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.
4 PATRIOT CALLER JULY, 2014
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
PATRIOT CALLER 5 JULY, 2014
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
6 PATRIOT CALLER JULY, 2014
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
PATRIOT CALLER 7 JULY, 2014
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
8 PATRIOT CALLER JULY, 2014
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
PATRIOT CALLER 9 JULY, 2014
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
SURVIVAL HERBS (cont inued)
Continued next page
10 PATRIOT CALLER JULY, 2014
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.
SURVIVAL HERBS (cont inued)
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.
PATRIOT CALLER 11 JULY, 2014
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
12 PATRIOT CALLER JULY, 2014
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