Cascadia Survivalist

Everything you need to know about canning and food preservation is available in USDA’s Complete Guide to Home Canning. This resource is for people canning for the first time or for experienced canners wanting to improve their canning practices. The information is based on research conducted by the National Center for Home Food Preservation in cooperation with USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The two-part guide contains many research-based recommendations for canning safer and better-quality food at home. The first section explains the scientific principles on which canning techniques are based, discusses canning equipment, and describes the proper use of jars and lids. It describes basic canning ingredients and procedures and how to use them to achieve safe, high-quality canned products. The second section is a series of canning guides for specific foods, including recipes. The free, 196-page publication can be downloaded from the National Center for Home Food

  During the First and Second World Wars there were food shortages and rationing on items needed for the war effort. On the Homefront families struggled to make ends meet, while still preparing tasty and healthful meals. Many of the recipes that were used then are still applicable today, and with the potential of coming food shortages in the near future, having a few of the wartime recipes on hand could be useful. The United States, Canadian, and United Kingdom governments all produced books and leaflets to aid families in making the best use of limited supplies during both world wars. These recipes can be found on-line, or purchased as re-prints if you want a printed cookbook of wartime recipes. Some resources to get you started with wartime recipes... Economy Recipes for Canada's "Housoldiers." War Time Cookery   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2K88JKZ         Homemaker's Guide to Wartime Meals   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1JBWJQF         Self Help Wartime Cooking S

DRYING Drying is a very old method of preserving food and is useful when there is a glut of fruit or vegetables which cannot be dealt with by ordinary bottling methods. It is particularly useful for vegetables as these cannot be bottled safely without the use of a pressure cooker, Drying should only be used for vegetables which will not keep if stored fresh as the food value of fresh vegetables is greater than that of dried. FOODS SUITABLE FOR DRYING Fruits: Apples, dessert, pears, plums and grapes. Vegetables: Peas, beans, onions and mushrooms. Herbs: Any.   EQUIPMENT REQUIRED Equipment necessary for drying ix simple and inexpensive, Drying may be carried out in the oven, in a warming cupboard, on the warming rack over the stove. The essential thing is to have a constant gentle heat, the temperature, say, of a good airing cupboard and a current of air to carry off moisture as the food dries, If the oven or a cupboard be used leave the door ajar to ensure the necessary draught. If dry

Alone is an American adventure reality game show on the History Channel. It follows the self-documented daily struggles of 10 individuals (seven paired teams in season 4) as they survive alone in the wilderness for as long as possible using a limited amount of survival equipment. With the exception of medical check-ins, the participants are isolated from each other and all other humans. They may "tap out" at any time, or be removed due to failing a medical check-in. The contestant who remains the longest wins a grand prize of $500,000. The seasons have been filmed across a range of remote locations, usually on Indigenous-controlled lands, including northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Nahuel Huapi National Park in Argentinian Patagonia, northern Mongolia, Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories, and Chilko Lake in interior British Columbia. All of the participants on Alone have significant outdoor and survival experience, and before beginning their stay in the w

A bug-out bag contains those items needed to support yourself if you are forced to evacuate your home and move to a safer location. The idea is to carry those items needed to allow you to move from point A to point B in a quick and safe manner. While the exact contents of a bug-out bag will vary based on your location, the environment, and your individual needs - the focus of a bug-out bag should be keeping it light weight and including just that gear that you need to accomplish your task of getting to a safe location. A bug-out bag is NOT something that you grab and run to the nearest patch of forest where you plan to live off the land. This is almost certainly a plan that will fail after no more than a few days. “The term bugging out refers to the decision to abandon your home due to an unexpected emergency situation – whether a natural disaster or one caused by man… A Bug Out Bag (BOB) is a self-contained kit designed to get you through at least 72 hours of independent survival whil

  This video presents a discussion of potential threats to the national power grid. While (as the video points out) a national level EMP is a very low-probability event, it is also an event with very high consequences if it was to happen. Black Sky Event TARGETING THE ELECTRIC GRID https://theblackskyevent.com/ Through June 1st [2022] you can sign up to watch this 20 minute episode for free. After that the video will be available for purchase. The Black Sky Event docuseries examines the possibilities, if not probabilities, of our national energy grid going down, leaving us in perpetual darkness. Modern infrastructure is so interdependent and vulnerable that the electric power grid has become the Achilles’ heel of our nations’ security. The series illustrates four likely threats that could take out the grid: Solar Flare, Cyber Attack, Physical Attack and EMP. An EMP is an air burst nuclear weapon, which would send out an electromagnetic pulse that would fry all electronics in its wake.

  Publications mentioned in the above guide: https://archive.org/details/99WaysToShareTheMeat1943/ http://www.idaillinois.org/digital/collection/isl3/id/12464 For a complete guide to Wartime Meals get a copy of:   Homemaker’s Guide to Wartime Meals Recipes, Tips, and Suggestions on How to Do More with Less – From the World War II Homefront   by: USDA Bureau of Human Nutrition and Home Economics https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1JBWJQF Do you foresee coming food shortages? Does the rising cost of food make it difficult to feed your family and still make ends meet? Would you simply like to be a bit more independent and self-reliant?      In December 1941, the United States entered World War II, and with the nation at war came shortages and rationing at home. The nation’s industrial and agricultural production focused on supporting the war effort. With much of the nation’s resources going overseas to support the troops, those who remained at home were encouraged to do their part to conserve

You and your companions have just survived the crash of a small plane. Both the pilot and co-pilot were killed in the crash. It is mid-January , and you are in Northern Canada. The daily temperature is 25 below zero, and the night time temperature is 40 below zero. There is snow on the ground, and the countryside is wooded with several creeks criss-crossing the area. The nearest town is 20 miles away. You are all dressed in city clothes appropriate for a business meeting. Your group of survivors managed to salvage the following items: A ball of steel wool A small ax A loaded .45-caliber pistol Can of Crisco shortening Newspapers (one per person) Cigarette lighter (without fluid) Extra shirt and pants for each survivor 20 x 20 ft. piece of heavy-duty canvas A sectional air map made of plastic One quart of 100-proof whiskey A compass Family-size chocolate bars (one per person) Your task as a group is to list the above 12 items in order of importance for your survival. List the uses for e

Emotional stress from a disaster can be harder on children because they: Understand less about the situation; Feel less able to control events; Have less experience dealing with stressful situations; and May not be able to communicate their feelings, such as fear or anxiety. The CDC's Center for Preparedness and Response has published a series of booklets to help parents and teachers aid younger children in understanding and coping with emergencies. Join Ready Wrigley as she helps her family prepare for emergencies!  https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/readywrigley/books.htm Disasters are stressful events that can cause substantial harm to communities and families. After a disaster, children may develop symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Mental health plays an important role in physical health, school performance, behavior, and long-term quality of life. Therefore, it is important to keep children physically and mentally safe during and after a disaster.  

We have been looking that flower pot heaters and trying to get them to work as an emergency / auxiliary way to heat a small room. Unfortunately, we have been unable to make the heaters work in a way that will raise the temperature, of a small room, by even one or two degrees. The flower pot does become very hot (too hot to touch), but the heat doesn't radiate out into the room in any meaningful way. The following YouTube videos demonstrate much the same that we found in our own attempts to get this to work... It doesn't! Plant pot heater test - Do they really work? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTALg4l-dUU Twin Plant Pot Heaters - do they really work? - updated test with new design https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njDCfmve_FM Cascadia Survivalist has tried these flower pot heaters and found that they simply do not work. They just don't have that capability to raise the temperature of even a small room. However, once the flower pot heats up, it does work as a "hand war

A zeer pot is an evaporative cooler used in rural Africa and the Middle East to keep vegetables fresh. They consist of two terra cotta pots, one nested inside the other, with the gap between them filled with wet sand. The sand serves as a thermal mass that helps keep the pot cold once it has cooled down, and acts as a wick to spread the moisture up the walls of the pot. When placed in a shaded, breezy location, the evaporation of water off the outer surface chills the pot. If you have a good breeze, or a fan powered by a solar panel blowing the pot, the pot can get quite cold. Making a zeer pot is very simple, all you need is two porous clay pots, one larger than the other, as well as some sand, water, and a cloth.  First plug the holes in the bottoms of the pots with a waterproof material; you don’t want the water leaking out.  Then, you just put one pot inside the other, and fill up the space between them with clean sand, and wet the sand to start the cooling effect. Unless the air i

  The availability of fuel for cooking has become a major problem in many developing countries. Increased use of charcoal made from native wood can cause deforestation and loss of agricultural land, and most developing countries lack the fuel distribution system necessary for the use of kerosene, gasoline, or liquefied petroleum gas. For example, devastating earthquakes made Haiti’s previous power infrastructure problems even worse. According to the World Bank, Haitians meet about 70 percent of their power needs by burning firewood or charcoal. Since the island has been heavily deforested, Haitians must travel long distances to gather firewood for daily cooking. Charcoal is an option, but in the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation, its cost can eat away at a family’s budget. After the earthquake, resources of all kinds were harder to get and more expensive. Solar energy, by contrast, is abundant and available. Tips for Cooking with a Solar Oven: 1. Think dark! Use black metal pans and

See volcano preparedness information from Pierce County, Washington: https://www.piercecountywa.gov/3730/Mount-Rainier-Active-Volcano Volcano READY Understanding your hazard and risk is the first step to being VolcanoREADY.  The Department of Natural Resources has an interactive map to help you. Enter your address under volcano layer to see how your are impacted by a possible lahar. Make plans based on your risk. Evacuation possible? The greatest hazard is lahar (a fast moving slurry of wet concrete that rushes down the slopes of a volcano and it river valley) from melting glaciers and/or landslides. If you live in a river valley below Mount Rainier, know your evacuation route to high ground. Best to stay put? – Leave the roads for first responders and evacuees.  Know how to prepare for ash fall, and stay comfortable. Be prepared for two weeks. Learn about kits for evacuation or stay in place: Include N-95 masks and goggles to protect against ash.

The U.S. Department of Defense recommends that Service Members build and carry personal survival kits when they travel. Personal Survival Kits . Creating and carrying a personal survival kit will augment any issued survival equipment in order to help an isolated person survive.  Individuals must personalize their survival kits for the operating environment.  Consider including the following items in a personal survival kit: water, shade tarp, ammunition, radio, personal locator beacon (PLB), satellite phone, commercial tracking device, maps, compass, and emergency signaling devices, local purchase cell phone, sun block, insect repellent, head net, space blanket, burlap, poncho, a mirror, infrared (IR) and visible lights (e.g.: Fire Flies, laser pointer, Micro Lights, Phoenix, chemical lights, etc.), 3’x3’ bright colored cloth, 1 sq. inch of glint tape, knife or multi-tool, fire starter, candle, button compass, water purification tablets, three 1-gallon zip lock bags, large plastic leaf

The U.S. Army has published a manual - Advanced Situational Awareness. TC 3-22.69 (April 2021) - that contains information on how soldiers can train their senses to new levels of awareness, enabling them to almost unconsciously perceive small details about their surroundings in a near-superhuman manner. Other sections of the circular describe how cultural anthropology, the study of world religions, and even Gestalt psychology, can be leveraged in U.S. Army training in order to make soldiers into what some might call "warrior monks" with near-preternatural deductive reasoning ability.   Advanced Situational Awareness is worth reading. While focused on Soldiers, this manual provides information that is of use to anyone who might find themselves in a hostile or non-permissive environment. Download a copy from the Army Publishing Directorate ( https://armypubs.army.mil/ProductMaps/PubForm/Details.aspx?PUB_ID=1021901 )

History Channel had a series called 'Doomsday: 10 Ways the World Will End' .  Full episodes are available on YouTube. While these shows can be entertaining, they are worst case - low probability, and often completely fictional, scenarios (Aliens Invade Earth). Still, some in the "prepper community" are preparing for just these types of scenarios. Cascadia Survivalist hopes that you enjoy watching these shows, but encourages you to focus your preparedness efforts on more likely real-world disasters. KILLER ASTEROID STRIKES | Doomsday: 10 Ways the World Will End (S1, E1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdBhm6lMDOU SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE | Doomsday: 10 Ways the World Will End (S1, E2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bgxEoyRz6E ROGUE PLANETS ON A COLLISION COURSE | Doomsday: 10 Ways the World Will End (S1, E3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0ZWGLDqEWU NUCLEAR WINTER NIGHTMARE | Doomsday: 10 Ways the World Will End (S1, E4) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtNqzGofn8U D

The National Risk Index ( https://hazards.fema.gov/nri/ ) is a dataset and online tool to help illustrate the United States communities most at risk for 18 hazard types: Avalanche, Coastal Flooding, Cold Wave, Drought, Earthquake, Hail, Heat Wave, Hurricane, Ice Storm, Landslide, Lightning, Riverine Flooding, Strong Wind, Tornado, Tsunami, Volcanic Activity, Wildfire, and Winter Weather. Natural hazards can also cause secondary natural hazard events that create additional hazards. For example, Volcanic Activity can create other hazards, such as ash and lava spread. The National Risk Index only considers main natural hazard events and not their results or after-effects. Natural hazards and natural disasters are related but are not the same. A natural hazard is the threat of an event that will likely have a negative impact. A natural disaster is the negative impact following an actual occurrence of natural hazard in the event that it significantly harms a community. The National Risk Ind

In early March, defense officials avoided even confirming the first Stinger missiles were being sent to Ukraine amid concerns of escalating the conflict as Russian troops marched toward Kyiv, and defense analysts counted the days until Russian President Vladimir Putin would likely control the government of his next-door neighbor. But over the last two months, as Ukraine has made a stand and fought back against the invasion, the aid has ballooned to billions of dollars' worth of helicopters, armored vehicles, newly developed drones and artillery. Reports this week that U.S. intelligence had helped Ukraine sink a Russian warship and kill Russian generals on the battlefield were the latest signs of what appears to be the Pentagon's slow, steady march to deeper involvement in the European war. The Pentagon has now moved to releasing itemized lists of the thousands of weapons, ammunition and hardware now being shipped to allies in Kyiv. It has also announced a new Florida National G

If you are lost or stranded…  STOP and PLAN for your SURVIVAL STOP S – Sit down and take a break. Calm yourself and control your breathing. T – Think about your situation and where you might have gone astray. O – Observe the area around you. P – Plan what you will do next.   PLAN means…   P – Protection. Find or make a shelter, build a fire, protect yourself from the elements.   L – Location. Put out signals to make your location visible to rescuers. A - Acquire water and food. N – Navigation. If rescue doesn’t come, determine the path you must take to find your own way out and ensure your survival. S – Size up the Situation. U – Undue Haste Makes Waste and Use Your Senses. R – Remember Where You Are. V – Vanquish Panic and Fear. I – Improvise. V – Value Life. A – Act like the Natives. L – Live by Your Wits or Learn Basic Skills. 

A lot has changed since the CIA was founded in 1947. Sweeping advancements in technology, a new and evolving threat landscape, and the nuances of an increasingly globalized world mean that the CIA of today looks remarkably different from the CIA of yesteryear. CIA’s headquarters in Langley, Virginia, was built in 1952, predating the Internet, the personal computer, and yes, even the microwave oven. And while the CIA has evolved tremendously over the years, there are certain elements of our mission that are, for lack of a better word, timeless. In 1951, CIA instructors developed “Introduction to Survival,” a course meant to prepare Agency officers with the skills needed not only to survive—but thrive—in wilderness conditions. Documents declassified in August of 2000 include a nearly 300-page course manual [ https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP78-03362A000900050001-4.pdf ] that guided students through the core principles of wilderness survival, including parachute jumping, ground

Surviving Disaster was a 2009 TV series simulating real life disaster situations. Hosted by former Navy SEAL Cade Courtley, each episode retells situations in a worst-case scenario and what viewers can do to survive them. There were 10 episodes in the series. You can watch Surviving Disaster for free on Daily Motion. Surviving Disaster S01E01 - Hijack https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x54awip Surviving Disaster S01E02 - Towering Inferno https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x54b8k4 Surviving Disaster S01E03 - Hurricane https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x54f8vk Surviving Disaster S01E04 - Home Invasion https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x54l3fr Surviving Disaster S01E05 - Avalanche https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x54lgjw Surviving Disaster S01E06 - Lost at Sea https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x54lnon Surviving Disaster S01E07 - Mall Shooting https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x54sndz Surviving Disaster S01E08 - Nuclear Attack https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x54sxft Surviving Disaster S0

Download a Wildfire Pre-Evacuation Checklist https://disastersafety.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Wildfire-Home-Pre-evacuation-Checklist.pdf FEMA Wildfire Evacuation Checklist https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/wildfire-evacuation-checklist.pdf Download the Wildfire is Coming, Are You Ready to Go! https://www.readyforwildfire.org/wp-content/uploads/calfire_go_brochure_LINOweb.pdf