Bush crafting 101
The more you know the less you need
Being outdoor enthusiasts, hubby and I went into prepping gear sales a few years ago. We mostly sold our wares at gun and knife shows and other exhibitions so we had no brick and mortar building to support. Our inventory consisted of “get-you-home” bags full of survival gear for keeping a stranded driver alive during a mean Yooper winter, camping type equipment and other great products. My favorite part of the business was the introduction of freeze dried foods with a 25 year shelf life to the folks of the U.P. Sadly, only few avid hunters were interested and thought it was great idea for hunting camp but for most of people we encountered they simply weren’t into prepping yet so sales were dismull and sparse. Eventually we gave up the business because even just selling at these venues, it was costing us more to maintain an inventory and continue selling our stuff than we brought in. Seems we were too early to the preparedness party, people were just not interested.
I heard it said once that if there is a smidgeon of hope people simply won’t prepare. Which is proving to be true. Plus the TV show “Doomsday Prepper” was making anyone who planned for the future look like idiots.
There was one memorable moment in our selling preparedness career that has been seared into my brain forever. Back in 2005, we were thrilled to have snagged a spot at a very prestigious lawn and garden show. This was one of those shows that the community awaited for every spring after having suffered through cabin fever for 7 or 8 months of a U.P. winter. The smell of people chomping at the bit to get outdoors was in the air. An April show of the magnitude is a great opportunity for venders to see lots green changing hands and generate future business.
This was our first time at this lawn and garden trade show, it cost quite a bit to get a spot and spots were limited, so we prepared an extra special display of our preparedness and camping gear. I went all out with a crockpot on a table cooking up our freeze dried meals hoping to sop up some big cash that was floating around in the pockets of potential customers. This time we chose broccoli/ cheese soup, one of the best ever! It was a thick, creamy, easy to make, definitely a comfort food. A curiously delicious aroma from the simmering crockpot hung in the air by the time the doors were opened for the arriving customers. The mouth watering fragrance grabbed folks by the nostrils and led them to our station for a taste. We gave away many, many samples to the taste testers that day.
One well dressed older lady with shiny bling around her neck, ears, and wrists floods my memory with such privileged audacity that I will never forget. I also remember being unable to speak momentarily because of it so hubby stepped in with his two cents worth. The exchange went something like this;
Lady— “That stuff is all well and good, but I have an electric stove. If the power goes out how do you expect me to cook that stuff?”
I was standing at the crockpot handing out samples when she spouted off. Standing there with my mouth open hubby comes up from somewhere in the back of the booth.
Hubby—”If you’re hungry enough, what cha do is go into the kitchen. If you have wood chairs, you grab ‘em and take ’em out to the back yard and bust ’em up. Now you can start a fire to cook “That Stuff.” He looked at me and whispered, “I hate stupid!.”
OMG, was she insulted! It was so funny. She turned on her heel and said something inaudible as she marched off. Her and the lady that was with her never even tasted what we had to offer. Needless to say, this was the show that ended our career at selling preparedness to Yoopers. We lost our shirt on this one. Didn’t sell a thing!! We gave ‘er up.
This got me to thinking. How many people can actually start a fire? It is not as easy as one might think. Most Americans have never had the need to start a life saving fire in real world outdoor conditions.
I published a book in 2015 with fire starting information plus a mega ton of other know-how information in it. Turned out to be one of the worst ventures of my life.(Although, I did get a call from a lady from New York. She was a producer for the series on the history channel called “Alone.” It was a series where they dropped survivalists off in some remote location and they had to out last everyone else and be the one that survived the wilderness the longest. The last standing contestant won $50,000, or something like that. She wanted me to audition. They ended up not taking my application due to my age.) The information in this book is right on, it’s me and my life, but it turned out more like grandmothers journal in it’s format. I have had tons of self publishing companies everyday calling me and offering a deal on fixing it for lots of $$$. I figure I’ll let it die a slow death on Amazon. (If that got your curiosity bristled, you can sneak a peek on Amazon. “How to Survive and Thrive When the Power is Out” by J.L.Noakes. Amazon lets you read a few pages to see what it is all about for free.) But I digress. . .
Back to what I was saying, the most important thing people need right now is to learn how to start and maintain a fire when the moment arises. Do you have matches or a lighter handy? How about flint and steel? Do you know how to start a fire when it is cold and damp? Cold and damp can kill you without a fire out in the wild. What would you do if you were stranded somewhere? Maybe the kids are with you.
Ok, let’s tackle this one. You are stuck in a snow drift and night is falling. Everyone else that you had seen on the road has now gone home and snuggled in their warm homes for the night, what do you do? The winter storm has knocked out your cell signal.
I hope you thought to carry a winter emergency bag in your car at all times for just such an occasion. How about a knife? You got a knife, right? Yes, always carry a knife!
Practice, practice, practice, fire making skills Clay shows you how.
How much sooner could these two have been rescued if they had known how to build a fire. How much warmer these two would have been if they had known how to start a fire. It is still in the 20’s and 30’s at night. There is an annual April ritual between Lake Superior vying for her springtime position against hardcore and grumpy Old Man Winter they should have researched. You sincerely put yourself in peril when you get between these opposing forces at that time of year.
How much less scary their nights would have been also, without a bear sitting on the hood of the vehicle. Wild animals have a tendency to steer clear of fire. There have been times in the northern counties hunters have seen feral pigs roaming the woods. Those beasts would most certainly been hungry and vicious. Personally, I would rather face off with a bear than a pig that has been running wild and survived a U.P. winter.
After 13 days and nights in a survival situation a helicopter flying around looking for them saw a flash of the sun shining on their windshield. The smartest thing these ladies did was they had left word with relatives where they were going before they left home. Mr. helicopter pilot called in what he suspected to be a car in the woods and the ladies were rescued. A true story with a happy ending.
The more you know the less you need.
These two needed a lot. They were damn awful lucky!
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