Imagine a situation where the world is going into chaos for whatever reason – natural disaster, financial collapse, whatever.  Bugging in is just not an option because your dwelling is in immediate peril.  It’s time to bug out!  But you have to act fast. What do you do?

Bugging out is going to be the beginning of one of the most difficult things you’re going to do in your entire life. I say “the beginning” because when you’re out there, every hour and every day is a race against time. You either get to safety or you don’t.

In what follows, I’m going to let you in on some of the ways to get out of a crowded city, and I’m also going to offer solutions for those of you living in the ‘burbs.

You should know ALL the ways to get out of your city and should have at least a car at your disposal to do so if you’ve done a proper job of prepping. If you live in the suburbs, you probably have one, maybe two ways to get out assuming you’re not going to evacuate through the other side of the city. But that’s not a bad thing; the advantage is that those one or two roads are less likely to be blocked, giving you the opportunity to make a quick exit.

Bug Out Early

This scenario is the best option. If for whatever reason you find out that things are going south before anyone else, you have enough time to bug out before the rest of the town figures they need to do the same.

How can you find out in advance?

• Listen to local radio or TV; police band radio is also a great resource
• Maintain a network of friends and preppers who keep in touch with the latest local happenings
• Anticipate big events by keeping an eye on national news events that could potentially affect you locally

If any or all of the above happen:

• Immediately contact your family and friends and meet them at a pre-determined rally point
• Follow social media as well as local radio and TV networks to confirm that this is really happening
• Decide whether you need to bug in or out or not
• Act as soon as humanly possible

Bug Out At Night

Wait until 3 or 4 in the morning to bug out would be wise if you haven’t waited until the masses are on the move. There should be fewer people roaming the streets at those early hours.

Do not push the pedal to the metal and take off despite the open road. Police may still be patrolling and being pulled over for speeding will delay your exit and potentially foil it completely.

Yes, you need to be quick, but you also have to be on alert. Just because a road looks ok, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Darkness is not just your friend it’s also a friend of your enemies.

Bug Out Undercover

Whether you’ll bug out on foot, using a motorcycle or your car, one thing you need to do is to do it undercover. That means you don’t want to stand out in any way – and they’re a lot of ways you can stand out.

For example, it may be ok to use one of those electric scooters by Segway to evacuate if you have no choice, but do it at 3 AM in the morning might attract attention. Sure, it could work if that’s all you got but keep in mind these can only take you about 15 to 20 miles until you have to recharge them.

One way of staying undercover is to use a more common means of transportation.  It is less obvious what is going on if you’re in a normal vehicle than something that stands out more.  Wouldn’t a quad on the highway stand out to you?

The next thing you should be careful about what you’re wearing. Jewelry, suits and provocative clothes are a no-no. They say wearing a hat can make you look taller in a riot, but if you’re evacuating at night, that won’t matter. It’ll have the added benefit of hiding your face from certain angles. Hats and baseball caps are great in keeping a low profile.

Last but not least, tell as few people that you’re leaving as possible. The fewer neighbors know you left, the better. Otherwise, rumors will spread and someone might eventually burglarize your home.

If you’re evacuating during the day, the same rules apply. Know where you’re heading. Don’t tell anyone and keep going while traveling as calmly as possible.

Conclusion

As you can see, there’s no secret information when it comes to bugging out. You have to be quick. You have to be alert. And, above all else, you must anticipate how and when things will go wrong. There is no bulletproof plant for you to stay safe during a bug out, but bugging out gives you mobility, and it might be the only option for you regardless of whether or not you prepped to bug in.

Armed defense is always an interesting topic when it comes to prepping, survivalism and suburban homesteading.  At the end of the day, I strongly believe in a person’s right to stand their ground and protect themselves.  Jim Cobb shares that belief.  He has used his latest offering, Prepper’s Armed Defense, as a means of explaining how individuals can arm themselves in the pursuit of self-defense.

Book Set-Up

Jim Cobb has written numerous books to date and he has hit on a style that just plain works.  He uses this style in Prepper’s Armed Defense.  It’s a concise, intelligent approach that walks you through each topic and allows the reader to grow their knowledge base chapter by chapter.  That being said, the inquisitive reader can skip to any chapter and consume that knowledge without needing the information provided in previous chapters.

The chapters are as follows:

Chapter 1 – The Realities Of Self-Defense

The unfortunate truth is that self-defense is nothing like it is shown in the movies.  If the good guy thwarts the bad guy in a lethal manner (or even just maims him), he doesn’t get to ride off into the sunset with the girl.  More than likely, he’s going to have a long talk with the local authorities and possibly even spend a night in jail before everything is squared away.  Jim understands the reality of this situation and spends this chapter talking about these kinds of topics.  He talks about such things as situational awareness, training, post-confrontation action plans, self-defense legal concepts (read up on the Castle Doctrine) and the difference between criminal and civil law.  If you take one thing away from this chapter it’s that self-defense is not without possible legal ramifications and you should be prepared to handle that part of the act as well.

Chapter 2 – Non-Lethal Self-Defense Options

As Jim says, “the whole point of self-defense is to make sure you’re still alive and kicking come the next morning.”  That means that if running gets you out of a situation, then it is just as good of a self-defense option as fighting (possibly a better one from a legal perspective).This chapter of Prepper’s Armed Defense centers on all kinds of non-lethal approaches to protecting and defending yourself such as pepper spray, stun guns, tasers, flashlights, and restraints.  On a personal level, I found this chapter to be one of the most beneficial ones in the book as I believe the topic is highly underrated when it comes to self-defense in the prepper/survivalist/homesteading world.

Chapter 3 – Firearms

Ahhh, guns! Every keyboard commandos favorite topic.  Listen, I’m a firm supporter and practitioner of the Second Amendment and completely believe in having firearms for self-defense.  At the same time, I hope to never, ever have to use my firearms in a defensive manner.  That being said, you can’t write a self-defense book without addressing the 800lbs gorilla in the room.  Jim does a great job of writing about firearm selection, ammunition selection, safety (both in the home and handling) and maintenance required.  Truth be told, this chapter of Prepper’s Armed Defense is a great primer for folks who are looking to buy their first firearm.  Even this (somewhat) experienced firearm owner learned a thing or two.

Chapter 4 – Projectile Weapons

Keeping your distance from an attacker may be the difference between life and death in a self-defense situation.  Projectile weapons help you keep that distance while also maintaining a certain degree of safety.  Obviously, a firearm is the most lethal projectile weapon.  But what if you can own a firearm or don’t want to?  Well, there are other projectile weapons like bows and arrows, crossbows, slings and slingshots that can fill the void.  Jim does a great job of describing all these weapons and spends a lot of time explaining how to properly fit and use them.

Chapter 5 – Knives

If you’ve been around this site at all, you know I like sharp things.  Knives are something of a hobby for me (not as much as my buddy Mike at The Backyard Pioneer, but I digress…).  That being said, I loved this chapter of Prepper’s Armed Defense. Jim dug right in and laid down all the basics about knives – folders vs fixed blade, blade material, handle material, blade geometry and general knife terminology.

Much like the firearms chapter, this chapter could be a stand-alone primer for the new knife owner.  Once the basics were laid down, Jim spends time talking about knife fighting and how personal of an experience it will be.  It’s not presented in a manner that is intent on scaring you off, but more as a means of laying down the reality of the situation.  In his words, “Using a knife to intentionally harm another human being takes a certain mindset and commitment.”  Be prepared if you’re going to use a knife for self-defense.

Chapter 6 – Melee Weapons

What’s a melee weapon you ask? Well, I didn’t really know either.  According to Prepper’s Armed Defense, a “melee weapon is used in close proximity to your attacker.”  They can basically be broken down into two categories – blunt weapons and bladed weapons.  Blunt weapons include items such as brass knuckles, batons, bats, canes and walking sticks.  Bladed weapons include items such as machetes, spears, tomahawks and karambits.  Training is key for these items as understanding moving with them in hand is critical to success.

Chapter 7 – Martial Arts Weapons

It’s easy to foresee a situation where a trained martial artist would want to use something they’ve trained with such as a bo staff, nunchaku, tonfa or kubaton.  In reality, unless you’ve spent a lot of time training with them, these weapons are not very realistic or practical for self-defense.  Jim spends some time in this chapter walking you through some common martial arts weapons and the rest talking about important training with them is to your success.

Chapter 8 – Homemade Weapons

The MacGyver chapter of Prepper’s Armed Defense! Jim walks you through a bunch of homemade weapons such as homemade pepper spray, Molotov cocktails, hairspray flamethrowers, modified baseball bats (Lucille anyone?) and slungshots (not a typo).  You’ve probably got everything you need in your house to make most of these and, while they’re not ideal, these items can be a great last line of defense.

Chapter 9 – Force Multipliers

Simply stated, “force multipliers are devices or tactics that allow you and your group to be far more effective against intruders than they might otherwise be.”  Think about how surveillance cameras, drone cameras, alarms and booby traps could be in upping your ability to defend yourself.  This chapter of Prepper’s Armed Defense had me thinking about The Walking Dead and all the preventative measures the different groups have set up around their locations.  Jim does a good job describing the pros and cons of each force multiplier and he spends times talking about how you can roll them into your self-defense plan.

Final Thoughts Section

Jim summarizes the books and gives a few parting shots of wisdom which hinge on the fact that taking a life is no small matter.  One must be prepared for the after effects of such a catastrophic event.

Resources Section

Prepper’s Armed Defense is gear and information heavy.  Jim outlines a bunch of recommended resources – both knowledge-based and hardware – in this section.

Why I Liked Prepper’s Armed Defense

I’ve reviewed a lot of books by Jim Cobb at this point.  In fact, I jump at the opportunity to read his books above most other folks in this genre.  The reason for that is that Jim is very formulaic in the way writes a book.  He provides information in a straightforward, no-BS kind of way.  Jim’s approach doesn’t confuse and doesn’t mince words.  He gets to the point and explains things in plain English.

What I Didn’t Like

Prepper’s Armed Defense didn’t spend a lot of time outside of Chapter 2 talking about ways to avoid the fight.  Why is this important?  Taking a life is a catastrophic event for both parties.  The person performing the act will forever be haunted by it to some extent or another and I think that exaggerating the fact that one should avoid it as much as possible could have been more strongly presented to the reader.

Overall Thoughts on Prepper’s Armed Defense

I think Prepper’s Armed Defense by Jim Cobb is a good addition to your library if you are at all concerned with situations that would warrant self-defense.  While it is gear heavy, it has to be to meet the requirements of the book.  There is also a lot of thought on topics such as the end-effect of self-defense and how to avoid situations where self-defense may be required.  As usual, Jim Cobb doesn’t disappoint.

Disclaimer: Jim Cobb supplied a copy of Prepper’s Armed Defense for me to review. I can assure my readers that I gave it a fair and honest review.

Bushcraft survival is something that a lot of folks in the prepping community have an interest in.  Most of us spend some time outdoors away from our homesteads.  Knowing how to survive if SHTF in those situations is quite important.  In his book The Complete Survival Shelters Handbook, Anthonio Akkermans walks you through the different ways to construct shelters and how each can be used appropriately given your situation.

Book Set-Up

The Complete Survival Shelters Handbook is written in a chronological manner.  That means that it starts with talking about the fundamentals of shelters and then progresses through shelters from natural materials, shelters from modern material and then store-bought shelters.  Finally, the book sums up the shelter process with a chapter on mental preparedness.  The chapters are:

Chapter 1 – Shelter Fundamentals

Shelter fundamentals is an important base of knowledge to know before you go headlong into building shelters.  This chapter is full of information on shelter knowledge – starting with clothing (your first line shelter), move onto to sleeping equipment and finishing up with information on where to build a shelter and what materials to use.  There are two “bonus” sections on how to make cord and a hammer from elements found in the backwoods.

Chapter 2 – Making Debris Shelters With Your Bare Hands

This chapter gets into the fundamentals of what it takes to use natural (backwoods) material to build shelters.  As you might imagine, different areas of the country and different seasons dictate the use of different shelters.  For that reason, the author has provided how-to knowledge on the following types of shelters:

• Natural Shelter
• Rock Shelter
• Debris Hut
• Lean-To
• Stacked Debris Wall
• Round Debris Wall Shelter
• Bent Sapling Shelter
• Subterranean Shelter
• Snow Shelter

Additional information is provided on improvements and furnishing such as fireplaces, shelving, and bedding.

Chapter 3 – DIY And Modern Material Shelters

Anthonio moves into more modern shelters which involved man-made materials.  The topics covered in this chapter include shelter bags, emergency foil blankets, bansha/tarp shelters, Scandinavian Lavvu and a ger or yurt type shelter.  Essentially, this chapter starts with “cowboy camping” situations and finishes with more permanent structures that are built to last more than a night or two.  I was most interested in this chapter due to the breadth of knowledge represented here.  My interest was probably also due to the fact that living in a permanent structure for a long duration interests me greatly.

Chapter 4 – Modern Store-Bought Shelters

All you campers will like this chapter.  In it, Anthonio talks about your basic camping gear including standard hiking tents, hammocks, bivvy bags and bell tents.  The pros and cons of each option are discussed.  In addition, there is a good amount of time spent talking about the best way to use each and how to set each up properly.  I’m an avid camper and try to spend a good amount of time sleeping outdoors.  I agreed with a lot of what was written here but did disagree with a few minor points.  In all honesty, though, my disagreements were so minuscule that they are not worth discussing.  They were more personal preference than technical disagreements.

Chapter 5 – Mental Preparedness

Anthonio wraps up The Complete Survival Shelters Handbook with a smart talk about mental preparedness when it comes to shelter.  He talks about how you should drill (or practice) any shelters you may use as trying to build them under stressful situations is nearly impossible.  In addition, he talks about ways to handle the stress involved with surviving in a shelter and how to gain confidence as you go.  Adopting the right mental attitude is key to surviving in a shelter.

Why I Liked The Complete Survival Shelters Handbook

Anthonio Akkermans takes a very large topic and boils it down to a simple presentation.  The way he systematically approaches shelter building and living is intelligent and easily digestible.  One chapter builds on the next.

The other great part about this book are the pictures.  The Complete Survival Shelters Handbook is picture heavy which makes understanding the topics presented much easier.  As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

What I Didn’t Like

There were two things about this book I didn’t like.  

First, as odd as it may sound given the section above, is the pictures.  While they are plentiful, the pictures are all black and white.  Most are also quite washed out meaning they don’t have good contrast.  This fact makes them hard to read and sometimes lacking in information.  I understand that color pictures cost more during printing, but it would definitely help to better convey the quality information provided in this book.

The second thing I didn’t like about The Complete Survival Shelters Handbook was the writing.  The knowledge presented in this book was top-notch but it often read like a textbook.  That fact alone made getting through this book difficult at times.  A writing approach that was a bit lighter and more story-telling might help make this an easier read.

Overall Thoughts On The Complete Survival Shelters Handbook

I think The Complete Survival Shelters Handbook by Anthonio Akkermans is an overall interesting read.  The knowledge base is top notch and the information presented may help save your life one day.  It’s presentation, while dry at times, is successive in its presentation meaning one part builds on the previous.  While I do not necessarily think this book is a “must have” for a prepping library, I would definitely put it in the “nice to have” category.  It lends itself more to the bushcraft crowd and, for them, I would lean more towards the “must have” category.  

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and think you would too if you have any interest in being in the woods for any reason.

Riots, EMP threats, NASA’s megadrought, clashes between religious fanatics, the U.S. debt increasing and the coming elections – all of these situations point to the same thing: the world may go down south at any time. I’m not saying they will – I hope they won’t – but are we really crazy for prepping for them?

Our minds are running in overdrive about prepping while the Government’s telling us everything is fine and we don’t need to worry. Sometimes they call us crazy… even though preppers are some of the nicest and friendliest people you’ll ever meet.

I wrote this piece to give you tips on how to prepare without appearing crazy or freaked out about what’s to come. You’ll find my prepping suggestions reasonable. Acting on them will make you feel safer and I can almost guarantee you’ll sleep sounder knowing you’re ready for what might come.

Seven Reasonable Prepping Tips

#1. Get Into Shape

Bad situations bring out the worst in people.  When push comes to shove, people will start thinking they have more of a right to something than you and you may need to fight one or more thugs one on one. You may need to jump, crawl, climb and run to save your life. You may need to pull or carry an injured loved one to safety. All of these require strength, flexibility, speed and stamina.

Fortunately, it’s easy to improve all of them. The easiest thing you can do is just walk more! I, for one, love walking and I always find excuses to leave my car in the garage and run errands on foot. Jogging, hiking and going to the gym will all improve your fitness levels and work your muscles. I suggest you focus on tactical fitness exercises such as sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups, jumping jacks and so on.  Remember, prepping is just as much about gaining skills as it is gathering gear.

#2. Get Out Of Debt

I don’t know if an economic collapse will come before the next major natural disaster or if it’s going to be the other way around. What I do know is that, in the case of either one, you don’t want to be owing money to banks or to anyone else.

We’ve always said that you should start of prepping by paying off your debts right now even if that means more effort or not eating out every day. You know what they say, the more you sweat, the less you bleed…

#3. Move Out Of The City

What usually happens during riots is that the downtown area of a city turns into a battlefield. That’s the last place you want to live because you can’t get in, you can’t get out meaning you might get stuck inside for days, even weeks. Even worse, you might get yourself injured trying to get home.

Try to find cheaper housing in the suburbs. You’ll have to be careful about the location, though, to avoid high-crime neighborhoods. You want to be safe before and after a riot, not just during, when those low-income rioters who also live in the suburbs decide to take justice into their own hands. You’ll also want a quick way out of the city if need be.

Fortunately, you needn’t go further than this website to learn about life in the suburbs.

#4. Start Stockpiling

No, you don’t have to fill an entire room with toilet paper.  You should, however, have a pantry full of foods with a long shelf-life such as canned veggies, jams, peanut butter and honey. All you need to do is buy a little more food than usual with each time you go to the supermarket.  Make sure you’re paying attention to the nutritional content of your stored food as well.  A healthy you is a stronger you.

Buy the things you like to eat so you can easily incorporate them into your diet. Food rotation is important because you don’t want to end up with a spoiled pantry. Of course, you can get other things in bulk such as the aforementioned toilet paper, floss, soap and other hygiene products. You should never run out of any of them – catastrophe or not.

#5. Find New Hobbies and Passions

Hiking, camping, fishing, woodworking, gardening, crafts – these can all make you better prepared without anyone suspecting the real reason why you’re doing them. If you thought about finding a new hobby, maybe now’s the time.

Who says you have to start a hobby on your own? You can do many of these things with your kids (and bond with them) or with your spouse (and possibly bring back the romance into your marriage). Hobbies are great bonding opportunities. Who knows, maybe one of them will turn into a passion.

#6. Prepping Your Car

Engine oil, transmission fluid, a toolbox, a spare tire, a shovel, these are things every driver should have in an emergency. To go the extra mile, why not add water and even a few snacks in your trunk? Not just for SHTF events but also in case you get stuck in traffic for longer periods of time. Add an AM/FM radio and a few blankets, too. If you’re stuck in heavy snow for hours, you don’t want to use fuel and your car’s battery to stay warm and hear the latest news.

Last but not least, make sure you have a good first aid kit. Not the basic one that came with the car, of course. You can make your own from scratch to make sure you have everything you need.  Keep an eye open for sales on first aid equipment and you should be able to do this step on the cheap.  For example, I bought some Ibuprofen last night and they had a “buy one get one free” promotion. Now, I can keep the extra pack with the other in my bug out bag or I can add it to my car’s survival kit.

#7. Start a Medicine Cabinet

Keeping in mind that I’m not a doctor and that you should only use my advice for information purposes only, I want you to build on the previous idea of assembling a custom first aid kit. You can take it even further by buying things such as:

• Bandages (triangular, 2×2, 4×4, H bandages etc.)
• Nitrile Gloves
• Burn and Trauma Dressings
• Sam Splint
• Instant Cold Packs
• Dental Kits (dental care is going to be tough in a post-collapse world)
• …and more.

Note: You shouldn’t store your medicine in your bathroom. Keep them in a dark, cool place because the heat and moisture from your shower will decrease their shelf life.

Final Word

Truth be told, I could write another five articles with all the basic prepping actions you could take and not look crazy. This one should give you a great head start in tackling all sorts of scenarios, including a natural disaster, riots or an economic collapse.

The prepping population knows their stuff. Knowing your stuff is sort of the name of the game when it comes to preparing for the worst. It’s necessary to be innovative, resourceful and aware in order to be in control when life as we know it changes drastically. There are many different ways that this scenario can play out and, luckily, many prepping practices cover a lot of different possibilities. We know the basics: food storage, water, protection, shelter, etc. But what about the little tips, or prepping hacks, we’ve learned without thinking about them, little things that make prepping just a little bit easier? We all have some, and here is a list of some survival and prepping hacks I’ve come across.

1. Remember The Crisco

Crisco is an amazing and versatile product. This may not seem like a necessity to have in your storage, but there are many ways that Crisco can be used. It’s great for frying food, greasing pans, and making baked goods. It’s great for the skin in harsh conditions, scaly skin irritants, and can prevent rashes. Other uses include keeping cockroaches away, makeshift soap, making candles, getting things out of your hair, fixing squeaky hinges, preventing diaper rash, and many others. By putting a wick in a tub of Crisco you will have a candle that will reportedly burn for 45 days. There are other alternatives for Crisco including lard or coconut oil. Crisco, however, has a longer shelf life if stored properly and combines the perks and prepping hacks of these alternatives in one product.

2. Get The Seeds

Like I said before, as preppers, we know the importance of food storage. This practice will be vitally important if we are forced to live off of what we have and aren’t able to go out and grab some groceries. It’s important to understand food longevity, creative cooking methods, and the ability to hunt. Food storage, however, shouldn’t be the only way you are preparing to eat if the worst happens. The downside to food storage is that you are forced to leave a lot behind if you are forced to relocate. The solution to this problem is one of the easiest prepping hacks: buy and store a pack of seeds. This will enable you to grow your own, fresh food source and something easy to barter with. The seeds I’d recommend because of their ease to grow are:

• Beets
• Radishes
• Beans
• Basil
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes

3. Don’t Forget The Medicine

Storing medicine is one of the first prepping hacks you should consider.  The uses for medicine are an obvious necessity when prepping. It’s extremely important to have a stockpile of medicine that you need for your own specialized medical issues like insulin, inhalers or any other life-saving medication you need. This approach can be tricky for some types of medicine as some prescriptions are quite hard to refill before you’ve finished the amount you were prescribed. Some other types of medicine that are important to keep on hand are pain relievers, antidiarrheal medicines, orajel, amoxicillin, antacids, rubbing alcohol, and antibiotic ointment. A wound dressing is important as well so be sure to remember gauze. Infection can be an overlooked issue with prepping but can easily cause limb loss or death if not treated properly.

4. Bring The Baby Oil

Baby oil is another product that is easily overlooked but can be useful in a survival situation. In cold areas where you are outside in the elements a lot, baby oil can protect your exposed skin from dry or frostbitten skin. The risk for frostbite is highest for people who have reduced blood circulation. It is important for frostbite affected tissue to be removed immediately or gangrene and infection will take hold. Without the proper medication, infection can cause death.  Baby oil will not completely eliminate the risk of frostbite, of course, but it will help delay the effects and is one of the easiest prepping hacks to follow.

5. It’s All About The Silver

There are many different types of disaster that can happen at any moment and an economic collapse is one of those possibilities. If it ends up that the dollar no longer means anything in our society we will have to revert back to a monetary system that was in place before paper money was in place as a sort of IOU for the gold and silver it was supposed to represent. Like gold, silver can be used as a hedge against inflation, deflation or currency debasement.

6. The Multi-Purpose Pad

The pad, primarily used for feminine hygiene, is an extremely versatile tool and prepping hack. Along with compiling stockpiles of food, water, and other important supplies, pick up a package of pads for your survival stash. Pads can be used for absorbing lighter fluid to be used later and is extremely light to carry. The cotton material inside the pad can be used for water filtration or creating a wick. You can use it to stop bleeding if you have a wound or clean a wound. They can be used with string to create a mask, shoe insoles, or an ice pack.

7. Creative Uses For Condoms

Condoms are another cheap and easy-to-carry item that will be great in a survival situation. Aside for their intended purpose, these great prepping hacks can hold a gallon of water which can be a lot easier than toting around a water jug to do the same. However, once you fill a condom up with water they become highly susceptible to puncture even by small or blunt objects. I’d recommend keeping them around just in case, but not as your main means for keeping water. They are also great for keeping things dry like kindling or matches. The downside to using condoms for water or keeping things dry is the lubricant on the outside, but it’s a small price to pay as an easy substitution for a water jug in a pinch or a way to keep life-saving matches dry.

Survival and Prepping Hacks Wrap Up

Whether your prepping stash includes a giant storage warehouse filled with all of the necessary belongings needed in case disaster strikes or just a small tote filled with a few necessities, hopefully, you discovered a few extra hacks to think about in the case of emergency. What unique prepping or survival hacks have you discovered?

Natural medicine is something you will invariably hear about as you get involved in the prepping community.  We, as a general society, have become very dependent on conventional medicine – doctors, hospitals, pharmacists, etc.  If a SHTF scenario ever happens, we’ll need to be able to take care of ourselves both from a conventional medicine standpoint and a traditional medicine, or natural medicine standpoint.  Cat Ellis’ latest offering, Prepper’s Natural Medicine, walks you through the unnecessarily intimidating world of natural medicine.

Book Set-Up

Cat has created Prepper’s Natural Medicine in a very concise, direct manner.  Each chapter listed below is presented in an intelligent chronological manner which builds on the information already presented.  The chapters in the book are:

Chapter 1 – Introduction

Cat uses this chapter to introduce herself and her background.  She also spends a significant amount of time talking about why we should use natural medicine, the benefits of using natural medicine in a SHTF scenario and, most importantly, her version of natural medicine.

Chapter 2 – Stocking The Home Apothecary

This is where Cat starts to get into the nuts and bolts of natural medicine.  She takes the time to describe all the different items you will need to start in the natural medicine movement including formula ingredients such as herbs, alcohol, vinegar, glycerin, raw honey, beeswax, propolis, mushrooms, oils and fats, bentonite clay, kaolin clay, activated charcoal, salts and essential oils.  Don’t worry – you don’t need to have all of these things to get started! Cat just does a great job of outlining everything you may need!  In addition to these ingredients, she also discusses containers and other equipment you may need to start working with natural medicine.

Chapter 3 – Basic Skills

Very simply put, this is the ‘how to’ section of the book.  Cat goes through all the different ways you can create natural medicine and walks through the general directions for the creation of each.  The methods discussed include:

• Tisanes – Infusions and Decoctions, as well as Blending Herbs for Tisanes
• Tinctures
• Aceta
• Herbal Wines
• Glycerin and Glycerites
• Oxymels
• Syrups
• Elixirs
• Infused Honey
• Electuaries
• Powders
• Pastilles
• Poultice
• Infused Oils (both cold and warm infusions)
• Salves
• Lotions and Creams

She also discusses topics such as fresh vs dried herbs as well as the effect of alcohol percentage in tinctures.

Chapter 4 – Materia Medica

“Materia Medica” is a Latin medical term for the body of collected knowledge about the therapeutic properties of any substance used for healing.  This section is the meat and potatoes part of the book.  There over sixty-five pages of information on fifty individual herbs and plants which are used in natural medicine.  Common material such as cayenne, comfrey, garlic, ginger, lemon balm, sage, thyme and valerian are discussed as well as lesser known items such as Chinese skullcap, hyssop, ma huang and sida.

Cat discusses the Parts Used, Actions, Preparations, Dose, Uses and Contraindications for each item.  The information discussed here is incredibly in-depth and useful.

Chapter 5 – Herbal First Aid Kit

As you might expect from the title, this chapter walks you through building a first aid kit which consists of natural solutions.  Cat talks about how each person’s first aid kit will differ, but she does spend some time walking through different items she recommends everyone have including ingredients required and the directions on how to construct them.  She includes natural medicine solutions for some common situations including infection, inflammation, burn care, constipation, earaches, nausea/vomiting, sore throats, sprains, stress and wound wash (among others).

Chapter 6 – Everyday Natural Medicine

In addition, to the remedies mentioned in Chapter 5, Cat spends a significant amount of time in this chapter talking about preventative, as opposed to reactionary, natural medicine solutions.  You would use the solutions in this chapter if you have a chronic situation or know that you require a longer term solution.

Appendices & Indexes

There a multiple different tables and lists that summarize different natural medicine solutions as well as herbs that are used in different situations.  In addition, there are lots of links to external information sources.  Definitely a treasure trove of information.

Why I Liked Prepper’s Natural Medicine

Plain and simple, Cat Ellis takes a very daunting, ambiguous topic and brings it down to a simple presentation that just makes sense.  I’ve not only been able to understand her writing but have started to implement some of her suggestions and can attest to the fact that her directions are complete.

In my opinion, that’s the best part of this book – the level of knowledge that is presented in a clear, concise manner.

What I Didn’t Like

I don’t want to be that guy, but there was not much to not like about this book.  It reads as an information book and is definitely more of an educational tool than a theoretical or opinion-lead work.

Overall Thoughts On Prepper’s Natural Medicine

I think Prepper’s Natural Medicine by Cat Ellis is a solid addition to your long-term survival library.  The natural medicine information provided is straight-forward and no-nonsense.  In addition, the presentation is put together in a chronologically intelligent way.  You can build on the information as it is presented to you.  The book, in its non-digital form, will be a great possession to have in your survival kit.

I don’t know anyone involved with preparedness and survival that hasn’t heard of, seen or even purchased paracord. Be it a survival bracelet or a 100ft coil, you stow it in your Bug Out Bag for an emergency situation.

I am a strong believer that you should know HOW to use each and every single piece of gear in your pack before you need it. There is no point trying to learn on the job, so to speak. That approach could mean all of your best-laid plans fail because you didn’t invest the time upfront.

In this article, we will take a look at 10 uncommon uses for paracord. They are easy to do and I recommend you try some of them out once you’ve finished reading.

They could save your life one day.

Where To Get High-Quality Paracord?

Getting a “good deal” on survival equipment should be a secondary consideration – Quality is the primary concern. You need to be able to trust the paracord you have and you do that by buying high-quality paracord.

There are a lot of vendors out there for paracord.  I support my local shop most of the time and you should too if you have the option. If you don’t have any paracord close by, then check out Amazon for 100-foot sections at a good price.

Let’s get to the paracord projects!

Project #1 – Fishing Lure

Procuring food will be high on the agenda if you decide to bug out or when the delivery trucks stop running. Feeding yourself and your family will be a skill that every man and woman will need if they are to survive.

Fishing is one of the ‘easiest’ forms of catching food, plus it expends very few calories when compared to stalking, hunting and trapping animals for example.

Not only can paracord be used as a fishing line, but also a lure. A Lure is used to attract the attention of the fish and is a kind of Trojan horse, in that it’s designed to be something it is not and hidden in plain sight.

In the video above, you can see how she frays the ends and each strand of the cord to make it more attractive to the fish and to look like bait.

Project #2 – Fishing Line

That’s not all those small inner stands are great for, you can also make an improvised fishing rod and a line from a long piece of wood and a few meters of an inner stand that has been split down to it’s single most thread.

Combine this with the fishing lure mentioned above and you have everything you need for a spot of fly-fishing.

Project #3 – Paracord Net

During a SHTF event, a net made from paracord can be used for a number of applications, such as:

• Gear and vehicle concealment
• Catching fish, turtles and other food
• Shelter roofing to add leaves and other materials
• A hammock

The examples above a just a few ways to make use of a paracord net, watch the video below to find out how to make one from scratch.

Project #4 – Sutures

Most top-grade paracord has at least five strands, most of the time you will find seven small strands enclosed within the outer casing. These inner strands are what provide the strength to the paracord.

On their own, they are tough but fairly weak. However, combine them and you have some seriously strong stuff. The outer casing itself is weak and shouldn’t be separated from the inner strands and used to bear any weight alone.

One of the great uses in a SHTF situation is to remove one of those inner strands, which can then be split down even further to make a thread that is thin enough to thread through the eye of a needle.

If you have an open wound that needs to be closed up, you can use this to do so, whilst this is only a temporary measure, you will feel like Rambo afterward!

It is easy to make these smaller strands by taking just a single length of inner paracord strand, and twisting it between your fingers until the 2 smaller stands come away from each other. They can then be spliced apart easily.

Project #5 – Sewing and Gear Repairs

By using the same method used in the last section to create small thin strands, which have a load capacity of around 25lbs each, you can perform running repairs on your gear.

Think about it, you have a pack full to the brim, bursting with all the gear you need to survive. Now say you snag the pack on a branch and it tears open, or one of the straps breaks under the heavy load.

You can use these smaller inner strands of cord to sew your gear back together and get on with the task in hand.

Obviously this will require you to have some sewing needles in your pack or on your person, however, you can improvise by using a stick that has been sharpened to a point and simply tie the cord onto the end.

There is a downside to this however in that the holes in your gear will be larger and make the attachment points weaker.

Project #6 – Snares and Traps

I also mentioned trapping as a low-calorie expending way to catch your dinner. Setting snares and traps is a great way to spend some time when out in the wilderness in a survival situation.

You may have seen these spring-loaded traps before. In the video above, the young man uses string. Depending on the type of animal you are aiming to catch, paracord is much better suited due to its high breaking strength.

Project #7 – Replacement Boot Laces

Even if you have a bug out vehicle, the chances are you are going to have to spend some time on foot getting to your bug out location and/or protecting your home from opportunistic looting.

A good pair of sturdy tactical boots are perfect and will last a good few years if looked after. However, it’s the boost laces that often are the first point of failure I footwear.

They can get snagged, you can pull them too hard and they break. They degrade over time from the water, dirt, strain and the general wear and tear you put on them.

Paracord is a perfect replacement for your shoelaces. In fact, I swap out my laces each time I buy a new pair of boots for that very reason. It will stand up to pretty much anything you can throw at it and it can also be used for several other things such as the fishing lure I mentioned above.

Simply snip off one end to make the lure, and you still have enough lace to tie off your boots.

Project #8 – Splint, Sling, and Tourniquets

A broken finger, or any bone for that matter, in a SHTF situation is amplified by ten because of the situational requirements on you when you need your body to be fully alert and functional.

A broken finger, whilst painful, is also manageable. To aid the healing process and to prevent further damage, simply wrapping the broken finger and the finger next to it with paracord will act as a splint that will be strong and sturdy enough to provide support.

Should you be unlucky enough to break your leg, you can also use paracord and a thick branch, about the thickness of your wrist, to support the leg.

If you have a broken arm, however, you are in trouble and you need to get that arm secure and out of the way, again to prevent further damage.

By wrapping the paracord around the broken area a few times and then looping it around the neck and over your shoulder, you can have a makeshift sling.

If you have a large wound or have a member of your group who is losing a lot of blood, the first thing to apply is a tourniquet. Which, can be improvised by using a single length of paracord, tied off above the wound and then using a small stick, you twist the paracord to tighten against the leg and slow the loss of blood.

Project #9 – Bow Drill String

Making fire by friction is a skill all preppers and survivalist should possess. This is one skill that required practice and a lot of patience.

There is a great feeling of accomplishment when you complete your first friction fire. That’s not to mention the feeling of comfort and safety that comes from within, knowing you have the skill to keep making something that can keep you warm, cook your food and purify your water.

You can use paracord to make the bow section of your bow drill set, as it is strong enough to withstand the pressure exerted by the drill.

Fire, or as woodsmen call it…the outdoors TV is truly a remarkable survival tool.

Project #10 – Vehicle Hose Clamp

If you’re bugging out by vehicle and one of the clamps on the hoses in your engine fails, you can use paracord to cinch down tightly around the hose which will hold it in place until you can make a full repair when appropriate.

In fact, there are many uses for paracord with vehicles such as securing items to your roof and even to dip into the gas tank to soak up extra fuel which can then be wrapped around a stick for a torch or to help get a fire going in less than ideal conditions.

Conclusion

I hope you got a few new ideas about what you can do with paracord. It isn’t just for making colorful bracelets! You should be developing your skills with paracord all the time so when you really need them, you can work effectively under pressure. That is what survival and prepping is all about.

What is your next paracord project? Let me know in the comments below.

Financial freedom is something I often preach about here on Suburban Steader. All suburban homesteaders can benefit from being free of financial burden.  How do you get there?  There are lots of ways to go about it.  You can get quite overwhelmed with all the different ways to get to financial independence.  Jim Cobb’s latest offering, Prepper’s Financial Guide, walks you through different topics which will lead towards financial independence.

Book Set-Up

Jim has laid out Prepper’s Financial Guide in a very concise manner as is typical with his books. Each chapter is precise and addresses both the why and how of each topic. The chapters are as follows:

Chapter 1 – What Is An Economic Collapse?

Jim spends some time talking about the definition of an economic collapse as well as describing what can cause one.  He goes into depth talking about some economic collapses in history including Germany (1921-1924), the US (1929-1940) and Argentina (1998-2002).

Chapter 2 – Debt Reduction

The first step in finding financial freedom is debt reduction. You’re halfway home if you don’t owe anyone anything.  Jim discusses topics such as authoring a budget, reducing your realistic debts (debt snowball, anyone?), managing credit cards and cutting your expenses in both soft and hard approaches.

Chapter 3 – Currency

Do you know the difference between commodity and fiat currencies? Want to understand more about exchange rates? This chapter of Prepper’s Financial Guide will set you straight.

Chapter 4 – Precious Metals And Minerals

Most preppers know that gold and silver are the mainstays in ‘prepping currency.’  Jim dives into these precious metals and others.  He also talks about minerals (diamonds, rubies, etc.) in this chapter.

Chapter 5 – Post-Collapse Barter And Trade Goods

Stocking up on vices, consumables and medical supplies is recommended in this chapter because barter items will be the ‘normal’ currency in a SHTF scenario.

Chapter 6 – Bartering Skills Instead Of Stuff

Don’t have any material possessions to trade? No worries. Jim talks about trading time and sweat of your brow in this chapter.

Chapter 7 – Safeguarding Valuables

Safes, hiding spots, and caches – as you might expect – are the main topics in this chapter.

Chapter 8 – Investing In Self-Sufficiency

This chapter of Prepper’s Financial Guide is one of the longer ones.  Jim spends a lot of time explaining how the best way to survive a financial downturn is to reduce your dependence on purchasing power.  Grow a garden, raise your own livestock, learn about medicinal plants and herbs, grow your handyman skill set – these are all skills you can be doing now to reduce your financial dependence later.

Chapter 9 – Putting It All Together: The Home Of The Self-Sufficient Investor

Setting up your property to be self-sufficient and maximize your investments is a key part of being a financially free prepper.  Jim’s exploration of this topic is broad and general due to the fact that each situation will be unique.

Chapter 10 – Final Thoughts

Jim summarizes the books and gives a few parting shots of wisdom.

Why I Liked Prepper’s Financial Guide

You’ll notice that Jim doesn’t have any Earth-shattering information in his book when you compare it to most financial books. Everything he presents is rock solid advice that most anyone will provide AND he paints it in a prepper’s hue. In my opinion, there are a few things in this book that make it a quality addition to your long-term survival library:

• Bluntness – Jim has a history of not sugar-coating anything. An economic collapse situation is going to be tough. Getting your mind wrapped around that idea and accepting it is going to be half the battle.
• Checklists – Much like in Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide, Jim disperses valuable checklists in the chapters and provides a large, long barter item checklist at the end.
• Creativeness – Jim’s approaches are not always in line with mainstream thinking.  He’s not afraid to think outside of the box and present unorthodox ideas.

What I Didn’t Like

In my opinion, an economic collapse will bring out the worst in people.  Folks will be capable of doing most anything when they are hungry, thirsty and cold.  I would have expected a bit more in the chapter about safeguarding your valuables.  I think Jim’s view is a little too utopian – although this book wasn’t intended as a prediction of social environments.  I have to say that I was a bit surprised that the “Oldest Profession In The World” didn’t come up in Chapter 6.  I wouldn’t expect Jim to promote it, but I would expect that – if you’re talking about bartering “skills” – the topic would come up.

Overall Thoughts on Prepper’s Financial Guide

I think Prepper’s Financial Guide by Jim Cobb is a solid addition to your long-term survival library.  Most of the financial information and advice provided is no different than the majority of financial books and websites out there, however, the book is written with the prepper in mind.  That last fact makes it a good read.

Disclaimer: Jim Cobb supplied a copy of Prepper’s Financial Guide for me to review. I can assure my readers that I gave it a fair and honest review.

Julie Sczerbinki’s latest offering – The Survival Savvy Family: How To Be Your Best During The Absolute Worst – is different than most survival and preparedness books.

Most are written from a gloom-and-doom, the-world-is-about-to-end point of view. Those books and the skills described in them have their place. I, however, enjoy survival based books which present clear, concise information without fear mongering.

The Survival Savvy Family nails this approach with its instructive, easy to read style.

Set-Up of The Survival Savvy Family

Julie – who describes herself as a Coach purse carrying, Go-Bag packing wife and mom – has obviously gone through great pains to lay out the book in a way that allows you to walk through the stages of getting your family prepared for all possible scenarios.

Each chapter has actionable items and clearly explains the reasoning behind her suggestions. The chapters are as follows:

Introduction

This section is a quick few pages that outline Julie’s thoughts on preparedness. She begins with asking a few questions:

If my family had to evacuate, where would we go?

How would we have managed if our tap water was contaminated?

What would I have fed the kids if we were stuck on the Atlanta interstate for ten hours like thousands were during a winter storm?

What exactly goes in an emergency kit?

A few personal anecdotes roll into a strong reasoning to become prepared as a family. The stories here are the genesis for the chapters to follow.

Chapter 1 – Family Emergency Plan

What you should prepare for and how to create your plan are the main topics in this chapter. Julie hits on some topics that most people don’t think of such as:

• Divorced Family Plans
• Plans For Family Members With Special Needs
• Pet Plans

The end of the chapter has a template you can use to start formulating your own Family Emergency Plan.

Chapter 2 – The Emergency Kit

Emergency Kits, Go-Bag, Bug-Out-Bags, GOD Bags – there are all kinds of names for the same thing.

This chapter in The Survival Savvy Family talks about how to build one for each member of your family.

Have you thought about what your child’s bag should include and shouldn’t include? What about extra gear that you may be able to grab if you have time? Are you pets accounted for? Julie addresses all of these concerns.

The chapter concludes with a nifty checklist that you can use to begin building your own Emergency Kit.

Chapter 3 – Be Ready In Your Pantry

You are fairly well-versed on building a pantry if you’ve spent any time in prepping or suburban homesteading circles.

Julie’s approach is nothing new but she does a good job of calming the new-comer’s fears as well as describing a systematic approach to building a quality pantry.

There’s even a checklist of non-food essentials that you should make sure are in your pantry.

Chapter 4 – Medical Readiness

One of my biggest fears as a parent is having a medical emergency involving one of my children and not being to act on it. This chapter in The Survival Savvy Family has helped alleviate some of those fears by showing me ways to prevent it.

The chapter starts with ways to increase your level of health. She’s taking the ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ approach. She then goes into ways to build your medical skill set – including how to teach your kids to handle medical emergencies.

In addition to the skill sets, Julie provides a great checklist for building your Home First Aid Kit and a great template for adding medical history to your Family Emergency Plan.

Chapter 5 – Financial Readiness

You know that financial preparedness is near and dear to my heart if you’ve spent any time on this blog. Taking care of your finances is the first big step in taking care of your family.

Like me, Julie is a big fan of setting up an emergency fund and then paying off debt. She even recommends the debt snowball approach made famous by Dave Ramsey.

Other topics such as insurance, wills and creating a Grab-And-Go Binder are discussed in this chapter.

Chapter 6 – Away From Home

Being safe at home is all well and good, but what happens when you’re on the road? The Survival Savvy Family goes into great depths in the chapter with sections on:

• Everyday Carry
• Get Home Bags
• Car Preparedness
• Work Preparedness
• School Preparedness
• Safety On Vacation

As usual, there are great checklists at the end of this chapter for building a Get Home Bag and setting up ‘survival’ kits for different locations.

Chapter 7 – Power Outages

What is the one situation that each of us is almost guaranteed to encounter in our lifetime – regardless of geographic location, age, economic status or social standing? If you said a loss of power, you’d be correct.

In this chapter of The Survival Savvy Family, Julie does a good job of how to get prepared for a loss of power. All areas are covered including lighting, cooking, temperature management and choosing a backup power source.

As always, there’s a great checklist for making a Power Outage Kit at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 8 – Be Ready To Stay Or Go

I’m embarrassed to admit that I got a song from the Clash (Should I Stay Or Should I Go?) stuck in my head when I started reading this chapter! That being said, Julie does a great job of explaining when you should bug-out or bug-in.

Including in this chapter are the following lists and templates:

• Making A Busy Box For The Kids
• Emergency Tool Kit List
• Last Minute Checklist For Bugging Out

Chapter 9 – Natural Disaster Savvy

Surviving and handling tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, floods, severe thunderstorm, and snowstorms are all covered in this chapter of The Survival Savvy Family.

Chapter 10 – House Fires

House fires are more common than you might realize and most people aren’t ready for them.

Julie goes into some excruciating detail about how to prevent house fires. She also describes how to fight them if they pop up and how to escape from them if they get out of control.

The last part of the chapter is all about creating a house fire evacuation plan.

Chapter 11 – Home Invasions

Is your home security beefed up? Are you sure?

Julie spends a good amount of time talking about door locks, windows, garage doors and sliding glass doors in this chapter. The pros and cons of each are discussed and ideas on burglar-proofing them are also presented.

The topic of vacation comes up as well in this chapter of The Survival Savvy Family. Julie spends some time talking about prepping your home for when you’re on vacation.

The topic of weapons in the home is also broached.

Chapter 12 – Personal Safety

Personal safety is always a tough topic to discuss because most people want to believe that they are aware of their surroundings.

When it comes down to it, most aren’t.

Situational awareness is a topic that is talked about a lot in this chapter as well as ways to defend yourself – both with a weapon and without.

Chapter 13 – Ready Kids Are Safe Kids

The final chapter of The Survival Savvy Family is all about your most precious asset – your children.

Abduction prevention, online safety, firearm safety and bullying are all topics Julie is not afraid to broach.

While it’s not a dyed-in-the-wool survival topic, this chapter may be the most important chapter for many of us.

Why I Liked The Survival Savvy Family

First things first – there’s nothing Earth-shattering in this book. Julie doesn’t provide the magic pill for being prepared.

What she does in this book is provide rock-solid suggestions in a progressive, mature manner. There are a few things about this book that make it a quality addition to your long-term survival library:

• Book Size: Believe it or not, the physical size of the book is appealing. It is 7.5″ tall and 5.5″ wide which makes it a great pocket reference. Literally, it fit in the cargo pocket of my pants and shorts.
• Progression: While she never stated it, I feel like Julie presented the chapters in a natural progression which allows the reader to us this book as a guide to preparedness. Complete all the chapters in order and your family will be in great shape!
• Checklists & Templates: This book is awesome for creating documents and kits based on the information Julie provides. The checklists and templates allow you to get started and then modify as necessary. They are going to be key to re-starting my family’s preparedness planning.

What I Didn’t Like

I mentioned that The Survival Savvy Family is not Earth-shattering but it is chock-full of knowledge. I think there are certain areas that need a little more breadth to them. For instance, the Home Invasion and Personal Safety chapters are both kind of weak on what to do if something happens. They spend much more time discussing how to prevent those actions. The book is already over 200 pages (remember, it is a physically smaller book than normal), so perhaps Julie was limited in her ability to add more depth while still covering the topics she wanted to cover.

Overall Thoughts on The Survival Savvy Family

Overall, I think The Survival Savvy Family: How To Be Your Best During The Absolute Worst by Julie Sczerbinski is a must have for your long-term survival library. The straightforward approach and progressive chapters build quite the family plan for preparedness. Following her suggestions and plans will result in a family that is ready to weather any storm. I can’t recommend the checklists and templates enough. They will get you over the hump and moving towards preparedness much faster than the information alone.

This book is a great reference manual for home and family preparedness!

Disclaimer: Julie Sczerbinski supplied a copy of The Survival Savvy Family: How To Be Your Best During The Absolute Worst for me to review. I can assure my readers that I gave it a fair and honest review.

Prepping with kids is never easy.  And, as a suburban homesteader, you probably have a few running around your place.  But, just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean that you can’t do it.  Kids are amazingly resilient and are also sponges for knowledge.  If you can introduce them to prepping skills wrapped in fun activities, you’re well on your way to making your kids more self-sufficient.

With that thought in mind, here are seven prepping skills your kids can learn today:

1. Basic Construction & Repair

Every suburban homesteader and prepper does work around the house. You could be building a new garden bed, fixing a leaking pipe, installing an appliance or doing major landscaping.

Whatever it is, you can get your kids involved.  Have them hold tools for you and let them help – swing a hammer, twist a wrench, thread a screw, whatever.

My kids love getting involved and, while it slows down the job, the sense of accomplishment on their face when it’s done is worth it.

The bonus is that they’re learning prepper skills that will never leave them.  My girls will be able to do all the plumbing in their house when I get done with them.  They’re already better with a hammer than some of my friends.

2. Hiking

Getting your kids outdoors is key to teaching them just about any prepping skill or homesteading lifestyle.

A great way to achieve this goal is to take them on hikes.  They don’t need to be huge hikes.  For instance, I’m writing this in 2015 and my girls are five and a half years old.  We go on a regular hike that takes us about a half to three-quarters of a mile into the woods.  I’ve made a ‘camp’ (a few log benches in a semi-hidden ridge) that we go to.

We’ll bring a lunch and, in the colder months, make some hot chocolate.  They’re free to play in the woods and explore.  Everyone enjoys themselves but, most importantly, it’s an activity that is fostering a love for the outdoors in my kids.  We’re also learning about the woods and I take the time to introduce bushcraft skills that are age appropriate.

3. Gardening

What kid doesn’t like getting dirty?  And what suburban homesteader or prepper worth their salt doesn’t have a garden?  Sounds like a match made in heaven to me.

Give the kids a section of the garden that is theirs.  They can plant whatever they want in it.  Let them tend to it, weed it, water it, etc.  Don’t make it a chore but rather a learning experience.

My kids love watching the herbs grow because they’re fast.  They’re not as interested in the slower growing plants so keep that in mind as well.  Fast results will keep them interested.

4. Composting

Kids love getting dirty, but they also hate taking out the trash.  Especially stinky trash.  But my kids love bringing table scraps to the compost pile.  They’ll bring out the leftovers from dinner and have me turn the pile.  One of them will even pull the big worms out!  We talk a little about their day and about what’s going on in the compost pile.  It’s win, win for all involved.  Compost is easy to make.  If you don’t live in an area where you can compost, you can accomplish pretty much the same thing with a worm bin.

5. Fire Starting

Fire and knives are the two things I see most parents freak out about. Likewise, their two of the most important prepping skills you can learn.

The fears these parents have are not without merit – both activities are quite dangerous if not properly managed. That being said, even five and a half-year-olds are old enough to understand that they only do this kind of thing with a parent around.

If you walk them through the phases of making a fire – collecting kindling, tinder and fuel wood, build a fire bundle, etc – and make it a game, they’ll have a blast.

Plus, wait until you see the excitement on a little kid’s face when you create a fire from a fresnel lens.  I guarantee it’ll be worth the work and patience.

6. Camping

Get them outside! Camping is an exciting adventure for everyone.  It allows the kids to pretend they’re on some magic treasure hunt or with a group of warriors heading out on a grand adventure.

Whatever the scenario, camping always seems to get kids imaginations going.  You can also build in some other skills here including hiking, fire starting, first aid and cooking.

Camping is an awesome, wholesome family activity that will bring you years of enjoyment and allow you to introduce your kids to numerous prepping skills.

7. Why We’re Prepared

Most of all, teach your kids why we prepare.

You don’t need to tell them about crazy politicians, EMPs or zombie apocalypses.  That’s scary stuff that kids don’t need to hear.

You can concentrate on the fact that sometimes bad things happen – storms cause power outages, cars break down, people get hurt – and we need to be prepared to handle it. A strong mindset is probably the best prepper skill they can get their hands on.

There’s a great book called Jake and Miller’s Big Adventure: A Prepper’s Book For Kids that my kids love.  It’s an awesome story about a boy, his dog and how they prepare for a (you guessed it) big adventure.  Highly recommended reading!

Conclusion

These are seven ways to get your kids into the prepping and homesteading mindset.  Are they going to be Rambo-esque survivalists?  No way (do you really want them – or you – to?).  Will they learn to enjoy the outdoors, think critically and evaluate situations for possible outcomes? Absolutely.

And that’s what it’s all about – teaching your kids to think for themselves and more towards a more self-sufficient mindset.