Garden Season

The gardening season is upon us as we come closer to Memorial Day. So it seems like a great topic to touch on today. Gardening is a requirement when joining the circle of self-reliant groups. Because gardening is such a simple and rewarding hobby, there really isn't any reason to not go out and start digging holes in your yard this week. Creating a garden doesn't mean going to your local garden center and buying plants ready to put in the ground. Don't get me wrong, you are still creating a garden which will bear many fruits during the season, but are you truly learning any new skills that can be useful in the future? Creating a garden from seed and learning the secrets of each plant is what will feed your family for years to come. In a crisis situation, the garden stores let alone a financial system may be out of reach. Your plants need water, but what happens if you are no longer being supplied by your locality? Do you have room for a rain collection system? Remember, this is the time to create back-up plans for every necessity in life and apply them and adjust them to fit your needs. I highly recommend purchasing seeds from a reputable supplier and purchasing non-hybrid/GMO plants. You want plants that will supply you with seeds year after year and GMO plants are considered a kill crop. Meaning next year's seed will not grow, thus increasing the profit of big company. Buy wisely and teach yourself how to be a great gardener!

Ground-to-Air Emergency Code

Below is a table showing important messages you can deliver to air personnel using code symbols. You would create these symbols as large as possible on the ground with something bright colored or reflective. These symbols would be useful shortly after a disaster if the coast guard or other military unit is looking for survivors from the air.

How to Make a Free Greenhouse

Part of becoming self-reliant is having the ability to grow your own food. Gardening is an enjoyable way to supply your family with healthy vegetables without spending money at the grocery store. I say having your own garden is healthier because you have the choice to not use genetically modified seeds or pesticides. Having a greenhouse enables you to begin your gardening venture from seeds earlier in the year.

Items you will need include an empty plastic container like a 2-liter bottle, duct tape, scissors, drill, dirt, and an optional planter cup. The optional cup makes it easier to transplant the plant into your garden.

The first step is to empty and clean the bottle. After the bottle is clean, drill at least 6 small holes into the bottom of your bottle. This helps the dirt breath and also allows the bottle to drain. Next, you will use the scissors to carefully cut the bottle in half. Leave a 1-inch section intact so that the bottle has a hinge. See below:

Now you can fill the bottle halfway with dirt. Do not fill above the line where you cut the bottle. If you use a planter cup, then you can add this to the bottle at this time as well. When the dirt and planter cup are level, moisten the dirt with a little bit of water.

The final step is to plant your seed in the moistened dirt. After planting the seed, you will close the bottle up and seal it shut with some duct tape. Be sure to water and watch your little seeds start sprouting.

If you are looking for non-GMO seeds check out this package:
Survival Seed Vault - Heirloom Emergency Survival Seeds - Plant a Full Acre Crisis Victory Garden - 20 Easy-to-grow Varieties

Stay always prepared!

Anonymous calls for a Civil War? Really?

It appears the group Anonymous is calling on the American people to revolt and start a Civil War against our government. While most of us will agree, stuff needs to change, a civil war will solve nothing and will result in at least 90% of Americans dying within the first year.

Let's think about this for a second. Our water supplies, electrical grids, and food transports would be interrupted immediately if the American people began a war against the government. The government can live on without these amenities because they have back-ups of back-ups. All high government officials would be shielded from our attacks in their high-tech bunkers. All of the corporate sluts that have made billions from our stupidity will also be protected, so what would be accomplished?

Mass casualties would be the only accomplishment, because a war against the government would soon be a war against each other as food and water run low. Nothing would be accomplished with this decision and anyone that supports this idea is not a realist. The government would live on with increased power after an incident like this.

Anonymous has done many decent things to right the wrongs in this world, but I think this one is a little out there. There are better ways to accomplish change in the government without loss of American life. Back to the drawing boards.

Prepper Mistake #1 - Food

There are plenty of mistakes people can make as they navigate the less traveled path of prepping. First of all, we don't even know what disaster we are preparing for! Unless you are wealthy, it is impossible to be ready for anything nature or our fellow humans throw at us. Not knowing what disaster to plan for can make us ill-prepared for any other life-changing event.

But there is one mistake I bet even seasoned veterans make when preparing for TEOTWAWKI. When stockpiling food, most people go to the store and throw canned veggies, fruit, and meat into a cart without much side thought. Don't get me wrong, canned food is great for stockpiling because of the shelf life and ease of storing. However, the failure to account for the daily calories necessary for survival is a huge factor many overlook.The average person needs around 2000 calories for optimal survival. This number rises if pregnant or with increased workload.

So, let's look at some favorite canned goods and analyze the calories.

• Tuna - 50 calories/serving or about 100 calories/can
• Green Beans - 20 calories/serving or about 70 calories/can
• Peaches - 30 calories/serving or about 100 calories/can
• Chicken Breast - 60 calories/serving or about 270 calories/can
• Peas - 70 calories/serving or about 240 calories/can

 This list is a short example and it shows how much canned food is necessary to maintain a healthy calorie count for survival. I am pretty sure you are going to hate life within the first day if you are eating a can of chicken, peas, 2 cans of peaches, 4 cans of green beans, and 10cans of tuna every day in order to survive. So let's look at some foods that are high in calories and still have a decent shelf life.

• Spaghetti - 210 calories/serving not including the tomato sauce
• Ramen Noodles - 280 calories/package
• Canned Chili - 520 calories/can
• Canned Baked Beans - 840 calories/can
• Canned Pinto Beans - 385 calories/can
• Rice - 200 calories/serving
• Peanut Butter - 180 calories/2 TBSP

Some of you will say - "But I have one of those dehydrated food kits that include 1500 calories worth of meals every day." To that I say, good job but how often do you eat dehydrated or freeze-dried food in your daily diet? Some families have experimented with these food kits that are purchased online by attempting to survive for a week on the supplies. Fortunately for them, they experimented with these purchases before actually needing them because the result was medical emergencies from diarrhea and other digestive issues. If this would have been a real disaster event, the entire family would have died because their body was not accustomed to these type of foods. I believe dehydrated and freeze-dried food kits are good to have in any prepping plan, but allow your body time to adjust to these foods before you actually need them. 

Stay always prepared!

Photo from http://nolanoles.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/1258575501-canned-food.jpg

The End is Near - According to the Doomsday Clock

The doomsday clock will be left standing at 5 minutes until midnight, symbolizing the destruction of humans in the year 2013. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists believe the end is near because of ongoing climate change, nuclear arsenals around the world, and the increase of extreme weather.

The doomsday clock is more of a warning than a prophecy, because the minute hand can be moved away from midnight if the world makes attempts to change the current direction we are headed in. However, with corporations owning every big government in the world, a change is far out of sight.

We must take this warning as proof that our survival lies only in our hands. Corporations and government do not care about your safety unless there is a profit to be made.The world will most likely not end in 2013, but you need to prepare as if it will. Superstorms have become the new threat to our daily lives, so being prepared for an long-term disruption in electric, heat, water, and food is essential to your families survival.

Stay always prepared!

Image from http://news.yahoo.com/photos/end-near-doomsday-clock-holds-5-til-midnight-photo-232147655.html

Keeping an Emergency Money Stash

Despite the rise of credit card use, cold hard cash still serves a purpose in this economy. During most disasters including financial collapse, American currency will maintain some value for a short time. Imagine if the power grid in your area suddenly fails. Your banks, grocery stores, ATMs, and gas stations all rely on electricity to facilitate the transfer of electronic funds. No power means no goods for you or others unless you have cash. Having a stash of emergency money gives you the ability to purchase goods without relying on the electrical grid.

Even in a disaster situation like an EMP, you may have one or two days where you can walk into a grocery store with cash and buy what you want, mostly because no one will know what is going on yet. Of course, this is assuming the stores stay open. The sooner you can arrive at a location you improve your chances of being able to shop. Small businesses and corner shops may keep their doors open for a couple of days, but big stores like Walmart will most likely be locked up after one day. 

How much you set aside is your decision. I like the idea of having enough to double my food and water supplies immediately if something happens. Of course I only recommend this to those who already have a nice stockpile of food and water. Going out after a disaster may be extremely dangerous and risky, so do not rely on this as your only post-disaster plan. You may return home empty-handed and then be without anything.

Stay always prepared!