Iowa Preppers Network

Disabilities and Buggouts.

2012-01-31T19:40:00.000-08:00

By marshwillow

Faced with a possibly terminal illness it comes to mind that others will be there so how do we deal?
We will undoubtedly come to a decision of staying behind with an ill family member,one that is older (perhaps with Alzheimers). They are often reluctant to leave familiar surroundings and are unaware of dangers that may arise.Or it may be like in my case where cancer has left me unable to leave treatments. Some things will have to be weighed and considered.

1.We are to take under the consideration that if we have to choose whether to go or stay,then it will be our (possibly) last major decision.
2.Can we take our ill relatives with us.
3.Can one stay behind with them.
4.That if the move is made and the ill taken with them,will they be comfortable?
5.We may be a drain and if it comes to a choice where a child or children are in harms way can we be strong enough to send them to a safe place with trusted friends, so we may remain to care for our ill family or care for ourselves alone.

Never would I wish to be a burden and if I cant muster strength to go-then may I muster the strength to stay.
But I wont leave anyone behind if I can take care of them. That is where our humanity comes into play. This is were the government would love to use euthanasia. It was also the final solution when Germany decided to rid the Reich of undesirables. Mentally challenged, terminally ill and the lame were exterminated. It was a definite bugout situation and these people hadnt anyone to take care of them. So where are we to stand? Can we cope with the extra burden? Can we afford to turn our backs so easily on those that cant stand for themselves? What do you think? Do you have someone that may be getting on in age, fraile, terminal or mentally challenged? Have you thought about this in your prepping? Let me know what you have done to avoid these scenarios. Have a blessed day.

Iowa Weather

2011-10-14T06:26:00.000-07:00

Well we have been experiencing some unusually warm weather in Iowa these days. I have been complaining about it. However I have now decided the best thing to do is make use of the good weather while it is here. How can you use the good weather to prep more? I know my garden has hung around longer than I exected and I will be harvesting some cuccumbers and squash soon. I am wondering if my tomatoes will ever turn red. May need to make fried green tomatoes. Oh and my chard which had formally been lace has now started to get past the bugs and is green luscious and yummy.

I know other people who are working away to get wood piled up and chimneys cleaned. I keep hearing people say that the warm weather now is scary because we may be in for a hard winter. If that is true then we will be happy to have the extra time to prep. So Iowa get out there prep, get some outdoor time and just be glad we have a little extra time before the snow flys.

Happy Autumn,,,,,

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Continuing Rowan's Journey

2011-09-24T20:52:00.000-07:00

Hello folks. I have been on a Hiatus with Rowan's journey. To be honest my views have been changing and morphing some. I have been reading some amazing stuff for school and the evolution is great. However with expanded awareness certain things have shifted. I did recently write more on Rowan's journey but am reluctant to post it because it seems a little like fluff. More character building and scene setting than any real meat and bones. I very much want to continue her journey and see where she goes.

I want to ask you all what you would like to see in the story. If you have suggestions please message me and let me know (freedomfox2012@aol.com). If there are questions you have that you would like answered or topics you would like her to explore drop me a line. It would be great fun to have some imput from others out there.

Two of the books I have been reading are "Earth Democracy" by Vandana Shiva. This is a great book exploring how democracy has gotten messed up because of Economic Globization. Also Catherine Keller's book "God and Power: Counter-Apocalptic Journeys". Keller's book is great, although her style at times feels judgmental. The message is sound.

I have also been watching movies like "Food, Inc" and "Agora".

So anyway Thank you for your patience and thank you in advance for any ideas you send my way.

Keep on prepping, Freedomfox

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Travels

2011-09-05T07:59:00.000-07:00

Well with September 11th just around the corner, and the tenth anniversary at that, I am very much in the thought process of prepping. I just got back from my bi-annual trip to school in California. It was a wonderful time. After I was done I flew to Portland OR and then drove to Seattle and Bellingham Washington. The it was a cross country road trip from Washington back to Iowa. What an experience. I have driving across country before but never with prepper eyes. I went through Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota and maybe one other state. I stopped at The LittlebigHorn Battle field and crossed many a river.

It was astonishing to me to see how each place had its own feel and energy. What struck me most about a lot of the places was the lack of timber. I have often pondered where the best place for a retreat property would be. Iowa is not looking so bad. We may not have huge forests but we absolutely have timber and water. I have to admit that I had the thought that this may be the last chance my daughter (almost 4) will have to travel across country like this. If the grid goes down or the economic crisis continues there may not be travel the way there used to be.

I have had an uneasy feeling about the tenth anniversary of 9/11. I know I will be taking the skills I have learned, the thoughts I had on my trip, and some extra food into this next two weeks. I will be prepared for the worst and still hoping for the best, which is all we can do now. Blessings

AND PS....Rowan has started talking to my imagination again, so a new installment should be coming soon.....

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Heat Wave

2011-07-26T19:55:00.000-07:00

Wow what a heat wave. It brings up some different thoughts on prepping. My friend said man what would we do if the power went out. I jokingly said, "Get wet and lay in front of the fan." But she reminded me that if the power was out there would be no fans. For the first time I started thinking of the heat wave in regards to prepping. What do I have in my preps that could help in a grid down heat wave scenario? Of course the best option would be to get below ground. Basements and cellars and such. What else could work?

I know I am definitely rethinking the solar panels. It would be good to be able to cool at least one room during the hottest part of the day. Well I know I will be doing some research on this one.

On another note my chard looks like lace. It is getting eaten up by something. I powdered the garden with Diatomaceous earth. We will see if that helps. This also brings to mind watering in a TEOWAKI situation. I have been watering my garden from the rain barrels. But they were bone dry yesterday. I was lucky and could bring water from inside. What if that was not the case. I am now thinking you can never have enough water storage.

Good luck all. I hope everyone makes it too the break in the weather. I heard somewhere that we have not had this many days in a row of heat since the 30's. Wasn't that when the dust bowl happened???? Whoa too many thoughts these days.

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Floods and Gardening

2011-06-24T06:45:00.000-07:00

I am new to gardening. I have a tiny veggie garden with 22 plants in all. It has been a great first experience. I was complaining to myself that I picked an awkward place to plant as it is on a slope. As it turns out Iowa is being saturated with rain lately. There is flooding all over the place. Our Bushcraft 101 class was cancelled because the instructor is a Fireman with a specialization in water rescues and was needed close to home to help in the flooding. I always joke that where I am at we don't flood. Well the ground saturation finally caught up to us. Everything was waterlogged. I could not mow the lawn because of the standing water. My back yard was a pond. I know a few friends whose veggie gardens were suffering due to the over abundance of water. Yet to my surprise my garden is doing awesome. It is on a slope so the water has not built up. It is getting plenty of water but not being saturated so everything is thriving. I put up a grate and trained my beans. The cucuumbers and squash has blossoms. The most exciting part is that I have a tomato growing. I was so happy. The first veggie I have ever grown. I don't really like tomatos but figure I would do one tomato plant for the experience and to make some pasta sauce. The sense of accomplishment was immense. So now I am thankful I planted where I did. I also know in the future to consider this possibilty when planting gardens in other locations.

I hope all the Iowans are doing well and that the water is receding. Wondering if the Corn will be "Knee high by the fourth of July" or if it will suffering from the water.

Blessings and keep on prepping...

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Bushcraft 101 Class cancelled

2011-06-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

Sorry to announce that the Bushcraft 101 class scheduled for June 25th has been cancelled. The teacher was called away to work with the floods. He is a fireman/ Search and Rescue (water related)position. We will reschedule as soon as possible.

Thanks

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Installment Eight in Rowan's Journey

2011-06-01T21:56:00.000-07:00

As they pulled into the Sherman’s yard Rowan was impressed by the variety of old cars and motorcycles lining the drive. Parked all diagonally it looked more like a drive-in theater than a person’s house. It was a spectacular site to see the different paint colors. That certain color green that they stopped using years ago, clear coat long since flaked away. There were also a handful of bikes and to Joshua’s delight even a horse. Rowan could not believe that someone had actually ridden a horse to the “neighborhood watch” meeting. There it was though, tied to a post licking at a bucket of water and panting like it had just ran the Kentucky Derby. The horse was the brown and white that Pintos are known for. Rowan chuckled a little as she realized it was standing not twenty feet from an old Pinto car, blaze orange with rust colored flecks lining the wheel wells. She shook her head as she thought how different things can get in a day. Rowan drew in a deep breath and released it making a sigh noise that spoke volumes to her mental state and desire to find something good out of all of this.

There was a lot of commotion as they entered the large dining room. It was an older Victorian house that had sliding doors separating the dining room and formal living room area. The large Mahogany doors were pushed as far apart as they could be. They smelled of Old English and shined a bit too much for the circumstances. Rowan knew that Mrs. Sherman was most likely up all night working to make her home “presentable”. They were a lovely couple, married almost 40 years now. They were high School sweethearts that never fell out of love. They took great pride in their home and the fact that they raised four strong healthy boys to be good men. Rowan knew their first names but everyone just called them Mr. & Mrs. Sherman. The lovers even called each other that. As that thought crossed through her mind she heard Mrs. Sherman say, “Mr. Sherman get Rowan a chair to sit in she looks tired.” To which the man replied, “Yes Mrs. Sherman right away.” “Would you like a cup of tea dear? We have Earl Grey?” Mrs. Sherman was handing Rowan the cup before she could even answer the question. Rowan sank a little into the feeling of comfort that overcame her. These were real neighbors, coming together in a time of hardship, still being generous and kind. Everyone was shaking hands, hugging, and offering words of welcoming to each other. There must have been over twenty five people there all crowded into that double room. Chairs of all sizes, shapes, and colors all lined as neatly up as possible.

Rowan spotted Mac in the corner, reading from some handwritten list. They made eye contact and smiled. Mac silently mouthed the word, “Wade?” and raised an eyebrow. Rowan shrugged her shoulders shaking her head “no”. Mac gave a chirper wink and mouthed, “he’ll show.” Judging by the people who kept talking to him, Mac had obviously taken on a leadership roll. Him and Mr. Sherman conferred on something and seemed to agree. Mac stood up and in a voice Rowan had not heard in years said, “Folks let’s get this meeting started. We have a few things to discuss. As you know the Drieffer boys went in to City Hall Yesterday. They found out what they could and brought back a list of items the Mayor would like us all to report to them.” There was a lot of snorting and grumbling and a few comments made about fascism and martial law. Mac quickly took charge and said, “Now listen up. They have not issued martial law yet, but they will. The items they are asking to be reported are working radios, solar generators, vehicles that run, any deaths that occur, and any radiation detectors.” Gasped brought silence to the room as Mac continued, “As I said they have not declared martial law yet so they are just asking us to report these items. It is up to you to decide if you will or won’t. They are reporting that it indeed was nukes set off above the U.S. that caused the EMP, which knocked out the majority of electronics. They do not believe there is any danger from radiation but they would like the equipment to keep an eye on it just in case. They have two, but with a town this size that won’t help much. By the door there are booklets listing things you can do to help avoid radiation sickness in an event of a Nuke strike. Now this was not an actual Nuke strike, so you most likely won’t need them, but take one home and read it regardless. Be prepared. The Drieffer boys will go in again next week to check in again.” Miss Tarcon jumped up and cried a little as she asked, “Next week?” Mac smiled and shook his head. As calmly as he could he said, “I am sorry folks, it looks like this is gonna be a long haul for us. But we will get through this. There are fifteen farms and houses in this area of town. We are all good neighbors, if we work together we will get through and life will get back to normal eventually. Until then we must work together, support each other, and protect our homes. Mr. Sherman and I have been putting together some thoughts on how to run things within our neighborhood. We have a lot to discuss so let’s go through the list one at a time.” Mac seemed refreshed in his roll as Chief of the neighborhood watch group. Rowan was astonished at how so readily everyone let him and Mr. Sherman run the show. Mac had an air about him that had been missing since his wife died. It seemed as though he had a purpose and a job outside of his house and Molly. People needed him and Rowan could see in his eyes that he was up for it. Mac started out, “First off let’s talk about security....."

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Camping this weekend

2011-05-30T08:12:00.000-07:00

I got to go camping at a beautiful spot in Iowa. Most people will tell you there is no places to "back country camp" or primitive camp in Iowa. We all believe the camp grounds are the only option. This weekend I went up to Chain of Lakes Wildlife Management area. Part of the area is County ran and part is State Run. The State run portions can be camped with out a camp site with the philosophy of "leave no trace". We set up camp in a stand of timber. Very sweet spot. We were bushcrafting it so we had tarp set ups no tents. The place had ample dead fall to use as fire wood. It was mostly smalled stuff though. We had pine needle tea, that was yummy. Yesterday morning we got hit with the storm. I heard later that a woman was killed at Lake Macbride camp ground from the high winds. I heard this through a friend but have not read the news yet. The storm was intense but we weathered it and broke camp in the wind.

It was a beautiful place by Palo, Iowa. We only saw one other person while we were there. We saw a couple of deer. In fact one came into camp early in the morning and woke us with grunting noises. We heard coyote, fox, and many many birds. Over all a great time. I almost got an ember using a bow drill but not completely so I lit the fire with natural tinder and a fire steel. Blessings to the family of the lady who lost her life.

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Another Installment of Rowan's Journey

2011-05-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

Installment seven
Rowan was in the kitchen cooking the most delicious meal. Turkey, gravy, stuffing and all of the trimmings were on the menu. Joshua was coming home from college for the holidays. It was always the favorite holiday in their home, Thanksgiving. The house was full of the smell roasting turkey and veggies. The scent seemed to swirl around the house intermingling with the aroma of the pumpkin pies she had baked earlier. Rowan was proud of her pumpkin pies. She had two special ingredients that she refused to ever tell anyone. She also made sure that it was thick. She couldn’t stand pumpkin pies that were custardy in texture, no her pies had nice bites to them. When you sliced a piece you could see black speckles, from the spice mixture, throughout the orange brown filling. Rowan always used graham cracker crusts never that dry flaky stuff.

This year was special because Joshua was bringing home a girlfriend. He had dated in his years away at college but never liked a girl well enough to bring her home to meet the family. Maybe she would be the one? The door opened and there stood Joshua, all six feet two inches of him. He looked so much like a man, yet at twenty five he stilled had fine soft hair the color of white beach sand. It always reminded her of her honeymoon in Hawaii. Joshua stood there glowing with a radiant gold hue. “Mom”……..
“Mom”

“Mom”

“Mommy wake up”…..Rowan opened her eyes to see little Joshua standing over her. He was still his little three year old self. She had been dreaming. Rowan shook her head and rubbed her face with the palm of her hands. “Go watch a movie sweetie and let Mommy wake up” she whispered as the boy stared at her like she was from Mars. It took a minute for her to come back to reality and notice that they were at Wade’s house still, and that there was no electricity. Then the memory flooded back to her and she almost started crying. She would have cried if that little handsome boy had not been eying her like a hawk. His little sandy blond hair tossed to one side as he tilted his neck to look at her oddly. Joshua had the over exaggerated mannerism of a toddler trying to make a point. He would have really thought she was crazy if he knew what she had been dreaming. She felt disoriented as she tried to figure out what time it was. At this moment she would have also liked to know what day it was. She mumbled to herself “suck it up Rowan….we don’t have time now to fall apart.” She rubbed the boys head and grabbed him in her arms and snuggled kisses into his belly. “STOPPPPPPPP” he giggled as he broke free and ran to the other side of the room, “I donnnnn’t like that Momma.” She promised not to do it again “today”. She must have fallen asleep watching him play with the Mousetrap game. He loved that game and him and Wade could play it for hours. Personally she found it boring and annoying all of those little yellow and red plastic pieces. Putting everything together just to roll a marble through it seemed so tedious to her. The boys loved it though. It was more than likely her emotions that wore her out not actually the game. She must have only been sleeping for a half hour or so. Judging by the sun and the way the game looked at the moment. She apologized to Joshua and explained that she was dreaming. He smiled and went back to putting the finishing touches on the obstacle course before he was ready to run the marble through the gauntlet. He hollered with delight, “watch Mommy” as he let the marble go. Laughter flowed from him as it made every turn finally landing on the spot that would drop the net and catch the game piece man. Rowan could not help but laugh as Joshua jumped up and did a victory dance singing, “I did it, I did it, it only took a minute”. He was so proud of himself and at the minute she was proud too. How could she not like that game? The effort had to be worth the sense of accomplishment that beamed from his eyes.

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Canning Resources

2011-05-02T16:13:00.000-07:00

I attended a great class on canning at the Iowa State Extension office. It was an informative talk and gave me some great resources. Check out the website

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/

It has great info on food preservation of all types. They are looking at offering a course specifically on food prep at the Iowa State Extenstion office. This website is for the National Center for Home Food Preservation. There are videos you can watch and suggested reading.

Very cool stuff...

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Arkansas

2011-04-26T06:26:00.000-07:00

I was sad to hear about the tornadoes in Arkansas this morning. My prayers are with the people who are still missing and those who have lost loved ones. I am also keeping in my heart those that are starting to search, clean up and rebuild.

It seems like we have had some weird weather this year. Or at least we have had some intense high profile storms, like the one that tore up the St. Louis Airport. Those of us living in the midwest know how devastating and frightnening storms can be. We had a severe storm last week that brought huge hail stones. I have a bucket full of hail in my freezer. What can we do to be prepared for such an event?

First off it is a good idea to talk with everyone in your household and discuss a plan of action. Better yet run a drill or two practicing these plans. When I used to work at a residential fascility we had quarterly drills. We would have pretend fires and go through the process of getting everyone out and checking all of the rooms. Now this was in California so we did not do tornado drills but we did have earthquake and fire drills. Also we were down stream (in the flood plane) of a dam. Yes we had "Dam Break" drills. We would get everyone out and on the buses an evacuate to our safe spot. I know drills seem tedious and boring but running drills can save lives. People learn best from repetition. If you practice, when and if an event occurs you will react automatically. On 9/11 hundreds of lives were saved because one man insisted that the company (in one of the towers) run practice drills so when the planes hit they were prepared and responded appropriately. Drills and practice can save time and lives. Especially with children practice can help. Not only will it help them follow the plan it will also help them stay calm if they have practiced it before since it won't be totally unfamiliar to them.

Another thing to remember is supplies. I jokingly call myself a "closet prepper". All of my preps go in my bedroom closet. The tornadoes of this last couple of weeks got me to thinking. I don't have supplies stored in the basement. There are two apartments in my basement so I do not really have access to them. I do however have my Bug Out Bag which I can practice grabbing and taking down stairs with me. I remember tornado warnings when I lived in Waterloo Iowa. Most of the time no one wanted to go downstairs and we would have to gather together supplies before we did anyway. With my new mindset this seems outrageous. Tornadoes and other disasters don't wait for you to find the flashlight. If possible have some things stores in your tornado safe area. Know where your tornado safe area is. If you do not have a basement you want to be in an interior room with no windows. Stay away from window and other breakable things. A bathtub can also help in a pinch.

Do some research about what disasters can strike in your area. Are there power plants near you? Dams? Flood Zones? Earthquakes? Tornados? Hurricanes and Tsunamis? Know your area. A little research can go a long way. Fires can happen anywhere so be prepared for that as well. It is helpful to know where the local police stattions, hospitals, and fire stations are. That may seem like a silly questions but you would be surprised how many people do not know where the nearest fire station is. Do you?

In review
1. Know your areas
2. Have plans in place
3. Have supplies ready and stored near your safe place or ready to go
4. Practice the plans regularly, run drills don't just talk.
5. Always remain calm and act instead of react.

Thank you for reading and good luck to you if your ever find yourself in an emergency situation. Blessings, FreedomFox

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Installment six in Rowan's Journey

2011-04-14T17:48:00.000-07:00

Rowan was playing Candy Land with Joshua. She slid her red plastic counterpart into place near Lollipop Woods as a commotion caught her attention out in the front yard. There was Rascal bearing his teeth at a man. The most awful hissing noise came from the little critter. Rowan grabbed the shot gun once again and headed to the door. She instructed Joshua to hide behind the door and wait. As Rowan stepped onto the porch she felt a sinking feeling like she did when she confronted Rascal earlier in the day. It seemed like there was danger every time she unlatched that dead bolt. A smile spread across her face and she could not help herself but Chuckle. Cowering away from Rascal was their good friend Mac. Mac was a quirky man who looked about 20 years older than he was. He was only 52 but looked like he was ready for the nursing home. “Ro shoot this mongrel before it takes a bite out of me” Mac stuttered pointing towards the attack raccoon. Rowan jokingly quipped, “Oh that’s just Rascal our guard coon. He won’t hurt you much.”

Relaxing her grip on the gun Rowan playfully shouted, “It’s O.K. Rascal, He is a friend. You can stand down.” To their amazement the brute looked over at her and then ran off. Rowan thought to herself that a little Mac and cheese goes a long way. She then laughed out loud with a snort when she realized Mac was also her scared friend’s name. The scene was just too weird for her to believe. It must have been just in her head. Her nerves must be getting the better of her, she thought. With the sentry now gone, Mac ran up to the porch and hugged Rowan tight. It was awkward for a moment when he realized he had never even shaken her hand before. “By God Ro, I am so glad you are safe. Where’s Josh?” Rowan hated when people shortened his name to Josh, but for some reason it never bothered her when Mac did it. He was also the only one allowed to call her Ro. That is until he would start singing “Ro, Ro, Ro, your boat” at that point she would always send him home. She was so glad to hear it now though. Rowan pointed to the house and said come on in. Yelling to Joshua that is was “just Mac” they made their way to the door. They spoke for a while in hushed whispers because she did not want to scare the little one. He filled in her on what he knew, which was not much. He said that it was some sort of Electro Magnetic Pulse, but they (whoever they were) did not know yet what kind. It was unclear if it had been nukes set off above America or if it was some sort of solar flare or something else. As Mac relayed information Rowan began to grasp that most of what Mac was saying was gossip that he heard from that nosey Miss Tarcon down the road. Mac owned the big farm that bordered Wade’s property. He had made his rounds to each nearby house on an old silver moped that he had stored in one of his out buildings. Rowan was a little upset that she had not heard him approaching and she admonished herself for not being more vigilant and vowed to not let it happen again. For some odd reason she felt lucky that it was only Mac and not some stranger or worse. Though at that minute she could not figure out what could be worse or what she was afraid of.

Mac said that all of the local neighbors had touched base and that the two Drieffer boys had taken an old dirt bike up to City Hall to see if they could get any information. There was a “Neighborhood Watch” meeting scheduled for noon the next day where they could hopefully find out what happened and what they were supposed to do next. Mac asked if they had food and water. Rowan nodded her head and said, “We are O.k. Mac.” Mac then scrunched up his eyebrows and scratched his head messing up what little of a part he had left in his hair. Rowan always thought it was nice that Mac had a full head of healthy hair. It was still dark brown despite his deceptive age. Mac looked like he was struggling to find his words. Then he said, “No one’s heard from Wade. Have you heard anything or know if he is……um…alive?” For some reason the words hit her like a slap in the face. She could almost feel a sting on her cheek and her skin turning cherry red. Rowan had not really comprehended that Wade could have been hurt when the planes all crashed. By Mac’s report there were at least twelve maybe even fifteen planes that plummeted to the ground when whatever happened happened. Normally she would have driven right past Wade’s girlfriend’s house on the way out to the property. Since she had taken the highway around though, she avoided all of town. It had not even crossed her mind before, but if she had stopped at the apartment they may have been able to bring Wade home with them. Now Rowan’s eyes filled with tears and she realized that he may never come home. It was an unusual feeling for her. Over the last year she had wished him dead a number of times. Rowan moved her head back and forth and swallowing down a lump of goal said, “No his car is gone and the house was cold when we got here. I assumed he was with…..HER.” Mac chirped up saying, “You know Wade! I am sure he is fine. He will come wandering in here soon complaining about getting his shoes dirty because he had to walk home.” Mac pulled a flare gun out of his pants belt and handed it to her saying, “If you have any trouble or need any help or anything you just point that up towards my place and I will come with a posse.” Mac using the word Posse eased Rowan up a bit. He used it in the correct context but of course all she could picture was Mac rolling up with a truck load of Rappers wearing baggie jeans and gold teeth grills. The image was comical and gave Rowan a much needed sigh of relief. “I have to get back now, Molly will be worried” Mac said as he stood heading towards the door. Molly was Mac’s Golden retriever. She was old as dirt and never left the house any more. Mac’s wife had been killed in a car crash going on ten years earlier. Mac had never remarried or even dated since. He had a spell of drunkenness the first year after her death but straightened up when Molly was diagnosed with diabetes. Molly had become Mac’s reason to live and Rowan knew that when he said “Molly would be worried” he was really saying he was worried about her. Rowan had seen Mac age twenty years in the first month after his wife passed. Mac rubbed the boy’s hair and ordered, “Josh you take care of your Mom you hear.” Mac started out the door and stopped. He again hugged Rowan tight, this time it was not awkward at all. As he started the silver bullet moped, Mac waved and yelled, “Tomorrow noon at the Sherman’s place.” Rowan watched as Mac drove off, turning down the dirt road and disappearing out o

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Practicing Skills

2011-04-07T06:52:00.000-07:00

I have been working on my Bushcraft skills as you all know. I had the opportunity this weekend to get out and practice some stuff. I went camping with some friends in Vinton Iowa. It was a great 140 acres camp ground right on the river. We had a group of teenagers and a couple of good teachers helping us out. I got there late, just as the sun was going down. I got my tarp set up (with help from some of those awesome teachers) and was ready for the night. In the morning one corner of my tarp came loose and was whiping around like crazy. The wind had picked up a lot and we had gusts up to 45 mph. Lesson learned there is never assume the wind/ weather will stay the say all night. Take the extra time to secure your tent or tarp tightly.

In the morning I got the chance to practice some fire starting techniques. You should practice starting a fire at least five different ways. We also practice using 5 different man made tinders (jute twine, cotton ball, dryer lent etc) and five different natural tinders (dried grass, cat tails, dry leaves etc). On this occassion I practiced the bow drill method. I was not successful but I was starting to get the hang of it and get smoke. I also tried the fire steel method. I did get that one going.

Things to remember.......Practice- Just because you have it in your kit or bag does not mean you will be able to use it if and when the time arrives. It is important to get out there and try things out. Try out your pack. Test drive your GOOD route, and practice purifying water. The time to try and fail is before you really need it. That way you become comfortable with it. Have back ups- In Bushcraft I love the saying "One is none and two is one". Don't just have one way of starting a fire, have a few. Have a couple of different methods of purifying water available (even if it is just the knowledge in your head). Remain Calm-- No matter what you are doing it will go much more smoothly if you stay calm. This will help you think and allows you to flow with the situation more easily.

Here was my tarp set up

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Rowan's Journey- from the beginning

2011-04-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

I had some inquiries about the beginning of the story. So here is Rowan's Journey from Installment one to installment five. Look for Installment six soon.

Here is the first installment of the story....Keep checking back to see what happens next...........
Rowan awoke to a familiar feeling. Something she had not felt in over a decade. Her mind raced to find the right word, “Earthquake! It’s an earthquake. Crap! get the baby.” She rolled out of bed and crawled to the where her three year old was sleeping. Swooping him up, Rowan hunkered in the doorway and waited for the shaking to stop. There was something different, something wrong about it. Rowan realized that there was noise, terrible awful noise. Earthquakes have a unique sound, and this was not it. Then it hit her, she lived in Iowa now. They don’t have earthquakes in Iowa. Possibilities ran through her head. “Meteor? No that’s stupid” she thought. “Nuclear Bomb. No way, no bright flash, and we would have been pulverized.” What was it? She kept asking herself, what was it? The baby was screaming. Rowan did her best to calm him. Even at three Joshua was a very verbal child and he was asking questions. All she could muster was an affirmation that everything would be O.K. The shaking subsided and the noise faded some. Then she could hear screaming and people yelling “call for help”. Sitting the boy down she said, “Stay right here, Mommy is going to look out the window.

She did her best impression of an Army crawl over to the window. Carefully she drew back the curtains and peaked out. Adjusting her eyes she peered down the street. It was a plane crash. She could not believe what she was seeing. A house was crushed under the plane and flames were raging all around it. People were stumbling about and trying to get away from the burning wreckage. She could smell the burning fuel and wondered if it was safe where they were at. She picked Joshua up and grabbed her cell phone. Nothing! It was dead. “Damn” she thought I forgot to plug it in last night. She picked up the land line. It was dead as well. She thought the plane must have taken out the phone lines. There were no lights either. No electricity at all. Rowan contemplated her next move. Something told her to get out and away from the burning jet fuel. There were broken power lines and worse broken gas lines. It could not be safe to stay there. There could be an explosion. She would take Joshua and go to his Dad’s house five miles outside of town. From the looks of the neighborhood this was not going to be an easy task.

Installment 2
Joshua was crying and it took Rowan a few seconds to realize she was holding him just a little too tight. Reassuring him Rowan rocked him and said, “Everything will be O.K. Mommy is here. We are going to go to Daddy’s house.” Joshua perked up and agreed. Then in the sweetest voice he said, “Don’t worry Mommy I take care of you. I a man.” Rowan couldn’t help but smile. She gave him the task of gathering up his favorite toys and loading them into his Bob the Builder back pack. While he did that she grabbed a few pieces of clothing and shoved them into a bag. The scene outside seemed a little calmer now. She was no longer worried that the gas line would explode. If it was going to happen it would have already happened, was her line of reasoning. It was still the safest option to evacuate. Plus the furnace was off and it was the dead of winter. The other house had a wood stove. After she threw some toiletries in the bag too, she grabbed Joshua and headed to the door. It took what seemed an eternity to get their snow clothes on. Rowan wanted to make sure they were bundled up because she had no idea what lay in store for their five mile drive.

As they left the house Rowan locked the door behind her. This was something she rarely did, and it seemed odd for a brief moment. In the driveway sat her little blue Prius that she was so proud of. Once Joshua was strapped safely in his car seat she turned the key. Nothing, the car did not start. Rowan could not believe it but her perfect little Prius was silent. She looked around the neighborhood and noticed that no cars were moving. There were people walking down the street will suitcases and personal possessions. Out came the words, “What the hell?” which ignited a flurry of questions from the back seat. Rowan tried again and again but the car would not start. Rowan laid her head on the steering wheel and sighed. There was no time to break down, but at that moment she almost lost it. Then she looked at the garage door. She whispered, “could it?”

As the garage door swung up there was “the beast” with its grill smiling back at her. The “Beast” was her ex’s 1985 Toyota 4Runner. It had been converted to be fuel injection with a carburetor and an old points ignition system. It was rusted, old and a source of contention between them for years. She had asked, begged, and demanded he get rid of it. He would not. It just sat in her garage forcing her Prius to be parked outdoors. It irritated her every time she had to clear the snow off her car. Rowan just knew that her ex kept it there now just to get at her. It also gave him an excuse to come around whenever he wanted to. She slid into the garage and into the front seat. She let Joshua sit in the seat next to her just for now. Finding the spare key in the middle console she started it up. It had trouble turning over at first but then finally roared to life. She could not believe it. The damn thing started. Rowan thanked God for unanswered prayers and apologized to the beast for all of the mean things she ever said about it. Rowan looked at the gas gauge. It still had half a tank of gas. It was plenty to drive five miles. As much as she had hated that vehicle before she loved it twice as much now. That old ugly rusted piece of junk was now the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. The engine sound was like music to her ears.
Installment 3
She slowly pulled out of the garage and parked next to the side door to the house. For some strange reason Rowan was relieved that they could not be seen from the street. She felt a need to be careful and not draw too much attention to them. She got the car seat out of the Prius and installed it in the 4Runner. Having extra room now, Rowan decided to get some more things from the house. They went into the kitchen and Rowan pulled the extra grocery bags from underneath the sink. Trying to keep Joshua and herself calm she asked the toddler to load a bag full of cans from the bottom cupboard. As the boy worked Rowan cleaned out the cupboards and loaded all of the food into the SUV. She also grabbed all of the food from the refrigerator and freezer. Over the last six months Rowan had become a bit of a prepper. She had been watching Glen Beck and following a few different stories on the Internet. Something about having extra things stored away made her feel safe. She had started buying extra food and stowing it away in her bedroom closet. She had saved up enough food to last two adults six months and enough water for two or more weeks. Rowan set her son to task and he was loading up his little radio flyer wagon with bottles of water. Some of the food was in a Rubbermaid tub, which Rowan now realized was way too heavy to move. Filling every bag in the house, she loaded every bit of food into the Fore Runner. They were almost ready to go and at the last minute Rowan grabbed the extra blankets from the closet and two sleeping bags. Ready to leave the house now, she took one last look around and sighed. She had no idea how long it would be before they would come home.

Rowan strapped Joshua into the car seat and buckled herself in. Joshua’s Dad’s place was not that far away but she had no idea what they would find on the road. It was a great property just outside of town and was surrounded by 150 acres of farm land. In the back there was a small stand of trees with a pond. The property itself had a large outbuilding, an old well, and a vegetable garden. The house was a ranch style 3 bedroom 2 bathe home. It was bought at auction and completely remodeled, including a small apartment in what used to be the garage. There was a wood stove, a fourteen gallon reverse osmosis water reserve in the basement. It was off city utilities and used a propane tank that was kept full always. The place was a pretty good start to self sustainability. Not yet off the grid but with great potential for it. The home also had sentimental value, as it was the house Joshua was born in.

As they pulled out of the driveway Rowan realized the Prius was blocking the driveway. She thought about trying to push it out of the way but decided just to drive through the yard. As she drove down the lawn people started to look at them. Rowan noticed all of the cars just sitting in the driveways. Her next door neighbor asked how she got the car started. Rowan shrugged her shoulders and yelled it just started. There were people walking down the street with suitcases and wagons full of personal belongings. The road was clear though. Because of the early time of the morning no one had been up and moving before the plane crashed. As they got farther away from their neighborhood Rowan noticed that the power was out all over town. There were smoke plumes all over the place. The sun was coming up over the horizon and as they crested the hill Rowan gasped for breathe as she counted at least ten other plane wrecks around town. What could have possibly caused this? Rowan felt a stir of panic well up in her. Joshua asked, “what a matter Momma?” She tried her best to cover her reaction up. “Nothing baby, Mommy is just trying to wake up.” Rowan decided the best option was to take the highway around town instead of trying to go through the streets that now looked filled with people. As she drove down the on ramp it was almost unnatural how deserted the road was. There were no cars, no people, and no movement what so ever. At first the drive was smooth then Rowan saw the small plane down in the middle of the highway. It was one of those Cessna type planes, a four seater. The landing gear was gone and it rested on its belly off kilter on the road. It was blocking both lanes. The cabin door was open and Rowan did not see anyone moving inside. She was not sure what to do. She could only think of getting Joshua to his Dad’s house. They would be safe there. Wouldn’t they be? Rowan put the car in neutral and pulled the emergency break. Rowan had to lock in the four wheel drive on the tires. Once the tires were locked in place, she shifted into four high and drove off the road onto the center- median. The vehicle seemed to have no problem driving through the thick brush. Then she saw the landing gear lying across the brush. Rowan had to drive all the way to the other side of the highway. She felt strange driving the wrong way down the road but had no other option. After they had cleared the wreckage she got back onto the right side of the road. She contemplated unlocking the hubs but decided she would rather leave it in four wheel drive and go a little slower than to have to get in and out if they needed to used it again. Just in the short time they had been out Rowan could tell that something big had happened. She had no idea what it was, but it was BIG.
Installment 4
The rest of the drive went smoothly. On the off ramp a few car were stopped and abandoned. The Forerunner cleared them easily. The road to the house was deserted. As they drove past the junk yard it took on a new personality. The colors had long faded, dusty yellow, drab green, all looking ghostly. The light glinted off the windshields, at least the ones that were not broken yet. Rowan noticed a small plume of smoke rising from the center of the mass wreckage of cars. There was old Murphy the junk yard owner cooking something over a fire in the middle of the mess of metal. Rowan could smell the smoke and what seemed like bacon. She had seen bacon cooked over a fire while camping. Her mouth began to water as she suddenly realized how hungry she was. The excitement of the morning had kept her mind occupied. Now as she smelled the fresh smoking aroma of cooking bacon, she was almost ravenous. She glanced over at Joshua and noticed that he was playing with his chrome airplane, like he had done so many times on his way to his Dad’s house. The sound of fake propellers was vibrating on his lips. Rowan smiled and for a moment forgot about the dire situation they may be in. Rowan wondered for a minute if Murphy was his first or last name, she had no idea.

As they rounded the corner of road Rowan could see the house in the distance. A feeling of relief washed over her. As they pulled into the driveway she noticed the white Toyota Camry was gone. The house looked empty, dark, and cold. Rowan got Joshua out of the car and looked around the property a little. It looked like no one had been there in a while. Joshua’s Dad, Wade, must have been in town at his girlfriend’s house. Rowan shuddered and thought about how much she hated his new girlfriend. She hoped that Wade would make his way back to the house soon. The guy that lived in the apartment out back was gone as well. No one was there. Rowan found the key that was hidden under fourth rock to the right of the door. The air smelled unusual. The smell of smoke and something burning in the distance tickled her nose. The smell of fresh Earth made her feel calmer. They went in the house and surveyed the room. Everything seemed normal. The air was crisp and Rowan knew the first thing she needed to do was start a fire. The wood stove was cold. Wade must not have been home in a couple of days. She felt a weird sense of concern for him. As much as she disliked him now, she would give anything to have him home with them. Rowan grabbed a couple of logs and started cutting them down into smaller pieces. She had a good stack of feather sticks, kindling, and scrapings. The fire lit up pretty easy and Rowan was thankful for the warm glow of the fire. The red, yellow, and orange flames were soothing. Joshua asked where his Dad was and she reassured him. He sat in his Mom’s lap staring at the fire. They sat there for a while just settling in.

Rowan checked the lights. There was no electricity. The stove was electric so Rowan got out the cast iron pan and set it on the wood stove. In the fridge there were some pieces of Salmon. The fridge was still cold but she could tell the food would not keep long. Rowan decided to cook up as much of the food as she could to help it last longer. She also got out the cooler. The ice cubes were just starting to get wet as the melting process was beginning. Luckily Wade had a thing for ice so there was quite a bit of it in the freezer. Rowan filled the cooler and put as much of the perishable food in there as she could. The smell of salmon, olive oil and garlic filled the house. By this time Rowan’s mouth was watering. Joshua had been snacking on a banana. They also drank large glasses of milk. They feasted on a savory meal of Salmon, Cous Cous, and fried leafy greens. It almost felt like a normal day.

With their bellies full they unloaded the car. Joshua piped up, “How long are we going to stay here? When is my Dad coming home? Can I watch TV?” Rowan once again reassured him, but in her heart she had no idea what to think. Rowan set herself to task and made a list of priorities of things to do. She checked the water and it was off as well. There was enough for the time being with the fourteen gallon reserve in the basement, the water she brought from home, the water heater, and the Jacuzzi filled to the brim. Rowan was thankful at that moment that Wade was too cheap to chlorinate the whirlpool. The house was warming up. They had candles lit but the house was pretty bright from the sun flowing through the windows. Wade did not like curtains so most of the windows were uncovered. Strangely enough Rowan felt at home. Being there made her feel safer in some way. She got Joshua distracted playing with his toy tool set. She slid into Wade’s bedroom. It crossed her mind that she had not been in there in over a year. Dropping to her knees in the far corner she found the loose board. The wood squeaked and she pride up the floor board. Wade was a bit paranoid, but at this moment Rowan was happy to see the shiny blue metal of the pistol and shotgun. She had picked on Wade for as long as she could remember for hiding his guns under the floorboards, but as she lifted the weapons from there hiding place, she once again said a prayer of thanks. She loaded both weapons and put them up out of Joshua’s reach. As he worked on his carpentry skills, Rowan sat on the couch looking out the window, watching for any sign of movement in the distance. You could see for miles down the road. Nothing moved except the various streams of smoke lifting straight into the sky. It did seem that the fires were dying down. It almost looked like any Sunday morning out in the country. Rowan sat contemplating and wondering what to do.
Installment 5
Rowan woke up with a jerk, pain shooting up her neck. She had fallen asleep on the couch staring out the window. She must have twisted wrong when she was startled awake. Glancing over she saw Joshua sound asleep on the other couch. He was curled up with his blanket holding his little airplane. Rowan could never understand how he could snuggle with a cold piece of metal, but for Joshua it was like any soft stuffed toy. Once she looked around the room Rowan began to wonder what the noise was that caused her to jump. There was nothing noticeable at first glance. She stretched and cracked her neck. The pop sounded loud in the quiet house. The room was starting to feel cool again so she threw some more wood on the fire. The noise came again. It was obviously outside, sounded like it was out back in the big garage. Rowan did not have a good view of the outbuilding from where she was at. She grabbed the pistol and walked to the front door. Hesitating she was unsure if she should leave the boy sleeping in the house to investigate. What if something happened and he woke up alone? Rowan quickly grabbed the shotgun instead.

She slowly opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch. Looking into the sky, Rowan tried to gather what time it might be. It had to be at least two O’clock. Joshua usually took a nap at three but this had been an unusually tiring day. Rowan crept cautiously towards the big metal out building. It seemed secure but there was a small opening at the right bottom corner of the huge sliding door. She stopped a few feet from the door and listened. At first all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart. “Get a grip Rowan” she scolded herself, breathing in a deep breath of clean air. The air smelled more normal now. There was no sting in her nostrils from burning jet fuel. Rowan grabbed hold of the door handle and slid it open wide so she could see in. There appeared to be nothing in there. She was happy to see the big red truck though. It was a towering 3 ton Ford 350. It was a diesel. Rowan wondered if it had fuel in it. Then a snap sounded from the back corner of the building. Rowan yelled in a commanding voice, “This is private property. I have a gun and I will shoot. Come out of there.” Nothing moved. “I SAID COME OUT NOW”, still she heard nothing. She glanced towards the house and contemplated high tailing it back to the safety of lockable doors. Then she heard a sound like a scratching. It must be an animal. She felt a little relieved but then wondered what kind of animal it could be. She slid soundlessly closer to the corner and kicked over a stack of empty crates Wade had been saving for some project. At that moment a masked bandit bared its black claws and white teeth, screeching at her. Rowan screamed and put a shot gun blast through the roof. It was that damned raccoon. That creature had gotten great joy out of tormenting Rowan the last few months that she lived there. She thought it had been long gone. Here he was though acting like Rowan was the invader. Rowan pointed the shotgun at the beast and was about to pull the trigger when she heard Joshua screaming for her from the porch. The Raccoon ran past Rowan and out the open door, scampering off into the field. Rowan didn’t dare take a shot in that direction. It was too risky with the house in the background. Rowan yelled to Joshua, “It’s O.K. baby, it was just that awful raccoon.” She temporarily secured the sliding door and went back to the house.

The boy was rubbing his eyes and still looked red faced as they went back into the house. After holding and rocking the boy for awhile, Joshua took it in stride. Again taking up his crusade to save the animal, Joshua started explaining all the reasons why it was a good idea to keep it alive. In Rowan’s mind that menace had been carrying out a well planned attack on her ever since she interrupted him snacking on the apple trees three years ago. Anyone who says a raccoon is a stupid animal has never met a raccoon. This bandit has been stealing things, leaving land minds around the property, and specifically messing with Rowan’s things. It would poop on her car but never on Wade’s. One time Rowan had left a book sitting in a lawn chair when she went inside to get a drink. When she came back the terrorist had urinated on the book and chair. For a moment this made Rowan laugh as she recalled the huge argument her and Wade had because he had said she couldn’t prove the Raccoon had done it. It would get into the garbage, mess up the lawn furniture, and eat the vegetables out of the garden. Rowan had been out voted two to one last year to stop trying to kill it. Rowan once again conceded and promised Joshua she would not shoot the offender. Rowan opened the door and shouted, “O.K. I am sorry. I call a truce. I won’t try and hurt you anymore. Now if you would please not pick on me anymore that would be great. We need to work together if we are gonna get through this.” She closed the door to see Joshua as pleased as punch that he had negotiated an end to the war. It was good to see him smile. Rowan felt silly for the display but in her heart she knew the words were more for God than for the raccoon. She was feeling scared and alone in protecting her son and she couldn’t waste energy on some grudge against a furry foe.

Rowan felt hunger pains. All of the excitement had left her feeling drained and in need of food. She cooked up some hot dogs and macaroni and cheese. The meal tasted surprisingly good. It is amazing how good boring food can taste when you are super hungry. Rowan let out a big sigh and filled a plate up for Rascal (as the masked opponent had come to be called by Joshua). Rowan quickly put it out on the picnic table, “There a peace offering. Friends O.K.?” She grabbed some more wood, went inside, and locked up the house tighter than a vice. Of all the things she hated because of the break up, Rowan now felt a weird sense of comfort and support by having her nemesis still around. It gave life a sense of normalcy for the time being.

Another Installment- Rowan's Journey

2011-04-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

Rowan woke up with a jerk, pain shooting up her neck. She had fallen asleep on the couch staring out the window. She must have twisted wrong when she was startled awake. Glancing over she saw Joshua sound asleep on the other couch. He was curled up with his blanket holding his little airplane. Rowan could never understand how he could snuggle with a cold piece of metal, but for Joshua it was like any soft stuffed toy. Once she looked around the room Rowan began to wonder what the noise was that caused her to jump. There was nothing noticeable at first glance. She stretched and cracked her neck. The pop sounded loud in the quiet house. The room was starting to feel cool again so she threw some more wood on the fire. The noise came again. It was obviously outside, sounded like it was out back in the big garage. Rowan did not have a good view of the outbuilding from where she was at. She grabbed the pistol and walked to the front door. Hesitating she was unsure if she should leave the boy sleeping in the house to investigate. What if something happened and he woke up alone? Rowan quickly grabbed the shotgun instead.

She slowly opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch. Looking into the sky, Rowan tried to gather what time it might be. It had to be at least two O’clock. Joshua usually took a nap at three but this had been an unusually tiring day. Rowan crept cautiously towards the big metal out building. It seemed secure but there was a small opening at the right bottom corner of the huge sliding door. She stopped a few feet from the door and listened. At first all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart. “Get a grip Rowan” she scolded herself, breathing in a deep breath of clean air. The air smelled more normal now. There was no sting in her nostrils from burning jet fuel. Rowan grabbed hold of the door handle and slid it open wide so she could see in. There appeared to be nothing in there. She was happy to see the big red truck though. It was a towering 3 ton Ford 350. It was a diesel. Rowan wondered if it had fuel in it. Then a snap sounded from the back corner of the building. Rowan yelled in a commanding voice, “This is private property. I have a gun and I will shoot. Come out of there.” Nothing moved. “I SAID COME OUT NOW”, still she heard nothing. She glanced towards the house and contemplated high tailing it back to the safety of lockable doors. Then she heard a sound like a scratching. It must be an animal. She felt a little relieved but then wondered what kind of animal it could be. She slid soundlessly closer to the corner and kicked over a stack of empty crates Wade had been saving for some project. At that moment a masked bandit bared its black claws and white teeth, screeching at her. Rowan screamed and put a shot gun blast through the roof. It was that damned raccoon. That creature had gotten great joy out of tormenting Rowan the last few months that she lived there. She thought it had been long gone. Here he was though acting like Rowan was the invader. Rowan pointed the shotgun at the beast and was about to pull the trigger when she heard Joshua screaming for her from the porch. The Raccoon ran past Rowan and out the open door, scampering off into the field. Rowan didn’t dare take a shot in that direction. It was too risky with the house in the background. Rowan yelled to Joshua, “It’s O.K. baby, it was just that awful raccoon.” She temporarily secured the sliding door and went back to the house.

The boy was rubbing his eyes and still looked red faced as they went back into the house. After holding and rocking the boy for awhile, Joshua took it in stride. Again taking up his crusade to save the animal, Joshua started explaining all the reasons why it was a good idea to keep it alive. In Rowan’s mind that menace had been carrying out a well planned attack on her ever since she interrupted him snacking on the apple trees three years ago. Anyone who says a raccoon is a stupid animal has never met a raccoon. This bandit has been stealing things, leaving land minds around the property, and specifically messing with Rowan’s things. It would poop on her car but never on Wade’s. One time Rowan had left a book sitting in a lawn chair when she went inside to get a drink. When she came back the terrorist had urinated on the book and chair. For a moment this made Rowan laugh as she recalled the huge argument her and Wade had because he had said she couldn’t prove the Raccoon had done it. It would get into the garbage, mess up the lawn furniture, and eat the vegetables out of the garden. Rowan had been out voted two to one last year to stop trying to kill it. Rowan once again conceded and promised Joshua she would not shoot the offender. Rowan opened the door and shouted, “O.K. I am sorry. I call a truce. I won’t try and hurt you anymore. Now if you would please not pick on me anymore that would be great. We need to work together if we are gonna get through this.” She closed the door to see Joshua as pleased as punch that he had negotiated an end to the war. It was good to see him smile. Rowan felt silly for the display but in her heart she knew the words were more for God than for the raccoon. She was feeling scared and alone in protecting her son and she couldn’t waste energy on some grudge against a furry foe.

Rowan felt hunger pains. All of the excitement had left her feeling drained and in need of food. She cooked up some hot dogs and macaroni and cheese. The meal tasted surprisingly good. It is amazing how good boring food can taste when you are super hungry. Rowan let out a big sigh and filled a plate up for Rascal (as the masked opponent had come to be called by Joshua). Rowan quickly put it out on the picnic table, “There a peace offering. Friends O.K.?” She grabbed some more wood, went inside, and locked up the house tighter than a vice. Of all the things she hated because of the break up, Rowan now felt a weird sense of comfort and support by having her nemesis still around. It gave life a sense of normalcy for the time being.

------------------------------------------
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Iowa Weather

2011-03-29T06:06:00.000-07:00

Well slap my knee and call me pink Iowa, It's snowing. Yet again I woke up to snow blanketing the yard. It snowed Friday while I was in Des Moines and now it is snowing here two hours East. I am trying to recall if it is normal to have snow this late in the season. Being Iowa I am sure it is, but for some reason it is not sitting with me well. The weather report says it will be 46 degrees today so the snow will not linger long. I am getting nervous for my campout this weekend. Two weekends ago I drove 8 hours, hiked to miles to camp in Southern Illinois on The Trail of Tears down by the Shawnee National Forest. It was beautiful. This coming weekend I will kick off my camping/ hiking tour of Iowa. Let's see how the experience holds up. We had thunder and lightning and I slept in a tarp set up (no tent. Yeah I am a Bushcrafter). It will be interesting to see what the Iowa weather does this weekend. The forecast looks good, but then it does change it's mind moment by moment. When I first moved to Iowa I was told repeatedly, "If you don't like the weather in Iowa wait five minutes." I suppose it is nature's way of making sure all of the new growth has plenty of moisture to start us into Spring.

This is the first year that we are attempting a garden at my house. We have our seeds planted and they are starting to sprout. What a rush, right? We brought them in because of the weather last week. Looks like they will be stuck inside with us for a while. This is one thing to consider when prepping in Iowa. If your life depends on your garden, timing will be important for planting. Looks like I have a lot of learning to do. Gardening is not as easy as it looks on Youtube. :)

Well enjoy the white stuff today Iowa. Hopefully we won't see too much of it the rest of this season. I have the "Hiking Iowa Guide" which is going to be my starting point for hiking and backcountry camping in Iowa. If any of you Iowans know of some great spots to hike/ primitive camp give me a shout. I would love to explore this amazing state. I know we have more than corn fields here, can't wait to prove that fact.

Stay warm and Keep prepping, FreedomFox

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Installment Four of Rowan's Journey

2011-03-22T18:34:00.000-07:00

The rest of the drive went smoothly. On the off ramp a few car were stopped and abandoned. The Forerunner cleared them easily. The road to the house was deserted. As they drove past the junk yard it took on a new personality. The colors had long faded, dusty yellow, drab green, all looking ghostly. The light glinted off the windshields, at least the ones that were not broken yet. Rowan noticed a small plume of smoke rising from the center of the mass wreckage of cars. There was old Murphy the junk yard owner cooking something over a fire in the middle of the mess of metal. Rowan could smell the smoke and what seemed like bacon. She had seen bacon cooked over a fire while camping. Her mouth began to water as she suddenly realized how hungry she was. The excitement of the morning had kept her mind occupied. Now as she smelled the fresh smoking aroma of cooking bacon, she was almost ravenous. She glanced over at Joshua and noticed that he was playing with his chrome airplane, like he had done so many times on his way to his Dad’s house. The sound of fake propellers was vibrating on his lips. Rowan smiled and for a moment forgot about the dire situation they may be in. Rowan wondered for a minute if Murphy was his first or last name, she had no idea.

As they rounded the corner of road Rowan could see the house in the distance. A feeling of relief washed over her. As they pulled into the driveway she noticed the white Toyota Camry was gone. The house looked empty, dark, and cold. Rowan got Joshua out of the car and looked around the property a little. It looked like no one had been there in a while. Joshua’s Dad, Wade, must have been in town at his girlfriend’s house. Rowan shuddered and thought about how much she hated his new girlfriend. She hoped that Wade would make his way back to the house soon. The guy that lived in the apartment out back was gone as well. No one was there. Rowan found the key that was hidden under fourth rock to the right of the door. The air smelled unusual. The smell of smoke and something burning in the distance tickled her nose. The smell of fresh Earth made her feel calmer. They went in the house and surveyed the room. Everything seemed normal. The air was crisp and Rowan knew the first thing she needed to do was start a fire. The wood stove was cold. Wade must not have been home in a couple of days. She felt a weird sense of concern for him. As much as she disliked him now, she would give anything to have him home with them. Rowan grabbed a couple of logs and started cutting them down into smaller pieces. She had a good stack of feather sticks, kindling, and scrapings. The fire lit up pretty easy and Rowan was thankful for the warm glow of the fire. The red, yellow, and orange flames were soothing. Joshua asked where his Dad was and she reassured him. He sat in his Mom’s lap staring at the fire. They sat there for a while just settling in.

Rowan checked the lights. There was no electricity. The stove was electric so Rowan got out the cast iron pan and set it on the wood stove. In the fridge there were some pieces of Salmon. The fridge was still cold but she could tell the food would not keep long. Rowan decided to cook up as much of the food as she could to help it last longer. She also got out the cooler. The ice cubes were just starting to get wet as the melting process was beginning. Luckily Wade had a thing for ice so there was quite a bit of it in the freezer. Rowan filled the cooler and put as much of the perishable food in there as she could. The smell of salmon, olive oil and garlic filled the house. By this time Rowan’s mouth was watering. Joshua had been snacking on a banana. They also drank large glasses of milk. They feasted on a savory meal of Salmon, Cous Cous, and fried leafy greens. It almost felt like a normal day.

With their bellies full they unloaded the car. Joshua piped up, “How long are we going to stay here? When is my Dad coming home? Can I watch TV?” Rowan once again reassured him, but in her heart she had no idea what to think. Rowan set herself to task and made a list of priorities of things to do. She checked the water and it was off as well. There was enough for the time being with the fourteen gallon reserve in the basement, the water she brought from home, the water heater, and the Jacuzzi filled to the brim. Rowan was thankful at that moment that Wade was too cheap to chlorinate the whirlpool. The house was warming up. They had candles lit but the house was pretty bright from the sun flowing through the windows. Wade did not like curtains so most of the windows were uncovered. Strangely enough Rowan felt at home. Being there made her feel safer in some way. She got Joshua distracted playing with his toy tool set. She slid into Wade’s bedroom. It crossed her mind that she had not been in there in over a year. Dropping to her knees in the far corner she found the loose board. The wood squeaked and she pride up the floor board. Wade was a bit paranoid, but at this moment Rowan was happy to see the shiny blue metal of the pistol and shotgun. She had picked on Wade for as long as she could remember for hiding his guns under the floorboards, but as she lifted the weapons from there hiding place, she once again said a prayer of thanks. She loaded both weapons and put them up out of Joshua’s reach. As he worked on his carpentry skills, Rowan sat on the couch looking out the window, watching for any sign of movement in the distance. You could see for miles down the road. Nothing moved except the various streams of smoke lifting straight into the sky. It did seem that the fires were dying down. It almost looked like any Sunday morning out in the country. Rowan sat contemplating and wondering what to do.
__________________________________________________________________________

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Iowa Preppers Roll Call - All Preppers Please Check In

2011-03-06T21:21:00.000-08:00

The American Preppers Network is conducting a network-wide roll call. Whether you are a member or not please check in and let us know what you are doing to prepare.

This is a good opportunity to network with other preppers near you.

Iowa Preppers, to respond to the roll call please follow this link:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=319&t=9257

Reply to the Roll Call and let us know what you have been doing to prepare.

If you are not yet a member of the forum you can register here for free:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/ucp.php?mode=register

Bushcraft 101

2011-03-03T14:35:00.000-08:00

Happy to announce that Terry Barney of The Midwest School of Bushcraft will be coming to SE Iowa to teach his Bushcraft 101 class. It will be an over night where we will learn survival skills like fire Starting, shelter building, water and food gathering etc. This is a highly popular course for both Bushcrafters and Survivalists a like. It will be the weekend of June 25th. If you are interested get ahold of me (FreedomFox) and I can give you more details. Thanks and have a great day.

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Trip to California

2011-02-25T09:46:00.000-08:00

Back from my trip in California. It was nice but I am happy to be back in Iowa. In Des Moines now but will be driving home later. Man I missed this state. CA is nice but has some things that made me nervous in regards to prepping. I was in the hills in Carpinteria and that was nice. Got some great book ideas to read. In the long run though I see how CA is not the top of the list for retreat property. I did meet a woman that has an organic farm and is pretty well prepped. She is the one who gave me the book ideas. I will let you know about them once I check them out. I need to check the forum pages now....Blessings in Iowa

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Installment Three Of Rowan's Journey

2011-02-17T07:23:00.000-08:00

She slowly pulled out of the garage and parked next to the side door to the house. For some strange reason Rowan was relieved that they could not be seen from the street. She felt a need to be careful and not draw too much attention to them. She got the car seat out of the Prius and installed it in the 4Runner. Having extra room now, Rowan decided to get some more things from the house. They went into the kitchen and Rowan pulled the extra grocery bags from underneath the sink. Trying to keep Joshua and herself calm she asked the toddler to load a bag full of cans from the bottom cupboard. As the boy worked Rowan cleaned out the cupboards and loaded all of the food into the SUV. She also grabbed all of the food from the refrigerator and freezer. Over the last six months Rowan had become a bit of a prepper. She had been watching Glen Beck and following a few different stories on the Internet. Something about having extra things stored away made her feel safe. She had started buying extra food and stowing it away in her bedroom closet. She had saved up enough food to last two adults six months and enough water for two or more weeks. Rowan set her son to task and he was loading up his little radio flyer wagon with bottles of water. Some of the food was in a Rubbermaid tub, which Rowan now realized was way too heavy to move. Filling every bag in the house, she loaded every bit of food into the Fore Runner. They were almost ready to go and at the last minute Rowan grabbed the extra blankets from the closet and two sleeping bags. Ready to leave the house now, she took one last look around and sighed. She had no idea how long it would be before they would come home.

Rowan strapped Joshua into the car seat and buckled herself in. Joshua’s Dad’s place was not that far away but she had no idea what they would find on the road. It was a great property just outside of town and was surrounded by 150 acres of farm land. In the back there was a small stand of trees with a pond. The property itself had a large outbuilding, an old well, and a vegetable garden. The house was a ranch style 3 bedroom 2 bathe home. It was bought at auction and completely remodeled, including a small apartment in what used to be the garage. There was a wood stove, a fourteen gallon reverse osmosis water reserve in the basement. It was off city utilities and used a propane tank that was kept full always. The place was a pretty good start to self sustainability. Not yet off the grid but with great potential for it. The home also had sentimental value, as it was the house Joshua was born in.

As they pulled out of the driveway Rowan realized the Prius was blocking the driveway. She thought about trying to push it out of the way but decided just to drive through the yard. As she drove down the lawn people started to look at them. Rowan noticed all of the cars just sitting in the driveways. Her next door neighbor asked how she got the car started. Rowan shrugged her shoulders and yelled it just started. There were people walking down the street with suitcases and wagons full of personal belongings. The road was clear though. Because of the early time of the morning no one had been up and moving before the plane crashed. As they got farther away from their neighborhood Rowan noticed that the power was out all over town. There were smoke plumes all over the place. The sun was coming up over the horizon and as they crested the hill Rowan gasped for breathe as she counted at least ten other plane wrecks around town. What could have possibly caused this? Rowan felt a stir of panic well up in her. Joshua asked, “what a matter Momma?” She tried her best to cover her reaction up. “Nothing baby, Mommy is just trying to wake up.” Rowan decided the best option was to take the highway around town instead of trying to go through the streets that now looked filled with people. As she drove down the on ramp it was almost unnatural how deserted the road was. There were no cars, no people, and no movement what so ever. At first the drive was smooth then Rowan saw the small plane down in the middle of the highway. It was one of those cessna type planes, a four seater. The landing gear was gone and it rested on its belly off kilter on the road. It was blocking both lanes. The cabin door was open and Rowan did not see anyone moving inside. She was not sure what to do. She could only think of getting Joshua to his Dad’s house. They would be safe there. Wouldn’t they be? Rowan put the car in neutral and pulled the emergency break. Rowan had to lock in the four wheel drive on the tires. Once the tires were locked in place, she shifted into four high and drove off the road onto the center- median. The vehicle seemed to have no problem driving through the thick brush. Then she saw the landing gear lying across the brush. Rowan had to drive all the way to the other side of the highway. She felt strange driving the wrong way down the road but had no other option. After they had cleared the wreckage she got back onto the right side of the road. She contemplated unlocking the hubs but decided she would rather leave it in four wheel drive and go a little slower than to have to get in and out if they needed to used it again. Just in the short time they had been out Rowan could tell that something big had happened. She had no idea what it was, but it was BIG.

Installment four coming soon…

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Winter Over Night Review

2011-02-13T06:38:00.001-08:00

The over night went great. There were four of us that camped and this guy was woodsy enough to sleep outside. He made Butter Nut Squash soup that was delicious. We also had salmon, cous cous, and zuchinni for dinner. In the morning breakfast was oatmeal and Hot cocoa and chai tea.

Who says you can't eat good while out camping?

The company was great and the dogs were the perfect addition. Two huskies tromping through the snow always makes my day brighter.

We got a break in the weather and had temps in the high twenties to thirties. The over night low was above twenty. We woke up to an inch or so of snow blanketing the campsite.

We camped in the primitve camp ground. There were no other campers there so we had the place to ourselves. There were Ice Fisherman out on the lake just a short hike from camp. There was a pit latrine as well as modern bathrooms a short walk or drive from us, with showers.

All in all Belva Deer County park and lake was a wondeful place to be. I would highly recommend it to anyone. I think I will make a return trip when the weather is warm.

Thank you, Freedomfox

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Winter Over Night

2011-02-07T09:56:00.000-08:00

Well our Winter Over night went great. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. I went with three people from the Eastern and Central Iowa Preppers Meet Up group. I will post a full break down soon with pictures. For now I just wanted to say thank my camping buddies PackRat, YeOfLittleFaith, And Iron Will (who slept outside, he is the true bushcrafter). Oh and I can not forget the two puppies. We had perfect weather for winter camping. Belva Deer County Park in Sigourney is wonderful. If you get a chance to go there....DO. Thanks, Freedom Fox
http://www.meetup.com/Eastern-and-Central-Iowa-Preppers/

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Installment two of Rowan's Adventure

2011-02-03T00:28:00.000-08:00

Joshua was crying and it took Rowan a few seconds to realize she was holding him just a little too tight. Reassuring him Rowan rocked him and said, “Everything will be O.K. Mommy is here. We are going to go to Daddy’s house.” Joshua perked up and agreed. Then in the sweetest voice he said, “Don’t worry Mommy I take care of you. I a man.” Rowan couldn’t help but smile. She gave him the task of gathering up his favorite toys and loading them into his Bob the Builder back pack. While he did that she grabbed a few pieces of clothing and shoved them into a bag. The scene outside seemed a little calmer now. She was no longer worried that the gas line would explode. If it was going to happen it would have already happened, was her line of reasoning. It was still the safest option to evacuate. Plus the furnace was off and it was the dead of winter. The other house had a wood stove. After she threw some toiletries in the bag too, she grabbed Joshua and headed to the door. It took what seemed an eternity to get their snow clothes on. Rowan wanted to make sure they were bundled up because she had no idea what lay in store for their five mile drive.

As they left the house Rowan locked the door behind her. This was something she rarely did, and it seemed odd for a brief moment. In the driveway sat her little blue Prius that she was so proud of. Once Joshua was strapped safely in his car seat she turned the key. Nothing, the car did not start. Rowan could not believe it but her perfect little Prius was silent. She looked around the neighborhood and noticed that no cars were moving. There were people walking down the street will suitcases and personal possessions. Out came the words, “What the hell?” which ignited a flurry of questions from the back seat. Rowan tried again and again but the car would not start. Rowan laid her head on the steering wheel and sighed. There was no time to break down, but at that moment she almost lost it. Then she looked at the garage door. She whispered, “could it?”

As the garage door swung up there was “the beast” with its grill smiling back at her. The “Beast” was her ex’s 1985 Toyota 4Runner. It had been converted to be fuel injection with a carburetor and an old points ignition system. It was rusted, old and a source of contention between them for years. She had asked, begged, and demanded he get rid of it. He would not. It just sat in her garage forcing her Prius to be parked outdoors. It irritated her every time she had to clear the snow off her car. Rowan just knew that her ex kept it there now just to get at her. It also gave him an excuse to come around whenever he wanted to. She slid into the garage and into the front seat. She let Joshua sit in the seat next to her just for now. Finding the spare key in the middle console she started it up. It had trouble turning over at first but then finally roared to life. She could not believe it. The damn thing started. Rowan thanked God for unanswered prayers and apologized to the beast for all of the mean things she ever said about it. Rowan looked at the gas gauge. It still had half a tank of gas. It was plenty to drive five miles. As much as she had hated that vehicle before she loved it twice as much now. That old ugly rusted piece of junk was now the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. The engine sound was like music to her ears.

Installment Three coming in two weeks….hope you enjoyed it, FreedomFox

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What a whopper

2011-02-02T21:21:00.001-08:00

Well if you live in the Midwest you were doing what I was doing today, digging out of the snow. I have heard this storm called everything from "Snowmageddon" To "Snowtorius BIG". What ever you call it it sure was a whopper. I have not seen snow like this is a while. The local reports are a little inconsistent. I have heard we got 18 inches and I have heard that it was only ten. The snow drifts are what made it so bad. My down stairs neighbor could not open her door. I had to go around the side and dig her out. The storm is done but the cold temps are lingering. They are suppose to get back up to the high twenties this weekend. AND yes I am still planning on camping Saturday night. If you are reading this Lake Belva Deer area, start plowing 'cause I am coming. All in all it seemed like an ideal day today. All the neighbors out plowing, blowing, and shoveling the snow stopping for a minute to commiserate on how crazy the storm was. Tomorrow I will take my daughter out to try out her new skis. Three year's old and already hitting the slopes. Installment two of Rowan's Adventure will be posted tomorrow night......Check in to see how she handles the situation.

This is a picture of my neighbors driveway....I hope you all are safe and warm out there, FreedomFox

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Winter Storm Coming

2011-01-30T07:04:00.000-08:00

It appears that we are expecting a large winter storm that will affect a large area. The weather channel is reporting that this storm could affect a million people. See the link below. I checked the weather report for SE Iowa and it seems like we will be getting snow Monday and Tuesday. The temps should warm up in Time for our winter overnight in Sigounery Iowa February 5th. With more snow rolling in Sunday afternoon on the 6th. Seems like we are being given a window of opportunity for our campout. That is way cool. Also it looks like the midwest will get hit with the storm, but check the weather report for your local area as SE Iowa often has less severe weather than Northern Iowa.

Also I will be posting the second installment of the Fiction series soon. So check back to find out what Rowan does next.........

Stay warm Iowa, Freedomfox

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Lake Belva Deer Recreation Camp out Feb 5th

2011-01-24T20:41:00.000-08:00

Weather permitting a group of us will be braving the Iowa winter to camp at Lake Belva Deer Recreation area in Sigourney Iowa. That sounds like an oxymoron “weather permitting.” We will be there unless we get a blizzard or the temps dip down in the negative numbers. If you are interested in joining us please let me know. The trip is planned for Saturday February 5th. We will be practicing a variety of survival skills and having some fun. This is winter camping so if you do come please be prepared.

Lake Belva Deer Recreation area sounds like a wonderful place to go. Their website states, “The Belva Deer Recreation Area is the Keokuk County Conservation Board's largest and most heavily used area. It is located two miles east and two miles north of Sigourney. Facilities at the 1,669 acre park include eight picnic shelters, camping areas, showers with flush toilets, eight miles of hiking and horse trails, seven fishing ponds, and a 260 acre lake. The lake has a large beach area on the north side of the lake with plenty of space for family gatherings.”
Some of their trails are Equestrian friendly. They offer cabins, modern camp sites, and primitive camp sites. We will be camping in the primitive campsites that run $10.00 per night. The park offers fishing and hunting as well as many other outdoor activities.

I will be posting a review of the park and an overview of the camping experience (along with pictures) after we get back. Check back often to keep up on what is happening in Iowa.

Here is a link to the parks webpage
http://www.keokukcountyia.com/Conservation/Belvadeer/belvadeer.htm

By FreedomFox

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The First installment

2011-01-18T21:44:00.000-08:00

Here is the first installment of the story....Keep checking back to see what happens next...........
Rowan awoke to a familiar feeling. Something she had not felt in over a decade. Her mind raced to find the right word, “Earthquake! It’s an earthquake. Crap! get the baby.” She rolled out of bed and crawled to the where her three year old was sleeping. Swooping him up, Rowan hunkered in the doorway and waited for the shaking to stop. There was something different, something wrong about it. Rowan realized that there was noise, terrible awful noise. Earthquakes have a unique sound, and this was not it. Then it hit her, she lived in Iowa now. They don’t have earthquakes in Iowa. Possibilities ran through her head. “Meteor? No that’s stupid” she thought. “Nuclear Bomb. No way, no bright flash, and we would have been pulverized.” What was it? She kept asking herself, what was it? The baby was screaming. Rowan did her best to calm him. Even at three Joshua was a very verbal child and he was asking questions. All she could muster was an affirmation that everything would be O.K. The shaking subsided and the noise faded some. Then she could hear screaming and people yelling “call for help”. Sitting the boy down she said, “Stay right here, Mommy is going to look out the window.

She did her best impression of an Army crawl over to the window. Carefully she drew back the curtains and peaked out. Adjusting her eyes she peered down the street. It was a plane crash. She could not believe what she was seeing. A house was crushed under the plane and flames were raging all around it. People were stumbling about and trying to get away from the burning wreckage. She could smell the burning fuel and wondered if it was safe where they were at. She picked Joshua up and grabbed her cell phone. Nothing! It was dead. “Damn” she thought I forgot to plug it in last night. She picked up the land line. It was dead as well. She thought the plane must have taken out the phone lines. There were no lights either. No electricity at all. Rowan contemplated her next move. Something told her to get out and away from the burning jet fuel. There were broken power lines and worse broken gas lines. It could not be safe to stay there. There could be an explosion. She would take Joshua and go to his Dad’s house five miles outside of town. From the looks of the neighborhood this was not going to be an easy task.

By FreedomFox
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Upcoming Fiction Series

2011-01-15T14:25:00.001-08:00

Hello All....I wanted to let you know that I am starting a series on the blog. It is the story of Rowan (an Iowan) who goes through a SHTF scenario. In a couple of days I will post the first installment. After that twice a month I will post a new/ next installmant. Keep checking back for more of the story. I will also continue to post on the blog other cool stuff relating to preparedness, survival, and Iowa. Thank you all....I am looking forward to this. FreedomFox

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Outing

2011-01-15T14:13:00.000-08:00

Well in the spirit of getting out there and practicing skills, a group is going to get together and try our hand at winter camping. February 5th we will be setting up camp at the Belva Lake Deer recreation area. I am looking forward to not only practicing my skills but also meeting up with some local people. I recently did a small day hike where I had planned to light a fire and cook lunch. That did not happen. I could not get the fire to light to save my life. Back to the drawing board. I had wanted to blog about it, but suffice it to say there was way to much cursing to write about it here. Now I need to learn about the trees we have here in Iowa. The is differences between hard and soft wood and what will burn well and what will not. I am still hoping that we can get some dialogue going with fellow Iowans. If you are out there make your voice heard. Happy Prepping, T

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Iowa edibles

2011-01-12T21:40:00.000-08:00

Part of survival is being able to find food if and when you need to. I have been trying to learn a lot of things about survival and Bushcraft has become a passion of mine. On hikes it is important to identify plants etc. Before all I knew was the old saying, "Leaves of three let it be." I found some information on this site
http://www.trails.com/list_5302_iowa-edible-wild-plants.html
It is a basic look but gave me a taste for Iowa edibles (pun intended). I am going to be buying a guide soon to help with the learning process.

Thanks, FreedomFox

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Villages of Van Buren County

2011-01-08T17:04:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in my last post, there is more to Iowa than people think. Keosaqua and the Villages of Van Buren County are perfect examples of that. Today I took a drive down to a store called, “troublesome Creek Outfitters.” It is a great store with a lot of finds. I picked up a new knife, some fishing tackle for my BOB, and a pocket chain saw that comes in a little tin. I also gleaned a lot of information just talking to the owner. I am planning an overnight trip down to Shimek State Forest. If you get a chance to check out the Villages of Van Buren County it is well worth the drive. Lake Sugema is down there and has a 574-acre lake stocked with fish. It offers fishing, hunting, hiking, camping and other outdoor activities. This land has a conservation mindset. It was a wonderful day trip and I plan to spend much more time down there.

For information on the area you can check out
www.villagesofvanburen.com
To check out Troublesome Creek Outfitters go to
www.troublesome-creek.com
Thanks, FreedomFox

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Hiking Iowa

2011-01-05T08:18:00.000-08:00

“Let’s go hiking in Iowa.” “Really where?” That’s the reaction most people have to the suggestion they might enjoy walking around our presumably flat state. Their impression of Iowa is one founded on underestimation of its landscape. Taught to judge scenic beauty by the grandeur and enormity of landforms, they have no gauge to measure the subtle beauty of Iowa.

That is how Elizabeth Corcoran Hill starts out her book “Hiking Iowa: A guide to Iowa’s greatest hiking adventures.” The truth of the statement still rings in my ears. I was born and raised in San Diego California. When I moved to Iowa I was in mid-twenties. At first I was out of place. After a year of living here I had gone “Home” for a visit. I could not wait to get back. As I flew in to Iowa I remember saying, “My God it is beautiful.” I felt glad to be home.

One of the things I have been getting into recently is Bushcraft. I originally started because I wanted to improve my skill set and practice my survival skills. According to Wikipedia, “Bushcraft is about surviving and thriving in the natural environment, and the acquisition of ancient skills and knowledge to do so. Bushcraft skills include; firecraft, tracking, hunting, shelter building, the use of tools such as knives and axes, foraging, hand-carving wood, container construction from natural materials, rope and twine-making, and many others. These are the kinds of skills well known to our ancient predecessors, many of which are still practiced today as an everyday skill amongst aboriginal and native peoples around the world.” In looking for information on Bushcrfat I came across the Midwest School Of Bushcraft. http://www.midwestschoolofbushcraft.com/

Part of what I was looking into is where in Iowa to practice these skills. In my area if you want to camp you pay $11 and park it at the local county park next to 30 other campsites. I had heard about the Hiking Iowa book a while back. I got a copy for Christmas. It is a very well done book and breaks hiking spots down in a few different ways. One of the Exciting things the book talks about is what Hill calls “Back Country” camping. Terry Barney the instructor for the Midwest School of Bushcraft likes to take groups to the Loess Hills and Stephens State Forest. Hill points out that Iowa has “seventy state parks and four major forests.” Iowa’s landscape changes depending on where you are in the state. It occurred to me that it would be beneficial to learn more about the variety of resources Iowa has to offer.

My suggestion to readers is to start learning some Bushcraft skills and to also start getting to know the terrain. The first key to survival is mindset, the second key is practice. Don’t wait until SHTF to try and learn how to start a fire. Now is the time to start learning and practicing skills. Not only that but it is fun. I never thought I would be excited to be “in the Bush” but I can’t wait to get out there.
Thank you, FreedomFox

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Several making $120K-plus at Iowa school group

2010-12-31T10:34:00.000-08:00

While our children suffer year after year from the quality of the education we provide them and many of our teachers may feel they are being under paid our school board employees seem to be doing ok with our tax dollars: Follow this link to read more:http://qctimes.com/news/state-and-regional/iowa/article_73569936-5ee5-5063-a66a-a80b9e735713.html

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Sing the health praises of parsley and sage

2010-12-25T10:38:00.000-08:00

Those of us who go back a few years likely remember the line about parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme in the huge Simon and Garfunkel hit song about two ill-fated lovers, "Are You Going to Scarborough Fair". Many have speculated that the reference to the four popular herbs was due to their use in Medieval Europe to help cleanse the air and ward off the infamous black plague. Others have thought that the reference to the four herbs was because the combination may have been used as a love potion. Whatever the reason for their inclusion in the popular song, the many health benefits of parsley and sage are worth loving and singing praises about in their own rights.

PARSLEY

Parsley is an amazing medicinal herb with a world of health benefits. The root contains calcium, B-complex vitamins, and iron, which nourish the glands that help regulate the uptake of calcium. It is a source of magnesium, calcium, potassium, vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin K.

Among the many benefits reported for parsley are:

*It is a diuretic which helps the body produce more urine to keep the urinary system operating smoothly and which helps prevent problems such as kidney stones and bladder infections.

*It is wonderful for removing toxins from the body, such as heavy metals.

*It is an effective breath freshener. It is believed that the practice of including parsley on a dinner plate began due to its breath freshening abilities and not merely for its decorative effect.

*The root and leaves are good for the liver and spleen.

*It helps relieve bloating during menstruation.

*It provides relief for edema, often helping when other remedies have failed

*Parsley root and seeds help relax stiff joints, often making stiff and unmanageable fingers work again.

*It helps remove gallstones when used properly by taking a pint of the tea daily.

*It is beneficial for the adrenal glands.

*It is a powerful therapeutic aid for the optic nerves, brain and sympathetic nervous system.

*Parsley juice is an excellent tonic for the blood vessels.

Note: It is best to avoid large amounts of parsley if you are pregnant, especially the use of the volatile essential oil.

SAGE

Like rosemary, its sister herb in the mint (Labiatae) family, sage contains a variety of volatile oils, flavonoids and phenolic acids, including rosmarinic acid. The oils found in sage are both antiseptic and antibiotic, helping it fight infections.

Besides the antioxidant and other properties shared with Rosemary, sage`s other health benefits include:

*It is effective for symptoms of menopause, night sweats and hot flashes because of its estrogenic action and because its tannins help dry up perspiration.

*Sage helps provide better brain function and has been used in the treatment of cerebrovascular disease for over a thousand years. It helps provide better recall and research has suggested that it may be an effective option to help treat Alzheimer`s.

*There`s also compelling evidence that sage may be of value to people with diabetes for whom the hormone insulin does not work as efficiently as it should. Lab studies indicate that sage may boost insulin`s action.

* The ability of sage to protect oils from oxidation has also led some companies to experiment with sage as a natural antioxidant additive for cooking oils that can extend shelf life and help avoid rancidity.

In an upcoming article, we will also sing the praises of the other two herbs mentioned in the popular song - rosemary and thyme.

Sources included:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarbo...
http://www.healthy-holistic-living....
http://www.greenmuze.com/blogs/natu...
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pars...

About the author

Tony Isaacs, is a natural health author, advocate and researcher who hosts The Best Years in Life website for baby boomers and others wishing to avoid prescription drugs and mainstream managed illness and live longer, healthier and happier lives naturally. Mr. Isaacs is the author of books and articles about natural health, longevity and beating cancer including "Cancer's Natural Enemy" and is working on a major book project due to be published later this year.
Mr. Isaacs is currently residing in scenic East Texas and frequently commutes to the even more scenic Texas hill country near San Antonio and Austin to give lectures in health seminars. He also hosts the CureZone "Ask Tony Isaacs - featuring Luella May" forum as well as the Yahoo Health Group "Oleander Soup" and he serves as a consultant to the "Utopia Silver Supplement Company".

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/030824_parsley_sage.html#ixzz199MCeUCU

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Practice is part of Prepping

2010-12-18T07:22:00.000-08:00

Iowa winters are interesting. We can get 18 inches of snow dumped on us in 24 hours. Or we can have 60 degree temperatures in late November. The lesson here is to be prepared for a variety of scenarios. Layering seems to be the ticket in our neck of the woods. The three “P”s of prepping are Patients, preparation, and practice. We are all good at the prepping part. One thing I hear over and over from the experts is that knowledge is not enough. Practice is the key ingredient to assure success. With that in mind I just went on a practice run of sorts. Having a three year old brings a variety of concerns to the forefront. When putting together my BOB I am always concerned with weight. I need to remember that if I have to set out on foot, there is a good chance I will be carrying her too. I got her and I all dressed up with winter gear on and headed out into the wilds. Besides having a fun day I also had the opportunity to practice. I got a feel for my new boots. Made some discoveries of a couple more things I need. I also was able to tell how effective pulling her on a sled would be. Not to mention giving her a little lesson on staying on the sled. I pulled her the entire way around the park. I scouted out the available timber and practiced looking at tracks in the snow. While this was our first time out, I was convinced that this would be a great exercise in preparedness.

Hopefully I will have a full retreat before SHTF, but if not I have an emergency BOL. I plan to load up the preps (which I keep here in case bugging out is not an option and we have to shelter in) in my BOV. Ideally if I need to get to the safe place my vehicle will work and the little one and all of our gear will be driven the four miles with no problems. However if this is not an option and sheltering in would be too dangerous we would be forced to bug out on foot. It makes sense to get a feel for how much I can carry (with or without a sled) and how long it may take us to get there. After having such a fun time on our first practice run I have decided this would be an excellent drill to do weekly. Next time I plan to go out with full pack and gear to test it out. If I practice once a week I will build up my stamina, get some good exercise, and teach the little one skills she will need to help us make it to safety. I got this idea after reading a story on Survival Blog about a man in Minnesota. He commented that despite people being native to the area they were totally unprepared for going outdoors in the winter. I decided that both I and my little girl need to get used to being outside in inclement weather and traveling by sled. Not only is it a great fun day of bonding it is also skill building. I have a list of things to add to my gear and a lot of ideas how to incorporate patience, preparation, and practice into a fun day in the woods.
Blessings…….stay warm and stay safe Iowans…..
By FreedomFox

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Bushcraft Training in Iowa

2010-12-12T11:23:00.000-08:00

Hello in Iowa.....well it looks like the Iowa Winter has finally made it to us. Just in time for the Holidays. Keep warm and keep safe everyone.
By Tabathaw1

I wanted to tell you about a great Iowa resource. The Midwest School of Bushcraft lead by "A former Air Force Survival Instructor." Terry Barney (a.k.a IAWoodsman) has an extensive background in Survival and training. His Bushcraft 101 training has met with rave reviews. He offers them a couple of times a year. He also offers advanced trainings. He has proven to be helpful and responsive. We are going to be setting up some trainings in the SE Iowa area. Let me know if you are interested and we can take into account locations etc. The prices for the Midwest School of Bushcraft are very reasonable. Over all Terry seems to have a heart towards service and helping his fellow man. I think we can say that Terry and his school are a great asset to Iowa. You can also check out his Survival Videos at Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/iawoodsman?blend=2&ob=1

Check out the Midwest School of Bushcraft at http://www.midwestschoolofbushcraft.com/

I will keep you posted on the training date for this area.....Let me know if you are interested. The class has limited number of spots available so we will want to register early.

Good luck, stay warm.........

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Hartman Reserve Nature Center

2010-12-05T06:53:00.000-08:00

Good morning Iowans. Just wanted to pass on some great training opportunities. The Hartman Reserve Nature Center in Cedar Falls Iowa has been putting on some great events. They have a series called "Bushcraft Survival Series." This series offers a variety of skills like Nocturnal navigation, Maple syrup making, and up coming Power off weekend Sunday December 19th. Check out their website and see if there is anything that interests you. This is in Cedar Falls Iowa. If this is too far for you try checking out your local state or county park to see what they offer. One thought I had was to invite the Hartman Reserve People down to teach here. Also this could be a fun opportunity for a road trip and to get to know the surrounding areas better. Regardless of where you go, keep training. Practice, Patience, and preparedness will get you through the rough times. Good luck all. Tabatha

www.co.black-hawk.ia.us/hartman/

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2010-11-30T07:50:00.000-08:00

Hello In Iowa. I woke up today to find that we are finally getting snow in the SE. Some of you may have already had snow this year, but down here we are just getting started. I am not sure why, but it feels good and reassuring. It always feels odd to me when its too warm in the Fall and early winter. The snow however brings up some thoughts. As preppers we all know there is a lot to consider. Weather is a critical factor when prepping in Iowa. Ice and snow storms can come down hard on us. It is a good idea to keep emergency kits in your vehicles. Bags of sand or even cat litter can help give the car weight and to use for traction if you get stuck. A shovel may come in handy some day. You can get folding ones that do not take up a lot of space. I like to keep a tow rope in my trunk. There may be a good samaritan ready to pull you out of a snow bank, who does not have one of their own. I learned this lesson when I put my car in a ditch driving home from Chicago a couple of years ago. I don't know about everyone else, but I am notorius for jumping in the car with just a light jacket on assuming I will have the car to keep me warm. Once the car goes in the ditch you really start wanting that snow gear. Extra hats, gloves, and maybe even a coat could help in an emergency. Keeping a coffee can and candles can keeo you warm for a bit until help arrives. Even if the car is still running you could run out of gas. Think of a heat source to warm the car if needed. Think outside the box here. The trunk is a perfect place to store some extra survival gear to get you through in a pinch. It is always better to have something and not need it, than to need it and not have it. You are really not out much if you have extra things in the car. The car is a great place to start thinking about what you would need in an emergency. Good luck and stay warm....

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Iowa Preppers Roll Call

2010-11-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

The Iowa Preppers Network is conducting a Roll Call on our forum. If you are a prepper please check in.

* Here is a link to the Roll Call:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=319&t=6140

You have to be registered to check in. If you aren't registered please join here:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/ucp.php?mode=register

* If you are a HAM Radio Operator check in here:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=143&t=6219

* If you are an A.N.T.S. member please check in here:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=618&t=6220

Mini practice run

2010-11-23T20:38:00.000-08:00

Here in Iowa one thing we deal with is power outages. Usually they do not last long but they can provide us with some great practice. Recently I had the week from Hades and everything seemed to break down at once. My car's ignition broke. My cell phone was not working. Then I woke up one morning and my Internet, Television, and phone was out (they are bundled together). What a day. I was waiting for my daughter's grandma to get here so I could use her cell phone and car to get some things figured out. Next thing I know the power goes out. For a split second I thought, "What if this is it?" I really didn't think TEOWAKI was actually here. Yet it seemed weird that my communication services went down just a couple hours before the power went out. I decided to act like it was the start of the end. I started the bathtub filling, got the baby settled, and found the flashlight. Notice how I said that, "Found the flashlight." Bad prepper move I had to look for the flashlight and then the batteries were dead. Now this was too funny because I have enough food and water and weapons to keep me and mine for a while, and here I am with no working flashlight. So with Candle in hand I went to the basement and tried the circuit breakers. Not a blown fuse. I had the brilliant idea that I could fill the washing machine with water as well to be safe. Note to self, the washing machine will not fill with water when the elctricity is out. Lessons learned for sure on that day.

After getting coats and shoes on we went outside to look around. Everything seemed in order. I knocked on the neighbor's door and their power was out as well. As we were talking it came back on. I felt relieved and then started the "what did I do well and what could I have done better drill?" I stayed calm and filled the tub with water. I had food, water, and weapons in place. I looked at this as a learning opportunity. I could have had flashlights in order (note; Don't let the toddler play with your emergency flashlight). I have taken care of the flashlights and purchased rechargeable batteries. Santa is bringing me a shake or crank flashlight and radio next month. I now know that the washing machine won't be an option in a power out situation. I am working on redundant systems.

Funny enough my communication systems were down because my landlord was at the property doing some things and unintentionally unplugged my router box. I could not check the television or the Internet to find out if this was a serious disaster or minor set back. I also could not call someone to ask them. JWR suggests taking mini practice weekends where you live without services to practice. I am glad I had this opportunity as it shed light on the holes in my preps.
Take every opportunity you get to be patient, Prepare, and Practice then when the time comes you will be ready. Good luck everyone....Check your flashlights, T
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New Iowa Members

2010-09-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

The Iowa Preppers Network Welcomes our Newest Members:

Tabathaw1

Hello there from Iowa,

I currently live in SE Iowa. New to prepping, but been into sustainable living for a while. I am awake now and realizing it is time to get it done. I am a single mom with an active 3 year old so I prep for two. I am in an Iowa Preppers yahoo group and we are working together to network Iowans. If we all work together we can get the supplies, training and moral support we need.

I would love to hear about others in Iowa and the surrounding areas. Blessings to all, Tabatha

To post your welcome please follow this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=563&t=5765&sid=f1db

NorthStar1

Hello All I am from the Quad Cities on the IA/IL border (the MI River). Experienced survivalist and outdoorsman. I am also a former Army Officer and teach Business Continuity/Emergency Preparedness at a local community college. I also developed the global emergency preparedness plan for a Global Agriculture Equipment Manufacturer (think Green) that included a global Pandemic Plan.

Good to meet everyone.

NS1

To post your welcome please follow this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=563&t=5473

boxxd

Hi, I'm just getting into the whole survivalism, thing and this seems like the place to be.
welcome this member by following this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=563&t=5219

iowaone
Hi all

I have been around a while lurking in the shadows, I currently live in MN but soon will be moving to IA. I look forward to learning from all of you and perhaps teaching a thing or two to some of you.

Be Prepared !
welcome this member by following this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=563&t=5173

johngalt

To post your welcome please follow this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=319&t=4957

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How to Join The Iowa Preppers Network

2010-09-14T13:10:00.000-07:00

Come learn survival, preparedness and sustainable living with us!

The Preppers networks are all about volunteering our knowledge and skills with each other. We share ideas, tips and basically network with each other to survive any type of disaster whether natural, man made, or economic. Information that you learn and share with others will help everyone learn how to find "Freedom Through Teaching Others Self Reliance."

Joining the Iowa Preppers Network is simple, and most of all, it's Free! To join, just follow these few steps.

1) Register to become a member of the American Preppers Network www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net The registration page is here: http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/ucp.php?mode=register

2) Once you have your account, go to the index page of the forum and do your first post by introducing yourself in the new members area. http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/index.php

3) Once you know how to do posts, visit the Iowa forum and introduce yourself. The Iowa forum can be found by scrolling to the lower section of the index page where you will find a list of states, or you can go directly by following this URL: www.IowaPreppersNetwork.net

4) After you've visited the Iowa forum, follow this link to learn how to join the Iowa Preppers Network group:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=564&t=2738

APN's success depends on your contributions. If you would like to donate to our organization by becoming a Gold Member you can join the APN Gold Members club by following this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/page.php?p=apn-gold-membership&sid=5b241e92a767cdfbe7a345c54dd55127
Gold Membership is only $5 per month. For a list of Gold Member benefits go here

Thank you for your support!

Survival Gardening 2 : The Basics of Seed Starting

2010-01-31T17:49:00.000-08:00

Do you want to start seeds ? Here are a few of helpful videos to teach you some seed starting basics.

There are planty of different ways to do things , so make your self aware , then decided whats right for YOU and your family.

I found this Video @ Davesgarden.com

I found these videos's @ TheBayouGardner.com

I found this Video @ Plant TV

I also Wanted to not that you can use a watered down Chamomile Tea Spray Daily to also ward off DAMPING OFF as well as the corn meal.

~~~~

PrepperMom is a mother and 2 and farmer of 4 Bountiful Acres

Survival Gardening 1 : Things to think about

2010-01-30T08:38:00.000-08:00

Would You Know how to Garden if your Life depended on it ? I hope to showcase a series of Video's and links to help you in the garden & Gardening Adventures , I will include links and videos that I myself have not made , and I hope to eventually share my garden with you as well. While my personally experiences create a slightly different Point of view than this videographer I think these videos really do contain a lot of useful tips and points to ponder.

I have to mention that gardening is not nearly as hard as some people make it out to be , at least not in the opinion of this gardener (preppermom) .
Then again I totally acknowledge that some people are better at certain things than others are by nature.

This Video was found @ PioneerLiving.Net

This Video was found @ PioneerLiving.Net

This Video was found @ PioneerLiving.Net

This Video was found @ PioneerLiving.Net

I wanted to note : Zucchini , summer squash , and winter squash are capable of being pickled , canned , dehydrated and fermented. Dehydration is a PREFERRED method though. If you can the zukes in Squares , vs slices it does extremely well.

This Video was found @ PioneerLiving.Net

~~~~
PrepperMom is a mother and 2 and farmer of 4 Bountiful Acres

About PrepperMom

2010-01-26T18:48:00.000-08:00

I thought I should probably introduce myself since I contribute here , so that I dont seem so flat.

So I thought I should probably tell you a bit about myself.
I am a 28 year old mother of 2 young toddlers and wife of 1 wonderful educator.
Before I had my first child I lived "in-the-wild" in the heart of central texas for quite a few years.

I loved camping , and having been raised in a backwoods of appalachia , I did it well.
When I had my first child my inner prepper just kicked in , I was bringing a child into the world I needed to know how to be self sufficient. Not just everyday disaster preparedness , but also the self sufficiency skills in a large scale event. Being a single - self employed mother of a very small child I had many hours to read and study and put in practice everything that lay ahead of me. 2 weeks after I gave birth to my son , I experienced my first unplanned scenario. Texas experienced a minor Ice storm , and my apartment complex lost all electricity.

Having a newborn baby in an unheated apartment was panic inducing. I wound up moving us into the bathroom and ran the shower every hour or so , because the gas and water still worked , just not electricity. I was capable of doing that for 2 nights till the electricity was restored, so that I did not have to go to a shelter and expose my newborn to way to many germs.

About 8 months later I met my the man who would become my husband and we clicked over a wonderful discussion about firearms. A year latter we moved to Iowa with one more child and found a small homestead. We currently have 4 acres of land. We started a garden late in the season last year and harvest over 800 lb of produce , and that was off maybe of 1/2 and acre , we plan on using all 4 acers this year and dehydrating and canning.

The entire transition to back to basics / being self sufficient has not been as hard for me as my husband because i grew up without electricity and such. My husband , well he stockpiles ammo , and me I stockpile books and knowledge. LOL

I am also a frugalista , I'm always on the trail of sales , increasing my stockpile and making most things from scratch. I don't buy do-hikkies so much as go out and learn how to make them myself.

So well thats me. PrepperMom.
Nice to meet you :)

I am just a contributor here , and I really hope more people join and contribute , please if you have something to contribute please let us know by pressing the join button above and apply and become a contributer too !! If there are any topics you would like me to detail please dont hesitate to contact me at PrepperMom@gmail.com . I may not know everything but I can always give you a lead. :)

Disaster Alert: Iowa Blizzard

2010-01-26T10:06:00.000-08:00

The APN Disaster Reporting Service Thanks D_Loki for providing us with the following update.

January 26, 2010

Disaster Alert

Iowa – A blizzard, with wind gusts up to 50mph, caused major travel restrictions throughout the state on Monday. The Central Iowa Chapter opened 3 shelters for stranded travelers and affected-area residents. The Lincoln Way Chapter opened a shelter for travelers and residents in the surrounding area.

Just Say No to GMO !!

2010-01-24T13:32:00.000-08:00

I saw this on APN main and wanted to pass it along .
PrepperMom is a mother and 2 and farmer of 4 Bountiful Acres

10 - Winter Weather / Ice Related Saftey Tips

2010-01-21T21:07:00.000-08:00

Seeing that Most of Iowa and a few other states are covered with a rather uneven but definably solid layer of Ice I thought I might as well give a few safety tips:

Assume EVERYTHING is Icy , Better Safe than Sorry
Test your path , salt/gravel , shovel or break ice before attempting to take a small child to the car
If you start to fall carrying a child fall backwards so they land on YOU.
Make sure you shoes have traction of some sort.
You can use , Salt , Bird-food and corn meal or kitty litter to create traction over icy walkways
Hit / Break Ice to Create Traction
You can use a cane / Pole or Broom Stick to help keep you balanced by Shoving it through ice
Sometimes it better to walk through snow than ON ice
Don't be afraid to shuffle if need be , better funny looking than injured
Remember to keep an extra blanket or 3 in your car

Image Provided Through Apeture / Flicker Freely Liscenced

This article was originally featured @

http://preppermom.blogspot.com/2010/01/10-winter-weather-ice-related-saftey.html

PrepperMom is a mother and 2 and farmer of 4 Bountiful Acres

Iowa Winter Weather advisory/Ice advisory

2010-01-19T21:52:00.001-08:00

APN-National Disaster Reporting Service would like to thank Muzhik for this info

All of Iowa, as well as large portions of western Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois are under a combination of ice storm, winter weather, and freezing rain advisories until 6AM Thursday. Areas of scattered freezing rain and rain will continue throughout Thursday. Ice accumulations of a quarter to a third of an inch is possible, heaviest in Central Iowa (maybe up to .50"). This may create significant icing on trees, power lines, and roads. Power and travel are expected to be affected.

The Forgotten Investment

2010-01-16T06:53:00.000-08:00

The Forgotten Investment

In Todays Society somethings have gone forgotten , when I think about being prepared I look around my house and I wonder what I could not live without. Before the advent of the internet where did people go tolearn about new things ? The Library.

What would you do in an emergency , or in a long term seclusion ? Well , I would go to my Encyclopedia.

I am by no means saying go out and buy a brand new encyclopedia , personally I actually prefer older encyclopedias from the 60's and 70's they tend to have better illustrations of how things work , and of what plants look like.

I found that if you cruise through craigslist of book shops you can find them at more than reasonably affordable prices , and at times you can even get them free.

Please dont forget to invest in you future , and quite possibly your children's future. Even if you dont have children , are you sure you will never have any under your care ? Do you have a sufficient amount of information for basic as well as advanced teaching in your home.

Things you can do with an encyclopedia :

Look up Edible Plants
Look Up Medicinal Herbs
Look up How things Work
Look up basic Medical Procedures
How to Butcher an Animal
How things are made

Image provided Courtesy blaize @ http://www.sxc.hu

This article was originally featured @

http://preppermom.blogspot.com/2010/01/forgotten-investment.html

PrepperMom is a mother and 2 and farmer of 4 Bountiful Acres

- Iowa Preppers Badge -

2010-01-15T14:03:00.000-08:00

Now you too can have an Iowa Preppers Badge for your Site !!

School Children & Preparedness

2010-01-13T09:01:00.000-08:00

During an emergency it is vital that you know where your child is , who is caring for him , and where he may be relocated to. Here are some things to think about :

Do you know where your Children are ?

Do you have a copy of your Child's Schedule ?
Do you know the layout of the building ?
Do you know what the schools emergency plans are ?
Do you know where Shelters & Evacuation routes are ?

Do you know who your children are with ?

Do you know what instructor you child is with throughout the day ?
Do you know each instructor looks like ?
Do you have the instructors personal contact information ?

Do you know your Schools Evacuation , Sheltering & Emergency Scenario Plans ?

Where are your children to Shelter during an Tornado ?
Where would your children be evacuated to if there were a flood or fire ?

Do your older children have a meeting spot or safety code word ?

Do your children know who to call in an emergency if they can not get hold of you ?
Do you have a rendezvous point set with your children in case of evacuation ?
Do you and your child have a safety word to let you know if something is scary but they cant say anything ? (example , worplehead was my younger sisters safe word , a nonsensical word , but one time she called from a friends house and told me that she thought that I needed to check on our cat worplehead , I knew something was wrong and picked her up from her friends house immediately )

Your schools administration should never hesitate to give you this information and should also be willing to give you a tour and help you meet your child instructors. These people are to be the protectors of your children when you are not around , I think it best that you get to know them a bit , especially if you may need to one day seek them out to help you find your child.

Each instructor SHOULD have a firm grasp on how they are to act during an emergency and should be able to tell you in detail . Feel free to contact your child's school with any questions you may have , that is what they are there for.

This article was originally featured @

http://preppermom.blogspot.com/2010/01/school-children-preparedness.html

PrepperMom is a mother and 2 and farmer of 4 Bountiful Acres

Tuesday's Tips for Preppers - Safe Knife Usage

2009-11-24T09:12:00.000-08:00

Re-post courtesy Riverwalker's Stealth Survival

Like any good tool, a knife can be a valuable part of your equipment. Making sure you can use that tool safely will make it even more valuable. Here are a few tips for using your knife safely.

Tips for Safely Using A Knife

1.) Make sure the knife is the right kind for the intended use. Check for any damage to your knife. If it’s damaged, be safe and use a different knife or buy a new one.

2.) Take care of your knife. Keep it clean and keep it sharp. A sharp knife is an efficient knife and more useful than a knife with a dull blade.

3.) Always close or sheath your knife when not in use. Don’t leave your knife lying around where an exposed blade could cause an unexpected injury.

4.) Stabbing or shoving your knife into the ground is a perfect way to damage your knife. Don’t do it!

5.) Make sure the cutting area is clear of obstructions and other people. This will ensure that any travel from a slipped blade will not hit anything or anyone causing an unexpected injury.

6.) Always cut away from yourself. Make sure no parts of your body are in the path of the blade should it slip or do something unexpected.

7.) Avoid lending your knife to anyone unless they are familiar with the safe use of knives.

8.) Except in emergency situations, don’t use your knife if the lighting conditions are poor or if it is too dark to safely see what you are cutting.

9.) Never attempt to catch a falling knife. This is an extremely dangerous thing to do.

10.) Don’t throw your knife at anything or to anyone! This will most probably result in damaging your knife or seriously injuring someone.

Remember, safety is no accident!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Simple Survival Foods - Cheese and Processed Cheese Products

2009-11-22T09:15:00.000-08:00

Re-post courtesy Riverwalker's Stealth Survival

There are many different processed foods available today. Unfortunately, not all of them are what you might expect. Many bear little or no resemblance to the real or actual product. Processed cheese is one that you should be aware of the different and varied types and their relationship to the actual food itself, cheese.

Basic Information About Processed Cheese

1.) Processed cheese is subject to legal restrictions and standards.

2.) Processed American cheese must contain at least 90 percent real cheese.

3.) Products labeled "cheese food" must be at least 51 percent cheese (most are 65 %).

4.) Products labeled "cheese spread" must also be 51 percent cheese. The major difference being that such foods have more water and gums to make them spreadable.

5.) “Cheese product" usually refers to a cheese that has more water and less cheese than American cheese, cheese food, or cheese spread. The specific amount of cheese in foods labeled “cheese product” are not regulated and vary greatly.

6.) "Imitation cheese" is not required to contain any minimum amount of cheese. Unfortunately, cheese is usually not its main ingredient.

Quality processed cheese should have certain general attributes. It should resemble cheese and possess a minimum amount of cheese type flavor, preferably with a "bite" such as a sharp cheddar cheese. The processed cheese should also be smooth and evenly colored. It should not have a rubbery texture and should not melt in the mouth.

You can find additional information about the nutritional value, the safe handling and storage of cheese and cheese products, and the many different types of cheese and cheese products here:

http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/nationaldairycouncil/nutrition/products/product_cheese.pdf

Say REAL cheese please!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Hunting Safety - Tree Stands

2009-11-21T09:13:00.000-08:00

Re-post courtesy Riverwalker's Stealth Survival

Mixing guns and heights can be a perfect recipe for disaster if you're not careful this hunting season. The leading cause of hunting accidents could be something you wouldn't expect. It’s not guns but tree stands that cause the majority of hunting injuries.

Some Basic Facts About Injuries Using Tree Stands

1.) One out of three hunters has fallen or will fall from an elevated tree stand.

2.) The average age of hunting accident victims are 44 years old.

Some Basic Safety Tips When Using Tree Stands

1.) To prevent falling. Wear a full body safety harness.

2.) Choosing a solid healthy tree for your stand is important. Tree stands are usually anywhere from 10 to 30 feet off the ground.

3.) Attach a safety harness to the tree before you start climbing.

4.) Use a short tether so if you do fall you won't fall below the stand.

5.) Clean off your boots before climbing. This reduces your chances of slipping or falling.

6.) Don’t choose a slick or wet tree for your stand.

7.) Make sure you read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your tree stand.

8.) Make sure you tell someone where you’re going and how long you expect to be gone or take a cell phone. If you do have a problem, you will want to be able to contact someone for help or at least have someone come looking for you when you don’t come home on time.

Hunting Regulations along with Hunter Education Courses, which are now required in 49 states and many provinces of Canada, are largely responsible for making hunting one of the safest recreational activities in which you can participate.

The last thing you want to do is to try your luck when hunting. The most simple mistakes can cause serious injuries or may even be deadly. When using a tree stand, a good full body safety harness is a lot cheaper than a trip to the emergency room.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

.357 Magnum Handgun - Ammo Choices for Personal Defense

2009-11-20T09:11:00.000-08:00

Re-post courtesy Riverwalker's Stealth Survival

The .357 Magnum has been in use as a personal defense handgun for quite some time and has been shown to be very effective for this purpose. For many years it was the only handgun carried by many law enforcement personnel for their own defense. When choosing ammunition for personal defense there are two main factors that need to be considered. Those factors are the difference between a rural and an urban setting.

Almost everyone will agree that the .357 Magnum works for personal defense while being in a size that is manageable. It has several distinct disadvantages when being used in a personal defense situation in an urban setting.

The first disadvantage is that a .357 Magnum round going off in an indoor setting is extremely loud. Loud enough that it could cause damage to your hearing. Secondly, the muzzle flash is extremely bright and the flash could cause reduced vision capabilities in a nighttime environment which would require additional time for vision to be restored to its full extent. A third issue with the .357 Magnum handgun is its rate of penetration. A normal .357 hollowpoint round can penetrate through large animals and emerge on the other side with enough velocity and force to hurt someone other than the intended target.

And last, but not least, is the ability to maintain control of your weapon. The .357 Magnum was originally designed for large-frame handguns and has a significant amount of recoil. This can significantly affect your ability to get off subsequent shots accurately in a personal defense situation. These factors should be seriously considered before deciding on the type of ammunition you will be using when carrying a .357 Magnum handgun for personal defense.

In the majority of cases, including an urban environment, a good .38 Special +p round would be the better choice for a personal defense load. You will have more control for follow up shots due to lighter recoil, have fewer problems due to over penetration of the round and will have somewhat less noise and muzzle flash than in a .357 Magnum round. My personal choice is .38 Special +P 125 gr. JHP round for a home defense load.

In a rural setting, where many of these factors are not as significant, my personal choice is .357 Magnum 110 gr. JHP for a defensive load. In a rural environment you would be able to take full advantage of the range and power of a .357 Magnum round. The main thing I consider is that the meanest thing I would probably come across is a feral hog and the distances involved in a rural setting would compensate for the fact that a .357 Magnum round has a very flat shooting trajectory.

The versatility of the .357 magnum which allows you to shoot these two different cartridge types allows you to adjust your defensive rounds to either a rural or an urban or city environment.

Remember, "It's not what you hit them with, but where you hit them."

Here is a link with a little more detail of Magnum ammunition: Magnum Ammo

You can read about my own S&W .357 Magnum here: Model 65 Revolver

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Disclaimer

2009-01-01T22:50:00.000-08:00

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