The Cor Outfitters Intelligence Community: 2016-03-06

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Deadly Plastic Knives (and other plastic weapons of choice)

via YouTube Video Don't forget to visit the store and pick up some gear at The COR Outfitters. How prepared are you for emergencies?
#SurvivalFirestarter #SurvivalBugOutBackpack #PrepperSurvivalPack #SHTFGear #SHTFBag

What did you do to prep this week?

Before we get started with today’s post, I’d like to thank and give a shoutout to Lana E and Bill D for the contributions this week, it’s greatly appreciated. It lets me know that this site is helping people. If you too would like to send a contribution you can do that here.

I’d also like to thank everyone for the emails, thank yous and compliments from readers who’ve read my new book “The Prepper’s Guide to Surviving the End of the World, as We Know It: Gear, Skills, and Related Know-How”. I’m glad that so many people are finding the book...

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Don't forget to visit the store and pick up some gear at The COR Outfitters. Are you ready for any situation?
#SurvivalFirestarter #SurvivalBugOutBackpack #PrepperSurvivalPack #SHTFGear #SHTFBag

Prep Blog Review: Prepping For The Collapse

If many of the disaster we are prepping for are left to hazard, the economic collapse is not. In fact we already feel its effects on our day to day life and no matter how much we try to kid ourselves that maybe it won’t happen we know that it already did!

So instead of waiting for things to get worse in order to be convinced, here are 5 articles that we stumbled upon and discuss how close we are of an actual collapse and what you can do to stay on top of things.

1. The 5 Places In America You DON’T Want To Be When Society Collapses

Prep 1 “What would you say is the number one threat to lead to an end-of-the-world-like scenario? A terrorist attack? An EMP strike? A natural disaster? An economic collapse?

All of these are possibilities, but in each one, a thick population density will make it far worse. There’s no denying that people panic when a crisis occurs, and that panic is only multiplied when more people are living closely to one another.”

Friday, March 11, 2016

Tim Kennedy never fails! This is awesome! #thecoroutfitters #timkennedy #timechange #clocks #bomb

via Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/BC0iQVQlhw9/

Hiding in Plain Sight – There Are Others Like Us

Written by R. Ann Parris on The Prepper Journal.

These are the people we can go to, explaining simply that we’d like to get closer to our roots, learn a new skill, indulge in a hobby, live more connected to our history and the land around us, or that we’d like to be more self-sufficient for environmental or health reasons. No “P” word involved.

The post Hiding in Plain Sight – There Are Others Like Us appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

from The Prepper Journal
Don't forget to visit the store and pick up some gear at The COR Outfitters. How prepared are you for emergencies?
#SurvivalFirestarter #SurvivalBugOutBackpack #PrepperSurvivalPack #SHTFGear #SHTFBag

Do you have what it takes to survive TEOTWAWKI? My Book Will Show You How-To-Do-It!

The Prepper’s Guide to Surviving the End of the World, as We Know It: Gear, Skills, and Related Know-How – now only $11.30 in paperback!

Also, don’t forget to order my other books…

My thoughts an experiments with various means of off grid cooking

by BCtruck – subscribe to his YouTube channel for great do-it -yourself projects.

I’m a firm believer in redundancy or the old adage,” one is none and two is one”. Over the last few months, I’ve put a lot of time and effort into experimenting with different methods of boiling water and cooking off grid. While I haven’t tested them all by any means, I’ve tested several and I have come to some interesting conclusions. Who knows, maybe my experiments will save you some time or perhaps cause you to reconsider an option for cooking that you have put in...

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6 Wild Birds You Should Attract To Your Homestead

Most of us don’t give much thought to birds except to notice that they’re pretty or that they sing sweetly, or that they sing at 6 am on a Saturday morning when we’re trying to sleep in!

However, birds can be hugely useful on a farm, or they can be extremely harmful. There are several birds that you want to attract to your homestead, and that’s what we’re talking about today.

How useful or harmful birds are to a homestead or farm depends almost entirely on what they eat! You want to attract birds that eat plant-eating bugs or other pests around the farm. The problem here is that, if you eliminate their natural food source, birds will turn to other foods, such as your blackberries, as a food source. As you can see, this is a delicate balance.

On that note, though, there are some birds that only turn to vegetation if they have absolutely no other choice, so those are the birds that you want to attract. These birds serve two purposes, because many of them do hang around in the winter and will eat the bugs that eat your plants in the summer and will eat the seeds of weeds in the winter when there are no bugs to eat.

Win-win! You get rid of your pesky bugs in the summer and weeds won’t have a chance to grow in the spring because the seeds were eaten over the winter.

1. Eastern Bluebirds

We all love to see the bluebirds flitting about in the trees, but they’re also great to have around the farm because their diet consists nearly completely of bugs, primarily beetles, grasshoppers, and caterpillars. They also eat spiders and other bugs.

Bluebirds are found in about every state east of the Rockies, and in Canada. They also winter as far north as Illinois and Pennsylvania so they’re often around in the winter even though they’re seen as harbingers of spring.

eastern bluebird

In absence of bugs, there are plants that they’ll turn to, which you can use to attract them to the farm. These include: Blackberries, chokeberries, juniper berries, partridgeberries, Virginia creeper, bittersweet, pokeberries, strawberry bush, false spikenard, wild sarsaparilla, sorrel, asparagus, rose haws, holly, sorrel, greenbrier, and ragweed.

You can also build small boxes in nooks and crannies such as cavities in trees or in tight places in barns or buildings.

2. Western Bluebirds

These birds, found west of the Rockies, are much like their Eastern cousins except they eat even more harmful bugs, and the bugs that they eat are often available year round. They’ll turn to elderberries most frequently if the bugs disappear so that’s what you should plant to attract them.

western bluebird

3. Swallows

There are seven common types of swallows including barn swallows, cliff swallows, martins, and white-bellied swallows, also known as tree swallows. These four types have taken almost exclusively to living in structures instead of in their natural habitats and eat a diet high in beetles, flying ants, mosquitoes and other “pest” insects.

To attract them, build boxes in the corners of your barn eves, under the outside eves, or in other high places.

swallow

Barn swallows can be enticed by cutting small holes in the gable of the barn, and all of them like to have a bit of mud available to use as mortar for their nests.

4. Meadowlarks

These cute little birds are murderous to the enemies of your garden, making them wonderful inhabitants of your homestead. They eat beetles (including the disaster-causing May beetles), grasshoppers, caterpillars, flies, wasps, and spiders.

In the winter, more than half of the meadowlark’s diet consists of weeds, grains and other seeds, but this is found almost exclusively in winter, when they’re eating waste seeds and kernels, rather than crops.

western meadowlark

5. Phoebes

There are two types of phoebes: the common phoebe which is found throughout the US east of the Great Plains, and the black phoebe, which is found west of the Great Plains. They prefer to winter fairly far south but migrate north in early spring.

The phoebe eats insects almost exclusively, and most of those are caught in flight. In other words, mosquitoes, click beetles, May beetles and weevils are some of the phoebe’s favorite snacks.

phoebe

Phoebes love water and open spaces so if you have a shed near a creek, pond or water trough that would be a good place to place a small box to attract them. They prefer the openness though, and just having a shed or a bridge is attractive to them.

6. Barn Owls

Who? You! Do what you can to attract barn owls because they eat all kinds of nasty bugs and rodents. They’re mighty hunters and will do wonders for keeping the rat population down, as well as that of the gophers, moles and other small pests that deteriorate your soil or spread disease.

Owls are also pretty to look at, even though there are many superstitions about them. One of those superstitions that you can believe beyond a shadow of a doubt is that if you see an owl on your farm, you’re in luck because your rodent population is about to go down!

owl

Barn owls used to be attracted by the inner structure of wooden barns but since many modern barns are metal, they’re turning away from them. Fallen trees are another favorite roosting place for owls, but we tend to take care of our properties by removing these as they fall or die.

Because owl feces may be contaminated with salmonella, you want to build barn owl boxes on the outside of the barn facing away from where food and livestock are kept.

We underestimate the value of birds. They look pretty and they may sound sweet or cheerful, but very few people consider how useful they are. If you’re looking for natural ways to get rid of the pests and rodents that damage your soil, eat your plants or otherwise destroy your efforts to raise food, then birds should be your first line of defense.

The birds that we’ve discussed are just a handful of many breeds that are great to have around, but these are birds that are easy to attract, are found throughout most of the United States, and do the most good on a homestead or farm.

Just as there are birds that will help your farm, there are birds that are not-so-helpful. Some are just as hazardous as many of the bugs and rodents that the birds on this page eat, so be careful which types of birds you attract. Just because he’s pretty doesn’t mean that he’s good for your farm!

If you’d like to add a bird to this list, or have something else that you’d like to share, feel free to do so in the comments section below.

This article has been written by Theresa Crouse for Survivopedia.

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Ways To Make Money For Your Homestead

March 10, 2016 Miscellany News Brief

1.) Flooding, evacuations and two drowned in the South as parts of Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas receive nearly a foot of rain: Cars were submerged by water, residents forced to flee their homes with housecats and birds in tow, and the Louisiana National Guard and others rescued people by boat and in big military trucks as torrential rains Wednesday drenched parts of Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas with nearly a foot of rain. Two people drowned in Oklahoma and Texas, and the rain is expected to stay in the forecast for much of the week.

2.) Apparently, they have never watched the Terminator or...

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Thursday, March 10, 2016

Making A Powerful Micro Tesla Turbine [Full Video]

Making some custom weight plates for the GORUCK challenge! #thecoroutfitters #goruck #goruckchallenge #gorucktough #training

via Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/BCyQWMalh9b/

Army Green DOT

EMP Survival: Power For Your Oxygen Concentrator

Unless you actually rely on medical devices, you might not realize how important for your survival some of them are. In particular, if you don’t have any major breathing problems, or they are largely under control, you may not give much thought at all to oxygen concentrators.

Until you need them… That’s the moment you realize you should have read and learned more about them. Including how to supply power to them in case of a major emergency in which conventional electricity may not be available for days or longer.

That’s the article you need to read to get this knowledge!

How Much Power Do Concentrators Take?

The amount of electricity required for each unit depends largely on the size of the compressor and the manufacturer ratings. In most cases, the devices will run on batteries, however there is also considerable variance on how efficient the unit is and how much oxygen it can actually produce.

As a general guide, older, home oxygen concentrator units required about as much electricity as refrigerator. Modern devices might take as little as a low wattage microwave, while others may still require quite a bit more.

There a few things to be aware of before buying a concentrator for survival needs, and here are some of them:

Amperage required by the device
Voltage output from the emergency battery pack
How long the concentrator will run on the battery pack at different oxygen output amounts
How long the batteries are expected to last and what they are made from

How Many Batteries You Need to Buy

When it comes to buying batteries, most people will buy one for charging and another for using any given device, but this is not always the best route to take, because not having enough batteries for charging and powering can spell disaster.

Buying more batteries than needed can take up excess space and also create a situation where rechargeable batteries are not used at optimal loads and rotations. At the very least, consider the following:

Find out how long a fully charged battery will power the concentrator at its highest setting. Take that number of hours and divide by 2 (just in case you cannot fully charge a battery up before it has to be rotated back into service.) In this example, let us say that a fully charged battery will last 12 hours at full charge. Instead of buying just 2 batteries, you would purchase four for use during a single day.
Next, determine how much power you can generate each day, and how much of it can be used for charging up the concentrator batteries. If it takes 8 hours to fully charge a single battery, then you should be able to charge 1 – 3 batteries per day. Add that number of batteries to the ones that you expect to use in a day. In this example, you would need 3 batteries for charging plus 4 for regular use; meaning that you would need 7 batteries.
Finally, it is also very important to consider long term wear and tear on the batteries. Even if you purchase batteries that can be deep cycled 1000 times, they may become useless in 3 – 5 years. In this particular example, add at least 3 batteries in case some of them go bad. Just be sure that you also plan on rotating them into the system so that the internal parts remain active and do not corrode or become destroyed by lack of use.

What Is the Best Way to Power an Oxygen Concentrator Off Grid?

Many people wrongfully assume that power for critical medical devices such as concentrators can come from any source, and think they can just put up a few windmills and solar panels, and then expect that combination to produce enough power.

When must run a concentrator around the clock or charge up batteries to run that concentrator, there is no such thing as waiting for the sun to come back out or for a wind to kick up. What you need is a reliable system of renewable energy that will never run out, and will not be dependent on the vagaries of the weather.

Here are a few systems that might work, but remember that you will need access to a number of resource that may take some time and effort to develop. While you can still get started with solar and wind power, do not overlook these systems.

Above Ground and Underground Water Wheels

If you are fortunate enough to live near a stream or river, there is no reason why you cannot set up a water wheel and generating motor. Take the time now to calculate the rate of flow of water and also the size of the wheel that you will need to generate the necessary amount of current.

As may be expected, if you live in colder climates where rivers and streams routinely freeze, you will need to see if the lower levels of water will remain fluid enough to push the wheel.

Today, far too many people place water wheels where they can be partially seen above the water level instead of taking the time to immerse them near the center of the water flow. While it takes considerably more work to build a fully immersed wheel that will still turn, it is well worth the effort in colder climates.

If water never freezes in your local area, then it may still be safe to build a more conventional water wheel.

Underground Water Pipe Systems

When it comes to new innovations in using water for generating electricity, underground water pipes are truly some of the best and most innovative. As long as you have a constant source of water flowing through these pipes, water wheels placed within the pipes can be used to generate electricity.

Many people do not think about this option because they do not live near a pond, stream, or other source of water that can be used for underground irrigation. That being said, even extremely dry or cold regions have all kinds of underground streams and rivers that can be tapped for this purpose.

As long as you know where they run through your land, you might drill down to their level and install both pipes and suitable equipment for generating electricity: you won’t have to worry about freezing temperatures, there will be very few, if any ways for the equipment to be stolen.

This system does have some drawbacks if you are in an earthquake zone or any other area where shifting underground geographies can crush the pipes.

Sink Drain Power Generation

As long as you have water, you will also have electricity with this system. Basically, all you need to do is install mini water wheels in the outgoing pipe drains of your home. They can be cleanable as garbage disposals, and other drain systems.

Even though there are no devices of this type on the market, you should be able to make your own. Unlike a number of other power generation systems, this one can work for you in a city setting as long as municipal water continues to flow through the tap.

Just remember that if you have to rely on this system for generating electricity, the source of the water must be energy neutral. For example, you will need either a ram pump to draw water from a pond, or even an Archimedes screw from some other surface body of water. If you are fortunate enough to have an artesian well, then you will be one step ahead.

How Reliable Are Oxygen Concentrators and Can They Be Repaired?

The most vulnerable part of the concentrator is the compressor that draws air into the unit and then packs it into a smaller amount of space before pushing it into the chamber housing the zeolite crystals. As with many other things, modern compressors are not as well built as older ones.

If you can, carefully study the compressor systems in different concentrators, and then find out if there are working vintage models that can be substituted into the system. Even though you may have to adapt some of the fittings, it is well worth the effort. Being able to replace the compressor can easily extend the life of the concentrator from just a year or two to well over a decade without much need for other kinds of repair.

It can be said that concentrator reliability also comes down to good maintenance and being aware of the kinds of problems that can occur. When it comes to survival scenarios, fuses and IC circuits will always be a problem if an EMP occurs. Since many of these circuits control the opening and closing of purely mechanical valves, it may be possible to use gravity based levers or pulley systems to manually open an close the valves at proper intervals.

In Classical Greece, there was a “robot” that was able to mix proper concentrations of wine and water without using any kind of electricity, and if you do some experimenting, you can find a way to achieve this goal.

If you do not want to ruin a perfectly good concentrator, buy an old one that is no longer functional. You will learn plenty about how the system works, as well as how to improvise and develop work arounds for areas that might be weak points during a survival scenario.

What to Do When the Concentrator Stops Working

If you already have concentrator or have seen one in use for any length of time, then you already know that there are times when they will fail. As with any other machine, there are simple causes for these failures as well as more complex ones. Here are a range of problems that you may encounter as well as how to deal with them:

If the concentrator is running, but you do not feel air coming out, one or more airline tubes may be kinked. Depending on how the air tubing leaves the unit, there may also be a kink behind the unit where you won’t always see it right away. Make sure that you can easily get around every part of the concentrator so that you can locate any loose or crimped tubes.
The concentrator goes offline and refuses to start. Any number of problems may cause the unit to stop or refuse to start at all. If you are running the unit on batteries, you can start off by making sure that the battery has enough power and that it is hooked up properly. Some manufacturers also provide trouble shooting guides that will help you determine other simple things that may be causing the fault.
If the unit fails after all of the simple things have been eliminated, there may be a blown fuse inside the unit, or the compressor may have failed. This type of repair can be complicated. Unless you actually know how to repair a concentrator, or have enough background in electronics, you should not try to do this during a crisis situation. That being said, there is no harm in getting the schematics for the model concentrator that you own and making sure that you know how to handle a range of problems. While this process will take time and effort to learn, it will be worth your while. In a crisis, there may be no such thing as a qualified repair person to help put your concentrator back into service. If you do not feel confident about delving into repairing these devices, then make it a point to find friends among your neighbors that might be able to help you in time of need. If you are in a survivor community, there is sure to be at least one or two people that can do this job on your behalf.

Do you know enough now to make an oxygen concentrator work for you? Use the comment form below to share you thoughts and ask your question about these lifesaving devices!

CLICK HERE to read more on surviving an EMP with a disability!

This article has been written by Carmela Tyrell for Survivopedia.

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Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Me playing with Bob – note Bob Weighs 260 pounds. When watching turn on sound…

Get Home Scenario

Written by Guest Contributor on The Prepper Journal.

You have to have a flexible plan. Be prepared to change and adjust it according to the situation. Your kit levels aid you in maintaining the flexibility and ability to adjust and resupply on the go.

The post Get Home Scenario appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

Jeep Wrangler bugout Durango

Bushwakker Camping Trailer

DOT - Drifta Offroad Tourer part 1.

DOT - Drifta Offroad Tourer part TWO.

SWAG Off Road Military Expedition Trailer Build

Craig Groeschel - What Satan is Telling Married Couples | iDisciple Sermon

M.D. Creekmore’s Favorite Quotes

People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.

– Isaac Asimov

Advice for the newly awakened and overwhelmed

by A Different Drummer

This is an entry in our non-fiction writing contest

There are many aspects of personal preparedness that make sense, and I know firsthand that once you take a trip down the rabbit hole, the path to preparedness can be daunting at best, if not completely overwhelming. To this overwhelming state of mind, I wish to remind everyone that you must walk before you can run. I know it sounds obvious, but once you start “waking up” to the real world we find ourselves in many are drawn into panic because there is so much to do and seemingly so little time.

Where to...

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Today’s Featured YouTube Video : Homesteading Skill Sets and Tips

Miscellany News Brief

1.) NSA Chief Warns Black Energy Attack On U.S. Power Grid A ‘Matter Of When, Not If’: Lights Out Scenario Not A Myth But A Coming Reality. Warnings and predictions should be enough to convince even the most skeptical among us that a “lights out” scenario as well as a massive cyber attack on financial institutions, is not a “conspiracy” or “doom and gloom,” but is an eventuality.

2.) If you think it can’t or won’t happen then you should know that it’s happened before – It’s happened before.

3.) Preparing For The...

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5 DIY Ways to Power Your Home During Floods

As weather patterns continue to shift, there is no escaping the fact that massive floods are becoming more common. Especially now, in the spring, when snow begins to melt and they are likely to happen even more than in any other time of the year.

While flooding may be a common event in some parts of the world, other areas are now becoming aware of several problems related to generating electricity during and after a flood occurs.

Living in a relatively dry place, or one that is not known for floods, won’t keep you away of trouble. Just take a look at the weather reports in 2015 alone for Texas, Kansas, and other areas that have no major history of the kinds of flooding they have had to deal with.

If you know how to generate electricity in a flood you are not stuck trying to use devices and methods that will fail, nor electrocute you because the devices cannot be safely used in this type of situation.

What to Beware Of

After the floods, some problems will impact how you generate electricity and the kind of materials you can use for this purpose: remember that it is not safe to mix electricity and water. No matter whether you are facing downed power lines or simply trying to make electricity using magnets and coils, failure to manage electricity safely around any kind of water can cause severe injuries, or even death.

Here’s what to expect while trying to generate electricity during and after a flood:

Vehicle alternators and wires may not be salvageable because of damage caused by flood waters. Motors that have been exposed to excess moisture can spark, catch fire, and cause all kinds of other problems, but it might be difficult to determine if an abandoned car was actually flooded out or not. Aside from checking in the wheel wells and under the hood, take a look in the trunk of the car. If you see mud, wet carpets, or upholstery with signs of water damage, do not try to salvage wires or motors that might otherwise be useful for generating electricity.
If you do not bug out before a flood, you will either be stuck in the upper floors of your home or waiting for rescue up on the roof. While you may have some room for generating electricity in a home setting, your options will be extremely limited while you are sitting on a roof. At ground level, you will still have problems with limited space because of the water around you. Even though this water will recede with time, there is a critical window of days and weeks where you will need very simple systems that require as little space as possible.
Soggy ground makes it very difficult to support frames for windmills and solar panels that are housed on the ground. Not only will support structures collapse, but solar panels, connecting wires, and other parts can be ruined as flood waters pass through. You may also find it very hard to build and operate earth batteries because of the excessive moisture and difficulty with digging into mud in order to place metal parts.
You probably won’t be able to move across large enough distances to operate piezoelectric shoes and backpacks that generate electricity as you walk or run. No matter where you live during a flood, the air is bound to be very humid, and can make it difficult, if not deadly to carry out strenuous activities. Before you try to generate power using a bicycle or something else that utilizes body power, make sure that you know how to stay properly hydrated and how to control your body temperature.

What to Make Use Of

When it comes to “green power”, hydroelectric dams and other water based electric generating systems are often viewed as some of the most efficient and powerful in the world. In fact, if you have even some moving water, you also have one of the most important natural elements for generating electricity. Even though flood waters may lose their power in just a few days, knowing how to harness this water can be of immense benefit.

But this is only one of the advantages you have to be aware of, others are still to come below:

Looters, rioters, and others that might be inclined to steal your electricity generating systems may have a harder time. Consider that when streets are flooded, or you are sitting up on a roof, it will be very hard for these people to get to you. Not only will you have a high vantage point to work from, people that are stuck in the flood zone will probably be more interested in getting out or being rescued. That being said, as the water recedes, you can expect crime oriented problems to develop.
It may be slightly easier to access local news and other communication systems. If you happen to have a traditional broadcasting station in your local area, the transmitter and backup systems are likely to be located on high ground. As such, they may well be broadcasting right along with ham radio operators and others that have equipment that is still working. Just keep an appropriate receiver in a water proof bag and make sure that it goes with you to the roof or any other place that you need to go in order to stay out of the flood waters. This information can help you find out the extent of the damage to power generating systems as well as help you gauge what you need to do in the meantime. Individuals with smart phones should also be able to access mobile internet signals that can be used to download schematics for power generating systems or gain access to advice if problems occur. While this is no substitute for actually building systems, at least you may be able to get some help when it is needed most.

Small Scale Systems

Overall, you will find that small, low power generating systems will be safer and easier to build, use, and maintain during and after a flood.

As with many other systems, you are sure to be surprised by the number of ideas you can get by studying the works of the ancient Greeks and Chinese. They have some of the most fascinating gear and lever systems in the world that readily integrate moving water and can also accommodate both magnets and coils for generating electricity.

Gravity Driven Motor Assemblies

If you have ever been stuck without an air conditioner, then you may already know that it is possible to build a fan that essentially runs on gravity. During a flood, it is very likely that you will be up in the attic or sitting on a roof, and these locations are perfect for using a gravity fan to generate power.

As with many other small scale systems, as long as you add magnets to the fan blade and coils of wire to generate current in, they you should be able to make this system work. More, the items required are very easy to store in your attic: a box fan, several feet of rope, a weight, some magnets, and coils of wire.

You can also practice with this system before a flood occurs so that you can fine tune the system and also find out how much electricity you can generate with it. To get started, you can study this video to see who best to start with making the gravity fan, and then do some additional research on magnets and coils:

Video first seen on Attila Blade.

You can also use a bicycle wheel to run a generator which in turn powers a light bulb using a gravity to turn the wheels.

Video first seen on RimstarOrg.

Gear Driven Motor Assemblies

Did you know that the Greeks were able to create “robots” that could automatically open doors, and even operate on pre-set stages in order to act out a complete play? Research on Hero of Alexandria and also ancient Greek robot technologies, and you’ll understand now how much can be done with gears and the power of gravity and motion.

As you look at the different devices (including ones that could mix wine and water), think about how you can adapt them to generate power. You will still need to add coils and magnets to the assembly, and then figure out how large the device will need to be in order to meet your power needs.

Because of the kinds of damage and instability caused by floods, you are better off building a few lightweight systems and hooking them up instead of building just one larger system. At the very least, if one or two units are knocked out, you may still be able to move the rest to higher ground and have some electricity to work with.

Container Based Earth Batteries

Ice trays, planters, and just about anything else filled with dirt can be used to generate small amounts of electricity, you just need two types of metal and some water to make these earth batteries work. You can also add table salt and other electrolytes to the water in order to increase the output of each battery.

If you choose to use electrolytes, you will also have to replace it often, as the solution will break down as electrons are released.

Small Waterwheels

During a flood, you might expect that heavy rainfalls will occur. Contrary to popular belief, this is a perfect time to start generating your own power using a small scale waterwheel.

If you have a rain barrel set up in order to increase the amount of potable water on hand, you can use it as a mounting point for the waterwheel. To make this work, try the following:

Start off with a 50-gallon drum or something else that will capture a fairly large amount of water.
Make a small waterwheel and make sure that each end of the central shaft extends beyond the barrel. Make sure that the central shaft turns freely.
Make a plastic tent with the point aimed downward above the waterwheel. The lowest point should hit the paddles on one side of the wheel so that it spins easily.
Cut a hole in the plastic tent where the water will come out. The plastic will collect the raindrops, and, as they move to the bottom, create a strong enough stream of water to drive the waterwheel.
From there, you can either attach magnets and gears to the shafts, or any other motorized system that will enable the magnets to induce currents in coils of wire. Alternatively, you can also power car alternators or other types of generators that have not been damaged by a flood. Just make sure that you also protect motors and other parts of the generator from both the rain and flood waters that will follow.

There are also some ways that you can use waterwheels to generate power after the floods, if you will be looking for areas where the water is deep enough and flowing fast enough to turn the water wheel. Anything from flooded streets to parking lots with moving can be used for this purpose.

Just remember not to get swept up in the floods when you are trying to set up the water wheels. It is also very important to keep an eye on the flood waters and rescue operations so that you know when to pull the wheels out of the water so as to avoid losing them or causing more problems.

Large Scale Systems

When the power first goes out during a flood, there may be a period of time where you may sit and wait, hoping that the problem is minor, and that emergency crews will restore power sooner rather than later.

This tactic is about as useful as trying to use some of the more common systems touted for use in short to longer term survival situations. For example, if you think that solar panels on the roof, windmills, or others that use battery storage systems will survive a flood, you may be in for a nasty surprise. From cloudy days to muddy ground causing buildings to collapse, in the end large scale power generating systems will need to make use of flood waters instead of try to work around their presence.

Archimedes Screw

The Archimedes Screw is actually a fairly simple device that has been around for thousands of years. Basically, a form similar to a screw is mounted in a tube. As the screw turns in the tube, water is raised from a lower level to a higher one. Moving water flowing through the system can then be harnessed to generate electricity.

In fact, Windsor Castle is one of the most notable places on Earth that derives most of its power from a pair of Archimedes Screws that rely on the flow of water from the Thames River.

Archscrew

To generate power using an Archimedes Screw after a flood, you will need to find a place where water is flowing freely. Flooded streets, river beds, and even backyards with drainage into the street can all be used for this purpose. Depending on the flow of the water, you’ll need to make smaller screws and then harness the power generating coils together in order to obtain enough current for your needs.

As with any other power generating method, it will always be to your advantage to have something built and plans for using it before a crisis happens. Consider a situation where you have a front yard or a back yard that you can build up or change the height of.

Research on Archimedes Screw systems, then you will realize that the change in height the water must travel will have a bearing on the amount of power that can be generated. Depending on the way the land is structured, it may be possible to cut paths that will direct the flow of water, and thus make it much easier to install an Archimedes Screw before the flood actually occurs.

Electricity Alternatives

When preparing for floods, most people rush out and stock up on flashlight batteries, propane stoves, and propane bottles, but these very same people will never have enough alternative fuel on hand to survive a disaster like Hurricane Katrina.

In a flood situation, you may only have to wait a few days, or the situation can last for weeks, months, or years, while wood, and many other burnable materials may not be available because everything will be soaked.

When it comes to electricity alternatives during and after a flood, your best options will include smaller devices and saving energy as much as possible. Here’s what you can do to replace the fridge or your electricity based cooker:

If you are fortunate enough to have sunny days soon after the rains leave, you can use solar cookers made from cardboard boxes and tin foil.
Use table salt mixed with ice to keep foods frozen.
Use zeer pots for refrigeration, however they may not work well if the air is humid, and thus prevents the flow of water out from the central chamber.
If you can get enough dry materials together, rocket stoves can be used for cooking and keeping warm. Dakota fire pits and other holes dug in the ground may not work because of mud and water seepage. As the area dries out, keep track of how the water is receding on higher ground. It may just be possible to use these areas within a few days of the rain stopping.

Make sure you have plenty of plastic rain gear and waterproof clothes on hand. These materials may not be comfortable to wear, but they can keep most of the moisture away from you as well as prevent vital body heat from escaping. Just remember that your body will continue to sweat and cause a buildup of moisture.

Be sure to unzip or unbutton plastic coverings so that the moisture can escape, or it can easily result in skin infections and other problems. Never forget that bacteria, mold, and mildew thrive in wet, warm environments. While you may need to reduce air flow to your skin for the sake of keeping warm, it can also spell disaster from a health point of view.

Today, many people that pin their hopes on solar or wind power fail to realize that these systems are just as vulnerable to floods as larger scale commercial power grids. No matter whether you live in a survival based gated community, have a homestead, or live in an inner city, you can come up with at least one or two inexpensive options to generate electricity.

They can be assembled from old junk laying around your home, or items that may be very cheap or free to acquire at the local dump or some other place where items may be offered to the community for free as part of a recycling program.

You may even want to connect to the Freecycle boards for your local area to obtain free fans or other items that can be used for flood based power generating needs.

This article has been written by Carmela Tyrell for Survivopedia.

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Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Xmas Spinner Turkey Cooking Machine (With Jamie Oliver)

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Decentralizing Cash – The Ultimate Survivalist Preparation

Written by Guest Contributor on The Prepper Journal.

Through currency inflation, centralized money is not only then a means of extracting wealth from all who use it, but also a tool to further the interests of the centralized entities controlling it.

The post Decentralizing Cash – The Ultimate Survivalist Preparation appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

10 Trees That Any Prepper Should Grow

When it comes to selecting trees to plant it is important to think about all the survival needs that can be met by using trees. Aside from food production, trees can be used to protect your property, building furniture, as wood to fuel a fire, and for medicinal needs.

And since spring is the ideal time of the year to be thinking of this, here are 10 types of trees that will increase your sense of security, but will also come in helpful when you consider meeting the needs described above.

Read the article till the end to get the knowledge of choosing these trees, and to find the hidden gem that will help you boost your homestead and grow an amazing orchard.

Trees for Defense and Protection

When it comes to defensive trees, choose those trees that have symbiotic relationships with vine plants that tend to be problematic for adversaries trying to get into your homestead.

For example, some trees act as at the perfect host for poison ivy and other vines that both people and animals would prefer to stay away from. In these cases, it is not so much the tree that has the defensive properties as the vines or other plants that will grow well around it.

1. Hawthorn

This particular tree makes plenty of thorns that will form a natural fence. If you have young trees, try training the limbs along long lines instead of letting all of them grow upward. You should be able to create a thick, natural fence that will maintain itself, and also create one that is several layers thick for even better protection.

Hawthorn is also well known for lowering blood pressure and preserving heart health.

As with other herbal remedies, use great caution so that you can use this tea safely and effectively. For example, if you are going to use hawthorn to lower blood pressure, you may only be able to take it for a week or two and then stop for a week or two before taking more. During that interim, you may need some other method to keep your blood pressure under control.

hawthorn

2. Locust

If you choose honey locust (the first pic below) instead of black locust (the second pic below) you will have edible pods to consume as well as a naturally thorny tree for protective purposes.

Locust trees are also classified as legumes and nitrogen fixing even though they do not appear to have a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria for the purpose of holding nitrogen drawn from the air. Locust pods do have a good bit of nitrogen in them and can be used to enrich soil.

Honey Locust

Just make sure that the compost is thoroughly broken down so that the seeds do not sprout. You can also use locust for virtually rot proof hardwood. Unfortunately, this tree does not grow as quickly or as large as other trees, so it cannot be relied on for all your woodworking or wood burning needs.

Black Locust

3. Osage Orange

If you live in certain areas, then you may already know that osage orange is known as a natural fence that was grown historically for this purpose. It can deter humans and cattle and also halt soil erosion.

Even though the wood from this tree tends to be full of twists and knots, it does produce a very dense wood that burns well and produces plenty of heat. Wood from this tree can also be used to make fence posts and for other hardwood applications, and it is one of the few trees with wood that is highly resistant to rotting.

Medicinally speaking, osage orange can be used to prevent and treat some cancers as well as fungal infections. It should be noted that osage orange fruit can be consumed in small quantities, however it is likely to cause stomach irritation.

Osage Orange

4. American Plum

Even though these trees don’t get very tall, they do produce long branches and also suckers that can create a complex bramble that will act as a deterrent.

Plum trees also produce delicious fruit that can be used to make wine, fruit juice, jellies, jams, and prunes. As you may be aware, both prune juice and prunes work well for constipation.

American Plum

5. JuJube Tree

This tree can withstand the heat of Africa as easily as it can below zero temperatures in other climates. As such, if you choose to use the Jujube tree as a thorny natural fence tree, it will always do well. There are also many other uses for this tree: the fruit can be used fresh for food, ground for tea, candied, or dried for preservation. Some people also make Jujube fruit into wine and vinegar (for pickling).

There are also many medicinal properties associated with JuJube seeds. This includes sedative, contraceptive, antifungal, anti-anxiety, and immune boosting. Parts of the JuJube tree or fruit can also be used for preventing wound infections and to relieve stomach ulcers.

Jujuba

Trees for Building Materials and Firewood

Being a homesteader means you rely a lot on natural materials when building a steady roof as our ancestors did, and the most fundamental is to use only high quality wood. You need to learn the tricks to pick the right wood for your homestead, otherwise your building efforts are in vain.

1. Cedar

Wood from this tree has a delightful smell that makes it ideal for making furniture, but also for cooking food and especially salmon. You can also use shavings for animal bedding and controlling moths. Cedar also tends to be a good weight wood for carving. Cedar bark is also well known for its use in alleviating symptoms of the common cold and the flu.

cedar-tree

cedar

2. Pine

Even though pine is a soft wood, this and related trees grow fast, making it ideal for building, firewood, and many other purposes. Pine also produces a resin that can be used for medicinal needs, glue, and roofing.

If you are interested in growing pine trees, remember that it can be difficult to get them to grow from seeds. In some cases, they may only start growing after being digested by birds, while other species may require fire to open the pine cones. You may be best served by starting pine trees from cuttings or digging up young wild trees from areas where they would not survive because the surrounding trees are already too dense.

Pine

3. Mulberry

Chances are, you have heard of mulberry wine as well as many other foods made from the fruit of this tree. Mulberry is also a fast growing tree that produces plenty of wood: it can produce more wood per acre than most other trees. Wood from this tree is used mainly for firewood, although it can also be used as biomass for other applications.

White mulberry, an Asian variant, can also be used to treat diabetes and prevent plaque buildup in the arteries. White mulberry is considered an invasive exotic species, so before planting, make sure that it is legal to do so in your area, and that you have enough room to prevent it from spreading out of control.

Also remember that male mulberry trees can cause asthma and other breathing problems when they have pollen. On the other hand, female trees are considered allergy free and can be safely planted from this perspective.

Mullberry

4. Walnut

This tree produces a beautiful hardwood that can be used for furniture, gun stocks, and many other items, including musical instruments and carving. Since walnut trees can reach well over 100 feet in height, their wood is also suitable for flooring and other applications where large, sturdy boards are needed.

You can also consume the “nut” center of the fruit in the form of pies or fresh out of the shell. Walnut fruit is also very useful for making dyes and ink. Aside from this, you can also use the center of a walnut to polish out scratches and blemishes in other pieces of finished wooden furniture.

walnut

5. Maple

Aside from producing wood that can be used for furniture and many other needs, maple syrup is also edible. Maple trees also have a number of medicinal properties. For example, use a wash from the leaves to relieve sore eyes. You can also make a tea from the bark to treat bronchitis and kidney infections.

Even though maple bark may not have anti-viral properties, it can still be made into a tea to relieve some symptoms of the common cold. Fallen leaves from maple trees are also excellent for use as garden compost. Not only do the leaves produce large amounts of nutrient dense biomass, they also contain vital nutrients from deep in the soil.

Maple

Even though every tree may not grow in your local area, you can still try to plant at least one from every category so that you have a good variety. In many cases, you may even be able to pick up wild seed pods or take cuttings from wild trees as opposed to buying them from a nursery. Regardless of the type that you choose, make sure that they are non-hybrid strains and that you can get both viable seeds and cuttings from the trees.

You can restart each species of tree in your orchard in the post crisis world. All you need to know is knowledge and time to wait for the nature to follow its course.

And now the knowledge is at your hand: CLICK HERE to subscribe to our newsletter, and get our 40 pages free report “How to Grow an Orchard” about planting and growing sturdy trees for your survival orchard!

This article has been written by Carmela Tyrell for Survivopedia.

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