Category: Rational Prepper - neoTerra

Happy Asteroid Day

6/30/2023

I just discovered that June 30th is the official UN International Asteroid Day. A day to "raise public awareness about the asteroid impact hazard "

Near Earth Objects (NEOs) are asteroids or comets that pass near the Earth's orbit and are potentially catastrophic threats to our planet. According to NASA over 32,000 NEOs have been identified. www.nasa.gov/image-feature/near-earth-asteroids-as-of-june-29-2023

Asteroid Day was co-founded by astrophysicist and famed musician Dr Brian May of the rock group Queen, Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart, filmmaker Grig Richters, and Danica Remy, to educate the public about the importance of asteroids (and to give us another boogey-man to anguish over).

Honestly, I'm completely in favor of tracking NEOs so we can be aware of potential threats. But, as a rational prepper, I have to conclude that there's nothing an individual can do to prepare for an impact... aside from evacuation.

The good news is that NASA is developing technology that may be able to deflect an asteroid that's on a collision course with Earth. Last year, the DART project confirmed that crashing a spacecraft into a smallish asteroid could alter its path. www.nasa.gov/feature/early-results-from-nasa-s-dart-mission

SO... this is one of those threats where we just have to trust the government to make the preparations.

DON'T PANIC

The Scarcity Report

6/14/2023

Scary Scarcity
As y'all probably know by now, our global overloads relentlessly try to keep us in a state of irrational fear and anxiety. To help maintain my Rational Prepper perspective, I give the biggest, baddest boogeymen cute names.

Scary Scarcity (i.e. famine, poverty, declining prosperity) has been a recurring boogeyman ever since The Limits To Growth was published by The Club Of Rome 50 years ago. Though none of their dire predictions came true, they continue to tell us that the world will end if we don't reduce ourselves to poverty.
neoterra.us/blog/the-boogeymen-of-doom-scary-scarcity

Many times, shortages are due to natural causes (bad harvests, for example) but some of our most dire shortages are intentionally created by a dishonest or incompetent government. Let's look at the latest news.

Eggstra, Eggstra
Yikes, there is actually some good news. The chicken population is recovering from last year's Avian Flu epidemic and egg prices are returning to normal. YAY!
www.cnn.com/2023/05/15/business/egg-prices/index.html

The Cocoa Crisis
We have been hearing about the end of chocolate for a few years now... BUT it's getting serious!

Cocoa prices have soared to a seven year high due to a worsening global bean deficit.... that is media-speak meaning "we eat too much chocolate".

Climate Hysterians now claim that the Cocoa plant will become extinct by 2050, because of global warming (It's funny how the Climate Calamity is always 30 years away).

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) the climate in West Africa will become too hot and dry to grow Cacoa (or coffee) by 2050.
www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-and/climate-chocolate

BUT, the Prophets of Doom never think of a creative solution. If the global temperature becomes too warm in West Africa then neoTerra will become perfect for growing coffee and cacoa.

Maybe I'll start a cacoa plantation when I grow up. YAY!

The Coffee Crisis
It seems that coffee is suffering the same fate as cocoa. Coffee prices have recently hit a 12-year high due to El Nino. We stocked up last year and only replenish our supply when it's on sale.

Wheat and Corn
Last year's extreme drought in California has been replaced by abundant snow (and even flooding).

However, changes in El Nino have shifted the worst of the drought to the Great Plains. Experts predict that the Kansas wheat harvest will be the worst in 60 years and the United States may actually have to import wheat.

Of course weather predictions are notoriously bad so the drought could break. That said, it might be prudent to stock up a bit when you see a good sale. Pasta has a really long shelf life.

FREE Beer
Finally, some good news! The Bud Boycott is continuing and AB is getting desperate. The beer aisle is filled with 'Buds' while the alternatives are selling out.

They are so desperate that they are literally paying you to haul their (crappy) beer away. While some stores are selling 24 packs for $3.49, AB is offering a $20 rebate. Yikes, you can make a $16 profit!

If it wasn't one-coupon-per-customer I would buy a truckload and replenish my retirement account.

So there ya' go... Anheuser-Busch, fighting inflation one Bud at a time!

Conclusion
Food insecurity is real, but the response from globalists is hypocritical.

On one hand the UN 2023 Global Report on Food Crisis is dire, claiming over 253 Million people face serious food shortages or starvation.
www.fsinplatform.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/GRFC2023-hi-res.pdf

On the other hand, the Globalists are doing everything they can to make the situation worse. For example, The Netherlands, one of the world's leading food exporters, is forcing thousands of family farms out of business 'to save the climate'.

And Ireland plans to force dairy farmers to kill 200,000 cows to stop them from farting. You can't make this $hit up.
humanevents.com/2023/06/03/ireland-moves-to-slaughter-200000-cows-over-climate-concerns

The Ministry of Plenty was forced to reduce the chocolate ration from 30 grams/week down to only 20. So the Ministry of Truth announced that the chocolate ration would be increased to 20 grams per week. The people went to the streets... to thank Big Brother for his generosity.

Mayhem and Theft

5/30/2023

Introduction
In my previous post I spoke negatively about Progressive Utopia (aka Democrat run cities and states).

Having escaped from Chicago some years ago, I admit that my views on rampant crime, violent intimidation and theft just might be biased.

I feel compelled to make amends. In this segment I shall compare the mostly peaceful behavior seen in Progressive Utopia versus the intimidation and mayhem of rural, conservative America.

Mayhem In Progressive Utopia
First, let us look at Progressive Urban Utopia, where vibrant diversity, equity and tolerance prevail above all else.... shall we?   Since Chicago is the Progressive Urban Utopia I am most familiar with... let us focus on the Windy City.

Chicago was once known as the City-Of-Broad-Shoulders. The city that rebuilt itself from the ashes of the Great Fire of 1871 and became the envy of the entire world during the World Colombian Exposition a mere 22 years later in 1893.    Rebuilt and re-imagined as the shining gem of the American Heartland.

1871 - Devastation

1893 - CITY BEAUTIFUL

How are things going today?

O'Hare Airport
O'Hare, was not only the busiest airport in the world but the World's hub. Well, no longer.

Downtown Chicago
Yikes, the new Mayor says "It is not constructive to demonize youth starved for opportunities". No wonder this shit keeps getting worse.

Mayhem In Rural America
It is unfair to demonize Progressive Utopia when intimidation and mayhem also occur in Rural America.

Just this past week, a Black bear brazenly invaded a bakery in rural Connecticut, intimidated the employees and made off with 60 cupcakes. It left a trail of smashed bakery goods.

Conclusion
Violent robberies are rampant in Conservative Rural America.

If you are a Democrat, you should stay in Chicago where it's safe.

Progressive Utopia

5/30/2023

I started the Rational Prepper segment several months ago with a discussion regarding location. The best way to prep for 'Threats' is to avoid them. Just move somewhere that doesn't have earthquakes, hurricanes or toxic waste dumps. neoterra.us/blog/the-rational-prepper-location-location-location

Over the past 2-3 years, however, it seems that natural disasters are much less concerning than the ongoing $hit$how taking place in Progressive Utopia (aka Democrat run cities).

It is time to evacuate Democrat-run cities. Maybe it's time to get the hell out of Democrat run states. It is time to vote with your feet! Here, is just one example.

Chicago
YAY Chicago! While the Windy City continues its decline into third-world lawlessness, the State deployed 30 'peacekeepers' to patrol the city over Memorial Day weekend. Democrat Governor Pritzker launched the new Citywide Crisis Prevention and Response Unit (CPRU) to "prevent violence and address conflict and crises in the City of Chicago."

Wow, this is part of $240 MILLION in State funding to address (the lack of) public safety in Chicago.

The yellow-vested 'peacekeepers' form a mobile response unit meant to deescalate crime before it starts. We all know how warm-and-cuddly thieves, thugs and violent criminals are so it went about as well as you might expect.

Over the holiday weekend, 60 people were shot and 12 people were murdered. The most people shot in ten years.

The best part... the Clown World part... is that an alleged 'peacekeeper' has been arrested for allegedly participating in an alleged mob attack (and robbery) of a motorist in Little Village.
www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/man-in-peacekeeper-vest-charged-with-beating-robbing-man-in-chicago/ar-AA1bRcrB

Who needs police when the State will pay $100/day to gang members and ex-cons to 'keep the peace'?? YAY!

Now you can show your support for enlightened Democrat law (un)enforcement with your very own "Peacekeeper" t-shirt. (Note neoTerra is non-commercial and I do not endorse or make money on any products. I just think HeyJackass is tragically hilarious).

Shots Fired
The Chicago Shotspotter system (which mayoral advisors want to discontinue) is used to detect and triangulate gunshots fired in neighborhoods. In the first four months of this year the system detected 56.323 rounds fired in Chicago neighborhoods!

Chicago (as well as Illinois) has some of the most restrictive (though rarely enforced) gun laws in the entire country. Apparently, when Democrat DAs selectively decide to ignore the gun laws they already have then you get to live (or die) in a third-world war zone.

Conclusion

GTFO Chicago
GTFO Illinois
GTFO any Democrat Progressive Utopia
Stop voting for Democrats

Disruptive Event

5/22/2023

US Senators are being provided with satellite phones. While I think that’s actually a good idea, the circumstances are a bit troubling. Karen Gibson, the Senate Sergeant At Arms stated in public testimony that the phones are being provided "to ensure a redundant and secure means of communication during a disruptive event."

She went on to say that the phones provide a security backstop in the case of an emergency that "takes out communications" in America.

Here's the story from CBS:

OK... I believe it is prudent to be prepared. The cost of 100 sat phones is so tiny it wouldn't even be a line item in the Senate's budget and is hardly worth comment. It seems to me that this high profile announcement is just another PR stunt to create a new boogeyman.

The public's focus has shifted to inflation, crippling interest rates, unaffordable housing, spiraling crime and homelessness. These are all situations where the government is at fault and they cannot convince us to give them more power if they are the problem.

The pResident (The Great Unifier) has repeatedly stated that White Supremacy and systemic white privilege are the greatest threats to America. He uses the bully-pulpit to spread hatred and fear at every opportunity.

So, I think the new Boogeyman-Of-Doom will be the fraudulent/made-up narrative of impending white terrorism.... just in time for 2024.

I hope I'm wrong.

Victory Garden Update

5/19/2023

The Victory Garden is complete but there are many small tasks and preparations for next year.

As an aside, I have been writing about bug-burgers and the fallacy of synthetic, fake food. I don't know if I will have the ambition to keep the Victory Garden going as I get older... but the idea of eating fresh, heirloom vegetables is very appealing.

Current Status
I've planted tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, potatoes and brussels sprouts. The broccoli doesn't seem to be doing well but everything else is better than I expected.

As a crazy experiment, Ms Terra suggested that I should plant the carrot tops left over from canning beef stew. I was skeptical... but here ya go! Generic Kroger Carrots!

I also planted two varieties of pole beans from seed. I'm amazed at how fast they sprouted! I'm so frugal (or perhaps rational) that I used left-over welded-wire mesh to wrap over the entry arbor so they'll have a trellis to climb on.

I must admit, it isn't the most picturesque solution. BUT, it is functional, it actually stiffens the flimsy arbor and, best of all, it was FREE!.

Damn!... look at how lush the forest has become over the past few weeks.

Preps For Next Year
I ordered another 10 yards of top soil with the intent to triple the size of the garden next year. I moved the 5-yard pile on the left (west) on Wednesday. I definitely overdid it and I've been paying the price for the last two days. However, I did plant a few hostas yesterday and made that trellis today... so I don't feel like a total elderly wimp.

My theory is that it will be easier to have ambition in the future if I do most of the heavy-lifting in the present. Today is the youngest that you shall ever be. Don't Waste It.

The Rational Prepper - Victory Garden Complete!

4/21/2023

The neoTerra Victory Garden is complete! YAY!

In the last update, the containers were all in place and filled. All that remained was installation of an electric fence to keep Bambi and Yogi out of the garden.

I purchased 18 5-foot steel T-Posts from Tractor Supply and mounted those to the containers. (For the city folks out there... Tractor Supply doesn't actually sell tractors.. but they sell all sorts of awesome supplies for farm and garden).

The electric fencing must be insulated from the steel posts. I found these awesome insulators called Lock Jawz. They can snap onto the T-Posts at several different angles to make it easy to go around corners. Mounting two insulators back-to-back made it easy to tie off the fencing at the ends.

I used 2-inch x 4-inch welded wire mesh for the fence itself. This should be able to keep baby velociraptors out!

ALL DONE!!

The Rational Prepper - Canning Beef Stew

4/10/2023

As a rational prepper, I'm not preparing for a Zombie Apocalypse... BUT I am preparing for continued Bidenflation and possible shortages of beef and chicken later this year. Since we don't have a giant freezer, I've been slowly learning how to can.

I purchased a chuck roast on sale and, in this post, I'm pressure canning beef stew with potatoes, carrots, onions and beef broth.

I'll be doing a 'raw pack' so the veggies don't turn to mush.

The Presto Digital Canner only holds 5 quarts so I'm making about 10 servings. I really like this canner... it has a couple of extra steps, but once it finishes venting the rest of the process is automatic and I can walk away.

I peeled and chopped:

8 cups of red potatoes
6 cups of carrots
2 medium yellow onions

I cut 4 lbs of chuck roast into 1 inch cubes and discarded most of the fat. I also made two quarts of beef broth using Better Than Bouillon. (Note the very sharp, pointy kitchen knife I used in defiance of British law. I'm sure glad we sent the Brits packing back in 1783).

I chopped way too many veggies so I'll have to tweak the amounts next time.

Although I'm doing a 'raw pack' I decided to brown the beef to give it better color.

I layered the jars with beef, potatoes, carrots and onions, and then filled the jars with boiling broth... leaving 1 inch of headspace. I'm happy to report that all 5 quarts sealed properly... it's only the second time I've had 100% success!

The Rational Prepper - Victory Garden Update

4/3/2023

I have all four containers installed and filled. I used all 10 yards of top soil and I'm going to need a lot more :-(

The concrete piers for the northwest (final) container are really high. I use a solid concrete block for the base, a hollow block in the middle and another solid block on top to support the container. The blocks are glued together with Gorilla Ultimate Adhesive, which is actually better than conventional mortar.

I poured two concrete blocks to mount the entry gate. I was surprised that each block took about 40 lbs of concrete. The gate is screwed to the concrete pads with Tapcon anchors.

Some stepping stones and pea gravel complete the entry.

The next step is to order more dirt to back fill the sides where the piers are exposed. Then I can install the electric fence to keep Yogi and Bambi out. I'm in the home stretch!

The Rational Prepper - Victory Gardens

3/25/2023

Lost and Found
A couple of months ago I talked about putting in a vegetable garden. The coldest temps on record created problems with our well and killed a couple thousand dollars of shrubs. So I lost my motivation for planting.

Then I visited my friends G&J. They gave me a tour of their amazing garden and I found my enthusiasm again!

That said... I'm starting small with just four containers. If I can actually get anything to grow then I'll add four more next year.

Progress Report
The only sunny location at neoTerra is along the north side of the driveway. It's also the most level location on our property... but it's not that level.

The project started two weeks ago with delivery of 10 yards of topsoil. Since I'm obsessive, I bought a truckload of concrete blocks to level the containers.

Here are the two front containers with the entry gate.

View toward the south with three containers in place. I like the way the corrugated metal containers go with the metal siding on the house. Note that the concrete piers extend past the containers to the left... that will provide the foundation to extend the garden next year (if I'm ambitious).

A view from the east. Only one more container to install! BUT, I have to move a lot of dirt first... It takes about a cubic yard for each of the two front containers and more for the back containers which are 10-12 inches above grade.

I'd better get moving!!! It's almost time to plant!