Preparedness
My family has been raising a small backyard chicken flock for about seven years now, and we have had our ups and downs during this time. From learning about predation and having to protect against it, to dealing with frozen chicken waterers in the winter, to lack of eggs from molting and light conditions, raising chickens is always an adventure. Through this adventure we have increased our awareness of where our food comes from and what it means to have quality meat. So this winter we decided to take the next step and move from a small backyard flock of six birds to raising all of our own meat birds for processing this spring and summer.
(If you are just starting off with chickens or are thinking setting up your own backyard flock, please read the article Raising Your Own Chickens as a starting point.)
This new adventure has provided me a whole new knowledge set, and I would like to share just a few of the new insights I have learned over the last few months.
Six Lessons from an Expanding Flock
by JWMy family has been raising a small backyard chicken flock for about seven years now, and we have had our ups and downs during this time. From learning about predation and having to protect against it, to dealing with frozen chicken waterers in the winter, to lack of eggs from molting and light conditions, raising chickens is always an adventure. Through this adventure we have increased our awareness of where our food comes from and what it means to have quality meat. So this winter we decided to take the next step and move from a small backyard flock of six birds to raising all of our own meat birds for processing this spring and summer.
(If you are just starting off with chickens or are thinking setting up your own backyard flock, please read the article Raising Your Own Chickens as a starting point.)
This new adventure has provided me a whole new knowledge set, and I would like to share just a few of the new insights I have learned over the last few months.
Part I – Practical Survival Equipment
In this segment of the Emergency Assessment series, we’re going to discuss equipment, but not in a way that is commonly seen.
We’re going to take the information from the previous segment (Understanding Emergencies) and set up some definitions that we will use to frame what we need in order to meet emergencies head on. If you have not yet read that article, please take a few minutes to read it now, because this article builds on the knowledge gained in the previous one.
Most of the time, this discussion focuses on what you hear when you hear “survivalists” consider their options. Typically it’s the equipment: What rifle for deer? What (this) to accomplish (that)? Our section on equipment is intentionally placed halfway through this article, because before we decide on any sort of equipment, it’s imperative that we shape our demands, and our demands are not equipment — our demands are skills. A set of lock picks aren’t going to do you any good if you’re trying to escape a dead city and you can't tell a rake from a torsion wrench.
In short, our priorities are:
- A cogent assessment of the situation
- A detailed plan on what you have, lack, and need, in terms of skill set, mindset, and know-how
- The skills to perform the given task
- The tools to perform the given task
Understanding Emergencies: Every Day Carry and Survival Equipment
by Aaron MPart I – Practical Survival Equipment
In this segment of the Emergency Assessment series, we’re going to discuss equipment, but not in a way that is commonly seen.
We’re going to take the information from the previous segment (Understanding Emergencies) and set up some definitions that we will use to frame what we need in order to meet emergencies head on. If you have not yet read that article, please take a few minutes to read it now, because this article builds on the knowledge gained in the previous one.
Most of the time, this discussion focuses on what you hear when you hear “survivalists” consider their options. Typically it’s the equipment: What rifle for deer? What (this) to accomplish (that)? Our section on equipment is intentionally placed halfway through this article, because before we decide on any sort of equipment, it’s imperative that we shape our demands, and our demands are not equipment — our demands are skills. A set of lock picks aren’t going to do you any good if you’re trying to escape a dead city and you can't tell a rake from a torsion wrench.
In short, our priorities are:
- A cogent assessment of the situation
- A detailed plan on what you have, lack, and need, in terms of skill set, mindset, and know-how
- The skills to perform the given task
- The tools to perform the given task
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