Archives for 2019

How to Install an Off-Grid Water Well at Your Homestead or Cabin

January 17, 2019 M.D. Creekmore

by Sandra Ogden

Getting out of the city and choosing to live “out in the country” is a goal of many people nowadays. “Homesteading” sounds so idealistic; getting back to the basics and living the dream! What most don’t realize is homesteading is hard physical work and has a lot of unknowns.

It requires a lot of planning, prioritizing, setup money and manual labor. You need shelter, water and food and lots of common sense.

When I bought my homestead (see the previous article on buying a country property), it had the basics: a house, a water well, septic tank, shed and barn; however, except for the brand new septic, everything was old and poorly maintained. I had to prioritize the repair/replace list and after refurbing the house, the water well was next in line.

I did my research on the internet about water wells, the various types of pumps, hand pumps, stand-alone mechanical pumps, and solar pump options. I spoke with some of my neighbors about their wells, many who have had to recently replace pump motors and pipes.

One neighbor tried to do his own replacement and it turned out to be trial and error because he did not know what type of pump or how far down it was placed so it was a guessing game and he ended up calling a company to come to fix it after 3 days of failure.

Another neighbor started doing it himself, found his pipe was broken and ended up getting a well company to replace the broken pipes and replace the pump.

In both instances, it was 3 to 7 days to fix the problem, plus between $1500 and $2500. Another family down the road bought a place without an inspection and found the well didn’t work and $3000 and two weeks of repairs later they were pumping water.

The point is you never know when the pump will stop working or what caused it to stop. It just happens and usually not at a convenient time! If you don’t have water stored (300-500 gals) for your family and animals to get you through the repair/replacement, you are in deep yogurt!

Your location is everything! If you live in the deep south (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida etc.) and you are not in the hills, your drill depth may be shallow (less than 80 ft.). When I lived in Florida we could dig a well ourselves because the water level was so high.

But the further north and more hilly country you are in, the drill depth may be significant. The type of the soil also impacts the drilling. Rocky soil or compacted clay can cause you some anxiety as it affects the time to drill and the type of drill bits needed to get through the ground.

If your house is on a scenic hill, it may add hundreds of feet to the water level, which adds money to total cost of drilling and installation. These are just some of the things to think about before buying that country property.

Other things you need to know about your existing well are: when was it drilled, how deep was it drilled and what was the water depth when it was drilled. If the well was drilled over 25/30 years ago, there may be no county records of it.

You will have to depend on what the owner tells you (if the property is occupied) or try to ask neighbors about their wells if the property is vacant. Even if your closest neighbor is 10 miles down the road, the soil composition is similar and the water level is probably pretty close to what you would have.

The property I bought had a residence which was 40 years old and the original builder lived in the house. Since the well was drilled when the house was built there were no county records of the original drilling to give me the information I needed.

The house sits on the second highest elevation in the community but it is really only a small hill. The owner told me the well was 120 ft. deep but he didn’t remember what the water level was. The pump had been replaced 10 years prior. Since the owners were an elderly couple and did not use the well for irrigation or animals, I had a good chance the pump would last for a while.

You just don’t go out and replace a well pump because you’re worried it may break down on you! Since I had no idea what type or size of pipe was used (40 years ago) or what brand or size of pump was installed (10 years ago), the decision about the water well kept me up at night for weeks.

Even though I have 500 gallons of drinkable water, 600 gallons of household use water, and 1000 gallons of animal water stored around my homestead, I was worried about not having fresh water. The thought of having to go almost a half-mile downhill to the meadow where the spring is, fill water containers, transfer water uphill to the house and animal areas, filter and purify it for drinking was constantly on my mind. I made the decision to drill a backup well using an off-grid Simple (Hand) Pump.

The internet advertising leads you to think you can put in a Simple Pump in or next to your existing well piping. Not unless you had it planned prior to drilling your well and got the right width of pipe! My 40-year-old well was not a consideration for a Simple Pump, which meant I had to get a company to drill a new well in a new location.

A Simple Pump is a hand pump, which can be adapted to a mechanical pump either electric or solar… for an additional large fee.

Getting a well drilling company is not as simple as calling up and making an appointment. I called all three companies within 100 miles of my property. One just told me “no, we’re too busy with commercial work,” the other two agreed to come out and give me an estimate and explanation.

One company was willing to drill on appointment at a much higher price, while the other company offered a lower price if they could work me in over the next four months. “Working me in,” meant between commercial jobs and when another job in the area could be combined with mine so they could bring the heavy equipment to do two jobs, which is more economical for them; which translated to $1000 less cost to me.

I chose the latter, feeling my existing well would continue to function while I waited.

The ESTIMATED cost of drilling depends on lots of things. First, your location-how far out are you…what are your county road conditions; can large heavy equipment get to you and what are your farm road conditions…dirt, gravel, paved?

Second, what are the topographical issues with your property (mountains, hilly or flat)? Third, what is the geological makeup of your soil…clay, sand, rock, etc.? Fourth, what will the depth of drill to hit water be? The drilling company can pull the records for your area, but some county well records only go back 15 or 20 years.

Needless to say, if you are on top of a mountain or hill, the drill will most likely be deeper and thus more expensive. Drilling a 50 or 80 ft. well is way cheaper than drilling 100-120 ft. or 350-500 ft. or more. My house is on a small hill thus the drill went to 140 ft.

You need to ask all these questions up front to the drilling company and find out what their basic costs are and what their additional costs may be. Do they charge additional fees for drilling more difficult geological makeup, more for drilling over 100 ft., what other additional charges…a one-time service fee, an extra mileage fee, non-level ground set up fee?

The supervisor will come out earlier with a contract, want a 50% deposit and want to know the approximate spot where you want the well drilled. He/she may do a soil sample or just use his/her experience to gauge the ground.

When the drill trucks arrive there will usually be two or three trucks: a large drill truck, a water truck, a sand truck and/or a supervisor truck; just depends on the company. Your spot will need to be mostly flat and with enough space so the trucks can stabilize.

These trucks are heavy and the drill truck has extendable booms that go 100’ in the air over the drill site. Electrical/telephone wires cannot be nearby and tree branches may be a problem also. I had two sites picked out but one had too many oak tree branches and the boom could not be raised. The alternate site was mostly clear of branches but the boom still took out the end of a branch.

My drill took about four and a half hours. Once that was done then the piping was inserted and fitted piece by piece, which took another hour and a half. Lastly, they blew out the pipes and the water began to flow. The next day the supervisor was back to measure the water level.

In my situation, the drill was to 140 ft. and the water level was at 115 ft. Because I chose a Simple Pump to be installed, it was necessary to know the water level so the correct measurements could be given to the company to custom build the insert pipes for my property. This took about 2 weeks.

The Simple Pump was installed about three weeks later. The drilling company sent two men out to install it and while the supervisor said it would take “less than an hour” it really took almost three hours. The Simple Pump pipes fit inside the water pipes.

Once the pipes were connected they installed the hand pump housing to the pipes. Then the men pumped for about ten minutes to get the sand out of the new line before the water was clear. Since it was brand new I was told to expect some dirty or colored water for a bit.

I had my son standing by to be the physical labor part and he was able to pump easily after it was primed. It takes about six or seven pumps to get the prime to kick in before the water pours out if you pump once a day. It will tire an office worker out in a heartbeat but a good ole country boy won’t have a problem pumping 30 gallons of water.

The cost of the water well drilling, piping, and Simple Pump and installation came to just under $5000. Once on site, it took a day to set up, drill, and pipe and another half a day to install the Simple Pump and clean up the site. I am considering adding a solar unit to automate the pump but that would be an additional $2000-$3000 to purchase and install it, as that is not one of my talents.

I have laid a concrete pad around the well site and we’re in the process of building a pump house to secure the Simple Pump. I know if a worst case grid-down scenario were to occur this pump will be a lifesaver.

Mini Farming on a 1/3-Acre Suburban Lot

January 17, 2019 M.D. Creekmore

By: JenMar

Gather together a group of preparedness minded folks and the conversation invariably turns to pulling up stakes and moving to the country to create a self-reliant home and life. But, for many, moving is not an option. Work, family, kids, health, personal responsibilities are all valid reasons keeping people in their present location.

It may not be what we want, but it is where we are right now. We don’t have to postpone our path to self-reliance or preparing for a crisis, though, we can start where we are, with what we have.

Even though a vast country property might be ideal, a large suburban lot can be just as productive. It can be a place to learn and practice, make mistakes; a place to build skills and confidence and learn how to live a life not reliant on a consumeristic society.

When I moved to my property 15 years ago I did so with the idea that I would make it a productive mini farm, with all the pieces of a traditional farm, only smaller. Through the years we have worked and built, reevaluated and rethought what this farm can produce. It’s a creative process that relies on the calculated rotation of livestock and produce for maximum production.

This is what I’d like to share, in hopes of inspiring other city-dwelling pack mates to put their property to maximum use while life’s circumstances keeps them in town.

A Note to Clarify: This article is primarily about how I survive in suburbia managing my property to produce food for a two-person household. I won’t be talking about alternative energy, heat, water, OPSEC, guns, ammo, or security, although those are all important topics.

Ok, let me give you a visual to set the stage…

I live outside of a mid-sized town (about 30,000 people) in Southern California. The homes in my area are zoned for all livestock, except horses. The City allows us 33 animal units per home, which is calculated based on a value given to each species. For example, a sheep is 3 units and hogs are 6 units, while chickens and rabbits are ½ a unit each. I can create a mix of animals as long as I don’t go over 33 units.

My property is 1/3-acre, about 85’ wide and 100’ deep. It is all flat and useable. The house fronts to the west, and sits about 30’ from the street, so I have a large front yard with good west and south exposure. Our climate is Mediterranean and the growing season is almost year-round. With small hoop houses, I can grow 365-days, when needed.

The barn is the hub of activity. It is 12’x24’, runs east to west and houses most of our livestock on a rotational basis. To the west is the chicken coop portion (6’x12’) with an outside run that is 8’x12’. The center of the barn is an open space for feed, tack, and supplies.

On the south wall of the center section hangs three rabbit cages, for two does and a buck. The cages have corrugated galvanized roofing that attaches to the front bottom of each cage and extends through the barn wall at an angle. We lovingly refer to this as the “poop chute”. On the outside of the barn, below the “poop chute” is a collection bin.

The idea is — the droppings roll down into the collection bin, to be used in the garden or compost pile. Litters of meat rabbits are grown out in an 8’ growing cage that is mounted to the wall below the doe and buck cages. When not in use the growing cage is removed and stored in the barn rafters.

The section to the east gets the most activity as we rotate in and out market lambs, pigs, meat chickens, and meat ducks, throughout the year. From the east side, I have the ability to erect an outside corral of different sizes using livestock panels and gates.

There are three 4’x12’ and nine 4’x8’ raised vegetable beds, a squash patch, a 3’x20’ berry patch, dwarf and espaliered fruit trees, trellised grape vines, a dedicated herb garden, and medicinal and perennial herbs interplanted in the flower beds.

The 10’x12’ greenhouse is where plant life begins, whether from seeds, cuttings, divisions or bulbs. Since we have such a long growing season the greenhouse is primarily used to start seeds, store tools, and supplies, rather than growing vegetables during the winter. It’s also my quiet hang out.

The front yard is part of the farm as well. Planter beds have blueberries, herbs, flowers, and one very young pomegranate tree.

So—how do we make all this work? How does this small piece of land produce food for its family?

Carefully, thoughtfully, deliberately, rotationally and with a whole lot of humor and flexibility.

Our life revolves around junior livestock shows, eight months of the year to be exact, so meat production on the farm has to intertwine around that schedule.

Here’s how we do it…

For most of January, the farm is preparing for new livestock and the growing season. The barn is cleaned and outside corrals put up. Feed and feeder lambs are purchased. Fruit trees, berries, and grapes are pruned, fertilized and mulched. Cool weather seeds are direct sown, while many other seeds are started in the greenhouse.

In February, the show season begins, every weekend for the next two months. Succession planting of cool weather crops begins, and more seeds are started in the greenhouse. Outside vegetable beds are tilled and mulched, and bean poles and pea fencing is put in place.

Depending on the rainfall, we are already pulling weeds and mulching garden paths by mid-March. Directly sown seed planting continues, as does seed starting in the greenhouse.

So far, life has been rather routine, lambs get fed, seeds are planted, hens lay eggs, and so on. But, that’s all about to change.

By April, life gets a bit more interesting and busy. That’s when we breed the does and bring in a few turkey chicks, which are brooded in the garage. By the time the chicks feather out and can live in the barn the weather is nice enough that the lambs don’t need (or want) to be in the barn.

The show schedule has also slowed to two weekends a month. Half the lamb space in the barn becomes a growing pen for the turkeys. A week or so before the does kindle we set up the 8’ growing cage on the wall below the does.

The chicken coop is cleaned and all bedding is moved to either the garden or the compost pile (also read – can I keep chickens in my backyard). Nesting boxes are refilled with shavings from the turkey brooding pen. By month end the entire garden has been planted with the first wave of crops.

In May the garden is really taking off and we are seeing the fruits of our labors. Harvesting spring crops is regular now. Winter squash and pumpkins started in the greenhouse are planted in the squash patch.

The doe’s, bred in April, kindle. The turkeys are growing fast and the lambs get a reprieve from the hectic show schedule. Life takes on a rhythm of planting, harvesting, mulching, watering, and weeding until June when the first berries and early summer fruits are ready to pick. The kits are moved to the growing cage.

July is a big month because of the State Fair. All the lambs attend the fair, but only two return home to be shown at the county fair. The others are sold. July’s heat means we must be diligent with watering, weeding, and mulching. The first tomatoes come in July, along with mid-season berries and the last of early summer fruits. Harvesting and replanting is weekly now. Food preservation begins in earnest this month.

Everything we’ve done so far all culminates in August. The garden is bursting, animals are growing, food preservation is non-stop, and just to make things a bit more interesting we throw in the county fair—a week away from home, in the hottest month so far.

The rabbits, turkeys, and the back-up market lamb, not being shown at the fair, are all processed for the freezer before we leave. At the end of the wee,k we come home with an empty trailer. All fair animals have been sold at auction.

By the end of the month, the barn is empty, except for the laying hens and breeding rabbits. We get to take a deep breath, for a little while, at least. The week after school starts 25 meat chicks arrive.

The hot weather in September means I can brood chicks in the garage without using the heat lamp much, saving on my electric bill. When they are ready they’ll take over the entire sheep pen in the barn. If the weather cools enough, the does will be bred again so the litter can be butchered over Christmas break. Some of the garden is slowing down, while some of it seems to be rejuvenated.

Summer squashes are bountiful, in stark contrast to the dying bean, pea and cucumber vines. We continue planting root crops, but the weather is too hot for lettuce greens. Late summer fruits and berries are picked and canned or frozen.

The chicken coop bedding is cleaned out and composted or used as mulch in the garden. The bedding from the sheep trailer becomes bedding for the nesting boxes.

October is a month of contradictions. While we harvest vegetables, potatoes, squash, pumpkins, late berries and a variety of fall fruits, much of the garden is finishing its growing season. We may get a few more plantings of short term crops like beets, radishes and carrots, but we’ll have to wait for the weather to cool before planting cool weather vegetables.

A winter hog arrives early in the month and will be raised in the outside sheep corral through the temperate fall months. By the time the weather gets colder the meat birds will be gone and the hog can have an indoor and outdoor space.

We don’t get freezing weather so raising hogs in the fall is much better than the heat of the summer when the barn is full of other animals. Kits are moved to the growing cage.

Much of the garden comes to an end in November and is replaced with cool weather vegetables and leafy greens. The meat chickens are processed around Thanksgiving. Some of the smaller ones are kept whole, but the rest will be cut in half, giving me chicken each week for about 50-weeks. The hog gets the whole west end of the barn, now. The meat rabbits are growing fast.

In December, we plant a variety of peas for an early spring harvest. Spinach and some hearty lettuces can also handle the cooler temperatures. Over the Christmas break, we butcher the meat rabbits.

The hog will be dropped at the butcher in January as we head north to buy another group of feeder lambs. The only animals left are the laying hens and the breeding rabbits. We get a break for a few weeks, before the whole cycle starts again.

In the course of a year my 1/3-acre suburban lot has produced 4-6 market lambs (1 for the freezer), 3 turkeys, over 30 meat rabbits, 25 meat chickens, one hog, hundreds of eggs and countless pounds of fruits and vegetables; proof that it doesn’t take a large farm to grow and raise your own food.

Bug Out Bike – Building a Bug Out Bicycle

January 17, 2019 M.D. Creekmore

by Barry B

Bikes in a TEOTWAWKI situation may be the standard form of transportation and highly valued. I’m speaking more about mountain bikes (MB) than the traditional multi-speed road bike. Mountain bikes are a great utility vehicle. They can traverse rough terrain, are rugged, and geared to make pulling a small trailer much easier.

This article is more about other things that you might need to support your bike, but first a few things about mountain bikes. Buy your mountain bikes ahead of a world-changing event – now. Not all MBs are created equal.

Mass produced bikes that are sold by WalMart, Target, etc. are cheaply made and designed for riding on hard surfaces. They are not designed for off-road riding. Brands such as Giant, Specialized, Fisher or Cannon are designed for the rigors of off-road riding.

They are double or triple butted at the frame joints for better strength. They also use double-walled rims that will endure hitting rocks and roots without folding like a taco. BTW, the term “tacoing” is used to describe a wheel that basically folded in half on a rough trail.

They use quick release wheels for easier repair. But the greatest difference is in the quality of the drive-train. The shifters, sprockets, derailleurs, and chain are the heart and soul of your bike. The bike brands mentioned above will use higher quality components in the drive train, that will withstand off-road conditions without breaking. Not only are the materials more durable, but they are machined so as to shift gears more smoothly, even when under torque during climbing.

In a situation where a trip to the bike shop isn’t possible, you need to have high-quality bikes, to begin with. And because bike shops might not be available, you will need essential tools and spare parts to be able to make repairs yourself. A great reference for your survival bookshelf is, Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance, by Leonard Zinn. This book describes, with good illustrations, how to adjust or repair anything on your MB.

The minimum tools and equipment you should have include spare tubes in your bike’s size, tire levers, AND several tube repair kits. Replacing a damaged tube with a new one is faster and gets you back on the road faster. Tire levers assist in breaking the bead between the tire and rim so that the tube can be removed.

Save the damaged tube to be patched later and reused. Tube repair kits contain sandpaper for roughing the area to be patched, several sized patches, and glue. Patching a tube requires a bit of practice and should be learned before the skill is needed. To re-inflate the tire, you will need a hand-pump.

Many riders carry CO2 dispensers to inflate tires, but you will quickly run out of CO2 canisters. Hand pumps are more work, but you never run out. Spare tubes filled with Slime (a name brand sealing compound) will also self-seal small punctures and keep you moving until you can get to a safe location and in my opinion are worth the extra expense.

You should also have spare tires stored at your location. Tires eventually wear out but also may be punctured to the point they cannot be repaired. Plain rubber tires are the least expensive, but tires impregnated with Kevlar are more puncture resistant and will last longer (and a bit pricier).

A broken chain can be fixed in a matter of minutes if you have a chain tool. A chain tool runs $10-15 and the price beats walking home if your chain breaks. Chain tools simply hold a link in place while the pin is pushed out or pushed back in. It keeps the pin aligned with the link.

The broken link can be removed and two links rejoined with this tool. Again, fixing a chain requires some practice that should be done ahead of time. You don’t want to be learning these skills on the side of the road, especially in a WROL world. Spare chains should also be kept on hand.

Many parts of a MB use hex screws. There are three common sizes. While you can carry three hex wrenches, bike shops sell a three-in-one tool with a handle that is very convenient and not as easy to misplace.

A key to keeping your drive train in good shape is to regularly clean the system and lube it. Depending on where you ride, the chain lube will attract and hold sand and dirt. Sand and dirt are the enemies to closely machined moving parts.

There are many compounds that will clean dirty chains and sprockets, but a 10% mixture of Simple Green and an old toothbrush is economical and effective. Scrub the sand and dirt out of each link with the toothbrush and clean in between each gear sprocket. Use the toothbrush to also clean each roller and tensioner.

Once clean, re-lube using chain lube. DO NOT lube with WD 40. WD 40 works to unfreeze a rusted chain, but the lubricant does not stay where it is needed. Even 30 weight motor oil is better than WD 40 for your drive train.

In summary, if you plan on depending on a bike during TEOTWAWKI, purchase a quality machine first. Be prepared to pay at minimum $500 for a new bike. Be sure to stock up on spare tubes (store in a cool, dry place), spare tires, tire repair tools, a chain tool (and spare chains), along with hex wrenches and a good multi-tool.

And finally, get in shape by riding your MB regularly and gaining the off-road riding skills you will need.

What Is EDC?: The Beginner’s Guide to Everyday Carry

January 14, 2019 M.D. Creekmore

by S. Loch Pennsylvania

For some odd years, I have found myself going deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole of Every Day Carry (EDC) and, as many of you have modified or improved my EDC and most likely will continue to do so as the years go by. As a kid, I couldn’t wait to get home from school, the weekend or the summers when I could grab my gear and hit the woods.

This was long before the survivalist TV shows and the only hint of “wilderness living” TV was Grizzly Adams. I never went into the woods or for a hike with one of my friends without at least the following; knife, BB gun, first aid kit, water, and a snack.

But now I’m older, 45 to be exact and I have a job at a respectable company so I can’t just show up in surplus army gear without causing alarm and making my coworkers uneasy. So what do I do?

Well for starters I’ve been frequenting many of the EDC sites on the internet and making minor changes to what comes with me every day and doing my best to make it fit in my pockets, on my belt or on my keychain. One of the things that surprise me when looking at peoples “pocket dumps” is how both unique and sometimes (in my humble opinion) lacking many of the selections for EDC there are.

I think even at the basic level of prepping, which is what EDC or pocket dumps are, many are taking too much for granted. Assuming all will be fine without putting just a little more effort into what they carry.

Now I know I am not right in the eyes and opinions of many, and yes we all must tailor our daily carry to what not only suites us best but also the environment in which we work and or travel. Granted, if you work at a Post Office you can most certainly not carry a gun.

If you work at a school there is no way you can get away with a tactical knife, in fact, many workplaces frown upon any knife, (and these are the places where the sheeple cower when someone uses a plastic butter knife when attempting to peal fruit.)

So, on to my basic EDC and why I feel it is important to me.

Belt Carry EDC:

Multitool: Like so many out there, the Multitool has become a way of life, that extra hand and in many cases a part of us. Myself, I prefer the Leatherman brand and like any gear addict, I have several of them (8 at last count I think). But among them all, I rotate between the latest version of the Wave and Rebar.

Pocket Carry EDC:

Small pocket knife: For years I have loved the Victorinox Rambler as a small be efficient pocket knife. This small Swiss Army Knife has all one would need on an everyday basis; knife, scissors, small flat-head screwdriver, nail file, Philips screwdriver, bottle opener, wire stripper, toothpick, and tweezers. Honestly, I carry it mostly for the toothpick.

Bic Mini Lighter: I don’t smoke and don’t plan to, however, I do believe in having a device that can always give me a sure way of making fire. These little lighter are compact, durable and have even made it through the laundry and still work after being submerged.

Wallet: Now how does a wallet fit into the “always ready” EDC kit? Simply put, I always carry at least 2 fabric band-aids in mine. I have 4 boys and sooner or later my wife, my kids or I will cut some part of us. I also have a RAT Knives survival card in there as well.

It always amazes me how many parents don’t even carry a band-aid or two and have to go begging for one at parks, stores and so on. Seriously? Not even a single band-aid and you have kids?! This is, in my opinion, the simplest, easiest and least EDC like thing to carry around with you.

Tactical Pen: Sure there are REALLY good ones out there that you’ll drop close to $100 for, but why? What is the basic purpose of this item? Something to write with and something that is sturdy enough to defend yourself with. Why should I spend a lot of money on something that could be confiscated by the TSA should I forget about it when traveling?

You can get a free tactical pen here – the only catch is that you may have to pay a couple of dollars to have it shipped to you but it’s still a great deal.

I have purchased 3 different models made by Schrade. They make a quality product, I can purchase refills at any big box office supply store and they work perfectly for the two standards I expect them to meet. They also don’t say something on them that might draw the attention of someone looking at my gear and make them paranoid like Smith & Wesson or Uzi.

Flashlight: A pocket-sized flashlight is another key component to my EDC. I rotate between two different models, one that is powered by a single AA and one that is powered by a single CR123 battery. Both are compact, bright, have multiple settings for brightness and flashing.

I have really started to prefer the AA battery model simply because I know I can always find AA batteries no matter where my travels take me. Whatever one you choose make sure it will seriously put some light “down range” from you so you can see what might be coming long before it gets to you.

Tactical Blade: My tactical blade is for just that a tool for my protection. If I want to cut something that is what my Leatherman is for and if someone wants to borrow my knife that is what my Leatherman is for. But my Tactical Blade doesn’t leave me, in fact, the only person I’ve let use it is my wife solely because she knows how to and knows how I am about it.

No one else will treat it with the same respect as I do. I have several “tactical blades” and I rotate through them every so often, but my favorite, my “go to blade” is my Zero Tolerance 0562 Hinderer Design with a 3.5-inch blade (click here to see it at Amazon.com). I shopped for a really good tactical knife for some time and decided on this one as for me the best quality, design, and reviews.

Also, as a smaller, beatable, and smaller Tactical Blade I’ve decided to carry the Kershaw Shuffle II in black (click here to see it at Amazon.com). The blade is only 2.25 inches, which makes it great for carrying at work and other places where I don’t want to have a “huge” knife on my (so as not to scare the sheeple.)

Wearable EDC:

Belt: My favorite belt is the 5.11 1.5” Black TDU Belt (click here to check the current price at Amazon.com). This is a great belt, lightweight and has no metal buckle so in many instances there is no need to remove when going through metal detectors.

Watch: Casio’s Pathfinder PAG240-1CR Triple Sensor watch has been a long time desire for me and I finally got one recently online. This is a great watch some of its features include; solar power, sunrise/sunset, compass, thermometer, barometer, altimeter, stopwatch, and timer.

It is lightweight, comfortable to wear and is just a great all around watch. I feel prepared for anything with it and it is very easy to read (click here to find out more about this watch at Amazon.com).

Hat: The standard baseball cap is my go-to choice for a head cover, it shields my eyes from the glare of the sun, protects my head should I bump into something and provides just a little bit of extra warmth that I might need when the temperatures drop a bit.

However, during the winter months, I carry a Smart Wool Beanie. This is a great hat, very warm in the winter and long enough to cover my ears and part of the back of my neck from the cold.

Miscellaneous Items:

Some other items that I keep on me would be of course my car keys which have a Victorinox Spartan on them (this model has a place for a pin and mini screwdriver for fixing glasses). Also, I have a ham radio license, so I usually have a hand-held (HT = Handy Talky) radio with me.

Lately, I’ve preferred the Kenwood TH-F6A which is a tri-band radio with exceptional receive capabilities. Not only can I receive AM & FM radio but also short wave and all Ham Radio frequencies (with the ability to fine tune as well).

I’m not big on wanting to talk on the radio, but I do enjoy being able to listen to what is going on. I rigged up a way to connect an alligator clip wire to the radio’s antenna jack then to any piece of metal, fencing or what have you to act as a giant antenna for exceptional receive capabilities. I also always have an AA battery pack with me for the radio for emergency power.

To sum up my choices, I feel it is important to be ready for as much as I can without having a backpack, pack mule or service van to carry all of my “must have” EDC items. Yes, there is some redundancy but for the most part not a lot.

I believe in the military idea of, “One is none, Two is one” and by having the Tactical Knife, Leatherman and Victorinox knife I fulfill that; as well with carrying at least two band-aids in my wallet. Everyone’s EDC is unique to them and their environment, my way may not be yours and that is fine. I often look at pics of peoples EDC online and think, “Well, if that guy and that guy meet up together they’re set!”

And well, that very well may be to a solution, you plus someone else may have all you need; it may be your mate, partner, traveling companion, relative, co-worker or just a stranger. Just as we are stronger in numbers, so is our EDC, a well thought out EDC will support itself and if added to someone else’s in a time of need, well your “Multitool will work better in the dark with that guy’s flashlight.”

Also, read:

Good luck to you all, stay safe, stay prepared, stay alert and talk to one another and please leave your thoughts and comments below… Also, please share this article with your friends on social media… thank you.

The Ultimate Prepper’s SHTF Supplies Checklist

January 14, 2019 M.D. Creekmore

by Victoria S

Intro:

Like many of us, I’m sure you have relatives and friends who are not into the whole preparing for disaster thing. There has always been a debate in the prepping community about what to do about those non-prepping friends and family if they show up at your place after a large-scale SHTF situation.

Some schools of thought are to turn them away, perhaps with a bit of food or equipment. Other schools of thought are for bringing them in, even if they scorned your preparing before the SHTF.

The point of this article isn’t to debate the rights and/or wrongs of deciding either way. In the end, that’s a decision everyone has to make for themselves.

For ourselves, we have decided to take in our friends and family, if we can at all manage it, even if it means eating meagerly for a while. However, we have also put some thought into what to tell our family and friends if we have a chance to give them a warning (and directions). It’d be nice if they didn’t show up with absolutely nothing, after all!

With that in mind, I’ve drawn up some instructions and some lists for our family and friends, setting out some thoughts on both what to bring with them as well as how to pack it up for travel. Included with this information are a short cover letter and the various lists.

Letter:

The letter reads:

Dear family and friends:

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, things are going to hell in a handbasket. As some of you know, we’ve been increasingly concerned about things for a while now, and have spent some effort preparing for various disasters and situations that could cause severe disruption and chaos.

This basically means that we hope we’re in a better position than most folks are in. We don’t want to even think about our friends and family being refugees or worse, so understand that you have an open invitation to come to join us on our property.

This means without any strings but with an understanding that with the direction things are going, we’ll need to band together and agree to live under some general rules. Nothing onerous, just the general undertaking to follow common sense rules (avoid fighting, agree to follow community-made decisions, understand that sometimes it’s not possible to explain everything in a crisis, etc) as well as understand that we cannot possibly accept everyone in the country into our property. Feel free to bring members of your family, and that includes serious boyfriends/girlfriends/best friends IF you are prepared to make sure that they obey the community ground rules also.

We have some supplies stored, but mostly we’ve worked to become more self-sufficient. This means that anyone joining us will need to be prepared to work to grown and raise their own food as well as any other tasks necessary for the defense and growth of the community.

Understand that we welcome ALL our friends and family, regardless of race, creed, gender, political affiliation, etc. This will mean that sometimes you’re going to have to interact with people who have different religious beliefs or political beliefs. Toleration is the word of the day (and week and month and year!). Nor are we pacifists – we do own weapons and will be prepared to defend what we have. This does not mean we’ll tolerate random violence or theft – just that if people try to take what is ours (and ours includes what is yours if you join us) we will fight to keep it.

Obviously, it would have been better everyone in the country had prepared also for situations like this. But, most people didn’t. We’re not going to watch our friends and family suffer because you chose differently than we did – thus our invitation now to you to come to join us.

On the other hand, if at all possible, it’d be great if you didn’t show up with nothing to your name either. So, we’ve included, along with directions to our place, some suggestions for what you possibly have around your house/apartment/etc that would be useful to bring. Also some suggestions on how to pack yourself and your stuff for traveling to us. Hopefully, you find these lists and suggestions as an aid to further thoughts on how best to get to safety – because we very much want you to be safe and here with us in this time of danger.

(end of letter)

Directions of several approaches to our place are also included.

We have the letter and lists available in plain text files on our computers in case we are able to email them. I also plan to print everything out and leave packages of these printouts with family and close friends in case there isn’t an opportunity to email.

I’m mulling including CDs and thumb drives of the files (and some other emergency files, including maps) being included with the printouts, but haven’t decided either way yet. I suspect that the decision will be that it depends on the computer literacy of the recipients – some of my older relatives are not exactly safe to be around computers.

The following are the various sheets included with the packet. I also have the EPA’s sheet on emergency water purification saved and printed to go with the information. (file from the EPA is at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-11/documents/epa816f15003.pdf)

Suggestions on packing: (file/sheet 1)

These lists are arranged in four sets, and then by priority within each set. You can roughly consider the priority of the four lists as: carry on your person, emergency bag, car, trailer. Obviously, most people won’t have a trailer, but if you can beg/borrow/steal/etc one and have the car to pull it, do it.

The absolute essentials should be on your person at all times. That should cover emergency items to make a fire, defensive items, sturdy clothes, and well broken in and sturdy footwear. If you have a way to secure money/valuables to your person and have them NOT visible, that’s a good thing. If the weather is bad, include outerwear as person-essential.

Then you should select the sturdiest/strongest backpack or similar pack for EACH person and pack it with more essentials. Do NOT overpack this bag! This is the bag you grab if the car breaks down/runs out of fuel/is carjacked/etc. Every person should have one, even children, although what is inside them will obviously be different for children.

Then the car or cars. If you have bicycles, first secure them to the vehicles and if you can, add any spare bike parts. Ideally, you would have these in a bike rack, but chances are good you don’t have one. Use rope/bungies and secure to the roof of your vehicle, running the rope/bungies through the doors to the inside.

A bonus is that you can then stuff lightweight items into the space between the ropes and the roof of your car! Blankets/etc are a good way to pad between the bike and the roof. If you have tarps, secure them over the bikes – or in a pinch plastic sheeting will work – the heavier the better. Be sure to tuck as much as possible under so that it doesn’t flap in the wind – not only will it be annoying as all hell, it will also fray the tarp/plastic/blanket/etc to shreds.

If you have more than one person who can drive and you have more than one vehicle, bring both – even if you’re not sure how to get fuel. If you’re worried about fuel and are more than a tank-distance away from us, pack one vehicle with the more important stuff and the second/third/etc vehicle with less essentials, so that you can abandon the other vehicles if you can’t get all of them fueled up.

The bikes are in case you cannot get ANY vehicles to our place … biking is better than walking. If you have any sort of fold-up cart/bike cart/etc … bring it if at all possible. Walking with a cart is better than walking with a backpack and allows you to walk with a lighter backpack AND the stuff in the cart/etc.

If you have access to a motorcycle and can spare a driver for it (after drivers for all the vehicles you can get), bring it. Pack it lightly but with stuff similar to that carried in the emergency packs. Bring helmets if you have them.

Important note! If you have a camper of any kind – make it a priority to bring with you to our place. We will NOT necessarily have space at the start for everyone to have their own house/cabin/etc…. if you can bring something to live in, so much the better.

The one exception to bring every vehicle you can is true sports cars. Miatas are not exactly noted for their packing space, so unless that’s the only vehicle available, it’s probably not worth the hassle to bring a two-seater sports car.

Diesel vehicles are slightly preferred over gasoline cars because diesel can be made from biological stuff and it stores much longer than gas.

If you can, make sure your spare tires are in good shape and filled up. Same with all fluids and oils. Take ANY gasoline/diesel cans you have (or can find along the way)!

Actual packing:

Try to make sure any food and/or valuables (including farm animals/etc) are NOT in sight from outside the vehicle. Covering those things with clothes, etc, is a good idea. Make sure you still have good vision of all sides of your vehicle so you can keep track of what’s going on around you.

When packing, try to avoid letting everyone watch you pack up. Less chance of confrontations/trouble if your neighbors aren’t aware that you’ve got valuables and/or food.

But if you make the car look like its full of useless items, it might prevent incidents where folks try to steal your car or your items. The less likely it is that you have anything that is food/firearms/valuable, the less likely people are going to try to steal what you have (and, more importantly, hurt YOU in the process.

If ya’ll turn up totally empty-handed but alive, we’re ahead and happy. Lives first, then stuff, people). The same goes for trailers – if you can make it look like there is nothing valuable in the first foot or so of all openings, you can make things easier.

Stuff valuables in out of the way places – inside the spare tire space, under the mats (if things are flat – but put them in ziplock bags before putting them under floor mats. If you can take off the panels of your doors (AND get them back on and looking like they were never removed!), you can secure valuables in there. This would include prescription drugs and spare firearms and ammo!

If you have things tied on top of your vehicles (like bikes, etc), and have run the rope securing them through your car – you can use the ropes to also secure light things (clothes, coats, etc) to the ceiling inside also.

Anything you put on the outside of the vehicle (on top, on the trunk hood, etc) needs to be protected from weather (tarps are best, then heavy landscape plastic – only use trash bags if you have nothing else that will work and double/triple/quadruple bag things in trash bags.) You don’t want to let others see what you have if you can avoid it.

Stick things like plates/silverware/pencils/small tools, etc in any door bins. Things like that also work well under seats.

If you have an SUV/Minivan – consider taking out the back row of seats unless you need them for seating. Leave them behind if you take them out. If you are bringing more than one car though, consider keeping the back row seats in even if you don’t need the seating right then. You might need it later if you have to abandon other cars. The ideal situation would be to have one vehicle with enough seating for your entire group if possible – that would let you get here safely if you were forced to abandon other vehicles.

Stuff things everywhere you can find a spot. Pack around the seats – just allow enough space for your passengers, and crowd them a bit.

Fill a (one, not many) cooler with any perishable foods that you can eat in the first day or two. Unless it’s winter and you have a sure way to get more ice (or have a plug-in electric cooler) don’t bring more than a few days worth of perishables as without ice/cooling they will go bad. Obviously, eat these items first (and then put stuff in the cooler to free up space).

Figure out how long you think you’ll be on the road to here, double that estimate, and only bring bulky foods (breads/cereals/fresh fruit/fresh veggies) for that amount of time. Avoid bringing too many bulky canned goods (except canned meats) in the cars … canned goods do keep well, but they also take up a lot of space. Obviously, if you have space for more bring them, but canned veggies especially are low priority.

Pets:

One last word – pets. Bring them if you can, but make sure you bring leashes/cages/etc for them too. Bring feeding bowls and food – as much as you can. But, unless you can figure out a way to safely transport them, fish are probably not a great idea, nor are more outlandish pets such as spiders or snakes. In fact, we’re going to have to insist on no spiders at all – since at least one of the residents on our property is deathly afraid of spiders.

Small rodents are also probably not that good an idea – except for ferrets (as they can help keep down pests). Cats and dogs are welcome – especially larger dogs that can help guard. In fact, if on your travels you can acquire a suitable guard dog safely, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring with if you can. The same goes for any chickens/goats/rabbits/other farm animals. The important caveat here is “safely”.

Maps:

Hopefully, you have good quality maps. Do not rely on GPS or similar – if things get really bad they may not work. (Or worse, they may not work before you leave to travel if the grid has gone down). If you can, print out maps of the route – a set of maps for every single person. Get alternate routes if possible.

Driving here:

There is no good way of knowing what road conditions will be like. It could be simple and easy or it could be Mad-Max like. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

Some advice – avoid big cities. Avoid choke points like bridges/tunnels/etc unless you absolutely MUST go across them (The Mississippi is a major pain in this instance). If you must cross a river, choose a small town or barren stretch if you can. Be careful approaching overpasses, underpasses, crossroads, and hills. If you are traveling with two vehicles – one can scout (ideally the one with less important items) and the other can follow.

Set up some sort of signals between the vehicles for common outcomes – such as “all safe”, “avoid”, “Danger”, “run away”, etc. You may have to run without lights if things are very dangerous at night – so bear that in mind when setting up signals and have some that do not use the lights or the horn. (Colored cloths waved out the window might work).

Before leaving, plot out at least two likely routes to your destination and make sure all adults and teenagers know the routes. If you can, set up meetup points in small towns or crossroads where you can meet back up if separated AND leave notes if need be.

If you stop along the way – try to get off the road out of sight – ideally in a deserted area. Avoid lighting a fire unless you absolutely must – light travels a very far distance at night, and smoke is very visible.

Be careful what you burn – some wood lets loose nasty fumes and furniture/building materials often have been chemically treated. If you make tracks while getting off the road to camp, try to cover them up or sweep them away … best would be to scatter leaves/etc over the tracks. Remember that the smell of cooking and/or fires carries a LONG way.

If you get a chance to fill up your water supplies – do it whenever you can. You can live a good bit of time without much food, but going without water is difficult past a day or two. Be careful to purify/filter/boil any water from streams/etc as you have no idea what’s actually in the water. Most streams in the US are not free of harmful bacteria – boiling will often rid water of them, but best is a combination approach. Diarrhea is NOT a joke.

Treat ANY wounds as soon as possible. This includes blisters, cuts, scrapes, bites, etc. This goes doubly if you’re hiking/biking … it’s very easy to get a wound infected when traveling, especially in less than optimal conditions. Try to wash your hands often also.

If you end up walking or biking – railroad tracks are a good way to avoid crowds while still having relatively level travel routes. Also useful are utility right of ways or pipeline right of ways, as these are kept clear of brush but yet aren’t on most people’s radar. The main problem with these will be that they are often not marked on maps.

There is a chance that if a disease is rampant, we may have to insist on a quarantine when you arrive. This is not only for our safety, but yours also. This would apply, not just if there is a pandemic raging, but also if the disorders are widespread enough that diseases are spreading in their wake.

This is one reason for bringing tents/etc if you have them. We’ll try to avoid the necessity for a quarantine, but we wanted to let you know its a possibility. This is yet another reason to avoid cities – in any widespread disaster, disease is more likely to occur in cities where people are crowded together.

This also brings up the problem/issue of operational security. Please please please remember that “loose lips sink ships”. Do NOT tell people you are traveling to a safe place or that you are going to where you have friends and family that are preppers.

Feel free to lie about where you are going. In fact, ALWAYS lie. Decide on a story of where you are going and make sure everyone knows it AND that they are to use THAT as the location/place/people that you are driving too. Pick a place 40 or 50 miles away from our location (at least).

Make sure you never let on that you’re going somewhere where there might be supplies. Do not leave directions/maps/etc out in plain sight in your vehicles or flash them around outsiders.

Remember that anyone you bring with you will be vouched for by yourself. Chances are good you’re going to be spending long periods of time living cheek-and-jowl with whoever comes with you. Don’t bring people who you can’t handle being with that much.

This also goes for people you meet along the way. We’re not opposed to helping others, but we must make sure that our friends and family are safe first. And disaster situations bring out the worst in people who are just trying to survive. Be charitable and helpful, but keep yourself and your group safe first and foremost.

Carry on your person at all times: (file/sheet 2)

Note that it is extremely unlikely you’ll have ALL of these items, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t.

Waterproof bag with maps and directions to us, some strike anywhere matches (or a matchbook or regular matches with box), a couple of coffee filters, some bandaids, some cotton balls, and some spare socks.
Cigarette lighter
Long sturdy pants
T-shirt
Long-sleeved shirt
Water canteen or small non-breakable bottle for water
Some money (include silver/gold coins if you have them)
Compass
Can opener (smaller the better)
Firestarter (flint and steel or the more modern magnesium and steel)
Watch
Any REALLY valuable jewelry (wrap up and stick into coat or somewhere else it will NOT get lost)
Any identification (passport, drivers license, etc)
Vital papers (or copies)
Fishing line and hooks (wrap hooks carefully)
Bandana/handkerchief
Flashlight with batteries (or the headlamps on heabands if you have them)
Small windup radio (if you have one – key is SMALL)
Cell phone and charger
Any absolutely required prescription medicines
Small bottle of aspirin/advil/benadryl/any anti-diarrheals/antacids/multivitamins
A couple of family photos
Outerwear to match weather – sunhat in summer with rainjacket that is waterproof, sweater with winter coat and gloves/hat/scarves in winter.
Sturdy well-broken in shoes suitable to hiking/walking long distances. Waterproof is a bonus.
Thick socks
Pocket knife
Multi tool
Any dried food with high caloric content – jerky, nut packages, etc
Hard candies
Small bottle hand sanitizer
Small tubes of antibiotic ointment (if you have any)
ANY body armor or other protective items (even stuff like lightweight baseball helmets or catchers’ chest protector and masks)
Sunglasses
Any prescription glasses

If you don’t have these items, you can improvise – this is a good starting point. The idea is that you have at least something on your person that will help you survive a bit longer if you have nothing else but what you are carrying.

Also – defensive items. Ideally, this would be a handgun and a shotgun/rifle. However, most folks aren’t going to have enough of those to give every adult capable (and trustworthy with firearms) a handgun AND a long gun. If you have handguns and carry them, make sure they are safely carried and carry some ammo on yourself.

If you don’t have firearms (or aren’t comfortable with carrying them) … mace/pepper spray/bear spray is a good substitute. A baseball bat or something similar will also be useful, if you can’t find something else. If you have a hunting bow or target bow – carry that any time you’re away from the vehicle. Slingshots also work. BB guns or air rifles also work. Worst case, a long kitchen knife in a makeshift scabbard is still better than nothing.

Ideally, much of this would go in a small bag – fanny packs are ideal. Some of it should be in your pockets. Wear long pants, and if it’s at all chilly, layer your shirts – wear a t-shirt with a long sleeved shirt over it and a sweatshirt/sweater over that. This list is not the ideal “can live off the land” list – but it at least is better than having nothing. The key is to dress well and be ready for anything.

A quick explanation of items:

Coffee filters are to filter water. The can opener is in case you find cans – it would really suck to not have a good way to open them. Cigarette lighters are handy ways to start fires. Having multiple ways to start fires is a good thing! Extra Ziploc bags would be great – they are wonderful for protecting paper and other things you don’t want wet – like spare socks and electronics.

Hard candies are a good source of calories in a small package that keeps well. If you can, put any food in a waterproof container/bag – to help hide odors.

Obviously, if you have small/light camping/backpacking tools (cable saws, etc) carry them either on your person or in the emergency bag.

IF you have time – you can make handy fire starting tinder by taking cotton balls and soaking/dipping them in petroleum jelly (until they are well coated) and then putting the balls into a small pill jar. This makes a handy and light way to carry something to light fires in damp conditions.

Feel free to add to this list but remember, worst case you would be carrying whatever you have on you, so carrying too much is as bad as carrying too little.

Emergency bag: (sheet 3)

Matches (ideally strike anywhere but strike on box will do)
Cigarette lighters
Coffee filters
ANY backpacking equipment – backpacking stoves, backpacking cookware, backpacking silverware/plates/bowls, backpacking water containers. Make sure you bring fuel for stoves. I know most of you won’t have these but if you do – they are high priority for your emergency bags
Water purification tablets, if you have any
Sturdy lightweight plate/bowl/cup and one set of silverware. Plastic or aluminum is best. If you bring aluminum (which actually lasts better than cheap plastic), wrap it in some cloth to prevent rattles
Important papers (wills, insurance policies, titles, deeds, vital records, bank records, etc) – in at least one ziploc bag, better if you double bag them.
Boy scout manuals/how to live off the land/etc books. Include anything on traps/etc. Don’t overload yourself with books, but if you have these type of books, bring them in the emergency bag
First aid books – same as above
Any books on foraging for wild plants or on medicinal wild plants
Spare pocket knives.
Any hunting/fishing knives, especially with sheaths. Failing that, make a sheath for a couple of kitchen knives by cutting out heavy cardboard and duct taping the heck out of it. Make sure your makeshift sheath doesn’t stick to the knife blade though!
Any sharpening items for knives – you may have one for your kitchen knives. Better are true sharpening stones.
Can openers
Flashlight and batteries
Radio – small. Windup is better but battery powered works too
Any walkie-talkies – spread them out between the adults and teenagers. Batteries for same
ANY backpacking foods – if you have them
Peanut butter – very nutrious, and keeps pretty well
Dried soup mixes
Dried milk
Other dried foods – jerky, etc.
Prescription medications (all of your supply except what is on your person, especially for anything you must take)
Any leftover antibiotics you have lurking around your medicine cabinet
A small amount of first aid supplies – band-aids, ointments, etc. If you have some first aid kits around the house, those are perfect.
Over the counter painkillers
Antacids, antidiarrheals, anti-nausea drugs
Muscle rub ointments
If you have a good quality sleeping bag, tie it up tightly, wrap it in something waterproof, and hang it from your bag. If you don’t have a good quality sleeping bag, get the best quality blankets you can and do the same. Wool is better than cotton, if possible.
Sheet plastic and/or trash bags
Sunscreen (not tons, but some)
Insect repellant (if the season)
Lightweight rope – paracord if you have it is ideal
Fishing line and hooks (make sure to wrap the hooks well or have them in something that will keep them from hooking you)
Extra socks (at least three pair – five or six is better) Sturdy well made and thick.
Extra t-shirt (at least one, two is better)
Extra long-sleeved shirt
Extra sweatshirt
Duct tape
Super glue or gorilla glue (put in baggie if possible) Small tubes
Extra underwear
Any gold/silver coins
More cash if you have it
Some small jewelry pieces
Pool shock (see EPA directions for using it to purify water – need specific type)
Bible or other religious items
One favorite book you won’t mind re-reading
One favorite toy for children
Family photos (in Ziploc bags) – ideally you’d have photos of everyone coming with you, as well as any real special memories.
Any solar charging items for your electronics – such as cell phones and tablets
Tablet (such as iPad/etc)
A couple of pens – sharpies or other waterproof best
A couple of pencils
A small notebook for recording things
A small pad of paper for leaving notes
Spare pair of sturdy shoes
Spare sunhat
Spare winter outerwear if the season
Rain ponchos if you have them
A small set of basic tools – Phillips head and regular screwdriver, small hammer, a small hacksaw if you have it, etc.
Something to use as a water bottle – at worst case use a cleaned out soda bottle
Something to cook in – a small pot is perfect.
Granola bars/etc – high caloric small weight food items. Wrap in plastic to disguise odors.
Small packages of kleenex or a Ziploc bag with a stack of them
Spare bandanas and handkerchiefs
Work or garden gloves
Tweezers and/or fingernail clippers
A small pair of scissors
Small mirror for signaling – ideally non-breakable but a small makeup compact will work in a pinch.
Small sewing kit (even those cheap ones you get from hotels sometimes)
Bar of soap and a case/bag for soap
Chapstick
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Space blankets (those silvery emergency blankets that help reflect heat back to yourself)
Eyeglass repair kits, if you wear glasses

And … firearms. And ammo for them. Even if you’re not comfortable carrying it, it’s better to take it with you and have it close. The defensive items mentioned in the list to carry on your person also work well here – and add any hunting bows you might have.

You may not have all of these items. Don’t despair. It’s meant to be a helpful guide to things you might have that would help you if you lost everything but what you’re carrying on your own person. The guiding principle is to keep it light but focused on items that will help you reach us. The Bible and fiction books (and toy for children) is for comfort.

Things to pack in the car: (file/sheet 4)

First a few words on priority. You may not have all of these things but the priority on categories of what you bring should be:

1. Items to purify water and fuel to get you to us
2. Medical items
3. Food items and things to make food, preferably lightweight
4. Firearms and ammo and other defensive items
5. Clothing for all weather
6. Footwear
7. Bedding
8. Shelter and power
9. Personal care items
10. Instructional books
11. Family mementos
12. Tools
13. Valuables (all important papers should be in the emergency bags)
14. Household supplies
15. Entertainment items
16. Bulky foods

Some things will be a higher priority than they would be just based on their category – pressure canners are much higher on the list to bring than most anything but seeds and firearms, but there are no real hard and fast rules.

1. So – first, water purification items.

Pool shock – IF it’s granular calcium hypochlorite (ideally 100%, but 80% or even 50% works). Other types of pool shock are NOT suitable.
Bleach
Water purification tablets (typically used for backpacking)
Water filters that filter out bacteria and chemicals
Coffee filters (every single one you have – they are used to pre-filter water for dirt/etc)
Tincture of iodine or household iodine
A pot to boil water in
Water bottles, especially sturdy ones

On how to purify water, see the EPA sheet attached.

2. Medical items:

This one’s simple – anything first aid related (band-aids, gauze, cotton balls, alcohol, etc) and any medications in your medicine cabinets should be packed. Any ace bandages. Any medical equipment – thermometers, blood pressure devices, canes, etc should also come if at all possible. Any old prescriptions in your medicine cabinets. Any pet medications – INCLUDING fish meds (fish antibiotics are usable by people!). If it can treat something whether it’s over the counter or through a prescription, bring it.

Or, in a nutshell, take everything in your medicine cabinets and any other medical drawers and dump them (okay, not dump, but pack carefully) into something sturdy and bring it. If it LOOKS medical, bring it.

Also, include:

Medical gloves
Face/dust masks
Sunscreen
Insect repellant

3. Food items:

These are HIGH priority:

Seeds for EDIBLE items – herbs, veggies, etc.
Hand gardening tools.
Any lightweight foods that are NOT in your emergency bags
Empty out your spice racks and cabinets – bring them all.
Any powdered drinks – milk, kool-aid, etc.
Teas
Coffee – beans and instant
Any condiment packages from restaurants
Crisco
Nuts
Cooking oils (pack carefully)
Dried pasta
Dried beans
Canned or dried meats
Hot cereals
Pudding and jello mixes
Extracts – vanilla, lemon, etc. Pure ones are better, but any are good
Dried yeast
Dried Grains
Cocoa mix
Honey
Potatoes

Farm animals:

IF you have things like rabbits or chickens or goats – BRING THEM

Animal care supplies – leads, halters, etc even if you don’t have the animals anymore

If you have space later (but AFTER items under numbers 4 through 11):

Sugar
Salt
Gravy Mixes
Vinegar
Flavoring sauces – sirracha, ketchup, etc
Hard liquors

Equipment for food (pack any of these as the same priority as food and firearms):

Pressure canners – and any supplies for same
Canning lids (don’t bring the glass jars unless you have a LOT of space)
All your kitchen knives – bring them all.
Any sturdy non-breakable plates, bowls, cups, glasses
Silverware – bring at least a set for every person – more if you can find ways to stuff it in
Can openers, manual
Aluminum foil

Cooking equipment (pack AFTER items numbered 4 through 13)

Frying pan
A couple of pots
Cast iron cooking gear

After all the rest of the items here, you should consider manual cooking equipment (bring these after everything but items under number 16):

Manual egg beaters
Manual pasta makers
Whisks
Metal cooking utensils – spoons, ladles, etc.
Thermos bottles
Coolers (pack items inside them)
French press coffee makers
Teapots
Apple corers
Biscuit cutters
Bottle openers
Manual Juicers
Vegetable peelers, manual

4. Firearms and defensive items:

ANY firearms.
Any air rifles/bb guns/etc
Ammo for the above
Gunpowder and/or other reloading supplies
Hunting Bows
Arrows
Slingshots
Blowguns and darts
Any edged or similar weapons that can stand up (not that cheap tin sword you bought but replica weapons, etc)
Anything that can be used as a weapon – metal or wood baseball bats, a heavy golf club, etc.

Binoculars – any you have

Make sure your defensive items are in easy reach.

5. Clothing

Sturdy clothing – and not just for the current weather. Bring winter clothes as well as summer. Thick socks. Underwear. Especially warm clothing – bring plenty. Include outerwear. If its summer – bring a winter coat for everyone. Bring mittens, gloves, winter hats, scarves and earmuffs. Bring wet weather gear – good waterproof jackets and boots. If you have wool sturdy sweaters – bring them. You can always pack clothing around items that would rattle or that are fragile. At least two full sets of winter and summer clothing are best. If you have more and can bring it, so much the better (but only bring sixth or more sets after bringing other items). Bring as much underwear as you can… the chances of us having any extra are slim!

If you have space, bring baby/infant/toddler supplies and clothes, especially blankets and bottles

Handkerchiefs and bandanas are also useful
ALL spare shoelaces – strip them out of worn-out shoes, etc.
ALL belts that are practical
ALL sports bras, whether they fit or not
ALL thermal underwear
Pajamas and a robe
Diaper pins

6. Footwear

Bring every single sturdy shoe or boot you have. No high heels, and only one pair of sandals or flip-flops, but slippers are more useful. Again, not likely we’ll have spare shoes in your size.

7. Bedding

Any sheets in good shape
Pillowcases – all that are in good shape
Blankets and quilts – as many that are in good shape as you can manage
Air mattresses (and pumps for them) – because it’s likely that any you bring are what you’ll be sleeping on
A pillow for each person
Two bath towels and face towels for each person
All your washcloths
Kitchen towels

8. Shelter

Good quality tents
Tent equipment – stakes, etc

Don’t bring kid tents that can’t at least keep out the rain

Any weatherproofing items you might have – that spare can of Scotchguard, etc.
Tarps – all that you have

Also – power supplies

Batteries
Any camping lanterns – Coleman, etc that use fuel or are rechargeable
Candles
Any oil lamps, etc
Supplies for lamps/lanterns – wicks, etc.
Refillable lighters and fuel for same
Disposable Lighters
Sterno/etc cans
Propane Tanks
Fuel cans and fuel – kerosene, diesel, gas
Matches that don’t go in the bags
Battery powered radios
ANY CB radios or other communication devices such as walkie-talkies
Marine radio if you have one for a boat

The rest of this is stuff to bring in the car if you have space after getting items 9 through 15)

Camping Stoves
Propane for camping stoves
Any fuel stabilizers
Bike pumps, manual
Solar car (or other) battery chargers
Cargo straps (use for packing!)
Road flares
Ice scrapers
(if winter) Snow chains

9. Personal care items

Bring these first:
Soap – all you have
Any travel toiletries items – shampoo, soap, etc
Toothbrushes – all you have
Toothpaste – all you have
Dental floss
Combs, brushes, hair bands, bobby pins
Spare sunglasses
Spare eyeglasses, even if the prescription no longer fits – someone might be able to use them

Bring these after filling in stuff from items 10 through 15:

Safety razors and blades for them
Condoms
Folding hand fans
Sanitary pads
Tampons

Do not bother bringing makeup/curling irons/hair dryers/etc. If you ABSOLUTELY must bring some makeup, keep it minimal, but it’s really wasted packing space.

10. Instructional books

Especially for handicrafts or school instruction if you have kids.
Gardening books (for veggies, not flowers)
First aid books
How-to books – train animals, build things, etc.
Sewing, knitting, etc.
Anything you can build/make/repair/etc
Field guides to animals/plants/etc
Animal care books
Age-appropriate children’s books – a selection

11. Family mementos

Photo albums, etc. Don’t go overboard, but bring some.

12. Tools

Especially hand tools or tools for hobbies. Don’t bring your electric saw or anything really large, but especially bring small tools or specialized tools. We probably don’t need a lot of basic screwdrivers, but if that’s all you have and you have space… bring them.

This includes sewing equipment and other hobby supplies

Needles
Sewing pins
Buttons
Knitting needles
Yarn, especially wool yarn
Crocheting supplies, including hooks
Scissors – every single pair
Magnifying glasses
Mousetraps
Twist Ties

Also includes:

Rope
Tapes, especially masking or duct tape
Glues
Zip ties
Work gloves
Gardening gloves
Saw blades
Razor blades
Plastic sheeting
Carabiners
Bungee cords
Twine
String
Electrical tape
WD-40
Sandpaper
Rubber cement
Cotter pins
Solar powered calculators
Spare eyeglass repair kits

13. Valuables

Gold, jewelry, sterling silver flatware, cash, etc. Bonds, etc. Don’t go overboard but if you can stick it in a corner, do it.

If you have time, backup all family photos and documents from computers (as well as any important files) and burn them to CD/DVD. Put one copy of the info in each emergency bag as well as a couple in each vehicle.

14. Household supplies

Toilet paper – flatten and you can fit more in
Paper towels – flatten and you can fit more in
Concentrated disinfectants
Bleach
Vinegar
Window cleaners
Pest supplies – insect sprays, boric acid, etc.
Pest traps – ant traps, etc.
Any insecticides
Moth balls
Metal whistles (used for signaling)
Pet supplies – bowls, leashes, crates, etc.
Duffle bags and other “stuffable” luggage
Leather care supplies for shoes, etc.
Mechanical clocks and watches
Fishing tackle and rods
Safety goggles
Outdoor thermometers
Trash bags
Ziploc bags
Pantyhose
Steel wool pads
Dishwashing soap (not dishwasher soap, but the liquid stuff)
Hand sanitizer
Saran wrap
Mechanical pencils and lead for same
Laundry bags
Laundry baskets (pack stuff in them)
Cooking thermometers

15. Entertainment items:

Favorite fiction books
Religious items
Favorite music CDs
A few favorite movies on DVD or Blu-ray
Crayons
Colored pencils
Fountain pens
A few favorite toys
Tablets/kindles with chargers
ONE laptop per vehicle with chargers and the like.
Playing cards
Books on games – card, board, etc
Board games (NOT Monopoly/Sorry/etc)
Chess pieces/checker pieces

Don’t bring game consoles or other similar items.

16. Bulky food

Well preserved foods – things like canned fruits or canned veggies. Avoid bringing green beans, they have little calories. Try for high-calorie items.

Trailer stuff: (file/sheet 5)

If you can secure a trailer or other towed vehicle, obviously that greatly increases your ability to bring stuff. Prioritize by the categories for the packing of the car(s).

First and foremost – bring more canned foods and clothing and household goods. Especially towels, sheets, and clothes. Keep the clothing practical, but a nice dress or suit is certainly something worth bringing if you have space. Extra pillows, any fabric, any shoes except for totally impractical items like high heels.

Any food that isn’t immediately perishable is worth sticking in a trailer. This includes baking soda, gum, candies, etc.

Any Rubbermaid tubs or similar containers along with any laundry baskets – pack things in them.

Outerwear such as spare coats and jackets are well worth bringing. Children’s clothes that are still in good shape but no longer fit your children would be useful.

More kitchen utensils – metal mixing bowls, metal canisters, metal/wooden spoons/spatulas, etc. Manually operated kitchen gadgets also. ALL your trash bags – including those paper yard waste bags. Cookie sheets and metal bread pans

Brooms and mops. Manual carpet sweepers if you have one. Dustpans. Dish racks for drying hand-washed dishes

Any cleaning products not already in the car – pack them carefully.

Also, include:

More instructional books
More fiction that you would want to reread
Maps, road or atlases

More movies and music on CD/DVD. If you have vinyl records that’s not a bad option either.

And personal care items: shampoo, disposable razors, etc. Spare combs, brushes, hair care products, lotions, deodorant, etc. Still, avoid makeup.

Weirdly enough – bring your toilet seats – they are useful for making outhouses/etc.

This is also where you can include bulky items.

If you have a generator, put it on the trailer if you have one.

Winter sports gear like snowshoes or cross-country skis are a good option.

If you have folding cots, they are perfect for a trailer.

Garden tools – shovels, hoes, rakes, etc. make good things to bring on a trailer. Also tools – saws, hammers, etc. If you have nails/screws/etc bring them. Any gardening/farming items that are large are useful. Gas powered cultivators if you have space.

Inflatable rafts, oars, paddles, life jackets are other items that might be useful.

Folding tables, folding chairs, other portable furniture items that pack down. Hammocks.

Entertainment items: cards, games, etc. More of them if you have them.

If you still have space after all of the above are packed – office supplies. Paper, pens, pencils, staplers, etc. Manual typewriters if you have one. Metal or wooden rulers and yardsticks. Anything non-electric that makes life easier.

Any “antique” items you might have that still work – including things like ox yokes, old horse tack, egg baskets, old bushel baskets, scythes, hay hooks, butter molds, washboards, etc.

Things you MIGHT have around that would be good if you have space:

Abacuses
Slide rules
Cigarettes
Tobacco
Disposable earplugs
Garden fencing or wire
Garden Hoses
Garden nozzles
Sprinklers
Cat litter
Dog kennel panels
Buckets
Small step stools
Folding ladders
Sausage Stuffer
Manual meat grinder
Watering cans
Wheelbarrows
Garden fertilizer
Plastic garden pots
Blackboards or small slates
Chalk
Typewriter ribbons
Grease guns
Hydraulic jacks
Levels
Sawhorse brackets
Tool belts
Camping toilets
Solar garden lights
Pruning shears and saws
Rain gauges
Chimney cleaning equipment
Small Rugs
Hard hats
Safety Vests
Roll-down escape ladders
Chemistry sets
Animal Traps
Window film
Anvils
Caulk and similar supplies – sealants, oils, graphite
Flexible plastic tubing
Weatherstripping
Wire, especially copper or electrical
Stream waders for fishing
Swim goggles
Water wings and inflatable inner tubes
Baby bottles and nipples
Baby care items – including toilet training items
Children’s books – including coloring books and instructional workbooks
Metal colanders
Metal graters
Food dehydrators
Double boilers
Manual grain mill
Manual food mills for canning
Canning supplies such as funnels, etc
Nut-cracking equipment (crackers and picks)
Mortar and pestle
Muffin tins
Plastic pitchers with lids
Cooling racks for cooking/baking
Tea balls
Cork-boards
Clipboards
Mimeograph machine and supplies
Treadle sewing machine
Wax – beeswax, paraffin, soy, candle
Duffle bags and other sturdy bags
Small safes
Flyswatters
Borax, laundry
Toilet plungers
Air horns
Barometers
Boot jacks
Bullhorns
Microscope and equipment
Draft blockers for doors
Pedometers
Metal trash cans with lids (pack stuff inside)
Telescope
Brewing equipment and supplies
Toboggans
Sleds
Kayaks and paddles
Spare parts for cars, even not yours
Car fluids – brake fluid, oils, washer, etc.
Jumper cables
Light bulbs (pack carefully)
Spare bike equipment
Snow chains
Small bells, metal or otherwise sturdy
Sturdy candleholders
Mosquito Netting
Power inverters
Lighter fluid
Propane line converters
Charcoal briquettes
Fire extinguishers
Plastic water jugs
Weaving Looms
Spinning wheels
Other textile tools
Plastic garden pots
Small plastic/etc starting seed pots (those ones you got those garden plants in)
Potting soil
Barometers
Rain gauges
Padlocks (with keys)
Combination locks (with combos!)
Flypaper and traps
Spare key rings
Metal and plastic pitchers
Metal candle holders
Dust pans (I don’t know about you, but ours seem to walk off all the time…)
Old phone books
Old newspapers

If all of this looks like a gigantic hodge-podge, well, yes, it does. But most of this is very useful in the right conditions. Although we’ve tried hard to anticipate needs, it’s actually impossible to stockpile enough stuff for an extended period of time. And we’re also only human – we will make mistakes and forget things.

Things to acquire along the way, if possible (and safe): (file/sheet 6)

Seeds – especially heirloom varieties, but any vegetable seeds are worth acquiring
Matches
Firearms and ammo for same, even if the ammo is in a caliber you don’t have
Reloading supplies for firearms – gunpowder, primers, shotgun shells and wads
Medical supplies
Rechargeable batteries
Farm animals – if you can take care of them!
Large dogs that can guard you
Pool shock (calcium hypochlorite only)
Bleach
Water purification tablets
Coffee
Tea
Powdered drinks with vitamin C
Spices
Binoculars
Candles
Lanterns – camping or oil or kerosene
Fuel for lanterns
CBs/walkie talkies/wind-up radios
Toothpaste and toothbrushes
Tampons and sanitary pads
Instructional books – especially on farming, animal care, woodcraft, building, other crafts

Basically, any other item on the various lists are also useful but the above are priority items. You’ll note there is little food on the list – obviously if you can get more food, try for it, but the chances of it being available are not high.

This does NOT mean you should rob, steal, and loot your way to our place. For one thing, it’s wrong. For another, it’s dangerous. But if you can buy something you’re lacking, it’s worth considering. There is a moral aspect to this, however. Is it moral to take advantage of someone who doesn’t see the situation as dire? This is a concern you’ll have to face yourself and decide for yourself.

This also applies to bringing along others you meet on the way. Only you can judge if the situation is dire enough to take in others and bring them with you. It’s always possible that they will turn out to be bad people who are a danger. Remember that in survival situations and disasters, even good people will do bad things to provide for themselves and their family.

Note: To get a nice free printable of this article, as well as three other printables, subscribe to my email newsletter (also free). After you confirm your subscription you will be sent an email with links to where you can download the free printables… enjoy.

How to Cure Fungus Problems on Fruit Trees

January 13, 2019 M.D. Creekmore

By Kate in GA

While this technique will work with all perennial plants, my focus for this article is really on the perennials in the garden. I will specifically talk about fruit trees. However, this will work on all perennial plants that may be giving you problems.

Let me start by saying that I have never seen this technique mentioned in any book or anywhere on the web. If you ask a master gardener in your county, they will probably say they never heard of it – and may even add that too much fertilizer can be harmful.

However, I can honestly say this technique does work, and with more success than I ever imagined. This technique has come from my own personal experience and has managed to let my apple trees live less than 20 feet from my (and my neighbor’s) evergreen trees. All trees are playing well together and are happy.

Let’s start with a comparison in the human vitamin world. The government gives us minimum daily values for nearly all vitamins. However, manufacturing companies sell vitamins in much higher doses then the minimum recommends by the government because taking the higher amount makes people feel better. Vitamin E comes to mind for me. I take 400 mg every day because it helps me with pain but the government states the daily value needed is only 15 – 30 mg. (Not sure these numbers are correct, I looked up the daily value stat up on the web and found many different values. I combined them all in the range I displayed here.)

The same holds true for your plants. I first learned of this fact when we moved to our house 16 years ago. After the first year, I noticed that my grass always had fungus problems, but my neighbors didn’t. (Mostly I had dollar spot and fairy rings.) I just wanted my yard to look like my neighbors (also required by my HOA or I would have been fined). I put down all kinds of fungicide that I purchased in the home improvement centers.

They worked for a short time, but the problem always came back. So I had my soil tested. I found out that I had no phosphorus and very little potash (potassium) in my soil. I did know that my neighborhood used to be a farm.

I believe that my plot probably had the chicken house on it. Keeping chickens in one spot for many years will drain the phosphorus from the soil. I went to the local feed and seed store and purchased two fertilizers: one 50lb. bag of 0-45-0 and one 50lb. bag of 0-0-60. I spread both (in both the front and back yard) and two weeks later, my lot looked like the rest of the neighborhood! And it stayed that way for 2 years.

My neighborhood has changed quite a bit in the years I have lived here. We have quite a few Leyland Cyprus trees on our property, as well as Arborvitae Emerald Green trees. My neighbors have them as well. Both of these trees carry the Cedar Apple Rust fungus as well as many others.

I got the evergreen trees long before I got the apple trees. Knowing that I might have problems with fungus on the apple trees, we planted three trees anyway. I thought that with a spray management program, I could make it work.

My apple trees are now in their 5th year at our house. We bought two-year-old trees, so I am guessing at the end of this summer, they will be 7 years old. It has not always been an easy co-existence for my apple trees & evergreens. The apple trees told me the second year they were here that they didn’t like living at my house and showed me that by picking up both Cedar Apple Rust and Fire Blight.

I thought, no problem, I will spray! Well, spraying didn’t work! It worked when sprayed right after a rainstorm, but the dew is so heavy here in the summer, that each morning I got up I had more fire blight! That year, I cut off so many dead branches I thought I was going to lose the trees.

We managed to scrape by that year, but I didn’t know if we should pull the trees and forget about growing apples or not. We decided to keep the trees and I thought I would try again in year number 3. I followed the spray recommendations from the University of Georgia and thought that would make the difference. Nope, it didn’t! After a lot of rain in April and May, I thought my trees would die.

While out and about one day in mid- May, I pulled into my driveway and noticed that I had dollar spot on my lawn. I looked at my neighbor’s yards and they did not have dollar spot. I thought, “Has it been 2 years since I put down phosphorus?” I called up my feed and seed store to order more. Then I thought, if this works for grass, would it work for my apple trees as well? I ordered 100lbs. of 0-45-0 and 0-0-60 that year.

I put 50lbs. out for the grass, (spread in both the front and back yard) and then put the other 50lbs. of each concentrating on the 1/6 acre where my trees were located (the trees are in my backyard and also got some of the initial 50lbs. that I put down for the grass.) I added it a bit heavy to the drip line but spread the rest evenly over the 1/6 acre.

I watered it in immediately. I had to use a drip line because the sprinkler would have caused more fire blight on the trees. 1 week later, the episodes of fire blight and new evidence of cedar apple rust stopped!

This has now been made part of the routine care of my apple trees! I add one 50lb. bag of 0-45-0 and one 50lb. bag of 0-0-60 to the 1/6 acre where my trees are located each year. And, as I mentioned earlier, they are now almost 7 years old and much happier trees.

I still used an integrated spray management program, but my emphasis concentrates on the early sprays needed in the spring. I only spray for fungus now about every 4 – 6 weeks during the summer months and apply the spray with a focus on the new growth.

It is a bit of a challenge to know when to spray because the fungicide can damage the trees if it is over 90 degrees when you spray. (That is all summer long for me!) So I try to time it with a rainstorm so the temps are lower. This is something I am willing to accept for the blessing of having my own apples.

I should also state that the phosphorus and potash fertilizers will not stop all incidences of fungus problems with the trees. However, it so greatly reduces the number of times fungus appears as well as greatly reducing the severity of the problem that I now find it completely manageable.

I have only had to cut off a few small branches from fire blight on my apple trees this year. And, it has been over 3 years since I have even seen evidence of cedar apple rust. (I do understand that Cedar Apple Rust is a bi-annual problem, not an annual problem.)

Also, just so you know, I store this fertilizer so I always have 2 years’ worth on hand. When the world ends, I will still be able to manage my fungus problems with the apple trees for a while.

Now, if I can just get the squirrels to stop sampling the apples to see if they are ripe yet! I see covering those trees in netting in my future next year!

How to Install an Off-Grid Water Well at Your Homestead or Cabin

Mini Farming on a 1/3-Acre Suburban Lot

Ok, let me give you a visual to set the stage…

Here’s how we do it…

Bug Out Bike – Building a Bug Out Bicycle

What Is EDC?: The Beginner’s Guide to Everyday Carry

Belt Carry EDC:

Pocket Carry EDC:

Wearable EDC:

Miscellaneous Items:

The Ultimate Prepper’s SHTF Supplies Checklist

Suggestions on packing: (file/sheet 1)

Actual packing:

Carry on your person at all times: (file/sheet 2)

A quick explanation of items:

Emergency bag: (sheet 3)

Things to pack in the car: (file/sheet 4)

1. So – first, water purification items.

2. Medical items:

3. Food items:

4. Firearms and defensive items:

5. Clothing

6. Footwear

7. Bedding

8. Shelter

9. Personal care items

10. Instructional books

11. Family mementos

12. Tools

13. Valuables

14. Household supplies

15. Entertainment items:

16. Bulky food

Things you MIGHT have around that would be good if you have space:

How to Cure Fungus Problems on Fruit Trees

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Ok, let me give you a visual to set the stage…

Here’s how we do it…

Belt Carry EDC:

Pocket Carry EDC:

Wearable EDC:

Miscellaneous Items:

Suggestions on packing: (file/sheet 1)

Actual packing:

Carry on your person at all times: (file/sheet 2)

A quick explanation of items:

Emergency bag: (sheet 3)

Things to pack in the car: (file/sheet 4)

1. So – first, water purification items.

2. Medical items:

3. Food items:

4. Firearms and defensive items:

5. Clothing

6. Footwear

7. Bedding

8. Shelter

9. Personal care items

10. Instructional books

11. Family mementos

12. Tools

13. Valuables

14. Household supplies

15. Entertainment items:

16. Bulky food

Things you MIGHT have around that would be good if you have space:

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