The Pickled Prepper

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Politics

Here We Go Again: Protests, Rocks and Fireworks

Those looking for an excuse to protest and riot found one when ICE tried to arrest illegal aliens. Are we going to see another summer of riots and unrest?
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Pete's Blog Posts

A ground war in Europe will be brutal if it expands beyond Ukraine.

Russia’s War in Ukraine Intensifies

Russia is pushing forward on the ground while Ukraine continues to strike key targets deeper inside Russia than ever before. Meanwhile, most Americans don't care.
Dried goods for your prepper pantry. Photo by Aaron Doucett on Unsplash.

How Prepared are you? Assessing your Progress

If you have been prepping for a while, it may be time to pause, take stock of your progress and decide where to focus next. We show you our approach.
All three hives pictured have double deep hive bodies. The hive on the right has four medium suppers and the hive in the center has three. The smaller hive was split off one of these hives because it was growing too fast. You might think it was split from the center hive, but it is the progeny of the larger hive. This queen is just a superstar when it comes to producing bees and honey.

Bees Thrive as Interesting Weather Patterns Hits the Homestead

We've had unusual weather this year, but it seems to be benefitting both the trees and our honeybees. We expect a record honey harvest.
Footage from a video showing burning bombers at a Russian airbase after a Ukrainian drone attack.

Did Ukraine Just Cross the Red Line?

Will the devastating Ukrainian attack on Russia's strategic bombers brin peace closer, or lead to an escalation?
Solar power and a location int he middle of nowhere are a good combination for preppers.

Solar Power is not the Perfect Solution

Solar power is a good option for preppers, but it is expensive and has some drawbacks. Pete reviews a big one.
When covered with a lockable lid or roof, this enclosure will be the bunker where we store our gasoline cans, spare kerosene, and pesticides we don't want in the house.

Bunkers, Bees and Firewood, a Homestead Update

Work on our many homestead projects progresses, despite somewhat whacky weather.
coronavirus visualization

Is COVID Bouncing Back? New Chinese Variant Reaches U.S.

COVID-19 Varian NB1.8.1, which is responsible for a spike in Chinese cases, has reached our shores, although there have been very few cases to date.
The so-called Big Beautiful Bill passed the House after intense negotiation and is headed to the Senate.

What Does the Big Beautiful Bill Mean for Preppers?

Trump's so-called Big Beautiful Bill passes the house, putting more money in many of our pockets. But is it good or bad for preppers?
If you live in a developed area and have limited supplies, bugging out may be the way to go.

Bugging Out versus Bugging In

Is it better to bug in or stay mobile after the SHTF? Pete discusses two perspectives and gives criteria to make your own decision.
Are you prepared to protect your neighborhood or your homestead after a disaster?

What are You Prepping For?

What are you prepping for? There's a long list of natural and man-made disasters and a longer list of preps.
The bed on our Polaris Ranger now has a wooden rail system around it to better hold in firewood and other loads.

Outfitting the Polaris for New Adventures

Pete upgrades his side-by-side and equips it for medical and other emergencies.
Almost three times as many of my saved items on Amazon increased in price rather than dropped. Is this a sign of tariffs and things to come or just the algorithm?

Do Rising Prices on Amazon Show Tariff Impact?

Almost three times as many of my saved items on Amazon increased in price rather than dropped. Is this a sign of tariffs and things to come?
Things seemed pretty normal on the Interstate, with plenty of trucks and recreational vehicles.

Things Look Normal Over Lengthy Road Trip

Pete takes a look at America from the Interstate, rest stops, and gas stations and finds things look pretty normal, with no fear or panic.
These are three of the items Pete picked up to add to his bug out bags, caches, and vehicle emergency supplies.

Reviewing Recent Purchases and Preps

Pete's last minute shopping to beat the tariff and de minimis deadlines proved to be mostly positive with a few losers.
Our new Polaris Ranger climbed the mountain with ease.

The New Polaris Ranger Arrives on the Homestead

Pete tests put his new Polaris Ranger out on the homestead and compares the 2025 version to a 2017 model he had been driving.
The boat that I row may take many forms, not all of them nautical.

Rowing Your Way to Financial Freedom

Do you own stuff, or owe money on stuff? The former will help you be financially free while the latter will keep you tied down. Lear how to break free.
Monday's power outage in Spain and Portugal also knocked out internet and cell phone communication.

Prepper Lessons from the Spanish Grid Failure

Monday's power outage in Spain and Portugal was the biggest grid-down even in the modern cell phone and digital communications era.
The nuc (left) arrives in a temporary beehive. The beekeepers lifts out the frames and adds them to an empty beehive. This larger hive body gives the queen more room to lay eggs and the bees room to put nectar and pollen,

From Four Beehives to Ten in a Month

The bees are overflowing! Time to create some more splits to prevent swarming. I also add a nuc to bolster my bee's genetics.
Pakistan and India have come to blow over Kashmir int he past. It looks like they may do so again.

The Threat of War Between India and Pakistan Spikes

The threat of “all-out-war” between India and Pakistan, both nuclear powers, is surging after an attack on Indian tourists in Kashmir.
Pete is inching closer to buying his own UTV.

The Trials and Tribulations of Trying to Buy a Side-by-Side

Pete's hopes of finding a used side-by-side after Hurricane Helene turned out to be a miscalculation. Buyers are hanging on to them.
Pete was able to buy six of these for less than $12. Once the new rules for small shipments from China go into effect on May 2, they will probably cost $12 each.

Is this the Death Knell from Temu and Shein?

Trump's tariffs and de minimis shipping changes are destroying Chinese business that ship direct to the U.S. consumer. Stock up before it is too late.
Food from my old bug out bag.

Meal Planning for Bugout Bags

One of the toughest things about bugging out on foot is to make sure you don't run out of food before you get there.
When the SHTF, do you have what you need to survive close at hand? An EDC day pack can increase your chances of getting home or to a safe location.

Planning and Considerations for Bugging Out

As the world grows more dangerous, you should have a bugout plan. If you already have one, it may be time to update it.
The angled foregrip mounted on this AR pistol has an integra; 1450 lumen flashlight.

Gun Fun on the Homestead

What good is the ability to step out of your back door and do some target practice if you don't occasionally take advantage of it?
I was given these two beehives by a beekeeper who was moving and couldn't take her bees with her.

Beekeeping Grows more Difficult in 2025

Commercial beekeepers have lost between 60 and 80 percent of their beehives in the past nine months, endangering the food supply.
Idle factories in China making textiles, sewing clothes, manufacturing electronics and machining parts for export are falling silent due to tariffs are the opening salvo in Trump's economic war against China.

Trump’s Opening Salvo in the War with China

Trump has set a Trap for China and Xi Jinping has fallen into it as the economic battle of the century commences.
You can see where the ford has washed away. We can still drive around the hole, but no one wants to be there when the side gives way any further.

Heavy Rains Damage our Temporary Repairs

Despite more damage from heavy rains, work on the homestead continues. If we are going to be stuck at home, we might as well get some chores done.
Buy electronics, clothing footwear, OTC meds, health and beauty aids and other imported goods so you can beat any cost increases driven by the tariffs.

How to Beat the Tariffs and Prep for Uncertainty

Whether or not tariffs last, there are things you can do to frontload your purchases and minimize the impact of tariffs on your life and your wallet.
President Trump signs executive orders in the White House.

Cutting the Cord – Everybody has to Grow Up

The world freaks out as Trump fulfills his promise to implement tariffs. Europe and China react negatively to having to grow up and pay their own way.
An old abandoned home like those we see in the Appalachians.

Hunger in the Appalachians

Hunger has been commonplace in the Appalachians for centuries. I ran into it first-hand the other day. Our future might hold more of it.
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