How to Survive Hard Times
by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.
All the articles on this page (except items 36-38 and 83-86) are included in my book: Grandpappy's Survival Manual for Hard Times, Third Edition.
Items 36-38 are included in my book: How to Tan Animal Hides and How to Make High Quality Buckskin Clothing.
Item 83 is in my book: Ancient Board Games and Solitaire Games From Around the World, Combined Volume One and Volume Two.
Items 84-86 are on my website: here.
Water:
- How to Find Water and How to Make Water Safe to Drink - Revised October 11, 2012.
- How to Build a Very Effective Water Filter System for Approximately $75 - Revised October 11, 2012.
- Berkey Black Water Filter Elements - Revised April 25, 2016.
- Water Filter Recommendation - Revised August 5, 2013.
- Pasteurization of Water - Added April 2, 2012.
- Water Storage Options - Added August 1, 2013.
Food:
- The Importance of Food - Added August 10, 2015.
- Why Should Anyone Buy More Food Than They Can Eat in One Week? - Added April 2, 2014.
- A 30-Day Emergency Food Supply - Revised September 28, 2018.
- An Affordable One-Year Emergency Food Supply and a Really Cheap One-Year Emergency Food Supply - Revised September 28, 2018.
- Important Factors to Consider When Purchasing and Storing Emergency Food - Added January 9, 2008.
- Ten Different Ways to Heat Canned Foods - Added September 1, 2010.
- Freeze Dried and Dehydrated Foods - Added January 1, 2014.
- Long-Term Food Storage - Added September 9, 2013.
- How to Get the Best Value When Buying Fresh Meat - Revised September 28, 2018.
- The LEM #10 Hand-Cranked Stainless Steel Meat Grinder - Added April 16, 2010.
- Black Pepper, Peppercorns, and Peppercorn Grinders - Added September 28, 2018.
- Pure Salt, Iodized Salt, Sea Salt, and Sea Salt Grinders - Added April 1, 2011.
- Coffee, Coffee Pots, and Coffee Bean Grinders - Added April 1, 2011.
- Grain Grinders for Wheat, Corn, Oats, and Beans - Added October 3, 2013.
- Grain: Wheat, Corn, and Oats - Added October 3, 2013.
- Parched Corn - Added November 3, 2015.
- Beans: An Important Survival Food for Hard Times - Added July 1, 2013.
- Emergency Vegetable Seeds for Hard Times - Added March 16, 2013.
Traditional Skills and Equipment:
- Grandpappy's Homemade Soap Recipe - Revised March 12, 2008.
- Laundry Washboards and a Suggestion for Using a Clothes Dryer - Added October 1, 2018.
- How to Melt Animal Fat - Added August 14, 2007.
- How to Start a Fire Using a Match or a Butane Lighter - Added February 24, 2010.
- Firewood, Fireplaces, and Cast Iron Stoves - Added December 13, 2010.
- Cast Iron Cookware - Added June 23, 2008.
- How to Preserve Food Using Three Simple Old Fashioned Methods - Added May 7, 2010.
- Practical Cooking Options During Serious Hard Times - Added June 2, 2014.
- How to Build a Reflector Oven and How to Use a Reflector Oven - Added December 1, 2015.
- How to Make a Primitive Clay Pot and How to Cook in a Clay Pot - Added March 1, 2016.
- How to Make a Candle Using Animal Fat and Some Cotton String - Added August 1, 2016.
- Smokehouse Questions and Answers - Added June 16, 2014.
- How to Smoke Meat and How to Make Meat Jerky - Added June 1, 2012.
- How to Build a Simple but Extremely Practical Smokehouse - Added June 1, 2012.
- A Few Small Items That Could Be Useful During Hard Times - Revised February 1, 2014.
- Bicycles for Emergency Transportation - Added June 18, 2007.
- How to Build a Simple Sundial - Added May 20, 2011.
Technology for Hard Times:
- Rechargeable Batteries and a Solar Battery Charger - Revised December 20, 2010.
- Flashlights - Revised September 12, 2013.
- Candles - Advantages and Disadvantages - Revised February 11, 2014.
- Two-Way Communication: Cell Phones, Satellite Phones, and Two-Way Radios - Revised May 2, 2016.
- The Basics of Shortwave Radio - Added April 10, 2010.
- A Simple Explanation of the GPS Coordinate System - Added June 1, 2013.
- Alternate Energy Sources - Added November 1, 2011.
- How to Build a Portable Solar Power Generator - Added December 1, 2005.
- Vacuum Food Sealer - Added October 1, 2013.
Survival Strategies:
- A Simple But Effective Survival Plan - Added June 2, 2010.
- A List of 20 Common Mistakes that Should Be Avoided - Added January 12, 2011.
- How to Start Preparing for Hard Times on a Very Modest Budget - Revised February 24, 2010.
- Practical Items for Every Day Carry (EDC) - Added April 1, 2016.
- An Emergency Backpack or a Bug-Out-Bag - Added February 24, 2010.
- The Basic Rules of Survival During Hard Times - Revised November 11, 2008.
- Pets and Livestock During Hard Times - Added March 17, 2008.
- Charity During Hard Times - Added November 17, 2007.
- Realistic Self-Sufficiency: The Do's and the Don'ts - Added July 22, 2009.
- Emergency First Aid Books and Supplies - Revised February 8, 2014.
- How to Survive an Epidemic - Added August 16, 2014.
- Trade and Barter Items - Revised February 1, 2014.
- Simple Easy Strategies on How to Reduce Your Living Expenses - Added September 3, 2012.
- What to Do Right Now if the Hard Times Have Begun and You are Not Prepared - Added June 1, 2011.
- The Solution to Hard Times - Added January 2, 2012.
Retreats:
- Use Common Sense to Compare Your Current Location to Another Location - Added March 1, 2011.
- How to Select the Optimal Retreat Location - Added November 2, 2009.
- During a Disaster Event Should You Stay at Home or Leave? - Added December 21, 2007.
- The Advantages and Disadvantages of Recreational Vehicles and Campers - Added November 1, 2010.
- Community Involvement and Community Long-Term Survival - Added April 2, 2012.
Shelf Life Studies:
- Shelf Life of Canned Food and Dry Food - Revised September 1, 2010.
- Shelf Life of Medicine - Added September 3, 2007.
Other Information:
- Hard Times and Acceptable Behavior - Added February 2, 2013.
- Sensationalism - 2007 and July 2, 2012.
- Clothing for Hard Times - Added July 1, 2011.
- Shoes and Boots for Hard Times - Added July 1, 2011.
- Practical Suggestions That Can Help to Maintain Harmony with Long-Term House Guests - Added September 4, 2012.
- A Comparison of Five Major Brands of Toilet Tissue - Revised August 1, 2013.
- How to Wipe When There is No Toilet Tissue - Added February 14, 2009.
- How to Convert Human Waste into a Safe Garden Compost Fertilizer - Added December 31, 2008.
- Ant Hills: A Simple Solution - Added October 1, 2008.
- Entertainment Options During Hard Times - Added April 2, 2014.
- Ancient Board Games and Solitaire Games From Around the World - Revised June 2, 2010.
Recommended Reading (the following book summaries are on my website):
- Man and Society in Calamity - by Pitirim A. Sorokin.
- The Pianist, by Wladyslaw Szpilman - Biography of a Young Civilian Who Survived World War 2.
- Savage Continent - by Keith Lowe.
Grandpappy's e-mail address is: RobertWayneAtkins@hotmail.com