gardening skills +1

picked some lettuce from my backyard to eat with korean bacon for lunch...taste was like normal store bought lettuce...good chance some weeds got mixed up, but that's ok...you can see the holes where bugs ate the leaves, but i don't mind if they eat a bit too...

the packet of seeds i bought had 3 or 4 different types of lettuce and kale and took about 2 months to grow...i think i picked these about 2 weeks late, and they were starting to wilt a little

off-the-grid

pictures of what real "off the grid" living looks like...the preppers tv show should interview these guys...they're already living it unlike the people in the few episodes that i have seen

http://laughingsquid.com/off-the-grid-photo-series-of-americans-living-outside-mainstream-society/

http://www.ericvalli.com/index.php?/stories/off-the-grid/

tilley

i got a couple tilley hemp hats..th4 and th5...the th4 has a larger brim all the way around than the th5...both are a little heavier than the other airflow type tilley hats, but these seem tougher and more natural looking since they're made of hemp...expensive but tilley will replace if they wear out...great for when mowing the lawn (got a free used push mower...needed some oil and blade adjustment but works well enough...decent calorie burner too) and working on my soon to exist garden...perfect for my survival bag too...now, i just need to get some good waterproof boots....i wasn't planning to get two, but i saw the larger brim one at a store after i ordered the smaller one online

brim difference

preppers

http://americanpreppersnetwork.com/

looks like it has a lot of information on self-reliance related things like dehydrating food, making tallow, and gardening....even has a three part article on aquaponics

http://americanpreppersnetwork.com/2011/02/aquaponics-101-part-one-process.html

the website also has more typical prepper information like bug-out bags/preparedness kits like this checklist

http://americanpreppersnetwork.com/2010/12/bug-out-guideand-checklist.html

i still don't have any emergency food or water...i'll probably order some millennium food bars and water packets for my bag after i move...i also need to get a good pair of waterproof boots...i'll have to make a small kit to keep in my car

hat

looking to get a real hat to replace the crappy one that i got at cabo san lucas...considering a tilley hat, but can't find a store that carries the hemp one in my size...lifetime guarantee and 2 year replacement for any reason insurance...retails for about 80 bucks

http://www.tilley.com/The-TH4-Hemp-Hat.aspx

the organic cotton one is good too and found it at a store nearby but the size i needed wasn't in stock...this one has a mesh that allows for more airflow...good for hot days but probably not good for rainy days

http://www.tilley.com/The-T4MO-Organic-AIRFLO-Hat.aspx

new project

i have some paracord and was thinking of making a bracelet...however, after thinking about it a little bit, what i really need is a belt...plus, a belt would contain a lot more rope...did some searching and found this

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-rugged-and-handy-Paracord-Belt/?ALLSTEPS

now i just need to find a belt buckle...also, www.instructables.com is a pretty cool website...if i'm successful with making a belt, i'll make a couple more and use them as rifle slings instead...i'm going to have to order some more paracord if that is the case

i found this site while searching how to make the belt...a ranking of survival websites

http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/top-10-most-influential-survival-and-preparedness-blogs.htm

i only checked on a couple of the sites, but they seemed pretty good...the only problem with looking at these sites is that they give me ideas on more gear to get that i don't need

since i'm on the topic of survival now, i came across a good pair of working gloves at rei to add to my survival pack...the feel of the leather varied greatly, and i chose the ones that felt the most worn in...they fit pretty well, but i think i would have trouble doing more delicate tasks like turning a nut/bolt or loading a magazine...however, i really wanted a leather glove, because they protect your hands from things like needles...the "tactical" gloves are synthetic and don't seem to protect the hands from prickly things as well as a thick piece of cow hide

http://marmot.com/products/basic_work_glove

emergency

what i have so far...some of the items can be found in my earlier post...http://sebs-stuff.blogspot.com/2011/03/emergency-kit.html

1. waterproof backpack

2. simple lock with key chain carabiner...i should get a real carabiner

3. portable knife sharpener

4. wind up flashlight, radio, and usb charger

5. first aid kit

6. emergency blanket

7. pair of pants

8. paracord

9. cheap pocket knife

10. swiss army knife

11. kukri

12. large knife (this is a new one...ontario gen 2 sp50 survival knife...i might do a separate comparison of this knife with the others that i have

13. magnesium fire starter

14. marlin .22 rifle (i'll probably carry this separately instead of in the bag)

15. shirt jacket

16. dust masks

17. hat

18. bowl

19. safety vest

20. can opener

21. forgot to add duct tape and cable ties...should also add a tshirt or two and underwear...maybe a roll of tp...i'll add them after this post

still required

1. safety glasses...i need to get the same kind that i got for the range

2. extra pair of glasses...i need to get a really cheap pair to keep in the bag

3. heavy duty work gloves...i'm still looking for a good pair that is still tough but have decent feel to do things like shoot and work with tools

4. boots

5. compass and maps

6. food...i haven't decided on the type of food bars to get...i also want to keep some in my car, but they would have to be able to withstand high temperatures...might just get energy bars from the market...they won't last as long, but i can eat them after a year and get new ones

7. water...probably just get 3 one liter bottles

8. metal canteen that i can use for boiling too

9. binoculars...i have a pair, but i keep it in my range bag

10. whistle

11. bright light, mirror, signaling device

12. good heavy socks...i knew i should have gotten the ones at bass pro shop

13. metal cup

14. light waterproof jacket with hood

15. a couple cheap lighters

16. tinder for fire...cotton balls with some vaseline

17. set of nail clippers and tweezers

18. i don't keep my travel documents and other important documents here, but i would have to remember to get them...and a book to read

it isn't too heavy yet, but might be a problem with all the other stuff that i need to get...if you have a family, then you will need to adjust accordingly...baby/kid stuff... feminine hygiene stuff...personal medication...more food and water

i would also like to make a small bag for my car and office...i have a first aid kit and the annhilator in the car...some wonder why i have it, but look at what firefighters have when they need to get into disaster areas...they carry wrecking bars...this is my wrecking bar...also, i was successful in taking down a small wall...mightier strikes than mjolnir

overdue post

given that i'm now unemployed, one would think that i would be able to blog more...to make up for the lack of posts, i will make this a long post, starting with the survival class that i went to this past saturday

it was at hahamonga watershed park in pasadena...the picture below was taken after some rain, but it was dry when we went...there were lots of spiders, tiny frogs, and rat looking squirrels...about 30 people showed up...much more than i expected

http://www.lamountains.com/parks.asp?parkid=643

our instructor was chris...his special power was his gorilla like ability to rip off tree branches that are thick as a man's arm to make shelter...he was also good at batoning...batoning is using a branch or some other object to hammer the top of a knife to use as an axe...that's him below with survival chopsticks...his master must have been chun from remo williams: the adventure begins

the class focused mainly on identifying edible plants that were collected to eat as a salad at the end of the class...there was some instruction on making a simple shelter out of branches and foliage, making a tube tent, tying a plastic bag around a tree to collect water through transpiration, and making fire...it was almost 100 degrees, and we were lazy, so we left early and didn't see this...however, we got a drill and hearth board for bow drill fire starting and a piece of quartz to make sparks...i figure i'll have a lighter and/or my magnesium strip for fire(information about bow drilling - http://www.practicalsurvivor.com/bowdrill)...or the remo williams method to fire starting (watch past the bullet dodging around the 8:15 mark)

instead of staying for the fire portion of the class or making our salad, we left for bass pro shop in rancho cucamonga...a massive shop for camping, hunting, boating, and other redneck activities...their restaurant is pretty good too..much better than the plants we ate...i had half a chicken with mashed potato and cooked veggies...they have a huge selection of stuff, and it's worth checking out once...two drawbacks are that it is far away and the prices are on the high side

some of the plants that we picked were amaranth, mustard, wild radish, curly dock, passion fruit, and willow...there was also hemlock (fatal if ingested) and poison oak...apparently, if you eat a little poison oak on a regular basis, you will develop a level of immunity to it...we aslo made a little snare out of wire, but didn't use it to catch anything

the two most notable items that he carried were his knife and saw...i'm not sure what kind of saw it was but his knife was a cold steel bushman...i can see why he would pick this one since he uses the knife for batoning, and the bushman being made out of one piece of steel would be better suited for that kind of abuse...i didn't learn much, but it was still pretty fun and a decent excuse to be outdoors, use a knife, and wear my cabo san lucas hat

large man in shorts throwing a makeshift bushman knife spear

robert baratheon could have used this spear in his boar hunt, which leads to my review of a game of thrones book and hbo show...from my goodreads review - 

i don't read much fantasy, and i expected a game of thrones to be similar to lotr...heroes go on some epic quest to fight some great evil and good wins in the end...game of thrones is nothing like this...although it is hinted that a great evil will threaten the land when the winter comes, this book is mainly about political intrigue in a high fantasy setting...various families scheming and plotting to gain or retain power...murder, bloodshed, rape, incest, and other r-rated themes that you don't see in something like lotr...i can see why hbo picked this up to make into a tv series...the writing flows well and the story is paced evenly...a fun book, and i'm reading a clash of kings now 

hbo did a very good job of condensing 900 pages into 10 episodes while staying true to the book...in typical hbo style, they added a little more graphic violence, strong sexual content, and nudity without going overboard...their casting was pretty good, especially tyrion and arya, my favorite characters...daenerys looks interesting too, but i don't think her story gets developed that much until the upcoming book since that one is called a dance with dragons...spoiler below if you didn't read or watch


boromir suffered the same fate and died early...that's what you get for playing the same character...i knew that grrm had a penchant for killing of main characters, so i wasn't surprised when eddard was killed off, but i guess tv only watchers were surprised and even a little angry...i liked the way they handled that scene...everything goes quiet, and they pan to shot of a flock of birds flying after the chop without actually showing the beheading as with previous executions...a dance with dragons out this month with two more remaining, so i'm not sure how hbo will finish the series if they decide to do all the books...they would have to wait for the last two to come out, which could take ten years based on how long it took for the last book and the upcoming one to be published...a game of thrones and the walking dead might be the best shows on tv, depending on how good the walking dead is this season

more survival

been looking for rations and water to add to my kit...found these as possible options to add

Mainstay 3600 Emergency Food Rations 

Mainstay Emergency Drinking Water

Datrex 3600 Emergency Food Bar

this website did a comparison of the food bars...i'm tempted to order some and see what they taste like...the main complaint for all of these is with the packaging...they are not individually wrapped, so once you open one package, you are forced to eat it all...i may have to add some sandwich bags into my kit to help keep them fresh, but even that isn't airtight and will go bad after a few weeks...i can also store these at work as quick lunches when i'm too lazy to sack lunch or go out and buy something

i think these food bars are better than dehydrated stuff or normal military mre's because you can eat these without any additional preparation...also, these are supposed to have enough moisture to not make you thirsty after eating them...a lot of e-rats have salt in them...there is a warning that it contains coconut, so people with allergies should stay away

the water packs are easier to pack and last longer than water in plastic bottles

they also have huge long term food supply buckets...Emergency Survival Food Supply...these require water and preparation to eat and is more suited for extended survival situations where you might have access to heat and water but not food...i think some costcos sell these...it might be a bad time to buy these right now because they jacked up the prices after the disaster in japan caused a spike in demand

emergency kit

with so many disasters and civil unrest happening around the world, and since i'm in an earthquake prone area, i decided to start making an emergency pack...some refer to this as a 72 hour bug out bag (bob)...enough food and water to allow you to be on your own for 3 days...i don't have everything but this is what i have so far

1. overboard waterproof bag - this is basically a waterproof sack with just one small zippered pocket inside...it's not the greatest for compartmentalizing everything, but it was the only fully waterproof bag that i could find...it does not rain often here, but i might not always be living in the same place...also, i would be screwed if something did happen while it was raining...some people buy molle backpacks, which allows them to customize as needed...for me, it was too expensive, too military looking, and not waterproof...i want to avoid looking like some soldier, because it draws too much attention

2. first aid kit - standard kit that you can get at any store like walmart or target...not ideal for backpacks, because it is a little bulky, but i already had it and didn't feel like buying another just for this bob

3. eton flashlight/radio - AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio with Flashlight, Solar Power and Cell Phone Charger...i might get a nightstar flashlight too...the eton is decent...the light is not super bright but is good enough...radio is good...i have not tried charging it in the sun, so i can't say if the solar power works well...the only problem that i have with it is the power button for the light...you have to push it all the way down on a very small spot on the button until you hear/feel a small click..i have to use my fingernail to make it work

4. paracord - lots of uses for this stuff...too many to list...you can find many forums for this

5. knives - i have several ka-bars, but they're not all in the bag...i have the kukri, tanto, and fighting knives...the fighting knife is in the bag and i'll probably carry the kukri...good knives and not so expensive that i'm afraid to use them...although, i have cheap knives for really rough use...i also have lots of cheap folders...probably add some of those too

6. champ swiss army knife - gotta have a swiss army knife...i've had this one for over 20 years, and it's still good

7. binoculars - have a really old pair of crappy ones...there are many higher quality stuff like this one from bushnell

8. fire starter - magnesium fire starter...but i'll also add a couple cheap bic lighters and some cotton balls and petroleum jelly for tinder

9. knife sharpener

10. pants - i wanted some tough pants to keep in the bag...too bad they're a bit small and i'm too lazy to return it...i'll have to work out until they fit better

that is all that i have so far...not too heavy yet...i still need the following

1. rations - i haven't decided what type of food i'll put in there...i don't want to spend money on e-rats or mre's...probably just get some spam and chef boyardee...they'll be heavy though...maybe some energy bars instead...some people add cooking kits, but i won't...i'll also need to add a knife, spoon, and fork for eating

2. water - need to add 3 liters of water, water bottle, and a good metal canteen that i can use for boiling too...some add water filtration stuff, but that might be too much

3. compass and maps

4. other clothing - need some good socks, couple shirts, waterproof jacket, hat, gloves (for hand protection than cold), and waterproof boots...saw some heavy duty socks at bass pro shop that had a lifetime warranty...5.11 is good too..just a bit expensive...http://www.511tactical.com/All-Products/Footwear/8-Boots.html

people make fun of me about this, but shirt jackets are crucial

5. whistle and maybe some type of bright signaling device

6. some add an axe and shovel, but that might be a bit too much...i have the annihilator though...too heavy to carry around but would make more sense in a get home bag (a little bit more about this type of bag at the end of the post)

7. i have no guns in the bag, since it would be illegal to carry a gun in a bag concealed...surprisingly, open carry is legal...still, open carry would attract too much attention...i would take my marlin papoose and maybe my glock 17 if the situation was so bad that i needed a gun...i would also need to carry a small gun cleaning kit...i can fit about 200-300 loose rounds of .22 lr in the hollow stock and would be pretty easy to carry, but i would have to limit it to about 50-100 rounds of 9mm for the glock...i also have a 1911, but .45acp ammo is too heavy...i'll probably get a scope and additional magazines

8. shelter - will add an emergency sleeping bag and a rain shell

9. survival handbook - the sas one is supposed to be good

10. misc - travel documents, cash, glasses and sunglasses, notepad, pen/sharpee, duct tape, cable ties, one good book, some wet wipes, nail clipper, handkerchief/bandanna, can opener, disposable filtration masks

11. some have fishing stuff...still thinking if i should add it too

http://thesurvivalpodcast.com/forum/index.php?topic=1508.0  (some pics of other people's bags)

this is a bag that i would keep at home...however, an emergency bag is useless if you don't have it with you at all times...i might make a small bag that i can carry with me and/or keep in my car...the parameters for this type of bag would be a little different...for example, this is something you would take to the office...would have to be less conspicuous and would need things that would help you get out of the building and get you home...therefore, it is usually called a get home bag, but that is best left for another post

this can be a hobby in itself
http://survivalcache.com/
http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/