A few days ago I received a short email from a teenager who has done some survival training with me. The message was quick and simple, but the answer is another matter.

He wrote: “What's it like to teach a survival school, or, better yet, own one? I want to someday either teach at one or own one and teach. Does it pay good? Or, rather, is it enough to live off of? Stressfull or not? easy or difficult?”

When planning a survival food garden, it’s critical to know what seeds to purchase and what to skip—and it’s just as vital to know how to store those seeds and what you can expect from those food crops.

I was fortunate to grow up with the concepts and calluses of growing a family garden, so I have seen bumper crops and more than a few disappointing yields. I’ve also seen that there are a lot of different interpretations when it comes to growing your own garden.

Creating a splint can give an injured person a lot of relief, and prevent further injury. As with most things, though, there are right ways and wrong ways to apply a splint to an injury. Here are five common mistakes to avoid, if you ever have to tie a splint on your buddy or yourself.

Don’t splint the limb too tightly. Splinting should give support and limit movement, but not to the point where it cuts off circulation. The splint should be loose enough for you to fit a finger between it and the limb.

When most folks think of survival, the words clean and hygienic don’t usually come to mind. In fact, the art of surviving in the wild can be a filthy, nasty endeavor. But it doesn’t always have to be.

As you’ll see, there’s more to surviving than just wiping with leaves. (see my emergency toilet paper post here). Here are a few simple tips for staying clean while you stay alive.