Secret Survival Tips

Good morning ATS!

The great reset, the 2nd great depression, economic collapse. Whatever that comes our way, let's be ready.

What is a secret survival tip you can share that others may not know? We've heard the same thing regurgitated
over and over. Let's talk about stuff people probably haven't heard of.

I'll go

Young Hostas are totally edible & delicious. Yes that ugly plant your Meemaw grew all over her yard!

Milkweed fluff can be used as pillow stuffing, to insulate clothing, and anywhere you would use down/insulation with the added
perk that most people that are allergic to down aren't allergic to fluff.

Wax on paper is a super fire starter.

A milk or soda jug filled with warm/hot water will keep you warm for a long time. (Learned this in a real life survival scenario)

For growing things... If you have a willow tree, if you cut some branches off and stick them in a bucket of water. That water can be
used just like rooting/growth hormones on new plants.

Your turn.....

a reply to: JAGStorm

If you want to Travel fast travel alone....if you want to Travel far travel with Others.

Gumballs dipped in wax make a good alternative fuel source. I was able to cook a breakfast of bacon and eggs with only four gumballs. (And the bacon was crispy!) And my method works great when you're in the middle of nowhere and don't want your (cooking) fire to be seen. See the three images below for details. Note the gallon-sized commercial food can I used, which I got for free from a local restaurant:








TCB

originally posted by: TrulyColorBlind
Gumballs dipped in wax make a good alternative fuel source. I was able to cook a breakfast of bacon and eggs with only four gumballs. (And the bacon was crispy!) And my method works great when you're in the middle of nowhere and don't want your (cooking) fire to be seen. See the three images below for details. Note the gallon-sized commercial food can I used, which I got for free from a local restaurant:








TCB

The fruit of the Sweet Gum Tree. Link
Someone might try to start a fire with a large ball of bubble gum.

a reply to: JAGStorm

I would suggest people get a book or two on foraging, there's so much growing in people's localities that they are unaware of the edibility of these plants/fungi.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus
Many medical remedies can be found in and around forests, too. It's always good to know plants that help against mosquito bites, repel them, antibiotic properties and similar.

A good rule of thumb that is true for walnuts(brain) and augentrost(eye) is that if it looks like eerie like an organ, it probably contains something that is good for that organ. Got that on a documentary about herbs that grow in the Alps. For sure it's not an accurate rule but something to look into.

Lerning basics how to sew, treat animal skin for leather, starting and tending fires.. Basic cooking and food safety. Storage, all of it. When society breaks down, a single person or small group needs to provide a lot of skills. Firefighting, butchering, weaving, shoemaking...

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: JAGStorm

I would suggest people get a book or two on foraging, there's so much growing in people's localities that they are unaware of the edibility of these plants/fungi.

No joke last year in a few of my gardening groups people asked "what's this?".
It was grapes... grapes. Not one person, a couple of people.

People truly don't know what real food growing looks like.

a reply to: JAGStorm

There's a large, forested park near my house where I can find things like ramps, mushrooms, greens and other foodstuffs and it's only 10 miles from NYC. If I can get those hear imagine what you can harvest in a much more pastoral locale.

Oh and I helped cutting down trees as a teen.

My prognostication is that a lot of sudden deaths and crippling will be caused by falling tree carcass. Not the classical "being rammer into the ground like a nail" but cut trees that rotate, twist, bounce back or similar.

It's tempting to think cutting down a tree safely is easy, there's more behind it.

originally posted by: ThatDamnDuckAgain

Oh and I helped cutting down trees as a teen.

My prognostication is that a lot of sudden deaths and crippling will be caused by falling tree carcass. Not the classical "being rammer into the ground like a nail" but cut trees that rotate, twist, bounce back or similar.

It's tempting to think cutting down a tree safely is easy, there's more behind it.

Totally agree! Widow maker!
Tree cutting freaks me out.
Also the size of trees are distorted. When they are down you realize how tall & big they are!

Edit to add I have known not one but -TWO- people that have almost cut their legs off with chainsaws while in a tree!!!

a reply to: JAGStorm

If one lives in an area with lots of snow, learn how to make a snow cave. One candle in the cave (with an exit hole for the smoke) will keep it comfortably warm.

Cheers

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: JAGStorm

There's a large, forested park near my house where I can find things like ramps, mushrooms, greens and other foodstuffs and it's only 10 miles from NYC. If I can get those hear imagine what you can harvest in a much more pastoral locale.

Here's one for our Southern Friends.
Kudzu is almost totally edible (not the seeds & vine is questionable)

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: JAGStorm

I would suggest people get a book or two on foraging, there's so much growing in people's localities that they are unaware of the edibility of these plants/fungi.

No joke last year in a few of my gardening groups people asked "what's this?".
It was grapes... grapes. Not one person, a couple of people.

People truly don't know what real food growing looks like.

I am glad that I was lucky enough to grow up eating concord grapes off the vine, tilling planting and harvesting vegetables.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Yeah almost got me once being unattentive in seemingly safe zone... Bottom part of the cut tree slid back over the stump and then levered up.

Rolling 3.3feet long, 3 feet thick parts in uneven, thorny and wet for rests can cost an ankle, too. Most of the time we pulled those out with the "Forrest-wordwithbendswithitch", old beaten up Suzuki awd and later with the tractor. Rolling is much better for the forest though.

There's plenty to go wrong in the forest. Beware the woplertingers at night.

You can make wine from dandelions.

Link

Set up a still and you could probably make dandelion brandy from it. When the worlds going to hell I want to be drunk.

originally posted by: TrulyColorBlind
Gumballs dipped in wax make a good alternative fuel source.


TCB

To be clear these are seed pods from a Sweetgum tree.
No fun to step on in bare feet.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Tapping birch trees for water:

So I am in GA and have tons of Birch trees around and found this guy's method of getting clean drinking water to be very effective. Especially if you have no other means of purifying water for whatever reason.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: JAGStorm

I would suggest people get a book or two on foraging, there's so much growing in people's localities that they are unaware of the edibility of these plants/fungi.

For sure....lots can go wrong eating the wrong fungi.

Chantarelles grow like crazy here.....usually get 4 or 5 lbs when I go hunting.

a reply to: Vasa Croe

We can get those here as well, there's so many varieties of mushrooms I can get in the woods and also see sold in the market.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: Vasa Croe

We can get those here as well, there's so many varieties of mushrooms I can get in the woods and also see sold in the market.

Yeah....I always laugh when I go to the grocery store and see chantarelles for some ridiculous $25/lb price....so much cheaper to step out by the creek and grab some...just most people don't know.