5Years of TEOTWAWKI?

5 Years of TEOTWAWKI

Posted on October 25, 2011 by suburbanprep
I have often thought about what 5 years of TEOTWAWKI would look like. It is not pretty.
The most likely causes of a long-term TEOTWAWKI at this time include:

• Magnetic Pole Switch
• Super Volcano leading to Nuclear Winter
• EMP Attack or Nuclear War
• Global Flu Pandemic
• Global Economic Meltdown and Multi-year Economic Depression
• Global Drought and Famine caused by climate change
• Global Oil Shortages due to lessening production or interruption due to war

The last two items are distinct possibilities and keep me awake at night. The sovereign debt problems in USA and Europe have a real possibility of producing a multi-year Economic Depression. And we have seen the price of food and fuel increase to the point of causing starvation, riots and government crises around the world.
If TEOTWAWKI comes about, here is how I see it unfolding:

The Year Before TEOTWAWKI:

• Lots of government interventions into market conditions
• Daily news events about food and fuel shortages
• Unemployment crosses 10% and continues to rise every month
• Crime increases as people become more desperate
• People begin to hoard food, fuel, and weapons
• Massive devaluation of financial assets
• Massive inflation of essential goods
• Gold and silver prices rise rapidly as people retreat from paper currency
• Runs on banks will occur and most banks will close

Year One after TEOTWAWKI:

• Unemployment reaches 25% and continues to grow
• Schools close
• Essential Government Services (trash pickup, street lights, drivers licenses, deed registration) are interrupted
• Emergency services are overwhelmed (police do not respond to non-violent crimes)
• Riots and Looting are wide spread
• People freeze in their home for lack of heating energy
• People starve as food production and food delivery are interrupted
• Crime become wide-spread with gangs starting to take over sections of some cities
• WROL (Without Rule of Law) becomes the new norm
• Massive flow of refugees come out of the cities and into the country-side
• Government and charitable organizations set up bread lines, but are likely overwhelmed
• Access to prescription medicine will stop, as move pharmacies are cleaned out
• Hospitols will be overwhelmed and likely severely limiting their services
• Mass die off of the population occurs over the winter as food and heating fuel are depleted
• Personal security will become a 24 hour concern (everyone will be carrying a gun or wish they had a gun)
• Your family will need to hunker down and live off of your long-term food pantry
• Most of your time will be devoted to obtain water, attending to sanitation, and defending your homestead
• Your children will need to become home schooled, as schools will likely shutdown
• Internet and phone services are interrupted or fail
• If power grid survives, expect frequent black-outs and brown-outs
• Communities will need to form local militias to maintain order and reduce lawlessness

Year Two after TEOTWAWKI:

• Revolutions and war are likely occur in poorer countries as government institutions break down
• Governments that not fail are likely to instituted martial law and severe emergency restrictions
• Governments will nationalize certain segments of private industry, such as fuel and energy production, transportation, and banking
• Governments will start work-for-food programs (dig ditches for a loaf of bread)
• Even if you had your own fuel storage, you will likely run out of fuel for power generators and vehicles
• Governments will issue new currencies to align with new economic realities (expect current currencies to be greatly degraded)
• Likely, WROL will continue and you will need to be concerned about family security on a 24 hour daily basis (traveling away from home will be highly risky)
• Communities will survive only if they can form their own armed militia
• Families will consolidate and double up in the same homestead
• Major cities far from food producing regions will dramatically decrease in size
• You will need to resume your own food production, as your long-term pantry will start to depleated
• You will need to store and preserve food in a manner similar to what was done in 1800′s (canning, dehydrating, pickling, root cellar, salting, butchering meat at home, grind your own grains)
• Your children will likely need to continue to be home schooled
• You will need to chop wood by hand to prepare for winter heating
• Some barter will resume at the local level
• Those with deep multi-year food pantry, deep stocks of ammo and garden seeds, having their own farm land, having their own farm animals, and having gold and silver will be considered the new wealthy

Year Three after TEOTWAWKI:

• You are living off of your own food production from gardening, hunting, livestock, and forging
• Gold and silver will be the normal currency for exchange of goods and services
• Home-based businesses will become the dominate economic force
• Populations reach a nature equilibrium with local food production
• The sense of village returns has people will resume local travel for trade and barter
• Local schools might resume by the efforts of families to band together to run their own school
• Crime and security will continue to be a constant worry, but the survivors at this point will likely be armed and then well-practiced with firearms
• You will be considered middle-classed if you have two full meals each day and a warm bed to sleep in

Year Four after TEOTWAWKI:

• Currency-based economies might start to return on small scale
• Smaller factories might begin production of basic supplies, such as building materials
• Local power grids might resume if energy supplies are available
• Travel by horse and buggy will be popular (those with horses will be considered wealthy)
• Selfdom will return to poorer countries and sharecropping will return in developed countries
• Traditional skills will re-emerge, such as blacksmiths, midwives, ranching, herding, farming, tailoring, weaving, etc.
• Martial law might end
• Governments will attempt to re-institute taxes, but in a limited manner
• Phone services might return

Year Five after TEOTWAWKI:

• Peace and security reaches an equilibrium
• Wars will end, if no other reason than the depletion of war supplies
• New governments will form, some of which might be highly repressive
• New economic normal will center around farms, ranches, and small villages
• Schools will resume but run by locals villages
• Life expectancy will reduce from 78 years to 68 years without advanced medicines and expensive medical care

Let us all hope this never comes to pass. TEOTWAWKI will be unpleasant and cruel, even for those who are prepared. It will be the new dark ages. We should all work hard to avoid TWEOTWAWKI and prepare for its possibility.

Dakota Fire Hole

A little known survival aid related to wilderness fire making skills is the Dakota Fire Hole, also known as the Dakota Fire Pit. This handy device is easy to construct and has marked advantages over other types of camp fire constructs. Once you make a Dakota fire hole and try it out, you may choose to use this method on a regular basis.
making a Dakota Firehole
Making a Dakota Fire Hole

To make a Dakota Fire Hole first remove a plug of soil about 12 inches in diameter and dig down one foot.

Making a Dakota Fire Hole is initially more labor intensive than simply building a fire on the surface of the ground. However the outlay in energy required to make a Dakota fire hole is more than offset by its efficient consumption of fuel; it greatly reduces the amount of firewood required to cook meals, treat water to destroy pathogens, or warm your body.

The Dakota fire hole is a valuable wilderness survival aid because it burns fuel more efficiently, producing hotter fires with less wood. In many areas firewood is scarce or requires a large amount of time and expenditure of energy in foraging to obtain it. Once you build a fire, efforts are better spent attending to your other wilderness survival needs rather than in the constant gathering of firewood

Other advantages of the Dakota fire hole are that it creates a kind of woodstove with a stable platform that is very convenient to cook over.

Should you need to conceal your fire, the fire hole will limit the amount of visible smoke that rises from the fire, since the fuel wood is burning hotter and more efficiently. The pit will also help conceal the light emitted from your fire, especially at night when even a single candle flame can be seen from miles away.
Where to Build a Dakota Fire Hole

Before you start to dig your Dakota fire hole you should scout out an area where soil conditions are conducive to its proper construction. You will want to avoid areas

that are rocky and difficult to dig.
with thick tree roots that require cutting.
that are wet or where a dug hole will fill with water.
With soil conditions such as dry loose sand that will not hold shape as it is dug into.

The usual requirements related to general fire craft and care always apply. As always, treat the wilderness areas you enjoy and count on to survive with respect. Be sure you do not make a Dakota Fire Hole in conditions where out of control wild fires are a possibility and avoid ecologically sensitive areas. Try not to injure the roots of trees and plants.

Follow local ordinances regarding the making of fires; these rules are in place for good reason.
Making a Dakota Fire Hole

Now that we have the introduction taken care of, we can make a Dakota Fire Hole. As shown in the picture, I am using an army folding shovel to dig with. Many wilderness survivors carry a small hand trowel for the burying of human wastes and this also works well. A strong stick or part from your mess kit can also be utilized for digging holes in a pinch; survival experts are experts at innovation so use whatever means you have available.
Making the Fire Pit Chamber

Having selected a likely area in which to dig the fire hole, first remove a plug of soil and plant roots in the form of a circle about 10 or 12 inches in diameter. Continue digging straight down to a depth of about one-foot being sure to save the plug and the soil you removed for replacement later on.

This part of the Dakota fire hole will serve as the main chamber that contains the fire. I prefer to extend the base of the fire chamber outward a couple of inches in all directions so that it can accommodate longer pieces of firewood. This saves time and energy in breaking up firewood into suitable lengths, and also has the effect of allowing larger and therefore hotter fires.
Dakota Firehole Air Channel
Making the Airway

Starting about one-foot away from the edge of the fire pit, dig a 6-inch diameter air tunnel at an angle so that it intersects with the base of the fire pit.The prevailing wind is moving from in back of me in the upper left corner of the picture.

The effect is a jug-shaped hole at the base of which you place firewood. The neck of the jug will serve as a chimney of sorts the function of which is to increase the draft and concentrate the heat of the fire into the small opening.
Making the Fire Hole Airway

Now comes the key component of the Dakota hole that makes this fire making method so effective; the airway.

Before you start on the airway tunnel, determine the general direction of the wind. If the wind is too light to easily ascertain its direction you can often lick a finger and hold it up, being sure it is away from any obstructions. Evaporative cooling on one side or the other of your appendage will be felt from which direction the wind, however light, is blowing. That is the side of the fire hole on which to construct the airway.

Dig a 6-inch diameter airway tunnel starting about one foot away from the edge of the fire hole. Angle its construction so that the tunnel intersects with the base of the fire chamber as shown in the diagram and picture. As when you made the fire hole section, be sure to save the plug containing the vegetation and roots as well as the loose soil you remove.
Using the Dakota Fire Hole

Now that the Dakota Fire Hole is properly constructed, you can partially fill the fire pit chamber with dry combustible kindling materials and light the fire.

To start the fire I am using a FireSteel, the kind Survival Topics highly recommends to be included in every survival kit. These firesteels from FireSteel.com work even when wet and will literally light thousands of fires before wearing out – try doing that with matches or a lighter! We sell high quality Firesteels at the lowest prices in the Survival Supplies section of this website. Help support this website and buy them here – I guarantee a quality product.
fire hole fire starting
Light the Fire

Using a Survival Topics firesteel I am lighting the fire.These firesteels always work, no matter how wet the conditions. Able to start thousands of fires, you can buy your own firesteels at the Survival Topics Survival Supply store.

Once the flame is going strong, drop it into the fire pit so that it catches the kindling on fire; gradually add sticks so that a strong hot fire is maintained.
How a Dakota Fire Hole Works

The accompanying diagram shows the secret of what makes the Dakota Firehole so effective. As the fire burns, the hot air that is created goes up through the fire hole “chimney”. This creates a suction action that forcefully draws air down through the tunnel and into the base of the fire. The draft is increased even more by your having constructed the tunnel on the side from which the prevailing wind is coming.

Acting as a kind of bellows, the flames are continuously fanned and the fire burns hotter and more efficiently than a fire that is simply made on the surface to the ground. Hotter fires mean less smoke. In addition, the heat of the fire is concentrated into an upward direction where you can better capture it for use. This allows you to do more with less wood – an excellent survival fire by any measure.
Fire Hole Improvements

Once you have made the Dakota fire hole you can easily set up a cooking surface for pots and pans by laying several parallel green sticks across the fire pit as show in the picture. Lacking camp cooking gear you can also find a flat rock that only partially covers the hole – and use it as a sort of hobo frying pan.

It is also an easy matter to set a “Y” shaped stick into the ground onto which is rested a green pole with bannock dough, fish, or other outdoor meal. For more information on the wilderness survival staple known as bannock read the Survival Topic on How to Make Bannock.
Dakota Fire Pit Diagram
Dakota Fire Pit Diagram

This is how a Dakota Fire Hole works.As hot air from the fire exits through the top of the fire pit, a suction is created that draws fresh air down through the tunnel and into the base of the fire. This brings in plenty of fresh oxygen for combustion.

A cycle develops: The hotter the fire gets, the more air is drawn down into the fire pit – making the fire hotter.
Campfire Cleanup

When it is time to leave the area, be a responsible wilderness survivor who values the land you need for survival. Fill in the Dakota fire hole with the dirt you removed and saved when you were constructing it. Then replace the cap of vegetation. Doing so serves the double purpose of extinguishing the fire and leaving as little trace of your visit as possible.

In summary, the main advantages of using a Dakota Fire Hole include:

burns hotter
with less fuel
producing less smoke
less light visible to those you do not want to find you
providing a stable cooking surface
easy extinguishing of the fire
and removal of evidence you have been there when you are preparing to leave.

There can be no doubt, making the Dakota Fire Hole one of the best types of survival fires you can make when surviving in the wilderness.

This Stove is Unbelievable

We just got our stove today, and the first thing we did is start it up. I can tell you without a doubt, this is the best designed survival cooking device on the market anywhere in our not so humble opinion. We were so impressed, we had to show all of our folks.....absolutely fantastic!

Survival Bee Keeping Pt 2

continued......

Getting Your Bees

Now that you have your protective gear, a hive for the bees, and a book to reference, you are ready for the bees. There are nearly 20,000 species of bees—honey bees represent a small fraction of the species with between seven and 11 species and 44 subspecies—and they come from all around the globe. Bees can be ordered online, and from local bee clubs—most are shipped via UPS.  A package of bees can cost around $80-$200, depending on the species that you decide to purchase. The package weighs between three to four pounds, and has around 10 to 20 thousand bees inside, which is a good number to start building your hive. Bees can be installed into the hive in a manner of minutes—and if you take your time, you can watch them get to work in the hive immediately.
Naturally, my favorite bee is the free bee. Free bees can be found when bees swarm, which happens when the queen bee leaves a colony with a group of worker bees in search of a new hive. They often gather in trees or the eves of houses, which leave them in harms way by people who do not want them around. By offering to collect swarms, you can get free bees for your hive. Put an advertisement in the newspaper, or local listing, that you are willing to remove swarms. When the swarm first settles down and forms a cluster, it is fairly simple to capture. Swarms normally last no more than 24 hours, so you must be ready. To capture a swarm, you’ll need:

• A box or a bucket with a lid. I use five gallon buckets that have a hole in the top laced with screen so the bees are able to breathe until you can put them into a hive.
• A soft brush and a wide scraper. These help to move the bees, if needed.
• A ladder to climb on to get to the bees so you are not reaching up in the air swatting at them—sometimes they are  high in the trees, or the roof of the house.
• Your protective gear—you do not want to get stung when collecting a swarm of bees for your hive.

When collecting a swarm of bees in a bush or tree, put the bucket below the area the swarm is in and give the branch a good shake. Let the nest fall into the bucket. Use the brush to sweep the remaining bees into the bucket, and then place the lid on the bucket. If the swarm is on something that you cannot shake, take the wide scraper and place it so you can scoop the bees and place them into the bucket. Use your brush to sweep the bees on the scraper and drop them in the bucket as well. When you have nearly 90 percent of the bees in the bucket, place the lid on your bucket and look to see if the remaining bees start landing on the lid. They will start to land on the bucket and fan, which tells the bees that the queen is inside the bucket and they are moving. Let the bucket set for 30 minutes and let the bees inside and outside of the bucket collect on the lid. Then pop the top of the bucket so all the bees drop to the bottom of the bucket and take the lid off. Flip the lid and brush the bees on the lid into the bucket. Then replace the lid and take the bees to their new hive.
When you get to the hive you’re going to place the bees in, open it and remove four to five frames, or top bars, out of your way. Pop the bucket on the lid once more so the bees fall to the bottom of the bucket and open the lid. Then shake bees in the bucket into the hive. Once you have the swarm in the hive, replace the frames or top bars and cover the hive. You have successfully placed your bees into the hive. Be sure to check the bees in one week to see if they are building comb.
Now you have your bee hive. Read your book and if you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me at ABEEFriendlyCompany@gmail.com. I would enjoy reading about your experiences and looking at photos of your work.
As I said, I am a survivalist and love the outdoors and keeping bees will get you outdoors more. Like gardening, the work you put in yields great rewards.

Honey Bees for Survival

Keeping Honey Bees for Survival, by Michael J.

Permalink

Why Keep Honey Bees?
Wandering into the woods and staying lost for months is something I love to do. I have been an Urban Guerrilla Survivalist for 24 years, and have been keeping bees for more than 10 of those years. With these experiences under my belt, I have begun to teach people how to be a survivalist, and one subject I focus on is the art of beekeeping.
Before I tell you the benefits of having bees and some cheap ways to keep them, I suggest that you find a book about beekeeping to help you understand the terms I use and show you more details on how to keep bees for the long haul. One of the best books I have read is The ABC & XYZ of Bee Culture: An Encyclopedia Pertaining to the Scientific and Practical Culture of Honey Bees by A. I. Root. I also suggest that you try to find some beekeeping courses in your area—not only to learn more about it, but to connect with peers and mentors.
For my disclaimer: You should also research your local and state laws on beekeeping.
Apis mellifera, more commonly referred to as the honey bee, is one of the most beneficial insects in the world. Did you know that we have the honey bee to thank for one third of all the food we eat? Why, without the honey bee, we would mostly eat rice, wheat, and corn instead of the wonderful variety of fruits, vegetables, and nuts we enjoy every day. Not only do honey bees help make more food from pollination, they make a wide variety of products as well.
The most recognizable product, honey, is a sweet food made by bees from the nectar of flowers. Aside from its common use in sweetening teas, honey is used to treat burns, alleviate allergies and use in IVs for blood transfusions. It is also well known as a key ingredient in king’s mead, honey wine and man’s first alcoholic beverage. It is great for cooking in place of sugar, and has more nutritional value than cane or corn sugar. Honey has an endless shelf life when stored at room temperature in a sealed container. Most raw natural honey crystallizes, providing the survivalist with an endless supply of sugar that never goes bad.
Bee pollen, or pollen from flowers that is collected by bees during pollination, is harvested and used to fight allergies and treating mild cases of hay fever. Medications that use pollen include Claritin (loratadine), Benadryl (diphenhydramine), and chlorphenamine. Pollen is a great source of carbohydrates and is used to provide athletes energy boots.
Propolis, a resinous mixture that honey bees collect, relieves inflammation, viral diseases, ulcers, and superficial burns or scalds. It is also believed to promote heart health, strengthen the immune system, and reduce the chances of cataracts. Old beekeepers recommend that a piece of propolis be kept in the mouth as a remedy for a sore throat.
Beeswax, a natural wax produced in the hive, has long been called the ancient man’s plastic, and is used as such today. Common products you see beeswax used in include body creams, coating for cheeses, cosmetics, fine candles, furniture and shoe polishes, modeling materials to create jewelry and sculptures, pharmaceuticals, among hundreds of other items. It is often mixed with other ingredients such as olive oil (sweet oil) and sometimes paraffin. For hundreds of years, beeswax was used as a sealant or lubricant for bullets in cap and ball firearms that use black powder. Beeswax was also used to stabilize the military explosive Torpex, before it was replaced by a petroleum-based product.
Apitherapy is the medical use of bee products—most commonly associated with bee venom therapy, which uses bee venom in the use of health conditions. The active component of bee venom is melittin, which has a powerful anti-inflammatory action. Bee venom is a complex mix of a variety of peptides and proteins, some of which have strong neurotoxic and immunogenic effects. The most well-known bee venom therapy is for autoimmune diseases and multiple sclerosis. Bee venom therapy is also used to treat arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, dissolving scar tissue (keloids), and herpes zoster, among other illnesses.
As you have just read, the benefits of keeping honey bees for products and pollination is infinite. Not only can you use these products yourself, you can sell them to make money at local farmers markets or boutiques, or barter with clans around the woods. I recommend keeping three to five hives at your home or survival camp. The benefits of the honey bee can not be matched for the survivalist.

How to Get Started

Now that I have told you some of the many the benefits of having bees, I am going to tell you the basic style of beekeeping and some cheap ways to keep bees. Again, my focus is on survival beekeeping, or “off the grid” beekeeping. I will give you a list of what you need, and then tell you how to make some of the items, or find them cheap. Once again, I suggest that you find a book about beekeeping to help you understand the terms I use and the different kinds of hives available for beekeeping. You can find books everywhere—used book stores and yard sales are the cheapest, and you may even find used equipment there as well.
As a beekeeper you must have protection. Beekeepers suits can be expensive—cost of protective gear ranges from $100-$200, depending on what you get (hoods and gloves, full body suits, etc.). Suits can be found online, in beekeeping stores, swap meets, or yard sales. However, if you’d like to take a thrifty approach you need to have:

• High rubber boots, which can be found at farm supply stores or retail centers such as Wal-Mart. Make sure you own a pair that you can get in and out of quickly and can go over your pants.
• Pants that can be tucked into your boots. I like to use duck tape to take the boots onto the pants so your legs and feet are completely protected.
• Long-sleeve shirts than can bed tucked in to your pants.
• Hooded jackets, which can be cinched tightly around your face, so only your face shows.
• A ball cap worn under the hood—the starting point of a screened hood. To make this, stitch screen over the top of the hooded jacket and then use duck tape all around the screen to keep the bees out. The cap pushes the screen away from your face.
• Welding gloves that you duck tape the ends to the jacket sleeves so you’re all sealed up.

Another inexpensive way is to use a rain suit that you can duck tape your gloves, boots, waist, and stitch a screen over the face.
Now that you are protected from head to toe, let’s focus on where you will keep the bees, or the bee hive. The most commonly used hive is called a Langstroth hive. It is made as an open top hive and holds frames that can be removed to inspect brood (aka baby bees or larva) and to pull honey out of the hive. You can order a pre-built hive or find plans to build your own hive from the internet. There are also many books on how build and use the Langstroth hive. I will repeat myself again: find a book and use it as a resource. And take any classes you can find in your area. I have been keeping bees for more than 10 years, and have lost hives over my learning experience. But just like any thing, you never know until you try.
The hive I am going to show you is calling a Robo’s barrel top drum hive. It is made with a plastic 55 gallon drum. From one barrel you can make two hives. These drums can be found at car washes, dumps, and food centers. Always wash the drum out first to make sure it is clean. He started by marking the barrel lengthwise to cut it in half. Although the barrel had a seam that would make it easy to cut it in half; he wanted to use the bung holes for entrances, so he ended up marking his own lines. It is possible to cut the barrel with a handsaw, but for the sake of time, use an electric saber saw. Once the barrel was cut in two,
                                                           
build a box out of 2 inch by 3 inch lumber, to fit snugly around the barrel. This frame acts as a stiffener, preventing the barrel from warping out of shape. It also acts as the support for the top bars. This will also keep the top of you hive even so when you get your lid ready it will fit snug. Before the barrel half could be slid into the wooden frame, a portion on the barrel rim had to be cut off so that the barrel would fit squarely into the frame. Once this was done, the barrel and frame were put together and decking screws were used to secure the barrel to the frame. Counter sink the screws a little so the comb will not stick to the sides. The bees will make comb around the screws and it will be hard to get the top bars out with them stuck to the sides.

Next a set of legs were added. Try to keep the legs from extending out too far from the barrel and becoming a trip hazard while working on the hive. Also try to avoid covering the bung hole so that there is an entrance for the bees. When making the top bars out of 3/4 inch rough-cut pine (1 inch thickness) and made them long enough to extend to the outside edges of the support frame. The lid will cover the whole top so you want it even all the way around.
Robo uses corrugated metal for roofing. This will get hot but you do not have to paint it or stain it every other year. Make sure you drill two holes in the front and back of the hive to help with air flow. In the winter time you can place a cork in the holes to help keep the bees warm. In colder places you can place spray foam in the holes to keep the cold air out. You can either tie down the corrugated metal with rope or just set a couple of rocks on top. Since it is corrugated, there is plenty of ventilation as well. One sheet from The Home Depot is big enough to make covers for both hives. (In Robo’s demonstration, he built a stand to hold up the top bar so you can look at the comb—the bees comb mimicked the shape of the drum half.)
                          
You need to put a little bit of wax on the top bar so the bee know where to start building comb, but other than that you have just made a hive from stuff that is commonly throw way. This is a great way to save drums, even metal ones, and use for something other than a trash can. It’s a great home for your bees, and keeps the dump free of landfill.
Note: Information and all pictures are taken from an article, Barrel Top Bar Hive, on Robo’s World web site.

 

to be continued.....

Making Traditional Mukluks

 

Indigenous people in all parts of the far North developed similar winter footwear to cope with extreme cold and snow. All are made high enough to keep snow out and roomy enough for plenty of insulation. Exact design, materials and embellishments vary by local conditions and what was available. Originally, all were made from animal hide using fur or plant material as insulation. Apparently the name mukluk comes from “maklak”, the Yupik people of Alaska’s name for the bearded seal. This article describes my first attempt at making traditional mukluks.
My thoughts on the evolution of indigenous technology are largely based on the discussions and theories one inevitably has when making and using it. When you start living with things you can really start to appreciate how they were done for real. I should point out before we go any further that my historical knowledge of this stuff is pretty limited so don’t take it as gospel.
These days mukluk is used to describe a wide range of footwear loosely based on the style – much of it less functional fashion-led footwear. However, there are still people making and selling mukluks intended for snowshoeing and use outdoors. If you intend buying mukluks to actually use then double check with the supplier that they’re suitable. Buying a pair of mukluks is fine but even if you don’t have much experience with needle and thread it’s pretty easy to make yourself a pair as I’ll demonstrate.
The design adopted by many people for snowshoeing mukluks seems to be a modern upgrade of the winter moccasin of the north woods of North America. The modern bit is canvas which may not sound that modern but context is everything! As woven fabrics were traded across the Americas I guess they were used in place of hide where it didn’t affect function. This “classic” design has settled on a hide foot (styled and constructed like a moccasin) with a gaiter made from canvas. The hide of choice here is smoke tanned moose hide because of its strength and longevity.
The explorer Mike Horn recounts how the Norwegian polar explorer Børge Ousland tells him that in the arctic your hand should fit in your glove like a car fits in a garage. This also applies to footwear. In cold weather the last thing you want is tight or restrictive footwear which compromises the air trapping ability of the insulation. The foot is made large enough to accommodate probably two pairs of wool socks plus a liner of wool or felt with a felt insole. I say probably as this can all be varied according to personal preference – the joys of making your own kit.
None of this sounds too radical but if you try making traditional mukluks (or even buy some) in the cold I guarantee you’ll be astonished at how good they are. The absolutely key difference between these and modern boots is breathability. Once your feet are damp – which happens surprisingly often in “normal” footwear – the insulative properties of whatever’s between you and the cold are compromised. As the wool insulation and untreated hide breathe extremely well there is no build up of moisture and so no cold feet. Of course if the hide gets wet its breathability is reduced. For this reason they’re at their best in cold-dry environments.
Many modern boots such as rubber pac boots just aren’t that practical on multi-day trips in cold weather. Anyone who’s worn boots like these for a whole day knows how much moisture is trapped in the liners and probably their socks by the end of the day. Drying these takes a very reliable even heat source (hence the invention of crazy things like electric boot driers). Traditional mukluks just don’t need the same sort of drying. More like airing – much more achievable in a wilderness setting.
Hopefully you’re sold on these by now so here’s a quick step by step to show you how easy it is to make some. For a more depth I suggest getting hold of The Snow Walker’s Companion by Garrett and Alexandra Conover* which has detailed instructions and patterns.
I don’t think there could be a much simpler way to make footwear. The foot is simply two pieces – the foot (the larger piece) and the vamp (the smaller piece). I tacked these together to keep everything in kilter while stitching. Sizing can be done by eye and a bit of drawing round your foot or from the pattern.

The vamp is whip stitched to the foot for an inch or so at the “back” then the foot part is puckered and stitched to the vamp to give the curve in the toe. This is where I deviated from the instructions. By the third go at the Conover puckering method my leather resembled a pin cushion! A more simple but probably less strong stitch was improvised.

The liners were made from 10mm felt. This was kindly provided by my good friend Tim at Yurtworks in Cornwall. Apparently this felt is used to line yurts and is also used for boot liners in Mongolia. These look slightly rough and ready as getting the stitches tight was difficult with the thick felt but they do the job! They’re sized by drawing round your foot and measuring your calf for the tops (taking into account extra room for long johns, wool trousers etc).

The next step is to make the gaiter. Unfortunately there are no photos of this. It was snowing hard outside and I was desperate to get them finished by the morning so photography went out the window! Basically the gaiter is a conical shape sized to fit the calf at the top and the top of the moccasin at the bottom. they’re hemmed at the top where holes are made for a drawcord to keep the snow out. When complete they’re whip stitched to the moccasin.
The gaiters are fastened loosely to the legs with long ties which are criss-crossed up the leg. A method of joining these to the foot part is desirable so as to give a “pull” on the foot. I have yet to add this feature so just improvised using a long strip of the gaiter material.
After some field testing I can honestly say this is probably the most comfortable footwear I’ve ever worn. It’s a bizarre thing to be walking outside and feeling like you’re wearing just socks – compared to modern boots there is virtually no weight to them. Warmth-wise I was thoroughly impressed. They’re certainly the warmest thing I’ve ever worn. Things like this really do make you step back and think about all the modern kit we use. Is it really better or just easier to manufacture in quantity? Hmmmm.
If you’re feeling adventurous I’d urge you to have a go at making a pair. If not mukluks, the same construction methods can be used to make yourself a pair of slippers, camp shoes or some practical stalking shoes. A stylish addition to any shoe rack! If you have a go I’d love to hear how you get on.

Edible Plants and Their Preparation

TEMPERATE ZONE FOOD PLANTSTemperate Zone 

• Amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus and other species)
• Arrowroot (Sagittaria species)
• Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)
• Beechnut (Fagus species)
• Blackberries (Rubus species)
• Blueberries (Vaccinium species)
• Burdock (Arctium lappa)
• Cattail (Typha species)
• Chestnut (Castanea species)
• Chicory (Cichorium intybus)
• Chufa (Cyperus esculentus)
• Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
• Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva)
• Nettle (Urtica species)
• Oaks (Quercus species)
• Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)
• Plantain (Plantago species)
• Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)
• Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia species)
• Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
• Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
• Sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella)
• Strawberries (Fragaria species)
• Thistle (Cirsium species)
• Water lily and lotus (Nuphar, Nelumbo, and other species)
• Wild onion and garlic (Allium species)
• Wild rose (Rosa species)
• Wood sorrel (Oxalis species)

---

TROPICAL ZONE FOOD PLANTS

• Bamboo (Bambusa and other species)
• Bananas (Musa species)
• Breadfruit (Artocarpus incisa)
• Cashew nut (Anacardium occidental)
• Coconut (Cocos nucifera)
• Mango (Mangifera indica)
• Palms (various species)
• Papaya (Carica species)
• Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)
• Taro (Colocasia species)

---

DESERT ZONE FOOD PLANTS

• Acacia (Acacia farnesiana)
• Agave (Agave species)
• Cactus (various species)
• Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera)
• Desert amaranth (Amaranths palmeri)

---

Seaweeds

One plant you should never overlook is seaweed. It is a form of marine algae found on or near ocean shores. There are also some edible freshwater varieties. Seaweed is a valuable source of iodine, other minerals, and vitamin C. Large quantities of seaweed in an unaccustomed stomach can produce a severe laxative effect.
When gathering seaweeds for food, find living plants attached to rocks or floating free. Seaweed washed onshore any length of time may be spoiled or decayed. You can dry freshly harvested seaweeds for later use.
Its preparation for eating depends on the type of seaweed. You can dry thin and tender varieties in the sun or over a fire until crisp. Crush and add these to soups or broths. Boil thick, leathery seaweeds for a short time to soften them. Eat them as a vegetable or with other foods. You can eat some varieties raw after testing for edibility.

SEAWEEDS

• Dulse (Rhodymenia palmata)
• Green seaweed (Ulva lactuca)
• Irish moss (Chondrus crispus)
• Kelp (Alaria esculenta)
• Laver (Porphyra species)
• Mojaban (Sargassum fulvellum)
• Sugar wrack (Laminaria saccharina)

---

Preparation of Plant Food

Although some plants or plant parts are edible raw, you must cook others to be edible or palatable. Edible means that a plant or food will provide you with necessary nutrients, while palatable means that it actually is pleasing to eat. Many wild plants are edible but barely palatable. It is a good idea to learn to identify, prepare, and eat wild foods.


Methods used to improve the taste of plant food include soaking, boiling, cooking, or leaching. Leaching is done by crushing the food (for example, acorns), placing it in a strainer, and pouring boiling water through it or immersing it in running water.

Boil leaves, stems, and buds until tender, changing the water, if necessary, to remove any bitterness.

Boil, bake, or roast tubers and roots. Drying helps to remove caustic oxalates from some roots like those in the Arum family.Leach acorns in water, if necessary, to remove the bitterness. Some nuts, such as chestnuts, are good raw, but taste better roasted.

You can eat many grains and seeds raw until they mature. When hard or dry, you may have to boil or grind them into meal or flour.

The sap from many trees, such as maples, birches, walnuts, and sycamores, contains sugar. You may boil these saps down to a syrup for sweetening. It takes about 35 liters of maple sap to make one liter of maple syrup!

Edible Plant Tests

Universal Edibility Test

There are many plants throughout the world. Tasting or swallowing even a small portion of some can cause severe discomfort, extreme internal disorders, and even death. Therefore, if you have the slightest doubt about a plant's edibility, apply the Universal Edibility Test below before eating any portion of it.

Before testing a plant for edibility, make sure there are enough plants to make the testing worth your time and effort. Each part of a plant (roots, leaves, flowers, and so on) requires more than 24 hours to test. Do not waste time testing a plant that is not relatively abundant in the area.
Remember, eating large portions of plant food on an empty stomach may cause diarrhea, nausea, or cramps. Two good examples of this are such familiar foods as green apples and wild onions. Even after testing plant food and finding it safe, eat it in moderation.
You can see from the steps and time involved in testing for edibility just how important it is to be able to identify edible plants.
To avoid potentially poisonous plants, stay away from any wild or unknown plants that have--

• Milky or discolored sap.
• Beans, bulbs, or seeds inside pods.
• Bitter or soapy taste.
• Spines, fine hairs, or thorns.
• Dill, carrot, parsnip, or parsleylike foliage.
• "Almond" scent in woody parts and leaves.
• Grain heads with pink, purplish, or black spurs.
• Three-leaved growth pattern.

Using the above criteria as eliminators when choosing plants for the Universal Edibility Test will cause you to avoid some edible plants. More important, these criteria will often help you avoid plants that are potentially toxic to eat or touch.

Pemmican: The Indigenous Sausage

Recipe: Pemmican


The Native People of the temperate and northern regions of America developed a high-energy fast food that is easily transportable and long-storing. We know it as pemmican, or pimikan in the Algonquin languages. The term is derived from pimii, the Cree-Chippewa word for fat. This is quite appropriate labeling, because fat, a concentrated energy source, is the most important ingredient. The second part of this article contains a pemmican recipe.

We are all generally familiar with pemmican already, as it is basically sausage. It is a mixture of dried shredded or pounded meat, usually ungulate (Bison, Elk, Deer), and lard (solid rendered fat), usually ungulate also, which is combined and compressed into cakes.

Pemmican is made by first separating the fat and meat from each other so that they can be processed individually. Meat is best preserved by drying, and fat by rendering. If there is fat in the meat, or vice versa, either could spoil. However, once each is prepared they can be mixed together and the resulting product will have good keeping quality. For travel it is tightly packed in sealed containers (similar to stuffing sausage in casing) so that it will not rancidify.

The popular understanding is that pemmican contains fruit. This is a misconception. Historically, a small amount of dried fruit (such as juneberries) was on occasion added, more for flavor than for its nutritional contribution. Indications are that it was probably no more popular than is sweet sausage in the Euro-American tradition. The practice of adding fruit to pemmican became commonplace with nonnatives, who in my estimation were probably accommodating their acculturated taste for flavor additives in their sausages.

Fat is the primary ingredient in a pemmican recipe because fat has nearly 2 1⁄2 times the energy of complex carbohydrates (which are starch, as found in grains and tubers), sugars or meat. This is important in travel and cold weather because a lot of energy is needed without overloading the system with bulky foods. Another benefit of fat is that it digests slowly, providing steady energy over a long period of time. Sugars break down rapidly, giving a quick energy peak, then a valley. Carbohydrates fare a bit better, yet nowhere near fat. Meat in excess of what is needed to rebuild muscle is broken down and converted to energy, however it requires more water than other energy foods and may carry health risks (see bottom of page).

Fat is more necessary than meat in northern diet. As a traditional North Country travel and winter ration, pemmican needed to sustain life and provide energy, sometimes on its own. Northern greenhorn explorers have died trying to live on lean meat. Some Inuit Peoples’ winter diets consist of almost half fat. Recently a woman crossed the continent of Antarctica on foot, consuming pure olive oil (a liquid fat) for energy.
Make Your Own

In this pemmican recipe, we are basically disassembling and reassembling the meat. Fresh meat rots quickly; once the flesh and fat are separated and processed, each in the way that works best for it, they can be reassembled and will remain preserved for an extended period.

Pemmican is quite easy to make and a variety of ingredients can be used. Following is my step-by-step preferred method; feel free to substitute meats and fat sources. In doing so the most important guidelines to keep in mind are to be sure your meat is lean and completely dry, and to use rendered fat that will not melt (such as the fat of ungulates) while the pemmican is being stored and used.

Dry the meat.

Choose a warm, dry, sunny period and start early in the day to take full advantage of available drying time. I prefer large chunks (like thigh and shoulder) of meat that are already quite lean, like summer venison.

If such is not available, clean all visible fat and connective tissue from the meat, then slice as thinly as possible, preferably across the grain (dries faster that way) and place on a drying rack in full sunlight. If yours is a warm dry climate, you may be able to keep your slices 1/4 inch thick and get them dry in a day. If your area is humid, slice as thinly as possible.

It’s best to get the meat dry in one day, to lessen the chance of spoilage. Test for dryness by bending each piece, particularly where thick. Those needing more drying time will be rubbery; those dry enough will be brittle and crack. Take them indoors so they do not reabsorb moisture overnight. They are best kept refrigerated.

If conditions are not ideal for drying, use a supplemental fire. What you are creating here is jerky, which can be stored and consumed as-is, but it is not a complete food because it does not contain fat. Do not try to live on it! Natives will either use jerky as an ingredient in a complete meal, or will use it to make pemmican.

Grind the meat. Use a commercial grinder, or pulverize, as Natives would.

Render the fat.

Combine meat and fat, in a ratio of about two parts meat to one part fat.
Pack in airtight containers Cleaned intestine, bark, glass or plastic containers can be used.

Store in a cool, dry, dark place.

This is the end of the pemmican recipe!

A word of caution: Pemmican is a concentrated food that is best consumed sparingly, when you are active, and not for an extended period of time. Consumption of hard fat can be unhealthy for sedentary people, and protein over consumption can overload the body with uric acid (which may lead to gout) and calcium oxalate (the mineral which forms kidney stones). Ketones may also build up in the system, causing kidney damage. (A sign of protein over consumption is ketone breath, which smells like nail polish or overripe pineapple.)

Tamarack Song has been a student and teacher of the traditional outdoor skills his whole life. He is an author and director of the celebrated Teaching Drum Outdoor School.

[DWB states: If rendering fat for the first time, take it in baby steps. You will need to render one pound of fat more than you will need ..... That means that if you need six pounds of lard, you will need about seven pounds of fat.

As the fat heats and becomes liquid, the solids will sink to the bottom of the pot. Slowly pour the liquid into a clean pot and throw away the solids. Allow the fat to cool to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Then add an equal amount of lukewarm water.

Bring the fat and water to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Set it outside overnight to chill, or put it in your refrigerator. In the morning, the fat will have risen to the top. The remaining unwanted solids will be in the bottom of the pot.

Using a spatula, remove the top layer of fat. If there is a jellylike substance on the bottom of your fat, scrape that substance off and throw it away. You only want the pure, hardened fat.

Cook It Again
Then break up the hardened fat into chunks and put it into another pot. Add an equal amount of water and one large potato cut in half. Cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.

Allow it to cool overnight. Then lift the fat out of the water and scrape the bottom clean. Congratulations! You now have rendered fat.... Either use it right away or store it in the freezer for future use.]

How to Make an Improvised Backpack

From Lifehacker.com

Brian's Backpacking Blog stresses that knowledge of how to make improvised gear is more important than having the latest and greatest equipment. The site shows how you can make an external frame backpack using tree branches, paracord, shoulder straps, and a tarp—along with knot-tying skills.
The site's technique for making an improvised backpack is designed to replace a destroyed pack while in the wilderness which is why they're using existing shoulder straps, but you should be able to improvise a solution if necessary, and can even make shoulder straps out of paracord.
Full instructions are at the link below—basically you're making a frame by lashing three branches in a triangle and attaching your shoulder straps. Use paracord to make a basic net in the cavity of the triangle, roll up all your gear in a tarp to make a bundle, and tuck that bundle in the net.
This is also a good weekend project if you'd like to give hiking a try but don't have room in your budget for a pack.
Brian's Backpacking Blog stresses that knowledge of how to make improvised gear is more important than having the latest and greatest equipment. The site shows how you can make an external frame backpack using tree branches, paracord, shoulder straps, and a tarp—along with knot-tying skills.
The site's technique for making an improvised backpack is designed to replace a destroyed pack while in the wilderness which is why they're using existing shoulder straps, but you should be able to improvise a solution if necessary, and can even make shoulder straps out of paracord.
Full instructions are at the link below—basically you're making a frame by lashing three branches in a triangle and attaching your shoulder straps. Use paracord to make a basic net in the cavity of the triangle, roll up all your gear in a tarp to make a bundle, and tuck that bundle in the net.
This is also a good weekend project if you'd like to give hiking a try but don't have room in your budget for a pack.

How to Measure Distance

Make and Use Ranger Beads to Measure Your Walking Distance

Originally developed by military forces, ranger pace-counting beads are a great way to measure distances travelled by foot. A set of ranger beads is merely a lanyard with two sets of beads; the bottom section has nine and the top section has five. The beads are moved at various distances to count your total distance walked.
Measure how many steps it takes for you to walk 100m. Now when you walk, for every 100m you walk move one of the 9 lower beads up. On the tenth time instead move one of the 5 upper beads up and pull all 9 of the lower beads back down to reset; this indicates that you have walked 1km. You can measure up to 5km with this configuration of beads. Brian's Backpacking Blog has multiple methods of measuring strides and also gives alternate uses for using ranger beads in daily life, such as counting the number of glasses of water you drink each day.
Making a ranger band is dead simple. Just take a little paracord or other cordage and small beads you can find in any craft store, WalMart, or even online at Amazon and tie it as per the photo above. If you need detailed instructions, you can find them at Instructables.
Of course, many people would prefer to use a pedometer and not have to count their paces, but ranger beads are cheaper, easy to make, and don't need batteries. Just because we usually use a GPS to find our way does not mean we should not know how to use a map and compass. If you're a frequent hiker it's worth taking the time to make and use ranger beads once so you'll have the skill if you ever need it.

 from Lifehacker.com

More on Survival Fishing (Trotlines)

One of the most common ways to run a trot line is off the bank of a river and into the water. Trot lines have multiple hooks on them -- some have as many as 25 or more -- that are hooked with bait and dropped in the water. While many fishermen who use trot lines target catfish, they potentially could hook a wide variety of fish species. Fish that anglers are not targeting generally can be released, so most fishermen who use trot lines check them at least once a day.

Difficulty:
Moderate

Instructions
Things You'll Need

Float
Weight
Bait

1

Find a spot in the river with good fish habitat. Look for features such as deep holes and pools and undercut banks. Spots where the river swings also can be good.
2

Attach one end of the trot line to a stable object on the shoreline, such as a stump or tree. If there are no natural objects, a stake driven into the ground also works as a ground anchor.
3

Grab the unstaked portion of the trot line and get into a boat. Motor straight away from the anchor and into the river. As you go toward the middle of the river, feed line out and bait hooks as you come to them. Night crawlers are good all-around baits. Strips of minnows also work well.
4

Tie a length of nylon line to a milk jug. The line length depends on the river's depth; it should be sufficiently long to suspend the hooks a foot or two above the bottom. Tie the float line to the trot line about one-quarter of the way between the end of the trot line that's onshore and the end that will be anchored in the river.
5

Drop each hook and bait into the river as you continue motoring out. Once you get to the end, tie a 2-foot piece of rope to the end of the trot line. Tie a cinder block -- or a 1-gallon milk pail filled with concrete -- to the other end of the rope. Drop the anchor and trot line to the bottom.
6

Check the trot line at least once every 24 hours.


Read more: How to Run a Trot Line | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_8671180_run-trot-line.html#ixzz1VVi4XRVy

How to Set a Trotline

Trotlines have as many as 25 hooks.

Trot lines are a productive tool for catching large numbers of fish at one time. The device consists of one main line, and shorter, hooked lines tied to the main. River sets are most common for trot lines, which are stretched from shore and submerged in the water. Trot lines are most commonly used to target catfish, but are effective with any species of fish.

Difficulty:
Moderate

Instructions
Things You'll Need

Trot line
Weight
Floats
Bait

1

Find a suitable spot in a river to set the trotline. Catfish habitat in rivers includes holes, log jams, submerged brush and undercut banks.
2

Secure one end of the trot line on the riverbank. A tree, heavy weights, concrete blocks or a pole driven into the ground are viable options. The anchor object must be heavy enough to withstand the pressure of multiple fish thrashing about at the same time. Tie the end of the trot line to the anchor object.
3

Motor out from the spot on the bank from which you anchored the trot line; allow the the trot line to play out as you move. Bait each hook as you come to it. Nightcrawlers, shad or cut minnows are effective on trot-line hooks.
4

Tie a float -- an empty milk jug works well -- to a piece of line. Attach the float line to your main line; attach it about one-quarter of the way between the bank and the end of the main line. The float line should be long enough to suspend the hooks 1 or 2 feet off the river's bottom.
5

Motor across the river until you have dropped the floats and all the baited hooks. Attach an anchor to the end of the trot line using a 2-foot piece of rope. Cinder blocks -- or 1-gallon buckets filled with concrete -- make good anchors.


Read more: How to Set a Trot Line | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_8116082_set-trot-line.html#ixzz1VVh3UPF4

What is a Trotline, and can it Save Your Life?

A trotline consists of a long sturdy line with multiple drops of lighter line containing a hook. The hooks of the trotline are baited and the trotline is strung across a slow moving body of water. The ends of the line are tied to trees, low lying branches or stakes along the banks. The fisherman allows the line to remain in the water for 24-hours before pulling it. A properly constructed trotline will be long-lasting and productive.

Difficulty:
Moderate

Instructions
Things You'll Need

100-yard spool of 250-pound test braided fishing line
Box of lead split shot
Pliers
Box of swivels
50-yard spool of 50-pound test braided fishing line
Scissors
Fishing hooks
14-inch square cardboard bow
Utility knife

1

Pull 10- to 15-feet of line from the 100-yard spool of 250-pound braided fishing line and secure a split shot onto the line with the pliers.
2

Slide a swivel onto the line and down to the clamped split shot. Secure a second split on the other side of the swivel.
3

Move two feet down the line and secure another split shot, swivel and split shot. Repeat the process until you have the desired length and number of drops for your trotline.
4

Pull two feet of 50-pound test braided fishing line from the spool. Cut the spool with a pair of scissors.
5

Make a loop with the 50-pound test line. Tie an overhand knot to hold the loop.
6

Slide one end of the loop through the eye of the hook and push the other end of the loop through itself to secure the hook to the drop line. Slide the end of the loop through the swivel and swing the secured hook through the loop. Pull the hook to tighten the loop, securing the drop line to the trotline. Repeat the process for each swivel you placed on the trotline.
7

Cut slits into the top of a 14-inch square cardboard box with the utility knife. You need to have one slit for each drop line you placed on the trotline.
8

Coil the trotline into the 14-inch square. Push a drop line into each slit as it is about to enter the cardboard box to complete the construction and storage of your trotline.


Read more: How to Make a Trotline | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_6578777_make-trotline.html#ixzz1VVeqa3ve

Edible Plants of the Western U S

Southwestern US Plants

[DWB states:] Thanks to wildcrafting.net.  Click on the highlighted name to get more information of the plants of interest from the site.  Wildcrafting.net indicates that these are all proven safe, but use this at your own risk.  RMSI is not responsible if you mistake the plant, or use the plant and suffer illness or death.

  Please be careful.

Plant	Edible	Flower Color	Fruit Color
Acacia greggii catclaw acacia	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Allium acuminatum tapertip onion	Yes	Purple	Black
Allium textile textile onion	Yes	White	Brown
Amelanchier alnifolia Saskatoon serviceberry	Yes	White	Red
Amelanchier utahensis Utah serviceberry	Yes	White	Red
Amelanchier utahensis var. utahensis Utah serviceberry	Yes	White	Red
Avena sativa common oat	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Balsamorhiza hookeri Hooker's balsamroot	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Balsamorhiza macrophylla cutleaf balsamroot	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Brassica juncea India mustard	Yes	Yellow	Black
Brassica rapa field mustard	Yes		Brown
Caesalpinia gilliesii bird-of-paradise shrub	Yes	White	Black
Caltha leptosepala white marsh marigold	Yes	White	Brown
Camassia quamash small camas	Yes	Blue	Brown
Celtis laevigata var. reticulata netleaf hackberry	Yes	Green	White
Cichorium intybus chicory	Yes	Blue	Brown
Claytonia perfoliata miner's lettuce	Yes	White	Brown
Crataegus erythropoda cerro hawthorn	Yes	White	Black
Cucurbita foetidissima Missouri gourd	Yes	Yellow	Yellow
Elaeagnus angustifolia Russian olive	Yes	Yellow	Red
Elaeagnus angustifolia Russian olive	Yes	Yellow	Red
Elaeagnus commutata silverberry	Yes	Yellow	Red
Ephedra nevadensis Nevada jointfir	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Ephedra torreyana Torrey's jointfir	Yes	White	Brown
Epilobium glaberrimum glaucus willowherb	Yes	Purple	White
Fagus grandifolia American beech	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Geum rossii var. turbinatum Ross' avens	Yes	Yellow	Black
Geum triflorum old man's whiskers	Yes	Purple	Brown
Helianthus annuus common sunflower	Yes	Yellow	Blue
Helianthus tuberosus Jerusalem artichoke	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Heracleum maximum common cowparsnip	Yes	White	Brown
Hordeum vulgare common barley	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Hordeum vulgare common barley	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Juglans nigra black walnut	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Juniperus monosperma oneseed juniper	Yes	Orange	Purple
Lomatium cous cous biscuitroot	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Lomatium macrocarpum bigseed biscuitroot	Yes	White	Brown
Lomatium triternatum nineleaf biscuitroot	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Lycium pallidum pale desert-thorn	Yes	Purple
Malus sylvestris European crab apple	Yes	White	Red
Medicago sativa alfalfa	Yes	Purple	Brown
Microseris nutans nodding microseris	Yes	Yellow	White
Mirabilis multiflora Colorado four o'clock	Yes	Purple	Brown
Najas flexilis nodding waternymph	Yes	Green	Green
Nolina microcarpa sacahuista	Yes	White	Brown
Nuphar lutea ssp. polysepala Rocky Mountain pond-lily	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Opuntia polyacantha plains pricklypear	Yes	Yellow	Red
Perideridia gairdneri Gardner's yampah	Yes	White	Brown
Pinus edulis twoneedle pinyon	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Pinus flexilis limber pine	Yes	Green	Brown
Pinus monophylla singleleaf pinyon	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Prosopis pubescens screwbean mesquite	Yes		Brown
Prunella vulgaris common selfheal	Yes	Purple	Green
Prunus americana American plum	Yes	White	Red
Prunus pumila sandcherry	Yes	White	Black
Prunus pumila var. besseyi western sandcherry	Yes	White	Black
Prunus tomentosa Nanking cherry	Yes	White	Red
Prunus virginiana chokecherry	Yes	White	Black
Punica granatum pomegranate	Yes	Orange	Red
Pyrus communis common pear	Yes	White	Yellow
Ribes aureum golden currant	Yes	Yellow	Red
Ribes cereum wax currant	Yes	White	Red
Ribes hudsonianum northern black currant	Yes	White	Black
Ribes lacustre prickly currant	Yes	Purple	Black
Ribes montigenum gooseberry currant	Yes	Red	Brown
Rosa nutkana Nootka rose	Yes	Red	Red
Rubus idaeus American red raspberry	Yes	White	Red
Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus grayleaf red raspberry	Yes	White	Red
Rubus leucodermis whitebark raspberry	Yes	White	Black
Rubus parviflorus thimbleberry	Yes	White	Red
Salix lucida ssp. lasiandra Pacific willow	Yes	Green	Yellow
Sambucus racemosa var. racemosa red elderberry	Yes	White	Red
Secale cereale cereal rye	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Secale cereale cereal rye	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Senecio hydrophiloides tall groundsel	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Shepherdia argentea silver buffaloberry	Yes	Yellow	Red
Shepherdia argentea silver buffaloberry	Yes	Yellow	Red
Shepherdia canadensis russet buffaloberry	Yes	Yellow	Yellow
Sidalcea neomexicana salt spring checkerbloom	Yes	Purple	Brown
Simmondsia chinensis jojoba	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Sorghum bicolor sorghum	Yes	Brown	Brown
Sorghum bicolor ssp. bicolor grain sorghum	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Taraxacum officinale common dandelion	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Tragopogon porrifolius salsify	Yes	Purple	Brown
Triteleia grandiflora largeflower triteleia	Yes	Blue	Brown
Triticum aestivum common wheat	Yes	Yellow	Brown
Vaccinium membranaceum thinleaf huckleberry	Yes	Purple	Black
Vaccinium scoparium grouse whortleberry	Yes	Red	Red
Vaccinium uliginosum bog blueberry	Yes	Purple	Blue
Zea mays corn	Yes	Yellow	Yellow

Rats and Snakes

WHERE THE RATS ARE

 

Because of the danger of rat infestation, use caution entering buildings and debries:

 

¨ Carry a solid club and a flashlight.

 

¨ Inspect likely hiding places for rats.

Check

•          closets
•          drawers
•          mattresses
•          appliances
•          upholstered furniture
•         stacks of clothes or paper
•         dark corners
•         attics and basements.

 

¨Be extremely careful when approaching rats. They may be aggressive.

 

CONTROLLING RATS

 

If rats continue to be a problem after.

To minimize rat problems:

 

•  Remove trash piles and piles of damaged furniture or equipment. 
• Store materials on platforms or shelves 12 to 18 inches above the ground. 
• Remove food sources. Store food supplies in rat-proof bins or containers.
• Suspend garbage containers from trees or posts.
•  Remove animal/Human Remains carcasses, as they may attract rats.

 If you are bitten by a rat, wash the wound with soap and water andsee a doctor immediately. Rats may carry diseases and at the least, rat bites can cause infection. 

When picking up a carcass, use the inside of a plastic bag to avoid touching it, and burn it.

 

INSPECTING FOR SNAKES

 

It is important to know what poisonous snakes may be common to your area. Non-poisonous snakes, however, are common and may bite. Remember that all snakes are beneficial to the ecosystem and should not be killed indiscriminately — poisonous snakes included. But follow these precautions upon entering an area of distruction:

 

¨Be alert for snakes in unusual places. They may be found in or around :

• homes
• barns
• outbuildingsd
• driftwood
• levees
• dikes
• dams
• stalled automobiles
• piles of debris 
•  building materials
•  trash any type of rubble or shelter.

 

¨ Keep a heavy stick or long-handled tool handy. After dark, carry a strong light.¨ Before beginning rescue or clean-up operations, search the premises thoroughly for snakes. Wear heavy leather or rubber high-top boots, and heavy gloves. Use rakes, pry bars or other long-handled tools when removing debris. Never expose your hands, feet or other parts of your body where a snake might be.

 

Explain to children the dangers of snakes. during TEOTWAWKI conditions and the precautions they should follow. Do not allow children to play around debris.

 

If you kill a poisonous snake, use a stick, rake or other long-handled tool to carry it away for disposal. If you realize you are near a snake, remain still—sudden movements may cause the snake to strike. If the snake doesn't move away from you after a few minutes, slowly back away from it. If someone is bitten by a poisonous snake take the nessiary steps using the first aid rules that you have learned. (Don't know these rules?  We teach classes on that).  Most all North American snakes that are poisonious will leave two fang marks.  Non poisonious snakes will leave teeth marks, but no fang marks.  Also be aware, that not every strike will contain venom, but treat each bite with caution and care.

 

If bitten by a non-poisonous snake, clean the wound and watch for signs of infection.

 

CONTROLLING SNAKES

 

To minimize chances of finding snakes indoors, block openings where they might enter buildings. Snakes can pass through extremely small openings and usually enter near or below ground level.

Some other suggestions:

 

•  Be sure doors, windows and screens fit tightly. 
• Search walls and floors for holes or crevices.
•  Inspect the masonry of foundations, fireplaces and chimneys. Then plug or cement these openings. 
•  Plug spaces around pipes that go through outside walls. 
•  Fasten galvanized screen over drains or ventilators, or over large areas of loose construction.

Remember snakes and rats are edible, but I would rather eat a snake than a rat.  My rule of thumb is if they are heading toward my retreat or cabin, they get a .45 to the head if the are poisonious like rattle snakes, but if they are heading away from my cabin, they may go in peace.  They eat rodents and insects, and having some snakes as distant neighbors can rid you of rats and mice, or at least cut down the population.  I worry more about rats and mice and the diseases they carry than hoop snakes and the like.