We Have Produced Food!!!! Woo Hoo!

This is the first year that Shawn and I have put forth serious effort to gardening.  The past few years have involved us starting off with some excited attempts only to give up when the weeds overwhelm us.  This year we heavily mulched the garden using the Back To Eden method.  We've added mass quantities of wood chips and grass clippings and now weed maintenance is actually do-able!

I'm excited to say that we're actually harvesting and using food that we're producing in our garden.  Today our lunch-time soup includes peas, carrots, and turnips from our own garden.  After supper tonight we're having a fruit salad that contains our own blueberries and blackberries.  Tomorrow night's supper will include beets and cauliflower that we've raised.  It's an awesome feeling to serve food to my family that was produced on our own land.  It really does make all the sweat, sunburn, and bug bites worth it!

Here's a view from the back corner of the garden.  Since we're still on the GAPS diet, none of that corn is for our family to eat.  All of that corn has been planted as winter chicken food.

Here are the arbors at the back of our garden.  Starting from the left there is an arbor of pickling cucumbers, a second arbor of pickling cucumbers that was planted a couple weeks later, and then the last three arbors include two different varieties of pole green beans.  We have watermelon plants growing in the middle of all the arbors so that "empty" space is utilized.

There's also more watermelon planted just to the right of the arbors in the back corner of the garden.  We're growing two different varieties of watermelon this year..a traditional red watermelon, but also one that's yellow inside.

We ended up with more tomato plants than we had planned for so Shawn put up this spur-of-the-moment fence for tomatoes to grow on next to the corn.  You can't see it because it's still too small, but on the other side of the tomato fence we actually have a row of cotton growing.  That's one of our experiments this year.

The front of the garden is where most of our tomatoes are growing.  The rows in front of the tomatoes that look empty actually have some small sunflowers growing in them.  We're planning on using the sunflowers as winter feed for our chickens and rabbits.  However, we're really having a battle with birds trying to eat our sunflowers.  We've already planted twice and each time only a fraction have reached a decent size because of the birds getting to them.  Behind the tomatoes you can see Shawn's tire potatoes still growing well.  So far, we're really pleased with the experiment of growing potatoes in tires.

Here you can see more of the near-empty rows of sunflowers.  To the left of that is our garlic that's starting to brown and then our onions that are growing along nicely.  Between the garlic/onion boxes and the arbors are where our pepper seedlings are planted.

Here is the other back-corner of the garden where we have cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, and turnips growing.  You can see a little glimpse of our blueberry bushes in the corner of the picture.  The raised beds in the back that look empty actually have brussels sprouts seeds planted in them.  The little raised bed in the very back corner has three eggplants growing in it.  You can also see our three compost piles in the back of the photo.  We have a big volunteer squash plant that has popped up there.  I'm anxious to see what exactly it's going to produce.

Here's the front of the garden.  Here we're growing four arbors of peas.  Under each of the arbors we have planted cantaloupe.  The two raised beds contain carrots with space left over for me to continually plant more every few weeks.  You can also see our blueberries better in this photo.

Here's our small patch of beets located at the back of the garden behind the rabbit shed.

Finally, here are our two arbors of squash at the front of the garden.  The first arbor with the larger squash is made up of volunteer plants that came up in our carrot raised bed.  We transplanted them here so I'm not really certain what they're going to produce.  The arbor with smaller plants contain yellow crookneck squash and some scallop squash.  We've placed the boards on the ground near the squash to make it easier to kill squash bugs that come around.

So, at this point in our 2012 garden, I am very pleased with the Back To Eden method.  It has taken a lot of time this year to get everything mulched, but that time investment is already paying off with fewer weeds.  Lord willing, next year ought to be even easier.

If you'd like to watch the Back To Eden film, you can view it for free here:
http://backtoedenfilm.com/#movie

We're Officially Top Bar Hive Beekeepers!

We received our bees today and Shawn got both hives up and going without a single sting..yay!

I admit that I was a little intimidated by them.  However, Shawn drove two hours to pick up the packages of bees.  When he put them in his vehicle he noticed that there were some bees riding along on the outside of the packages.  So, he got to drive home two hours with some bees flying around inside the vehicle with them.  When he stopped at Dairy Queen to eat he even had a guy in the booth behind him say, "Hey did you know you've got a bee on your shirt?"  So, by the time he got home he wasn't quite as intimidated by them as I was.

Sam, Sarah, and I went out to watch Shawn install the bees into their new homes.

Here he is getting the queen's cage ready to hang inside the top bar hive

Pouring the package of bees into the top bar hive

The package still had some bees in it so he set it on the ground in front of the hive's entrance and then closed it up by affixing the roof to the hive.  The bees inside the package made their way into the hive by themselves and Shawn retrieved the empty package as the sun went down.

Finishing up with the second hive and putting the bars back in place

It was so much easier and faster than I expected it to be.  When Shawn went down to retrieve the empty packages later this evening he didn't even bother to wear the protective veil or gloves.  The bees really are gentle.

So, our next goal is to keep the bees alive.  We plan on giving them some supplemental food for a week or so, but then they'll be on their own.  I'll try to keep updating on our bee-adventure.

Farm Animal Update

I thought I'd give a little update on all the animals that we currently have on our farm.

This is our third Spring on our property. So far we've added a new animal to the farm each Spring. In the Spring of 2010 we acquired chickens. Spring 2011 we got meat rabbits. This Spring we are starting up with bees.

Chickens
We currently have 14 Rhode Island Red (RIR) hens, 1 Longhorn hen, and 5 roosters of various breeds. The RIR hens are two years old now so their egg production isn't quite what it used to be. We love how calm and docile they are and their eggs are wonderful, but this year we thought that we would try out some different breeds. We have 15 Buff Orpington hens that are now 2 months old. Then we have also acquired 14 Black Australorps, 2 Barred Rocks, and 1 mystery hen that are all 4 weeks old. We chose the Buff Orpingtons and Black Australorps because they are good Winter layers and they're more likely to go broody. We would love to be set up so that we never have to purchase chicks ever again.

Shawn built two movable chicken tractors for the chicks to go into once they're too big for the broody pen, but still too small to free range with the rest of the flock. Right now the Buff Orpingtons are out in a chicken tractor in the front yard. The 4 week old chicks are still in the broody pen in the shop.

There's a bar in the upright portion of the chicken tractor for the hens to roost on at night. Shawn moves the chicken tractor once or twice a day so that the chickens have access to fresh grass. So far it's working well. No predator has penetrated it and the chicks seem happy.

Rabbits
We still have the same two female (Daisy and Zelda) and one male rabbit (Peter) that we purchased last Spring. They are New Zealand rabbits. We have the rabbit shed set up in the garden so that the rabbit droppings are right where they're needed. We've already bred Daisy and Zelda this Spring but apparently the breedings weren't successful. So, they've been bred a second time and I guess we'll see if it "took" in a couple weeks.

Bees
This year we decided to try beekeeping. With our orchard and garden we thought that having our own pollinators right on our property would be beneficial. The yummy honey in our backyard would be an extra-special bonus. We researched and decided to go with an uncommon style of hive called the Top Bar Hive. We purchased two hives this year and we intend to purchase one or two more in the future. Shawn set everything up in our pasture. It's within view of the house but still separated by a fence so that the children can't just run out to the hives by themselves.

In setting up the bee area Shawn first cut the grass in the pasture and then put down weed blocker and wood chips. We don't want to have to deal with weeds growing up around the hives once they're established.

We purchased our top bar hives from here:
http://netshed.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=2&zenid=bbfdb5f44ce43f9e52ea5fde9f0d8da9
They are beautiful cedar hives.  I love the way they smell.  The door on the side has a window so that you can actually look into the hive and see the comb without removing the lid and disturbing the bees.

We are due to acquire the bees very soon. I'll be sure to post an update once we get the bees installed in the hive. (If you don't hear back from me, then I guess the bees may have overcome us!)

 Finally, here are some pictures of farm animals that we DON'T eat!

YouTube Video Recommendations

In the past Shawn and I have enjoyed watching some BBC television shows that recreate life in different time periods. Each series has actual archaeologists and historians living the life of that time period for a full year. These shows are available for free on YouTube. So far we have watched Victorian Farm, which is about life in the mid-19th Century.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ts0Rwnn2yg

We've also watched Edwardian Farm, which is about life just after the turn of the 20th Century.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H10TJT87BaU

We have enjoyed both of these series immensely. They're delightful to watch while being educational at the same time.

We've also been wanting to see a third series that was made using the same historians/archaeologists, but it hasn't been available on YouTube. Well, this week Shawn just happened to check again and we were excited to find that it's available! So, we're now in the process of watching Tales from the Green Valley. It is about life in the year 1620.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNlaG2Tv3zU

I can't recommend these enough. What's especially nice is that these are made with actual historians...professionals that are enthralled with life in the past. Other shows that we have watched have had more of a drama-filled "reality tv" feel to them and we just simply do not care to watch that kind of show. This is a wonderful change from the norm. If you do get to watch them, let me know what you think!

Canning Applesauce

I don't like canning. However, I'm very grateful for all the yummy fruit we have growing in our orchard and I refuse to see it go to waste. So...yesterday I canned.

We still have more apples to pick, but here's the first picking from one of the trees.

Those are some of our pears in the jars. I ended up with 18 quart jars of dehydrated pear slices. Also, see that beautiful apple! That's the biggest apple that we harvested this year. It was too pretty to turn into applesauce, so it was set aside for eating fresh.

As much as I dislike canning, I will admit that this year was easier than last year. Over the past year I have acquired several tools that made canning easier. Last year I used my big pressure canner as a water bath canner. However this year I was able to use a real water bath canner with a rack and that made it much easier. I also acquired a handy apple peeler/corer/slicer since last year. It made things go so much faster!

I had to fiddle with the appropriate thickness for the peeler blade, but once I got everything set correctly it was a little bit fun to use this tool.

First you just push the apple onto the three-pronged rod and spin the handle. The apple is then peeled, cored, and sliced all at the same time.


Then you just slide the finished apple away from the core.


The kids loved the sliced apples. Sarah kept calling them "yo-yo apples."


From that basket I ended up with 13 pints of applesauce. (In the back is some salsa that I'm fermenting for Shawn.)


Whooo, I am so glad that's done! I wish I would have taken a picture of my kitchen after the canning process was finished. It looked like a bomb had gone off. Just one of the reasons why I dislike the canning process, but really like the feeling after it's all said and done.

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Recently I read the book Surviving Off Off-Grid by Michael Bunker. In his book, Mr. Bunker urges readers to look at the benefits of living an agrarian life free from modern "conveniences." I especially liked that he used Scripture to point out why an agrarian lifestyle is pleasing to God.

I don't think anyone would be too surprised to find out that I'm drawn to an agrarian lifestyle. Perhaps I get that from my Dad. He farms. However, he farms for a living which includes things like combines and tractors that cost more than our house! I'm still interested in working the land, but on a much smaller scale than my Dad. I'm not looking to feed the entire world. I just want to produce enough from our land to feed our own family. I strive to be self-sufficient. For those reasons, it shouldn't be surprising that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm all set to start up a Christian Agrarian Separatist community now. Mr. Bunker's book is very motivating.

I just want to casually mention...the home closest to our property is for sale. Anyone want to buy it and help start up a Christian Agrarian Separatist community? We're good neighbors...I promise!

So, It's Been Almost TWO Months!!

I bet you thought we'd gone into the Witness Protection Program or something, huh? Actually, I've just been really overwhelmed lately. Who'd have thought that homesteading would be difficult with a 6 year old, 4 year old, 2 year old, and newborn?

I'll just give a synopsis of what's been going on around the homestead.

We have a new baby chick!


The pears are being harvested. (This is just what could be reached on ONE tree. We still have to pick the top of that tree and another tree.) Looks like I'll be canning and dehydrating a lot next week.

Shortly after David was born I dehydrated 2 quarts of cherries from our cherry trees. We're also starting to get apples from our trees. I harvested the peaches, but we dealt with brown rot again this year, so I was only able to harvest about 25 peaches. I've got to figure out how to eliminate brown rot.

We have rabbits that need to be butchered starting next week.


Shawn has set up the first of our water collection barrels.


And he just recently got our outhouse completed.


We also managed to obtain a nice collection of old farm tools.


On the not-so-great end of things...Shawn now has his first experience with poison ivy. He says that he used to be able to roll in the stuff and not get a rash, but this week he developed his first rash. Apparently he got into some while clearing out the weeds near the barn while he put in the water collection barrel. Also, we recently purchased a 55" LCD flat-screen TV....but not for us. While visiting my parents, Shawn was attempting to show Sam how to work their Wii game. Since neither Shawn nor Sam have any experience with the gaming system, they managed to actually hit Mom and Dad's TV with the controller. After doing research online we now know more than we ever wanted to about the TV's very fragile liquid crystals and that Wii's wriststraps are there as a safety feature. We've also learned that our family is just not cut out for fancy gaming systems or electronics.

So, next week we'll be busy butchering rabbits, preserving pears, and putting in the Fall garden. We'll also be starting to homeschool the kids starting tomorrow. Always something to do...

I'll end the post with pictures of some cute kids!

Living In An Energy-Efficient Earth-Berm Home

When we moved to our homestead this past December, we really didn't know what to do with our earth-berm home. We knew that it was supposed to be more energy-efficient, but we had no clue how to make it energy-efficient. We thought we would just move in and see tiny electric bills from that day forward. We were so disappointed when, last winter, we simply could not keep this house warm. I was miserable. I would get out of the shower and almost freeze to death before I could get dressed.

Since then, we've discovered that our attic insulation was very sporadic. So, late this summer we had more insulation put in. We also recently added thermal curtains to most of the windows on the south side of the house. (The north, east, and west sides of the home are built into the ground, so if there are windows, they are the small "basement" type.)

I'm pleased to say that, with the improvements that we made this year, we just recently turned on our heat for the first time two days ago, on Tuesday November 16th. Now, I never really paid attention to when we turned our heat on for the first time in our old home, but I'm pretty certain that it was well before mid-November. I've also been comparing our electric bills from our old home. I was pleased to see that this month's electric bill was $78.19 compared to this time last year at our old home at $102.41. Figured into our $78 bill now is an outdoor light with a $8+ dollar monthly fee that we didn't pay for at our old home. So, I'm pleased to be seeing a savings so far and I'm looking forward to this winter to compare last winter's bills. However, our goal is to be totally independent of the central heat at some point. We'd like to solely heat with our wood stove as we gain more experience with it and Shawn gets a larger stockpile of firewood cut.

It's also taken some time to figure out how to "work" our earth-berm home. I discovered that, in the summer, I needed to open the windows as soon as the sun went down and the temperature dropped. Then, in the mornings I needed to close all the windows and curtains in order to keep the cool air trapped inside our home. It did make a difference, and fortunately, with our skylights and small northern windows, we still had enough light entering that we didn't have to use the electric lights too often. I will admit that I wasn't excited about this plan because I didn't want to feel like I was living in a cave for the entire summer's daylight hours. However, I discovered that I really spent very little time inside in the summertime. There's way too much stuff to do outside in the garden and orchard at that time of the year. So, coming inside to a cool, relatively dark home was kind of nice.

In the winter, I will need to do the opposite. In the mornings once the sun comes up, I open the south-facing curtains to let the sunlight come in. Doing this helps the house to heat up. In the evenings I close all the curtains up and the heat from the sun is trapped in here to help keep us warm through the night.

So far, things seem to be working well. Granted it's only November. I guess the real test will be February when it's bitter cold, but I'm optimistic.

Fitting Two Pieces Together

Sometimes I feel like the blog is getting pulled in a multitude of directions. We discuss recipes, homesteading, autism, healthy eating, and preparedness/survival in addition to other odds and ends.

I mentioned in a previous post that we're gearing up to start the GAPS diet in October. Our primary reason for doing this is that (I pray) it will help Sam's autistic behaviors and Andrew's belly troubles. However, us doing the GAPS diet is also a preparedness measure. You see, the idea behind the GAPS diet is not that it's a permanent way of eating. The diet eliminates certain foods for a time in order to give the gut time to heal. After healing has occurred, then you can reintroduce the foods that were once offensive. Some might be saying at this point, "Okay....so what's this have to do with preparedness?"

Well, so far our family has put away some foods that we can no longer eat. Wheat and even brown rice cause negative side effects for our boys. Imagine being in an emergency situation and having food available, but knowing that if you give that food to your children, they're going to suffer. Their bellies will be full, but then you'll be left dealing with humming, hand flapping, loud repetitive talk, and diarrhea. Not fun to deal with EVER, but DEFINITELY not wanted in an emergency situation. So, while our main goal in doing the GAPS diet is to heal our sons, another goal is to make life in an emergency situation easier.

I can attest that storing away food for an emergency is very difficult to do when you have special diets to work around. It's my hope that the GAPS diet will heal our boys and therefore make emergency food preparedness an easier task.

Is there any health-related issue in your family that is a hindrance to your emergency preparedness? Is there anything you can do about it now so that it's not a huge ordeal when times are not so easy?

7 Basic Firearms That Every Freedom-Loving Self-Sufficient Prepper Should Own

Gun knowledge is not something that I'm very proficient at, however my husband loves the topic. Recently, some have expressed an interest in more hard-core emergency preparedness/survival topics, so I drafted Shawn to write a guest post for me. Even though this is a vast change from the normal SAHMville posts, I hope you enjoy it!

As a law enforcement and firearms instructor, I am often asked,
“What firearm(s) do you recommend for….” To cover every situation or need that may arise for a firearm, I recommend that everyone have at least these 7 firearms available:

1. .22 Caliber Pistol

With rising ammo prices, it is difficult to target practice often with centerfire weapons. A good .22 pistol and rifle (mentioned later) provides an affordable way to maintain your shooting skills. The .22 pistol can also be used for small game, finishing off a wounded larger animal or for use when the loud report of a larger caliber is not desired. While there are many options to choose from, here are my favorites:


Walther P-22
The best thing about the P-22 is that it is built to function and feel like a larger, full-size handgun. This helps maintain your skills in combat reloading since the magazine release, decocker and slide are set up like a full-size handgun.


Ruger MKII (and similar)
For over 50 years, Ruger has produced one of the most popular .22 caliber handguns. There are several models that have evolved over the years. All of them are high-quality, dependable and affordable rimfire handguns.

2. .357 Magnum Revolver

The primary handgun for law enforcement during the mid to late 20th century was the .357 magnum revolver. They are very dependable, accurate and easy to use. While a revolver has a limited capacity compared to a full-size semi-auto, there are some advantages with this old workhorse. Lighter and cheaper .38 special ammo can be fired in a .357 mag, shot-shells work well and there is no fear of malfunction or bad round bringing the weapon to a halt. If a round of ammo fails to fire, simply pull the trigger again for the next round. With a little practice, speed-loaders can be used quickly and are a must if you carry this gun for protection.



My personal favorites are the Smith & Wesson model 19 (blued) or model 66 (stainless) as well as the Ruger Security-Six and SP-101.

3. Full-Size Combat Pistol

If you only own one handgun, it should be a full-size combat pistol. By “full-size,” I mean a barrel length of 3 ½ to 5 inches with a capacity of no less than 11, preferably 15 or more. I would avoid “odd” calibers such as 10mm and .357 Sig which would prove difficult to find in a “hit the fan” situation. Stick with military and police calibers (9mm, .40 caliber, .45 ACP). These rounds are common and can be purchased in bulk from various suppliers. I would have no less than 6 magazines, keeping 3 loaded at all times, rotating the mags each month to avoid excessive wear on the springs. Don’t forget a variety of holsters including a military flap holster, shoulder holster and high-quality law enforcement grade belt holster so that the pistol can be carried in whatever manner is needed. Don’t forget magazine pouches and a sturdy belt.


The Beretta Model 92 (U.S. Military M-9) 15-round 9mm is built on the same frame as the Model 96 11-round .40 caliber


The Glock Model 17 17-round 9mm is build on the same frame as the Model 22 15-round .40 caliber and Model 21 13-round .45 ACP

There are more options available in this category than any other. Dozens of companies make high-quality combat pistols. My personal favorites are Glock and Beretta. Many may wonder why I have not listed the popular 1911 pistol……well, like it or not, it is out of date. The single-stack 7 or 8 round magazine, single action and excessive weight fail to meet today’s demands. The slight increase in knockdown of a .45 compared to a .40 does not outweigh the fact the 1911 has less than half the capacity of a full-size .40. I’ll take 15 rounds of .40 or 17 rounds of 9mm in a gun battle any day over a mere 7 rounds of .45. Most people under-estimate the number of rounds fired in actual combat and over-estimate their accuracy in such a situation. Trust me, you want a higher capacity. There is certainly nothing wrong with owning a 1911, but it should not be considered your primary combat handgun.

4. .22 Rifle

For most of us, our first firearm was a .22 rifle. I’m sure more .22 rifles are sold in this country each year than any other class of firearm. It is a must for every home. As with the .22 pistol, it is cheap and affordable to shoot on a regular basis. With today’s high velocity rounds (CCI Stinger/Velocitor), the .22 long rifle has surprising range and effectiveness compared to the low velocity rounds we grew up shooting. What other firearm can you still buy 1000 rounds for under $50? Also, hike 3 miles with 250 rounds of .22 long rifle in your pack, then hike that same distance with 250 rounds of .308; the ability to carry a greater amount of ammo becomes obvious.


Ruger 10/22 with Tapco stock and 30-round magazine


The German made GSG-5 with 22-round magazine (HK MP-5 Clone)


Henry Survival Rifle (AR-7) – 8-round magazine (15-round mags are available)

A good .22 rifle will cost between $200 and $500. I recommend you consider the most popular .22 on the market, the Ruger 10/22. This reliable semi-auto has every type of high-capacity magazine, stock and accessory imaginable. For a military-feel right out of the box, I would suggest the GSG-5, built on the frame of an H&K MP-5 sub-machine gun. The GSG-5 provides a less expensive means of training with a military-style rifle. Finally, the Henry Arms Survival Rifle (the latest version of the AR-7) is a unique rifle that disassebles into the stock and is so light weight it will actually float. Remember, if you are carrying a .22 rifle, be sure to have a larger caliber handgun with you.

5. 12 Gauge Pump Shotgun

I’ll admit, I’m not a big fan of shotguns. Oh they have their purposes, especially for bird hunting, but they are very over- rated for self-protection. Despite that, I still recommend you include one in your collection. The versitility of the shotgun is its best feature. Switching from birdshot, to buckshot, then to slugs completely changes the purpose of the weapon. The limited range and limited capacity of a shotgun pushes it back to a secondary weapon in my book. I recommend a pump-action 12 gauge with no less than a 6-shot capacity.


Mossberg 500/590 series come in a variety of configurations, ranging from 6 to 9 shot.


The Remington 870 Police remains the most popular self-defense shotgun.

6. Military-Style Auto-Loading Rifle

The single most important firearm in your collection is the military-style auto-loading rifle. While at least one of these is vital, I would strongly recommend at least one per every person in your household capable of shooting. While a variety of calibers are available, stick with the primary military calibers (.223, .308, 7.62x39mm). These 3 calibers are sold by a variety of suppliers in 1000 round cases. (Cheaper Than Dirt, Sportman’s Guide) Popular military-style rifles include the AR-15, AK-47, Mini-14, Mini-30, HK-91/93 clones, M-14, M1A1, and M-1.

.223 and 7.62x39 rifles typically use a 30-round magazine, while the larger .308 will typically use a 20-round magazine. I would recommend no less than 8 spare magazines per rifle. Avoid keeping magazines loaded for extended periods of time, as this will weaken the spring. Parts kits for these type of rifles are readily available. Lets face it, we live in very uncertain times with a variety of possible threats. A good battle rifle with pleanty of ammo and magazines is the only weapon you could realistically defend your home and family with if faced with multiple, armed invaders. If you live in a state that prohibits these rifles, MOVE.

Don’t wait, these rifles could be banned at any time. With anti-Second Amendment types currently in control of our government, a semi-auto ban or 10-round capacity limit is no doubt on the horizon. These rifles truly represent what the Second Amendment is all about, an armed civilian population cabable of defending liberty from both foreign and domestic threats. They are the insurance that protect our other liberties. I see owning a military-style rifle as more than just my right, but my duty as an American citizen. I love this rifle’s ability to quickly identify those for liberty from those for tyranny. Those who hate freedom, hate these rifles and those who want tyrannical control want to ban them.


The AR-15 has become the hottest selling rifle since the anti-gunners took control of this country in 2008. With every imaginable accessory widely-available, the rifle can be set up in hundreds of configurations. The standard .223 (5.56 mm) is a very effective round due to it’s high velocity. There are dozens of calibers available from a variety of manufacturers. In all my years in law enforcement, I was always conforted knowing I had an AR-15 within reach in my patrol car. If I could only have one firearm with me in a survival situation, it would be the AR-15.


AK-47 (7.62x39mm) – The rifle mentioned by name during Obama’s first speech following his election as a target of his desired gun bans. That alone should make anyone want to run out and purchase one just to prove we value freedom more than he opposes it. For those not familiar with the performance of the 7.62x39 mm, it is ballistically similar to the popular 30-30.


If you’re a history buff, the .30 caliber M-1 Carbine and .30-06 M-1 Garand are battle-proven. The M-1 carbine has a standard 15-round magazine (30-round mags are available) and is effective at up to 100 yards. The mighty M-1 Garand has an 8-round internal magazine and is effective at distances beyond most shooter’s ability or sight. At over 10 pounds, the M-1 Garand may not be your first choice for hiking long distances but will stop any living creature walking on Earth. The .308 caliber M-14 with it’s 20-round magazine is another historic military rifle that many shooters love.

7. Long-Range Bolt-Action Rifle with Scope

Every shooter needs the ability to reach out and strike targets at long distances when the need arises. This calls for a high-powered bolt-action rifle with a good quality scope. These rifles are also effective against large game and in situations where your assailant is wearing body armor or behind cover. While there are dozens of calibers to choose from, I strongly recommend that you stick with standard military and police rounds. The .308 and .30-06 are the most common high-powered ammo on the market and can be easily purchased in 1000 round cases, unlike other rounds such as the .243, .270 and .300 Win Mag that are only available in 20 rounds per box.

As with all rifles and shotguns, avoid wood stocks. Synthetic stocks are stronger, lighter weight, scratch resistant and come in black, green or camo. It is better to use a “tactical” rifle for hunting and target shooting than to use a “hunting” rifle for tactical operations. Plan ahead on how you are going to carry spare ammo, since most bolt-actions have internal magazines. A variety of looped shell holders are designed to carry on a web belt or even the stock of the rifle.


The Remington Model 700 is popular with law enforcement and hunters.


An inexpensive, yet very reliable and powerful rifle, is the 8mm Mauser. This was the primary battle rifle for the Germans during World War II. These old surplus rifles can be purchased at half the cost of current production bolt-action rifles. A case of 8mm ammo should last your lifetime.

CONCLUSION

Examine the firearms you currently own to determine where your deficits are. Start a firearms/ammo budget and begin building your collection. Don’t forget plenty of ammo, a gun without ammo is an expensive billy club. You may also want to purchase a gun safe. If you have young children in your home, make certain that all firearms are completely inaccessable to them. If you keep any firearm loaded for home defense, have a keyless entry gun box or an unchambered semi-auto in a secure location. Firearms are like automobiles and power tools, very useful and helpful , but potentially dangerous if not handled safely. Finally, under no circumstances should a firearm be available to a person who has recently consumed alcohol or any mind-altering drug.

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