Guest post by Judah Hamilton, who blogs at Post Apocalyptic Survival.

image by familymwr

Many of you read TheSurvivalMom blog may be familiar with the program on National Geographic, called “Doomsday Preppers”. This show is an examination of the lives of real “preppers” who are all trying to get their preparations in order before the inevitable apocalypse.

The show has survival experts that rate the preparations of the featured survivalists and then they are rated based on their particular preparedness level. If you have ever watched this program, you will surely know that the majority of these “preppers” as they are called, are physically out of shape and not physically in any condition to tackle something as grandiose as surviving doomsday.

How do these people expect to survive some sort of apocalyptic doomsday scenario when they look like they are one doughnut away from a quadruple bypass?

While some of them may have extensive preparations, they often overlook the very real importance of being in peak physical condition. If the apocalypse really were to occur and these severely out of shape people were actually forced to leave their homes, how could they really expect to, “head for the hills”?

Could these out of shape doomsday preppers really hack it if they needed to march miles into the wilderness and live off the land?

image by Mr. T in DC

If you were really forced to abandon your home because of some disaster of apocalyptic proportions, the reality is you will be essentially reduced to the role of a refugee. Your days would be consumed by your constant wandering, searching for supplies, resources and whatever food you could be lucky enough to come across. To survive in these conditions the reality is that you will be forced to hunt and gather your food which requires you to be physically fit.

How could you be severely out of shape and expect to sow crops, defend yourself from external threats and perform the intensely physical tasks that are required for survival, like chopping firewood or walking extremely long distances.

Most of the people on “Doomsday Preppers” would surprise me if they could jog a full mile, so hiking out into the wilderness to sustain themselves off the land appears to be a long shot for these portly survivalists. If you were seriously concerned about “doomsday prepping,” wouldn’t you naturally consider your own physical fitness to be the pinnacle of your preparations? At the end of the day, the only gear you always have with you is your mind and your body, so it is the most important gear in your survival preparations.

While many survivalists are obsessed with building a home fortress, it would benefit them to be spending some of that time and effort on preparing their bodies as much as they have prepared their home defenses.

After all, you cannot only be prepared to be fortified in your home.  You will surely be forced to head out in search of supplies no matter how well stocked your preparations are.

Making a daily workout routine part of your preparations should be a top priority of people who are preparing for doomsday. The reality is that your physical body is your best defense and if you are in abysmal physical shape, then how do you expect to survive the harsh conditions after the apocalypse?

I think that most of these “doomsday preppers” (and all survivalists for that matter) would benefit by spending a little more time running on a treadmill and lifting weights. That combined with constantly honing survival skills and reading sites like TheSurvivalMom will go a long way in terms of increasing their chances of survival.

You can read more from Judah at his site, Post Apocalyptic Survival, including this article, “How to Survive the Apocalypse on a Budget”.

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Next weekend, May 18 and 19, the Freedom Financial Services Center in Colorado Springs will be buzzing with thousands of families searching for strategies and tools to become more self-reliant.  I’m excited to be a part of this event, the Self-Reliance Expo.

The line-up of speakers is simply amazing.  Here is just a sample of what is scheduled for one of three stage areas:

Friday May 18th
10-10:45   Kellene Bishop: 10 principles of preparedness
11-11:45   Lisa Bedford: No Man is an Island: How to Get Your Whole Family Involved with Preparedness
12-12:45   Dr. David Christopher: Self Reliant Health- Healing through Knowledge & Truth
1-1:45   Alan Madison: National Geographic’s Dooms Day Preppers. Open Mic Q&A
2-2:45   Patrice Lewis: Going Country — Moving Rural for Self-Reliance
3-3:45   Jackie Clay: Living a more self reliant lifestyle
4-4:45   Ron Douglas: What is Self-Reliance…. and where do I even start
5-5:45   Darren Craddock: Staying Healthy in a Crisis Situation
6-6:45   Dr Bones/ Nurse Amy: The Survival Medic: Basics of Collapse Medicine

Saturday May 19th
9-9:45   Kellene Bishop: 10 principles of preparedness
10-10:45   Alan Madison: National Geographic’s Dooms Day Preppers. Open Mic Q&A
11-11:45   Women of Prepping: Key Note
12-12:45   Women of Prepping: Key Note
1-1:45 Dr Done/ Nurse Amy: The Survival Medic: Likely Medical Issues in a Collapse
2-2:45 Karen Hood: Instinctive Survival and Preparedness
3-3:45 Ann Haney: 4 Key Steps to Becoming a Successful Entrepreneur and Raising Entrepreneurial Children
4-4:45 Patrice Lewis: Going Country — Moving Rural for Self-Reliance
5-5:45 Appleseed: 3 strikes of the match
6-6:45 Jackie Clay: Living a more self reliant lifestyle

And that’s on just one of the stages!  I’ll be speaking about getting started with homeschooling on Saturday and other sessions include basic bread baking, using essential oils for health, heirloom seeds and gardening, and tons more.  I’m going to be very hard pressed to stay at my Survival Mom table, where I’ll be signing books. I hope you’ll stop by and introduce yourself!

In addition to all this great information and training, you’ll get to experience a huge exhibition hall filled with vendors and even a Kids Korner.  The whole event is just $10 per person for both days.

If you don’t happen to live near Colorado Springs, there are upcoming events in Dallas on July 28 – 28, Hickory, NC, on September 14 -15, and Mesa, Arizona on October 26 -27.

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Guest post by Stephen Clay McGehee who blogs at The Southern Agrarian.

image by Stephen Clay McGehee

When we decided to add manual pumping capability to our electric pump well, it came down to two alternatives – the Simple Pump or the Bison Pump. Both are designed for different uses, so one is not necessarily “better” than the other. They are, however, very different. We chose the Bison pump. Before we discuss the Bison pump, let’s look at the Simple pump.

The well and pump company that we use – Trentham Well Drilling in Orange City, Florida – has installed a number of Simple pumps over the years and has had very good results with them. The Simple pump is significantly cheaper than the Bison pump. The Simple pump is also designed to be fairly easy to install by a reasonably skilled homeowner with a helper rather than needing to be installed using professional equipment. The Simple pump might be a good choice if you want to have a complete system stored away in case it is needed in the future. The video instructions on the Simple Pump web site show how to install it. The drop pipe is lightweight plastic and the sucker rod is thin fiberglass that can easily flex to make assembly easy. That is great if you have to install it yourself without the tools of a professional pump company. The same light weight and component flexibility that make it easy to install also mean that it clearly lacks the solid design and construction of the Bison Pump.

Where the Simple Pump is light weight and easy to work with, the Bison Pump is solid and very heavy duty. Everything about it is top quality and it is obvious that they spared no expense in making this the best hand pump available. The workmanship is flawless – welds are smooth and solid; machined parts are finished to a nice polish; moving parts work very smoothly. The material for the main pump body and the pump cylinder is solid stainless steel; the valve at the spout is brass (or bronze); the sucker rod is solid stainless steel; the drop pipe is Schedule 120 PVC. There is nothing that can rust, corrode, or deteriorate. For a hand pump installation that should last a lifetime, the Bison Pump is the hands-down winner. This is the kind of solid made-in-America craftsmanship that this country used to be famous for.

The Bison pump is not cheap (pricing information here). It is a piece of equipment that is built to last a lifetime, made from the best materials available, and designed and built by folks who truly know what they’re doing. There are some things in life where it makes sense to cut corners to save money. Bison does not cut any corners making their pumps, and when it comes to providing your family with a dependable source of clean drinking water, you shouldn’t cut corners either.

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by Newsbie Pix

If you hurry, you have a chance to win a signed copy of my book, Survival Mom: How to Prepare Your Family for Everyday Disasters and Worst Case Scenarios, and a really terrific product, the FlashLantern. There will be 5 lucky winners!

Bookperks, who is handling this giveaway, is a sort of Groupon for book lovers, and they selected my book for this promotion!  I’m very honored and excited to be included.

I reviewed the FlashLantern a while back, you can read my review here, and our family takes it on every camping trip.  I love that Bogden Outdoor Equipment is a small, privately owned company in Montana and the product is definitely not “made in China.”

Click HERE to visit the Bookperks site and sign up for the giveaway.   If you already have my book, then tell your friends about this!  (No purchase necessary to enter.)

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Guest post by Kelly P.

Many women enjoy target shooting, but I have found something even better – a fun and practical shooting sport called IDPA. IDPA stands for International Defensive Pistol Association and is a shooting sport that simulates real life self-defense scenarios. Shooters use full size weapons and holsters that are practical for real life concealed carry. All you need to compete is a handgun, strong side belt holster, magazine/speedloader holder, cover garment for concealment, and eye and ear protection.

I have been shooting in IDPA matches for a year now. Notice I didn’t say “competing”, because I am still far from reaching a competitive skill level. IDPA is a friendly sport and beginners are always welcome. I’m not sure if this is true everywhere, but in my area kids are also welcome. Experienced shooters are friendly and encouraging and happy to share tips and discuss equipment and gadgets.

At a match, shooters are assigned to squads and are under the direction of a Safety Officer. The SO runs the squad and gives all the range commands. A match consists of several stages. In each stage, the SO reads a scenario and explains the requirements for that stage. There are instructions for the order of shooting targets and how many rounds in each target. For example, you might need to put two rounds in the chest and one round in the head of each target, from behind cover or while moving to cover. You might have to shoot with just your strong hand or just your weak hand. Some targets are marked “non-threat” and partially block targets you need to hit. Most targets are fixed, but some swing back and forth so they peek out from behind non-threat targets. Some targets only face the shooter for a couple of seconds and are activated by shooting a steel target. It is a challenge!

Scoring is based on a combination of speed and accuracy. Your total shooting time is recorded and points, which are converted to seconds, are added for misses, hits on the target but outside the designated areas, hits on non-threat targets, and procedural errors such as shooting targets in the wrong order.

You can find a club that sponsors IDPA matches on the IDPA.com website. Be aware of the range’s safety rules before arriving. Even if you have a concealed carry permit and normally carry a loaded gun, if it is a “cold range”, you may only have a loaded gun on the firing line under the SO’s supervision, and you may only handle your gun in designated areas. If you can’t find a club with IDPA matches near you, check out IPSC (International Practical Shooting Confederation, ipsc.org) and USPCA (United Practical Shooting Association, uspsa.org). I have not shot in their matches, but they are along the same lines of using practical shooting skills. You can find YouTube videos to get an idea of how a match works.

The events really get your adrenaline pumping, and it’s a great way to meet new people and gain important skills.

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by mynameisharsha

I got this question from one of my readers and thought it would be great as a Survival Survey question.

Every time I empty a container of some sort, i.e. milk, soda, cottage cheese, salsa jar, or even cleaning sprayer, or bottle,  I wonder what is the best prepper re-purpose for these, if any?  Should they go to the recycle bin or should I keep them for storing something?

This is a great question, and I’m looking forward to some creative ideas from all you Survival Moms out there

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by Faith Goble

When I first received a sample box of Rover’s Reserve Freeze Dried Beef Hearts for Cats and Dogs from my very good friends at Freeze Dry Guy, I was a little skeptical. Would our dogs turn up their noses at the stuff?  What about the cat?

Delcie, our tri-colored Basenji, found it difficult to review the food while gulping it down.  It was embarrassing to watch this mature female wolf down food so quickly that she was unable to speak.  A little self-control would have been in order.  I did manage to ask her to give it either a paws up or a paws down.  Briefly, she gave it a paws up but then went back to her meal.

The second pet in line for the test was Daisy.  “Give it to Daisy. She hates everything,” I think of of my kids said.  Well, Daisy loves to chew on mylar bags and my daughter’s Bible, so I thought Rover’s  Reserve would be a shoo-in.  Not quite.  She did drool a bit and pick at the food I offered, but it’s my belief that she wanted to maintain her dignity and pride, unlike Delcie.

Finally there was Mouse, named for the huge ears that she never quite grew in to.  I wasn’t able to offer the food to Mouse by hand because I almost lost a finger when she grabbed the first bite.  Again, no restraint, no decorum, just a full-on gorge.  I didn’t bother asking her for a review.

I can say with confidence that we’ll be buying more of Rover’s Reserve. Since it’s freeze dried, I don’t have to worry about it becoming rancid and since it’s packaged in small mylar bags, it would be very difficult for pests to chew their way in.  We’ve stored the packets of Rover’s Reserve in a bucket with a lid to further protect it from insects and rodents.

With this type of food it would be wise to mix in a tablespoon or two of fat, such as bacon grease or oil.  Our pets need fat in their diets just as we do.  Three varieties, Chicken Hearts, Duck Hearts, and Beef Hearts, contain only those ingredients, freeze-dried hearts.  If your dogs and cats are on a raw foods diet, Rover’s Reserve is a great back-up.

*Freeze Dry Guy has a special place in my heart because four years ago, its owner, Ron, spent two hours with a couple of beginning preppers, teaching  us about food storage, freeze dried food, and offering sound advice.  My husband and I were that couple, and we appreciate Ron’s help.  I am now an affiliate of Freeze Dry Guy, which means I get a small commission from purchases made from this site.

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Guest post by Jessica, who blogs at Salt N Prepper.

image by joeltelling

I really do love any quick tip that can save you water in an emergency. One of these water saving tips I’ve found is dry shampooing your hair. When water is being rationed, you really want to use only what’s necessary when washing. This means no every-other-day shampoo. Washing your hair uses an immense amount of water and should only be done sparingly in an emergency.

This is where a quick fix like dry shampooing is helpful. If you’re a woman you know how uncomfortable long greasy hair can be. Especially with dark, thick hair like mine. And even if you feel like you can tough out anything in a SHTF scenario, it’s still nice to have some comforts like clean hair.

Dry shampooing is quick, easy and the best part – dry. You’ll use absolutely no water. So here you go:

Supplies

Four common dry shampoos I’ve heard of people using are baking soda, baby powder, foot powder and cornstarch. I’ve always used cornstarch but whatever you have on hand will be fine.

Four Easy Steps

Step One: Brush Out Your Hair

Take the time to get all those tangles out.

Step Two: Apply Dry Shampoo

You won’t need very much. Instead of pouring it on your head, just use your finger to apply a little at a time. If you use too much you’re going to end up with grey hair. Apply the dry shampoo to your scalp. Add a little extra to the greasier spots. Then brush through your hair once to distribute it all the way out to the ends. Don’t over brush during the step though – you’ll brush out the shampoo.

Step Three: Wait At Least 10 Minutes

In this 10 minutes the dry shampoo is simply soaking up all that grease in your hair.

Step Four: Brush Out

Grab a good brush with some fine teeth and brush the daylights out of your hair. The dry shampoo will have clumped with the grease so you should see little balls of dry shampoo coming off.

What other quick and easy water-saving tips do you have? Leave your ideas in the comments section below.

Jessica Hooley is the author of Salt N’ Prepper and contributor to the Army Navy Store Blog – PX Supply

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

What do you use for your every day stovetop cooking?  Chances are, you’re like a lot of us who own fairly nice cookware.  My set is nice, but I’d never want to use it over a gas grill, campfire or campstove.  One major reason is that it isn’t safe to use non-stick cookware over a fire.

image by INeedCoffee

Last year when I began lurking around garage and estate sales, I started picking up used, and cheap, pots, pans, and an old-fashioned coffeepot.  They are all pieces I wouldn’t mind putting over an open flame.  In fact, a couple of them look like they’ve already done some hard time over campfires!

If your culinary skills are ever put to the test in less than ideal conditions, you’ll be glad to have a few of these pots and pans for your cooking, and they are so easy to find in thrift stores and at garage sales.  While you’re at it, keep a sharp eye out for cast iron cookware as well.  Purchased new, it can be a bit pricey.

Hey, if your cookware is already old and crummy, this is one prepping step you don’t have to worry about!

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

When I was a classroom teacher, I could always spot the troublemakers no later than the second day of school. They were the ones who didn’t bother trying to make a good impression, while everyone else was clean, shiny, and overly polite.  In due time, this small number of kids would take up a good portion of my time as I worked to keep them focused on learning and out of trouble.

Looking back, I’d say that roughly 20% of my students caused about 80% of classroom disruptions.

This breakdown, 80/20, turns up over and over again, almost eerily so.  It was Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist who lived in the early 1900′s, who first observed that 80% of the peas he harvested from his garden came from 20% of the pea plants.  Looking beyond his own backyard, he noted that 80% of the land was owned by 20% of the population.  In time, Pareto’s Principle, as it came to be called, was noted to have applications far beyond a harvest of peas or distribution of wealth.  In fact, it has implications for how survival-minded individuals can allocate their time, money, and energy.

Spot the 80/20 Rule in your own life

When I was preparing material for the webinar, “5 Survival Rules You Can’t Afford to Ignore,” I collected together all the knives in my kitchen.  I had quite a pile of bread knives, steak and santoku knives and many, many others.  When I set aside the knives I actually used on a regular basis, it was quite apparent that the 80/20 Rule was at work in my own kitchen!  I reach for the same 6 or 7 knives over and over.

My daughter loves to paint and has a large collection of acrylic paints in every color of the rainbow. However, when it’s time to buy new paint colors, the list is almost always the same: white, black, yellow, red, and blue.  In other words, about 20% of the colors in her paintbox!

In what ways do you see the 80/20 Rule in action in your own life and home?

image by HVargas

Applying the rule to survival

So what does all this have to do with preparedness and survival? Quite a lot, actually!  Consider first the collection of tools you have collected.  In your tool box or garage, you probably use the same 20% far more than the other 80%.  When you go camping or hunting, only about 20% of your supplies are most vital to the success of your trip.  When you go to the shooting range, you likely take the same firearm(s) every time!

I have a large box of various over-the-counter medications that I’ve been collecting, but you know what we use most often? Ibuprofen, cough syrup, and Benadryl.  Among my essential oils, I use lavender and eucalyptus most often.  Clearly the lesson here is to stock up on these items far more than any of the others.

The important point about the 80/20 Rule and these tools and supplies is that it helps you identify what you use most often and, possibly, what is most likely to break or be consumed most quickly.  With that in mind, those are the items that need back-ups and back-ups to the back-ups!  (See Rule of 3.)

Survival skills and vital knowledge

The 80/20 Rule has been called the rule of, “the vital few and trivial many.”  When it comes to skills, knowledge and survival, there certainly is an 80/20 breakdown with a few skills being most vital to survival and the rest, not so much.

Consider the skills that you have mastered.  If you could pass down only 3 or 4 to your children or grandchildren, and you knew those skills could make the difference between life and death, which would they be?  Classical guitar?  Hunting and field dressing game?  Cooking from scratch?  Scrapbooking?  Identifying wild plants that are safe to eat?

Knowing which skills are most important will improve the survival odds of your family now and teaching them to the next generation will do the same for them.

Here’s what’s most important…

Regardless of where it’s applied, the real value of the 80/20 Rule is that it reminds  us to focus on the areas, the people, the knowledge that is most important.  None of us have unlimited time, money and energy.  Each day we have to determine what steps to take to become better prepared for an uncertain future.  Each day we have to decide how to allocate our time.  The smartest way to do that is to look for ways to apply the 80/20 Rule in your  own life and home.

The video

I’ve recorded a short video that shows how to apply the 80/20 Rule to other areas of preparedness, including food storage and establishing a “survival community”.  You can watch it right here!

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.