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There's a storm brewing on the horizon.

Saturday Night Hurricane Update

So far, Hurricane Isaias has taken it easy on us. It's too early to celebrate as Sunday promises more rain and high winds with rain continuing well into Monday.
Scenes like this are common along the rivers and creeks that flooded during Hurricane Helene.

Two Years After Helene: An Honest Assessment

Two years after Hurricane Helene, here is an unvarnished look at what worked, what failed, and the brutal reality of our mountain survival preps.
The mountain ridge furthest back with the heaviest fog is where we live. I took this photo earlier this week--no AI enhancements. The ragged trees on the left are what is left two years after Hurricane Helene.

Failures, Repairs, and Preventative Measures: A Homestead Update

There are downsides to homestead life, but we manage them, do preventive maintenance, and prep to mitigate the downsides.
Working on a homestead is hot work in the summer. Its even worse when the AC is out or the grid is down.

No HVAC–It’s Like a Grid-Down Training Scenario

A lack of air conditioning tests us and resiliency. We consider a mini-split, plus an update on our new chickens and the queen bees.
Young, recently mated queens in a queen cages with their attendents. These cages go into the hive and the bees chew their way out through shiny blob to join the hive.

Dealing with the Heat Dome and Weak Queens

A fellow beekeeper raises her own queens and has extra mated queens. She asked me if I needed any. Since I had two under-performing...
Being the one house on the block with solar power can make you a refuge, or a target.

Surviving the 23% Surge in Electricity Prices

In the last year, 39 states saw the cost of electricity rise faster than inflation. Here on the homestead, our solar panels generate financial returns as well as power.
Candles should be your last choice for lighting during a power outage. Headlamps are brighter, hands fee, and won't sent things on fire.

The War Means Blackouts in Cuba, not the U.S.

Don't get caught in the dark like the Cubans. Learn a layered prepping approach to surviving long-term power outages.
Using mylar bags and oxygen absorbers inside a 5-gallon pail is one of the most effective ways to preserve dried foods for the long run.

Sun, Firewood, Rice and the Declining Dollar

What do you need more, $100 in your pocket or 200 meals of 580 calories? Pete looks at the math behind do-it-yourself food storage.
A new stack of firewood poles that need to be cut and split into next year's firewood. The Polaris contains a load of firewood that will last us two days during these very cold days but three or more when is is above freezing during the day.

Hardening the Body for Winter Weather

From "hardening" our body to managing LiFePO4 battery limits, how we adapt our homestead for the polar vortexes.
This is the kind of weather we have been experiencing, and we don't generate much solar power when its snowing or cloudy.

Temperature Swings and Power Failures

The homestead faces a winter reality check as December leaves just like it came in: with a blast of snow and bitter cold.
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