Always, always ask for a detailed itemized bill from the doctor, hospital, surgeon, etc. Case in point: My son fell off his bike and broke his arm. After the doctor said it needed to be casted, the nurses brought in several velcro casts and Ace bandages. They opened them, but never even attempted to use them. The doctor did in fact apply a cast and we were sent home. Before we left, I took a picture of my son with casted arm and all the things the nurses left on the gurney in the ER room. When we got an itemized bill (after several requests) all of the bandages and velcro casts were listed, at exorbitant charges for each, of course. I took the picture to the Administrator with a copy of the bill and explained the issue. A simple question in this case: How many casts did my son need for one arm, and why was none of it used? The Admin’ modified the bill on the spot. We learned long ago to request itemized bills, after a dentist tried to charge me $800.00 for a gold cap that I obviously didn’t have in my mouth. The itemized bill showed it and I fought it successfully. I wouldn’t have been able to do either without the details.

My sympathies, Barb! My garden was almost a total failure. No zuch’s at all, no squash, cantelope grew to about softball size and then each one dried up and shrank, literally overnight! Biggest issue was high heat and no bees, etc. to help pollinate. I discovered to great surprise that chipmunks love tomatoes, and so spent the summer trapping them, but not before they devoured most of our  tomatoes, especially the beefsteaks. We ate some fresh, but wife was only able to can two quarts. Our cherry tomatoes faired better until a sudden invasion of tiny green inch worms. Almost overnight they devoured the leaves, then wiped out the tomatoes. Fortunately it was toward the end of the season, but I’ll still have to learn how to manage for them next season. This was our first big garden, so I’m learning lots and will be better next year. After all, our okra did great so there is hope! 

As a long time hunter, in the woods almost any camo of mixed colors is good, but before camo was so available we wore drab colors of green and brown. For hunting geese in the north country in winter we made simple ponchos from white sheets. For duck hunting we wore drab tan and brown colors while hiding in the reeds. All are ans wee meant to break up your outline. The real point is it depends on why you need camo and what you’re hiding from. As has been said before, the “gray man” option may be best in a civil survival situation, and the drab grays can help a bit to hide you in the woods as well.

Yep, we get the “feels like” 100+ temps all summer here. I’ve never had a problem dealing with it, though. My 1.5 acres is well shaded with huge live oaks. Plus I hydrate a good bit, take lots of breaks, and if I quit sweating I’ll eat a large dill pickle! It’s amazing what that can do to jump start the body in the heat! That EGO unit you have sounds very interesting. I will definately have to look into it. I don’t have a lot to trim so a battery unit could be a big help.

The pieces of concrete that have broken from the main slab will sink and continue to sink unless you repair the slab. Bad news, I know, but I speak from experience. Once I discovered the corner of my work shop slab had cracked and broken I stopped stacking anything in the corner, but the piece still sinks a little more after every heavy rain, and now after three years the corner of the shop (walls, ceiling, etc.) are sinking with it to the point the door doesn’t open or close properly. Getting a quote for repair, but have been told it will have to be cut away, dug up, and re-poured. If they find the foundation underneath (if there is one but not likely) is also broken, the cost will go up.

I love to work in the yard and don’t care how hot it is! It beats sitting behind the computer at work all day by a long shot! I will mow (using the Deere and a push mower), trim trees with  a pole saw and chain saw when necessary, and trim the hedges that cross the front of the house and extend down both sides. I’ll tend our little garden, and will soak through a couple of shirts a day doing all of this. It’s like therapy for me! But…I absolutely hate using the weed trimmer! It’s a great working and easy stating trimmer (Stihl). I just hate the noise, stinging bits of weeds and grass and the occasional pebble. I hate that my safety glasses constantly fog up in this humidity. I even hate adding new string to it. Unfortunately I can’t pick and choose the chores, and even weed trimming is better than sitting at this computer! My reward is a cold beer on the porch at sunset!

Yes…we’re in Mississippi, south of you and in the delta…same heat, maybe even hotter! We pick the okra at about 4″, too. Our plants are only about three feet tall, but no starting to branch out a bit more. Is that normal growth? My wife has spoiled me once again. I will never order fried okra in a restaurant again because hers is so much better! We hope to get enough to pickle some, too.

Hello Redneck! Thanks for the post…I thought I was the only one having issues! This is our first year for a garden and we really don’t know what we’re doing! Our tomato plants are ten feet tall and loaded with blossoms! Unfortunately, there are very few tomatoes. We’ve gotten a few great tasting beefsteaks and a couple of the smaller tomatoes, but the chipmunks eat our cherry tomatoes even before they turn. That has been a whole different battle!  None of our squashes and zuchinni have produced. Again, a ton of blossoms but no fruit. The blossoms are huge, but die and fall off after a few days.  Our beets just flat our burned up, as did our radishes. Our best producer has been okra! We having to pick every day for the last two weeks, it’s growing and producing that much. As I said, we’re novices so we don’t really know about when to plant. We just spent a few bucks on a bunch of seed and stuck it in the ground. Everything intially sprouted and the plants are growing like crazy so sufficient water doesn’t seem to be an issue, just nothing producing. Your pollination comments make sense. We have lots of research to do before next season! Best of luck with the replanting!

They can climb! One climbed my uncles five foot tall chain link fence in Florida! Fortunately he saw it in the yard before he let his dog out!

Great post, Henry! I would add one tip that I have personal experience with: Carefully inspect the fireworks before you light them! A friend actually looked at a firework (I don’t know the actual name of it) that sits on the ground and shoots fireballs straight up. He noticed the fuse was loose, but decided to light it anyway. The fire from the fuse immediately fell down into the firework and caused a significant explosion before he could get away from it, resulting in first, second, and third degree burns. Another friend had a similar type firework with a plastic base. The base was broken. When he lit it, it fell over and shot the fireballs right into his garage. He had a small fire in the garage but luckily we were able to put it out. I was lighting a string of those giant sized sparklers for my grandchildren to watch. All were stuck in the ground and placed far enough apart so they wouldn’t ignite each other. Unfortunately, the material (Magnesium?) on one was broken. As soon as I lit it, the burning material sort of popped off the sparkler wire and landed on my hand. Did you know this stuff will stick to your skin when it’s burning? I ended up with severe burns on my hand that took over a month to heal properly. Again, inspect the fireworks carefully to make sure they are first quality and not damaged at all! BE safe and enjoy the holiday! 

Thanks, Chase, for a very informative overview of backpacking! I appreciate not only what you prefer to carry, but why. I think one of the most important points you make is to see what your group can share so not everyone carries the same thing. You also mention that some will not know what to do with some of their medical supplies. This actually goes for everything one carries. As a backpacker I know you’re using what you carry, but preppers can get sucked into creating their go bags and then setting them in the closet or vehicle, waiting for when it’s needed. Unfortunately they may find out too late that they don’t know what to do with half of what’s carried, or if they really needed it in the first place. The best learning comes from practical experience and application, not from a recommended list or book.

Dad was a contractor for home remodeling and I helped him on many occasions. Aside from the actual construction methods, he taught me to always leave the home as clean as we found it. “The owner should never know you were here,” he would say. I have applied that level of “quality” to everything I do and teach it my kids as well, whether we’re working, camping, or hunting or fishing.  

Looks really good, Redneck! My wife makes turkey pot pie which is an especially delicious way to handle Thanksgiving leftovers! Better than the frozen version at the store any day! I think these could be easy and hearty prepper meals since they can be even be made in a Dutch oven over an open fire!

I don’t buy it. I know how long it takes to boil an egg even after the water is brought to boil…4 minutes minimum. No way that TP burned that long unless he used Terry’s whole roll! Also Googled it. The ONLY thing that came up was the clip from Bear’s show and they didn’t show the whole process. There are no other contributions on the ‘net regarding cooking an egg with nothing but TP. The closest thing was wrapping it in wet TP then putting it in a pot, but then why not just use water and save the TP? There’s also an article about putting an egg in a paper cup full of water and then placing it in a fire. Supposedly the cup won’t burn cause it got water in it. Not sure I buy that either since there’s no water protecting the lower rim of the cup, but it sounds more feasible than TP.  I say save the TP and the cup, and fry the egg the old fashioned way…on hot pavement!

Great story! The “wooden” stove has really piqued my interest since I recycle pallets into all sorts of home furnishings. I can imagine a wooden stove being much lighter than a cast iron stove and therefore easier to build and move! Of course, if I can make it from recycled wood I can sell them pretty cheap, making a few bucks for myself and saving expense for other preppers!. I worry about what kind of fuel one would use, but such a deal! Can’t wait to learn more! Of course I’m kidding! Some seem to make a point of tearing such articles apart. One has to consider that some writers know little of the subject matter and are only creating a puff piece to fill space, after which said piece is edited (and enhanced) by someone who knows even less about the subject to make it more interesting to the less knowledgeable! Take it for what it’s worth and give the family credit for what they doing…something many of of us would like to do! Thanks for posting, Bill!

Smaller volunteer firefighting units often lack good equipment. If you can’t serve, consider a donation to the department. I learned many years back our department needed more firefighters, but didn’t have turnouts for any new members. “Turnouts” are the helmet, heavy coats, trousers and boots, all of which are expensive. I donated my income tax returns that year, which allowed the department to buy three sets of turnouts and eventually took on three more volunteers. Talk to your Chief! I’m sure he can tell you how to support and sustain your volunteer fire department.

A friend and I were putting up ladder stands for deer season one cold fall day. My friend cut a large vine off a couple of feet over where his head would be and placed his stand under it, thinking it dead once he cut it. Opening day was warmer than usual, The cut vine leaked oil onto the seat of his stand and down his back once he sat in it…all morning. He missed the first two weeks of deer season until he could get it all cleared from his back and butt, not to mention the continuous pain and itching. Cut your vines in cold weather and of course always wear protective clothing when handling it. I do burn it, but I wait till it is dried out before burning and I stay upwind to avoid inhaling any oily smoke.

Also in Mississippi, Redneck, and my yard is full of poison oak and ivy. I am blessed that it has never bothered me, but my wife, son, and one grand daughter can’t even look at it without breaking out! My problem has always been how to get rid of the stuff. I have tried numerous commercial poisons, pulling it out by the roots, and even burning it, but it always comes back. Any suggestions? Good stuff, Robert. I never knew how to identify any of it until I moved to MS. Unfortunately it seems like you have to be allergic and break out badly before one learns what to look for.

I would think vodka and whiskey would be the two kinds of booze to keep on hand for trading, as suggested in smallest bottles possible. They can both burn, have some medicinal value (i.e., in place of pain killers), and could be used to somewhat sterilize in a pinch.  As for the dangers of having it for trade, when the SHTF EVERYTHING you have makes you a target once it is known you have it.

I happened to use Firestart this past season at our deer camp several times and had good results. Our camp is located within a cutover so there is plenty of dead wood on the grounds, although most is damp. I didn’t take it out of the wrapper. I just tossed it in our fire pit and lit it with a lighter. The only time it failed to start a fire was during a light rain and the wood was getting wet pretty fast. It will remain a standard tool in our camp. I wouldn’t call it a “survival” fire starting tool, but it does work pretty good.