Camping Without Power: Embrace the Unplugged Experience

Ah, camping! The allure of spending a few nights under the stars, with nothing but the crackling campfire and Mother Nature for company. It's tempting, isn't it? But what if we take it up a notch and ditch the generator and power banks? Yeah, you read that right—camping without power. Let's delve into the rustic beauty of truly disconnecting.

Why Choose to Camp Without Power?

When you unplug your gadgets, you get to plug into nature. Going power-free offers a serene escape and minimizes your carbon footprint. No humming generators, just the harmonious symphony of crickets and rustling leaves.

The Fundamentals: What You Need to Pack

Forget about your electric grill and space heater; we're discussing essential gear here. A sturdy tent, a warm sleeping bag, and a good ol' Swiss Army knife should make the cut. And let's not forget water—hydration is crucial. Get collapsible jugs or water filtration systems to keep your thirst at bay.

Setting Up Your Off-Grid Campsite

Ever heard of "Leave No Trace"? Well, it's an ethos worth adopting. Choose a spot for your tent that's scenic and minimizes impact on the local flora. Next up, your makeshift kitchen. A simple propane stove can work wonders for boiling water and cooking meals.

Illumination Sans Electricity

Here's where creativity shines—literally. From making a lantern out of a water jug to using solar-powered lights, there are no many options. But hey, ever tried good old-fashioned stargazing? Absolutely nothing beats natural light.

Feeding the Tribe: Campfire Cooking

Ah, the primal pleasure of cooking over an open flame. It's like a little dance with fire as you roast marshmallows and grill some mouth-watering kebabs. The possibilities are endless, whether you're into skewers or more complex dishes like campfire chili.

Digital Detox: Entertainment Without Electronics

Put down that phone and pick up some pine cones for a game of campsite bowling. How about doing some celestial navigation with the constellations? A wealth of entertainment options require nothing but your imagination and perhaps a deck of cards.

Safety Precautions: Better Safe than Sorry

Cuts, bruises, and the occasional encounter with a curious critter—when you're out in the wild, being prepared is not just a Scout motto; it's a necessity. Stock your first-aid kit and keep bear spray or a whistle handy, just in case.

Navigating Without Tech

Gone are the days of GPS and Google Maps. When you're off-grid, traditional map-reading skills can be your savior. But let's not forget the sun, the moon, and the stars; celestial bodies have been guiding adventurers for millennia.

Conclusion: Embracing the Primitive

So, are you ready to take the plunge into a world sans electricity? We've covered everything from packing essentials to cooking over a campfire. It's time to unleash your inner wanderer and revel in the tranquility of a truly unplugged experience.

Trust me, those loud, gadget-filled campsites will lose their charm once you've tasted this freedom.

 Five Crucial Items for Any Survival Kit
 

We've been talking together quite a while about prepping

and survival. I thought it might be a good idea to do a

little bit of a recap because of the recent events of Hurricane Dorian. 

Let's take a minute to make sure that we've got all the major

bases covered.

 There are a lot of different things that go into

surviving. We don't always think about them because

society provides many of them to us. However, if society

breaks down, we won't be able to count on having fresh

water and food available.

Basically, our survival depends on three things:

maintaining our body temperature, getting plenty of clean

water to drink, and eating enough nutritious food.

Seems rather simple, doesn't it? Yet, we spend much of our

lives trying to make sure that we have those things.

Should a breakdown of society occur, we will spend pretty

much all of our time taking care of them.

To fulfill those needs, there are five basic areas of

survival equipment we need:

1. Means to create shelter

The thing which will kill us faster than anything else is

a loss of body heat. A change of only two percent in our

body temperature is enough to reduce our efficiency. A

change in ten percent is enough to kill us if not

reversed.

The human body is an amazing device, which can do a lot to

regulate its own temperature, but there are limits.

Shelter exists to help us protect our bodies from the

elements, thereby allowing us to maintain our body

temperature.

Basically, this means that shelter accomplishes two

things: insulates us from the ambient temperature and

protects us from getting wet. Those things are

accomplished by a combination of the clothing we wear and

the homes we live in.

Yes, our clothing is part of our shelter. It insulates us

to keep in body heat. Some types of clothing protect our

bodies from wind and water as well.

Our home provides the same things: insulation and

protection from water. However, in a survival situation,

we may only use part of our home because it would be

harder to heat the whole thing.

If we are caught away from home, then we would need the

means to construct some sort of temporary shelter. This

could be a tent, lean-to or even a cave.

2. Means to produce fire (heat)

Fire does many things for us, mostly providing heat. We

also use it for cooking, killing the naturally occurring

bacteria in our food. Some types of food can make us very

sick if eaten uncooked.

To produce fire, we not only need matches or a lighter but

something that will catch fire easily. This is called

tinder. Tinder can be a piece of newspaper or a part of an

old bird's nest. It can also be commercially available

fire starters.

You can make great tinder out of cotton balls and

petroleum jelly. Just work the petroleum jelly into the

cotton balls and store them in an airtight container. When

you need a fire, set one in the midst of your fuel and

strike a match or spark.

3. Means to purify water

Clean water is critical for survival. In most cases, you

can't live for more than three days without water. Drinking

impure water can make you incredibly sick. Actually, it's

the bacteria in the water that makes you sick.

You can't count on any water being clean in a survival

situation; you have to purify it all. That means having

either a mechanical filter or chemical to purify it.

You can also purify water by boiling it if needed, but

that requires you tap into your stock of fuel.

Stockpiling water can be useful, but having a means to

purify it is much better for weathering any long-term

crisis.

4. Means to find or produce food

Your survival kit will have food in it, but eventually,

that food will run out. When it does, you need some

alternate means to find, catch or produce food.

We talked about raising chickens for food, as well as

planting a vegetable garden. Both of those are very

effective - but they won't help you if you're away from

home. You'll need something else.

There is food growing in nature. Animals and plants grow

wild and can be eaten. However, you'll need some means

of catching or gathering those food items. You'll also

need the knowledge to be able to recognize what's good

for you versus what's deadly.

Don't wait until a crisis hits to start finding ways of

producing, catching or gathering food; start now. That

way, when the time comes, you'll be ready.

5. Means to heal our bodies

Injuries and sickness occur. That's one thing you can

count on. Therefore, it is prudent to be ready for them

by having the necessary supplies and medicines to help

your body heal.

The human body has the ability to heal itself from a lot

of things. However, major injuries may be too much

for the body to heal alone. Not only that, injuries can

provide opportunities for infection, which can kill.

Having a good first-aid kit in your survival supplies is

essential. It should include the means to treat all types

of injuries, as well as medicines to take care of common

illnesses. Dying of sickness isn't going to help you or

your family.

We could cover a lot of other things as well, such as

tools and means of communication. But those five things

are the most critical items to keep in any survival kit;

whether in your home, in your car or on your person.

Zombie Apocalypse

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When I do research on emergency preparedness I am quite amazed by all the references to the ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ in forums and other survival-themed websites.

15 Items To Consider Hoarding

10 Ways to Ensure Your Family Gets Fed in an Emergency

Rely on these ten preps when facing a crisis situation:

1. Know your emergencies

The first step towards feeding yourself and your family in

an emergency are knowing your possible scenarios. Any

security achieved through prepping without this step is

essentially won by luck.

By being aware of the types of disasters that could strike

you, what they would mean for your food supply and their

the likelihood, you are able to prepare for them.

Ideally, you would only need to prepare for the longest

and most difficult of the disasters that could plausibly

strike your family, but few people can organize such

extensive preps quickly.

Instead, be aware of even the smaller situations that

could strike you and which ones are most likely. I am

talking about common scenarios such as suddenly being

without any income.

Start by preparing for those less life-threatening, but

still food supply-endangering, situations, and then grow

your supplies to cover greater disasters long-term.

That way, if something that is less serious but more

likely happens before you achieve full zombie apocalypse

readiness, you are prepared to handle the minor set-back.

2. Calculate your needs

Don't prep haphazardly. Look seriously at the needs of all

of your family members and take them into account.

If you don't know how much each person eats on a daily

basis, keep food diaries to calculate your caloric intake

and how many meals you need daily to feel full.

These days it's easy. Use an online calorie calculator to

check what you ought to be eating to maintain your current

body based on your age, gender, weight and activity level.

There are even apps with barcode scanners to easily track

your meals and snacks.

To ensure that you don't consistently go over your planned

intake, create a sample meal plan based on your preps.

3. Go one step further

If you really want to make sure that your family is going

to be fed, go beyond your calculations.

Prepare for a few extra days. Prepare more snacks. Take

the irregularities into account. People get hungry; a

couple of preps might spoil. Life isn't picture perfect

so prepare to supplement your initial plan.

4. Store canned goods

Canned goods, whether store-bought or homemade, are 

an excellent way to ensure that your family can eat in an

emergency.

Cans can be dented and glass jars can be broken, but

overall, they are pretty durable. Canned foods will not spoil

from damp conditions, and they can be eaten cold if the

need arises.

5. Store dried goods

Dried foodstuffs can often be a far more economical option

than canned goods, and they are a great complement to

store together.

In addition to your dried grains, from rice and bulgur to

pasta and the many varieties of beans, don't forget about

the more flavourful dry foods that can be reconstituted.

A great variety of vegetables can be dried and then

reconstituted for soups or stews. Dried mushrooms may add

little in terms of calories, but just what you need in

terms of flavor and minerals.

The same is true for many other dried goods, such as

spices and seaweed.

Don't forget all of those dry staple goods that you are

used to having, from cornflour to baking powder.

Foreign staples you might not usually store can also come

in handy. Chickpea flour, for example, can be turned into

instant protein-rich hummus, a versatile dip or spread.

6. Store dry prepared foods

Dry foods that are ready to eat are not just the domain of

those poorly prepared souls who scurry to the supermarket

the moment a crisis is announced.

Many of them are, but there are some with a longer

shelf-life that should definitely qualify as prepping

food. Or, well, snacks.

You shouldn't expect to get a large percentage of your

calories from snacks, such as meal replacement bars, rice

cakes or potato chips, but don't underestimate the snacks!

They can give you quick energy when you feel too tired.

They can raise your spirits. And yes, they can feed

you and your family.

7. Store ready meals

What about ready meals? Some survivalists do all their

preparations in the form of military rations. That's fine, but

it's too expensive an option for most.

Even if it would be far too expensive for you to prepare

large quantities of ready meals, consider storing a few.

The variety will keep your family from developing food

fatigue.

Not to mention that there may be times when you can't

cook, and in an emergency, there is no option to order

delivery pizza or Chinese take-out.

8. Grow your own

Growing your own food is the most secure way to feed your

family. Not everyone will have space or ability to

grow all of their own food, but even a little bit helps.

If you grow some portion of your own food, you will also

be able to carry on feeding your family once your preps

have all run-out.

9. Have something to trade

Sometimes all the prepping in the world isn't enough.

Something will run out. If you have prepared something to

trade for either money or food, you'll be better equipped

for long-term survival.

10. Prepare for alternative cooking methods

Unless you are prepping only ready meals and snacks, you

must make sure not to make the largest food prep mistake

in the books: not having a way to prepare your food.

Take into account how much time and fuel you will need.

If you are storing dry beans, for example, remember that

dry beans, even when left to soak in water overnight,

take up to one hour of cooking.

If you are serving those beans with regular rice and some

tomato sauce, you are looking at upwards of an hour and a

half of the fuel for one meal.

Whatever strategies you choose to go with, remember to

plan redundancies!

3 Things You Must Do Immediately Following Any Disaster

You've got all your preps in order and your family on board, but do you know how you'd immediately react when the crisis is upon you?

We're talking the first 30 seconds upon disaster striking, which may be all you have to come up with a plan to ensure your family's survival.

Ideally, you have access to multiple means of communication and live in a place that could alert you to the coming of some kind of threat, giving you enough time to react and formulate your plan to hunker down or evacuate to a safer location.

In the United States, there are tornado-warning sirens located in most Midwestern towns. The East Coast usually has a heads up on hurricanes and severe storms by means of local weather reports.

Unfortunately, folks living in Southeast Asia aren't as lucky. Recent tsunamis have killed, displaced and affected thousands of individuals who were without warning of disaster striking.

The same is true all over the world, where flash flooding, tornados, blizzards, hurricanes, tsunamis and other violent weather patterns are all too common and inflict serious damage.

That's why it's important to have a plan laid out ahead of time and know how to react as soon as a crisis situation rears its ugly head, even if there's no guarantee you'll have a heads up to the coming crisis.

Every prepper, family and survival group will have their own priorities and varying course of action of what to do when disaster strikes. It all very much depends on your location, the type of disaster and your individual circumstances.

Regardless of whether you intend to hunker down at home or bug out and get out of dodge, the way you react in the first minute of a crisis will determine your course of survival.

Below we'll identify 3 things you should (or shouldn't) do within the first 60 seconds (give or take) of a disaster survival situation.

 1. Don't Stall - Don't Panic

The immediate human response is to panic in a dangerous or life-threatening situation. Eventually, adrenaline kicks in, and you go into survival mode, but it's a very natural response to lose your head when facing a crisis situation.

Don't. You need to take a moment to break, collect your thoughts, and start putting your emergency preparedness plan into place, which you should have laid out well in advance of doomsday.

If you intend to bug out, the sooner you do so the better. The state of roads and navigable routes will be unknown.

You should have several escape routes in place and multiple meet-up destinations laid out for your family or group. If you're relying on a bug-out vehicle, make sure it's fueled, loaded with your gear and ready to hit the road within 60 seconds.

If you're hunkering down, your goal will likely be to get your family to a designated safe room or shelter.

Immediately upon making sure everyone is safe, start coming up with a plan as to how you're going to get through the situation.

The most important thing is to remain calm. You should already have your plan laid out and your family on board, so all you have to do is rely on your training and put your preps into action.

 2. Have a Back-Up Plan

Disaster often strikes with little notice and brings with it unknown variables that affect the way you survive.

Even if you're intent on hunkering down at home no matter what goes on outside, you should always have an escape route and bug-out plan in place.

If you're bugging out, you should also have a back-up plan in case vehicles, communications, evacuation routes and rendezvous points are compromised. Be ready to adapt and react to new challenges.

Even after the first minute of a disaster, your situation could change dramatically. You could be following your plan when all of a sudden the second wave of chaos erupts outside.

That begs the importance of always being prepared and having a Plan B in place. From there, the same rules apply as above.

3. Gather Water and Food

Among the most critical components for survival are food and, more importantly, water.

It's likely that a major disaster will cause electricity, water and other basic services to be disrupted if not shut off completely.

So whether you're bugging out or hunkering down, you should store/carry as much water as possible.

At home, you can fill up all available bathtubs, sinks and other spare vessels before the pipes run dry.

Alternatively, know your way to the closest source of freshwater or ground well. If bugging out, stick to routes that will keep you close to a source of potable water, and make your designated location equally close and well stocked.

You don't want to be part of the masses of people running to the grocery store when all hell is breaking loose - that is if they remain open. In any case, looting will occur sooner or later, and you want to avoid the mobs at all costs.

Make sure that every member of your family or group has at least a 72-hour supply of food and water on hand to survive the first three days of a disaster.

If you're hunkering down, make sure your shelter or safe room is well stocked with plenty of extra food to survive long-term, along with medical supplies and other essential items.

In the first 60 seconds of an emergency, make sure you're considering food and water as they are more important to your survival than (almost) anything else.

Though not an exhaustive list, considering these three things ahead of time will give you a much better chance of surviving a disaster situation.

If you remain calm, follow your established plan, have a back-up plan, and secure enough food and water to survive the first wave, you'll be much better off to come up with a way to thrive long-term, no matter what's happening outside.

10 Things To Do Now

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Find out more about common sense survival prepping right here