M.D. CREEKMORE

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M.D. Creekmore

Hello, I’m M.D. Creekmore. I’ve been interested in self-reliance topics for over 25 years. I’m the author of four books that you can find at Amazon.com as well as Barnes and Noble. Over the years, I’ve learned a lot about prepping, homesteading, and self-reliance topics through first-hand experience and now I want to share what I’ve learned with you.

What is The Best Long Term Survival Foods?

Whether you are looking to be better prepared for a general short-term emergency like an extreme weather event or something more long-term such as an economic collapse or civil unrest it’s important to have a sufficient food stockpile so that you can fulfill your nutritional needs until the threat has passed or until you can start producing your own food by gardening and foraging for example.

But what is the best long term survival food? And the answer is foods that will store for well for two or more years and that you normally eat. For example most store bought canned foods have a shelf-life of several years (or even decades), as long as the cans aren’t rusted through or dented and leaking and the contents smell and look fresh then it’s still good to eat. However, if you want to prepare your long term survival foods from basic foods that also have a very long and stable storage life then consider foods such as wheat (or other grains, for those who have trouble digesting gluten), rice, beans, oats, corn, salt, honey, cooking oil and powdered milk.

Storing enough food to survive, unassisted and on your own for three to six months or even a full year or maybe even longer is a daunting prospect and the thought is enough to cause most people to get overwhelmed and some give up altogether.

And while I agree that storing and rotating such a large amount of food on a continuing basis can be a lot of work and takes dedication, it is by no means impossible, and if done right can even be enjoyable – just follow the food storage list below but remembers that this list isn’t set in stone, and neither is anything else in this article. This information is meant to help guide you and to give you some ideas but in the end the best long term food storage needs to be tailored to your personal needs and what you like to eat.

Prepper's Printable Food Storage Checklist
Prepper’s Printable Food Storage Checklist (Click Here For PDF)

Hard Red Winter Wheat

This is the backbone of your survival diet.

Wheat is nature’s longest storing seed, with an indefinite shelf life given proper storage conditions. The wheat (and other grains) can also be sprouted, adding fresh greens to the diet even in winter.

White and Brown Rice

Rice is my favorite storage foods and I actually prefer rice over wheat for storage, but that’s a personal decision, and well I like rice and rice dishes. White rice stores better and has a longer shelf-life than brown rice; however brown rice has more nutritional value.

Despite the trade off in storage duration, I still prefer brown rice for storage because of the added nutritional value.

Pinto Beans

Beans, corn, and rice combined make a complete food, providing just about everything you need to survive. Add some fresh green sprouts or garden produce and extra vitamin C just to be sure you’re getting enough to avoid scurvy, and you’ll be well fed and healthy.

I like to store a combination of pinto beans, black beans, and mung beans. How much you store of each will depend on your personal preferences to taste.

Oats

Don’t go overboard when storing oats, about 20 pounds per adult per year is plenty. Oats have a storage life of approximately four to six years, depending on storage conditions and whether or not they have been opened after being packaged for long-term storage.

Whole Corn

Corn equals cornmeal, cornbread, cornmeal mush, corn cakes, and a huge list of other foods that you can prepare using the seed. I store whole corn because it stores much better and with at least double the shelf-like of cracked corn.

Salt

While not a food but a mineral, salt, is none the less essential to the diet and individual health. Salt is also used in the preservation of food and animal products. Salt, like wheat, has an indefinite shelf life. Store at least 10 pounds of iodized salt per person, per year.

It’s also a good idea to stock up on salt blocks to attract game animals for future harvesting. You can find these in the sporting goods stores and other outlets that sell to hunters. You can also get these through your local farmer’s co-op, where they sell them for domestic livestock supplementation.

Honey or Sugar

As a sweetener honey makes an unequaled contribution to the diet. Honey, like wheat and salt, has an indefinite shelf-life. Store at least 10 pounds per person. If the honey hardens and crystallizes, heat it slowly in a double boiler to reconstitute.

Cooking Oil

There is some controversy as to which is best for storage in the preppers pantry, vegetable oil or olive oil, while both will work fine and you should stock up on the one that you like best. I recommend putting away, 10 quarts, per person, per year.

Powdered Milk

Most people turn their nose at the thought of powdered milk, preferring whole milk from the supermarket shelf. Granted it does have a slightly different taste, but it’s not unpleasant to drink, and after a week or two it seems to “grow” on you. Studies have shown that nonfat powdered milk, when packaged (nitrogen-packed) and stored properly has a storage life of 20 years or more.

Freeze Dried Foods

I prefer to buy those hard-to-store long-term items like powdered milk, dry margarine, butter powder, buttermilk powder, cheese powder, shortening, and powdered eggs pre-packaged for long-term storage in #10 metal cans, from Augason Farms or other reputable survival food vendors.

Supermarket Canned Foods

Canned foods from the supermarket have many advantages when it comes to food storage, they have a decent shelf-life on average of 2-5 years for most products, (note: shelf-life means that the foods retain 100% of their listed original nutritional value up until that point – store bought canned foods remain edible, far past the listed expiration dates in most cases).

As long as the cans aren’t bulging, rusted through or punctured and the foods smell fresh, upon opening then I would not hesitate to eat canned goods that are far past their listed expiration date. But that is a personal choice and one you’ll have to make yourself when the decision is needed.

Store bought canned foods have several advantages over freeze-dried or dehydrated foods, including cost and calories contained per serving. Another advantage is that canned foods already have their own water supply for preparation, so there is no need to use any potable water from your storage.

Despite the advantages of canned foods over freeze-dried and dehydrated foods, canned goods do have some disadvantages in comparison, like, weight, space needed for storage, and shelf-life.

I like to include a combination of the basic foods like wheat, rice, and beans, store-bought canned foods and certain “packaged for long-term storage” foods that are hard to store like powdered milk from one of the reputable survival food vendors…

All canned foods should be dated using a permanent marker and rotated on a FIFO (first-in-first-out) basis. I suggest that you build a rotating canned food shelf that will automatically rotate your canned foods when added and pulled off the shelf.

Always keep a notepad beside the shelf or in your kitchen, and write down every item that you take from the shelf and then take the note with you on your next trip to the supermarket, and then buy and restock the items that you’ve taken from the shelf, that way you always have a fully stocked shelf and a fresh supply.

Please read this article to see how long canned foods can last in storage before going bad…

Don’t Forget the Can Opener

Sure you could use a knife, but a manual can opener is easier and safer – so whatever else you do, don’t forget the can opener. Buy several or the strongest made ones that you can find.

Other Foods to Add to Your Food List

After you get the basic foods listed above in the needed proportions (see below), it is a simple matter to add other foods as you get the extra money.

Canned meats: We all know that SPAM is the preppers go to for a cheap “meat” source that has a longer than average shelf-life, and fat content. Canned hams, tuna, salmon, chicken, and turkey are all welcome additions in my pantry shelf – stock-up on the meats that your family normally eat and date and rotate just as you would any other canned food.

White flour: White flour from the store has a much longer shelf-life than does whole wheat flour because it has been “processed” which removes the oily germ, but unfortunately this “processing also removes the nutrition.

Processed white flour has a shelf-life of over five years if kept dry and safe from pests (like the meal moth). Mill moths get into the flour, lay eggs and those eggs turn into flour weevils, which ruin the flour. Look for tiny dark specks in the flour, as this is the first sign that the flour has been infested.

If it clumps together because of settling, just break it apart and run it through a sifter before use.

Store flour for long-term storage in airtight containers, with oxygen absorbers, added – see details below. You can also freeze flour that has been put into five-gallon buckets. Freezing will also kill any meal moths that happen to have been trapped inside before they can do any damage to your flour.

Most of my “flour” is in the form of whole wheat berries, that I have to mill (grind) before use, but I do have some processed flour in my pantry, for lazy days when I don’t feel like grinding whole wheat into usable flour.

Peanut butter: Peanut butter is a good source of fat and calories and has a decent shelf-life. Peanut butter is also an energy food and one that I always take on hunting and camping trips. Unopened peanut butter will last for years.

Spices: Be sure to include a good selection of spices in your food storage. Spices can make even the most awkward foods palatable, and help to alleviate food boredom. Cinnamon, Turmeric, Paprika, Ginger, Oregano, and Garlic are my favorites and make up the bulk of the spices in my pantry.

Baking powder, baking soda, and yeast: Baking powder, baking soda, and yeast (keep yeast frozen to extend shelf-life) are also essential since you’re storing and baking using unprocessed grains.

Dried pasta: Dried pasta will keep indefinitely if kept dry in bug and rodent proof containers.

Comfort Foods

Storing a sufficient amount of “comfort foods” is very important, to your psychological well-being as well as to alleviate “food-boredom” that is sure to set in after eating only storage foods for several months. Comfort foods are even more important if you have children or need to care for the elderly.

Consider comfort foods such as – Jell-O, instant pudding mix, cake mix, hard candies, chewing gum, Spaghettios, mac and cheese, brownie mix, canned spaghetti and meatballs, mashed potatoes, popcorn, cocoa, tea, coffee, powdered juice mixes, sunflower seeds etc. And remember to date and rotate on a FIFO basis.

We crave variety and having a supply of familiar comfort foods can go a long way toward retaining our sanity and self-worth during a long-term disaster. You can only deny yourself for so long before desperation and depression start to set in. Life will be difficult enough – give yourself a treat. You deserve it.

It is a proven fact that if we are forced to eat foods we don’t want or the same foods for extended periods – just to stay alive – dissociation begins to set in. We begin to float away as an escape – we still eat to stay alive, but suffer a lack of focus and become disoriented in relation to our surroundings.

This is dangerous in a survival setting. Don’t think it can happen? Try eating nothing but beans and rice for three months and you’ll see what I mean. Having a supply of comfort foods can help by providing at least some form of normalcy to your life.

Older folks and children will have the hardest time adjusting to new or unfamiliar foods, with many refusing to eat altogether, especially if the food is unnecessarily bland or unappetizing. Comfort foods will help them cope.

Food Storage Shelf Life (printable chart)

Food Storage Shelf Life (printable chart)
Food Storage Shelf Life (printable chart)

Vitamins and Supplements

To ensure that you’re getting a sufficient amount of needed daily vitamins and minerals for optimum health, you need to stockpile a good multi-vitamin and mineral supplement. Also, consider extra vitamin C and D. Vitamin D is of extra importance if you’re forced to stay inside (bugging in) for a longer than normal period of time and thus are unable to receive the needed vitamin D producing sunlight that is required for optimal health.

Don’t Forget About Your Pets

prepping for pets
She likes to watch the chickens…

Don’t forget to include a sufficient amount of food in your stockpile to feed your pets. A decent dog will increase your chances of survival because they can hunt and alert you to trespassers and other trouble. I prefer smaller dual-purpose breeds, with my choice for a working dog being the Jack Russell terrier.

Three Month Food Storage List for One Adult

  • Wheat 75 Pounds
  • Grains, rice, oats etc. 25 Pounds
  • Canned meats 5 Pounds
  • Canned margarine, powdered eggs etc. 2 Pounds
  • Dried beans, peas, lentils, etc., 6 Pounds
  • Dried fruit juice and concentrates 6 Pounds
  • Dried fruits or canned 25 Pound (if dried, then equal to this fresh weight
  • Comfort foods 3 Pounds
  • Non-fat dried milk 25 pounds
  • Peanut butter or substitute protein/fat source 3 pounds
  • Dried potatoes 12 pounds (equal to this fresh weight)
  • Salt 2 pounds
  • Shortening oils 3 quarts
  • Sugar or honey 12 pounds
  • Canned or dried vegetables 9 pounds (if dried, then equal to this fresh weight)

Please bear in mind that the above list is only a sample to help you get started, the most useful food storage list is the one that you put together yourself. After all who knows better than you, what you and your family, like to eat and in what amounts.

Where to Put All this Food?

After reading the above recommendations, you’re probably asking yourself where in the heck, you’re going to store all of this food. Well, that’s a good question and one that you alone can answer for your situation better than anyone else, but I’ll make a few suggestions that I hope will point you in the right direction.

The absolute best place in an underground bunker, root cellar or basement, unfortunately, most people don’t have any of those and have to make due with other less ideal storage options… Consider a spare bedroom, attached garage, detached storage building on your property, or as a last-resort a nearby storage unit rental.

If at all possible put in an underground storage area of some sort to keep you storage foods safe (and you) safe from weather extremes, as well as the main enemy of your food-storage shelf-life; heat. An excellent option, and inexpensive when compared to other suitable alternatives are the buried shipping container.

Long-Term Storage with Oxygen Absorber and Mylar Bags

I store all my grains, beans and other dry foods (besides sugar, salt or sprouting seeds) inside food-grade five-gallon plastic buckets. There is some controversy over what is and isn’t food grade. Most buckets with #2 inside a small triangle on the bottom are food grade, but not all – the only way to be reasonably certain is to contact the manufacturer and ask.

I buy mine from the local hardware store in the paint department. They also have them at my Wal-Mart, but, I prefer to buy from local business owners if possible. Sometimes they can even be gotten free from bakeries and restaurants, just be sure they only held food products – not paint, chemicals or other things that can make you sick or dead.

Foods packed in oxygen don’t store as well as those in an oxygen-free atmosphere. Oxygen absorbers work by removing the air from the enclosed container, leaving an atmosphere of 99% pure nitrogen in a partial vacuum inside the buckets.

Don’t open the bag of oxygen absorbers until ready to use because they will absorb oxygen from the surrounding air and become useless. Have everything ready to go before you open the package. Any unused oxygen absorbers can be stored in a small canning jar until needed.

Be sure to have everything ready to go before you start. Line the inside of the bucket with an appropriately sized Mylar bag these will help to keep light and moisture out extending the storage life of the foods inside.

The Mylar bag also offers a layer of protection between the food and the plastic bucket, if for some reason the bucket that you’re using isn’t considered food-grade.

Pour the food into the buckets a little at a time, shaking each bucket as it is being filled to settle and distribute the contents. Fill each bucket to about ½ inch from the top and throw in one 2000 cc oxygen absorber in each five-gallon bucket of food.

Now to seal the Mylar bag – first roll the top of the bag closed on one end leaving an opening at the other and press out any air that has been trapped inside, next place a 2×4 across the top of the bucket and pull the Mylar bag over the 2×4 and seal with a clothing iron set at the highest setting in a typical ironing fashion across the board.

Quickly put the lids on each bucket and pound shut by laying the board on the top and striking with a hammer or rubber mallet. After a few hours, the absorbers will create a vacuum that will cause the lids on the buckets to “pop down” indicating a good seal and a proper atmosphere for long-term storage. Be sure to label each with date, content, and weight, written on the front with a permanent marker.

Section Two: Tools For Cooking and Processing Your Long Term Food Storage

Most homes will already have most of what you will need to process and cook the foods from your survival pantry, items such as pots, pans, and other common household kitchen utensils. So we will not get into that. What we will cover are tools that most typical kitchens do not have on hand but that are necessary for the prepper’s kitchen. So let us get started.

Choosing a Grain Mill

You need a grain mill now. Don’t put it off another day. Even one of the least expensive models would be better than not having one at all. I know many of you want the best, and that is great. Get the best if you can afford it. Just do not put it off any longer. Get a mill now. If you cannot afford one of the better models, get a cheaper one; buy two or three of the cheaper models – that way if one breaks and cannot be repaired, you will still have spares to fall back on.

This goes along with my philosophy of the rule of three. Always have at least three independent sources of any survival necessity. Never put all your eggs in one basket. Too many things can happen which will leave you with nothing, which is what we are trying to avoid by prepping in the first place.

While I cannot give recommendations on all the models currently available today (because I have not owned or used them all), I can tell you what I have and my thoughts on these which should, at least, get you started in the right direction.

I currently own four different grain mills, The Wonder Junior Deluxe Grain Mill, a Corona Landers, a Back to Basics, and a Grizzly H7775.

Wonder Junior Deluxe Grain Mill

Wonder Junior Deluxe Grain Mill
Wonder Junior Deluxe Grain Mill

If you read my book “Dirt Cheap Survival Retreat”, then you already know that I use the Corona hand grain mill for all of my day-to-day milling. It is a strong and well-built grain mill, and for less than $75 it is hard to beat. The Mill to Table Clamping System is a very strong feature included with the Wonder Mill. However, I have never liked having to run the meal through the Corona several times to produce usable fine-enough flour for baking. That is one reason I made my homemade sifter – to speed up the process. However, it was still always necessary to run the bulk of the flour through the mill two or more times.

Since I mill grain several times per week, I needed a more efficient mill. I considered the Country Living Grain Mill but never could find enough extra change for the purchase. Therefore, I started looking for an alternative. I eventually decided to order the Wonder Mill Deluxe from www.thewondermill.com.

I have used the Wonder Mill for the past three weeks, and so far I have been extremely pleased with my new mill. In fact, I think I’ll retire the Corona and use the Wonder Mill Deluxe exclusively. Yeah, it is that good.

The Wonder Mill comes with both stone and steel grinding heads as shown in the photo above.

I love the one-piece construction of the mill and hopper. There is no separate hopper that can fall off during operation or any pins or clamps that could be lost. This is one thing I never liked about the Corona, as there were several times that the hopper fell off during aggressive cranking of the handle.

Another big improvement over most hand-operated grain mills is the double clamping system used on the Wonder Mill, which is the strongest I have ever seen on any mill. When properly clamped to the table, I had no problems with the mill moving out-of-place or coming off during grinding.

However, since all of my grinding is done in the same place, I will likely remove the clamp altogether and bolt the Wonder Mill directly to the table. This will provide the strongest possible mill to table mounting system.

Another thing I loved about the Wonder Mill is the quick change head system that allows you to easily switch from grinding dry grains, beans, and legumes to oily grains, nuts, and even coffee in just a couple of minutes. The Wonder Mill Deluxe comes with both steel and stone grinding heads, which can be changed out in less than one minute.

Here are the product specifications:

  • Weight: 10 pounds
  • Height: 12 ¾ inches (without the clamp)
  • Hopper capacity: one quart
  • Crank handle: 10 inches

Best of all, the Wonder Mill produces excellent, fine flour (with no sifting or re-grinding required). This saves a lot of time and effort. Moreover, the consistency is easily adjusted using a simple knob to adjust from pastry flour to cracked grains.

In fact, 90% of flour files through the sifter screen after the first pass through the mill. Again, this is a huge improvement over the Corona. In addition, because of the excellent bearing system (that never needs lubricating) cranking the handle is much smoother, but still requires effort.

The flour guide directs the falling flour into the catch pan or onto the screen without any mess around the milling heads or thrown flour on the table and floor. This is always been a problem with the Corona when grinding pieces of grain and flour would be thrown all over the place. One solution was to secure a plastic bag over the grinding head of the Corona to catch the flour and grain particles.

I wish that I had a Country Living Mill to compare against the Wonder Mill. I am sure there would have been some interesting findings with the comparison. The folks at WonderMill.com did perform a speed comparison between the two and according to their website: In a test performed at the Wonder Mill test kitchen, the Wonder Junior was able to grind 1 ¼ cups of flour in a single minute *80 turns* (see our video speed test). This is 65% (about 1/2 cup) more than we were able to produce with the Country Living grain mill with the same flour setting and the same amount of turns *80 turns*, and for half the price.

I know what you are thinking, it sounds great but “can it be motorized?” Yes, it can. There is a motoring pulley available that will allow you to do just that; however doing so will void the warranty. They also make a special adapter which can be used with a power drill to make grinding any grains or beans a quick and easy process.

I only grind a small amount of flour at a time (why grind more than I need?). I will not be adding a motor, but it is an option to keep in mind.

Your next question is probably going to be “what will it grind?” I have used it to grind wheat, corn, and beans. It can also grind spices, herbs, oily grains, nuts, and seeds. See WillItGrind.com for more info on what the Wonder Mill will grind.

Based on my tests, comparisons, price, and use, I give the Wonder Junior Hand Grain Mill my highest recommendation for a grain mill. If you are looking for a hand grain mill this is the one you should get.

Corona Landers Mill

It is strong, robust, well made and my second favorite grain mill. The Corona is a hand-cranked unit that uses rotating steel burrs to crack and grind corn, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds.

It is manufactured using cast-iron parts with an electro-tinned finish to guarantee a rustproof and easy to clean tool. I give it my second highest recommendation following the wonder junior hand grain mill.

Back To Basics Mill

This mill works well and is actually very easy to use. My main complaint is the small hopper that needs to be refilled after a few cranks of the handle. It is lightweight when compared to the Corona and I do not think it would stand up as well to continued usage.

Grizzly H7775 Mill

The Grizzly H7775 mill it is not my first choice but it sure beats having nothing at all. It sits low on the table, low enough that getting a large enough bowl under the head to catch the flour is difficult. I have the same problem when using the Corona. This is the main reason I use a homemade sifter to catch the grindings.

My other complaint is the small hopper, refilling it every few cranks can be an annoyance, at least for me. On the plus side, the grinder is efficient and the grinding plates are easily adjusted to the desired consistency.

While this is a good mill, it is not of the quality of the Corona; but note that it is half the price, so buying two or more is an option.

Country Living Mill

While I do not own this mill, it is given the highest recommendations by those that do. A recent advertisement proclaims: The Country Living Grain Mill is one of the highest quality grain mills ever made.  Living Grain Mill is one of those high-quality items that could be passed on to the next generation.

How to Grind Grains and Beans

When grinding, it is often necessary to regrind the grain several times before reaching the desired consistency. Some of the meal will come out perfectly fine the first time through, while other parts remain coarse and need to be reground several times.

One way to make grinding easier is to use a screen to sift out the finer flour while leaving the larger pieces of grain behind. The sifter is simply a four-sided box with sides but no top, and a bottom made of nylon window screen from the hardware store. Mine is 15″ X 12″ with sides made of a ¾ inch by 3-1/2 wood.

Cut the wood to length, and nail or screw the pieces together. Lay the screen out on a hard surface, sit the box down flat on top of the screen, and cut to fit with a utility knife. Turn the box over and tack the screen to the box with several thumbtacks or small nails to hold the screen in place.

Take all-purpose cement from the plumbing department of the hardware store, and spread generously around the rim of the over the edge of the screen, forming a permanent seal between the wood and the screen.

When grinding, place a section of newspaper under the grinder head and set the box on top. Grind as normal but after each pass through the grinder, shake the finer meal onto the newspaper and transfer into a bowl.

Pour the coarser meal back into the grinder and regrind, repeating until reaching the desired constancy. This saves running the finer meal back through the mill, making grinding easier and quicker.

How to Clean Field Run Wheat

First off, never buy “seed” grain for human consumption. Seed grain is often treated with insecticides and fungicides. Seed grain is to be planted and grown not eaten. Buy untreated whole grain sold as “feed” that is meant to be eaten.

Look for “field run grain.” It is cheaper and because of fewer processing steps, it is less likely to be infected with mold or contaminated. Field run wheat will have dirt and detritus that will need to be removed before use, but cleaning wheat is not a big deal.

First, sort the grain by laying it out on a clean surface and pick out any chunks of dirt, rocks or darker grain. After sorting, you need to wash the grain. Place the grain on a sifter or screen and pour clean water over it until the water coming out the bottom is as clean as that poured in from the top.

After cleaning the grain, you will need to dry it before grinding. Pour the grain into a strainer and set it aside for about ten minutes. After it stops dripping, spread it out on a cookie sheet about ¼ inch deep, heat in oven at 180° degrees occasionally stirring until dry. Drying usually takes about an hour. If it takes longer that’s fine; just make sure it does not burn.

Alternatively, if you prefer you can dry it outside under the sun. This is better and cheaper but is dependent on the weather and time of day and the season. Just spread the grain out in a thin layer on newspaper or other suitable material in direct sunlight. A solar oven could also be used; however, I have never tried this method myself.

Sprout Seeds for Fresh Greens All Year

Fresh sprouts are full of vitamins and minerals that aren’t readily available in the unsprouted seed. Sprouting allows you to have fresh greens even in winter and will expand the bulk of your food storage many times over without any extra expense to you.

To start sprouting, you’ll need at least one wide-mouth quart canning jar (a quart mayonnaise jar will also work) and a 6×6 inch square piece of nylon window screen or cheesecloth. Both the screen and cheesecloth are easy to cut with scissors or a sharp knife.

sprout grains for food

how to sprout grains for food

sprouting seeds and grains for food

Next, put approximately 3 to 4 ounces of wheat, alfalfa, chickpeas, lentils, mung beans, pumpkin seeds, rye, sunflower seeds, or other sprouting seed in each jar and cover the mouth with the nylon window screen. You can use a large rubber band, string, or a canning jar ring to hold the screen in place over the mouth of the jar.

Fill each jar with water to within 2 inches of the top and let stand overnight. When you get up the next morning, pour out the soak water and tilt the bottom of the jar over the sink and leave for an hour or two so the rest of the water can drain off the seeds.

After this initial soaking and draining, you’ll want to flood the jars about every four hours and then drain any excess water by tilting the jar bottom up into a bowl or sink. Repeat two to three times per day.

how to spout seed for food and survivalAt this point, you want to keep the seeds moist but not covered with water. In a few days, the seeds will begin to sprout. When the sprouts reach 1 to 2 inches in length (for most seeds), they are ready to eat. Sprouts can be eaten raw, cooked, or dried. If dried, they can be ground into flour and used for bread or other baked items.

to keep a steady supply of fresh sprouts, simply start a new jar 24 to 48 hours after the last sprout jar has finished sprouting. Repeat cycle. This is a great routine that will keep you in fresh greens year round.

And that is all there is to it. If you want to learn more about sprouting, including in-depth but simple recipes using sprouts, order a copy of The Sprouting Book by Ann Wigmore. This excellent resource is a must-have for any serious survival seed sprouter.

Warning: Even though the risk is low because sprouts can contain bacterial contamination, people with compromised immune systems (e.g., individuals with AIDS, organ transplants, undergoing chemotherapy) are advised to avoid eating them.

Cooking Tools and Related Items

Listed below are some of the best cooking stoves and related tools for preppers. I have all of these and they are all well-made and useful; however, it should be noted that you do not need to go out and buy one of each type of cooking stove. Get what is best for you in your location. For example, if you’re located far north and don’t get all that much sunshine, then you’re probably better off skipping the solar oven and purchasing an EcoZoom rocket stove.

Zoom Versa Stove

The EcoZoom rocket stove is designed to burn wood, dried biomass (plant materials and animal waste used as fuel) or charcoal,  making it a truly versatile means of cooking, especially after the lights go out and other more conventional sources of fuel (like propane) are no longer available or are in short supply

My EcoZoom rocket stove has proven to be very heat efficient. It will bring a pan of water to a rolling boil in less than two minutes and fry an egg like nobody’s business. Having a means of cooking when the power goes out should be self-explanatory. Having a cooking source that uses easy to find, renewable fuel is an extra bonus.

Camping Stove

Having a standard camping type stove on hand for emergencies is one of those common sense things to do, and most folks in the country already have one or two of these for camping purposes.

If you do not have one, go out and buy one now. A top-of-the-line model will put you back around $100 at current prices, but the cost is well worth it. In addition, do not forget to pick up some extra fuel canisters. Put back at least 24 one-pound canisters, or better yet get a hook-up that will allow the use of the larger 20-pound tanks.

Sun Oven

If you are in an area that receives a sufficient amount of sunlight, then a solar oven is must have. With a solar oven there is no need to store or scrounge for fuel, and as long as the sun is hot in the sky you will have an unlimited “fuel” source to prepare food.

The best brand and the one that I recommend is The All American Sun Oven. It is best to get the package with the accessories included in your order to avoid having to buy these later.

Folding Camp Grill

A folding camp grill is another item like the camping stove that most folks in the country already have on hand. But it is still worth mentioning. Every prepared prepper should have one of these. So if for some strange reason you do not have one, go get one as soon as possible. I bought mine at Wal-Mart in the sporting goods department for under twenty-five dollars. They also have them at Amazon.com.

Outdoor Grill / Smoker

This is another one of those items that will make like much easier at least when it comes to preparing food after a disaster or a long-term grid-down situation. I bought mine at Wal-Mart in the lawn and garden department for less than one hundred dollars. They also have them at Amazon.com.

Extra Large Stew Pot

Even if you don’t anticipate having a large group to cook for you should still have at least one large stew pot because you never know who or how many family members or close friends will show up at your door, and most of us don’t want to shoot them, so we will have to feed them. I have a Bayou Classic 7406, 6-Qt. Cast Iron Soup Pot with Cast Iron Lid, but I am afraid that even this will not be sufficient for my needs.

Food Saver Vacuum Sealer

The Food Saver Series vacuum sealer is a great little machine that can greatly increase the shelf life of products. This is a highly recommended item for preppers – check Amazon.com for the current price!

Butchering Kit

Because most preppers are “knife collectors” of sorts, we often overlook the need for a good home butchering kit. Get the very best kit that you can afford. The Outdoor Edge Game Processor PR-1 12-Piece Portable Butcher Kit with the Hard Side Carry Case is a good product – Click here to check availability and the current price on Amazon.com.

Other On-Site Resources:

RECOMMENDED BOOKS THAT DEAL WITH FOOD STORAGE

Cooking With A Thermos Bottle (Can It Really Be Done?)

cook in a Thermos bottleI first learned of Thermos cooking while reading Kurt Saxon’s The Survivor newsletter back in the late 1980s and have been using this thermal cooking method to save propane ever since. I have no way of knowing for sure, but I would estimate a savings of $40 to $50 per year from my doing this.

In a grid-down situation, using less fuel will be a top priority, and cooking with a Thermos (or other insulated vacuum bottle) will help you get the most from the smallest amount of fuel possible.

  1. All you’ll need is a small-mouth vacuum bottle (I prefer the Stanley vacuum bottle) and a funnel. Let’s take a closer look at how to cook this way.
  2. Start by preheating the vacuum bottle. Simply bring enough water to a boil to fill the bottle, screw on the cap, and set the bottle aside while you do the following steps.
  3. Heat the food in a pot on your stove until it is boiling
  4. Pour out the water used to preheat the vacuum bottle.
  5. Using your funnel so you don’t waste any, pour the boiling food into your preheated bottle, and let the heat inside finish the cooking.

That’s it . . . Simple, isn’t it? Here are several tips to make it even more energy efficient…

  • Lay the bottle on its side so the food will cook more evenly.
  • Wrap the bottle in a blanket to retain more heat.
  • I recommend a small-mouth Stanley (formerly Aladdin Stanley) bottle and not some cheap knockoff. But if you do get another type of bottle, be sure it has stainless steel insulation inside and not glass.
  • A gallon plastic bottle (e.g., milk, bleach, vegetable oil) cut in half makes an excellent free funnel. Just make sure it’s clean.
  • Shake the bottle every few hours so the contents don’t coagulate or stick to the sides.

Cooking time depends on what you are cooking, the type of insulated bottle you use, and the amount of preparation you do before adding the food to the bottle. You’ll learn by doing. But don’t get in any hurry, because your food will not burn or be overcooked.

You’re probably wondering what foods you can cook in a Thermos bottle. I cook whole-wheat breakfast cereal, steel-cut whole oats, rice, beans, lentils, and pasta. One of my favorite dishes is rice with chopped vegetables.

Thermal Cooking Without A Bottle

Thermal cooking can be done without using a vacuum bottle. This method is more convenient when cooking larger amounts of food, such as for beans. Thermal-Cooked Beans You need a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, a wool blanket, and a cooler with lid.

  • Sort and presoak beans overnight…
  • Bring the contents to a rolling boil for about 10 minutes, cover the pot with the lid, and quickly remove the pot from the heat and wrap it tightly in the wool blanket. Cover the pot completely because you don’t want any heat to escape…
  • Carefully set the wrapped pot of beans into the cooler, filling any remaining space between the cooler and blanket with the insulating material (e.g., old newspaper), and place the lid on the cooler.

Pinto beans take approximately three to five hours to cook this way.

If the beans are not done to your liking, simply reheat, rewrap, and let stand for another hour – this is also the case with thermos bottle cooking. 

Thermal cooking can be used to cook anything that you normally slow cook.

The advantages of thermal cooking are numerous: you get three hours of cooking time for only 10 minutes of fuel; food does not stick or burn if left unattended; water use is minimal because it does not boil away or need to be refilled while cooking. In short, thermal cooking is the most cost-effective and least labor-intensive method I know.

Note: Some of you may have heard about “cooler corn,” where you put raw corn on the cob in an insulated picnic-type cooler and then fill the cooler with boiling water. Then a couple of hours or so later (it keeps just right for a long time), you have corn on the cob.

The problem is that “cooler” plastics are made to take cold, not heat, and they may leach bad plasticizing chemicals into the cooking water at high temperatures. Now, if you have one of the old aluminum-lined Coleman coolers, you’re OK to cook this way.

How To Make A Homemade Water Filter

homemade water filter girls drinkingWhen asked where they should start their survival preparations, most people answer food storage. Wrong. In fact, food isn’t even in the top three survival priorities.

The most important elements of survival are oxygen, shelter from extreme weather, and water. Depending on health, physical activity, and environment, and with limited activity, most humans can survive:

  •  Five minutes or less without oxygen
  •  10 days or fewer without water at 50°F (and even fewer as temperatures rise)
  •  Four to six weeks without food

Today’s task involves making sure your survival plan includes a reliable source of clean water. Imagine how disappointed you’d be after investing all that time and money to build your stockpile of survival food only to realize that you were about to die of dehydration because you neglected to adequately address your need for water.

Having food storage without a reliable source of clean water is like eating soup with a fork. You’re only getting some of what you need. Before getting started, a few words on terminology are in order. Sometimes the terms filtration, purification, and sterilization are used interchangeably in relation to water.

homemade water filter
This homemade water filter works as well as any commercial model and costs considerably less.

This is incorrect. Filtration removes solid matter (or in some cases emulsified liquids). Purification removes that which is not water (stuff in solution and/or emulsion). Sterilization kills microbes in the water.

The confusion of terms is understandable, as many commercial filter units also remove microbes by filtering them out, and many units include activated charcoal or other elements that both filter out solids and remove a lot of metals in solution by adsorption (as opposed to absorption).

In fact, they now have filters that are so specific and so fine they actually can filter out molecules: a “watermaker” that filters out salt from seawater would be an example. I’m a fan of the Berkey water filters. Having used a Big Berkey filter extensively for more than three years, I can personally attest to its performance.

However, a lot of people can’t or won’t spend $250 or more for a water filter no matter how critical it is to their survival. Fortunately, it isn’t difficult to make your own homemade water filter using only the Black Berkey Purification Elements and a few odds and ends you probably have lying around your house.

The total cost for such a unit at the time of this writing is less than $150, including the Black Berkey Purification Elements. Black Berkey Purification Elements can be ordered online from a number of vendors, including Amazon.com and LPC Survival (www.directive21.com), with current prices ranging from $99 to $110. I’ve found LPC Survival to be very reliable, with superfast shipping and great customer service.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  •  Two Black Berkey Purification Elements
  •  Two 5-gallon food-grade buckets with lids
  •  Food-grade spigot (available at most hardware stores or online; the type used for large water coolers works great)
  •  Drill with 1/2- and 3/4-inch bits

First drill two 1/2-inch holes in the bottom of one of the buckets and two 3/4-inch holes through one of the lids. The holes should be approximately 4 to 6 inches apart to facilitate changing the filters as needed. Both sets of holes in the bottom of the bucket and those in the lid should match up perfectly when mated.

preppers make a homemade water filter
Black Berkey Purification Elements secured through the bottom of the top bucket using 1/2-inch holes and supplied wingnuts. Note how the elements protrude through the bottom of the top bucket and align with the holes through the lid of the bottom bucket.

Next, drill a 3/4-inch hole in the side of the other bucket. This hole is for the spigot, so drill about 2 inches up from the bottom of the bucket. This way when it is set on a table or bench, the spigot isn’t touching the surface, where it can be damaged or broken.

homemade berkey water filter
This spigot was taken from a busted water cooler.

Install the Black Berkey Purification Elements securely through the 1/2-inch holes that you drilled in the bottom of the first bucket, using the supplied rubber washers and wingnut fasteners. Be careful not to overtighten the nuts or you could cause a leak or even break the tip of a purification element.

To use this unit, put the lid with the 1/2-inch holes on top of the bucket with the spigot and set the other bucket with the filters installed on top, aligning the holes so the Berkey filter tubes extend through the lid of the lower bucket.

Pour the water to be filtered into the upper bucket and cover with the remaining lid. The water in the top bucket will drip through the filter elements and into the lower bucket, filling it with clean drinking water. As you can see from the photos, it’s very simple. The whole process takes about 20 minutes.

Water Storage Tips

For water storage, I have six 5-gallon containers bought in the sporting goods department at Walmart. Thirty gallons of water isn’t much, but I don’t see water being a major issue at my location.

If you live in a drier region, such as the American southwest, water will likely be a major concern, which may necessitate the storage of hundreds or even thousands of gallons for an extended emergency. Don’t store water in used 5-gallon milk jugs. They’re not strong enough for long-term storage and eventually break down and leak.

The 5-gallon containers sold in the sporting goods section of most department or hardware stores work great, as do the 55-gallon plastic water drums sold by preparedness gear retailers, such as Emergency Essentials at BePrepared.com.

If you must use small containers, empty 2-liter soda bottles work well. They are stronger than milk jugs, have better lids, and are more convenient. Avoid glass containers because they break too easily.

Tap Water Tip

If you’re storing tap water from a municipal water system, there’s no need to add bleach as suggested by some. Water from the municipal tap already contains enough chlorine to thwart any bacterial growth, so it can be stored without any other additives.

How To Build A Live Animal Trap (An Easy Illustrated Guide)

homemade box trapNo doubt many of you have read about various improvised and homemade traps in one of the many outdoor survival books and thought, Wow, what a great idea—I could do that. Indeed, many of the ideas and diagrams shown are ingenious, and a few of them actually work to trap game—with practice.

After seeing all these trap designs in these books, you might think you need to learn how to make them all yourself, or that these homemade traps are somehow more proficient than commercially manufactured traps at putting food on the table or keeping pests out of your garden. You don’t, and they’re not.

The main (and possibly only) advantage homemade traps have over most of their store-bought counterparts is that they can be built from scrounged materials. That is a huge advantage and the reason you should learn how to make several different types of do-it-yourself traps.

But don’t go overboard here or discount a factory-made trap as somehow inferior for survival because you did not carve it out of three twigs that are held together by a strand of your own hair. Generally, factory-made traps are superior to most homemade designs, and you should take full advantage of their use.

When you are planning for survival, the last thing you want to do is limit yourself in any way. The best course of action is to blend primitive techniques and tools with modern advancements, therefore increasing your chances of survival.

 

small game trapping

For best results when trapping small game, I recommend that you invest in a good supply (at least 10 traps, with 20 or more being ideal) of #110 Conibear body traps. They are easy to use for most people and are very effective for filling the stew pot.

Plus, they are quick-kill traps and are therefore more humane. With that said, the best homemade trap for the average survivor is the wooden box or cage trap, as they are commonly called. I am sure most of you have seen or heard about the live traps made by Havahart (www.havahart.com). These traps are lightweight (compared to the homemade version illustrated here) and work great, but they’re expensive, running upwards of $30 for the smallest trap.

Sizes for larger animals, such as raccoon, can cost $100 or more depending on the retailer. I didn’t have the money to purchase several of these traps, and it didn’t make good economic sense to do so anyway since I could make as many as I need for little or nothing. Box traps are cheap and easy to build using plywood or scrap lumber that can easily be found while scavenging through construction site Dumpsters or around abandoned structures or other locations in the country.

These traps are easy on the critters trapped inside, unlike other traps that rely on killing or maiming to secure the animal. An added plus is that game caught in a box trap is kept safe from hungry predators until the trapper returns to check the trap.

When I was growing up in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee, just about every boy knew how to build a homemade box trap out of scrap wood. Now kids are more interested in watching TV or playing video games than learning such useful skills.

This is sad because one day this type of skill could make the difference between going to bed hungry or on a full stomach. To construct this trap, begin by putting together a box using outdoor plywood, lumber, or other suitable material.

Each end is left open and should be approximately 6 or 12 inches square, depending on the intended game. The top piece should be 2 or 3 inches shorter on one end— or if you intend to build a trap with double doors, make the top piece 2 or 3 inches shorter at both ends—which will allow room for the sliding door(s).

homemade live animal trap

For larger animals, such as raccoon, opossum, and woodchuck, the box should be at least 36 inches long and have at least a 12-inch doorway. For smaller game, such as squirrels, rabbits, muskrat, and mink, a 24-inch box with a 6-inch opening works well. You have to construct a slideway for the doors to fall through and lock-in.

You can make the trigger system out of branches or other improvised materials. Explaining here in writing how the pieces go together is difficult, but it should all be clear when you look at the photos.

Use the heaviest wood you can find for the doors, as the weight will cause them to close faster and go all the way down and lock into place when the trigger is tripped.

trap trigger

close up of trigger
Close-up view of key trigger points that hold the door in the open position until dislodged by an animal, at which time they collapse, dropping the door and trapping the animal inside.

How To Use

Most traps of this type are set with bait. If you are baiting for raccoon, use peanut butter or fish guts; for opossums, use cut-up apples, peanut butter, or just about anything with a strong odor. Cats like fish guts; squirrels like acorns and corn; pheasants and quail like wheat or crushed dried corn.

When in doubt, use a spoonful of peanut butter, as most animals seem to be attracted to it. Many of us who keep chickens know how frustrating it is to watch our prized hens disappear one at a time to a seemingly invisible predator.

Catching the phantom culprit can be a bewildering problem since in many cases we don’t know exactly what we are trying to catch or when it will make its next foray into the henhouse. I keep two of these traps set and against the outside walls of my henhouse.

I conceal the traps with hay to look like a naturally occurring run or passage and usually catch several would-be chicken thieves (mostly raccoons) each month. They seem to just meander into the traps while searching for a way inside the coop. A dandy rabbit-producing method is to set out boxes in known rabbit country, with brush piled on top of the trap to make it look like a natural hiding place.

Make sure that the brush you use doesn’t interfere with the trigger assembly or keep the door from closing all the way. I like to funnel the rabbits into the trap by placing “wings” made from scrap lumber in a V pattern that lead from the entrance of the traps.

This seems to guide the animals naturally into the traps. These winged traps do not even have to be baited; the rabbits just wander into them while looking for a place to hide. Be patient: don’t expect to catch anything in the first couple of weeks.

The rabbits need to become accustomed to seeing the traps before they will start to come in. If you can find a copy, I suggest you buy Being Kind to Animal Pests: A No-Nonsense Guide to Humane Animal Control with Cage Traps by Steve Meyer (the book is out of print, but

Les Stroud SK Mountain Ultimate Survival Knife Review

survival knifeby Randw

My recent gift/purchase of a Les Stroud SK Mountain, Ultimate Survival Knife by Camillus, gave me an opportunity to do a review on a product that at first glance seems rather contrived and panders to the “Survival/Prepper community” by its very design and nature.  These types of fluff/specialty items usually leave me feeling exploited and preyed upon by the “Sax Fifth Ave” types who come up with various marketing tools to separate us from our hard-earned money through slick marketing and gimmickry that seldom leaves us feeling good about a potential purchase.

Check Latest Prices: Amazon.com | BladeHQ

Since I had been given a gift coupon to a big box hardware store during the recent Christmas Holiday I was feeling rather adventurous and wanted to see what was available in their knife selection.  I was somewhat in need as a few years back my favorite survival knife and I had said “good-bye” as someone was in need of the knife a whole lot more than me, but I digress.

Can you really have too many good knives?  After all, they are always “loaded”, and fit nicely in the palm of your hand.

I had intended to go with a Gerber, Buck, or other easily recognized quality American made knife or hatchet but was compelled to see what was available in the “survival expert Arena” (Bear Gilas, Less Stroud, Dual Survival, Cody Lundeen, etc.).

Since I am a strong advocate of “two is one and one is None” when it comes to bugout or survival gear, I knew I needed a back-up to my 8-inch “Dive knife” perched atop my BOB in the storage area of our home.  I was not certain what I was searching for but had not bought a good mid length, fixed blade knife in a long time and was certainly in the market for a backup, survival tools, and am always searching out other items to augment my outdoor gear when shopping in outdoor or sporting goods section at any retail market.

While browsing in the knife section I was first attracted to Gerber and Bear Grylls knives as well as Buck and Camillus.  As I was looking at the fixed blade knives, I noticed there was a survival knife in my price range ($40-$60.00) with a large plastic sheath and tons of advertising that Camillus put on their packaging of this Les Stroud SK style knife.  I was kind of mildly impressed by its versatility and the sheath’s “survival tool” integration, as well as the bladed weapon, they offered in this obviously contrived yet cleverly engineered product.

At first glance it is quite obvious that the knife is effective in design although not as robust as many Hunting/bush-craft or other survival knives I have looked at (blade is too thin on the front inch of the shank and needs additional spline reinforcing as well as spin thickness, in this area, as Buck and other premium Knife builders use)”.  This cutting tool would certainly offer many utilitarian as well as self- defense options for the end user.

The cutting edge of the knife itself includes a rather wide 1.5 inch by 5 inch blade with a Titanium coating that is proprietary to Camillus but has a similar coated appearance to the black (anodized) coatings put on the Buck, first generation, Knight hawk 6.5” black, anodized stainless steel blade, tactical  knife I owned and carried for years.  In addition, the sheath-knife has as its core, a super sharp, black tungsten treated, stainless steel blade, a  with a 1-inch serration for cutting bone or wire, and an integrated striking notch for starting fires using the flint, cut into the knife spine/back.

I knew in my heart that it would be very hard to replace the Buck, Night Hawk tactical knife I carried for years that I generously gave away as a token of appreciation.  The Buck and is now residing in the hands of an amazing man of God in the Himalayan Mountains of NE India, but that is another story, (I sort of still miss that knife but I know it was the right thing to do in giving it away).

In addition to this rather utilitarian, SK knife, I really was drawn to the innovation/redundancy that was offered in the sheath of this “survival” tool.  The assortment of survival trinkets incorporated in the sheath, include:  integrated signal whistle, LED flashlight, signal mirror, blade sharpener, flint striker and para-cord, like, cordage found on the knife’s sheath.  This combination of survival gear fit nicely into my duplication principle mentioned earlier (two is one…).

I currently and have for the last 3 years, incorporated all of the sheath mounted items (signal mirror, whistle, fire steel, flashlight, and para-cord) in my BOB but was intrigued by the fact that I was able to double dip on my preps in one single purchase, of a knife I would be carrying anyway.

One minor detail about the use of materials on the handle and the sheath that could be a potential drawback is the plastic construction of the sheath housing and accessories, as they are made of plastic and should not be kept too close to a campfire or heat source of any kind for fear of a melting event, but if you have most any modern knife or sheath with plastic components, being left too close to a fire there would probably result in adverse consequences.

As an additional plus for those living in a nanny state like I do anything over 6 inches in a fixed blade and 3.5 inches in a folding knife is illegal.  The blade of this SN knife is about five inches long and is therefore legal to carry openly.

In a grid down situation, to me, this would not be an issue (WROL SITUATION) but if I am pulled over tomorrow and the knife is laying on the seat beside me I would not be face scrutiny or worse for carrying a “scary” if not illegal, weapon.

While I have not had time to fields test every aspect of the props integrated into the knife sheath, I can tell you the whistle works with some practice and would be better that yelling for help for an extended period of time (intended purpose of any whistle),

The mirror is tiny; about 1.25 x 2.25 inches with a burnished rather than truly reflective surface like a mirror, but it might work in a pinch to check on a facial wound or to shave by.  It would certainly be able to reflect light to signal an aerial spotter and there is an incidental hole at the blade sharpening port found below the mirror that would allow a person to align the mirror with the sun in order to achieve the correct angles for optimal, signaling using the sun reflection.

The flashlight would work for up-close, detail work or reading a map in a low/no light situation, but would not offer a lot of illumination or security if you would need lighting for walking a trail on a cloudy night since it is a single LED bulb.

The flint/striker is only about 1.5 inches long but once the black paint/coating is scraped off, will create ample spark to ignite dry tinder or a prepared “fire wick” of some kind.

The integrated edge/blade sharpener is underpowered at best but in a wooded setting with no other stones to use as a blade, sharpener, it is good to know you have it available as a failsafe.

The so-called “Paracord” is about ½ the diameter of normal para cord but looks to be of similar construction to the real thing.  This 10 ft. cord would be a good place to start if all you had was shoelaces and not much more for cordage but would not be enough to hang a large shelter, tarp from.

There is also a small flip-up compartment housed in the sheath under the mirror that could store a small fishing line or some strike anywhere or waterproof matches but it is not truly water prof so additional packaging with a baggie/plastic wrap would be in order if used for a match safe.

The sheath has a good retention system for the knife, using a plastic clip that engages the knife at the hilt (there is a corresponding indention on the handle where the latch engages) and a Velcro strap is integrated in the top of the sheath to secure the upper portion of the handle when sheathed.  In addition to the black rubber grip materials on the knifes handle there is a knuckle contour for the index finger (this increases purchase and control when the blade is forced away from the user in skinning or whittling of shavings or tinder making).

This black rubber overlay embedded in the handle may not bear up to excessive use or abuse but should hold up for light to medium abuse as a back-up “zombie poker”. The head of the handle of this sheath knife contains an anvil/metal cap that would lend itself to cracking hard nut shells, tapping small tent stakes into the ground or in a pinch could be used as a club to fight off the occasional squirrel if the need should arise.

On the back of the plastic sheath, a portion of nylon webbing covers the case and extends along the length of the entire blade for a length of around 10 inches.  At the back of the nylon webbing is 3-inch webbing, belt loop about ¾ inch wide so a person can run a belt through the sheath and carry the knife on the waistband or their pants.

The relatively thin spine of the knife would probably hold up to moderate use such as splitting pine or less dense wood, if using a mallet or baton to help drive the blade, and is certainly sharp enough to skin small or even large game if need be, and to filet a fish.

In the configuration of the blade, this knife would certainly act as a deterrent to a marauder or two, but, is at best a compromise or backup Bush-craft tool when stack against a Bouie knife machete, or hatchet.  But then again most medium sheath knives would have the same or similar drawbacks for heavy outdoor use.

The Camillus (Les Stroud) SK knife would meet most camp outing needs, most of the time and has a lot going for it with the added trinkets found on the sheath.  While a compass is very sensitive to metallic objects in close proximity, an integrated compass might have been a welcome addition to the arsenal already included in the sheath.

The small net pouch on the back of the sheath is more of a gimmick and is rather smallish for a topo map (advertised use) but could carry a book of matches or handkerchief or ½ bandana section in a pinch, in order to retain usefulness.

One additional option that has been included on the sheath that might prove useful is the two eyelets/grommets, one at each corner of the flared top, nylon portion of the knife sheath.  These could be used to secure a thigh lanyard for extra securing or even be used as a neck lanyard to carry this tool over the shoulder or at the chest should one feel so inclined.

The Les Strand SK knife can be purchased separately with only a nylon sheath, from Camillus for around $50.00, but for the additional $10.00 or so for the survival equipped sheath (whistle, flashlight, cordage, mirror etc.) makes an affordable American knife an even greater barging, as a companion tool for those who are venturing out in the wilds for recreation or possible survival.

Would I recommend this purchase to a friend?  Yes if they were going to use it as an addition to a fully equipped (Bug out bag) BOB,    since I believe the sheath, integrated items are not robust enough for a total long-term, grid down, situation I would recommend this as a standalone tool.

For the money, I believe anyone purchasing this item, as intended, for bugging out bag, would be well served in a short-term survival situation.  Would I rely on the small integral tools in the sheath for my sole preps in a long-term, Grid down, Mad Max situation?  Probably not but would this knife and sheath come in handy in an emergent, evacuation, “you bet” and for the Money (around $60.00) one would have to look long and hard to come up with a better compromise package that meets most of the basic requirements of a BOB, survival knife than this product.

Pound for Pound strapped to your waist or fastened to your BOB I do believe this tool would be worth its weight in usefulness.  I do not regret the initial purchase of this tool and feel confident that even with the contrived design and miniaturized versions incorporated in the sheath, this tool would make life more bearable in a “Lost and Alone In the woods situation” that hikers, outdoorsmen and weekend survivors might find themselves in during a recreational outing or heaven forbid a SHTF event.

How to Drive On The Interstate And Survive (Maybe)!

How to drive on the interstateby BCtruck – YouTube

Hi folks, I’m going to give writing an article, another try. While reading the rules for the writing contest I noticed where MD was encouraging people to submit articles, the words “we all have something to offer” struck a chord with me. I spent the largest part of my life driving an 18 wheeler long-haul (over the road). I started in 1977 when I joined the army and I’ve driven one till just recently when I decided to hang it up. Consequently, I’ve learned a thing or two about surviving, driving.

The first thing I will do is break the dangers down that we all face while driving. Those are:

  • Weather
  • speed
  • Impatience
  • egos
  • drunk/drugged drivers
  • inattentiveness
  • sudden equipment failure
  • Construction
  • Complacency

First, If you don’t mind, I would like to toot my horn just a little in the hopes that I can convey to you, what I think qualifies me to give advice on a subject that is often a matter of life and death. From 1980 until 1990, I drove about 120,000 miles a year for a total of 1.2 million miles.

From 1990 until 2010, I drove with my wife sharing the driving duties. In those 20 years, my wife and I put over 4 million miles on several different trucks. One truck we put 1.6 million miles on before we sold it. In all those miles I only had a couple of speeding tickets, no accidents or wrecks of any kind, no log book violations.

My wife had one speeding ticket (57 in a 55 in Littlerock) One incident with a deer in Jackson Mississippi and no logbook violations. I’m proud of my driving record and I’m proud of how well I maintained my equipment.OK, thanks for indulging me. Now let’s get after it!

Weather:

We can’t control it so we have two options. Don’t drive in it, or drive in a fashion that is commensurate to the danger presented by the weather. For instance, rain requires less concern than snow, and snow less than ice. However, I’ve been on roads that had been rained on all day and as the sun went down the road surface froze making it not just a possibility, but a likelihood that a skid off would occur.

My solution to ice, was never ever drive on it unless it turned to ice while i was driving, and then I drove only long enough to find a safe place to park to wait for warmer temps or salt trucks to work their magic.No destination, no type of freight was so important that i would risk the lives of other folks, my equipment, or my own life. You can’t drive safe on the ice. It can’t be done without risk that is greater than the need.

Snow:

There are different types of snow. Snow that is wet and heavy is actually fairly easy to drive safely on, provided you use good judgement when choosing a speed and being prepared to adjust that speed as conditions change. Also, planning your lane changes and exits from the highway well in advance and in such a fashion that your need for lane changes doesnt affect the speed or direction of travel of other motorists.

Maintaining your own safe speed and planning your moves in advance is equally as important as not forcing others to make sudden changes in lane or speed. Snow that is very dry is much easier to lose traction on. My philosophy about snow was, if I can drive without endangering others or my equipment, ill drive.

If it was bad enough for chains, I didn’t drive unless it was to cross a mountain pass like Donner, or get to a safe place and wait for conditions to improve. There is an old truckers adage that goes like this,” you can to slow as often as you like, but you can only go to fast once”. I lived by that.

Speed:

We all get in a hurry. We all have had things that happened to make us late for appointments. The problem with speed is, no one else knows about, or for that matter really cares what problem you had that made you need to speed, and speeding actually does very little to negate the problems you had that you feel necessitate the need for speed.

My advice to those that are in front of an angry late person who wants to go faster than you, is move over and let them go. Passivity on the highway goes a long way in making a problem driver go away and perhaps save you from being a victim of road rage.

I’ll tell a short story about speeders. For the last 11 years of my driving career, my wife and i ran a grueling 6800 mile a week route over and over on the same highways at the same times. We found the same people passing us over and over throughout the day and we almost always ended up at the same stops, at the same time. slow and steady saves fuel, stress, and wins the race.

Impatience: Again, most of us have had things that make us late, but there are people out there that completely fall apart mentally when they are under the stress of facing a boss who will want to know why, or a potential client that will be getting a bad first impression based lateness. I’ve seen first hand, impatience make people do absolutely unbelievable things on the highway. Ive also seen a lot of death caused by impatient folks who made driving decisions based on anger. My advice is the same with angry speeders, move over,  don’t make eye contact. That is a challenge to some people. It’s about arriving in one peace, not about saving face or fighting back.

Egos:

All those years of driving taught me one thing that is incontravertible: you can find out anything you ever wanted to know about persons psyche, by watching them drive. There is something about the anonymity of a car and the power of a steering wheel, that brings out people’s truest, most inner character that they might otherwise try to keep hidden.

Driving allows Out of control egos, people who are otherwise constrained by society and its basic need for politeness, to let out their inner demon. these people are to be avoided at all costs and ive actually seen first hand one out of control ego meet another out of control ego, at 80 miles an hour. Its never pretty.

Be safe, don’t fall victim to the “by God, I know my rights” mentality. It will get you killed by those who couldn’t care less about your rights, life, or anyone else on the highway. If they don’t care about their own life, they certainly don’t care about yours.

Drunk/drugged drivers:

In this modern society, with a pill for everything and alcohol in convenient containers. Drunks and druggies are driving amongst us every mile of any highway we are on. Some of these drugs are prescribed by doctors so people who have mental disorders can function in a society that recognizes immediately if someone “aint quite right”. Unfortunately, these drugs that might help some folks, are easily and often abused and consumed with alcohol.

car-accident

Over the years I developed a keen eye for picking out drivers who were clearly under the influence of something that altered their behavior and judgement. Sudden lane changes for no reason, extreme speed fluctuations.

I even noticed that people who drove cars that were in obvious states of disrepair, were more often the ones that would be under the influence of something. I’m not saying having an older, payed for car means you’re a druggy or drunk, but it is one of the things I used to determine the likely hood of impairment and I was correct, more often than wrong.

Someone who gets on the interstate with broken shocks, cracked windshield and lights not working, are often spending their money on drugs or booze and not car repairs or for that matter, INSURANCE! Be very wary of them. They have nothing to lose and could not care less about damaging your car or leaving you with enormous hospital bills.

Inattentiveness:

If you have a phone, I will call you a liar if you say you’ve never made a call or accepted a call while rolling down the road……. ok , just me? The fact is, as the world changes, we have to adapt to those changes by being extra alert and vigilant. Texting, talking on the phone, messing with complicated stereos and navigation equipment, takes attention from the most important thing you are doing.

I think we’ve all realized this and maybe some of us have even made efforts to try to make ourselves safer from the inattentiveness that goes with technology by looking closely at people in our mirrors and glancing at them when they pass. You can do a lot to enhance your safety, just by recognizing those who aren’t paying attention to their driving and may have a cell phone stuck to their ear.

Increase following distance if your behind them, slow down to a point where they just have to pass you if you are in front of them and don’t be beside them when they realize they are in the left lane and want to turn into the walmart on their right.

Equipment failure: It happens to every machine eventually. Its just the nature of machinery to occasionally fail. For instance, you are driving over a two lane bridge with no emergency lane and suddenly your car stalls. There you are, can’t go forward, rolling backward will make it even worse.

What do you do? Fist and foremost is get your family out and in front of your vehicle by a couple hundred feet. Then do what ever it takes to get the attention of cars coming up behind you to recognize that there is a problem (of course you’ve already put your emergency flashers on). When you are certain that folks coming up behind you, see your car is disabled, then you can make repairs or call the police to direct traffic until a tow truck gets there.

This reminds me of something that non truckers might not realize. Tires on 18 wheelers are prone to Throwing their caps off, while going down the road. I hated caps and never ever used them. It was quite a bit more expensive, but i alway bought new tires.

Sadly, recapped tires are a fact of life and what you don’t know can kill you. I drive on the highway in my pickup and i never “hangout” near an 18 wheeler. I either pass quickly, or if i cant pass, i wait for traffic to clear beside him and pass only when I can get all the way around him. Those caps coming off will go clean through a windshield and do major damage to a vehicle.

Don’t follow an 18 wheeler any closer than you feel you can react if one comes off. Trucks see a lot of miles everyday and the profit margin is so slim that there are a lot of drivers who choose cash in their pocket over properly maintaining their equipment. It’s just human nature I suppose.

There aren’t many who get away with bad maintenance for very long before they are caught by the DOT, but in between those time, a lot can happen. Dont ever be afraid to call the state police and report a truck that has obvious defects that could hurt folks. Other truckers do it, and we all want to be safe on the road.

Construction: Its everywhere! Its everywhere!! You have two types of people whenever you lose a lane or come up on sudden construction. You have those that immediately recognize the need for a decrease in speed and enhanced attentiveness, and you have those who see an easy opening to get ahead of a whole bunch of people who care about others. Don’t fight them. Don’t react to them. let them pass and just keep doing what you know is right. You can’t change the world, its evilness or right a wrong, with your car.

Complacency: When you do something over and over, a part of your brain that manages redundant tasks, takes over the mundane repetitive act of driving and allows the rest of your brain get up and roam about the cabin. DON’T DO IT!!! Truckers fall prey to the natural way the brain works frequently.

When (not if) you find yourself falling victim to complacency, you lose your edge, your attention to what lays around the next bend or a car on the side of the road that just had its hood closed and the driver door shut. Always Always, look as far down the road as your eyes can see and never-never never fall into complacency.

Thanks for reading folks. I think I’ll do an article about staying safe from bipedal predators while on the road at a later date and if its something you might like to hear about. peace love and groovy, BC.

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