Last Post by: Pioneer Living. Net

This will be my last post for a short time. I thank you for letting me guest here and just to let you know I was born in WA and do miss the rain....lol


This is true Indian Style.

Did you ever wonder why the Indians could travel so light without freezing to death? Or why they only built a small fire?

A small fire was built so they would not attract nor be seen by others, this was for safety and also for another reason. They would only need a small amount of coals from the fire to stay warm.

They would take and dig a small trench about 10 inches deep. Then they would take the coals out of the fire, spread them in the trench, and cover them up with dirt or sand depending on the terrain. They would now spread their canvas or blanket over the trench and lay down in it and pull the end of the canvas and or blanket over themselves.

The warm coals beneath them would keep them warm all night.

Most people today would just build a large fire to stay warm. This could be dangerous for a couple of reasons, you sleep too close your bedding could potentially catch on fire and a large fire means you could be found an easy target for someone who would not hesitate to harm or kill you in order to secure their own survival.

Number 1 investment for 2009

Number 1 investment for 2009? Your answer should be…..”Food”. Hundreds of thousands of Americans and people around the world lost their jobs these past few years. Are you prepared if you suddenly lost your job?

Are you prepared for hard economical times? Are you prepared for a possible natural disaster? Are you prepared should you get sick or hurt and unable to work? Could you feed your family if any of these things were to happen to you? These are questions everyone should be asking themselves.

The majority of Americans are not prepared. They might be able to last a couple of weeks or maybe a month if some type of hardship were to strike them.

Unfortunately, many people feel caught up in a rat race that will not allow a garden or stocking up on food and necessary everyday living supplies. “I don’t have the time”, “I don’t have the room”, “I don’t know how”, I don’t have enough money to do this”, are common excuses for not digging in the dirt, and not planning for the future unknown.

Our grandparents, great-grandparents and those before them would fill their pantries and cellars from harvest to harvest only going to town or the city to purchase small amounts of supplies once a month, or even only a few times a year.

Our ancestors grew most of their own food. Cattle, hogs, chickens, rabbits were butchered. In the Fall brine cured and stored in the cellar. Garden vegetables were canned, root vegetables were buried in the root cellar and garlic, leeks and onions were hung in the cellar to dry. Fruits were preserved as well as berries preserved into jams, jellies and syrups. Our ancestors were prepared for the future unknown.

With all the modern day conveniences available to us today it is easy to get what we want, when we want it but at what cost? How old are the foods you are buying? Where does the food you buy come from? How was it grown, with pesticides? Is the food you buy safe for your family to eat? Will the local grocery store even have the shelves stocked tomorrow? Many studies have been done regarding the benefits of growing and preserving your own food. We would all do well to continue the preparedness practice just as our ancestors did before us.

There are 31 million Americans now on food stamps and probably standing in line at the local food banks so they can feed their families. Have that many people actually forgotten how to care for their families? What happens if the government stops giving out food stamps? What happens when there is no more food donations to your local food bank? It seems the answer for most of these people would be “they would starve.”

It really doesn’t matter whether you live in the city, the suburbs or the country. You can grow part or all of your own fresh nutritional food. It really doesn’t matter if you are a millionaire or a minimum wage worker, you can stock up on necessary food and supplies should you fall on hard times or a disaster hits your area.

Don’t you think it is about time you start gaining the knowledge and put in to practice what our ancestors knew and practiced every day before it is too late? Going back to basics and reclaim your freedom.

There are many resources available for each and every human being to be able to gain the knowledge of basic human survival: Water, Food and Shelter.

In researching several sources it was astounding to me the amount of food it would take for one person to survive for one year. How much does one person eat in a year? “Food for thought” so to speak.

Below is a basic preparedness list of what it would take to feed one person for one year. This list has been compiled from several different sources and can be varied. Just make sure if you substitute an item that you substitute it with comparable nutritional value.
AMOUNT OF FOOD TO STORE FOR ONE YEAR PER ADULT

STAPLES AMOUNT APPROX. SHELF LIFE
Wheat, winter 650 lbs Indefinitely
Unbleached White Flour 120 lbs 1-2 Years
Bulgur Wheat 110 lbs Indefinitely
Whole Kernel Corn or Corn Meal 75 lbs 5 Years
Baking Powder 2 Large Boxes 2 Years
Cornstarch 4 Large Boxes 5 Years
Baking Soda 12 lbs Indefinitely
Oatmeal 25 lbs 5 Years
Honey 2 Gallons Indefinitely
Molasses 1 Gallon Indefinitely
Karo Syrup 1 Gallon Indefinitely
Sugar (Keep Dry) 25 lbs Indefinitely
Brown Sugar (Keep Dry) 12 lbs Indefinitely
Salt 100 lbs Indefinitely
Shortening/Lard 60 lbs 3 Years
Soybean Oil 1 Gallon 3 Years
Peanut Oil 1 Gallon 3 Years
Olive Oil 1 Gallon 3 Years
Coffee 12 Large Cans 3-5 Years
Cocoa 4 Large Boxes 3-5 Years
Spaghetti 10 lbs 5 Years
Macaroni 12 lbs 5 Years
Misc. Noodles 15 lbs 5 Years
Rice, white 15 lbs 5 Years
Rice, brown 15 lbs 6-9 months
PROTEIN
Powdered Milk 100 lbs 2-15 Years
Mixed Nuts 20 lbs 1-2 Years
Peanuts 10 lbs 1-2 Years
Soybeans 20 lbs 5 Years
Pinto Beans 15 lbs 5 Years
Red Beans 10 lbs 5 Years
Navy Beans 10 lbs 5 Years
Large Lima Beans 15 lbs 5 Years
Baby Lima Beans 12 lbs 5 Years
Blackeyed Peas 10 lbs 5 Years
Dried Green Peas 15 lbs 5 Years
Millet Grain 10 lbs 5 Years
Split Peas 15 lbs 5 Years
Mung Beans 15 lbs 5 Years
Alfalfa Seeds - Lentils 15 lbs 5 Years
Garbanzo Beans 12 lbs 5 Years
TEXTURED VEGETABLE PROTEIN(Textured soy protein)
Chicken 12 lbs 5 Years
Hamburger 15 lbs 5 Years
Sausage 12 lbs 5 Years
Plain 15 lbs 5 Years
Ham 15 lbs 5 Years
Bacon 12 lbs 5 Years
CANNED FOOD
Peas 10 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Peas and Carrots 10 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Corn 12 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Green Beans 12 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Carrots 12 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Tomatoes 12 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Spinach 12 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Pumpkin 12 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Asparagus 12 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Turnip Greens 12 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Mustard Greens 12 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Collard Greens 12 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Sauerkraut 12 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Cabbage 12 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Cauliflower 12 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Onions 12 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Ketchup 12 jars/Bottles 3-5 Years
Relish 12 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Pickles 12 jars 3-5 Years
Zuccini Squash 12 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Potatoes 12 Jars/cans 3-5 Years
DRIED FOOD - 75% MOISTURE REMOVED
Prunes 12 lbs Indefinitely
Raisins 12 lbs Indefinitely
Apples 12 lbs Indefinitely
Pears 12 lbs Indefinitely
Peaches 12 lbs Indefinitely
Apricots 12 lbs Indefinitely
Blueberries 10 lbs Indefinitely
SPICES & CONDIMENTS
Soup base, beef 3 lbs 2-3 Years
Soup base, chicken 3 lbs 2-3 Years
Granulated garlic 2 lbs 2-3 Years
Granulated onion 1 lb 2-3 Years
Cayanne pepper 3 lbs 2-3 Years
Celery salt 8 oz 2-3 Years
Oregano 8 oz 2-3 Years
Chili powder 8 oz 2-3 Years
Dry mustard 8 oz 2-3 Years
Ginger, ground 8 oz 2-3 Years
Mace, ground 8 oz 2-3 Years
Allspice, ground 8 oz 2-3 Years
Marjoran, ground 8 oz 2-3 Years
Pickling spice 1 lb 2-3 Years
Pumpkin pie spice 8 oz 2-3 Years
Cinnamon sticks 8 oz 2-3 Years
Cinnamon, ground 8 oz 2-3 Years
Nutmeg 8 oz 2-3 Years
Sage, ground 8 oz 2-3 Years
Poultry seasoning 8 oz 2-3 Years
Black Pepper 8 oz 2-3 Years
Parsley Flakes 1 lb 2-3 Years
Bay leaves 8 oz 2-3 Years
Curry Powder 8 oz 2-3 Years
Cloves, Ground 8 oz 2-3 Years
Horseradish 8 oz 2-3 Years
Cream of Tarter 4 oz 2-3 Years
Old Hickory smoked salt 8 oz 2-3 Years
Cumin seed, ground 4 oz 2-3 Years
Tarragon leaves 8 oz 2-3 Years
Vanilla beans 8 oz 2-3 Years
Tumeric, ground 8 oz 2-3 Years
Paprika 1 lb 2-3 Years
Thyme, ground 8 oz 2-3 Years
Rosemary 8 oz 2-3 Years
Maple flavoring 1 pint 2-3 Years
Vanilla flavoring/Extract 1 pint 2-3 Years
Lemon extract 3 oz 2-3 Years
Peppermint flavoring 4 oz 2-3 Years
Almond extract 4 oz 2-3 Years
CANNED JUICE
Tomato 12 Large Cans 3-5 Years
Pineapple 12 Large Cans 3-5 Years
Apple 12 Large Cans 3-5 Years
Grapefruit 12 Large Cans 3-5 Years
CANNED FRUIT
Apples 15 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Applesauce 15 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Apricots 15 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Peaches 15 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Pears 15 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Cherries 15 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Blackberries 15 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Blueberries 15 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Strawberries 15 jars/cans 3-5 Years
Mixed Fruit 15 jars/cans 3-5 Years
DEHYDRATED FOOD
Cheddar cheese powder 2-#10 Can Indefinitely
Swiss cheese powder 2-#10 Can Indefinitely
Butter powder 2-#10 Can Indefinitely
Peanut butter powder 2-#10 Can Indefinitely
Multi purpose food 2-#10 Can Indefinitely
Egg powder 2-#10 Can Indefinitely
VEGETABLES (dehydrated)
Cut Green Beans 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Diced Beets 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Diced Cabbage 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Diced Celery 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Corn 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Chopped Onions 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Diced Potatoes 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Sliced Potatoes 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Potato Granules(for mashed) 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Soup blend 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Spinach flakes 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Stew blend 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Tomato crystals/flakes 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Peas - green garden 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
FRUIT (dehydrated)
Applesauce (plain) 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Apple slices 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Apricot slices 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Banana flakes 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Banana slices 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Date slices 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Fruit cocktail 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Fruit mix 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Peach slices 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Prunes, pitted 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Raisins, seedless 1-#10 Can Indefinitely
Tomato flakes 1-#10 Can Indefinitely



Please Note: The above chart is only a recommendation. Again it can vary depending on your families likes and dislikes. We realize the amount of food listed above would cost thousands of dollars, and is a little overwhelming on what it takes to be prepared. You don’t have to purchase your year’s supply all at once, start out by just purchasing a few extra items a week and you will be surprised how fast your emergency food supply will grow. This chart does not include toilet paper, toothpaste, personal care items, water storage or other miscellaneous supplies you would need for basic everyday living. We will discuss these items in detail in our upcoming online magazine issues. Best time to start preparing for the future unknown? “NOW”

Interview with a Survivalist

This was an interview with survivalist/instructor George Smith (AKA Texas Gorge)

PL: WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU HAVE NO REFRIDGERATION, SALT OR SMOKE?

George: If you have bad meat and no food and are starving?

PL: Yes

George: At first I would boil the meat for 20 minutes. As the days went by I would make sure to boil the meat for at least an hour.

To boil meat, have a kettle large enough to permit the meat to be entirely covered by the water, and let the water come to a boil before the meat is placed in it. Then let it remain boiling in the kettle for 45 to 60 minutes, which will be long enough to kill the smell, and bacteria. Now rinse meat well.

The meat will taste much better if one takes plenty of time for boiling. Then let it cook on a fire, allowing twelve to fifteen minutes for each pound.

I have done this several times in extreme situations, I ate the meat and not once did I get sick using this method.

PL: What about maggots?

George: Maggots! They are also edible, but not for me, I just picked them off before boiling the meat.

What would you do if you were starving?



Quote:

The poor on the borderline of starvation live purposeful lives. To be engaged in a desperate struggle for food and shelter is to be wholly free from a sense of futility.

Eric Hoffer(1902 - 1983), "The True Believer", 1951

Re-posted by: www.pioneerliving.net

Shelter

In most survival situations, three priorities must be addressed before any other needs are met:

A: Finding or making shelter is the most important because it allows a person to stay protected from the elements.

B: Humans can live for about three days without water. The length of survival mostly depends upon climate conditions and physical exertion.

C: Food is essential for survival. In the winter especially so you have calories to burn, to maintain essential body heat.

These priorities may change depending upon environmental factors.

A shelter will protect one from potentially disastrous weather, help prevent hypothermia, and allow restful sleep. If possible it will need to be set up quickly. You don't want to spend all of you time working on a shelter and take away vital time from other survival steps.

A shelter should provide a somewhat comfortable place to sleep. To this end, it should account for the following:

Immovable rocks, animal nests, and other obstacles and hazards should be avoided.

Dry watercourses may be flat, sandy, and comfortable to sleep on, but they will flood in a storm.



Sunlight will provide warmth (which is not always welcome), and help one to wake up in the morning. However, sunny, open areas are vulnerable to wind.

Heat transfer: an excessively large or well-ventilated shelter will not retain warmth well.

Flashing (weatherproofing) to provide protection from elements.

A cave would be a very useful shelter because it is very resistant to rain water getting in and maintains a constant temperature. Unfortunately, caves can present additional problems such as ground water, dampness and wildlife. Bears also nest in caves, so before selecting a cave to stay in, you should check it for signs of in-habitance.

The simplest and most mobile shelter would be some type of tarp that can be moved easily and supported by make shift frame work or just rope. When this is not available or not suitable to the situation a simple shelter can be constructed using a lattice of branches propped up at an angle against the wind. Large leaves, such as ferns or fir branches, can then be added to create cover for rain and hail. Ferns can also be added on a shelter to provide insect repellent. Branches propped against a fallen tree make a simple and effective shelter, but animals such as ants and snakes may nest under the tree. With some practice, more advanced shelters such as a debris shelter can be constructed without modern tools or implements.

Home Designs And Layout

Home Designs And Layout


In years gone by homesteaders designed and built their own houses, they built their homes with not only the contour of the land in mind but also the seasonal sun, wind, hills, slopes, rain were also other things to consider.

The main house even if it is just a cabin is always the focal point of any site plan, and the first step in designing it is to decide where it will be located.Log Home: In the southeast a log home is well protected by trees against winter winds. To offset the hot, humid character of the region in summer. In the northwest area it is protected by with trees to the north but always facing south to maximize winter solar heating.Adobe Homes: In the southwest has thick walls that offer excellent insulation against incessant heat of the sun.Stone Residence: This home with a large extension and a traditional porch on this style is ideal. Brick or stone is fireproof and mostly maintenance free. The attic helps retain heat, partially compensating for poor insulating ability of stone.Frame Dwellings: In the northwest our energy consciousness. Most windows face south and low sloping rear roof with small windows in back protects against north wind in the winter.Underground Dwelling: Are attracting more and more attention from solar heating experts and others. The temperature at a depth of 10 feet or more is a nearly constant 55 ‘F summer and winter, day and night, in the cold north and the warm south. The great benefits of this is you only need enough energy to raise the indoor temperature by 10 or 15 degrees in order to have a comfortable climate. You can eliminate any dampness or a cave-like atmosphere in this type of dwelling with skylights, dropped garden, and light wells.



Whatever design you use you will need to consider the positioning of your house when building it. Start by planning your structure in the winter months by locating your property, and positioning it in the direction of the winter sun, with the largest and most windows facing it. Let nature do some of the work for you by solar heating.

Note: A passive system is a basic element of the house itself, and it works best when it is planned in advance.

By placing your house in this small way allows the sun’s rays to warm the house in the winter yet blocking the midsummer sun.

Trees planted to the north is also something to consider as this will act as a wind block from the north winds.

Bug's

Repellents are often very effective in deterring pests, thereby protecting crops without having to resort to poisons. Now many gardeners will add a few drops of liquid detergent or 1/3 cup of soap flakes per gallon of any spray to increase the spray’s sticking power and effectiveness. You can also get quite inventive by using house hold items like tar paper which repels cutworms and maggots by its odor. Use 4-inch squares of tar paper laid on the ground, with holes in the centers for the stems to pass through, to protect seedlings from these pests. Aluminum foil laid on the ground has been found to be effective against aphids and squash-vine borers. Copper strips placed around a garden is effective against slugs, and crushed egg shells as well.



Countering The Common Insect Pests

Pest and control:

Aphid: Spray with a diluted solution of soapy water.Cabbage Worm: Dust plant with a mixture of ½ cup salt to 1 cup flour. Potato Beetle: Dust plants with wheat bran while they are wet.Codling Moth: Spray with fish oil, or soapy water.Corn Earworm: Apply mineral oil to the silk just inside the tip of each ear-use a eye dropper. This will repel this worm.Flea Beetle: Dust with wood ashes to repel.Mexican Bean Beetle: Spray with garlic or cedar extract to repel.Thrips: Spray with oil-water mixture.

Home-Made Formulas You Can Make At Home

Soap Spray: Mix ½ cup of Laundry soap to 1 gallon of hot waterThis will kill non furry caterpillars on contact as well as aphids. If used on non-woody plants, rinse off with clear water within 1 minute after applying.

Quassia Spray: Boil ¼ pound of quassia chips in 1 gallon of water for two hours, strain the liquid, and mix with three to five parts water. The spray will kill the aphids and caterpillars but is harmless to our good friends the ladybug and bees.

Garlic and Hot Pepper: Steep ½ teaspoon of crushed garlic and crushed hot peppers in 1 gallon of hot water and let sit for 24 hours. Use at full strength on wood plants, this will also repel mosquitoes; dilute 25 percent for annuals and vegetables. Spray repels many chewing and sucking insects.

Glue Mixture: Dissolve ¼ pound of glue in 1 gallon of warm water. Spray trees and bushes to trap and kill aphids, spider, mites, and scale insects.

Cedar Extract: Boil ¼ pound of cedar chips in 1 gallon of water for 2 hours; strain and dilute the liquid with three parts water; spray on plants to repel beetles.

Buttermilk and Flour: Mix ½ cup buttermilk and 4 cups wheat flour with 5 gallons of water. This will kill mites by suffocation.Note: Homemade sprays tend to be a lot safer than synthetic substances nevertheless, they should be treated with respect. Always wash fruits and vegetables before eating them.

Natural pest control is just part of the balance for the garden or orchard to be healthy. Do not try to eliminate pests completely, since in so doing you would eliminate the food supply of many beneficial insects as well. Try just keeping the number of pests at a minimum so that they do not do serious damage, while at the same time maintaining the predator population that feeds on the pests.

All predators that feed on insect pests should be encouraged in your garden, like garden spiders, lacewing fly, praying mantis, ladybugs, non poisonous snakes, toads, and bats.

Ladybugs and praying mantis eggs are sold by many garden suppliers; both of these insects prey on a variety of common pests.

Rendering Lard

While lard isn't considered a food, it was vital to the cooking process for many years. Here is a brief description of this necessary pioneering activity.

Rendering Lard

"A 225-pound hog will yield about 30 pounds of fat that can be rendered into fine shortening for pastries, biscuits, and frying. The sheet of fat just inside the ribs makes the best quality, snowy-white lard. This “leaf” fat renders most easily, too -- and is ninety percent fat. The “back” fat, a thick layer just under the skin, is almost as good, giving about eighty percent of its weight in lard.

A slow fire and a heavy pot that conducts heat evenly are most important in making lard. Put ¼” of water in the pot to keep the fat from scorching at first. Remove any fibers, lean meat, and bloody spots from the fat, and cut into very small pieces. It’s not necessary to remove pieces of skin, but many people prefer to. Put a shallow layer of fat in the pot. When the first layer of fat has started to melt, add more. Do not fill the kettle to the top -- it can boil over too easily. Stir frequently and keep fire low.

The temperature of the lard will be 212F at first, but as the water evaporates, the temperature will rise. Be forewarned that this will take a long time at low heat and that you must stir the lard frequently to prevent scorching. As the lard renders, the cracklings will float to the surface. When the lard is almost done and the cracklings have lost the rest of their moisture, they will sink to the bottom. At this point turn off the heat and allow the lard to settle and cool slightly. Then carefully dip the liquid off the top into clean containers. Strain the cracklings and residual liquid through cheese cloth. Fill containers to the top -- the lard will contract quite a bit while cooling. Chill as quickly as possible for a fine-grained shortening.

Air, light, and moisture can make lard rancid and sour. So after it has been thoroughly cooled, cover the containers tightly and store them in a dark, cool area.

Campfire building

How to Build a Campfire for Cooking

The object is to have all your wood turn into coals at the same time. This gives an even fire with no flames that could burn your food or blacken your cookware. We prefer to use only cast iron for our campfire cooking as it is the most durable cookware and is almost impossible to ruin. Making sure you have all coals before cooking will yield the longest cooking time from the coals.

Preparing Your Fire Site

* Select a fire site at least 10' from bushes or any combustibles. Be sure no tree branches are hanging over your fire site

* Make a U-shaped perimeter using large rocks or green logs. If using green logs make sure you wet them down from time to time. If it is a windy day, make sure the back of the fire pit faces the wind.

* Place a large flat rock at the rear of the fire pit to act as a chimney. The "chimney rock" will help direct the smoke up and away from your cooking area.



Laying the kindling


* Fill the fire area with crumpled paper or tinder.

* Lay kindling over paper/tinder in layers, alternating direction with each layer. Use thin pieces of wood or small dead branches. Do not put kindling down in a "teepee style". The whole fire area should be covered with the kindling stack.

* Light the paper or tinder to start your fire.



Building the Fire, grading the coals

* When the kindling is ablaze, add you firewood. The wood should be the same size, as much as possible. Use hardwood or hardwood branches if available. Distribute the wood evenly over fire bed.


* As soon as the last flames die down leaving mostly white coals, use a stick or shovel to push the coals into a higher level at the back end of the fire pit and keep a lower level at the front. This will give you “high“, “medium,“ and “low” cook settings. Or, just level the coals to your preference.

Cooking

* To cook, set the grill on rocks or wetted green logs. Put food directly on grill or in cookware and prepare your meal. If cooking directly on the grill, a small spray bottle or squirt gun is handy for shooting down any rogue flames, that is caused by food drippings.


* As the fire diminishes, bank the coals to get the most heat from them.



After cooking, you can add wood for your evening campfire. Before you retire for the evening make sure you extinguish thoroughly with water.

Hi All

Hello All,

My Name is John Milandred one of the founders of Pioneer Living and over the next two weeks I will be sharing with you some of the information on our website at: www.pioneerliving.net

Just a little note today and hope you all like my posts.


The forgotten/lost art of basic human survival. How did our grandparents, great grandparents, and ancestors survive without all the modern conveniences available to us today? Helping humans all over the world with solutions for caring for themselves and their families.

Often when people think about a survivalist, they envision someone who is trained in the outdoors and can survive off the land but a survivalist also stock piles food and possibly weapons to prepare for a disaster and the future unknown. Our ancestors were in reality survivalists.

This was because they were self sufficient, were responsible for one’s own self and family, protection, health, and sustenance as well as shelter.

This is what our ancestors knew and lived every day. They were prepared for what life brings through planning, learning, and preparing for any possible future.

The articles you will find will be focused on simpler times what our ancestors knew and lived every day. From disaster preparedness, extreme wilderness survival, growing and preserving your own nutritious food, foraging for food in the wilderness, water survival, and basic every day living.

Information and solutions to survive our ever changing environment in which we live in today. Solutions for taking back the responsibility of ones own self.

We think that you will be surprised how simple it is, no matter what walk of life you come from, how to get back to basics and in control of your life.

How cold will it be this winter?

It's late fall and the Indians on a remote reservation in South Dakota asked their new chief if the coming winter was going to be cold or mild.

Since he was a chief in a modern society, he had never been taught the old secrets. When he looked at the sky, he couldn't tell what the winter was going to be like.

Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he told his tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect firewood to be prepared..

But, being a practical leader, after several days, he got an idea. He went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked, 'Is the coming winter going to be cold?'

'It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold,' the meteorologist at the weather service responded.

So the chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more firewood in order to be prepared.

A week later, he called the National Weather Service again. 'Does it still look like it is going to be a very cold winter?'

'Yes,' the man at National Weather Service again replied, 'it's going to be a very cold winter.'


The chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect every scrap of firewood they could find.

Two weeks later, the chief called the National Weather Service again. 'Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?'


'Absolutely,' the man replied. 'It's looking more and more like it is going to be one of the coldest winters we've ever seen.'

'How can you be so sure?' the chief asked.

The weatherman replied, 'The Indians are collecting firewood like crazy.'


Remember this whenever you get advice from a government official!

The 5 best sentences on politics you will ever read!

These are possibly the 5 best sentences on politics you'll ever read.

They should be in every book in every school room in every city in every state in our great Union . Our educators should make a lesson plan on these statements and instill these words in the minds of all students.


*"You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity..”


*”What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.”


*The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.”


*When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.”


*You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it..."

Warning about the 2010 Census - Do not become a victim!

2010 Census to Begin

WARNING: 2010 Census Cautions from the Better Business Bureau Be Cautious About Giving Info to Census Workers by Susan Johnson

With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau
(BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S.. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.

The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S.
Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:

** If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know into your home.

** Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information.. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census.
REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.

While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. The Census Bureau will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations. Any one asking for that information is NOT with the Census Bureau.

AND REMEMBER, THE CENSUS BUREAU HAS DECIDED NOT TO WORK WITH ACORN ON GATHERING THIS INFORMATION.. No Acorn worker should approach you saying he/she is with the Census Bureau.

Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, the Census Bureau will not contact you by Email, so be on the lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census.

Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.

For more advice on avoiding identity theft and fraud, visit www.bbb.org

PLEASE SHARE THIS INFO WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.