SCP Survival

Best Survival Gear and Supplies

5 Critical Components of Our Off Grid Water System

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Although many people would not want to rely on the off grid water systems that we have put in place, here are the major pieces of our water around our off grid homestead:

1. Drinking Water

The primary source of water for this home is the rainwater catch cistern. However, with much of the North being in a drought since August of 2011 the cistern is not as full as it should be, along with a shortage of ice for the ice house.

For years the homeowners’ carried their drinking water from town. The land cooperative decided to spend the money and drill a deep well, with a solar assist pump, not only for drinking water, but bathing and irrigation of the gardens. Although these homeowners’ continue to use their cistern as their primary water source, they do have the option of the deep well water also.

Off Grid Hot Water
The wood cook stove is an essential component to this off-grid home. But what I want you to note is the white water reservoir to the right of the stove.

2. Hot Water, Showers and Bathing Off Grid

This is a truly ingenious system for taking a shower! The reservoir is filled with hot water from the cook stove (Or depending on how fast or how many are going to take a shower, half cold water and the rest hot water.) and gravity feeds to a shower in the basement directly below the reservoir next to the “ash catch” room.

A simple lever is used to access the heated water into the shower. And even though there are teenagers in the home, the parents note that there are no problems with long, extended showers that so many teens are prone too! The basement is also unheated, so that may be a factor as well.

Below is a picture of the upstairs “washroom”. It is located between the master bedroom and the open loft area of the children’s rooms.

A simple pitcher and wash basin are the fundamentals for face and hand washings and brushing teeth. I am not sure whether this is plumbed into a gray water system or has a five gallon bucket below the vanity curtains. That is an extra hand mirror on the side of the vanity and behind is a closet covered with more muslin curtains.

The claw food bathtub pictured above is seldom used anymore, but when the wife was pregnant she said she spent many hours in it trying to relieve the ache of back pain related to pregnancy and working in the fields. It is located kitty-corner from the wood cook stove in the kitchen. Now it just holds the laundry basket.

3. Our Water Well

Although this home is totally non-electric, solar grids on the greenhouse are used to pump drinking and cooking water from their 300’ deep well up to the house.

All other water is pumped by hand from a cistern beside the house used to collect rain water.

4. Off Grid Toilets

Beside the water room is a half-bath with a flush toilet. This is usually only used in the winter and flushed with a pail of water. Again it had the pitcher and basin for washing hands.

Note this nice rustic, traditional outhouse. It is built on a side hill and has a porch. The inside is “papered” with all kinds of pictures cut from various magazines!

5. Off Grid Laundry

This homeowner prefers to do laundry in town when they make their weekly trek to the library for homeschooling and internet access. However, they dry their clothes at home. Here is the obligatory clothes line. If this doesn’t bring back memories of wind fresh sheets, I don’t know what will.

I remember hanging clothes on the line during the winter. They freeze dried! I would bring the jeans into the house and stand them up against the wall until they thawed and finished drying over a chair. This suspended wagon wheel in the living room next to the masonry heater is for drying clothes! How charmingly inventive!

(Off grid laundry ideas and off grid washing machine recommendations here)

This is part of an off grid series, where I take you on a tour of the off-grid home without solar assist and a walk around the farm.

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out the other posts featuring their: home without electricity, masonry heater, gardening efforts, and homestead businesses.

My hope is that you will enjoy the experience as much as I did and perhaps learn, or remember, a bit of an older/newer lifestyle.

Living Off The Grid Without Electricity – How One Family Does It

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Off Grid Living Without Electricity

I recently visited a land cooperative of 4 families owning 60 acres in a northern state. These families came together with a common dream of owning land in the country over 15 years ago, but that is where most of the commonality ended.  Each family has a home site, but also cooperatively makes decisions about land use.

One couple started building their home themselves in 1995. It is completely off grid, not even having solar energy and completely without electricity–by choice!

The thing that I find so unique about this off grid home, and the family that owns it, is the total absence of electricity. Most off-grid homes have an alternative source of energy that provides electricity—solar, wind, hydro…

What does no electricity mean? No cell phone, no radio unless battery powered, no TV, no lights, no running water… So many of the things that we are prepping to maintain, this family has chosen to either do without or found a non-electric alternative.

The pay-off to this homeowner built homestead? The only bill they have is ¼ of the property taxes on 60 acres of land!  Think about it, what would you be willing to give up for the freedom of having only one bill a year?

So, What is Life With No Electricity Like?

As I walked up the hill along the stone path to this homeowner built homestead, it felt like I was coming home. In the crisp fall air, the scent of herbs and flowers from the planters in front of the home drifted on the breezes to welcome me.

The ever present stump and axes heralded the sustainably harvested wood for heat and cooking I was to encounter inside.

I entered the front door to be greeted by the masonry heater and wood cook stove. The antique oil lamp hanging above the wood box would be lit in the evenings to greet the residents’ home.

To the left was the living room with an antique—working–player piano that would fill the long winter evenings with music.

The Off Grid Kitchen
The wood cookstove on the left is the heartbeat of the entire off grid kitchen. Notice the hand pump sitting on the counter, and the extensive food stores in the distant pantry.

The Off Grid Kitchen

As I turned right into the kitchen I remember my great-grandparents’ kitchen, with the hand pump connected to the rainwater-filled cistern (the ram pump had long quit working by then), the aroma of baking bread coming from the wood cook stove, the careful tending of the fire, and the cheery glow from the mantels of the oil lamps flickering in the evening as grandpa would tell us stories of times past.

The wife had just finished baking squash bread and the aroma was heavenly.

The interior of this rustic home has the patina of recycled barn boards. The windows too are recycled and conformed to allow the breezes to flow through the home and cool it in the summer.

Off Grid Hand Pump In The Kitchen
An old blue hand pump can be seen here on the counter, reminiscent of times past.

Note the owner-built kitchen island with locking wheels, drawers on the side and curtained storage beneath, the blue hand pitcher pump next to the sink, antique hutch to hold glassware, and the ever present cast iron cookware hanging from the wall near the stove.

The wood cook stove is a true antique, refurbished by a professional restorer. All the food preparation and preservation on this homestead takes place on this stove.

This picture shows the tiled counter tops, pitcher pump and the ever present oil lamp. After a sip of hot apple cider and a bit of that delicious squash bread, I entered the combination prep room, bathing and storage area off the kitchen.

Wheat Grinder for Off Grid Cooking

The gleam of blue hued Mason canning jars filled with pantry items and spices was only rivaled by the wheat grinder firmly attached to the wood countertop.

I was invited down to the unheated basement. The conversation had gone to how the warm winter had provided no ice for the ice house and a propane refrigerator had been purchased to off-set this inconvenience. More Mason jars filled with the gardens’ produce lined the chill storage area.

Food Storage for Off Grid Living

It was obvious that this home had been carefully planned to be not only a sustainable retreat, but also of comfort to the family it housed. For me, it was a link to memories long forgotten.

Sharing The Land With Others in An Off Grid Community

As mentioned earlier, they are one of four families sharing 60 acres together, with each family choosing to live slightly differently. Some families choose to have solar panels or other means of electricity on their property.

One family that started a few years later and have a full solar array next to their home. Two of the families visit on weekends and help when they can on communal buildings. Someday they may decide to build, but not in the near future.

There is a communal house on the property that is shared by families, visitors, and interns when they visit, and there is even a teepee.

Shared Housing For The Off Grid Community

This is part of an off grid series, where I take you on a tour of the off-grid home without solar assist and a walk around the farm.

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out the other posts featuring their: masonry heater, off grid water systems, gardening efforts, and homestead businesses.

My hope is that you will enjoy the experience as much as I did and perhaps learn, or remember, a bit of an older/newer lifestyle.

Prepper Lessons From Hurricane Sandy

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Like so many other people, I am watching the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Horrified by the lack of preparedness in the population and inspired by the acts of courage and practical helping—like the citizen freeing up the storm drains with a ski pole, draining millions of gallons of water from his neighborhood.

I feel for the people who are going through this disaster, in part because of the flood of 2007 in southeast Minnesota that we got caught in. For us, it occurred in August and the power going out for a week was more of an inconvenience than a life threatening problem. But for these people, no heat could mean hypothermia and death, especially for the children and old people who are most vulnerable.

The stories of courage and heroics are profound and heartening. But the stories that are being reported of looting and burglaries are equally disturbing. And I thought to myself, if an evacuation were called for here and the whole of the upper Midwest were devastated, would I be prepared?

Yes, I have a bug out bag, but I’ve neglected to pack it like I should (No insurance papers or contact lists. I’ve dipped into the $500 that was in it for other preparedness supplies, planning on putting the money back, but what if something happened today?

We live paycheck to paycheck, as did many of those people who were advised to evacuate couldn’t, because they couldn’t afford to. In talking with our county emergency people, if there was a nuclear emergency we are far enough away that we would be advised to shelter in place–hence the plastic and duct tape stored in the basement. However, after a factory burned in town and half the town was evacuated, I got to thinking about evacuation scenarios.

We have a major interstate highway that winds through this very small city (2,500–largest in the county) and many hazardous waste trucks that go through. What if one of those hazardous waste trucks overturned? Would I be ready to “grab and go”?

So many of these people can’t even access their canned foods, because they don’t have a manual can opener in the house. They have never even thought about how to heat up a can of soup without a stove to use. What to do about the toilet when it doesn’t flush? And heat without electricity is always a problem.

And the same people, and states, who were complaining about big government, the deficit, and the sovereignty of state governments, are now clamoring for FEMA to feed them and give them heat, and to pick up not just 75% of the tab but 100%!  As evidenced by Governor Chris Christy hugging President Obama—what an iconic moment! Without the National Guard, the federal government, and the Red Cross, where would these people be?

As a nation, are we not strongest and best when we pull together through hard times? And where is the preparedness movement in all this? I’m sure I missed a few sites, but where is the effort to reach out and at least give ideas on basics like cooking, cold weather survival, dealing with waste, etc. without electricity?

What can I do to help, as an individual?

I don’t have extra money to donate, but I do have blood.  And today, I am going down to give blood at the Red Cross’ impromptu blood drive being held to help replenish the Nation’s blood supply. I’ve been searching the internet for simple, can do, alternatives to cooking without electricity—note the brick rocket stove and windshield reflector solar stove. How can we stay warm without electricity? I just heard that 4 people have died from carbon monoxide poisoning while using their generators—they were prepared with generators, but not carbon monoxide alarms.

On the local level, I am working with the emergency people to bring a preparedness event to our small community before winter sets into the Great North.

Preparedness, by its very nature is thinking about what to do BEFORE things happen. Being self-reliant; not government reliant. Being able to help your neighbor (Yes, I am not one of those people who thinks I can stand alone. I am part of a community.), not having to depend on your neighbor to help you.

And what of our churches? Have you asked if your church has an emergency preparedness plan and how they will help the community in time of need? Do they have a non-electric alternative heat source if something happens in the winter? Do they have a generator and carbon monoxide alarms, and gasoline stored, food, where they could be of service to their congregation in a time of need? Churches so often focus on giving, but are they prepared to help their congregation?

So much of preparedness is alternative thinking, what if thinking. You may be in an apartment, live in a home in town, or on a homestead, but the thinking is always the same, “What if… And am I prepared?”

5 In 1 Survival Whistle Review

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In my opinion, the survival whistle is the one thing everyone—man, woman, child—should have on their night stand, in their “safe room/tornado shelter”, the car, the purse, bug out bag, when jogging, when hiking or camping, whenever… It can be heard from over a mile away and is such a distinctive sound that it catches people’s attention immediately.

I have bought all of mine (yes, I give them to family and friends) for just a few dollars. That is a reasonable price for something that could save your life! It has five different functions:

  • Shrill signal whistle
  • Compass
  • Waterproof interior compartment for matches, candy for a princess, or an emergency aspirin for me
  • Signal mirror
  • Flint on the side for striking matches to make a fire

Way back when—in the dark ages—it seemed like I learned in Girl Scouts that the SOS signal was a short burst, longer, then another short burst.

I checked out Morse code on Wikipedia: “For emergency signals, Morse code can be sent by way of improvised sources that can be easily “keyed” on and off, making it one of the simplest and most versatile methods of telecommunication. The most common distress signal is SOS or three dots, three dashes and three dots, internationally recognized by treaty.” Well, I think they just shortened it for girls! Either way, I think it would work as a signal for help!

A whistle? How could that possibly be useful in an emergency situation? Let’s consider several scenarios…

  • Tornado, hurricane, earthquake, tsunami, flood has collapsed your home and you are trapped. A whistle can be heard much farther than a voice and bring rescue personnel to you sooner.
  • In a fire, with potential smoke inhalation restricting your breathing, a whistle may be the only way you can call for help.
  • Out jogging and a dog bites your calf and you need help NOW. A whistle can be heard farther away than a shout and the shrill sound may actually deter a dog from continuing the attack.
  • Your car plunges off the road and is hidden in darkness or brush, the sound of a whistle carries especially when combined with a repeated signal.
  • If you are in an apartment and someone is attempting to break in, the shrill call of a whistle will wake up others in the building and perhaps prevent a potentially deadly break-in.
  • Out hiking, camping, or hunting? Lost? You have a compass, signal mirror and (matches not included) the potential to make fire, and of course the whistle.
  • And if you keep a baby aspirin in the waterproof compartment, the anti-coagulant could save your life if you feel a stroke or heart attack coming on.

I’m sure you can think of other potential scenarios, but you get the idea.

The survival whistle: Inexpensive, versatile, and effective. Consider this humble device to be on YOUR front line of defense.

Earthquake Survival Preparations for Senior Citizens

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When planning a survival strategy for catastrophic events like earthquakes, forgetting important matters is a “no-no.” For this reason, it would be best to take time to plan. Simply having survival kits during these times is not enough, it would be best to have an earthquake survival guide that includes evacuation plans and other safety protocols.

In addition to uncontrolled circumstances that may arise during earthquakes, elderly individuals have distinct needs that need to be met no matter what. Also, reduced movements and other limitations can make emergency situations difficult for them. These factors can be quite costly and may spell the difference between life and death.

There are a couple of important matters that should be prioritized to make sure that elderly individuals are taken care of during earthquakes. They are explained below.

Appropriate Medical Information

In the event of an earthquake and other natural disasters, individuals with specific medical requirements may be separated from their caregivers. When this happens, it is important to make other people well aware of their existing condition or conditions.

Accessories such as medical bracelets are essential since they can help strangers develop a clear understanding of what to administer in times of emergency. Another alternative is to give elderly individuals a written note that features the medical condition, drug prescriptions, medical history, and other essential details.

Registering in special medical centres in one’s locality can help medical personnel pinpoint individuals that have exclusive needs.

Personal Disaster Plans

Carefully planning an earthquake survival guide can help elderly individuals have a sense of composure during earthquakes and other serious situations. This can also help reduce feelings of confusion and disorder. In addition to having concrete plans, possessing medical kits, back up batteries, as well as mobile medical devices can be beneficial in many ways.

The aforementioned commodities can be helpful when elderly individuals become dissociated from hospitals and other medical institutions for long periods. These precautionary measures together with government emergency strategies can help safeguard the safety and welfare of elderly individuals and other members of the population in the event of an earthquake.

Conclusion

Taking care of elderly individuals during earthquakes is a very serious matter that should not be neglected. Rather than relying on the healthcare system, family members should do their part and make concrete disaster plans that can help ensure the safety and welfare of their elderly loved ones. This is a relatively easy task that can be achieved with practical planning and implementation.

How To Harvest Your Winter Squash (and save the seeds)

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Winter squash is a wonderful plant. Super easy to grow and store. Not only are the fruits of the plant edible (yes, technically it is a fruit) but the shoots, leaves, tendrils can be eaten as greens, cooked or raw. The seeds can be ground into paste, meal, flour, pressed into an oil, crushed to create a nut butter, eaten raw or dried and seasoned to create a delicious snack. Even squash flowers are edible!

I usually plant mine at the edge of the garden and point them into the horse pasture. The horses eat the grass around them but never damage the vines or fruit. Squash are also part of the Native American “Three Sisters”, comprised of corn, squash and beans. These three crops were staples of the Native American diet. Planted together the beans climb the corn stalks and fix nitrogen into the soil and the squash shields the ground keeping weeds to a minimum.

Two weeks before harvest, cut your squash vines 2-4” above the fruit. Let them dry in the garden to harden off their skins. Before a hard frost, gently gather them up and store them in a dark place. Cool and dry is not as important as dry. They store better in the attic than in a damp basement. If you bruise one or the stem breaks off, use those first. Squash will often store until spring.

The seeds are very easy to save, just clean, dry and put them in an envelope for use in the spring. It is often advised to plant only one variety of squash at a time because they will cross pollinate. Male and female blossoms are on the same plant. If bees are not prevalent in your area, hand pollinating may be an option.

Squash can be eaten raw, cooked in a variety of ways, made into soups or sweet bars. Just find a recipe book and start looking for something that suits your palate!