Patriot Express Newsletter Edition #308
- Butch Erskine
- Jun 1
- 11 min read
Greetings and welcome to the Patriot Express Newsletter Edition #308 for June 2026.
Many folks are doing great things in the preparedness arena so don't miss out. HFS has multiple platforms to learn preparedness. You are at the website with over 700 posts on preparedness, the HFS YouTube channel with nearly 300 videos, and the HFS Signal Group which also has a preparedness group, a prayer group, and a ham radio working group. The clock is ticking. Just look around you and ask yourself, "what am I doing to better prepare myself, family, and community for all the changes we are witnessing before our eyes?"
May was here and gone. Blink and a blur and June arrived. Where is time going so quickly? This is life and it's passing us by one day at a time. Days we will never get back or see again. I don't know how long you have been on your preparedness journey, but I certainly know how long my journey has been. I would say to anyone, don't let life pass you up while you are stressed over the world, not being prepared or prepared enough.
The biggest issue I have experienced in May has been the garden. Between drought conditions, flooding rains over 8 days, groundhogs, and squirrels it has been a challenge. Just when the sweet potatoes surface above ground the ground hogs strike. Yes, my garden is fenced and additional precautions taken to combat the fury critters. I had to plant green beans three times because my seeds failed to germinate the first two attempts. Now, imagine if this was my or your first time growing a garden and you had limited stored food type resources and had to count on a garden to feed your family. It would be a painful situation, right? This is why I have always taught plan to have at least a two-year supply of seeds. More if possible.
The good news this month has been getting four new fruit trees planted and already showing green on the limbs. Three apple and one plumb. Another nice surprise was checking on my blueberry bushes and finding one smaller bush with blueberries already ripe and ready back on May 15, 2026. Let me also include they are very plump and tasty. I would guess the bush had 50-100 berries ready. Now, I have to tell you the birds are lined up waiting on them also.
We also have five other blueberry bushes loaded full. These are bushes we planted roughly ten years ago and they are over ten feet tall now and full each year. We typically pick about 30 lbs of berries.
We also have blackberry and raspberry bushes and I'm learning them ongoing. The blackberry bushes grow fast and eat up a lot of space. Our Elderberry bushes planted two years ago are growing quickly also. Same with our fig tree.
How are your gardening efforts going so far this season?
Let us move along.
HFS YouTube. - Four new videos posted for your viewing. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share. 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.
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.
Thoughts for the month - Are we living through the great deception?
Is it just me or have you noticed how the truth no longer matters but is a convenience to the point being spoken? It is confusing to the average person and with each passing day the truth seems to no longer matter from sources where most people would depend on the news. Truth and importance drives persuasion to the story at hand. Persuasion drives support to government polls, funding, direction and often election results. If you haven't figured it out yet, our government is the master of psychological persuasion.
Remember "weapons of mass destruction" in Iraq years ago and how it turned out? Libya? Syria? Venezuela? Cuba? Afghanistan? Shall I continue? Remember how we had all the flavors of the day and month? Remember how LGBTQ occupied the screens for weeks? How about the uproar of surgery for children who opted to change their gender from birth? What ever happened here? Adult professionals choosing to provide gender surgery on children who can't even decide what cereal they wanted for breakfast. Where is the moral obligation of the surgeons? While they rake in enormous paychecks, they disregard the psychological well-being of minors. How about all the active shooter cases involving transgender shooters in the last three years? Remember all the corruption charged to the Trump administration during the past ten years and now Department of Justice findings to corruption in the charges. Who has been brought up on charges to this point? How about all the January 6 corruption. Charges? How about the fraud found in Minnesota with the abuse of taxpayer dollars funding childcare facilities that didn't exist? Charges? Arrest? Yea, maybe so low hanging fruit but what about authorities? Remember the beginning of the current Trump term when news exploded over the mass arrest of illegals and the government brutality during the arrests of illegals and protestors? What ever happened to the estimate 300,000 to 400,000 illegal Chinese males who crossed the border? Where are they? Remember the drama over the hot air balloons flying across America? Hot topic and gone. Heck, think about the number of assassinations attempted on the current president and how it has become a 30 second news blurb. Nothing to see here, let us move along.
As a citizen, the easiest way to describe the above is frustration. More lies and media blabber and no results. Does no one care any longer? One of the indicators I watch for is to see how many, if any, elected officials stand on the capital building steps to talk about the hot topic of the day. Crickets. Nothing. Elected political parties didn't even go to the capitol steps to speak out against protesters burning down Seattle, Portland, or Minnesota. It's okay to lock up protestors for being at the January 6 rally and walking through barriers into the building yet protestors destroying private property in the northwest states was their right to do so. Lots of talk and no action to protect "we the people."
Something we must be cautious of and use with respect and control is the internet. While the internet has really opened up opportunity to research and learn truths, the internet has as many avenues as possible of lies, deceit, corruption and evil. One of the lessons Festus and I learned early on in the preparedness journey is the internet offers many misleading avenues. Equally it pointed us down other favorable paths for faith, preparedness, research, and what the future would hold. It was all out there in clear writing for the world to see. The problem? Most refused to take the time to read it and understand it. It was an eye opener and all along this journey I wondered, why are none of our elected officials talking about it or warning us of the future?
Personally, I turned off most of the news in 2015 and spent my time focused more on scripture and healthy things in life. Yes, I still monitor world and national events as well as local events. What can possibly impact me, my family, and our local community? Typically, things impacting our economy, health, and safety. Most people are captured by things they can't change. Day after day, hours upon hours, they click and click, like watching the Hunger Games over and over. The ending is the same each time and people still go back for more. No matter what you show or tell them, you can't convince them. When speaking or teaching preparedness many attendees are loaded with current events and empty on skills, desire, and resources put away based on what they think is going on. They can never explain why they refuse to prepare when they have all the reasons in their mind. The result is like 90% of the population. A dependency on the government who always tells the truth and comes to the rescue of its people. Right?
During the month of May, Festus and I spent a lot of time in discussion on this topic. How with passing time it will become harder to understand what is being reported appears false and which direction the people will go. They will follow the news or else be sound in scripture to recognize all the false voices and events. We know a large percentage of the 90% will follow the storyline, many Christians will also follow because their lack of understanding His word will not allow them to recognize the false events occurring.
Matthew 24: 4-5, 11: Jesus explicitly warns, "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many," adding that "many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many."
Matthew 24: 24: "For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."
2 Thessalonians 2: 9-11: Paul describes a period of widespread deception where the lawless one will use "all power and signs and lying wonders, "leading God to send a "strong delusion" on those who refused to love the truth."
1 Timothy 4: 1: The spirit clearly states that "in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons."
James 3: 16: "For where envy and self-seeking exist, there will be confusion and every evil thing."
Ephesians 6: 11: Believers are instructed to "Put on the full armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."
John 4: 1: "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
Matthew 24: 11: "In the confusion, lying preachers will come forward and deceive a lot of people. For many others, the overwhelming spread of evil will do them in."
To close out this month's thoughts, I would encourage you to listen to this sermon by Pastor John Lovell from the Warrior Poet Society. It really lays out our responsibilities going forward, according to scripture.
Have a blessed month.
Let us move along.
Preparing News: It's garden time and a great time to learn and share to others all the important lessons to growing things. Let's call this the "learn, baby, learn" season.
Survival Homestead Training Farm - Mullein - Why every homestead needs this plant.
Hidden Plant Power - 10 Forgotten weeds hidden in your garden that are more powerful than a vitamin. Outstanding information. https://youtu.be/AB-yI1XT2Bg?si=hmQiFnz7Qd47dREG
Yard to Table - Appalachian Homestead with John Ward - https://youtu.be/bDMUrpQg21M?si=IY1uBMSTm5xqcqH0 - This is great to watch if you have been following John and Mary on their gardening journey. New to gardening, they have their first feast from things they have grown.
The Gardening Standard - The forgotten fertilizer plant every gardener should grow.
https://youtu.be/aJ67sjBV65A?si=75QkQbPVdurB6dFp - Another excellent information video we all should be following.
Hidden Plant Power - 20 common weeds that are actually superfoods
Clay Hayes - Turning sea water to drinking water - Two Steps - https://youtu.be/EL8Kt81ZAZM?si=YjKUXDpA6PETqpTd - Join Clay in learning another important skill to cleanse water to make it drinkable and safe.
Ovens Rocky Mountain Bushcraft - Check out Greg on this 48 hour excursion. Check out the He test the TEMU One man inflatable tent and provides feedback. Learn how to make a tree bark shelter. Good stuff. Greg is a good teacher.
Other News -
From Yanasa TV - https://youtu.be/GQ8O1buWV-M?si=EsYrkXuz5jgqcwmx - This is worth your time to hear. We have been hearing since the start of the Iran war how closing down the Straight of Hormuz would impact global fertilizer shipments which impacts wheat and growing seasons. Check this out.
The New American Video with Special Guest Patrick Woods - https://youtu.be/c3NF5YLydbU?si=tCis8OT2NsROya0N - If you are serious about knowing what is going on in the world and America this is the video for you. I have been following Pat Wood for about 15 years, read three of his books, and read his articles and listened to his speeches when available. Agenda 21 and Agenda 2030, the World Economic Forum, Digital ID, AI, the Beast System, and more was revealed years ago in Technocracy and Transhumanism. If you have followed HFS for the past years the name Pat Wood should be familiar to you. Turn off the garbage and focus on those who spent the last forty years researching this topic.
Coffee and a Mike (Michael Farris) with special guest Michael Yon and Matthew Bracken - https://youtu.be/munobzt1wT8?si=Izz8CIc087UUeq-M - What can I say, here's two of my favorite minds together. Add Pat Wood (above) and three of my favorite minds here providing excellent analysis of the world today.
Just for fun.... Take a load off and relax. Forget the problems of the world and travel to places most will never see. You may just like it.
Ben Beauchamp - 5 Days alone in a hurricane ravaged wilderness - https://youtu.be/9Qp0tf-rucQ?si=JahYKIO9isx75Wqy - Join Ben on another adventure in Nova Scotia.
Eze Adventurer - Have you ever been to Montana to see and appreciate the natural beauty it offers? https://youtu.be/YAb8nlKgbzg?si=NxF1kf28hexfwUOH
Ovens Rocky Mountain Bushcraft - Ovens 30 Day Survival Challenge - Canadian Rockies - https://youtu.be/oB8LlILAo40?si=-aKD1PoDmy22QL-M - I watched this in its entirety and my first thought was.....how many of you could survive this journey when no food is available and you didn't raise a garden? This video is loaded with so much survival learning and teaching from Oven. Fish, gophers, edible plants and bushes and more. This doesn't take in to account the beautiful Rocky Mountains and surrounding. I think this is right up Brother Otis's challenge.
Epic Family Road Trip - Join Pete and Carrol as they journey to off grid Montana. Beautiful beyond words. A great happy place to escape the world. https://youtu.be/O6x_MjWG9CA?si=TjeUeqr-UdU8-gcm
Let us move along...
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.
Our HFS family has many prayers needs for health and positive uplifting. We love you all and continue praying for each of you.
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,
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