The Prepper Podcast

What is the meaning of the 4th of July to People Today? Today, the 4th of July is all about Summer, BBQ, Beer, Parades, and Fireworks We have let our family gatherings and cookouts get in the way of our Independence Day knowledge. What Independence Day is all about, as taught by our schools. A Revolution was declared against the British and On July 4th, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed. Then there was a celebration where the Liberty Bell was cracked from getting hit so hard What is the Declaration of Independence (DOI)? The Declaration of Independence is a document signed by our local governing body. It was done so to explain to the British King that we were tired of the British government overstepping its bounds and consistently overtaxing the people. The first rough draft was written in the Green Dragon Tavern over a mug of ale.  This was the same Tavern that people got drunk at before the Boston Tea Party. Who Were The Men / Signers of the Declaration of Independence Really? You can get a list of names anywhere, but that doesn’t actually teach you anything.  The men that signed the Declaration of Independence were revolters.  Today, they would not be considered stand up people.  To the British crown, they were felons and traitors. What else were they? Men of power and courage that had enough of the tyranny and because of this fact, they needed to rally people to their cause, so… they signed the DOI. The Revolutionary War, The War for Independence War was declared on Great Britain in April of 1775. At first there was an impressive turnout for the war but once people realized how long it was taking, the people volunteering started to diminish. 4th of July 2017 from Ken Jensen The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere The ride of Paul Revere occurred on April 18th 1775.  His purpose was part of a planned early warning system, where they would send one person by land and Two by sea to reach the north church steeple and light a lantern. Instead, Paul was caught off-guard and decided to Ride to Lexington to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams and stopped at houses on his way to Lexington There he was joined by rider William Dawes and they continued on to Concord where there was hidden ammunition for the continental army. They were joined by Samuel Prescott and intercepted by a British battalion, and all three were arrested. The Drafting of the Revolutionary War Late 1776, The colonies began cash incentives since the volunteer rate was so low.  It dropped even more, where in 1778 they had to start drafting. Many Americans (15-20%) were Crown Loyalists, fought as red coats because they saw the revolters as treasonous. Native Americans in the War Native Americans fought on both sides.  In Peace of Paris Treaty, the Crown Natives lost their land.  The others made out better initially, but ultimately lost theirs as well. The entire reason why they fought with the Brits was because they wanted to save their land. War has Ended In 1781, war was unofficially over.

What is the meaning of the 4th of July to People Today? Today, the 4th of July is all about Summer, BBQ, Beer, Parades, and Fireworks We […]

Changing Earth Podcast Episode 6 Questions Is Aquaponics a Viable system? Aquaponics is an extremely valid system. What is an aquaponics system? Aquaponics is the marriage of hydroponics and Aquaculture. Hydroponics is cultivating plant life in a bath of nutrient rich water solution, instead of soil, for large scale production in a smaller area. Aquaculture is a design to grow fish or aquatic life like shellfish, crawfish, snails, or ……….. to help meet the popular fish demand with little impact on the overall aquatic population. Introducing Aquaponics Aquaponics is a marriage of aquaculture and hydroponics. Uses fish to provide the nutrient content for plant life. It gets rid of agrochemicals from typical farming: Problems like the delta of the Mississippi where a wetland is turning into an uninhabitable area TPP 132: Aquaponics Interview on Changing Earth Podcast from Ken Jensen What materials are required for building an aquaponics system? Typical Aquaponic system components: Rearing tank: Tanks for raising and feeding fish. Large barrel or a stock tank, glass fish tank Settling basin Catches uneaten food and detached biofilms, settles out particles Biofilter Where nitrification bacteria can grow and convert ammonia into nitrates Bucket of pebbles or other high surface area media Not absolutely necessary though with a good grow bed Hydroponics subsystem Where plants grow Grow bed Flood table Frame it above the fish tank Half barrels Bath tubs even! Sump Lowest basin where water gravity flows. It is then pumped back up to the rearing tanks Water Pump Mag Drive Pump Submersible fountain pump Pump from fish tank to grow bed Air Pump Get an aquarium air pump to oxygenate the water Bell Siphon 30 bucks on amazon, or you can make one from pvc components. Raised pipe in a bigger pipe Bigger pipe has holes drilled in it Medium pipe in top with an air lock on top making it float Drain from grow bed to fish tank Different applications to grow plant life (this could be considered as the Hydroponics Tank): Deep-Water Raft Aquaponics Plants float in Styrofoam rafts in a deep basin Recirculating Aquaponics or Closed-Loop Aquaponics Solid media: (Gravel or clay) in a container.  Container is flooded with the aquaculture water. Best for beginners because: Easier to learn Less parts, so it is cheaper Media bed mechanically filters (solids), performs mineralization (breaks down solids), and biofiltration (attachment of bacteria). Reciprocating Aquaponics, Flood-and-Drain Aquaponics, Ebb-and-Flow Aquaponics Flood and Drain is simplest Easy to build Small Best for a 1:1 ratio (grow bed to fish tank) Easier maintenance Same media but it is flooded and drained using siphon drains. Vertical Tower Aquaponics Uses vertical towers that are trickle fed from the top Nutrient Film Aquaponics Sloped bed of 1.1 to 1.4

Changing Earth Podcast Episode 6 Questions Is Aquaponics a Viable system? Aquaponics is an extremely valid system. What is an aquaponics system? Aquaponics is the marriage […]

Related Blog Posts: What to Do for Memorial Day, Visiting a Memorial Cemetery The Meaning About US Veteran’s Memorial Day, Honor, The Date, and The Story What is the Meaning of Memorial Day for Many People? Most people see it as Thank a Veteran Day. Some people see it as Wear Something Patriotic Day. Almost everyone sees it as Grill-Out With the Family Day. Almost the same number of people will see it as Take the Family to the Beach (Lake) Day. What Date is Memorial Day Celebrated and Why? The holiday used to be on May 30th every year. In 1968, it was moved to the last Monday of the month to give people a three day weekend. There are some veteran groups that would like to see the weekend disappear, because it became just another family holiday, and the real meaning or remembrance is disappearing. What is the True Meaning of Memorial Day? Memorial Day isn’t about veterans, what you wear, grilling out, or going to swim. Memorial Day is somber. The purpose is to remember the fallen. People fought and died for “liberty” and “freedom” for us! A Memorial Day Story about the Sacrifice of a Soldier Tommy (A true story), please share this with EVERYONE. Tommy was 17 years of age. He was in INDOC, which is where you are pledged to pledge. At 18, he signed papers and swore an oath to defend the constitution of the United States. This was against enemies foreign and domestic. He meant every single word of the oath. He CHOSE to protect us at great cost If there was an order, he would follow it He understood SACRIFICE Salute him, applaud his service, tell him thank you, shake his hand, and MOVE out of his way when he walks down the street. At 18, He went to bootcamp. He drilled, exercised, and marched. He had been tested in war simulations for what he learned, physical strength, and tenacity. He passed… He was tough. At the end of bootcamp he was proud and so were his parents. He came home on leave. He visited Everyone hugged him and applauded him They asked him what the army was like. He went to school after leave. He learned a useful trade Then he visited home again Then he was sent to join his platoon. Almost immediately after, they were given orders to go to Iraq. He wasn’t excited about this, but it was his duty and he never complained. He did very well and gained rank quickly (pay and authority). He was given a new job of Gunner for the Lieutenant’s Humvee because he was one of the best shots. One day, they were travelling.  They were the second Humvee. Sargent Gomez was driving. The first Humvee was hit by an Explosively Formed Penetrator (EFP). It is a malleable copper charge into the cab which does lots of damage inside.  It is kinda similar to an IED. The medic ran over to #1. #2, where Gomez, Tommy, and the Lieutenant were, was hit. The EFP went through the driver side window. It hit Gomez in the throat, ripped it out and exploded in the cab. The percussion broke Tommy’s arm and injured his spine. The medic ran over to #2 humvee. Another EFP went off. It penetrated two layers of armor, turned 180 degrees, exited two layers of armor, and hit the medic. The medic was killed on the spot. After hours of pain and agony, Tommy and a few others were rescued.

Related Blog Posts: What to Do for Memorial Day, Visiting a Memorial Cemetery The Meaning About US Veteran’s Memorial Day, Honor, The Date, and The Story […]

About Gary Collins: Gary spent 20 years in Military Intelligence and as a Special Agent for the U.S. State Dept, U.S. Dept of Health & Human Services and the FDA. After leaving the US Gov., He decided to pursue his passions and started a company promoting the primal, paleo and self reliant lifestyle. He’s an author of 4 books on both Health and Fitness and off-grid living.  His latest one details his off the grid project he has been working on for the last three and a half years in NE Washington State. Why Should I Live Off-Grid? We discuss how one person decides to create an off-grid home, and many of the troubles that he ran into.  We discuss Gary’s new book, “Going off the Grid.” Gary had done construction and remodels, so he wasn’t new to the concept of building a home.  This helped him out. Why a Book about Off-Grid Living? Because he wanted to help others simplify his life, he decided to write his book about his project and the many lessons he learned along the way. What Are the Main Challenges of Building an Off-Grid Home? In the podcast, Gary tells us about many of his obstacles along the way, such as dealing with contractors, the time it takes to build something off-grid, going through the maze of the local permitting network, and even security issues he ran into quickly. TPP 131: Off Grid with Gary Collins from Ken Jensen What are Some Lessons to Learn from Your Off-Grid Project? Solar is really expensive, and was probably one of the most difficult pieces to the puzzle of an off-grid home.   Digging a well for the home was more expensive than the land itself!!! The best advice for someone considering an off-grid project is to be patient! Be practical with the needs and timeline a build like this will take. Be practical with the amount you will have to downsize as well.  Consider downsizing in an RV as a test of how you will be in a small, off-grid home.  Use this as an opportunity to visit the areas that you would want to build your home in. If you can handle travel trailers, you can probably handle living in an off-grid home. What is a Helpful Resource for Building an Off-Grid Homestead? Backwoods home magazine was one of the biggest helps for Gary during his build.  The magazine has been changing their label to Self Reliance Magazine at http://self-reliance.com/ Free Resources for Building an Off-Grid Home Free Off-Grid Resource #1: Gary and I discussed that we will provide a way for people to win a free copy of his book. The book is both hard-copy and electronic.  Click the photo below for a chance to win a free PDF version of Gary’s Book, “Going Off The Grid” or go to http://theprepperpodcast.com/freeoffgrid. Free Off-Grid Resource #2: Go to Gary’s website where you can download two different resources for living off-grid: www.primalpowermethod.com/offgridresources Where to Buy Gary’s Book, “Going Off The Grid”: (Buy Directly from Gary) (Buy from Amazon)

About Gary Collins: Gary spent 20 years in Military Intelligence and as a Special Agent for the U.S. State Dept, U.S. Dept of Health & Human […]

There are times in small unit warfare that infiltration tactics are needed.  Infiltration is used when you want to execute movement undetected you want to move into and through enemy territory you want to occupy an area you want to position your group into the enemy’s rear area to give an attack advantage. Infiltration forces are lightly equipped and stealthy. This allows them to slip through the front line for strategic attacks Infiltration can NOT defeat the defense by itself, so it must be used as a supplement to another maneuver. Modern infiltration tactics are heavily influenced by 3 main sources: French Infiltration Tactics Laffargue Infiltration Tactics Hutier Infiltration Tactics French Infiltration Tactics 1915 The Theory the first wave of infantry penetrate as far as possible follow-up waves then attack strong points.  This was partially adopted in battle, but German counterattacks were difficult to reinforce or hold against. Laffargue Infiltration Tactics Captain Laffargue French captain Injured in battle of 1915 Proposed a better idea The Theory A small infantry unit with mobile firepower to deal with machine guns. Penetrate gaps and weak points with heavy fire Strong points would be temporarily neutralized by fire or smoke. Then new waves would encircle and attack each one. Hunter Infiltration Tactics German General Oskar von Hutier In 1918 used Laffargue’s insights to supplement his tactics The Theory First, a brief and violent artillery attack of the enemy front lines (suppress the positions) Then, the artillery would be shifted to the enemy’s rear to disrupt lines of communication artillery logistics and command/control nodes meant to provide confusion weaken counterattacks weaken concentrated fires weaken the ability to fill gaps/penetrations. Then light infantry would Evade and bypass fortified positions identify gaps in the front line be followed by more heavily armed units. Then heavy units would attack the strong points and yet other forces would enter gaps shortly after to further attack the strong points, which would quicken the collapse of the entire front. In 1918, this was successful against the British and French TPP 130: Tactical Maneuver: Infiltration Tactics from Ken Jensen Reasons to use Infiltration Tactics Direct attack from lightly defended positions To flank or rear attack strongly defended positions Disrupt enemy operations Reconnaissance or surveillance If you are wanting to succeed at this, you must be a force that: Has trained together Established command and control Is small for stealth Is large enough to get out of trouble Infiltration Lanes We will stick with a single lane of infiltration since, in a defense position, you probably will only have a small force. Rally Points Rally Point is an easily identifiable object where the force can assemble or reorganize if dispersed Rally points should be defensible as well as away from normal routes of movement. Initial Rally Point Assemble for initial instructions, behind friendly lines En Route Rally Point

There are times in small unit warfare that infiltration tactics are needed.  Infiltration is used when you want to execute movement undetected you want to move […]

Christmas is an extremely important time of year! During Christmas, people have good will to others, and they tend to enjoy giving to others.  It doesn’t […]

Thanksgiving is a Great Time to Slow Down and Recharge Holidays are here, time to slow it down a bit.  Take time to enjoy our blessings Survivalists always talk about the problems in this nation, So many times we forget just how good we have it We should take time to talk about how great things can be in the United States, or anywhere. Poverty level in the U.S. is more privileged than the “wealthy” in other countries. Overall, this country is still not that bad a place to grow up You can grow up in poverty and change your outcome Opportunities are Abundant in this Country, Be Thankful for That I am a good example to the opportunities in this country Poor and lacking government assistance Explain my home with broken windows and heating up food for my brother If this were many other countries, I would still be the trade of my parents. I was given a chance to learn (trade, skill, or collegiate) I am able to give my children a life of privilege I was able to start a business and flop I was able to start a business and then develop and grow it True our government is corrupt, like all governments True they watch our every move True the infringe on our rights and steal a percentage of our wealth But the fact is this: We have the right, privilege and the ability to change our lives based on our desires I am on a journey Never thought I would be where I am at now Not at my destination but I am changing my life in a continuous journey You Choose Your own Outcome, Instead of Having it Dictated to You Many other countries don’t have our freedoms. Past and future You will grow into the family occupation and social status You didn’t choose it, you were pushed into it It was chosen for you There were very few exceptions Show Thanksgiving and Enrich the Lives of Others By Following These Simple Steps First I want you to enjoy Spending time with family Overabundance of food A warm home to sleep in The electronics and technology that brings this podcast to you Next, I want you to give Find one person that has less than you Give that person something from the heart If you have children, teach them how great it feels to help someone less fortunate And Now, I want you to Listen to my very first thanksgiving on The Prepper Podcast A History Lesson of Thanksgiving, the real story of the first thanksgiving, and how it was started First Prepper Podcast Thanksgiving: 009 True Crafted Story Behind the Pilgrims First Thanksgiving The Typical Story of Thanksgiving is WRONG! So what is the TRUTH? What is the typical story of thanksgiving? 1621 The feast was actually a hunting party and it lasted 3 days long. There was no thanksgiving Alternative Versions of Thanksgiving are JUST AS WRONG! Another view of Thanksgiving was of a Mass Genocide 1637 700 indians killed

Thanksgiving is a Great Time to Slow Down and Recharge Holidays are here, time to slow it down a bit.  Take time to enjoy our blessings […]

Shotgun Cartridge Components Explained Shotgun cartridges have similar components to that of a rifle cartridge.  The components of a shotgun cartridge are: The Projectile The Case The Wad Propellant  The Head The Rim The Primer Primer                                                                                                                                                    The explosive center of the shell. Firing pin hits primer. Powder in primer ignites. Ignites the propellant in the shell. Propellant Fast burning material that creates a gas expansion in the shell. This propels the shot down and out the barrel. Case The Shell Case is what houses everything. The common sizes of Shotgun Shells are 10 Ga 12 Ga 20 Ga .410 What does the “gauge” of a shotgun shell mean? Gauge originated when cannons and muzzleloaders were common. The spherical lead ball was a fraction of a pound. A 10 Gauge ball was 1/10 of a pound. A 12 Gauge ball was 1/12 of a pound. The bore was a 10, 12 or 20 Gauge bore… this carried over to the modern shotgun. A smaller number meant a bigger ball, which meant a bigger bore. What size is a .410 shotgun. .410 is designated for a caliber number. It is slightly larger than a 40 caliber cartridge. The bore is about 10 mm. Uncommon shotgun shell sizes 4,8,16,24,28,32 These are either not common or considered obsolete. The 10 gauge is becoming less common as well due to Lengthening and strengthing of 12 Ga shells. Common Shell Lengths for Shotguns 2 ¾, 3, 3 ½ inch Shotguns will have the length etched on them. You may go shorter than the shotgun length, but not longer. The Head The head is the brass around the base of the cartridge. The Rim The rim is the small brass ring on the bottom of the shell. Allows ejection of the shell by the action of the shotgun. Keeps the shell chambered correctly. The Wad Column Made up of 3 components The Gas Seal The Cushion The Shot Cup Some wads are designed to be all three in one. The Gas Seal This is designed to keep the expanding gas from moving behind it. This keeps all expansion and momentum going forward. The Cushion This is the shock absorber It prevents sudden violent expansion of gas from warping the shot (soft lead) Shells have different propellant and shot quantities. The cushion also takes up the empty space so the shell is standard length. The Shot Cup The cup houses the shot and keeps it together as it travels down the barrel. It is slotted, so once it leaves the barrel, it tears away from the shot. This allows the shot to travel freely in air. The Projectile There are two basic projectile types. Shot, or pellets Slugs TPP 128: Shotgun Cartridges and Shells from Ken Jensen Shotgun Slugs Shotguns were designed to shoot the ball type shot from the old muskets.  These are called “Pumpkin Ball” slugs. Since then, slugs have gotten much more sophisticated with design. Some of the benefits of slugs today: These new designs allow us to bring some “rifle” qualities to shotguns. All the force is focused to one spot. This allows for greater impact or penetration on large...

Shotgun Cartridge Components Explained Shotgun cartridges have similar components to that of a rifle cartridge.  The components of a shotgun cartridge are: The Projectile The Case […]