Poor Man Survival
Self Reliance tools for
independent minded people…
ISSN
2161-5543
A Digest of Urban
Survival Resources
10 Survival Skills Your Grandparents Knew
Our
modern society is highly dependent upon we’ll call the “system.” Not only do we
rely upon utility services to bring us electricity, water and natural gas, but
also on an incredibly complex supply chain which provides us with everything
from food to computers. Without that supply chain, most of us wouldn’t know
what to do.
This
situation is actually becoming worse, rather than better. When I compare my
generation (I’m in my 50s) to that of my children, I see some striking
differences. In my generation it was normal for a boy to grow up learning how
to do a wide variety of trade skills from his father, and seemingly everyone
knew how to do basic carpentry and mechanic work. But that’s no longer normal.
If
we extrapolate it back, we can see that my father’s generation knew even more –
and my grandparent’s generation even
more. Those older generations were much more closely tied to the
roots of an agricultural society, where people were self-reliant. There are
multiple skills they had which modern society no longer considers necessary.
But
if we were to have a breakdown in society, those skills which we never bothered
to learn would become essential. Those who don’t know these skills would either
have to learn or die trying.
1. Gardening for Food
During
World War II, there was a campaign for people to plant “Victory Gardens” at
their homes. These vegetable gardens were needed to alleviate food shortages,
because so much of the nation’s produce was being sent overseas to keep our
troops and those of our allies fighting. With fewer men available to work the
farms, there was less produce available.
This
custom of having a vegetable garden in one’s backyard survived for many years
after the war was over, but it gradually died out. Today, when many people
think of gardening, they are thinking of a flower garden. While those are nice
to look at, they don’t give you much to eat.
Starting
and growing a vegetable garden can be harder than most people think. When I
started gardening, it took me three years to get more than just herbs and a smattering
of produce out of it. I’m glad I didn’t wait until I needed that garden for
survival.
2. Animal Husbandry
Although
the industrial revolution took place more than 100 years ago, many people
continued to raise at least a small amount of their own livestock at home. This
led to cities enacting ordinances limiting what animals people could keep
within city limits.
Raising
dogs and cats is much different than raising chickens, rabbits and goats for
the table. A large part of being able to raise these animals is recognizing
their needs and being able to diagnose their sicknesses. Farmers don’t depend
upon the vet for most illnesses; they take care of it themselves.
3. Food Preservation
It’s
rare to find people who preserve their own foods, but in our grandparent’s
generation, it was common. Canning food, smoking meats and even making
one’s own sausage were all common home tasks, which ensured that people had
enough food to get through the winter. Today, it’s rare to find people who
know these methods of food preservation, let alone having the equipment needed.
If
we go back very far in American live, pretty much every middle class home had a
smokehouse for preserving meats. I’ve seen some homes where the smokehouse was
actually in the kitchen chimney. Instead of building a normal chimney, they had
a very wide one, with enough room to hang sides of beef in it for smoking.
4. Blacksmithing
You
might think that blacksmithing goes all the way back to the Old West, but in
actuality it is a skill that stayed around much longer than that. My dad was a
blacksmith in his later years, although most of the work he did was ornamental.
I
remember traveling in Mexico about 20 years ago and having a spring on my car’s
suspension break. A local blacksmith fashioned me a new spring, tempered and
shaped exactly right for my vehicle. Blacksmiths can make or repair just about
anything out of metal. Yet few today know this valuable skill.
Maybe
we don’t need blacksmiths today, but if an EMP hit the country and we were
without electrical power, the skills of a blacksmith would allow people to have
their tools repaired — and new ones fashioned. Since the manufacturing
plants presumably would be shut down, that ability would be essential for
rebuilding America.
5. Basic Carpentry
Everyone should know
how to make basic repairs to their home. Without the ability to repair damage
from a natural disaster, it might not be possible to use the home as a survival
shelter. Woodworking skills also allow one to make furniture and other items to
help survive.
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RELATED
Week of May 11th-Start of
National Police Week
Help
us to protect and preserve our freedom, self reliance-your support is
appreciated!
St. Michael the Archangel:
Patron Saint of Police Officers
As the patron saint of police officers, St.
Michael knows what it means to face the threat of evil and imminent danger.
Saint Michael had a history of battling
evil; of which there is plenty in our society!
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donating St. Michael pendants to area police & sheriff departments…your
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How To Build An Urban Survival Kit
Survival kits are often talked about in the context of being
lost in the wilderness and for obvious reasons you should have one when going
to remote or even semi-remote areas.
To this day, some people find it absurd to carry a survival kit
in an urban environment. The mentality is that these areas are “safer” and
“help is just a call away.” Both of those excuses are untrue and when something
bad happens, you will always be the first responder, which means you better be
prepared.
Before getting into the actual survival kit, there are a few
things we need to cover so that you have a clear understanding of this topic
and how to tailor the kit to your needs...
How To Build An Urban
Survival Kit
How to Improvise a Fallout Shelter
Picture
this, the bombs are falling...
And now a
deadly wave of radiation is heading your way. So, what should you do?
Because if
you don’t have a fallout shelter with enough supplies, you’re dead.
Luckily,
it’s easier than you think to protect yourself. Using only sandbags and a few
basic items.
Click Here to Discover ‘How
to Improvise a Fallout Shelter’ <<
How to Grow Anything: Your Best Garden
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Our
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Natural
disasters don't wait for a convenient time
And you shouldn't wait to prepare either. In some cases there is
little to no warning.
Prepare now to lessen the impact of disasters and emergencies
Remember: You can’t buy life insurance after you’re dead!
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government, individual freedom!
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