Welcome to the next article of my ‘Survivalism Meets Homesteading’ series where we will be tackling the essentials for every homesteader! Let’s quickly go over what I’ve covered so far. In my first article, Why Every Survivalist Should Be Homesteading, I talked about the importance of learning lifelong survival skills you and your family can use on your homestead. Essentials For Every Homesteader In my second article, Survivalism Meets Homesteading: The To-Do List, I covered the basics of homesteading to get you started. I covered different options for food, water, cleaning products, and clothing for rural and urban homesteaders. In my third article, Survivalism Meets Homesteading: Things To Consider Before Purchasing A Homestead, I covered things such as zoning ordinances, electricity, water, and road access among other things to be considered in the process of purchasing land. The next step most new homesteaders take, after purchasing land, is to make a solid list of every essential item they will need to make the next step of the process easier – creating their dream homestead lifestyle! This list of essentials will also include all you future urban homesteaders out there! Urban homesteading is a fast growing trend. Of course, you won’t be able to have cattle or a large crop but, there are other ways to make any home a great homestead. Let’s begin! Essentials For Every Homesteader Grab a notepad, a pen, and a comfortable seat! Here are some great essentials to consider to get your rural or urban homestead off to a great start! A Pickup If you do not have a pickup truck, it might be a good idea to purchase one. Pickups are extremely useful and well worth the investment. They are great for the bigger projects such as hauling large bags of feed, bales of hay, and any other large essential items needed for your homestead. This also goes for urban homesteaders as well. Granted, you may not need to haul feed or bales of hay but, you will discover over time that a pickup is much needed and appreciated. A Composter Composting is a great way to naturally fertilize your crops and other vegetable plants. If you are new to the world of composting check out my article, Composting For Beginners | The Building Blocks To A Better Harvest. And for all the urban homesteaders out there, check out my article, 10 Simple Tips Every Urban Homesteader Needs to See. Included in this article is a detailed instructional infographic to get you well on your way to urban style composting. Outdoor Clothing A rural homestead is a tough job, at times, due to the elements such as rain, mud, or snow. Investing in clothing items such as a pair of overalls or jeans, a durable pair of mud boots or hiking boots, a durable weather resistant coat, and a weather resistant hat, gloves, and scarf. Buying clothing that you won’t mind getting a little roughed up or dirty is a must on a homestead. Urban homesteaders could benefit from these clothing items as well. Homesteading is a rewarding experience but, at times, a messy one! Tools A homestead isn’t complete without tools! Over time you will realize the tools that you’ll need for all your homesteading needs but, here a good list to start off with: a hammer, nails, tape measure, a level, a shovel, a power drill, and an air compressor. This list goes for rural and urban homesteaders alike. Weather Radio | This must have essential, I believe, should be in EVERY home – especially the homesteaders who have chosen to live without access to internet or cable. When bad weather is on its way, it is so important to stay informed of what may be coming your way. Preparations for bad weather are crucial for every homesteader. Also, consider stocking up on extra batteries, just in case. First Aid This is must have knowledge for EVERY household. Rural homesteads are often times in a remote location far away from the nearest hospital. So, having a thorough first aid kit and knowledge is imperative! Check out our article, The Homesteader’s Guide to First Aid and CPR, for an in depth look into first aid for the homesteading lifestyle. Instructions in this must-read article include: How to build a first aid kit for your homestead Step by step first aid instructions on choking, poisoning, burns, bleeding wounds, sprains/strains, broken bones, heat stroke, snake bites, bug bites, nosebleeds, and CPR. For first aid care for someone who may be in a hypothermic state, check out my article, Surviving Hypothermia: What To Do Until Medical Help Arrives. Outside Structures This is an important part of rural homestead planning. Outside structures such as barns, sheds, and fencing all play a part in having a successful rural homestead. Whether you want to build these structures yourself or hire a contractor is the first decision to make. If you decide to build these structures yourself, you will save money. But, if you hire a contractor, you will save yourself time which will be valuable in the long run when it comes to planning other areas of your homestead. Give these options some serious thought so you know for certain that you’re making the right choice. Like I’ve said before, do not become stressed in the process. Building a homesteading lifestyle takes time. Sheds and structures such as a chicken coop (for example) will be essentials to consider for the urban homesteading lifestyle. Vegetable Crops and Gardens For rural homesteaders, you can plant a large vegetable crop or a vegetable garden – or both! Either way, make a list of the vegetables you wish to grow and be sure to map out your land accordingly. For urban homesteaders, check out my article, Container Gardening for Your Patio or Balcony. This a great read for those who live in an apartment, townhome, or those who have limited outside space. If you are new to gardening, check out my article, 12 Budget Friendly Must-Haves For Every Beginner Gardener, for the tools you’ll need to get you started. Livestock Options This is another important consideration for rural homesteaders. You don’t have to make an immediate decision. Take your time with this one. To make things easier here are some great articles to read to help the decision-making process go a little more smoothly. 10 Tips for Raising Healthy Cattle 9 Tips for Raising Healthy Pigs 16 Tips for Raising Goats A Beginner’s Guide to Raising Sheep Hen Pecked: An In-Depth Interview On Raising Chickens (backyard chickens is a great option for urban homesteaders) How to Raise Quail for Eggs and Meat (great option for urban homesteaders) Raising Rabbits (great option for urban homesteaders) In closing, I would like to take a moment to congratulate our readers if you have recently started a homestead. It’s such a rewarding part of life and something we can teach future generations to appreciate. We are here to get you through every single step in the process of building a homestead. CopingWithTheTimes shows us essential tools every homesteader should have: My whole purpose behind this series is to teach sustainable living as a survival tool in the case of an emergency where you and your family are bound to your home for any reason. Always remember…survival begins at home. If you run a rural or urban homestead and have some advice for the newcomers, please feel free to share in the comment section below. Want to learn how you can grow your food in your own backyard? Check out helpful tips on how to grow all the food you need in your backyard and start growing your own food today! Follow us on facebook, instagram, pinterest, and twitter! Featured image by KY Metro via wikimedia

Republicans Are Two Calls Away from Formally Controlling the House (Update: 217)

Attempting to undercut President-elect Trump's nomination of Pete Hegseth as defense secretary, Wednesday's Morning Joe misled on the key issue of the physical fitness of female soldiers.  After playing a clip of Hegseth expressing his opposition to women in combat, and proposing that the military adopt the same gender-neutral fitness standards that were in place in 1995, the show brought on NBC national security editor David Rohde, who said:  I think clips like the one you played will raise major issues. There are women in combat. And women who engage in ground combat have to take physical tests. Can they pick up and carry another soldier who is wounded is one of them. Rohde's statement implied that female soldiers would be capable to "pick up and carry" a wounded soldier just like a male soldier can. That's not true. As explained in this AP article titled "Army eases fitness test standards for women, older troops," in 2022: "The Army has scrapped its move to have a physical fitness test that is gender-and age-neutral, and will now allow women and older soldiers to pass while meeting some reduced standards."  Rohde disdainfully dismissed as "political talking points" Hegseth's opposition to women in combat and his call to reinstate gender-neutral fitness standards.     But under the current, woke, standards, women are not be required to drag as much weight, or run as fast, as men. Consider how that could affect outcomes when women attempt to carry wounded soldiers off the battlefield. Question for Joe Scarborough: If one day you were wounded on the mean streets of Nantucket, who would you want carrying your 6'4" frame to safety? A burly man, or a weaker, slower woman? It's also worth noting that Mika Brzezinski tried to downplay Hegseth's service by simply calling his a "Fox News host" and quickly glossing over the fact that he's "a military veteran who served with the Army National Guard." What she failed to mention there was his 20 years of service, his combat tours, and how he's highly decorated.  The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: MSNBC's Morning Joe 11/13/24 6:02 am ET MIKA BRZEZINSKI: We'll start this morning with Donald Trump's pick for Secretary of Defense. He has chosen Fox News host Pete Hegseth as the next leader of the Pentagon. Hegseth is a military veteran who served with the Army National Guard. In a statement, Trump described Hegseth as, quote, tough, smart, and a true believer in America First. During an interview on a podcast just last week, Hegseth criticized what he called woke policies in the military, and said that women should not be allowed to serve in combat. [Cuts to video] PETE HEGSETH: There's a chance to course correct it, but it would take a new Trump administration going after it really hard. SHAWN RYAN: How would they correct it? HEGSETH: First of all, you got to fire, you know, you got to fire the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and you got to fire, obviously, you're going to bring in a new Secretary of Defense. But any general that was involved, general, admiral, whatever, that was involved in the DEI, woke [bleep ] has go to go. Either you're in for war fighting, and that's it. That's the only litmus test we care about. We've got to get DEI, CRT out of military academies. You're not training young officers to be baptized in this type of thinking. And then, whatever the standards -- whatever the combat standards were, say, I don't know, in 1995. Let's just make those the standards.  [Transition] I think a huge one is women in combat, and quotas. I think the way they pushed that under Obama, in a way that had nothing, zero, to do with efficacy, zero to do with lethality and capability. RYAN: You don't like women in combat? HEGSETH: No. RYAN: Why not? HEGSETH: I love women service members who contribute amazingly. Because everything about men and women serving together makes the situation more complicated. And complication in combat means casualties are worse. [Cuts back to live] JOE SCARBOROUGH: So, Willie, obviously, a lot of concern among Democrats, among some Republicans. But this, obviously, is going to be, I think I saw Jake Sherman say yesterday, this might be the biggest challenge of any pick so far to get through. (...) WILLIE GEIST: Let's bring in NBC News national security editor David Rohde. David, good morning. What reaction are you hearing to this, at least, nomination to be Secretary of Defense? DAVID ROHDE: It is a surprise, and I think when clips like the one you played come out, it's gonna raise major issues. There are women in combat. Women who engage in ground combat have to take physical tests. Can they pick up and carry another soldier who's wounded, is one of them. And most of all there's very large number of women who are combat pilots, very experienced ones. And so, again, I think he should have his hearings and he should talk through these ideas. But they're more, I guess, talking points, political talking points, versus the concrete realities of these policies. So it is a surprise. There's been good, I think, picks that are more centrist like Marco Rubio, that have been, I think, seen in a positive light by national security experts. But this one is definitely a surprise.

Peanut — the internet sensation squirrel — was taken from his home in New York by state officials in what the pet's owner has declared to be an act of government overreach. The beloved squirrel that took the internet by storm was then killed by government officials. Details are starting to leak as to what really happened during the shocking state raid and killing of a family's cherished pet. Timeline of shocking state raid for a squirrel and a raccoonChemung County Executive Christopher J. Moss explained the timeline of events during a press conference on Tuesday.The Chemung County Health Department’s Environmental Health Services received a complaint through an email on Oct. 19 about a squirrel and a raccoon living inside the home of Mark and Daniela Longo in Southport, New York. The complaint claimed the couple was not licensed to house the wild animals inside the home. 'We are filing a very big lawsuit.'On Oct. 21, the complaint was forwarded to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Elmira Animal Control. A day later, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation contacted the Chemung County Health Department to inform the agency that the "DEC is aware of an individual in Chemung County who is known to illegally possess an adult gray squirrel and at least 4 young raccoons," adding, "They may also be in possession of other illegal wildlife species."The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation declared, "We would like to know if the Health Department would recommend these animals be tested for rabies as a precaution for human safety."On Oct. 23, the Chemung County Health Department contacted the New York State Department of Health's Zoonosis Program, which reportedly advised: "Wildlife cannot be confined like domestic animals, and if there was an exposure, the animals would need to be tested for rabies. Exposure is typically from a bite but can also be caused by saliva entering a wound or mucous membrane."Government reportedly planned to euthanize squirrel days before raid, contradicting narrativeAs Blaze News previously reported, state agents conducted a raid on the Longos' home on Oct. 30. "And 10 to 12 DEC officers raided my house as if I was a drug dealer," Mark Longo stated. "I sat outside my house for five hours. I had to get a police escort to my bathroom.""I wasn't even allowed to feed my rescue horses breakfast or lunch," Longo claimed. "I sat there like a criminal after they interrogated my wife to check out her immigration status."Longo added, "They got a search warrant. Four departments and a judge signed off on a search warrant for a squirrel and a raccoon."Longo said that the search lasted for five hours, and state agents went through "every cabinet, nook and cranny" of his home.Government agents seized Longo's pets — Peanut the squirrel and Fred the raccoon. Both animals were allegedly euthanized later in the day, and their remains were sent to a laboratory for rabies testing.State officials alleged that Peanut had bitten a DEC civilian wildlife biologist. Government officials claimed that the animal bite prompted a deadly rabies test to be conducted. When wild animals are suspected of having rabies, the animals are euthanized and a portion of their brains are removed and tested. "Determination of rabies status of animals other than domesticated animals requires euthanasia of the animal and testing of the animal’s brain for evidence of rabies virus," according to the New York State Department of Health. The New York Post reported that the rabies report from Chemung County officials of Peanut and Fred stated: "Animal decap requested on: 10/30/24."However, government officials reportedly had "multiple conversations" about euthanizing the animals before anyone was bitten. "The NYSDEC had multiple conversations with the Chemung County Health Department and Elmira Animal Control on the euthanization process prior to anyone being bitten or the animals being seized," Moss stated on Tuesday. Moss continued, "I think it’s important to point out that euthanization orders are almost always completed at the request of either the person exposed or an agency who is conducting an animal-related investigation, such as this. As depicted on both euthanization forms, both animals were brought to the Elmira Animal Control so that proper testing could be conducted."Turns out the government was wrongMoss revealed during Tuesday's press conference that both Peanut the squirrel and Fred the raccoon tested negative for rabies. Moss conceded that county officials would wait one or two days to assess the situation before euthanizing unauthorized animals.Moss attempted to calm the frustrations of people who have been incensed by the killing of the two animals."I realize people want to vent. But at the end of the day I think you have to realize the seriousness of humans contracting rabies," Moss stated. "This is protocol from the state turned down to the county."The death of Peanut the squirrel has ignited fierce reactions from fans across the country, including some who have issued death threats to officials with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.Peanut's owner vows to get justice for his cherished pet's deathMark Longo operates his property as an animal rescue.Peanut, sometimes styled as P'Nut, was rescued seven years ago after its mother had allegedly been hit by a car in New York City, and Fred had recently been dropped on Longo's doorstep in need of care.Longo remarked about his pet being killed, "It's not only torn my family apart, but Peanut was the cornerstone of our non-profit animal rescue."“It was a 10-month investigation for a squirrel and a raccoon. We have murderers and rapists running the streets, and they didn’t get investigations like this," Longo told NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo on Tuesday. “So you used all of our taxpayers’ money and our resources to conjure up a story about a squirrel and a raccoon that was so detrimental to our society that they needed to come and kill them.”The distraught pet owner declared, “I have to live in this state, and these people don’t have the stones to give me a call to say, ‘Hey, I killed your animals, also I cut their heads off, also Peanut doesn’t have rabies,’ like we all knew at the beginning of this story.”Longo said he would wage a "very big" lawsuit in retaliation for the death of Peanut the squirrel — who has nearly 1 million followers on Instagram."Absolutely, we are filing a very big lawsuit," Longo said during an appearance on NewsNation's "Cuomo." "Not only did you violate my constitutional rights, you need to come up with an explanation as to why you murdered these animals," he said.Longo proclaimed that the entire incident was a major example of "government overreach.”Longo launched a GoFundMe campaign to "support P'Nuts Freedom Farm." "In memory of Peanut and Fred, we want to shine a light on the mission of P’nuts Freedom Farm, which tirelessly rescues and provides care for vulnerable animals," Longo wrote. "Their lives were a testament to the importance of compassion and kindness toward all creatures, and we are committed to honoring them by continuing this vital work."Longo noted, "All proceeds from our fundraising efforts will directly benefit the rescue and care of other animals at P’nuts Freedom Farm, ensuring that we can continue to provide a safe haven for those in need. Together, we can make a difference and ensure that no other animals suffer a fate like Peanut and Fred."At the time of publication, the GoFundMe campaign had raised over $230,000. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Mike Johnson was unanimously nominated to serve for a second term as speaker of the House on Wednesday. Amid rumors of defection within the House Republican conference, Johnson has managed to unify the GOP behind him for a second time, running and securing the nomination unopposed. The official vote will take place in January once the new Congress begins. During the meeting, Trump told the Republicans that he '100%' supports Johnson as speaker.Although the House has not yet been called for either party, Republicans are projected to hold on to their majority. As of this writing, Republicans have secured 217 of the 218 seats needed to hold a majority while Democrats have won 207 seats. While Republicans are set to retain control of the House, they will likely hold a narrow majority. As a result, many contentious or consequential votes are likely to be tight. Leading up to the vote, President-elect Trump reaffirmed his support for Johnson during a closed-door meeting with House Republicans on Wednesday morning. During the meeting, Trump told the Republicans that he "100%" supports Johnson as speaker."This is a tremendous guy," Trump said. "I'm with him all the way." "Our strong [House GOP] majority is looking forward to advancing your agenda that puts the American people FIRST!" Johnson said, addressing Trump in a post on X following the meeting. "As you said, we will unify and get it done!"Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

This Is What CULTS Do: Harpies at 'The View' Tell You to Skip Thanksgiving Because Donald Trump Won

The WINS Keep Coming: LA Times Replaces ENTIRE Editorial Board, Owner Says ALL Voices Will Be Heard

HOT TAKES: Internet Explodes Over Trump Picking Gaetz for Attorney General

OPINION: Why Pete Hegseth Is a Great Choice for Secretary of Defense

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