Review of Product: Stove in a Can

I was asked to try out and provide a review for the Stove in a Can product and I was a bit skeptical as to how it would perform at first. I was quite surprised that it did perform well and fire and heat it generated was more than enough to cook lunch (Ramen Noodles pork flavor for those that want to know).

While the stove itself is fairly light weight, most campers I suspect would choose lighter and less bulky stoves for their treks. But, if you’re looking for a great stove for your preparedness needs this one is certainly worth a look.

I let the fire burn for a good 20 minutes longer than you see in the video and still had enough fuel to likely heat another meal after I put it out using the lid.

I used about 3 cups of water (1 cup more than suggested for the noodles) and we were eating our lunch in about 8 – 10 minutes. This is far faster than if I had to create a camp fire from wood so in an emergency it is well suited for quick meals.

The price at about $30 - $35 per kit is far cheaper than camp stoves and contains the following:

• ·         1 Stove
• ·         4 fuel cells (enough for at least 8 meals in my opinion)
• ·         Waterproof matches ( I used a lighter in the video)
• ·         Cooking Ring
• ·         Fuel Ring
• ·         Instruction booklet

In the video I used a lighter to light the fuel cell instead of matches. At first I did not think the fuel cell would light and would take another round with the lighter since the flames nearly burned out on the paper that surrounds the fuel cell. A small flame hung on in one very small spot which was enough to ignite the fuel cell and spread to the entire cell.

Once the fire was going strong I waiting about another minute before adding the pot with water which started steaming in about three minutes. Once it started to a rolling boil I added the noodles. The noodles were fairly well cooked in about 5 minutes but I let it go slightly longer to be certain since I like my noodles on the soft side (not crunchy).

You can see the full length video below of the entire process which I left mostly unedited. I only added the Disaster Preparedness Blog logos. Since I had to do this in one take and it is our first video I decided I would not talk and just let the product do its thing.

Now for the best part. I am giving away one FREE Stove in a Can to a lucky reader who posts a comment telling me why they want one and I will choose a winner from those who comment on the Stove in a Can Contest Giveaway (click the link to go to that post). This contest will be open until June 6^th 2012 at midnight. Good luck everyone.

Overall I give the stove 4 ½ Stars.

Get Yours Today

Actual Video of Field Test

Review of the Book: How to...Live on Wheat The Complete Guide to Storing, Prepareing and Cooking Whole Wheat, Whole Grains and Legumes

Recently I was asked by author John Hill if I would mind reading and reviewing the latest and third edition of his book, HOW to LIVE on WHEAT The Complete Guide to Storing, Preparing and Cooking Whole Wheat, Whole Grains and Legumes.

I admit at first I was not sure what to expect from a book titled How to Live on Wheat. However, once I received a copy of the book and started reading I was immediately impressed with how much the book actually covers especially for a book of its size of 134 pages. It should really be called the Complete Guide on Storing Grains and Legumes, Preparing Sprouts, Grinding, and making your own bread, pasta and more.

In addition, about half the book is about preparing food, and includes a great deal of recipes. I have not yet tried any of the recipes and I will not get the chance until after I my wife and I are done with our house hunting and move. I will provide an update once I do try some of them though. 

If you're the type who is interested in storing your own grain whether for preparedness reasons or just in general this book is a MUST have.

Some of what this book covers:

• Different Types of Grains and Legumes
• Nutritional Considerations
• Food Allergies and Aflatoxins
• Proper Grain and Legume Storage
• Shelf Life
• Moisture Content in Wheat
• Making and Cooking Sprouts
• Making Wheat Grass
• Making Bread (Essene and Sourdough)
• Cooking
• Making Gluten Meat Substitute
• Numerous Recipes

I am amazed at the amount of information inside this small paperback book. It is very easy to read and extremely informative covering everything you need to store and cook with grains and legumes. It is the perfect book for people wanting to store grains for preparedness or survival.

Disaster Preparedness Blog gives How To... Live on Wheat The Complete Guide to Storing, Preparing and Cooking Whole Wheat, Whole Grains and Legumes: 5 Stars out of 5.

Grab Your Copy Today!

Review of The Book: Will To Live dispatches from the edge of survival

In his latest book, Will To Live, dispatches from the edge of survival, Les Stroud covers one of my favorite, but least covered aspects of survival. Which is, when it comes to survival, why do some people live, while others succumb to the environment around them?

We've all heard the stories of skilled and well prepared hikers or hunters that become lost in the wilderness, only to die after a day or two. While other stories involving children, or even special needs people being lost for up to a week or more, and with no special skills, or supplies living to tell the tell.

In Will To Live, dispatches from the edge of survival, Author Les Stroud examines in detail some of the more famous of these stories. He walks the reader through the experience of being in that particular survival situation, what that person did right, and in many cases wrong. 

Les gets into more details as he explains what he would have done differently, and even if in a similar situation if he would have made the same choice adding in sections of supply lists, and how to do things the correct way when faced with certain situations. For instance Les covers winter driving, preserving a moose, and conducting a reconnaissance mission.

Les, uses each chapter to look at a particular survival situation and at the end of the chapter breaks it down into categories and percentages used in the survival situation. 

Les Stroud is an excellent writer and expresses his thoughts with complete clarity on a subject that is not often studied or written about, and clearly gets the message across that there is more to survival, that just being well prepared. What's more is the Will To Live also shows the human beings capacity and will to survive, even when facing insurmountable odds.

If you are a fan of survival, preparedness, Survivorman, or even Les Stroud himself, you will without a doubt enjoy this book. At times I felt as if Les himself were reading it to me, in his calm, but knowing voice.

Disaster Preparedness Blog gives Will To Live dispatches from the edge of survival: 5 Stars out of 5.

Pick up your copy here today!

~ I predict this will be one of the best selling books on survival of 2011 ~

Review of The Book: Handbook To Practical Disaster Preparedness For The Family

The Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family, by Arthur T. Bradley, Ph.D. is absolutely fabulous. Whether you’re a novice just starting out, a seasoned “prepper” or a die-hard survivalist, this is one book that you should add to your must read list. In fact, I bet most of you will be adding this book to your libraries and go-bags or BOB’s.

When I first received the book, I was a bit busy with some other reading I had to do, so I did a quick thumb through of it and I have to admit, I was impressed with the content right away. It is hard to find any one book that covers everything when it comes to preparedness, but this is as close as it comes when you get down to a practical guide, especially for families.

The Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family contains complete lists, photos, charts, formulas that will be quite useful to many. Want to know about food storage and how long your food will last? It’s in there. Need to know how much fuel you’ll need for your generator for one week? It’s in there. Think you’re prepared with just your store bought survival kit? It talks about why you may need more than that.

It also covers sleep and sleep deprivation, communication, first aid, lighting, fire, electrical power and much, much, more. If you’ve been looking for a book that covers and touches on nearly everything that you need for your families preparedness needs this book is it.

In all honestly I had a hard time finding anything to be critical about with this book. It is well thought out, well written, and as I mention covers a large amount of information. With that said, if I had to find anything wrong with the book at all, and trust me it was difficult; it would be the burn graphics on page 302. I think it would have been better if the book included actual photos of burns instead of graphics. This could be due to the former EMT in me, but I think it would have served readers better with actual pictures of the wounds for better comparison.

Considering this was the only thing I could find, I consider it very minor, and hope that you will find this review useful and check the book out for yourself.

Disaster Preparedness Blog gives Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family: 5 Stars out of 5.

 Be Sure to Order a Copy and add it to your BOB today!

Visit the Authors site at: DisasterPreparer.com

Review of The Book: Noah's Castle

Recently I had the pleasure of being sent a copy of Noah's Castle for review. The book is a work of fiction written by a successful and noted publisher John Rowe Townsend, from the United Kingdom.

Noah's Castle, which is actually being republished through October Mist Publishing, enjoyed much success in England where the story takes place and was turned into a mini series for British television in 1980.

While Noah's Castle is a work of fiction intended for young adults, it will appeal to older adults as it details the lives of a family and some of their acquaintances through a complete economic collapse of England. The book is a very fitting topic for the global economic climate today and it will be easy to envision a situation where something like this could take place.

Let me just say that I actually had a hard time putting it down and found myself pulled into the story trying to anticipate, though incorrectly, what might happen next. Whether you are into preparedness, or just interested in a story fitting for our times, I believe you'll enjoy following along as a family struggles to survive and stay together in a tough economic climate. As moral dilemmas arise from the times the struggle intensifies, and a family fights for what they believe is right as individuals. Can they survive the collapse or will it tear them apart?

I don't want to give too much away about the book and its story line, because this is one book I want you to pick up and read for yourself.

Here is a brief description of the book from the publisher:

A family fights to survive as England starves...

Written by award-winning author John Rowe Townsend, Noah's Castle tells the story of a family fighting to survive a total collapse of the British economy as money becomes worthless, food becomes scarce, and the nation starves.

As conditions worsen, how do people react? When does the law-and-order break down and civilized behavior end? How do people balance the needs of their family against those of society?

Noah's Castle examines these questions but doesn't provide easy answers, resulting in a unique and thought-provoking tale of survival.

View and read the full one sheet of Noah’s Castle.

Disaster Preparedness Blog gives Noah's Castle: 4 1/2 Stars

Pick up your copy of Noah's Castle today.  You will not be disappointed!