Do you ever feel like this is it? Did some world event (or a series of them) make you feel like time is running out for getting your preps in order? Have you decided that now is the time to pull up stakes and begin searching for the perfect prepper’s retreat?

Recently I’ve felt a renewed sense of urgency that has prompted me to make some big changes in order to get more prepared.  So many world events lately have pointed toward a looming crisis, and the truly scary thing is, the crisis could be one of many scenarios. Lately it seems that every single month, we are on the sidelines of a dramatic event.

• The horror of the recent terror attacks happening in places like Paris, Brussels, and right here in San Bernardino
• The collapses of places like Greece and Venezuela
• The onslaught of refugees who seem intent on changing the very fabric of Europe through sheer numbers, a refusal to conform, and undermining the safety of European women
• The slim pickings for the presidential election (do you want a psychopath, a narcissist, or someone suffering from delusions to lead the country?)
• The looming nuclear threats from that chubby little lunatic running North Korea, not to mention hostile feelings from at least half a dozen other countries
• The race war going on in our own back yard, egged on by those with an agenda of divisiveness

Combine all of these things and if you aren’t just a little bit uneasy, then you should probably stop reading right now and tune in to the latest episode following the antics of that crazy Kardashian family. Go on, who knows what they’ll do next?

Are you ready for our world to change dramatically?

Any of the things mentioned above could suddenly change our lives in the blink of an eye, and if you aren’t ready, you darn well better get your bootie in gear. Have you given any serious thought to how well your home would work for you in a long-term scenario?  Is it a place where you could dig in for the long haul? Could you raise food, defend it, stay warm in it, cook in it, and survive in it if the grid went down? If not, maybe you need to make some changes.

For some of us, getting down to business means improving the situation at our own homes, and for others it means seeking our version of the perfect prepper’s retreat. As I’ve written about before, planning to have a prepper’s homestead after disaster strikes is doomed to failure. It takes time to learn to raise your own food, and many people overestimate their abilities in this regard. It’s imperative to deal with the learning curve now, when the grocery store is accessible 24 hours a day.

After some eye-opening major issues with the house we moved to last summer, my family and I decided we couldn’t trust that location for the long haul. The week without a working septic system was enough to provide a reality check.  The house was simply too run down, too close to a main thoroughfare, and too dry, despite the coveted well and the most wonderful barn that I’ve ever laid eyes on. Never have I been so happy to be a renter who could pick up and leave an undesirable situation.  There were some red flags earlier, but the septic disaster was the last straw. Had it occurred post-disaster, we would have had no alternative but to leave our home and all of our careful preparations. Moving now was a pain, especially with preps and livestock, but moving later after working to build a homestead would have been even worse.

So, we did an intensive search to find a place that would serve as a retreat, but one that we will live in now. We moved deep into the mountains, down a road that is really more like a trail, to our long-term retreat.

What makes the perfect prepper’s retreat?

Everyone has a different idea in mind for their perfect retreat.  Some folks like balmy weather, while others prefer a cold, forbidding winter. Some people feel better in wide open spaces, while others feel safer nestled in the trees.

Regardless of your personal preferences, there are several characteristics that are imperative if you’re looking for property – the lack of any of these things could doom you to failure in a long-term scenario:

There is nothing more important than water.  Water is the difference between life and death, so start your search by looking for places with more than one source of water.  Look for a place with a well, a body of water, and/or a spring. Don’t count on something “nearby.”  What if you have to carry water on foot from that location? The supply you’ll need each day will get pretty darned heavy, and it’ll be even more work hauling enough to water a garden and care for livestock.

Another concern with “nearby” water is that the people who own the water rights just might not let you cross their property to fill up your vessels. Think about it: would you let people possibly befoul the most precious resource around?

Water is everything in a survival situation.

In the event of a long-term down-grid situation, municipal water will most likely stop flowing from the taps. Even if it does continue to flow, the water will not be treated and may not be safe to drink. Even more alarming is the threat that someone could easily taint a municipal water supply as an act of terror. Think about the accidental chemical spills that have occurred just over the past couple of years here in the US. Now, imagine that someone up to no good got access to our water supply.

Most of America is dependent on municipal water – you truly want your own sources and a way to purify the water to make it safe for drinking.

Is your location one of safety?  Some things to look for are defensibility, distance from large population centers, privacy, and difficulty of accessibility.

Defensibility: Can you protect the perimeter of the property? Can you see someone before they get the chance to sneak up on you? Is your property well fenced? Is your driveway gated? Is your community one that will band together to protect one another?

Distance:  Everyone knows that being as far away as possible from major thoroughfares and big cities is ideal.  However, not everyone can move out to the boondocks right now. Many of us have jobs, families, schools, and responsibilities that keep us near population centers.

Of course, it’s ideal to be about a tank of gas away from the major cities. That will mean that if the fuel pumps are no longer working, anyone headed your way will most likely arrive on foot. In this age of obesity and poor fitness, that rules out a whole lot of folks who might want to eat your food.  Most fuel tanks hold enough to get the passengers between 250-400 miles, assuming the driver starts out with a completely full tank.

If you do live near the city, try to find a place that keeps some distance between you and the major thoroughfares. If you happen to be right by the highway, where do you think people will go when their car runs out of gas? That’s right – they’ll head for the nearest home for help. You don’t want strangers showing up at your door.

Difficulty: If that type of distance is unattainable, another bonus is natural obstacles. If you are up a tall mountain, folks are less likely to hike up your way unless there is some kind of specific draw, like a large body of water.

On that note, while living on the banks of a river or lake might seem ideal, your home will be the target of every person from a nearby city who has ever visited your area.  This means that creeks, streams, ponds, and natural springs are more desirable features. Avoid the tourist spots that draw the crowds. Those same crowds may remember your home as the Promised Land in the aftermath of a disaster.

• Other Resources

There are other resources to look for when searching for your ideal location. You will want a way to provide food, a way to cook food, and a way to maintain a livable temperature. The following can help:

• Fertile land
• Space for raising animals
• An area for hunting (only count on this if your location is fairly remote and you already hunt regularly. “Living off the land” is a prepper myth that will get you killed.)
• A strong local economy made of people who produce instead of people who consume
• Wood for fuel
• Sun for solar power
• Moderate temperatures in the absence of wood for fuel
• A long growing season
• A local government that supports self-sufficient endeavors, instead of one that charges fees and taxes for every single project
• A place that isn’t upwind from military targets in case of a nuclear attack
• An area not prone to natural disasters like tornadoes, hurricanes, volcanoes, earthquakes, or tsunamis

Home Sweet Home

When searching for a home there are different schools of thought. If you have building skills and the wherewithal to purchase necessary supplies, you can purchase a home that requires some tweaking to be perfect. If you’re really talented, you can even build your home yourself and end up with a prepper dream home.

However, this isn’t realistic for some of us. Personally, my budget is limited and I’m a single mom with iffy building skills. Therefore, I looked for a home that checked most of the boxes already.

If the power was out (as it often is in the aftermath of a variety of disasters) would the home you want or already live in be functional without the grid? This should be a top priority when seeking a retreat property.

The things that I looked for were:

• The ability to use passive solar for heating
• A secondary, off-grid heat source (woodstove or fireplace)
• The ability to cook in the absence of electricity (If your stove is propane, you will be able to use it for quite some time if you reserve your propane for that purpose only)
• Windows placed in a way that allow breezes to help cool the house
• Tree cover in summer that is absent in the winter to adjust the home’s temperature naturally
• A well with an off-grid back-up like a manual or solar-powered pump
• A septic system so you can use the toilet indoors (We have a family of girls – while this isn’t an absolute necessity, it’s certainly a perk)
• Shelter for livestock
• Ample storage space for preps (I now have an entire room in which to store these food buckets.)

The home we found is nearly perfect, although unfortunately there was no barn for housing our livestock.  In the grand scheme of stuff to add, that is fairly minimal, so we’re in the process of adding shelters.

The importance of the right neighbors

Very little is more important than the neighborhood you find yourself in.  It’s best if you have a longstanding relationship with your neighbors, of course, but you can get to know people in your vicinity fairly quickly if you put in a bit of effort.

Obviously, you want to be incredibly careful not to disclose too much information about your preps. (Never forget OPSEC!) I like to bond by finding people who also enjoy firearms, for example.  In the community where we relocated, you can often hear a few dozen rounds being fired as people send some lead down range.  Finding other vegetable gardeners is another good way to meet folks who might be like-minded.

When house-hunting during an election year, pay attention to the political signs in the yards. You want to be surrounded by people who think like you do, and if you find that most of the signs support a political view that is diametrically opposite yours, you may not be very happy there.

I chose a house at the very end of a country road. There is only one way to drive into the neighborhood, which means the road could easily be blocked off in the event of a long-term disaster. In fact, I discovered that the neighbors have discussed doing just that, which points to the fact that they will be cognizant of safety in an emergency.

Not everyone is in a position to relocate to a retreat

Not everyone can undertake a major relocation. There are times during which we have to live in circumstances that are less than ideal from a prepper’s perspective. Never let anyone tell you that you’re doomed if you can’t move to 20 acres in the country. We all have to live within our means and within the confines of our personal situations:

While your current situation may be less than ideal, you have to remember that very few locations are actually perfect for prepping. Nearly anywhere you live will be subject to some type of extreme weather, be it crippling cold, blazing heat, drought, tornadoes, or hurricanes. Chemical spills can taint water supplies anywhere. Riots and civil unrest can occur outside of the big city.

The point is, to borrow an old saying, you just have to bloom where you’re planted.

There are many things you can do to create a viable preparedness plan wherever you happen to live.  Apartment dwellers at the top of a city high rise, folks in the middle of the desert, those in a beachfront condo, and people in HOA-ruled suburban lots all have to examine their situations, figure out their pros and cons, and work towards resolving what they can.  With some pre-planning, there is a lot you can overcome if you have the right mindset.  I suspect there are just as many (and probably far more) preppers living in the ‘burbs than there are living in perfect rural locations, with a lake, 10 acres of cultivated farmland, and an off-grid house.

Stop waiting until you move to the perfect location. Make preparations for the situation you have, not the situation you want.

Click HERE to read the rest of this article if relocation is not an option for you.

Is it time for you to search for the perfect prepper’s retreat for your family?

Sometimes, though, you just feel compelled to take the plunge. When you do, be sure to go about your search in an organized fashion. Figure out what your priorities are, have a clear picture of your budget, and find the retreat that fits your carefully chosen criteria.

Remember, it’s far easier to already be at a bug-out location than to go on a journey to get there after it all hits the fan. If you have to bug-out there are many things that can go wrong, such as an issue with your transportation, the inability to get enough gas to get there, impassable roads, and the horrifying reality that someone else may have already taken over your location.

The Self-Reliance Weekly Report discusses acts of nature, along with a healthy helping of information about eggs from the backyard and, of course, unique and frugal DIYs from across the web.

Despite the epic drought in California, the state also has a long history of devastating floods. We have received record amounts of rain recently, and many of us are dealing with just that. 

Sometimes we don’t spend enough time thinking about the weather and how it affects our efforts to be self-reliant. Too much rain and your plants and livestock are at risk, too little rain and your plants and livestock are at risk. Add to this the fury of Mother Nature when she unleashes high winds and tornadoes, and any sensible person begins to realize that we can prep all we want, but we are still at the mercy of the weather.

The Self-Reliance Weekly Report is a collection of strategies, made up of the articles, books, DIYs, and products that I found useful on my own little prepper’s homestead.

Prepping

Tis the Season…for Tornadoes

Anyone who lives in an area prone to tornadoes knows that the season for them is fast approaching (and here already in some places). While some believe that you can’t really prep for a massively destructive act of nature, there are a few things you can do. For example, you can learn the signs of an impending tornado (and even volunteer as a storm spotter to provide valuable information for others), you can make a plan with your family, and you can stock your storm shelter in the event that you must hunker down there to wait out a threat.

The Disaster Isn’t Over When the Storm Passes

After a massive windstorm like a tornado, there are many threats: drinking water may be compromised, live power lines may be down, structures may be compromised, and people will be shell-shocked. Do you know how to take charge in a situation like this? It’s very important to get ahold of yourself and function effectively as quickly as possible. If your home has been destroyed, you will need to take steps right away to replace important documents. This is an essential step to making insurance claims and rebuilding.

Other Favorite Prepper Articles This Week

How to Brew Coffee without Power (Ummm…yes, please. You’ve gotta have numerous ways to make that vital elixir!)

How to Cook for Survival in a Power Outage Emergency (from the author of an incredibly thorough new book, Prepare Your Family for Survival)

Old-Fashioned Skills

Homesteading

Eggstravaganza: How to Preserve Eggs When They  Are Abundant

I have eggs running out my ears right now. Anyone else?  If you’re in the same boat, here are 4 time-tested ways to preserve them, plus some bonus methods from the 19th century. As well, here is a very detailed primer on preserving eggs with water glass. If you’re wondering whether your eggs are still fresh, this article explains how to test them. Of course, you can always use them up. This handy book has 70 simple and delicious egg recipes.

The Benefits of Farm Fresh Eggs

Did you ever wonder what the real difference is between store-bought eggs and ones from the farm?  It’s bigger than you might think.  Want more info about farm fresh eggs?  Here’s a list of Frequently Asked Questions that I learned quite a lot from.

Are You On the Fence About Growing a Garden?

If you aren’t sure about enlisting part of your yard for raising food, here are 5 reasons why you should consider it. If your excuse is that you’re new to gardening, then there’s no time like the present. Here are some tips to get you going. Many people have a dream that “one day” in an emergency, they’ll simply plop the seeds from their emergency seed bank into the ground and boom – the family is fed. But it’s not that easy. Take it from me – you need to practice well before you intend to be dependent upon the food that you raise. If you take the plunge (and you should!) Tthis is a great reference to keep on hand. It will answer nearly every question that a gardener might have and offer simple, inexpensive solutions.

DIY

Farm Blog

Our move is rapidly approaching, and my house is full of boxes.  There’s nothing like packing it all up to make you realize how much stuff you actually have.  (Answer: LOTS!)

Of course, a move wouldn’t be complete without a couple of monkey wrenches. And for us, that monkey wrench is mud. For years, California has been in the midst of a historic drought, and we are thrilled that there seems to be light at the end of that tunnel with the rainiest year since the drought began.

But since our property has been dug up to deal with the septic issues, the dirt wasn’t packed down afterward and it’s a giant mud puddle. My daughter was coming in from the barn the other evening and stepped into what looked like just a puddle but instead, was mud that sucked her in up to her knees. After assuring myself she wasn’t in life-threatening peril, I took a quick photo (shared with her permission). I had to rescue her by yanking her legs right out of her boots.

Next week is moving week, and then I’ll have lots of photos from my new home in the mountains to share with you guys!

Give Us Your Self-Reliance Weekly Report!

What’s going on at your farm or urban homestead right now?  How’s the weather in your area? Please share your updates in the comments below!

Are you prepared for a day when going to the store to buy what you need might not be as simple as it is now? This week’s Survival Saturday roundup focuses on the volatility of the US economy and the high potential for imminent collapse. If you aren’t already prepped and working on your self-reliance skills, now might be a really good time to start. Of course, if NASA miscalculated, an asteroid may wipe us out first.  And after reading the latest from the PC side, you might actually welcome the asteroid.

Survival Saturday is  a round-up of products, the week’s news, and recommended reading material for folks who are interested in being prepared.

This Week’s Products

Have you signed up for the Homegrown Food Summit yet? This is the biggest event for home grown food ever organized online.  Sponsored by Mother Earth News, The Natural News, The American Preppers Network, and The Livestock Conservancy just to name a few. (It’s absolutely free! Click here to sign up!)

Get started growing, or take your skills to the next level, this Summit has something for everyone.  From how to grow great garlic, to picking pigs, a property purchase checklist, growing scared space, increasing the potency of backyard herbs, to forecasting the weather, and urban chickens.  You’ll get 2 bonus e-books, just for signing up:

• “How To Make a Simple And Effective Watering System For Small Livestock” 
• “Top 10 Survival Plants: How To Grow Them and Collect Their Seeds”

It’s FREE.  Reserve your spot by clicking here:

Sign up for the Home Grown Food Summit It’s FREE!!!

This Week in the News

Expert after expert is warning that the economic collapse of America is nigh.  I write a lot about the potential of economic collapse, and indeed, we’ve been sliding down a slippery hillside to disaster for years.  But according to a lot of experts, we’re running out of things to cling to on our way down. Not only have we been hovering on the brink of a bloody stock market crash, but the third wave of the “predatory supercycle” is upon us, according to this report, which predicts that the crisis point will occur in about 6 months. (Here are the signs we’ve reached rock bottom.)  Many, many financial experts and doomsday commentators are extremely concerned about 2016: Jim Rogers, Gerald Celente, Mac Slavo, Andy Hoffman, Michael Snyder, Bill Holter, Mike Adams, Albert Edwards, Tom Chatham, and Michael Burry are all ringing the warning bell as loudly as they can.

Those low prices at the pump are actually NOT a good sign.  Some folks are rejoicing about low gas prices, but as nice as it is to fill up for less, this is actually a sign of impending doom. As oil plummets, the market destablizes. It costs more to produce gasoline than the fuel will sell for. Oil is plummeting, while gold is skyrocketing, causing a global economic shockwave. Many of the top producers of oil in the world are nearing default. (Venezuela, one of the top 10 oil producers in the world, is nearing the edge of total collapse.) Even Forbes magazine admits, cheap oil is pushing us over the edge. A Houston CEO sent an alarming memo to his employees explaining why the lucky have gotten up to a 60% paycut, 401Ks were frozen, and the unlucky were being laid off, calling it the result of an “oil and gas depression.”  Read the whole disturbing memo here.  And for more information, here’s a primer on the petrodollar.

Of course, the government is still trying to keep this financial disaster quiet. One must wonder if the government’s urge to squelch the financial information that is provided by experts not in line with their “everything is beautiful” point of view is the desire to keep it all under warps as they lose control of the economy. A new “fiduciary rule” may do just that. The rule would prohibit any financial experts from dispensing advice that wasn’t on an individual basis.  This means that restrictions would be imposed on financial professionals who handle IRAs and 401(k) accounts, advisors in the media like Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman (you know, the ones that tell you NOT to be in debt), and any just about any free discussion of finance in the media. Nothing to see here, folks. Just a little more censorship from the Ministry of Propaganda to keep things looking pretty.

Will an asteroid hit Earth on Monday? Spoiler: probably not.  NASA is predicting that an asteroid approximately 100 feet long will zoom past the earth, 20x closer than the moon at the speed of 34,000 miles per hour. According to scientists’ calculations, it will be about 11, 000 miles from Earth, the closest a body this large has come to the planet. Does anyone else sincerely hope that the scientists doing the calculating weren’t victims of a Common Core math “education”?  Because I’m pretty sure “friendly” math won’t work here.

And finally, here’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve read all week.  It seems that there is a brand new way to offend people. In case you missed this lesson in current offenses, if you “appropriate” something that some trod-upon group feels is theirs, you’re in big trouble with the PC police. (Quick Background: Cultural appropriation as defined by the Urban Dictionary is “The ridiculous notion that being of a different culture or race (especially white) means that you are not allowed to adopt things from other cultures.”)  Now that we have definitions out of the way, it turns out that those who are seeking more simplicity and fewer possessions are no  longer to be applauded for breaking free of commercialism. Instead, they’re scum for “culturally appropriating poverty.”  In an essay titled The Troubling Trendiness of Poverty Appropriation, a writer from humble beginnings decries the tiny house movement, voluntary simplicity, trendy blue collar bars, and delicacies like fried Twinkies and tater tots.  Please, let me again refer you to my own essay that calls out the crybabies on their microaggression woes.

The Bookshelf

Since the government really seems to want to shut him up, I’d like to recommend Dave Ramsey’s classic book, The Total Money Makeover. Ramsey has changed the lives of many people with his no-nonsense guide to finances and getting out of debt. I’ve personally used his “snowball method” of debt reduction and I highly recommend it. This book teaches you how to make a plan to dig your way out of debt and stay that way.

Add It to Your Bookshelf

This book will inspire you to whole new levels of personal independence. Granny Miller/aka Katherine Grossman wrote an absolutely wonderful book about meeting your own needs through old-fashioned skills, A Mind to Homestead: Old Time Skills and Knowledge for a New Generation. A note for the delicate among you: Granny isn’t a fan of “preppers,” a point that she makes abundantly clear in this book.  Despite that, I still loved it. Her issue is with the loudly militant folks who are more intent on stacking ammo than seeds and skills.  Having spoken with her personally, I know that our views are actually very similar when it comes to providing for your family via hard work. In this book, you can learn things I haven’t seen elsewhere: sewing with a treadle machine, cooking on a wood cookstove, heating with coal, and much more.

Add It to Your Bookshelf

FINALLY. You know, A. American really does write quickly, but the sequels just can’t come fast enough. Finally, his newest installment of The Survivalist Series is available on Amazon. My copy of Avenging Home should be awaiting me at the post office on Monday, but I have no hesitation about recommending these books before reading them.

Add It to Your Library

Regardless of where you live, whether it is at the top of the highest high-rise, in the suburbs, in the desert, or on a few acres in the lush countryside, you can still be more self-sufficient.

You deserve better than to simply line up at the store and exchange dollars you spent many hours earning for rations of processed, food-like substances and electronic gadgets. You deserve the feeling that comes from creating and producing.

This is a collection of more than 300 resources to inspire you and teach you to be more self-reliant. I am positive that every person who reads this post can find something to learn that will put them on the path toward real freedom.

More Than 300 Resources to Guide You on the Path to Radical Freedom

Anything to add to Survival Saturday?

Do you have any news links you want to share? Now’s the time! You are absolutely welcome to post your links in the comments below. (And this feature will be so much cooler if you guys post the things that you found important this week!)

Self-Reliance. It’s a revolutionary word these days and I thought it deserved a manifesto.

Manifesto: noun man·i·fes·to ˌma-nə-ˈfes-(ˌ)tō

A declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer.

~~~~~

Have you happened to notice that our society is out of balance?

The consumers outnumber the producers at such a rapid clip that we can’t possibly continue like this. But who has time to produce when they are indebted and working overtime to finance their current lifestyles in the hopes that they will finally be able to buy “enough” to be happy, fulfilled, and loved?

We live in a society made up mostly of rabid consumers.  As soon as the advertising pros on Madison Avenue point them in a given direction, people flock to it like the zombies on The Walking Dead lurch toward a fresh human, completely oblivious to everything else.  They yearn for these things that are produced across the world and then delivered at a cheap price.  They fill up on cheap food that has been government subsidized, making it unrealistically inexpensive.  They are enslaved as they work to pay for it, or in some cases, accept a handout to pay for it. More people are deeply in debt than ever, living a fancy First World Lifestyle that would crumble with one missed paycheck. They are slaves and they don’t even know it.

They don’t care that the newest clothing and gadgets were produced in sweatshops across the world. They don’t care that some items are produced by slave labor. They don’t care about the processed offerings at the grocery store., the pesticide-laden produce raised by corporations instead of farmers, or even the feedlots that are the scenes of the worst animal abuse in the country, completely free from prosecution. They don’t care that subsidized corporate agriculture puts real farmers out of business while it destroys our health and our environment.

They just care about their illusions of prosperity. They care that the products are cheap and make them feel good for a moment.

And “illusion” is the perfect word for it because we live in a society where many people consume but very few people produce. A society like that could not stand on its own if isolated from the rest of the world or if the corporate food companies and manufacturing plants shut down. The majority of the country has become completely dependent on things that are produced in factories.

Simple math tells us that this system can’t last forever. We can’t all be consumers if there are no producers.

These days, self-reliance is actually a revolutionary act.

That quality is the difference between someone who merely accepts what is doled out to meet the needs of their family and someone with the power to fulfill those needs themselves.

Regardless of where you live, whether it is at the top of the highest high-rise, in the suburbs, in the desert, or on a few acres in the lush countryside, you can still be more self-sufficient. You can learn to meet your own needs by acquiring the skills to produce. Every single thing that you can produce on your  own is a personal declaration of your own independence, whether it is food, clothing, shelter, or something else to meet the needs of your family. In today’s society, freedom like that is a radical thing, completely against the grain, and it’s much more gratifying than anything you could ever purchase.

This list is full of insurrections, both small and large. No matter who you are or where you live, you can pick something from the list and learn to do it. That brings you one step closer to the real freedom of self-sufficiency. If you live in an urban environment or one not conducive to 30 chickens and a flock of goats, you can learn to preserve food in delicious ways or make your own clothing, or cook from scratch. You can grow some veggies or herbs in your windowsill. You can go on a foraging hike nearby.

You can do something.  You are a free human being and you deserve better than to simply line up at the store and exchange dollars you spent many hours earning for rations of processed, food-like substances and electronic gadgets. You deserve the feeling that comes from creating and producing. There is absolutely nothing like it on this earth.

This is a collection of more than 300 resources to inspire you and teach you to be more self-reliant.You’ll see that there are numerous articles on some topics, and that is because they are all written from a different perspective. Some bloggers and authors live in the ‘burbs, some live in big cities, and some live off-grid in the boondocks, but they all have lessons to teach you.  I hope that you will discover some new experts and mentors along the way.

So, no excuses. I’m not an expert. I wasn’t brought up in an agrarian lifestyle. I’m learning, just like you are, and after a lot of trial and error, I’m just now starting to put meat on the table that I raised myself.  I’m a former city girl, a single mom, and a newbie at a lot of this stuff, and if I can become more self-reliant, so can you!  Every day, I learn something new that puts me one step closer to the personal liberty I crave. I have personally read the work of every single author and blogger on this list, and I am positive that every person who reads this post can find something to learn that will put them on the path toward real freedom.

Getting Started

General Homesteading Information

Chickens

Ducks, Geese, Quail, and Turkeys

Rabbits

Pigs

Goats

Cows

Bees

Gardening

Soil Building and Composting

Orchards

Aquaponics

Old-Fashioned Skills

Off-Grid Living

Scratch Cooking

Off-Grid Kitchen

Food Preservation

Foraging

Passing on Self-Reliance Lessons to Kids

Create. Produce. Rebel.

The biggest insurrection in our society is to be self-sufficient.  Make the way you live your life a revolutionary act by producing some of the things that you need.

Let me know in the comments how you will rebel against the status quo. What skills and projects you will undertake this year? I want to hear about your self-reliance goals!

Shout-out to the incredible community at the Homestead Bloggers Network!

I asked and you came through to help me create this guide.

Does your pantry contain all of the basics for scratch cooking? There are 25 ingredients that you need in your pantry at all times to cook from scratch.

More and more people are reclaiming the lost art of cooking from scratch in an effort to save money and avoid the trend toward processed food. A good pantry should have everything you need to whip together a pie, a loaf of bread, a casserole, or a batch of biscuits with no trip to the store required.

This is a list from my book, The Pantry Primer, of the things you need to go with your whole foods to turn them into delicious meals, so you won’t find things like canned goods, flours,  grains, meats, or veggies. These ingredients are the supporting actors to the starring roles. If you like to think ahead, be sure to acquire these items in multiples – you should never run out of them. Many of these basics can be purchased in large quantities. One of my favorite destinations for pantry basics is Amazon, where I purchase yeast, aluminum-free baking soda, and other building blocks of a scratch pantry. I have also acquired 50-pound bags of organic sugar at Bulk Barn for a reduced price.

What basics do you need for scratch cooking?

To build your stockpile, look through your cupboards and see what you use the most. Every kitchen will be different but below are my most-used items – the ones that I search out and buy in bulk.  Links are for high-quality versions of these items, as opposed to store brands that could come from more questionable sources. Feel free to select whatever version you prefer of the items – just be sure to load up and get prepped!

Baking Items

Fats

• Olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Shortening
• Butter
• Lard (we get this locally rendered)

Sweeteners

Other

• Salt
• White vinegar
• Apple cider vinegar
• Balsamic vinegar
• Black pepper
• Herbs and spices
• Cornstarch (please consider organic for all corn products)
• Lemon Juice

Want to learn more? Check out my book, The Pantry Primer

Lots of us like to have hard copies of information that we’ve found helpful.  Because of this, I’ve written about our journey to build a one year food supply and put it all in one handy primer, available on Amazon.

The Pantry Primer: A Prepper’s Guide to Whole Food on a Half-Price Budget

Are there any pantry basics I’ve missed?

This list is of the things that you need to turn your other stored food into a delicious meal.  Are there any basics in your cupboards that you use all the time? Please share them in the comments section!

Survival Saturday is  a round-up of products, the week’s news, and recommended reading material for folks who are interested in being prepared. This week, it seems as though a global collapse is close at hand, with crises pending in the European Union states, Venezuela, and here in the United States.  As well, there’s a dose of millennial angst and subsequent reality checks.

This Week’s Products

Self-reliance is more essential than ever.  If the predictions of experts are correct, we’re facing an economic crisis of proportions unseen in nearly a decade. The only way to survive it is to become self-reliant. Even if you’ve never considered planting a garden before, it’s important to begin the learning curve of producing some of your own food. These courses are a great way to learn to grow food. I have taken Seed Starting and Year Round Gardening myself and strongly recommend them. (And it’s on sale right now!)

ORDER IT NOW

Store food. What’s better than money in the bank? Well, lots of things, really, but storable, long-term food is one of the best investments you can make.

I stock NuManna foods for emergencies because a) they are non-GMO and free of many of the nasty additives of competing products, b) the food tastes great and is quite versatile, and c) you can get a gluten-free bucket, which is vital in my family.

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This Week in the News

Is Europe collapsing under the weight of hundreds of thousands of refugees? According to this report, the clock is ticking. “EU migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos warned that the bloc has just 10 days to implement a plan that will bring about “tangible and clear results on the ground” or else “the whole system will completely break down.” Seven countries have instituted strict border enforcement, leaving Greece to bear the brunt of the influx. Countries who welcomed apparently desperate people are now under siege as the asylum seekers systematically rape their women.  Norway has warned Sweden that they will defy the Geneva Convention and refuse refugees when Sweden seeks to deport half of the more than 160,000 refugees they have taken in over the past year.

Venezuela is violently breaking down. When a country reaches the state of complete economic collapse, the breakdown goes much deeper than just poverty. Read about how the Venezuelan government is dealing harshly with dissenters and anyone they feel “might” be protesting. “Throughout last night, panicked people told their stories of state-sponsored paramilitaries on motorcycles roaming middle class neighborhoods, shooting at people and  storming into apartment buildings, shooting at anyone who seemed like he might be protesting.” If you need to catch up, this article gives a quick history of the collapse that has inched along incrementally down this path until recently.

Astonished millennial fired after publically posting an open letter of complaint about her job.  I read in disbelief an angst-filled viral post last week written by a woman in her mid-20s. In the post, this poster child for entitlement decried the fact that she had a job with such low pay that all she could afford to eat was a bag of rice she had purchased before taking the entry-level position in one of the most expensive cities in the US. She wrote (emphasis hers), “Then, after I had moved and got firmly stuck in this apartment with this debt, I was told I’d have to work in support for an entire year before I would be able to move to a different department.”  Ummm yeah. It’s called working your way up, hon. Most of us have done it, including this enterprising young woman who responded with a hilarious, well-written smackdown.  To her apparent astonishment, she has now learned that the real minimum wage is $0, since she lost her job shortly after the post and some poorly conceived tweets to the CEO of the company.

What the heck is wrong with these young whippersnappers? (I used that term because I sound like I’m ancient, complaining about the younger generation.) First of all, they’re incredibly coddled, and this is by design. Last year, I wrote a list of 25 things we did as kids that would get someone arrested today that developed our senses of adventure and kept us from being a generation of weenies. I am also starting to think a major issue is our colleges and universities, setting young people up with unrealistically entitled expectations and safe spaces. One glowing exception is this university, which actually offers a class for college credit on survival skills.

Please get prepped for the economic crisis on the near horizon. I keep saying this, but our own economy is doomed. It may seem like the crisis is distant, but that is because those in financial power keep kicking the can down the road with things like quantitative easing and bailouts. But, it’s coming. If you wait until it’s happening, then you will have waited too long. It’s difficult to say whether we’ll go down the same path as Venezuela, but it’s essential to get yourself prepared. The stock market is incredibly volatile as the economic system struggles to survive, 13 of the biggest retailers in America are closing stores (including Wal-Mart, which you would expect to survive like a cockroach after a nuke in the event of a crumbling economy), and every expert out there has been ringing the warning bell for months. First, invest wealth in precious metals – silver seems to be a strong bet right now. Then, whether you consider yourself a prepper or not, get ready to become self-reliant if you don’t want to suffer from hunger and crushing poverty.

The Bookshelf

This week, the bookshelf topic is money. Are you ready for a dramatic change in the economic structure of America and your own personal financial situation?

The Prepper’s Financial Guide: Strategies to Invest, Stockpile and Build Security for Today and the Post-Collapse Marketplace: Jim Cobb is one of the most prolific voices in  preparedness publishing and his book on getting ready for an economic collapse will not disappoint you. While the other books on the Bookshelf this week provide a view from inside the economic industry, this book is pure prepper. Even if you have no horse in the race of high finance, this will help you to get ready for the inevitable crisis that will follow a crash.

Add It to Your Bookshelf

The Complete Tightwad Gazette: This book was absolutely pivotal in my life and although it is more than 20 years old, the content will help you ride out the economic collapse.  Learn what hardcore frugality is really all about in this book written with warm humor, charming illustrations, and a bucket full of common sense. For many of us, the economic collapse has already begun, and embracing a frugal lifestyle can get you through some very rough times. This is my favorite book and I think you’ll enjoy it just as much as I did.

Add It to Your Bookshelf

Crash Proof 2.0: How to Profit From the Economic Collapse: Peter Schiff is one of the leading voices in economic prognostication. In this second edition of his popular book, he picks up where he left off in the last book and explains in easy-to-understand language the factors that will affect your future financial stability and offers a specific three-step plan to battle the current economic downturn.  This book is particularly good for those who have investments while still providing a pertinent overview of the market and how it affects us to those who do not.

Add It to My Bookshelf

Want more info for self-reliant, real food lifestyles?

For more great round-ups, check out these two weekly features:

In the last weeks of winter, you can sometimes find yourself in limbo. You’re itching for spring and the smell of the freshly turned dirt, the magic of planting seeds, and the good weather to get outside and have some fun. Meanwhile, it’s still cold, possibly slushy, and definitely too soon to plant or bring home baby animals for the farm in most areas. This week, the Self-Reliance Weekly Report is about taking some time to audit your self-reliance, get organized, and plan some projects. (And if you’re getting a big tax return, that might help fund your efforts.)

The Self-Reliance Weekly Report links you to all the best articles relating to prepping, homesteading, DIY, and independence.

Click here to check out the Organization Edition of The Self-Reliance Weekly Report!

Want to make your kitchen GMO-free? This week’s Foodie Friday round-up is loaded with news, tips, and recipes that can help make it happen!

With a site name like “The Organic Prepper,” it probably comes as no surprise that I strive to avoid the inclusion of GMOs in the food that my family consumes, and after several years of effort, we’re pretty much GMO-free. We don’t depend on labeling to avoid GMOs, but on a series of easy strategies that anyone can use.

Click here to check out this week’s GMO-Free edition of Foodie Friday.

Anything to add to Survival Saturday?

Do you have any news links you want to share? Now’s the time! Please post your links in the comments below and also, let me know how you feel about the articles that I shared. Have a fantastic week!

Welcome to Foodie Friday.  This is the GMO-free edition!

Want to make your kitchen GMO-free? This week’s round-up is loaded with news, tips, and recipes that can help!

This feature is chock-full of all things food related: news, preservation, and delicious real food recipes.  As always, I really hope you’ll share your links and ideas in the comments below. As well, we’ll have a question of the week on each Foodie Friday post.

Cookbooks

The Organic Canner:  Full disclosure – this is my book. I’ve been canning for quite a few years and I began to make changes to some of the basic recipes I found out there. Why? Because I wanted my preserved food to be as pure as possible, without the questionable ingredients that many of the standard recipes included. In this book, you’ll find my method for making jam without pectin (which is often GMO), making meals in jars, and preserving basically everything from your backyard garden.

Order Here

A Primer on Pickling: Learn How to Pickle Food in a Single Afternoon:  Here’s another awesome home preservation book. You don’t need lots of fancy equipment to preserve food by pickling, and the product makes a quick, delicious snack. (This book is currently free from Amazon.)

“Learn how incredibly easy it is to make your own pickled food in a single afternoon! There is no pressure canning involved or overly specialized equipment needed to pickle food. This primer was made with the absolute newbie in mind and is written with step by step instructions in a clear and straightforward language.”

Order Here

Foodie Friday News

My family avoids the consumption of GMO food. With a site name like “The Organic Prepper,” it probably comes as no surprise that I strive to avoid the inclusion of GMOs in the food that my family consumes, and after several years of effort, we’re pretty much GMO-free. While the pro-GMO sector likes to deride and scoff at us for not being able to science, the fact is, there actually are studies that prove harm from GMOs. But because they aren’t sponsored by huge companies like Monsanto, the results aren’t skewed and are hidden or even refuted altogether.  None is more famous than the rat study done by Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini, which showed horrific tumors caused by GMO food. What no one talked about was this: the Food and Chemical Toxicology journal got a new editor named Richard Goodman, who retracted the study a few months after he got the job. Guess where Goodman worked from 1997-2004? BINGO. Monsanto.  Read the details of the sketchy retraction here, and use this for ammo anytime someone tells you that Seralini’s rat study was debunked.

Is it the GMOs or the Round-up causing harm? Keep in mind some of the issues with GMO crops could actually be the dousing of toxic Round-up that the foods are sprayed with. Despite irrefutable evidence of toxicity and death from glyphosate, our own Environmental Protection Agency (what a joke) upped the allowable level of spray to be used on food crops. However, the World Health Organization has classified glyphosate  as a probable cause of cancer. So even if you find the modification of the plant’s DNA to be acceptable, are you also cool with the spraying of poison on the food? This isn’t limited to only genetically modified food – some conventionally grown wheat is absolutely drenched in glyphosate.

Unfortunately, GMOs probably won’t be labeled anytime soon.  There’s currently a bill on the table of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee that would override any mandatory GMO labeling bills enacted by individual states. The bad news is, that bill is probably going to pass because of the attitude of epic condescension: they don’t want to confuse consumers and make them think GMOs are bad. You know, the same consumers who are begging for these labels. While I do think that there should be transparency in food labeling, I’m not Don Quixote, flailing at windmills. Here are some practical ways to avoid GMOs (even if you’re on a budget) – and none of them include on depending upon a government agency that has sold its soul to Big Biotech.

Gerber Formula says they’re non-GMO, but….  Gerber is now paying lip service to parents who want GMO-free choices for their babies. Unfortunately, it may all be a hype. Gerber refuses to answer questions about specific ingredients, and the products are purely self-labeled, and not certified by an outside agency.

Quick rundown.  To avoid GMOs in your own kitchen, you want to grow your own, buy locally from farmers you know and trust, avoid foods that are processed, preserve your own food, and cook from scratch. (Here are some tips on how to acquire good quality food on a budget.) Below, find some of this week’s best links for preserving and cooking.

Food Preservation

Have you tried fermenting food yet? I’ll be honest – so far, I’ve been a bit leery of fermenting food. But I took a really cool course and I’m ready to take the plunge.  Not only does fermenting preserve your food, but it also provides you with healthy probiotics that help heal your insides and support your immune system. Corinna’s adorable accent and humor make this course engaging and pleasant. Each section contains written information, as well as a video. (I got a lot out of the videos.) Check it out HERE.

Plastic, be gone. As I get rid of the toxic things in my home, I’ve been appalled at the amount of plastic that I use, even though I thought I was doing pretty well with that. One of the major crime scenes? The inside of my freezer. This article shows you how to preserve food in the freezer without using plastic.

What to Eat This Week

Products

Want some high-quality jerky for snacks, bug-out bags, or emergency food? This Epic Bison Jerky is…well, epic. It’s pricey still, but try it while it’s on sale. It’s the best quality jerky around, made with real food instead of a bunch of meat-like additives.

Order Here

Do you have recipes you no longer use because they call for cream of mushroom soup? I cast away quite a few recipes when I switched over to an organic, less-processed diet. However, the comfort food casseroles of my childhood can be mine again. Pacific Northwest’s Cream of Mushroom soup is on sale on Amazon today. Grab it in quantity to add to your food storage stockpile.

Order Here

Foodie Friday Sound-off: Have you gone GMO-free?

This week’s Foodie Friday question: How do you feel about genetically modified food? Do you avoid it and try to live a GMO-free life or do you think it’s ok?

Are you doing some scratch cooking or food preserving this week?

Dish with me in the comments below!