Certain Cars Can Be Banned From Streets, Court Rules. Total Ban By 2040?

Certain Cars Can Be Banned From Streets, Court Rules. Total Ban By 2040? is available on https://totalsurvival.net/

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The country where the internal combustion engine originated might be among the first to ban it.

Germany’s Federal Administrative Court ruled Tuesday that cities have the right to ban gasoline and diesel vehicles in an attempt to curb pollution.

“These vehicles have no place in our cities anymore,” Jürgen Resch, the managing director of an environmental group called Deutsche Umwelthilfe, told The New York Times. Resch’s group brought suit after German governments who had failed to take action against polluting vehicles.

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The suit demanded that German cities start enforcing air quality standards mandated by the European Union (EU), The Times reported. Enforcing those standards would require cities to ban many older diesel vehicles.

“Limited bans for certain diesel cars are within the law,” the court ruled. The Federal Administrative Court is one of the highest in Germany.

The city of Paris, which has some of the worst smog in Europe, has already banned vehicles built before 1997, Car Insurance Samurai reported. The French government wants to get rid of all gas and diesel vehicles by 2040.

Three German cities — Stuttgart, Munich and Dusseldorf — are considering banning diesel. Resch expects the first diesel bans in Germany to be enacted by fall of this year. It is not known how the ban would impact Germany’s auto industry, which has promoted diesel for decades and employs 800,000 people.

Germany was the country where the automobile was invented by Karl Benz in 1885.

“The days of flooding the inner cities with poisonous diesel emissions are over,” Resch said.

Many people around the world seem to agree with his sentiment.

City governments in Madrid and Athens want to ban diesel vehicles completely, and officials in the United Kingdom hope to ban diesel completely by 2040, The New York Times reported. The government of India wants to require all cars to be electric by 2030, CNN Money reported.

China Vice Minister of Information Zin Guobin told reporters his government wants to ban the sale of new fossil fuel burning vehicles by 2030, The Economist reported. Closer to home, Mary Nichols, the chairman of California’s Air Resources board, said she would like to see a ban on internal combustion vehicles by 2040.

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The Government Will Help These Cities First After The SHTF

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Whether you clicked this article out of curiosity or are looking to find out whether you have hit the lottery on location, there are some things to consider. 2017 taught us a lot about the resilience of communities and the response of the government to disasters. In fact, regarding disaster response, it was probably the most telling year in modern history.

As a recap, we faced devastating hurricanes, civil unrest, a deadly flu virus, the biggest mass shooting ever, and wildfires that threatened massive chunks of California. It was a wild year! I hope you were paying attention.

Knowing where the government will show up first in a collapse scenario is of immense importance to everyone. Of course, we would all like to believe there is help on the way during any disaster. There are massive amounts of resources that will be used to assist ailing states and cities, but some states and cities are going to be a much higher priority than others.

The government has broken down 8 core principles that guide recovery in their National Disaster Recovery Framework.

• Convene the core of an inclusive whole community planning team, identified predisaster, which will oversee the disaster recovery planning process and activities to reduce recovery risk and increase resilience.
• Public Information and Warning. Manage expectations through clarity, accuracy, and transparency.
• Operational Coordination. Lead, coordinate, and drive the recovery process.
• Economic Recovery. Share, aggregate, and integrate economic impact data to assess economic issues and identify potential inhibitors to fostering stabilization of the affected communities.
• Health and Social Services. Identify affected populations, groups, and key partners in recovery.
• Housing. Assess preliminary housing impacts and pre- and post-disaster needs, identify available options for temporary housing, and support the local development of the plan for permanent housing.
• Infrastructure Systems. Facilitate the restoration of and sustain essential services (public and private) to maintain community functionality.
• Natural and Cultural Resources. Implement measures to protect and stabilize records and culturally significant documents, objects, and structures.

In researching this topic, I noticed one resource that stood out above all. It was an article written with a government and recovery motive in mind.

A Governmental Response Based on Common Sense

The list provided below was created by Fergus Mason of askaprepper.com, and I love the reasoning behind each choice.

1. Washington, D.C. – Government
2. New York City – Largest US population center
3. Los Angeles – Second largest population center
4. Chicago – Major population center, finance, manufacturing
5. Houston – Major population center, oil industry
6. Dallas – Population center, oil industry
7. Philadelphia – Population center, manufacturing, oil refining
8. San Diego – Population center, military
9. Phoenix – Population center, food processing
10. San Francisco – Tech industries

It’s easy to understand why the government would respond in such a way based on population size and their ability to aid in the recovery. That said, I think we must be honest about the government’s track record when it comes to disaster response.

If this is a surprise to you, check out this list of the 5 worst government responses to natural disasters.

It’s important to realize that the government’s response to a massive collapse of our nation would probably not be the right one. No one has ever seen what happens to a country of 300 million people who are heavily armed and accustomed to all the conveniences of modern life when a disaster changes everything.

Honestly, I don’t miss a chance to knock the government but, in this instance, I think it’s just a numbers game. While having a plan and executing it makes sense for a governing body, I just don’t think any government can adequately prepare for a nationwide disaster.

Factoring in the Human Element

Recovery from a nationwide collapse scenario would really depend on the actions of the people that are being helped. I think the quicker that recovery happens, the better it will be for everyone. That said, those cities that don’t receive help in the first week or weeks will erupt into so much chaos that I don’t know if any of them can be saved. It may be like a wildfire that just has to burn itself out.

Even if we suspended Posse Comitatus to use as many resources as possible, we would come up short. We have about 2.5 million soldiers in our military. I guess you could add to that the police which are estimated at 800,000. This would put us over 3 million. Still, we would have 300 million people to watch. Most would be armed, and all would be scared.

In 2013, FEMA’s operating budget was 16 billion, and while I couldn’t find anything on recent budgets, I’m sure it’s gotta be around a 20 billion. It took nearly that much money just for the recovery of Texas and Florida from this year’s hurricanes. And most Americans didn’t feel the effect of that at all.

Donald Trump also just cut the budget of the coast guard, who would no doubt come to the people’s aid in a disaster

How Do You Control of Millions of Scared and Desperate People?

While the list of cities above is probably pretty accurate, I wonder how fast the turnaround would be from one city to the next. If resources were dispatched to the first 3 or 4 cities, how quickly would they be able to move to assist the others, or would it be a limited number of resources to each major city?

It will all come down to how the government decides to take control of millions of sacred and desperate people. When we really consider what a recovery looks like, it conjures up thoughts of despotic martial law. These are serious concerns, and I’m not sure I can blame anyone for fearing that.

Even in the very first cities to receive aid, there will be things like curfews to keep order. What the nation’s response to these rules will be is anyone’s guess. I think it’s very clear what the government’s response to a disaster will be. I think we can also agree they will be strapped for resources.

The big question is: Will the weak and unprepared people allow for recovery? What do you think?

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Citizen-Journalist Arrested For Facebook Post About Police

Citizen-Journalist Arrested For Facebook Post About Police was originally seen on http://www.totalsurvival.net/

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A Texas woman might face time in jail after being slapped with two felonies because she posted something she heard from an acquaintance on her Facebook page.

“In my opinion, this is the government’s attempt to silence my client,” Priscilla Villarreal’s attorney, Sergio Lozano, told The Texas Monthly.

Villarreal was arrested by Laredo, Texas, police on Dec. 13 and charged with “misuse of official information.”

Her crime was posting on Facebook the fact that a U.S. Border Patrol agent had committed suicide. Police claim that Villarreal violated the law because she asked Laredo Police Officer Barbara Goodman about the suicide, and then put the information on Facebook. Villarreal posted the information before the department released it to the public.

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“Information provided by Officer Goodman pertaining to the case in question was used by Priscilla Villarreal in her Facebook page ‘Lagordiloca News Laredo TX,’ immediately notifying her followers of the incident,” the complaint against Villarreal states.

Her Facebook page has 86,482 followers and is described as one of the most popular news sources in Laredo. “Lagordiloca” means “night crawler” in Spanish.

Villareal drives around Laredo on the Texas/Mexico border at night looking for news. Often, that includes posting live streaming video of police interactions with citizens.

“This is something that should trouble all news outlets in any medium, because otherwise, how do you get this information from the entities?” Lozano asked. “Whoever gets to it first gets the most readers, or ‘likes,’ or whatever. The Laredo Morning Times has subscribers, they sell ads, so why is Lagordiloca being treated differently?”

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Cool Indoor Dog Bed

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I found this lovely furniture for they who want to have a special place for their quadrupeds partners. This adorable pets house is suitable for cats and small to medium sized dogs up to a length of 80cm. Under the loft bed is integrated an food counter with 3 bowls, perfect for your lazy friends.

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The Perfect Carbine-Pistol Package That Will Fill All Your Gun Needs

The Perfect Carbine-Pistol Package That Will Fill All Your Gun Needs is courtesy of Total Survival

If you like compact and maneuverable carbines in the hot 22 WMR rimfire cartridge, then the Kel-Tec CMR-30 is for you. When Kel-Tec introduced the CMR in .22 WMR, it added another player to their lineup of lightweight, compact rifles. There’s a lot to love about this little gun, and if you combine it with the Kel-Tec PMR-30 pistol (same caliber) you would have a dynamite package for hunting, survival, defense and target shooting.

This carbine barrel is 16.1 inches with a 1 in 16-inch twist. With stock fully extended, the overall length is 30.6 inches. Thanks to mostly aluminum construction, it’s very light, at 3.8 pounds unloaded.

Lots of Features

The CMR is loaded with a wide range of useable features right out of the box. Examining this nice carbine overall you will find:

Adjustable stock. Kel-Tec calls it a four-position stock, but that doesn’t include the fully collapsed position, which shortens the gun to a very portable 22.7 inches. The ambidextrous adjustment lever is located just under the top front of the trigger guard. Operation in my experience has been silent and very smooth.

You Don’t Need A Gun License For This Weapon!

Metal sling loops on either side of the buttstock. Admittedly, they’re small, but that’s a trait that can be compensated for by using a length of paracord to accommodate larger sling hardware connecting points.

The magazine release, like most other things on this rifle, is ambi-friendly. Its location at the rear lower edge of the mag well takes a little getting used to, however.

Ambidextrous safety. Several folks that shot in testing the CMR are southpaws — and all found the thumb-operated lever convenient.

A textured pistol grip that complements this gun’s pack-ability with its narrow and flat profile. The signature Kel-Tec texture makes keeping a solid grip and shoulder mount easy.

A roomy trigger guard allows for safe operation, even with gloved hands.

Flip-up Magpul rear sight, with aperture that’s adjustable for windage. This (along with its mate up front) is a surprisingly high-end attachment. Regardless of the reason for putting better sights on the CMR-30 than on other Kel-Tec carbines, they did right by the consumer with this choice.

To match the rear sight, the front is a flip-up, Magpul adjustable post. This setup is great for keeping the gun compact, as optics can clear the sights without being mounted extra-high. The sights can thus co-witness with many optic setups.

More Pictatinny rail than you’ll ever use runs the length of the stock, top and bottom. You can add more stuff than you probably need!

Ambidextrous bolt operation, with a charging handle big enough to grab onto and operate quickly to clear a malfunction while keeping the gun shouldered. It’s also there to simply lock the bolt back, though doing that without breaking the firing position would take more work than I’ve put into this gun so far. The lock-back lever isn’t ambi; it’s on the left side only. At first glance it appears the charging handles may reciprocate during firing, endangering fingers. They don’t—they’re only for manually pulling the bolt rearward.

Threaded muzzle, with a good checkered steel cap, allows for quick installation of a suppressor or flash hider. The cap keeps the threads clean and the barrel streamlined without an accessory.

Trigger

The CMR trigger has a bit of take-up but isn’t heavy or grainy, and the reset is palpable without being match-grade sensitive. Kel-Tec says the weight range is three to five pounds, and it’s not adjustable.

Finally, Kel-Tec provides a full-color, highly detailed owner’s manual. It’s a nice gesture in an age when most manufacturers are issuing dull, generic manuals that drive us to YouTube when it’s time to clean the firearm.

Accuracy and Ammo

Shooting the CMR with a variety of setups was found to be more than acceptable. Especially considering a magnified optic was NOT utilized for a detailed accuracy test.

Ammo types during the trial include CCI TNT Green (lead-free) 30 grain, CCI Maxi-Mag 40 grain, and Hornady Critical Defense 45 grain. All achieved one to one-and-a-half-inch groups at 25 yards, with the TNT Green forming the tightest group of less than an inch. This is not to pass negative judgement on the other loads, as improvised rests used in the prone position, wind and shooter error surely had some effect, as they usually do.

Keep in mind that just a year or so ago 22WMR ammo was quite challenging to find, due to supplies having been bought up over the previous six to eight years because of concerns over gun and ammunition availability. Moral to this story: Keep a very good supply of the calibers of ammo you enjoy shooting and intend to use for all purposes.

Magazines

The owner’s manual provides rather sternly worded instructions about loading the magazines, and they’re not kidding. Loading the 30-round mag is the only thing inconvenient about operating this gun. Ammo must be loaded from the front of the magazine while sliding the round toward the rear wall of the magazine. The manual recommends tapping the flat backside of the mag on a flat wooden surface every 5-10 rounds. The spring is quite tight, and much pressure is required to load the last 10 rounds. The rounds also tend, at any stage of loading, to get a little off kilter in their double-stack configuration. The four misfeeds experienced during the 125-round test (a three percent failure rate) can probably be attributed to a slightly displaced round near the top of a full magazine. Once you become accustomed to the magazine loading procedure, it’s not that big a deal.

The magazine drops easily from the mag well upon release. This allows one to run speed or tactical reloads without hassle.

Takedown

Disassembling the CMR-30 is a straightforward process, if unusual in comparison to most common semi-autos. A small pin located on the frame and above the trigger must be pushed through with an improvised pointy object. The grip/trigger assembly separate as one unit, along with the stock, and barrel/bolt assembly which can be separated for cleaning. It’s not intuitive, but once done, it’s easy to repeat.

Parting Thoughts

Mounted with a magnifying optic, zeroed for the shooter’s ammo of choice, the Kel-Tec CMR-30 is a highly portable, dependable and accurate tool for a variety of applications out to at least 100 yards and probably beyond. For shooters whose visual acuity is good, the same is true for using the rifle with its stock sights.

What’s even more attractive is that the CMR-30 companion gun, the Kel-Tec PMR-30, is a full-size pistol of the same caliber and the magazines are the same for both.

Both the CMR and the PRM appear to enjoy a continued high demand. Current retail pricing for the CMR-30 ranges from $450 to $550.

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Handy Tips & Tricks for Organizing Your Kitchen

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Kitchens may seem like plain and simple spaces, but the effort put into a good and effective design is noteworthy. Take the sink cabinets for example. In order to have symmetry designers usually install a fake drawer underneath the sink. But this won’t do much for your effectiveness in the kitchen.

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Their Radical Plan To Off-Grid, Debt-Free Living Worked. Here’s What They Did.

Their Radical Plan To Off-Grid, Debt-Free Living Worked. Here’s What They Did. is available on http://www.totalsurvival.net/

Jocelyn and Jarvis knew they would have to make some radical changes in their lifestyle if they were going to get out of debt, but they did not know that those changes would put them on a different path altogether.

In order to pay off their $96,000 debt from student loans, credit cards and the purchase of small rural property, the couple moved into a small apartment, changed jobs and switched to a strict cash-only budget. By adhering to a frugal lifestyle, they were able to pay off their debt in 20 months. Their plan was then to save to make the down-payment for their own home.

However, the lessons they had learned had changed their perspective. “We’d gone from this heavy burden of debt to feeling very free,” recalls Jocelyn, adding that they asked themselves, “Do we really want to now take on a huge mortgage?”

Their answer was no, and when a friend of Jocelyn’s was selling the framework of a tiny house on a trailer bed, the couple began a new journey. With only a two-week window to make the decision to buy the house, Jocelyn admits she talked her husband into the design and building project. “We planned to work on it for maybe four to five months,” Jocelyn says. “We started in May and we thought we would be finished by November.”

However, since neither of them had building experience, and their daughter was born in the meantime, the project ended up taking 14 months. “We spent our evenings on YouTube watching videos on how to wire an outlet or how to flash a roof,” Jarvis says.

“It was a huge sacrifice,” says Joselyn, who cared for their baby while Jarvis worked on the house. Their story is detailed in a new YouTube video (above). “I sort of hated the tiny house for a while. … But as soon as we moved in, it was totally worth it.”

Today, after two years in their new home, the family has added a fourth member, a baby son, and they are hooked on the tiny house lifestyle.

Built on a 32-foot by eight-foot trailer bed, the home has a 225-square-foot main level and a 100-square foot sleeping loft. Jarvis admits that having a separate small bedroom for the kids on the main level is an important part of the design for his family. “I’ve seen a lot of designs that only have a nook (for kids), but I think that would be very challenging,” he admits.

The home has a composting toilet, uses well water, is heated with propane and has an on-demand hot water propane tank. It operates on a standard 15-amp plug-in to the property owner’s home. They have added solar panels as part of their plan to be able to go off the grid in coming months.

“Living in a tiny house really promotes living a lot of the time outside,” says Jocelyn. “We are so much more connected with the seasons now.” Calling themselves novice gardeners, the couple is starting to grow some of their own food in terraced gardens outside their home, and they are raising chickens for eggs.

Jarvis and Jocelyn currently rent their home site but are saving to purchase their own property and to then live off-grid in the near future. “Because we don’t have debt and we don’t have a lot of possessions, we have a lot of freedom,” says Jocelyn. “We feel very much in control of our lives.”

Would you want to live in a tiny home? What advice do you have for getting out of debt? Share your thoughts in the section below:

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Top 20 Prepping Mistakes to Avoid

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With the abundance of bad information out there and the overwhelming amount you need to learn, it’s easy for new preppers to make a lot of mistakes. I’ve made many mistakes myself and I’m sure I’ll make more, but that’s part of the learning process. To help you speed up this process, here are some common prepping mistakes you’ll want to avoid (in no particular order).

1. Not Having a Survival Library

Books are less common these days because we do so much reading on the Internet and Kindles. But if the power goes out, having a good collection of survival books could save your life. They’ll give you something to read when you’re bored, and good survival references have important instructions on things like purifying water, building fires, and medical care.

While you’ll want to learn as much of this info as you can ahead of time, no one can know everything, and there are bound to be times when a survival library will come in handy. Check out my list of the top 100 survival books for suggestions.

2. Focusing on Supplies Instead of Skills

Of course, just because you have all the best books on survival doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bother to learn survival skills. It’s possible your books will be destroyed or you won’t be able to get to them. The same rule applies to your survival food and gear. What if you’re at work when your home is destroyed by an explosion, earthquake, or some other disastrous event? Would you still have the skills to survive, or are you completely dependent on your food and gear?

3. Not Having Enough Water Preps

I cannot overemphasize the importance of water. There are many survivalists who have six months of food and only two weeks of water on hand. Considering that you can survive without food about ten times as long as you can survive without water, you’d be better off with two weeks of food and six months of water. Don’t do that either, but at least make sure your water will last as long as your food. If you don’t have enough room, there are many ways to collect and purify water.

4. Not Storing a Large Variety of Foods

Too many new preppers buy nothing but rice, beans, flour, salt, and sugar. If that’s all you have to eat after a disaster, you’re going to be miserable. Your body will have trouble adjusting to the new bare-bones diet and you’ll suffer from food fatigue, where your survival food won’t be appetizing even when you’re very hungry. Make sure you buy the ingredients for a variety of possible meals so you’ll feel satisfied every time you eat. This leads to my next point…

5. Not Eating What You Store

This was the first mistake I made when I started stocking up on food. I bought all kinds of survival food–dehydrated, freeze-dried, flour, sugar, etc–sealed it up, put it in the closet, and forgot about it. When I finally got around to eating some of it, I realized I absolutely hated it, especially the freeze-dried stuff. That’s why it’s a good idea to buy samples from various food storage companies until you find foods you like. Then regularly eat that food as you rotate through it (see #18 below).

The other problem I had was not knowing what to do with the flour, sugar, and other basic ingredients. If you’re not sure how to cook meals from scratch, I’d recommend getting some cookbooks and a guide like Better From Scratch or The Fannie Farmer Cookbook.

6. Not Having Enough Vitamins

Personally, I think everyone should be taking multivitamins since most modern diets don’t provide the nutrition we need, but this will be even more important in a survival situation. The stress of having your life turned upside down, constant threats to you and your family, and manual labor will take a lot of energy and tax your immune system. Vitamins will help keep you strong and healthy, especially Vitamin C.

7. Relying Only On Food Storage

While the last few points have been about food, don’t forget all your other survival needs. When most people think about prepping, the first things they think about are food and water and they proceed to stock up on them while neglecting first aid supplies, bug out bags, cooking implements, weapons and other important items. While food should be your first priority, don’t forget your other priorities.

8. Relying Only On An Arsenal

At the other end the spectrum, there are some preppers who focus all their attention on guns and ammo. The reasoning is that not only will they be able to protect themselves, they’ll be able to hunt their food and trade ammo for other supplies. This is unrealistic, especially if you’re in or near a city. The little bit of wildlife in your area will be picked clean by others, and most people won’t be interested in your ammo as they, like you, will be looking to trade for food and other vital supplies. By all means, get a few survival guns, but don’t go overboard.

9. Not Taking Care of Pets

As much as we all love our pets, for some reason, it’s easy to forget that they need emergency preps as well. Animals require more than just food and water. Put together a pet survival kit and maybe a bug out bag for your dogs and/or cats.

10. Planning On Bugging Out No Matter What

Although having a bug out bag and a vehicle survival kit is important, there are many circumstances where you’re better off sheltering in place. It just depends. Unless you have advance warning of a disaster, it will be very difficult to get from your home to your bug out location. The streets will be congested, roads and entire areas could be inaccessible, and gas could become unavailable. That’s why I think it’s so important to be ready to shelter in place, which means having plenty of home security measures.

11. Not Preparing Your Family

This one is huge. There are a lot of preppers out there who do all the work and practice but leave nothing for their families to do. This puts the family at a disadvantage because only one family member knows what to do in the event of a disaster, meaning that if anything happens to that person, the rest of the family will be in trouble.

You don’t have to force everyone else in your family to be as into prepping as you are, but you should at least build bug out bags for the family make sure they know the importance of prepping and teach them some basic techniques and skills. (Here’s how to talk to a non-prepper spouse.)

12. Preparing Too Fast

It’s perfectly understandable if you’re excited to prep and trying buy as much of your stockpile as you can all at once. You may also feel you’re running out of time before a potential disaster strikes and need to prepare NOW. In reality, prepping too fast can cost you a lot of money, make you less organized, and cause you to make even more mistakes. Instead, make a prioritized checklist and then strive to cross off the things on that checklist in order.

13. Buying Gear Without Researching First

There’s a ton of information and product reviews on all types survival gear and equipment. The last thing you want to do is buy something without first consulting that information. If you do, you’re liable to get something that breaks the first time you try to use it. This means you should thoroughly research a product before buying it. Read product reviews online, watch video reviews, and scan reviews from customers on sites such as Amazon to get a general idea of the quality of the product.

14. Not Testing Out Your Gear and Equipment

This one goes hand in hand with preparing too fast. Make sure you know how to use each and every piece of survival gear and equipment you buy. Learn how to use it for each of the tasks it’s intended for, learn how to disassemble and reassemble it (if possible), and actually read the manual. This is the only way to make sure your gear will work before you use it in a real-life disaster scenario.

15. Only Preparing For One Type Of Disaster

While you may feel there is one type of disaster that is a more imminent threat than others, disaster preparedness is all about preparing yourself and your family for anything that could happen. If you want to prepare for the disaster you feel is the greatest threat first, that’s fine, but only preparing for that disaster and nothing else is foolish. No one knows the future, and oftentimes the most unexpected things are what happen first.

16. Telling the World You’re a Prepper

When the going gets tough, people do desperate things to stay alive. This means even the neighbors who you thought you could trust may turn on you in a disaster scenario, especially if they know you have a stockpile of food and water. The only people who should know you’re a prepper are your family and a close-knit group of friends. Telling everyone you meet that you’re a prepper will come back to haunt you when disaster strikes. (By the way, here’s what to do if people find out you’re a prepper.)

17. Not Having Enough Backup Plans

There’s an old saying that nothing goes according to plan. This will never be any truer than in a survival or disaster scenario. Thought you could bug in? Nope, it turns out your home is in the path of a wildfire that is headed your way. Thought you could take your favorite route out of town? Nope, the road is blocked. Thought you could rendezvous at your bug out location? Nope, a dangerous group of people got there first. Thought you had enough food and water to live on? Nope, the disaster lasted too long and you’re out of supplies.

I could go on and on. Nothing will go according to plan when disaster strikes and that’s why you don’t just need a backup plan, you need multiple backup plans (and backup gear, for that matter).

18. Not Rotating Your Food and Water

Many people like to buy lots of survival food, stick it in the pantry, and call it a day. That’s great and all, but eventually that food is going to go bad. Imagine a disaster has struck, the grocery store shelves are empty, your entire family is hungry, and all you have in the pantry is old, rotten, infested food. That’s why it’s so important to rotate your food and water on a regular basis so you know you always have uncontaminated, high-quality food and water on your shelves.

19. Forgetting About Sanitation and Personal Hygiene

Many people don’t realize it, but sanitation standards are going to drop significantly if the SHTF. Sure, you might have all of the food, water, firearms, and ammunition that you need to outlast the disaster, but if you get sick or infected as a result of the poor sanitation, none of those other preps are going to matter. Remember, if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything. You need a complete first aid kit in your preps in addition to basic personal hygiene products such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toilet paper, and so on.

20. Keeping All of Your Preps in One Place

Another old saying is to never keep all your eggs in one basket. When it comes to prepping, this means you should never keep all of your preps in the same location. Diversify where you keep everything. Keep some of your supplies at home, some of it in your car, in a shed out back, in a garage in the city, at your bug out location, in survival caches, and so forth. This way you’ll be able to access at least part of your total stockpile regardless of where you are when the disaster hits.

Don’t beat yourself up if you make a few mistakes. We all do. But take time to learn from the mistakes of others in order to make your prepping journey as smooth as possible. If you want to learn more, check out these prepper tips I wish I’d heard before I started prepping.

This article first appeared on urbansurvivalsite.com See it here

See Full Article Here: Top 20 Prepping Mistakes to Avoid

Introducing Frailejones: The Andes’ Perfect Survival Plant

Introducing Frailejones: The Andes’ Perfect Survival Plant is available on https://totalsurvival.net

Cattails, amaranth, clovers, and dandelions are all typical plants of choice for the survivalist, but what about the frailejon? If you’ve never heard of it, don’t worry; most people outside South America have never even seen one before. These amazing survival plants are only found in a very specific region of the Andes, where the climate is just right for them to flourish.

For hikers, explorers and other outdoor enthusiasts traveling in this part of the world, frailejones can serve as a critical survival and medicinal plant. When the going gets tough, these plants are your best friends. Or, you could use your knowledge of frailejones to impress fellow travelers next time you’re hiking in the Andes.

There are many plants helpful for survival that you can grow at home, check out our list here.

What is Frailejon?

Frailejon is immediately recognizable. While exploring the foggy flanks of the northern Andes, you’ll no doubt catch glimpses of shadowy, slender figures dotting the landscape. These silhouetted forms can look like other hikers in the fog, but on closer inspection, you’ll find something much stranger.

A plant, anywhere from a few centimeters to a few meters high. It might look like a cactus at first, but the leaves are soft, and the spines feel more like fur. The twisted stalk gives way to a spongy mass of leaves bunched at the top, and you might see yellow flowers poking up here and there. Botanists call this wacky-looking plant the espeletia, but most locals simply call them frailejones, or friars. Indeed, they certainly look priestly, with their shaggy forms vaguely resembling cassock-clad monks in dim light. At night, the frailejones can be a bit of an otherworldly sight when hiking in the Andes.

Where Can You Find Frailejone?

In areas where they’re endemic, frailejones can cover the landscape like a spongy blanket. They’re most commonly found in Colombia, along with the western highlands of Venezuela and Northern Ecuador. Failejones also grow in some parts of Peru, but are not particularly common. In all four countries, you’ll only see frailejones on the paramo.

The paramo is a high altitude tropical ecosystem. It is usually wet, windy, and cold, and sometimes resembles moorlands. As for the frailejones, they typically grow on paramo at altitudes of 1800 to 4700 meters. However, this height can vary, depending on the specific climate of the paramo. In general, however, you can expect to find frailejones on any high altitude slopes in wet and cold regions. In some places, it’s hard to walk without stepping on one; elsewhere, it can be challenging to find even a single plant.

General Survival Uses

Frailejones have a surprisingly diverse set of applications for campers and survivalists. Next time you’re in the northern Andes, try out a few of these for yourself. Bear in mind, however, that the frailejon is considered endangered due to agricultural clearing.

In some areas where the plant is plentiful, it can seem harmless to take a few leaves for yourself, but keep in mind that frailejones grow exceptionally slowly. So if you need to harvest the plant for yourself, do so sparingly. Only take a few of the outer leaves from limited plants where permitted. In some areas frailejon harvesting is banned, while in others it is entirely acceptable. When in doubt, play it safe and refrain from picking this plant.

Bedding

The rocky, wet terrain of the paramo offers very few spots for the weary traveler to sleep for the night. Luckily, the frailejon can save the day. The wide, spongy leaves of the frailejon make an excellent camping mattress or pillow. Simply harvest dry leaves, evenly pile them, then lie down to compress them a bit. Stuff them inside a plastic bag to make a decent pillow, or heap them under your tent for a little extra comfort in the night.

In Venezuela, you’ll often see local hikers harvesting frailejones by the armload, piling them into ridiculously high improvised mattresses. Don’t copy this wasteful behavior. Instead, take only what you need, and do so sparingly.

Insulation

Frailejones make an excellent addition to any improvised shelters, such as a lean-to, wedge hut, or round hut. Packing them all over the walls will offer protection from the wind while helping keep the precious warmth inside.

Medicinal Uses

Along with being suitable construction material for bedding and improvised shelters, frailejones also purportedly have some serious health benefits. They are believed to ward off altitude sickness. An attribute that makes them quite a popular survival plant among travelers hiking in the Andes.

Frailejon tea

A common folk cure for altitude sickness, frailejon leaves can be used to make a bitter, but tasty tea. Boil washed leaves vigorously for at least 10 minutes, then drink hot. You should use roughly one medium-sized leaf per cup of water. Cinnamon is also traditionally added for a bit of flavor. I’ve tried this myself, and find it can be pretty refreshing and helps with the symptoms of mild altitude sickness.

Frailejon resin

Boiling the tea further will lead to the liquid forming into a thick mess of bitter yellow syrup. It might look gross (and ruin your cooking pot), but Andean locals claim it can help with asthma and other respiratory problems. At altitudes like these, anything to make breathing easier is welcome.

Bonus tip: frailejon nightcap

As a final ode to the glorious frailejon, let me introduce perhaps its greatest application: as booze. On a cold Andean night, a frailejon nightcap can work wonders, easing sore muscles and helping even the most restless traveler get their Zs on.

To try it for yourself, begin by making the frailejon tea described above. Add a tablespoon of cinnamon, two tablespoons of sugar, a dash of cardamom and a bit of nutmeg, depending on taste. Simmer for a few minutes after the initial vigorous boil, and add either aguardiente (basically moonshine) or a spirit of your choice.

In Venezuela, I’d opt for their excellent rum, while in Colombia you’re better off sticking to an aniseed liquor. In Ecuador, trago de caña will do the trick.
After a total of 15-20 minutes of boiling, strain the leaves and drink hot. You’ll thank me.

So what do you think? Will you be keeping an eye out for this legendary plant on your next trip to the Andes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

This Article Was First Found at survivallife.com Read The Original Article Here

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11 Weird Ways to Start Fires

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Sometimes it’s hard to know how to start a fire. Perhaps you’re out of matches, or maybe the weather is horrendous. Sure, there are plenty of smart, easy ways to start fires, but why be conventional? Over the years, generations of fire starters have figured out some pretty weird ways to start fires. Are they all practical? No. Are they all awesome? Yes.

If you’re looking for more conventional ways to get a fire going, check out this article. Or check out this article for how to make the perfect campfire every time.

Odd Ways to Start Fires

Fresnel Lens

Fresnel lenses are all around you, but you might not know it. It is a kind of glass used to magnify light and can be found in some rear-view mirrors. However, the most common place you’ll find one is in any old, large television. Modern LCD and plasma TVs of the last few decades are more advanced in their technology, but older projection sets commonly include a Fresnel lens. Simply remove the lens, and use it as a magnifying glass to create a death ray of fire starting awesomeness.

Condom Fire Starter

Condoms can literally be used to make fires. In fact, this is merely a bizarre variation on the aqua lens. For anyone unfamiliar with this group of improvised fire starters, any clear container filled with water can be used as a magnifying glass, focusing the sun’s rays on your tinder. Condoms (balloons as well) happen to be surprisingly good at this. Just fill the condom with water, and hold it at an angle to best concentrate sunlight. With any luck, you’ll have a fire going in no time.

A Light Bulb

Another unexpectedly effective aqua lens for fire starting is the humble light bulb. Snap off the end of the bulb, and remove the contents. Then, fill it with water and use it just like the condom above.

REALLY Weird Ways to Start Fires

Ice

In one final twist on the aqua lens, try using a large chunk of ice. As with the previous two methods, angle the ice in a way that concentrates light on your tinder. This method is pretty hard to pull off though, so you’ll need some patience. You’ll also need gloves. Otherwise, your fingers will freeze long before the fire gets going. To see this fire starting method in action, check out the video below.

Dead Lighter and Paper

Think that old Bic has reached the end of its life? Not so fast! First, you’ll need a smooth surface to work with. Place a piece of paper flat on the surface, and remove the safety lock from a dead lighter. Then, roll the lighter slowly but firmly over the paper. As you do this, the flint rod inside the lighter will get ground down by the wheel, creating little shavings that you can collect and use.

Flashlight

Perhaps more useful than most of the ways to start fires on this list, a flashlight can be an excellent choice. This method relies on the same reflective cone used inside the flashlight to magnify its light. Remove the front of the flashlight, and pull out the shiny cone behind the globe. Then, pack the hole at the end of the cone with tinder, and point it towards the sun. On a sunny day, it’s not too hard to get the tinder to light. To see how, watch the video below.

Guitar pick

This method really rocks, if you’re not too picky (please excuse the puns). A guitar pick can be shredded into tinder, and easily ignited with a flint. To see how in detail, check out this article.

Clothes Dryer Lint

This method is inadvertently used by thousands of unlucky households each year. In fact, around 20,000 house fires are started annually across the country due to clothes dryers. In most cases, the cause is lint, which is surprisingly combustible. Lint is especially flammable when it comes into contact with metal, such as the wire in bras. So if you need to start a fire and only have laundry to work with, just pack the dryer full of lint and bras, turn it to full heat and watch. You’ll have a fire going in no time, but good luck controlling it.

Brake Fluid and Chlorine

This method is somewhat dangerous, but it works ridiculously well. Powdered chlorine will ignite almost immediately if doused in brake fluid; so if you want to know how to start a fire quickly, then this is it. Just made a small pile of chlorine powder, squirt it with brake fluid, and keep your distance. Once you’ve got some smoke going, add kindling and watch your chemical fire burn. I wouldn’t use this for cooking, as the chemicals aren't recommended for consumption. Also, make sure you wear protective goggles and gloves, because both brake fluid and chlorine are pretty toxic. See this method in action in the video below.

Car Battery and Pencil

Car batteries are obviously packed with energy, and thus make for a simple – albeit dangerous – way to get a fire going. In this unorthodox method, you’ll just need a pencil, a car battery, and some jumper cables. Cut the pencil in half to expose the graphite within, and attach the jumper cables to either end. Then, connect the cables to the car battery, and watch as the graphite glows red hot. The pencil’s outer wooden jacket should quickly catch fire and can be supplemented with tinder and kindling. Be extremely careful of the heat generated by this method, and be sure to wear protective equipment.

Galaxy Note 7 Smartphone

Yes, this one is just a joke; after all, who would want a Galaxy Note?

In all seriousness though, Samsung’s recall of the Galaxy Note 7 illustrated the power of lithium phone batteries to start fires. To try for yourself, simply remove the battery from a cellphone, and touch the battery’s positive and negative contact points with steel wool. This will create sparks that can be used to get tinder smoldering. See for yourself in the video below.

So there you have it! Out list of 11 super weird and wacky ways to start fires.

Do you know if any other crazy fire-starting techniques? Let us know in the comments below!

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Son Gets Ill And Misses School. Mom Lands In Court.

Son Gets Ill And Misses School. Mom Lands In Court. is available on http://www.totalsurvival.net/

A school district tried to prosecute a Pennsylvania mom because her son’s health problems kept him from attending school – and the school didn’t back down until an attorney got involved.

The controversy began when Leslie Sacks’ son entered high school and began having anxiety attacks. The mom kept him home “numerous days” while she “searched for a doctor who could help,” according to the Home School Legal Defense Association’s Darren Jones, who represented Sacks.

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She finally found an “out-of-state specialist who put her son on a long-term medical protocol” and who noted that the boy’s health problems were exacerbated by being in large groups. The high school’s special education department was unwilling to help. So, she decided to homeschool him.

“Unfortunately, by this time, her son had missed several days that the school claimed were ‘unexcused,’ and the school charged him with ‘Violation of Compulsory School Attendance,’” Jones wrote. “For three weeks, the school also began robo-calling every day at 10:02 a.m. to inform Leslie that her son was illegally out of school.”

The case ended up in court, where Sacks fortunately found a sympathetic judge.

“So between the judge, the school, Leslie, and me, we worked out a deal that we thought was best for everyone,” Jones wrote. “Leslie would continue homeschooling her son, who was already making very good academic and physical progress at home. Once she finished out the year, she would let the school district know she was done, and they would pass that information on to the judge, who would dismiss the case. The judge didn’t put any other requirements on Leslie at all.”

What is your reaction? Share your thoughts in the section below:

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50 Places to Search for Supplies After SHTF

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This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I'll earn a small fee at no extra cost to you.*

A while back, I wrote about places to scavenge for supplies in a post-apocalyptic scenario. I thought I came up with quite a few ideas, but Reality Survival & Prepping made a list that’s over twice as long.

When thinking about scavenging, everyone’s first instinct is to head for grocery stores and restaurants. But if you think outside the box, you’ll realize there are many other places you could find useful items.

Even if you don’t find any food or water, you could still find barter items, spare parts for your vehicles, tools to help you fix your gear, materials to help you repair your home, or comfort items like toys for children or books for adults.

With that in mind, here’s his list of the top 50 places to scavenge for supplies after the SHTF. Also be sure to watch the video below for his commentary on these places.

50. Costco and Sam’s Club.
49. Grocery stores.
48. Home Depot and Lowes.
47. Gas stations.
46. Department stores.
45. Restaurants.
44. Gun stores.
43. Government buildings.
42. Auto parts stores.
41. Gyms.
40. Country clubs/golf courses.
39. Libraries.
38. Movie theaters.
37. Airports.
36. Marinas.
35. Restaurant supply stores.
34. Amusement parks.
33. Zoos.
32. Pet stores.
31. Feed/tractor supply stores.
30. Recycling centers.
29. Landfills.
28. Dumpsters.
27. Pharmacies.
26. Dentist offices. 25. Bakeries.
24. Ambulances.
23. Hospice centers.
22. Cruise ships.
21. Landscape centers.
20. Shipping Ports.
19. Train yards.
18. Grain elevators.
17. Factories.
16. Office buildings.
15. Urgent care clinics.
14. Fire stations.
13. Police stations.
12. Truck stops.
11. Daycare centers.
10. National Guard armories.
9. Hospitals.
8. Distribution centers.
7. Warehouses.
6. RV parks.
5. Prisons.
4. Schools.
3. Retirement homes.
2. Pawn shops.
1. Self-storage units.
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How to Make a Pom Pom Ottoman for Your Home

How to Make a Pom Pom Ottoman for Your Home was first published to https://totalsurvival.net/

Upcycle projects are always very exciting as you can see the transformation of an old object into something new and stunning in just a few hours. These project are also highly satisfying because you won’t have to spend a lot of money on them and they are fun to make. Such is this next project that will teach you how to turn an old tire into a cool new ottoman with the use of pom-poms. For this project, you are going to need a used and cleaned tire, masking tape, your tool box, legs of an old ottoman, a rounded wooden piece as large as the tire, fabric and lots of colorful pom-poms. First of all, you will have to wrap the base of the tire with the masking tape and attach the wooden piece there so it will serve as the base of your ottoman. Then attach the wooden legs too, by using screws and glue if needed. Then comes the fun part, creating the pom-pom filled cover for the ottoman. For this you are going to need a lot of patience, but it will be worth your time. At the end, attach Velcro to the cover so it can be removed and cleaned easily.

Here’s how to make your own pom pom DIY ottoman with a handful of supplies…

source

You’ll need:

source

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Getting Started With Backyard Chickens (Interview With Lisa Steele)

The post Getting Started With Backyard Chickens (Interview With Lisa Steele) was first seen on https://totalsurvival.net/

Backyard chickens are no longer the sole domain of seasoned farmers homesteaders. Nowadays, even city folks are buying chickens to eat healthier eggs.

But if you’ve never owned chickens, where should you start? That’s the subject of today’s edition of Off The Grid Radio. Our guest is Lisa Steele, a TV host and poultry expert who has written three books about backyard chickens. She also is the founder of Fresh Eggs Daily.

Lisa gives us advice for novices and then shares her best tips for veterans, too.

She also tells us:

• How to feed chickens naturally – without breaking the bank.
• Why she doesn’t trick chickens to lay more eggs during winter.
• How to use herbs to keep chickens healthy.
• Why she doesn’t refrigerate her eggs.
• How many chickens one family should own.

We learned a lot from Lisa. You will, too.

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Make Your Own Lace Pottery

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The art of pottery is not easy to master and this is why the product result can look pretty fascinating. Maggie Weldon, who has her own pottery studio in North Karolina, makes the most beautiful lace-patterned pottery ever! In order to create her art pieces, she uses clay and left-over pieces of lace which help her transfer beautiful patterns onto ceramics. These pieces will then be used as plates or decor items and have the most delicate pastel colors. Maggie works closely with the organization called Count me in which supports female entrepreneurs. You can learn from the link below how to make your own lace-patterned pottery at home step-by-step. Besides the clay, you are going to need a rolling pin that you will use to press the doily into the clay and a wet sponge to make the pattern more smooth. With the help of a pottery knife, cut the edges of the transfered doily and give your pottery a unique design. For more detailsabout each step, please visit the link below . This Lace Pottery can be a great GIFT.

1.Using a rolling pin, roll out a slab of porcelain clay 1/4 inch thick, making sure the slab is about 4 inches larger than the size of the doily to be used. Place the slab on a piece of cotton fabric.

2.Using a rolling pin, press the doily into the clay to make an impression.

3. Gently and slowly, peel back the doily.
4. Using a wet sponge, clean and smooth the lace impression, making sure to wipe away any loose particles of clay.

5. Using a pottery knife, trim around the outside edges of the doily design, smoothing any rough edges with your fingers or a wet sponge.

6. Grip the edges of the underlying fabric, and slide the clay into a shallow bowl so that the sides of the piece are slightly raised. Carefully press the clay down into the bowl, and let it dry for approximately 2 days (this varies greatly depending upon the humidity of the environment and the dampness of the clay.)

Maggie Weldon is the owner of MaggiesCrochet and have over 600 crochet patterns. Find her work HERE…

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Ready-Made Survival Meals That Actually Taste Good

Ready-Made Survival Meals That Actually Taste Good is courtesy of http://www.totalsurvival.net/

Finding the best ready-made meals isn’t always easy. With so many on the market, it can be hard to know which ones will actually taste good. So, we’ve put together a list of some of the best ready-made meals out there, both for outdoor activities and survival preparation.

The Best Ready-Made Meals

The best ready-made meals are more than just bare sustenance. Sure, nutrient bars and bare gruel might keep you going, but when SHTF you’re still going to need a decent meal every so often. That’s what this list is for. These ready-made survival meals are among the best you’ll find, whether for weekend camping trips or for survival preparation.

Bear in mind that we’ve decided to mostly steer clear of bulk long-term storage options, as they’re a whole world of their own. This list also excludes homemade survival meals, so once you’re done stocking up on the best-packaged food, consider checking out DIY options. Making your own granola is easy, or try our recipe for Civil War fire cakes.

Lastly, while we’re limited to commercially available ready made survival meals, we’ve tried to include something for every taste. There are freeze-dried hiking pouches, MREs, and even some surprisingly good alternatives to the average pack of ramen. To top things off, we've even included dessert.

Admittedly, with so many ready-made options available, it was difficult to narrow down our list to just a few top picks. In general, meals were selected based on a mix of nutrition, value for the money, and just plain old taste. See what you think, by checking out the list below:

Mountain House MCWs: Ready-Made Meals with Variety

It’s pretty hard to talk about the best ready made meals without mentioning Mountain House (and yes, their products will appear again). These guys often top the list with their freeze-dried ready-mades and are extremely popular among hikers in particular.

The reasons are obvious: they’re easy to use, super light-weight and don’t take up much space in your pack. Best of all, they offer a great variety of fairly good tasting ready-made meals. Their line of cold weather meals (MCWs) are marketed as military grade. The company says it produces them for the US military, and that certainly doesn't surprise. Their line of MCWs come in a variety of flavors good enough to satisfy a platoon or two. Some highlights include the Turkey Tetrazzini, breakfast skillet and the beef stew.

On the downside, their ready-made survival meals with rice can come out a bit gluggy, such as the Mexican rice and chicken. Nonetheless, that’s to be expected among even the best ready made meals, so don’t let it bother you too much. Overall, at around $12 a pack, Mountain House MCWs are good value given the quality.

Personally, I recommended stocking up on a mix of flavors, and rotating them so they don’t get boring. Including the varieties mentioned above, there’s 12 to choose from in total. So even if you don’t happen to like one or two, at least you know you won’t have to eat the same meal again for nearly two weeks! Check them out here.

Augason Farms Freeze Dried Beef Chunks: Ready-Made Meal With Serious Meat

Arguably Mountain House’s toughest competitor in North America, Augason Farms has a fairly good line up of freeze dried ready-made meals, not to mention single ingredient pouches. However, they’re at their best when it comes to their freeze dried beef chunks, which make a great addition to any ready-made survival meal. Sure, they’re never going to compete with a choice cut fresh off the barbecue, but they’re certainly not bad.

I like to throw these beef chunks in with a simple stew, and eat it straight from the pot with some bread rolls. On a cold night in the middle of nowhere, it’s a five star meal. The only one problem is that the smallest pack is 1 lb (454 g), which sells for around $60. In other words, these beef chunks are extremely expensive, and perhaps best suited for groups or long term storage. See for yourself here.

French RCIR Varieties

It’s French, so you know it has to be good. In the world of ready to eat combat rations (MREs), the French have reigned supreme since the days of Napoleon. During international operations, the French Combat Ration Individual Reheatables (RCIRs) are highly prized.

For example, according to internet rumors, a single crate of RCIRs trades for an entire US field cot, which is apparently a big deal. That’s just one of the many legends surrounding the RCIR; another being the persistent rumor that they come with a small bottle of French wine. While that sounds awesome, it’s unfortunately not true.

Instead, you’ll have to settle for the likes of duck paté, stewed lamb, sauteed rabbit and pork cheek ravioli. The menu varies considerably depending on the specific model, but almost all are astonishingly good. Find out more here.

Italian RVSdC

Not to be outdone by the French, Italy puts up one hell of a fight with its combat rations, the Razione Viveri Speciale da Combattimento (RVSdC). The RVSdC varieties typically come with a good mix of meat, fruit bars and enough coffee to keep you running all day long. However, the RVSdC’s real claim to fame is its' shot of booze. For novelty alone, the RVSdC is worth trying.

Backpacker's Pantry: Ready-Made Meals with Flavor

Backpacker’s pantry is a pretty common sight on hiking trails, and for good reason. Their line of ready made meals is a few notches above run-of-the-mill ramen noodles. The chana masala and Cuban coconut bean and rice mixes are both pretty flavorsome, while the Southwest corn chowder isn’t bad either.

However, if you really can’t live without your noodles, don't panic. Backpacker’s Pantry offers a fantastic ready-made pad thai. Admittedly, it’s not exactly up to Bangkok standards, but it’s the best Thai food you can get in the middle of the wilderness. At the very least, it’s a welcome change from instant ramen. Check out all Backpacker’s Pantry ready-made meals here.

MaryJanesFarm Organic Shepherd's Meat Pie: It’s ready made shepherds pie!

Ever since I was a child, I’ve had a bit of a soft spot for shepherd’s pie. Admittedly, MaryJanesFarm’s organic shepherd’s pie isn’t quite how Mom used to make it, but it’s not terrible either. For one, it’s the only shepherd’s pie I’ve found that can be eaten straight from the bag.

Just pour in some hot water, wait a few minutes, and you’ve got a mush that tastes reasonably good. You can tell it is made with real meat potatoes, not to mention a generous amount of cheese. It’s not bad, and REI sometimes has packs on special deals. Have a look here.

H2 Mi Goreng: Yes, it’s a Ready Made Meal in its Own Right

As an Australian, I’d probably be charged with treason if I didn’t mention this next one. Indomie’s mi goreng noodles are a staple diet for all Australian university students and proof that instant noodles can be a genuinely good meal in their own right.

Americans, forget what you think you know about noodles. Mi Goreng isn’t just a square of noodles with one lousy sachet of chemical flavoring. Instead, it’s a square of noodles with one lousy sachet of extremely addictive chemical flavoring, plus soy sauce, oil and even a little pack of fried shallots. They’re designed to be dry noodles, so either strain them or boil in just a little water. Either way, they’re incredible.

Mi Goreng is easy to find if you happen to be in Australia, New Zealand, some parts of Indonesia and (for some reason) Nigeria. In North America, you can try Asian specialty stores, but you’re probably better off ordering them online. While you’re at it, check out Indomie’s other flavors as well. The soto mie, barbecue chicken and rendang are all worth your time, while the other flavors are nothing to write home about.

NongShim Shin Ramyun: Now That is Spicy!

While we’re in the noodle department, let’s talk about NongShim’s Shim Ramyun. Again, we’re talking instant noodles, so skip ahead if you don’t think this counts as a ready-made meal. These chunky noodles are designed to be eaten in their steaming hot broth.

Without doubt, this broth is the single most flavorsome item on this list. It’s spicy, rich with flavors of kim chi and chili. You also get a little sachet of dried Asian vegetables. If you’re not into spicy food, then you’d better avoid Shin Ramyun. In terms of cost per serving, I’d say it’s perhaps the best ready-made meal available. You can buy it online here.

Good To-Go Thai Curry: A Ready Made Curry with Flavor

If you happen to have a taste for Asian food, but don’t want to eat instant noodles all day, then I’d suggest having a look at Good To-Go’s range. They’re a relatively small Maine-based company mostly aimed at the hiking crowd, but also appealing to survivalists as well.

I recommended their Thai curry; it’s a spicy coconut curry mix that’s easy to toss into an overnight pack. Find it here. Alternatively, their smokey three bean chili is also extremely good. While the Thai curry contains fish, the three bean chili happens to be completely vegan.

Augason Farms Stew Blends: Ready Made Meals to Stew Over

Augason Farms provides one of the better stews for long term storage. Their vegetable stew blend is surprisingly good, especially given the price. For around $20, you can get 40 servings of decent stew.

It tastes fine, but the consistency might need adjusting, depending on your personal preference. I personally find it a bit thick, and usually add more water than advised. Also, I’d steer clear of their chili cheesy enchilada mix if I were you..

As with all Augason Farms products, you can save a lot by buying in bulk from their website.

Augason Farms Taco Flavored Vegetarian Meat Substitute

Vegetarians will be happy to know that Augason Farms has a good meatless option. The taco meat substitute is noticeably better than Augason’s other foray into Mexican food, and is a good addition to soups and stews. Have a look here.

Mountain House Freeze Dried Desserts: Prepare to Have Your Mind Blown by These Epic Ready Made Desserts!

I’ve saved the best for last. I hinted that Mountain House was going to make another appearance, but did you expect dessert? Most survivalists tend to neglect dessert, as if a sweet treat at the end of the day is supposedly only for snowflakes.

Well, call me a snowflake, because frankly, a good dessert can do wonders to lift spirits after a rough day. It’s for this reason that I consider Mountain House’s line of freeze dried desserts among the best ready-made meals out there. The New York style cheesecake bites are reasonably good, while the raspberry crumble pouches are enjoyable.

However, the ice cream pouches really take the cake. These pouches don’t need to be frozen, thanks to the un-meltable ice cream within. Believe it or not, the icecream actually tastes like…well, ice cream.

To make best use of Mountain House desserts, I suggest making sure everyone in your group has either the ice cream or one of the (raspberry or apple) crumbles. With a bit of trading, everyone can have a slither of crumble with a side of ice cream. So what are you waiting for? Get yourself over to their website, and stock up on survival ice cream.

Got any good, ready-made meals of your own? Let us know in the comments below.

This Article Was First Found at survivallife.com Read The Original Article Here

Original Post Here: Ready-Made Survival Meals That Actually Taste Good

25 Survival Foods That Should NOT Be Stored in the Original Package

25 Survival Foods That Should NOT Be Stored in the Original Package is courtesy of https://totalsurvival.net

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For many people, stocking up on food is a huge part of their family’s preparedness plan–as it should be! While this may seem as simple as buying a little extra food each time you go to the store, it’s actually a bit more complicated.

You can’t just stick your food in the pantry and forget about it until a disaster strikes. If you do, then when the time comes to eat it, you may find that most of it has gone bad or become infested. If you want your food to last for years, you need to repackage it before storing it.

While there are some foods that store just fine in the original package (for example, canned goods), most foods need to be repackaged. Below is a list of such foods. It mostly includes foods that come in thin plastic, paper, or cardboard packages. These foods should be repackaged into canning jars, airtight containers, mylar bags, food grade buckets, and vacuum sealer bags.

1. Baking Mixes – Pancake, quick bread, muffin, or cake mixes can be a good way to add some interest to your food storage. To ensure it keeps, you’ll need to replace the flimsy packaging it typically comes in.

2. Baking Powder – Anyone who bakes knows the importance of baking powder, and it’s cheap to stock up on. However, in longterm storage, there’s no telling if those little cardboard containers will hold up. Opt instead for small vacuum sealed bags or mylar bags with oxygen absorbers.

3. Baking Soda – Baking soda is a great multi-purpose item to have in your food storage. It’s an important ingredient and can be used for cleaning! Unfortunately, in its original packaging, it can be quite susceptible to moisture, so it should be vacuumed sealed in a container or bag instead.

4. Bread Crumbs – A cheap way to bulk up meals and food storage, bread crumbs should be vacuum sealed or stored with oxygen absorbers to keep them from getting stale.

5. Breakfast Cereal – Cereal can be a quick, no-heat breakfast or snack in a survival situation, especially if you have young children. Most cereal is also fortified with important vitamins and minerals, helping you to stay healthy. Surprisingly, if vacuumed sealed, cereal will last for a long time without going stale. It’s probably wise to vacuum seal it in containers rather than bags so you don’t end up with cereal powder.

6. Coffee – While it may not be absolutely necessary for your survival, for many having coffee is essential for morale. Both instant and regular coffee should be vacuum sealed to keep it fresh and delicious.

7. Cookies – Cookies last a surprisingly long time when correctly repackaged. Opt for a container to keep them from being smashed and either vacuum seal them or add oxygen absorbers.

8. Cornmeal – If packaged properly, cornmeal will last a very long time. However, it is great at absorbing moisture. Plus, the package it comes in it’s susceptible to insects and rodents. So make sure you vacuum seal it or put it in an airtight container.

9. Crackers – If you’ve ever eaten a stale cracker, you know how important it is to keep them fresh. Yes, you can eat stale crackers if you have to, but if you think ahead and store them properly, you won’t have to.

10. Dried Fruit or Fruit Leathers – It may seem like dried fruit or fruit leathers last forever, but in their original packaging, they’re actually quite susceptible to mold and moisture. Repacking them in a vacuum sealed container or bag can keep them good for years.

11. Dry Beans – Dry beans are a great cheap protein source to stock up on at your local grocery store. Keeping them dry is important to their long-term storage viability. Vacuum sealing them or putting them in Mylar bags or food grade buckets with oxygen absorbers is a much better idea than leaving them as is.

12. Flour or Wheat Berries – Both flour and wheat berries typically come in large paper bags, which is definitely not ideal for long-term storage. Keeping them dry and away from insects like grain weevils is important. Instead of their original packaging, store them in large food grade containers with oxygen absorbers.

13. Hard Candy – Hard candy is often a popular choice as a moral boosting treat to include in food storage, and while it doesn’t really go bad, it can be susceptible to moisture and temperature. For best results, store it in an airtight container with an oxygen absorber. Containers instead of bags will also keep it from being crushed.

14. Instant Mashed Potatoes – Instant potatoes are great for long-term storage. However, they’re super susceptible to moisture. Don’t risk leaving them in the original packing. Vacuum seal them or store them in containers with oxygen absorbers.

15. Oatmeal – A favorite prepper breakfast, oatmeal is a super easy meal that keeps well when it’s properly stored. As it typically comes in cardboard and/or paper containers, it’s best to swap it to vacuum sealed bags or containers.

16. Pasta – Typically, pasta comes in thin cardboard or plastic packages which can easily be torn or damaged and are very tempting to rodents and insects. Instead of risking your pasta going to waste, you should repack into canning jars or buckets. Vacuum sealer or mylar bags will work as well, though you’ll want to ensure the pasta doesn’t get crushed in storage.

17. Popcorn – Popcorn is an excellent space saving snack with good storage abilities. As with many grains, it’s packaging is far from ideal for keeping out rodents and moisture. Repackage it in something sturdier and airtight.

18. Powdered Eggs – Powdered eggs can be great for baking or slipping into meals to bulk up on calories and nutrition. You definitely don’t want rotten eggs though, so repackage them into a vacuum sealed container, bag, or mylar bag.

19. Powdered Milk – No one likes drinking powdered milk. However, in a true survival situation, it is very handy to have around. It can add a lot of calories to a meal and is great for baking. Unless you’re purchasing it in cans, it’s best to vacuum seal or package it with oxygen absorbers in mylar bags to avoid spoilage.

20. Salt – In many situations, salt’s moisture absorbing qualities can be very helpful, but not if you’re trying to store it in the cardboard container it comes in. If your pantry is exposed to any moisture and humidity, you could end up with a very soggy package of salt. Putting salt into airtight containers like food grade buckets or canning jars is best.

21. Shortening or Lard – Solid fats have long been used for food preservation, so of course they’re great for long-term storage. However, most shortening now comes in packages that are easily eaten through by insects or rodents or damaged by moisture. To keep shortening or lard safe, pack it into canning jars and vacuum seal it.

22. Spices – Spices do last a long time as is. However, if not vacuumed sealed, they tend to lose a lot of their flavor over time. Vacuuming sealing fairly small amounts in bags or canning jars can keep your spices fresh and flavorful.

23. Sugar – Most sugar comes in paper bags. Just tossing these bags into the pantry can lead to issues with ants and other insects or moisture problems. Storing bulk sugar in a large food grade bucket with oxygen absorbers is probably the best option.

24. Tea – Even if you’re not a big tea drinker, both black and herbal teas are great to add to your food storage for their medicinal properties. Unfortunately, most come in paper or cardboard which can let in moisture and air, causing them to go bad or lose their potency. Both loose leaf tea and tea bags can be resealed into canning jars, vacuum bags, or mylar bags to keep them fresh for years. You’ll want to package them in small containers, that way you can use up what you’ve opened before it goes to waste.

25. White Rice – Though brown rice is slightly more nutritious, it will go rancid faster than white rice. Rice can be vacuum sealed into canning jars, vacuum sealer bags, or placed into mylar bags or food grade buckets with an oxygen absorber.

Keeping a stock of food on hand can greatly increase your family’s chance of survival in an emergency. However, you can’t just stick food in the pantry and expect it to last. Following this list of foods and ways to repackage them will help you fill your survival cache and make it last for a long time.

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