HOW TO IDENTIFY EVERY VENOMOUS SNAKE IN NORTH AMERICApatriotcaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/... · snakes are responsible for VENOMOUS SNAKES (continued) In the old days, it's

Survival gardens are a

very multifaceted re-

source, if you manage

them properly. You gar-

den isn’t just a source of

clean, organic food, but a

place to grow barter

goods, attract wildlife

(and wild game), and of

course to grow the raw

See HERBS, 7

8 EASY-TO-GROW SURVIVAL HERBS

HOW TO IDENTIFY EVERY VENOMOUS

SNAKE IN NORTH AMERICA

When the weather gets

warm and sunny, it's time

for hikers, campers, and

homesteaders to come out

of hiding and enjoy the

great outdoors. It also just

so happens to be a time

when snake activity

(including venomous spe-

cies) surges to yearly

highs.

First things first, I'll say

that I'm not one of those

people who believes that

all snakes should be killed

on sight. If a snake is not

venomous, I'll let it slither

on it's way every time. If See SNAKES, 2

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7 JULY, 2014

WHY YOU NEED A

“SURVIVAL T IN”

A comprehensive emer-

gency stockpile, cleverly

hidden away within your

home’s storage spaces, is

one of the main pillars of

self-sufficiency. Unfortu-

nately, no matter how well

thought-out your SHTF

stash is, it won’t do you

much good if you can’t ac-

cess it.

If disaster strikes when

you’re on your lunch break

downtown… or caught in

a traffic jam, you’re going

to have to improvise.

See TIN, 11

INSIDE

See Page 4

T O P 5 S NA K E

S H O O T E R S

You can identify them,

now protect yourself from

them!

2 PATRIOT CALLER JULY, 2014

it is venomous and it’s a

little too close to my house

or yard, that's when a de-

cision has to be made.

In order to make that de-

cision, however, I first

need to identify the spe-

cies of snake and deter-

mine whether or not it's a

real danger to my family

or myself.

Despite the fact that we

only have 4 major species

of poisonous snakes to

deal with in North Ameri-

ca, it can be surprisingly

difficult to calmly ID these

snakes in the heat of the

moment.

In fact, that's why I'm

writing this article, to

make it easier for the

least experienced snake

spotters among us to avoid

a dangerous situation.

Plus, it’s a good refresher

for any shade tree “snake

experts” that may be just

a tiny bit overconfident.

The 4 Big Ones

There are the 4 major

groups of poisonous

snakes that you may run

across in the US. Most of

them are closely related,

and most of them belong

to the pit viper family.

They are as follows:

Rattlesnakes

Cottonmouths

Copperheads

Coral Snakes

When I say that there are

4 major species of venom-

ous snakes, that's a bit of

an oversimplification,

from SNAKES page 1

BUT it makes the identifi-

cation process a whole lot

easier (so don’t get too

bent out of shape, reptile

biologists).

You see, it doesn't matter

much if you've spotted a

Texas Coral Snake or an

Arizona Coral Snake, a

Western Diamondback or

a Timber Rattlesnake, all

of these are quite danger-

ous. So stay away.

Rattlesnake

Rattlesnakes, just like

Copperheads and Cotton-

mouths, are part of the pit

viper family. Thus they

each have similarly large,

triangular shaped heads.

Apart from their color pat-

terns and scales, the dis-

proportionately large

head, plus the triangular

shape, is the common

thread between venomous

pit vipers.

While rattlesnakes have

been associated with

deadly defiance in Ameri-

can folklore -- i.e. the

"Don't Tread on Me" flag --

there's something else to

take away from that sym-

bol: Rattlesnakes tend to

warn those who come too

close (by coiling up and

shaking their rattles).

They don’t always rattle,

however, so it’s important

to keep an eye out when-

ever for these guys when-

ever you’re in rattlesnake

country. Rattlesnakes are

commonly found sunning

themselves on rocky cliff

sides, trails, and road-

ways.

The US is home to 16 spe-

cies of rattlesnakes, all

are venomous and all of

them have the

characteristic

rattle on the end

of their tails.

When it comes to

geographic dis-

tribution, the

rattlesnake's

habitat is virtu-

ally coast-to-

coast, with a few

exceptions (most

notably Hawaii

and Alaska). So

no matter where

you are going in

the Lower 48,

chances are

you're in rattlesnake coun-

try.

Thankfully, these very

widespread snakes are

also the easiest to identify,

thanks to the rattles. The

only outliers are juvenile

rattlesnakes, which are

(as it is in most species) a

bit harder to identify, on

account of their small, de-

veloping rattles and less

viperish heads.

Cottonmouth (AKA

"water moccasins")

If you spend a lot of time

on the water in the South-

eastern US, you definitely

want to study up on these

sometime aggressive

boogers. True to their

name, the inside of their

mouth is a pale pink, al-

most white.

And the reason we know

this is because these

snakes are known to stand

their ground, coiling up

Continued next page

PATRIOT CALLER 3 JULY, 2014

more bites than any other

US species. You might say

they have a tendency to

bite immediately when

they feel threatened, as

opposed to rattling their

tails or showing their

fangs.

To the right is a map of

the Copperhead's range.

They tend to live in wood-

ed areas, rocky creek

banks, and in woodpiles.

The basic physical de-

scription of this snake is a

pit viper with a striking

cross-banded color pattern

that usually has copper

tones to it. There are sev-

eral subspecies with vary-

ing colorations, but all

species have a similar pat-

tern, almost like a camou-

flage.

The base tone tends to be

pale tan to almost a pink-

ish tan, with the dark

brown "hourglass" pattern

repeating from nose to

tail.

Coral Snake

The coral snake has by far

the most deadly venom of

all North American

snakes, a neurotoxin very

similar to a cobra's

(they're in the same fami-

ly). On the bright side,

they are notoriously reclu-

sive and rarely bite hu-

mans.

Due to the placement of

their fangs, these snakes

must bite, hold on for a

few seconds, and make a

chewing motion to inject

their venom. Thus, many

bites don't result in any

venom injected at all.

and threatening intruders

by hissing with their open

mouths, fangs front and

center. Thus, similar to

the rattlesnake, their com-

mon name was inspired by

their natural warning

mechanism.

Cottonmouths generally

live around the water, in

swamps, rivers, and on

the edges of lakes. They

can often be found sun-

ning themselves on ex-

posed roots and low

branches.

The general coloration of

these snakes is dark olive/

black scales on top, pale

scales on the belly. Young-

er cottonmouths have a

more recognizable pattern

to their scales, and a black

mark above each nostril.

However these marks fade

over their lifetimes, giving

way to a more solid, black-

ish color.

Copperhead

So do you want the good

news or bad news first?

Okay, so the good news

about these snakes is they

have the least potent ven-

om of the North American

pit vipers, and they're dis-

tribution is limited.

The bad news... these

snakes are responsible for

VENOMOUS SNAKES (cont inued)

In the old days, it's esti-

mated that 10% of coral

snake bites resulted in

death. Since the availabil-

ity of the anti venom,

there have been no record-

ed deaths from coral

snake bites in the US.

Now, for the identification

characteristics, these

snakes stand out as en-

tirely different from the

others on this list, because

they are not vipers. As I

mentioned, they belong to

the Elapidae family of

snakes, which includes

the cobra.

Unlike vipers, coral

snakes don't have espe-

cially large heads in pro-

portion to their bodies.

They are also very bright-

ly colored, with a pattern

of red and black stripes

with yellow (sometimes

white) bands in between.

In fact the same rhyme

can be used to identify the

vast majority of US coral

snakes, "Red and black,

friend of Jack. Red and

yellow, kill a fellow."

Several harmless species,

e.g. the scarlet king snake

look very similar to the

coral snake to novice

snake spotters.

The distinguishing factor

is the fact that it has red

and black bands that

touch. Its red and yellow

bands do not meet.


Several years ago, I was

walking to a deer blind in

South Texas, enjoying the

sights and sounds of the

brush country afternoon,

when I spotted something

in peripheral vision that

made me freeze mid-step

and nearly lose my bal-

ance. I remember hearing

someone making a gasp-

ing sound (could that real-

ly have been my voice?) as

I realized I’d almost

stepped on a snake, and

not just any snake.

To this day, it was the

largest Western Diamond-

back Rattlesnake I’ve ever

seen. Even now I still be-

lieve that, at its widest

point, the snake was as

big around as my thigh. It

was lying across the tire

ruts I was following to the

SMALL GAME HANDGUNS: TOP 5 SNAKE SHOOTERS blind, sunning itself prob-

ably… until I walked up

and nearly kicked it.

Luckily, it didn’t strike;

though it certainly had

the opportunity. And all I

had in my hands was a

compound bow.

Of course, the snake re-

sponded to my commotion

by coiling up and rattling

at me from the side of the

road. It looked even bigger

when it reared its massive

head.

My first thought was to

try to shoot it with a

broadhead. Then I

thought to smash it with a

rock and take its skin as a

trophy. Finally, I realized

that I would rather get to

the deer blind and spend

my precious time hunting

what I came for, and not

spending the next 12

hours receiving an anti-

venom in an emergency

room.

I gave the snake a wide

berth, and went about my

way. That was the last

time I went out in rattle-

snake country without a

“snake shooter.”

What Makes a Great

Snake Shooter

I learned two major les-

sons that day 1.) If that

snake had bit me when it

had the chance, no gun in

the world would have

helped me, and 2.) A giant

snake story is just like a

big fish story, if you don’t

have any evidence to back

it up.

Now, I’m no big trophy

hunter. I don’t have a

room in my house dedicat-

ed to displaying my vari-

ous kills. Nevertheless,

over the years, I’ve

thought about that snake

many times and felt like I

missed the opportunity of

a lifetime…

If I’d only had a snake

shooter at my side, I

would have proof that he

was really that big. Still,

that’s not the reason I love

a good “snake shooter.”

Ironically enough, in

many ways, shooting

snakes isn’t the ultimate

purpose of a “snake shoot-

Continued next page


seen). That means that a

spread pattern is ideal.

Conventional wisdom

says: It doesn’t matter

what caliber you miss

with, it’s always non-

lethal. Simply put, you

don’t want to empty a re-

volver just to kill a

snake… and find out you

missed with all 6 rounds.

Safety

Because a good snake

shooter should be ex-

tremely packable and

portable, it’s also essential

that it has some well

thought-out safety fea-

tures built-in.

This is a gun that may be

carried in a place that’s

fairly accessible

(backpacks, pockets, or

holster), not in a case.

Thus, revolvers and single

action firearms score bo-

nus points.

Bond Arms

Snake Slayer

True to its name, this is

more or less the ultimate

snake shooter straight out

of the box, so to speak. So

what truly sets it apart?

To begin with, it’s a highly

compact derringer-style

handgun, 6.5” from end to

end. At 1.5-pounds, you

SNAKE SHOOTERS (continued)

er.” There are certainly

times when shooting at a

snake is more dangerous

than simply leaving it

alone. What makes a

snake shooter truly great

is that it’s always at your

side in case you need it,

because you enjoy carry-

ing it so much.

First things first, let’s con-

sider the definition of a

good snake shooter. A

snake shooter needs to be

a pleasure to carry, effec-

tive at close range, and

very safe.

Chances are that you will

be operating this firearm

in a moment of intense

excitement. Thus,

straightforward and trou-

ble-free operation is para-

mount.

Compactness

By necessity, a snake

shooter needs to be com-

pact, which pretty much

rules out long guns. A

snake shooter won’t be of

any use if you leave it

back at camp when you

set out on foot.

And, sure, a shotgun will

tear a snake in two. A 357

will definitely do the trick.

However, if it’s too large

to carry with you at all

times, then it’s not a good

snake shooter.

Effectiveness

In the heat of the moment,

a snake is a much smaller

target than most shooters

are capable of accurately

hitting (even if it’s the big-

gest rattler you’ve ever

might even call it “pocket-

sized.”

The second thing that

makes this such a great

snake gun is that it comes

chambered

for .45ACP/.410 from the

factory. That means it has

the ability to accept a true

three-inch .410 shotgun

shell, with buckshot even

(if that’s what you desire).

With buckshot, this gun

can dispatch small game,

such as varmints, just as

easily as it can handle a

cottonmouth. It may even

send a bear running.

The hefty crossbolt safety

also allows you to feel free

and confident to carry this

gun around wherever you

go.

S&W Governor

Look, I’m not going to sug-

arcoat it, Smith & Wes-

son’s “Governor” is pretty

much a direct copy of Tau-

rus’ popular “Judge” (also

on this list).

The only major difference

is that one is made by one

of the most trusted name

in firearms history. Tau-

rus, a respected Brazilian

manufacturer, makes the

other model.

Like the Snake Slayer, the

Governor can accept .410

shotgun shells (6 of them),

albeit in a shorter 2.5”

shell.

It can also accommodate

a .45 Colt and .45 ACP

shells, which is nice be-

cause the ACP is more

readily available and

comes in more varieties

than the Long Colt.

It goes without saying

that, thanks to the .410

cartridge, the Governor

can shred small game.

Weighing in at 1.85

pounds, it’s pretty com-

fortable to carry. But at

8.5” in overall length,

you’re probably going to

want to carry it in a hol-

ster or backpack.

Taurus Judge

Like I said, you’re not go-

ing to find too much differ-

ence between this revolver

and the Governor, aside

from the price. The Judge

came first and heavily in-

spired the Governor.

The Judge is roughly the

same weight (1.76 pounds)

accepts the same size .410

cartridges that the Gover-

nor does (5 of them), as

well as the .45 Colt, but

not the .45 ACP.

As of this writing, there

were 14 different configu-

rations of the Judge listed

for sale on the Taurus

website. In other words,

there’s plenty of variety to

choose from if you want to

go with this revolver.

Continued next page


Obviously, the S&W mod-

el has several advantages

over the Judge -- an extra

round in the cylinder and

the ability to accept

the .45 ACP -- at about

twice the price.

Here’s one more thing to

consider about both the

Judge and the Governor:

Both are great “snake

guns” but neither are

great at anything else.

So, in case you were

thinking that these hybrid

revolvers were very multi-

purpose, they’re not. They

are great at close range,

but don’t compare well in

accuracy and effectiveness

with a shotgun or tradi-

tional sidearm.

In other words, neither

the Judge or the Governor

will be a good choice to

bring on the dove hunt or

the deer hunt.

Ruger LCP/LC9

One gun in this lineup

(the LCP) was made fa-

mous, infamous in some

circles, when Texas gover-

nor Rick Perry used it to

dispatch a coyote while he

was out for a jog. Perry

was apparently jogging

with his daughter’s dog

and the coyote was getting

a little too close for com-

fort, as the story goes.

If you’re not a Perry fan,

don’t hold that against the

LCP. The key point of that

little anecdote was that

Perry was apparently car-

rying the small pistol in

his running shorts.

Weighing in at just over

half a pound, this little

SNAKE SHOOTERS (continued)

way to escape almost

without exception.

However, if you find a

venomous snake coiled up

underneath your chil-

dren’s swing set, you prob-

ably won’t feel comfortable

letting it go. Nine out of

ten times, a shovel or a

hoe will be just as effec-

tive as a firearm, and a

heck of a lot quieter.

Conclusion

Once again, I stand by the

notion that a snake gun

isn’t entirely about shoot-

ing snakes, but filling the

need to be armed when

the unexpected happens.

Any compact firearm that

can take out a rattle-

snake, rat, coyote, skunk,

zombie, etc. will do the

job, as long as you can get

your hands on it in a hur-

ry.

If you enjoy carrying a

holstered sidearm, shot-

shells are commercially

available in most popular

calibers. That’s what I

typically use because its

so convenient.

However, if I was going

to recommend a pur-

pose-specific “snake

gun,” there’s no doubt

that I’d go with the

Snake Slayer. With

true 3-inch shotgun

shells, it could drive

back almost any ag-

gressive animal in

North America. Plus,

there’s something about

the derringer that

brings back childhood

fantasies about the

Wild West.

gun makes a very nice

carry weapon -- one of the

3 pillars of a good snake

gun.

When it comes to safety,

the LCP doesn’t have one.

Instead it has a very long-

pull trigger, which is suffi-

cient as long as it’s kept in

a holster. So keep a round

chambered at your own

risk.

Then, there’s the question

of effectiveness. The LPC

has a capacity of 6+1

rounds, chambered .380

round that’s more than

capable of taming a rattle-

snake. But as we’ve dis-

cussed, a snake is a small

target and the LCP can’t

chamber a traditional

shotgun shell.

The solution to that prob-

lem is of course “snake

shot” or “rat shot,” except

that no .380 shotshells are

commercially available.

Thus, you may want to go

with the slightly larger,

slightly heavier (1.06 lbs)

Ruger LC9 model.

This segues nicely into the

next and final selection…

Your Favorite Handgun

with Shotshells

If you already own a fa-

vorite carry gun in .22lr,

9mm, .40 S&W, .44 Mag,

.45 Colt, or .45 Auto, the

cheapest option is to buy a

box of CCI Shotshells.

Unlike a true shotgun

shell, these miniaturized

shotshells are kind of the

same concept, only they’re

designed to fit into a rifle

or handgun round. They

have a lot less shot (aka

the tiny pellets inside a

shotgun shell) in each

round and an entirely dif-

ferent application. You’re

not going dove hunting

with these rounds.

These shells have a

spread pattern that is only

effective up to about 12

feet, which is ideal for

snakes, rats, etc. The ad-

vantage is that you can

use a handgun that you

already own and that

you’re already familiar

with.

Whenever you’re going to

carry your weapon in

snake country, simply

load a few shotshells and

“old faithful” is trans-

formed into your snake

gun.

Non-Firearm

Snake Getters

Lastly, I feel I’d be remiss

if I didn’t mention

that you’re under no

obligation to dis-

patch all venomous

snakes you see with

a firearm -- if you

choose to dispatch

them at all.

Even the most ruth-

less venomous

snake does not view

a human as a meal.

If given the chance,

the snake will find a


materials necessary for

dozens of home remedies.

Truth be told, I’m not an

evangelist for the alterna-

tive medicines movement.

I eat white bread, red

meat, and I’ve found that

Advil works way better for

headaches than chamo-

mile tea.

Still, I do very much be-

lieve herbal remedies have

their place. In a crisis sit-

uation, where regulated

over-the-counter remedies

may be hard to come by,

fresh herbs will be worth

their weight in gold.

The following 8 herbs are

well worth the space they

take up in your garden or

aquaponic system.

German Chamomile

As you already know,

Chamomile is one of the

most popular herbs

around. Its flowers are

commonly used to make

infusions, teas and salves.

from HERBS page 1

Continued next page


These chamomile concoc-

tions are used to treat

maladies like indigestion,

anxiety and skin inflam-

mations. As a tea, it

serves as a mild sedative

to help with sleep.

German chamomile can be

purchased as a mature

plant from many nurse-

ries. However, it grows

prolifically and easily

from seeds.

You can make a fantastic

chamomile jelly. Simply

add chamomile flowers to

any recipe for apple jelly.

Strain them out with the

apple pulp. The chamo-

mile gives a honey like

flavor to the jelly.

You can also make frozen

popsicles to soothe sore

throats out of sweetened

chamomile tea.

Chamomile can usually

tolerate a wide range of

soil types, but sandy soil

is ideal. This plant pre-

fers a sunny spot, but will

tolerate some shade out-

doors. German chamomile

will tolerate dry condi-

tions but will bloom more

frequently if watered con-

sistently. Don’t over-

water.

German chamomile is

easy to grow indoors. I’ve

had it grow from seeds

that were accidentally

mixed in with potting soil.

Outside it can grow to 2'

tall, but inside it often

blooms at about 10". Once

again, keep you chamo-

mile on the dry side and

you shouldn’t have any

problems.

SURVIVAL HERBS (cont inued)

Feverfew

This perennial has been

used for centuries in

Western folk medicine to

remedy headaches, arthri-

tis, and of course, fevers.

In fact, the name feverfew

is actually derived from a

Latin word meaning

“fever reducer.”

A member of the sunflow-

er family, one of its many

uses include easing head-

aches, particularly mi-

graines. Unfortunately, it

doesn’t produce delicious

seeds that you can chew

on at baseball games.

Relief is achieved by simp-

ly chewing on the leaves.

In addition, tea made from

the leaves and flowers is

said to relieve the symp-

toms of arthritis.

Feverfew is very cold har-

dy evergreen perennial

and can withstand a tem-

perature down to 5°F.

Feverfew will bloom al-

most all summer if you

keep it deadheaded. If you

allow the blossoms go to

seed, then scatter them

in your beds, you’ll end

up with Feverfew grow-

ing all over.

This herb can be grown

indoors in containers, as

long as you keep it

pruned back. You want

it to grow out and not

up. Of course, Feverfew

can be successfully

grown using an aqua-

ponic system.

Full sun is recommend-

ed for Feverfew, but this

hardy plant can tolerate

a little shade. It actually

likes poor to average soil

just fine, but will thrive in

potting soil as long as it’s

well drained. Feverfew is

fairly drought hardy and

can be propagated by

seed, cuttings, or dividing.

Lemon Balm

This member of the mint

family is considered a

calming herb. Lemon balm

has been used in Europe-

an folk medicine for hun-

dreds of years to reduce

stress and anxiety, pro-

mote sleep, improve appe-

tite, and ease pain and

discomfort from indiges-

tion.

Prior to the Middle Ages,

there’s evidence to suggest

that lemon balm was

steeped in wine to lift the

spirits, help heal wounds,

and treat venomous insect

bites and stings.

Like the mint, lemon balm

is fairly invasive in the

garden, which is why

many people grow it in

containers. Watch out,

though, because this free-

seeding plant can spread

outside its contain easily.

Lemon balm can be grown

successfully indoors, but

indoor specimens tend to

be weaker and less vigor-

ous than those grown out-

doors. If you choose to

grow this herb indoors,

give it as much light as

possible (5 hours is not at

all excessive).

When it comes to water-

ing, lemon balm likes a

steady supply, but good

drainage is a must. Since

this plant recovers quickly

from wilt, it’s best to err

on the side of dry, rather

than overwatering.

Conventional wisdom says

that lemon balm leaves

lose much of their potency

if the plant is allowed to

flower. That’s why most

herbalists prefer to pre-

vent their lemon balm

from setting seeds, grow-

ing new specimens from

seed packets.

Sage

Here’s a little known fac-

tiod: “Salvia,” the genus to

which sage belongs means

“to heal.” In the First cen-

tury, Greeks actually used

sage leaves to treat

Continued next page


efits from regular applica-

tion of fertilizer.

Peppermint

Peppermint has long been

a part of the folk and pa-

tent medicine tradition,

but it goes back much far-

ther than that. Archaeo-

logical evidence shows

that it was used as early

as ten thousand years

ago.

In today’s world of alter-

native medicine, pepper-

mint is used to remedy

symptoms such as nausea,

vomiting, abdominal pain,

indigestion, irritable bow-

el, bloating and more. Ba-

keep it restricted to its

potted size (these plants

can get huge). Rosemary

thrives under heavy sun

conditions, so a bright

window with morning sun

is perfect. Grow lights are

fine too, the brighter the

better.

Rosemary is much more

likely to be killed by over-

watering than under-

watering. Use terracotta

pots to increase evapora-

tion and allow the soil dry

out between watering.

Use liquid fertilizer, or

supplement the soil with

controlled-release pellets.

For organic rosemary, use

an organic fertilizer or

fortify soil with compost.

Contrary to common wis-

dom, indoor rosemary ben-

wounds and for cleaning

ulcers and sores.

Sage tea is commonly

used to sooth inflamma-

tion in the mouth and

gums. This is because

sage has excellent anti-

bacterial and astringent

properties.

When grown indoors, sage

plants needs direct sun,

the more the better. In

fact, sage tends to grow

toward a light source, so

you’ll need to turn the

plant once in a while to

keep it from growing lop-

sided.

If you’re using indoor

grow lights, keep the light

6 inches above the plant

and leave it on for 14

hours a day. Water your

sage thoroughly, but allow

the top layer of soil to dry

out between watering.

Sage does not do well with

soggy soil conditions.

Go with a fast-draining

potting mix, even a cactus

mix. Or, use 2 parts all-

purpose potting mix with

1 part sharp sand or per-

lite. Feed monthly with

herb fertilizer.

Take stem cuttings in

spring or divide older

plants in spring or fall.

Thyme

During the medieval ages,

thyme was thought to pro-

mote vigor and courage. In

fact, it was actually given

to knights before going in

to battle.

These days, thyme is used

to relieve coughs, conges-

tion, indigestion, and gas -

-making it a potential sub-

stitute for cough syrups or

Gas-X. Because this per-

ennial is rich in thymol, a

strong antiseptic, it’s a

good treatment for

wounds and even fungal

infections.

Thyme is fairly hardy and

prefers bright light or full

sun. East-facing window-

sills are ideal so your

plant can get the morning

sun. Thyme can also be

grown fairly easily under

standard or compact fluo-

rescent lights for a year-

round supply.

Water this drought-

resistant herb regularly,

but not excessively. You

want to allow the soil to

dry somewhat between

watering. Thyme is fairly

easy to propagate through

leaf-tip cuttings or divi-

sion of mature plants.

Rosemary

There’s a reason that an-

cient Greeks and Romans

wore Rosemary wreaths

on their heads. Rosemary

was believed to stimulate

memory and concentra-

tion. Oddly enough, recent

studies have actually

proven this to be true -- it

really can improve

memory function.

Rosemary needles can be

used to make a tea that

treats digestive prob-

lems. This same tea can

also be used as a decon-

gestant as well as to sooth

headaches.

Grown indoors, your rose-

mary will benefit from

consistent pruning, to


Continued next page


sically, it’s your herbal

replacement for Pepto-

Bismol or Pepcid AC.

Peppermint leaves and

stems contain menthol,

you’ve probably heard of

it. In addition to its medic-

inal uses, menthol is used

to flavor foods and fra-

grances.

The peppermint plant is

prodigious, growing best

in damp areas with lots of

morning sun and after-

noon shade. This herb’s

roots are pretty aggressive

and can take over a gar-

den bed, so you may want

to grow it in a container.

The easiest way to acquire

a peppermint plant? Find

a friend or neighbor that

is growing peppermint to

break off a stem. Place it

in a glass of water and in

a very short period of

time, roots will form and

you will have your own

peppermint start.

Indoors, locate your con-

tainer where it will re-

ceive good morning light

but beware of environ-

mental elements that will

dry your peppermint out,

such as furnaces, vents,

and intense light bulbs.

Simply put, it’s better to

err on the damp side with

peppermint, without over-

watering of course.

It’s best to harvest mint

sprigs before the plant

flowers. You can extend

your harvest season by

pinching off flowering

buds as they appear.


Getting an indoor Laven-

der plant to bloom is pret-

ty difficult without leaving

it outdoors for a portion of

the day to jumpstart the

process.

Remember to acclimate

the lavender to the out-

doors a little at a time. If

you set the pot out in the

direct sunlight and got to

work, chances are you’ll

return to a blackened

dead lavender plant.

Lavender likes a little

moisture, but it’s better to

err on the side of dryness.

One of the biggest prob-

lems and causes of Laven-

der dying is overwatering

or excessive soil moisture

for those plants grown in

the ground.

Lavender needs loose,

slightly sandy or gritty

alkaline soil that is fast

draining.

Lavender

Lavender flower tea

is an extremely pop-

ular folk remedy.

It’s thought to re-

duce stress and pro-

mote a sense of

wellbeing. You

could say it’s kind of

a natural mood

booster.

Lavender has been

shown "to slow

down heart rate,

slow blood pressure

and put you in a

parasympathetic

state, which is a

relaxed state," ac-

cording to University of

Miami School of Medicine

scientist Tiffany Field.

Thus, it’s often used to

treat insomnia.

Lavender tea is also a

strong antiseptic when

applied topically, a possi-

ble substitute for rubbing

alcohol or hydrogen perox-

ide. This tea can help dis-

infect and speed up the

healing process for cuts,

wounds and sores. It

smells good too.

Lavender is one of the eas-

iest herbs to grow in pots,

but it’s not particularly

well suited for indoor con-

ditions. But that doesn’t

mean growing lavender

indoors is a lost cause, as

long as you select a varie-

ty the does well indoors

and you provide the condi-

tions it thrives in.

Homes typically have dry

air, inadequate sunlight,

and very little fresh air

circulation. Lavender can

handle the dry conditions

but it can’t handle the tri-

fecta. Make a special ef-

fort to give your indoor

lavender plenty of sun-

light and fresh air when-

ever possible.

French Lavender is one of

the better indoor varieties

and it has very cool look-

ing serrated leaves. Make

sure to pot it up using a

well-drained potting mix.

Keep your lavender on a

sunny windowsill where

the top layer of soil can

dry out between each wa-

tering. Don’t forget to ro-

tate the container regular-

ly, giving all the leaves a

chance to take in the sun-

light. Don’t let it grow

completely lopsided.


It’s time to consider some-

thing very critical for a

moment: How much of

your time do you really

spend at home? For some

of us, it’s all but a few

hours each day. For others

in the self-reliance move-

ment, that’s an hour in

the morning, an hour after

work, and however long

we’re asleep.

If you are self-employed or

do a lot of traveling for

your work, you probably

fall into the second catego-

ry. Many people who drive

for a living keep a bug-out

bag stored away in their

vehicle at all times. That’s

great for those situations.

But what about those who

spend most of their day in

an office, flying around

the country, or are other-

wise on the go? They need

a compact SHTF resource

that they can carry with

ease.

crisis, it may be damaged

or inaccessible (along with

your home).

A bug-out-bag is one solu-

tion for this problem --

and it’s a good one -- but a

backpack is a little bulky

for an “everyday carry”

item. An Altoids box, on

the other hand, is de-

signed to fit comfortably

in your pocket.

Thus, if you have an emp-

ty Altoids box in the

house, you already have

That’s why the

concept of a

“survival tin”

has become a

mainstay for

those who live by

the Boy Scouts

motto: Always be

prepared.

What is a

Survival Tin?

Simply put, a

survival tin is a

pocket-sized ver-

sion of a bug-out

bag. A survival

tin is a small

can, usually an empty

breath mint tin or a can of

snuff, stuffed with a few

select items that may

come in handy during an

emergency.

Obviously, not much can

fit in a tin of Altoids, but

that’s what makes the

“survival tin” so intri-

guing, the personalization

process. You can’t fit wa-

ter in your tin, but you

can fit a few purification

tablets. You can’t fit food,

but you can fit a small

fishing rig.

These creative modifica-

tions are what make your

survival tin indispensible

for YOU.

Common items carried in

a survival tin

are: Pocketknives, can

openers, lighters, dry tin-

der, compasses, fishing

kits, bandages, suture

kits, and sewing kits. As

you can see in the nearby

image, space is limited in

your survival tin. The se-

lection process involved in

building your own surviv-

al tin is part of the fun.

Why You Need a

Survival Tin

Achieving total prepared-

ness is a process of never

ending adjustments, be-

cause just as soon as you

resolve one problem, an-

other one reveals itself.

Many of these issues re-

volve around the fact that

you never

know where

you will be

when you’re

thrust into an

emergency

situation.

Read: you

may be sepa-

rated from all

or most of

your most

important

supplies.

That gear you

were count-

ing on to help

you make it

through a See XXXXX, x

from TIN page 1

Continued next page


go. Need to sew a button

back on? Yep, here’s a nee-

dle and thread. Forgot to

bring a can-opener? Here

you go…

When it comes to prep-

ping, the greatest enjoy-

ment generally comes

when your clever prepara-

tions actually save the

day… or are instrumental

in averting a minor catas-

trophe.

With a survival tin, that’s

highly likely. With a bug-

out bag, that enjoyment

factor ranges from rare to

exceedingly rare.

This is not an argument

against creating a bug-out

bag for each member of

your family. Go-bags are

always a good insurance

policy. What I’m arguing

is that many preppers

tend to build bug-out bag

after bug-out bag, when a

survival tin is what they

really want.

SURVIVAL TIN (cont inued)

the foundation for a cus-

tom survival tin. And as I

said before, the process of

deciding what goes into

your tin is half the fun.

What Should Go In

YOUR Tin

Will you spare the space

for a cigarette lighter? A

magnesium fire starter?

Or a few waterproof

matches?

If you typically carry a

pocketknife, putting one

in your tin may be redun-

dant. Then again, can you

really ever have too many

knives?

A strand of strong 40lb

test fishing line can serve

as an alternate for para-

cord in many applications

and it takes up much less

space.

The trick to building a

great survival tin is to

strike a balance between

SHTF survival and practi-

cal utility. A truly great

survival tin will come in

handy on a regular basis,

not just during a societal

collapse.

Below is a list of typical

survival tin items, just a

few quick ideas just to get

the wheels spinning:

Compass

Bandana

Paracord

Keys to your storage

unit

Suture kit

Matches

Pencils

Zip ties

Bandages

A needle and thread

Fishing line and hooks

Tinder

Cash

Backpacking can opener

Credit Card Knife

Water Purification Tab-

lets

Pain relievers

Encrypted USB drive

More Practical Than a

Bug-Out Bag?

The primary reason I rec-

ommend the “survival tin”

approach is on account of

its irrefutable practicality.

It fits in your pocket, it’s

useful in many non-

emergency situations, and

it’s not something a thief

would target or value.

The inherent problem of

the bug-out bag (or “go-

bag”) is that it’s bit im-

practical for most life-

styles. A fully loaded

backpack is just too bulky

to carry around 24/7. Are

you really going to bring

that bag on a business

lunch? Or through airport

security?

On the other hand, do you

really want to leave your

go-bag sitting around un-

attended, with all of those

valuable supplies in it?

Handbags and backpacks

are common targets for

thieves in public or even

in the workplace. Petty

criminals know that back-

packs often contain lap-

tops, smartphones, and

other valuables, not to

mention wallets and credit

cards sometimes.

Many experts recommend

keeping bug-out bags in

several locations, such as

your home, car, and place

of business. While that’s a

good idea, the expense of

such a plan can really add

up fast.

If you have a fully custom-

ized bug-out bag, chances

are that its replacement

cost is at least $100-200.

Thus, you don’t want to

risk it being lost or stolen.

The survival tin, sitting in

your pants pocket, is un-

likely to be stolen. Even if

it is, you’re out a grand

total of, what, maybe $15

and your time?

Everyday Utility

A survival tin would no

doubt come in handy in a

crisis, but perhaps the

best feature of the surviv-

al tin is its usefulness day

-to-day.

If someone needs a Band-

Aid, you’ve got it covered.

Need an aspirin? Here you

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