10 Preps for Summer

Here are ten things you should plan for this summer:

1. Schedule/arrange any home repairs/improvements that need to be done.
2. Plan a family camping/backpacking trip.
3. Set a big physical goal to accomplish by summer (first 5k, first marathon, mud run, etc).
4. Grow a garden, even if it is just in a window.
5. Go to summer school (take a course--from shooting to accounting--that will help you in your life and work).
6. Plan a family vacation (of the international sort if possible).
7. Learn a new skill this summer (build something, knit something, bake something, etc).
8. Forage for wild food this summer.
9. Volunteer in your community this summer.
10. Preserve food this summer (can something, make jam, etc).

Summer Is a Great Time To...

• Practice your camping and backpacking skills.  Of course you should do these things in the fall, winter, and spring too but for beginners it is easier to work out the kinks of your camping skills when it is 80 degrees than when it is 20 degrees.
• Clean out the garage and review/repack your preps.  New batteries in flashlights and radios?  Check.  Bug out clothes still fit?  Check.  Packaged food need replaced?  Check check.
• Have your chimney cleaned and inspected.  Ditto for your furnace, gutters, and any other item on/in your home that would create a crisis should it fail at 25 degrees.
• Take a class.  Again it is easier to take yourself to a first aid or EMT course when the roads are clear and it is sunny out instead of in the dead of winter.
• Spend time with the family.  Before the kids head back to school, spend some time with them by teaching them valuable skills (WOW and GTA aren't valuable skills...I'm talking fishing and camping and beach combing and growing a garden-type stuff).
• Get ready for fall hunting season.  Get your rifles sighted in, have your kids (or yourself) take a Hunter's Ed course if it required, apply for permits/tags/special hunt permits/etc if this is required in your state, etc.
• Get the kids ready to go back to school.  Reviewing reading, reviewing math, getting school clothes and school supplies ready, going to bed at a reasonable time a week or so prior to the start of school...all of these things will prepare your kids to successfully jump back into school when it starts.
• Review all of your preps for natural and man-made disasters that are likely in your area.  People in tornado-prone areas are already getting a workout these past few weeks, ditto for wildfire-prone areas, flooding season is just around the corner, and of course there will be winter weather to deal with in a few months...are your preps ready to deal with whatever life might throw at you?
• Make some extra money to bulk up your emergency fund.  Mowing lawns and landscaping, helping people move, hauling...there are many things you can easily do during the summer to make some extra cash to add to your emergency fund.
• Get your car ready for winter.  Tire sales are a thing at this time of year, do you need tire chains for the new car?, cleaning your car is easier and more enjoyable in the summer than in the dead of winter...you get the idea.
• Go shooting.  The long days of summer will give you plenty of time after work to hit the range for a bit of practice.
• Garden, glean, and put some food by.  Those are old fashioned terms for sure but instead of relying on your local grocery store for every bit of food in your house, go for a bit of self sufficiency and do some late-season gardening, glean a farmer's field if that is an option, and practice your canning/freezing/smoking/jam making/etc skills.

Gearing Up for Summer: 10 Goals

In no particular order...

1. Put an emergency fund together.  $1000 is good, $2000 is better.  In cash.  Part at home, part in the bank.  Summer is a great time to hold a garage sale, pick up some yard work gigs, and otherwise cobble together a small emergency fund for a future crisis.
2. Go camping.  Multiple times if possible.  And no, you don't need the latest (and very expensive) ultralight gear.  If all you can manage is throwing a tarp from the $1 store and some blankets from your bed into the car and heading out to the mountains, do it.  Go out and sleep in the forest.
3. Make a "to do" list of home fixes that need to be done and attack the list with a vengeance.  It's easier to do these things in the summer and when the winter winds begin to howl, you will thank yourself for your foresight.
4. Learn about food.  Most people only know how to acquire food from the local take-out joint or, in an emergency, from a grocery store.  This summer grow some food, forage for food, go fishing or to a farmers market and, most importantly, practice preserving this food for winter.  These are good skills to have.
5. Exercise.  If you are fat and out of shape (like a full two thirds of the US population) take advantage of the warm weather to get out and move.  You don't need to join a gym or take a P90X class, simply put on some shoes and go walk, drop down and do a few push ups, balance on a log, etc.  Use your environment for some no-cost exercise opportunities.
6. Play with the kids (or grandkids) sans electronics.  Take a walk, build a fort, have a bonfire in the evening, etc.  There are plenty of free things to do with the kids that only require your attention.  Be sure to make these activities 'no electronics' time as well.
7. Set--and reach--a goal.  Take a tactical shooting class, grow a garden, learn reloading via YouTube, knit a sweater, join the local Search and Rescue organization...basically pick something you've always wanted to do and go do it.
8. Hammer away on your employment situation.  Set up some side gigs, start a small business, refine your resume, ask for a raise, etc.  Most people kick back on the employment front when warm weather hits, but you can use this time to break away from ordinary and move towards extraordinary during the course of a summer.
9. Make your home bomb-proof.  Do a project or two that you have been thinking about which will improve the safety and security of your home.  Install a security system, reinforce your doors and locks, build a hidden safe, organize your stockpiles, etc.
10. Do something for the future.  Instant gratification is quite the thing these days but there is something to be said for planting pumpkin seeds that will be ready for Halloween, plant a few trees to use for future Christmases, invest in the kid's college funds, etc.

Summer Plan: 100 Radical Experiences

Do you have a plan for your summer yet? If not, here's some ideas to get you started, most which relate to survival and preparedness, others which will allow you to look fear in the eye and wink.

1. Go sky diving.


2. Go bungie jumping.


3. Go camping.


4. Go on an extended backpacking trip (seven days or more).


5. Do an epic physical challenge (marathon, month plus bike trip, etc).


6. Get ripped (in three months you can make some major improvements to your health and fitness).


7. Can fruit and vegetables.


8. Go geocaching.


9. Get your HAM radio operator's license.


10. Spend the summer boating (everything from a canoe to a kayak to a sailboat).


11. Make pickles.


12. Make jam.


13. Buy a whole animal on the hoof and dress it out yourself.


14. Go fishing.


15. Learn to SCUBA dive.


16. Participate in a contest (this, for example).


17. Join your local Search and Rescue as a volunteer.


18. Volunteer to teach merit badge-related topics to your local Boy Scout troop.


19. Do some home repairs yourself instead of hiring it done.


20. Empty out your BOB and replenish/update it.


21. Install a stellar security system in your home.


22. Join your local shooting range and actually participate (maintenance projects, shooting leagues, etc).


23. Become an "Extreme Couponer" and stock up your year's supply of food on the cheap.


24. Travel to a foreign country.


25. Apply for a passport.


26. Take the family on a road trip.


27. Write that book you have always been meaning to write.


28. Take a summer intensive foreign language course (or any other course you are interested in).


29. Get lost in the woods and find your way out with a map and compass.


30. Spend the day in the city observing people. What do you see? Bonus points if you blog about your experience.


31. Have the mother of all garage sales and use the proceeds to bulk up your emergency fund.


32. Check out a bundle of survival/preparedness-related books from the library and spend your lazy summer days reading up on these important topics.


33. Learn a new skill (how to ride a motorcycle, how to trap an animal, how to paint, etc).


34. Get all of your paperwork in order: update your Will, check your insurance coverages, update your home inventory, etc.


35. Do a "no spend" week...or month (in which you don't spend a single penny for the duration).


36. Go to garage sales and swap meets and learn how to haggle.


37. Barter for something.


38. Make a piece of furniture by hand.


39. Sew a complete outfit.


40. Raise a garden (or even just a few items on your windowsill).


41. Spend an entire day with each family member (a good bonding opportunity).


42. Get ready for hunting season.


43. Swim outside (lake, river, ocean. Be careful!).


44. Learn how to smoke meat and fish (you can even make your own smoker).


45. Cook all of your meals outside for the day (if you want to get fancy you can rig up a pizza oven or bake something in a Dutch oven covered with coals).


46. Create an adventure for the family or your survival team (scavenger hunt, for example).


47. Try a series of unfamiliar ethnic restaurants.


48. Put together an emergency fund (at least six month's worth of expense money saved).


49. Plant a tree that will outlive you.


50. Start a side business.


51. Learn how to rock climb.


52. Go to an adult summer camp (like this, for example, or this).


53. Take a CPR/first aid course and become certified (or better yet, take an EMT course).


54. Improve a system(s) in your home (add solar power, change out your old hot water tank for an on-demand system, etc).


55. Cook every meal at home for a week and be creative (note, each person in the family should take on this challenge rotating weeks so everyone learns this important skill).


56. Go to a casino and become proficient in all of the games.


57. Change your look completely--new haircut, new wardrobe, maybe some hair dye, etc.


58. Try something completely insane (ideas here. Disclaimer: we aren't responsible for your death or injury, proceed at your own risk).


59. Pick up a new hobby (golf, fly fishing, wood working, etc).


60. Go to a major summer event like Sturgis, Burning Man, or Maker Faire.


61. Watch a variety of TED presentations and become inspired.


62. Get a complete physical/check up and ensure you are in good health (or find out what issues you need to fix).


63. Challenge yourself to pay cash for everything for one month this summer, it will totally change your outlook on buying lots of random stuff.


64. Forage for food this summer (berries, mushrooms, shellfish, nuts, tree fruit, etc).


65. Put together a mastermind group (or survival team) and hold regular meetings.


66. Explore your state/local area. Pay attention to possible evacuation routes and potential bug out places.


67. Sign up for a fitness class (parkour or martial arts would be good options).


68. Walk the streams and trails of your county (there's probably lots more than you ever knew about).


69. Go through all of your outdoor gear and make any needed repairs/replacement of items.


70. Go to a HAM fest.


71. Join your local Volksmarch group or hiking group (it's good exercise, good motivation, and you will learn a lot about your local area).


72. Become a certified lifeguard.


73. Get a tattoo or a piercing.


74. Spend a weekend living with no electricity in your home.


75. Take a week-long digital sabbatical (no email, no FaceBook, no internet, no TV, etc).


76. Learn how to fly a plane.


77. Build your kids a fort.


78. Go places that put you out of your element (example: biker bars for some, churches for others).


79. Join and participate in survival/preparedness-related forums.


80. Raise an animal for food (everything from rabbits to chickens to pigs to cows).


81. Drive something bigger than the family mini van (a backhoe or semi truck for example).


82. Develop a solid retirement plan.


83. Set a big financial goal and reach it (everything from paying off a debt to having X amount of money in savings by the end of summer).


84. Do the 100-100-100 challenge (100 sit ups, 100 push ups, 100 squat thrusts).


85. Quit a vice (smoking, drinking excessively, etc).


86. Play in a poker tournament.


87. Register to vote.


88. Participate in the political process (everything from sitting in on a city council meeting to see how local politics works to volunteering for a national campaign).


89. Practice your tactical and off-road driving skills.


90. Chop and dry all of your firewood for the next winter season.


91. Go streaking or skinny dipping.


92. Talk yourself into a place that the average person would not be able to access.


93. Do a food challenge a la Man vs Food.


94. Make an entire weekend's worth of meals only from food your have foraged/hunted yourself.


95. Make your own beer, wine, or whiskey.


96. Give a speech in front of a large group of people.


97. Create a panic room in your home.


98. Find out what "they" know about you. Get your credit reports and your FBI file.


99. Mentor someone (this doesn't have to be career-related, you can teach someone how to be better prepared for disaster or for life).


100. Create your own radical challenge for the summer (the list is endless--it could be a blog challenge, a swim with the sharks or ride in a MiG challenge, a "let's sneak into Cuba challenge", or any other off-the-wall feat you can dream up).

Are You Ready for Summer? 25 Things to Do

Summer is an excellent time to kick your preppin' into high gear. Here's 25 things to do:

1. Plan a weekend camping trip with the family...taking only your BOBs.
2. Introduce the family to--or just help them brush up on--their shooting skills at the local range.
3. Check out your community for survival-related events (outdoor show, fishing derby, HAM fest, free first aid classes, summer swim program, etc).
4. Spend the weekend doing low-cost, preparedness related activities with the family. Make a bow and arrow or trap for small animals, sleep outside in the back yard, have a bonfire and make Smores, practice navigating with a GPS device or map and compass, etc.
5. Have a garage sale. This will allow you to clean out your preps and rotate stock, get rid of stuff you don't need any more, and make some cash.
6. Exercise! Do a community fun run, ride your bike, hike in the woods, etc.
7. Dump out, restock, and update your BOB.
8. Procure your own food--go to a u pick farm, grow your own garden, pick wild berries, go fishing, etc.
9. Practice using the public transportation system in your area.
10. Travel overseas.
11. Learn something new. Go kayaking if you have never done so, learn how to use a HAM radio and get licensed, bake bread, etc.
12. Get your home in order--service the furnace, clean the chimney, update your landscaping, ensure the roof is still in good condition, paint if needed, clean off the deck, etc.
13. Start eating better. Change your diet to include lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, and whole grains.
14. Earn some extra money. Start a summer lawn mowing business, put an ad on Craigslist where you offer your services to help people move, develop an online business, etc.
15. Do a home inventory complete with video.
16. Hold a drill--fire drill, lock down drill, communications drill, etc.
17. Try bartering.
18. Get out of debt. Make this the summer where you work four jobs if needed and spend the absolute minimum in order to throw every extra penny at your debts.
19. Minimize your possessions. The less stuff you have, the less you need to clean/maintain/insure/etc.
20. Build family/neighborhood unity. Do projects together, hold a neighborhood barbecue, put together a CERT (community emergency response team) or Map Your Neighborhood group.
21. Make sure your car is in excellent working order: tune up the engine, get the oil changed, check all of the fluids, replace the tires if necessary, check the car BOB, etc.
22. If your kids are bored this summer, create your own "merit badge" program. Here's a list of Boy Scout Merit Badges for ideas.
23. Set a big goal...and achieve it. Maybe a two week backpacking trip, a shooting competition, a business goal, or a "test yourself" goal like bungee jumping or doing something else that tests your mettle.
24. Start prepping now for the fall: do you have enough fire wood? Do you need so many Christmas presents that starting now to put some aside every few weeks would make sense? Will your kids head off to college in the fall? Get ready now for big events that you know will be coming up later in the year.
25. Enjoy doing nothing occasionally. Sit out in the sun, go fishing, take walks, hang out at the beach or at the mountains, etc.

Summertime and the Preparin' Is Easy

It's summer here in the northern latitudes which means it is a most excellent time to get your preparedness efforts into full swing.

• Clean out, reorganize and perform all maintenance on your home
• Clean out the garage, outbuildings and storage areas
• Rotate your stored food and water
• Thoroughly check all of your preparedness supplies (air out the tents, check the batteries in all electronic goods, maintain the generator/camp stove/barbecue, etc)
• Go on a week-long backpacking trip and brush up on your survival skills
• Exercise outside
• Clean out, reorganize and maintain your BOV (bug out vehicle)
• Enjoy summer activities: boating, hiking, fishing, biking, etc