Texas Preppers Network

Practical Prepping - A Common Sense Guide for Preppers - Part Two - Making A Lifestyle Change

2012-01-02T19:42:00.000-06:00

Common sense tells us that we can’t be prepared for everything. There are simply too many things that can go wrong on an everyday basis to cover them all. Just when you think you have all your bases covered, along comes an event that wasn’t a part of “the plan”. The basic goal you should keep in mind is to minimize these events by making prepping a part of your normal lifestyle.

1. Make prepping a routine activity. When prepping becomes more of a routine activity, it becomes easier to make it a regular part of your normal lifestyle. As a result, you will often be able to minimize the effects of the majority of events that occur on a day to day basis.

2. Keep changes to your normal routine small in the beginning. Radical changes of any type require serious adjustments in your lifestyle. They also require serious planning for them to be successful. Making big changes in your lifestyle may create additional problems you don’t need in the beginning stages. Small changes in your daily routine will cause the least amount of disruption and create fewer distractions to keep you from the goal of becoming better prepared.

3. Make prepping a part of your daily plan. All of our daily routines involve a certain amount of planning. Without realizing it, we plan our normal daily activities to include a variety of simple tasks. Many of these simple tasks are often repeated and form the basis for the “comfort mode” in our lives. Think of prepping as just another routine task in your daily life.

There is a simple method to help you incorporate small changes into your lifestyle with a minimum amount of stress and will be covered in Part Three. This easy-to-use method will help you incorporate small changes into your daily routine that will help you become better prepared for what life may send your way.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Practical Prepping - A Common Sense Guide for Preppers - Part One - An Introduction to Prepping

2011-12-26T10:54:00.002-06:00

Being prepared usually requires more common sense and time than it does money. There are many ways to incorporate prepping into your daily life-style that cost very little but will put you way ahead of the average person. Simple goals are often the easiest to accomplish and will have more benefit for you and your family on an immediate basis.

Focusing on the details, while keeping an eye on the big picture, is not the easiest of tasks. It helps to view it as a jig-saw puzzle whose pieces merely need to be put in place. Being prepared is a goal that will be easier to accomplish if it is broken down into smaller goals.

Prepping also requires a certain amount of organization to be practical. We all experience a certain amount of disorder in our lives. This is often a result of our own doing as well as unexpected circumstances. We have other things that require our immediate attention and these things can often lead us in a different direction than planned originally. Smaller goals will be easier to achieve if we find ourselves getting off the path to preparedness.

One of the easiest and most basic ways to get started in your prepping is to follow the Rule of Three’s.

THE RULE OF THREES

SECURITY

3 seconds: The amount of time you normally have to respond to any threat.

AIR

3 minutes: The amount of time to obtain breathable air.

SHELTER

3 hours: The amount of time before you will need some form of shelter.

WATER

3 days: The amount of time you will have to find safe drinking water.

FOOD

3weeks: The amount of time to find safe and edible food.

COMPANIONSHIP

3 months: The amount of time before you will need contact with other people.

Using the Rule of Threes, you can now establish your short term goals and get started with your prepping. Most people have limited resources that will affect their level of preparation. Start by examining your current resources in each of these critical areas and organize your efforts accordingly. Look for areas in your current resources that may be lacking and work to improve their status in your preparations. Many of the resources that will be required may already exist. They merely need to be organized in a manner so that they will be readily available when needed.

Time is another important consideration when being prepared. While being prepared for the long term is admirable, it is usually impractical and difficult to achieve for the average person who is focused on being prepared. Focus on being prepared for the short term and slowly increase your levels of preparedness. Eventually, you will reach your long term goals.

Plan to get prepared by being more organized, utilizing more of your current resources and managing your time more efficiently to reach your preparedness goals. If you incorporate preparedness into your everyday lifestyle and make it a part of your daily routine, being prepared is a lot easier to accomplish.

Riverwalker

Merry Christmas from the Texas Preppers Network

2011-12-23T09:48:00.005-06:00

Painted Church in Texas

MERRY CHRISTMAS

everyone

from

the

TEXAS PREPPERS NETWORK

and

RIVERWALKER

Wild Hogs in Texas

2011-12-18T07:32:00.006-06:00

We have this problem at the compound but are not unique whatsoever. Got night vision?

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/A-Plague-of-Pigs-in-Texas.html?&submitted=y#comments_submitted

The good thing is they are quite tasty on the barbie...lol

Frugal Prepping - Starting An Emergency Fund - The Spare Change Method

2011-12-04T06:25:00.005-06:00

In order to be prepared, you should expect the unexpected. Things happen that will disrupt your life and they usually occur at the worst possible time. This is what creates the need for a basic emergency fund. You will need to prepare for these unseen emergencies to enable you to avoid a major disruption to your lifestyle. Having extra money set aside is one of the best solutions
for this problem.

There are many types of financial situations where you will need extra funds to get you through a crisis. This could be anything from the loss of your job, increased medical expenses or emergency repairs to your home or vehicle. You don’t want to find yourself in a position where you have to rely on credit cards, personal loans or other similar types of credit which could actually increase your financial problems.

Now starting an emergency fund won’t be easy for the average person. It will be especially difficult if you are living paycheck to paycheck. If you don’t have an emergency fund, the hardest part is getting started. If you find it hard to put aside extra money, you will need to start slowly and work to build a decent emergency fund. This will take time but if you set manageable goals for yourself, you will be able to eventually build your emergency fund up to a point where you will have several months worth of expenses covered by money you've set aside. If you take things one step at a time, you will have a better chance of reaching your goals.

Unfortunately, extra money is hard to come by when you are living paycheck to paycheck. If this the case in your situation, one of the easiest ways to build an emergency fund is the spare change method. There's an old saying " Take care of your pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves." Saving spare change is one of the simplest ways to save money for an emergency fund. It doesn't require a lot of sacrifice on your part. If given the right amount of attention, you will soon find yourself accumulating the additional money to build a substantial emergency fund.

Just keep a small container of some sort at home and in your vehicle and dump the change from your pockets each day. Don't bother to count it each time or you may find yourself tempted to spend it before it can grow. Once your storage container gets full of spare change, just transfer it to your emergency fund.

You will be surprised just how much extra money can be accumulated in this manner.

Got spare change?

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Interesting but for the drought

2011-11-21T07:04:00.000-06:00

BLUFFTON, Texas (AP) — Johnny C. Parks died two days before his first birthday more than a century ago. His grave slipped from sight along with the rest of the tiny town of Bluffton when Lake Buchanan was filled 55 years later.

Now, the cracked marble tombstone engraved with the date Oct. 15, 1882, which is normally covered by 20 to 30 feet of water, has been eerily exposed as a yearlong drought shrinks one of Texas' largest lakes.

RTRH:

http://news.yahoo.com/depleted-texas-lakes-expose-ghost-towns-graves-182124788.html

Veteran's Day 2011

2011-11-11T04:27:00.003-06:00

Take time today to say thank you to a veteran for their service and their sacrifice.

Thanks.

SPECIAL WEATHER UPDATE - FREEZE ON FRIDAY

2011-11-03T06:52:00.002-05:00

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX

704 AM CDT WED NOV 2 2011

...FREEZING TO NEAR FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED FOR MUCH OF THE HILL COUNTRY...AND THE ADJACENT LOW LYING AREAS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS FRIDAY MORNING...

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL ARRIVE IN THE HILL COUNTRY LATE THIS AFTERNOON...AND PUSH THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS THIS EVENING. TEMPERATURES WILL DROP RAPIDLY BEHIND THE COLD FRONT AS WINDS INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH. THE COLD AND GUSTY WINDS WILL COMBINE TO CREATE WIND CHILLS IN THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY BY SUNRISE THURSDAY. WIND CHILLS IN THE 30S TO NEAR 40 CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE ALONG THE COLD FRONT THIS EVENING.THEY WILL BE MAINLY ALONG AND EAST OF THE I35 CORRIDOR.

A COLD DOME OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS THURSDAY AND SETTLE OVER THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT. CLEAR SKIES AND SUBSIDING WINDS WILL ALLOW FOR AN IDEAL NIGHT OF RADIATIONAL COOLING. TEMPERATURES IN THE HILL COUNTRY WILL FALL TO NEAR FREEZING IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS...AND FALL BELOW FREEZING INTO THE UPPER 20S BY SUNRISE FRIDAY MORNING. THE ADJACENT AREAS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS COULD ALSO EXPERIENCE NEAR FREEZING TEMPERATURES BY SUNRISE FRIDAY MORNING. LOW LYING AREAS IN THE HILL COUNTRY AND THE ADJACENT AREAS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS WILL BE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE FREEZING OR NEAR FREEZING TEMPERATURES FRIDAY MORNING. A WARM UP IS EXPECTED FRIDAY NIGHT AND INTO THE WEEKEND AS WARMER GULF BREEZES RETURN TO THE AREA.

PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO PROTECT TENDER PLANTS AND VEGETATION FROM THE COLD TEMPERATURES THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING. IN THE HILL COUNTRY...EXPOSED OUTSIDE PIPES AND FAUCETS SHOULD ALSO BE COVERED OR WRAPPED DUE TO A MORE PROLONGED FREEZE.

BE AWARE. BE INFORMED. BE PREPARED.

RIVERWALKER

Bastrop Fire Victims - Helping Those in Need

2011-09-20T05:15:00.005-05:00

Texas finally got enough rain last weekend to help firefighters control some of the wildfires in Texas. This includes the devastating and very destructive wildfire in the Bastrop area that has been burning for several weeks. As of Monday, the Bastrop fire was approximately 95 percent under control according to officials with the Texas Forest Service. The Bastrop fires began Labor Day weekend approximately 30 miles east of Austin, Texas and has since burned more than 34,000 acres and destroyed more than 1500 homes in the area. While recent rains have helped somewhat, ninety-five percent of Texas is still in the grip of an extreme drought.

The Texas Preppers Network along with the American Preppers Network is currently making a donation of $100 each to two families that have lost their homes due to the fires in the Bastrop area. I wish to express my thanks to everyone at the American Preppers Network for their help and efforts. Hopefully, as more funds become available, the Texas Preppers Network can make more funds available to help with the relief efforts in the Bastrop area for the families who have become victims of this devastating wildfire.

My thanks to all of those who have made a donation to the Texas Preppers Network.

Be Aware. Be Informed. Be Prepared.

Riverwalker

How To Stay Cool During Rolling Black Outs

2011-08-06T09:45:00.004-05:00

No doubt that many of you have heard that Texas is on the verge of rolling black outs due to the immense amount of energy being used to keep cool homes. According to an article, one megawatt powers about 200 homes in Texas during hot weather when air conditioners are running for long periods. With the entire country going through a heat wave, it’s no wonder that the energy levels are out of control. Although I am hoping these blackouts will come to pass, I feel we need to prepare ourselves for this possibility and do what we can to decrease our energy usage, as uncomfortable as that may be. Preparation, after all, provides us with the peace of mind to hope for the best.

Prepare for the Problem

To be proactive, begin using perishable foods in the freezer and refrigerator to minimize food spoilage. Also, to keep items as cool as possible during rolling black, limit the amount of times the refrigerator or freezer door is opened. If you are concerned that the meat may spoil, preserve it beforehand, by either the canning method or the dehydration method.

Freeze soda bottles filled with water and when the rolling blackouts occur, place the frozen soda bottles in the refrigerator to maintain the optimum temperature.

Stay indoors and try and keep your body temperature as cool as possible. See tips below.

Close window blinds and curtains to keep the heat out.

If the home is too hot to stay in, try and beat the heat and head to the local pool.

Stay Cool

After exposure to extreme heat for extended periods, the body loses its ability to cool down naturally through sweating and evaporative cooling. Because heat-related deaths are preventable, people need to be aware of who is at greatest risk and what actions can be taken to prevent a heat-related illness or death. The elderly, the very young, and people with mental illness and chronic diseases are at highest risk. Remember to drink lots of water to stay hydrated. If you exhibit any of the symptoms listed below, be sure get to a cool location, and if symptoms persist, seek medical attention.

Dizziness

Severe headache

Nausea

Hot, dry skin without sweat

High pulse rate

High body temperature

Unconsciousness

Fatigue

Slurred speech or hallucinations

Typically, the duration of the black outs may only be for an hour or so. During that time, follow these tips to stay cool:

Wet your hair. Just like you lose the most heat from your head during winter, you can apply the same principle in the heat. Wet all your hair, or just all along the hairline in a pinch. The evaporation of the water will cool your head (though it may make your hair a bit frizzy if it’s curly!).

Take a cool bath. Taking a cool bath will lower your body temperature and relax you at the same time. When the air hits the wet skin, it will create a cooking sensation.

Wear a bandanna. A water-soaked bandanna or cool cloth tied around your neck or placed on your head will help lower your body temperature. Another option is to wear a wet terrycloth headband on your forehead.

Keep a spritz bottle filled with water in the refrigerator. When you’re feeling hot, mist your face and neck a few times with the cold water for instant relief. If you have a battery operated fan, you can use this to cool off further. As you mist and fan yourself, the water is evaporated on you skin and cools you off instantly.

Stay in the lowest part of your home. Downstairs is the coolest part of the home. If you have a multiple story home, limit your time upstairs.

Learn From the Experience

If we can use these brief interruptions from our modern day conveniences as a rehearsal for short and long-term emergencies, then we can use it as a learning experience towards being better prepared for hot weather during emergencies. As uncomfortable as this energy conservation method may be, using the above stated tips and staying as healthy as possible during the black outs will make this a short-lived minor inconvenience.

By: Tess Pennington

Thanks Tess for a very timely and informative post. RW

The 4 Most Likely Ways You Can Die if the SHTF

2011-07-26T06:26:00.003-05:00

The subject of survival in a long term disaster goes beyond having stockpiles of beans, bullets and band-aids. Those that do survive during a long term emergency will no doubt be tried and tested with a great many things. One of those trying scenarios is dealing with death.

Zombie attacks seem to be a prevalent theme for preppers to prepare for. In fact, the CDC has even posted a preparedness article on how to ward off zombie attacks. While I believe these zombies will likely take the form of substance abusers, mental patients, chronically ill or diseased, and desperate individuals whose basic needs have not been met, they will die out in the first few months of an onset of a major disaster, and there presence will rarely be an issue in a long term situation.

In reality, a majority of those that will die during a long-term disaster will be from illnesses brought on by acute respiratory infections due to cramped living conditions, poor water conditions (or lack of), or bacterial infections from wounds. If we survive a major disaster, America would become a third world country and the aftermath of such a scenario will be similar to those living in Africa, Ethiopia and India.

Illness Due to Poor Water Conditions

Typically, any diseases that are brought on by lack of sanitation and hygiene are controllable and preventable. In a disaster where water sources are compromised, people within a 50 mile radius could be adversely impacted by illness and disease if just one person incorrectly handles water or incorrectly disposes of waste. Contaminated water, poor sanitation and/or lack of hygiene leads to diseases such as Hepatitis A, viral gastroenteritis, cholera, Shigellosis, typhoid, Diphtheria and polio. If these diseases affect enough people, an epidemic will ensue.

Dehydration and diarrhea are also water-related matters to contend with. Those without adequate water conditions and/or are suffering from disease brought on by poor water conditions could quickly dehydrate. These types of illnesses typically affect at-risk populations such as children, the sick and the elderly. Young children in particular are at high risk for diarrhea and other food- and waterborne illnesses because of limited pre-existing immunity and behavioral factors such as frequent hand-to-mouth contact. The greatest risk to an infant with diarrhea and vomiting is dehydration. In addition, fever or increased ambient temperature increases fluid losses and speeds dehydration. Having knowledge beforehand on how to properly clean drinking water and food, and the symptomology and treatment of these types of diseases can prevent further outbreaks from occurring.

Recommended preparedness items: water filtration systems, water purification tablets, chlorine granules, bleach, electrolyte or rehydration powders, anti-diarrhea medicines.

Malnutrition

Malnutrition from either improper water conditions or from lack of nutrients is also a large killer amongst those in impoverished communities. Medical experts say there is a symbiotic relationship between malnutrition and diarrhea. Malnutrition increases the severity of diarrhea while diarrhea can cause malnutrition. Either way, prevention for both of these health issues is key.

Those that are malnourished are more susceptible to illness and disease. Individuals who are malnourished will also be vitamin deficient and their health is likely to regress further. Those who survive from malnutrition are permanently affected by this disease and may suffer from recurring sickness, faltering growth, poor brain development, increased tooth decay, reduced strength and work capacity, and increased chance of chronic diseases in adulthood. Adult women with this condition will give birth to underweight babies.

Recommended preparedness items: dietary supplements, vitamin powders, seeds for sprouting or seeds for fresh vegetables and fruits, survival bars, knowledge of alternative means to attain vitamins.

Acute Respiratory Infections

Upper respiratory infections (URI) will also be a leading cause of death in a long term disaster. Upper respiratory infections include: colds, flu, sore throat, coughs and bronchitis can usually be cured with additional liquids, rest and nourishment. Allowing the illness to exacerbate will lead to secondary infections such as bacterial pneumonia. The germs from pneumonia are easily spread from an infected person to others by coughing or sneezing or through close contact. A major concern about respiratory infections is that there are many drug resistant strands of viruses, bacteria and diseases (including tuberculosis), that regular medicine will not cure. In a long term disaster situation, many could perish.

To properly prepare for this type of medical situation, learn about the more prevalent viruses and bacteria in your country and how to prevent them in order to provide a healthy living environment in a long term situation.

Not only are URI’s a concern but other air-borne diseases such as tuberculosis will likely fester during a long term scenario. In regular non-SHTF times, treatment for tuberculosis requires 6-12 months of medication. In a long term emergency, chances of surviving tuberculosis are slim. The best way to prevent tuberculosis is adequate nutrition, vitamin D and living in a properly ventilated shelter.

Survival groups that have multiple people living under one roof will only increase the likelihood of passing air-borne infections and diseases to one another. In addition, those in an at-risk group (elderly, immuno-deficient, infants) are more likely to catch illnesses. If a survival group is sharing a home, an infirmary or sick room should be prepared for those who have fallen ill. Isolating the person who is ill will limit exposure to the other members of the group. Adequate nutrition, water, rest, good sanitary practices and ventilation of the home is essential in curbing this.

Recommended preparedness items: decongestants, expectorants, upper respiratory medicines, antibiotics (for secondary and bacterial infections), knowledge on medicinal herbs, prepare a sick room at your survival homestead.

Infections From Wounds

Open injuries have the potential for serious bacterial wound infections, including gas gangrene and tetanus, and these in turn may lead to long term disabilities, chronic wound or bone infection, and death. Anitibiotics will be few and far between and will be more precious than gold. Without proper medicines, antiseptic and knowledge on proper medical procedures, many will die of bacterial infections. Learning medical skills, gaining knowledge on natural medicines and alternative medical antiseptic (i.e., Dakin’s Solution) before a disaster occurs could help people survive from wound infections. Also, ensuring the area that you treat medical emergencies is clean and as sterile as possible may also prevent bacterial infections.

Recommended preparedness items: stock up on maxi pads for wound absorption, gauze, celox, antibiotics, suture needles and other basic first aid supplies.

Additionally, consider developing the following skills: basic first aid class, sign up for EMT classes in your community, an off-grid medical care class such as those offered by onPoint Tactical. Also, consider investing in books such as When There is No Doctor and When There is No Dentist.

Also look into making your own antiseptics utilizing alcohol distillation, such as the custom made units from LNL Protekt.

These illnesses (provided above) have impacted countries all over the world. These illness and conditions, coupled with unsanitary living conditions such as substandard sanitation, inadequate food and water supplies and poor hygiene, make disaster-affected people especially vulnerable to disease. These illnesses will affect us no matter what part of the world we live in, what socio-economic status we currently hold, and no matter how prepared we think we are.

Understanding what can happen and being prepared when it does is absolutely essential. The last thing we want to do when a serious condition arises is to panic. Preparing your supplies, developing your skills and educating the rest of your family and preparedness group on how to prevent, identify and counteract these serious conditions will provide a significant boost to your ability to survive if the worst happens.

Written by Tess Pennington

Tess Pennington is a guest contributor of the Texas Preppers Network. Thanks Tess.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Prepping and Preparedness - Life As We Know It

2011-06-26T07:45:00.002-05:00

Our life as we know it is clearly being assaulted on a number of fronts until it seems that civilization is at the verge of collapse. Our own dependence on the trappings of what many consider a civilized society is our biggest enemy. Its effects on you and your family can be lessened or avoided with a decent amount of preparation ahead of time. On the other hand, you may have decided to let the institutions that control our civilized society take care of your problems. If so, you may be in for a rude awakening to the reality of our situation.

Let’s consider a variety of present day situations that can affect our lives.

1. While we are able to predict the occurrence of certain natural events to some extent, we do not have the ability to stop them from happening. Major flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters will continue to threaten our existence and without a proper amount of planning ahead of time will be an even greater threat to your survival. Our society is already crippled by an inability of our institutions to respond to these threats in an efficient manner. The strain which has been placed on our emergency services by these natural events has already been seen in recent events over the past few decades.

2. While we have one of the better systems of emergency services of any civilized society, it is increasingly burdened with a greater number of events and more people that need those services. As the population continues to increase and the severity of natural disasters, which also seems to be on the rise, increases, our emergency services which have been hindered by a lack of resources themselves due to a lack of adequate funding, mismanagement and an increase of government “red tape” will eventually be unable to keep up.

3. While our government institutions are largely responsible for a number of policies that affect our everyday lives, they are not the only ones responsible for our current situation. Many private institutions also have a role in these problems. Corporations driven by greed that are seeking ever larger profits continue to do so at the expense of those who have come to depend on their products and services without regards to the true cost of their actions.

4. As our population increases, there will be even greater demands on our food and energy resources. Shortages of food and fuel are already commonplace events in many parts of the world and we shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking we are immune from those same shortages. The availability of these resources is continuing to decline and will eventually put us on a collision course with disaster.

5. We are also beginning to suffer the effects of an aging infrastructure that has been neglected to the point where we may not be able to fix the problem without drastic measures. This will only increase the cost of maintaining many of our basic services that are now taken for granted. Water supply systems, sewage systems, electrical power systems and many of our transportation systems (highways and bridges) are failing and very little if anything is being done to alleviate this problem and is being largely ignored until something actually does fail.

6. All of the above factors continue to place a severe strain on our economic situation as well. You also need to consider the effects of high unemployment rates, low wages and inflation rates that affect the cost of basic needs such as housing, food and fuel. Many of our basic institutions continue to ignore these problems and rely on government hand-outs to correct fiscally irresponsible business practices or rely on government printing presses to furnish the funds for reckless spending levels which are unsustainable.

It is this basic inability of our institutions, both public and private, to deal with these problems and situations in an appropriate manner that puts us in this rather precarious situation of needing to be prepared.

Be aware, Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Hacked!

2011-06-23T09:00:00.003-05:00

After several years of having a posted email on my website, someone has decided to hack my account and send out unauthorized emails to persons on my contact list.

Apparently my email account has been hacked by some sort of social networking or messenger site. It's sending invites to people who I have sent emails to or received emails from at one time or another.

My apologies to everyone for this problem.

Please do not respond to these unsolicited emails. Mark them as spam or delete them.

I am working to solve this problem on my end.

Apparently this is affecting a lot of persons other than myself, including gmail users as well.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Secure it is.

2011-06-10T13:06:00.001-05:00

My fellow Texans need to be aware of the escalation going on.

Pickdog

Short Term Emergency Check List

2011-06-04T02:53:00.006-05:00

ESSENTIALS:

Flashlight

Battery-operated radio

2-way radio or other form of communication

Extra Batteries

First Aid Kit (one for your home and one for each car)

Note: As a precaution, do not include candles. Candles cause more fires after a disaster.

WATER:

3 gallons of water per person, minimum, in a food-grade, plastic container

Water purification tablets

Additional water for sanitation

FOOD:

Minimum 5-day supply of non-perishable food that requires no refrigeration or preparation and little or no water

Dry cereal

Peanut butter

Canned fruits

Canned vegetables

Canned juice

Ready-to-eat canned meats

Ready-to-eat soups (not concentrated)

Quick energy snacks

SANITATION:

Disinfectant

Household chlorine bleach

Soap, liquid detergent

Toilet paper, towelettes, paper towels

Personal hygiene items

Cloth towels (at least 3)

Feminine supplies

Plastic bucket with tight lid

Plastic garbage bags, ties (for personal sanitation use)

CLOTHING:

Plastic garbage bags, ties

Sunglasses

Rain gear

Sturdy shoes or work boots

Blankets or sleeping bags

Complete change of clothing and footwear per person

TOOLS & SUPPLIES:

Whistle

Aluminum foil

Crowbar

Compass

Paper, pencil

Plastic sheeting

Medicine dropper

Needles, thread

Signal flare

Matches in a waterproof container

Assorted nails, wood screws

Pliers, screwdriver, hammer

Plastic storage containers

Heavy cotton or hemp rope

Cash, traveler’s checks, change

Map of the area

Non-electric can opener, utility knife

Cell phone with charger

Mess kits, or paper cups, plates and plastic utensils

Tape, duct tape and plumber’s tape or strap iron

Patch kit and can of seal-in-air for tires

Shut off wrench, to turn off household gas and water

FOR BABY:

Formula

Diapers

Bottles

Medication

Powdered milk

Baby food

PETS:

Food, water

Non-tippable food and water containers

Leash, harness, carrier

Records of vaccinations

Pet medications

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS:

Important telephone numbers

Record of bank account numbers

Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates)

Inventory of household valuables

Copy of will, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, stock and bonds

Records of credit card account numbers and companies

Copy of passport, social security cards and immunization records

FAMILY MEDICAL NEEDS:

Insulin

Prescription drugs in original containers

Heart and high blood pressure needs

Denture needs

Extra eye glasses

Contact lenses and supplies

ADDITIONAL ITEMS:

Family photos

Jewelry

Irreplaceable personal items

Thanks to Tess Pennington at www.readynutrition.com for putting this short term emergency checklist together.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Hurricane Season Reminder

2011-05-21T23:47:00.001-05:00

The best time to prepare for a hurricane is before it ever happens. With hurricane season officially starting on June 1st and running through November 30th, it’s a good idea to get prepared now. There are a number of precautions you can take beforehand to help you be better prepared to handle the threat of a possible hurricane in your area.

Make sure you are aware of the weather. Listen to your local radio or television frequently and stay informed about changing weather conditions. Then you can take a few simple steps ahead of time to protect and secure your property.

While permanent storm shutters offer better protection for windows, you can board up windows with 5/8 “ marine grade plywood that has been pre-cut to fit your windows so that it will be ready to install if necessary. Remember that tape will not keep windows from breaking.

Secure all outdoor furniture, trash cans or other objects that could become dangerous projectiles in high winds that normally occur during a hurricane. Check your trees for any limbs that could possibly damage your home should they suffer wind damage from a hurricane.

Water sources often become contaminated after a hurricane. Be prepared to have a supply of water for drinking, cooking and sanitary purposes such as cleaning and flushing toilets. Be ready to fill the bathtub or other large containers with water if necessary.

Have a plan ready if you are forced to evacuate. The best time to leave is before an evacuation order is initiated by local authorities. Leaving early is always the better option. If you are unable to evacuate, remember to follow a few safety precautions:

1. Stay inside during the hurricane. Most any type of loose object will become a dangerous projectile in the high winds associated with a hurricane.

2. Stay away from windows and glass doors during a hurricane.

3. Brace all exterior doors securely. Make sure all doors on your garage or storage buildings are also properly secured.

4. Don’t be fooled into thinking the storm is over if there is a lull. It may be only the eye of the hurricane and you could find yourself exposed to the forces of the hurricane as the eye passes.

5. Be prepared to take refuge in a small interior room or closet if necessary.

Don’t wait until a hurricane is knocking at your door to get ready.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Drought Impact Report for Texas

2011-05-01T20:33:00.000-05:00

With the increasingly dry weather conditions continuing to affect Texas, it is vital that you keep up to date with the most current drought conditions in Texas. There is a Drought Impact Report for all the counties in Texas available from The National Drought Mitigation Center. It includes information on the effects on agriculture, number of fires, effects on water and energy, effects on the environment as well as social and other effects of the drought currently affecting our state.

You can review the report here:

Drought Impact Report for Texas

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Happy Easter Preppers 2011

2011-04-24T04:58:00.002-05:00

Hope everyone has a safe and happy Easter holiday.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

New Member - 'ribbit' in Austin

2011-03-30T22:29:00.001-05:00

A great big Texas welcome goes out to ‘ribbit’ in the Austin area. She’s now the newest member of the Texas Preppers Network and looks forward to sharing ideas and information with everyone. Those of you wishing to contact her directly can email ‘ribbit’ at rez@cedarberry.com.

Welcome to the Texas Preppers Network!

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Simple Water Storage Solutions for the Urban Homesteader

2011-03-29T09:12:00.002-05:00

The lack of critical resources can create a major problem for you and your family during a crisis. While many people have sufficient food resources, many lack that most vital of resources…water. You’ll need water for hygiene purposes, for cooking and to drink. You will also need a way to filter and purify any water that is used for drinking or cooking.

A good water filtration and purification system is pretty easy to obtain and many are lightweight and portable. The problem arises in how to have sufficient water storage for your family in an urban environment. The trick here is to use a little “stealth” in your prepping.

In a survival situation, those items which can serve a multitude of purposes will often serve you best. It also helps if they don’t draw unwanted attention and are readily available in a crisis. People often don’t think in terms of alternate uses and this can be utilized to your advantage.

Water poses a unique problem in that it is heavy and difficult to store in large quantities for the average urban homesteader. A five gallon jug of water is over forty pounds and can be difficult to carry if you’ve neglected to stay in shape or suffer from a physical impairment that limits your activities. They will also take up a lot of space inside your home. Space you may need for other things. There are a few simple solutions that can be utilized by most anyone to solve these problems. Sometimes you just need to think “outside the box”.

Simple Water Storage Solutions for the Urban Homesteader

1.) Use a small inflatable pool to store additional water outside. The neighbors won’t give it much thought and if needed can furnish your family with a large amount of water in a crisis. Even a small, rigid “kiddie” pool can hold a lot of water for use in a crisis.

2.) Use small water features to store additional water for a variety of purposes during a crisis. A couple of small water fountains on the patio or in your yard can be utilized as a resource to store additional water supplies without being obvious to your neighbors. A small artificial pond could be used to store an even greater quantity of water.

3.) Utilize a rain catchment system to harvest additional water. Even a small 30 gallon garbage container will catch a large amount of rainwater and can be easily hidden from prying eyes by a little “stealth” landscaping.

These are just a few of the ways to increase your water storage in an urban environment. Chances are you can think of many other ways to accomplish your goal of additional water storage for use in a crisis.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

The Cost of Preparedness - Avoiding the Pitfalls

2011-03-12T04:28:00.001-06:00

While there are certain costs involved with being prepared, it doesn’t have to wreck your budget. Using some plain old “common sense” will help you become better prepared without breaking the bank. It will make things a lot easier for you while giving you the security and peace of mind that comes with being prepared.

One of the first things you should realize is that the average person cannot realistically prepare for every contingency that may occur. Just when you think you’ve got all the bases covered, something will happen that will prove you wrong. This is usually the way life is in the real world.

Avoid some of the simple mistakes that happen quite often when people are trying to become better prepared and more self-reliant. Avoid drastically altering your lifestyle if you aren’t willing to make some serious sacrifices. Being able to live “off-grid” is a wonderful thing but it also has its disadvantages and may require some serious adjustments to your lifestyle. Having ten cases of MRE’s in storage is a good thing. But if you’ve never eaten one, you’d better eat a few first to find out if this type of food storage will work for you. Similarly, stocking up on survival seeds won’t do you very much good if you’ve never planted a garden to find out just how much work planting and being able to maintain a garden involves. That old hunting rifle or that .22 rifle or shotgun you use for varmint hunting or plinking will probably serve most of your basic needs when it comes to firearms.

If your preparedness efforts don’t fit into the normal routine of your daily life, you may wind up with a lot of “stuff” that you may not need or will never use. This can be extremely costly and unnecessary in most cases. Your preparedness efforts will be a lot more effective if they are slowly integrated into your present lifestyle and done so in a manner that allows these efforts to become a part of your regular routine. You’ll eventually become better prepared without destroying the “normal” part of your life if just use a little “common sense”.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Texas Border

2011-03-03T12:28:00.001-06:00

Things continue to fall apart at the border.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/03/03/americas-war-texas-farmers-attack-mexican-border/

Raised Bed Gardening

2011-03-01T05:10:00.006-06:00

Raised bed gardening is an option for those persons having poor soil conditions or limited space. You may even have both of these problems. A simple raised bed for your garden may be the answer to your problems. The size of your raised bed is important if you don't want additional problems. Two simple sizes can work to your advantage when it comes to working your raised bed garden.

The above picture shows a simple 4 foot by 4 foot raised bed frame. This was made from two 2x6x8 foot boards, each of which was cut in half and screwed together. When factoring in the average reach of a person (about two feet), this keeps everything within easy reach and avoids unnecessary physical strain.

You can also use a rectangular shaped raised bed to make a raised bed easier to work. Two 8 foot 2x6 boards are all it takes. Cutting two feet off each board and attaching them together gives you a 2x6 foot raised bed for your garden. Depending upon what you're planting you can use 2x8's, 2x10's, or even 2x12's to make a raised bed that will provide deeper soil levels for your plants.

It also helps to add some additional bracing inside the frame for your raised bed. A simple 4" corner brace on each of the corners of your raised bed will add additional stability. Using basic sizes will also make them easier to move if necessary and allow you to place them according to available space. Old newspaper or a cardboard box can be used as weed paper for your raised bed.

It doesn't require a lot of material to build a decent raised bed for gardening but you'd be wise to keep basic sizes in mind that won't cause undue physical stress by putting things beyond your normal reach. Gardening can be a very rewarding effort if done right.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Top Ten Prepping Mistakes - Mistake #3 - Insufficient Water Storage

2011-02-27T08:18:00.003-06:00

Many people don't have the luxury of being close to a good source of water such as a lake, stream or river. Water is a necessity for many purposes...cooking, cleaning and maintaining proper hygiene. Even if you have a good water source you will need the proper means to filter and purify your water.

Many types of food items require a certain amount of water to process them. Powdered milk, dry bulk food items such as rice or pasta are just a few. Dehydrated food items also need water in order to successfully make a meal. Many can foods have additional water in them but can still require additional water for cooking.

You will also need water for drinking and hygiene purposes. At a minimum of one gallon per day, you're talking about a large amount of water for just a 72 hour period.

Making sure you have adequate supplies of water during an emergency should be a priority.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Top Ten Prepping Mistakes - Mistake #2 - Lack of Skills

2011-02-26T06:13:00.001-06:00

While it is great to think of yourself as being prepared, placing too much faith in the “stuff” you may have accumulated to aid in your survival won’t always be enough. That “stuff” may not always be there. If your “stuff” should suddenly become unavailable, it is your skills that will save you.

Food stores may only feed you for a short time but your gardening skills will help keep you fed for a lot longer. A first aid kit is a necessary item but only becomes truly useful if you have the skill to make it work. Having a shelter is a good thing but having the skills to repair it yourself if it is damaged can be invaluable. Having a great rifle will be of little use if you don’t have the skill to use it safely and properly. All the bullets in the world won’t help you if you can’t hit your target.

Having skills that you can rely on in a crunch can be more important than you may realize. Never discount the value of your skills and always seek out any opportunity to learn new skills or improve those skills you already possess.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Building A Survial Library

2011-02-25T10:42:00.006-06:00

Wolverine

There are a couple of good posts on building a survival library over at Michigan Preppers Network. My friend, Wolverine, usually posts some great stuff on Thursday night or Friday morning each week. So whether you're just starting out in your preparedness efforts or are a dedicated prepper, check out his posts on building a survival library. There's a lot of info out there and a good place to keep it is in a survival library.

You can read Wolverine's posts here:

http://www.michiganpreppersnetwork.com/2011/02/building-survival-library.html

http://www.michiganpreppersnetwork.com/2011/02/building-survival-library-part-two.html

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Coral Snakes in Texas

2011-02-22T20:15:00.009-06:00

The Texas coral snake is the only member of the Elapidae family found in Texas. This type of snake includes members of the cobra family found in Asia and Africa. The Texas coral snake is a very slender snake with a small indistinct head and round pupils. They are normally about 2-1/2 feet long when fully mature. Texas coral snakes have a distinctive pattern with a broad black ring, a narrow yellow ring and a broad red ring, with the red rings always bordered by the yellow rings. Several harmless snakes are similarly marked, but they never have the red and yellow bands touching.

"Red on yellow, kill a fellow; red on black, venom lack."

This is a saying that is easily remembered and can help you to distinguish the difference between the highly venomous coral snake from other nonvenomous ringed species of snakes.

The picture at the top of the post shows a mature Texas coral snake which was about 2 feet long. Sorry about the poor picture quality but these were taken with a cell phone camera. The picture above gives a better view of this Texas coral snake which was in the process of eating another snake. This particular Texas coral snake gives new meaning to the phrase"driveway dining."

Coral snakes are found primarily in the southeastern half of Texas in woodland areas, canyons and fields of the coastal plains. They also prey on other snakes as well.

Central Texas is home to the four main varieties of venomous snakes found in Texas...the copperhead, the water moccasin, the rattlesnake and the coral snake. With warmer temperatures approaching as spring draws near, you would do well to keep a sharp lookout in order to avoid a hazardous encounter with these creatures.

Be aware, Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Snakes in Texas

2011-02-21T21:48:00.006-06:00

Snakes occur throughout the state of Texas. Of the 254 counties in Texas, not one of them is snake free.

Granted some Texans may be reluctant to brag about this one, but the Lone Star State is, undeniably, a cornucopia of snake diversity. Although the exact number of species is hard to determine, we boast a stunning 76 species of snakes. If you include both species and subspecies in that number, it gives you a grand total of 115 or more - the highest number in all of the United States.

Snakes often occur in the vicinity of suburban and urban residential areas. They can even show up occasionally in your backyard. If the presence of snakes is deemed undesirable, removing their shelter is one of the most effective ways of discouraging them.

In Texas, we have an average of 2 to 3 deaths per year from snakebites. This is in comparison with 5 to 7 deaths per year from insect bites and an average of about 8 deaths per year from lightning.

Large species of snakes may live to a ripe old age of 40 years or even longer.

Snakes can absorb heat from the ground, from the surrounding air, and from objects next to them.

An animal that has venom is called "venomous." An animal that would make you sick if you ate it is "poisonous." Only a small number of snakes have venom. So although some people refer to snakes as "poisonous," technically, they should be called venomous.

There is no one simple hard and fast criterion a person can use to tell a venomous snake from a harmless one. None of the popular criteria such as a broad, triangular head, a heavy body, cat's eyes (vertical pupils), a flat body, or rough scales are safe since both harmless and dangerous snakes are known to share some or all of these traits.

Visit the source for more facts about snakes in Texas:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/junior_naturalists/moresnakes.phtml#s25

Be aware. be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Being Prepared - The First Priority

2011-02-20T05:57:00.002-06:00

Being prepared is all about priorities. Even minimal efforts at prepping will force you to seriously examine your priorities. You will need to establish some very definitive priorities that will allow you to maintain a sense of normalcy in your life. If you want your prepping efforts to be successful, priorities must be established and maintained so as not to defeat your original purpose for being prepared.

While there are a number of items that are important in successfully being prepared, some are going to be more important than others and you should take this into account when organizing your preps. It also doesn’t take a “preparedness expert” to realize what your priorities should be.

Now some may want to argue the point depending upon their point of view on what should be your first priority but I think they are fighting a losing battle. No matter who you are or what stage of preparedness you desire to achieve your number one priority should always be your health.

In the beginning, your efforts at prepping should be focused on achieving and maintaining a good state of health. A lack of good health is sometimes the only thing that will make you realize where your prepping priorities should be. You won’t survive very long if you have a heart attack and you’re not going to walk very far on a broken leg. All the food and water in the world won’t save you if wind up with a serious illness that won’t allow you keep anything on your stomach without throwing it up. Even the simplest of ailments could leave you seriously dehydrated and in a life-threatening situation.

So where do you start? First get a good checkup. You can’t prepare for a problem if you don’t know it exists. Make sure you have the proper medications you need to treat any current conditions you may have. Need to wear glasses? Do you have a spare pair? If not, you better get an extra set. That rifle won’t be of much use if you can’t see the sights! Do you know First Aid and CPR so that you can help out other family members in an emergency? Or do you plan on calling 911? Do you have a well-stocked First Aid Kit just in case?

The first priority of prepping should be focusing your efforts on achieving and maintaining a good state of health. Your health and the health of your family should always be your first priority.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Frugal Preppin’ During Tough Economic Times - Avoiding the Coupon Trap

2011-02-15T05:16:00.001-06:00

When striving to save money during a bad economy, it is often easy to make several common mistakes as you try to stretch your dollars to the maximum. One of these is falling into the “coupon trap”. Using manufacturer’s coupon can be a great way to save money but it can also cost you extra if it’s approached in the wrong manner.

The offers are numerous and show up everywhere. Buy one and get one free. Get a dollar off if you try the new and improved version or an almost endless number of other seemingly great offers. It is important to remember that businesses use coupons to get you to spend “your” money on “their” products. Here is where the danger of using coupons can be costly.

People are creatures of habit and once they find a good product they tend to continue to buy and use that product. Coupons are often used to entice you to buy something you don’t normally use. Just the simple act of trying to find a discount coupon for something you normally use can be a frustrating experience.

Saving money by using coupons is great when you can do so in a manner that affords you the opportunity to save money on products you actually use. If you’re buying items simply to take advantage of the coupon, you’ve fallen into the trap. New and improved versions are sometimes simply the same product in a different package (often with less in it) and only slight variations from the regular product.

It’s very easy to fall into the “coupon trap” if you’re not careful. Been there and done that! What’s hard is realizing that you spent “your” money on a product that you never used or eventually threw away because it didn’t fit your actual needs.

Coupons are a good thing and can be used successfully if done with the intention of saving money on things you actually use but can waste money if they’re used on items that your family won’t.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Congratulations Bitmap - You're A Winner

2011-02-02T01:32:00.001-06:00

Riverwalker and Backyard Food Production are proud to announce that Bitmap is the winner of the free copy of their DVD on backyard food production. This DVD also includes a resource CD with lots of additional information for becoming more self-reliant.

Congratulations Bitmap! You’re a winner!

Here is the winning comment:

Bitmap said...

I want to be a self-reliant prepper!

JANUARY 21, 2011 12:20 PM

Bitmap, please send an e-mail to riverwalker_texas@yahoo.com and include a shipping address in order for your prize to be sent to you. Your information will remain confidential and only be used to send you your prize.

Thanks to everyone who left a comment.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Ethanol Free Gas

2011-01-31T20:05:00.000-06:00

A handy little resource. Reclaim your gas mileage!

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=TX

Backyard Food Production - Free DVD Giveaway

2011-01-13T09:42:00.004-06:00

As a special to all the Texas preppers out there, Riverwalker and his neighbors, Backyard Food Production, are giving away a free copy of their DVD on backyard food production. This DVD also includes a resource CD with lots of additional information for those persons seeking a more self-reliant lifestyle.

In addition to the free DVD that is being given away, you can read a free report on "How Much Land Does It Take". You can read the free report here:

Backyard Food Production - Free Report

In order to win this Free DVD on backyard food production, simply enter the comment on this post: " I want to be a self-reliant prepper!" A winner will then be chosen at random from the comments left on this post. Only one comment per day please! The winner will be announced on February 2nd, 2011 (Groundhog Day!). Please leave a name identifier if posting anonymously.

The winner will also need to furnish a shipping address to receive their free DVD.

Thanks to my neighbors just up the road a piece for this special giveaway!

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Frugal Prepping Tip - Increasing the Shelf Life of Fruits and Vegetables

2011-01-09T06:13:00.001-06:00

Most new style refrigerators have what is known as a crisper drawer. This is designed to help keep your fruits and vegetables longer before they go bad. Many older style refrigerators don’t have this feature but the same effect can be accomplished with a very simple item. Simply place one or more dry sponges in your crisper or vegetable drawer of your refrigerator and your fruit and vegetables will last a lot longer. Simply replace the sponge(s) every few days with a dry one. The sponge(s) will absorb the excess moisture helping your fruits and vegetables to last longer because of the decreased moisture content. You can even use this method if you have the newer style refrigerator with a crisper drawer to add more control over moisture content in your refrigerator.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Weather Update - Possible Arctic Blast in South Central Texas

2011-01-06T10:09:00.004-06:00

The weather models have been pointing toward a possible extreme cold weather outbreak next week across much of the country; this includes the South Central Texas area. Everything has to be just right to get a major arctic blast into our area, and the weather forecast models are showing things coming together for just such an event.

This possible cold outbreak starts with a strong cold front pushing through the area sometime on Monday of next week. Arctic air over Canada will then continue to surge south into the southern plains through Tuesday and Wednesday of next week with a possibility of it lasting even longer towards the end of next week. The forecast weather pattern points toward the coldest air of the season with very hard freezes possible next week. The forecast models keep this arctic air over the plains area for the entire week, with reinforcing shots of cold air coming from western Canada, right down the lee side of the Rockies and into Texas. We could be looking at a lengthy cold outbreak with possible record low temperatures and record low maximum temperatures. Record lows across South Central Texas next week are generally predicted to be in the low to mid teens. The currently forecast weather patterns indicate some record temperatures could occur.

With that said, many things can happen between now and next week. The forecast models could change, the cold air could head a bit further east, etc. While it is way to early to tell you particulars of exactly how cold or how long this arctic blast could last, you should make your preparations ahead of time and increase your situational awareness. Please start following the weather forecasts very closely and logging onto weather websites frequently (www.srh.noaa.gov/ewx) .

If this is what could be a true arctic blast, history has shown us that weather forecasting models will underestimate the strength of this cold air. If you have winter emergency action plans, now is the time to get them out and start to review them in preparation of for a possible need to be actively ready for this arctic blast.

This needs to be watched closely.

Be aware. Be informed Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Happy New Year Texas Preppers

2011-01-01T07:23:00.004-06:00

It's the beginning of a new year and here's to great new year for everyone! There are some new things lined up for the Texas Preppers Network in the new year. The first of which will be a special give-away for all the Texas Preppers out there. The details will be posted when it gets finalized.

Stay safe and have a great holiday weekend!

Happy New Year!

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Merry Christmas to All!

2010-12-25T09:36:00.002-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P37xPiRz1sg&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o15IGkfph9A&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsFdxHmZUBE&feature=related

Republic Magazine

2010-12-23T07:47:00.000-06:00

Worth the read.

http://www.republicmagazine.com/magazines/issue20/

Texas Wild Hogs

2010-12-08T07:56:00.002-06:00

Good article in the WSJ.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704369304575633003631542986.html?KEYWORDS=agriculture

The Lege is soon to be back. Hide you wallets!

2010-12-07T18:52:00.001-06:00

But on a good note :)

http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/usnews/crime/5212-texas-legislature-to-consider-firearms-freedom-act

New Member - Radar540 in the San Antonio Area

2010-11-30T08:07:00.003-06:00

Let’s hear a great big Texas welcome for Radar 540 in the San Antonio area. He’s now the newest member of the Texas Preppers Network and looks forward to sharing ideas and information with everyone. Those of you wishing to contact him directly can email him at Radar540@aol.com.

Welcome to the Texas Preppers Network!

Be aware, Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Win a Free Guardian Deluxe 2 Person Kit at Stealth Survival

2010-11-26T06:24:00.002-06:00

The simple act of being prepared with a 72 hour emergency kit will place you in the position of being prepared way more than the average person. The first three days in an emergency or crisis are critical to your survival. In an effort to help people be more prepared, there is a Holiday Special on Stealth Survival that gives you a chance to win a free Guardian Deluxe 2 Person Kit.

Please visit Stealth Survival and enter for a chance to win a great preparedness item.

Here is a link to the holiday special:

Stealth Survival Holiday Special-Free Guardian Deluxe 2 Person Emergency Kit

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-25T01:48:00.004-06:00

Have a safe and happy holiday from the Texas Preppers Network!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Ol Remus and the Woodpile Report

2010-11-24T18:13:00.001-06:00

Meant to post this a yesterday.

http://woodpilereport.com/html/index-191.htm

Cliff High Interview

2010-11-06T11:46:00.002-05:00

It may be woo woo but worth the time.

http://www.manticoregroup.com/radio/latest.htm

Probably only be up for a day or so.

Border Issues Increase :(

2010-10-02T08:03:00.000-05:00

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/1001/Mexican-pirates-shoot-US-jet-skier-near-border-on-Falcon-Lake-Texas

Buying Land for a Prepper Retreat

2010-09-16T04:48:00.001-05:00

I recently purchased a very rural piece of property. The farm was 87 acres and had been used for generations as a producing farm. The former owner was aged and unable to maintain the farm. The price was right and negotiable, and so were the other prepper retreat criterion. The area has…

· Plentiful water--preferably spring fed or an artesian well. (Pumped well water would be an inferior second choice.)

· Good exposure for gardening and photovoltaic’s.

· Temperate climate that offers a lengthy growing season.

· Plentiful game and the opportunity to hunt it.

· Likeminded neighbors.

· Not on a flood plain.

· Southern exposure.

· “Panoramic views.” This usually means a hilltop location with defendable terrain.

· A low crime, socially conservative, practicing Christian population, diverse and healthy local economy. (See the City Data web site to do your research on demographic information.)

· Remote area that is not near population centers and is not in the path of real estate developers.

· Look for property that has an existing house, even if it is old, it can most often be modernized.

· Low housing costs. As discussed in detail in some of my previous blog posts, don’t overlook examining as many factors as possible including home and car insurance rates, property taxes, and so forth. This useful Internet tool compares cost of living in two cities.

· My personal preference is to select a retreat in a mixed farming/ranching/timber region in low-humidity area.

Alone I could not afford to buy this land outright, and I did not want to go into debt to purchase the property. So what to do?

In my church there are five very middle class families that are paying attention to the state of our nation’s fiscal policy. We have been prepping for some time and longed to extend our preparations to a place where we could retreat if the need ever presents itself.

We began shopping together, looking for the perfect place. It took some time but eventually the right place was found. When it became evident that the farm was what we were looking for, we pooled what money we had, and bought it. This was a good solution for our group; however I would not make this kind of arrangement with just anyone. The people I partnered with…

· Have a common world view. (Biblically, politically, and socially conservative.

· Have complementary skill sets. (Engineer, Attorney, Registered Nurse, Chemist, Minister, Farmer)

· Are mature enough to work through problems.

· Each of us have a deeded parcel of the property that is uniquely our own.

· Each are hardworking, self motivating, people.

If you would like to get out of dodge when TSHTF but can’t afford to do so? Consider creating a partnership with likeminded friends.

CK in Southeast Texas

Food Safety During Power Failures

2010-09-05T14:07:00.001-05:00

One of the hazards you and your family may face during a power failure is the potential for food items stored in your refrigerator or freezer to become contaminated by bacteria.

There will be certain foods with the potential to be quite hazardous to you and your family. Other food items may be safe to eat but their quality (taste, appearance, etc.) may have deteriorated. There will also be several types of food items that will be safe to consume.

Foods that have a greater potential to be hazardous to your health should be your main priority. Meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, eggs, and certain cooked foods like beans, rice, potatoes, pasta and pasta salads will all spoil quite quickly.

Other food items may not be hazardous but their quality can be affected by increases in temperature due to a power failure. These types of food items include things like salad dressing, mayonnaise, butter, margarine, vegetables and fruit. These items may be saved from being a complete loss by placing ice inside your refrigerator. A couple of frozen two liter bottles of water can help to maintain the temperature in your refrigerator till the power is restored if the power outage lasts only a short time.

Things like unopened beverages and juices and open containers of ketchup, mustard, jams and jellies, and peanut butter should all be fairly safe for consumption.

Remember to keep the doors closed on your refrigerator or freezer as much as possible to keep the cold air inside and keep your raw foods separate from foods which are ready to eat. Most refrigerated foods should be safe for consumption as long as the power hasn’t been out for more than a few hours. Certain hazardous foods should be immediately discarded if they have warmed up to temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a temperature thermometer to check these food items and never taste food items to determine if it is safe to eat. Appearance, taste and smell aren’t always accurate indicators of whether food has become contaminated with harmful bacteria. Food items that have remained frozen should still be safe. Partially thawed food items (still cold or containing ice crystals) should be cooked and used as soon as possible.

The best advice is to remember the old saying:

“When in doubt, throw it out!”

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

A Milsim Adventure

2010-08-31T12:11:00.003-05:00

It's midnight, the campfire is dwindling in front of you while you keep watch. You're reloading your magazines, one round at a time. You had to use your m4 a lot today. Too many rough patches for your ragtag group of survivors. You all made it through though. You're an eclectic mix of men, teenagers, even a ten year old boy and his mother. But you don't let that fool you, you've seen them, they're as good with a tent post as they are with an assault rifle. You reach over to grab the small tin cup where you're boiling your water, you've already filtered it but safe is better than sorry. It's then you hear the snap, a faint rustle - it could be the wind- it could be something else. You quietly and smoothly reach down for your rifle, and listen. Another rustle, this time a whisper, thirty yards away in the dark. You knew you weren't imagining it, you'd had the feeling since the afternoon that you were being watched. A flash in the distance, optics being reflected in the moonlight. You raise your rifle like you trained and sight down the ghost ring sights. "Crack" "Crack" "HIT!!". You look in surprise as the 10 year old boy kneeling right next to you lets go shot after shot from his AK47 with pinpoint accuracy. “Hit! Hit!” you hear the sounds of the people in the distance. A moment later three men come up with their arms over their heads. “That was a good shot.” One of them says as they come up to shake your hand. Then you invite them for a cup of tea. All in a good days fun.

What It’s All About

What I've just described isn't the latest Hollywood action film or end of the world scenario: it's the sport of Airsoft, and while fun, can be a valuable tool in teaching real world skills for emergency preparedness and survival.

Airsoft is different from air rifles and pellet guns in that they use standardized airsoft 6mm plastic bb's that weigh far less than metal pellets or sabots, and are perfectly safe in a controlled play environment.

There are an increasing number of airsoft clubs and organizations organizing multiple day airsoft milsim events that can be attended for a set fee. They're run on weekends, usually centered around military scenarios, and the core skills practiced are valuable to real world preparedness. There are varying degrees of immersion, ranging from "play and go back to the car for a snack" to full airsoft milsim, where one acts, functions, and performs like a real military force for the entire duration. These latter are great for testing the survival skills you already have. You'll make camp and have to spend one or two nights in the wilderness. You can practice making your tent or sleeping area using local materials and a tarp. You'll have to bring your own food and water and manage it. If possible, you can research local flora in order to gather and prepare it while immersed in the event as a way to supplement your initial supply. These games are full immersion, so even when you're ready for bed, you have to be alert for surprises coming at a moment's notice. If there's local sources of water, like a stream, water filtration devices can be put to the ultimate test so you know their true reliability.

On a recent excursion, we arranged night watch shifts, nothing feels greater than being the only one awake in your unit scouting for moving shadows that could be the enemy. During the day you'll work with your group or squad and practice maneuvers such as stalking, advancing, assault, and defense. Make sure to ask the event planner if you can practice first aid on "injured" soldiers with faux sprained ankles, cuts, and broken bones using a real First Aid Kit. Another great thing is familiarizing yourself with firearms and learning how to use them properly for self-defense. Airsoft teaches proper weapon usage, maintenance, and safety precautions. Most airsoft guns in the mid-range price look, feel, and function as close to the real steel guns as possible. Some gas airsoft pistols even disassemble the same way as the real thing! Real firearms training is great for becoming accustomed to the physical feel of shooting a gun, but airsoft simulation events teach valuable self-defense tactics.

The most important skill learned at these events is mindset. You can put all your survival gear through real world paces and determine what works, and lose what doesn't. Working in a team, you're depended upon and also forced to rely upon others. Trust is crucial to any worst-case survival scenario. You have to be constantly aware of your surroundings, because you are a set of eyes and ears for your group. You learn to distinguish between friend and foe. You'll hone your aiming and marksmanship skills on real targets that will react and move. You'll train yourself how to respond - rather than react – to surprises and potential threats. And if you're "killed" you can learn from your mistakes, so you survive next time!

With all the great open land Texas has to offer, there are numerous other fields and groups. Airsplat is a great resource for Texas Airsoft Sites and can be found at http://www.airsplat.com/texas.htm if you're interested in playing and want to find a field.

John Durfee is a Gulf War veteran and the marketing manager for Airsplat, the nation's largest retailer of Airsoft Guns.

Thanks John for an informative guest post.

Riverwalker

Coastal Report

2010-08-06T20:34:00.002-05:00

Just thought y'all might like to know that all is well here in the Corpus area. No oil or tarballs have come ashore from the Deepwater Horizon gusher. I was down at South Padre last week, and all was clear down there as well. However, we are not out of the woods yet. The submerged oil plumes are still out there, and when Gulf currents switch directions in October they may bring oil with them. I will keep a sharp eye out for any oil coming ashore, as well as on any hurricane activity that might come our way. Y'all take care, and keep preppin'...

Sitrep Austin Gun Show

2010-07-17T14:19:00.002-05:00

First, I took pictures, but I suck so they will not be posted.

Took my oldest to the show for the first time. Strangely, she was drawn to the bladed weapons.

Anyhow:

Ammo and reloading materials looked plentiful. Prices still higher than what my happiness can tolerate.

Decent assortment of scary Black Rifles.

2 very nice M1A1s and a nice Uzi.

Gold 1 Oz could be sold for up to 1213. Forgot to ask about Silver.

Pretty much any pistol I'd carry were plentiful.

Pickdog
III

Groundhog Joins the Texas Preppers Network

2010-07-16T05:16:00.005-05:00

Groundhog

I would like to welcome one of my neighbors to the Texas Preppers Network. Groundhog has made it official and is now a member of the Texas Preppers Network. Groundhog can be found over at http://preambleforlife.blogspot.com/ on most days. Those members wishing to contact Groundhog can reach him via email at epost9@gmail.com. There is also a link to his blog in the sidebar. Groundhog is just a furry dude with a weeds eye view of thing...

Here is a brief excerpt from one of his more recent posts:

“My perspective is more like the Boy Scouts. They have a motto of "Be Prepared." It's so simple. Yet it also covers a lot of territory. Can you be prepared for every eventuality? Nope. Can you be ready for a lot of common ones? Absolutely. Let me see if I can provide an example of how I look at it:”

You can read more here:

Thoughts on Preparedness or Why Boy Scouts Rule

Welcome to the Texas Preppers Network Groundhog!

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

An Interesting Resource for Preppers

2010-07-11T00:51:00.003-05:00

A while back, a prepper from East Texas sent me an email with information about a new resource that preppers may find interesting. Here is that email. Be sure to check out the link.

Riverwalker,

I have been following your blogs for about a year. My husband and I have just relocated to the Piney Woods of E. TX. On our 20 acre property we found an interesting tree--the Chinese Tallow.

In researching it, I found this document:

http://www.thepineywoods.com/TallowTreeJly08.htm.

I don't know if anyone is actually using this tree as a resource...

Blessings and thanks for your information.

E.T. in East Texas

Thanks E.T. for the great info! (Please...no phone home jokes!)

Fourth of July - 2010

2010-07-04T08:01:00.001-05:00

Wishing all you preppers out there a safe and happy Fourth of July holiday!

Riverwalker

Alex Update - Rain Impact Areas

2010-07-01T06:56:00.005-05:00

There has not been a whole lot of change from the update posted yesterday. Rainfall continues to be our main impact from Hurricane Alex. Hurricane Alex will likely make landfall tonight over northeast Mexico south of Brownsville. Like we saw yesterday, the counterclockwise circulation of Alex is bringing large amounts of moisture onto the coast and pushing it into South Central Texas.

Daytime heating will likely trigger storms again late this morning into the afternoon and evening hours. As was seen near the San Antonio airport Monday, and in Austin yesterday afternoon, some of the storms will produce torrential rainfall in a short amount of time...these can be rates of 2 inches per hour or more. These rainfall rates and the tropical nature of the atmosphere have increased the potential for flash flooding over the area. For this reason...the National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for all of South Central Texas through 7 pm on Thursday.
Bands of showers and thunderstorms wi ll produce 2-4 inches of rain over the next several days with isolated totals of 6+ inches possible, mainly over southern areas. Just in the past two days, they have had cars stranded in water and even some rescues had to be made.

Please remember...Turn Around Dont Drown.

Winds will only be an issue in the vicinity of these showers and thunderstorms. Typically with a strong thunderstorm it is not uncommon to get wind gusts of 40-50 mph. We do not expect any sustained tropical storm force winds as the circulation of Alex will remain too far south.
Any wind damage that does occur will be very isolated and limited to strong thunderstorms.

Because the circulation of Alex is forecast to hit south of Brownsville, the tornado threat will likely remain over Deep South Texas. We also can't rule out the possible threat of a tornado, but the main threat area will be well south of San Antonio.

The unstable and moist atmosphere will stick around for several days...even after Alex makes landfall tonight. For this reason...scattered showers and thunderstorms will remain in the forecast over the holiday weekend. Rain chances of 30-40 percent should mean however that activity will be scattered and most scheduled events can go on with possible brief interruptions from the weather. Areas along the Rio Grande from Del Rio southward will have to watch Alex closely as there is a chance for significant rains over the mountains of Mexico. In the past, these type of events have led to flood events along the Rio Grande.

Please check the latest information on forecasts, watches, and warnings by going to the website at www.srh.noaa.gov/ewx A picture depicting the rain and flooding threats that are possible is included.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Alex Update - Predicted Flood Areas and Rainfall Rates

2010-06-30T00:09:00.006-05:00

Alex continues to slowly strengthen and is making a path toward South Texas and extreme northern

Mexico

. Ahead of this tropical system, easterly and northeasterly flow to its north is pulling in large amounts of moisture from the northern Gulf. This moisture, combined with a weakness aloft and daytime heating will continue to trigger scattered showers and thunderstorms over the next 24 hours ahead of Alex. This activity has the potential to create locally heavy rain with some isolated flash flooding. This may become a major concern. Some of these storms may have rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. This is enough rain to cause problems due to flooding in low lying areas as well as more urban areas.

As Alex makes landfall to our south by late Wednesday, even more moisture will push onshore and make its way into South Central Texas. It appears that the main threat from this system will be locally heavy rain and possible flooding. Here is the latest graphic showing the rainfall estimates that are forecast by meteorologists. There are 3 to 4 inches of rain being forecast. There are some isolated totals of 6 inches or more that are generally being forecast for southern areas of South Central Texas. As the center of Alex is forecast to be well south of the area, we do not expect to have sustained tropical storm force winds. Breezy conditions ranging from 15 to 30 mph may occur generally south of a line from Del Rio to San Antonio to Cuero. The strongest winds (20-30 mph) will most likely occur Wednesday night with the possibility of some slightly higher gusts. These forecast wind speeds can also be found on the graphic. However, with any thunderstorm, there is always a threat of wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph, with some reaching speeds as high as 50 mph or more.

Any sort of tornado threat appears to be small. If we do get a threat for small tropical tornadoes, this threat would likely occur Wednesday night or Thursday as rain bands from Alex rotate west and northwest into the area. This would mainly impact southern areas of South Central Texas.

If the remnants of Alex head west as forecast, we will continue to see a threat of heavy rainfall through Friday. The threat may in fact then turn into a river flood threat for areas along the Rio Grande River. This will most likely be in areas near Eagle Pass and Del Rio. The second picture shows the possibility of this threat as well.

Overall, the threat for South Central Texas appears to be mainly heavy rain. Some southern areas may get isolated rainfall totals of 6 inches or more over the next several days.

Stay informed by going to the National Weather Service webpage www.srh.noaa.gov/ewx and continue to monitor the latest forecasts and tracks of Alex as it approaches.

We are not "looking down the barrel" at this point, but we may be "standing too close to the target.”

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Looking Down The Barrel

2010-06-29T17:57:00.002-05:00

Hey RW, you inspired me to post over at KISS. Something you might enjoy, having posted extensively on lightning and such! The beginning of a hurricane in pictures. Y'all check it out, I'll be posting updates as things get "interesting"...

http://mayberry-keepitsimplestupid.blogspot.com/2010/06/looking-down-barrel.html

Update on Alex

2010-06-29T05:47:00.004-05:00

Tropical storm Alex, currently located in the Bay of Campeche, is expected to gather strength slowly over the next 24 hrs as it moves to the west-northwest. Over the weekend the projected track of the storm, first moved toward Central Mexico, then at 04:00 this morning began moving northward. As can be seen in the picture above, hurricane tracking has a historic 250-300 mile error range after 48 hrs. With the current expected landfall strength of Category 2, and the large diameter of the system, any land fall over the Rio Grande Valley, could mean significant rain fall with the possibility of flash flooding in low lying areas across South Texas and possibly as far north as the Hill Country. As with all related tropical systems, we will have a better idea of the impact area(s) and potential outcomes to Central Texas and other areas of the state within the next 36-48 hrs. This system should be watched closely. If you aren't prepared already, better get started now.

We are not "looking down the barrel" at this point, but we are certainly "standing on the wrong end of the shooting range".

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Prepping Skills - How to Build Pallets

2010-06-20T23:48:00.001-05:00

If you would like to know how to build some pallets for storage of your food or gear items, there is a great post on this at Getting Started In Emergency Preparedness.

You can read the post here:

http://gsiep.blogspot.com/2010/06/building-pallets.html

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Top Ten Prepping Mistakes - Mistake #2 - Lack of Skills

2010-06-18T03:45:00.000-05:00

While it is great to be prepared, placing too much faith in the “stuff” you may have accumulated to aid in your survival won’t always be enough. That “stuff” may not always be there. If your “stuff” should suddenly become unavailable, it is your skills that will save you.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Top Ten Prepping Mistakes - Mistake #1 - Lack of Planning

2010-06-15T05:40:00.000-05:00

Many people realize the importance of being prepared but sometimes can create more problems than they solve if it is not done properly. First and foremost of the things you should do is to formulate a plan for your survival and the survival of your family. You will need a plan. It may not be the best plan but it will be a plan. Without a plan, you may find yourself wondering what to do next if the worst happens.

Always do your own research and develop a plan that will fit your needs and the needs of your family. While there are a great many sources of valuable information that is available, not all that information may be accurate, reliable or applicable to your own situation. Everyone will have different needs that will need to be addressed by their own individual plan that will provide for their survival.

Planning is one of those intangible resources that cannot be neglected if you wish to be properly prepared. In a perfect world, a single plan might work for everyone but the sad truth is that we live in an always changing and slightly less than perfect world.

Your planning should address a variety of different factors. Some of these factors include your location, your climate, your resources (both tangible and intangible) and any special needs your family may have. All of these different factors and others can create unique and special circumstances that you will need to plan for ahead of time if you want to survive.

The best plan is the one that addresses the individual needs of you and your family.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Practicing "The Plan"

2010-05-23T23:05:00.002-05:00

While I was in the U.S. military, I'm a peace-time soldier; we would practice "The Plan." Depending on where I was stationed, would depend on the specific plan.

Some plans involved fighting the soviets, other plans involved fighting Filipino insurgents, and other plans included putting down civil unrest and restoring order.

Now, depending on the plan, we might fly into a host country, secure a foothold, then kill people and break stuff, if appropriate. I was amazed one time that one of our plans included protecting international fisheries and capturing animal rights terrorists. Strange, to say the least.

During oversea deployments, we never practiced the complete plan because of other countries' spies. We would break the plan into separate parts, so the spies (nosey neighbors) won't be able to learn of our preparations. Plus, this allowed us to practice complex plans and evaluate these smaller, simpler parts of the plan in easy to look at chunks.

As a survivalist/prepper, you can do the same thing. Let's look at a bug-out to your "Plan B" location. (This also might work if your family isn't into prepping)

Let's use Riverwalker over at "Stealth Survival" as a possible example. He and his family are headed out on a vacation to a mountain cabin. This could be your Plan B. Mine is going to family/friends out-of-state.

To practice your plan, have the kids plan a primary and alternate driving route. Have your husband find inexpensive airline flights with a cost comparison to traveling by train with a car rental. Four different routes and a great cover story.

BAM! As, Emeril would say.

Next, have the kids pack their own bags with supervision.

BAM!

Next, pack a car bag or carry-on with some food (fresh fruit and other healthy stuff), quiet games, and other stuff to distract you and the kids then ask the kids how/where y'all can get water because security concerns prohibit bring water bottles through airport security.

BAM!

Lastly, have a great time on your vacation as you look at possible opportunities in the local area and talk to your family about how to improve your next vacation travel plans.

BAM!

Who knew Emeril was a prepper?

Links:

Wikipedia - Filipino People

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filipino_people

Wikipedia - Infantry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infantry

Scroll down to "Role":

It should say "Similarly, the United States Army describes the mission of the Infantry as to kill people and breaks stuff."

Stealth Survival - The Known Destination: A Mountain Cabin

http://stealthsurvival.blogspot.com/2010/04/known-destination-mountain-cabin.html

Chef Emeril Lagasse - Home

http://www.emerils.com/

Someone You Know

Getting Started In Emergency Preparedness

A Concern? Without doubt.

2010-05-06T19:42:00.003-05:00

The Cover-up: BP's Crude Politics and the Looming Environmental Mega-Disaster

We have been informed by sources in the US Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Florida Department of Environmental Protection that the Obama White House and British Petroleum (BP), which pumped $71,000 into Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign -- more than John McCain or Hillary Clinton, are covering up the magnitude of the volcanic-level oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and working together to limit BP's liability for damage caused by what can be called a "mega-disaster."

Obama and his senior White House staff, as well as Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, are working with BP's chief executive officer Tony Hayward on legislation that would raise the cap on liability for damage claims from those affected by the oil disaster from $75 million to $10 billion. However, WMR's federal and Gulf state sources are reporting the disaster has the real potential cost of at least $1 trillion. Critics of the deal being worked out between Obama and Hayward point out that $10 billion is a mere drop in the bucket for a trillion dollar disaster but also note that BP, if its assets were nationalized, could fetch almost a trillion dollars for compensation purposes. There is talk in some government circles, including FEMA, of the need to nationalize BP in order to compensate those who will ultimately be affected by the worst oil disaster in the history of the world.

The rest is here.

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/guest-post-cover-bps-crude-politics-and-looming-environmental-mega-disaster

Preparedness Texas Website

2010-05-03T15:59:00.000-05:00

http://www.texasonline.com/portal/tol/en/emergency/preparing

Wild Grapes in Texas - Mustang Grapes

2010-04-29T04:57:00.002-05:00

Wild Mustang Grapes

There are several types of wild grapes that are fairly common in the State of Texas. The three main species of wild grapes that are found locally are the Mustang Grape (Vitis mustangensis), the Sweet Mountain Grape (Vitis monticola), and the Winter Grape (Vitis cinerea var. helleri). Mustang Grapes are fairly abundant and the most easily found. The Mustang Grapes can have a rather tart flavor and have very tough skins. Mustang Grapes make very good jelly that can often found at some specialty grocery stores and at local farmers markets. The other types of grapes are sweeter but much less common and are a lot harder to find. Most of these grapes ripen from late summer to early fall. They are a pretty hardy type of grape and you can also make a fairly decent wine from Mustang Grapes.

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

New Texas Preppers Network Members - April 2010

2010-04-21T03:33:00.003-05:00

A great big Texas welcome to the newest members of the Texas Preppers Network! We've got several new members who look forward to sharing ideas and information with everyone.

Her's a little information on our new members:

New Member: gharkness

Area: Dallas / Fort Worth

Email: info@dfwpreppers.com

Website: http://www.dfwpreppers.com

About: gharkness is a beginning prepper and is interested in learning and sharing about preparing for disasters and learning new survival skills. Please visit gharkness' website and let's help them out on their journey to being better prepared.

New Member: mama4x

Area: Central Texas

Email: dearmama4x@gmail.com

Website: sustainingfarm.blogspot.com

About: mama4x is a homeschooling mother of 4. She is also a beginning prepper. Her interests include writing, ironing Mylar bags shut and watching her seeds grow. She has an excellent blog with a lot of great information. If you've got some extra time, give her a visit and leave a comment.

New Member: Morgan747

Area: Northeast Texas

Email: mrgn747@yahoo.com

About: Morgan747 is interested in herbal remedies and will be doing some articles about using herbs, gardening and squeezing the very last drop out of a dollar. Morgan747 is also interested in bartering and into fishing big time! Morgan747 also raises chickens (for both eggs and meat) and is interested in doing same with rabbits.

Welcome to the Texas Preppers Network!

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

New Blog Roll Additions

2010-04-18T06:54:00.002-05:00

I've added a couple of additions to our blog roll and hopefully will be adding some new members to the Texas Preppers Network in the near future. It always makes me feel good to know that more people are taking an interest in being better prepared.

Here are links to our new blog roll additions:

A great site for those living in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex can be found here:

http://dfwpreppers.com/

Simply great prepping info from mama4x here:

http://sustainingfarm.blogspot.com/

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Texas Town on High Alert

2010-04-01T13:41:00.000-05:00

Texas Town on High Alert as Mexican Town Across Border Braces for Cartel Gun Battle
By Ed Barnes

- FOXNews.com

At least 30 residents of El Porvenir, located about four miles from the Texas border town of Fort Hancock, have crossed into the U.S. and asked for political asylum, telling authorities that they fear for their lives.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/03/31/texas-town-high-alert-mexican-town-border-braces-cartel-gun-battle/

Becomin A Texan Prepper - Long Term Food Storage

2010-03-29T12:43:00.002-05:00

If you have decided to prepare for a longer emergency such as hyper-inflation, civil or nuclear war, or a multi-year emergency, the next section is for you. Storing enough food to last a year or longer is going to take a lot of preparation on your part; additionally, you are going to spend some money. Your choice is going to be how much?

Long Term Food Storage

The Latter-day Saints (the Mormons), as a group, are probably the experts on storing food for a long-term emergency. They have many quotes, teachings, and other recorded lectures on the importance of storing food. As individuals, the record isn't so good, so don't expect an individual Latter-day Saint or their family to have any food storage.

The Mormons command their members to store a year supply of food. They have central storehouses, called Bishop Storehouses, where members can get their food. If you know some Latter-day Saints that are willing to help you, you are in luck. The available food is centered on the basic four. Basically, the Latter-day Saints store wheat, sugar, salt, and dried-milk.

Heed Ms. Tate's warnings in "Seven Mistakes in Food Storage."

If you don't know any Mormons, you are going to have to do this on your own. The Mormons use to use only steel #10 cans; the cans hold a gallon of product. The Mormons started to switch to Mylar bags placed in cardboard boxes in the late 1990s.

Both containers have their advantages and disadvantages. Steel cans are rodent proof, but they rust. Mylar is rust-proof, but the bags and boxes don't resist rodents very well. The steel can method also requires bulky cans and a special machine to seal the can. The can sealing machine can be expensive.

Because of these extra expenses, I am going to write about using Mylar bags and food-grade 5-gallon buckets for you food storage program. I like this method. If you want different methods of storing your food, read Alan Hagan's "Prudent Food Storage FAQ version 4.0" for other options.

First, you need to order your Mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, and 5-gallon buckets. I use new buckets because I only have a local source for new buckets. These buckets are #2 HDPE plastic, food-grade buckets. Supposedly food-grade and non-food-grade buckets use a different mold releasing agent when the bucket is manufactured.

Just so you know; a mold releasing agent is a chemical the manufacturer puts on the equipment to make it easier to remove the bucket from the equipment when the bucket is made.

It is OK to use used buckets. The rules for using used buckets for food storage are the same as water storage; clean and only had food products in them.

Second, you have to buy your food. There are different places to buy your food. Whole food stores, organic-food stores, feed stores, warehouse stores, and ethnic-food stores are a few of the places to buy food. Depending on your source of food you may have to pay extra shipping costs.

Whole food and organic-food stores will have a variety of grains and beans fit for human consumption. Their products will range from organically-grown grains and beans to traditional farm-grown grains and beans. Warehouse stores may have only one type of grain and one type of bean. The feed store usually must order grains fit for human consumption, and an ethnic-food store will only have bulk food specific to that ethnic group. Call or visit to ask about their policy on ordering and the availability of food.

When you are putting up your own bulk food, you have to plan in advance. All of the materials must be on hand before you get your food. Foods in paper sacks are a poor storage container, but an emergency might dictate that you will need to get the food before the canning supplies. I would rather have 3 sacks of rice and beans and no canning supplies during a food emergency then all of the canning supplies and no food.

Next, you have to decide if you want your food in big Mylar bags or little Mylar bags. If you decide to use little bags, you will need to cut up the big Mylar bags and make small bags. To make a big bag into smaller bags: take a big Mylar bag and fold in half. Cut along the fold. Fold and cut as needed to make smaller bags.

Once you are finished cutting, you need to seal the edges of the bag. Make sure to leave one edge unsealed.

To seal, take an electric clothes iron, set on high, and iron the edge, flip over and iron the edge again. I usually iron one-inch seams. This is a skill; it takes a little practice.

When using small Mylar bags, I fill all the bags first with food. I put in one or two oxygen absorbers, and then seal the bag with the iron. Then I put the sealed bags in a box or 5-gallon bucket.

For large bags, I put the big bag in the 5-gallon bucket then fill with food. I put in four 500cc oxygen absorbers, push some of the air out then seal the bag with the iron. Once you open the bag of oxygen absorbers, you have to move quickly.

I always have all the food I am doing that day placed in bags first. Then I open the oxygen absorbers bag and put in the absorbers, push the air out, then seal. If you have two irons and a helper, it goes a lot quicker.

I usually get 35 pounds of wheat, rice, and sugar; 50 pounds of salt; and 25 pounds of beans in their own separate bucket. I put my beans in smaller Mylar bags before I put them in the buckets.

For all my food in Mylar bags, I label the top of the bag, where I sealed the bag, with the item's name. An example is "Black Beans." Before I seal the bucket, I write the name of the item and how many pounds are in the bucket, on the lid. An example is "Black Beans, 25 lbs." Once I seal the bucket, I place a label with the item's name, the weight, the package date, and the expiration date on the side of the bucket. An example is "Black Beans, 25 pounds, Nov 2008, Nov 2016."

If you use a bucket opener, you are able to reuse the bucket and lid. You could probably reuse the bucket and lid even if you use a knife and screwdriver to open the lid.

Bucket openers/lid lifters come in plastic and metal. I have given plastic openers to friends and family. I have about 5; 3 plastic and 2 metal. (Remember PACE)

All of the food gets stored in a cool, dry, and dark place, the basement. If you don't have a basement, you will have to get creative in your storage. There are many creative ways, a table made of buckets, just add a table cover; under the bed as a bed frame; staked along a wall with a curtain covering the stack.

One outside storage method I have seen was called a pallet root cellar.

Don't put your food storage in a hot place like the garage or attic.

Now there are ways to reduce your cost. You can use animal/feed-grade food. You can omit the Mylar bag and use metal 55-gallon open head drums for your storage containers.

If you use animal feed, make sure you are getting animal feed with nothing mixed in. No molasses, no minerals, no vitamins, no mixes of different grains, or cracked grain. Cracked grain will not last as long as whole grain.

Do Not, Don’t; Never get seed that has been treated for your food storage. Seed is treated with chemicals to resist rot, fungus, and other nasties. These chemicals will harm/kill you.

Omitting the Mylar bag in the 5-gallon bucket will allow water vapor to enter the food. Yes, it takes a little while, but the food will not last as long.

There are two types of metal drums, open-head and closed-head. A closed-head metal drum has two small holes in the top. Soda syrup usually comes in a closed-head drum. The top of an open-head metal drum is totally removable. The top has a grove and a seal that seals the drum tight.

To use the cleaned drum, open the top and put your sealed Mylar bags inside. When filled or finished, close the drum using the provided clamp. Just like the water barrel, these weight 350 pounds or more when full.

OK, you have 350 pounds of wheat, 150 pounds of rice, 125 pounds of various beans, 70 pounds of sugar, 35 pounds of salt 356 multivitamins for every man, woman, and child in your family. What do you do with it?

Eat it! You have to get use to using these foods. You have to use these foods in recipes. Learn the spices that your family likes then add the spices to your food storage. You have to learn to use the machines needed to use it, and buy the wheat mill and the corn mill, the pasta maker, and etc. The local library is a great source for information on baking and cooking using whole food such as wheat, corn, rice, and beans.

You will also have to learn how to use different cooking methods solar ovens, slow cookers, pressure cookers/canners, hay boxes, and masonry ovens just to name a few because electricity and propane may not be available.

The above advice includes the dehydrated and freeze-dried foods that are available. As far as I know, Mountain House is the largest supplier of these dehydrated and freeze-dried foods.

They sell from their website and they have many retailers. You have to shop around to find the best deals. Different retailers have different prices for the same product, some include shipping and some don't.

Just like MREs, these foods can be expensive, but the freeze-dried foods have a 25 to 30 year shelf life. So if you want, you can feed a family of four for about the price of a used economy-size sedan.

For really long-term food security, you will need to learn how to grow, raise, and can your own food. Once again the local library has a wide variety of books on gardening, raising sheep, chicken, goats, and other animals for food. The library also has books on organic gardening, making compost, and other chemical-free vegetable and fruit growing techniques.

Links:

Be Prepared with a Three Day Emergency Food Supply:

http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/9006.htm

Food and Water in an Emergency by the American Red Cross:

http://www.redcross.org/images/pdfs/preparedness/a5055.pdf

Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/keeping_food_safe_during_an_emergency/index.asp

Seven Mistakes of Food Storage by Vicki Tate:

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/tate55.html

Viking Preparedness - Canned Food Shelves

http://vikingpreparedness.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html

You will need to scroll down to "Canned Food Shelves"

Mormon Basic Four - Appropedia:

http://www.appropedia.org/mormon_basic_four

Mormon Basic Four and Other Food Storage Plans:

http://www.standeyo.com/News_Files/Hollys.html

Then click on "Food Storage" on the left hand side of the page

Then click on anything under "Food Storage Programs"

Such as Ester Dickey's 40+4, Mormon table of 4, or Kearny's Survival Food Plan

Prudent Food Storage FAQ version 4.0 by Alan Hagan:

http://athagan.members.atlantic.net/PFSFAQ/PFSFAQ-1.html

Prudent Food Storage FAQ version 2.5 by Alan Hagan:

http://www.captaindaves.com/foodfaq

Oxygen Absorbers:

http://www.honeyvillegrain.com/

http://www.nitro-pak.com/

http://www.waltonfeed.com/

http://www.usplastic.com/

Plastic Buckets:

http://www.usplastic.com/

Pallet Root Cellar:

http://theepicenter.com/tow1102.html

Cooking With Food Storage Ingredients

http://extension.usu.edu/cache/files/uploads/Cooking%20with%20Food%20Storage%20Ingredients%206-07.pdf

Cooking With Food Storage Ingredients: Dry Beans

http://extension.usu.edu/duchesne/files/uploads/FCS/Cooking%20with%20Food%20Storage/dry%20beans_plus.pdfd%20Storage/dry%20beans_plus.pdf

Grain Mills:

http://countrylivinggrainmills.com/

http://www.waltonfeed.com/

Solar Ovens:

http://www.solarcooking.org/plans/

Mountain House:

http://www.mountainhouse.com/

Hope you find this information useful.

Someone You Know

(http://www.gsiep.blogspot.com)

Becoming A Texan Prepper - Part Three - Short Term Food Storage

2010-03-22T06:49:00.001-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, forget about running into the woods to hunt, trap, or fish for food for you and your family during a disaster because every other Texas Non-Prepper is thinking the same thing. Don’t believe me, go deer hunting on opening day. Everybody and their brother and sister are out. By the end of the day, every deer in the woods are scared and will be gone to another state. During good times, coming home without a deer is a few jokes and a beer or two. During bad times, you and your family may go hungry or starve.

So what’s a Texan Prepper to do?

Store What You Eat and Eat What You Store.

Short Term Food Storage

For a short-term emergency, buying more of the food that you normally eat is the best way to prepare. Now this food should be boxed food such as macaroni & cheese and crackers, and canned food such as fruits, soups, vegetables and meats.

While you are making a list of the canned and boxed food you and your family will eat, I want you to think about how you are going to cook this food? Are you going to heat the food? Do you need water to prepare the food? How are you going to clean up afterwards?

For a short 3-day emergency, paper plates and napkins, plastic utensils and cups, and other picnic supplies might be a good idea. Have enough for each person to have a clean set of utensils for each meal, this includes plates. To save on cups, write the person's name on the cup and have everyone reuse their cup. Make sure to have extra cups because kids and some adults seem to always throw their cups away.

If you are going to need water to prepare the food, you will need to add to your water supplies. An example: Mac & Cheese takes 6 cups of water, according to the directions, to make. That is 6 more cups of potable water you will need to store. If you are going to wash the plates and utensils, you will need even more potable water.

You can probably get away with eating directly out of the can/box for three days, but warm meals will be needed during the winter.

There are many ways of heating your food. If you have barbecued, cooked over a fire, or have a wood stove, you can heat your emergency food for eating. Remember, you will need fuel to last during the emergency you are planning for.

Charcoal must be kept dry, same with wood. With wood, you will also need kindling. Propane lasts as long as the container, but you will need a propane stove or grill. Liquid fuels, such as Coleman gas, are flammable. Store your gas and liquid fuels away from the house. Lastly, remember the matches.

I put my matches, about 2500 strike-on-the-box matches, in a small 30-caliber ammo can. This protects the matches from humidity, and if they ignite the ammo can keeps the fire contained.

Now cooking inside the house can be dangerous. Don't ever use a charcoal stove inside the house or an enclosed building or tent. The burning charcoal produces carbon monoxide (CO). This stuff is deadly.

Don't let the list of things keep you from preparing for a short-term emergency because you probably already have all the needed stuff, except for the extra food.

Preparing to have food for a longer emergency, two to four weeks, is a matter of storing more canned, bottled, and boxed food, but you can't put this amount of food in a box and forget it. You will need to start rotating your food.

There are a few ways of rotating your storage food. One method is to buy all the food at once and put it on your pantry shelves. When you need something, like a can of pears, you go to the store and buy a can of pears. Go to the pantry, take a can of pears off the shelf, and put the can that you bought in the back. This insures you always have fresh canned food, if there is such a thing as fresh canned food.

This method insures that you have food now; additionally, this method also insures that you have food that you eat, but it has at least one problem. Most people don't have $500 to immediately drop on food plus their normal food bill.

A variation of the above method is to buy one or two extra of the canned and boxed foods you normally eat every time you go to the store. Put the extra food on the shelf and rotate as mentioned.

Another method of rotating your food is to build special shelves. The shelves are a set of ramps. As a can is removed, all of the cans immediately roll one spot down the ramps. If your grocery store has the new Campbell's soup displays, open up the display and observe. Some refrigerators have soda can dispensers with the ramps. Just use a can, then buy another can and add to the top of the ramp as needed.

This method is OK, but you have to know how many cans a set of ramps hold, and it wastes a little space. Each set of cans needs its own supports for the ramp, more money and more complicated to build.

To save money, I watch for sales and stock up then, and I buy store brand products instead of the major name brands. Be careful, some store brands taste slightly different from the national brands of food.

Some people will tell you to buy your food in bulk at the warehouse store, I usually don't recommend this because you have to pay extra money up front for membership; the sizes of cans could be too big, wasting food; and you and your family might not like the food.

One thing you may wish to avoid in your food storage are MREs. Meal Ready to Eat are specialized meals developed for the military. They have greatly improved since the meals first came out; however, you have to like them. If you are in the military or know some one the military, they will tell you MREs can suck. Plus, at about the same price as two cans of fruit, 2 cans of vegetables, three cans of tuna, and a bottle of water, you get one MRE. MREs are expensive but they do offer convenience and portability in an emergency.

If you have decided to store food for only a couple of weeks, stop here and read the first four links. I invite you to continue reading even if you are only preparing for a short-term emergency.

Links:

Be Prepared with a Three Day Emergency Food Supply:

http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/9006.htm

Food and Water in an Emergency by the American Red Cross:

http://www.redcross.org/images/pdfs/preparedness/a5055.pdf

Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/keeping_food_safe_during_an_emergency/index.asp

Seven Mistakes of Food Storage by Vicki Tate:

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/tate55.html

Someone You Know

(http://www.gsiep.blogspot.com)

New Declaration of Independence

2010-03-20T23:18:00.002-05:00

What amazes me is how little I had to change....

When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one to dissolve the political bands which have connected one with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

I hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, one must withdraw consent to be governed, given that government has proved it's self prone to usurpation and tyranny— That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the Individual to alter or to abolish it, and to institute self government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to myself shall seem most likely to effect my Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce one under absolute Despotism, it is one's right, it is one's duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide for their own future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of Americans; and such is now the necessity which constrains me to alter my former Systems of Government. The history of the last many Presidents and the CONgress is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over this Individual, and to all Individuals that make up this once great nation. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

They have refused their Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.They have forbidden their Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till their Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, they have utterly neglected to attend to them.

They have refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.They have authored legislation which is unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the Founding Principles of this nation, for the sole purpose of fatiguing us into compliance with their ideology.

They have dissolved Representative Government completely, for opposing with manly firmness their invasions on the rights of the people.

They have refused for a long time, after such dissolution, to understand that their place is to represent, not dictate. They have succumbed to bribery, thievery, and coercion, and trampled on the Constitution for which many hundreds of thousands have fought and died to protect.

They have endeavoured to overpopulate these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to constrain others, and encouraging their migrations hither, for the sole purpose of placating their corporate campaign donors, and enlarging the rolls of Democrat voters.

They have obstructed the Administration of Justice by stacking the courts with judicial nominees representing only one ideology.

They have made Judges dependent on their Will alone for the attainment of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

They have erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

They are keeping among us, in times of domestic peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of the People, in direct violation of Posse Comitatus. They have constructed a mechanism to federalize the National Guard, under the vague pretense of an undefined emergency.

They have affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

They have combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving their Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For giving away our sovereignty, colluding with the United Nations, and contemplating treaties which destroy Constitutionally guaranteed Liberty:

For protecting them, by considering Trial for punishment for any "transgressions" by the World Court on the Inhabitants of these States:For destroying our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury via the "Patriot Act":For considering transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences via the World Court:

For abolishing the free System of American Laws, establishing an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these States

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Liberty, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

They have abdicated Representative Government here, by waging War against us.

They have plundered our savings, ravaged our earnings, burnt our livelihoods, and destroyed the lives of our people.

They are at this time contemplating large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Heads of a civilized nation.

They have constrained our fellow Citizens who've taken the Oath to defend the Constitution to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

They are exciting domestic insurrections amongst us, and endeavour to bring on Socialists/Communists/Marxists, the merciless Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions we have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Government, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our American brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. I must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces my Separation, and hold them, as I hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

I, therefore, the Representative of myself before God, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of my intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the God that gave me life, solemnly publish and declare, That I am a Sovereign Individual, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent, that I am Absolved from all Allegiance to the President and CONgress, and that all political connection between myself and the Federal Government, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as a Free and Independent Individual, I have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent People may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, I pledge to each Sovereign Individual my Life, my Fortune, and my sacred Honor.