I need to emphasize that this type of safeguarding would typically be done in a sudden, widespread, disaster, where a majority of the population would be caught off-guard thus instantly causing them to be ill-equipped to provide for their immediate needs. In a matter of days if supply trucks cannot gain access to the city, the unprepared will stop at nothing to get what they need in order to survive – and that could be breaking into you home.

To prepare for this, we need to go beyond the vague preparedness suggestions from government backed disaster organizations and prepare to safeguard and defend our homes from unwanted guests.

The Plan

The best approach to keeping these criminals away from your home is to make the house look difficult to vandalize. Further, create obstacles to make it next to impossible for the vandals to gain access. This will either frustrate them to the point of abandoning their break in plans or slow them down so that you can persuade them (with the sound of your firearm).

Further, I suggest that you have a way to protect yourself. Educate yourself on the best type of firearms to have and know how to use them. “If you can’t protect it, you don’t own it” describes the mentality the unprepared have about you and your preps. I’m not saying it’s fair that people could steal from you, but it’s a reality, and a concern you should not take lightly. The fact is that crime seems to escalate in the aftermath of a disaster; despite the current disinformation circulating about how in no uncertain terms that the hunger, chaos, and unrest never happened.

Minimize the threat of a home break in or home invasion by adding layers of security (before a disaster is imminent) in order to prevent your home from being a possible hit. Security layers are preventative measures put into place that will advertise to possible intruders to avoid your home altogether. Once these security layers are put into place, follow the suggestions below to zombie-proof your home.

This thread was found at www.SurvivalistBoards.com and the suggestions could come in handy if you are planning for Golden Hoards or looters after a widespread disaster.

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In all honesty, there are times when I go through funks – I’m anxious, depressed and have no energy. But lately the funks are lasting longer, and I have more symptoms that I’m dealing with. Last month, while lying in bed (because I had insomnia), I took an online quiz on whether I worry too much. I had almost every symptom for generalized anxiety disorder.

• Joint and muscular issues
• Problems sleeping
• Tingles in fingers and toes
• Indulging in bad habits or self destructive behaviors
• Anxiousness
• Moodswings
• Slugishness
• Digestion issues
• Too much caffeine
• Not enough vegetables and fruits
• Overall feeling of impending doom
• No longer wanting to do things that I enjoy

I know that many of you don’t know me personally, but I’m a pretty upbeat and positive person. When I finally looked in the mirror and realized that I allowed my self-destructive behaviors and thoughts to take over – again, something had to be done. I finally started being true to myself and saw that these feelings and behaviors are causing my health to dimish. It got so bad that I had started calling myself “Tess the Mess”! Shortly after this was my wake up call and I made the decision to be my own best friend and make some hard changes. “Tess the Mess” was going away.

10 Things To Turn the Boat Around

I knew that change was necessary and I prefer to do things naturally rather than getting a prescription for synthetic drugs for anxiety disorders. I know this takes a little longer to see results, but I wanted to be as gentle on my body and mind as possible.

1. Drop the bad habits – You know the bad habits and self destructive behaviors that cause your body harm. It could be smoking, emotionally eating, drinking alcohol, the list goes on and on. We know that these are bad habits that need to stop.
2. Maca Powder - A friend recommended that I take this natural supplement for an overall health boost. I add it to my smoothies and yogurt and it’s great. There are no known side effects to this, so I feel like I’m taking a great natural approach to my well being. Read more about maca powder.
3. Take your vitamins – Here’s the deal – I hate taking pills. I’m really good about making fruit and veggie smoothies to get natural vitamins and also eat lots of salads, but I  know that taking a supplement here and there helps too. I suffer from joint issues caused by a previous accident, so taking supplements to aid in joint care would be beneficial to me in this respect.
4. Drink lots of water – I’m guilty of not drinking enough water during the day. Even though I know that water helps the body regulate itself and run more smoothly, I can’t seem to drink enough. To remedy this, I bought the biggest water bottle that I could find and filled it up three times a day. I also have a spoonful of chia seeds with my water to help ensure my body stayed hydrated. This also gave me a natural energy boost and made such a difference!
5. Herbal tinctures – Anxiousness tends to creep up on me and having herbal tinctures for stress and decompressing helped tremendously. It helped me take the edge off.

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Storing fuel can also be very economical given the price increases we have seen in gasoline these days. Ensure that you have purchased proper fuel storage containers or tanks for safety. Further, investing in fuel stabilizers such as Sta-bil and Pri-G or Pri-D would be beneficial if you plan on longer-term fuel storage. Some preppers store the same fuel for all of their prep items and have purchased kits to convert their equipment to one specific fuel source. More information about these conversion kits can easily be searched for online.

However, storing fuel for short or long-term disasters is not without its own set of unique challenges. Storing fuel can create fire hazards if not stored properly, can be an OPSEC nightmare, and lets not forget that depending on where you live, storing large amounts of fuel can be illegal. Ensuring that you follow safety regulations for properly storing fuel, and knowing what the EPA and regulatory issues associated with storing fuel are will help you in your fuel storage preparedness. Contacting fuel dealers that are in your local area can also provide you with a host of useful information on this issue.

To ensure maximum safety, follow these guidelines when storing fuel:

• Use a proper fuel container to store fuel in.
• Keep fuel dry.
• For safety reasons store fuel in an isolated area. Do not store fuel near your home or near appliances such as water tanks.
• Do not store fuel near ammunition.
• Store fuel downwind from any homes or buildings.
• Store fuel in a cool, dark area away from any sunlight or high temperature fluctuations.
• Rotate your fuel supply regularly.
• Have a fire extinguisher on hand in the area where the fuel is stored.
• Check the storage containers or tanks regularly to ensure that the fuel is safely stored away and that there are not any signs of leaking.

Knowing how much fuel to store is dependent largely on what you plan to use the fuel on during an emergency. If you wanted to only run a generator with gasoline to power your home and appliances during the day, plan on using 1-2 gallons of fuel per hour. In a 72-hour emergency where you are reliant on yourself to provide power, plan on needing at a minimum 48-gallons of fuel.

When making fuel storage preparations, think about what types of fuels your emergency equipment will need, and prepare accordingly. The six most popular fuel sources to store are listed below.

Firewood – This is the most basic of fuel sources, is inexpensive and depending on where you live, there could be a plentiful supply for use. Many preppers believe that firewood is one of the greatest self-sufficiency advantages of off the grid living. Ensure that your firewood is seasoned at least six months and is kept dry. Firewood is also the only fuel that has re-usable bi-products. Firewood can be make into charcoal, and its ashes used in the garden or compost pile.

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Job loss is one of those personal emergencies that can strike without warning. Those who have been affected by unemployed know all too well of the stress involved in this “personal economic collapse”.  That said, steps can be taken beforehand to buffer and prepare your household for this unexpected and unwelcoming disaster.

Keep the Basics in Mind

Similar to any type of disaster planning, your primary concerns for a personal SHTF event are to keep the basics in mind: food, utilities and shelter. As long as you have food on the table and a roof over your head, you can manage most issues that come your way. Before an employment crisis in imminent, you want to plan for it by saving money and accruing shelf stable foods. As a goal, plan for 1 month of food and money reserved for utility and rent/mortgage. Then, add more food and saved money to your unemployment stockpile. Your overall goal is to have a 6 month supply of food and money reserved for utility and rent/mortgage. Don’t forget about these unemployment tips!

In Case of Emergency, Cut the Budget

When job loss occurs, your finances will quickly dwindle and your budget may simply be too tight to take care of everything. Choices must be made as to what bills can be paid and which ones will need to be put off until the budget allows. If you decide to leave some bills unpaid for a while, make sure the unpaid bills are those of unsecured loans. Things that are less important are credit cards and non-essential monthly bills such as cable and cell phones. Although you may not want to go without these things, it’s better than becoming homeless. Remember the prepper saying, “Categorize your ‘nice to haves’ and your ‘need to haves’.” As well, be aware that skipping these payments will damage your credit rating, however, it’s better to have poor credit than to have hungry children. Prioritize by paying for food, utilities and shelter before anything else.

Food

From a preparedness perspective, food is something that can be purchased in advance of such an event. Building your food stockpile has a layered effect on your preparedness endeavors and can be used when unexpected emergencies occurs. If you have a decent stockpile of foods, not only can you be confident in your ability to feed your family during difficult times, but the fact that you don’t need to purchase groceries can allow you to funnel your limited money towards your other two concerns, which are keeping a roof over your head and keeping the utilities paid (which keeps lights on and the water running). When choosing food with which to build your pantry, you will want to focus on items that can serve multiple purposes. For example, dry milk can be used to make a calcium rich beverage, in baked goods and as a coffee whitener. Wheatberries are more valuable than flour because not only can they be ground to make flour, but they can be cooked and served as a hot cereal or in a pilaf, or they can be sprouted to provide fresh greens when vegetables are scarce. Purchasing items in bulk and on sale will help you to build your food storage pantry quickly. Store what you eat, and eat what you store, rotating items in to be sure and consume them before their expiration dates.

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So in light of this, how do we save for the rainy days to come?

Once you’ve established the basics of your survival preparedness, you can protect your personal wealth by investing in precious metals. There are many different ways to acquire gold and silver. Here are a few:

• Purchase the pieces from mints or exchanges

• Purchase old pieces of jewelry or coins from yard sales, estate sales, thrift stores and Craigslist

• From trusted sellers on EBay

Mints and exchanges offer a sure thing. These businesses are built on trust and integrity. However when you purchase from everyday people or take a gamble on buying something at the thrift store, you need to be able to identify and test the metals yourself.

1. Look for markings. Jewelry made from precious metals in the US was required to be marked for metal content in 1906. On silver pieces you are looking for the numbers “925” – this indicates that the piece is Sterling Silver or 92.5% silver. If the piece you are considering is gold, you are looking for 10K, 14K, 18K, etc. 24K is 100% gold, and is very soft, so the other numbers are indicative of the gold content that has been mixed with a harder metal to make it less pliable.

2. Inspect the piece carefully. Is it rough near the edges? Is it discolored in places? Is the finish chipping or flaking? These are all indicators that the piece may only be plated with silver or gold. These items require further testing. (Note: Sterling Silver will “oxidize” and tarnish – don’t be put off by black discoloration. This should wipe off with a soft cloth.)

3. If the piece has been marked, then you will want to test it further. Carry with you a strong magnet. Precious metals are NOT magnetic, nor are the other metals that are used in jewelry to harden them. If the piece of jewelry or coin reacts to the magnet it is not gold or silver.

4. Test it with ceramic. You can purchase a small piece of unglazed ceramic tile at your local hardware store. If you have a piece of questionable gold, run the piece across the ceramic tile. If it leaves a blackish mark, it is not genuine gold.

Once you have performed these quick tests, you may want to go further. There are two more definitive tests – the “Archimedes Test” and the acid test.

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Heat related deaths are the number 1 weather related killer in the United States. Although this type of death is preventable, annually many people succumb to extreme heat. Historically, from 1979-2003, excessive heat exposure caused 8,015 deaths in the United States. During this period, more people in this country died from extreme heat than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined. In 2001, 300 deaths were caused by excessive heat exposure.

People suffer heat-related illness when their bodies are unable to compensate and properly cool themselves. The body normally cools itself through sweating but under extreme heat, sweating just isn’t enough. In such cases, a person’s body temperature rises rapidly and very high body temperatures can damage the brain or other vital organs.

Several factors affect the body’s ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather. When the humidity is high, sweat will not evaporate as quickly, preventing the body from releasing heat quickly. Other conditions related to the risk include age, obesity, fever, dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation, sunburn, and prescription drug and alcohol use.

Because heat-related deaths are preventable, people need to be aware of who is at greatest risk and what actions can be taken to prevent a heat-related illness or death. The elderly, the very young, and those with mental illness and chronic diseases are all at highest risk. However, even young and healthy individuals can succumb to heat if they participate in strenuous physical activities during hot weather. Your risk to heat related illnesses can be reduced by staying hydrated and being in an air conditioned environment. If a home is not air-conditioned, spend time in public facilities that are air-conditioned.

What Is Extreme Heat?

Conditions of extreme heat are defined as summertime temperatures that are substantially hotter and/or more humid than average for location at that time of year. Humid or muggy conditions, which add to the discomfort of high temperatures, occur when a “dome” of high atmospheric pressure traps hazy, damp air near the ground. Extremely dry and hot conditions can provoke dust storms and low visibility. Droughts occur when a long period passes without substantial rainfall. A heat wave combined with a drought is a very dangerous situation.

During Hot Weather

To protect your health when temperatures are extremely high, remember to keep cool and use common sense. The following tips are important:

Drink Plenty of Fluids. During hot weather you will need to increase your fluid intake, regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. During heavy exercise in a hot environment, drink two to four glasses (16-32 ounces) of cool fluids each hour. Don’t drink liquids that contain alcohol, or large amounts of sugar – these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Also avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.

Warning: If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask how much you should drink while the weather is hot.

Replace Salt and Minerals. Heavy sweating removes salt and minerals from the body. These are necessary for your body and must be replaced. If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, non-alcoholic fluids each hour. Drinks that have electrolytes can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. However, if you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage or taking salt tablets.

Wear Appropriate Clothing and Sunscreen. Wear as little clothing as possible when you are at home. Choose lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Sunburn affects your body’s ability to cool itself and causes a loss of body fluids. It also causes pain and damages the skin. If you must go outdoors, protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) along with sunglasses, and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels) 30 minutes prior to going out. Continue to reapply it according to the package directions.

Schedule Outdoor Activities Carefully. If you must be outdoors, try to limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours. Try to rest often in shady areas so that your body’s thermostat will have a chance to recover.

Pace Yourself. If you are not accustomed to working or exercising in a hot environment, start slowly and pick up the pace gradually. If exertion in the heat makes your heart pound and leaves you gasping for breath, STOP all activity. Get into a cool area or at least into the shade, and rest, especially if you become lightheaded, confused, weak, or faint.

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The Best of Tess Pennington

Breaking up is hard to do, especially when it is with a tracking service like a financial institution.

Sometimes you can make a clean break and other times you have to remain “just friends”.

The US government actually has a name for people who have no bank accounts – they call these folks “the unbanked”. The FDIC defines the unbanked as “those without an account at a bank or other financial institution and are considered to be outside the mainstream for one reason or another.” Another term is “the underbanked” – “people or businesses that have poor access to mainstream financial services normally offered by retail banks. The underbanked can be characterized by a strong reliance on non-traditional forms of finance and micro-finance often associated with disadvantaged and the poor, such as check cashers, loan sharks and pawnbrokers.”

According to the government, the above scenarios are crisis situations which must be rectified for “your own good”. There is legislation on the table in many states to set up banking facilities for the unbanked and underbanked. The assumption is that most folks who do not deal with a bank are too poor to do so. This could be true in many cases: high minimum balances, bad credit history, NSFs, and account fees can all preclude having a bank account for those in difficult financial straits.

However, the government has a couple more reasons to insist that everyone should have a bank account:

1.) Ease of confiscation

We need only to look at the horrible situation in Cyprus to see how bank accounts are like all-you-can-steal-buffets for the powers that be. A suggested theft TAX of up to 20% of the money in Cypriot bank accounts may be levied in order for the country to meet it’s staggering debts in the terms of the proposed EU bailout. The banks of Cyprus are loaded with the money of residents and businesses of other countries that have used them as a tax haven. The banks have been closed for several days and frantic customers are left to withdraw the maximum daily balances from ATM machines in an attempt to salvage what they can. Many people fear the banks will never reopen their doors.

Think it can’t happen here? I wonder if the people of Iceland, Greece, Ireland, Hungary, Argentina, Spain, and Portugal thought that too.

2.) Surveillance

The second reason that “everyone should have access to banking services” is the digital trail that it leaves. Every dime you receive and spend out of these accounts is part of an intricate system of surveillance. When your money goes into a bank – any bank – Big Brother knows about it. It’s a simple matter of compiling information via your social security number (or other federally-assigned number) to find out how much you make, how much you have, and where it comes from. This can be used to prosecute you for tax purposes, to locate you through where your pay comes from, and to follow your personal money trail for a variety of different reasons.

It can also be used to track your spending – Big Brother can find out that you spent $2000 at a gun store, that you purchased online from a prepper supply website or that you bought some books with “questionable” content in order to paint you as a threat.

Unbanking

So, in this day and age, is it possible to get by completely without a bank account?

It’s tough. Most work places prefer to pay through direct deposit. Many landlords, mortgage companies and finance companies do business through direct debit. You’re going to pay some steep fees if this is the route that you choose to go. For some, it might be worth it, particularly if you only have a few transactions in a month.

Here are some places you can cash checks for a fee:

• Check cashing depots
• Some retailers like Walmart, 7-11, and some grocery stores (the number of these is dropping rapidly)
• Pawn shops
• The issuing bank will sometimes cash a check drawn from one of their accounts for a non-account holder
• Some prepaid credit card accounts will accept a direct deposit (in my opinion, this is nearly as unsafe as having your money in a bank account)
• Through a friend or family member’s account (also risky – for both you and the account holder)

Here are some ways you can pay bills without a bank account:

• In person, with cash, cashier’s checks, or money orders
• Through the mail, with cashier’s checks or money orders
• Online, with prepaid credit cards
• Through a kiosk using a prepaid credit card
• At a check-cashing depot or retailer

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The Best of Tess Pennington

Indians once referred to the mighty tornado as the “Finger of God” because it has the power to spare or destroy.

Tornados can occur in every state and has the capacity to strike with little or no warning. The damage from a tornado results from high wind velocity and wind blown debris. Because they can occur in any state and also accompany tropical storms and hurricanes as they move onto land, each family should make preparations before a tornado strikes.

Tornado Facts:

• They may strike quickly, with little or no warning.
• They may appear nearly transparent until dust and debris are picked up or a cloud forms in the funnel.
• The average tornado moves Southwest to Northeast, but tornadoes have been known to move in any direction.
• The average forward speed of a tornado is 30 mph, but may vary from stationary to 70 mph. The maximum speed is over 300 mph.
• Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water.
• Tornadoes are most frequently reported east of the Rocky Mountains during spring and summer months.
• Peak tornado season in the southern states is March through May; in the northern states, it is late spring through early summer.
• Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 pm and 9 pm, but can occur at any time.

What’s the Difference Between a Watch and a Warning?

Tornado Watch – Tornadoes are possible. Remain alert for approaching storms. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or television for information.

Tornado Warning – A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Take shelter immediately.

Signs of a Tornado

Always be on alert when a strong storm is approaching – with the right conditions it could turn into a tornado. Look for these additional signs:

• Dark, often greenish sky
• Large hail
• A large, dark, low-lying cloud (particularly if rotating)
• Loud roar, similar to a freight train.
• If you see approaching storms or any of the danger signs, be prepared to take shelter immediately.

Preparing for a Tornado

These swirling vortexes of destruction can cause fatalities and destroy in a matter of seconds with paths of up to 1 miles in width or more. Therefore it is in one’s best interest to prepare beforehand. Pre-planning is critical in helps your family react more quickly and fluidly to the situation at hand. Sitting down as a family to discuss protocols, procedures and what they should expect during a tornado will help them grasp the severity of the situation.

Make a Plan

The first thing you should do to prepare for any emergency is to sit down with your family and create a preparedness plan that includes pertinent contact information, alternative emergency locations, and have important papers safely put away or downloaded onto a flash drive for easy carry. Sometimes these subjects can be hard for small children to understand. Children have a psychological need for security and stability therefore, prepare your children by building their natural resilience to these situations. Read more here.

Further, if you store food and water for emergencies, plan to have meals that will require minimum fuel or electricity usage.

Communications is an important aspect of tornado preparedness. Ensure that you have a

In any emergency, always listen to the instructions given by local emergency management officials.

Sheltering in Place

Your family could be anywhere when a tornado strikes–at home, at work, at school, or in the car. Discuss different shelter areas to go to during a tornado. Moreover, talk with members of how they can protect themselves from flying and falling debris.

According to the American Red Cross, “the key to surviving a tornado and reducing the risk of injury lies in planning, preparing, and practicing what you and your family will do if a tornado strikes. Flying debris causes most deaths and injuries during a tornado. Although there is no completely safe place during a tornado, some locations are much safer than others.”

At Home

Pick a place in the home where family members can gather if a tornado is headed your way. One basic rule is AVOID WINDOWS AND MIRRORS.An exploding window can injure or kill.

The safest place in the home is the interior part of a basement. If there is no basement, go to an inside room, without windows, on the lowest floor. This could be a center hallway, bathroom, or closet.

For added protection, get under something sturdy such as a heavy table or workbench. If possible, cover your body with a blanket, sleeping bag, or mattress, and protect your head with anything available–even your hands. Avoid taking shelter where there are heavy objects, such as pianos or refrigerators, on the area of floor that is directly above you. They could fall though the floor if the tornado strikes your house.

If you live in a mobile home, bear in mind that these do not offer adequate shelter. They can turn over from high wind velocities. If you live in mobile home, evacuate immediately and go to the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building or a storm shelter from a tornado. Get out immediately and go to the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building or a storm shelter.

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Indians once referred to the mighty tornado as the “Finger of God” because it has the power to spare or destroy.

Tornados can occur in every state and has the capacity to strike with little or no warning. The damage from a tornado results from high wind velocity and wind blown debris. Because they can occur in any state and also accompany tropical storms and hurricanes as they move onto land, each family should make preparations before a tornado strikes.

Tornado Facts:

• They may strike quickly, with little or no warning.
• They may appear nearly transparent until dust and debris are picked up or a cloud forms in the funnel.
• The average tornado moves Southwest to Northeast, but tornadoes have been known to move in any direction.
• The average forward speed of a tornado is 30 mph, but may vary from stationary to 70 mph. The maximum speed is over 300 mph.
• Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water.
• Tornadoes are most frequently reported east of the Rocky Mountains during spring and summer months.
• Peak tornado season in the southern states is March through May; in the northern states, it is late spring through early summer.
• Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 pm and 9 pm, but can occur at any time.

Tornadoes are categorized based on sustained wind damage:

F-0 40-72 mph Chimney damage, tree branches broken F-1 73-112 mph Mobile homes pushed off their foundations or overturned F-2 113-157 mph Considerable damage. Mobile homes demolished. Trees uprooted F-3 158-205 mph Roofs and walls torn down. Trains overturned. Cars thrown. F-4 207-260 mph Well constructed walls leveled F-5 261-318 mph Homes lifted off foundations and carried considerable distances. Cars thrown as far as 100 meters.

What’s the Difference Between a Watch and a Warning?

Tornado Watch – Tornadoes are possible. Remain alert for approaching storms. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or television for information.

Tornado Warning – A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Take shelter immediately.

Signs of a Tornado

Always be on alert when a strong storm is approaching — with the right conditions it could turn into a tornado. Look for these additional signs:

• Dark, often greenish sky
• Large hail
• A large, dark, low-lying cloud (particularly if rotating)
• Loud roar, similar to a freight train.
• If you see approaching storms or any of the danger signs, be prepared to take shelter immediately.

Preparing for a Tornado

These swirling vortexes of destruction can cause fatalities and destroy in a matter of seconds with paths of up to 1 miles in width or more. Therefore it is in one’s best interest to prepare beforehand. Pre-planning is critical in helps your family react more quickly and fluidly to the situation at hand. Sitting down as a family to discuss protocols, procedures and what they should expect during a tornado will help them grasp the severity of the situation.

Make a Plan

The first thing you should do to prepare for any emergency is to sit down with your family and create a preparedness plan that includes pertinent contact information, alternative emergency locations, and have important papers safely put away or downloaded onto a flash drive for easy carry. Sometimes these subjects can be hard for small children to understand. Children have a psychological need for security and stability therefore, prepare your children by building their natural resilience to these situations. Read more here.

Further, if you store food and water for emergencies, plan to have meals that will require minimum fuel or electricity usage.

Communications is an important aspect of tornado preparedness. Ensure that you have a

In any emergency, always listen to the instructions given by local emergency management officials.

Sheltering in Place

Your family could be anywhere when a tornado strikes–at home, at work, at school, or in the car. Discuss different shelter areas to go to during a tornado. Moreover, talk with members of how they can protect themselves from flying and falling debris.

According to the American Red Cross, “the key to surviving a tornado and reducing the risk of injury lies in planning, preparing, and practicing what you and your family will do if a tornado strikes. Flying debris causes most deaths and injuries during a tornado. Although there is no completely safe place during a tornado, some locations are much safer than others.”

At Home

Pick a place in the home where family members can gather if a tornado is headed your way. One basic rule is AVOID WINDOWS AND MIRRORS. An exploding window can injure or kill.

The safest place in the home is the interior part of a basement. If there is no basement, go to an inside room, without windows, on the lowest floor. This could be a center hallway, bathroom, or closet.

For added protection, get under something sturdy such as a heavy table or workbench. If possible, cover your body with a blanket, sleeping bag, or mattress, and protect your head with anything available–even your hands. Avoid taking shelter where there are heavy objects, such as pianos or refrigerators, on the area of floor that is directly above you. They could fall though the floor if the tornado strikes your house.

If you live in a mobile home, bear in mind that these do not offer adequate shelter. They can turn over from high wind velocities. If you live in mobile home, evacuate immediately and go to the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building or a storm shelter from a tornado. Get out immediately and go to the lowest floor of a sturdy, nearby building or a storm shelter.

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

The Best of Tess Pennington

There is always a learning curve when we begin something new. At times this learning curve can be quite intimidating, but, if you stick with something long enough, you tend to get the hang of it. This holds true to anything you set your mind to learning.

Many of us are taking time out from our busy schedules to learn new skills that will either prepare us for surviving an extended, long-term emergency or we are wanting to learn skills that we can use to live a more sustainable lifestyle. When developing new skills overwhelms you, remember, you can break them down into three easy steps:

1. Research.
2. Gather.
3. Practice.

These three steps are the basic outline to learning how to do ANYTHING.

RESEARCH

Nearly every day, I thank my lucky stars for the internet. With it, I can learn just about anything using YouTube videos, websites and forums. Information is free for the taking, and not only can you read about it, you can print off the instructions that seem the most valuable.

However, despite the wide range of the internet, don’t forget the importance of paper technology: books! Add to your how-to library on a dime by picking up books on a multitude of topics from library sales, thrift shops, book store clearance sections and yard sales.

Finally, learn from others. Tap into the knowledge base of older neighbors and family members, many of whom already possess the skills that you want to learn. Spend time interviewing them, watching them and asking questions. Most of these skills were originally passed down by word of mouth, so keep the oral tradition alive!

GATHER

Once you have decided upon the skill that you want to learn and researched it, you need to gather the supplies required to learn it. Some skills require no particular supplies. Like learning to forage in the woods for food – you can simply use your research materials to pursue the skill. Others, like making a rag rug, for example, require things like fabric, a sturdy needle and carpet thread.

I keep a running list of specific supplies that I am looking for and keep it with me when I hit the thrift stores and yard sales. I’ve acquired things like sewing supplies, jars of buttons, an axe, how-to books, gardening tools, canning jars, and many many more items that others no longer have a use for. As well, think about sources like Craigslist, Freecycle and the classified section of your local newspaper. Sometimes all you have to do is ask to catch the interest of someone who wants to clear out some space in his or her basement.

Organize your supplies so that they are grouped together by skill – you don’t want to start a project only to have to stop and search for a necessary item for half an hour.

PRACTICE

With a new skill, you don’t learn how to perform it simply by reading about it. You have to put the skill into practice to truly be proficient at it. This is true of anything from canning to sewing to chopping wood.

If you are lucky enough to have a mentor for the skill you are learning now is the time to invite her over for tea! She can watch what you are doing and point out ways to make it easier or identify mistakes before they become habits!

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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If you have a sweet tooth, like me, you may also quake in fear of the day when you can no longer purchase sugar at the store. What’s a dessert lover to do if the day ever comes when your sugar canister has run dry?

Never fear – there are many alternatives to white sugar that you can produce on your own homestead. Learning how to cultivate these alternative sweeteners can provide you with not only a product that sates your own family’s cravings, but a highly valued barter item.

Honey: Beekeeping is a hobby you can start now. Even a small urban lot can provide the nominal amount of space required for a hive (Check your local regulations first – this is not legal in every municipality.). Get advice from other local beekeepers and do some research first. You want to be sure your area has enough flowers to keep your bees in pollen! Beekeeping is not terribly expensive. You will need:

• Bees and a hive (can be ordered by mail)
• A smoker
• Protective clothing
• Extraction equipment

Honey has many nutritional and medicinal benefits as well. It has wound healing properties, is antibacterial and is an excellent cough remedy.

Stevia: Stevia is a natural, low-calorie sweetener that has a slight “black licorice” flavor.

This plant is native to South America. The shrub likes well drained, sandy soil and a warmer climate, but you can also cultivate stevia plants indoors. Harvest all of the leaves from the plant and dry them in full sun for about 12 hours or place the plants on a piece of newspaper in an area with good air circulation. Once the leaves are thoroughly dried, they can then be ground into a powder using a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder. A home dehydrator can also be used, although sun drying is the preferred method. This produces a flavor far sweeter than sugar (30 times sweeter, in fact), so adjust your recipes to use smaller amounts. A good rule of thumb is to use 1 heaping tablespoon for every one cup of sugar in terms of the level of sweetness.

You can also make your own stevia simple syrup by adding a cup of warm water to 1/4 cup of fresh, finely-crushed stevia leaves. This mixture should set for 24 hours and then be refrigerated. It works perfectly for sweetening beverages.

Maple Syrup: If you happen to live in an area where you are blessed with maple trees, you have a delicious natural sweetener just waiting for you to harvest and process it.

There is only one ingredient in maple syrup, and that is the sap from a maple tree. As temperatures begin to warm up in the spring, the sap begins running. A small hole, just an inch and a half deep, is drilled in the tree and a fitting called a “spile” is inserted and tapped into the hole. From the spile, the sap is directed into a collection bucket. Once the sap is collected it must be processed immediately to prevent spoilage.

It takes a lot of sap to make maple syrup. The ratio is about 10 gallons of sap to make 1 quart of syrup.

To process your maple sap, you must boil it to evaporate the water that it contains. This can take many hours. Because of all the steam that is produced, most people boil the sap outdoors. Then the syrup must be carefully filtered, using a coffee filter.

The website Tap My Trees goes into minute detail with instructions for making your own maple syrup at home, without a lot of fancy equipment. Click here for more information.

Sorghum: A long-time cash crop in the South, most sorghum produced now is turned into feed for livestock.

Sorghum is a very useful crop that can be used for much more than making syrup. Sorghum seeds can be removed from the head and treated much like wheat, ground and used as a grain (If you are on a gluten-free diet, sorghum is safe for you.).

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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With fall setting in, cold and flu season can’t be far behind. As miserable as a cold or flu might be now, with the pharmacy shelves bursting with over the counter remedies, one day relief might not be that close at hand.

Most of our prep kits have a stash of OTC medications but in a long-term disaster situation it will be important to make those last as long as possible. You might be surprised to discover that your kitchen cupboards may hold the key to curing your stuffy nose, scratchy throat, cough and chills.

Turning toward natural remedies now will give you the knowledge and skills you need to keep your family well during the onset of a disaster or extended disaster. Consider learning ways to make homemade lozenges to soothe sore throats, or possessing basic knowledge on which herbs may be used to treat cold/flu symptoms. Further, knowing how to combine these together to make cold/flu syrups will only better your family’s chances at beating the cold/flu season when OTC medicines aren’t as readily available.

Listed below are some other homeopathic ways to care for yourself and your family when you are ill.

Lemon-Ginger Jelly: Place lemon slices and ginger shavings into a small jar. Cover this with honey. Keep this in the refrigerator. In a few days you will have a “jelly” – stir one tablespoon into a cup of hot water for a tea that will soothe your throat and stuffy nose.

Honey Cinnamon Cough Remedy: Sprinkle powdered cinnamon onto a tablespoon of honey to calm a cough caused by a scratchy throat.

Peppermint tea: Peppermint tea will aid in relieving congestion and opening up the sinuses, plus sipping the hot beverage will help you combat chills.

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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If the world was a reasonable and informed place, none of us would have to hide our prepping endeavours. There are many situations that require us to be secretive about our plans, not the least of which is OPSEC (Operational Security). However the trickiest situation of all is when we have to hide our prepping from loved ones, whether they are friends, family members, or most difficult of all, spouses.

For some folks, getting their partner on board with prepping may be a long-term project. Some people simply don’t want to hear or think about the possibility of a SHTF event, others scoff at our “paranoia” and still others just cannot grasp the concept that one day the grocery store shelves may be empty, never to be refilled again.

Sometimes the concept of “don’t ask, don’t tell” is wiser than trying to persuade the reluctant spouse that the world is going to end, however if you’re living in the same home, hiding your preparedness items could be very difficult.

If this is the situation you find yourself in, prepping can become very difficult. Arguments over money are one of the biggest challenges. How can you satisfactorily explain to an uninterested partner that you just bought 75 cans of mixed vegetables? A few suggestions:

• Go with the money saving aspect. Buying 75 cans of mixed vegetables is generally $75, but today the cans were half price, which saved you $37.50. (Plus you won’t have to buy mixed vegetables for a year).
• Point out the current levels of inflation – prices are only going up. What you buy at today’s prices may hold you through this inflationary cycle until costs go back to normal.
• Explain to your partner that you’ve begun buying in bulk so that you can go to the store less frequently – every trip to the store (at least for me!) involves a few non-anticipated expenditures – shopping only once per month can really help you save money.

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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Got a headache? Here, have some Tylenol!

Did you pull a muscle exercising? Motrin might help!

Pain happens, and there’s a pill for nearly every pain. But what happens if the pharmacies are closed? There are other options besides popping a pill – give these methods a try!

A535 or Sports Rubs: These analgesic gels can help relieve aches and pains from overused muscles, back spasms or arthritis. These rubs contain camphor, eucalyptus oil, menthol, and methyl salicylate and heat up on contact with the skin. If you are allergic to aspirin or if you have coagulation issues, you should not use these rubs.

Arnica Gel: A natural version of the sports rub, Arnica Gel works to relieve pain in sore muscles or bruises.

Hot Water Bottle: The very low-tech hot water bottle aids in relieving pain from sore muscles, stiff necks and menstrual cramps. A water bottle applied to the back of the head or neck can help relieve a headache.

Massage: Massage can relieve muscle pain. If you don’t have a willing pair of strong hands around, you can use a tennis ball to help loosen up tight muscles. Massaging the temples gently can alleviate a headache.

Gentle stretching: Stretching can work wonders for back pain. NOTE: Therapeutic stretches may cause some slight pressure but they should NEVER CAUSE PAIN. Pain is your body’s signal to STOP. With that warning in mind, try these simple moves:

Lay completely flat on the floor. Pull one knee up to your chest, keeping your other leg straight and flat on the floor. Hold the knee to your chest by wrapping your arms around it. If you are able, hold the stretch for 30 seconds to one minute. Gently release your leg and do the same thing with the other side.

Get on all fours on the floor. This stretch is called an “angry cat” and that is exactly the position you want to achieve. Never drop your spine down towards the floor, as this will hyperextend your backbone. Curve your spine upward and form a downward “C”. Hold this while concentrating on sucking your belly button in towards your spine. Release and repeat.

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

The Best of Tess Pennington

In many so-called “civilized” parts of the world, life has taken a dramatic turn. If you have kept up with the news lately, you know that Greece is not the only European nation in trouble. In fact, smaller countries like Lithuania, Italy, and other debt- ridden nations are all rapidly approaching their breaking points. Little by little, the economic toil placed on these nations is hardest felt by its citizens who are doing their very best to provide for their families. For them, their untold story is one involving desolation and feelings of abandonment from their country’s leaders. In every sense of the word survival is the name of the game for our European friends and it will not be long before we are on the same boat. If we’re smart, we can learn from the events taking place across the ocean and prepare before it’s too late.

In some areas of the world, it’s no longer about going to work and earning a living – it’s about going out and finding food to get them through another day. In some of these countries, the shelves in the stores are either empty, or the prices are unreachably high. As a last resort, people have gone back to the days of hunting and gathering in order to make it day to day.

Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

Those who live near forests and natural resources are considered the fortunate ones and spend the entire day in search of food to forage – berries, nuts, edible mushrooms. In most of these places, weapons are banned, so they are reduced to using common items to make snares in order to catch squirrels or the occasional rabbit.

This can hardly be considered a fortunate existence, but compared to those in the cities, the forest offers up a cornucopia of food.

People in the cities are lining up for food that is being doled out; they are digging through garbage bins for bits of food that were discarded. Some city dwellers have been reduced to catching and consuming small rodents.

Ten years ago, these friends of ours never expected to be spending the day in search of sustenance. Like us, they were planning vacations, contributing to retirement funds and working towards a promotion at work.

It’s not that great of a stretch of the imagination to foresee that we may be headed in a similar direction.That leaves one question:

What is your plan?

We may be looking at a return to the hunting and gathering lifestyles of our ancestors. By deciding what foods you can access now, you will be miles ahead of all the people who are trying to wrap their brains around the idea that life as we know it is over.

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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Since the dawn of nuclear weapons, we have always been weary of a trigger happy world leader hastily pushing a nuke detonator. However, according to history the two worst nuclear events that have occurred were accidental. Chernobyl, being the first event, had a fire and explosion that released large quantities of radioactive contamination into the atmosphere, and spread over much of Western USSR and Europe. The second largest nuclear event is the infamous Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster that occurred in 2011.

Each day we are exposed to nuclear radiation, some naturally and some through un-natural means. Those of us who live close to nuclear power plants are exposed more than others.

Are You At-Risk?

Those that live near nuclear power plants should be especially concerned with nuclear disaster preparedness; especially individuals who live in areas where natural disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes) could damage the nuclear facilities. The map below shows all of the nuclear power plants in the U.S. Many states are areas where natural disasters could quite possibly take out or damage a power plant. Are you ready for this?

We Are Affected Globally by Radiation

No matter where radiation leaks or disasters occur, they will affect us globally one way or another and we should be ready for them. Due to the Fukushima nuclear disaster, our food supplies, water sources, and even our health have become affected from the radiation dispersed. Radiation tests conducted since the nuclear disaster in Japan have detected radioactive iodine and cesium in milk, beef and vegetables produced in California (Source). This video is a great source that explains how radiation gets into our food supply.

According to “Health Ranger” Mike Adams, even growing your own organic produce is no longer enough to guarantee food safety. “Only those who grow food in greenhouses will be largely protected from the fallout.”

How to Limit Our Exposure to Radiation

1. One of the easiest ways to minimize the effects of radiation is knowing where our food comes from and limiting our exposure to radioactive foods and water sources. Keep in mind that foods, especially seafood from the West coast will be the most effected by radiation.
2. Having an electroscope that gauges how much radiation you are receiving daily can be a useful tool. A Kearny Fallout Meter can give daily readings of radiation levels in your area.
3. Thoroughly wash your produce. Despite arguments to the contrary, you can wash radioactive particles off of produce. Clearly if the plant has taken in the radiation through the roots, it is irrevocably tainted. Fallout, however, can be dealt with. Washing your food in baking soda or peeling the skin off is a way to avoid ingesting radiation. Calcium bentonite clay is another natural substance that actually absorbs radiation. Interestingly, calcium bentonite clay has a uniquely strong negative ionic charge. When activated with water it works like a strong magnet, absorbing anything with a positive ionic charge (i.e., toxins, pesticides, radiation). The clay captures these substances and removes them as it is eliminated or washed off.” To wash produce with Bentonite Clay: Mix 1 part Calcium Bentonite Clay to 8 parts of purified water in a large non-metallic bowl. Toss your produce in this clay water, making certain the produce is completely covered, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Rinse well with more purified water.
4. Also, by adopting an anti-radiation diet can provide natural alternatives to assist the body in ridding itself from exposure. Foods such as kelp, rosemary, spirulina, miso soup and niacin all assist the body in fighting radiation damage. Other foods that may help in combating radiation sickness are foods that naturally detoxify the body. Foods that are high in potassium such as apples, oranges, pineapples and pomegranates are foods that are also good cancer fighters. Mushrooms are also a food source to add to your anti-radiation diet. Any mushrooms brown or black in color, and especially reishi mushrooms. Foods that are high in antioxidants will also assist your body in ridding itself of radioactive particles. Foods such as green and black teas (make sure that your tea is not from Japan), garlic, cumin, nettles, dandelions, ginseng, lentils, collards and mustard greens are also suggested.
5. Any food or water stored in sealed containers that have any fallout dust is safe to consume as long as the fallout dust is brushed or rinsed off the outside of the container. Take caution not to allow the fallout dust to get inside the container.
6. If you are concerned about your water sources, use filtered water in everything, including brushing your teeth and sponge bathing. Purchase a reverse osmosis water filter with extra filtration cartridges. Remember, it is important to replace your filters after multiple uses. Drinking apple cider vinegar can also assist in flushing toxins and radiation from the body. Baking soda and water is another option as it also flushes radiation and cleans the stomach lining. You can also put baking soda in dish soap, body soap, laundry detergent as the radiation will bind to the baking soda thus neutralizes it.
7. Did you know that the Spiderwort plant is Nature’s gieger counter? This plant naturally has very dark purple flowers and when they are exposed to radiation or near an area where radiation is high, the flowers turn pink. Planting these in your yard will be a great way to know if you are taking in excess radiation.
8. Knowing in advance how much radiation you are exposed to radiation through natural and un-natural means can help you calculate your annual radiation dose. To find this out, click on the Annual Radiation Calculator.

What if You Are Exposed to Radioactive Particles?

Radioactive ionic particles attach themselves to dust floating in the air. Therefore, it can be ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. If you are told to evacuate or bug in due to a nuclear disaster, keep the following points in mind:

1. If you are driving, keep the car windows and vents closed, and use recirculating air.
2. Due to the fear of panic and gridlock that will ensue from mass evacuations, most governments will delay mandatory evacuations until the last minute. This will only cause mass confusion and chaos at gas stations, grocery stores and on the streets. The best way to prevent this, is to stay ahead of the crowd and prepare ahead of time.
3. If told to stay indoors, turn off the air conditioner and other air intakes and go to a basement. Seal basement windows and entrances to prevent fallout from getting inside. If you go outside, you will need to remove your outer clothing before coming inside the shelter.
4. Likewise, creating a sealed area near the entrance of the shelter will prevent fallout dust from entering. Seal the entryway with blankets, bubble wrap or plastic sheeting to prevent the dust from coming in. Have water and baby shampoo near the entrance to wash and thoroughly rinse any exposed skin and hair. Exposure to fallout radiation does not make you radioactive, but you need to assure that you don’t bring any inside. Some experts suggest having a rain poncho to take on and off when you go outside.
5. To go a step further, covering the windows wood, then sandbags followed by masonry bricks will create a multi-layered protection against you and radioactive particles.
6. If you find yourself outdoors when a nuclear blast occurs, duck and cover for 2 minutes. You will first see a blinding light followed by tornado force winds and dangerous. When all danger is gone, seek shelter immediately. Remove your clothing at the door and place in a sealed plastic bag. You can remove 80% of the particles by removing your clothing. Showering immediately following exposure is another way to remove the remaining particles.
7. If you have signs of radiation on skin soak in a tub of equal parts baking soda, apple cider vinegar and epsom salt. Skin brushing can be very beneficial, because the skin is a primary avenue for detoxification – scrub along with the lungs, kidneys, liver, and colon. An unused vegetable brush would be very helpful with this process.

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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Think about your absolute worst case scenario SHTF event….and then think about it happening while you are at Disneyworld.

Or in Hawaii.

Or on a road trip to the middle of nowhere.

Or bicycling through Tuscany.

As a prepper, have you considered what would happen if the poo hit the oscillating blades while you were on vacation? No matter how well prepared you are, how much food you have stored, or how armed to the teeth you are, if you aren’t where your preps are, they aren’t going to do you one lick of good.

Sometimes I think of this chilling fact and it makes me never want to leave my general vicinity. Because the fact of the matter is, in the world we live in today, anything could happen at any time. My feelings of security for myself and my family are in place due to my preparedness.

My husband shares the same sentiment as every time he travels further than an hour away, he takes his 72-hour bag. Non-preppers wouldn’t understand this behavior, but preppers would appreciate the preparedness mindset and know that emergencies happen when we least expect them to.

This being said, your prepping mindset should not mean that you cease to live and enjoy your life. Travel is an enriching experience for adults and children alike and the rewards are manifold.

You can set your mind at ease by packing a vacation prepper’s kit. Remember, “It is better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it.” My kit has the following:

• Vehicle 72 Hour Kit (which always remains in the truck)
• Local maps for destination and route
• Sleeping bags
• Tent or emergency shelter
• Waterproof matches
• Cash in small denominations
• Hunting Knife
• Weapons (check the laws for your destination first)
• Basic tool kit
• Vehicle repair items and manual
• 5 gallons of gasoline (at least)
• Small camp stove with fuel
• Canned goods
• Can Opener
• Bottled water
• Comfortable walking shoes for all family members
• Extra socks
• First aid kit
• Warm clothing (even in the summer)
• Documents like identification and health insurance paperwork for all family members

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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What will you do when tubes of triple antibiotic cream is no longer as close as the pharmacy department of the nearest Wal-Mart?

With a little study and preparation, you’ll make your own, of course. I have a child with numerous allergies and sensitivities, so even now, with the commercial salves readily available, I prefer the peace of mind that comes from making my own topical remedies so that I know every single ingredient contained within.

Salves and balms are very simple and can be made in a few easy steps. They have two basic components – the base and the healing herbs.

Step 1: Create a Base for Your Salve Base

• Petroleum Jelly – I’m not a fan – if you are going to the effort of using natural non-chemical products, you might want to reconsider a base made from petroleum.
• Beeswax (not good for people with pollen allergies). Also added to salves to harden the oils more easily. For two cups of plant based oil, use 1 1/2 ounces of beeswax. For smaller quantities of salve: one ounce of oil will need about 1/2 teaspoon of beeswax to harden the salve.
• Lanolin
• Plant oil (grape seed oil, coconut oil, olive oil) – these are rich in vitamin E
• Honey (has the benefit of being a natural antibiotic)

Typically, for a larger quantity of salve, you will use around 1/2 to 1 cup of oil. Keep in mind that you want to use enough oil to cover 1 inch above the herbs while they are heated. Once you have chosen your base, then it is time to select your “herbal medicinal” ingredient or ingredients. (See below for a directory of some commonly found medicinal herbs.)

Step 2: Add the Healing Herbs or Essential Oils

If you have essential oils available you can skip the step for extracting the medicinal qualities from the herbs. Otherwise, use this process to extract the healing properties of the herbs.

1. On a double broiler, stir the 1 cup of plant-based oil and herb or herbs on low heat for one to two hours, stirring often. Ensure the oil is covering the herb blend. The longer you cook the herbs in the oil, the stronger your mixture will be.
2. Alternatively, use your crockpot on a low setting to extract the medicinal qualities from the herbs. In the crock pot the process takes 3-5 hours but the mixture does not have to be tended and stirred. It takes longer to extract the healing qualities from roots than from leaves.

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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If you had to carry your loaded 20 pound bug out bag and get the heck out of Dodge on foot, how would you fare? What if you had to carry your sleeping child over the mountains in order to evacuate?

If the proverbial S hits the F, we will see a lot of serious injuries, and even deaths, from people making unaccustomed physical demands on their bodies. A lot of us are going to be using muscles we forgot we had. Our bodies will be under enormous cardiovascular stress. On top of the mental stress we will undergo, the physical stress will very likely kick our butts.

Prepping with food and medical supplies is not enough. A good mental attitude is not sufficient. We have to prep our bodies too.

Moreover, your entire family should begin a fitness program to train their minds and bodies for emergencies as well. A family or group is only as strong as their weakest link. You want a strong group that is physically equipped to handle the demands that an emergency situation may place on them.

*Disclaimer: Before starting this or any other exercise program, consult your physician.

Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. You did not get out of shape over night and you won’t get back into shape over night either. If you start off too gung-ho, you risk injury or muscles so sore that you will quit after one or two workouts. You have to listen to your body and locate that fine line between “Okay, that’s all I’ve got” and “If I stop exercising now, I could go lay on the couch with a cold drink, wow, that sounds nice!”

The three facets of fitness are cardio, strength and flexibility. All three are important in a SHTF scenario and for general fitness and wellness. Start gently and work your way up.

Cardio

Cardiovascular fitness might also be called “endurance.” It is the ability of your heart to supply oxygen to your body while you are under physical strain. Cardio is important in many scenarios:

• In a bug-out situation, you may have to evacuate on foot over rough terrain.
• When chopping wood you are swinging an axe over and over for an extended period of time.
• When hunting, you may have to hike through the woods dragging your kill behind you.
• In a battle situation, you may need to run for cover (or even run away!)
• In a flood you may need to haul sandbags to build a wall.

To build your cardiovascular fitness, start out simple. You don’t need an expensive membership to a gym. Just lace up your shoes and start walking. I live in a medium sized city and I attempt to incorporate walking into my day by doing as many errands as I can on foot. I also specifically walk for fitness, plugging into my Ipod and bringing along my dog. As your fitness increases, look for more challenging routes with hills. Walking or hiking off road is more of a challenge because of uneven terrain. Finally, you can add a loaded pack for some resistance.

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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When most people think about freeze-dried food they envision some kind of bland, pale sodium-blasted sludge on their plates, posing as “dinner”.

The beauty of freeze dried food is the nutrition and variety it can add to your pantry. Foods that would normally be off limits in a disaster situation can be neatly lined up on your pantry shelves, only awaiting the addition of hot water to add a burst of vitamins, minerals and flavor to your pantry meals.

One area in which most pantries seem to be lacking is meat. Investing in freeze-dried meats will allow you to make all of your normal recipes with only some slight adaptations. The comfort of a familiar favorite meal can go a long way towards bringing some normalcy to a difficult situation.

Try some of the following varieties:

• Chicken Breast
• Turkey Breast
• Ham
• Ground Beef
• Beef Strips
• Sausage crumbles

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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You can spend a fortune on food for long term storage, but if you don't protect your investment, that money could be completely wasted. Proper storage containers don't have to cost a fortune. You can glean many different kinds of containers from things that would normally be thrown away. Once you've alerted friends and family that you are seeking these containers, you will likely be given more containers than you could ever use!

Food must be protected from three specific u201Cenemiesu201D: oxygen, moisture and pests. Proper containers are like an insurance policy on your food. Careful storage practices combined with the right containers are (Hint: Before repackaging your dried foods for storage, send the item to the deep freezer for a couple of weeks to kill off any mealy bugs or pests that could be lurking in the product.) Choose your storage location carefully, because even the best storage practices can be hampered or derailed completely by rodents , extreme temperatures or excessive moisture.

Soda Pop Bottles

One of my favorite methods of storing dry foods is in leftover soda pop bottles, because the containers are a freebie! Our family doesn't drink much of it, but we do get the occasional club soda. Other folks drink lots of it, though, and are usually happy to pass their empty bottles on to us, especially in our city, where we pay for garbage disposal. This method is not for extremely long term storage but will keep food fresh and pest-free for 2-3 years. Date your bottles and rotate them out of your storage pantry into your kitchen within a reasonable amount of time. Rodents will chew right through plastic, so this method is only to be used when you are reasonably certain that mice cannot access the storage area.

When opting for this method, look on the bottom of the bottle for the code. You want to find the word u201CPETEu201D or u201CPETu201D. This is the recycling symbol and it indicates that the bottle in your hand is at the lowest risk of breakdown that will cause toxins from the plastic to leach into your food.

We use these bottles for water storage and dried food storage. I've used them for sugar, salt, beans, rice and flour with absolute success.

For food storage, wash your bottles and be sure that they are thoroughly dry. If they have moisture in them, your food will be ruined. Use a funnel to pour in your dried foods. If you feel the food requires it, you can fold up a desiccant packet and shove it into the bottle as well. I've used them for sugar, salt, beans, rice and flour with absolute success.

Other Plastic Containers

As mentioned above, the recycling code u201CPETEu201D or u201CPETu201D means that a container is one of the most food-safe and unlikely to pose a health risk, assuming it is not exposed to high heat.

Other plastic containers that I have washed and reused for storage have included coffee jars, peanut butter jars, juice jugs, ice cream tubs, pretzel jars, dog treats and protein powder canisters.

Plastic containers that do not close tightly are not recommended for anything other than very short-term storage. Things like margarine tubs, yogurt or sour cream containers or plastic dip containers are better used for leftovers. Never microwave your food in plastic.

Glass jars

Lots of store-bought food comes neatly packaged in glass jars. While these lids cannot reliably be resealed for canning using a hot water method, they do close tightly and work well for dried food storage.

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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No fashion accessory says “prepper” more than a paracord bracelet. With that around your wrist, you have at least 10 feet of 550 pound test rope. The cord is made of many tiny strands and can also be unravelled if a thinner cord is necessary.

Paracord, according to Wikipedia, is a “light weight nylon kernmantle rope originally used in the suspension lines of US parachute during World War II. Once in the field, paratroopers found this cord useful for many other tasks. It is now used as a general purpose utility cord by both military personnel and civilians.”

The question isn’t “What can you do with paracord?” It’s “What can’t you do with paracord?”

Here are some ideas for what paracord can be used for. Some of these would use the cord in its entirety, while others would call for the cord to be unravelled with single strands being called into duty.

50 Ways to Utilize Paracord in a Survival Situation

1. Bear bag
2. Belt
3. Bow drill for fire starting
4. Clothesline
5. Dental floss
6. Dog collar
7. Fish stringer
8. Fishing line
9. Hair tie
10. Hammock
11. Handcuffs
12. Hatband
13. Handle on an improvised weapon
14. Key fob
15. Lanyard
16. Leash
17. Net
18. Pulley system
19. Rappelling (Only in extreme emergency – not designed for this)
20. Repairing broken equipment

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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If you live in suburbia, security starts from the inside out. Your home should be a fortress, although not so blatantly that it catches the attention of casual passers-by, making them wonder, “What’s in there?” Some simple updates can harden your domicile against intruders.

1. Doors should be sturdy and steel core. The frame around the door is equally important. Even the strongest door will not hold up to a determined intruder if it is seated in a flimsy frame. Look for a sturdy steel door-jam. Always use at least 3 inch screws to anchor the components of your door and its frame.
2. Install hardware for a door bar. Envision the bars reinforcing doors in medieval castles or on barns. By installing brackets into studs on either side of doors to the exterior of the house, you can have a bar that goes across the door from side to side. The bar can be a very heavy piece of wood, or it can be iron or another metal. Unless you are in a high crime neighbourhood, this barricade would not be necessary under normal situations. However, during a SHTF scenario, it will make your doors virtually impenetrable without the aid of a battering ram with a team of burly men behind it.
3. Secure your windows. Particular attention should be paid to windows on the ground floor. Install a sturdy piece of wood cut to fit so that the window cannot be raised from the outside. Consider coating windows with a shatterproof film. Keep valuables out of sight from the windows. If your door has a window in it, or if it has sidelights, a piece of decorative metal grid work can easily be screwed in over the window, making it impossible for an intruder to break the window and reach through to unlock the door.

Once you’ve made the house itself more difficult to penetrate, concentrate on making it less appealing to criminals. They do not want to draw attention to themselves and will pass by homes that look more difficult to access.

1. Install motion lights around the perimeter of your home. If they are solar-powered they will also work in a SHTF and grid-down scenario.
2. Practice defensive landscaping. Use thorn-bearing plants around your home to make ground floor windows less vulnerable to access.
3. Install cameras. Even fake cameras give criminals the feeling they are “being watched” – just make sure they are the kind with a light on them.
4. Beware of dog. People who don’t have a furry friend can still make use of this tactic by posting signs on their property. Criminals are looking for easy targets – fending off a growling canine can be dangerous for them and also draws attention to them. Often, they will choose a different home to rob based on this factor alone.
5. Fence your yard. Enclosing your entire property with a fence is a deterrent. Doorbells and cameras can be installed at the gate, giving you a safer distance from those who come to your home. This added layer of distance can make a home invasion-style attack far more difficult to perpetrate. If the top of the fence is “decoratively” spiked, it serves to make it difficult for someone to jump or climb the fence.

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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Even if you live in a city, you might be shocked to find out how much food is available, free for the taking. I’m not talking about shoplifting from the corner store – I’m talking about foraging.

In ancient times, humans were hunter/gatherers. Gatherers spent the day seeking nuts, berries and edible plants. These items were then turned into a nutritious meal or beverage.

The first rule of foraging is BE ABSOLUTELY SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE EATING. Foraging can be deadly if you eat the wrong thing.

The best way to learn to forage is to find someone who knows how to find all the best goodies. A teacher can speed the learning curve up immensely, and they are likely to know the best local places to find the items.

Unfortunately we can’t always find a willing instructor. If it turns out that you’re on your own, the next best option is a good field guide with photographs. You can often find field guides geared to your local terrain at hiking and camping stores. Your local bookstore and Amazon are other good resources. You can buy a more general guide, say, for North America, but there will be a lot of information that isn’t pertinent to your area.

When foraging in an urban environment, you have to be very careful that your finds are not contaminated. They can be contaminated with many different toxins, from pesticides to pollution. You will want to stay away from major roadways and railroad tracks, for example. If you are in farm country you don’t want to be in an area that may be contaminated with animal waste from runoff.

Personally, I strictly avoid mushrooms in my search for wild foods. The edible mushrooms and the toxic ones are very similar in appearance, and not something you want to learn by trial and error, as the error could be fatal. There are many books on the subject that cover proper identification if you are a braver soul.

In the city you can often find fruit trees like mulberries and apple trees. If it appears that the fruits are not being harvested, ask the owner’s permission and bring a bucket! In the wild, you can find blueberries, blackberries and huckleberries in great abundance. These fruits are easily recognizable and a great place to start.

There are many edible greens but none more recognizable than the ubiquitous dandelion. Every bit of the dandelion is edible, from the flower right down to the roots. Pick them in the spring when flowers are still yellow for the mildest flavor.

To get started, make a list of in-season items that are familiar to you. Choose a hiking destination, grab your field guide, bring along some containers and start gathering!

Mother Earth News compiled a brief list of some edible plants that can commonly be found in North America:

Chickweed (Stellaria media) Chicory (Cichorium) Curly dock (Rumex crispus) Dandelion (Taraxacum) Fiddleheads (various fern species) Lamb’s quarters, goosefoot (Chenopdium) Miner’s lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) Nettle (Urtica) Peppercress (Cardamine) Pigweed (Amaranthus) Plantain (Plantago) Pokeweed (Phytolacca) Purslane (Portulaca) Seaweeds – dulse, kelp, laver, wrack Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) Watercress (Nasturtium) “Wild” asparagus (Asparagus officinalis ssp. prostratus) Wild mustard (Brassica) Wild horsemint, bee balm (Monarda punctata)

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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Reality tells us that we may soon be coming to a point in which cash is no longer king. The economy has been drying up for years. Over one million Americans filed their initial unemployment claim over the last month. The dollars we bring home are buying less on every trip to the grocery store.

Few of us are completely self-sufficient. There are always going to be a few things that we cannot make for ourselves. If your personal preps are in order, consider investing your prep dollars in a new way: purchase barter items!

A lot of things that are inexpensive now will be invaluable later. As the economy collapses even further, people will be focused on survival and the barter system will reignite. Barter items will be far better than cash – you can’t eat a dollar!

What kind of items will be worth their weight in gold? Check out this list for a few suggestions:

• Matches and lighters
• Seeds
• Canning jars, lids and rings
• First aid items
• Tools
• Water Filtration Supplies
• Sewing supplies
• Vitamins
• Salt
• Feminine Hygiene Supplies
• Vitamins
• Fishing Supplies
• Fuel (gasoline, propane, kerosene, etc)
• Sweeteners such as honey, sugar and syrup
• Coffee/Tea
• Carbonated beverages
• Liquor
• Cigarettes/tobacco
• Small packages of food (baggies of beans/rice, etc)
• Livestock
• Cooking oil
• Firewood
• Farm supplies (pesticides, fertilizer, etc.)
• Weapons, Ammo*
• Batteries
• Warm clothing
• Hats/Gloves (think about those little dollar store stretchy items)
• Soap/shampoo
• Hand sanitizer
• Dental care items (toothbrushes/toothpaste/floss)

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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Recently, we talked about the necessity of learning skills to aid us in a survival situation. Don’t underestimate the value of those skills for barter. If the grid goes down, people may be left with no access to medical care, serious gaps in their knowledge or the inability to repair vital items. If you possess those abilities, your skills will be in high demand.

In the situation of economic collapse, there will be a revival of the barter system. To barter means to exchange your goods or services for someone else’s goods or services. To complete a satisfactory barter transaction, each person must desire something from the other party. Despite the potential of desperation, it’s morally imperative to be fair to the party that is most in need. Remember that one day, that person who is most in need may be you.

Right now, if something breaks, the replacement is only as far away as the closest Wal-Mart. However, in the event of an economic collapse or a disaster that causes the trucks to stop running, it won’t be easy to replace broken items. The ability to repair broken items will be in very high demand. It will be a rare skill, because we live in a world of planned obsolescence. Few people actually know how to repair an item in a sturdy and long-lasting way.

Brandon Smith of Alt-Market calls this about bringing back the American Tradesman:

“If you wish to survive after the destruction of the mainstream system that has babied us for so long,” he says, “you must be able to either make a necessary product, repair a necessary product, or teach a necessary skill. A limited few have the capital required to stockpile enough barter goods or gold and silver to live indefinitely. The American Tradesman must return in full force, not only for the sake of self preservation, but also for the sake of our heritage at large.”

Check out Brandon’s excellent article on the barter system here.

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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It’s hard to think about the Chia seed without getting a mental image of a Chia pet. I always imagine the crazy looking clay sheep with wild greenery sprouting out all over it that used to sit in my college dorm windowsill.

In all actuality, the Chia seed is much more than part of a novelty planter though – it is a tiny little powerhouse that can add a lot of benefits to your long-term food storage while only taking up a small amount of space. The word “Chia” is actually the Mayan word for strength. In ancient cultures, they are considered the food of the warrior because of their nutrient density and ability to sustain running messengers for long durations without other food.

Adding a serving of the nearly tasteless seeds to a meal can more than double the nutrition you receive! Chia seeds contain boron and Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. They are also nutritional dynamos that blow away many other sources of nutrients. They contain:

• 2x the protein of other seeds
• 5x the calcium of milk
• 2x the potassium of bananas
• 3x the antioxidants of blueberries
• 3x the iron of spinach

In addition, Chia seeds absorb 9-12 times their weight in water, thus helping you stay hydrated longer.

The Chia plant is part of the salvia family, but the seeds are very bland and nearly tasteless. The versatility of these are also a plus when you add them to your recipes. You can use Chia seeds either wet or dry.

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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In a long-term emergency we want our entire family to thrive, and that includes our beloved pets. Dogs and cats will have vital roles to play during a long-term emergency and we want them on their A-game!

Cats are very skilled at trapping and will keep the rodents away from your retreat and your food supply, thus keeping diseases at bay. Dogs on the other hand, are ideal to have on a retreat because they will be a good alert system, make excellent hunting companions, protect the family and help to herd livestock. Larger breeds could even help pull small wagons to help even more around the homestead.

To keep these animals healthy, keep their needs in mind when making your emergency preparations. Due to the cost of pet food, storing dry food is preferred over storing the wet food. When storing dry goods for dogs and cats, look for dry food that does not have a lot of oils in them; as the oils can make the food go rancid more quickly.

Stockpiled pet food will only last for so long. What’s a pet owner to do when the kibble supply runs dry?

Making your own pet food is a more financially reasonable option for some. The cost is actually comparable to the price of kibble, and the nutrition content of homemade pet food is far higher.

Creating pet food is not so much about having the recipe to do so – it’s about knowing the proper ratios for optimum nutrition for your pet. The following information is geared towards healthy adult pets without special dietary needs.

A Feast for Felines

Cats have different nutritional requirements than dogs. When a cat in the wild catches a mouse or a bird, they generally eat it, bones, organs and all. They receive a small amount of vegetables and grains, based on the stomach contents of their prey.

Cats require more protein than dogs, and do not digest corn or grains well. Meat is the number one element of homemade cat food. Bones are also a very important addition to the feline diet – this is how your cat gets enough calcium. Liver is an excellent addition to your homemade cat food but should not make up more than 10% of their intake. Much of the waste that you would throw out when preparing a whole chicken for your family would be a welcome addition to the cat food dish.

Use this ratio to create your own cat food, based on the items you have on hand.

Meat: 3 parts

Organs: 1 part

Grain: 1 part

Veggies: ½ part

Some cat approved vegetables include: lightly steamed broccoli, carrots, zucchini, caulifower, or any other vegetables that your cat happens to enjoy. Some cats even like the taste of fruit such as melon, mango or apple, and if your cat enjoys these healthy treats it is fine to supplement their diet this way.

The meat in this mixture can either be lightly cooked or raw. I include the skin in the cat food, as it gives them some much needed fat. The grain and veggies should be cooked. If you have a meat grinder, you can put the entire concoction through the grinder before feeding it to your cat.

To supplement the diet, you will need to add some olive or flax oil and some bone meal (either commercial or grind your own in the meat grinder).

I use broth to cook the grains that I include in my homemade cat food.

The meat can be any kind of meat. Canned fish, like sardines, are especially good for cats because of the high calcium levels. However, the cat should not subsist only on fish.

You can find some homemade cat food recipes HERE.

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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Silver has been used medicinally and preventatively for centuries. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, and Pliny the Elder, a Roman scholar, both wrote of the use of silver to treat wounds and prevent disease. Water, milk and vinegar were stored in silver containers to maintain freshness and prevent contamination since ancient times.

As recently as the 1900s, people placed silver coins in milk to keep it from spoiling. It is even used in the water supply at the International Space Station as a disinfectant. Burn wards use bandages soaked in a silver solution to prevent infection when treating 2nd and 3rd degree burns.

Today, colloidal silver, a suspension of particles of silver ion in distilled water, is available from most health food stores. It can be used externally as a spray, to disinfect and aid in the healing of wounds or rashes. Taken internally it can be used as a general immune system booster or in higher doses, as a natural antibiotic. It has been shown to aid in healing everything from the common cold to cancer.

The product that you purchase at health food stores is expensive and may not always be available. Like all products that we purchase, in the event of a long-term emergency or societal collapse, our access could be cut off or limited. Secondly, the FDA is actively trying to discredit colloidal silver (because how can the pharmaceutical companies make money on an element, which cannot be patented?). Learning to make your own colloidal silver is simple and doesn’t require a great outlay of money.

Colloidal silver is created through an electro-magnetic process that pulls microscopic particles from a larger piece of silver into a liquid, usually water. You must always use distilled water when making colloidal silver or your end product will be contaminated. You can purchase an easy-to-use generator from Amazon for $50-$350.

You can also make your own silver generator fairly easily.

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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With the current world economic situation, wise people understand that paper money is simply the illusion of money. It is a representation of wealth of which the value can be rapidly manipulated. The US Federal Reserve randomly prints off bills with no commodity backing them, making the only value of these bills the worth that is allowed by the banksters and the elite

So in light of this, how do we save for the rainy days to come?

Once you’ve established the basics of your survival preparedness, you can protect your personal wealth by investing in precious metals. There are many different ways to acquire gold and silver. Here are a few:

• Purchase the pieces from mints or exchanges
• Purchase old pieces of jewelry or coins from yard sales, estate sales, thrift stores and Craigslist
• From trusted sellers on EBay

Mints and exchanges offer a sure thing. These businesses are built on trust and integrity. However when you purchase from everyday people or take a gamble on buying something at the thrift store, you need to be able to identify and test the metals yourself.

1. Look for markings. Jewelry made from precious metals in the US was required to be marked for metal content in 1906. On silver pieces you are looking for the numbers “925” – this indicates that the piece is Sterling Silver or 92.5% silver. If the piece you are considering is gold, you are looking for 10K, 14K, 18K, etc. 24K is 100% gold, and is very soft, so the other numbers are indicative of the gold content that has been mixed with a harder metal to make it less pliable.

2. Inspect the piece carefully. Is it rough near the edges? Is it discoloured in places? Is the finish chipping or flaking? These are all indicators that the piece may only be plated with silver or gold. These items require further testing. (Note: Sterling Silver will “oxidize” and tarnish – don’t be put off by black discolouration. This should wipe off with a soft cloth.)

3. If the piece has been marked, then you will want to test it further. Carry with you a strong magnet. Precious metals are NOT magnetic, nor are the other metals that are used in jewelry to harden them. If the piece of jewelry or coin reacts to the magnet it is not gold or silver.

4. Test it with ceramic. You can purchase a small piece of unglazed ceramic tile at your local hardware store. If you have a piece of questionable gold, run the piece across the ceramic tile. If it leaves a blackish mark, it is not genuine gold.

Once you have performed these quick tests, you may want to go further. There are two more definitive tests – the “Archimedes Test” and the acid test.

Archimedes Test

Break out your physics hat and perform a density test to determine the content of the metal you have on hand. For this you will require a vial marked in millimetres in which you can submerge the item in question.

Do not fill the vial to the top, since you will be displacing water with the jewelry item. Note exactly the amount of water in your container.

Weigh your item on a digital jewelry scale, marking down your result in grams. This is the “mass” of your item.

Place your piece in the vial and note the new water level.

Calculate the difference between the two numbers in millimetres. This is the “volume displacement” of the item.

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.

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