Backwoods Home Magazine
My favorite magazine of all time has to be Backwoods Home Magazine (BHM). I've never met the people who produce this magazine, but I can say for sure that they are of my tribe. We have the same mind set. The same aspirations. Articles in BHM include writings on many diverse topics including: Homesteading Self-Reliance Renewable Energy Prepping Gardening Livestock Firearms Homeschooling Arts and Crafts Water Collection Community ...and so much more The current issue, at the time of this posting, is the January/February 2017 issue. It blew me away, and inspired my wife to strongly suggest that I write [...]
Tactical Vest Selection
There is a lot of talk about bug out bags in the prepper community, and for good reason. If you're leaving one place, probably in a hurry and never to return, it's a good idea to have a pre-packed bag full of items that will help get you out of Dodge as efficiently as possible. Bug out bags make sense when you're on the run. But if you're likely to end up in a security situation or gun fight while you're bugging out, adding a tactical vest to your bug out gear makes a lot of sense as well. Tactical [...]
Prep Your Body – Be Ready For a SHTF Situation
You could have a perfect bugout plan, a well-prepped homestead, and a library of survivalist knowledge in your brain but none of that will do you much good if you aren't physically fit when the SHTF. If you want to survive a cataclysmic disaster, you can't be "caught with your pants down" when it comes to your health. Physical health and fitness is are vitally important when it comes to survival. Don't forget to prep your body. Healthy sleep habits and daily training pay off. So does keeping up with all aspects of your health including dental, vision, strength, and [...]
Slow and Steady Prepping
This time of year everyone is talking about their New Year's Resolutions. The gyms are full of people wanting to get into shape. Coworkers are brainstorming ways to spend less money because the holiday spending has really put a strain on finances. Smokers are vaping or chewing nicotine gum in an effort to quit smoking. The first of a new year is when we resolve to make huge changes in our lives. But does it work? No, it really doesn't. Go to the gym in mid-February and there are no longer crowds of people there. Check out your coworkers in [...]
Fish Snares – Yo-yos, Gill Nets and Trotlines
Everyone has heard the saying "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and you give him an occupation that will feed him for a lifetime." This saying takes on more significance when you put that man in a SHTF scenario. If the world as we know it endures catastrophe and people are scrambling to feed their families, then the food animals in your region will likely be hunted out fast. Both hunted and foraged food will become scarce fairly quickly. Thankfully, since fish reproduce rapidly, there will likely continue to be [...]
Blacksmithing Lessons – Learn to Forge Your Own Metal Creations
Of all of the skills we have listed on the Prepper and Homesteading Skills page, blacksmithing would have been last priority for me. Learning to be a blacksmith was no where on my radar! But when my son came to me and said he was interested in knife making, he said he didn't want to do it half-assed. He really wanted to learn to be a blacksmith and then use those skills to make knifes. So, I had to become interested. Part of parenting is providing the opportunity for your children to learn what they are interested in. The problem [...]
Unconventional Bug Out Vehicle Options
What is a Bug Out Vehicle? When the SHTF (shit hits the fan) or TEOTWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it) happens, there are several ways to respond. You could panic and die like a meek sheep. You could "bug in" at your already prepped (and secure) home. Or you could "bug out" of the place you currently live and head to a predetermined safe place. If you choose the "bug out" option, then you will need a vehicle that can haul your family--and any supplies you need for the journey--to your desired destination. THIS is a [...]
The Perfect Urban Bug Out Bag
The topic of bug out bags has been beaten to death, yet there's so many things that need to be said. People are talking about what to add, what to leave out, and how to make a BOB smaller and lighter. They keep in mind their personal needs, climate, location, which brings me to the topic of today's piece: how to build a bug out bag if you live in the city. Known as an urban bug out bag. Unlike people living in the burbs, in small towns, or even in the wilderness, city dwellers have no choice BUT to [...]