Monthly Archives: May 2018

Episode-2229- Listener Calls for 5-31-18

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Modern Survival| 7 Comments
Episode-2229- Listener Calls for 5-31-18 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

jackspirkoToday on The Survival Podcast I take your calls on poultry, business, demographics, chicken jerky, frozen meat, irrigation, dogs and more.

Remember to be on a show like this one just pick up your phone and call 866-65-THINK.

The best way to improve your chances of being on the air is ask your question or make your point up front, then provide details.

Also please do your best to call from a quiet area with a good connection and speak up so you can be well heard.

While I can’t put all calls on the air but I do my best to get as many of them on as I can.

Join Me Today As I Respond to Your Calls and Discuss…

  • Raising geese and chickens together
  • A follow up on competition at a farmers market
  • How will aging and dying boomers effect our housing market
  • How to store chicken other than freezing it
  • How long can you keep meat frozen and still have good quality
  • Another option for moving water to high head levels with solar
  • Thoughts on gravity irrigation methods
  • More on training dogs to obey off leash, etc.

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 (866-658-4465) and you might hear yourself on the air.

Join the MSB Today

Join the MSB Today

Want Every Episode of TSP Ever Produced?

Remember in addition to discounts to over 40 vendors who supply stuff you are likely buying anyway, tons of free ebooks and video content, MSB Members also get every edition of The Survival Podcast ever produced in convenient zip files in blocks of 24. More info on the MSB can be found here.

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Will You Be at TSPs 10 Year Anniversary Party – Aug. 11 2018

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Modern Survival| 19 Comments

We will have a private bar, a personal wait staff and private room for our 10 year anniversary, will you be there?

It is hard to believe but it was been almost 10 years ago when on June 20th, 2008; I got into my car and did the horrible recording that ended up as Episode One of TSP.

That was the beginning of the only thing in my professional life I have done for 5 years in a row let alone 10.  The reason is simple, when I started doing this, I figured out, for the first time in my life I was really doing what I wanted to do, teaching and making a difference in the lives of people.   And doing so on my terms and on the terms of those I was speaking to.  A completely voluntary relationship.

In these 10 years I have had incredible successes and some true failures as well.  A journey worth taking is full of ups and downs, and this decade of TSP has been full of both.  But in the end you guys stuck with me.  One month into TSP I had about 25 listeners and set a goal to grow to 1,000 by the end of 08, we slammed that number times 2.5 and hit 2500.

Today I checked this month’s metrics and we averaged about 189,000 downloads a day over this month.  When I look at that and think of the life I have today I am so eternally grateful to you guys.

I am not a guy big on dates and such, but some of my friends and my wonderful wife pointed out that this is not about me, it is about TSP and the community and it should be celebrated.  They were right.  Sadly we are going to have to limit attendance to 50 people.  It won’t be a big multi day event but it should be a lot of fun.

We have chosen a private room at Meso Maya in downtown Fort Worth and the date will be August 11, 2018.  Doing it on the actual anniversary day is just not practical as I will be soaking my butt in the ocean on Sanibel Island that day.

There will be no charge and Dorothy and I will be covering food for everyone with a special assortment of 5 amazing appetizers.  The folks there say that should really be enough for everyone to eat but we will also have our own dedicated wait staff and bar tender for the entire event.   Drinks will be order your own, and I have personally trained them to make Spirko Margaritas.

The 11th is a Saturday night and we selected Down Town Fort Worth because there are many hotels in walking distance.  We plan to Uber there and possibly hit another bar (Bird Cafe has an amazing one) before heading home.

I will provide more details soon and we will have a way to reserve your spot set up soon as well.  It again won’t cost anything but will be reserve your spot in a first come first served manner.  Of course MSB will be given first dibs and a few close friends will get personal invites.

In any even stay tuned for more details and I will announce the time we will begin accepting reservations well in advance.  We felt 50 was a good number, it will be intimate enough that I can spend time with everyone, and it should be an amazingly good time.

As to the location, Dorothy and I found Meso Maya recently and we just love the place.  The service is amazing, the food is totally off the hook and the room we have is just perfect.  I hope to see many of you there.

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Flackers Flax Crackers – Item of the day

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Modern Survival| 7 Comments

flackEvery day I bring you an item on Amazon that I personally use or has been purchased by many members of the audience and I have researched enough to recommend.

Today’s TSP Amazon Item of the day is something I am very excited about.  It is Flackers Flax Crackers.  A couple years ago I let my paleo diet go for a bit, got to lax and put a lot of weight back on.  No where near all of it but too much.  Along the way I have gone back to Protein Power as the core of my Paleo Diet.

Thanks to all that I am once again in pretty good shape.  One thing I always hated giving up was a crunchy cracker.  With Flackers I have found my low carb crunchy muse.  You will notice in my link, I go to an exact match search for flackers, with a setting to pull up free shipping options.

These are being sold by a few vendors, pricing for volume is all over the map, so I leave it to you to pick and choose what works best for you.  Many are “add on items” meaning your total order has to be over 25 bucks but then shipping is free, so combine them with another item if you just want to try a bag or three.

I am going to suggest though that your first purchase be a just two or three packs, because not everyone will like them.  I LOVE them.  We got Rosemary and Savory to try them out.  Dorothy hated the Rosemary (funny because she like the herb) and said she could, “get used to the Savory ones”.  She is not in love with the texture though.

Me I am happy as a pig with a bowl of corn soaked in beer!  I did some of these with sardines, very nice.  I also did some up with yogurt cheese (mixed with cracked pepper, garlic and jalapeno) topped wtih some good quality sliced ham.  To quote Emeril Lagasse BAM!

Here are the stats, a serving has the following…

  • Carbs 8 grams
  • Fiber 7 grams
  • Net Carbs 1 (yes, fing one, woo hoo)
  • Protein 5 grams
  • Fat 8 grams (but zero Saturated or Trans fats and about 5 Grams of it is Omega 3s, most of the rest is ALA which many take as a supplement)
  • Calories 110 (but unless you get stupid you don’t count calories on low carb)
  • Seven grams of fiber

Okay so you have a crunchy snack, with one net carb a serving, a good amount of protein, loaded with Omega 3s, ALA and fiber.  This can’t get better can it?  Oh yea, these things are sprouted and raw.  If you read the write up on the makers website, they are soaked until just sprouted, then seasoned, pressed and dried to a crisp.  Yes sprouted!

Again my only caution is you may not like them, or you might, a whole lot.  But if you are low carb give Flackers a try and see if they work for you.  Frankly this is a super food, something you can eat a bit of every day and never feel bad about it, ever.   Below is a short video to give you an idea of what they look like.

Remember you can always find the TSP Item of the day by just going to TspAz.com and by shopping at TspAz.com anytime you shop online you help support TSP and the work we do here no matter what you buy.

 

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Episode-2228- David Benard on his Journey to Self Sufficiency

Posted on May 30, 2018 by Modern Survival| Leave a comment
Episode-2228- David Benard on his Journey to Self Sufficiency Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

David Bernard and his wife Tonya live about an hour south of Raleigh, North Carolina. Dave has been a member of the TSP audience dating back to 2008, and participates in the TSP Forum under the name, “Dave in Broadway NC.” In 2014, he began writing about the development of their homestead on the “Homesteading and Self Reliant Living” message board, and his subject, “Homestead Layout” now has over 20,000 views.

Dave retired from the Army in October 2017, took a job as a senior manager, and left that position this past February to farm full time. He is now the owner-operator of Off-Broadway Productions, employing market garden production methods inspired by Elliot Coleman, Jean Martin, and Curtis Stone.

Dave joins us today to share his journey of preparedness and discuss how he and his wife have benefited from their many years of listening to TSP.

Resources for today’s show…

Sponsors of the Day

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 (866-658-4465) and you might hear yourself on the air.

Join the MSB Today

Join the MSB Today

Want Every Episode of TSP Ever Produced?

Remember in addition to discounts to over 40 vendors who supply stuff you are likely buying anyway, tons of free ebooks and video content, MSB Members also get every edition of The Survival Podcast ever produced in convenient zip files in blocks of 24. More info on the MSB can be found here.

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ITS Tactical Added to the MSB

Posted on May 30, 2018 by Modern Survival| 1 Comment

As many of you know Bryan and Kelly Black of ITS Tactical are personal friends of Dorothy and I.  Well about a week ago we had them over to our place for dinner and Bryan asked if I would be willing to do a discount for my members in his gear shop.  Of course I said yes.  So I got you guys 12% off all ITS Tactical Gear.

Bryan and his team have long been providing the best Trauma Kits and Medical Equipment you can source since 2009, along with our USA Made Nylon Gear, Lock Picking & Security Tools and Morale Patches that are sure to brighten your day!

Their skill-set related content is second to none and their products support the skills they advocate and discuss in the articles The ITS Website.

They’ve been manufacturing in the USA since their founding in 2009 and they do their best to ensure every product we carry is made in America and supports American-based businesses.

Visit store.itstactical.com to check out all they have to offer and the code to get 12% off every order is already in the Benefits Section of the MSB.

If you are not yet an MSB Member this is just another great discount added to the more than 70 we already provide to our members, so consider joining today.

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Otium Bluetooth FM Transmitter – Item of the Day

Posted on May 30, 2018 by Modern Survival| 10 Comments

bluetoothEvery day I bring you an item on Amazon that I personally use or has been purchased by many members of the audience and I have researched enough to recommend.

Today’s TSP Amazon Item of the day is the Otium Bluetooth FM Transmitter.  I was turned onto this product by a listener and knew at once I needed one for my old F350.  About 2.5 years ago we got our Toyota 4Runner.  It was the first tech heavy vehicle I have ever owned.

I really love being able to play my iphone music and podcasts in it, to make phone calls hands free and hear them over the speakers, etc.  I have been trying to talk myself into getting a new stereo for my truck with features like that.

I just can’t justify it!  My old beast is a long ago paid for 2005 F350.  Not only is it an 05 but it was even when new a bare bones work truck.  I paid cash for it in 2011 and it has been a good partner.  I just don’t drive it that much any more, so I wanted the cool features and access to my music but couldn’t justify the expense.

I did have a FM Modulator in it for a while that allowed me to play music but it wasn’t really that good of a sound quality.  What I had been doing is taking my Bose Speaker with me, but I don’t really like having a 300 dollar speaker sitting in my truck when I am in the store or what have you.

Coming in at only 20 bucks, when I first reviewed it, I almost wrote this thing off but the guy that wrote in about it was raving about it so I gave it a shot.  Man this thing is slick.  First you pick an open unused frequency on the FM dial and set it to that.  You pair your phone to it and that is that.  And today it is an even better deal as the price has dropped to only 16 bucks!

You can now make calls, listen to music or podcasts, etc.  One really great thing is it also has a USB port so you can charge your phone and you don’t loose the outlet for that purpose.  It also takes an SD card if you want to put music or audio files on it that way.

Another great feature is that it has an aux port, so you can directly connect a non bluetooth device or not use bluetooth on your phone to conserve battery life, or simply because you don’t want to use it for any reason.

Most newer vehicles now come with these features built in but if you have an older vehicle this little gadget will give it a hell of an upgrade for only 18 bucks.  So check out the Otium Bluetooth FM Transmitter if you have an outdated sound system.

Remember you can always find the TSP Amazon Item of the day by just going to TspAz.com and by shopping at TspAz.com anytime you shop online you help support TSP and the work we do here no matter what you buy.

P.S. – My only word of caution is make sure you have some “empty space” on your FM dial based on where you live.  Here in Dallas I have 107.7 and one other frequency that are actually empty with minimal bleed over.  I have put presets for these two stations on my radio so I can swap if one starts picking up too much static or bleed.  I live in a huge market and the dial is really crowded, in many areas the dial is full of empty channels.  If anyone knows of a comparable product that uses AM bands, please let me know, TONS of empty space there!

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Episode-2227- Listener Feedback for 5-29-18

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Modern Survival| 3 Comments
Episode-2227- Listener Feedback for 5-29-18 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

jackspirkoToday on The Survival Podcast I take your questions on plant labels, the nipah virus, annexation, treated lumber, GMOs, guns, mulch, free speech, bacon, adoption, fishing and more.

Make sure if you submit content for a feedback show that you put something like “comment for jack”, “question for jack” or “article for jack” in the subject line to assure proper identification for my screening process.

Please understand I receive several hundred emails a day and can’t get them all on the air.

I also do put out a lot of information on Facebook from emails that I can’t fit on the program though so keep em coming.

Join Me Today As I Respond to Your Calls and Discuss…

  • Labling plants and what happens when you don’t do it
  • What you need to know about the Nipah Virus and why you don’t need to panic
  • Thoughts on the threat of “forced annexation”
  • Treated lumber in highly acidic soils
  • Next on the GMO agenda, nitrogen fixation for non legume crops
  • Should you use free mulch from landscapers
  • Choosing a 1911 for concealed carry
  • Why I actually agree with the judge who said Trump can’t block critics on twitter
  • How I use bacon grease in our kitchen
  • My experience with the adoption process
  • The basics of surf fishing

Resources for today’s show…

Sponsors of the Day

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 (866-658-4465) and you might hear yourself on the air.

Join the MSB Today

Join the MSB Today

Want Every Episode of TSP Ever Produced?

Remember in addition to discounts to over 40 vendors who supply stuff you are likely buying anyway, tons of free ebooks and video content, MSB Members also get every edition of The Survival Podcast ever produced in convenient zip files in blocks of 24. More info on the MSB can be found here.

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Marine Metal Aeratr Bubble Box – Item of the Day

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Modern Survival| 4 Comments

Every day I bring you an item on Amazon that I personally use or has been purchased by many members of the audience and I have researched enough to recommend.

Today’s TSP Amazon Item of the day is the Marine Metal Aeratr Bubble Box.  Yes this is another item for your fishing kit, but it is more than that, a lot more.  In the end what this is comes down to a battery powered aerator that runs about 40 hours on 2 D-Cell Batteries.  Again 40 hours!

So sure I keep one in my Fishing Kit, because it can keep bait alive or fish that I want to bring home alive in a bucket.  That is what most people use this for.  Yet there are other things one may need this for.

Let me ask you, do you keep fish at all?  Like do you have an aquarium?  Or an aquaponics system?  Now I am not suggesting that this little box can keep your 55 gallon tank or 300 gallon IBC running like a top long term, but what if you power goes out for a day or two?

Like many of you I have a generator but you can only run so many things and like many of you I am all about running what you can on batteries when it makes sense.  So consider with a 12 pack of cheap D-Cell batteries and two of these boxes you could keep two tanks aerated for 120 strait hours.  Folks that is 5 days!

Again long term this is not a solution for larger tanks but during an outage this could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in lost fish!  And what does this little magic box set you back, a whopping 8 bucks.

Oh and hey what about you high gravity beer and mead brewers?  Those of you wanting to push things to 16-20% ABV, one key to that is oxygen, so you hook this little bad boy up to your carboy, (sanitize the hose and stone of course) and run it for 6 hours before setting your airlock into place!  Note if you plan to do this you should get one dedicated ONLY to this use.

Again my main use for this is keeping fish alive in the field, mostly for bait and it is outstanding for that, but for 8 bucks it does a lot of other things.  So consider adding the Marine Metal Aeratr Bubble Box to your kit today.

Remember you can always find all TSPAZ Items of the day by just going to TspAz.com along with a link to Amazon’s top deals of the day.

 

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Please Remember the Real Meaning of Memorial Day

Posted on May 28, 2018 by Modern Survival| 8 Comments
Today We Honor the Fallen

Today We Honor the Fallen

There will be no episode of TSP today in recognition of Memorial Day. I do want to take a moment to remind everyone today of what Memorial Day is all about. Many well meaning people even get it wrong in a way. My inbox tends to fill up with “thanks for your service” emails around Memorial Day. I appreciate it, there is nothing wrong with thanking a vet today, yet it is not really the day to thank vets many seem to believe it to be.

It seems to me that many think Memorial Day is like Veterans Day Part Two, it isn’t.  Again no day is a bad day to thank a vet but if we become convinced that Memorial Day is about those of us that served and came back home, we miss the point.  Memorial Day is more somber, it is about those who fell in battle and never again got up, it is about those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, it bluntly is about those who died.

Today at some point just pause and think about that.  Think about the 4,400 of our US service members that have fallen in Iraq, the 2,300 in Afghanistan, the 47,000 in Vietnam, 33,000 in Korea, 291,000 in WWII, 53,000 in WWI or perhaps the 212,000 that fell on both sides in the War Between the States.

You don’t have to be for any war past or present to respect men and women who will give their lives for what they believe and fight the wars that politicians initiate.  There are days for just about everything now.  Days for bosses, secretaries, days for this and that and anything Hallmark can come up with.

What you won’t find in most greeting card stores is a Memorial Day Card, because those who would receive the card can’t open it, read it and feel good that someone cares.  All they can hope for is that someone remembers their sacrifice, perhaps a flower or a wreath on their graves (if they even have one) or a comrade who is now living with a zeal for life in their memory.

Memorial day my friends is to remember those who served and died.  Enjoy the day off if you have it, just try to remember the cost of this day. Some say you can’t count the cost, sadly you can and the numbers are very large. If you want to put it in perspective, just view the US Military Casualties of War Page on Wikipedia.

I will end with this though.  There are some that begrudge all the back yard BBQs, trips to the beech and flat out enjoying of a day off.  They seem to feel we should all wear sack cloths and put ashes on our faces today.  I disagree, in fact very much so.  While I truly feel our nation should stop interfering around the world in so many ways, I know the hearts of those who serve.  They believe in what they are defending.

And a family in a back yard, joyfully sharing each others company symbolizes that better than any statue, wall or memorial ever could.  It is okay to be happy today, those who fell would want you to, just take a simple moment in this day and recall their sacrifice.

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Episode-2226- Expert Council Q&A for 5-25-18

Posted on May 25, 2018 by Modern Survival| 9 Comments
Episode-2226- Expert Council Q&A for 5-25-18 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Today its Friday so it’s time for expert council show. To ask a question for a show like this, just send an email to me at jack at thesurvivalpodcast.com with “TSPC Expert” in the subject line.

Today the expert council answers questions on pasture management, bee keeping, medical preparedness, sump pumps, cooking, rocket mass heaters, fakenews, guns and more.

In the body of your email first tell me the council member your question is for. Second ask your question concisely in one to two sentences maximum. Third any and all details after that. This is the formula to give you the best chance of getting on the air.

I do what I can to get as many of your questions as possible on the air but can’t always get to all of them. Our council is made of a wide variety of experts in everything from the tactical to the practical and everything in between.

To get more information on our Expert Council visit our “Meet the Expert Council Page” to learn more about them and their specific areas of expertise.

Join Me Today As Our Experts Discuss…

  • Dealing with Scotch Thistle – Geoff Lawton
  • Dealing with beetles and yellow jackets – Michael Jordan
  • How heat effects the storage of medical supplies – Doc Bones
  • Back up power solutions for sump pumps – Steven Harris
  • Cooking sausage to proper temp and growing in coir fiber – Keith Snow
  • Combining forges and rocket mass heaters – Paul Wheaton
  • Some #fakenews you likely believe – Jack
  • 223 vs. 243 and crappy stocks causing heavy recoil – Jack

Resources for today’s show…

Websites of the Expert Council Members

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 (866-658-4465) and you might hear yourself on the air.

Join the MSB Today

Join the MSB Today

Want Every Episode of TSP Ever Produced?

Remember in addition to discounts to over 40 vendors who supply stuff you are likely buying anyway, tons of free ebooks and video content, MSB Members also get every edition of The Survival Podcast ever produced in convenient zip files in blocks of 24. More info on the MSB can be found here.

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