Export Bans Are The Loudest Signal In Food
I pay attention to food prices, harvest reports, droughts, and whatever is missing from the grocery shelves. But there is one signal that gets my attention faster than almost anything…
Michaelmas: When September 29 Meant Settling Up
There used to be a date on the calendar when people knew the year could no longer be left half-finished. By the end of that day, rents were due. Accounts…
Why So Much Of Your Supply Chain Runs Through A Single Building
Most people picture a shortage beginning at the store. The shelf is empty, the price jumps, and a sign appears limiting purchases to two per customer. By then, the real…
What The Old Women Did Between Harvest And Frost
There was a stretch of the year our grandmothers understood far better than most of us do now. The main harvest was coming in, but winter had not arrived yet.…
When Chickens, Wood Stoves, And Burn Barrels Become Violations
One of the easiest mistakes a prepper can make is assuming that because something happens on his own property, he is free to do it. I understand the instinct. If…
The Day Preparedness Changed: What 9/11 Still Teaches Us 25 Years Later
There are certain days that divide life into before and after. September 11, 2001 was one of them. I remember how quickly an ordinary Tuesday became something nobody understood. People…
Twenty-Five Years Later: Teaching A Generation That Wasn’t There
September 11 has reached a strange place in American memory. For those of us who were old enough to remember that morning, it still feels close. We remember where we…
Silent Shortages: How To Read Empty Sections In Stores As Early Warning Signs
I pay attention to grocery stores differently than I used to. Years ago, I looked at the shelves mainly to see whether the thing I wanted was in stock. Now…
Waist High, No Weeding: Aquaponics For Elderly And Disabled Preppers
One thing I have learned about preparedness is that a good system should still work when the person using it is tired, injured, older, or simply unable to do the…
Night Security On A Budget: Lights, Sound, And Human Patterns That Deter Trouble
I have never believed that home security starts with expensive cameras, subscription plans, or a wall full of monitors. Those things can help, but most trouble looks for something easier…