Use Off-Grid Cooking Methods to Feed Large Crowds

Foil wraps over the campfire are one technique to feed large crowds.

The descendants of Charles and Mary Pantenburg (my mom and dad, both deceased) gathered from the corners  of the country for a reunion in Golden, Colorado in July, 2010. Feeding this crowd was  fun, using off-grid methods! There were even two other family members  who attended who aren't related to us!
Just for fun, here's some of the photos!
And if you'd been in the area about dinner time, you'd be invited to eat!

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Outdoor Quest: GPS Presentation

Outdoor Quest: GPS Presentation: "For those of you living in Central Oregon I will be hosting GPS seminars at the Central Oregon Sportsman Show, Deschutes County Fair Grounds..."




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Oregon Earthquakes: How You Can Survive!

Earthquake damage from New Zealand.

SurvivalCommonSense.com Radio with host Leon Pantenburg. 

Leon's featured guest  is James Roddey, Earth Sciences Information Officer with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. James is an authority on earthquakes and will be talking about mega quake potential in the western coastal areas, and the impact that could have on your community.
To listen to the show, click here.here.

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Survival Recipe: Santa Fe Chicken Casserole

This well-pitched tarp allows cooking over the campfire, even if it rains.

While many, if not all, of the SurvivalCommonSense.com Survival Recipes can easily be adapted to cooking inside, please practice cooking outside using off-grid methods.
This could become a weekly survival/preparedness training session for the entire family as you learn and practice how to use your stored foods and your outdoor cooking tools.
This recipe for Santa Fe Chicken Casserole used stored foods, one pot and off-grid cooking techniques!

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Tune Up Your Magnetic Compass For Navigation Safety

Staying found can keep you from getting lost and in trouble!

There is no substitute for a good compass, and the ability to use it. Since getting lost is generally the causal factor in most wilderness emergencies, it just makes sense to stay found to stay out of trouble!
In this article, navigation expert Blake Miller tells you how to check out and make sure your magnetic compass is safe and ready to go. For more info, click here.

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Make a Plan and an Earthquake Survival Kit!

These are some of the tools to help you escape a building during an earthquake!

The Easter, 2010, earthquake in southern California and  the catastrophic quake in Chile later that year should have been a  wakeup call to anyone who lives in an earthquake zone. You need to make a  personal earthquake survival kit that you can carry with you at all  time.
BUT!
An earthquake, tsunami or other natural disaster is unlikely to  happen? And, of course, not to you? You don’t need to read further!
….Still here?

Then here’s a couple of facts: About 91 percent of us live in an area where a major natural disaster could occur. In ANY emergency, 80 percent of  the people involved will be in denial of the situation and have to be  told what to do, according to John Leach, author of Survival Psychology. 
Of that crowd in the emergency, 10 percent will do the wrong thing, and the other 10 percent will act rationally, based on the training they have acquired.
If you want to be a survivor, of any emergency situation, you have to start with knowledge and training.
Keep reading to learn what to carry, and how to get out of a high-rise office building during an earthquake!


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Axe or Saw: Which is Best in Your Survival Kit?

Axe or saw? Which one will be the best choice for your survival kit?

We'll  assume you already have the survival knife and  basic Ten Essentials,  and are assembling the rest of the tools needed for a portable survival  kit. 
Do you need to add a hatchet, axe or a saw?

It depends. 

Some might call this collection a "Bug Out Bag," or something along those lines. Or you may be a backpacker, hunter or fisherman who needs a light, easy-to-carry wood  cutting device. 

A hunter may be looking for a tool that can cut wood and  that will also be useful in  quartering and field dressing a big game  animal. Choice of  tools is important, because there isn't much space,  and you need to keep the weight down.

Here are some thoughts to help you decide which tool will best suit your needs!

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Product Review: Solutions for Meat Cutting Video

Which of these boning knives is best for you? Check out the DVD and find out!

Knowledge and skills are paramount to your wilderness survival kit, and meat processing should be a standard survival skill. Wild game meat is  an under-utilized resource in this country, and during an extended  emergency situation,  it could be a valuable addition to your diet. But  if you don’t know how to process a big game animal, a lot of meat could  be spoiled or wasted. 
To the prepper or survivalist, this “Solutions for Meat Cutting” DVD is well-worth watching, even if  you don’t hunt. The boning techniques that are demonstrated will work well  with virtually any big animal including beef, goats, sheep and others.  The DVD’s section on wrapping meat is very important, especially if the  meat will need to remain frozen for an extended period of time.

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Survival Recipe: Cowboy Spaghetti

Survival food is sustenance that can be made easily  during a survival or emergency situation with simple, long-term storage  food items, cooked outdoors, using off-the-grid methods.
But if it doesn't taste good, or you cook the same recipe day after day, food monotony may set in, and that can be dangerous! 
This week' s recipe "Cowboy Spaghetti" comes from Jan LaBaron's latest cookbook: “Jan’s Fabulous Food Storage Recipes: Converting Stored Foods Into Usable Meals.”
In this recipe, Jan shows you how to make a simple spaghetti dish in one  pot. This can all be done over a campfire, or by using lighted  charcoal. It is also a good meal to prepare using a propane or turkey  cooker outside.
To listen to Jan's interview on the Feb. 18, 2011 SurvivalCommonSense.com Radio show click here.

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Death By GPS: Can Too Much Technology Kill You?

Any GPS can be wrong and provide inacurate information.

Can too much technology in the  backcountry be dangerous? Can you depend on GPS and other electronic  devices and technology  to the point of  it becoming deadly?
That seems to be an increasingly recurrent pattern of  behavior in  some parts of the country, as the following story: “Death By GPS’   indicates.
Whenever I see a particularly interesting or, in this case,  disturbing story related to land navigation, I forward it for comment  and analysis to land navigation expert Blake Miller.
Here are Blake’s thoughts on  “Death By GPS” by  Tom Knudson, and published in the Jan. 30, 2011 “Sacramento Bee.” (To  read the rest of the story, click here.)

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Assemble a Red Cross Approved Emergency Evacuation Kit

Most of us live in an area where a natural disaster  is possible and probable!

Nobody wants to worry about possibly evacuating your home quickly, or having to grab a few important items and head out the door.
But the facts are grim: 91 percent of us live in an area that could be affected by a major natural disaster such as a flood, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, tsunami, forest fire or mudslide, and you could have to leave very quickly.
So if you have to evacuate suddenly – what is important to take along?
Don’t wait until the last minute – get ready now, to minimize the chaos of an emergency evacuation. Here are some suggestions on what to pack from the Red Cross and the Department of Homeland Security.

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Learn the Green Stick Tripod Method of Campfire Cooking

A campfire may be the only source of heat for cooking during emergencies

Some of the most valuable survival tools are simple, useful methods of doing everyday tasks!
When it comes to cooking during a survival situation, you may only have a metal pot or cast iron skillet for a culinary utensil. Holding a panful of food over a campfire to get just the right temperature can be really tiring!
In this entry, you’ll learn how to make green stick tripod to solve that problem!

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Runner's Urban Survival Kit Can Be a Lifesaver

Make a runner's survival kit.

Survival situations can happen when you least expect it, or in places where such a thing doesn’t make sense.
Maybe you’ve gotten into the habit  of taking a run in the same urban area every evening. Then, one evening, the endorphins kick in, and you decide to double the usual mileage. As darkness approaches, you realize you have to get back to the car before it gets really dark. You slip, twist your ankle and can’t move.
Or you might decide to go for a walk and just take off without thinking to tell someone where you went. You’re strolling along, relaxing and enjoying the iPod, and letting the stress from the office dissipate. Then, as it starts to get dark, you realize you’ve taken a wrong turn and are lost. And pretty soon, it will be pitch dark, and you can’t see the path.
Even if you are running and need to go light, you can still carry a survival kit. Here are some of the survival items you need to carry with you.

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Survival Recipe: Southwest Chicken Corn Chowder

Survival food is sustenance that can be made easily during a survival or emergency situation with simple, long-term storage food items, cooked outdoors, using off-the-grid methods. This chowder recipe was featured as the weekly Survival Recipe on the SurvivalCommonSense.com Radio program of  Feb. 11, 2011. Host Leon Pantenburg interviewed Jan LaBaron about her new food storage cookbook: ” Jan’s Fabulous Food Storage Recipes: Converting Stored Foods Into Usable Meals.” To read the story, click here.
To listen to the entire radio show interview, click here.

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Survival Myth Busted! Finding Directions By the Moss on Trees

Moss grew on the west side of this stump.

One  of the pervasive folk legends about finding directions  in the  wilderness or woods, is that moss grows on a certain side of a tree or  rock.
Just find your way by observing where the moss is,  according to  this theory, and you won’t get lost. According to this traditional old “wisdom,” the moss is thickest on the  north side of a tree in the northern hemisphere. In the southern  hemisphere, the moss is thickest on the south side. Or so the story goes. I took my compass, and went to several different ecosystems; desert, rain forests, conifer forests and deciduous forests in the southeast to test this theory.
Here is what I found.

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Three Maps You Should Carry

Great minds (apparently) think alike. I was working on a story about what maps to take into the wilderness to stay found, when Lucas from Survivalcache.com posted a related story.
The circumstances we’re writing  about are a little different, and so are our map choices, but I’ll weigh in later. (I  will put my two cents’ worth: A map is just one part of the  staying-found equation. Also have a compass along, and a GPS with spare  batteries. None of these tools are worth anything if you don’t know how  to use them!)
To read the story, click here.

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Carry These Survival Items in Your Pockets

These survival items can be carried at all times.

You could get dumped out of a canoe, thrown off a horse that runs away or be in a shopping mall or hotel when there is a power failure. In these cases, all you’ll have to work with is a survival mindset and the tools in your pockets or on your person.
But a little planning can help a lot if you make some basic survival tools part of your wardrobe. This is what I carry on a daily basis, and you can easily assemble your own kit, using my recommendations as a place to start.
Just remember: What works for me may not work for you and vice versa. Practice with your survival tools, become familiar how they work  and then, if you ever need to use them, it won't a big deal!

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Use a Trash Bag as Part of Your Survival kit

I first noticed trash bag shelter use at an Iowa State University football game in the early 70s. The weather got really bad during the half, with snow, rain and wind.
But one row of die-hard Cyclones pulled out a roll of plastic trash bags, cut holes for their heads and arms, and weathered the storm. I don’t recall how the football team did!
Since then, I’ve taken shelter in trash bags on a variety of outdoor activities. Trash bags are particularly valuable on hunting trips, because a large bag gives you a place to lay meat while you’re butchering.
Obviously, if you anticipate bad weather, be prepared for it, stay home or take along a  lightweight, four-season backpacking tent.
But you can adapt a trash bag into a very effective emergency shelter. Here is how to choose the right one for your survival kit and how to use it.

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Urban and Wilderness Survival Kits: Make a Dutch Oven Part of Your Preparedness Surviv...

These cast iron implements can be priceless!

During virtually any emergency, you will need a cooking tool that can bake, boil, fry and saute. And it should be able to function  with a variety of  heat sources, since electricity might be a variable!
My nomination for this wonder implement has been around for hundreds of years. It’s easy to find, cheap and effective.  Get a cast iron or aluminum Dutch oven. This cooking tool has a proven track record, and it can use virtually any heat source.
But you also need a bare bones list of implements to go with that Dutch oven. The most common questions asked by beginner Dutch oven users are: "What things do I need to actually use the oven?"
And then: "What items should I pack with the Dutch oven if I want to make it part of my car evacuation kit?" Here is what you need!

Urban and Wilderness Survival Kits: Make a Winter Survival Kit For Your Car

Travel can be very dangerous this time of year. Black ice, slippery pavement, high winds and blowing snow, or reduced visibility due to fog, rain and snow storms can all happen within a few miles. It doesn’t matter if you live in the Oregon high desert or the frigid Midwest. If  your car slips off the road in an isolated area, during a  blizzard, a routine drive to visit the family can turn into a nightmare!
Winter survival can start by assembling a selection of easily-obtained items. Here are some suggestions!

Wilderness Survival Kits: Make an Altoids Tin Survival Kit

Learn how to make a pocket survival kit.

The Altoids tin survival kit is a small piece of a larger survival project, and it is by no means all you should carry for survival!!! But you need to have something in your pockets, in the event you are separated from your gear. (See related story.)
In January, 2007, I asked the late Dr. Jim Grenfell of Bend to help  develop a survival kit that would fit into a standard Altoids mint tin.  This pocket kit would be limited in size to an Altoids tin, and weigh  about five ounces. (That’s about what an iPod weighs, or my wallet,  depending on which side of payday we’re on!)
An incessant tinker, Grenfell, was also an Air Force combat veteran  and graduate of three Air Force wilderness survival schools. I made an  Altoid kit, too, and for the next several months, we added and  subtracted gear, and tested, researched and refined the final kits.
The result is here.

Map Compass and GPS: Simple Survival Tips For Using a Map and Compass

It isn't hard to get lost.

The point was to get out in the woods and relax, and who can unwind when you have to fool around with land navigation tasks? Besides, you’re well prepared, with survival knife, a survival kit, tarp  and…all that stuff.
But then it starts to get dark, or the weather changes, and you don’t remember which of the forks in the trail you took. At this point, many people will start to panic, and when that happens, you can’t reason.
But in this situation, remembering some common sense land navigation memory aides and acronyms will help calm you down. Once you can correctly orient the map, you can figure out where you are and where to go. To read the complete story, click here.

EMERGENCY FIELD DENTISTRY COURSE

A North American renowned Emergency Field Dental Surgeon and currently practicing DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery of 29 years) from Tennessee, USA has been retained and scheduled to instruct a “ONE TIME” two day course on “Emergency Field Dental procedures”. 

 

This class will cover all aspects of Field Dentistry with hands-on instruction on several aspects such as types of fillings and how to do them, dental anesthesia, extracting teeth, what equipment to use and how to get it. The student will get the unheard of chance to fill cavities, replace broken or missing crowns, extract teeth and use a high speed dental drill. The drill is the same type used in any dental office. Several years ago this Dental specialist was asked if he could convert the air turbine drill he uses to run off a simple compressed air tank which could be recharged with a bicycle air pump. He did and we now use EMP (Electro-Magnetic Pulse) / Electricity grid down proof high speed dental drills. All students will be given the chance to practice dental procedures on models and have plenty of time to have all questions answered by our guest Dental Field Surgeon! All Course Materials and guides will be provided as part of the course fee.

Until NOW this course has only been offered in the Southern United States on a very limited basis.

DON’T MISS THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE YOUR SKILLS AND PREPARE!

WHEN – MAY 5 & MAY 6 of 2011 - Class begins @ 8 am – 5pm - 1 hour lunch break

WHERE – “The South Country Inn” Conference Room located in Cardston, Alberta

COST - $ 400.00 CDN / STUDENT

Class Space is extremely limited (25 students CANADA WIDE) and offered on a First Come, First Served Basis. This course WILL NOT be offered again! All Class Registrations must be PRE-RESERVED AND PAID IN FULL by March 15, 2011 in order to guarantee a spot otherwise spots will be sold to those on the waiting list.

Registration payments can be made via Major Credit Card or Cash ONLY. 

 

To register please contact Kara–Lyn or Dan @ (403) 915-2685

Map Compass and GPS: Navigating a Topographical Map

Map Compass and GPS: Navigating a Topographical Map: "Do topographical maps seem confusing? Do you view most maps as a mass of squiggles, color splotches and undecipherable gibberish, with ter..."




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Map Compass and GPS: Navigating a Topographical Map

Do topographical maps seem confusing? Do you view most maps as a mass of squiggles, color splotches and undecipherable gibberish, with terms like: datum, UTM,  WGS84 and NAD27?
In this article, land navigation expert Blake Miller explains how to make sense of your topo map!

Survival Recipes and Cooking: How to Make Apricot Energy Bars

Survival Recipes and Cooking: How to Make Apricot Energy Bars: "Food is the fuel that keeps you warm! Your stored food is an investment. But it’s always a good idea to rotate the stock. Another thought..."

Survival Recipes and Cooking: SurvivalCommonSense Email Update

Survival Recipes and Cooking: SurvivalCommonSense Email Update: "With all the disasters and storms recently, it seemed like getting prepared for them would be a good topic for this week's SurvivalCommonSen..."

Survival Recipes and Cooking: Survival Recipes: Healthy, Homemade Energy Bars

Survival Recipes and Cooking: Survival Recipes: Healthy, Homemade Energy Bars: "When it comes to stocking up on survival food, the best, most inexpensive and tastiest option may be to make your own. And while the idea be..."

Survival Recipes and Cooking: Learn How to Use Your Long Term Storage Foods

Survival Recipes and Cooking: Learn How to Use Your Long Term Storage Foods: "Recipes and an off-grid setup are needed. What happens if you have to live just off your food storage? Have you ever tried or used it?&n..."

Survival Recipes and Cooking: Hardtack: A Great, Traditional Survival Food and E...

Survival Recipes and Cooking: Hardtack: A Great, Traditional Survival Food and E...: "Hardtack is a traditional survival ration, and is easy to make. Looking for a way to use up surplus flour, or make a cheap trail food or ..."

Survival Recipes and Cooking: Survival Recipe: High Speed Venison

Survival Recipes and Cooking: Survival Recipe: High Speed Venison: "A Dutch or camp oven and a heat source is all you need to do this recipe! It was at the end of a several-day backpack elk hunt, and we had..."

Weekly Update: How to Buy a Sleeping Bag and Other Wilderness Survival Info

Does the bag have the potential to get wet?

You don't want to scrimp on some survival items! Boots, compass and knife come to mind and a good sleeping bag! But sleeping bags are specialized items, and here are some tips to help you choose the best one to fit your needs.

Also included are the rest of the stories published this week in SurvivalCommonSense.com. Thanks for looking!

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