So, Can You Eat a Cactus for Survival?

cactus plants

Cacti thrive in hot and dry regions but can be found all over the world in areas that don’t reach below freezing. While admiring the vicious-looking appearance, you might be surprised to learn that it offers much in terms of survival. Yes, you can eat most cacti, though some varieties are toxic for humans. Generally, … Read more

So, Can You Eat Ants for Survival Purposes?

a hand covered with ants

When discussing survival scenarios, especially long-term scenarios or ones where you are trapped in the middle of the wilderness, the topic of hunting for food often comes up, and for obvious reasons. But, this discussion typically overlooks small game, and I’m talking about really small game in particular: insects. Although eating insects is nothing new … Read more

How Long Should My Heating Oil Last?

lighting a DIY lamp running on cooking oil

The use of oil to provide in-home heating used to be far more common around America than it is today, though there are still many cities and northern regions that rely on this old standby. Compared to electric heat, oil heating has advantages and disadvantages, but the obvious drawback is that the oil must be … Read more

Power Outage Grocery List: 23 Items to Get

freeze dried foods

Preparing for a power outage and its impact on your life is difficult enough without worrying over how you’re going to prepare your meals. Considering that the kitchen is really the command center of the average home, anything that takes your kitchen offline is going to dramatically interfere with feeding yourself and your family. Yes, … Read more

How To Start a Fire With a Batteries (5 Ways)

using a 9 volt battery and steel wool as tinder to start a fire

When the power goes out or you are in the middle of a survival situation where you need a fire it is easy to feel overwhelmed if you don’t have your usual fire-starting kit or expert skill with primitive fire-starting techniques. Fortunately, there is an easy, improvised way to get your fire started: using a … Read more

West Virginia State Trespassing Laws

west virginia flag

If you want to keep your property safe and protected from trespassers and avoid trespassing when you are out on an adventure, you’ll need a thorough understanding of your home state’s trespassing laws. Only by understanding the trespassing laws in your state will you know precisely where your rights begin when it comes to properties … Read more

Wyoming State Trespassing Laws

wyoming flag

Trespassing is serious business. You might not think there is very much wrong with traipsing onto someone’s land for one reason or another, but I’m willing to bet you’ll feel very differently if someone is on your land. Whether you think it is a proper crime or just more like disrespect, the law tells us … Read more

Vermont State Trespassing Laws

vermont flag

Trespassing is one of those things that all property owners instinctively get upset about. The idea that someone is on our land, without our permission, is enough to make your blood boil even if they aren’t hurting anything. The nerve of some people! But understanding your state’s trespassing laws is important if you want to … Read more

Wisconsin State Trespassing Laws

Some people think of trespassing as a petty violation, a crime so minor that it hardly warrants worrying about. But this just isn’t the truth: trespassing is still a crime, wherever it occurs in the United States, and in some states it is a very serious crime under the wrong circumstances. Accordingly, you’ll want to … Read more

Washington State Trespassing Laws

flag of washington

If you own land or property, rent it, lease it or have any other legal entitlement to it you will definitely want to understand the trespassing laws in your state. Only by understanding these laws will you know where your rights begin and end concerning a given piece of real estate, and just as importantly … Read more

EMP How Long Does It Disable My Electronics

emp electronics to protect

One of the most worrisome and sadly also most plausible destructive events we could face is an EMP, specifically an EMP powerful enough to disable or destroy electronic devices and the infrastructure that can help us power them. Whether it is caused by a nuclear weapon detonation, a non-nuclear device or even a potent solar … Read more

Virginia State Trespassing Laws

virginia flag

If you own property, you’ll definitely want to brush up on your home state’s trespassing laws. This is so you know exactly what your rights are when it comes to keeping people off of your property, and what the requirements are for you, as the owner, when it comes to posting or notifying others to … Read more

15 Scents That Raccoons Hate the Most

two raccoons on a wooden fence

If all you know about raccoons is what you’ve learned from internet videos of them acting adorable, you’re in for a rude awakening when they start hanging around your house. They can break into your trash, infiltrate your attic, and generally make themselves a complete menace. They also carry a variety of diseases that might … Read more

Tennessee State Trespassing Laws

flag of tennessee

Although sometimes thought of as a lesser offense, in every single state throughout the US trespassing is still an actual crime, one complete with penalties and potential incarceration as punishment. You’ll definitely want to know the trespassing law if you want to keep uninvited guests off of your own property, and also if you want … Read more

So, Do EMPS Affect Batteries?

rechargeable batteries and chargers

An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is incredibly destructive for electronics, as it renders them inoperable. It is a primary concern amongst the various prepper communities as our reliance on electronics puts us at a disadvantage if an EMP were to go off. If all of your electronics are going to be fried from an EMP, then … Read more

Nevada State Trespassing Laws

nevada flag

Though trespassing laws are broadly similar throughout the United States, each state still has its own variations on the basic concepts and its own penalties for violating these laws. What is a misdemeanor in one state could be a felony in another. Though you might think you understand your property rights if you haven’t followed … Read more

Iowa State Trespassing Laws

flag of iowa

Understanding where a person’s rights begin and end concerning their property is important for staying on the right side of the law. This certainly counts for respecting the property rights of others in your travels, whatever you happen to be doing, but also understanding when the law is on your side whenever someone is on … Read more