Merry Christmas to All!

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

Worth the read.

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

Texas Wild Hogs

Good article in the WSJ.

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

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

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

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

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

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

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Ol Remus and the Woodpile Report

Meant to post this a yesterday.

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

Cliff High Interview

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 :(

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Riverwalker

Alex Update - Rain Impact Areas

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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"

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.

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

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

Wild Grapes in Texas - Mustang Grapes

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

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

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

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

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)