Whatever is best for you and works will do. Remember to just get over your prejudice of strange foods and eat everything. If it has eight legs or fewer, then eat it.
John Milandred grew up in a rural area in the Pacific North West, learning from his parents, and grandparents what it takes to survive by doing it! He has studied survival in the woods, desert, hills and plains of America and not just pioneer methods, but also Native American ways as well. Now, at 45 years of age he has started teaching his survival and self-reliance skills to others. He is the owner/co-editor of Pioneer Living Survival Magazine (www.pioneerliving.net) and is living in SE Oklahoma on a small 10-acre homestead.
On Survivalism, Preparedness and Self-Reliance
The State of the Prepared Mind
by James T. Stevens
"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting, get understanding." (Proverbs 4:7)
Our forefathers were self-reliant-and that’s a good example for us to emulate in our day and in our life.
Why become self-reliant as a family?
Self-reliance is the key to greater safety, security, and happiness - both individually and as a family. Living a preparedness lifestyle leads to greater self-reliance not only in the face of potential catastrophe, but also in dealing with the thorny issues posed by everyday life.
This can be a challenge, of course. Many people have suffered burnout as they make an effort to accumulate a suitable quantity and quality of food storage required for them to become prepared. It’s likely that many of the same people are also burned out due to their job, their other involvements in the community, and perhaps in their lifestyle, as well.
3 Reasons to Become Prepared for Disasters:
1. Natural disasters - Hurricanes, tornadoes, heavy rainfall, flooding, mudslides, tsunamis, earthquakes -- these and other natural disasters have cluttered headlines in recent years, creating grief for countless thousands of people. What lessons can be drawn from these tragedies?
2. Man-caused disasters - Unemployment; failing businesses; layoffs; terrorism; chemical, biological, and nuclear disasters; there are too many examples of man-made catastrophes to describe in detail.
3. Personal disasters - Death, divorce, illness, house fires, accidents--there are as many potential personal disasters as there are individual human beings. And of course, all of us are susceptible to the fallout from examples #1 and #2 above.
We’ve been advised to save for the future--so many times for so long. Likewise, we’ve been hectored about the need for emergency food storage. These are both immensely practical and necessary forms of provision.
But what if we shift our thinking to another level, away from the mentally and physically tiring activity of food storage?
What this concept will achieve, bit-by-bit, is the accumulation of a year’s supply of food, clothing, and shelter as a way of everyday life--a preparedness lifestyle--and suddenly this task is neither so daunting nor so burdensome.
A preparedness lifestyle is one focused on becoming self-reliant --to be able to live providently regardless of external conditions.
It’s important to assign specific definitions to some of current terms that are bandied about rather loosely. The breadth of preparedness ranges from indifference (absolutely not caring and, thus totally exposed to disaster) to self-sufficient (absolutely caring and totally provided for).
I admit, and take responsibility for, the fact that these categories are arbitrary. With more than 36 years in the preparedness industry, I’ve seen many aspects of individual and group behavior, and have tried to summarize what I’ve seen in those two categories. If this is not suitable for everyone, at least it’s a starting point for discussion.
Preparedness, after all, is man’s continuing search for security, safety, and the means to sustain his and his family’s life.
Here is a more detailed breakdown of the categories (or levels) of preparedness-related attitudes and actions:
Indifference.
This perspective is best characterized as lack of caring, concern, feeling, or interest. Typically it’s displayed in expressions such as "I don’t care!" or "It doesn’t matter!" or "So what?" Apathy can be overcome, but not without education, and serious change of attitude. Some are indifferent due to circumstances. Others are ostrich-like-choosing to
ignore all negative indicators. Some stubbornly choose to ignore the indicators of need or responsibility for their own life.
This is where the old adage, "You can’t cure stupid" would best apply!
Survivalism or Survivalist.
These terms describe someone who seeks to survive an impending disaster by collecting food or other commodities, weapons, and other essential goods, often going off to live alone or with a like-minded group.
Those terms often describe people who "hunker in a bunker" during crises, acting on the belief that financial, economic, or political conditions portend an imminent societal collapse. To his credit, the typical survivalist has a passion to preserve constitutional principles, to defend civil and property rights, and a deep devotion to personal independence. In a sense it could be said that all of us who care about preparedness are survivalists.
The survival instinct is perhaps the strongest emotion and driver for all humanity. Most of us, if necessary, would kill to stay alive. For reasons that aren’t entirely clear, the term "survivalist" is in bad repute with elected officials and some segments of the public. This polarization has been used to enact further restrictions on individual liberty, which in turn exacerbates the already bad relations between the groups.
Preparedness.
This word refers to a state of readiness; having the quality of being equipped to deal with whatever might occur, or at least to make plans and material preparations to the extent that is possible with available personal and family resources. Those who participate in preparedness are becoming known in modern parlance as "Preppers." The popular press wants to paint Preppers with the same grimy brush used to smear survivalists and other non-conformists, striving to demean their efforts with name-calling and other desultory, accusatory language.
Preparedness is as varied as there are people-the cloth is cut to fit the form. What is an essential preparedness item for one may be a luxury for another. Preparedness is what one considers essential to his own situation; this is the essence of preparedness. Some prepare for disasters and emergencies-most don’t. Some live the lifestyle-most don’t.
Preparedness requires that we analyze possible natural, people-caused, personal disasters, emergency events and make provision to care for individual and family needs. How is it better not to be prepared?
Self-reliance.
This is a quality of being dependent on yourself, being able to rely on your talents, skills, and abilities, as well as those within your family, your preparedness community, your neighborhood, your village/town/city. This can refer to making enough money, growing enough food, having enough resources that you have no need to buy, beg, borrow, steal, or depend on others. It also encompasses an ability to manage resources without outside aid or support. Our great country would never have achieved its position in the world without the spunk and spark of our forefathers, who understood and practiced the virtue of self-reliance.
With that, more of the populace becomes self-reliant! This would reduce the welfare rolls and radically restrict the influence of government in our lives.
Self-sufficiency.
A self-sufficient individual or family is able to provide what is needed without dependence on others. Unfortunately, this is a largely fanciful objective, since human beings need help from others, even - perhaps especially - in the midst of disasters. The term "self-sufficiency" often describes the mistaken view that it is possible to live alone without outside help from any source or resource.
Self-sufficiency is most often misconstrued by preparedness neophytes as a possible achievement, and is only enhanced by their lack of experience, knowledge, or resour
ces. The key word defining sufficiency is "enough" --an adequate provision or supply, often concerning money. Self-sufficiency is considered an absolute term-as in being a little bit pregnant, when one either is pregnant or one is not. You can be a little bit self-reliant or prepared-but by definition you cannot be a little bit self-sufficient!
Each reader is described somewhere in this list-whether completely in one or several of the above categories. May I suggest the following Paradigm Shift about your personal or family preparedness responsibilities?
Determine to bloom where you’re planted.
You can make the choice now to maximize what you own and where you’ve chosen to reside. Does your stuff own you--or are you in charge of your life?
● Build your house on the rock!
● Your home will become your personal convenience store.
It will be a very selective mini-grocery store--stocked with the things you like to eat and will enjoy. Set it up where you have unique access to it as your family needs it.
● Get the gear and lose the fear!
Your family will be able to camp out within the walls of your home. In case of a disaster or emergency situation, your family will be able to maintain an acceptable level of comfort. You can prepare now to live within your comfort zone. (There’s a popular national talk radio show host, Dave Ramsey, who proclaims: "Live now like no one else, and in the future, you can live like no one else!") As others suffer, you can have a picnic--and able help others in their afflictions!
● Get out of debt.
The only allowable debt is for education, a home, or a sound business venture. My father, who was very wise about most things, often told me: "Jimmy, there are only two kinds of people, those who earn interest, and those who pay it!" Grow your savings, not your stuff!
If you fail to prepare adequately now for the unknown future, you will eventually pay the price for your lack of foresight.
Benjamin Franklin (and other wise men) said, "If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail."
There are no emergencies for those who are truly prepared! If you are truly self-reliant, you have no need to fear!
How to Turn Canned Soup into Survival Soup
by Lisa Bedford
Take a peek in just about any survivalist’s or prepper’s pantry, and you’re likely to find soup cans piled high. Soup is an obvious choice when it comes to stocking up on food. It’s one of the easiest of all meals to prepare.
However, canned soups aren’t always desirable. The cans themselves are bulky and heavy, and the soup inside often contains unhealthy levels of sodium and other unwanted ingredients. A healthy and simple alternative is making your own Survival Soup mixes.
Combining dry ingredients together in a soup mixture saves space, provides a far lighter alternative to cans, and offers variety to even the pickiest prepper’s palate! These mixes contain ingredients that have your full approval and are created using familiar, favorite recipes. They’re a great way to pack healthy meals in Bug Out Bags, 72 Hour Kits, and they offer a homemade alternative to campers and backpackers who routinely purchase commercially produced dehydrated meals.
As you begin planning which soups you would like to convert to dry mixes, you’ll find that some soups just aren’t good candidates (Lobster Bisque and Chinese Hot and Sour come to mind). You may also find the initial expense to be fairly high, since you’ll likely be preparing multiple batches of the same recipe, and the quantities of ingredients can add up to some pretty big numbers.
Here’s what you’ll need:
A soup recipe that is easily converted to a dehydrated version;
Enough ingredients to make several batches of the soup mix;
Measuring spoons and cups;
Wide-mouth jars with lids and/or Mylar bags;*
Oxygen absorbers;
A way to label the jars and/or Mylar bags with the name of the recipe, directions for preparation, and shelf life.
Begin by sorting through favorite soup recipes and choosing one or more for your Survival Soup experiment. A good candidate for a Survival Soup mix will be one in which every ingredient has a dehydrated or freeze-dried counterpart. Take into consideration the cost involved, since some dry ingredients are more expensive than others, and pay careful attention to the shelf life of each ingredient. The shelf-life of your soup mix will be determined by the ingredient with the shortest shelf life.
Once you’ve selected a soup recipe, you’ll notice its ingredients fall into two or more of these categories.
● 1.The soup base
● 2.Produce
● 3.A starch and/or grains
● 4.Protein
● 5.Seasonings
The soup base will likely be a flavored broth (such as beef or chicken), a tomato base, or a cream base. Many online stores, such as Honeyville Grains, sell bouillon in #10 cans. Tomato-based soup mixes are easily prepared with tomato powder, and cream bases generally require dehydrated milk, sometimes dehydrated sour cream, and often bouillon.
If your recipe calls for produce, begin looking for a good source of dehydrated or freeze-dried ingredients at a reasonable price. You can certainly use your own home-dehydrated ingredients, but they generally have a shorter shelf life than their commercially dried counterparts. (One of my favorite soups contains kale; rather than trying to track down dehydrated kale or amassing enough to dry on my own, I decided to set that recipe aside and not expect it to be part of my Survival Soup stash.)
This process should be simple and fun, and if finding sources of certain ingredients becomes more trouble than it’s worth, go on to the next recipe or choose an acceptable alternative ingredient.
Most soups also contain a form of potatoes and/or grains, such as rice and barley. Pasta is another common ingredient. All of these starchy ingredients are easy to obtain, generally inexpensive, and have long shelf lives.
Ingredients in the Protein category may include beans, legumes, and meat. Beans and legumes are simple to find and add to your mix, but you’ll have to decide which form of meat fits your budget and taste-buds. Freeze dried chicken and meat is expensive but worth the money, especially for meat lovers. TVP (Texturized Vegetable Protein) is an alternative with a long shelf life, but it’s one of those love-it/hate-it types of food. Be sure you and your family fall into the love-it category before including it in a soup mix.
Finally, your soup mix will have a variety of seasonings. Large quantities of herbs and spices can be quite expensive, so shop around for the best prices. One particular Italian soup I wanted to make called for saffron. Have you seen the price of saffron? I was planning on making a dozen batches of that soup, but sidelined that particular recipe in order to save my food budget that month! Now, if saffron hadn’t been a pivotal ingredient (it really does make that particular soup), I would have omitted it or found a substitute.
When you’ve gathered together the ingredients for your first batch of Survival Soup, it’s time to make your mixes.
Start with the original recipe in hand. Line by line, convert each ingredient to its dry equivalent. Be especially careful when calculating the measurements of fresh produce to dry. Two cups of dehydrated corn will not give the same result as two cups of fresh or frozen! Pay attention to equivalencies listed on product labels.
Note how much water is required in the original recipe, and then add enough additional water to re-hydrate each dehydrated ingredient, including bouillon, milk, tomato powder, and any produce. When preparing the first batch, always add less water than you think you’ll need. You can always add more.
Once the first batch of mix is ready, prepare it as you would for a meal. This is the real test! Carefully track how much water is used to rehydrate the soup. How is your mixture of seasonings? Too salty? Too spicy? Too basil-y? What about the proportion of liquid to solid ingredients? If you’re happy with the result, terrific! Begin mixing up additional batches and storing them in jars or one-gallon size mylar bags. If the recipe needs adjustments
, make them, and try a second batch.
Trust me. You don’t want to end up with fifteen batches of Italian Bean Soup that is so salty no one will eat it.
As you assemble your ingredients, it’s a good idea to place heavier items in the jar or mylar bag first. Some freeze dried vegetables are lighter and sometimes a bit more fragile than their dehydrated counterparts, so I usually place freeze dried ingredients on top of everything else before I seal the jar or bag.
Out of sight is out of mind, and once your Survival Soup mixes are placed in the recesses of your pantry, you will probably forget exactly how much water should be added and any other directions for preparation. Before you store those jars or bags, be sure to write out directions for preparation and store them with the soup mixes. Note, as well, your estimate of the mix’s shelf life. These mixes will need to be rotated along with your other stored food. For the longest possible shelf life, keep them in a dark, cool, and dry location. An oxygen absorber will help protect the mix from oxidation, a common enemy of stored food.
Soups have always been considered a comfort food and have, rightly, been a part of most survival pantries. Your own Survival Soup mixes combine the best of both worlds: the comfort of soup and the healthy nutrition of homemade.
*Large Mylar bags can be cut into smaller sizes, just right for storing your Survival Soup mixes! Be sure each side of the bag is completely sealed before adding any food.
Lisa Bedford currently writes and blogs as TheSurvivalMom (www.thesurvivalmom.com) and has an international following, with thousands of readers each week. Her blog and preparedness lifestyle have been featured in Newsweek, The Arizona Republic, and in numerous radio and TV interviews. She leads a host of SurvivalMoms who are determined to protect and provide for their families, no matter what. Lisa believes in the power of being prepared for an uncertain future and teaches classes to help others learn these same skills.
Survivalist Anthologies Volume 1 Page 3