Make Your Own Raised Bed Garden

on August 27, 2012 at 2:42 am
Posted In: Gardening, Prepping on a Budget

Make Your Own Raised Bed Garden

Preppers everywhere are learning the value of having a garden. Not only is it far superior to the produce you find in the grocery store, but it can be a big money saver if you do it right. Multiple threats to our food supply are everywhere. Threats like the recent drought may not close the grocery store doors, but it may make fresh vegetables prohibitively expensive for many consumers.  Fragile supply chains also threaten food security. Wars and political instability in the middle east can set off an oil crisis which could send the price of everything through the roof.  Prices are subject to the fuel expenses associated with moving those items. Very few items are locally grown in any metropolitan area. Growing even the smallest garden can help you have fresh produce available.

In Florida, as with many parts of the country, the soil is sandy and very poor. To combat that, I garden in a raised bed garden. This allows me to compost my yard waste, produce scraps and used coffee grounds into dirt to fill the raised bed garden box. It is simply a bottomless box constructed of wood salvaged from old pallets.

First, I dug up the grass and roots from the area where I plan to set the boxes. I left the grass and sand there, I just want to break it up so roots can get through it if they want. Next, I  mixed in some “Use Everywhere” Milorganite fertilizer which sells for $12 for 36lbs at Lowe’s. It is cheap, it has a slow release and it is virtually idiot proof; meaning it is hard to over fertilize with it. My next step is to lay down my box frame which I made 3 feet wide. This allows me to reach to the middle of either side with out stepping in the dirt and compacting it when I weed or harvest. The length is at your discretion or whatever your space will allow. If you are already composting, you can fill it with your homemade dirt. If not, you can buy the dirt the first time and then start composting to keep the dirt replenished and revitalize the nutrient content in the soil.

 

Placement of the raised bed garden will depend on what you want to grow and when you want to grow it. The photograph I have provided is my small garden that I use in the summer to grow mustard greens and mixed field greens. They cannot tolerate the hot Florida summer sun, so I grow them in the shade of a large tree. I have two more garden boxes that I use in the late fall through early spring to grow broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, green beans, mustard greens, mixed field greens and cabbage. They are about 15 feet long each and are in the sunniest part of my yard. Winter is the best growing season for me, here in South Florida.

Below is the same bed 1 week later. The mixed field greens and mustard greens are starting to grow. I prefer mustard greens over collard greens as they are much more tender. They will cook in a fraction of the time that collard greens will, which would be a big plus in a grid down scenario where fuel efficiency is very important. They can also be eaten raw but are a little spicy. Mixed field greens are best when eaten raw.

 

Other places that can benefit from raised bed gardens are low lying areas. Those areas can hold too much water and rot the roots of your vegetables. A raised bed garden will keep the excess water drained off and promote a healthier crop. Here is a great link to find  information on gardening. Even if you just grow 3 tomato plants or 1 basil plant you will get a great feeling of accomplishment from producing your own food.

Happy prepping!

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Weaponizing the Computer Virus

on August 22, 2012 at 4:42 am
Posted In: Potential Threats

Weaponizing the Computer Virus

The Stuxnet computer virus brought virtual warfare from the back channels to the front line and the front page. The attack on Iranian nuclear facilities showcased what is possible in the arena of a computer virus. Stuxnet moved from computer to computer on thumb drives and stayed dormant until it found the specific machine it was manufactured to attack. When it found its target, it caused the nuclear centrifuges to spin faster than they were designed to spin. This damaged them and temporarily halted Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

The Stuxnet virus was speculated to have been developed by the US Government. A leak from an anonymous official confirmed those suspicions last June. While Iran may have known the US was to blame, this confirmation buys them a lot of political capital with their allies such as China and Russia.

Former head of the N.S.A., Michael Hayden said in the following CBS interview that in the case of a physical weapon, it destroys itself. He goes on to explain that this is not the case with a computer virus. The evidence is left in the data to be analyzed by the victim of the attacks. That data can then be reverse engineered and turned against enemies of the state that was attacked.

For a terrorist supporting state like Iran to have the source codes of such a computer virus, presents endless possibilities for them to express their hatred for the West. They could launch cyber attacks against critical infrastructure such as water plants, electrical grids or nuclear power plants. The computer virus could be used to infiltrate military installations or government agencies.

The most recent reuse of  Stuxnet has now been identified in the Lebanese banking system.  The new strain of  Stuxnet-like  computer virus is called Gauss. We know very little about this virus or what its purpose is other than it has infected more than 10,000 computers. An infection in the American banking system of this nature has the potential to bring us to our knees. Imagine for a moment, no paychecks issued, credit card machines down indefinitely, the only cash you have access to is what you had in your house or pocket before the attack. Commerce would halt and panic would envelop the streets in a matter of hours.

I am sure we will hear more about the Gauss virus and others that are derived from Stuxnet in the future. All I can say is, be prepared .

Happy prepping!

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Make Your Own Compost Bin

on August 20, 2012 at 4:31 pm
Posted In: Gardening, Prepping on a Budget

Make Your Own Compost Bin

Many preppers who have any yard space at all are beginning to use that space for gardening. I think this is a great idea for multiple reasons. Reason number 1 is to grow your skill set. I see endless advertisements for these survival seed buckets. Seeds may indeed become a great barter item at some point in time but most people buy them with the intention of producing their own food.  Any one who thinks they are going to start their first garden the day after TEOTWAWKI is in for a surprise. Not only is there a tremendous learning curve on gardening in general, but every region has its own challenges with things that will and won’t grow there.

Reason number 2 is to eat better and get a little exercise. What you grow in your yard is going to taste so much better than what you buy in the store. You are in control of the fertilizer and the types of pesticides you chose to use. Reason number 3 is that you can save some money as opposed to purchasing all of your produce at the grocery.

Finally, reason number 4 is to develop the infrastructure you will need to grow a garden if SHTF. Just buying the seeds will leave you with many challenges if you have never grown a garden before. You will need tools. You will need some type of pest control. You will need a means of  keeping the nutrients in the soil you use, if you have any at all. I live in South FL with sandy soil that is great for coconuts, avocados and mangos. For vegetable gardens, not so much. What I do to overcome that issue is to build a raised bed garden. this allows me to keep 6″ to 8″ of good soil above the sand line in a box. The problem is, where do you get the dirt with out breaking the bank. A bag of dirt at Lowe’s can easily be $7 or $8, this can get expensive quick. Problem number 2 is Lowe’s may be the forward operating base of the local gang after it hits the fan.

So what do we do? I bet you guessed it from the post title. We make our own dirt! Most everything organic will turn back into dirt. All of your grass clippings, leaves, coffee grounds, tea bags and all vegetables and fruit  peels will make rich, nutritious dirt for your garden. All you have to do is to create an environment to help the bugs and bacteria do their job. I constructed my compost bin out of discarded decking that I picked up on bulk trash day. You could also use wood from old pallets. The size of the wood you find will determine the size of the compost bin you are able to build. Just construct a simple wood box with no bottom. Take a measurement and construct a top of the same size, but leave some space in between the boards on the lid. Also don’t get the boards to tightly together on the sides. Remember, we are trying to induce rotting. We need oxygen for that process. We also need moisture. leaving some space on the lid will let rain in but keep the sun from drying everything out. Here is what it should resemble:

It will take a while to get the decomposition process going but it will happen. Once you get it going, always leave about 1/4 of your dirt as a starter for your new material. That has all of the little micro organisms that break it down into dirt. It will break down much faster than the first round. Keep it moist by adding a little water each time you throw out some produce scraps. Once a week, mix the compost with a garden rake or shovel.  Avoid putting any meat products as this will become rancid and stink. The process will go much faster if you keep a mix of green and brown material, such as grass (green) and dead leaves (brown). You can even use cardboard for your brown material. You can put any trash from your produce and any paper product that doesn’t have a lot of ink or that is not glossy. Yard waste is the biggest contributor to my compost bin. Click here to learn more about soil microbiology.

You will be recycling and getting a lot of great nutrients for your garden. You will love having the great tasting food and saving money for other preps or to get yourself in a better financial position to weather the coming storm.

Happy prepping!

 

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Zombie Housing Market

on August 18, 2012 at 4:46 pm
Posted In: Economy

Zombie Housing Market

On this broadcast of Capital Account, Lauren Lister interviews Barry Ritholtz, CEO of Fusion IQ on the housing market. Barry claims there are between 3 and 6 million homes in the foreclosure pipeline. Homes that are foreclosed but not yet on the  housing market are referred to as shadow inventory. These homes sell at below market prices to quickly clear them from the banks books. By having so many homes selling at depressed levels, it prohibits the housing market from recovering and it maintains a zombie like state; not completely dead but certainly not alive and kicking.

Barry sees home prices falling another 5% to 10% without another recession.  Here at Prepper Recon, we think another recession is all but baked in, so that would likely mean more job losses which leads to more foreclosures, which leads to an even more depressed housing market. On top of the 3 to 6 million homes in shadow inventory, there are approximately  another 3 million homes who have not paid a mortgage payment in 12 months. Banks are delaying the foreclosure process and letting the defaulted borrowers stay in their homes rather than let them sit vacant. Banks refer to this practice as strategic non-foreclosure. This could go on for some time, but eventually these homes will also become part of the inventory. Think of them as a second wave of zombies that haven’t yet reanimated but you know it is coming.

It is a vicious cycle, without more jobs, we can’t buy homes and clear the inventory so the housing market  can recover. Without a recovery in the housing market, we can’t create more jobs as it is the driver for a significant portion of consumer spending. Think of all the things we buy for a home, TVs, dishwashers, couches and curtains. None of these things get bought or need to be made if people don’t buy homes. As consumer spending is 70% of GDP, it is hard to grow out of the last recession without the sales of these home goods.

What does this mean for Preppers?

What it means to me is that I can keep saving for a Bug Out Base or rural retreat. If you haven’t read the Prepper Recon 7 Step Preparedness Plan, please do so. It  will describe in detail what a bug out retreat is and what you should look for. I am more likely to get a good deal on a rural property in a year or two than now.

Does this mean you shouldn’t buy a home now? If you are in the position to buy a home now, meaning you have the credit and the down payment, you can probably buy and pay much less in mortgage payments than rent. As people are afraid to buy or unable to buy because of higher lending standards, rents have gone up while home prices fell. That money saved can be put away towards buying a rural retreat.

Be smart and do your research. You can set a search on Realtor.com for cities or zip codes where you would like to buy a home or a rural retreat. It will e-mail you every time a new listing comes up within your search parameters. Even if you know you won’t be ready to buy for another two years, start the search now to familiarize yourself with those markets. Remember, every housing market is local and will vary from area to area.

Happy prepping!

2 Comments

Make Your Own Sterno

on August 16, 2012 at 2:50 pm
Posted In: Prepping on a Budget

Make Your Own Sterno

Since I live in Florida, Hurricane season is as good a time as any to do an annual gear check. I always change out my stored water at the very beginning of hurricane season. This ensures my water storage is never older than 1 year. I recycle old juice bottles and fill them with tap water that I can run through a Britta filter if I need to drink it. At some point after that, I deconstruct my Bug Out Bag and reassess the contents. I change out any canned goods in my bag that are nearing expiration and replace them.

When we start to see storms, I check my “Bug In” gear. After our last big storm Wilma, I invested in a camping stove and several disposable propane bottles. That was 6 years ago. 2 of the bottles were light so I hooked them up to see if they still had gas.

They still worked, but leaked out the remaining gas when I unhooked them. The rest had a little rust on the bottom so I sprayed them with a coat of galvanize paint.

Rather than replace them for around $10, I remembered a trick my old Scout leader, Mr Yager taught me. You can make your own Sterno with left over candle wax, some coiled up cardboard and an empty tuna can.

        

I used an empty soup can to melt the wax in the double boiler to keep me out of trouble with Mrs. Prepper Recon. I then used my multi tool to evenly pour the hot wax into the tuna can and over the card board; this will effectively waterproof it.

It is pretty easy to construct a stove out of any materials you may have around. The homemade Sterno should burn around 45 minutes to an hour. It is not as clean as Sterno brand Sterno, but I am manufacturing this for a hurricane or TEOTWAWKI. Always use a pan or foil, and never place meat directly over the flames as it will be covered in soot.

Resourcefulness is a key tool in survival. Let us know how you prep on a budget.

Happy prepping!

7 Comments

Jim Rogers Interview

on August 12, 2012 at 6:18 am
Posted In: Economy

Jim Rogers

Jim Rogers is a multimillionaire investor who stated the Quantum Fund with George Soros. He has split from Soros and now manages his own investments.

In this interview, Jim Rogers speaks about the growing lack of trust in the banking system. He describes how that lack of trust will continue to eat away at the financial sector. He predicts prosperity for the agricultural industry. As emerging markets begin to demand higher standards of living, they will also begin to eat more meat which in turn drives demand for feed corn. Jim Rogers recommends investing in sectors that are involved in  agricultural production such as farm machinery and fertilizer. He expects agricultural areas to become the new money centers of America.

Jim Rogers recommendations can be a sign of hope for preppers. As preppers look at less populated areas, they can consider crops and live stock as means of income as well as self sufficiency. The other side of the coin is unforeseen disasters that can destroy an entire years work. This is the case with the drought in the heart of the agricultural production states that we are presently dealing with. Corn has nearly doubled since the onslaught of the drought. This has caused feed prices to double as well. Farmers who raise live stock have been forced to sell everything but their seed stock as they can no longer afford to feed the animals and make a profit. Short term meat prices will likely fall due to the glut of inventory but future prices will sky rocket. Even a bumper crop next year would not be able to bring meat prices down as it will take at least two years to have herds replenished to normal levels that can meet demand. Stock up while meat is cheap. These prices are sure to be short lived.

2 Comments

Jobs – Unemployment Creeps Up to 8.3%

on August 3, 2012 at 4:23 pm
Posted In: Economy

Jobs Data Weak- Unemployment Creeps Up to 8.3%

Today’s jobs report from the BLS or the LBS as I like to call it (Lots of Bull Stuff) showed we added .1% to unemployment from June. 8.3% is a steady move up from 8.1% in April. When you look around, you may think it seems much worse than 8.3%. You are right, 8.3% is the  U3 number which does not include people who have quit looking for jobs or those who are working part time because they can’t find full time jobs. That  jobs number is called U6 and is now at 15% which is up from 14.5% or a full half of a percent since April. Using the U3 jobs numbers instead of the U6 jobs numbers is lying at worse and sugar coating at best. The purpose is to make you feel better so you will keep consuming. If the BLS reports the real numbers, you will think there is an economic crisis coming and quit spending. As our economy is 70% consumer spending, everything falls apart when people get scared and quit spending. In fact the only thing holding our financial house of cards together is consumer confidence. When that goes, everything goes.

So what is the answer? Should they report the real numbers and cause a panic? If they did, the crash would come sooner. The sooner it comes, the sooner we can start to rebuild. The longer we wait, the larger the debt grows, the less our money is worth and the more severe the crash will be. For the people who can see it coming, the delay buys us precious time to build up our defenses in the way of cash  in case of a depression, precious metals  in case of hyperinflation, and food stockpiles in case of whatever. Do what you can, when you can to be prepared.

Here is the link to the BLS jobs numbers.

Magazine Ban Going to Senate Vote Today

on July 30, 2012 at 3:49 pm
Posted In: Constitution

Magazine Ban up for Senate Vote Today

Senate Bill 3414, also known as the Cyber Security Act is up for a Senate vote as early as today! SA 2575 is the back door amendment being used to sneak the magazine ban in.If passed, all magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds would be banned. The 2nd Amendment states “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” The purpose was to protect us from tyrannical governments. The ability to defend our selves against thugs was just assumed. Gun control is infective in reducing violent crime. Research the statistics from cities like Chicago and DC where gun laws have thrown out the 2nd Amendment rights. You will quickly discover, criminals pay no mind to the law. It is only the law abiding citizen who obeys, and in their obedience left defenseless against the murderers who slaughter them.

The Aurora shooter gave no concern for the law. You are not allowed to brandish firearms in a public place, nor discharge them in city limits, nor threaten people, nor kill them. Yet all 4 of these firearms laws that already exist failed to stop the tragedy. A magazine ban would have made no difference as he would have disregarded it as well.In fact, the law penalizes private citizens by requiring them to obtain and maintain a concealed carry permit. The citizen must pay a fee and take a class, submit paperwork and pay State and Federal fees totaling $105 in Colorado plus $105 for renewals. The criminal pays nothing in fees! Are the fees the reason none of the victims in the Aurora shooting were armed? Were mounds of paperwork, classes and what amounts to a penalty tax for abiding by the Constitution the cause for so many unnecessary deaths and injuries?The Aurora tragedy could have been greatly mitigated by 2 or 3 armed citizens. They could have returned fire and taken out the gunman, had our rights not been so trampled already.

It is not “somebody” that needs to do something about the magazine ban. It is you who needs to e-mail your Senators and Representative and ask them to vote NO on Senate Bill 3414, The Cyber security Act and the back door magazine ban. You can find your Senators info here, and your Congressional Representatives info here.