The Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast

Mayan Calender-End of the World Update

chipmonk — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 19:04:05 +0000

Okay, so I’m only kidding with the title…. But it has likely been obvious that for the past few months I have been on something of a sabbatical from this show. It was not planned (as you could tell from the last couple of episodes I posted right before the break) but was necessary for a number of reasons. I have missed doing the program greatly and am presently trying to gear back up to continue the show.

Which brings me to the current state of things. The world appears to be going crazy with events in the Middle East, domestic fiscal issues here in the US, and an unspeakable tragedy last week that is looking like it will usher in even more totalitarianism and tyranny. This is a time of great concern but also a time to keep a focus on the things that really matter in our lives. Lately, in recognition of this fact I have been trying hard to hug my kids a little tighter, help those out around me a little more, and be an encouragement to others in any way I can.

We have also seen that despite the lessons of Hurricane Sandy about the need to be individually ready, the government and media are trying to paint anyone who tries to prepare their family for disasters as dangerous nutcases ready to “go off at any moment”. The economy is about to drive off a cliff in a week or so as though by design. Despite the clear failure of “citizen disarmament zones” the conversations (shaped and driven by the media’s biases) are all about how the actions of one evil person should result in 80+ million others giving up their constitutional freedoms. It seems like many of the things we’ve discussed on this program are coming to pass right before our eyes.

Which means that programs such as this may be more important than ever….

With that said, Merry Christmas and Peace on Earth, Good will towards men…

Show Updates, etc.

chipmonk — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 22:00:25 +0000

Hey there,

Yes, indeed it has been a long time since you have heard my (not-so) melodious voice over the virtual airwaves of the internets! I was not planning on taking a three week break from the show, but a lot of real-life issues have intervened including:

* Assisting my wife in completing 41 credits of graduate coursework in order for her to keep her teaching license and her job

* The massive amount of work required for doing the “farm-thing” on a scale double what we did last summer (including many 12+ hour days)

* Adding a baby to our family dynamic and everything that comes with that (Keris will be three-months old in a week)

* Cutting, hauling, moving and stacking firewood for winter (done over the past few weeks)

* Helping my wife get ready for the coming school year, along with prepping my first grader for his next adventures

So….. All this has meant that I have not been spending much time on line and have not had time to check any email, setting back my plans of “catching up”. I am working to get back on track, but as always my family comes first!

Thanks for your patience and support and keep prepping!

Chip

Episode 344

chipmonk — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 22:00:01 +0000

Today I take a look at the massive drought impacting the “Breadbasket of the World”, that is my home country of the United States. We consider some of the ramifications of a return to the “Dust Bowl” days, and then I discuss my experiences with the Savage Model 110 bolt-action rifle.

The song for today is “Drought” by Brent Watkins and Brian Sporer

Episode 343

chipmonk — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 22:00:44 +0000

Today I discuss more of the potential fallout from the Aurora shootings and what it may mean as far as firearms restrictions, limitations on ammunition purchases and other attempts by Anti-Second Amendment forces to curtail our rights in this country. I also predict that we will see more of these sorts of episodes in the near future before this fades from public consciousness. In addition we look at the massive power grid failures in India and ways to prepare for that potential eventuality in other parts of the world.

Song is “The End is Nigh” by Venetian Princess

Episode 342

chipmonk — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 00:00:17 +0000

Happy Friday! On today’s mobile podcast your humble host discusses the idea of maintaining a state of alert at important times along with ways to drastically lower your food storage budget (both for everyday and for long-term needs).

Episode 341-Updates and a New Direction for the Podcast

chipmonk — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 00:00:02 +0000

It’s been a couple of weeks since our last episode aired as Chip has been traveling to church conventions, slaving away trying to keep the farm going, and caring for a one-month old baby. However, today we look back at the first two years of this program and discuss a new direction for the CMFSP for the future. We also look at some of the stories in the news relating to Disaster Preparedness and talk about the worrisome nature of the state of the world today.

Episode 340-BOOK REVIEW-Rebuilding A Village

chipmonk — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 12:00:48 +0000

Today your favorite guy named “Chip” discusses a book he read recently about not only prepping for societal collapse, but the process of how to rebuild afterwards. This book called “Rebuilding a Village-Steps For Starting Over In a Collapsed Society” covers a number of aspects of Survivalism/Prepping that are often neglected and on this episode we take a look at some of them.

This book can be ordered through Amazon.com and from Barnes and Noble.

Happy Independence Day!

chipmonk — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 12:00:40 +0000

As we in the United States celebrate Independence Day this year please remember to pray for the needs of our nation and wisdom for our leaders during these difficult times. There is so much to be concerned with in this world but there is also a power greater than all the challenges….

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Episode 339-MOVIE REVIEW-Independence Day-1996

chipmonk — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 12:00:42 +0000

Today I discuss a modern classic (at least for my wife and I) that deals with survival and preparedness themes on numerous levels. As I usually do when talking about survival media I do a plot overview and this look at specific preparedness lessons one can draw from the story as presented. I’m reviewing this today so that you’ll have the chance to watch in on or around Independence Day if this episode peaks your interest (although it’s likely most listeners will probably have seen it already, but this might provide a good opportunity for a re-watch).

Episode 338-BURT GUMMER REPORT-Wildfires & Super Derechos

chipmonk — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 00:00:49 +0000

Today we look at a couple of current news items that have a LOT to tell us about Disaster Readiness and Preparedness. Specifically I focus on the massive Colorado Wildfires and the brutal “Land Hurricane” (aka “Super Derecho”) impacting the eastern US. This is certain to be an eye opening look at a couple significant disasters we don’t usually consider (have you ever heard of a “Super Derecho” before this particular storm system rolled through?)

Colorado Wildfires Leave Behind a “Twilight Zone” Landscape

Rare ‘Derecho’ Storm Attacks D.C.

The Science Behind a “Super Derecho”

911 System Down for 48 Hours

Episode 337-Thoughts on Survival and Day-to-day Nutrition

chipmonk — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 00:00:48 +0000

Today finds your host in his mobile podcasting studio driving the backroads of the Pacific Northwest discussing some recent experimentation in “Survival Nutrition”. Listen in as Chip discusses various aspects of finding and maintaining the right nutritional balance for you as one of the most important components of a survival plan.

Episode 336-RETRO EPISODE-The $500 Survival Gun Battery Challenge

chipmonk — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 00:00:58 +0000

Today we dredge up another popular episode from WAAAAY back in the life of this podcast. On this episode I discuss how you can assemble a flexible and versatile survival firearms battery for around $500… Yes, that’s the total amount! So listen in to a discussion (from my end at least) about the frugal method of covering all of your Survival Gun needs.

Episode 335-Gardening for Freedom

chipmonk — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:00:17 +0000

Today I discuss some of the things I’ve been thinking about as I work these occasional 10-12 hour days around the homestead. I consider how the simple act of being able to grow your own food makes you independent of at least some of the bad things that are happening in this world and talk about the freedom our family feels because of our ability to take care of one of our most basic needs. I also offer some advice based on the things I have learned during the past four years of growing food. As I say on the show, if your humble host can grow food then anyone can!

(Song excerpt taken from the following Youtube video: The Garden Song by Tony Reece )

Episode 334-LOST EPISODE-Paintball as a Prep

chipmonk — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 00:00:35 +0000

Today I drag another “Lost Episode” out of the CMFSP vault, not because I was unable to record a new episode (I did, but will post it tomorrow) but because several listeners have requested I do so. On this particular show I discuss my experience with playing the sport known as Paintball and why it could be useful as a part of your preparedness efforts.

Episode 333-More Lessons From the Great Depression

chipmonk — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:00:36 +0000

During my hiatus over the past few weeks I have been doing a lot of reading and research about various survival-related topics and today I discuss one. On this episode I reflect on some of the things I have been learning about Survival during the Great Depression and a few lessons I have drawn from my study.

Episode 332-Survival Bedrolls

chipmonk — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 12:00:54 +0000

After taking a few minutes to share about our beautiful new daughter and our experience with a second home birth we discuss today the idea of the “Survival Bedroll”. Not quite a bug-out bag and not quite a sleeping kit, the bedroll is a Cowboy-inspired idea with a lot of usefulness for today’s prepper.

A few links that might help better understand “Survival Bedrolls”:

The Survivalistboards.com link about the “30-30 Survival Bedroll (check out the pictures too!)

Seven types of gear you should have in your Bug-out Bag or Survival Bedroll

Youtube video about Bedroll/Sleeping System (cool accent!)

Youtube video about Cowboy Bedrolls (a little big for carrying by yourself)

Youtube video on Wool Blanket Backpack

It’s a Girl!

chipmonk — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 00:00:44 +0000

I just wanted to take a moment and share the birth of our new little girl with my wonderful listeners. I’ll also share this announcement at the beginning of the next new episode I record:

Keris Anneline Monk was born on June 6 weighing 9 lbs 4 oz. Her first name means “Grace” in Greek and “Love” in Welsh and her middle name is a combination of her two grandmothers’ middle names (Anne and Adeline). She and her amazing mommy are both doing great and the Monk household is enjoying the process of figuring out how to adjust to our exciting new reality.

Thanks again for the wonderful thoughts and prayers!

Chip

Our son and daughter welcoming their new little sister!

Episode 331-LOST EPISODE-.357 Magnum as a Survival Caliber

chipmonk — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 12:00:58 +0000

Still no baby… But our other kiddos were late too, so I guess it’s not a huge surprise! Anyway, today we go back in the archives and dig up another of the “Lost Episodes”, this time Episode 111 about the .357 Magnum as a survival caliber. Here’s what the original post about this episode said (and you’ll have to forgive the Christmas music, since that was the season when it originally aired in 2010):

On this episode of the Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast I ask the question “If you could only have one caliber for both a handgun and a long gun, what would be a good choice?” Why would someone ever be in a situation where they would need to make such a decision? Well, perhaps you’re one of my listeners on a budget who only wants to stock a single type of ammo to simplify logistics in your preparations. Maybe you just want a revolver and a carbine in the same caliber so you only need to carry one type of ammo with you in the field. Who knows? But I’ve been asked the question enough that it’s worth taking the time to contemplate. And it’s fun to discuss hypotheticals when it comes to firearms.

So, kick back… Grab a cup of hot chocolate and let’s talk guns!

Episode 330-LOST EPISODE-Swiss Army Knives and Multitools

chipmonk — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 12:00:03 +0000

We’re still waiting for our new baby to arrive in the Chip Monk household, but taking care of my wife and kiddos along with the farm is definitely impacting my schedule for this week. So, this week I will be re-uploading some of the missing episodes that have mysteriously vanished from the podcast feed in the past. Today’s episode is about “Swiss Army Knives and Multitools” and covers some of the useful, yet very compact options available in one of the key areas of preparedness.

Episode 329-LOST EPISODE-Meat Preservation

chipmonk — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 12:00:19 +0000

Today we do another look back at an old episode, this time about the idea of “Meat Preservation”. On this old show I cover a number of ideas for preserving meat without refrigeration which is a valuable and even potentially life-saving skill.

Episode 328-Survival Grab Bag

chipmonk — Wed, 30 May 2012 12:00:19 +0000

As your humble host continues to wait for the newest addition to his family to be born (anytime, now….) he sits down to discuss a number of different survival topics including:

*A change in focus for Chip’s prepping

*Various firestarting methods

*Green algae as a survival food

*And other survival topics!

Episode 327-FROM THE CMFSP ARCHIVES-Frugal Living

chipmonk — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:00:34 +0000

Today we take another look back at an early episode from the CMFSP Archives, this time considering the subject of ways to live on as little money as possible. As more and more people experience job losses, face cutbacks at their current job, or just plain find it hard to live on their existing budget this topic becomes more and more vital.

Episode 326-FROM THE CMFSP ARCHIVES-Quick and Easy Fallout Shelters

chipmonk — Wed, 23 May 2012 22:00:18 +0000

Since my family is still waiting for my wife to have a baby, this week has been kind of a busy (and wacky) time for our family. With that in mind your humble host decided to dip back into the archives and find an older episode that might be useful to listeners (a pattern which may continue for the week). So on today’s show the “me of the past” discusses how to build a quick improvised fallout shelter with not only major situations like nuclear war in mind, but also for the situations developing as we learn more about Fukushima.

Episode 325-FROM THE CMFSP ARCHIVES-Urban Survival

chipmonk — Tue, 22 May 2012 12:00:40 +0000

Today I “revive” another one of the early episodes of the Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast. This particular episode is about particular considerations regarding Survival in the City, also known as “Urban Survival”. Since many listeners have not had a chance to listen to some of these older episodes I might be posting them interspersed with new shows for the next couple of weeks due to the imminent birth of my third child and the necessary down time for my family that will surely follow.

Episode 324-Survival News & Commentary-Burt Gummer Report-5-17-2012

chipmonk — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:42 +0000

Today is the beginning of a new aspect of the Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast: the Burt Gummer Report. In this (planned) weekly segment I draw on the inspiration of the fictional character “Burt Gummer” of Tremors fame to take a somewhat tongue-in-cheek look at the things going on around the world from a Survival/Preparedness viewpoint and suggest strategies for coping with these developments.

Europe rocked by Spanish banking crisis

Israel decision to attack Iran nears

US ready to attack Iran, says Ambassador

30 days survival food ideas

Fighter jets over Chicago before NATO Summit

Chicago braces for violence during NATO Summit

40 million Japanese citizens to be evacuated

Russian soldiers training in Colorado

Russian soldiers to “seize” CIA, NSA assets and Denver Airport

Episode 323-FROM THE CMFSP ARCHIVES-Engaging Kids in the Preparedness Lifestyle

chipmonk — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:00:58 +0000

For the first time ever your host has gone back into the dusty old archives of the Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast and found an older episode that many listeners will not have heard. As only the most recent 280 episodes are available through the iTunes feed I plan to occasionally re-post some of those older shows so that listeners can have a chance to check them out as well.

Today is from one of the first few episodes of the show covering some ideas on getting kids interested in the “Preparedness Lifestyle” and the potential value of such an effort.

Episode 322-TINFOIL TUESDAY #1-What Is Really Happening With Fukushima?

chipmonk — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:47 +0000

Today is our very first “TINFOIL TUESDAY” episode where I choose a controversial topic to discuss and delve into the deep, dark depths of various topics that Survival/Preparedness worry about. Specifically today we look at what is really going on over a year after the destructive earthquake/tsunami/nuclear meltdown that took place near Fukushima, Japan and consider what the ramifications are for all of us. This is sort of a “soft launch” for the idea of tackling controversial topics as most of the episode is sound clips of others speaking but hopefully it will bring together some of the information about what is really happening at Fukushima for your consideration.

(*Clips from CNN, Natural Solutions Foundation, Boise ABC 6, KGO Radio, Info Wars and Russia Today. It is believed that this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit.)

Episode 321-Urban Gardening & Growing Your Way to Self-Reliance

chipmonk — Thu, 10 May 2012 12:00:21 +0000

As my long-time listeners know I am an amateur historian by nature. I am fascinated with all aspects of history, but certain time periods really stand out to me for particular study. One of those eras is World War II and one of the aspects of that time period that I find interesting is the “Victory Gardens” grown during that time. Today we discuss the value of “Growing Your Way to Self-Reliance” and some simple methods of doing so even if you live in an urban setting.

Episode 320-The Marlin 30-30 Rifle

chipmonk — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:00:21 +0000

Today I discuss a specific brand of lever action rifle: the legendary Marlin 30-30. As a low-profile option for Preparedness as well as a very capable, fast-handling long-arm the Marlin is a great option for the budget. Don’t let anyone tell you that these old “Cowboy Guns” are obsolete!

Episode 319-MOVIE REVIEW-2012

chipmonk — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:00:21 +0000

If you have not yet seen the movie “2012″ you should… Completely over the top, absurd scenes of land masses falling into the sea, and some very cheesy disaster-movie acting. At the same time it is a great “survival” movie from the viewpoint of training your mind to break out of “normalcy bias” and consider potential threats you would otherwise never have thought possible. So listen in as your buddy Chip discusses “2012″… In the year 2012! (How cool is that?)

Episode 318-Gluten Free Survival

chipmonk — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:00:04 +0000

This episode finds your host discussing how to look at food storage from the perspective of a specific health consideration. In this case I am discussing my own need for securing “Gluten-free” food supplies due to my having Celiac Disease. Considering how many millions there are who are choosing to go Gluten-free due to food allergies/intolerances, a desire for eating healthier, or because they heard Miley Cyrus has Celiac Disease also, it seemed like a good topic for us to look at.

BTW… The opening song comes from this video on YouTube.

Episode 317-Home & Community Defense

chipmonk — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:00:01 +0000

Today I discuss a fairly distasteful topic: The idea of organized methods and approaches for protecting your home and community. This sort of discussion brings up the idea of possibly using physical force (although not necessarily) and other controversial topics. The takeaway I hope you have from this show is how nice it is to have rule of law in our “normal” lives and how much less pleasant it would ever be if we did see a total collapse…. Along with some ideas of specific plans you can make to deal with bad times if they come.

Episode 316-A Visit to a Mormon Cannery

chipmonk — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:00:11 +0000

On May 1st your humble host found it necessary to drive to the “Big City” here in the State of Oregon where he lives. In honor of the “May Day” protests advocating more central control of our daily lives Chip took time to stop by and visit a Mormon Cannery there where both members and non-members of the LDS church are provided the opportunity to increase their long-term storage, and indirectly their self-reliance capabilities. Listen in today as I share my experiences and discuss some of the specific items I picked up for our family.

Below is a link about canning that was filmed in the very facility I visited:

Dry-packing food storage at an LDS Home Storage Center

And another video on how to use the portable canner you can borrow from one of these facilities:

How to use a portable canner from an LDS Cannery

Here is a list of various canneries around the country: LDS Cannery Locations

Foods available for canning list: Cannery Order Form PDF

Episode 315-More On Unarmed Self Defense

chipmonk — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:00:55 +0000

Going on a year and a half ago I talked about my background experiences in the Martial Arts and their applications as far as Survival/Preparedness is concerned. Today I cover the same basic topic but from a different approach: The idea of developing a simple personal regimen of self defense moves to protect against your most likely encounters.

Also… Hope you like the opening and closing music today. You may have noticed my efforts to “theme” the music with the show topic whenever possible of late.

Episode 314-Remington 870 Clone Shotguns

chipmonk — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:00:56 +0000

Today I return to mobile podcasting to discuss the various Remington 870 clones imported from places like China under names like Norinco Hawk, Ultra 87 and NEF Pardner Pump. Consider this to be an informative episode about these “clones” rather than encouragement to purchase one. As I state on the show it’s much better to support a domestic company like Remington but since these “clones” have become common enough that you’re likely to run across them I thought it was worth a discussion about my experiences with these platforms.

Useful links:

Box’o'Truth article about shotgun penetration of walls (mentioned on today’s episode)

The High Road discussion about Norinco 870-clones

Shotgunworld.com discussion about Norinco 870-clones

NEF Pardner Pump Review

Ultra 87 Thread Discussion

Episode 313-MOVIE REVIEW-Tomorrow When the War Began

chipmonk — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:00:07 +0000

Last summer I did a review of one of my all-time favorite movies: the 1984 survival-y film “Red Dawn”. Today I discuss an Australian movie with a similar theme based on a book sharing the same name: “Tomorrow When the War Began”. I discuss the overall plot, some Survival/Preparedness aspects that jumped out at me, and why I think it’s a worthwhile movie for those interested in Disaster Readiness themes.

Amazon.com listing for “Tomorrow When the War Began”

Episode 312-GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEW-The Walking Dead

chipmonk — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:00:58 +0000

Today your humble host discusses his experience over the past year reading the entire “Walking Dead” graphic novel series from beginning to end. While most certainly a quite un-”family-safe” piece of media, it is an interesting and potentially startling look at Survival and Preparedness that some people might benefit from reading. (NOTE: I must emphasize the fact that this series is filled with adult content and is not going to be for everyone. However, I have had numerous questions about whether I have read the series and thus made the choice to read and review this material for listeners in the audience who might be interested.)

Episode 311-Square Foot Gardening

chipmonk — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:00:33 +0000

Today we look at a very good method for gardening in limited spaces: Square Foot Gardening. Listen in as I share my experiences with this method and my plans for employing it this summer, as well as for some suggestions on other techniques for growing food in limited spaces. (NOTE: I am not an expert on this method so what I share is my own perspective in adapting SFG to my family’s situation. I encourage you to seek additional info beyond what I cover today….)

Hear it from the inventor himself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5Lu-7FIj (*this is the video of today’s audio clip)

And a link to the book at Amazon.com: The All-New Square Foot Gardening

Youtube video of “Square Foot Gardening 101″

(BTW…. Extra bonus points if you recognize the fact that the opening and closing music for today’s episode is garden-themed…. )

Episode 310-Listener Questions-4-24-2012

chipmonk — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:00:26 +0000

Today your host answers listener questions about the following:

* Choosing a good but inexpensive scope for your Ruger 10-22

* Thoughts on the Finnish Mosin Nagants (the podcast I mentioned on the show is here: Gun Review Podcast: Finish Mosin-Nagant Rifle )

*RVs as “lifeboats” (Jack Spirko did a whole episode on this topic a while back: TSP-RVs As a Survival Prep )

*Building a camp fire

*Hardtack recipe (Here are a few other recipe options)

*Converting a garden shed to a dwelling

*Shipping container house

*Building a cargo pallet bed

Episode 309-Smith and Wesson Model 29 Revolver

chipmonk — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:00:38 +0000

Recently I was thinking about some of the other “niches” of survival firearms that might exist but are seldom discussed. In the process of thinking about such things I found myself considering the idea of a revolver in a potent caliber (such as the .44 magnum) as a multi-use but yet still reasonably compact survival firearm option. As my thinking progressed I decided to do a review of the famous Smith & Wesson Model 29 revolver and look at it from a different perspective: That of the game-getter/self-defense/multi-role gun.

http://www.gunblast.com/SW-29Classic.htm

http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/smith-wesson-model-29/

http://www.castbullet.com/reload/44shot.htm (Cool survival idea about making your own .44 Magnum shotshells)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGc1k97agIw

Episode 308-When the Trucks Stop….

chipmonk — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:00:22 +0000

Today I do something a little different and share with you a written piece I have encountered in a number of Survival/Preparedness forums over the past few years. If someone doesn’t see the need to store extra food/water/medical supplies, etc. after listening to this I’m not sure that anything will get through to them. So set aside your normalcy bias and listen to the following piece read by your good buddy Chip:

http://www.truckline.com/Newsroom/White%20Papers/When%20Trucks%20Stop%20America%20Stops.pdf

Episode 307-MINISERIES REVIEW-The Stand

chipmonk — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:00:23 +0000

As I may have previously shared I am not a fan of the horror genre in general (my secondary interest in the the Survival/Preparedness aspects of “Zombie Apocalypse” stories notwithstanding) but occasionally there are stories in that niche that intentionally or accidentally touch on disaster readiness. The 1990 miniseries The Stand (based on Stephen King’s exceptionally lengthy novel) falls into that category as it deals with a massive pandemic that wipes out almost every human on Earth and then focuses on the after affects of such an ordeal. If you can remove the supernatural elements (ie. Randall Flagg, etc.) you are left with an interesting story along the lines of Earth Abides that is worth exploring (if you can get past the fact that parts of the story are definitely NOT family friendly). While I think it’s worth adults watching for the same “what would I do in that situation” considerations I’ve discussed in the past, there are some creepy parts (consider who the author is) and I am definitely not recommending it for all listeners.

Check out our forum: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Episode 306-PRODUCT REVIEW-Precision Target

chipmonk — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:00:40 +0000

Today I share some recent experiences trying out a target system from a new company based out of Utah: Precision Target. I had a blast (pardon the pun) with this target system and found that it provided some specific aspects of what I am looking for when it comes to firearms training. The ability to have consistent feedback really seemed to improve the shooting of myself and my buddy who was with me and this rugged target stood up to our abuse with ease.

Here is the company’s information if this Chip-recommended target system looks like the kind of setup you would be interested in:

Precision Target

3275 N 750 E

Layton Utah

Phone 801-389-4334

Www.precisiontarget.net

Episode 305-Survival Training

chipmonk — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:00:59 +0000

Today I spend a little time discussing the idea of finding things that fit under the general idea of “Survival Training”. This idea was prompted by the following thread and is an important topic to look at as there is a lot more to Survival/Preparedness than just acquiring “survival stuff”: http://offgridsurvival.com/survivaltraining/

Check out our forum at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Episode 304-Protecting Your Family From Mass Casualty Events

chipmonk — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:14 +0000

Today I look at the sad truth that we have seen an increase in “Mass Casualty” events in recent years, ranging from scenarios like the London Underground bombings to the Mumbai attacks. While an uncomfortable topic to consider the potential reality of these events occurring with more frequency in the future makes it worth exploring.

Check out our forum at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Episode 303-Baby Steps to Preparedness

chipmonk — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:01:13 +0000

Today I wanted to share with listeners some more ideas on starting out on the Preparedness journey. As I never claim to be an expert I tried to seek out some additional ideas beyond the steps my own family has taken and I came across some “good stuff”. With new listeners coming on board all the time I like to occasionally take things back to basics and look at “Baby Steps to Preparedness”.

Episode 302-Listener Questions-4-4-2012

chipmonk — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:00:04 +0000

Today we look at the following topics as requested by listeners:

*Storing salt (and sugar) in bulk

*Seeds for “cooler climates”

* Useful FEMA Publications

* Building a worm composting bin

* Choosing a multi-role/all-around rifle

* Why black powder?

* Media bias and the Trayvon Martin shooting

Episode 301-MOVIE REVIEW-Contagion

chipmonk — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:10 +0000

Quite a while back I mentioned that I wanted to watch and review the movie Contagion, a big-budget Hollywood production detailing a potential pandemic. Well, between having young kids and a crazy-busy schedule I was not able to watch it at the theater but this past week as part of my Survival Fiction arc I decided to plop down $1.20 at the Redbox machine in town and check it out. Today I share my experience viewing it along with some specific Survival/Preparedness aspects it touched on.

Check out our forum at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Spring Break…

chipmonk — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:39:10 +0000

Here in the lovely State of Oregon we are enjoying our Spring Break (such as it is with rainy days scheduled as far as the eye can see). And while I had planned to upload a couple of episodes this week it looks like it is not going to happen. So… Keep an eye out for new episodes next week and thanks as always for listening!

Chip

Episode 300-The History of Survivalism

chipmonk — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:00:24 +0000

Hooray! We have made it to Episode #300! I can’t honestly say that I saw this when I began this project a year and a half ago but man am I glad to see this podcast still going strong. My heartfelt thanks to all of you listeners for making it so!

Anyway, today I am going to use this special milestone to talk about the history of Survivalism as I believe it is very important to know your roots and understand where you have come from to get a good grasp on where you are going. So pull up a virtual chair, sit back and let’s discuss the background of this movement and what it tells us about the world we live in today.

Don’t forget to check out our forum at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

NOTE: Here is the link for the article I mentioned towards the beginning of the episode: http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2009/12/27/survivalism-lite.html

Episode 299-Listener Questions-Home Food Production Edition

chipmonk — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:00:56 +0000

Today’s episode sees your good ol’ buddy Chip discussing a few issues pertaining to self-sufficient food production including:

*Crop rotations

*Mushroom harvesting

*Keeping out garden raiders

*Having a family milk cow

And other similarly exciting issues!

Episode 298-MOVIE REVIEW-Take Shelter

chipmonk — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:13 +0000

Today I discuss the first of three Survival/Preparedness movies that I watched a week or so ago (the 2011 production Take Shelter) focusing on the Preparedness aspects brought up throughout this story and the depiction of the potential disaster it portrayed.

Don’t forget to check out our great forum: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Episode 297-A Preparedness Viewpoint on the AK vs AR Debate

chipmonk — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:00:03 +0000

Today I discuss one of the great discussion topics in Survival Firearms: the AR vs AK debate. On this episode you will hear me discuss various considerations on both sides of the argument and how I eventually came to my own perspective on the matter. While I expect listeners to have differing viewpoints it might be useful for others to hear my thoughts in order to clarify their own.

A good comparison between the two at the Box O’ Truth: http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/edu10.htm

NOTE: I think I misspoke when talking about the acceptable accuracy of the AR vs AK. With the lights coming off and on in my house my notes were (obviously) coming in and out of visual focus at the same time. To clarify, an AR is most often going to be more accurate than an AK (although I have seen counter-examples) and ARs with an MOA of 1 or 2 are not uncommon (some are even sub-MOA). In contrast an AK with an MOA of 2″-3″ is considered pretty good for defensive rifle purposes (many are going to be 5-6 or worse with Wolf ammo and their original sights). Either is more than sufficient in my mind for most defensive uses the average person would ever have, even in a Without Rule of Law/Civil Unrest scenario.

Check out our forum at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Episode 296-Watching for Trigger Events

chipmonk — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 12:00:40 +0000

Today I wanted to walk listeners through the process by which your humble host keeps an eye out for “Trigger Events”. By that I mean to describe situations that develop around us that can lead to disaster scenarios, perhaps sometimes when we don’t even recognize the potential for such developments.

Here is a good blog post that covers some specific examples of potential “Trigger Events”: http://modernsurvivalblog.com/current-events-economics-politics/events-that-could-trigger-a-national-emergency/

Youtube video of Leon Penetta mentioned on today’s show

Youtube video of FBI Head Mueller discussing if US Citizens can be killed on our own soil

New York Times hit piece on ‘Preppers’ (read some of the comments for signs that at least some people out there are waking up)

A couple good sites for keeping tabs on events:

*Drudge Report (general news aggregate site)

*Survival Blog (daily survival articles and news links)

*Above Top Secret (for nutty conspiratorial stuff with occasional useful news percolating up to the top)

Check out our forums at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Episode 295-Harvesting Water From the Air Around You

chipmonk — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:00:12 +0000

Today we discuss what Chip considers the MOST important survival consideration: How to access water no matter what is going on around you. And believe it or not, one of the sources to consider is the very air you breathe.

Don’t forget to check out our forum at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

(Also, for those of us in the Pacific Northwest there’s a brand new forum just starting up that I thought I’d let you all know about: http://northwestpreppingcommunity.freeforums.org/index.php )

Episode 294-Unconventional Barter Items

chipmonk — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 12:00:53 +0000

Today we discuss a bit more about bartering focusing on items people in Preparedness circles often neglect to think about as potential options for trading. Hopefully hearing some of the ideas I throw out will get you thinking about your own specific situation.

Episode 293-Raising Rabbits

chipmonk — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:00:48 +0000

Today on the podcast we look at another potential source of protein in the Survival/Preparedness diet: rabbit. Yes, I know it’s a hard thought to consider, but if the option is to not survive it’s something you might want to at least consider…

(NOTE: I do some housekeeping for the first few minutes and get to the primary topic at around the 5:00 mark. Just FYI…)

Episodes 287 and 288 are finally working… I hope!

chipmonk — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 01:57:56 +0000

Sorry about the technical glitches but I think Episodes 287 and 288 are finally working properly.

Thanks for your patience!

Chip

Episode 292-Portable Radios

chipmonk — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:42 +0000

Today we look at some considerations relating to choosing a good, reliable portable radio for survival purposes. Specifically we look at why do you need one, what features should it have, and additional aspects of selecting the right radio for your survival plan.

NOTE: The specific model I mention as a good option is the: Kaita KA350

Episode 291-Thrifty Thrift and Dollar Store Survival Treasures

chipmonk — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:00:44 +0000

Today we look at ways to maximize the use of cheapy Dollar Store and second hand-type establishments to gather many of the important survival/preparedness items you and your family might need in a disaster. While not advocating purchases from the “Made In China” megachains, I do want to point out some useful resources available to those on a budget.

Episode 290-Starting Seeds For Your Spring Garden

chipmonk — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:02:27 +0000

Today we look at a few methods for starting seeds as we head towards the beginning of the early planting season. As I say on the show, I don’t consider myself anything of a gardening “expert” but I don’t mind sharing the things we’ve tried and what seems to work and what appears to be less effective.

ALSO: For the first half of the program I discuss what I call “Survival Soup”, a simple but tasty approach to eating what you find…

Episode 289-The Doomsday Box and Bugging Out With Children

chipmonk — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:00:09 +0000

Today we build upon the idea of the “bug out bag” and the “Armageddon Pack” idea with the “Doomsday Box”, which is probably going to be completely different from what you anticipate. So listen in as we discuss how to pack for “The End of the World As We Know It”. Also, we look at specific considerations to keep in mind when bugging out with kids.

Episode 288-TV REVIEW-Doomsday Preppers

chipmonk — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:28 +0000

Today I share my experience last weekend of watching an episode of the new National Geographic show “Doomsday Preppers” and some of the thoughts it generated in Chip’s little brain. There are a few spoilers (if you haven’t seen the episode) as I do discuss the elements of the program that are informative to Survival/Prep-minded people and share why I think it is a program worth watching.

National Geographic page for “Doomsday Preppers”

Original stand-alone episode of “Doomsday Preppers”

Sample 2012 Episode of “Doomsday Preppers” on Youtube

Episode 287-2012-The Year Ahead

chipmonk — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:00:44 +0000

Today we discuss some of the important Survival/Preparedness issues of the present and take a peek forward a few months down the road to see what might be on the horizon. Remember, as always, that this is just one person’s perspective and that I don’t expect you to share my viewpoints or concerns. Rather I believe that hearing another set of thoughts on potential events can help inform your own approach to understanding our crazy world.

Episode 286-Changing Your Survival Approach

chipmonk — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:48 +0000

On this episode of the Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast your host looks at the ways your viewpoints on survival/preparedness matters can shift over time, as you focus on the changing circumstances that life always throws at people. I share some personal experiences along these lines as well as how to keep your master focus pointed at what truly matters.

Episode 285-BOOK REVIEW-Fighting Chance-Ten Feet to Survival

chipmonk — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:41 +0000

Today I talk about a book that I grew up with, later found on the shelf of multiple used book stores/thrift stores, and that still seems to have some practical applications in the present day. “Fighting Chance: Ten Feet to Survival” is about both individual nuclear preparedness and civil defense on a larger scale and offers practical information about the construction of nuclear shelters.

Amazon.com has a page on this particular book if captures your interest.

Episode 284-PRODUCT REVIEW-The Glock 27

chipmonk — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:02 +0000

Today I review a solid option for a “do-almost-all” sidearm: the Glock 27. While I have discussed these fine handguns in the past today finds me taking a slightly different approach on the topic and looking at some considerations that don’t always come to mind with “survival guns”.

Episode 283-The Irish Potato Famine and Seed Saving

chipmonk — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:52:30 +0000

Today we look back at the 1840s Irish Potato Famine and a couple of basic lessons we can draw from it as far as the need for biodiversity and saving seeds. Considering the developments of modern agribusiness it’s vital to think about some of the factors discussed today as you consider methods of ensuring a long-term food supply for you and your loved ones.

Episode 282-Camouflage and Ghillie Suits

chipmonk — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:00:32 +0000

Today we discuss the idea of concealment in a Survival/Preparedness scenario and a few basic methods of achieving the goal of becoming a “low observable” individual. I realize that the paintball experiences I talk about on this episode are not the same as ‘real’ war (or even warfare simulation) but the basic principles of trying to make yourself less visible are universal and I hope this will be a useful introduction to the topic.

Episode 281-Binoculars for Survival

chipmonk — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:00:26 +0000

On today’s episode we discuss an important topic that is sometimes overlooked in Survival/Preparedness circles: the selection and maintenance of binoculars as optics for survival purposes. Whether it’s the ability to locate a food source out in the woods or being able to spot potential danger a good distance off, binoculars serve an important function in a Survival Plan.

Episode 280-Survival Lessons From the Great 2012 Pacific Storm

chipmonk — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Today your humble host brings you up to speed on what has been transpiring over the past two weeks since I last posted an episode. From snowstorms to floods to multiple power outages, Chip regales you with true tales of the fantastic “attack of the weather” in his region and some startling lessons he took away from the experience.

Episode 279-More On Long Term Storage Foods

chipmonk — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:25 +0000

On today’s episode of the CMFSP we discuss a few things to keep in mind when storing food for long-term purposes as well as talking through some of the options you have available.

Episode 278-Passing the Time-An Often Forgotten Survival Skill

chipmonk — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:00:47 +0000

One aspect of Survival/Preparedness that is often overlooked is the ability for you and I to figure out things to do to pass the time if we are ever in a disaster. One of the things that helps the human mind cope with adversity is having something to do, preferably something useful, but something none the less. On this episode I discuss selecting hobbies that are both a “pastime” and useful in a Survival/Preparedness sense as well as simply having things on hand to keep you occupied and/or busy during a long-term departure from “normal life”.

Episode 277-BOOK REVIEW: Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank

chipmonk — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:00:01 +0000

On today’s episode I discuss the very first “Survival” fiction book I ever read: Pat Frank’s seminal novel “Alas, Babylon”. I give an overview of the plot, some survival lessons presented in the storyline, and other preparedness-related concepts related to this great work of fiction.

Amazon.com link for “Alas, Babylon”

Episode 276-Listener Questions-12-27-2011

chipmonk — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:00:36 +0000

It’s good to be back podcasting and I apologize for the brief hiatus. On today’s episode we discuss a number of questions submitted by email covering a variety of topics including:

*What does Chip think of the new .22 mag pistol from Keltec (the PMR-30)?

* How do I take care of my pets in a survival scenario? (Also, How to Make Homemade Dog Food)

* What are some “Survival Jobs” that are Recession/Depression-resistant?

* Is there potential for another worrisome strain of flu on the horizon? (One centralized resource to take a look at: http://www.flu.gov/)

* How does Chip approach cutting and storing firewood? (Another good link: Info on Cutting Firewood )

Episode 275-Survival Fitness That Really Matters

chipmonk — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:00:41 +0000

Today we look at a simple breakdown of the physical keys to bear in mind in order to ensure being physically ready for a specific disaster you might anticipate occurring or just the unknown future in general.*

*Of course, it goes without saying that before starting any sort of fitness regimen you need to make sure you are in suitable shape to safely undertake such a course of action.

Episode 274-$600 Butter and Other Current Events

chipmonk — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:08 +0000

On today’s episode Chip does a run-down of some of the things going on in the world today and both the threats some of those things pose as well as simple steps to try to help your family be a little bit more prepared.

Articles I mention today include:

http://www.timeslive.co.za/world/2011/12/12/norway-butter-shortage-threatens-christmas-treats

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/12/12/verizon-apologizes-for-bogus-emergency-text-message-sent-to-nj-residents/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/wonkbook-the-real-unemployment-rate-is-11-percent/2011/12/12/gIQAuctPpO_blog.html

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/latvias-largest-bank-fights-off-depositor-run-rumours-103638265.html

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-drone-arrest-20111211,0,324348.story

Episode 273-Strategic Relocation

chipmonk — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:00:26 +0000

On today’s episode we look at a topic discussed in some level of detail recently over at Survivalblog.com: The idea of relocating to another area in advance of a societal collapse. We consider some of the issues that come up with the idea of making a major move as well as the potential downside to staying in your current region.

A book on this topic (which I have not yet read) by Joel and Andrew Skousen

Please stop by and register at our forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 272-Making Your Home Your Castle

chipmonk — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 01:00:08 +0000

Today your humble host discusses a few steps you can do to make your house a bit better protected against incursions from potential adversaries. The idea is, in a very real sense, to make your home your castle and have a sense of being fortified against multiple possible threats.

Manual Download Link: http://jumbofiles.com/asaslq8xvccx/CMFSPEP272MAKINGYOURHOMEYOURCASTLE.mp3.html

Please stop by and register at our forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 271-MOVIE REVIEW-The Day After Tomorrow

chipmonk — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:00:18 +0000

On today’s episode we discuss the 2004 movie “The Day After Tomorrow” (based on the book “The Coming Global Superstorm”) and look at the survival lessons present in this somewhat alarmist piece of fiction.

Manual Download Link: http://jumbofiles.com/newldi81srtd

Please stop by and register at our forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 270-Listener Questions-11-28-2011

chipmonk — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:00:22 +0000

On today’s episode Chip answers some of the backlog of questions from listeners. Included are the following topics:

* Building fences with easily available resources

* Hog farming for a protein source

* Walking as exercise and as a physical prep

* Thoughts on William Johnstone’s “Ashes” series

* Choosing a 30-30 rifle

* Thoughts on the FR8 7.62 NATO surplus rifle

* Selecting .22 ammo

* Uses of Ziploc-type baggies for survival

Manual Download Link: http://jumbofiles.com/qon8lmq40kn1

Please stop by and register at our forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Happy Thanksgiving!

chipmonk — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 07:01:43 +0000

I wanted to take a moment and wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving! I’m truly thankful for all I have been blessed with including a wonderful listening audience that makes this show worthwhile!

God bless,

Chip

Episode 269-Survival Lessons from the Titanic

chipmonk — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 12:00:10 +0000

On today’s show we look back roughly 100 years ago at the events of April 14/15, 1912 when the World’s Greatest Luxury Liner slipped beneath the waves taking over 1500 souls with it. We consider the implications of that event, how it shocked the world into a new era (that accelerated with the coming of World War I two years later) and what we in the modern age can learn from this dreadful occurrence. (Also, remember, as I discussed yesterday much of life is about perspective. The sinking of the Titanic was a miracle to the lobsters in the ship’s kitchen.)

Manual Download Link: http://jumbofiles.com/tbfhamdk8nw1

Link to the Youtube video discussed on the episode

Music for today’s episode from the Internet Archive and used under the Creative Commons License

Please stop by and register at our forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 268-The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow-The Place of Optimism in Preparedness

chipmonk — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:00:30 +0000

Many people in the Survival/Preparedness/Disaster Readiness Sphere (probably including your humble host at times) can be described as pessimists or even “doomers”. They see every development around them in catastrophic terms and worry about every news item they hear (or that is passed on to them from their equally frightful friends).

Now don’t get me wrong. There’s a lot “out there” to be concerned about, but on this episode I encourage us all to pause a moment, focus on the positive things going on, and then we can get worked up again tomorrow.

Manual Download Link: http://jumbofiles.com/jzk8zs8aa3df

Please stop by and register at our forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 267-More On Cold Weather Clothing & Improvisation

chipmonk — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:35 +0000

Today’s episode is a followup to Monday’s conversation about Winter Survival. In this show I discuss numerous ways of keeping your core body temperature up even if you’re forced to bug out and leave home or if you find yourself isolated in the wilderness for some reason. While overall a simple topic (there are basically two main thoughts to keep in mind) this is the sort of information that is very practical and useful even if it’s not very exciting to talk about.

Manual Download Link: http://jumbofiles.com/b1xckv3l3vs2

Episode 266-The Lee Enfield Rifle Platform

chipmonk — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:00:56 +0000

On today’s episode I discuss the vintage British Lee Enfield rifle in its various guises and talk about the utility of such a firearm for survival purposes. While not an expert by any means, I do consider them to have a few advantages for prepping (with of course some disadvantages as well) and take some time considering all sides of this long-serving classic.

http://www.zombiesurvivalwiki.com/page/Lee-Enfield

Manual Download Link: http://jumbofiles.com/shqt969ji5f3

Episode 265-A Cost Effective Approach to Prepping

chipmonk — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:00:31 +0000

On today’s episode we discuss a comprehensive approach to the financial side of prepping: 1) How to minimize your expenses and live within your means, ways to create additional $moolah$ to spend and small sacrifices that can have big payoffs. We also discuss a few specific “low-budget” approaches to stockpiling supplies like food, guns and ammo, and day-to-day necessities like clothing, shoes, and other sundries.

Manual Download Link: http://jumbofiles.com/z8faozeing9m

Episode 264-More Winter Survival Tips

chipmonk — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:00:42 +0000

All indications are that this is going to be a cold Winter in the Northern Hemisphere, as evidenced by the massive storm hitting Alaska at the time of recording this podcast. With that in mind I’m going to revisit the topic of specific strategies for dealing with the cold including ideas gleaned from the military, “homeless” citizens, and others who have to deal with frigid temperatures on a frequent basis.

Manual Download Link: http://jumbofiles.com/ziflefu5p6xh

NOTE: Intro song from www.soundjay.com

Episode 263-Survivor Profile-The Story of Dick Proennke

chipmonk — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:00:25 +0000

Manual Download Link: http://jumbofiles.com/ozriszfxdji2

If you are not already familiar with the story of Dick Proennke and you’re interested in Survival/Preparedness…. Well, you should be. Here’s a little abstract about his story:

“In 1967, Proenneke began building his cabin in Twin Lakes. He was 51 by then, says the Vancouver Sun, and the 150-square-foot one-room log house he designed would take a spring and summer to complete, for he worked alone. He felled trees and peeled logs, harvested and hauled several acres of moss for the roof, crafted a wood-burning chimney with lake stones, built a “picture window” framing the lake view and hand-chiselled everything from door hinges to soup ladles to chairs and even his bunk bed, all of it with nothing more than basic tools and an affinity for fine craftsmanship. Twin Lakes was Proenneke’s dream, and he would live it for the next three decades, turning to the land for inspiration and for sustenance, revelling in the splendour of the mountains and forests and lakes, growing vegetables, shooting game and gathering berries.”

On today’s episode we discuss the life of this man, the film about his experiences and some lessons we can learn from his experiences.

http://www.nps.gov/lacl/historyculture/proennekes-cabin.htm

Excerpt from “Alone in the Wilderness”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYJKd0rkKss&feature=player_embedded

NOTE: Intro song from www.soundjay.com

Episode 262-Prepping for the Mad Max Multigenerational Collapse Scenario

chipmonk — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:00:29 +0000

Recently I finally took time to watch the first two films in the popular Australian dystopian series collectively called “Mad Max”. As someone who grew up in the 80s and early 90s it’s fair to say that I was familiar with these movies on a pop culture level but it was an interesting experience to actually view them for myself. While definitely containing some very “adult” themes and material, I did find some facets of these movies to be interesting in a Survival/Preparedness context so today I go about discussing just how someone could attempt to prep for the Complete Multigenerational Societal Collapse scenario.

Manual Download Link: http://jumbofiles.com/vqlijar7vy0v

NOTE: Intro song from www.soundjay.com

Episode 261-If Greece Fails and Other Current Events

chipmonk — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:16 +0000

Have you been wondering what could transpire if Greece were to default? Have you been hearing all of the talking heads discuss what the ramifications might be to a collapse of the Euro? On today’s episode we look at some possible effects and some “Survival-ly” steps you can take to insulate yourself from the potential fallout of certain things percolating “out there”. (We also discuss Iran, the Occupy Movement, the Oklahoma Earthquake, the 49 Million US citizens in poverty and Asteroid 2005 YU55).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15587259

Okie Earthquake

The Asteroid Cometh

Occupy DC becoming more violent police say

Iran close to nukes

49.1 Million in US in poverty says Census

And what about Italy? : http://www.cnbc.com/id/45187059

BTW… Check out a podcast from one of our listeners encouraging the learning of “lost skills”: http://www.thelostskillspodcast.podbean.com/ I may have mentioned this podcast once before, but it’s closely related to many of the topics that we cover so I thought it was worth linking to again.

NOTE: Intro song from www.soundjay.com.

Episode 260-Halloween Special Episode-Surviving the Coming Zombie Apocalypse

chipmonk — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:00:31 +0000

Zombies! Everyone knows they’re coming, but do you know how to survive the carnage they will (slowly) unleash? It doesn’t matter how many movies you’ve seen about this important topic…. There’s still more you can learn. And on this crucial Halloween episode of the Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast I tell you the things you need to know to survive the coming Zombie Apocalypse!

(NOTE: When listening to this episode, please remember that we just had Halloween… And don’t forget the value of a sense of humor when it comes to Survival and Preparedness! Also, there is some content on this episode that might not be suitable to all audiences. Listener discretion is advised.)

Center for Disease Control page regarding the Zombie Apocalypse

How funny…. Looks like I wasn’t the only person to have this idea: http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/episode-774-zombie-apocalypse-2011

Episode 259-Low Profile Prepping

chipmonk — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 01:00:04 +0000

On this episode of the CMFSP we discuss a few ways to avoid drawing unwanted attention to your prepping efforts. Obviously, by the very fact that I do this show I’ve drawn a little attention to myself, but my family still does a number of things to minimize the profile we generate in terms of our disaster readiness activities and today we talk about a few of them.

Episode 258-REVIEW: Survivors by Rawles

chipmonk — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:00:23 +0000

Today we spend time discussing the new novel from James Wesley, Rawles entitled “Survivors”. I ordered this book on the ‘Book Bomb’ day and was glad to see when it showed up in the mail. With an interesting storyline (especially the fellow trying to get home from overseas) and lots of embedded survival-y knowledge it’s a great addition to your Survival Library.

Link to “Survivors” Amazon.com Page

Episode 257-The FAL Rifle

chipmonk — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:00:38 +0000

Today we take a look at the FAL rifle in it’s various .308 configurations with a specific focus on its usefulness in survival situations. The gun that once served as the rifle for most of the “Free World” is still a very useful defensive rifle which makes it worth consideration for your survival firearms battery.

http://www.survival-gear-guide.com/fn-fal-rifle.html

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPp6v74aqQQ

Episode 256-Prospecting For Survival

chipmonk — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:01:22 +0000

With Gold still selling for $1700+ per ounce I find myself thinking back on the “Mini Gold Rush” that hit my hometown back in the Great Depression. So on this episode your humble host discusses the basics of Prospecting for precious metals as a financial hedge for the future, a means to perhaps generate a little side income for purchasing preps, and as a fun outdoor activity for the family.

Episode 255-Dealing With Stress In a Survival Situation

chipmonk — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:00:58 +0000

It’s easy to focus on all the “exciting” aspects of Survival/Preparedness like potential disasters, cool gear, and firearms but so often we neglect some of the simple things that may be the greatest threats of all. On this episode I discuss the potential problems presented by stress in both day-to-day life and during survival scenarios along with suggested strategies of how to deal with it. I know, I know, it’s a lot more fun to talk guns and gear but listen in as this might be one of the more important topics I cover.

Episode 254-More On Wild Food Gathering

chipmonk — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:00:50 +0000

On today’s episode we consider some additional aspects of gathering food from nature, focusing on alternatives for acquiring protein. While not the coolest topic to discuss the ability to keep oneself fed under any circumstances is important and certainly worth discussing on occasion.

Episode 253-MINI REVIEW-The Cheap But Effective Tokarev Pistol

chipmonk — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:00:24 +0000

On this short episode your lovable, furry buddy Chip does a quick review on the Tokarev surplus pistol, of which he has owned two examples in the past. These handguns were first designed back in the early days of the Soviet Union as simple sidearms for the Red Army but in recent years their history has included important in reasonably large numbers into the US. On this show we discuss their design lineage, talk about the various versions available, and consider how they might fit into a survival armory.

Episode 252-REVIEW-The Walking Dead

chipmonk — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Zombies! For some reason many folks interested in Survival/Preparedness topics have an interest in fictional media involving the living dead. Truthfully, for most of my life I was not in that category. However, in recent years I have developed something of an interest in the Zombie genre due to its focus on how people react to The End of the World As We Know It. While I doubt we’ll ever see corpses shambling up and down the street in front of our house, there are certain shows in this genre that do a good job depicting how people might react to a sudden and cataclysmic change to their daily lives. And today I talk about one such program.

The Walking Dead entry at Wikipedia

Based on Kirkman’s hugely successful and popular comic book series, “The Walking Dead” tells the story of the weeks and months that follow after a zombie apocalypse. A survivalist story at its core, the series explores how the living are changed by the overwhelming realization that those who survive can be far more dangerous that the mindless walkers roaming the earth. They themselves have become the walking dead.

Episode 251-Indoor Farming Methods

chipmonk — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:00:34 +0000

As we head into Fall and Winter it’s a good time to stop and think about some of the things almost anyone can do to try to grow food for themselves and their families. On this episode I discuss things you can do even if you live in an apartment to grow surprisingly abundance by using a few simple techniques.

Episode 250-Fall 2011 Predictions

chipmonk — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:17 +0000

It’s been a while since I looked into the crystal ball and tried to prognosticate about events that could unfold in the future. On today’s episode I discuss a few more predictions including:

* Economic issues and what changes we might see ahead

* The “Occupy” movement and the potential for civil unrest

* The coming war with ________________ (You’ll have to listen to the episode to find out)

Episode 249-The Value of Knowledge and Keeping Your Survival Tech Alive

chipmonk — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 00:00:56 +0000

On this episode I discuss the most important survival resource there is: Knowledge. In addition I talk about various modern technologies that can be useful for preparedness such as Ebook Readers, .MP3 Players, radios, etc. and how to ensure your continued access to them in a survival scenario (such as the power-grid being down and possible long-term issues). While I’m not a technical expert by any means I do hope this at least gets you thinking about specific ways you can ensure your continued use of some of your valuable technological resources.

Please visit our forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Chip’s Assessment of the Occupy Wall Street Movement

chipmonk — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:00:06 +0000

I have to be careful with many things in regards to this podcast. I am cautious to create a balance between informing people about potential threats and sounding like an over-the-top alarmist. I try to discuss difficult topics in a way that it is safe for children to listen to. And lastly I endeavor to not be too political as I do not want to alienate anyone from preparing their family for disasters.

At the same time, I often see trends that are developing and as I consider the long term potential fallout from such trends I can’t help but feel a need to share them with listeners. Today is one of those days. Over at my blog I have posted an assessment (with lots of related links) to what I think may really be going on behind the scenes of the “Occupy Wall Street” movement unfolding throughout the big cities of the US at present. It can be found here:http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/2011/10/truth-behind-wall-street-protests.html

Now obviously the thoughts shared there are just my opinions and my own political beliefs/concerns probably color my perspective a bit, but if I am correct then the next few weeks and months are going to be very interesting…

Episode 248-Five Levels of Self-Sufficiency

chipmonk — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:00:11 +0000

Most people who are interested in Survivalism/Preparedness are ultimately drawn to the idea of becoming as disconnected as possible from the systems of support most people take for granted. The ideal of being able to grow one’s own food, generate power, and provide for basic needs without paying someone else for the privilege is certainly something to aspire to.

On today’s episode I talk about the five basic levels of Self-Sufficiency (as I see them at least) and the specific steps you can take to achieve each level. On a followup episode (most likely later this week) I will discuss two additional “advanced” levels as well.

Rawles’ New Book ‘Survivors’ Available Today

chipmonk — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 21:28:53 +0000

Today is the “Book Bomb” day for James Wesley, Rawles’ new book Survivors. I have a feeling that this is going to be an great read for anyone who found the previous book Patriots compelling and/or useful. Reviews suggest that this book is less focused on being a “survival guide masquerading as a novel” like the first one and is more of a traditional novel that happens to take place during the same time period (as opposed to being a chronological sequel). Interviews I’ve heard with Rawles recently also suggests that it focuses on people who are less-prepared than those in the first book, which solves one of the criticisms I’ve heard of Patriots. From my own perspective, I liked Patriots a lot and am thus looking quite forward to reading Survivors as well.

I am going to be placing my order today to try to help Rawles jump up on the Amazon.com charts and support his efforts (in addition to his published works I consider his Survivalblog.com site to be a daily must-read). Also, he has been gracious to this podcast in the past by linking to us and I hope to respond in kind by encouraging folks to check out the new book. I’ll also do a review of the book for the podcast and share my thoughts once I receive my copy and get a chance to read it.

You can get your copy from Amazon.com here: Amazon.com page for “Survivors”

Survivalblog.com has a list of other places to order from here: http://www.survivalblog.com/2011/10/tuesday_is_book_bomb_day.html

Some Changes Coming…

chipmonk — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 16:36:25 +0000

As you might have noticed things have been a little quiet here (and on the blog/in the forum) over the past few days as I’m in the middle of a major effort to take the Chip Monk Survival project to the next level. We have secured a new web site that will be the core for everything related to the podcast and will centralize everything in a single location. I had some success getting the new site up and running for a short time last week but now am dealing with some technical snafus and due to family illness have been unable to finish the preparations for the next steps.

Our listenership has continued to grow at a rate of 20% or more (sometimes doubling in that same amount of time) each month and has reached a point where I plan to put even more time, funds and energy into making this a valuable resource for survivalists and preppers. At the same time my host has had technical issues that have caused episodes to go missing or be lost altogether. For the sake of our listeners I’m working diligently to solve those problems and to try to improve both the content and production values of the podcast as we move forward. I’ll discuss a bit more about the new exciting changes on the next episode which is due to be posted this evening.

Thanks, as always, for your support and encouragement.

Chip Monk

Host of “The Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast” and the “Survival Gun Show”

Episode 247-Survival Potpourri

chipmonk — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:00:39 +0000

Sometimes I’ll have a few different topics that I’d like to discuss but none of them quite reach the level of devoting an entire episode to. Today is one of those days. On this episode of “Survival Potpourri” I discuss dealing with “Woods Shock” and related wilderness survival aspects, frugal living, the “Everything Box”, and anything else that crosses Chip’s little mind.

Please visit our forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 246-Listener Questions-9-27-2011

chipmonk — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 03:00:28 +0000

Happy Fall! I hope you are doing well as we kick off this new season. On today’s episode I do a quick rundown of the news and then move on to respond to listener questions about the following topics:

* Easy methods of storing root crops efficiently

* Intro to a new web site started by a listener: http://www.experiencepreferred.com/

* Thoughts on the Saiga line of rifles and shotguns

* More on machetes (from a listener who grew up in the Phillipines)

* What will happen if Greece fails ? (ie. a Greece default and the repercussions)

* How do you make head cheese?

Please visit our forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 245-The Armageddon Closet and the Seven Year Plan

chipmonk — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 00:00:34 +0000

Back in the days of the now-vanished (thankfully) Soviet Union that government liked to talk about their Five Year Plans for fixing everything. Of course, the plans never quite happened as the top leaders became power-obsessed oligarchs like the czars they replaced, but if you throw out the failed ideas of Communism and Socialism, the idea of long-term planning actually makes some sense in a Survival context. On this episode I discuss the idea of a Seven-Year-Plan, ala Joseph in the Bible and the considerations you should keep in mind.

Episode 244-Aquaponics

chipmonk — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 00:00:03 +0000

In recent years Fish Farming (aka “Aquaponics”) has become much more popular as an industry in Western nations and has the potential for even more growth due to people like you and me taking interest. In my mind, the ability to easily grow another protein source is quite attractive and thus I’m planning to put in an aquaponics operation this next Spring. On this episode I describe our plans and try to give you some insight as to what is involved.

You can find more information on this topic at the following resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquaponics

http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/

http://www.survivormagazine.net/2008/01/aquaponics-survivalists-dream.html

http://www.survivalblog.com/2011/07/aquaponic_food_production_for.html

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 243-Appleseed, Heritage Studies and Survival

chipmonk — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:05 +0000

On today’s episode I share my experiences from this past weekend at an Appleseed event which took just north of Eugene, Oregon. A combination history lesson/marksmanship training regimen my time at Appleseed was the best rifle-based training I have ever taken part in. On this show I talk about things I learned including how to become an exceptional rifleman, the many sacrifices our forefathers made for our freedoms, and the good and the bad of the Ruger 10/22 platform.

More information about Appleseed can be found at their website: http://appleseedinfo.org/

If you have never attended one of their events (even if you believe yourself to be the reincarnation of Quigley, Down Under) I highly suggest you make time and go. Check out your state on their schedule and see when the next upcoming event takes place: http://appleseedinfo.org/search-states.html

A good video about this project can be found here: http://video.foxnews.com/v/4324345/appleseed-project/?playlist_id=87937

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

NOTE: Intro and Extro Music for today provided by A-M Classical (www.amclassical.com) under the Creative Commons License.

Appleseed Pictures

chipmonk — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:28:04 +0000

Pictures and a brief overview of my experience at Appleseed can be found today at my blog:

http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/2011/09/chip-at-appleseed.html

I’ll be discussing my attendance at this event in an episode coming up this week.

Speaking of Appleseed, here are my final two targets of the weekend. After spending a good portion of the weekend trying to get my rifle sighted in, I was fairly pleased.

Episode 242-Creating a Survival (or Survivable) Business or Income

chipmonk — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:00:41 +0000

Over the past few years as I’ve gotten back into the “Survival/Preparedness” lifestyle (and let’s face it, that’s what it is) I’ve done so at a time when the economy is reeling and jobs are scarce. However, even before this downturn I had an interest in being as self-sufficient as possible in terms of income and thus spent a lot of time researching how to create your own income. On today’s episode I discuss some ideas you might consider if you want to “break free” from reliance on the current economy with its constant ups and downs and create something for yourself.

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 241-The Coming Arab Winter and What it Means To You

chipmonk — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:00:13 +0000

On today’s episode I discuss the BIG international concern I see on the horizon: The transition of the “Arab Spring” into the “Arab Winter”. All signs are pointing towards a burgeoning conflict in the Middle East in the very near future. Israel’s two closest “allies” in that region (Turkey and Egypt) are making moves towards open warfare in my estimation, not to mention the fact that Iran continues to build their nuclear capabilities with the help of Russia.

What does this all mean to you as a Survivalist/Prepper? Could it be we are on the verge of World War III? Listen in as I cover these important questions.

Some links related to today’s episode:

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/09/10/123733/israel-facing-diplomatic-tsunami.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/8762950/Israel-warns-of-harsh-consequences-of-Palestinian-UN-bid.html

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2011/09/11/first-report.html

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4120185,00.html

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_IRAN_NUCLEAR?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-09-12-09-48-41

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=TX-PAR-HVF13&show_article=1

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4121261,00.html

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/plo-official-palestinian-state-to-be-free-of-jews-1.384493

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Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Updated Pictures From Around the Chip Monk Homestead

chipmonk — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:38:26 +0000

I posted a few pictures over at the Chip Monk Family Survival Blog of the homestead. As you hear me discuss occasionally on the program we are doing great and actually getting to try the various things I talk about on the podcast.

You can see the pictures here: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/2011/09/chip-monk-farm-homestead.html

What’s the plan for next year? We’re hoping to add a bunch more chickens and a talapia pool, as well as triple or quadruple our garden area. Stay tuned!

Episode 240-Listener Questions-9-12-2011

chipmonk — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:47 +0000

On today’s episode we discuss a number of issues from listener’s emails including:

* What’s the update on the Chip Monk homestead?

* How can you tell when tomatoes are ready to pick?

* Lee Loaders as a part of a bug out kit

* Selecting a sleeping bag for survival purposes

* What are some good, flexible reloading powders for preparedness purposes?

* What is the smallest group size for safely traveling in the wilderness?

* The .22 Magnum as a survival round

* Ways of storing and cooking rice for the long-term

* Good “Survival/Preparedness” book for young readers (John Christopher’s “The Tripods” trilogy, “Hatchet” by Gary Paulson, “Little House on the Prairie” by Laura Ingells Wilder)

* Farm/Ranch communications on the cheap

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Ten Years Ago Today…

chipmonk — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 22:18:09 +0000

… I began work in my home office on a bright and early Tuesday morning. After my usual quick little check of the news online I noticed an item on the Yahoo News feed about an airplane hitting one of the World Trade Center buildings. As I ran out to the living room I snagged the remote and quickly turned on the TV.

What unfolded for the rest of the day was my generation’s Pearl Harbor moment and it is forever seared into my memory even a decade later.

As we take time today to remember those who were lost let us also not forget that we must always be vigilant in the future. May God be with those today commemorating the death of so many. And may God bless the USA.

Episode 239-Defensive Handguns for Survival

chipmonk — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:00:44 +0000

Recently I’ve been doing some studying on the side comparing various 9mm defensive loads for something I’m working on and it got me thinking about general considerations for defensive handguns. Thus, today after briefly covering current events in the news I discuss a few aspects of defensive handgunning, my own practices and experiences, and the good and bad of various options. Not everyone will agree with my determinations or thoughts, but at least it will get you thinking about your own needs and hopefully help you with any choices you have to make.

A great overview of this topic to supplement today’s episode can be found here: http://www.internetarmory.com/handgun_defense.htm

NOTE: Episode 4 of my other podcast the “Survival Gun Show” is available here: Survival Gun Show-Episode 4 . This episode covers the Ruger .22LR semiauto pistol for survival purposes, as well as discussing the .22LR in general.

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 238-Prepping for the Long Hyperinflationary Depression

chipmonk — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:00:54 +0000

While different preppers have different reasons for undertaking their efforts there is one issue that Chip worries everyone needs to keep an eye on. If anything, it is the one disaster that I feel WILL happen, barring something unforeseen that miraculously “saves” us: The long, drawn-out hyperinflationary depression. All the trends are lining up in that direction, so I think it’s definitely worth discussing in-depth and on today’s episode I discuss the threats we face as well as specific strategies you can look to in order to best position yourself and your family for dealing with them if (or when) they come.

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 237-Camping Supplies For Survival Purposes

chipmonk — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 12:00:36 +0000

Today I discuss the idea of adapting camping supplies you already own (or purchasing new or used products for the same purposes) in order to fill certain needs you have in your survival planning. Whether it’s a tent for shelter, a small cooking stove for preparing food, or the water filter you use when out in the woods hiking, many of the things you already may have for recreation can serve double duty as backup plans when disaster strikes!

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 236-REVIEW-Day By Day Armageddon

chipmonk — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:00:38 +0000

NOTE: Today’s book review is about a book that contains significant adult content and intense situations. Reader discretion is advised.

“Day By Day Armageddon” is a piece of fiction that I came across online in the distant past long before it made it into novel form. Although it deals with the idea of a “Zombie Apocalypse” (which seems to be a very popular subject at present) it also focuses on the various steps that the main character undertakes to survival a societal collapse. Throughout the reading of this book I found myself picking up little ideas here and there that seemed to be potentially useful even in lesser disasters than the dead walking the earth, say an economic collapse or pandemic flu outbreak. As I said in the disclaimer at the top of these show notes this book won’t appeal to everyone, but indeed will probably be of interest to some in the audience so I decided to share my thoughts on it.

You can find the book at Amazon.com if do decide you would like to read it yourself. The author also has at least one sample chapter posted at his web site.

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Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 235-The Machete for Survival

chipmonk — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:00:53 +0000

On this episode I talk about a specific survival tool that I have grown to appreciate in my time in the outdoors: the versatile machete. Basically an oversized heavy knife, the machete is one of the most useful items I’ve found for those times I’m out in a woods and can also be used around the garden (carefully) and as a weapon if needed. Listen today as I ramble a bit about these useful and fairly inexpensive survival tool options.

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Fixes to Episodes 149, 153, 174 and 188

chipmonk — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:00:18 +0000

This is just a quick note to let you know it looks like we’ve got most of the episodes that were having issues fixed. It took quite a while but with the exception of Episode 189 (which still eludes a practical fix at this point) we’re back and running. I apologize for the delay….

Also, now that issue is taken care of I plan to upload new episodes in the near future, so keep an eye out for new “stuff”…

Chip

Episode 234-Post-Hurricane Irene Thoughts and Herbal Medicine

chipmonk — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:00:42 +0000

Thankfully it appears the Hurricane Irene (which was discussed in some detail on this podcast last week) has not turned out to be quite as devastating as feared. That is not to say it was not impactful and all indications are that it wreaked much damage in its journey up the Eastern Seaboard. On this episode I spend a few minutes discussing some of the ramifications of what transpired this weekend then move on to talk about various herbal remedies of use to the Survivalist/Prepper.

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 233-Listener Questions-8-26-2011

chipmonk — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 07:01:46 +0000

For Friday’s episode Chip responds to a number of listener questions ranging from discussions of having chickens to storing water to good books for survival medical emergencies. He also discusses the “once-in-a-century” hurricane barreling down on the Eastern Seaboard and considers what he would do if his home lay in Irene’s path.

In this episode:

* We discuss different aspects of having chickens as livestock

* Briefly re-review the book “Patriots” by James Wesley, Rawles

* Look at choosing water containers for storing water (mostly for short-term use)

* Factors to consider in relocating to another area to escape potential disasters

* Good books for basic survival medical knowledge (The following are the ones I recommend on the podcast: Where There Is No Doctor and Where There Is No Dentist)

* Which hand tools to select for maximum flexibility in dealing with survival carpentry/reconstruction/building issues.

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 232-Earthquakes and Libya and Hurricane Irene, Oh My!

chipmonk — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:00:16 +0000

On today’s episode I discuss the earthquakes that struck Colorado, the East Coast, and the Bay Area in the past 48 hours, the unfolding events in Libya and what they might mean, the possibility of Hurricane Irene becoming a major hurricane and other newsworthy items. I try to focus on timeless lessons of these events so that if you’re listening to this episode six months down the line it will still be informative.

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 231-Listener Questions-8-19-2011

chipmonk — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:00:43 +0000

On today’s episode I attempt to answer a number of listener questions about several different topics including:

* How do you get people in your family on-board the “Prepper Express”?

* How do you plan for “women’s needs” and stuff like that?

* Is Chip concerned about failed crops and food shortages and how can you prepare for those possibilities?

* Is C.E.R.T. training valuable for the Survivalist/Prepper?

* Which are the best AK model firearms for survival use?

* What does Chip think of some of the apparent “race issues” taking place in Wisconsin/Philadelphia/St. Louis, etc.?

* What aspects of Herbal Medicine are worth learning for the survivalist/prepper?

BTW… Here is the link to the first episode of the new “Survival Gun Show” podcast: http://gunrightsradio.com/2011/08/19/survival-gun-show-%E2%80%93-episode-1/

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 230-MOVIE REVIEW-Red Dawn

chipmonk — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:00:54 +0000

Today I discuss the great 1984 movie “Red Dawn” and some of the survivalist/prepper concepts dealt with in the movie. Despite its focus as an action story there are quite a number of thought-provoking elements presented in this movie and I hope you will enjoy my review.

Here is the link to the Wiki article on this movie if you’d like to know more:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Dawn

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Episode 229-Slingshots for Survival

chipmonk — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 06:00:23 +0000

Today is a somewhat logical followup to yesterday’s episode about Survival Archery. Although not the most “cool” survival tool, slingshots are still a useful option for small game hunting and as a last line of defense. They are also good for learning to shoot instinctively and for chasing away animals you don’t want hanging around your home. Join me as I talk about them on today’s exciting (yeah right) episode!

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

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Episode 228-Survival Archery

chipmonk — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:00:12 +0000

On today’s episode I discuss some of my background experiences with bows and arrows as well as the survival-related applications of such tools. This is a basic overview of the topic which means I’ll probably at some point delve a little deeper into some of the other aspects of this subject.

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 227-Community Defense

chipmonk — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:00:55 +0000

Have you thought of what you would do if your home was suddenly at “ground zero” of something like the London Riots? Who you could count on if the police were suddenly no longer holding back the lawless elements of society? What specific steps you could take to fortify your neighborhood and build a network for community defense? On today’s episode I ramble on about that topic with some specific ideas you might consider to deal with this potentially life-impacting issue.

Links discussed in today’s show:

http://news.yahoo.com/mexican-villagers-attack-alleged-crooks-killing-6-232018471.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/05/world/europe/05village.html

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Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 226-BOOK REVIEW-Emergency by Neil Strauss

chipmonk — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:00:55 +0000

Today’s podcast finds me sitting out in our bountiful garden enjoying the deep blue of the sky arching over my head and discussing a book I finished reading a few days ago: Neil Strauss’s EMERGENCY. I had heard of this book for a while and when one of the listeners of the show kindly lent it to me I decided to read it to see what it was all about. Needless to say, I am glad I did (although there is quite a bit of adult language and content so it would not be recommendable for all readers). The experience of watching (or reading about) the author’s journey from being a mild-mannered music critic for the New York Times to a full-fledged “prepper” was eye-opening and thus makes this book a great option to give to people close to you that you’re hoping will acquire an interest in Survival/Preparedness issues.

You can find the book at Amazon.com:

NOTE: As mentioned above this book does contain adult material so be forewarned that some portions of the text may be objectionable to some readers.

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 225-Listener Questions-8-9-2011

chipmonk — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:00:34 +0000

Happy Tuesday, everyone! After a rollicking ride on the rockin’ roller coaster markets over the past few days it’s become fairly obvious to most people that there are major economic issues “out there” worth keeping and eye on. In addition, the rioting in London and the race mobs in Wisconsin are stark reminders of the need to be able to take care of ourselves and our families.

So with those things in mind on today’s episode we discuss:

* Chip’s reaction to the Stock Markets (both US and Global) over the past three trading days

* Survival in the city

* Lessons from what’s happening in London

* Martial arts training for survival

* Goats as survival livestock

* Defensive options for “mob areas”

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 224-Thoughts on the Stock Market Collapse

chipmonk — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 19:00:25 +0000

The title of this episode is meant to imply two things: 1) A response to and analysis of the 512 point plunge of the Dow yesterday and 2) What a full-blown economic collapse could mean from a preparedness viewpoint. I meander through a number of thoughts relating to what we’ve been seeing this past week in the world markets and share some of my experiences watching things unfold, then share some basic coping mechanisms that I’ve come to recognize as useful.

(Good review of yesterday’s events can be found here: http://dailyreckoning.com/flash-crash-lite/ )

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 223-FICTION REVIEW-Lights Out by David Crawford

chipmonk — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:00:55 +0000

Today I take time to review a survival fiction novel titled “Lights Out”. Originally an online book, “Lights Out” has been redone in the printed word and contains a lot of material that might be of interest to many of our listeners.

You can find the book at: Amazon.com page for “Lights Out”

BTW… Here is a link to a short story by the same author that is sure to get you thinking: http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-172494.html

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

New Episodes Coming

chipmonk — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:56:12 +0000

Hey Listeners,

We’ve had appointments for our kids this week that required some travel so I am a little behind on episodes, but plan to have at least a couple more posted before the week winds down. Keep an eye out, most likely I will be able to post them later today and tomorrow.

Chip

Episode 222-Listener Questions-8-2-2011

chipmonk — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 12:00:27 +0000

Today we celebrate our one year anniversary on the Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast. Yay! I want to thank each of you who have been a part of this show’s success by spreading the word and by your encouraging messages of support over the past twelve months. Thanks a bunch and I look forward to what the future holds… Barring a disaster of course! (Just a little prepper humor… )

Anyway, today we answer several questions from listeners including:

* What to do if you want to grow tomatoes as part of your survival food plan

* The value of helping others become engaged in self-reliance (including taking people shooting)

* A brief analysis of the debt ceiling “stuff” that has dominated the news for so many weeks

* Ideas on renting/leasing a farm for those who can’t afford to purchase property at this time

* Discussion of the 30/30 lever action for survival (from the forum)

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 221-The Survival Medic

chipmonk — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 12:00:39 +0000

Previously when I’ve discussed Survival Medicine it has been with the idea of having well-stocked supplies, some good manuals on various topics, and as much first aid training as you can get. On this episode I look at the opposite end of the spectrum: What do you do when you don’t have any supplies but what you’re wearing and what are simple things you can do to deal with most potential health crises that might arise in a disaster? Be warned, I do talk about a few “yucky” things (but in a G-rated fashion) and do mention a few disclaimers that you look further into this topic before just taking my word for it.

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 220-TV REVIEW-National Geographic-Doomsday Preppers

chipmonk — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:00:31 +0000

Today I review a recent program that aired on National Geographic called “Doomsday Preppers”. While they try to make anyone who “preps” look a bit silly or paranoid I actually thought it was an interesting program and was pleasantly surprised by the way the production crew represented each of these four families. On this episode I discuss some of the things I took away after viewing this documentary. Also, if I remember correctly it will be airing again this weekend on National Geographic so check it out yourself if you get a chance.

Link to program overview: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/doomsday-preppers-6202/Overview#tab-facts

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

and our new forum at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Episode 219-Caching

chipmonk — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:00:02 +0000

Today’s episode covers the often discussed Survival concept of “caching”, that is pre-positioning supplies for later acquisition, often below ground or in other “hidey-hole” placements. It’s important to think through the reasons you would cache, what you would want to cache and how to protect your cache once it’s in place. I also highly recommend the following product for consideration for smaller caches (this company is also one of our first sponsors as well-Yay!): http://www.smallhiddensafe.com/

Some other resources pertaining to caching include:

Backwoods Home article mentioned on today’s episode

Good basic guide to caching

A general search in any good online engine for “Survival Cache” should also bring up a wealth of information on this topic.

Episode 218-Body Armor

chipmonk — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:00:43 +0000

I do not pretend to be any sort of expert on anything related to Survival and Preparedness. That is the case even more so when I discuss certain tactical things, such as today’s topic: Body Armor. In this episode I look at four different types of body armor, their potential disaster readiness applications and the various cost/benefit analysis points that I hope will help you determine what you might want to procure for your own needs.

Here are a couple of links that I hope will be useful for you as well:

http://www.survivalblog.com/body-armor/

http://get-urban-survival-skills.blogspot.com/2011/02/reader-question-on-body-armor-for.html

And one reputable source (from what I’ve heard) for purchasing body armor: http://www.bulletproofme.com/

Episode 216-Survival Potpourri-Listener Questions-7-22-2011

chipmonk — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 19:00:40 +0000

On today’s episode I briefly discuss the unfolding terrorist attack in Oslo, Norway, then share an update on lessons learned from my son’s recent medical emergency, and then respond to several listener questions.

Topics covered include:

* Terrorist attack in Norway and as many as 30 killed at youth camp outside of Oslo

* Medical and dental preparedness

* Farm thieves stealing foodstuffs and plants, amongst other things

* Interesting stopping power article

* .45 ACP 1911 for concealed carry

* Choosing a concealed carry piece (in general)

* Survivalblog.com posting on supplemental fertilizers, etc. when the Miracle Gro runs out

Episode 215-The Nuts and Bolts of Hand Tools for Survival

chipmonk — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:00:12 +0000

Today I discuss what must be one of the least interesting but most important topics in Survival and Preparedness: The acquisition and use of hand tools. I try to keep it as interesting as possible but honestly that’s probably asking a bit much. Regardless, this is a useful episode for those who don’t have a lot of experience with un-powered tools, but many of you folks who have a lot of background in construction, etc. may find it a bit redundant.

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 214-Survival Lessons from the Australian Aboriginal Peoples

chipmonk — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:00:14 +0000

Today we look at some of the stone-age survival secrets of the Australian Aborigines living in the desert regions of the Outback. I discuss a number of the tricks and techniques they have developed over the millennia for finding safe water, securing food sources, and other general methods by which they stay alive in a forbidding part of the world. My hope is we can take away some basic ideas of how people can survive anything and “translate” those ideas to your specific region.

NOTE: Here is a good “general survival” guide for Australia, along the lines of what I discussed today: http://www.big.com.au/koa/koa.pdf Many of the pieces of info in it work for anywhere and are not just specific to “The Land Down Under”.

Please stop by and register at our new forum located at: http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

NEW: Chip Monk Family Survival Forum

chipmonk — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:24:02 +0000

After spending a lot of time trying figure out how to set up something for our listeners to be able to interact, we finally have a forum up and running! The address is:

http://chipmonk.forumotion.com/

While I’ve been a member of numerous forums over the years I’m new to the whole “run one yourself” side of the equation so help me out by stopping by to register and make a post or two about different Survival Topics to get things started off!

Thanks everyone! Chip

Episode 213-Even More Listener Questions-7-15-2011

chipmonk — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:00:04 +0000

Today is our third episode in a row using the new format. Please understand I will still be doing the traditional single-topic episodes most of the time, but I did want to “hit the ground running” (as I say on the podcast today) with this new approach so doing a few in a row works well for me.

On this episode I discuss:

* How to find out what Climate Zone you are in

* Have I heard of FerFal? (Long-time listeners have heard me mention him before. Here is the link to his book at Amazon.com)

* How do you prep for pets?

* What’s a good movie for showing an unfolding disaster? One answer is: Knowing, with Nicolas Cage

* Why does Chip like .22s for survival? Chuck Hawkes says it well: http://www.chuckhawks.com/survival_rifles.htm

* What do I think of the Winchester 94?

* What can I share about Hurricane Survival steps? See Episode 58

* What do I think of the little Altoids Tin-type survival kits?

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 212-More Listener Questions-7-13-2011

chipmonk — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:00:43 +0000

Today is the second-in-a-row episode covering several topics of interest to listeners. On this episode I discuss:

* An update to our experience here on the farm-What’s working, what’s been difficult and our future plans.

* Insects as wild edibles-Sounds gross, doesn’t it? What until I tell you how many you ALREADY eat every year! Yum!

* How do I record/produce this podcast? I think I have covered this in the past but I’ve had enough questions about it, primarily from people considering starting their own podcast, that I thought I’d cover the topic again. (Link to the Olympus DVRs I use) (Link to Audacity free download)

* HAM Radio/Amateur Radio for survival purposes.

* Is .223 enough for hunting small deer and larger wild boar?

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 211-Listener Questions-7-12-2011

chipmonk — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:00:13 +0000

Today I launch a new type of episode where I respond to various listener questions. I’ve briefly done things along these lines in the past, but this is the beginning of doing these kinds of episodes on a more frequent basis.

On this episode I discuss:

* Mainstay Ration Bars as a survival food (see recent review at Survivalblog.com for more info)

* Fall/Winter planting (link to Territorial Seed Company)

* Debt Ceiling issues (some stories from today on that topic: #1 , #2, #3 )

* Current production .308 bolt firearms options (Marlin X7 (I mispoke-the XLR is a lever action) , Savage-Stevens, Remington 770, Savage 110 (see link for Savage-Stevens), Remington 700, Winchester 70, Ruger 77 )

* Mossberg 500/590 and Remington 870

* Discussion on Cabela’s forum about different slug types

Don’t forget to check out our blog at http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 210-MINI REVIEW-Dean Ing’s “Pulling Through”

chipmonk — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:00:10 +0000

Today you get to hear me briefly discuss a rather interesting (and quite short) survival novel by sci-fi author Dean Ing called “Pulling Through”. The cool thing about the edition I have is that it also contains a lot of additional non-fiction material covering numerous aspects of nuclear survival (amongst other general survival themes) which alone makes it worth the $1.29 I paid for it at an area thrift store.

Here is the link to the Wikipedia page on this author: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Ing and the Amazon.com page on the particular edition of this book I talk about: http://www.amazon.com/Pulling-Through-Dean-Ing/dp/0441690505 (I’m pretty sure you will be able to find it for less money at other places than what’s listed there at Amazon.com).

Episode 209-Food at Your Feet

chipmonk — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:00:09 +0000

About every 20 episodes I try to touch on the topic of wild foods that people can gather for survival purposes. Each time I try to come at the subject from a slightly different perspective and thus today I share some thoughts on scrounging food from nature.

Check out our blog at: thechippermonk.blogspot.com

Episode 208-Children in Survival Situations

chipmonk — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:00:55 +0000

Today I discuss various considerations with having kids and how to deal with their needs in a disaster. I talk about some of their fears and steps you can take to try to make difficult times more manageable for the little ones in your life.

Check out our blog at: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 207-Independence and Survival

chipmonk — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:00:44 +0000

In honor of Independence Day, today I discuss some philosophical aspects of Survivalism and Preparedness, such as being self-reliant, freedom from dependence on the typical “modern” systems of support, and other similar ramblings. Also, although I didn’t talk about this on the podcast let’s remember that our freedom is not “free” but instead is preserved by those who keep us safe. If you get a chance, say thanks to a veteran, a police officer, fireman/woman, EMT, etc. today!

WARNING: This was another “rolling podcast” so the audio quality isn’t great at times. Sorry!

Happy 4th of July

chipmonk — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 16:51:48 +0000

Today we celebrate our beloved country’s 235th Birthday! As someone born in the bicentennial year of 1976 this is an especially cool date every year and once again I am looking forward to a special day with my family (and some extended family) as we reflect on what a wonderful nation we have been blessed to live in!

Happy 4th of July to you, wherever you may be!

Episode 206-The .44 Magnum for Survival

chipmonk — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:00:10 +0000

NOTE: I mentioned on Monday’s podcast that the next episode I had planned was about Survivalism and Education. Unfortunately, when I recorded an episode on that subject the sound just didn’t come out as well as I would have wanted so I plan to re-record that episode and post it at a later date. My apologies if you were tuning in for a discussion on that topic.

A while back I discussed the .357 Magnum (and the closely related 38 Special) as an all-around survival caliber. On today’s episode I give the same treatment to the .44 Magnum, talking about both its good and negative points when it comes to consideration for survival purposes.

Stop by our blog at: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 205-Remembering the Basics & Starting From Scratch

chipmonk — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:00:41 +0000

You’ll notice that every so often I bring things back to a very basic level when it comes to talking about survival topics. That is in large part to the influx of new listeners every so often but also because it’s a good reminder for all of us to build on what we’ve already done at each stage of our Survival/Preparedness efforts.

Don’t forget to check out our blog at: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 204-Crawfish for Survival? Yum!

chipmonk — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:00:27 +0000

Crawfish, crayfish, crawdads, freshwater crabs, stone crabs, land lobsters, ditchbugs…. Whatever you call them you should know a little something about this potential alternative food source. Today I discuss ways to harvest them, some basic information about these little critters, and other considerations in expanding your available food options.

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE CHIP MONK FAMILY SURVIVAL BLOG

Episode 203-A Primer on Radiation Issues

chipmonk — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:00:58 +0000

It’s taken me a couple of months to get my head around the topic of dealing with radiation problems but today I finally talk about this important subject. I also mention a link to the following site and highly suggest that you consider spending some time poking around there if you want to really grasp the fundamentals of this topic: http://www.ki4u.com/

AND DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE CHIP MONK FAMILY SURVIVAL BLOG

Episode 202-What’s Happening With the Sun?

chipmonk — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:00:38 +0000

This past Wednesday I posted a link on the Chip Monk Family Survival Blog about some unexpected and strange things that are happening with our sun. The article talked about how scientists are very unsure about what exactly what to make of the almost complete disappearance of sunspots on the surface of our solar companion and what impact it might have on our weather. Are we heading for another Ice Age? Today I look at some things we should be paying attention to regarding this important topic.

CHIP MONK FAMILY SURVIVAL BLOG Link to the YahooNews article mentioned on the show

Episode 201-Surplus Bolt Action Battle Rifles for Survival

chipmonk — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:00:51 +0000

This is a follow-up to Episode 200 and my discussion of a few types of .308/7.62mm NATO ‘battle rifles’. A listener (Tim C.) pointed out (correctly, I might add) that there are additional options for full-power defensive rifles beyond the typical semi-autos people like to talk about. I thought he made a good point and decided to cover the topic in brief.

Here are a couple of links related to the firearm options I cover:

Ishapore Enfield in .308

1916 Spanish Mauser in .308

7.62 NATO 1895 Chilean Mauser

General Info on Military Surplus Bolt Action Rifles

Episode 200-REVIEW-Boston’s Gun Bible and the .308 Battle Rifle

chipmonk — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:00:02 +0000

Hooray, we’ve made it to 200 episodes! Cool deal! Now that we have that out of the way let’s look at today’s topic, which is actually split between two sub-topics: 1) A review of the book “Boston’s Gun Bible” and 2) A cursory overview of the .308 ‘battle rifle’ as it is often discussed in Survival/Preparedness circles. I plan a followup discussion of at least two of the rifles that fall into the .308 ‘battle rifle’ category in the near future so as is often the case this is merely an introduction to the topic.

You can find the book I discuss at the following link: Boston’s Gun Bible at Amazon.com

Episode 199-Different Survival Kits for Different Survival Purposes

chipmonk — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:00:58 +0000

I’m a big fan of the modular approach to things in life. That is, having specific dedicated “clusters” of tools, materials, etc. for any of the important aspects of your life. In this episode I talk about different types of survival kits you can put together for different potential crises you anticipate might occur and how to create new categories geared towards your unique circumstances.

Episode 198-More on Civil Unrest

chipmonk — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 12:00:03 +0000

Yesterday I spent some time reading the following article and the various responses from CNN viewers that follow: http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/08/what-are-the-chances-the-u-s-economy-could-eventually-trigger-violence-in-our-country/ It was truly sobering. After reading through much of this I realized that I have covered this topic in the past but decided to take a little different approach in discussing it today and focusing on the things you can do to avoid (as much as possible, at least) being impacted by a bad turn of events if we should see something like this come to our shores.

Don’t forget to check out our blog at: thechippermonk.blogspot.com !

Episode 197-Middle East Watch, Summer 2011 Edition

chipmonk — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:00:48 +0000

The Middle East is coming apart at the seams. Right before our very eyes…. You may think that’s a distant worry but the odds of it eventually impacting you wherever you live are quite high. And on today’s episode I discuss what we might see unfold this summer between now and September and how it might affect us and our families.

Also, if you are interested in better understanding useful survival skills that have been forgotten by most of the population check out this new podcast (The Lost Skills Podcast) recently started by one of our listeners: http://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail?pid=106810

Episode 196-The Importance of Setting Survival Goals

chipmonk — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:00:45 +0000

On today’s episode I stress the importance of creating a specific set of survival goals for yourself and your family. And I use a surprising reminder I recently came across as evidence of the value of having such goals.

Episode 195-REVIEW-My Side of the Mountain

chipmonk — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:00:23 +0000

Today I discuss one of the favorite books of my youth along with various survival/preparedness elements imbedded in this great book. My Side of the Mountain was first published in 1959 but still possesses the ability to entrance readers both young and old with the idea of “heading for the hills to live off the land” as I discussed on Tuesday’s episode. I have yet to find a better book to introduce young readers to the idea of self-reliance/self-sufficiency and as you’ll hear I really enjoy talking about this particular book.

Amazon.com link for this book

Episode 194-Multiple Caliber Firearms

chipmonk — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:00:14 +0000

Today I discuss some of the options available for people who want to have a single platform that fires more than one caliber. I cover a few different types of rifles and pistols that offer this flexibility and some of my own recommendations for people who are interested in the survival advantages of such a weapons system.

Source for Chamber Adapters

Episode 193-Head to the Hills-type Survival Woodscraft

chipmonk — Tue, 31 May 2011 07:00:28 +0000

This past weekend I took a good long hike up into the mountains near our little farm. It was a wonderful experience (as it always is) to be out in God’s beautiful creation but it also got me thinking about what it would truly take for someone to “head-to-the-hills” and “live-off-the-land”. In this episode I ruminate about my hike, some of the thoughts it generated, and examples of people who have more or less successfully done this sort of primitive living and been relatively successful at it.

Some of the resources I mention on this episode are:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_of_the_Breed (Louis L’amour Novel)

http://www.snare-trap-survive.com/ (Bruce ‘Buckshot’ Hemming’s site)

http://www.amazon.com/Incident-Big-Sky-Sheriff-Mountain/dp/0393023346 (Book about the Nichols manhunt)

Episode 192-Tornado Survival

chipmonk — Mon, 30 May 2011 07:00:10 +0000

Welcome to another week of the Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast. Today I discuss in relative brief the idea of dealing with the prospect of an imminent tornado in your area and some strategies for remaining as safe as possible. This is just a quick overview of the idea and I happily suggest you do some additional research on your own so that you can best develop a survival plan for your specific area in the event of a tornado or other severe weather.

Episode 191-MOVIE REVIEW: Deep Impact

chipmonk — Fri, 27 May 2011 12:00:26 +0000

Today’s episode is an overview of the 1998 movie “Deep Impact”. I first share with you a little of my own experience watching this movie, provide a plot synopsis and then pull out a few ideas relating to survival and preparedness. Check it out if you’ve never seen it and watch it while you play the “what would I do in that situation” game as large chunks of space rocks hurtle towards the Earth.

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE CHIP MONK FAMILY SURVIVAL BLOG!: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 190-The Wonderful Warming Woodstove

chipmonk — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:00:12 +0000

Today your lovable furball of a host discusses the advantages of woodstoves for survival and preparedness concerns. I talk a bit about the science of how a woodstove actually works, the history of their design and considerations for choosing one as part of your survival plan. While not the most exciting topic it’s probably still a valuable one to consider in these days of rising petroleum prices.

Episode 189-Followup on Armageddon Packs and Preserving Perishables When the Power Perishes

chipmonk — Tue, 24 May 2011 12:00:34 +0000

Last week’s episode on “Armageddon Packs” generated quite a lot of response from the listening audience so today I begin by reading a couple of the submissions I received. Then the rest of the episode is about dealing with the short-term issues of protecting your food supply, prompted in part by some of the dire weather we are currently seeing across the country. Stay safe out there.

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE CHIP MONK FAMILY SURVIVAL BLOG!: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 188-The Armageddon Pack-AKA Bug Out Bag on Steroids

chipmonk — Tue, 17 May 2011 12:00:56 +0000

So you’ve built your 72-hour kit. And now you feel like you’re ready for everything.

Then “It” happens… You have to leave your home knowing you can never go back. And your 72-hour Bug Out Bag just isn’t going to cut it… What do you take with you? How do you haul it, especially if you’re on foot? What do you need to keep for “the rest of your life”?

On this episode I throw out some ideas about how to create an “Armageddon Pack” for the unlikely event you ever have to leave your home and never return.

Episode 187-More on Black Powder For Survival

chipmonk — Mon, 16 May 2011 12:00:14 +0000

Quite a long time back I discussed some experiences I have had (through my wife’s family) involving a pastime called “Buckskinning” or “Rendezvous Reenacting”. I didn’t go much into the particulars of specific black powder firearms at that time so I thought I would discuss them a little more in-depth on today’s episode. I go over the basic types of black powder guns that are available and discuss a few thoughts on their specific survival applications, including the ability to make your own black powder, cast your own bullets, or use them as defensive options in gun-unfriendly locations.

Episode 186-Improving Your Garden Soil

chipmonk — Thu, 12 May 2011 12:00:44 +0000

On today’s episode your humble host discusses some of the steps we’re doing to improve our garden soil and protect/retain the “good” elements already present. Recently I read an article about this topic in a Mother Earth News magazine and it started me thinking about methods that replicate the processes already present in nature. As a result that philosophy (try to do what nature does) has become one of our basic premises in running the Chip Monk Farm. I’ll be sharing with you how it well it works (or doesn’t work) as this adventure unfolds.

A Few Pictures of the New Farm

chipmonk — Thu, 12 May 2011 01:27:56 +0000

I’ve been sharing with you about our recent move to the farm. As you can imagine, we love it! I thought I’d share a couple of pictures so you can see where I’m coming to you from these days…

Episode 185-REVIEW: Defiance-Book & Movie

chipmonk — Wed, 11 May 2011 12:00:01 +0000

Today I discuss a book that was later made into a movie (both called “Defiance”) covering the exploits of the Bielski partisans during World War II. “Defiance” is a true story of raw survival when the only alternative is genocide. I can’t help but give away a bit about the plot but I do try to avoid major spoilers as much as possible while focusing on many of the survival/preparedness lessons present in both the book and movie.

Wikipedia entry on the Defiance movie

Episode 184-Some Thoughts on Gold and Silver

chipmonk — Tue, 10 May 2011 12:00:10 +0000

On today’s episode I briefly discuss the potential for problems with nuclear-armed Pakistan and then look at some alternate viewpoints on precious metals like gold and silver. Prompted by a post in a forum I visit from time to time I wanted to ask a few questions for you to keep in mind when buying gold and silver as part of your survival plan. I also wanted to make certain you’ve looked at these important considerations in order to ensure you’re spending your hard-earned money wisely.

Episode 183-Observations from Our Move to the Farm

chipmonk — Mon, 09 May 2011 12:00:55 +0000

This week I begin by a brief followup to the last few episodes on calibers by talking about +P loads and bullet weights as suggested by a listener. Then I use the rest of the episode to discuss some things we’re noticing about our move to the farm. Hopefully you’ll find some of the thoughts applicable to your situation but overall if nothing else maybe you’ll be inspired to keep working towards your own goals.

Episode 182-Overview of Firearms Calibers-Part Three-Rimfires and Shotguns

chipmonk — Sat, 07 May 2011 12:00:22 +0000

Today is the final part in a three-episode arc discussing firearms calibers and their survival usefulness. In this episode I cover the different types of rimfire calibers available as well as shotgun gauges while trying to give you a little bit of insight into what you need to know in order to decide what calibers will work best for you in your specific situation.

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE CHIP MONK FAMILY SURVIVAL BLOG!: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 181-Overview of Firearms Calibers-Part Two-Rifles

chipmonk — Fri, 06 May 2011 12:00:14 +0000

Today is part two in a three-part arc where I talk about various rifle calibers and their potential survival/preparedness applications. I apologize greatly that this has been so long in coming but with our recent move to the farm things have been crazy and I just Wednesday was able to get internet set up and running. Regardless, it’s good to be back “on the air” and I hope you will find this rather lengthy (1 hour plus) episode informative.

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE CHIP MONK FAMILY SURVIVAL BLOG!: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Move to the Farm (Mostly) Complete

chipmonk — Thu, 05 May 2011 05:11:53 +0000

I had planned to release episodes this week but with our move and the internet not being connected until today at the new farm house I have been unable to do so. Watch for new episodes to be available at the end of this week and thanks for your patience!

Chip

Moving to the Farm Stuff

chipmonk — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:53:01 +0000

Hey Listeners,

We’ve had a pretty crazy week as we’ve had just a few short days to begin the move to the farm I mentioned on a couple of previous episodes. For that reason I’m a bit behind on this week’s episodes but have some recorded and will get them posted as soon as the opportunity presents itself. That said, I look forward to sharing this great new adventure with all of you and putting into practice many of the things I discuss on this podcast.

Chip

Episode 180-Overview of Firearms Calibers-Part One-Handguns

chipmonk — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 07:00:29 +0000

Today is part one in a three-part arc where I discuss pertinent information about firearms calibers. I’ve been asked a number of times if I would do just a basic intro to the common calibers available for firearms and try to keep it simple and understandable for gun novices. In this episode I discuss the common handgun calibers and their survival utility, from least powerful to most powerful. While much of this information is my opinion it is based on experience and the insight of others in the firearms field and I hope it will be useful for the listening audience. I will cover rifles tomorrow and .22 LR as a separate topic on Thursday.

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE CHIP MONK FAMILY SURVIVAL BLOG!: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 179-Living the Self-Sufficiency Dream

chipmonk — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:00:36 +0000

Today I share about the efforts my wife and I are making in being self-sufficient/self-reliant and giving our kids a better life by moving to a farm. Yes, a real farm. Over the course of the next month or so our family is planning to pick up and relocate to a rural property located about 25 miles from where we currently live so that we can try to do the things we’ve always dreamed about and so I can share my experiences with all of you. I hope this episode will inspire you to consider ways to make your dreams possible in the way others have inspired me.

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE CHIP MONK FAMILY SURVIVAL BLOG!: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 178-SURVIVAL FICTION-The Postman

chipmonk — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 07:00:23 +0000

Today is the second in a sequence of episodes about Survival Fiction, in this case David Brin’s 1985 novel “The Postman”. Made into a movie by Kevin Costner in 1997 this is a worthwhile story for people interested in survival/preparedness topics even though the original story was written as something of a “deconstruction” of survivalism. In this episode I discuss some aspects of the plot, a few interesting ideas you can draw from the story, and general survival principles touched on in this narrative.

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE CHIP MONK FAMILY SURVIVAL BLOG!: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 177-SURVIVAL FICTION-I Am Legend

chipmonk — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 07:00:25 +0000

This week I’m going to be covering a few examples of survival fiction that I think can be useful for survivalist/prepper types. On this episode I discuss the book “I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson, the story of a solitary individual surviving a dreadful pandemic which has essentially rendered him the last man on Earth. I focus on the major elements of the story (as well as the three movies that have been based on upon it) along with specific examples of useful survival concepts present in the narrative.

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE CHIP MONK FAMILY SURVIVAL BLOG!: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/

Episode 176-The Trunk Gun

chipmonk — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 07:00:39 +0000

So what is the concept of the “Trunk Gun”? Well, to make it simple it is the idea of having a long gun (rifle or shotgun) kept in your car at all times so that if a situation ever arises in which you need it you will have it available for use. On this episode I discuss some of the better choices for “Trunk Guns” along with various considerations you will be pondering as you decide what, if anything, fills this role in your survival plans.

Episode 175-Swiss Army Knives and Multitools for Survival

chipmonk — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 07:00:28 +0000

A very long time ago this host did an episode on the topic of Survival Knives. As I recall it wasn’t one of my better shows but I still felt like it covered some useful topics so I left it in the podcast feed. However, in this episode I try to cover a variation on that theme and discuss the well-deservedly famous Swiss Army Knife and the nearly-as-ubiquitous Leatherman Multitool (and its cousins). The idea of having such a valuable tool (of either type or both) with you at all times is well worth considering if you can afford it.

Episode 174-Paying Off Debt VS Prepping

chipmonk — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 07:00:21 +0000

This is a fairly short episode built around the idea of me the host asking you the listener for some advice in a turnaround from the normal way of doing things. My wife and I are in the process of making our final push towards ridding ourselves of college-era debt and are trying to find the right balance between bettering our financial situation and still trying to acquire the prep items necessary for things we see on the horizon. I hope to both stimulate thoughts in the listener along the same lines as well as get your advice about what approaches we should take.

Episode 173-The Coming Great Madrid Earthquake

chipmonk — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 07:00:09 +0000

Someday in the very near future the heartland of the United States may experience a massive earthquake unlike anything seen in recent memory. In this episode I discuss the potential for this massive catastrophe along with some practical tips for preparing for surviving it whether you live in the region that will be affected most by it or in other parts of the country and world that are sure to indirectly impacted.

For more information on this topic check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Madrid_Seismic_Zone as well as do a search for this subject at Google Video: http://www.google.com/search?q=new+madrid+earthquake&tbo=p&tbm=vid&source=vgc&hl=en&aq=f

Episode 172-The Coming Cascadia Megaquake & Tsunami

chipmonk — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 07:00:21 +0000

Today your good buddy Chip discusses what he perceives to be the greatest specific natural disaster threat to his region, and some of the basic elements he thinks people should be aware of. After what we’ve seen in Japan it would be foolish to not recognize the potential for something similar (or even worse) to occur here along the West Coast of the US.

For more information on this topic check out the following video on my blog: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/2011/03/potential-cascade-subduction-mega-quake.html

You can also read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascadia_subduction_zone (This is the link I referenced in my show)

Episode 171-Are People Waking Up?

chipmonk — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:00:22 +0000

Today I wanted to discuss some trends I’m seeing that suggest that the masses are starting to wake up to the need for “Preparedness/Disaster Readiness”. Everything from gas price increases to events in the Middle East to the crisis in Japan seem to be driving this new interest in our field, so on this episode I give an overview of what seems to be occurring along with suggestions of how you can best approach your own preparation efforts with these new developments in mind.

Episode 170-The Beretta 92 Pistol for Survival

chipmonk — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 07:00:34 +0000

When Chip was a young man growing up in the mountains of Southern Oregon he used to enjoy reading some of his dad’s survival magazines. In the mid-1980s these magazines began to discuss the US Military’s new sidearm-The M9, or in its civilian guise the Beretta 92. Ooo-lah-lah that was a sweet pistol with a sleek appearance and a massive (at the time) 15 round magazine and on today’s episode Chip talks about it along with its close cousin (the Taurus PT92) while focusing on the survival applications of such devices.

Episode 169-Hydroponic Gardening for Survival

chipmonk — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 07:00:02 +0000

Ever heard about hydroponics? You know, the idea of making a garden without soil? Ever consider some of the survival and preparedness ramifications of such a system?

Well I have…. And today I talk about some of my introductory thoughts on hydroponic gardening and survival. Also as I mention in this episode in the future I hope to set up two different types of hydroponic systems and walk listeners through the processes of how to construct a workable setup without breaking the bank.

(BTW-Here is a link to a page at my blog where I link to some videos on this topic: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/2011/04/videos-on-hydroponics.html )

Episode 168-More on Wilderness Shelters

chipmonk — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 07:00:33 +0000

On today’s episode I circle back around to the important topic of always being able to provide a shelter for yourself and your family. I focus on some quickly improvised such as A-frames and teepee frames along with coal beds and simple fire-reflector sleeping areas. Even if you’re not that interested in wilderness survival per se, you can still learn a lot that could be potentially life-saving in other types of disaster situations.

Episode 167-Overcoming the Cassandra Effect and Some More 2011 Predictions

chipmonk — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:00:09 +0000

What is the “Cassandra Effect” you ask? Well, it’s something that Chip has been working out in his pea-sized brain over the course of the past six months or so. The idea is (drawing from mythology) a way to describe that feeling you get when you see trouble brewing in the world and you try to convey your concerns to your family and friends, but no one will listen. So on this episode I discuss how to get reluctant family members to recognize your concerns (similar to what I discussed in Episode 43) along with a few predictions about what the next six months or so could hold (similar to Episode 34). Consider this a “potpourri” or “smorgasbord” episode where I bounce around quite a bit.

(NOTE: Here is a link to some background on the Cassandra mythology so you can better understand my basic premise: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassandra )

Episode 166-Firestarting Skills

chipmonk — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:00:12 +0000

As mentioned on my recent episode about “Survival Camping” I recently had a stark reminder of how valuable firestarting skills are for survivalist/prepper types. In this episode I discuss a few different methods of ensuring you can always have a warm, toasty fire and the value such a fire offers in a survival context.

Episode 165-Nautical Survival & Boats as Bug Out Vehicles

chipmonk — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 03:00:53 +0000

Due to the fact that much of the planet’s population lives close to oceans and other waterways it is worth considering the thought of using a boat as a “bug out vehicle” (BOV). In this episode I discuss some of the considerations for choosing a boat, equipping it for your needs, and using it to get out of an area affected by a disaster. Obviously there is much more that could be said on this topic, but hopefully this gives you some initial considerations to work with if you’re considering this option in your survival plans.

Episode 164-The AR7 Survival Rifle

chipmonk — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 07:00:57 +0000

On today’s rather short episode I talk about another of the specialized “Survival .22s” that are often discussed in survival/preparedness circles. I give some of my own personal observations of this little rifle as well as some of the strengths and weaknesses of the “survival gun” concept in general while providing an overview of the AR7’s characteristics.

Episode 163-Survival Camping

chipmonk — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0000

After a few hours witnessing the tv coverage of the carnage that was the Japan earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown(s) my wife and I began discussing the lessons we can learn from this terrible disaster. One of the things we took away from this event was the need to have portable methods of procuring safe water, storing food, alternative shelter, etc. So… We decided to try a camping trip in 40 degree weather to see what it would be like to have to “bug out” during late Winter/early Spring (which is essentially the type of weather we are currently dealing with). On this episode I discuss our experiences and some of the things we learned.

Episode 162-Building a Solar Still

chipmonk — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:00:40 +0000

After several episodes in a row discussing the disaster in Japan I decided to take a quick break and talk about something proactive you can focus on instead of us reacting to world events. So today after a brief introduction relating to Japan and the “No Fly Zone” in Libya I talk about how to build a simple water procurement system called a solar still. I will return to some of the lessons of recent disasters and specific ways to prep, but thought we could all use a break from the carnage, even as survivalist/preppers.

(NOTE: Although I didn’t mention this in the podcast today, why don’t we all take a moment and think of the blessings we have and try to name them one-by-one. In contrast to events in Japan, Libya, Bahrain, I’d say we all have much to be thankful for, and it’s good to be reminded of that from time to time.)

Episode 161-Revised Bug Out Bags and Specific Lessons from Recent Disasters

chipmonk — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 06:49:11 +0000

Today I continue the conversation about what we’re seeing take place in the world around us, but with a reminder to not get too focused on the negative and the constant panicky presentation of the media. Remember to stop and take a deep breath from time to time, restrict yourself to an hour a day “prepping” (if you feel that is safe and sufficient) and focus on the good things in your future, even if it feels like a bit of a stretch at present.

I talk in the first part of the episode specifically about things you should make sure you have in your Bug Out/Get Out of Dodge/Go Bag and then spend the rest of the show discussing specific lessons we should learn from what has happened in Japan based on the following blog post: http://www.wakeupforeign.com/?p=77&option=com_wordpress&Itemid=1

Episode 160-More on the Disaster in Japan

chipmonk — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:55 +0000

I had lined up other topics for this week, but due to what is transpiring in Japan and the continually evolving nature of that story I am setting those aside to focus on those events. In this episode I discuss my approach to following this story, lessons we can take away from what is happening before our eyes and how this is something of a game-changer for all of us.

Episode 159-Initial Thoughts on Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

chipmonk — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 02:31:54 +0000

Unfortunately I am fighting a nasty cold so I don’t sound the greatest in this episode, but I wanted to take a few minutes and share some initial thoughts I have come to about the events of the past 24 hours relating to the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan. In addition, I talk about my own experiences with finding out we were under a tsunami watch on the coast of Oregon and other elements connected to Survival/Preparedness issues we can all take away from this tragedy. I’ll plan to do a full-fledged episode on tsunami survival as a followup next week.

Episode 158-Paintball as Survival Training

chipmonk — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 03:00:23 +0000

Today I get to talk about a subject I really enjoy: Paintball! And I get to do so in a survival context, despite the fact that it is also a hobby to me. As I describe in the episode, I was an early adopter of paintball as a stand-in for learning survival defense techniques and still enjoy playing on the rare occasions when the opportunity presents itself. So sit back, let me regale you with some old paintball stories and hopefully you will see the value I place on Paintball as a survival training tool.

Episode 157-Saving and Storing Seeds

chipmonk — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:00:45 +0000

Hopefully today’s sound quality is a bit better than yesterday was… But anyway, today we discuss various methods of saving and storing seeds. I give some general thoughts and ideas about the subject as well as some specific directions that seem to work well from my own experience and research. After listening to this, however, I strongly recommend you consider doing additional research on the topic and track down as much info as possible so you’ll give yourself the best chance of being successful with your gardening efforts.

Episode 156-Time for a Prep Talk

chipmonk — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:00:08 +0000

With all of the downer news out there this week (gas prices, economic problems, trouble in the Middle East), I felt it was time for an episode designed to encourage and lift spirits a bit, as well as remind us of the importance and value of taking the time to prepare for your family.

Consider this a “Prep Talk”.

Episode 155-REVIEW-BBC ‘Threads’ and Nuclear Survival

chipmonk — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 12:00:04 +0000

On today’s episode I discuss my experience watching the 1980s BBC teleplay “Threads” with a specific eye towards the survival and preparedness issues that it brings up. You’ll note that while I consider some of the elements included in this drama to be propaganda there are certainly some salient points that make it worth watching… well, if you have a strong stomach that is. This is a fairly long episode (50 minutes) as I use this movie to cover a lot of different ideas that are central to modern survivalism, and you are warned that I do discuss some of the details of the program, including both spoilers and some gruesome details.

More information on ‘Threads’ can be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threads

Episode 154-The M6 Scout .22/.410

chipmonk — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 12:00:52 +0000

If you’ve been around survival/preparedness circles for long you’ve probably come across a couple of specific “survival guns” like the AR7 and the M6 Scout. Today’s episode is about the versatile M6 Scout which is an over-under .22 long rifle/.410 gauge shotgun combo. A unique design for a few reasons, the M6 has some advantages in terms of its survival usefulness as well as some potential tradeoffs, which are discussed by me during the course of today’s podcast.

More information about this interesting firearm can be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield_Armory_M6_Scout

(NOTE: There is also a pistol version of the M6 I’ve come across a few times: http://www.gunshopfinder.com/springfield/M69501.asp I do not know a lot about this design so I did not mention it during today’s episode.)

(NOTE: #2: It seems the .22 Hornet variant is more common than I believed. Here is a link to a current listing at Gunbroker on a .22 Hornet version of the M6: http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=218543686 )

Episode 153-The Importance of Mental Preparation for Survival

chipmonk — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 12:00:45 +0000

This is a topic suggestion I’ve had more than once, but is such an important topic that I decided to make today’s episode about the mental preparation for surviving a disaster. For the most part I discard a lot of the psychology (although not all of it) and focus on the practical, although you could make a case that various studies do give us some insight into this subject matter. In general, I just try to bring things back to the simple point of “it doesn’t matter what supplies you have if you aren’t committed and fully dedicated to getting through whatever disaster you might face.”

Episode 152-Knowing Your Region’s Potential Disasters

chipmonk — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 03:02:52 +0000

Recent events in various parts of the world (earthquakes in New Zealand and Arkansas, major snowstorms everywhere, and riots pretty much throughout the entire middle east) has brought to the forefront the importance of being aware of the most likely problems to impact your region. In this episode I give a casual overview of how to determine what the greatest risks are that you might face where you live and how to “focus” in on those potential problems while still prepping for the unexpected “black swan” events.

Episode 151-EMP Survival

chipmonk — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 07:00:04 +0000

This is the second or third time I’ve tried to record a program on this topic, but it looks like it finally worked out…. On today’s episode I discuss several aspects of preparing for an EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse), whether from natural or man-made causes and try to give some specific thoughts about ways to insulate oneself from problems caused by these potential catastrophes.

BTW…. Here’s the main web page I reference during the episode in case you want to read some of what I talk about for yourself:

http://www.onesecondafter.com/pb/wp_194d9c9d/wp_194d9c9d.html

Episode 150-The Episode Where Chip Tells You to Buy… Food… Now…

chipmonk — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:00:58 +0000

Today I read the following article from a link at Survivalblog.com : http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=265253

While I’m not always a fan of the way WND presents its material, I thought this was a very interesting and thorough article. I encourage you to read it before or after listening to this show today. This is one of those occasional episodes where I try to gently implore listeners to take specific, concrete steps to make themselves and their families a little more secure. It’s pretty simple.

Buy… Food… Now…

(Another story today along the same lines…: http://agriculture.imva.info/food-prices/foodfinancial-crisis-of-2011 )

Episode 149-Surviving in the New Economy

chipmonk — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:00:19 +0000

Have you given much thought yet to the “New” Economy? I don’t mean the old one where everyone tried to find a job to occupy for 25 years then retire with a pension and health benefits. I mean the new one where jobs are scarce, benefits are few, and you have to work twice as hard to get by. My hope is that there may be another way. On this episode I discuss how to find your own niche so you can carve out a living you enjoy and still thrive in the new reality. I can’t promise it’s a deep conversation on the subject but hopefully something to plant a seed that gets you thinking.

(NOTE: This was recorded as a mobile podcast so there’s some road noise, etc. but I hope you’ll be able to still hear and understand everything okay.)

Episode 148-WEEKEND EDITION-Old Time Radio-2000 Plus-The Flying Saucers

chipmonk — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 03:23:22 +0000

No, Chip has not crossed over into the UFO believer territory (although I did drive by Area 51 last month). Honestly, this is just an attempt to share something a little different in our first Weekend Edition for some time. The episode is from the 1950 Old Time Radio program 2000 Plus and is called “The Flying Saucers”. The survival context is the idea of something unexpected happening and how people deal with the unknown. I also thought it would be nice with all the crazy negative things happening in the world to share a fun and kind of goofy tale from the days of yesteryear. Hope you like it and have a great weekend!

Episode 147-The Pacific Northwest as Retreat Locale

chipmonk — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 07:20:54 +0000

In response to a listener’s email I decided to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the Pacific Northwest as a survival region on today’s podcast. I bounce around quite a bit, but hopefully there are some thoughts embedded in this episode that will get you thinking. I apologize to my listeners in other countries as this probably isn’t that pertinent to you, but some basic themes I discuss might still be of some use.

(WARNING: I do touch on a little bit of the dominant politics of the region, but only as it pertains to survival and preparedness in my mind.)

Episode 146-Century International Firearms Review

chipmonk — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 07:00:58 +0000

This is an episode that was recorded a couple of weeks ago upon my return from SHOT Show, but having done four episodes in a row related to my trip I decided to not post it at that time. In hindsight, I think it had some useful information that some listeners will find interesting so I’m posting it a while after the fact anyway. I discuss a number of different firearms this company (Century International) offers and their potential survival uses. Hopefully, you can disregard the references to the week it would have originally aired.

Episode 145-Five Basic Survival Skills Everyone Should Have

chipmonk — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 08:32:52 +0000

Today is one of those “back to basics” episodes where I discuss some thoughts that everyone should know, probably does know, but needs to be reminded of from time to time. I can’t say that I break a lot of new ground in what I cover today but it is the kind of subject matter that helps us keep a clear focus on the basic things necessary to keep us and our loved ones alive as opposed to focusing on the neatest new survival gadget we saw in a forum somewhere.

NOTE:The basic premise of this episode came from the following thread on a site that I don’t have much experience with but that looks like it might contain some good information:

http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/the-5-basic-survival-skills/

Episode 144-Special Needs Survival-Type 1 Diabetes/Food Intolerances

chipmonk — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 07:37:30 +0000

Today’s episode was inspired by an email I received from a listener in Florida today. And while the focus of the show isn’t on exactly what they mentioned in their message, I felt it might be useful for not only them but many other listeners. Have you ever thought about some of the special preparations that need to be made for loved ones who have certain medical conditions? What about food intolerances? Today I share some thoughts and considerations I’ve worked through on these two related ideas and hopefully you will find what I share useful.

BTW… Here’s the link to the Gluten-Free long term survival food I mentioned during the show: Long Term Storable GF Survival Food at Costco

Episode 143-Thoughts on Operational Security and Survival

chipmonk — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 06:58:30 +0000

We’re (hopefully) back up and running after this difficult past week with an episode about considerations relating to “Operational Security” or OpSec as it’s often called. The idea is how much information are you letting get out to others about your disaster readiness/emergency preparedness/survival efforts? Are you potentially making yourself a target? Do your neighbors know you’re one of those nutty survivalist types? And what are some simple things you can do to reduce the amount of information you radiate that could be used against you down the road? Well, that’s the very topic that I ramble on about today. Let me know if you have thoughts on this subject as well and I might just share them on a followup episode.

Check Out Chip’s Interview at Today’s Survival Podcast

chipmonk — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 10:56:35 +0000

As mentioned a couple of episodes ago, last week I did an interview with Bob Mayne over at Today’s Survival Podcast. That particular episode was posted today and is located here:

http://www.todayssurvival.com/?p=1516

We talked about the general theme of survival firearms, which I’ve covered a lot recently on my show but hopefully you’ll find it interesting and informative.

Episode 142-BOOK REVIEW: The Foxfire Series

chipmonk — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 10:36:41 +0000

After a week of family illness and technology issues Chip is back with an episode about the Foxfire series of “how to” survival knowledge. Yes, I realize that the Foxfire books were not written with the idea of survivalism, preparedness or disaster readiness in mind, but the truth is they contain a wealth of knowledge about how to do many of the things our ancestors did to stay alive in a harsh and hostile world. I don’t go really in depth on this series, but try to give you enough of an overview so you can decide if these books might be useful in your situation.

Here’s the Wikipedia page about this series: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxfire_%28magazine%29

Thanks as always for listening!

Episode 141-More on Egypt and Prepping for the Long, Slow Collapse

chipmonk — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 07:36:03 +0000

As mentioned earlier today, problems with technology have made this episode a bit tardy but I hope that you will find it interesting and helpful nonetheless. To begin with, I talk a bit more about what is unfolding in Egypt and the two major aspects of how it relates to Survival/Preparedness (#1. The impact it will have on the world we live in and #2. Lessons we can learn from what is transpiring there). Then the rest of the episode is devoted to steps you can take to try to deal with a long, protracted collapse/depression. On this topic I share some things from my own experience as well as thoughts I’ve gathered from other folks online.

Episode 140-Survival Lessons from Egypt

chipmonk — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 09:31:47 +0000

Recently I did an episode covering survival lessons we can pick up from watching the events that unfolded in Tunisia take place. Now there is yet another example of how quickly things can change in the world and evidence that we are indeed on the cusp of a major transition in the “world order”. In today’s show I talk about everything from civil unrest to what this new dynamic may mean for the potential of world conflict and some tips on how to get by if events such as what is happening in Egypt ever make their way to your country. (NOTE: There are some audio issues due to a problem with the sound on my computer which prevented me from properly editing this episode, but hopefully it will be “listenable” all the same. )

Episode 139-SHOT Show Review-Rossi & Taurus Firearms for Survival

chipmonk — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 07:00:56 +0000

Today is the third and possibly last episode in the SHOT Show-inspired arc where I discuss specific companies and the specific firearms they offer that are well-suited for survival and preparedness needs. The focus of the episode is the Rossi/Taurus family of companies and a few of the unique and interesting models they have begun to put out there over the past couple of years, with greatest focus on the Rossi Wizard multi-caliber rifles, the Taurus Judge shotgun/pistol, and a several of their more basic mainstream but relatively inexpensive offerings.

More on the Rossi Wizard can be found here:

http://www.rossiusa.com/hot_items.cfm

http://funreviews.net/publish/guns/Rossi_Wizard_Review.php

http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=136858

http://forums.gunsandammo.com/forum/general-shooting-information/problems-new-rossi-wizard (Not everyone likes it, you see. )

Episode 138-SHOT Show Review-Hi Point Firearms for Survival

chipmonk — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 03:26:12 +0000

Today is the next episode in this mini-arc relating to my attendance at SHOT Show, in this case discussing the usefulness of the products offered by a small American company named Hi Point. Yes, I realize that this company has something of a mixed reputation in shooting circles but today I share my own experiences with their products along with some things I absorbed handling some of their new stuff at SHOT Show. And I talk about why I think there is indeed a survival firearms niche that Hi Point fits into nicely.

Here are a few links relating to Hi Point you may find useful:

http://www.hi-pointfirearms.com/

http://www.hipointfirearmsforums.com/Forum/

http://www.shootingtimes.com/handgun_reviews/hipoint_100605/

Also, here is the link to the Time story I mentioned at the beginning (about Survival Stores): http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1884779_1884782_1884768,00.html

Some pictures from my SHOT Show trip

chipmonk — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 02:39:09 +0000

Hey Listeners!

As promised, I’ve put up some pictures I took at the SHOT Show. They are posted here at my blog: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/2011/01/chip-at-shot-show-2011.html

Check them out if you get a chance. And if you’re trying to decide what to get me for next Christmas either the new Kel Tec Shotgun or PMR-30 .22 magnum pistol would be fine.

Episode 137-SHOT Show Followup: Kel Tec Firearms for Survival

chipmonk — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 01:18:07 +0000

Today is the second in a series of episodes for this week relating to my attendance at SHOT Show. In this show I discuss the line of innovative firearms from Kel Tec and give my opinions about their usefulness from a survival viewpoint, emphasizing both the good and the bad. And you’ll hear what it was like to be able to handle some of Kel Tec’s new products like the new (and uber-cool) 14-round KSG shotgun.

Episode 136-Lessons from SHOT Show

chipmonk — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 18:59:24 +0000

On today’s episode I share a bit about our family trip to Las Vegas for the SHOT Show and a few thoughts and ideas we picked up along the way. With a 17 hour drive in each direction it was quite a road trip experience for our family and also generated some unique insights into various survival and preparedness concepts.

(NOTE: This was recorded as I was driving today so the audio is somewhat garbled in certain spots. I apologize for that.)

Episode 135-WEEKEND EDITION-X Minus One-Nightmare/Revolt of the Machines

chipmonk — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 19:32:56 +0000

Welcome to another Weekend Edition of the CMFSP. On this episode we listen to an entry from the classic radio series X Minus One called “Nightmare”, based on a story titled “Revolt of the Machines”. In some ways this story has something of a Terminator feel to it, but the aspect that I found of interest in a survival context was that of a looming imminent event and how willing or unwilling people are to consider such a thing. Enjoy!

Episode 134-Survival Lessons from Tunisia

chipmonk — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 07:00:19 +0000

Happy Monday! Today I talk for a short time about some of the events that have transpired over recent days in Tunisia. Where is Tunisia, you may ask? Well, if you’ve ever seen Star Wars you’ve seen Tunisia: Tatooine is Tunisia. But more importantly it’s a northern African nation that has experienced great political and social turbulence in recent days. And on this episode I discuss lessons we can learn from what happened there.

Here are some links to stories about what is taking place:

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20110116/D9KPL3I80.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70D2OV20110116

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-16/egypt-stocks-drop-most-in-six-weeks-as-tunisia-s-leader-ben-ali-overthrown.html

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/dozens-of-tunisia-jews-consider-leaving-as-violence-spreads-1.337409

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/16/tunisia-protests-suicide-algeria-arab

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110116/ap_on_re_af/af_tunisia_riots_108

Episode 133-Flooding Preparedness

chipmonk — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 07:00:22 +0000

Floods in Australia…. Floods in Brazil…. Floods in the Philippines…. And now floods in Chip’s home region of the Pacific Northwest. So, naturally today I talk about floods. Some of this episode is my own experience dealing with flooding in our area over the past couple of days and some of it is referencing other larger-scale flooding going on in other places around the world. As is always the case, this is not a completely in-depth discussion of the topic but hopefully it will serve as a good beginning point in your understanding of how to be ready for flooding.

Episode 132-Doors and Dirt-The Cheap (and Quick) Nuclear Survival Shelter

chipmonk — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:09:22 +0000

When I was growing up most of the media conversation about nuclear war was that it was not survivable so why even bother? Even as a youngster I was able to read and research on my own to discover that wasn’t truly the case unless one was very close to ground zero when the blast occurred. Years ago after reading various articles about expensive below-ground shelters I came across an article on how to quickly and easily construct a simple below-ground setup that provides the basic protection required to survive a nuclear crisis using simple things you should already have available around your home. In this episode I walk you through the steps and the different considerations you should be thinking about when you’re building something like this. You can also check over at my blog and see a visual representation of how this is done: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/2011/01/here-is-good-visual-for-how-to-build.html

One quick note: After I recorded this last night I decided to check online to see if anything similar was posted, considering this shelter idea is from the Cold War era 1960s and found this design, which is quite similar to the one in my notes (I’m guessing both are borrowed from an excellent book available for free online here: Nuclear War Survival Skills).

If nothing else, it can put your mind at ease to know that if there ever is a nuclear crisis you have a plan. And that is worth it all by itself.

Episode 131-The Scout Rifle Concept for Survival

chipmonk — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 07:23:18 +0000

I’ve had both emails and verbal conversations with people recently about the idea of the Scout Rifle for survival so I thought I’d spend some time discussing it today. If you are unfamiliar with what a “Scout Rifle” is, check out this overview: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scout_rifle#Defining_Characteristics

Here is the link for the new Ruger version of this concept I discuss on the show: http://www.ruger.com/products/gunsiteScoutRifle/specSheets/6803.html

For the rest of the program I cover the history of how Col. Jeff Cooper came up with this idea, its potential survival value, and “do-it-yourself” ways of creating your own version of the Scout Rifle. And, since it’s me, I focus on inexpensive (okay, “cheap”) ways of going about building your own scout rifle with plans to give it a go myself.

http://www.ruger.com/products/gunsiteScoutRifle/specSheets/6803.html

http://michaelbane.blogspot.com/2010/12/ruger-scout-rifle.html

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2005/mosinscoutrifle/index.asp

http://www.rifleshootermag.com/featured_rifles/mauser_090607/

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=338526

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=434859

Episode 130-Useful Skills for Long-Term Disasters

chipmonk — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 06:49:20 +0000

If we ever do face a true long-term disaster that results in the breakdown of the lifestyle we have known it is going to be imperative to be able to get back to the ways of doing things that humans used for thousands of years before Henry Ford and the assembly line. For this reason, you can make yourself extremely valuable to yourself and to others by learning how to do some of these old-fashion methods of meeting life’s needs. In this episode I discuss everything from soap-making to learning to sew to canning to hunting and outdoor skills. It’s little more than a starting point, but if you are truly interested in learning all you can about how to survive whatever comes, then knowledge is your best investment-and in most cases it’s free!

Here’s the link to Wiki page on the Firefox series I discuss on this episode: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxfire_%28magazine%29

Episode 129-WEEKEND EDITION-1938 War of the Worlds OTR

chipmonk — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 04:19:29 +0000

I can’t believe I haven’t already aired this particular Old Time Radio program. What was I thinking? If there is ANY old time radio broadcast worthy of being considered of value to Survivalist/Preppers it is the Orson Welles 1938 Mercury Theater on the Air production of H.G. Wells’ (no relation) novel War of the Worlds. According to many media accounts of the time this show, broadcast as though it were describing a real event, created tremendous fear throughout the country as many people believed the bulletins being aired were genuine. That right there is a lesson by itself for preppers, but the story also is capable of generating some valuable insights. Take a listen and enjoy and contemplate how people of our day would react in similar circumstances.

Here is the link for the Wikipedia article about the original 1938 broadcast (and other media related to the fallout):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Worlds_%28radio_drama%29

NOTE: You may need to increase the volume after my five minute intro to better hear this 72 year old program. Just FYI…

Episode 128-SHOW REVIEW-History Channel’s Day After Disaster

chipmonk — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 07:00:08 +0000

Every so often I like to do an episode on Survival Media, either non-fiction (as in the case of some of my recent book reviews) or fictional accounts that convey useful preparedness ideas. Today’s episode I discuss a program on the History Channel dealing with the possibility of a nuclear terrorist attack on a major US city, in this case the nation’s capital. While there is room for detractors to deride this program as fear-mongering or presenting inaccurate information (such as the size of the mushroom cloud, etc.) overall I felt like this show covered a lot of different issues relating to nuclear survival and how to deal with the aftermath of any major disaster and thought I’d share about it with my listeners. (btw… This episode timed in at 45 minutes… Just FYI…)

Here is a link to a YouTube excerpt of the program (from which the audio I used in the podcast is taken):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doQY4xRXJJ4

Here is a link to the DVD of the program available from the History Channel (although it is somewhat pricey so look for alternatives such as a rebroadcast of the episode on History or History International):

http://shop.history.com/detail.php?p=276131&v=history

And finally here are links to three of the government documents mentioned on the program:

http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nrf/

http://www.afrri.usuhs.mil/outreach/pdf/planning-guidance.pdf

http://www.floridadisaster.org/Preparedness/TrainingandExercise/documents/TE/DHS%20Reference%20Documents/DHS%20-%20National%20Planning%20Scenarios%20March%202006.pdf

Episode 127-Intensive Gardening for Survival, Part Two

chipmonk — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 07:01:25 +0000

Today is the second half of the two-part arc about Intensive Gardening. I hope that you will find the information useful as a starting point, but definitely don’t consider it exhaustive on the topic. Try to find out what grows best in the region you live in and make the effort now to get seeds that will work in your area, preferably heirloom seeds. The time to start growing food for the future is now!

BTW… Here is the link about the rise of agricultural crime in places like California: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ag-crimes-20101231,0,4458551.story Some might say it’s not a big deal or that it’s been happening for a long time. But something makes me feel as though there’s more to it these days…

Episode 126-Intensive Gardening for Survival, Part One

chipmonk — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 07:15:40 +0000

As I say at the beginning of this episode I’ve been finding myself wrestling with a concern about food availability as 2011 dawns and I become more aware of the potential problems facing our world. Other than clean water, nothing is more important to a survivalist/prepper than having food to keep themselves and their families alive. On this episode I talk about specific techniques for growing the maximum amount of food possible in whatever area you have available. I discuss how to double your yields and how to even potentially grow two or three different crops in the same area during the course of a growing season. We’ll finish up this topic tomorrow as I go into a few more aspects of this important subject.

More on intensive gardening can be found at the following resources:

http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/vegetable/intensive.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permaculture

Episode 125-Survival Thoughts for 2011

chipmonk — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 08:19:36 +0000

Happy New Years! I hope that 2011 finds you and your family doing well despite economic circumstances or world events that might be of concern to the watchful observer. And as we begin this New Year it is a good opportunity to pause a moment and take stock of where we are, the things on the horizon that we should be aware of and the steps we can take to place ourselves and our families in a better position for the future. On this episode I discuss a few general thoughts about what 2011 might hold and also talk about a few articles I’ve linked to over at my blog (thechippermonk.blogspot.com) . Ranging from $4.00 a gallon gasoline to potential major wars in parts of the world I try to come back to the idea of taking little steps to get yourself and your family to a place where you can deal with almost anything that might come up over the course of this next year.

My own resolution for this program is to try to get back to doing 30 minute episodes and for this show at least I’m right on the mark.

Happy New Years from the Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast!

chipmonk — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 21:15:52 +0000

Hey Listeners!

In case you’re wondering, no, I haven’t gone away. Due to technical difficulties and my writing projects (one of which I just finished-yay!) I’ve been offline for much of the past week but the show will be back up and running full steam beginning next week.

I hope you all have a great New Years and I am looking forward to getting back to sharing with you about survival and preparedness topics as the New Year dawns.

Chip

Episode 124-Survival 101-Part Two

chipmonk — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:00:04 +0000

Today’s episode is a continuation of yesterday’s show taking up where I left off. I discuss some of the foundational considerations of disaster readiness and preparedness and while not exhaustive will hopefully help those starting out generate ideas of how to begin.

Episode 123-Survival 101-Part One

chipmonk — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:00:29 +0000

Are you just starting out with the idea of “prepping” and “survival”? Did you always think that people who tried to get ready for disasters were just kooks and then recently changed your mind as you see what’s happening in the world around us?

Well, today’s episode is just for you. In a simple manner I break down a few initial steps you can do to work towards being ready for disasters and not have to spend a fortune doing so. I hope you will find this straight-forward and basic overview of the topic useful. For the listener’s convenience I have broken this episode into two roughly 33 minute episodes.

Feel free to email me any specific questions you have after listening @ chipmonksurvivalpodcast@gmail.com .

Episode 122-Tips for Securing Your Home While You’re Gone

chipmonk — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 08:55:42 +0000

Sorry for the late start this week, but we’ve been traveling to see family for Christmas…

On today’s episode I discuss a number of tips and tricks for securing your house while you’re away for the holidays or vacation. I give some first-hand accounts of things we’ve done to protect our various dwellings over the years as well as ideas I’ve picked up from other people in my family and friends circle. There’s no point in spending all the time, money and energy you’ve put into getting prepped only to have them taken by some burglar while you’re gone.

Episode 121-WEEKEND EDITION-X Minus One-”End as a World”

chipmonk — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 02:37:00 +0000

This weekend’s old time radio episode is “End as a World” from X Minus One. It provides an interesting look into the idea of living during times of change. I am a little late in posting it, for which I apologize. I hope you will enjoy it and have a great weekend.

Episode 120-This Christmas, Give the Gift of Preparedness

chipmonk — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:04:00 +0000

“Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat…”

Or in this case, the Chipper is getting geared up for ingesting large amounts of Christmas-related cuisine ranging from turkey and mashed potatoes to fruitcake (which I actually like), Christmas cookies, and chocolate-covered cherries.

Which has me thinking…. What can I give to members of my family to get them thinking about preparedness? What gifts could we pass to others that will have lasting value beyond next week? Do they need more plastic junk manufactured in China that seems cool for about a day and then breaks, spending the rest of its ignominious life in a landfill somewhere?

To me the answer is simple: This year, give the gift of preparedness. And on this episode, I give you ideas how to do so (while borrowing ideas from the following article posted on Survivalblog.com):

http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/12/a_christmas_gift_for_the_unpre.html

And the link about the 10 food staples that last forever:

http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating-recipes/photos/forever-foods-10-cooking-staples-that-can-outlast-you/forever-foo

Episode 119-SURVIVAL BOOK REVIEW-Bug Out by Scott B. Williams

chipmonk — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 07:00:06 +0000

I’ve done a few episodes devoted to survival books in general (both fiction and non-fiction) and recently I’ve profiled two well-known survival/preparedness authors in James Wesley, Rawles and Mel Tappan. On this episode, I decided to do a straight-up book review covering a book about a survival topic: In this case, it’s Bug Out by Scott B. Williams.

Today I talk about the useful material in this book, suggest some additional resources along the same line (see below), and overall compliment the author on compiling a good amount of useful material into a single, cohesive package.

You can check out the author’s web site at: http://www.bugoutsurvival.com/

This book is available through Amazon (and probably other sources as well): http://www.amazon.com/Bug-Out-Complete-Escaping-Catastrophic/dp/156975781X/

I would also recommend you consider using Google Earth (http://www.google.com/earth/index.html) as a complimentary resource plus any maps you can lay your hands on depicting your region.

Lastly, I’ve done a little podcasting on the subject of “bugging out” myself: http://chipmonk.podbean.com/?s=bug+out

Episode 118-More on Budget Firearms Part 2 of 2-Shotguns and Rifles

chipmonk — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 07:00:20 +0000

Today’s episode is a continuation from yesterday, in which I discuss the various budget-priced shotguns and rifles available in the $100-$300 range, offering suggestions at each price point in that spectrum. The basic background information from yesterday’s topic applies to today, although it seems like there are several more options available to the budget prepper in shotguns and rifles including a few factory new guns from reputable companies.

Just as yesterday, today’s information is not meant to be exhaustive but rather to let you know some of what is “out there”. Obviously some firearms will not be available for private ownership in all areas, but in most places at minimum you can own at least a single-shot shotgun or old .303 British surplus rifle. Hopefully there will be some information that applies to wherever you live and if you think I missed some good options please, please, please feel free to write about it in the comments section for these two episodes.

Episode 117-More on Budget Firearms Part 1 of 2-Handguns

chipmonk — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 07:00:46 +0000

I get a lot of questions about my viewpoints on firearms for survival purposes. And believe it or not, as a life-long shooter I have a lot of opinions to match those questions. (Don’t we all? ) That isn’t to say that my ideas are correct or anyone else’s are wrong, but since I get asked a lot of questions I tend to do a healthy number of episodes on this topic, and my email feedback tells me that most people like them.

One recurring theme that comes up is that of people wanting to get involved with preparedness but with little money available to spend on much of anything, much less firearms. I always say take care of your water, food, and shelter needs before looking to defensive and hunting considerations, but once you get to the point of wanting to purchase a firearm or five how do you find out what your options are?

Well, my hope would be that this podcast could provide some of that direction for you, although like anything these are personal decisions. What I try to do in this episode (and the followup tomorrow) is suggest some of the choices out there for you and offer some options. You are encouraged to also spend some time online researching the topic and then find a way to get your hands on some real, physical examples of the choices available to you (perhaps even with an instructor) and figure out what works best for you and your budget. (Not every country, state, or city will allow private ownership of some of these options, so follow all applicable laws. The last place you want to be in a crisis is in a jail, trust me….)

NOTE: As always, I encourage (no make that demand) you get some training and guidance in the safe use of firearms so that you and your family can be kept safe from potential hazards that can come from misusing any tool. Okay, so I can’t really demand anything but I strongly encourage you to take all steps necessary to keep yourself and your family safe, even from yourself.

Episode 116-Is 2012 another Y2K?

chipmonk — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 07:00:22 +0000

There’s very little that concerns me about December 21, 2012 as far as a date on the calender, despite all the media hoopla and History Channel specials about the topic. However, I do find myself concerned about the fears of other people relating to that date. Could this lead to shortages in the latter part of 2012? Could doomsday weirdos create the very crises they say they fear? Could Roland Emmerlich direct yet another movie about the topic? *shudder*

In this episode I revisit what happened back at the turn of the millennium a decade ago and also project some of the things survivalists and preppers should be pondering over the next two years.

Episode 115-WEEKEND EDITION-Old Time Radio-X Minus One-”A Pail of Air”

chipmonk — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 07:00:50 +0000

It’s time for another exciting Weekend Edition of the Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast where we track down old radio dramas with survival themes and enjoy them together on a Saturday night.

Today’s story is set in a future version of our Earth where the climate has been damaged to the point that the atmosphere itself is frozen and lies upon the ground much like snow. I enjoy this story because it provides such a convincing picture of people adjusting to disaster and continuing to carve out something of a normal life for themselves. Take a listen and I hope you will enjoy it.

Also, feel free to drop me an email with any of your thoughts about this story at: chipmonksurvivalpodcast@gmail.com

Episode 114-The Survival Writings of Mel Tappan

chipmonk — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 07:00:19 +0000

My introduction into the survival/preparedness world came as a kid through the writings of Mel Tappan. He was an interesting figure in the “early” days of survivalism (”early” being a relative term) and contributed much to what is the field of survivalism today. In this episode I talk a little bit about the background and history of Mel Tappan, and then spend the rest of the time discussing two of his books that I am most familiar with: Mel Tappan on Survival and Survival Guns.

While some of their titles might not be quite up my alley (a little too focused on the combat arts for my tastes) the current publishers of Tappan’s books (Paladin Press) do have a number of interesting titles including the two writings I highlighted in this podcast by Mel Tappan. You can check out their stuff at their web site located here: http://www.paladin-press.com/

(NOTE: Today’s intro and extro song is “We Three Kings” by Liana Stone, who does the CMFSP theme song, and her husband Jason. More of their music can be found here: http://www.reverbnation.com/lianastone#!/artist/artist_songs/1009576 and http://www.myspace.com/lianabumstead )

Episode 113-Survival Lessons from Human History

chipmonk — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 07:00:47 +0000

“Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.” I’m sure you’ve heard that statement before. The thing is, that statement is true by and large. You can look at the many cycles of history, the rise and fall of cultures, and the rebirth of subsequent societies and learn much that can be applied to survivalism and preparedness. For the prepper there is a significant advantage in looking at what has happened in the past as well as the things that our ancestors knew that we have lost in our modern age.

In this episode I talk about the things the ancient hunter-gatherers did to survive, how and why the first people banded together to form city-states, and even more modern history and some of the things we can learn from those who have gone before. While history may seem like a bit of a dry topic, I challenge you to listen to this episode and then try to think of some other aspects that I didn’t mention and send them to me. I’d love to hear some listeners’ thoughts on this topic, as I know there is more that I can learn too.

(NOTE: Today’s intro and extro song is “O little Town of Bethlehem” by Liana Stone, who does the CMFSP theme song. More of her music can be found here: http://www.reverbnation.com/lianastone#!/artist/artist_songs/1009576 and http://www.myspace.com/lianabumstead )

Episode 112-Survival Clothing

chipmonk — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:00:29 +0000

Okay, so it’s not the most exciting topic I’ve ever discussed. It lacks the pizzazz of survival gadgets and the strange fascination many preppers have with the potential havoc of disasters. But that doesn’t mean it is not an important topic…

I am, of course, talking about survival clothing. Yep. That stuff we put on to keep ourselves warm and dry and protected from the elements. Believe it or not, your life could some day ride on your ability to stay protected from the elements by your clothing. Well, that might be overdramatizing it a bit (although it’s still an accurate statement) so in this episode I discuss many of the considerations you will need to take into account when planning for this simple part of disaster readiness.

Stay warm!

(NOTE: Today’s intro and extro song is “God Bless Ye Merry Gentlemen” by Liana Stone, who does the CMFSP theme song, and her husband Jason. More of their music can be found here: http://www.reverbnation.com/lianastone#!/artist/artist_songs/1009576 and http://www.myspace.com/lianabumstead )

Episode 111-The 357 Magnum-A Single Caliber Survival Armory?

chipmonk — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:00:30 +0000

On this episode of the Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast I ask the question “If you could only have one caliber for both a handgun and a long gun, what would be a good choice?” Why would someone ever be in a situation where they would need to make such a decision? Well, perhaps you’re one of my listeners on a budget who only wants to stock a single type of ammo to simplify logistics in your preparations. Maybe you just want a revolver and a carbine in the same caliber so you only need to carry one type of ammo with you in the field. Who knows? But I’ve been asked the question enough that it’s worth taking the time to contemplate. And it’s fun to discuss hypotheticals when it comes to firearms.

So, kick back… Grab a cup of hot chocolate and let’s talk guns!

(NOTE: The intro and outro music from today’s episode is from CMFSP theme song artist Liana Stone. Information about her new Christmas album can be found here: http://www.reverbnation.com/lianastone )

Episode 110-Survival Medical Thoughts

chipmonk — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 18:01:41 +0000

(NOTE: This episode is just some of my thoughts on survival medicine and should not be construed as any sort of of medical advice. I am not a doctor. I regret that I live in an era where I even have to state this, but I do. So there… )

In today’s episode I bring in a little ambiance of the Pacific Ocean, discussing aspects of survival medicine and dental issues as the waves crash in the background. I share a little of my own medical training history and contemplate a lot of things one should think about when it comes to survival medicine. I also make some recommendations on what your survival medical kit should contain and recommend some valuable book resources for you to think about adding to your personal library.

Episode 109-The Survival Writings of James Wesley, Rawles

chipmonk — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 01:32:34 +0000

Often you’ve heard me mention the value of survival fiction in making a prepper think through issues they might not otherwise consider. Initially in this episode I was planning to review a specific work of fiction, Patriots-A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse by James Wesley, Rawles but I ended up expanding it to encompass multiple writings by this author instead. In this podcast I discuss Rawles’ web site Survivalblog.com, his non-fiction book How to Survive the End of the World As We Know It and then I finally review Patriots with an eye on its value for modern survivalist/preppers.

Of course, it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t wander down some rabbit trials during the episode touching on other topics as they come to mind, but I hope if this is your first exposure to Rawles that you will find it interesting and perhaps even pick up one (or more) of this gentleman’s books.

BTW… Here is nearly two hours of Mr. Rawles being interviewed on Coast to Coast AM from a few months back: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icgEMkU33QY

Episode 108-Storing Wheat for Survival

chipmonk — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 00:00:24 +0000

Wheat. Oh, how I miss that lovely grain. But since I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease over eight years ago I have come to grips with not having it as part of my life.

But you should not quickly dismiss wheat as a part of your survival food pantry. Unless you have an intolerance to it as I do, it may be one of the best long-term storage food options you have. And that is the focus of this episode.

Eat up!

Episode 107-Living Without Electricity

chipmonk — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 07:06:18 +0000

Having survived Thanksgiving, the Chipper returns to share today about some ideas for living not only “off the grid” but without electricity completely. The genesis of this podcast topic was an article in the Backwoodsman magazine (September/October issue), a periodical I highly recommend you check out (their website can be found here: http://www.backwoodsmanmag.com/ ).

The basic idea is to learn to do the things you need to in daily life without the need for electrical power. We discuss a variety of considerations, including cooking options, heating sources, water pumps, waste management, and a variety of “human-powered” tools.

If your goal is anything like mine, which is to one day be completely and totally self-sufficient, I think you’ll find this to be a useful episode along your path to self-reliance.

Links I mentioned at the beginning of the show:

Good site for breaking news: http://www.drudgereport.com/

Good site for survival news: http://www.survivalblog.com/

Good podcast for multiple aspects of survivalism: http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/

Good blog for general survival info: http://www.bugoutsurvival.com/ (The author of this site also has a book I’m hoping to review in the near future)

Good forum for survival topics: http://www.survivalistboards.com/

Good blog/podcast for financial survival topics: http://johngaltfla.com/ (albeit perhaps a bit sensationalistic??)

Episode 106-WEEKEND EDITION-Survival Radio-Nightfall (from X Minus One)

chipmonk — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 15:00:05 +0000

“If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore, and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God!”

That is the specific quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson that led to the creation of one of the classic short stories of the 20th century, Isaac Asimov’s Nightfall. In this weekend’s special edition I share with you the 1955 X Minus One radio program version of this story, which asks the question “How do people react when something completely unexpected and fear-inducing happens?”

After listening to this ask yourself the question, “How would I react to an unexpected crisis?” Then make sure that whatever comes of that question impacts your survival/preparedness efforts in some way.

Episode 105-Thanksgiving (and Faith and Survivalism)

chipmonk — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 15:00:36 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving! I am truly thankful for each and every listener to this program and hope you each have a wonderful day with those you care about.

In addition to contemplating the meaning of Thanksgiving on this episode I also discuss some of the things I’m thankful for, ponder the importance of thankfulness and discuss the value of having something to appreciate, hope for, or place faith in and how that relates to being able to survive any disaster. For you see, having all the coolest survival gear and equipment in the world will not matter if you don’t have the will to keep on living. It is that which forms the core ideal of today’s episode.

Episode 104-Ice Storm Survival

chipmonk — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 19:00:18 +0000

Seeing that we are in the midst of the worst ice/snow/wintry weather event since we’ve lived on the coast, not to mention the fact that the entire Pacific Northwest is being pummeled by the same system, I decided to do focus today’s episode on that topic. I discuss some of the things that I’ve noticed in this particular storm, as well as typical commonalities with winter storms like power outages, supply shortages, and hazardous travel.

Stay warm!

Episode 103-Defensive Shotguns

chipmonk — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:27:34 +0000

Hey there listeners,

I’m getting a bit of a late start this week due to the crazy weather we’re having here in the Pacific Northwest. First off, our travel plans have changed fairly dramatically due to the snow (yes, snow on the beach-crazy, no?) so we’re hunkering down for another day or so. With that in mind, I’m trying to get episodes set up for the week but am a bit late posting for Monday. Stay safe out there…

On this podcast I discuss some of the considerations for choosing a home defense or general survival shotgun. I discuss a few specific models that I consider to be among your best options, compare the performance of different loads for the shotgun and try to cover a number of concerns you may want to keep in mind when selecting a shotgun for defensive purposes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossberg_500

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_870

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ithaca_37

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossberg_Maverick

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_1200

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benelli_Supernova

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_1100

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beretta#Shotguns

As is often the case I didn’t have the time to go back and remove various sound artifacts, so I apologize in advance if the sound isn’t the smoothest you’ve ever heard.

(Picture taken from Wikipedia site about the Remington 870 under the http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/GNU_Free_Documentation_License)

Episode 102-The Mainstreaming of Survivalism

chipmonk — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 00:00:03 +0000

Have you noticed in the past few years that the term “Survivalism” is no longer solely associated with Rambo-wannabes who run around the woods in camos? Has it caught your attention how even the mainstream media covers the idea of “Preparedness” with a surprisingly fair perspective (at least much of the time) these days?

Well, I have too. And I’m a bit surprised, especially having grown up in a time when the very idea of “survival” was denigrated at every opportunity by nearly everyone with a media platform. In a strange way, the horrific events of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina have made it acceptable to think about being proactive in protecting your family. And all the focus on being environmentally conscious has led to self-sufficiency/self-reliance becoming in vogue.

On this episode I discuss these ideas and the good and bad aspects of this new-found respect of Survivalism.

A few examples to illustrate my point:

http://articles.cnn.com/2008-04-20/world/survival.feat_1_survival-guide-survivalists-canned-food?_s=PM:WORLD

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_vs._Wild

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/32108020/ns/today-today_people/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27244465/

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/the_new_survivalists_oregon_pr.html

http://www.slate.com/id/2148772/entry/2148775/

http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2008/may/25/environmental-survivalists-prepare-for-peak-oil-de/

http://www.smh.com.au/national/survivalists-stock-up-ready-for-the-worst-20090501-aq6w.html

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/28/2228908.htm

(NOTE: I’m not suggesting that all coverage is positive these days, but it certainly is better than what it was in the 70s and 80s).

Episode 101-WEEKEND EDITION-Old Time Radio-”The Birds”

chipmonk — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 22:13:32 +0000

Welcome to this Weekend Edition of The Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast. In this episode we listen to the Lux Theater version of “The Birds” (also made into an Alfred Hitchcock movie) from 1953. In much the same way other “nature disaster” stories compel us to think about how we would deal with the unthinkable, “The Birds” causes us to consider steps we would take if the world around us ever changed drastically overnight.

I chose this version of the story (roughly 1 hour long) to give some extra listening material and add more depth to the story for those of you traveling for Thanksgiving who want something interesting to listen to. I hope you will enjoy it.

Episode 100!!!-Brief Celebration and Survival Mechanics

chipmonk — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 04:34:55 +0000

Hooray! It’s here! Episode 100! Wow… When I began this show back in August I wasn’t thinking about how many episodes lay in front of me or how I would come up with topics to discuss. Instead I was concentrating on trying to share useful and practical survival/preparedness information with interested people, especially those with families or on a budget.

Man, has it succeeded beyond my wildest dreams.

Although, since I’m not one to let too much “self-horn-tooting” go on I talk just a little bit about the significance of reaching this milestone… And then jump directly into today’s topic.

Which is… wait for it… Survival Mechanics. That is, all the stuff to think about when it comes to keeping your vehicle(s) up and running in a survival situation. I share some of my own experiences, some general concepts I think you should consider, and go through suggestions for building your own “survival car kits”. Not the most exciting topic, I’ll admit, but with the coming of winter perhaps an indispensable one regardless.

Thanks as always for supporting this show by listening, sharing it with others, and for sending me the kind emails I have received providing encouragement. The Chipper appreciates it muey mucho!

Episode 99-Reloading for Dummies

chipmonk — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 00:00:24 +0000

I used to think of reloading as something of a science. Some arcane technical practice that only the super-wise could take part in.

Then I tried it.

Turns out it really is a simple as my brother said it would be. Basically, if you can cook from a list of ingredients you can reload.

And in this episode I walk you through the basics of how…

Episode 98-Introduction to Wind Generators

chipmonk — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 06:22:55 +0000

Ever been curious about alternative ways of generating electrical power? Ever heard of a wind generator?

Well even if you have not, today is your lucky day. On this episode I talk about some basic aspects of wind-based generators and some of the considerations to think about when deciding if one should be part of your plans. I discuss my own experiences putting together plans for such a system and what I’m hoping it will do for me as part of my survival plans.

You can find out much, much more about the topic by going to the following web sites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_turbine

http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower_wind.shtml

http://www.bergey.com/ (Available at Lowes? Yippee!)

I’ve also posted some interesting graphics that might provide some additional clarity on the topic at my blog: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/2010/11/wonders-of-wind-power.html

Episode 97-SPECIAL WEEKEND EDITION-Survival Old Time Radio-Theater 5-

chipmonk — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 00:21:14 +0000

Growing up I loved to listen to old time radio shows with my dad. He introduced me to many of the classics ranging from Fibber McGee and Molly to X Minus One to Dragnet and scores of others. Often we would listen to these shows on Saturday nights and since we didn’t have a TV until I was in fifth grade, it was a type of entertainment I very much looked forward to.

So… Flashforward a few decades later and now your friend Chip got to thinking that it would be fun to track down old shows with survival and preparedness themes and present them to you along with a teensy bit of commentary as a special Saturday Night program treat for my listeners. If you like old time radio, you’ll really enjoy this weekly experiment. If you don’t, well, give it a try. You might like it after all.

Today’s episode is from a 1960s OTR program called Theater Five. It is entitled “The House of Cards”.

Episode 96-Group Retreats (Part Three of Three)

chipmonk — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 20:12:50 +0000

And now Part Three….

….The final part of the “Retreating Arc” of the CMFSP. In this podcast I talk about the good and bad of connecting with others in a retreat setting. I discuss the potential for interpersonal conflicts, issues to consider when it comes to possibly buying land, and various options for groups who can’t afford or don’t want to buy land. Towards the end of the episode I shift gears a bit and touch on how to make sure your current residence is optimized as your main retreat regardless of any other arrangements you may choose to make.

Episode 95-Mobile Retreats (Part Two of Three)

chipmonk — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 18:50:28 +0000

In Part One of this three-episode arc about “retreats” I discussed many of the general aspects of setting up a survival retreat. I also covered the planning for such an effort and some of the questions you need to ask before going down such a path.

In today’s episode I talk about how to accomplish the same things as a retreat but in ways that retain as much mobility and flexibility as possible. I cover the “retreat-in-a-bag” backpack, survival vehicles ranging from bikes to motorhomes, the use of pack animals, and some advantages of boats as mobile survival retreats. Admittedly, I bounce around a bit and there’s quite a bit of my own insights and opinions squeezed into this episode, but the hope is always to get you thinking about your own situation and any scenarios you might one day have to face.

Tomorrow will be the final episode in this arc regarding Group Retreats.

Episode 94-Survival Retreats-(Part One of Three)

chipmonk — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:00:50 +0000

The idea of creating a retreat or “place of refuge” to go to during a disaster is common in modern survivalism. For me, it is an idea that has some attraction but that is also a bit out of reach for some people. In this episode (the first in a three-part series) I talk about some of the considerations in trying to secure a property to serve as a retreat, as well as the various factors one should think through before making a purchase. I also discuss some of the potential dangers that would cause someone to want a separate retreat and a number of questions to ask yourself and your family before taking the plunge.

Part Two of this series will cover “Mobile Retreats” and Part Three will be on the subject of “Group Retreats”.

(For more general information on retreats, visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retreat_%28survivalism%29 )

The Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast Facebook Page

chipmonk — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 05:22:52 +0000

Hey Listeners, Just wanted to share with you the link to the CMFSP Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Chip-Monk-Family-Survival-Podcast/138479586183309 Drop by and ‘like’ it if you get a chance, and while you’re there check out a few of the pictures I posted of the area where I grew up. I talk about this place from time to time on the podcast (especially on today’s episode of how I became a Survivalist/Preparedness person) so maybe it helps to have a few pictures so you can envision what I’m describing.

Episode 93-My Survival Journey (or How I Became a Nutty Survivalist)

chipmonk — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:31:29 +0000

As we near Episode 100 I decided to take a little time to share my “survival story” and give a little more depth to how and why I got into preparedness in the first place which ultimately led to the creation of this podcast. Some of this story has been shared in brief snippets during past episodes but this is the first time I explain in depth what led me back to a survivalist/preparedness worldview and a desire to be self-reliant while encouraging others to be so.

At the end of the episode I make a request that listeners send me their own stories of how they became a survival/preparedness person. Also, if you do choose to send me your tale please let me know if I can read it on the air.

Chip and his little brother Ken on the farm, circa 1980.

(BTW… We ate that cow…)

Episode 92-Fishing for Survival

chipmonk — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 00:00:07 +0000

Fishing. Ah, I love fishing. But the truth is I’m terrible at it. Truly awful. There are a lot of fish breathing (through their gills, of course) easier tonight because of my lack of skill when it comes to fishing. However… As a survival activity, fishing is a must. It is one of the best ways to secure food with the least overall effort, provided you live near enough to bodies of water that contain fish. In this episode I discuss several aspects of “Fishing for Survival”. From how to fashion fishing equipment (like poles, lines and hooks) from items found in nature, to options for bait and other ways to get meat out of the water without traditional fishing techniques. It’s a bit of a long episode (over 45 minutes) but I truly hope you’ll find it informative.

Episode 91-Survival Firearms for Women (And Why the 22 Might Not be a Bad Choice After All)

chipmonk — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 00:27:55 +0000

This was meant to be posted last night, but I’ve still been fighting off the final stages of this virus so I’m a bit late. Sorry.

Anyway, today I cover a few different topics including how I did on my 2010 Election Midterm predictions, a little about the Fed’s new Quantitative Easing and the potential repercussions, and a whole bundle of thoughts about survival firearm considerations for women. It was hard to try to not sound like a typical “dumb guy” when talking about this subject, but I do hope I provided some useful thoughts about this topic.

And to show that women can be just as good (or better) shooters than men, here are two YouTube videos for your viewing consideration:

http://www.youtube.com/v/TUMnNxOotSs

http://www.youtube.com/v/U14GA-oKxOY

Episode 90-(Micro-episode) More Thoughts on Foraging

chipmonk — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 23:00:01 +0000

I wanted to talk a little more about foraging for food, especially considering what’s happening with the sudden and potentially drastic increase in food prices at the grocery store (compare previous product sizes/weights and current price structures and you’ll see what I’m talking about). I discussed this subject in Episode 81 (http://chipmonk.podbean.com/2010/10/14/episode-81-foraging-for-food-in-city-and-country/) and this builds upon the information in that podcast. There’s nothing really deep or earth-shattering here, but perhaps some info to refresh your memory on the importance of being able to eat…. something.

Photo Credit: Foraging for Wild Edible Foods on Flickr, Creative Commons.

Episode 89-Wilderness Hazards (and Midterm Election Predictions)

chipmonk — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 03:36:50 +0000

It’s November 1st. How crazy is that? Didn’t 2010 just get underway? Oh well…. Since it’s the beginning of November it also means that the Midterm Elections in the US are tomorrow. So… Although I try to keep this show relatively politics-free I did use the first 8-9 minutes of today’s show to make my predictions so that you can all laugh at me on Wednesday if I’m way off or be awed by my prescience if I get it right. If you’d rather not spend time on that, just fast-forward to around the 9 minute mark or so….

The bulk of this long-ish 49 minute episode is about things you can do to prepare for various wilderness hazards ranging from high winds to flash floods to lightning strikes to plague-carrying squirrels (no, I’m not kidding about the squirrels… why do you ask?)

Hope you all find it interesting and informative.

Episode 88-Bicycles for Survival

chipmonk — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 02:58:42 +0000

The topic of this podcast was submitted to me by a listener so let me start by saying “Thanks, Sean”. He appears to have a lot of knowledge on the topic of Survival Bikes and has posted a great article here: http://www.yunt.net/blog/?p=434 Be sure to check it out!

Bicycles are great tools to have on hand in “normal” life, and could be even more valuable in a disaster situation. In this episode I discuss a variety of factors relating to the selection and usage of bicycles for survival purposes. I also suggest a few ways to pick them up on the cheap and how to gather equipment/tools, etc. to keep them running for long periods of time. And, of course, I chose some appropriate “outro” music for the end of the podcast as well.

BTW… Sean also recommends the following sites as “virtual bike repair encyclopedias”: sheldonbrown.com and parktool.com You might want to spend a little time on those sites perusing their available information if this is a topic you are interested in.

Episode 87-Personal Protection Dogs for Survival

chipmonk — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 05:35:41 +0000

I’ll admit I love dogs. Dogs of all shapes, sizes and colorations. More than that, I think they are great companions in day-to-day life as well in crisis situations. So in this episode I lay out some of the considerations for what to look for in selecting a dog to serve as a personal protection dog and how to go about optimizing the presence of canines in your survival plan.

(NOTE: A significant portion of today’s episode coincidentally has one of our dogs barking in the background as there was a thunderstorm going on when I recorded the episode. I do mention it in the lead-in to the episode, but it might be distracting for some listeners so I did want to warn you.)

Episode 86-Acorns for Survival

chipmonk — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 20:37:02 +0000

The humble little acorn. Not much to it, is there? Well, unless you consider their usefullness in a survival situation. Which is why the Chipper takes time today to discuss how to fit them into your Survival/Preparedness plan. Since these little guys are found just about everywhere (even in urban areas) it makes sense to consider ways to incorporate them, especially in a long-term disaster.

Here are links to some acorn-based recipes (and additional information) as well:

http://www.grandpappy.info/racorns.htm

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/clay79.html

http://siouxme.com/acorn.html

http://www.prodigalgardens.info/acorn%20recipes.htm

(NOTE: These links were not used as sources for my podcast, so some information/terminology might be a touch different. As always, my disclaimer is for you to seek out additional information on any topic and decide what works best for yourself.)

Episode 85-Building a Survival Organization

chipmonk — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 07:41:48 +0000

Have you ever thought about what it would take to start a survival group? The logistics of getting connected with other like-minded folks? Perhaps getting your family members on-board the “Preparedness Express”? Well, I won’t promise that it’s an easy task, but I do share some thoughts about how to go about it in this episode.

Episode 84-Reassessing Top Threats for the Survivalist

chipmonk — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 07:00:25 +0000

What are the biggest concerns for people of the survivalist/preparedness mindset? What are the major areas of concerns? What are the events most likely to happen?

These are the questions I ponder on today’s episode, breaking into four or five categories the biggest potential crises I see on the horizon and ways to prepare for all of them in the simplest ways. Take a listen and see if my concerns fall in line with your own, or if I suggest for your considerations something you haven’t contemplated before.

Episode 83-The .22 Rifle for Survival

chipmonk — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 07:00:20 +0000

The .22 long rifle is one of, if not the most valuable caliber for survival purposes. With it you can keep yourself fed with small game, deal with pests and smaller predators, and use it as an emergency defensive weapon. Also, with the ammunition remaining fairly cheap at this point and time it is possible to stock up on a good amount of ammo.

Sure, there are limitations as with any tool, but every survivalist/prepper should at least consider adding a .22 rifle to their preparedness plan. And in this episode I tell you some of the reasons why…

Episode 82-Why are You Really Prepping?

chipmonk — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 04:47:27 +0000

Today’s episode is somewhat unique in the 82 episodes I’ve done so far for this program. In it, I take you with me down on the beach at night, walking in the beautiful moonlight and waxing eloquent about the reasons and methods of family preparedness. I thought it’d be kind of cool for you to be able to picture the Chipper walking along the ocean, with the vast celestial sphere of stars spinning above and conversing about survival and preparedness. We’ll see if it came off in the way I hoped.

Episode 81-Foraging for Food in City and Country

chipmonk — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 03:00:07 +0000

One of the most important pieces of knowledge for anyone who hopes to survive in an unknown future is multiple ways to feed oneself. In this episode I break down some of the major aspects of foraging for food and how to find wild culinary delights growing all around us. Consider this a surface study of this concept, with future podcasts to delve deeper into the topic.

BTW…. You’ll notice I tried a different recording style, but the sound quality still isn’t quite “there” yet. In fact, it may even sound worse in this episode, although I spent an hour or two going in and manually removing breaths, etc. I’m still working on it… )

Episode 80-The (Roughly) $100 Monthly Grocery Challenge

chipmonk — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 18:45:48 +0000

The usefulness of this episode is going to depend on whether you can buy into the rather outlandish notion that a family of four could come close to getting all of their groceries for a month for the tidy sum of $100. That may seem like an impossibility given the recent rise in food prices around the world, but I bet there are some coupon clippers out there that are able to do that fairly frequently. For the Chipper and his family, we have been able to come quite close to $100 for our monthly food budget on occasion by following a few of the tips I outline in today’s show.

Now, I’m not suggesting that everyone can do that, am I? Well, perhaps not…. However, by merely thinking about ways to trim your monthly food budget and acting on it you’ll surely help your family save some money that can go towards other preps.

And isn’t that worth $100?

Episode 79-The Common Caliber Pistol/Carbine Combo for Survival

chipmonk — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 18:25:59 +0000

(INTRO NOTE: In the prelude to this episode I talk a little about my efforts to improve the production quality and sound of the Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast. Please bear with me a bit longer as I work to give you a more listenable experience. )

The cowboys did it, so there must have been an advantage. You know what I’m talking about. The ol’ “have a long arm and a handgun in the same caliber” trick. So what are some of the advantages? (Common ammunition, simplified logistics, etc.) And what are the tradeoffs? (Less range out of your rifle, relative expense of the carbine platforms, etc.) Want to know more?

Well, it just so happens that I recorded a podcast about that very thing. Join me today as I discuss some of the firearms combos available that allow you to stock only one caliber of ammunition and in some cases only one model of magazine as well (in the case of the semi-autos). As a Survivalist/Prepper this makes quite a lot of sense and I hope you’ll weigh some of the advantages and disadvantages of pistol/carbine combos after listening to this episode.

Episode 78-The Importance of Redundancy in Your Preparedness Efforts

chipmonk — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 02:40:08 +0000

Sure, you’ve thought of ways to deal with most of the issues that could come up in a disaster. You’ve spent a little of your hard-earned paycheck to have a means for ensuring clean water, you’ve stored some extra food, and you even bought a firearm or two.

But have you thought of what you’ll do if one of your efforts doesn’t work out in the way you planned? Have you considered other ways of doing things just in case you have a breakage at a bad time or have to leave your home and can’t drag along whatever piece of equipment you based all of your plans on?

In this episode I discuss the value of having multiple ways of doing the basic things necessary for survival and try to get you thinking of various things you might want to consider to make yourself and your family “just a little more prepared”.

Episode 77-A Few Thoughts on “Bug Out” Food

chipmonk — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 23:41:53 +0000

Have you taken time to think about the specific issues relating to food if you ever had to “bug out”? It’s one thing to be safely ensconced in your home with all of your supplies, but if a disaster struck that forced you out of your home what food should you prioritize taking with you to keep you and your family alive on the road? Are there some things you haven’t thought of? This is the premise of today’s episode.

Episode 76-Hunting for Survival, Part Two

chipmonk — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 01:06:56 +0000

Here is part two of today’s special hunting episodes. In this podcast, I actually talk about hunting while atop the mountain, describing the wondrous scenery around me while also sharing some additional insights into how to be a successful hunting in survival situations.

Sadly, I didn’t have any success today, but am heading back out in the morning with my little boy. Here’s hoping I’ll have some good news to report to you next time.

Episode 75-Hunting for Survival, Part 1

chipmonk — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 01:02:19 +0000

Today I offer up for your consideration two episodes recorded during my foray out into the wilds to try to take out Bambi. In part one I discuss some of the basic aspects of hunting game for survival purposes as I drive up into the mountains to my first hunting spot of the season. I hope you’ll pardon the road noise…

Episode 74-Pemmican-The First Fast Food

chipmonk — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 07:00:33 +0000

Believe it or not, there is a fantastic nutritional product that dates back to the ancient past made up of simple jerky, berries, and nuts that every modern-day survival/preparedness junkie should know about. It’s called “pemmican” and it is simply one of the best food options for a survival situation I can think of.

Used as an instant high-energy boost during long journeys or times of war by our ancestors, pemmican is something you simply have to know about and is so simple to make that it should be one of those things you tuck away in your brain “for a rainy” day. In this episode I introduce you to pemmican, describe its history, and share with you how to make this wonderful and extremely useful culinary item.

(NOTE: At roughly the 13 minute mark of this episode there is some static interference that comes and goes for the last seven minutes of the episode. The episode is still listenable but does take a little more effort. Just FYI… )

Episode 73-The Ruger 10-22 Rifle for Survival

chipmonk — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 02:53:47 +0000

If you’ve listened to me for very long you know that I think almost everybody should consider having a firearm or two to fill certain roles in their Family Survival Plan. One of the most flexible categories of firearm, in Chip’s humble opinion, is a good, dependable .22LR rifle. In this episode I extol the virtues of Ruger’s semi-automatic .22LR rifle, the Model 10-22, and talk about it’s attributes and applications in survival situations. I also suggest some specific steps you might want to take to make it an even better firearm for your needs. As you listen you’ll be able to tell that I believe this rifle from Ruger offers a great deal of survival firepower at a reasonable price and you’ll see why I feel that way.

Episode 72-Intro to Fallout Shelters

chipmonk — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 19:00:19 +0000

With the possibility of a nuclear attack someday, whether from nuclear-armed enemy nations or rogue terrorist groups, it behooves us to at least think a little bit about the simple steps we can take to make ourselves a safer from nuclear and radiological attack. This episode is a very basic overview along with some specific aspects to consider relating to this important topic.

As a picture is worth a thousand words I have posted some of the old US Civil Defense-type plans over at my blog: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/2010/10/fallout-shelter-plans.html

Here’s another quick overview of the topic: http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/household-safety/tips/fallout-shelter3.htm

Episode 71-Primitive Weapons for Survival

chipmonk — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 03:07:09 +0000

For thousands of years we humans have survived extreme conditions without the benefit of firearms and today Chip is going to share some ideas on how we did it and suggestions on how we could do it again if we ever had to. I cover everything from a simple heavy stick to clubs to stone clubs to rock axes to spears, bows and arrows, slings, atlatls, bolos, etc. You name it, if it’s primitive, I probably discuss it at some point. The basic ideas is that even without any of our technologies or preparations we can create the tools to survive if we need to.

Remember, your mind is your most important weapon.

Episode 70-The Almighty Potato and Easy Ways to Grow Them

chipmonk — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 07:00:47 +0000

Potatoes. I like ‘em.

I even like to eat ‘em.

And if I were to take a poll from among my listeners I’m guessing many of you do as well. Fortunately for the Survivalist/Prepper-types like us this wonderful little food option is fairly easy to grow and lends itself nicely to a self-sufficiency setup.

In this episode I talk about different considerations in growing potatoes as well as a couple of cheap and easy ways to go about it using used tires, pallets, digging ditches, and other simple methods.

Enjoy them’ there taters, listeners!

Episode 69-More Tips For Protecting Against Terrorism

chipmonk — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 07:00:13 +0000

Following up on last Friday’s episode, this podcast goes more in depth about the subject of preparing for disasters with terrorism specifically in mind. In it I lay out a rudimentary overview of the goals of terrorists, some history of the terror movement, and some more considerations in making yourself safer in the era of terror.

This subject, as I’ve previously mentioned, can be a bit controversial but my hope is to think through some aspects of terror survival and help you create specific plans for yourself and your family. This is Part 2 in a subject arc that will probably continue off and on for the near future.

Episode 68-The Importance of Practicing Your Family Survival Plan

chipmonk — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 07:00:07 +0000

In just this past week we have experienced a power outage (for a few hours only, thank goodness) and a 6am “evacuation warning” (that wasn’t really) which has caused Mr. Chip to take some inventory of his family’s Survival/Preparedness plans. In this episode I discuss why it is so important that we actually take the time to occasionally to practice our plans in order to find holes in our preparations, as well as what the benefits to you and your family are in doing so. You’ll notice that I don’t try to sound like a know-it-all but rather share first-hand examples of how we can find the strengths and weaknesses of our Survival/Preparedness efforts by the occasional “dry run”.

Practice makes perfect, as they say….