Owning Land (Know your inventory!)

Learning to inventory is one of the most important things I can think of when owning a piece of land. And by inventory I simply mean knowing what you have and how much of it. After working in the I.T. field for nearly 8 years I have learned the importance of inventory and how it directly effects the business on a day-to-day basis.

Making sure we have an extra stock of monitors, computer parts and even printer toners is important because if we don't keep track of inventory someone will be without support or the ability to work for a while, which effects the business. The same goes for land - if you don't keep track of fuel or oil stores, bags of feed or food you could be in a world of hurt and the only person you have to blame is yourself.

A strong cataloging skill-set helps keep you prepared for weeks, months or even years ahead. And the more organized you are the more efficient you can be. If you buy lots of things in bulk you will probably save yourself fuel and time because you're making less "emergency" trips to the town general store or Home Depot because you didn't realize you had run out of X, Y or Z. Or less individual orders online, which save on shipping costs depending on the vendor.

It may seem obvious, but most people I know who own bits of land or have a small business may only know what they have in their head or not at all... not smart. It will come and eventually bite you and you'll hate yourself when it does.

Learn to be one with spreadsheets because they are your best friend - believe me.

I have found that only a few spreadsheets are really required to manage a large plot of land. Easily divided by sections based on uses or frequency of use.

For example:
One section can be for supplies just for vehicles such as: fuel, oil, extra tires, etc.

Another section can be for specific amounts of building materials such as: nails, wood screws, 2x4 boards, etc.

Lastly you  can dedicate a sheet or tab (in Excel Spreadsheet) to food and water stores like: bags of rice, spices, etc.

The better equipped you are doesn't always make you the most efficient. The more knowledgeable about what you have will make you more efficient.

Owning Land ("How much is too much?")

Something occurred to our group recently when we started walking more properties: "How much land is too much?"
Now this is something that will be very different from one person or group to the next, but it is good to know what will work best for you.

For us, our group is very small and maybe the idea of having 50-70 acres right off the bat may have seemed grandiose, but on the practical side it seemed more like a nightmare. If you have maybe two or three physically able members willing to put in a lot of time that's still a lot of land to manage. If you didn't have to worry about your normal 8-5 jobs or have any other responsibilities it may be possible, but 50+ acres? Come on...

Granted there's homesteads that are plopped down in the middle of 1,000+ acres out in the Midwest and Southwest United States, but is all that land useable? Possibly, but if I want to have land, I want to have a little to enjoy, and a lot to work on. Having 30 acres that's purely woods and rolling land is a bit much unless you're opening a park or cordoning it off for hunting or logging.

You need to find a good middle ground for the amount of acreage you can both work and enjoy. Walk as many properties as you can and ask A LOT of questions to land real estate agents. 

See what's useable and like I mentioned in an earlier post ask about flooding and or view properties in the Spring or Winter if possible to see the land at its worse so you know what you're getting into.

Properties are still cheap right now and if you see something that you think will work for you, grab it!

*Remember! If you plan on taking a loan out on parcel of land take note that it is MUCH different than getting a loan for a house. The financial requirements are much more strict and it's usually better to have most of the cash up-front if possible. As we found out that most banks won't even give fixed interest rates on land so... if the market picks up your 6% loan interest might turn into 15%. Just something to keep in mind.

Adapting to the Urban & Rural Jungles (fashion or lack thereof)

I have one real piece of advise: don't dress like a moron. And by that I mean don't dress yourself so that you're the first person everyone notices. Don't walk downtown all alone with your shiny watch and your stylish jeans and not expect to get mugged. Without getting into the "socioeconomic talk" of inner-cities let's just assume that if you dress nice enough you're basically asking to get robbed.
I'm all for self-defense in these kinds of situations, but how about not putting yourself in the situation in the first place? That's the real smart thing.
The same rules apply outside of the city in smaller, rural towns. You don't have to be flashy, adapt and fit in.
I have multiple outfits that range from an upper-crust d-bag, hip style (basically comprises the shiny watch and stylish jeans example), to "woodlander," which is what you may look like if you own and work on your own 100-acre plot of land.
When going to the local gun store to browse I probably won't dress like an asshat, which can go either of two ways: dress way too nice or dress like a weekend warrior. You'll look like a tool either way. Find a nice middle ground because I can't say dress "normal."  That statement couldn't be anymore ambiguous these days.
Am I saying to change who you are? No, but learn to be creative and adaptable in an ever-changing world. Is that so much to ask? I hope not.

Food Storage (Purchasing Habits)

Now is the time to start storing more. 

I have a habit of stocking up at a quickened pace in the months leading up to the winter and it's not a bad idea. Last year we had a rather subdued winter overall, but had a major snowstorm just prior to Halloween that was so bad that local trick or treating was delayed a couple of days and most lost power anywhere from a day to a whole week. I'd rather have some stored foods just in case. And having a gas stove means I can continue to cook my cache of food even during a prolonged power outage.

Very small example of stored foods

I have also decided to spend more time looking at and purchasing foods for storage. For me there's a couple of factors:
1.) Content and Ingredients
2.) Shelf Life
3.) Price
4.) Preservatives and/or additives

I like to think that what I am buying will benefit my family and I if things start to look bad outside our windows. I make sure it is something everyone can and will eat. In order to purchase it has to be something that will have a high caloric value combined with some form of nutrition that will help sustain the eater when food isn't plentiful or easily obtained anymore.

It also has to have a decent shelf life. Most canned items have anywhere from a 1-3 year lifespan depending on the item.

I'd hate to put a price on my family's future well-being, but being broke doesn't help my family either. Finding a good balance of all these factors helps in the long run.

Most long-lasting canned foods have preservatives and additives, there isn't really a way around that, but I do choose to actively avoid some. You can look up related health concerns and common side effects as there's often too many to list.

For example:

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)  - Used for its flavor enhancing and thickening properties
Sodium Nitrate - Added to cured meats as a preservative and color fixative
High Fructose Syrup - Sweetener

Pricing

Some of the items I buy still contain some of these less-than-pleasant ingredients, but if it's really cheap or if it's lasts a little longer I'll bite the bullet and get it anyway. Remember - it's all about moderation. Don't eat too much crap and you should be okay. Eat nothing but crap and you may be in trouble.

In a world where's there no food having something with preservatives is the least of your troubles.

Regardless, it is nice to know I have an ever-growing comfort bubble when it comes to having a store of food in case getting to a grocery store becomes dangerous or downright impossible.

Warsaw-Pact Gas Masks (a selection and review)

Continuation of an earlier post: Gas Masks

MREs

Are the good old MREs (Meals-Ready-to-Eat) you can find in your everyday Army Navy Surplus store good for you? Well it's certainly debatable. What isn't debatable is that they are a perfect eating alternative when fresh food isn't available. And are they really necessary? Absolutely. They were considered so necessary that most superpower's armies (including the U.S.) began testing and developing MRE packs for soldiers by the tail end of the Cold War. Sure army rations had been around for the greater part of the 20th century, but not small, self-contained meals that could be stored for a long time, heated up with an included heater unit and then eaten quickly.

By the time Operation Desert Storm had started the U.S. had already been testing and improving the MRE for about 12 years and continued to do so until about 2003 where they remain the same to this day.

But does the everyday civilian need MREs? Considering harsh winters, natural disasters and a number of other factors I'd say so. And considering the fact that some have a pretty lengthy shelf life it probably can't hurt to have enough for the whole family to live on for at least a couple of days. Or even a couple of MREs for camping or hiking.

If you have room in your refrigerator it isn't a bad idea to keep a couple MREs in there because it will extend their shelf life. As shown here you can imagine how long an MRE will last if it is stored at the average refrigerator temp of 35-38 degrees Fahrenheit.



Military MRE Alternatives?:
Up until seven years ago there weren't many civilian alternatives to the ubiquitous military MRE. Pre-2005 most civilian MREs didn't contain as much food, had different or inferior components, and did not offer much variety. But with the latest civilian brands those concerns no longer apply.
After Hurricane Katrina much of the civilian MRE market picked up and more companies began producing legitimate, branded civilian MREs. Ameriqual, Sopakco and Wornick, all major manufacturers of military MREs started producing their own civilian products. Additionally, International Meals Supply, a certified supplier of emergency rations for the Department of Defense, has joined the civilian MRE field with their MREStar product.¹

• Ameriqual APack
• MREStar
• Sopakco Sure-Pak 12
• Wornick Eversafe

Health Concerns:
In order for MREs to last as long as they do they need a number preservatives and additives. And guess what? They're not always the best things for you to consume, but remember: it's all about doing things in moderation. If the MRE isn't your everyday food choice you'll probably be okay. And an important side-note about some powdered drinks in MREs. Most powdered drinks have tricalcium phosphate, an anti-caking agent which also acts as an acidity regulator. In some forms it can cause nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, constipation, dry mouth, increased thirst and increased urination so just be cautious. Not everyone will react badly to these different preservatives, but there are always exceptions.

Other MRE Alternatives :
If you don't need an entire pack there are also freeze-dried entrees that are good alternatives to MREs. An MRE traditionally contains: an entree, side dish, cracker or bread, spread, dessert, candy, beverages, hot sause or seasoning, a flameless ration heater, utensils and accessories. That's a lot. Companies like Mountain House and Backpacker's Pantry have excellent and varied menu options with items that have a much longer shelf life than the average MRE. As far as I know most Mountain House entrees have a shelf life of 25 years whereas the newest MREs may only have a maximum shelf life of around 6 years in the driest and coolest conditions possible.

*Remember that freeze dried foods require cooking with boiling water whereas MREs usually come with their own heater pack, but don't even require heating to eat anyway.

For a Go-Bag or Bug-Out-Bag I'd recommend something like a couple Mountain House meals because they'll last longer in more adverse conditions than an MRE. If you're planning ahead of time to go out into the wilderness then the MRE would be a good option because I would like to think that it was being stored properly beforehand.

Notes and References

1. "http://www.mreinfo.com/us/mre/mre-history.html" MREinfo.com. Retrieved 25 September 2012.

Survival and Entertainment

Having always had an interest in survival scenarios and the now, mainstream idea of being a survivalist meant I was always looking for things to watch and read about these things. Whether it was movies, magazine articles, web forums or TV shows there never seemed to be a lack of good entertainment value in the subject of just surviving a situation. 

Above all, I think the best medium for this was Les Stroud's tv series: Survivorman. Not only was it entertaining, but incredibly educational whereas its higher-budgeted counterpart: Man vs. Wild was marketed more towards married couples who needed something for fun and shock value and admit it, most women prefer and watch Bear Grylls for his looks and accent and nothing more. "Big whoop." Most of the things he does are staged and he always has a full crew with him. When Les Stroud goes out, he almost always goes out alone and does all his own filming in sometimes very dangerous situations where he could actually die. It was also revealed in 2006 that some scenes from Man vs. Wild are misleading and even fake.

I understand that there is a need for pure entertainment, I mean, look at all the reality tv shows currently on - it's the majority of what's on these days. People don't want the truth, they want what's easily accessible. "Yawn."

If I want to watch a show about survival I want it to actually teach me something so I will say this: "Thank you, Les Stroud because you actually stayed true and tried to stay educational."

Owning Land ("Off-Griding It")

Just a quick note! I am not an expert of buying or owning land, but this is just my opinion (like most of this site) based on the research I've done for myself because this is something I'm interested in.

Introduction
For some time now I have considered the option and possible investment in buying a large lot of land - anywhere from 30-280ish acres depending on local geography and price. Now more than it ever seems like it'll be a realistic feat to accomplish. With a few close friends working together we may have land in a couple of a years.

Some of which spawns from the idealistic philosophy of being self-sustainable, being away from people in general and possibly starting a small business.

I have for a couple of years enjoyed watching YouTube videos of people's off-grid cabins on their own huge plots of land out in Colorado, Nevada, etc., but I live in New Hampshire. And although we have a fair amount of open space in our no-sales-tax state, it doesn't match up to a lot of other popular off-grid living states out West. If we're talking about price per acre you can't beat states like Montana or Colorado, Utah, etc. Looking at them sometimes I wish I could just pack my bags and move out there, but for now I'll be sticking around here - I like it here.

Shopping for Land
There's so many things to consider with the initial search, especially with limited budgets and with land prices varying based on factors ranging from the actual shape of the property, local geography, road access, etc.

Initial purchase aside you have to figure out how much money will go into making the land usable? Does land need to be bulldozed? Areas cleared? Wells dug? And in addition can you or someone you know do these things or have the equipment for you to use or will you (God forbid) have to pay someone to do all this for you? If you're on a limited budget you can pretty much forget that.

Obviously before you purchase land you have to see what it's like and be able to imagine all the things you want to do in place. Much like looking at a house on sale and seeing your own layout of furniture. Also it's best to view land in the winter and spring to see the property during the harshest seasons - snow season and mud season. If during the Spring there are areas that become completely impassable due to heavy rain and mud you may want to skip on it - this is something that some people overlook and wish they had researched beforehand - oops, now you're stuck with 200 acres of land you can't even travel through!

Preparation
Equipment, equipment, equipment. Depending on what your goals with land are this will vary greatly. Most of the equipment will be expensive and BIG.  Heavy duty pickup trucks or Ranch Trucks are pretty common place on large plots of land and help with the moving of equipment or assets (i.e. hay, lumber, front-end loaders, etc.). 
*Diesel is highly recommended for engine durability, high torque, fuel efficiency and the ability to run on bio-diesel mixes.
**If you're really planning on going off the grid you can also invest in an older vehicle with a carburetor and research on how to make it run on a wood-gasifier system, which you can read a bit about in an earlier post: The B.O.V. or "Bug Out Vehicle".


Most good diesel trucks available in the US are actually American-made as most of the other truck options will be gasoline-run instead. If you were, for example in Russia or Eastern Europe I'd recommend you to buy a Ural, but guess what? We're not in Russia or Eastern Europe :P


Some Ranch Truck possibilities:

• Ford F-250, F-350, 3500 Dually, etc.
• Dodge RAM 2500, 3500
• GMC 2500 Duramax

Livability Options
For this land you could be working on it, living on it or both. DIY building can be cost effective, but only if you have the know-how. There's lots of literature and even courses you can attend to learn how to make your own home or log cabin, but there's also modular homes you can purchase and have shipped to your land if you so choose. It all depends on your land, future plans, finances and skill set(s).

Example
We will purchase a plot of 40 acres with road access after walking the grounds (during mud season) and having it professionally surveyed. Plans and concepts will be drawn up for placement of assets of the property. 

Once finalized, equipment will be purchase or transported to the site to begin work. Clearing a path for access to the work area will be one of the first things.
Depending on plans we may start building a barn or storage to begin to safely keep equipment in while we're away. 

If clearing land looks too daunting we will request that a lumber company come in and clear a section that we would like to use - they will usually pay you for the opportunity and the lumber they yield from this process, but this may take a long time to accomplish depending on the lumber company you're requesting and the current season.

After land has been cleared a small Christmas tree farm will be planted as part of a long term profit plan as they will take 5-7 years to mature.
If the land has beautiful views it may be opened for a small fee for hikers or even horseback riding.

A number of small businesses can be operated on a piece of open land such as a general store, vegetable stand, camping grounds, etc.

After a couple of years of steady profit modular homes will be shipped up or cabins will be built to live on the land permanently and eventually it'll become a self-sustainable property.

Practice, please

Savage Axis XP, TGI AMD-65, Olympic Arms AR-15

New Savage in .308 (foreground) and old Savage in .300 Savage (background)

Military Tactics - Defense - Reverse Slope Defense and Defilade use

A reverse slope defense is a positioning technique characterized by the location of defensive forces on a slope of a hill, ridge, or mountain that descends away from the enemy. It is one of several time tested techniques that may be used as part or all of a unit defense.^[1]

There are numerous recorded instances of this tactic being effectively used throughout military history from the Falklands War of 1982 all the way back to the Second Punic War fought between 218 and 201 B.C. It is clear that it is a time-tested and still currently well-documented by the U.S. Army's wide array of field manuals.

The reverse slope defense protects the infantryman from enemy long-range direct and indirect fires.

Defilade is also used to refer to a position on the reverse slope of a hill or within a depression in level or rolling terrain. Defiladed positions on hilltops are advantageous because "dead space" – a space that cannot be engaged with direct fire – will be created in front of the position. Ideally, this dead space should be covered by the interlocking fields of fire of other nearby positions, and/or by pre-planned indirect fire.

Artificial entrenchments can provide defilade by allowing troops to seek shelter behind a raised berm that increases the effective height of the ground, within an excavation that allows the troops to shelter below the surface of the ground or a combination of the two. The same principles apply to fighting positions for artillery and improvised fighting vehicles or technicals.

Below is showing the prevention of "skylining" with background cover to conceal the outline or silhouette of a vehicle (or in this case a tank) while in a defilade.

Uses of defilade and concealment. (Clockwise) 1.) Turret-down position, no background concealment 2.) Turret-down position, background concealment 3.) Hull-down position, no background concealment 4.) Hull-down position, background concealment

These tactics for tanks and armored vehicles can be easily extrapolated for use with improvised fighting vehicles. Being armed on top of a piloted-pickup truck (for example), while hiding in a defilade (See Figure 0-1) allows for an effective ambush position as well as cover to move to another another fighting position or concealed exit route if needed.

In a survival scenario use of the reverse slope defense may become invaluable to those avoiding detection from hostiles.  This tactic can be used when seeking refuge or looking to ambush a force of much greater strength and numbers.

  

References

1. Reverse Slope Defense: Light Infantry in Action [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/call/call_1-88_chpt3.htm]
2. Combat  Techniques of Fire [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/23-65/Ch6.htm]

AMD-65 Project (continued)

The B.O.V. or "Bug Out Vehicle"

A Question of Personal Transportation

So when it's all said and done what are you using to get yourself from place to place when proceeding on foot will either take too long or be too dangerous?

Public transportation is most likely going to be one of the first public services to go when things go to hell. So... what do you have at your disposal besides your own two legs to get you around?

Realistic Possibilities and Things to Consider:

• Automobile (i.e. cars, trucks, suvs, etc.)
• Diesel or gas? 
• If it's diesel will it run on vegetable oil?
• Off-road capabilities?
• Fuel efficient?
• Maximum driving range?
• Ease of concealment?
• Reliability?
• Motorcycle
• Carry capacity?
• Maximum driving range?
• Reliability?
• Protection?
• Bicycle
• Carry capacity?
• Protection?

With any motorized vehicle there is a major question of fuel availability unless you're competent enough to build something like a wood gasifier for a carburetor-based engine to create a car or truck that could run on burning wood.

Wood Gas-run Volvo

Motorcycles are a better option for being quick and allow the user a good ability to avoid conflict and obstacles, but at the same time give the rider little, to no protection. And motorcycles will break down eventually - it's just in their nature to do so.

Bicycles have been overlooked quite a bit as a transportation option, but every once in a while I find a decent video or little snippet (or a friend brings it to my attention, which prompted me to write the whole post) about someone modifying or keeping a bike just for a WROL\SHTF scenario, which is a great idea. The only fuel you use is your own calories and bikes are relatively cheap especially when comparing them to any car, truck or motorcycle.

The drawbacks are pretty apparent to begin with though. Limited carry capacity, no protection from the elements or hostiles and the main advantage can be a disadvantage too: your only fuel is your own calories... what happens if you haven't had much to eat in a week's time? How much farther can you peddle all your supplies and yourself with only a few calories intake a day or less?

But a lot of this can be overlooked by the fact that you can travel much farther and faster on a bike than on foot and you can travel in places that most motorized vehicles wouldn't be able to reach.

As always many factors are based on your location. 

Location, location, location!

If you haven't already heard that a million times already, you'll hear it again from me!

Always find what works best for you - where you plan to start your excursion and the possible places you may end up or have to go when that crap does hit the fan.












Jeep Comanche 29er Mountain Bike - Mountain & Hybrid Bikes (Google Affiliate Ad) 

Best buys - Ammunition (per box) *Updated

I have listed some common calibers and their price per box. These prices may change after this posting. For more prices go to http://www.ammoengine.com/

If you go back to an earlier posting on 04/05/12 of these specific calibers you will see that prices have gone up drastically for boxes of .223 and .308.

For example the average of the 5 cheapest 20-round boxes of .223 in April 2012 was $4.88 now it's about $15.37 - a high increase in average costs (+$10.49/per box avg).

Always be mindful of events in the news and pricing trends before buying in bulk!

9x19mm

Manufacturer	Grain	Bullet Category	Rounds/Box	Price/Box
Wolf	115	FMJ	50	$9.50
Prvi Partizan	115	FMJ	50	$10.45
Blazer	115	FMJ	50	$10.45
CCI Blazer	115	FMJ	50	$11.00
CCI Blazer	124	FMJ	50	$11.00

.40 S&W

Manufacturer	Grain	Bullet Category	Rounds/Box	Price/Box
CCI Blazer	180	FMJ	50	$15.00
Federal	165	FMJ	50	$15.00
CCI Blazer	165	TMJ	50	$15.50
Independence	165	FMJ	50	$15.90
Independence	180	FMJ	50	$15.90

.45 ACP

Manufacturer	Grain	Bullet Category	Rounds/Box	Price/Box
Blazer	230	FMJ	50	$16.90
Blazer	230	FMJ	50	$17.25
CCI Blazer	230	FMJ	50	$19.50
Double Tap	230	FMJ	50	$20.95
CCI Blazer	230	FMJ	50	$21.50

.223/5.56x45mm

Manufacturer	Grain	Bullet Category	Rounds/Box	Price/Box
Prvi Partizan	55	SP	20	$8.50
Wolf	55	HP	20	$15.89
Wolf	55	FMJ	20	$15.89
Hornady	55	JHP	20	$17.60
Federal	55	FMJ	20	$18.99

7.62x39mm

Manufacturer	Grain	Bullet Category	Rounds/Box	Price/Box
Wolf	123	FMJ	20	$4.40
Wolf M Classic	124	FMJ	20	$4.40
Wolf	123	FMJ	20	$4.50
Golden Tiger	124	FMJ	20	$4.90
Wolf	124	HP	20	$6.50

.308/7.62.51mm

Manufacturer	Grain	Bullet Category	Rounds/Box	Price/Box
Federal	170	HPBT	20	$21.50
Federal	168	HPBT	20	$21.50
Winchester	180	SP	20	$24.48
Federal	150	FMJ	20	$26.99
Winchester	147	FMJ	20	$28.50