Monthly Archives: March 2010

Episode-410- The Death of the Neighborhood

Posted on March 31, 2010 by Modern Survival| 28 Comments
Episode-410- The Death of the Neighborhood [ 57:24 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Yesterday we discussed dying cities, today we discuss dying neighborhoods and what the two have in common.  I believe that it is very important to pay close attention to your neighborhood so that you can react to the signs of death before it is too late.

Join me today as we discuss…

  • The death of an “exclusive neighborhood” in California
  • How neighborhoods, areas, towns actually die
  • Why many never recover
  • What do we learn by watching a construction worker by a 440K home
  • What are the stages of death in a neighborhood
  • How to you spot the cancer early
  • What other causes other than stupid lending can kill a neighboorhood
  • Will people “move back to the cities”
  • Will people move “out to the country”
  • Will people do both
  • The rules of monitoring your neighborhood
    • Stay flexible
    • Stay light
    • Pay attention
    • Always be “shopping” for a new place to live
  • What you can do to remain in control of your life

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.

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Episode-409- The Value of Rural Land

Posted on March 30, 2010 by Modern Survival| 10 Comments
Episode-409- The Value of Rural Land [ 1:01:41 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Today we do sort of a two part show.  I start out with a bit of commentary of a few stories, two actually related to land values and dependence on city based economies.  I then move onto todays main subject, the value of rural land.  I will also cover a lot of buying and negociating advice and give you some actual market prices of what is available right now.

Join me today as we discuss…

  • A great post and video on ITS Tactical
  • Marlin Firearms is closing their North Haven, CT plant
  • Detroit is dying and the lesson we learn from it
  • Why rural land has not fallen in value the way most real estate has
  • Really considering the decision to go “off grid”
  • Why rural land offers stability in value (monetary and lifestyle wise as well)
  • Getting quotes and expert advice BEFORE you buy or even make an offer
  • Having “vision” for what a property can become matched to reality of the cost and effort required
  • Seeing solutions where others see problems
  • Some actual prices of land in AR, MO, NM, ME, WA and CO right now
  • Final thoughts on the true wealth of land ownership

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.

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Episode-408- Listener Feedback 3-29-10

Posted on March 29, 2010 by Modern Survival| 30 Comments
Episode-408- Listener Feedback 3-29-10 [ 1:03:21 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Today we do our typical Monday show with your feedback and questions.  Today we have a lot to talk about including a coming “Grasshopper Invasion”, yes I am serious about that.

Tune in today as we discuss…

  • The audio quality of the show is a LOT better starting today, thank to Chris
  • How do you determine and amend soil PH levels
  • Did the honey bee die off in Canada have anything to do with GMOs
  • Why do newly planted bare root trees fail and how do you prevent it
  • What was the big event on Saturday night?  Did you participate in it in anyway?
  • The grasshoppers are about to invade, what do we do?
  • How do you balance your time between education and action when prepping

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.

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Episode-407- Ten Permaculture Projects for Modern Survival

Posted on March 26, 2010 by Modern Survival| 15 Comments
Episode-407- Ten Permaculture Projects for Modern Survival [ 1:02:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We have talked a lot about permaculture principles, design strategy and even problem solving in the past.  Today though I want to get down to decisive action with ten simple projects you can get started on right away.  These projects will improve your sustainability, self reliance and ability to feed yourself if times get tough, or even if they don’t.

Tune in Today as we Discuss…

  • Drawing a “zone map” and “energy map” of your property
  • Building a herb spiral
  • Building a rain garden
  • Installing a rain harvesting system
  • Create bird habitat
  • Build a worm bin
  • Keep a wildlife journal of back yard activity (with photos)
  • Build a mason bee habitat
  • Build a trellis or arbor and plant edible vines
  • Barter for seeds

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.

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Episode-406- Saving Seeds the How and Why

Posted on March 25, 2010 by Modern Survival| 4 Comments
Episode-406- Saving Seeds the How and Why [ 0:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Since we just completed a show on starting plants out right yesterday I figured we would jump to the other end of the life cycle and discuss seed saving today.  Saving seeds isn’t hard, it is in fact one of mankind’s oldest skills but there are some things to understand and rules to follow.

Join me today to hear about…

  • Why we need to be saving seeds in the first place
  • Breeding improvements vs. hybrids vs. GMO (they are all different)
  • Exchanging seeds – a great form of barter
  • The easy plants to save seed from – beans, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes
  • Separation rules – why they exist and not stressing them
  • Staggering pollination times to create effective separation
  • Herbs and unusual plants are often easy to save for and over looked
  • Storing your seeds once they are harvested
  • Growing your own hybrids – hybrids are not always bad
  • How to hand pollinate and ensure purity with squashes and melons, etc
  • The rewards of regionally adapted plants
  • Breeding for any and all traits, it really isn’t hard

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.

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Episode-405- Starting Plants from Seeds

Posted on March 24, 2010 by Modern Survival| 7 Comments
Episode-405- Starting Plants from Seeds [ 1:03:15 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I have gotten a lot of questions from people who are looking to start plants from seeds vs. buying plants at the nursery.  Many have struggled for a variety of reasons so I am dedicating most of today’s show to help you master the skill of taking tiny seeds and turning them into food and medicine producing plants.

Join me today as we discuss…

  • Understanding how seeds germinate in the wild (this answers so many questions)
  • What are the needs of a seed
  • Why starting indoors is a good idea
  • You need light, window light generally won’t cut it
  • Building a simple grow light
  • Mist watering and watering from the bottom
  • Creating constant temperatures
  • Culling and “pricking out”
  • Starting seeds in pots that are generally considered “direct sow”
  • Seeds that should almost always be direct sowed
  • Hardening off seeds
  • Potting up the why and how
  • Holding back in ground planting until you are sure
  • Mulch is your friend

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.

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Episode-404- Food Storage for Better Living Today

Posted on March 23, 2010 by Modern Survival| 12 Comments
Episode-404- Food Storage for Better Living Today [ 1:01:54 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Today I lay out the case to you for storing food and how to approach it.  More though I explain the positive aspects of storing food whether we ever face a disaster or not.  Food storage is largely misunderstood and unfortunately sensationalized today by the media.  The reality is far more practical and powerful.

Join me today as we discuss…

  • What does it really mean to store what you eat
  • Why moms really “get it” if properly approached about storing food
  • What is copy canning – special thanks to Ron and Karen Hood on this term
  • Why you need commercial long term storables but they are generally not the place to start out
  • Using long term foods today, not just during a breakdown
  • Learning new cooking methods and techniques for today
  • What does it me to really be a producer vs. strictly a consumer
  • How to make biltong, please don’t complicate this 5,000 year old process
  • Why even incompetent trappers, foragers and fisherman will be an issue if TSHTF
  • How you can combine storage philosophies to create a bullet proof food storage plan

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.

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Episode-403- Listener Feedback 3-22-10

Posted on March 22, 2010 by Modern Survival| 4 Comments
Episode-403- Listener Feedback 3-22-10 [ 1:01:53 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Well it is Monday and time to air your questions, comments and concerns.  Today we discuss subjects like second hand shotgun maintenance, self watering air conditioner gardens, the ass clowns ramming a health care bill down our throats and more.

Tune in today to hear…

  • What does the new health care bill news mean, what can be done
  • What can you do to remove surface rust from a second hand shotgun
  • What is better a compost bin, worm composting or something else
  • California won’t put solar panels in a natural desert but they will put them in a man made desert
  • What can you plant in a tight space around an air conditioner
  • Thoughts on a permaculture irrigation system
  • Thoughts on city compost projects and using their product
  • Is learning “wilderness skills” useful to the urban survivalist

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.

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Episode-402- The Startling Reality of Pandemic Threats

Posted on March 19, 2010 by Modern Survival| 8 Comments
Episode-402- The Startling Reality of Pandemic Threats [ 55:31 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The real threat of pandemic disease if honestly startling.  In spite of the recent H1N1 (swine flu) no event the pandemic threat is always with us.  Today’s show has a mountain of scientific facts and figures that should drive home the reality of how ominous this threat to survival really is.

Join us today as we discuss…

  • Pandemic vs. Epidemic
  • The probability, impact and commonality of pandemic and epidemic
  • How real the threat is
  • A true scientific consensus
  • Why the Spanish flu in 1918 seems to have killed so many healthy people
  • The speed of mutation at the viral level
  • What the infection and death rates from the 1918 pandemic would look like with a population of 6.7 billion – 2.4 billion infected – 60 million dead
  • The total number of hospital beds in the US and the harsh reality of what that means
  • Two lesser pandemics that killed 1.9 million people globally
  • 5 emerging threats that have nothing to do with the flu
  • The monetary cost of infectious disease
  • Nipah – a disease unknown until 1999 with an 80% death rate

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.

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Episode-401- RVs as a Survival Prep

Posted on March 18, 2010 by Modern Survival| 17 Comments
Episode-401- RVs as a Prep [ 51:18 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I just bought a brand new Shamrock 21SS RV and thought it was a good excuse to do a show on RVs as a prep.  I am also mobile today doing a show from the personal mobile studio which seems fitting for the discussion on RVs.

Also – Please do me a favor and watch, comment, vote on this video of The Shelf Reliance Harvest 72 Rack System.

Join me today as we discuss…

  • RVs are “not quite a home on wheels”
  • The advantages of mobility
  • The ease of adding solar power to an RV
  • Power expansion and avoiding over kill
  • Propane – more is better
  • Thoughts on generators and why NOT to buy one from an RV salesman
  • Weight considerations for your two vehicle
  • Motor-coach vs. two vehicle, advantages and disadvantages of both
  • Limits to being “self contained” and dealing with gray/black water
  • Thoughts on storing your RV
  • Accessories and thoughts on research before you buy

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.

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