The Survival Weekly Dispatch - Volume 11, Issue 36

Hey folks, thanks for checking out the newsletter this week. I’m back from the September Grind-In at Bark River Knives. This is an incredibly fun event that I try to get to every year. The basic gist is that attendees are able to make their own knife to their own specifications using Bark River’s machines and materials. Experienced employees are available at every step in the process to assist.

But really, the event is about far more than just knives. It’s friends seeing each other for the first time, having only known each other online. It’s great food and camaraderie. Everyone who attends is made to feel part of the family. Also, I’ve found that there’s a lot of crossover between the knife and prepper communities. Like a lot a lot. I had several great conversations about preparedness over the weekend.

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Prepper Tip – While here in southern Wisconsin we were still hitting 80F last week, it won’t be long before those highs dip down into the 50s and shortly thereafter winter arrives. I can’t say I’m dreading it, as I’m built for cooler weather.

This is the time of year when you should be looking at weatherproofing your home. Not only will it help you to be more comfortable through the winter, it will help in reducing your utility bills.

Check weatherstripping around exterior doors and replace it as necessary. Consider adding a draft stopper to the bottom of the door.

You can use a lit candle to check for leaks around windows. Just move the candle slowly around the window frame and see if the flame flickers, indicating a breeze coming in. Caulk or otherwise seal those gaps.

Here’s a great guide to the different types of weatherstripping on the market today.

Take down the screens and put up the storm windows. I’m really hoping we’re able to replace some or all of our windows for better ones next year. We have casement windows and they’re original to the house, so roughly 50 years old.

If you don’t use a blanket on your water heater, you might consider adding one. No, not a comforter from the bed, this is a special type of blanket made for water heaters. They insulate the heater and allow them to work more efficiently. While this isn’t going to affect you sitting in the living room, it could save you a bit on your energy bill.

Make sure to stay on top of cleaning your gutters. Clogged gutters can lead to a host of expensive repairs. If you’re not able to clean them yourself, see if you can hire a neighbor. I’m not big on raking leaves up from the yard, though. It isn’t laziness. I’d just rather let those leaves help the backyard ecosystem.

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The 2025 Real World Prepping Wall Calendar is now available! There are about 130 prepping hints, tips, and suggestions scattered throughout the year. On top of that, there’s a special QR code for each month that leads to a ton of essays, articles, and more. This calendar is like a survival manual that keeps you focused all year long. All of the photos were taken by my wife or I on our hikes over the last few years.

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A couple of weeks ago, I started playing around with making some graphics to share on social media. Given how many “prepper hacks” floating around out there are absolute garbage, I’m calling them “Prepper Hack (That Actually Work).” Here are a few of them. You’re welcome to share them as you’d like.

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For episode 6 of How to Survive 2025, we brought in a special guest. Dr. Todd Baker is an ER physician and highly decorated US Army veteran. We talked about common myths circulating in the prepper community, techniques he employs to keep calm in a crisis, and what medications should be in a basic first aid kit. He also shared a tip to help you and your family avoid ending up in the emergency room.

Find it here on YouTube or download it from any of your favorite podcast services here.

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Because I was gone most of the weekend, we had to take just a short walk through a local park for our weekly hike. This tree came down maybe 30 feet from us, just off the trail. It was weird, to be honest. It wasn’t storming or anything, very little wind to speak of at all. Just all of a sudden, we heard crack and crunch as it fell. It isn’t a huge tree by any means, about 14 inches across where it snapped. Big enough to get our attention, though.

Survival Tip – Stranger Danger for Adults

I recently started checking out Pinball Preparedness on YouTube. I haven’t seen enough of his content to formulate a solid opinion one way or the other, but something he mentioned today got my attention.

We teach our kids about Stranger Danger, right? Basically, we tell them to be wary of adults they don’t know, because some of them might have nefarious intent. (For the purposes of this discussion, we’ll overlook the fact that most sexual abuse survivors as well as targets of abduction knew the person doing it.) Many of us probably remember hearing some version of Stranger Danger warnings when we were kids ourselves.

But as we get older, I feel like some of us forget about Stranger Danger. I also feel like today more than ever it’s important to remember it.

Pinball Preparedness has a two-part series that he posted last week on YouTube. Scary stuff, assuming everything people are sharing with him is legit. He talks about instances where potential bad actors are getting bolder and bolder when it comes to possible abductions and attacks.

Part 1 -

Part 2 -

Backwoods Survival Guide Magazine

For those new to my little corner of the Internet, I am the Editor in Chief for Backwoods Survival Guide magazine. Here is the cover for the current issue available in stores right now. 

You can find them just about anywhere magazines are sold, including:

• Walmart

• Sam's Club

• Costco

• Publix

• Walgreens

• Rite Aid

• CVS

• Tractor Supply

• Fleet Farm

• Barnes & Noble

Subscriptions are available here.

Questions, Comments, Complaints, Concerns?

I am always just an email away - jim@survivalweekly.com.