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The fields and ditches are filled with goldenrod and other weedy plants that the bees thrive on.

Homestead Update and Survival Thoughts

Despite solar power deficits and excessively warm weather, the escalating geopolitical friction proves why self-reliant rural living beats blue city decay.
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.
These are the ten boxes of honey we pulled from the hives. You can see the fresh white wax on many of the frames.

Phase Two of our 2026 Honey Harvest Will Be our Largest...

The honey is rolling into the homestead! As we prepare for our largest harvest yet, we take our new extractor for a spin.
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.
Fog engulfs the mountains. When not in a drought, the Appalachians can be a temperate rain forest.

Our Drought is Suddenly Over—For Now

How the weather in your retreat can affect your long-term survival and why first-hand, boots-on-the-ground experience matters.
If you look closely, on the right, you can see where the comb broke apart when I lifted another super off this hive, exposing the honey. The light, white wax is newly drawn comb.

Beekeeping and Water Woes: Thriving Through the Drought

The lack of rain is affecting humans, honeybees, and plants, but some relief may lie on the horizon, at least in the Appalachians.
Is this a prepper or a survivalist? He could be both.

A Survivalist’s Look at the Issues of the Day

Are you a prepper or a survivalist? From the Iran blockade to Hanta virus risks, sometimes your mindset matters more than your gear.
Most of the country is in some stage of drought as a super El Niño readies to influence our weather

Drought, the Super El Niño, and Other Weather Threats

A forecast that is too hot and too dry threatens to exacerbate day-to-day problems and make the summer of 2026 a difficult one.
The beans go straight into the Mylar bags, but I vacuum sealed the pasta into smaller bags before sealing into Mylar bags and buckets.

We Prepped this Weekend – Back to Basics

We may be knee-deep in snow, but we've got plenty of food! Pete details how he added more food to his long-term storage.
Ah, the whimsical nature of AI combining snow falling in the mountains with the price of gold. The dog looks quite a bit like mine.

Frozen Pipes and Falling Silver: A Week of Winter Reality

When the temperature hits 2°F, even off-grid systems fail. That's why we were glad to have backups for our backups.