by Ruby Burks | Feb 22, 2016
Maintaining my vehicle is my least favorite thing to do. I tend to procrastinate on it way too long. I justify my procrastination by telling myself that there are a million other more pressing things I need to get done today and the car can wait. In the summer, I...
by Ruby Burks | Feb 21, 2016
We’re only a week or so into January and winter has completely lost its charm. I’m ready for longer days, California sunshine, and temperatures that don’t require three layers of clothing. And for those of you that think California doesn’t get any “weather”, I have...
by Ruby Burks | Feb 20, 2016
No matter how well-prepared and stocked your bug out location is, you should always carry food in your BOB in case you are unable to get to your destination. When most people think of emergency rations, they think of MREs. However, Joshua Krause wrote an excellent...
by Ruby Burks | Feb 17, 2016
Several years ago I had an encounter with a bear that made me realize I wasn’t in as good of shape as I thought I was. I knew that being physically fit was a key element to being prepared, but as a mom with three kids, I just didn’t have the money or time to join a...
by Ruby Burks | Feb 14, 2016
[Editor’s Note: Finding ways to find natural food sources and using up every bit will not only enhance our preparedness skills, but also help us create a more frugal lifestyle in the process. Fish is one of the most readily available wild protein sources and...
by Ruby Burks | Feb 9, 2016
When people think of bees, they imagine warm, sunny days and lots of blooms, but the dead of winter is the best time to get your equipment ready so you won’t be caught short when the bloom comes roaring in at the beginning of spring. Bees, like any other livestock,...
by Ruby Burks | Feb 5, 2016
I have a confession to make. I was born with extremely high arches and an obscene love of boots in all their variations. Although my feet don’t quite meet the standards for Pes Cavus (who’s literal translation is “hollow foot”), the footprint I leave behind, were I to...
by Ruby Burks | Jan 24, 2016
A few years back when my kids were still pretty young, one of my girls and I and the family dog took a short walk in National Forest not too far from where we live. I had let the dog off the leash to stretch its legs while my young daughter and I enjoyed a leisurely...
by Ruby Burks | Jan 16, 2016
In the previous article on how your guard dogs could be compromised, I talked about how easy it is for me to get past your dog and onto your property when you’re not home. Most people think that their pet dog behaves the same way towards strangers entering the...
by Ruby Burks | Jan 12, 2016
We’re on Kid Watch here- goat kid, that is. Several of our does are bagging up and we’re hoping the rest won’t be far behind. All of our does were exposed to bucks over the summer and gestation lasts about 150 days (about five months) for standard sized breeds. We...
by Ruby Burks | Jan 7, 2016
There’s a misperception shared by some that farmers have it pretty easy, relatively speaking, in the winter months compared to the high production summer months. This isn’t exactly true. Summertime means longer daylight hours and more time spent working outside, but...
by Ruby Burks | Jan 4, 2016
[Editor’s Note: We would like to think our dogs are vigilantly guarding our properties and will deter anyone who dares to enter, but this isn’t always the case. Dogs can easily be swayed and manipulated to concede. In a SHTF scenario, you want to ensure...
