When You Read This

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

Folks, my family and I are going on vacation. By the time you read this, we will have been gone for five days. I plan to be back and writing at the beginning of the new year.

So,

Merry Christ's Mass

and Happy New Year!

P.S.
If I get a chance, I might post some articles, but don't plan on it.

What She Said!

Folks, like I said in the title and many time before; here are three wonderful blogs on food storage. All three are written by women and they know what they are doing.

Safely Gathered In - Home
http://safelygatheredin.blogspot.com/

Adventures in Self Reliance - Home
http://selfrelianceadventures.blogspot.com/

Food Storage Made Easy - Home
http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/

Here's a post from a forth blog that I haven't read long enough to give you an opinion.

I Drive my Tractor in Pearls - Again with the food…
http://idrivemytractorinpearls.com/?p=719

Becoming a Food Producer

Lastly or firstly, you and your family (if you decide to) want to become food producers. You don't have to produce all your food, just some of it. The more food that you and your family produce; the more independent you may be during an emergency.

One way of of producing some of your own food is to plant fruit trees in your yard. My family and I are lucky; we live on an over-sized lot in the suburbs. We have five fruit trees (three pears and two cherries) in a very small orchard in the backyard. Most folks won't have room for this; however, they will have room for two or three fruit trees spread around the yard.

Instead of the two oak trees in the front yard, you can plant two apples trees, instead.

Another way is to plant a fence-row fruit like blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or ... alone the fence you share with your neighbor. This will create a visual barrier between you and your neighbor's yard.

Check with your neighbor first because these fence-row fruits spread by the branches rooting if they hit soil. Your neighbor may not want this on 'their' fence.

Another way is building a small chicken coop or rabbit hutch. Four rabbits or four chickens (hens only) can easily be kept in an average suburban yard. Make sure to check local ordinances or community covenants before starting because it may be against the local code.

The one method we have all heard about is starting a traditional garden.

There are many resources, local and on the internet, to assist you. Some states have "Master Gardner" programs. These folks have a lot of useful knowledge, they are willing to share.

Plus, don't forget the local library. They have many useful books, too.

Next, you need to process your produce. In other words, can your food. Once again there are many resources on the internet and in your local library on canning.

Yeah, I know this post seem to be very short with little information, but how do I tell you to plant something if ...

* I live in Florida and you live in Alaska of vis-a-verse-a

* You live on a 1000 acre farm and I live on an over-sized lot in suburbia
or
...

You get the point. You have to learn the answers for your area of the world

Really Long Emergencies

For really long emergencies (many, many months maybe years) you and your family are going to need to store whole foods. Whole food are foods that haven't or barely been processed.

An example is wheat.

For short emergencies (a few weeks) storing flour is o.k. For a year-long emergency, flour will go bad before the end of the year, so you want to store wheat berries. Wheat berries will store for 30 years, if they are packaged correctly. Flour will not.

So how much?

Before I answer that question for my family, I have to tell you that I was born a survivalists. My mother and father were storing water, food, guns/ammo, modifying our family home before my brothers and sisters were born.

So, for my family, we started out with the Mormon Basic Four

365 pounds of Wheat per person
(Some folks say to store less for women and kids. I disagree because my wife works as hard as I do and the kids are going to grow-up within that 30-year shelf life)

140 pounds of Sugar per person

25 pounds of Salt per person

Boxes and Boxes of Rice and Soy Milk
(Only enough for a few months because we aren't big milk drinkers)

and

One multivitamin per family member per day for two years
(The kids get a kid's chewable and my wife and I get a generic-brand)

Next, we added to that food

150 pounds of Enriched Long Grain White Rice per person
(This is the only food, that I know of, that last longer after your process it. Brown rice will only last a few week or months before going rancid)

150 pounds of Various Dried Beans (Black, Chickpea, Small Red, and Red and Brown Lentils, so far)

We are adding more beans and rice as money allows. We will stop buying beans and rice when we have 350 pounds per person in our family.

Next, we are adding to this food.

We are buying freeze dried and dehydrated veggies. We plan to have enough to serve everyone four servings a day for one year when we are finished.

Next, we plan to add to this food.

By buying, storing, and using freeze-dried/dehydrated eggs, textured vegetable protein (TVP), and other long-term food from food storage companies like;

Walton Feed

Honeyville

Safe Castle
(I suggest paying the one-time membership fee to join Safecastle Royal)

Ready-Made Resources

and many others

Lastly, you will have to wait for the next post ; - )

Link:
Family Survivors - LDS Food Storage: Mormon Food Storage
http://familysurvivors.com/lds-food-storage.htm

P.S.
If I link to someone, I don't get anything from them unless they're family and these folks aren't family.

Longer Emergencies and Rotating Your Food

For longer emergencies (more than two-week), you and your family will want a little more variety in your meals. Just like before, all you do is prepare the meal, record the quantity of food needed for the meal, and buy the food at the local market. Lastly, you place this extra food with your other stored food.

Now, you and your family are going to have to rotate this food. If you eat the meals you have stored, you can easily rotate the food.

To rotate the stored food:

First, choose the meal you're planning to eat. Go to the local grocery, buy the food, and bring it home. Next, take this food, you just bought, and take it to your food storage area. (For me and my family, it is in the basement)

Place this new food in the back of the shelf, then take the ingredients (the older food) off the front of the shelf. Take the food from your food storage area (mine is the basement) to the kitchen and make the meal.

This method insures you and your family have fresh food and that you are eating that food.

When my wife decided to become a vegetarian, we had to re-plan our food storage. We redid our menus (taking out the meat and adding new meals) Next, we went to the store and bought the "new" types of food and started using the "new" food in our "new" meals.

Most folks ask if this was/is a big deal because the kids I still eat meat. It isn't. I add canned meat to our plates after we have cooked the main course. I also do this when the kids and I have eaten PB & J for the last three days.

I like PB & J for about three days straight. On the fourth day, I have to have something different, so we plan for this in our menus. For me, we have a very small canned ham in our food storage. I slice it up and have ham sandwiches for lunch as the kids and my wife eat PB & J, again! The extra ham is used in the next dinner, so we don't have to refrigerate it.

Storing Food

For you and your family, storing food can be very easy. All you have to do is buy more of the boxed, canned, and bottled food you normally eat from your local grocery store or supermarket.

The kids like spaghetti? Buy more spaghetti sauce (the brand they normally eat) and spaghetti noodles. Mac and Cheese? Same thing.

Now don't go and buy a case of the store-brand Mac and Cheese, if the family likes Kraft Mac and Cheese. I did that. The kids and my wife wouldn't eat it. The store-brand didn't taste the same. They also didn't like the different shapes, either.

Now, for a three day emergency, you and your family won't need a lot of extra food, that's nine meals and three snacks. Heck, most families have that in their pantry.

For a two-week emergency, your family is going to need more food, that's 42 meals and 14 snacks.

Don't despair, most families only eat 7 different nightly meals (dinner) and about 5 different lunches. My kids will eat PB & J with a different side and a small bowl of fruit every day for lunch, if we alternate the flavor of jelly every day. (Strawberry and Grape)

Some Possibilities (Two Weeks)

Breakfast

Cold Cereal - 4 days each week
Toast with peanut butter - 3 days each week
with canned fruit every day
with a multivitamin every day

For the above, all your family needs is a few boxes of cereal, a few cans of fruit, a couple loaves of bread, and (for my family) a few boxes of milk substitute like rice milk or soy milk. Rice milk and soy milk are shelf-stable; they don't require refrigeration.

You and your family can also use dried-milk. But be warned, all of the shelf-stable milk taste different from fresh milk. You will have to test the alternatives, from your local grocery, with your family.

Now, I didn't list exact quantities because your family is different from mine. To find the quantities your family needs, just keep track of how much you and your family eat then multiple that by how many days you plan to eat that meal.

Lunch

PB & J sandwiches every day
with chips
with canned fruit
with juice drink

For the above, all your family needs is a few jars of peanut butter, a few jars of jelly (different flavors), a few loaves of bread, a few bags of different types of chips, a few cans of different fruit, and a few packages of juice boxes.

Now, my kids really like PB & J; your kids might not. It doesn't matter; just store what you and your family will eat.

Dinner

Soup (veggie and chicken), crackers, and hard cheese - two days each week
Spaghetti with hard bread - two days each week
Mac and Cheese and green beans - two days each week
Burritos/Tacos and carrots - one day each week

Dinner seems to be more complicated, it isn't.

All you and your partner need to do is pick five to seven of the meals you and your family normally eat. Next, make and serve the meal than record how much food was needed. Next, decide how many days you and your wife are going to serve the meal during an emergency than go to the grocery (or where every you buy your food) and buy the food.

The last thing you need to do is find a place to store this food. If you have a basement, you can build yourself some shelves (or buy them from the store) If you don't have a basement, ...

Sorry, you're going to have to figure that out on your own : - (

P.S.
Thanks Darin for passing the "Building Shelves" article on to others : - )

Television Shows, Part Three

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

A lot of folks at work are watching "Walking Dead;" we get together and talk about the problems the living are trying to solve. A group of folks from work are taking the show serious; they analysis the logic of the survivors as the show unfolds.

One of the subjects being closely looked at is food. The living, in different episodes, hunt and scavenge for food. None of the living, except for the CDC doctor, have any stored food.

To me, the living are going to be toast (dead) very soon unless they can secure a stable food supply.

End of the Year, Reallocation

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

As this year comes to a close, we need to be thinking about our finances. Yes, even in one of if not the most economically trying times in the last one hundred years.

Now, be warned folks. I wrote this article a few days ago, so I don't know what kind of economic trouble we could be facing as you read this article. Plus, I am not a financial adviser, nor a doctor, and diffidently not an insurance agent. If you follow my advice, you could end up poor, injured, and over insured.

First, you and your family need to make financial goals. You should have a few short-term and long-term goals that you want to achieve. A few short-term goals (1 to 5 years) could be to save $5.000 to buy a newer used car to replace a worn out vehicle; save $5.000 to add to your emergency fund; or save $5.000 to buy a piece of junk land for a family retreat. Your long-term goals (5 to 30 years) might be to set aside 10% of your income into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), invest the maximum amount to receive 100% match in a 401K, or start a college fund for your young children.

Second, you and your partner need to check your insurance policies. Make sure you have enough insurance to cover those catastrophic events (death, fire, car accident, and ...) that you need covered.

Next, you need to check the allocation of you retirement funds. If they are unbalanced, you need to reallocate them so you have the proper mix to meet your long-term financial goals.

The last statement was choke-full of jargon, so let me explain.

Financial advisers suggest (don't you just love that statement) that you hold 70% stocks, 20% bonds, and 10% cash in your retirement account, That mix of assets will change as you get older. The older you are the less stocks you should hold and the more bonds and cash should be in your retirement portfolio.

Let me give you an example:

I am 30ish so at the beginning of this year, I had 70% in a stock fund, 20% in a bond fund, and 10% in a money market account held in my retirement account. Fast forward eleven months, and some trying times, and my portfolio is now 75% in stocks, 15% in bonds, and 10% cash.

What I will do is sell 5% of the stock fund and use that money to buy more of the bond fund.

This was a simplistic explanation, and it is one of many ways of investing for retirement. You may need to do more research, so you can develop your own method of handling your finances.

There are many great sites to explain how to invest. You will find some recommendations in the links. Plus, there are many great books in your local library for you to borrow. Many people would recommend such authors as Dave Ramsey, Suze Orman, and lesser known Manisha Thakor.

Lastly, be warned. If you are successful in this investing stuff, you are looking at a substantial amount of money. Money, folks would love for you to part with, legally and/or illegally.

Link:
Money-zine - Balancing Your Retirement Account
http://www.money-zine.com/Financial-Planning/Retirement/Balancing-Your-Retirement-Account/

Kiplinger - Build Your Perfect Retirement Portfolio
http://www.kiplinger.com/features/archives/2007/05/rpgbuildport.html

Motley Fool - Home
http://www.fool.com/

The Simple Dollar - Home
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/

Sorry, No Post for Today

I apologize folks for not posting today. I have been under the weather for the last few days, and I feel blah.

So, I am off to bed.

However!

Here are a few links to read and to get you thinking

Casaubon's Book - It is Elegant, but is It Feasible?
http://scienceblogs.com/casaubonsbook/2010/12/growing_up_and_other_complicat.php

The Archdruid Report - In The Wake Of Victory
http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2010/12/in-wake-of-victory.html

The Archdruid Report - The Future's Further Shores
http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2010/12/futures-further-shores.html

Bison Survival Blog - till 2030
http://bisonsurvivalblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/till-2030.html

P.S.
There is an article for Saturday.

Heck, Just Read Grandpappy's Article

Forget about everything I said and just read (and copy) Grandpappy's article on water.

Grandpappy - How to Find Water and How to Make Water Safe to Drink
http://www.grandpappy.info/wwater.htm

P.S.
Not really because you need to verify your sources to insure they are giving you and your family correct information.

Filtering Water

The easiest method of filtering water is to buy a quality water filter. Most families, staying put during a disaster (bugging in), will be well served by a Katadyn or Berkey water filters.

I can recommend the Katadyn Drip Ceradyn water filter or the Big Berkey water filter. Both of these filters are  difficult to transport because they are designed for home or camp use. The complete filters are also expensive; you can reduce the cost of a complete filter by just buying the filter elements and constructing a filter out of five-gallon plastic buckets.

Now sooner or later, usually later with a Katadyn's Ceradyn and Berkey's black berkey filter elements, you and your family are going to have to construct a water filter out of available material. I have included two links to a "slow sand filter."

A slow sand filter uses sand, soil, and rocks in a 55-gallon drum to filter water. Make sure you read and print the slow sand filter plans from Surfer Without Borders. The other links should be read, printed, and placed in your survival bible as you see fit.

Link:
Surfers Without Borders - Slow Sand Filter Plans
http://www.surferswithoutborders.org/Slow_Sand_Filter_files/Slow%20Sand%20Filter%20Plans.pdf

How To Pedia - How to Filter Water with a Sand Filter
http://en.howtopedia.org/wiki/How_to_Filter_Water_with_a_Sand_Filter


World Health Organization - Slow Sand Filtration
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/ssf/en/index.html

World Health Organization - Slow Sand Filtration in PDF format
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/ssf9241540370.pdf

Finding Water

The first three articles should all be read, one right after the other. All three have little tidbits on how to find water in the wilderness.

The forth link is to a book by Christopher McNab. When I checked, the link sends you to the section on finding water.

Associated Content - How to Find Water in the Wilderness
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2435430/how_to_find_water_in_the_wilderness.html?cat=49

WikiHow - How to Find Water in the Wilderness
http://www.wikihow.com/Find-Water-in-the-Wilderness

Wilderness Survival Skills - How to Find Water
http://www.wilderness-survival-skills.com/how-to-find-water.html

Christopher McNab - Living Off the Land, Revised and Updated Edition: An Illustrated Guide to ...
http://books.google.com/books?id=PlTjfID8oFcC&pg=PA29&lpg=PA29&dq=Finding+Water+Manmade+Sources&source=bl&ots=xS2MxgYRVG&sig=kmyMoRna-TNwp3Okzbq1-ul25jM&hl=en&ei=vSf7TM6QJcHvngeMtpzJCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCAQ6AEwADgK#v=onepage&q&f=false

U.S. Army Logistic University - Obtaining and Purifying Water in Iraq
http://www.almc.army.mil/alog/issues/MayJun04/alog_wateriniraq.htm
Note: This article is here to highlight some of the these United States military's capabilities and show what's going on in Iraq.

Storing Water

Storing water is the easiest method of having water for a disaster. Below are three links to some resources on how to store water for an emergency.

FEMA - Water
http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/water.shtm
Note: This article makes a good point. Make sure you and your family "Observe the expiration or “use by” date" on commercially bottled water.

Colorado State University: Extension - Resource Tipsheet: Water Storage
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/emergency/water.html
Note: This is a really good article, however; Do not, Don't, Never store water in used plastic milk jugs. The used plastic milk jugs are difficult to clean, and they are fragile.

Washington Military Department: Emergency Management Division - Storing Water
http://www.emd.wa.gov/preparedness/documents/piy_water.pdf
Note; This .pdf has an excellent illustration of an expedient method of distilling water. All you need are a pot with a lid, some string, and a cup.

Television Shows, Part Two

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

As I mentioned, the last time I talked about my television viewing habits, I enjoy watching Stargate Universe. The show tracks right along with the survivalist's "3 to 5 Rule of Dying." First, you worry about air. Next, you worry about shelter, then water, then food, then ... The show even illustrates the importance of bug-out-bags.

Well, for most preppers, clean water is the most important item, after shelter, for continued survival. Now, most folks are going to be able to store water for short term emergencies (Part One, Part Two) Some folks, very few, are going to have to wait just before an emergency to store water (Part One, Part Two)

If you are preparing for a longer disaster, you and your family are going to have to store more water, learn how to collect water (One Method), and buy a water filter. For the folks preparing for a really long term disaster, you and your family are going to have to learn how to effectively and efficiently collect water, filter water to insure that it is clean enough to drink, and store water to drink, clean with, and use in food production.

So that's it for this post. The following posts are going to be a collection of links about water, so don't forget to print the articles that you think will work for your family and store the articles in your survival bible.

Put Me on 'The List'

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

As you have heard and probably read, folks are up in arms over the full-body scanners and physical searchers preformed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). You have also probably seen the videos about upset passengers and their children, read about the search waivers for Muslim woman, and read about Janet Napolitano's memo saying that folks that oppose the searches are domestic terrorists.

Well a lot more is going on then meets the eye.

The Nature of Terrorism
First, terrorists adapt to countermeasures used by the government. Let's look at air travel as an example. In the '50s, you could buy a one-way ticket with cash, and there was no search of your bags or yourself. In the '60s, terrorists used that loophole to bring guns on a plane and hijacked the plane. Governments all over this planet started having soldiers patrol their airports then they install metal detectors and searched the passengers. Next, terrorists started putting bombs in their luggage. The government started searching people's bags. The terrorists respond by taking box cutters on the airplane (which were allowed by the government) then hijacking the planes and using it as a weapon. Next, the government prohibits any cutting tool, including nail clippers. Just recently, terrorist carry bombs on their bodies. The government then responses by x-raying passengers.

Plus, as we have seen in India, Russia, Great Britian, Spain, and ... , terrorist start attacking other targets with large groups of people such as schools, train stations, resort areas, and buses. Governments respond by setting up countermeasures, similar to those used in airports, in other places like train and bus stations.

And it doesn't stop there. There are reports of terrorists experimenting with hiding explosives in their bodies similar to cocaine smugglers. This technique will defeat the current full-body scanners.

Secondly, one of the objectives of a terrorist is to turn the people of that country against the government. The government security forces (FBI, TSA, and ...) must walk a fine line as they try and protect the country's citizens and visitors.

We can see this under the current situation.

Most citizens of these United States are use to interacting with the police in very limited situations. Usually, we are speeding and we get pulled over. We know that we were speeding, so we might try to talk our way out of the ticket. If we get the ticket, we grumble and pay it. Normally, we are never searched by the police.

Well, the government has to protect us, (You might want to debate the nature of government with me, but ask your friends and family about security and they will tell you 'The government is here to protect me.' Heck, how many are preppers like you? That will give you your answer right there) so the government implements searches. That pisses folks off because they're not use to it, and in this country, most folks don't like feeling like criminals. That pisses them off even more. This leads to my next point.

Some Folks Have an Agenda
There are people that will then use this animosity towards the government for their personal and political gain. Both major parties (Democrat and Republican) and the minor parties do it. Look at the political cartoons during George W. Bush's presidency, or the rumours and innuendos during William J. Clinton's two terms in office. Now, add the change of political power after the recent House of Representatives' elections, and the political parties have a vested interest in emphasizing the problems associated with the 'other side.'

Plus, always remember "If it bleeds, it leads" type of reporting requires the media to highlight the animosity between the parties, report the bad news, and hype the worst case scenarios stated by their analysts.

Let's not forget the political commentators (trying to lure high paying advertisers to sponsor their programs) They fan the flames of discontent, so they can profit from the worries of the country's citizens.

The commentators might even fashion themselves as "king-makers." The power behind the throne; as they make decisions for all of us, but never have to face the consequences of those decisions.

And citizens also have an agenda. They want change. Change to the 'old days' when we didn't have to submit to a government search to board an airplane or worry about dying commuting to our jobs in the high-rise office buildings of our major cities. Change to the bright future/retirement, we learned about from our teachers, or not having to deal with the problems of 'failed-states' or some whacked-out religious fanatic that doesn't want women/girls to read.

The Consequences
There are consequences if we get it wrong. A few thousand more people may die, maybe even millions. This country, our country, could be starting down that slippery slope to Fascism or an elected dictatorship to satisfy our need for security from terrorism.

At the End, I Don't Know,
I don't have quick easy answers because terrorism isn't a quick easy math problem. This problem will take years, maybe decades, to solve. And at the end of all this effort, there is no guarantee that the government will stop a terrorist attack that harms you and your family.

But I Do Know
If we are going to consider some citizens domestic terrorist because they question the policies of Our government, put me on the list!

P.S.
We have to remember that the screeners at the TSA checkpoints are doing a job, a thankless job. The screeners may not know it, but they are scapegoats. They will be blamed for any successful terrorist attack on an airplane.

So

Grin and bear it, and tell the guys and gals working as screeners to have "A Nice Day" and write your congress critter and have them put you on The List.

Link:
Sign On San Diego - TSA to Investigate Body Scan Resister

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/nov/15/tsa-probe-scan-resistor/

Canada Free Press - DHS & TSA: Making a List, Checking it Twice
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/30286

Global Guerrillas - Home
http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/
Note: I would like to thank John Robb at Global Guerrillas for educating me, without the hype, on the nature and threat of world terrorism.

Contest to Win Free Ammunition

Ryan, over at Total Survivalist Libertarian Rantfest, is allowing folks to vote for the best entry for the free ammo contest.

Please go to the voting page and vote for the best entry.

Please read all of the entries and vote for the one that you think is the best.

My entry is below:

Someone You Know http://gsiep.blogspot.com/2010/11/contest-for-free-ammunition.html

If you think that my entry is best, please vote for me.

If you think there is a tie, between me and another contestant, please consider that I don't have advertisement on the blog.

Either way, please vote for the best entry.

Link:
Total Survivalist Libertarian Rantfest - Contest Voting and a Short Black Out
http://tslrf.blogspot.com/2010/11/contest-voting-and-short-black-out.html

Total Survivalist Libertarian Rantfest - Contest Roundup
http://tslrf.blogspot.com/2010/11/contest-roundup.html

Shelter - The U.S. Army Way

The Air Cav has a great site dedicated to military helicopters. Plus, he has FM 21-76 Survival on his site. Below is the link to the shelter section of these United States' military manual on survival.

Link:
The Air Cav - Home
http://www.aircav.com/default.htm

Air Cav - Survival: Shelter, Chapter 5
http://www.aircav.com/survival/asch05/asch05p01.html

Winter Shelter - Various Other Links

There is a lot of information on the internet about primitive shelters. Some shelters require nothing but a knife and a little hard work. Other shelters require a knife, some cordage (twine or string) and a little ingenuity. Lastly, some of these primitive shelters aren't really primitive because you need a tarp to build the shelter.

Well, during my research (really just surfing the 'net), I came across some web pages that have information about different shelters that don't fit into a particular category of primitive shelter. So, here are those links.

Link:
Pine Home - Primitive and Low Tech Shelters
http://ridgerunnersurvival.tripod.com/shelter.htm

Rouge Turtle - Cold Weather Shelters
http://www.rogueturtle.com/articles/cold_clan.php

Practical Survivor - Wilderness Survival Shelter
http://www.practicalsurvivor.com/shelter

Coalition Against Civilization: Forum - Temporary Primitive Shelter
http://cacst.yuku.com/topic/580/t/Re-Temporary-primitive-shelter.html?page=-1

The Central American Sea Kayak Expedition - Ignacio's Cohune Palm Shelter: The Kekchi Indian Technique of Blue Creek (Belize)
http://www.caske2000.org/expeditions/survival/sheltercohune.htm

UW at La Crosse: Department of Sociology and Archaeology, Elizabeth Schultz - Sewn Cattail Mats
http://www.uwlax.edu/sociology/Archaeology/students/schultz/
Note: Make sure you check out her Cordage page. The link's below.

UW at La Crosse: Department of Sociology and Archaeology, Elizabeth Schultz - Construction: Cordage
http://www.uwlax.edu/sociology/Archaeology/students/schultz/Cat-Cord.htm

NativeTech: Native American Technology and Art - Photographic Tour of Contemporary Wigwams
http://www.nativetech.org/wigwam/phototour.html

Winter Shelter - Tarp Shelter

Even though tarp shelters aren't exactly winter shelters, with a fire reflector and a fire, they will protect you and your family from the elements, allowing you and your family to survive  many cold nights in the woods.

Link:
M4040 - Tarp Shelters
http://www.m4040.com/Survival/Skills/Shelter/TarpShelter.htm

Practical Survivor - Poncho and Tarp Shelters
http://www.practicalsurvivor.com/ponchoshelters

Winter Shelter - Pit Shelter

The next winter shelter is a little more labor intensive. It requires you to dig a hole, so you will need a shovel to construct this shelter.

Link:
Wildwood Survival - Scout Pit
http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/shelter/scoutpit/ygas.html

The Sanders Family - How to Build a Pit Shelter
http://www.theozarks.com/Shelters.htm

Winter Shelter - Debris Hut

Another shelter that can be used during the winter, in forested areas, is the debris hut.

It's constructed just like it sounds. All the debris on the forest floor is turned into a shelter.

Below are a few links with pictures. Please read all of the links because they all have information/pictures on how to build a debris hut.

P.S.
Do Not, Don't, Never light a fire, candle, or any other open flame in a debris hut because you will be in the center of a bonfire very shortly : - (

Link:
Nature Skill - Building a primitive survival shelter
http://www.natureskills.com/primitive_shelter.html

Wilderness Survival Skills - How to build an outdoor survival shelter
http://www.wilderness-survival-skills.com/outdoorsurvivalshelter.html

The Farm.org - Debris Hut Construction
http://www.thefarm.org/charities/i4at/lib2/debris.htm

Wildwood Survival - Wilderness Survival Shelter: Debris Hut by Joe Shilling
http://wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/shelter/debrishut/js2005/index.html

Zata Talk - Debris Tips
http://www.zetatalk.com/shelter/tshlt02n.htm

Winter Shelter - Igloo

Winter in the northern hemisphere is going to be starting in a few short weeks. To kick off that event, here is a link to an article at io9 on how to build an igloo.

Most folks will remember that igloos are a winter shelter built by Eskimos.

P.S.
The link in the io9 article is acting weird, so I provided a link to the beginning of the article from GORP


Link:
io9 - How to Build an Igloo for the Nuclear Winter
http://io9.com/5698802/how-to-build-an-igloo-for-the-nuclear-winter

Encyclopædia Britannica - Eskimo (People)
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/192518/Eskimo

GORP - Igloo Mania: The Joys of Igloo Making and Camping
http://www.gorp.com/parks-guide/travel-ta-outdoor-skills-snow-sports-camping-ecotourism-sidwcmdev_052709.html

Television Shows

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

I watch a couple of tv shows regularly. They are "The Walking Dead," "Stargate Universe," and "The Event." Sometimes I also watch "Fringe."

As you can tell with "The Walking Dead" and "Stargate Universe" I enjoy science fiction with a survivalist twist.

So what does this have to do with survival.

First, you need to have a quiet hobby that allows you to relax and unwind from the stress of the day/night. If you have electrical power, it might be tv. Yes, even "Dancing with the Stars" might count ; - )

Second, I was watching a recent episode of Stargate Universe and some folks froze to death because they didn't know how to build adequate shelter to protect themselves from freezing temperatures.

Lastly, never believe what you see on tv. Especially the news and talk shows because the news/talk shows have gone through a couple of different people's filters. The producer picks the story from a large pool of items, the director guides the direction of the story, and the newsreader/commentator emphasizes the words used during the story.

Link:
The Internet Movie Database - The Walking Dead
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1520211/

The Internet Movie Database - SGU Stargate Universe
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1286039/

The Internet Movie Database - The Event
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1582459/

The Internet Movie Database - Fringe
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1119644/