One young man that I know worried about being unprepared and jumped into prepping with both feet. After a while, he gave up prepping. He could not live his life (as a father of two small kids) in a constant state…
One way to develop a self-sustainable food supply is perennials. Like fruit trees – they produce food every year. An experiment here that is “showing fruit” is our patch of perennial onions. Maybe they’re right for your garden too. The…
by Mic Roland • • Comments Off on How to UN-mother a hen
This year, our Broody hen did not abruptly turn off her motherhood instincts. She was showing some signs of being ready to transition but she seemed semi-stuck in mother mode. She needed help. For a variety of reasons, we decided…
by Mic Roland • • Comments Off on Gear Test 3.0: Minimalism
This third test of our Bug Out Bags focused on minimalism. What if we were bugging out on foot on a multi-day trek? Having our bags as light as practical would be important. Minimalist gear is lighter but how does…
by Mic Roland • • Comments Off on Media rediscover grid vulnerability
Every now and then, someone in the American media rediscovers how vulnerable our modern life is because it is dependent upon grid power. Doug MacKinnon’s “Will you survive the coming blackout?” is the recent iteration. His article appeared on Fox…
A key component of the homestead’s preparedness is a water supply that is not dependent on the grid. A “dug” well is usually a detriment in the real estate market: not so, for me. That feature was a plus for…
Finally. It always takes longer than I think it will. Nonetheless, book 5 of my Siege of New Hampshire Series is now available on Amazon. At least, the Kindle version is. The paperback is still working through the review and…
by Mic Roland • • Comments Off on What About The Poor, post-SHTF: Solutions from the 1800s
After the Mad Max, kill-or-be-killed, zombie apocalypse phase of SHTF has passed, the survivors will not emerge equal. There will be the new “rich” (the preppers) and the new “poor” – those who survived with little or nothing. With the…
by Mic Roland • • Comments Off on Syrup wrap-up, Spring chores
The maple syrup season ended, but other Spring chores quickly fill the void that had been tapping and boiling. While that task is done, self-sufficiency always has something else to tend to. It’s far too early to plant, but there…