Endless Projects - The New Home

Office Difficulties

Let the projects roll! 
And boy will there be a lot of them. When you get a house from the 1850's you know what you're getting into though. Poor insulation, moisture buildup, failing structures, and grand-fathered in out-of-code aspects everywhere you look.

For the most part we're only looking at old school insulation and yes, some moisture, but surprisingly not in the main part of the house. Instead I have found moisture and mold in a small office add-on that's only about thirty years old - judging by the alarming color and style of the carpeting. 

First it's a concrete floor that's separate from the foundation of the rest of the house and second there's a trap door. Now when I initially pulled up the carpet and found this wooden trap door I was skeptical and even a little worried. What's inside? Contraband? Zombies? Let's just say that the first time I opened it I wasn't taking it lightly.
Afterward though I was able to put down my weapons and flashlight and really inspect this oddity. What I wonder is if I can find a way to properly seal this trap door to stop moisture from getting into the room. Is it possible? If it is possible, should I? I'm not a construction expert by any means, but it looks like it was meant for mitigating flooding. Like a sump pump might actually go into it.

I'll be getting a dehumidifier soon for this room (only about 150 sq. ft.) and putting down some interlocking carpeting. Then I'll do some real mold-cleaning with borax and bleach and get the room usable again. The room doesn't have to look spiffy as it's just going to be my new office\workshop, but if I'm going to be spending a decent amount of time in there I don't want it to look like an outhouse either.

Any advice on this would much appreciated as I am definitely out of my element here.

Boston Events

I wanted to write long and sophisticated post about the recent Marathon bombings and the even more recent shootout with the suspects, but I am now deciding not to.

I just want to say my heart goes out to those wounded and the families of those who lost their lives during these awful events.

Hope it all ends soon.

That is all.

Searching for the Perfect Home - In Suburban\Rural America (Addendum)

100+ year-old shed in our backyard

We are closing on a house in 27 days and hope that everything goes well. Wish us luck and hopefully we'll be lucky enough to have a place to call home. Or in my case... a place to call "Headquarters."

Searching for the Perfect Home - In Suburban\Rural America

A Personal Journey

Now that the housing market is slowly clawing its way back to some sense of normalcy after all these years we find ourselves rushing to find a place that's right for us. Problem is our price range is limited and the last thing you want to do is jump into something that may cost you way more down the line. Of course leave it to us to lean towards much older properties - yeah we like places with personality. And when I say older I mean "19th century older." Colonianls, New Englanders with stone foundations, dutch doors - my kinda house. I grew up in a town where many of the houses in my neighborhood were from 19th and even 18th century - great big old houses with lots of history. Fantastic. 

They look good and remind people everyday of how far we've come. Newer houses need lots of work every decade or so, but I feel that these houses from the 1800s, if built really solid in the first place just don't need much. Just enough love and care over the years to keep them lasting forever.

It's an exciting and very scary time for us. We've decided to leave the city and find an area a little more removed and quiet. So we've turned in our city spurs for rural America instead and I think we'll manage just fine. Taxes are a bit high, but for good reason: a fantastic school system, which is one of the best in the state. With the prospect of children in the near future I'm doing my best to think ahead.  Knocking up the wife will be a planned endeavor, not an accident - just saying.

And as of now we're working back and forth with the seller and listing agent to get a price that's just right considering that the roof will need work soon and that the 50-year-old oil furnace needs to replaced almost immediately. If you know anything about house ownership neither of these expenditures are simple or cheap. But with over an acre of land to play with and a great overall house I think it'll be worth it in the long-run, especially before the housing market picks up again this Spring.

Wish us luck!

Patience is Rewarded... with Gas Masks

More posts coming soon...

Photo taken by Jeff Provencher

The "B.O.T" (or Bug Out Team)

You've got your Bug Out Bag, possibly even a Bug Out Vehicle, but what about your Bug Out Team?

This has been a topic of discussion I've heard a lot more often as of late. With new bans looming over the horizon, the division between Liberals and Conservatives greater than ever before and with certain supplies growing more rare a need for a backup plan feels pretty pertinent.

Not only is this a topic of discussion for others, it's been one for me as well. The need for contingency plans is more important than ever and I'd rather be ready and in a group I trust than climb this mountain of sorts alone.

A "Bug Out Team" should be a small group, no larger than five or six. In this group a level of compatibility must be kept between all members whether it be similar medical kits, radios or similar weapon platforms and calibers.

Have a plan!

You may have good, trusted friends that you'd like to be in this group, but they may not all live in the same area. Just because they decided to live in a different city or state shouldn't disallow them from joining your bug-out operation. Because if they weren't allowed to join because of that would make you a jerk.
Create waypoints and different routes depending on differing scenarios (i.e. disaster type, population panic level, etc.) for a group to meet up. If, for example you are trying to escape farther north in the Midwest you may have friends or group members from all over a specific state or region that need to link up. Find areas ahead of time that would be best for finding each other as well as mark areas that would be better to avoid - (i.e. city-centers, transportation hubs, major highways, etc.).

Practice!

Run tests with your team and time yourselves under different scenarios and be critical of mistakes. Like your group's medic realizing that he forgot to pack his med-kit when arriving at an important rendezvous point. He won't be making that mistake again in the future...

Kits - In Depth:

Unanimously the most important quality of kits in a team is to have multiple similarities and redundancies throughout, but don't forget that some form of variety is helpful too. Everyone should have a good medical kit in case of some nasty cuts, sprains or breaks. Besides the glorified boo-boo kits you'll probably want at least one "Oh crap I got shot or gored" kit and of course one or more competent group members to utilize it.

Kits and packs should also be somewhat unique based on the skill-set of the individual such as tools for a mechanic, a medkit for the medic (of course) and maybe a radio pack or repeater for a communications or electronics expert. It may seem obvious, but a lot of bug-out bags are VERY similar down to the food they carry. If you plan it out more like a squad of infantry it becomes more clear who has what role as well as defining what one person should carry over another.

It isn't always possible to have everyone carry everything because you then run into the problem of everyone's pack's weighing 200 lbs. and then you'll have a whole new set of issues to overcome.

One of the few times I'd highly recommend compatibility is between weapons and ammo - yeah, it's the obvious one. The ability to hand each other magazines with the same ammunition can be essential in a survival situation. Primary weapons needs to be alike, whereas secondary weapons such as pistols and maybe even hunting rifles is slightly less important. It depends on where you are and where you're planning on bugging out to.

Please plan ahead!

NY Times article on "Preppers"

One of the best news articles on the subject of prepping I've read as of recent:  The Preppers Next Door

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.