You CAN Afford Long Term Food Storage

All of us have heard the complaints, "I can't afford to prep... it costs too much... I'm worried about losing my home and my car, how can I spend money on long term food storage."

Here's my answer. Most people are simply grasping for an excuse not to prepare. However, some of those who say this, may actually believe it.  I contend that these same people buy frozen food, canned food, and packaged/prepared foods. If that is the case, then I have some good news for them.

I suggest that with the same food budget, they can eat better, healthier, and have food to put away. By buying DRY beans, rice, salt, sugar, and grains in bulk - they can save 50% - 70%. So maybe they can't buy a years supply of food in one fell swoop, but ANYONE can start this immediately, and gradually increase the degree.

For example:

Current low average cost per week, for family of four - $245.00 ($35 per day food budget)

With that same budget, they could buy 44 lbs of pancake mix, 110 oz of instant potatoes, 26 lbs of pinto beans, 12 lbs of quick oats, 27 lbs of rice, 55 lbs of wheat, and 20 lbs of flour.  That's over a MONTHS worth of food, for the same cost! And that is packaged/partially prepared foods. The fact is that that in larger quantities, they can buy at an even lower cost. But, to prove my point. If they ONLY implemented this plan, within three months, they would have a year's supply of food on-hand, that will not spoil. With the savings, they can save up and when they have $500 cash (2 weeks) they can buy 1/2 a cow, and then have steaks, hamburgers, roasts, etc. in their freezer that will last them a year.
Two weeks after that, they can buy 1/2 a hog, giving them bacon, sausage, ham, pork chops, etc.
Two weeks later, they can buy 12 chickens, and all the material that they need to build a coop, fence, feed, etc, so that they can raise chickens.
If they are so inclined, they can then rake up the chicken droppings, straw, and mix with egg shell, grass trimmings, and food scraps to begin making their own compost/worm bed. In the spring, they can use this as the foundation for a garden to grow their own squash, mellon, herbs, lettuce, cabbage, bean, and tomatoes - which can all be canned, frozen, or put into a root cellar to last throughout the entire year! Not that they have significantly reduced their food costs, they can also budget for some fruit trees, and berry plants - which will yield fruit every year.

It IS that simple. The point is, anyone who really wants to get long term food storage only has to begin eating that food today, and they will find that their dollar will go MUCH further. It is a small price to pay, for the security that they will gain.

I urge them to begin this as soon as possible, as food costs are continuing to rise. What costs a dollar today, may cost $1.50 next year. Buying dry food in advance, is the best investment one can make. Food will never be cheaper than it is today. Use this plan as a long term plan. Once you have six months of food on hand, gradually begin buying seeds and preparing your compost system. Imaging the independence one would feel if they were growing 70% of their own food. Non-GMO, organically grown food! This means that not only are they saving money, but they are eating BETTER, and may even be getting healthier and stronger as a result.

So the next time you hear that complaint that someone can't afford to prep, send them to this post, or print it out and give it to them. And this Christmas, give the gift of LIFE.  For $22.00, you can go to any LDS Family Home Storage Center and buy 4 lbs Pancake, 28 oz of Potato Pearls, 5.2 lb of Pinto beans, 2.4 lbs of Oats, 11 lbs of wheat, 5.4 lbs of rice, and 4 lbs of flour. For a few dollars more, you can buy them the book, "Cookin' With Home Storage", from Amazon. I just saw a used copy there for $4.83.

Now go out and create 100 new preppers!  

Prep School TV

We are working on a TV show to air in the Salt Lake City market. The show's focus will include outdoor survival skills, primitive  skills, long term food storage, martial arts, firearm selection and use, perma-culture, homesteading, alternative healthcare, off-grid power, and disaster preparations.

If you believe you possess a high level of skills in one of these areas, and would like to be a guest on the show, please contact us. Include pictures, a description of your skills and experience, and be prepared to send a 5 - 10 minute video. Prep School TV Guest

Review of the Casio G-Shock model 3255

Just got a new watch for my Birthday and I am a watch lover. Therefore, this will be a continuing review. My newest watch is the Casio G-Shock 3255. At first try, it is very nicely put together. With one exception, the watchband is a bit small for me so I will be purchasing a larger (longer) band. Other than that, it works well. It did take some time for me to learn the functions, but soon I had them down.

I will keep you posted.

·         Shock Resistant

·         200M Water Resistant

·         LED Backlight (Super Illuminator)

·         Altimeter
Measuring range: -700 to 10,000m (-2,300 to 32,800ft) without reference altitude
Measuring unit: 5m (20ft)
Others: Reference altitude setting

·         Barometer
Display range: 260 to 1,100 hPa (7.65 to 32.45 inHg)
Display unit: 1 hPa (0.05 inHg)
Atmospheric pressure differential pointer

·         Thermometer
Display range: -10 to 60 C (14 to 140 F)
Display unit: 0.1 C (0.2 F)

·         World Time
31 times zones (48 cities), city code display, daylight saving on/off

·         5 Daily Alarms

·         Hourly Time Signal

·         1/100 second stopwatch
Measuring capacity: 23:59’59.99”
Measuring modes: Elapsed time, split time, 1st-2nd place times

·         Countdown Timer
Measuring unit: 1 second
Countdown range: 1 minute to 24 hours (1 hour increments and 1 minute increments)

·         Full Auto Calendar (pre-programmed until the year 2099)

·         12/24 Hour Formats

·         Button tone operation on/off

·         Accuracy: +/-15 seconds per month (with no signal calibration)

·         Battery: CR2025

·         Approx. battery life: 5 years

·         Module: 3255

Review of the Blackhawk!® 1700 Concealed-Carry Shirt

Elite performance for the weapons-carrying professional. Longer lengths and plaid color schemes maximize weapon concealment. Quick-drying, lightweight polyester boasts wrinkle resistance, is moisture wicking and has a UPF rating of 30. A spacious, vertical zippered document pocket is concealed under the deep left chest patch pocket. The document pocket is perfect for securely and discreetly transporting critical items; it runs horizontally across your chest from its zippered opening to the shoulder seam for more storage capacity and concealment. Pleated back yoke for improved freedom of movement. Lower side slits offer easy access to pants pockets. Notched collar.

Features:

·         Lightweight, yet durable

·         Quick Drying UV Protection - UPF30+

·         Wrinkle resistant

·         Moisture wicking

·         Left chest side entry zipper pocket

·         Left chest patch pocket

·         Pleated back yoke for ease of motion

·         Notched collar

·         Lower side slits for easy pant pocket access

·         • Pattern options include:

* Flat weave small plaid (Brown or Gray)

* Flat weave solid (Slate or Clay)

* Textured medium plaid to discreetly conceal weapon (Blue or Green)

I bought three different colors of this shirt because one of my friends liked them so much and recommended them to me. I wear with jeans, shorts, slacks or cargo pants. They blend in from casual to work wear. They are made a bit baggy to discretely cover up the firearm signature afforded by other shirts. Everyone takes note of the top quality and fashion of these shirts and wants one.

My Rating: 4.5

MSRP: $49.99

Review of 5.11 Stryke Pant with Flex-Tac™

If you are a fan of the Taclite Pro pants, you should definitely give these a try-- you will not be disappointed. The 50% higher cost compared to the Taclite Pro is easily justified making them both a great value for their price.

These are hands-down 5.11's most comfortable pants. The fabric has a horizontal stretch as claimed, but without the look of being "stretchy" -- that is to say, it does not have the lycra/spandex sheen that "stretchy" pants have. The rip stop pattern is as obvious as ever, and the pants just look sharp.

Thankfully, the gap between belt loops is sufficient for both a holster and a badge (if needed).

I LOVE the side cargo pockets and that are not overly large like on the regular 5.11 tactical pants. The angle of the opening is perfect, and the two pouches inside are very useful for organizing my gear. On the left side I keep a flashlight on the forward pocket, and a spare pistol magazine in the rear pocket.

The rear pockets are quite nice, if not just a touch too short. Now I am nitpicking, but wearing the regular 5.11 tactical pants every day has spoiled me as far as depth goes. There is no way a full-size radio will fit back there on these pants.

Overall, I am very pleased with these pants. The fabric is plain awesome, and the design and layout is thoughtful. 5.11 have a winner with these pants. I hope they decide to introduce the standard 5.11 collection of color.

My Rating 1 out of 5: 5+

MSRP: $74.99

Lifestraw

Basic needs - air, water, shelter, food. Lifestraw is light weight, compact, easy to use, has no "pump handle" to break, is easy to stow in a first aid or bug out kit, and comes in blue or Army green.

• Features & Benefits
• Filters up to 264 gallons (1,000 liters) to 0.2 microns
• Removes 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria (>LOG 6 reduction)
• Removes 99.9% of waterborne protozoan parasites (>LOG 3 reduction)
• Very lightweight, weighs just 2 oz (57grams)
• Easy to use, contains no chemicals, and has no moving parts.
• Used in the harshest conditions in developing countries since 2005.
• 1 year warranty

 


Next to air, water is your highest priority. Everyone should have at least 2 water filters. Two is one, one is none. These are not cheap, but they are inexpensive. There are knock offs out there that cost less, but these are the only "straw" filters that remove so many bacteria and protozoa and can filter 1000 liters of water. That works out to $.02. How can you afford not to have a couple of these? 

Sawyer All-In-One Filter

The Sawyer Squeeze is an innovative water filter that differs from the typical pump models. Rather than pumping water through hoses like most other filters, the Squeeze is a compact filter that screws right on to a small mouth bottle and allows you to drink right through it, giving it one of the fastest treatment times of any other option we evaluated, unless you need to treat large quantities of water. If that is the case, the Sawyer Squeeze is not ideal, because squeezing water through the filter is tedious. It has many desirable features for a hiker or backpacker: simple to use, long lasting, small, and lightweight. The filter comes with three collapsible bottles of different sizes for the user to customize their water collection options or to allow them to gather a large quantity of water at once. Since it only weighs 2.7 ounces for the filter, it is a very enticing water treatment option for backpackers, rivaling Aquamira Water Treatment Drops since it does not use chemicals. It even competes with the SteriPen, except that it does not treat for viruses like UV treatments. The drawbacks are that it is awkward to drink from, the flow is not fast for squeezing water into pots or someone else’s' bottle, and it is difficult to collect water from small, non-flowing sources and the material the bags are made of do spring leaks. Make sure you have back up squeeze bags. I give this filter our Best Buy Award for costing half as much as most other filters and for lasting for a million gallons, making it the most economical water treatment option.

SOL Sport Utility Blanket

Living in the Uinta Mountains, we get our share of wind, rain, hail, and snow. Some times, it comes on suddenly. I have always been a big advocate of "emergency blankets" - the ultra thing foil sheets that tear after a single use and fold up to about 4 times their original size. Yeah, you know what I am talking about.

This year I tested the SOL Sport Utility Blanket. These suckers are rugged. Weighing in at just a hair over 11 oz, these blankets are strong enough to make a sturdy shelter, reflect back over 90% of your body heat, and have 6 reinforced grommets.
We tested it's strength by actually loading it up with logs and carrying it back to camp. To my surprise, it didn't stretch or tear. They advertise that it can be used as a rescue litter to drag an injured victim out of the woods, but I didn't test that.
I did test it as a shelter, a wrap around blanket (got really warm), as a signalling devise, and to haul wood. Remarkable tough, and well worth the $17.00 sticker price. I have no doubt that this would perform well as a lifesaving shelter for a month or more. It is waterproof, and windproof. It also comes in a resealable waterproof bag that is also useful for keeping your phone and matches dry if you have to wade across a river, or deal with heavy rain or snow. I went back and bought one for each vehicle and 2 more for my kids packs. It's a no brainer. Great Christmas gift for skiers, hikers, campers, hunters, or anyone traveling alone in the winter in the mountain west. Also great for sitting in the bleachers at cold or wet football games. It will keep 2 people warm and dry.

Review of 5.11 Taclite Pro pants.

Due to the huge success of the traditional 5.11 tactical pants, 5.11 Tactical decided to turn it up a notch with the introduction of the 5.11 Taclite Pro. The pant is a lightweight version of the original gem. Made with a lightweight 65 percent polyester and 35 percent cotton rip stop fabric, these pants have also proven to be a 5.11 hit.

It is no surprise that fans of the 5.11 Taclite Pro Tactical Pants are raving all about it. In fact, of 284 reviews on 5.11′s website, 98 percent would recommend these pants to a friend. That is many friends. Respondents favored the lightweight pants for being rugged and versatile as well as having plenty of pockets. Not to mention they are easy to clean.

These pants are absolutely outstanding, in all matters. I specifically enjoy all of the stuff that I can comfortably fit into the pants including: keys, cell phone, clip knife, boot knife, Leatherman, lighter, two back up magazines, flashlight, and my wallet.

5.11 did an awesome and amazing job in the creation of these tactical pants. The construction of these pants is amazing they did excellent job on the box stitching throughout the pant.

• ·         Lightweight 65% polyester and 35% poly cotton rip stop
• ·         Magazine/cell phone pocket
• ·         Two cargo pockets
• ·         Patented slash rear pockets
• ·         Features Teflon®  fabric protector to repel water and stains
• ·         External knife pocket
• ·         Rear web strap
• ·         YKK® zippers
• ·         Prym® snaps
• ·         Clip loop
• ·         Perfect for the Outdoors. Including Hunting and Hiking
• ·         MSRP $54.99

Coming soon review on 5.11, Stryke Pant!

Kramer Leather Holster Review

I am a CCW holder and like many of you, I purchased several inside the waistband (IWB) holsters and did not like them. I felt that to be able to draw in 1.3 seconds, at least for me was difficult to say the least. Therefore, I went on a long search, speaking to fellow CCW carriers, Instructors and the internet. All I knew is I wanted something I could carry daily and know that when the need arose that I would be able to defend myself accordingly.

Like many of you, I spent a small fortune sampling different holsters. Until one day I discovered, Kramer Handgun Leather http://www.kramerleather.com I phoned them and spoke to the sales representative who went into detail on how the holsters they made were assembled. It was impressive if not by his knowledge but the fact they were American made. The only drawback was the long wait for the holster. The average wait time is 8 to 10 weeks!

I opted for the MSP Paddle Gun Holster – Horsehide, it is impervious to saltwater, which we are made of, and seems to leak out of us on hot summer days. Therefore, I thought that was probably a grand idea. In addition, the reason I opted for the paddle holster is you can remove the entire Gun and Holster in one fluid movement without ever taking your gun out of the holster. This is very important when say you arrive at the US Postal Office and have to remover your gun prior to entering. You do not want to be the one in the parking lot with your pants down and displaying a firearm. Could be a very bad day.

I received the new Kramer Holster and the day it came, I transferred my Sig Sauer P229 from the holster it was in and replaced it with the Kramer. The comfort and the fit and finish are the best that I have seen. I have worn this holster now for more than a year everyday throughout our hot summer and colder winter without one problem, even spent several days at the range with it and still not a single problem. I would highly recommend this product to everyone out there. Just be patient it is well worth the wait.

Countdown to SHOT Show 2013 - Las Vegas... tic tock

As SHOT Show approaches, I am trying to schedule audio and video interviews with some of the top Exhibitors of some of the toughest, best designed, must-have equipment in the industry. Over the next three months, we will be providing hundreds new equipment reviews and videos.


At your request, I am focusing on hi-tech garments, home defense, surveillance systems, interactive targets, night vision technology, optics, tactical gear, new weapons systems, scout rifles, high capacity shotguns, concealed carry pistols, daily carry holsters, fixed blade knives knives, spring assisted folding knives, survival and first aid kits, communications, protective eye-wear, hearing protection, hunting gear, and utility vehicles.
 

Wiggy's Sleeping Bags & Pack Boots

Wiggy's sleeping bags are hands down the best extreme weather bags you can buy.  A bold statement, but I will stand by it.

These bags have saved my life on two occasions. In both instances, the wind and rain was severe, with temperature in the high 30's. The first time, I woke up with my tarp snapping in the wind, only attached by a single tent peg. My bag was completely drenched. Disoriented, I got out of the bag and tried to secure the tarp, but the stakes were gone, and the nearest tree was over a mile away. After wandering around in the desert in torrential downpour, my heat loss was substantial. I realized that I was suffering the early stages of hypothermia. I did my best to wring out the bag, and then climbed inside the soaking wet bag with just my boxers and a polypropylene shirt. Within minutes, my uncontrollable shivering stopped, and I began to warm up. The sun rose in 3 hours and to my surprise, I had actually drifted off to sleep and despite being soaked to the bone, I did not have hypothermia.

The second experience was very similar, but in this case, my poncho was my tarp, and after 2 days of solid rain, it just decided it would no longer shed water. I woke up in a puddle. This time, I stayed in my bag, and used my drinking cup to bale water. I never lost body heat, but I was miserable. These are the worst conditions. I have used my bags in -30 below temperatures in Canada, and in 80 degree temps in Pahrump, NV. The zippers are indestructible. Washing the bags after every trip as recommended has allowed the bags to be just as good on the 50th use as they were on the first. If you are serious about survival, don't even consider anything but Wiggy's. Comes with a lifetime warranty.

Pack Boots

 

Because I have been so impressed with my Wiggy's sleeping bags for the past 7 years, I decided to try their Pack Boots.
I used them in Alberta Canada for six months, where temperatures actually dropped to -40.  These boots were so light, that I couldn't believe they would be capable of keeping my feet warm. Was I ever wrong. On numerous occasions, I worked outside all day long, in snow ranging from 1' - 3' deep. Never once, did my feet get cold or wet. At $120 - this has got to be the best cold weather pack boots around. I'd buy them again... if they ever wear out. I keep them in my truck, and have no fear of the snow.