In a bug-out situation or in many cases when off the grid, you won’t have all the amenities you’d normally have. But even without an oven or microwave there are plenty of things you can eat, and bread is no exception.

This recipe is one of my favorites when I’m out in the bush. It’s simple to make, delicious and doesn’t require an oven — just a pan, a flat rock, or even a stick, and a heat source. This versatile, oven-less bread is what the Scottish call Bannock. Here’s a video on how it’s done (using the pan method):

How to Make Bannock Video

Here’s a video I made on how to make bannock (Here’s the link for my email subscribers: bannock):

How to Make Bannock Instructions

	Step 1: Mix dry ingredients listed in one of the recipes below. This can be stored in a plastic or mylar bag until you need it.
	Step 2: Add water until you reach the consistency somewhere between pancake batter and pizza dough. At this point you can also optionally add any other ingredients you see fit (ie raisins, nuts, sausage etc).
	Step 3: Flatten dough onto a pan until it’s about a half an inch thick.
	Step 4: Cook on a greased pan (or non-stick cast iron pan) until medium brown underneath, flip over, cook, and repeat. Each side takes about 8-10 minutes depending on the heat of the heat source.

Recipe

Just as there are multiple ways of making bannock, there are equally multiple recipes and variations. Here are my two favorites:

Recipe 1 (breakfast bread) for Single Serving

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup powdered milk
• 1/3 cup powdered egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Mix all together and store in a plastic or mylar bag. Pack away in your bug-out bag or just take it with you when you’re camping!

Recipe 2 (dinner bread) for Single Serving

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons powdered milk
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Same as other recipe; mix all together and store in a plastic or mylar bag. Add water and cook over a fire!

If you have an hour and fifteen minutes to spare, I would highly recommend you watching this next video. He does an excellent job at encapsulating exactly how we got into the economic state we are in as well as the problems we are facing in the near future:

Even though I felt the movie was a bit simplistic and over the top, it was entertaining and thought provoking. As far as I’m concerned, I feel hyperinflation is a definite possibility, although we’re not completely there yet.

It all depends on how long the dollar can remain as the world-reserve currency. That and the fact that since credit is decreasing, it will have a deflationary effect on the economy — but again only for so long.

So check it out and let me know what you think:

It’s amazing that after many hours of doing the interview and taking video it gets cut down to under 2 minutes! Although I’m not quite sure how I feel about the title, I thought it came across well and didn’t make me out to look like some wacko (although I admit I am a bit strange  ).

Invented by Dr. Larry Winiarski, the rocket stove is a highly-efficient cooking stove that requires very little wood to cook an entire meal.

Due to its design that allows for complete combustion, with just a few twigs and sticks you can maintain a hot burning fire that’s super clean and produces practically no smoke.

Since I wanted to test it out myself, I decided to put together a video review of the stove. My results? I was able to boil 72 oz of water in 15 minutes outside in 29 degrees with just a few sticks! I was pretty impressed…check it out:

If you’re interested in purchasing a rocket stove for yourself, I worked out a deal with the manufacturer so that readers of this site will get a 5% discount. To qualify for this discount, enter the promo code tact-intel-summ10 during the checkout process. You can order here: StoveTec Rocket Stove

If you do end up ordering one, I’d love to hear your experience with it. So feel free to leave a comment!

This is the first in a series of posts/videos dedicated to wild edible and medicinal plants. Each season I will be covering some of the most easily identified and useful plants that you can use for food and medicine.

Disclaimer: Eating certain wild plants can be deadly!!

Be certain to consult a professional (or a really good field guide) in order to positively identify this plant before trying this for yourself. The owners of this site will not be held responsible for any lapses in judgment or stupidity when handling or consuming wild plants.

One of my all-time favorite drinks for the late summer and early fall is Sumac Lemonade. It is made from a plant that is widely distributed throughout most of North America and easily identified. This juice is made from either the staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) or smooth sumac (Rhus glabra).

Here’s how you can make it:

Step 1: Positively Identify Staghorn or Smooth Sumac

For this step, it’s always best to consult a good field guide or someone who has experience identifying this plant. In general though, here are the four key items to look for in order to positively identify staghorn and smooth sumac:

1. Compound Toothed Leaves: Both species have pinnately compound leaves with serrated edges.
2. Unique Stems and Twigs: Staghorn sumac has velvet (hairy) twigs and smooth sumac has no hair but instead a fine white powder that is easily removed when touched.
   

   Staghorn

   Smooth

3. Red Fruit Clusters: Since poison sumac has white berries (green early in the season), if you see the red one’s you’re safe. See the following pictures of the two varieties.
   

   Staghorn Fruit

   Smooth Sumac Fruit

4. Milky Sap: Both varieties exude a milky sap when broken

Just to see the contrast, here’s a picture of poison sumac fruit cluster and leaves (notice they are smooth and not serrated). Stay away from this plant:

Step 2: Collect Fruit Clusters

The strength of the fruit clusters is highly dependent upon the season it’s collected. Ideally, you’ll want to collect them in the mid to late-summer / early-fall time. While you can collect them in the winter, you’ll just need to gather more. It’s best not to gather them right after a heavy rain, since most of the fruit’s tasty acids will have been leached out by then. I usually grab a few of the berries, put them in my mouth and taste them. If they are nice and sour, they’ll make an excellent juice.

For a half-gallon of juice, I typically gather enough fruit clusters to fit in a ¼ to ½ gallon container.

Step 3: Soak the Fruit Clusters in Water for 10 to 15 Minutes

For this step it’s very important you use cold water and not hot water. Hot water will leach out the tannins and you’ll be left with a bitter medicine and not a tasty refreshing drink. Just grab a big bowl of cold water, throw the berries in there, crush them with your hands and let them sit for a good 10 to 15 minutes.

After letting them soak for that time, what you can do is filter out a small amount in a glass cup. You should be left with a liquid that looks anywhere between pink lemonade and cranberry juice. Of course the best test is the taste test. Give it a quick taste, if it’s too mild let it soak a bit longer (or get more berries), if it’s too strong, you can always dilute it a bit with some more water.

Note: If you are making a small amount of the drink, another option is to place as many heads as possible in a clean tube sock, let it soak in the container until the desired strength is achieved, pull out the sock and then you’re done! (You can skip the next step)

Step 4: Filter out the Berries and Twigs

For the final step, I’ll first filter out as much of the twigs and berries as I can with my hands. After that just grab some cheesecloth, or an old t-shirt (make sure it’s clean), or even some sturdy paper towels (Bounty) and place it over the container you will end up storing it in and filter out the rest of the stuff. It’s as simple as that! If you’re out in the bush you can always make a improvised filter using a big handful of fresh long grass (not grass from someone’s lawn).

You can now optionally add sugar or honey to taste or drink it as is (I prefer it this way). What you’re left with is a delicious and healthy drink.

Nutritional and Medicinal Properties of Sumac

Not only is sumac juice loaded with Vitamin C but the rest of the plant has amazing medicinal properties. Here’s just some of them:

Leaf infusion (tea from the leaves) helps with:

• asthma
• diarrhea
• dysentery

Inner-bark and root-bark decoction (boiling) helps with:

• astringent (contracts tissue like hydrogen peroxide)
• diarrhea
• dysentery
• fever

Video Instructions

Even if running your engine is an option, you may need to conserve fuel for the return trip. Also, carbon monoxide can build up inside a standing vehicle while the engine is running, even if the exhaust pipe is clear. In this article, I will be demonstrating how you can make your own survival heater for your car that is cheap, safe to use, and easy to construct.

What You’ll Need

• A small empty metal can: You want this to be slightly taller but thinner than a standard roll of toilet paper. My can of choice is an unused 1 quart aluminum paint can found in most hardware stores. You can also use an empty food can that fits this description.
• A larger metal can that can easily accommodate the first one: I use a 1 gallon unused paint can (again found in most hardware stores). Another option is a coffee can, metal bucket and so on.
• Some type of lid that can be placed over the larger can: I also like to get a lid for the smaller can for which I will explain later.
• Toilet paper (unscented)
• Six bottles of 70 to 91% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol)
• Matches or some other fire starter

How to Put it All Together

1. Prepare the toilet paper: The first step is to take out the central cardboard tube from the toilet paper roll, leaving only the paper behind.
2. Squeeze the paper into the smaller can: Next you’ll want to squeeze and roll the paper into the smaller can. If the can is so small that a full-size paper roll has no chance of fitting inside it, then you can remove some of the external sheets (just like you would if you were going to the bathroom) until it does squeeze into the can. It’s important that it fills up the entire volume of the can.
3. Add the fuel: If you are now ready to use it, simply add the alcohol until the toilet roll inside the can is completely saturated. One of the benefits of using a 1 quart unused paint can is that you can store the stove with the fuel already added by placing the air-tight lid over the can. This saves space and allows you to have more fuel available. The lid can also be used to control the output of the flame which I will explain below.
4. Place the smaller can into the larger one and position it in your car: The larger can provides an insulating barrier and some protection for passengers and your car. You’ll also want to position it in a place that’s far enough from anything combustible. Use the palm check. Put the back of your hand against the surface you’re worried about and if you can’t keep your hand there without burning it then it’s either to close or you’ll need to adjust the flame.
5. Light the stove: First, open the window just a crack to provide some airflow and then carefully place a match (or throw some sparks using a firesteel) onto the saturated toilet paper and viola! you’ve got yourself a burning stove. Use caution in lighting as it will combust very quickly. It’s best to partially cover the smaller can with a lid to decrease the size of combustion (you can always increase it later (see next section).

Controlling the Burn Rate

You may notice if you follow the steps above, that a pretty sizable flame results from having the smaller can’s opening completely exposed. While this is fine if you want to warm up faster, it does tend to go through the fuel fairly quickly and is not so efficient. A better way is to partially cover the smaller can with a lid. Or if you used a 1 quart paint can, you can make a small hole (about the size of a quarter) in the lid it comes with and place that on top of the can. Both of these methods control the burn rate and allow the stove to provide a constant heat.

Another option is instead of completely saturating the toilet roll (as indicated in step 3 above) you can pour just a few ounces of alcohol on the paper and regularly add more as it burns out. This will also control the size of the flame and conserve fuel. I prefer to use the lid method over this one since you don’t have to regularly add alcohol (it’s nice to sleep for a stretch of time and not have to regularly add fuel).

A Word on Carbon Monoxide

I’m sure by now many of you are thinking, “What about the dangers of carbon monoxide?”

Carbon monoxide is produced from the partial oxidation of carbon-containing compounds. “Partial oxidation” is just a big word for what happens when combustion (fire) takes place in an area where there isn’t much oxygen. This is most apparent when one operates a generator inside a home or if their wood stove is improperly vented.

In the case of this alcohol stove, while there is risk of carbon monoxide emissions (rubbing alcohol contains carbon: C3H7OH) the risk is very minimal. Opening your window slightly should provide sufficient oxygen for a clean burn.

If you still are concerned about it, I would recommend purchasing a battery-operated carbon monoxide alarm and turning it on (putting in the batteries) when running the stove. This will provide you ample warning should there be an issue.

Video Instructions

You can also watch the full instructions via Youtube: