Greetings and welcome to the Patriot Express Newsletter Edition #216. Thank you for being here. Really, it's much appreciated. Happy Memorial ay weekend to everyone. Remember, this is not about surviving veterans, it is about those who didn't return home. Please remember to honor and pay tribute to the brave souls who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Even with all of our ongoing issues and problems, we remain the greatest nation on earth.
It has been a good week in East TN. Aside from several hours of much needed rain it was a sunny week to get lots of work done. Alternative news around the world was a bit odd this week but it appears things are picking up more steam. I have included some thoughts and supporting videos below in my thoughts for the week.
Do you ever see or hear something that is so off the category of "bizarre" that it makes you chuckle? Sometimes we have to laugh. Are we living through a scene from a weekend at Bernie's or One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest? Imagine a movie scene filmed in Washington D.C. where one guy is licking his ice cream cone while holding up his satellite phone with a crazy look on his face while the other guy loudly says "look, this phone has buttons." Talk about telegraphing an upcoming play of the hand. We read about 60,000 lbs. of ammonium nitrate vanishing from three railway tanks on the west coast while a white supremacist crashes into a barrier at the White House driving a U-Haul truck filled with a roll of duct tape and a Nazi flag. This is possibly the first white supremacist with what appears to be a Muslim name, Sai Varshith Kandula. Expect more of the same as the calendar moves towards the 2024 scheduled election.
I was impressed for a split second to hear the number of immigrants crashing the US Southern border decreased for a day or two until I learned the Department of Homeland Security set up rally points in Mexico to receive immigrants and then load them on busses and transport into the United States to a city near you. The number of bussed immigrants didn't count against the number of immigrants at the border gates. Ahh, more fairy dust.
On a serious note, do you realize folks who are taking on the global cabal are dying or being threatened? The clock is ticking, and time is not our friend right now. The globalist and their corrupt system is closing in and desperately trying to weaken and destroy our will power and freedoms. Stay strong. Get smart and know what is going on. By the way, for those anchoring their boats at FOX News better find a new place to tie up their boat. They drank the woke juice and practice same within their corporate arena. .
I'm looking forward to a few days away this weekend. At the time of this week's newsletter posting, I will be at a cabin in the hills of West Virginia enjoying some family time. I'm looking forward to some mountain air and time away from the grinds of life. Ms. Lucy often reminds me that I haven't taken a real vacation since 2012 so I have to remind her that a vacation to me is working in the garden. Think that will cut the mustard? I doubt it. I hope to fit one in later in the summer if the world permits. Where should I go?
I am warning you now, this is a loaded newsletter, and it is going to take you some time to invest to get through it. This may be the most important newsletter of the 216 editions to date. In ways, it is a culmination to everything we have been talking about and building a plan for since day 1.
Let us move along....
Communications: You can now follow HFS social media on the following outlets:
Facebook – Hope for Survival -Join us for daily posts on preparedness.
YouTube Channel – Hope for Survival
MeWe: - //mewe.com/p/hopeforsurvival2
Odysee - Hope for Survival (odysee.com)
HFS Thursday Zoom Session - No Zoom Rally this week.
Check out HFS YouTube. - The newest video is a chat with Bravo Echo about things occurring in America and around world. He also discusses the importance of building a community team. Check it out below. Posted May 25, 2023. Please helps us grow our YouTube channel.
If you have not, please consider subscribing to the HFS YouTube channel by hitting like and then subscribe. Connect and give me a shout. Again, hit subscribe and share with family and friends.
Upcoming Training Opportunities -
In the Field | Herbalista Free School (teachable.com) Learn more at this link. (Thanks to our Patriot Sister in the hills of TN for this submission)
Heritage Life Skills - Lite July 21-23, 2023
- Haywood Community College - Hope for Survival will be teaming with Carolina Readiness Supply (CRS) to put this event together and offer some mid-summer preparedness training in Clyde, NC. You can find the class schedule below for two full days of training on many preparedness topics. Get your tickets at the following link. Heritage Life Skills 2023 Event – Carolina Readiness or call 828-456-5310
NOTE: We will soon be adding a block of classes for Friday, July 21, 2023 in the 5 - 630 pm slot. We will post these classes as soon as they are locked in. Please take a close look at the schedule below to note a couple class changes, primarily on Sunday afternoon.
- Project Appleseed - Project Appleseed | Project Appleseed (appleseedinfo.org) - This is a great program and opportunity to learn and spend time with a loved one, especially children. The link offers viewing for which states offering the Appleseed program. (Thanks Festus, for this submission)
Guest and Newcomers
If you are a guest or newcomer to the HFS journey, please check out this link for additional.
information offered through HFS. https://www.hopeforsurvival.com/post/guest-and-newcomers-information-page
Hope for Survival books and HFS Thumb Drive for Emergency Documents -: You can obtain information on the two HFS books at this link: Survival, Preparedness, Disaster Management for individuals or family (hopeforsurvival.com)
Hope for Survival - How Food, Water, Shelter, and Security Could Save Your Life (Book 1)
Hope for Survival - The Mindset (Book 2)
HFS Thumb Drive for Emergency Documents - We just restocked the HFS Thumb drive and have them available now. Follow this link and you will see the add at the top of the page. Blog | Survival (hopeforsurvival.com)
We must make this brief public announcement to protect the innocent.
Ding, Ding, Ding....Attention HFS readers..... Opinions shared in this newsletter are just that, opinions, and nothing more. Read at your own risk. The owner and author of this site is not responsible for hurt feelings or thin-skinned readers. I do my best to show restraint and respect to the best extent possible. I take as many precautions as possible and try to remain as nonpolitical as possible, however, there are times when I just can't help but point certain things out. Occasionally I use words only Patriots recognize and understand. It's not personal against any non-Patriot. It's just the truth. Sometimes we must pull up our spenders and suck it up. Just saying. Stay the course, read what you want, and avoid the rest. Avoid fear porn as much as possible and the day will be okay. When all else fails… Keep the faith and always have Hope.
Let’s move along and get to some thoughts...
Thoughts for the week
A mirror of deception and deceit - I woke up to a news report stating the US economy is growing at its fastest pace since forever ago. In what world do they live? How can any levelheaded human actually believe this outside the DC beltway where anything and everything is about politics and excludes the tax paying working-class blue-collar workers of America. Food, fuel, equipment, supplies, medical, tractors and farming equipment, and more, all skyrocketing in price and cost for hiring. If things are so great, why did the government just tell us last week we must bring in all the immigrants to do labor jobs that Americans won't do? Really? You mean, do the jobs that others who are living off the backs of taxpayers who are in fact working while others remain at home complaining about how bad America is.
They tell us the unemployment rate is at record lows and things are moving along great. Well, there is a little trick the government, both parties, will do to adjust the numbers to make the pig in red lipstick look better. When citizens have received unemployment benefits and they expire, they don't remain on the government list of unemployed. They simply drop off. They are now untracked, unemployed, and unpaid. Millions of citizens are in this category yet not included in the monthly unemployment numbers briefed to the nation. Smile, things are getting better.
Many citizens don't notice or pay attention because they can go to the store as needed or wanted, buy what they want, pay with no concern, and depart. Nothing has changed for them other than a conversation here and there. But, for many, and I know some in this category, comfort and ease to buy what is wanted is not possible. Many families around you are already living in a pinch and must make adjustments, do without, and make choices to make every nickel count. I have heard more stories from people I know about the increase in homelessness around them than at any time in the past years. Friends need loans, family members are moving in together to cut cost and join available incomes to survive. This is NOT the America I grew up in. It just isn't in more ways than I care to talk about at this time.
Oh, the debt ceiling and oh we must increase it by June 1, 2023 or grandma is going to get pushed off the cliff. Bad story of the past and I'm sure we will hear it again. This party, that party, blame, blame, blame, but no accountability for the mismanagement of our tax dollars over the years. And now, Uncle Marbles is wanting an increase of over $10 trillion dollars over the next ten years. For more shovel ready jobs? For what, the Ukraine war? For what? diversifying our education and workplace even more? We are a nation that makes nothing. Zip. Factories shut down and moved abroad and yet many of our citizens refuse to think we have been set up for many years. Oh, that is crazy talk. Yea, it sure is. It's so crazy we are near 40th in the world in education, our military is funded well but not equipped to fight according to doctrine, and we can't produce resources needed to equip our military during a time of war. Our borders are wide open and Washington is lined up singing the old Eagles classic, "I can't tell you why." It won't be long until cyborg robots are patrolling the streets enforcing the AI laws.
Washington has agreed to ship US Air Force F-16s to Ukraine to support their war effort with Russia. What's wrong with this picture? First it was tanks, now fighter jets. Do you know how long it takes to train fighter pilots to fly these birds? The question here is where do we park them in Ukraine? Ahhh, that part of the story got red lined out. We don't park them in Ukraine because Russia destroyed all the key infrastructure and transportation platforms. Would this mean they will be parked in a NATO country instead? It was already reported this week that US military vehicles entered Russia but had Russian Freedom Fighters driving. Hmmm.
While the debt clock is ticking to zero, our head delegation to the government to include Uncle Marbles, is in Hiroshima, Japan for the G-7 Summit. Interesting choice of locations considering all the bantering about a nuclear war being a hot topic. Is this just a coincidence? But, I do know the US announced a $250 million dollar donation to some cause other than housing and feeding Americans at home and another big financial package to buy US military hardware. Ask yourself something, we haven't replaced all the military hardware left behind in Iraq and Afghanistan, yet we are shipping what we do have to another country along with munitions which is depleting our war stock.
Imagine a world where the workplace hears "practice diversity and equality" more than "do your job." Oh wait, that is the world and workplace today. What is best for our nation. As I said in Hope for Survival Book 1, I don't care if one kisses camels or hugs trees, I don't have to answer for them when my name is called upstairs. Hire people on merit and achievement, as well as ability to do the job. NOT because of their orientation or the color of their flag. Do your job because you can do the job. Lead because you are a leader, not because you have choices that are different than others. We are a nation of many faces, colors, and walks of life. Our children can't read or write, add or count money from a cash drawer at the local fastfood establishment. The military had to cut recruitment standards because those who are eligible are either overweight or hold criminal records. Meanwhile the local YMCA just handed out 150 trophies for every person who competed in the season basketball league. It's not about the best competition. It is about participation and equality. Children are now given a passing grade even when they fail, because of equality. This moves a child through the processing line and out the door. Done. No longer a problem of the education system. Now it's a society problem.
While our major universities are more focused on diversity and equality, we are losing the battle globally in learning critical skills needed to compete, invent, and become new leaders of tomorrow. We are losing minds who decide to learn skills needed daily to keep our pipes clear and flowing free, air-conditioning working, water flowing with clean water, and more. Our youth are being led down a path of symptoms of a failing society vs products of excellence who can be creative and make decisions. I often think back to stories my grandfather used to tell me about life as a child and how tough it was. How he had to work at a very young age in order to eat. In 25 years, what stories will grandfathers tell their grandchildren? How they lived in a basement and protested for $100 as a paid protestor? Now let me be clear, not all are bad. I get it. But when a system that promotes unaccountable nonworking non-decision-making humans is the majority over well-developed minds, something is wrong.
I was messaging back and forth with a long time Patriot brother on the topic of this discussion, and it was interesting reading his thoughts and I found them so on target. He is a levelheaded and objective thinker who I enjoy hearing from and taking in his thoughts on topics we discuss. We had a discussion on youth of today. and how they are impacting our nation, good and bad. Simply look at children who are brought up in homes with a solid foundation of rights and wrongs, morals, faith, and responsibility. Look at children coming from rural communities and their work ethic compared to urban children. Is that an unfair comment? It's something we can hardly blame on the children because they ae a product of their environment. Children in the city have a higher likelihood of meeting a drug lord, gang leader, or pimp, than knowing their father. Sadly. This is not the case in the rural environment. City children are surrounded by threats and a poor life style in many cases. Being cold and hungry is a great recipe for the male figure who stands and offers $20 and protection in return for simply being an eye standing on the corner to alert them when authorities are in the area. This is not the case for a child growing up in the rural community having to work the farm to help the family along.
Now, on a really serious note, if you aren't up to speed on what is going on globally with the World Health Organization (WHO) you need to get educated quickly. Go to this link and read what HR 79 is about and get involved ASAP. Last year we shared how the US was handing over our national sovereignty to the WHO that would put your rights and decisions to your body in the hands of the WHO with no accountability to the US Government or American authorities. H.R.79 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): WHO Withdrawal Act | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
I have previously mentioned something you may be familiar with titled Sustainable Development around your city. This is all the convenient hoopla to appease the techy turds and all the newest capabilities. I also shared how this is part of Agenda 2030. There is also something titled 15-minute cities. The15-minute city (FMC or 15mC) is an urban planning concept in which most daily necessities and services, such as work, shopping, education, healthcare, and leisure can be easily reached by a 15-minute walk or bike ride from any point in the city. No transportation required other than human energy to walk or ride the bike. Several of these cities are in place and being tested around the world. Pretty awesome huh? Well, if you are familiar with Agenda 2030 you will understand this is further advancement of putting the populace in sustainable developed cities and controlled by AI. What? If you want to leave your 15-minute city to go visit family in another location or maybe shop in another location, if your social credit score through AI indicates you are noncompliant with authority or not registered, you will be restricted within your assigned 15-minute city. I know, more crazy talk.
So, ask yourself, why is none of the above problems being addressed at the pace we are getting in wars and spending money abroad when it is so needed at home. This is why I often state, Washington is broken and to fix our problems it must start in the home and local communities. To win, we must take back the home and local level. I was excited to hear six HFS Patriots attended a local community political meeting this week. Good job Patriots. I planned to attend but my day job requirements carried me over late.
I have to tell you, while reading and researching these topics over the past years and more so currently, it is mind blowing to really understand what other humans are planning for the rest of us here on God's earth. Yes, I know who is in control. It is just the fact of how brutal and inhumane others can be. Yes, I witnessed it in my former life in other countries. We are living in a post-Christian nation as I type. Even those who are not a believer or claim Christianity, most have enjoyed past morals and stability brought forth by a faith-based nation which was brought forth and fought for by the American churches. So, this is a great segway into the next thought for the week. Please transition with me to my next thought, which is dealing with preparedness.
None of this discussion even touched the issue of faith, lack of faith, broken churches, and a failure of the church to be a part of local politics and community building.
Next ....
Are you serious? Okay, pull up your suspenders and let us get started. We need to be real and focus hard. Do not be or live in fear. Be prepared. We need the basics of food, water, shelter, security, and more, pronto. I have been continuing to prepare over the past six months, but I have been in a holding pattern in some ways. It has sort of been like a helicopter hovering above my head and I have been waiting to see a direction it would travel. Why? Things are progressing so quickly, and it seems weekly and sometimes daily something new is added to the list of problems and/or potential threats.
How did I come to my position? I reflect back to my prior life as a security advisor where part of my job was to travel to foreign country and assess the climate and threats to projected US Special Forces scheduled to travel to the location at a future date. My job was to assess and provide a go or no go to commanders as objectively and unbiased as possible. Is it safe to proceed, and if not, why and then provide recommendations. We called assessing the climate, obtaining a flavor of the environment as acceptable not acceptable for placing US forces at the location to achieve our objectives. The problem could be terrain, crime, drugs, anti-American sentiment amongst the people, available resources on the ground to support our forces, threats and so forth. Could threats be mitigated to continue a mission, or did the plan need to change and recommend another location. If we could mitigate the threat, how would we do it and how long would it take? Would local authorities and the populace be required as part of the mitigation package? Additionally, we had to plan and make recommendations for the scenario of us being in place and at some point, things going south while on the ground at the foreign location. Much of this was researching history, trends, threats and ongoing threats, assessing, projecting, planning, and providing multiple options to possible changes from the host nation. Knowing and understanding the oppositions capabilities and how they could use them was critical in this process. How would we plan to be prepared for different scenarios and continue forward.
The difference now is we are already on the ground and stationary in our homes and locations, unless your plan is to bug out initially or at some point. So, because we are already settled, we must plan accordingly. We've had years to identify and assess what we believe could be different threats to us and how we would accept or not accept them. This is individual choices that each home and family must decide. This would be like weather in different regions. How the south plan for winter is different from how the north prepares. How each community decides to accept new people may be different. But the foundation is basically along the same guidelines of preparedness.
When I was dropped off in a country, I was on my own or would maybe have one or two teammates. We would be on our own to navigate and conquer our mission. If things went south, it was a bit different because we only had each other unless we could get to a US Embassy for support. This would be the same as you not having a community, who would you turn to for help in a WROL or without rule of law society? On the other hand, if our military package was in country and things went bad, we had our military community for support. This would be comparable to things going south for you and you have your community for support. The options here are being alone or with one or two vs having a team around you which we call community, tribe, or MAG (Mutual Assistance Group).
The list of possible changes and threats coming at us, with many still unknown, is almost beyond understanding for the average person. Just remember, it's not about the threat, it is about how will it impact us, our family and community, and way of life. As most of you know by now, I'm all about risk, risk management, risk assessments, threats, and mitigation of the threats. This is what we plan for, right? Imagine a tornado hitting a community. If you have fallen trees and damage to your home, do you want to do it alone? Or have neighbors as part of your community come to help you? Having a community organized in preparedness covers a vast area of response and recovery to support one another. Speaking of plans, if we aren't doing plans and documenting the plans, we are messing up. Just my opinion. Hopefully this is clearer now.
What is it I was waiting for the past months. Ever hear the phrase spoken, "when the storm breaks, we will make a run for it."? The storm hasn't broken yet, but I do believe I have witnessed enough of the continuing storm to review where I stand and what I believe, and if I need to make any adjustments to the path I am traveling and recommending to you. As always, we can't focus on a single life changer or threat. We have so many potential life changing possibilities coming at us. So, we must be on a swivel and capable of adjusting. None of this is important if we don't have the basics to preparedness and many still do not have the basics. We are humans and often get caught up in all the crazy news stories and lose track of the time we fail to prepare for ourselves and family.
I now, more than ever, stand by the guidance HFS has been teaching and sharing the past four years. That being, self, family, and community. I do believe there is hope to get through what is coming but in order to survive I do believe we all must be part of a community of likeminded preparers. I have zero doubt this is the way forward. We are going to need each other more than ever. I do worry about many Americans surviving because even those who may have endured a hard life, it is still far better than a good life in many third world nations. Establishing a community is not easy but possible. Further research, listening to other former surviving parties from national and local conflicts, military planners from the special operations community, and past experience in the special operations arena working foreign internal development pre and post conflict, points directly towards establishing communities for a self-supporting and sustainment capability through crisis. Regions that had communities with pre-planned resources (not often because of availability and capability) could sustain the longest and best. The biggest threats to communities was outside communities who didn't prepare and wanted to create strife to take down neighboring communities to raid and take their resources.
The US Government has been and continues taking steps for war. The enemy? Maybe China or maybe an invasion force to America. That is unknown and only assumptions at this time. This war could or could not include a nuclear detonation. Is it real or maybe staged? Does it matter? If this is the step needed to usher in the major national changes to the nation under Agenda 2030 with Artificial Intelligence backed Social Credit Scoring, digital identification and a new digital currency, maybe so. All of these things I have mentioned are massive changes to our way of life and for many of us a way that is not acceptable nor will we accept it. How do we resist? Communities with the ability to survive outside the system. It is not being defiant or rebellious, is is the freedom of choice within the structured foundation and laws under the US Constitution.
Listen to this outstanding interview from a former Army Ranger and his life of success and then Brazil started a trial run of the digital currency and how it impacted him and his business. Invest the time now and learn. This is one of the best interviews I have heard in a long while that is applicable to this topic. If you are a long time HFS follower, you will hear recommendations in the video we have talked about for a long while. Things like community. Bartering. Skills. Security and protection of loved ones and resources. (Thanks to our Patriot sister in eastern NC for this submission)
Many of you know I currently work in emergency management designing plans for employees of large buildings. Part of my training and certifications outside of my master's degree, comes from FEMA. I have completed many FEMA classes and understand how the process works or doesn't work. I have shared for several years the system does not include you. You do not matter. It is not personal, it just how the system works to restore critical infrastructure. The current government and administration are not capable of leading or managing a major disaster and especially one involving nuclear weapons. Sadly, they have openly admitted they are not capable. For those who remember, this is what drove me to start Hope for Survival. Educating and helping the forgotten in the big system.
For another opinion, check out this article from Survival Blog submitted by our Patriot brother from the Atlanta region. - Wartime Logistics: Behind the Scenes, by 3AD Scout (survivalblog.com)
Churches. If you lead or hold a key position within a church and you aren't preparing a haven for your flock, what are you waiting on? If you have or hold information to what is happening and you aren't sharing it with your church, church leaders, and then put forth a plan for those who will be in need, why aren't you and are you willing to explain to your flock why the church isn't preparing for the approaching storm? .
To those still in denial. take a look at Venezuela, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, and Zimbabwe for the model used to bring down their nation. How much more do you need to wake up.
We must prepare and fast, if you are just starting.
Lets go....
Food, water, shelter, security, are the four basics, plus communications, medicinal, and skills, as well as other items to support the effort are essential. A self-developed bartering system amongst the community or several communities is a huge factor in surviving. Be creative and think outside the box, as well as left of bang to stay away from the threat as much as possible.
First, let me get this out of the way. Remember, it's not personal and strictly professional. I want you to keep in mind, there is a huge difference between the Rambo attitude and a well-developed security plan. Get that? I know many with a Rambo like attitude with mounds of rocks and several throwers for the rocks (Pow, Pows) who are itching for conflict. Get over it. Surviving is the course of action here, not equaling the odds, retaliation or any other vendetta. If you are Rambo Jr. I'm sorry to say and I don't mean to be blunt, but your chances of surviving are minimal. In no way is this saying not to defend your family, home or community on any account. Let me ask you a question, why would you want to risk your life and not trying to live to see another day to protect your family? You do not want to leave your family behind. Bad things happen to women and female children during these types of conflicts. People are ruthless and you mean nothing to them. Build a security plan that protects your family and community. It is not like what is portrayed in the movies. This not Iraq or Afghanistan. Starving people, gangs, and roving thugs will be looking for quick opportunities. Build and become a hard target.
Control of the situation is what the bad people will be trying to establish. A well established and secure community will not fall prey to this threat. The majority of our populace are not trained or equipped properly to do battle like this. Unless forced to do so, don't do it. Your goal is to survive through the duration of any event, long and short term, and having skilled, trained, and likeminded people stocked with resources is your best hope. Now is the time to get started.
Still not sold on it? Listen to some of the same opinions from former Special Forces who served in the box and understand what it is like and what they believe is headed our way. They are speaking of the urban environment, but it is applicable in terms of information and direction.
I can't predict the future, nor will I, but all indicators I continue tracking continues pushing the envelope with weakened national systems and some are near failure points. I would rather put forth the effort today and not need anything than do nothing and be caught with my shorts around my ankles. The majority of people are focusing strictly on manmade events and threats and ignoring natural events such as weather and disasters caused by the results of natural events. With a failing national infrastructure and the federal level programs inability to respond to major natural disasters, who is going to take care of you post disaster until the federal level relief arrives? Remember, all disasters are managed at the local level. The federal level agencies only come to the party with what is requested from the local level. If the supply chains are broken and transportation is not available into your region, who is going to take care of you when no supplies are available?
Looking across the view of what appears to be ahead, both manmade and natural threats are on the increase. I have been alerting readers to discussions on natural type events from changing weather events nationally and globally that could impact your area. Floods, droughts, and coastal hurricanes, and more. Preparing is your insurance policy to survive.
Now, as negative as the previous paragraphs may seem, I strongly believe there is hope to survive what appears ahead of us. Your individual self-evaluation physically, psychologically, and spiritually is critical for you. Then you must address and build a well-rounded preparedness package and plans. The key is to build a community now. Don't give up, don't let it overwhelm you and go forth with confidence that you can overcome a changing nation. If you go back and read all 215 issues of the PENL, we have been warning you of the future and encouraging you to start preparing and building a community team. Your window of opportunity is quickly narrowing down. A community of likeminded prepared citizens serving arm in arm as a community is the strongest opportunity to withstand and simply say "no" we don't want to be a part of the new system.
Give all of this some thought.
Let us start by giving you some information to build your food plan. This does not tell you to buy corn, beans, and other resources. This is the framework of a plan. T
From: Hope for Survival Book 1 - How Food, Water, Shelter, and Security, can save your life (available on this website).
It is crucial when preparing your food resources to build a stock of foods that you and your family will enjoy. Liking what food, you stock is very important for enduring what could be a long period of time. You will most likely be on a reduced calorie diet to conserve your stock of food supplies. Your ability to finance your resources will also drive what you are able to stock in your preparedness pantry. This is important and could alter if you are able to adjust through Levels 1, 2, and 3. Make plans accordingly now to offset additional cost for food as much as possible. The positive side to this is adjusting your budget today to purchase more food could mean you are already adjusting your calorie intake to some degree. DO NOT go hungry and become unhealthy at this point. You do not want to begin your Level 1 event behind the power curve by being in poor shape from a lack of nutrition.
Your circumstances should determine the degree and level of food preparedness that fits your situation. This means:
- What type of event you are facing, if known in advance such as a weather alert, could help determine the time you have before the event. As discussed earlier, a natural, manmade or technological level of event should help you understand the importance of long-term planning. The odds are if a manmade or technological event occurs, you may not have time to prepare and maybe only one or two minutes, depending upon the severity of the event.
- Your financial position will have a high degree of impact to your abilities. If you are not financially able to do large purchases to catch up, don’t panic. Do the best you can and don’t let your foot off the pedal. Something is better than nothing.
- What is your ability to store and maintain food stock? This will be determined by your residence and/or alternate residence or bug out location. If you are living in the city, maybe a condo or apartment, it could be difficult to stock a large quantity of food because of bulk and weight. If this is your case, you really want to consider finding another place to live or an alternate location to escape when the time comes.
- What are the external and internal threats to a food inventory? This should be applied both to the food source before you go to purchase it and internal threat to how you stock, secure, and account for your food inventory. You must control your resources, or they will vanish before your eyes when people become hungry.
One of the areas you must give your attention to is identifying and resourcing special diets and needs of each family member. You must consider issues of allergies, weight, and blood pressure. Dehydrated and freeze-dried foods are high in sodium, and any dietary changes will be a shock to the system.
Levels of Food Preparedness Stage
1 – Short Term Preparedness - This is your basic level of food preparedness. Stage 1 food preparedness equates to preparing for a Level 1 event or up to twelve months. This is an initial disaster event cutting off some degree of your access to normality. Things you should remember would be: what is the direct threat to you? How are you and your way of life vulnerable to the threat? How will you possibly mitigate any portion of the threat that is impacting your way of life? Is there a short-term fix? Do you have the ability to monitor the event as it continues or progresses? This is important because you must monitor any changes that advances the event past the Level 1 stage.
As previously stated, the Federal Government recommends you maintain a ten-day supply of non-perishable food and water to take care of you and your family during periods where events change day-to-day to life. This was a three-day recommendation two years ago and has since increased to ten days. In some geographically isolated areas, there is a fourteen-day recommendation. You may wish to monitor this periodically to ensure any changes will not impact you. If you are at Level 2 and going to Level 3, it will not matter because you are far past the fourteen-day requirement.
In your initial effort to get you to the fifteen to thirty-day food storage goal, ensure you avoid foods that will make you thirsty and choose salt-free crackers, whole grain cereals, and canned foods with a high liquid content. You can visit www.ready.gov/food for more suggestions and recommendations.
Keep the focus straight, you want to be a part of the 10% group and not the 90% group. You want to stay a step ahead of the unprepared, always. The 90 % group will not prepare or have extra food stocked for any given reason. This is not a slam against them. It is a reality in life, and you do not want to be standing in the checkout aisle while people fight over the last tootsie roll or plastic Cheetos tank.
During your initial food purchase, if you can afford to start with a two-week minimum supply and if possible a thirty-day supply, go for it. Get yourself over the initial hurdle that puts you past the government’s recommendation of ten days. This will get you past the initial surge of citizens not preparing.
Another consideration is to not only stock your home or bug in location, but also keep a three-day supply of food and water in your Ready Bag (Go Bag or Mobile Bag) in case you are stranded and cannot get home, or you must leave your vehicle behind and begin the walk to home. Plan for every imaginable possibility.
Because situations change, you should tailor your food plan according to your family and specifics. When developing the different levels of your food supply, include some dehydrated meals high in protein and calories in the event you must transition between home and an alternate location. In this case, you are leaving behind your primary food stock and anything other than dehydrated meals will add more weight. This does not include energy bars, nuts, sprouts, or things of this nature. You will have a fair selection of individual meals, bucket meals, and #10 can food selections to choose from. There’s Augason foods, Mountain House, Wise, Mary Jane Foods, Harmony House, Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) and others. Try a couple brands to find one or more that you like and that your digestive system can handle. Personally, I use an assortment of brands to fit my multi-faceted food plan. I also included sprouts in my food plan for my Ready Bag.
During your planning phase, think about possible threats to impact your home that would impact your ability to prepare meals. If your threat is a loss of power, fires, ice, and floods is your food supply tailored around this possibility so you can still utilize the food? What are your cooking options after the above events? Do you have a propane grill? Gas? Fireplace? Solar? Build this capability into your plan.
Just as importantly, can you protect your food stock during your preparedness period and Level 1 event? Keep your plans and efforts to yourself. Remind your children not to speak of the resources. Better yet, store the resources out of sight and consider not sharing it with your children. You do not want your 12-year-old sharing a picture of your 500 Twinkies stocked beside the 500 Slim Jims on the internet.
When the societal system breaks down and citizens become hungry, they will search high and low, and hurt or kill anyone in their path to find something to eat. As previously stated, the Federal Government noted in a study that 90% of society will die in the first 12 months of a long-term disaster such as the EMP, a pandemic, or a total collapse.
Stage 2: Mid-Level Preparedness
Following all the previous guidance and thoughts in preparing your food supply, Stage 2 is preparing for one to three years. This would be resources required for a Level 2 event. Storage space becomes a bigger issue as your stock builds. You must also consider maintaining stocked supplies at multiple locations in the event you are robbed, or you suffer a disaster at your home. Imagine stocking a three-year supply of resources and your home burns. When you are in the 1-3-year stage of preparedness, you should consider the fact you may have to relocate from your “Bug In” location. If so, can you physically move your supplies if you haven’t previously cached them at another site?
Stage 3: Long Term Preparedness
Again, follow all the previous guidance and thoughts in preparing your food supply. Stage 3 is preparing for a three year and beyond event. This would require resources for a Level 2-3 event. You need a multifaceted food plan for this stage. This would most likely be some type of event impacting all the United States or a global type event. As previously mentioned, one of the most important things to remember is to create your own food source through gardening and raising animals.
Some basic information you should know is this. We know a single person requires approximately 1055 gallons of water for one year. You can divide that out to equal just under three gallons per day. This does not include bathing your pets or flushing the toilet. This is the minimal to survive. And did you know a household of two requires 188 rolls of toilet paper per year. Doesn’t sound important, Huh? That is until you don’t have any at all. If you believe that it is not important, ask the people in Venezuela who are walking across the country’s border to obtain the precious paper.
So, you ask, “How much food is needed?” in this preparedness process. There are many guidelines to keep in mind. I would strongly encourage that you use a food calculator that allows you to input the number of personnel, adults, children, pet(s), how many hours, days, months, servings needed per day/person along with how much you desire for grain, fruit and vegetables, dairy and meat/protein. Then you can figure out the serving amount needed for these staples, and other items such as sweets, drink mixes, and fats.
The above suggestions are for the individual with time and finances to complete the Level 1 – 3 recommendations. You may or may not be allotted the time and may have to put together as much as possible in minimal time. Regardless, you should keep a food calculator available to help you measure out meals and calories per person in your group. You will find many food calculator examples on the internet. Test them and see which works best for you.
Food Storage Options
These are options to consider once you have identified the required numbers of food types and built a nutritional guide to now select your food options. When choosing a food type, you need to keep in mind the information previously discussed. You should also know the long storage limits on the types of foods. Don’t focus strictly on dehydrated or freeze dried, canned foods, or Meals Ready to Eat (MRE’s). Build a plan based around your location, threats, special needs, available types of food, storage limits, and special diets.
When constructing the food plan, I put together multiple food types to build the plan. My plan consists of dehydrated, freeze dried, store-bought canned items, canned meat and vegetables, garden vegetables, purchased bucket foods, #10 food cans, and I also packed my own 5-gallon buckets with an assorted selection of beans, oats, pastas, sugar, and flour. When a bucket is pulled from my stock, I review the inventory of the bucket to ensure the items needed are contained in the bucket. All selections packed in the bucket are first stored in mylar bags with an oxidizer to dry out any moisture. The mylar bag opening is then folded over and ironed to secure it air tight. I then place the selected item in the bucket. Once the inventory is completed, I secure the lid. You can find the food grade 5-gallon buckets at your local Lowes or Home Depot or else order online from most preparedness stores. I keep an inventory list of all my food resources, number of ounces, calories, and estimated life span.
Canned Food (Store bought) - 8 to 30 months – Food expiration dates are for store purposes. Canned goods are consumable past the expiration date unless the can is damaged. (This does not pertain to tomato or dairy products. Use common sense in each case or ask questions.)
Canned Meats (Store bought) - 5 to 15 years – These are excellent contributions to your food supply and diet as a great source of protein and nutrition. You can purchase about any selection of meat off preparedness websites, and at most local grocery chains, Sam’s Club, COSTCO, or Wal-Mart.
Canned Vegetables and meats - 5 to 8 years –This is a fantastic way to store healthy food. We use a pressure canner to process garden grown vegetables, wild game, and grass-fed beef purchased straight from the farm. We also can chicken and pork to add to our inventory. Canning is so simple, even I can do it. Most canners will come with a book that explains the exact weight you need to set on the toggle and the time and processes to use with each type of meat or vegetable. Fresh healthy food at your fingers tip, and as a bonus it’s already cooked. You can eat cold or warm through a method you have on hand.
Dried Food (Buckets) - 20 to 25 years. The food bucket provides great capability for quick access to food or to carry during a bug out event. This item comes in many brands and food choices. These are great bulk items for long term storage. If time permits, review brands and watch for sale events for cheaper prices. If the brand and price doesn’t matter to you, check out the bulk purchase from COSTCO where a pallet of food is delivered to your home. Calculate the total months needed for your order vs. selecting types of foods wanted. This is a quick fix.
Mason Jars (Glass Pint, Quart, and Gallon jars) - These are used for both pressure canned meats and vegetables, as well as for storing dry goods. When using for dry goods, be sure you include the appropriate oxidizer to help complete a dry seal of the product being stored. Label the lid with the product and date of being sealed.
Do your best to store food stock in a dry, cool climate as much as possible. Focus closely and carefully when setting up your food inventory. Remember, your life could depend on it. If you have limited space for food storage, there are several ways of disguising your home to hide parts of your inventory. I have witnessed food hidden between the walls, above ceilings, buried in old freezers and refrigerators, blocked and covered to appear as a lamb table, inside redesigned box mattresses, and inside redesigned sofas with hide-a-beds. How you do it is up to you, but you want to keep it out of sight to the average eyes. The last thing you want is for your neighbors to spread word that you have a large food stock. It may mean nothing today, but if we elevate to a Level 1-3 stage, your food could become a key topic of conversation to outsiders, and you might be the last to know it.
If there is significant distance between your home or bug in location to your alternate bug out location, consider establishing a cache at a secure location between home and your destination. You may leave home with some level of food to get you to your destination, however, unforeseen events may jeopardize your food for safe passage. Your food cache could be the difference in arriving at your alternate location without being famished.
NOTE: If you are new to preparedness and currently do not possess any form of checklist to assist you, please email me and I will get the HFS checklist to you to get you started.
I will address water in the next PENL.
Thats all Patriots...
Preparedness News -
1. From Rhonda Owen - The Preppers Will - The 5 Best Herbal Antibiotics You Should Use (prepperswill.com) - Good information to consider.
2. From Martin Banks - Survivopedia - What Are the Most and Least Dangerous U.S. States in a SHTF Scenario? - Survivopedia - Very interesting list here. If you are thinking of relocating or finding a place to bug out when the time arrives, maybe you can find a new location from the list. Good luck.
3. From Linda Loosli - Food Storage Moms - 45 Uses for Dawn Dish Soap - Food Storage Moms - I use a mixture of Dawn with water to spray over my garden, as needed, for bugs.
4. From Mind 4 Survival - Prepper Pantry: A Practical Guide to Stocking Your Kitchen - Mind4Survival - Good stuff from Brian and his team at Mind 4 Survival.
5. From Ashley Adamant - Practical Self Reliance - Elderflower Tincture (practicalselfreliance.com) - I have not tried this nor am I familiar with it but it sounds promising. Give it a shot.
Other News -
1. From Brownstone Institute - Justice Neil Gorsuch Speaks Out Against Lockdowns and Mandates ⋆ Brownstone Institute - Excellent read from Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. (Thanks Festus, for your submission).
2. From Tom Wyatt - Racket News - Counter-Disinformation: The New Snake Oil - by Tom Wyatt (racket.news) - The world of snake oil salesmen at it best. Get your dose to keep you psychologically bamboozled with lies, lies, and more lies. (Thanks Festus, for this submission)
3. From Howard Sachs - American Thinker -The Nice People Who Are Destroying America - American Thinker - Yea, just remember, "we are from the government and we are here to help you." The same government has many paid voices with far outreaching podcasts and digital media outlets to sway or write about their own narrative of topics. Don't believe everything you hear or read.
4. From Nutrient Survival - This is the first I have heard of this topic. (Thanks to our Patriot brother in the Atlanta region for this submission)
5. From James Agresti - The Prickly Pear - Weekend Read: Everything You’ve Heard About the Debt Limit is Wrong - PRICKLY PEAR (thepricklypear.org) - Sir, ma'am, write me a check please. That's right, did you know you are on the hook for a whopping $240,000 tax liability just in the national debt? And, our current person in charge wants to raise the current $31.2 trillion dollar debt by another 10 trillion over the next ten years on top of year to year debt increases? When is enough, enough?
That's all my Patriot brothers and sisters.
Prayers - Please keep our great nation, our elected leaders, military and first responders in your thoughts and prayers. We pray for good health and wisdom. Please pray for our leadership to find answers and guidance to the problems facing our great nation. May your faith remain strong and answers to the unknown provided. God is good and may our prayers blanket and protect you and your circumstances. I pray for each, and every one of our Patriots.
The HFS family needs lots of prayers right now. We have several sisters and brothers in great need of uplifting. Prayers are needed in Central AL up to Huntsville, AL and our Patriot brother who remains with serious health issues. Prayers are still needed in northern GA, MD, KY, NC and TN. Please keep our Patriot family in western NC in your prayers for uplifting, strength, wisdom and direction. Our HFS brother has endured two surgeries in the past 10 days, and we pray his recovery and each day forward is healthy. This family has amazing faith and strength but could use more prayers from the prayer warrior team.
May we pray for all the blessings and things in life to be thankful about and continued hope for revival around the world. We must continually pray for the unsaved, our family and friends who live each day without the protection for eternal life and salvation.
As Patriots we must stay strong and never give up. Our home, community, and nation need us now more than ever. Stay focused on your local community and things that will impact you around the nation. Don't allow the events around you to create fear in your life. Build your own self-reliance and focus on faith and hope. Remember we are a blessed nation, and we must continue to be great people today and make a better tomorrow. Keep charging.
Blessings,
Bravo Echo Out,
