Give it to Mikey he’ll eat anything

Food is the key to survival for every organism on the planet and yes that does include humans.  This post is all about food and what you want to have on hand in case of an emergency.

There are a few things you want to have in mind when you are buying food that is being stored for emergency’s.  The first and one of the most important details of emergency food is the expiration date.  Not only do you need to make sure that the expiration date is at least one year the date you buy the food but you need to make sure that you rotate the inventory.  Just like in a grocery store you are always going to want the oldest inventory in front.  This may seem obvious but you would be surprised how the majority of people (that don’t have a background in grocery) just throw food into their pantry.  I like nice clean rows so I can actually see what is there.

The second most important thing to remember to ask is “what food do you actually eat thought the month?”.  The food does you no good if you won’t eat it.  Again this seems obvious but some people are under the impression that emergency food has to taste like crap flavored cardboard.  This is not the case.  You don’t have to eat MRE’s like a grunt deep behind enemy lines in Afghanistan just because you are tapping into your emergency food stores.  I like to regularly use the food that we have set a side for emergency’s.  This makes sure that none of your food goes bad and also keeps you honest about your food selections. Make sure that the food you store is food you would eat even if it wasn’t an emergency.

The last thing that should be considered when thinking about you food selection is how that food is going to be cooked.  If there is an emergency there may not be any power.  This means that you will not have a can opener, an electric stove, or even a microwave.  I like to have a few methods of cooking without electricity.  Most homes in the country have a barbecue of some sort in their back yard.  This method of cooking works very good for an emergency.  I am a hunter and a camper so I also have different stoves that work for cooking in a pinch.   You can use denatured alcohol, Sterno, white gas, and Coleman fuel very easily in any situation as long as it is outside and well ventilated.  I will try to put some links to some very cheap and effective alcohol stoves that take up very little space for emergency’s.  Remember to practice the cooking methods that you will use. Just remember to be careful while using these new cooking methods.  It could be fun so enjoy yourself.

I need it, I need it, I neeeed it?

Everyone on the planet seems to have different “needs”.  But when you think of the word “need” it is important to have a firm grasp of what that actually encompasses.  We all have our guilty pleasures that we think that we cannot live without.  For some it is the warm embrace of a stiff drink after a tough day, for others it is a sweet moment with a nice piece of chocolate.  The reality is that there is a very small list of items that, when broken down to absolute necessity are must have items.  Food, Water, and Shelter these are simple items which in most areas of this country are not hard to come by.   It is because these items are so readily available that we have a hard time thinking of them ever not being there when we really need them even for just a few days.  I think that it is very responsible for everyone everywhere to at least have the ability to take care of their own families basic needs for a minimum of 30 days.  This should more than cover a majority of disasters that could threaten your well being.

If at this point you are thinking “man this guys is weird and morbid, thinking like that is just crazy.” then I would most likely direct you to any moment in history.  There has been a natural disaster of some sort just about every year in one region or another, and those disasters will continue to occur for ever.  We have a wild beautiful planet that cannot be tamed.  This is not gloom and doom this is just reality.  I will stick to the idea that the individual that does not even entertain the idea that something, or anything could disrupt their live is without a doubt delusional and crazy.  I hope that nothing ever happens to my family but I will certainly sleep better knowing that I have prepared for the “just in case” or the “that could never happen here”.

In my next post I am going to go into some good ideas on where to start with you “needs”.  This should actually be a fun process not a depressing one.  It is just an exercise in safety like a fire drill.  You don’t start doing fire drills when the building is on fire do you? No, you do it ahead of time so you know what to do and you can avoid panic.  This is the same thing. Also remember that nothing has to happen all at once when getting prepared.  You get what you can a slowly build up your supplies till you are comfortable.  Unless of course a hurricane is heading straight toward you, or all of you animals are going crazy for no reason hinting at some sort of impending doom.  If that is the case then hurry you butt up.

“tchick chitck” Sorry Wrong House!!

The blog is all about many different things but the one central theme is survival.  Not just survival in one particular situation but “surviving it all” what ever “it” may be.  I feel it is fitting that the first step I write about is the ability to protect yourself.

I have already received comments from a reader who has some questions about what was written in my first post. The whole ‘husky wife for protection” coment.  My reader Josh was concerned.  He does not have the luxury of having a husky, mean and tough wife for protection.  In his words my wife would loose a eating contest with a hummingbird and would loose in a fist fight against a possum (I know what your thinking possums don’t even have fists…kinda harsh hun?).  I assure you Josh that this is not a problem that cannot be remedied.  Which brings us to the selection of your multipurpose home protection device.

When looking at any survival item what you want is something that has more than one purpose.  The selection of your weapon should be no exception to this.  Even though you may think the weapon will be used for protection you may find that you need it to hunt for food as well.

With this in mind it is my humble opinion that one of the best weapons for survival is the 12 gauge shotgun.  You can get any variation of this weapon but the most bang for the buck with the widest range of application is your general store special 12 gauge pump.  There are a few that are  both affordable that are worth mentioning such as the   winchester 1300, mossberg 500 persuader or any high capacity 12 gauge that holds 5 or more shells.

These shotguns can be used for protection very well with its intimidating sound and destructive power.  It can also be used to hunt small game such as rabbits, squirrels, and birds with the use of bird shot shells.  It can also be used to hunt large game such as wild pigs, deer, elk with hunting slugs and buck shot shells.  Another advantage of the 12 gauge shotgun is the availability of the ammunition.   Because of the popularity and versatility of this weapon the chances of coming across these shells in a crisis are much higher that some exotic fancy rifle load that is designed for killing elephants and water buffalo.

So think about all these things before you decide to trade you beautiful petite wife in for a husky lumber jack lucy.  It may not be necessary if you just get the correct weapon.

Good moring sleepy head!

I am glad to see that you have woken up or at least started to.  It is a real process to understand that there is a fine thread that we all survive hanging from.  This is not to say that everyone should walk around scared stiff, paralyzed with fear unable to cope with the horror that something could happen to the beautiful life they have created for themselves.

An individual should only be scared only about things that they have not prepared for.  If you are afraid of getting sick then you should probably think about getting health insurance as well as take care of your self with vitamins and healthy living.  If you are scared of intruders into your home you might think about getting a big dog or a gun….or maybe even get a husky husband or wife (if your into that).  I personally like a gentle wife and a strong gun but use your own discretion.

My point is that if you prepare for everything then there is not a whole heck of a lot that you have to worry about is there?  So lets get started with the mindset of “living with out fear” instead of “living with out knowledge of vulnerability”.