PRN Episode #16 Interview Barefoot Builder

PRN Episode #16 Interview Barefoot Builder

PRN Episode #16 Interview Barefoot Builder
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Tonight’s show features Christina Ott, also known as the Barefoot Builder.  At the age of 23 Christina built her own home mortgage free using a construction technique called cob.  This ancient building method has been used on several continents and provides some special benefits to those wanting to become self-reliant.

Would you be interested in a house that you can build yourself, out of materials found on your own land, without special tools, for hundreds instead of thousands of dollars?

What if this house was bullet-proof, earthquake proof, impervious to fire, rot, or termites.  If it was low-footprint and sustainable, and required very little external heating or cooling?  What if it was invisible from the air?
Over the next hour, Christina discuss what cob is, educates away common misconceptions, talks about zoning and building code issues. and shows a simple test you can perform on your own land to learn if your land is cob material…
You can learn more about Christina the Barefoot Builder at her website www.barefootbuilder.com.  You can also visit her YouTube channel and watch her ballistic testing of cob at https://www.youtube.com/ShortMtnCat

The show is scheduled for Monday at 10pm central time at this link.

If you cannot listen on Monday, you can always download the podcast for listening at your own leisure.

How to Easily Disassemble a Glock Magazine

How to Easily Disassemble a Glock Magazine

 

Shooting: Glock Magazine Disassembly Tip
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Not everyone cleans their pistol magazines, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need attention. Personally, I used to neglect my pistol magazines.  This was because I had a hard time getting the baseplates off of my Glock magazines.

This post shows an easy trick to help with Glock Magazine Disassembly

They have a detent button in the center of the baseplate.    Once depressed, the plate is “supposed” to slide off – unfortunately I never have it that simple.

Luckily, I was shown a way that makes disassembling a Glock magazine very simple.

Use the Glock Armorer’s Tool!

  • Insert the tool all the way in until it stops at the handle.
  • Push the tool (with the baseplate sliding) forward. You want to leverage the plate forward using the handle of the Glock tool.
  • Unless you like searching for parts or getting smacked in the face by a flying spring, use your hand to cover the bottom of the magazine before you slide the baseplate completely off.

This does take some practice, but believe me, once you understand how to take the magazines apart using a punch you will find the process much easier.  I have never been able to consistently get the mags apart without using this tip.

Distilling Urine In a Survival Still

 

Camping: Distilling Urine
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I know that showing how the survival still works on distilling urine may seem like a kind of a gross post – but I think it really showcases the capability of the Survival Still and water distillation versus filtering.

Obviously, the volume of urine produced is going to yield less distilled water than a person needs per day, but I am not doing this demonstration to say that my plan involves distilling urine into drinking water, but rather to show how well the still works.

If it purifies the urine into water I am willing to drink, then it’s obvious that this is a process I trust.

Like I said in the beginning of this post, it seems really gross to drink urine, but that is not what is happening.  Once the urine is processed through the Survival Still, it is no longer urine, but pure water.

Distilling urine is not really a good part of a survival plan (unless you are in a desert or a life raft in the ocean), but having a device that works well enough to turn pee into drinking water IS a good part of a survival plan.

I am not willing to drink urine.  But distillation does not purify urine, it removes the pure water from it.  I am drinking distilled water.

Easiest Way to Make Corn on the Cob for a Crowd

 

52 Unique Techniques for Stocking Food for Prepper
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I like grilling out, but I have a problem timing everything to be ready at the same time, and I tend to run out of eyes on the stove and space on the grill when trying to entertain. This means I am always looking for better ways of doing things (plus I just love experimenting…)

I saw this tip the other day on pinterest for cooking corn on the cob in large amount easily and had to try it – it worked amazingly well so I felt I should share it.

If you dump raw corn (shucked and cleaned preferably) into a clean chest type freezer (not Styrofoam) you can cook large amounts of corn without doing a lot of work. Simply add boiling water to the corn filled cooler, close the lid and wait at least 30 minutes.
The corn will cook perfectly – will not overcook – and the cooler will keep the corn warm for hours.

Very simple, very easy, and when we tried it at our home it worked perfectly…

This way of cooking corn on the cob is crazy simple, and it turns out the water can be reused for making jelly.

I don’t think I will ever cook corn on the cob on the stove again, unless it is just for me.  It is just to easy to do it this way when cooking for groups.

How to Make a Zeer Pot

52 Unique Techniques for Stocking Food for Prepper
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Today’s project on how to make a zeer pot is something I wanted to do for some time, it is a cheap way of providing some level of refrigeration in very hot climates.

It is also an example of how preppers can learn from appropriate technology supporters as well as missionaries to third world countries.

Zeer Pot technology is used in some very poor countries to reduce food spoilage. It is also the technology behind Latin American ceramic water crocks called Olas which provide cool drinking water in hot arid conditions.

All a zeer pot is a simple fridge made of local materials. It is one earthenware pot set inside another, with a layer of wet sand in between. As the moisture evaporates it cools the inner pot, keeping up to 12kg of fruit and vegetables fresher for longer.

When I saw my local co-op had ceramic pots on sale, I grabbed a few and went to Lowes for some play sand.

My nephew and I stopped up the hole in the large pot with some tape, threw in a layer of sand, inserted the smaller pot, and had a good time filling the space between with sand.

We then put a thermometer in the small pot, poured some water in the sand, and covered the whole thing with a wet towel.

We did get a measurable decrease in temperature, but as it was very humid (and began to rain) we just could not get enough evaporation to make a huge difference. I have seen many people get temperature differences of up to 20 degrees using such a simple device.

During the Crusades, Saladin were able to use this technology (along with specially designed shade buildings) to get ice in the desert which greatly impressed King Richard.