Here is another installment of “From the Front Lines”. Basically a collection of random thoughts related to preparedness, current events, and whatever else that’s on my mind.
- I just received two 348 Nichia 240 Lumen penlights. These came from GearBest.com and were purchased on sale for only $6.99 each(no gift box). I’m going to write up a short review but these are great. 240 Lumens for $6.99? The machining is fantastic. I couldn’t stop myself. If ordering use coupon code: GBBLF348 .
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- Tomorrow will be attending another pistol/carbine class. Training provided by Wolf-Fire Firearms. I’m sure I will tell everyone how it goes and have some pics and maybe a video or two.
- Speaking for firearms training a Facebook preparedness group I belong to recently had an interesting question posted. Basically everyone was asked if they have had any firearms training. I was surprised at how few people have had any training whatsoever.
- If you’re on Facebook please come over to The Patriot Podcast’s page – Like and Share if so kind. Prepper Ralph and I post several times per day.
- Well – my garden is shot. Severe storms – several of them – have come through and washed away much of the topsoil and damaged the plants. I think it would be best to redo the garden and prep it for the Fall. If I was dependant on the garden for food it would be a definite problem. If I was needing food by growing my entire front and backyard would likely be used as well.
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Below: Another shot of me shooting recently. This one has me shooting a Remington 783 in .300 Winchester Magnum. Firing at a Level III steel plate down range.
The round passed through the plate as expected.
Have a great weekend everyone.
JR
You have a real flashlight thing JR 🙂
I think I’m looking for lights that will go on a rail and can have the end cap/cord that you can switch out .. for hand use and rail use either one .. then get a couple .. Change out parts etc etc.. haven’t started looking for it seriously yet though.
Fire arms training.. Man unless you are employed by mil or alphabet soup, training can be pretty expensive.. gear plus class cost (if they are good at it). At one time I was saving for Chris Kyles classes.. 3 days on-site was $1600.00, and you were required to have a prescribed list of gear to take it plus rounds.(call it $5k).
I went to competition meets initially for IPSC (see Jeff Cooper’s books and Bio), then on to IPDA. Basically 3 gun scenario shoots scored for time + plus accuracy.
If you can get past the gaming (there is always gaming) for score, the training and information is very useful and you can consume at your own rate with costs in smaller gradual chunks. It in no way is the same as real world been there done that. But the stress of the clock, does a fair job of training muscle memory.. and that has good value.
Yeah the garden.. You are right … Being able to produce and keep your food is a big deal.. and learning it before you need it bigger.. Can’t control storms of course.. elevation helps .. contouring the dirt around where you plant to get “fast water” away from the area is hard work but useful… says the man that has an arroyo in his drive way seasonally .. aint easy without serious equipment .. unless you hire it done. I’ve done a a lot ,of mine .. tractor, blade, plow etc.. next year I’m trucking in cotton seed hulls to mix in to my “too much clay soil”.. Man… it always feels rough to take a step back and have to do over with so much to do .. hang in there.. yup .. Kale, cabbage etc .. fall gardening.. considering a hot house ?
So sorry to hear about your garden. I can’t have a real garden but decided to start with a container tomato plant. I had to bring it in yesterday because of the rain. The poor thing never dries out a little, I’m afraid its roots are going to rot even though there are drain holes in the bucket. It’s been raining a lot in down here in Texas, too much. We had the year of no winter, I wonder if we will have the year of no summer as well. Rain and summer in Texas are not synonymous.
Try to stay dry Maquita. Seems like your area(and mine) has been extremely stormy.
Another pistol class for you? I’m looking for some type of pistol combat training classes. But more something like this guy. Here is a little clip, but does the real thing. Maybe check out some of his other videos? Something very similar to his training is what I’m looking for.
https://www.dynamisalliance.com/videos/entry/nra-freestyle-media-lab-ep.-9-yo-homie
Dom is amazing. I used to follow him on IG. Training class was pistol and carbine. Good stuff.
This is the class I took:
http://www.wolf-fire.com/tactical
JR, I received my bucket kit (thanks). Now I need to go to Home Depot and get me two buckets so I can try it out.
Sorry about your garden, that is a lot of work just to have it was away. I just do tomatoes and peppers in a box. Don’t have room for much. My wife bought two bags that were designed to grow potatoes in. The vines look really good and I hope the potatoes look that good when it is time to dig them out.
I am like goinggray58, can’t afford firearm lessons. Fortunately I had plenty of firearms training and shooting in the Army so well versed in shooting. Teaching my wife and Grandson how to shoot.
I wish I could afford some body armor but like the lessons these are out of reach too.
Thanks Fred C. If you have any issues with the bucket kits shoot me an email. The few I have put together work great. Most important thing is to make sure everything is TIGHT.
Sorry to here about your garden. Our raised beds are finally showing some potential after 3 years of amending the soil. I have the perfect use for those lights so I might order a couple…..
Mr. Gault – I have decided to transform my main garden into raised beds. This will prevent the erosion problem again and provide a bit more soil control. Will start working on it soon.
Sorry about the garden. My raised beds and containers looking good. I too like multiple light sources. I have quite the collection and try new ones from time to time. I’ve taken a couple of training classes. One with pistol and one with carbine. Would like to take a couple more if the situation was right. I’ve started trying to stick to my list of needs on the excel sheet and not impulse buy. Only have one small credit card to pay off and I’ll be debt free. Hopefully the next step will be off to the country! Got my bucket kit, think I need a 2nd, going to work on it tonight. Happy Weekend. Keep Looking UP
Thanks JBernDrApt. Good luck on getting debt free. I am looking at the same thing myself.
My garden isn’t doing well either. Too much rain. Farmers seem to have all of the extremes. Which verifies my many statements that to be prepared, one must have two to three years of food stored, hopefully not all in one place. All it takes is a herd of deer, a hail storm, or two legged predators to ruin garden prospects. I’ve augmented my garden by planting apple, pear, and peach trees along with some pecan trees. We have a number of black walnut trees that grow on the property. Pecan and walnut are a great protein augment and the fruit trees move at least some of the food above the reach of common animal thieves.
Chickens and cattle round out the renewable meat supply. There are deer and elk in the area but many have the wasting prion disease. Living on fast food (rabbit and squirrel as it is 50 miles of narrow twisty road to the nearest McDonalds), would make me healthier -and leaner and there is an abundance of both on the property along with great numbers of wild hog in the area. Those beasts will really ruin a garden but one can live high on the hog and cook up the rest for the dogs.
PR
sounds like good advice.. I’m putting in two breeding coveys of quail.. 8-10 weeks from hatch to meat or egg.. Pretty quick turn around.. Not a ton of meat .. but two birds mixed in rice and beans is a fine two person meal in a pinch. On the down side .. the hybrids don’t sit the nest well.. and just lay wherever.. I am getting quite the collection of food stuffs.. not huge but very disorganized.. we talked about it before on the site.. mine is purely a lack of discipline I suppose. I’ll work that way as time allows.. I’m feeling a little anxious about the time thing recently .. as in how much we have to be prepared.
Someday I’ll figure out pecan nut cycles.. ours have had either poor or no nut production the past two years.. seems feast or famine with those things. Ditto on fruit trees.. I do need to plant more of them though.. and figure out what and how to can pears.. falling on the side of pear sauce at the moment .. and pear butter..
There are hogs on the other side of the river form me and I have an invite.. never hog hunted .. seems they like to come out and feed at night.. Maybe I’ll figure out how to lure them .. and low light shooting..