a hobby that makes you some extra money in the process. The more you research, the more you’ll learn, so give it a try and see where it leads you. I guarantee you’ll never regret having the knowledge when you need it most.

If TEOWAWKI happens even on a small scale, there will be people needing all kinds of help and you won’t be the person panicking, you’ll be the one working on your area(s) of expertise to provide aid to others. Doing something when you feel like you have nothing helps you to feel a little bit more human and gives others hope. Even if you’ve lost everything, the knowledge you’ve gained will help you start over. If you know how to start a fire with sticks, no disaster can ever take that away from you. With prepper’s, knowledge is one of our greatest tools for survival. It’s also security, empowerment and a great way to make friends.

Another entry in the Safecastle Freedom Awards

2011 Safecastle Freedom Awards -- a "New Media" Survivalist Contest

Don had been in charge of posting entries in the Safecastle Freedom Awards writing contest, but he's been super-dooper busy lately so he forwarded the entries to me. We need to have all entries posted by the end of the year, then we'll submit the winner to the Safecastle folks. The rules for writing are posted here. The Safecastle website is here.

Just FYI, the contest prizes were modified due to poor economic conditions. You can see the modifications here.

But our prizes remain the same! To wit:

10 Rural Revolution laser-engraved tankards for the top 10 entries!

If you'd still like to send in your original essay or video on self-sufficiency, survivalism, or prepping -- there's still time!

Now to our next contestant...
__________________________

What Does It Mean to Me to be Prepared?

I was born and raised in the Oakland bay area. Talk about a rat race. I now live in rural Arkansas on 5 acres and the only thing I would trade it for is more land here locally. My daddy was a truck driver when I was a kid and always hauled off the docks in the bay. When the longshoremen went on strike it was like the depression for us. We had no money and no food. We would stand in lines at the food pantries to get some food. My mother made soup from bones she got for free at Safeway as "dog bones" and produce with bad spots on it that the store was throwing away. That convinced me as a child that when I grew up I would always keep extra so that my children would not go without. I taught myself to can food, make bread, cheese and everything else under the sun. My motto is if they (the factories) can then I can…. Also I do not want to eat something I can not pronounce…

I look around and with the way the world is going I feel for sure that there is some kind of disaster around the corner. Because I grew up a trucker’s daughter I also understand how fragile the chain is from fields to factories to grocery store shelves. My husband was raised a businessman’s son. They lived in hotels ordering from room service and restaurants. So my way of thinking was a huge change for him. I wanted some land so we got 5 acres with a nice doublewide on it that was a HUD repo and was in a mess. We remodeled it doing 95% of the work ourselves. Now we have a really nice house for a tenth of what it would have cost us to buy it all new and do it the “easy way”. He learned to cut tile and hang sheetrock. The deed is free and clear with no mortgage. My car is a 14 year old jeep with over 200,000 miles on it and yes it breaks down but you know what? I spend less on parts than I would on a car payment and I refuse to pay a mechanic. We are debt free and like it that way.

I can everything I am able get my hands on whether it is excess produce from the local food pantry, what I grow in my ½ acre garden or what I pick up on sale at the store. When I make soup I make it 5 gallons at a time and can what we do not eat for that meal. Even for thanksgiving I used the turkey bones and made 18 qts of turkey soup for the cabinet. Our society has turned into a lazy society, buying what they want for dinner the same day. They would just throw out those turkey bones instead of getting the very most out of it. After I made soup then the bones went out to the dogs. Between the dogs and the chickens (I have 13 hens and 1 rooster) no scraps go to waste.

My kids and husband where unsure when I made the switch to “No convenience food in this house.” But then they figured out that I can make those cool frozen burritos, breakfast sandwiches and hot pockets and put them in the freezer just the same. Yesterday I made potato chips from real potatoes and BBQ beef sandwiches on homemade buns. The BBQ I had canned myself. I culture my husband’s buttermilk because I refuse to pay $1.57 for a qt of buttermilk at Wal-Mart. I will be glad when we can get a cow and I can quit buying milk and cheese all together. But for now I can buy a gallon of sweet milk for $2 which means I can have a gallon of buttermilk for $2 instead of $6.28. I make my own mayonnaise for pennies compared to the $4 they want for it at the store and you know what? there is nothing in it that can not be pronounced. Hot pockets and burritos cost to make a tenth of what the stores charge. Breakfast sandwiches are the same way. I still make pumpkin butter which is pretty much a lost art since Libby’s came out with “pumpkin pie mix” in a can. The USDA decided it was “unsafe” to home can pumpkin butter at the same time the store bought stuff came on the market but for years people (my family and people from church) have been eating my pumpkin butter and no one has ever gotten sick. It is wonderful on toast and so easy to make a pie with.

I know that if everything shuts down my family will not go hungry. They may not get what they want but they will have food in their tummies. That will be more than probably 90% of the rest of the area will have. My step daughter complains that her mother only buys what she needs for the day on her way home from work and that there is nothing ever to eat in the house. Those kinds of people will be hungry. There is peace of mind in knowing that whether it is a complete economic shutdown, civil war or a natural disaster we will be much better off than the people living in the ticky tacky houses in the subdivisions and running their rat race in a maze. I am already at the finish line of my maze and they will be lost in their own.

I have oil lamps, candles and extra kerosene I say let the lights go out…. I have books a plenty, let the cable go out… I can hunt and grow a garden, let the stores be empty… I have a sewing machine and lots of fabric, who needs a mall to buy clothes… I have a gun and extra ammo, LET SOMEONE TRY TO TAKE IT AWAY…

So what does it mean to be prepared? It means that my family will be warm, fed and safe. I know that no matter what the world throws at us we will survive better than most of the population. We depend on ourselves and God and no one else.

2011 Safecastle Freedom Awards

2011 Safecastle Freedom Awards -- a "New Media" Survivalist Contest

Our latest entry

First off, let me apologize to those of you who have submitted entries for the tardyness of my posting them. My only excuse is that I've been running like a chicken with its head cut off for the last couple of months. I will now get those unposted entries, in the order received, posted over the next week or so.

However, although I suspect many of you have already heard, the prizes were modified by the folks at Safecastle due to poor economic conditions. You can see the modifications here:

While we agree that times are tough, we want you, the Rural Revolution faithful, to know that we are still offering our own contest prizes, complete and unedited. To wit:

10 Rural Revolution laser-engraved tankards for the top 10 entries!

There is still time to get your own wisdom on display for a chance to win such a valuable prize! So (forgetting entirely about what a slacker I've been) submit your original essay or video on self-sufficiency, survivalism, and prepping.

Now to our next contestant:

From Jennifer Henry,

I think most of us live our lives as expected by others and very few view life through open eyes. The man that became a doctor because his parents wanted him to be; the girl that married a rich man because her gold-digger of a mother told her to; the woman that stays with the man who beats her because everyone else thinks he's perfect. People live in the cities or the suburbs because that's what everyone else does. They have 2.5 kids and 2 cars and host birthday parties with the bouncy bounce and clowns and the custom cupcakes that cost $5 a pop but they're so darn cute they just had to have them for their cutesy-wutesy wittle 1-year old birthday girl. They sign up their children for every sports activity that's available and spend the next 18 years shuttling kids to practice and games and leaving no time in between for family time.

I used to want that life. I thought it was the way to live. I'd sigh with envy at my BFF and her husband living in a great house in the suburbs and always having somewhere to be. I am ashamed to say that I even went so far to tell her husband-to-be not to marry her and that I was interested in him. Thankfully, he didn't listen to me and married her anyway. They had a big house, nice cars, and what I thought was the perfect life. Little did I know, they were in debt, he was an alcoholic, and they have health issues aplenty. People were always dropping by the house for impromptu dinner parties and the young children were always around people drinking and smoking. Their door never seemed to be locked because there were constant guests at all hours.

He came from money, but it was tied up in rental properties and when his father died, the will stipulated that he couldn't touch the money until he was 35. That didn't stop them from spending, though. She had lots of work done on herself at his expense. They went on many vacations and overseas trips. Fancy clothes and private schools. Toys for the kids that never got picked up and I once saw my BFF sweep up a room and everything swept went into the wastebasket-- including toys. She went out of town once and came home to a sink full of dirty dishes and complained to her husband about it. His response? He grabbed the huge trash can that sits on the curb, dragged it in the house, and dumped every single dish, glass, pan and utensil into it. Then he went out and bought new sets of dishes, pots and pans, and utensils. Just so he didn't have to wash them.

Meanwhile, I married a man I fell in love with and we lived in a small apartment on the other side of the county. We spent our days off scouring the thrift shops for old things we liked and slowly built our life together. We decided that we wanted to live in a house with a bit of land instead of in the suburbs like everyone else we knew. The Realtor we talked to laughed at us when we asked for a house with 5 acres for $130,000. When he realized we were serious and stopped laughing, we were already out the door. We eventually found a house with a little more than an acre on a quiet country lane which required us to drive 45 miles one way to work. Unfortunately, we put ourselves into debt with several credit cards, buying furniture and a new car. Things we thought would make our lives happy and if we didn't have them, we would be miserable.

We started a small garden and I learned how to can rhubarb-strawberry jam all by myself. I quit work to raise our children without daycare. We started to really enjoy our country life and being so far away from my BFF and her suburban life, I stopped craving her lifestyle. The few times we went to their house for dinner, we hated to leave our country home and return to the hustle and bustle of the city. It was bad enough to have to go back and work there, but to visit on our days off? My eyes opened to the dark side of BFF's life and the problems that her husband had with alcohol and her spoiled children. I knew I didn't want my children there and so visits became less frequent.

After 5 years of country living, we wanted more. More land, more distance between us and the city. More US. We found a house with 14 acres in rural West Virginia, far enough to make us happy, not so far to make our family sad. Since moving here, we have grown to 4 children, added chickens, and a larger garden. I have learned to can much more than just jam and feel so proud to know that I can feed my family just on what I have put away in the pantry. My husband quit his job shortly after moving here, taking a lower-paying but closer to home job. We were able to pay off all our debt, which was over $50,000 in credit card debt using the money from the sale of our little house and now we live debt-free. What a feeling that is!

Our children are growing up knowing exactly where their food came from and help us with the care of the garden and chickens. We hope to add goats and a pig to our small homestead. They play outside most of the time, and their toys are picked up and put away after playing. Our clothes are mostly from yard sales and thrift stores, but you wouldn't know it if I didn't tell you. We still drive the same cars we bought 11 years ago that put us into debt in the first place. We are living the life WE want to live, no one telling us how or where or why. Our home might not have the latest style, but our furniture is comfortable and our house is clean. The dishes are old because we like vintage dishes and they are clean and put away. We don't go on lots of vacations or trips not just because money is tight, but we honestly don't feel the need to go anywhere. I did my traveling before I got married, as did my former Navy husband. We were ready to settle down when we met, to start our family and live.

We got rid of our TV service-- the commercials drove me crazy. The kids always begged for whatever toy was advertised, another example of being told what you're supposed to want. Since canceling the TV service, the kids no longer beg for the latest new craze and have become content with what they have already. We still watch movies on DVD, but under our supervision. We also have no video games except for some old ones we break out on rainy days and we all play together as a family.

When my BFF and her family come for a rare visit, her kids come armed with portable TVs, handheld video games and laptops. They wrinkle their noses at the food I serve asking where the pizza or chinese takeout is. They make fun of my oldest girl and her "pet" chicken. They are grossed out at eating a radish plucked from the dirt and spend most of their visit sitting in the van with their electronic toys. After they leave, my children ask why BFF's kids did not play with them. I struggle to answer. I decide to ask if they wanted to play with BFF's kids while they were here and their answer? "All they wanted to do was watch TV." Well, there you go.

As I sit and write this, my children are outside playing on the swings, chickens around their feet. My husband is home and preparing lunch for us. I have clothes on the clothesline, swaying in the wind. How can I not want this life? This life is so much richer than the life I used to want. Keeping up with the Joneses is too much work, too exhausting, too expensive and emotionally draining. I don't envy my BFF anymore. I'm not sure if I can call her that now, I haven't seen her in over a year. Our lives are far too different.

The last time my family visited, our children came home with attitudes and their behavior was very much like her spoiled children. It took a couple days for our children to return to normal. Her oldest daughter, 13, was telling me that her best friend's boyfriend had a birthday coming up and she wanted to buy him a bracelet as a gift, but had no money. The best friend asked the daughter for money who then asked her father for it. My mouth dropped when he forked over $100. The daughter then told me that her best friend better give her a good gift when her birthday rolls around because she spent a lot on hers. What are they learning here? Easy come, easy go? Give and expect something in return?

I am content to live the life we have. It's simple and uncomplicated. It's not always easy and sometimes I think how nice it would be to just buy what we want on a whim, much like BFF. But we appreciate every single thing we have. We work hard to put aside money for things we need and nothing goes to waste. Often, by the time we have enough money saved up, we find we don't want it anymore. We make do with less and truly don't miss all the stuff that society says we are supposed to want and have. We enjoy our family time at home, getting our hands dirty in the garden, raising chickens for meat and eggs, and chopping wood for heat. I wouldn't trade this life for anything, not even BFF's.

============

Thank you Jennifer.

Just so you can see where you are in the rotation, I still have entries from:

Joseph
Kris

PS. If you sent something and I don't have you listed, let me know at shrewsburydon@hotmail.com

Our next Entry in the Safecastle Freedom Awards

Husband of the Boss communique'

Here is our next entry in the "Safecastle LLC Freedom Awards Self-sufficiency Essay and/or Video Contest" and as such in our "Rural Revolution Essay Contest"

Just a reminder:

While the prizes are certainly better over at SafeCastle LLC., we're only allowed to pass on one finalist in the essay and video catagories at the end of the year for judging.

But...

In the Rural Revolution sub-contest, we have 10 prizes to give out to those of you who submit your original essay or video on self-suffieceny, survivalism, and prepping, specifically the coveted Rural Revolutionary Tankard.

So here's our next entry from The Orange Jeep Dad!


How I Earned Extra Income To Help With Prepping


One of the major hurdles to creating a survival cache or long term food supply is the lack of money to buy it. I'm going to outline some ways to earn extra cash above and beyond the traditional paycheck that might be easier than you think. Next, I'll outline how we established a year supply of food for our family of eight.


It is real easy to find yourself living paycheck to paycheck. Cars breaking down and unexpected bills seem to always creep up on us right when we think there will be a little extra cash left over from payday. The best way I've found to make a purchase that seems out of reach is to first: figure out how much money is going to be needed to make the purchase and then second: determine how to earn that specific amount of money.


Determining the amount of food supply can be as easy as looking it up on the internet. I think we determined how much we needed using calculations found on SurvivalBlog and the LDS website. Both are terrific sites for learning about types of food storage, maximizing calories, and creating lists of what is needed. Figure out how much food and drink is necessary then add some comfort items. We added fruit drink mix, hot chocolate powder and spices to the common list of wheat, beans, rice, dehydrated milk etc.


So, WHAT we needed/wanted was the easy part. Then we had to figure out how to raise the money to purchase it. There are SEVERAL ways to add income to the house and I will only list the ways I actually used. I work in a hospital setting and some tips may not be suitable for your type of job but it may give you ideas nevertheless.


First, I cashed in my PTO time. We're given two weeks of vacation time per year and I turned it into an extra paycheck. Not all companies will let you do this but mine did. I had done it at a previous job years ago and at that time, that particular hospital allowed vacation time to be redeemed at around 65% face value (to discourage employees from burning the vacation for cash, I suppose).


Second, since we're ALWAYS short staffed in my department, I started staying late when feasible. 15-60 minutes or more will add up quicker than you think. If you can get over 40 hours, it should be paid at "time and a half" or overtime pay. Again, your results may vary.


Third, I would work through a lunch now and again during our busy season. This nets another 30 minutes of work time on the clock (unless you get an hour for lunch). Its pretty easy to munch on protein bars during work rather than take a full 30 minutes off the clock to eat.


Fourth, I stopped my 401k deductions. This may not be for everyone but I think if we look back now at all the retirements that were crushed by wallstreet we'll see that 401k's aren't for everybody.


Fifth, I increased my tax deductions so that LESS was taken out of my paycheck for taxes. This may be nothing more than a shift of the tax burden to another day but it puts more in your pocket immediately if that is your goal.


Sixth, I would pick up "on call" hours at my hospital on my days off. "On call" means that if someone who is covering the department needs help, they call in the "call tech" for help. It is typically only for two or three hours but can also mean covering an entire shift if someone calls out sick. Being "on call" also means getting paid a minimum of $2-3 per hour just to carry the pager and be on call. So even if you don't get called in to work, you still make a few extra dollars.


Lastly, pick up an extra shift. Sometimes I would work an extra shift at my hospital, sometimes for another hospital. Either way, its extra cash. My hospital would be paying me overtime pay (think higher hourly pay) or the other hospital would be paying me PRN pay (think higher pay since I'm not a full time employee there.)


Over the course of a year, using these methods, we were able to purchase a year's worth of food storage. We also beefed up our survival supplies with a Berkey water filter, twelve 55 gallon water drums, an outdoor shed for extra storage, a shotgun, tons of gardening supplies, three molly bags full of bug out supplies and more.


Helpful tip #1: Figure out WHAT you need and write it down. I used a CraigsList application on my phone to look for things on our list. If I was looking for a shed, I plugged in an automated search for the keyword "shed" and set the price range to what I could handle. Then set the proximity to your house or how far you are willing to drive to go get it. Then I set it up to check posts every ten minutes. This is how you become the FIRST person to call a seller after he posts an item. We bought 90% of our items this way. The other 10% was either on sale at Amazon or Walmart. Some items took a year to find, others were pretty easy. It took almost a year to get a notification that someone was selling a Bosch mixer for $250 with all the attachments. Those are hard to find. Garage sales are a great resource too.

Helpful tip #2: The other side of the equation to putting money in your pocket is KEEPING money in your pocket. Write down all of your expenses and go through them one by one to see what you can reduce. Remember, every dollar you DON'T spend is a dollar earned too. We called Verizon Wireless and found a more affordable cell plan. I installed motion sensor light switches in the kids bedrooms to keep them from leaving lights on when they aren't in the room. We cancelled our $50 per month satellite tv and bought a Netflix subscription for $7.99 a month. We watch Hulu and Youtube movies for free instead of going to the expensive theaters. I even called our bank just to see what would happen if I asked for help with our second mortgage and auto loan payment. They offered a modification of sorts and have reduced our monthly payments by hundreds of dollars. I was shocked to say the least. It never hurts to ask!

So there you go. Like Larry the Cable Guy says: Get R Done!

-------------------------------- 

Thank you  uh...Dad.

Now folks, please consider sending us an essay on your plans, thoughts and experiences in self-sufficiency and prepping. I know a lot of you have skills and training on these important topics. You have a real shot at some great prizes (ours and especially theirs) by simply putting on e-paper or video, things you've already considered and practiced that might be of great help to others just starting out. I've always been into helping others. (And a chance to get "paid" to do it doesn't hurt either.)

Send your entry to: shrewsburydon@hotmail.com

The Next Contest Entry

Husband of the Boss communique'

Here is our next entry in the "Safecastle LLC Freedom Awards Self-sufficiency Essay and/or Video Contest" and as such in our "Rural Revolution Essay Contest"

Just a reminder:

While the prizes are certainly better over at SafeCastle LLC., we're only allowed to pass on one finalist in the essay and video catagories at the end of the year for judging.

But...

In the Rural Revolution sub-contest, we have 10 prizes to give out to those of you who submit your original essay or video on self-suffieceny, survivalism, and prepping, specifically the coveted Rural Revolutionary Tankard.

So here's our next entry from Gretchen:

chasing simplicity‏

 Hello Idaho Folks,

My father-in-law just sent me your blog link; I thanked him profusely.  In response to Don's request for writer relief on behalf of Patrice, I thought I'd send out an email.

I'm the mom/wife of a family of 7.  Husband and I have 5 boys, three via adoption as older boys from Ethiopia, two grown in my tummy.   Our boys are ages 8,8,10,11 and 13.  We are Christ following, seekers of simplicity, working to be debt free, dreaming of being self sustaining.

Up until July of last year we lived on acreage in Washington state.  We had chickens, turkeys, ducks, pigs, and horses.  But we were sinking into debt.  It costs a lot to live outside of Seattle and have acreage; we couldn't do it and stay afloat.  So we shopped the Country over for a place we could live in debt free, save up for land, and build a small farm again - all of this debt free.  We sold our Washington home and moved to Texas, buying a home in a neighborhood, paying cash. 

I homeschool 2 of our 5 boys; I've had kids schooling at home for about 5 years.  Next year another son will be homeschooling, I hope to bring them all home.  Our eldest is severely hearing impaired, from Ethiopia, with few language skills - he needs more help right now than I feel I can give, but that's another story.

We buy second hand, except for underwear, there I splurge on new!  Our grocery bill is low for 7 people, 5 growing boys, $600 a month.  I use herbs and homeopathy, prayer and good old wisdom to treat most of our ailments, and to care for our remaining critters: 2 dogs and 3 cats.  We are growing tomatoes, watermelon and pumpkins in our little yard.  Next year I think I will have a better handle on gardening in Central Texas and we'll grow more produce.  I make my own cleaning products.  We try not to use the air conditioner; we leave our windows and doors open to keep a stiff breeze blowing.  We use the library for books, movies, and books on dvd. 

Our plan is to save up and buy land here in Central Texas, then use our current, paid for home, as a rental for income.  We will build our own home again like we did in Washington.  We will not take out a mortgage. 

We do without stuff.  Our boys aren't in all the sports, they choose one a year, if that.  Their bikes are not new, our clothes are not new, we don't eat out often, our cars are used.  I cut our hair, even my own.   We camp, in a tent.  Where we live now we are able to walk to the post office, the thrift shop, the library, and the local cafe.  Other families would not want our life, they would rather have both parents working, send their kids to public schools, and have stuff - I don't like stuff, most of it repels me.  We have more than the majority of people on the planet.  I count my gifts daily so as not to forget how blessed I am to be able to choose simplicity. 

Thanks for your blog.  Mine is at http://countingkropps.blogspot.com

Blessed,

Gretchen

__________________________

Thank you  Gretchen. Now folks, please consider sending us an essay on your plans, thoughts and experiences in self-sufficiency and prepping. I know a lot of you have skills and training on these important topics. You have a real shot at some great prizes (ours and especially theirs) by simply putting on e-paper or video, things you've already considered and practiced that might be of great help to others just starting out. I've always been into helping others. (And a chance to get "paid" to do it doesn't hurt either.)

Send your entry to: shrewsburydon@hotmail.com

Next Contest Entry

Husband of the Boss communique'

Here is our next entry in the "Safecastle LLC Freedom Awards Self-sufficiency Essay and/or Video Contest" and as such in our "Rural Revolution Essay Contest"

Just a reminder:

While the prizes are certainly better over at SafeCastle LLC., we're only allowed to pass on one finalist in the essay and video catagories at the end of the year for judging.

But...

In the Rural Revolution sub-contest, we have 10 prizes to give out to those of you who submit your original essay or video on self-suffieceny, survivalism, and prepping, specifically the coveted Rural Revolutionary Tankard.

So here's our next entry from Jake MacGregor:

Is it time to do nothing else but prepare?

All of us who prepare face a dilemma: how do we allocate our work, our money and our time in the face of impending economic collapse.

Is it time to do nothing else but prepare?

Most of us who are survivalists, 'preppers,' (whatever acronym you choose for yourself) have invested in a deep pantry, self-defense, a good how-to library, etc. None of us feels we have done enough, has enough, but we each are doing what we can.

Now that gold, silver, food and oil appear to be 'going vertical' in price, European countries fall in clusters, and the tremendous catastrophe in Japan and consequent economic ripples, all of who have prepared for TSHTF have to ask, at what point do you put all of your work, money and time into preparations?

Is it time to do nothing else but prepare?

Before I give you my answer I will give you my background: In 2003 I began to tell my wife, Honey, I am seeing things in the world, financially, that do not make sense to me, either I am crazy or the world is going crazy, and I pray it is me. What I saw was crazy mortgage lending practices, the general belief that the business cycle had been cured, and a financial world where risk no longer seemed to matter. I had a pretty good seat to observe that world as I was one of the country's leading financial advisers. I managed hundreds of millions of dollars and met with affluent clients every business day. I, quite literally, wrote the book on being a financial adviser.

The more I looked into macro-economic issues the worse I felt inside. I was so bothered by my 'gut' that I sold my business in the summer of 2004 and moved my family from the affluent exurbs of Washington, D.C. to the Rocky Mountain West.

That was seven years ago. Even though we made a dramatic move geographically and in lifestyle I still harbored notions that things would and could work out. I have five children who I dreamed for. I wanted them to attend a good college, struggle as I did in my twenties and learn from their own mistakes how to build a career and family. I wanted my children to experience the same opportunity for prosperity that I had struggled for and eventually obtained.

I scan multiple websites every day looking for any glimmer of positive news. I have not found any fact-based good news for some time. Glenn Beck has been shouting "prepare, prepare, prepare!" for years.

Jim Rawles recently urged folks to move to the Inland Northwest Redoubt.

Pastor Chuck Baldwin echoed that.

Chris Martenesen asks (paraphrase) "Are there any white swans?" (i.e., is there any good news out there?)

And just yesterday, a well known preparedness website touted "Collapse by July, Even a Cave Man Can See It!"

Is it time to do nothing else but prepare?

Yet, despite this flood of bad news and pessimism you, me, we all have concrete decisions to make, things to do, and as with most of us we have limited time and money to do them with.

For my family, a personal example of an upcoming decision looms: should my wife take a job at the hospital or start her own business. The hospital is a 90-minute drive each way but offers a certain income. The business could be very profitable but will take time to build with no guaranty of income at all. And that is the rub, do we have time? Should we even start a business in the worst economy since 1931? And for the first time in our life we have an option we have never contemplated - should we bag both of those notions and place all our efforts in preparing for collapse?

Is it time to do nothing else but prepare?

When I look closely at how she would make her money here is what I find. Her job at the hospital is to ensure that all the hoops are jumped through so the Hospital that employs her gets paid by Medicare and Medicaid. I do not see how either of those Government programs can continue as they have already bankrupted our country. Her job security would be great until the Federal Government can no longer pay those bills.

The business my wife could start would be consulting as a legal-nurse. She has studied for some time to earn this certification and could help malpractice law firms with cases that need medical clarification and organization. However, I do not relish the thought of trying to collect from law firms in this economy.

Ultimately, she would be paid by the Federal Government or by ambulance chasers. Both sound like buzzards of the worst kind to me!

Is it time to do nothing else but prepare?

Is it time? Is it time do nothing else but prepare? In our case should my wife take this job? Should she start this business? Or should we do nothing else but prepare?

I don't know. I don't know if it is time to do nothing else but prepare. It is not knowable except in hindsight, and then it will be too late.

That, in part, is why I am writing this essay. I want your thoughts dear reader. Do YOU think: Is it time to do nothing else but prepare?

What I do know is that asking the question "Is it time to do nothing else but prepare?" begs a level of attention and alert here-to-now unknown to me. Never in my life have I even begun to think that our way of life is near collapse as I do today. That I even ask this tells me to take this very seriously, pray for guidance and become hyper vigilant.

What will we do? Will we drop the job offers, drop starting the business and do nothing else but prepare?

Yes and No. We will do an 'all-of-the-above' approach.

I will advise my wife to take the job AND start the business. I'll do all I can to help her in the business while she is working at the hospital. We'll enlist our home-schooled children into helping with the business to leverage our efforts. They can learn while working on mailing proposals, creating brochures, and keeping the filing current.

What of all the preparations we could, and probably should be doing instead? Somehow, someway, we will have to find a way to do those too. It helps that we have been actively preparing for 12 years. I still feel that we have more work than we have days. I suspect we are going to sleep less and hurt more with the severe work we need to do.

I could be wrong. Maybe we need to use every single minute between now and TSHTF for final preparations. I can't know.

But I can pray, ask for guidance, and submit this question to you faithful readers of Patrice's wonderful blog.

May God watch over us and keep our families during these trying times.

Jake MacGregor
__________________________

Thanks to Jake for this entry. Now folks, please consider sending us an essay on your plans, thoughts and experiences in self-sufficiency and prepping. I know a lot of you have skills and training on these important topics. You have a real shot at some great prizes (ours and especially theirs) by simply putting on e-paper or video, things you've already considered and practiced that might be of great help to others just starting out. I've always been into helping others. (And a chance to get "paid" to do it doesn't hurt either.)

The Next Contest Entry!

Howdy All. Here's our next entry in the Safecastle Freedom Award 2011 contest.

Just a note: We've received quite a number of contest entries (thank you all). So if you've sent one and haven't seen it yet, don't worry! Everyone who sends an entry (assuming you've followed the very basic rules) will be posted.

So without further ado: From Jane

Baby Steps

I wrote about my baby steps on my blog last year and got a “silly face” from my girl friend who I grew up with but now lives in Chicago. She teased me that my baby steps were pretty gigantic, but now in retrospect, I realize that we have different goals so mine seem gigantic to someone not aiming for the life that I am.

When I married my husband I was totally un-educated. What I mean by that is I didn’t know a thing about critical thinking or a world beyond the TV and public schools. In order to marry him he asked me to agree to 3 things. Number one, to be willing to be a pastors wife…eeek really? Um ok.(disclaimer, he’s not a pastor but has always had the desire to be one) Number two, to NOT have a career and stay home with any children that we had …eeek, am I dreaming?! yes please! Number three, to Homeschool our children…what the what?? I had NEVER considered this before. I KNEW I had hated public school. I KNEW I did not learn much at all and it sucked the life out of me. “Ok.” I said.

After a few years of marriage I learned some other things. We don’t take public assistance, no matter what. I had a hard time with this, but my husband held fast even through very trying and poor times. It was his job to provide for his family and that he did. We didn’t (and still don’t) take the many programs that are practically pushed down your throat. Public health care for pregnant women and children. Public food assistance for them as well. Public funding for homeschool with just a few (a lot) of strings attached. And those are just the ones that I personally was very tempted with. I won’t go into all the reasons why he said no, most who read this will understand already and those that don’t might never.

We will own guns. I had a hard time with this too. I didn’t understand the need. My father never seemed to care if he had one or not (he did) and never taught us kids to use it. The statement “Slaves don’t own guns, Free people do” rings so clear to me today. Though I loved my childhood and the innocence that my parents let me have, we were slaves. We have that freedom and we NEED to exercise it for many different reasons. I am now, finally, at the place where I feel comfortable, not weird and now almost naked with out my side arm.

We will let God decide how many children we have. This was always something I desired too. I could not imagine what number would be perfect. So far at 6, it’s great, but the kids really want a baby for Christmas, hehe.

I never really liked gardening. In fact I was actually mad when 2 people got us plants for our wedding gifts. My mother never had a garden and the thought never crossed my mind…that’s what the produce section is for, right? My husband and I lived above a garage in a cute little apartment for four years. My mentor (the woman of the house) gave me a garden spot to grow my produce and flowers. Her husband would fertilize it for me even, with their rabbit manure (how gross I thought). She wouldn’t really take no for an answer and gave me all my starts and I enjoyed my teensy garden and keeping her company that first summer. I was hooked.

More children leads to more things needed for them all to do occupy themselves with. I knew I didn’t want my children playing lots of video games. I was blessed with a space-cadet animal lover for a first daughter. She still asks us for new animals every week. In reality it was Martha Stewart’s beautiful eggs her hens produced. The green eggs stuck me and I had to have them. So I needed a coop and some chickens because you just can’t buy green eggs at the store, so we got them. (we don’t even watch TV anymore, but thanks Martha)

Now my chicken coop is in between two fenced in runs, the chickens get one side one year and the garden the other, and then they trade. This way I don’t have to collect and then spread the rich manure, they do it for me.

My daughter has wanted a horse since she could talk, been obsessed. I, of course, wanted to fulfill her dream because it’s the one animal I had also always wanted. Well, my mom promising that when I grew up I could get my own horse wasn’t such a great idea because she forgot to ask my husband. We have the space, but who has the money to buy all that hay? (Especially in Alaska, ouch!) My daughter also discovered she liked goats and has been nagging about horses and goats for quite a while, so I’d started collecting 6’ high dog run fence panels off Craigslist because I’d heard they make good goat fencing. Last year I was picking up my third load of free goat manure and I finally asked the lady how it was to keep goats. She told me how simple their housing was even in the cold and what they ate and gave me a phone number of a local reputable breeder. 2 months later we had 2 newly freshened Nubian does giving us 2 gallons of milk a day being milked by my animal crazed daughter who loves (almost) every minute.

Now that goats were off my mind, my mind wandered to food storage. I realized that I would love to have a “mini store” in my garage so that I didn’t have to run to the grocery store if I ran out of spaghetti sauce…so I bought 3 cases and thus began my food storing. In about 8 months I have a years worth of many of the dry goods. I’m not finished but happy with the start.

All of these baby steps might be huge for someone with 1.2 children living in the city. But for me it’s just the beginning to the life that I want us and my children to lead. I know that I’m naturally lazy (day to day sort) and all of these things from homeschooling to goats to fence building gets me off my butt. I love the feeling of accomplishment after a long day. I also never realized how much my kids, er children, would actually enjoy their hard work until one night we were having a little feast in the kitchen. My son pointed out, “look, all of the food we’re eating we made ourselves.” He was right. It was smoked salmon, goat cheese, hard boiled eggs, caribou jerky, goat milk and ptarmigan nuggets. The best feeling came over me when my husband beamed at his family.

Whether or not my children decide to live this way, we know we have done right by them to teach them these basic things that nobody knows how to do any longer. We are always learning and taking new steps. At this moment we have eggs chirping ready to hatch, a goat ready to kid and bees in their way to us. What more excitement could you ask for?

Our baby steps have led us not to an easy life, but a very rewarding and happy one.

Country Jane, learning to walk

Newest Contest Entry

Howdy All. Here's our next entry in the Safecastle Freedom Award 2011 contest.

Just a note: We've received quite a number of contest entries (thank you all). So if you've sent one and haven't seen it yet, don't worry! Everyone who sends an entry (assuming you've followed the very basic rules) will be posted.

So without further ado:


The Importance of Stocking Up on Asthmatic Medications Now!


This article is written for those who live in rural areas where there is no medical assistance within immediate access, or in a TEOTWAWKI scenario in which there is no Doctor available.
It is intended for those who suffer with Asthmatic symptoms or, for those who will be providing treatment for the person who has an Asthmatic condition.

If you would like to review some basic information on Asthma, I recommend this website. http://www.noattacks.org/about.html

The following treatment information is for your reference and consideration. It presents to you the possible alternative treatments currently available. I encourage you to stock up on those items that you are lacking in your medical chests.

Most asthmatics, who have a history of this condition, know already what precursors trigger and worsen their onset of pulmonary attack.

-If it is an allergen,attempt to avoid it. If airborne, wear a face mask to contain your lungs to it's exposure.

-If it is obviously allergen related, there are allergy tests available which are performed by an Allergist, MD specialist which can assist you in specifically identifying the allergen, and to then specifically treat the allergen triggering mechanism. This method of treatment will require you to undergo a series of sensitizing injections of weaker strains of the allergen so that your body will develop an effective level of a natural immune response over time.

-If the asthma is triggered by exertion or stress, attempt to limit strenuous exercise, and avoid undue stress. Consider learning biofeedback techniques, or meditation to control stress.
The limit setting on stress, will be quite difficult to arrange in a TEOTWAWKI situation, so it is prudent to consider the reality of this fact now.

-If you have NO idea what triggers the onset of the symptoms, begin the identification process by logging everything you do, eat, drink, sleep, wear, come in contact with, touch or smell, (perfumes, animals, cleansers, environment, etc.) just before the symptoms begin. You will hopefully see repetitive patterns of cause and effect when the attack is triggered. It is also very important to document what, if any, actions helped to ease the symptoms.

Consider these possible treatment suggestions that do not require a Physician's prescription:

-A steam enclosed bathroom. If possible have an assistant accompany the asthmatic person.

- A humidifier.

-If you live in a very humid area, try the use of a de-humidifier in your home.

-Consider the use of a menthol topical rub, like Vicks Vaporub applied on your chest.

-The calm voice of coaching help from of a friend or loved one, assisting you through the strident breaths, helps you focus on slowing your breathing down.

-The use of caffeine in tablet form, or in any strong formulation source. Caffeine has properties that have shown promise of giving temporary breathing relief for up to 4 hours.

-The use of an antihistamine, like Benadryl, or Pseudophedrine. These can be quite effective for longer term cessation of symptoms, if they are allergy related.

-The use of guaifenesin to treat chest congestion and to assist removal of the excess mucous.

Note: Be sure to carefully check your state laws for any purchase limits or restrictions for Pseudophedrine, before acquiring it for storage.
Some states have outlawed its availability as an OTC (over the counter) med, and some states have restrictions on the quantity you may procure, other states require a Rx prescription now to purchase it.

- Primatene tablets, (Ephedrine tablets), are also an OTC option to try for longer term cessation of symptoms up to 24 hours.


There are also Rx (prescriptive) medications available:
These suggested treatments will require you to visit your MD now, so you can obtain the necessary testing and prescriptions and equipment to enable you to manage your disease in the possible absence of a MD later.


-Singular, controls asthmatic symptoms from occurring.

-Some others are theophylline, albuterol, and Epinephrine injectable by sub-cutaneous administration.

-If you are already on prescriptive medications that are effective in controlling your asthma, then request several months of refill prescriptions from your M.D. so you have at least a years of meds in storage.

-Relief to open airways and bronchioles with inhalant or nebulizer treatments, is another possible treatment option.

A nebulizer and an ample 2-year supply of equipment tubing and in-line medication cups should also be stocked and stored. Sterile water for the treatments can be made at home by boiling the water for 15 minutes and bottling it in a sterile (boiled) canning jar and lid. Keep several jars on hand if you are making your own. If you wish to make saline, add only non-iodized salt at 1/4th tsp. per quart (1 Liter) into the boiling water.
-Your physician may order the use of a medication to be added to the in-line med cup for these treatments.

- If you are off grid, or in the event of a long term sustained loss of electrical power, do not forget pre-planning the availability of either an inverter to power that AC nebulizer with a 12 volt battery, or the use of a generator or solar panel.
In stressful situations, the 12 volt battery or solar panel powered option is a lot quieter.

-If no Rx meds are available to you, and all the above suggested alternate treatment methods still have not ceased the stricture, wheeze and stridor, then attempt to give an OTC inhalant product like, Primatene Mist, (epinephrine). Use the inhalant with caution and forewarning that one puff of epinephrine is quite potent and can cause in some persons, unintended consequences of cardiac symptoms, like tachycardia and high blood pressure.
Primatene Mist, (epinephrine), has been slated for a revamp of it’s CFC propellant formula to reduce it’s environmental hazards toward reducing our Ozone layer by it’s maker, Armstrong Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at the end of this 2011 calendar year. There have also been some consumer concerns and rumor that it would be taken completely off the OTC market. Consider stocking up on this important resource in ample supply now.

One thing is for certain, stress will be abundant and hygiene will be difficult to manage in a TEOTWAWKI event, so expect a full moon effect for asthmatics! Be prepared!

Our Third Freedom Award Entry!

Husband of the Boss communique'

We now proudly present our third essay entry in the "Safecastle LLC Freedom Awards Self-sufficiency Essay and/or Video Contest" as well as an automatic entry in our "Rural Revolution Essay Contest."

Be sure to check out all the great potential prizes over at: SafeCastle LLC., and remember, even though we are only allowed to pass on one winner from here to the folks at Safe Castle for the final judging of the grand prizes, we here at Rural Revolution have ten prizes to give out to those of you who submit your original essay or video on self-sufficiency, survivalism, and prepping.

Our prize, the coveted Rural Revolution Tankard

(Will look something like this,

but will also include the words

"2011 contest winner" and your name.)

So without further ado, here is our third entry:

We are a family of 3 with #4 on the way. We are military which actually leaves very little room for self-sufficiency until we "escape", I mean... fulfill our duty of course. Being forced to live in less than ideal conditions for prepping or survival anything we do our very best to be one step ahead of the curve.  We are probably more prepared than anyone in base housing I would wager.  We are "young" in our 20-somethings, but feel very secure in our idea that we need to be prepared in case of emergencies.  Surprisingly enough we do not count on the government for much of anything (this doesn't surprise us, but other people it seems). We are forever looking for our 'way out', and counting the days until we can actually make those leaps and bounds out of here.

We are teaching our 2 year old right from the beginning to save.  Not just to save his money and things, but to give back to God what is rightfully His. We are teaching him about our faith foremost, then cooking and cleaning and all those things that Mommy does around the house all day. Of course manners and respect are big ones in our house including helping out.  We actually work very hard on keeping our shelves stocked and freezer full.

Being in military housing means we don't have to pay for utilities but we work extra hard at being "green" minded. We shut off our heater when it is nice out, we cloth diaper, make our own cleaning agents, and we do not keep excessive junk like many other military families seem to collect.  When we go to the store we make a point to buy several "bulk items" for the local food pantry at our church. We have about a months worth of food ready in our home at one time.  Although space is limited we buy things in bulk... rice for example, noodles, dry goods mostly.  We are VERY active in buying our food locally as much as possible.  We think this is very important for us and for our local economy.

We make many of our own things, can our own fresh picked fruits and veggies and have even began a small garden in our windowsill this year.  Space is at a premium, but we believe that we need to be prepared "just in case"... like the government shutting down and us not getting paid until it is figured out. Hmm, how many military families are ready for THAT?  It isn't something most families think about that is for sure.

We are hard core recyclers. Our 2 year old thinks recycling is one of the best things going and that makes us so proud.  We have removed 99% of plastics from our household, and buy everything we can in glass containers or metal cans. We have 2 dogs and buy in bulk for them too.  You've always gotta prepare for them too you know.

We just have taken a different approach to life than most "kids" our age.  What is important to us is not the norm, but from the outside looking in you wouldn't know we are inherently different.  Sure we don't party or get drunk all the time... We are the 'responsible ones' we prepare as best we can for the circumstances we are forced to live in currently.  We are also planning for our future and dreaming of it daily.  Our goals are set pretty high, but being forced to live here makes us even more determined to see our dreams become a reality for us and for our children.  Faith and family are extremely important to us... and are values we consider #1 priority.  We plan to homeschool, we see natural minded doctors even though we have government funded healthcare and pay out of pocket.

We wholeheartedly believe that your decisions in life reflect what is truly important to you.  By preparing for those "uh oh" circumstances as best we can with our current situation, to trust in God, helping others, planning for a better future and teaching our children to do the same we know that someday it will all pay off.

What is that saying? Raised awareness cannot be lowered... and that is the truth!  By making many small changes now we know it will help make those big changes that will happen (in the not too distant future) easier as we are already focused on what is truly important to us.  We don't expect an easy road in the least, but by doing what we can now and proving to ourselves that it CAN be done gives us hope and courage for our future.

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A reminder, gentle readers, to please consider sending us an essay on your plans, thoughts and experiences in self-sufficiency and prepping. Your entry can be a far reaching as TEOTWAWKI or as narrow as why brown rice is a better storable food than white rice.  I know a lot of you have skills and training on these important topics. You have a real shot at some great prizes (ours and especially theirs) by simply putting on e-paper, or video, things you've already considered and practiced that might be of great help to others just starting out.  If you're shy, we'll gladly keep your identity under wraps.

Come on and give Patrice a night off by writing something we can put in her place.



So send those essays (or even a video) to: shrewsburydon@hotmail.com

Cheers,
Don (The Husband of the Boss)