This page is not the most encouraging, but it is absolutely essential. We have tried to examine all books listed here ourselves, or we have asked friends we trust to do so. PLEASE let us know if you have found a book of special worth and practicality. We don't have much time to help our readers get ready for Y2K in particular. We could very well be off the Web for a long time as of January of 2000. So, we have only a few months to be of service to our readers.
Y2K: Year 2000--
Specific Discussions on its Reality, Solutions, and Alternatives
GARY NORTH ON Y2K-- By permission, we are allowed to distribute
Mr. North's Web site. There are 1300 articles on all aspects of life
and Y2K. North is a Reconstructionist, which we are not. Otherwise,
the CD is a fantastic convincer for skeptics, and it will stimulate good
thinking to get ready for the crisis.
We offer it at cost. $15 (Postage included)--
Call 1 (800) 338-8863 to order by credit card.
The Millennium Bug : How to Survive the Coming Chaos-- Michael S. Hyatt-- This book is an incredible account of what well may happen when the calendar rolls over to the year 2000. It was even more scary to me because Michael Hyatt echos what my computer-oriented relatives & friends have mentioned to me as far back as a year ago. We aren't ready -- and we won't be ready. The only questions that remain are how serious will it be and for how long. I have urged all my friends to read this book. As Mr. Hyatt says, being prepared is like taking out an insurance policy -- and hoping to God you never have to use it. An Atlanta reader. -- I have read this book, and I feel it is the best one on the subject. Steve Van Nattan
The Y2K Personal Survival Plan Handbook 1-- Michael Annis-- This is a survival HANDbook that delineates some of the best techniques for staying alive during disaster scenarios. It is constructed on the premise that the Y2K Millennium Bug, cutely named, is actually larval, and named so to further disinform and disarm the masses on many different levels. The potential of Y2K is to birth a host of other globally impacting events which will demand a toughening and strengthening of our way of conducting life. It is also a call for the rapid reintroduction into society of such things as honor, valor, kindness, compassion, mercy,! and generosity. It discusses the tendency to do just the opposite during times of crisis, and by doing so, thus decreasing the potential for survival for the majority.
THE MODERN SURVIVAL RETREAT-- We do not recommend running to the hill and isolation. If you feel this is your only option, get this book.
FOOD SUPPLIES AND THE HOME
Basic Necessities, Storage, Community Efforts
The Encyclopedia of Country Living : An Old Fashioned Recipe Book-- Carla Emery-- This book has been recommended by a reader of the Home Makers' Page. She said that her family re-settled in primitive conditions, and this book was her best source.
Lehman's Non Electric Catalog - All sorts of things for the home and
kitchen that use manual power.
Order for $2 from:
Shepherd Farms Enterprises, PO Box 693, Richland Center,
WI, 53581
E-Mail: Brashear@mwt.net
How to Develop a Low Cost Family Food Storage System-- A. Evangelista-- A thorough book to explain safe, cost efficient food storage.
Build Your Own Low Cost Log Home-- Roger Hard-- Using log or a kit this volume gives in depth instructions for log building by hand or machine.
Live Off the Land in the City and Country-- Ragnar Benson-- A book which considers basic survival in the city is very rare-- Get this one.
Boy Scout Handbook Trail to Eagle-- Old Classic with many survival skills illustrated.
The Swiss Family Robinson-- Elizabeth Janeway-- Many survival ideas are found in this old classic.
Square Foot Gardening-- Mel Barthomew-- Using squares, not rows increases yields and reduces labor. Practical for suburbs or rural gardening. This concept would be very useful in cities and where water is scarce.
Successful Small Scale Farming-- Karl Schwenke-- An organic strategy for raising cash crops and developing agricultural skills. With or without a tractor.
Basic Butchering of Livestock and Game-- John J. Metler DVM-- A book for anyone who hunts, farms, or buys large quantities of meat (domestic or game animals). If you have never slaughtered and butchered an animal, you better get this one. It is NOT beyond the average person, but there are some terrible mistakes you can make, and you can get hurt. You will pay dearly to have a butcher prepare your meat, and some of them are crooks and steal meat from you.
Cheese Making Made Easy-- R&R Carroll-- Soft, hard, whey, goats milk, mold ripened, and quick cheeses. With step by step instructions!
Home Sausage Making-- Charles Reavis-- 175 recipes of healthy lower fat and salt sausages, many using poultry and fish, and game.
The Original Road Kill Cookbook-- B. R. Peterson-- This sounds disgusting, but... Let's suppose it is mid March of 2000... the grocery stores are all closed... There is NO meat anywhere... And, a car goes by and hits a deer or rabbit, and it is still alive. You could kill it off and prepare it for dinner, or you could starve or live malnourished on roots and starch. You will wish you had this book. Let's say the animal was hit some time ago and is laying dead in the road as you come along. Or, you come on a kill of coyotes or a bear. You could run the other predators off and finish the animal for your own dinner table. How could you tell if it was safe to eat? You know, I have passed up many deer along the roads in Michigan, and I always wonder if I should have stopped and checked the thing out. If it had just died, that deer is free and wholesome food. One day, I dare say I shall be stopping for sure. How about a farm animal? The one who hit it often speeds away in terror of the farmer. How about going to find the farmer and cutting a deal with him for half the meat if you butcher it? Of course, your car better not have blood and hair all over it :-)
Edible And Useful Plants of the United States and Canada-- Charles Francis Saunders-- Use, eat, craft with plants used by native people and pioneers. This may save your life.
Woodstove Cookery-- Jane Cooper-- This teaches the inexperienced wood stove user how to buy, set up, fuel, clean, use, and enjoy a wood stove treasure.
Complete Guide to Home Canning and Preserving - U.S. Dept. of Ag. complete guide to safe, delicious, home canning and preserving.
Root Cellering-- Mike and Nancy Bubel-- Natural cold storage of fruits and vegetables. Keep your produce harvest fresh in your basement, and other hideaways.
Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (And Not So Wild Places)-- Steve Brill, Evelyn Dean--
Edible Wild Plants : A North American Field Guide-- Thomas S. Elias, Peter A. Dykeman-- This book is a well-organized listing of edible wild plants in North America. Listings are by season, so you know when to look for a specific plant. Habitat is described including a quick reference range map of North America, as are how to harvest, prepare, and store foods for future use. A symbol key at the left of each plant will tell you at a glance what uses you can put a plant to; trail nibble, potherb, etc. Related edible and poisonous look alikes are also listed. This book utilizes pictures, something none of the other books I looked at did. I think this makes identification of plants much easier than relying on someone's black and white sketch or colored pencil rendering of something wild that I'm plan to eat. The one down side to this is that some of the pictures could be much better; about a dozen pictures are black and white, while others show the plant only at a distance which might make identification problematical. However, scientific names are provided, and if you have the luxury of time, you can do a search online for a more precise picture.
Aloe Vera, Jojoba and Yucca-- John Heinerman--
Wild foods of the Sonoran Desert-- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Press--
The Tumbleweed Gourmet : Cooking With Wild Southwestern Plants-- Carolyn Niethammer--
Fruits of the Desert-- Sandall English-- This is a cookbook for the Sonora desert of southern Arizona and norhtern Mexico. Several startling discoveries are in the book, such as how to make flour and jelly of Mesquite beans, cactus apple treats, and how to cook green Palo Verde beans as a table vegetable.
Bush tucker : Australia's wild food harvest-- Tim Low --
From Agar to Zenry : A Book of Plant Uses, Names, and Folklore-- Ron Freethy--
MEDICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Hypothermia, Frostbite, and Other Cold Injuries : Prevention, Recognition and Pre-Hospital Treatment-- By James A. Wilkerson
Where There Is No Doctor : A Village Health Care Handbook-- David Werner, Carol Thuman, Jane Maxwell-- This book is highly praised by Mr. Hyatt of The Millennium Bug.
Where There Is No Dentist-- Murray Dickson-- Very new. We have no comment on this one yet, but the fact that the author would dare to even write it commends him somewhat.
Do-It Yourself Medicine-- Ragnar Benson-- No actual use of this as yet, but it sounds very useful-- A prolific writer by a legitimate publisher.
American Folk Medicine-- Clarence Myer-- A complete collection of home remedies from herbs, simple kitchen items, and natural ingredient.
Old Herb Doctor-- Joseph Meyer-- A guide to old fashioned, common sense comfort measures made from God's useful herbs.
Emergency Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured-- Student Pocket Skills Guide
How Indians Use Wild Plants for Food, Medicine, and Crafts-- F. Densmore-- 200 plants used by Chippewa people of North America.
ANIMAL KEEPING FOR FOOD AND TRANSPORTATION
The Family Cow-- Dirk VanLoon-- 262 pages about buying, handling, feeding, milking, maintaining a healthy, productive family cow. It is not as frightening as you might think :-)
Raising Milk Goats the Modern Way-- Jerry Belanger-- An adult book teaching beginners the art of commercial dairy goat farming. Great for a small family herd. Goats will do two basic things for you-- They will mow the lawn when gasoline is scarce for lawn mowers, AND you can eat goat meat which is more mild then lamb or mutten. Goats do not pull the grass up by the roots like horses.
Raising Poultry the Modern Way-- Leonard S. Mercia, Kimberly Foster-- An adult level book teaching beginners the art of commercial poultry farming. Great for raising birds for eggs and meat.
Raising Rabbits the Modern Way-- Bob Bennett, Constance Oxley-- A commercial guide to raising the perfect suburban survival livestock. Will provide meat and fur in small spaces.
Horse Keeping on a Small Acreage-- Cherry Hill, Richard Klimesh-- A guide to providing facilities, feed, and space for exercise. A wealth of information for owning a family horse.
Keeping Bees-- John Vivian-- Thorough guide to raising bees for fun and profit. Detailed information about this sometimes complex subject. If you don't mind tackling African bees, which I lived with for 12 years in Africa, you can often get swarms easily from bee keepers who have lost hives to the African bees.
SPIRITUAL SURVIVAL PRINCIPLES
You have no business buying survival books which replace the King James Bible.
Start there please, then check out the following.
Prepare and Pray! Manual- 227 Pages, includes 18 chapters of projects,
etc. $36.00--
Order from:
Shepherd Farms Enterprises, PO Box 693, Richland Center,
WI, 53581
E-Mail: Brashear@mwt.net
CYBERSPACE AND COMMUNICATIONS
The Web, Telecommunications, and Radio
Guide to Emergency Survival Communications-- I am not a techie and was therefore pleased to find clear and simple explanations of what is required for one to be prepared to remain connected during a time of a catastrophic failure of traditional communications infrastructure. This book contains information and availability of an wide range of radios and other devices that will help keep you in touch with news, weather and government sources of information. There are even descriptions and reviews of high-tech, hand-cranked radios that never require batteries.