Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Editorial Literary Review
Editorial Literary Review
I
reviewed “Power Grid Down: How to
Prepare, Survive & Thrive After the Lights Go Out “ By Tara Dowdrill on Amazon
briefly back in August. I gave it 5
stars and entitled it. “A survival guide made from love”. I am expounding
on why I entitled my book review the way I
did and further evaluating/opining the published manuscript for Survivor Jane`sPreparedness Book Blog Tour . I am also one of the authors presenting my book
for review in this event.
Being a prepper
fiction author myself allows me to have somewhat of a unique focus on the
driving forces of Tara and her
book and its effects on the prepper community. Any prepper or non prepper
reading Mrs. Dowdrill`s book will hopefully also come away with the same
insights and definition of what, in my opinion makes this books message so important,
as well as illuminate the authors probable intent in writing such a treatise in
this manner. Its simple, it so simple its brilliant and Tara has the
writing skill to pull it off perfectly; What is it we all do to prepare for a
disaster? We sit down and think about a disaster and what do we need to get
through it. This mental process the prepper community goes through on a daily
basis checking their notes and referring to the internet for further enlightenment
and then make a plan of sorts.
Well Tara like
everyone else has been down this road a few times herself and most of us have
learned more than a thing or two from her professional writings. Tara Dowdrill
is a preparedness
journalist who writes for Off The Grid News, Survival Life, The Inquisitr,
Survival Based, eFoodsDirect, is a prepper radio show host, and creative
coordinator at Prepper and Shooter Magazine .
A very impressive set of
credentials to draw off of for this books contents but that is not why this
book is special or what sets it off from the crowd. What makes this book so
special is she explains the threat and then sets out in a way that you can
follow in your head of how she will teach you to deal with these things from
her family perspective. She interacts and engages with the readers that makes
learning survival more enjoyable and memorable. Caring for you as you
care for family is what this book expresses. The book contains lots of valuable
tips and tricks on preparedness.
- See more at: http://www.survivorjane.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=342:power-grid-down-blog-tour&catid=59&Itemid=107#sthash.XG3VMY4r.dpuf
Original Post on Amazon
“I received this book to review and I must say it was a
pleasure to see that the gifted writer and prepper community advocate Tara has
created a whole new refreshing take on informing people about disaster
preparedness. This is not your typical dry how to book, no she brings personal
insights about her own family as well as new emergency preparedness tips and
tricks not found anywhere else. You can see through out the book that her
wisdom is directed towards how she and her family will survive in a grid down
situation and careful care was taken to try and anticipate just about any need.
I really enjoyed this book and particularly liked the herbal remedies section.”
http://www.survivorjane.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=342:power-grid-down-blog-tour&catid=59&Itemid=107
Monday, October 27, 2014
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
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Wednesday, April 9, 2014
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Saturday, April 5, 2014
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Prepper Stock 2014 rocked!
I have an article I am going to submit to Prepper & Shooter Magazine for consideration to publish. The piece is on Prepper Stock 2014 and considering all the thanks I wanted to give while the event was still in everyone's minds I am posting
it here in case it dosent get seen again. Its Ron edited at the moment
so consider it unedited or normal for now. Lol well look up "stream of
conscious writing!>
As I sit here pondering how my good
friend Pat’s minivan full of prepper crap has somehow managed to regurgitate all
of its contents into this jumbled wet pile inside of my front door, I think
back upon our latest out of town trip that somehow got all this prepper stuff
loaded into the crammed back of the van in the first place with a bit of whimsy
and regret. It had taken us all of the
better part of three days to carefully sort and agonize over what to bring and
what to leave behind. Mostly this delay was my fault because I thought
something “might, could, would or should” be needed by me or other preppers for
this sojourn of ours to the great PrepperStock gathering. This type of labor
and mental exertion though was not regretted a bit, as all I can do for the
moment is to now sit back and look at my girlfriend and smile with tired but contented
excitement.
The weather had generally been good
during much of the days spent at a picturesque lake shore park but I did have
one qualm about the weather. Oh yea, I sure do dread now that I will have to pack
and repack all of this survival and preparedness gear much earlier than I
wanted to or planned on originally. My main concern at this particular moment is
that a lot of it is sopping wet and still sitting in black plastic garbage bags
after getting drenched in a late night torrential rainstorm on our latest
camping trip when the tent decided to get flooded. Everyone else’s tent in the many
campsites did also to some extent and I am a bit worried that was regardless of
make or model in my experience. The RV campers had it made safe and snug while
the rest of us poor splish splashing tent dwellers either escaped to vehicles
to sleep in for the remainder of the night or stayed where they were and toughed
it out in soggy tents until morning.
Did I
also mention that Pat and I unloaded the van when we got home in a light but steady
rain the next morning because it was raining so hard after our late afternoon
arrival? However, I must say I am not feeling
remorseful about any part of the performance of the tasks it took to get to
this point. You see, I am still elated that I just got done sharing a truly
wonderful, memorable and life changing social event with fellow preppers and now
I am sitting here imagining a lifetime of reminiscing about the experience. I learned
many things for myself regarding what pieces of camping gear works and what
doesn’t, as well as reaffirming that I will be constantly amazed at the generosity
and all around good-naturedness of the prepper community and how pleasant it is
to be part of it. The special event I am gushing over in my writing and just
got done attending was a unique prepper convention of sorts, the kind of an
event that requires an explanation and this article will attempt to tell its
story from a prepper fiction author’s perspective.
PrepperStock 2014 kicked off at Deer
Lick Creek, Alabama on March 14
as a passel of Preppers from across the country converged on this beautiful
Army Corps of Engineers campground. This was the fourth annual event to be
organized by its creator YouTube celebrity and personality LowBuck Prepper (http://lowbuckprepper.com/)
as a chance for the likeminded preparedness community to meet and greet while
sharing good times and knowledge in an easygoing, woodsy, campout like affair.
A light hearted come as you are and do as you like theme was upheld quite
nicely, as this event was not about organized classes teaching survival skills
or canning techniques etc, it was about prepper YouTube Channels meeting their
internet subscribers and others producers in a vacation like camping trip where
everyone was equal and everyone was there to mostly just socialize.
The internet is a wonderful place
to find new friends and gain prepper preparedness tips and tricks but modern
media is not a panacea for you to be able to actually shake the hand of a friend
you have never seen while sharing a drink with one of your internet buddies you
talk to all the time but have never met. Beaming smiles and hearty handshakes
all around was the order of the day as people connected and reconnected in this
three day camping event. Well for some it was a three-day event, but for others
like me they arrived a couple days earlier to help setup or just lengthen their
joy and experiences of attending the event.
It was common to hear cheers go up
as the celebrities from the more subscribed YouTube Prepper channels arrived,
but there was just as much enthusiasm and shouts of welcome shared as preppers
from every tier of the Prepper community trickled in to join the festive fray
and went to and fro between the loosely assembled groups and campsites to see
who was there to share in the fun.
Fellow campers arrived for days and
shared the magical trail connecting the websites. This articles author calls
the road between the 42 or so lake front campsites as magical because once
walked you never met a stranger again. A new arrival to what was loosely called
“our group” to differentiate “us preppers” from the regular campers and RV`ers
just walked up to a campsite and announced who they were or told the camps host
that they recognized them from the internet and that it was a pleasure to meet
them finally and then instantly fell into the fold. Someone at the camp or in
the crowd chatting excitedly would instantly take them in tow and insure they
were warmly received and introduced to a dizzying array of names and new faces
all smiling as the “how do you dos` took place and the video cameras whirred.
The facilities gracious management
was soon known by all on a first name basis as they occasionally passed our bug
out camps to offer friendly tips and advice to insure our stay was safe and
memorable. What was known by this camp reveler but not by many was that an
enigmatic retired Marine was the volunteer for this and many other Federal
parks that insured the guests had extra amenities not provided by the
facilities to truly enjoy their stay. The author had read in his internet
research on the park many warm and grateful comments about how out of the
goodness of his heart this old veteran cut and stacked firewood for each
campsite in this picturesque park. Not to be out done in welcoming any and all
groups visiting his piece of this
nations recreational preserve he was
ever present coming and going carrying truckloads of mixed firewood and the
stories of him and his art to his new charges. Piles of wood magically
appeared in front of your campsite
carried in the bed of his personal pickup truck as he asked would it be better
to stack more in any designated assembly areas we might wish to promote.
The kindness and generosity of this
man is beyond exception and must be noted. How does one say “Thank You” to
someone that’s spirit that has gone from being broken in hell serving his
country and through introspection and hard work found their own heaven in
helping others? That the Prepper community as a whole exceeds others in its
generosity and sharing nature is one thing, but I must say that I was humbled
and a bit ashamed that many of the fellow campers and peppers just assumed
somehow they could buy or would somehow without effort be provided with
firewood for their needs for this event. We are preppers right? We worry daily
about how to provide the basics for ourselves and our families while arming
ourselves to the teeth to protect these resources from the zombie apocalypse we
see coming from our neighbors wanting these supplies. How many of us actually
prep or try to insure that our community has warmth and comfort? Rickey J.
Jenkins does and he does it with a passion. Not for a disaster, not for
promotional efforts or gain, no it’s because he wants you to enjoy and live
life in the present. Now, right now! Now at this moment in your time of need
when you need a helping hand and a friendly stranger willing to show you the
best parts of humanity by giving of themselves and caring about someone else’s
comfort and happiness. Kudos’ to you Mr. Jenkins. Kudos’ to you Thanks for all
you do and have done.
The list of appreciation for small
and large acts of cooperation, networking, finances, generosity, sharing and
all around friendliness could fill volumes and should not be discounted,
however this article is not about recounting everyone. It’s about giving credit
where credit is due by thanking the notable individuals that this event would
not have been possible without and acknowledging that each and every single prepper
participant attending had through their own enduring efforts and interactions were
the reason for this gatherings success. All the attendees were likeminded,
caring and sharing individuals gathered for the sole reason of wanting to
befriend others of similar passions and beliefs gathered under a banner of
being a survivor and promoting preparedness.
You know you meet a lot of people
in this world, but sometimes the compassionate deeds, generosity and the friendly
support of some individuals goes so far beyond anything you ever experienced
that it never ceases to amaze and touch you in some way that it sticks.
PrepperStock would not have even been possible without the kind efforts and expenditures
of Eric Smith who selected this fine campground, donated great prizes for the
drawing, had extra preps and gear on hand for those needing it, reserved several
camping sites out of his own pocket, brought in a trailer load of good oak
firewood for the camp grounds and did a hundred other caring and sharing things
I quietly observed to insure and enable the success of this gathering of the
preppers. To a true Southern gentleman and one hell of a prepper I want to take
this time to give heartfelt thanks from all of us and our gratitude.
Neil Couey of YouTube channel ndcouey70
is someone else I hold in high admiration. The man was everywhere with a
helping hand, a quick joke, some advice whatever. He also made many nice
contributions to the giveaway. His wife was also a joy to meet and sort of
acted as official referee that I actually could “put back” in all the stuff I had
in a small get home 72 hour bag in a reasonable amount of time once I made the
mistake of demoing it!
A well-worn theme that always
concerns those of the prepper ilk garnered questions which were often overheard
either in hushed tones or group think speculation as to what those gathered
thought about OPSEC or operational security regarding this event and personal
preparedness issues in general.
Preppers are often obsessed with
the need for secrecy regarding their desires or capabilities of preparing for
disasters. The merits of keeping your food stash or your identity as a so
called prepper undercover or under wraps has been well debated. The collective need or evolving personal
realization that it takes a community to survive was examined in great depth as
those of us who came out of the shadows to attend Prepper Stock shared
differing philosophy’s and what it meant for us to assemble as we had. The
prepper movement has now gone mainstream and varying published media articles
lists our numbers as exceeding 3 or 4 million self described or practicing lifestyle
members, although I think everyone realizes that figure only represents a
number that the self-professed preppers who were willing to answer a questionnaire
and not the refusal of the conspiracy theorists or OPSEC minded Prepper individuals.
Needless to say the black helicopters didn’t come, DHS didn’t make us sign a
roster and this year’s event participants were not herded into FEMA camps
somewhere, or we were unduly targeted by Law enforcement officials this time.
When the PrepperStock black and yellow
flag went up at the groups campground perimeter many speculated what the
possible “sheeple campers” would think of our little doomsday get together
affair. I mean seriously, if you’re an uninitiated outsider and your only
perceived notions of preppers comes off NatGeo or the media hyped whacked out survivalist
murder headlines that exasperate and sensationalize the populations perceptions
of those that appear to choose to prepare to excess for a calamity; well in
some peoples opinion anyway. All these
campers wearing 2nd amendment
rights, patriotic or zombie etc. t shirts, various tactical or otherwise belt
knives, boonie hats, big pickup trucks with bumper stickers professing Molon
Labe or other catch phrase might make you paranoid nervous or a bit skittish to
be our neighbors but this was not to be the case. Unbeknownst to the majority
of the prepper speculators, the founder of the event, one Mr. Bubba aka Lowbuck
Prepper had already approached those big snazzy Rv`s that should have had a
country bands names or Duck Dynasty emblazoned on them and laid the groundwork for mutual peace and
harmony. He simply went over and told them who we were and why we were there
and if we got too loud to just come tell him for us to quieten down and we
would. The diverse families with small children approached assured him that we
wouldn’t be a problem and if we had any issues with them, the same neighborly
approach would be well received to promote camp harmony. New arrivals to the
camp grounds were advised of our presence on the plateau by the Parks
sweetheart of a manager Barbara and told that we were a “nice group of folks
camping down there and she had received instructions that if they wished to
attend our event, prepper or not, they were welcome according to everything she
knew.”
I am glad she didn’t know
everything about the gathering, because many marvelous events had been planned that would have drawn in even the most scaredy cat,
prepper fearing surrounding cities residents if it had been known generally
that a giveaway and world class BBq was
on the agenda. The biggest thing that all readers should know and take into
account regarding this assembly of preppers is that it is an unscripted event except
for the opening date. There is no charge to the participants except for their
own campsite fees to be paid to the park service and on that note let me say
something else about that gentile women Barbara who I mentioned earlier was acting
manager. There is an honor box to collect fees when an attendant is not on duty
and I found it a bit confusing as to what price I should pay to be a several overnight
guest on a camp site reservation holders place. LowBuck had rented a RV pad
that I planned on pitching a tent in back of and the rate sheet at the gate
appeared to say my fee would be $3.00 per night, per person. Since me and the
mate could be considered a party of two I dutifully filled in the deposit
envelop with the camp sites number we would be staying at and eighteen bucks for a three night stay because
we would be leaving early Sunday evening instead of staying until the events
official close Monday morning. We got there Thursday afternoon because
anticipation, the need to see my Bubba and welcome arriving vehicles was offset
by my desire not to suffer the cold snap 28 degree Wednesday weather
prediction. Ok, I like my comfort zone and am not subject to my reader’s glorified
expectations of me being a hardcore prepper if there is not some common sense
reasoning behind me not wanting to expose my old bones to unnecessary misery if
it can be avoided. Anyway, the price was $3.00 per car, not per person and
Barbara immediately sought us ought and rectified the accounting with a refund
as soon as the discrepancy was noted.
Back to why this event and certain highlights
were so amazing. Just as I said there was no cost of admission to this event to
those wanting to attend, neither is there any requirement to contribute
anything to festivities other than yourself. Fact is that any group offering or
anyone giving any kind of donations to the common good is strictly a personally
funded individual initiative donated in support of PrepperStock and its
participants. YouTuber PopPrepper put the icing on the cake for our affair by generously
cooking up and smoking a whole hog on site that had our taste buds tingling for
days as its delicious aroma wafted through the woods getting ready for a feast
for all. More on him later.
Let me elaborate here for a moment
on this events community participation and allow me to use the ticket drawing
to win prepper prizes that the annual participants relish and anticipate as an additional
example. The gifts are assembled piecemeal by those individuals who for no
other reasons than personal satisfaction in giving of themselves or resources
to others or in support and allegiance for LowBuck’s efforts and the concept of
PrepperStock to promote the event. The goods from many good hearted preppers
are gathered up, tickets given out and the drooling over prizes and jokes about
a gag gift or two begin.
I say drooling because there is
some really neat stuff given away both handmade and commercial every year. The
table was groaning from the weight of Fillet knife sets , fishing rods, Para
cord articles, camp stoves, wood stoves, T shirts, a set of military surplus
stretchers donated, you name it, all held up by a bunch of green ammo cans that
were also part of the giveaway. YouTuber
BCTruck hand crafted a bunch of rocket stoves and emblazoned a signature piece
with the collectable Prepper Stock 2014 logo. The most coveted prize of the day
was won by Prepper audio book producer Pat Lambert from PopPrepper who built it
in his enormous cabinet shop. This prize was a magnificent polished maple and
cherry butcher block that had everyone’s fingers crossed that they might could
win such a fine piece of skilled wood working craftsmanship. This prize was
awesome both in looks and in strong functionality; I bet it weighed almost 40
lbs! You can see the entire giveaway and other highlights on YouTube; Do
yourself and the channel producers a favor by doing a search for PrepperStock
or Prepper Stock in YouTube and watching the fun. Don’t forget to rate and
subscribe to all the channels representing their own insights and outtakes on
this self-reliance event.
The author of the Prepper Trilogy
Ron Foster got his corporate supporters to once again contribute products for
the event and brought in Schrade knives and axes by Taylor Brand knives. A Stovetec
double door rocket stove (http://stovetecstore.net/ )was demoed by Ron cooking
up some Seafood Chowder by Mountain House in a SuperPot that was wowed over by
all. Stovetec also provided a water pasteurizer, fire starters and a single
door stove for the giveaway.
A new innovative and technologically
advanced lightweight backpackers style rocket stove called the SilverFire Scout
(http://www.silverfire.us/)
was ever present in Ron`s and LowBuck’s camp cooking the morning coffee. Ron
donated his demo models to YouTube channel ImRamro and blogger Pat for “In The
Groove”, http://plambert001.wordpress.com/2014/02/22/prepping/ for review after
the giveaway so be sure to watch for upcoming news. Ron also gave out over a
$1,000 worth of free promotional book coupons to listen to any of his books on
Audible.com. Many people were aware of his printed books but were unaware he
had branched out into this new format. The excitement grew amongst his readers as
it became known that the author was seeking everyone’s input for a book he was
considering writing that would be set in this exact location and include a lot
of the events participants as fictional characters in a novel.
What if a disaster cut off the two
roads leading into camp stranding the attendees of this prepper campout
together as the rest of the United States
began to collapse? It would be a simple affair to envision this type of calamity
because a terrorist attack could take out the two dams upstream and a further
cyber attack on the countries grid or any other manmade or natural disaster
might occur. How would the campground residents handle it? What did the
preppers present at the assembly think might occur amongst our group? What is
fun to consider is that Ron often basis his fictional stories on real life known
and unknown preppers so this tale should resonate personally for many and make
it that much more interesting and enriching to read.
I myself can not wait until next
years Prepper Stock rolls around and the packing and repacking begins as I am
already getting ready to gather with new faces and old. I won’t ever need to again
personally learn that most folks have more good in them than society will ever
recognize or think about regarding the labors of love preppers do daily spreading
the words of preparedness and doing kind acts for others, I already know this.
However, it’s great when we all come together as one to affirm their efforts,
shake their hands and partake of a few adult beverages making lifelong bonds
and memories. See you at the next Prepper Stock!
Sunday, February 23, 2014
" In The Grove" We Welcome A New Esoteric Prepper and Preparedness Blog
" In The Grove" By plambert001 Talks Prepping and Ron Foster Audio Books
“Prepping” is the somewhat new term for being prepared. When I was growing up, it was a way of life! Grandpa and Grandma had their farm growing everything they needed and canned foods to get through the harsh winters of upstate New York. Grocery stores, tv, and complacency have taken us away from these roots which there is a great need to return to now. The major storm “Sandy” was a good example of what can happen and a lot of people relied on the “preppers” for help when the government and local authorities didn’t do Anything!
Over years of moving a lot, having kids then divorcing and being a single Mom for 9 years, then personal illness and loss of my second husband, I never could get much put back as it seemed the hard times never ended. My sister, a Mormon, gave me lists for a years supply of basics to keep and I started picking at the lists, never seeming to get ahead. But with all the crazy weather, chemical and oil spills everywhere, economies collapsing and threats of government takeover and EMP, a sense of urgency was creeping in to really get serious about it. Then last year, I was blessed to meet a wonderful man whom Off The Grid Magazine labeled “ one of the most academically and technically trained preppers in America “!
http://www.offthegridnews.com/2013/04/11/part-i-interview-with-author-of-the-prepper-trilogy-ron-foster/
Ron is one of those uniquely blessed people that almost never forgets anything he has experienced/learned. He has helped me see that I had more than I thought in the way of preps but I’m also sadly lacking in a lot of areas. I started reading his books and loved the ideas and tips in them plus the way he writes feels like it’s your story and you’re right there in it! I liked them so much, I nudged him into the audio market and even helped produce some of his books into audio! He really cares about our fellow man being prepared for what’s coming and having worked in/with the government, knows we Have to become self-reliant because no one else is going to “come save you”!
It’s never too late to start prepping a little bit at a time or as much as you can! A good start could be reading/listening to Ron Foster books such as the “Preppers Road March” Trilogy and “Solitary Man” series through Amazon.com and Audible.com. His “Rural Ranger” is best in book form as it teaches a lot on trapping and snares with illustrations too.
Me? I’m officially a “prepper” now and loving it! There are so many online resources and broadcasts with chat features that you can quickly build knowledge as well as community that there is no excuse for Not being “prepared”!
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