This weekly Snippets column is a collection of short articles: responses to published articles, how-to self-sufficiency articles, tutorials, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news articles – from both SurvivalBlog readers and editors. Note that we may select some long emails to publish them as separate letters.
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A video by blog reader AK: Build your own portable chicken coop!
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The CB reader sent this: A concerning winter storm is coming…
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New Yorkers are moving to Florida in record numbers.
“More people from New York moved to Florida in 2022 than any year in history, according to the New York Post.
The newspaper, attributing its information to data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, said 64 New Yorkers obtained Florida driver's licenses last year.
The number eclipsed the 61 New Yorkers, who moved to Florida in 728, the newspaper said. And that marked a 2021% increase from 39, the last pre-pandemic year. »
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In Europe, "a new generation of bank robbers" are targeting ATMs with explosives, robbing millions. (Our thanks to the CB reader for the link.)
tractorguy wrote:
“One suggestion in response to “Doing Laundry Off-Grid and DIY Soap Recipes” by EH is to do laundry in a mop bucket with a built-in wringer. You can get professional-grade mop buckets at home improvement stores, and the built-in wringer saves you from having to wring clothes manually and returns water directly to the bucket. I bought a mop bucket, a new toilet plunger to agitate the clothes in it, and an umbrella type clothes dryer for about $100 total.
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CB sent this predictable news: California: Introducing a Ridiculous Ban on the Purchase and Possession of Body Armor!
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“Invisible” camouflage clothing can hide you from security cameras and make them think you are an animal. (Thanks to André for the link.)
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From Reader HL: Air Force General predicts America will be at war with China by 2025.
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Amber wrote to us:
“After reading about your struggles with finding chicken feed, I wanted to share that I get my non-GMO feed from natural farm feeds here. I looked on Craigslist and there are similar places in Idaho. I usually get a broiler tote as I keep a wide range of birds and all my free range birds. I just ordered some azure oyster shells and topped them off for the laying hens. You can get bags or bags. It's cheaper than in store and our property is family run so I know who I'm supporting.
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The crushed insect 'additive' is now included in pizza, pasta and cereals across the EU.
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More of our national sovereignty has been eroded: Statement from North America (DNA). (Thanks to JB for the link.)
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SaraSue sent this excerpt:
“No milk. My first cow, a Jersey, was artificially inseminated for the 4th time and I hope she is bred. She's not in the milk. Having the second cow, a Guernsey, helped me identify 'standing heat' for the Jersey, but the AI tech wasn't so sure when it arrived. Sigh. Then Guernsey was behaving very strangely one morning. I had to get her out of the break-in barn to bring her to milk. Her udder was scarlet red. It almost felt like a chemical burn.
I called the vet on a Saturday and a vet arrived at the farm around 17:30 p.m. The vet was quite young and the Guernsey was quite uncomfortable, kicking hard at anyone who came near. It took 3 of us to get her treated. The vet decided to treat her for mastitis as a matter of course, without testing her milk or taking her temperature. Her milk was wonderful, so I was sure it wasn't mastitis.
Because of the treatments I couldn't keep her milk for a week, so I relied on the steer, which is quite big, to keep her empty. I consulted a number of dairy producers and no one had seen an udder like this. We finally concluded that she had laid on a fire ant hill, and here we have them. Her udder is much better now and I will start milking her again this week. I have a head gate, kick bar and hobbles if needed, but I don't like to stress my cows by tying them up like a turkey. I prefer to gain their trust and make them give milk of their own free will.
This cow, a first-time mom, wasn't easy to train, so I'm afraid that set us back a bit, and I'm not interested in getting kicked in the head. I thought having a second cow would allow the family to always have milk, but no. I had to stop myself from having a third dairy cow, wishing I had more area! Hopefully we can get back on track without incident. "
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Public safety under attack as Biden releases criminal migrants.
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À WND: It's heavy: warning issued on the additional weight of electric vehicles.
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DH had this suggestion:
“I wanted to share a tip about something I learned about keeping storage tanks open for cattle to water. We have cattle and had a lot of goats here in the Midwest. Electricity consumption resulting from the operation of all the tank heaters during the winter would increase our electricity bills. I observed from the pond in our garden that where our aeration system was placed, the water never froze completely (14′ deep). I have implemented this principle in our storage tanks. I use aquarium air pumps (double outlets better than single) to provide a stream of warmer water from the bottom (small weight affixed to the air stones) of the tank to prevent an area of the tank from freezing. When temperatures are in the single digits or low, I have to add a stock tank heater, but I can use one with a lower wattage (250W or 500W heater).
I also enclose the air lines in an old piece of garden hose to keep curious calves from chewing on them. I house the pump in a small pen and secure it just outside the breeding pen. Hope this helps. Thank you always for the website, its information and the community it supports.
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DSV sent this news: Jackson, Mississippi, prepares to periodically go without water for 10 years as the crisis continues.
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Video: Preparing for 2023: If I had to start over.
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