Tag Archives: solar

Episode-566- Cam Mather on Off Grid Living

Cam Mather who originally appeared in Episode 364 is back to share another round of wisdom about living off grid.

Cam and his family unplugged from the grid about 14 years ago, today they are continuing their journey by expanding agricultural production, expanding their solar arrays and more.

His first book “Thriving During Challenging Times, The Energy, Food and Financial Independence Handbook” provides a road map for readers to deal with the converging challenges of climate change, peak oil and resource depletion and the economic crisis.

His second book “The All You Can Eat Gardening Handbook” shows how to turn your back yard into your own “One-Hundred-Foot-Diet Produce Department” with minimal fossil inputs.

Join us today to learn…

  • The real joy of living the “unplugged life”
  • Why unplugged doesn’t mean dark ages or low tech
  • How you can begin your own journey to energy independence
  • Why efficiency is the cheapest form of alternative energy
  • Growing your own food
  • Storing your surplus production
  • Surviving ice storms in style
  • Inexpensive ways to build your soil with things others throw away
  • Staying in touch with satellite internet and TV options

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.

Episode-493- Listener Feedback 8-16-10

It is Monday and I am back with another round of your feedback, suggestions, article and questions.  To send in feedback for a show like this one just email jack at thesurvivalpodcast.com and you might here your question or comment on the air.

Join me today as we discuss…

  • Can you make money doing solar “farming” on cheap waste land
  • A real world account on the importance of back up documentation
  • Brought to us by GMO the glow in the dark pig and other wonderful ideas
  • When you build a solar system at home do you think beyond ROI and payback periods
  • Well you can relax the Swine Flu Level Six pandemic is over, IDIOTS!
  • Why do I say no credit cards vs. just don’t carry a balance
  • A new super bug arrives from India, oh wonderful!
  • Homemade pepper spray for garden pest repellent

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.

Episode-437- The Road to Individual Energy Independence

Today we discuss “alternative energy”, not always “green energy” as a path to energy independence.  Like many topics that involve “independence” it is not an all or nothing concept, unlike death, independence does come in degrees.  So what we cover today ranges from initial baby steps to full tilt off grid life.

Join me today as we discuss…

  • The why’s behind the quest energy independence
    • Alternative vs. green energy
    • Polar bears vs. practicality
    • Peak oil?   May be.  Peak expense?  Inevitable.
    • Taxation
    • Disaster
    • Liberty
  • Steps on the route to independence
    • Start with efficiency
    • Identify reality (lights aren’t that big a deal)
    • Building a back up system
    • Adding a small generator
    • Adding solar/wind to your back up system
    • Adding a large generator
    • Building a passive solar heater
    • Building a solar hot water heater
    • Going full tilt with solar and wind

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.

Episode-419- Feedback, Articles and Commentary for 4-19-10

I am going to try to start making the feedback shows more engaging with a lot of different sources.  So today we have your questions by email, your feedback by phone, some interesting news stories and even some audio off of Youtube on money creation to help answer one of your questions.

Join me today as we discuss…

  • What about making your own solar panels
  • Should a young grad buy land even if they are not ready to build
  • How do you set priorities and “pull it all together”
  • Exactly how is money created by “lending it into existence”
  • CITI Pays back the loans to the government, what does it mean
  • Are you contributing to “the systems” with credit cards if you pay your balance in full
  • A simple additive to improve the life of your vehicle
  • A Icelandic volcano disrupts Europe’s food chain
  • Who feeds the world, industrial agriculture of peasant farmers
  • How do you transport silver & gold long distances
  • Window Farms – and idea who’s time has come
  • Can you grow guavas in New Mexico

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.

Episode-409- The Value of Rural Land

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.

Episode-357- Call in Friday 1-15-10

Today we do our second edition of call in Friday where I take listener calls and comments on the air.  To call in an leave your own question for me just dial 866-65-THINK and leave a message and you might hear yourself on the air.

Join me today as we discuss

  • Where to find chickens for your homestead
  • How many eggs does an average hen lay
  • What protection do chickens need in winter
  • What about filtering water during a city water contamination
  • What is a good book for your BOB
  • If you are buying your first two guns, should both be handguns
  • What is the purpose of a handgun
  • What can people in very cold climates do to be able to grow food
  • Is liberty given as a gift not understood and valued the way liberty fought for is
  • What can we learn from the earthquake in Haiti
  • What would Jefferson say if he was around today
  • Why are three Navy Seals in trouble because a terrorist got a bloody lip
  • Is a solar rebate “taking the governments money”
  • How do you store food long term with Mylar, buckets and O2 Absorbers

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.

Episode-346- Listener Questions and Events for 12-30-09

Well after yesterdays technology failure I redid the show for today from the home office.  Join me today as we discuss concepts such as mass production solar power, permaculture, our incompetent TSA, Monsanto and more.

Tune in today as we discuss…

  • Mass produced snap together solar power is on the way
  • Get ready to remove your underwear at the airport (virtually anyway)
  • TSA leaked its’ secrete screening processes
  • How do you find land that is usable and affordable and not to far away
  • Can you freeze dry food at home
  • What do I think of Tom Brown’s Tracker Knife and what are some alternatives
  • Is Tuberculosis the new big pandemic threat and what about pandemic threats in general
  • Monsanto now controls 90% of the global seed supply
  • How to pattern and plan permaculture in a northern climate

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.

Episode-345- An Interview with Christopher Nyerges

Join me today as I interview Christopher Nyerges from the editorial staff of Wilderness Way Magazine.  Christopher is also the author of quite a few books and a wealth of knowledge on gardening, permaculture, botany, alternative energy, wilderness survival skills and more.

Note of Correction – In today’s show I mention a 5000 year old food forest, that was an error it was a 2000 year old forest.  I apologize for the misstatement and a link to the Youtube video is in today’s show notes.

Join me today as we discuss…

  • Christopher’s new book, The Self Sufficient Home
  • How to be cost effective with solar, wind and other energy projects
  • Why being part of the effort is key to success with alternative energy projects
  • The parallels between surviving urban/suburban disasters and wilderness survival
  • The importance of caring for others in a survival situation
  • Why political awareness is important for modern survivalism
  • The three illusions of money
  • Why Christopher choose the format for his new book of showing multiple families and communities with real world projects
  • The importance of growing your own food
  • Methods of harvesting water and why it is key to your success
  • Why “resource shortage” is more important that political concepts like global warming

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.

Episode-339- Listener Feedback for 12-17-09

I am in the home office today please forgive my voice which is strained for some reason today.  We discuss topics today that include tolerance for others, gaining independence, gun ownership in the UK, community supported agriculture and more.

Tune in today as we discuss…

  • Feedback from two listeners on how they are living that better life
  • What is libertarianism – it isn’t really a system of government but self governance
  • Choosing between installing utility lines and living off grid with new construction
  • Should you have a gun safe at a BOL
  • Growing in containers on a boat
  • What is CSA (community supported agriculture) and why should you support it
  • Could something like CSA in 1890 prevented the Federal Reserve – sure might have
  • What can you do with duct tape

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.

Episode-323- Listener Questions 11-23-03

It is Monday and time for another round or listener questions.  We have some really great and honestly a few tough ones today.  Today we have questions on gun storage, military life, careers, education, wind and solar, cooking and more.

Tune in to hear my answers to these questions…

  • Should you put guns away in long term storage if so how?
  • Where can you get detailed plans for small scale solar and wind?
  • If I am making biltong in a humid climate do I need one of those boxes with a light bulb?
  • What are the best cuts of meat for making biltong?
  • What is a good recipe for making biltong?
  • How can a military officer discuss prepping with out looking like an “extremist” and becoming a target of higher ups?
  • Have I ever made beer bread in a solar oven?
  • Advice for a 10 year old listener who listens with his dad to TSP?
  • Can I give a shout out to the troops at FOB Sperwan Gar?  (your damn right I can)
  • When looking for land and houses should you consider foreclosures, sheriffs auctions, etc.?
  • What advice do I have for a person considering grad school in today’s economy?

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.