Cold plunge: How I survive winters in the sticks



City people moving to the country: This one’s for you. Country people, you know all this and a lot more already, so be sure to correct anything I get wrong with a comment; thank you in advance.

After spending all of my life living in cities and towns, I’ve got two winters of rural living under my belt. My house in Vermont is only a few miles outside the capital (itself a mere village of 8,000), so it’s situated conveniently for supply runs. But I live past where the pavement turns to dirt and the water, sewer, and natural gas lines end.

What to do for light? Kerosene lamps. No, not candles. No, not rechargeable LED lights. No, not battery-powered flashlights. Kerosene lamps.

It’s not “off grid,” but the situation shares some of the same features, and you need to attend to some of the same preparation.

Being prepared is especially important in winter, but it will help in summer, too.

The philosophy to keep in mind: Preparing should aim for low tech, not high tech. Kerosene lamps and lanterns, not “solar rechargeable LED lights,” for example. (Where are you going to recharge them? What happens when the computerized chip doesn’t work right?)

Aim for manual, simple devices, not high-tech “survival gadgets.”

If you live in a sparsely populated area in the country with hard winters, you are going to lose power several times in winter. And you’re going to be among the last houses to have it restored because power companies prioritize areas with the most people. In Vermont, I’ve gone two or three days without electricity each winter.

How much of your day will be affected by this, and how do you prepare for it? Since my stove is electric, I can’t cook on it without juice. But wait — no running water, either. Why? Because the water comes from a well, and an electric pump brings it into the house.

It’s one thing to have no internet and lights but entirely another to have nothing to flush the toilet with.

Water

Stock up drinkable water jugs, lots of them, for cooking and drinking. Only for cooking and drinking. You’re going to use “gray water” for other things.

Have a rain barrel to catch water to use for flushing toilets and cleaning. Have buckets on hand. Fill them up.

Fill up your bathtub with water when a storm threatens.

This year, I resorted to melting snow in a stock pot on a portable camp stove.

I’m considering adding a hand pump to my drilled well next year. Do you remember the episode of "Little House on the Prairie" when Pa installed a water pump in Ma’s sink for the first time? Yep, that kind of pump. They’re a great backup for getting water out of the ground when the electric pump is off.

Husband your water wisely. Use your drinking water only for drinking and cooking, not for washing yourself or your dishes. Use “gray water” — the stuff in the rain barrel, the water stored in your tub — for washing dishes, flushing toilets, and other utility purposes.

Be prepared to give yourself sponge baths with a modest amount of water.

Light

What to do for light? Kerosene lamps. No, not candles. No, not rechargeable LED lights. No, not battery-powered flashlights. Kerosene lamps.

Why? Admittedly, I’m partisan as I collect and refurbish kerosene lamps and regularly run them for heat and light. But they’re superior to other backup lighting. Much brighter than candles, and they don’t need batteries (you just have to keep a stock of kerosene on hand). Also, they’re beautiful.

Some guidelines:

  • Buy only clear, undyed kerosene at either the gas station or hardware store. Never use anything but this. Do not use “lamp oil.” It’s liquid wax, burns dim, eats wicks, and stinks. Kerosene does not stink in a lamp if it’s clean and undyed.
  • Simple flat wick oil lamps, antique or modern, are foolproof.
  • Those wanting more heat and light should get an antique “center draft” lamp with a big, round wick that puts out substantial light and heat. A good bet is a Rayo-brand lamp, easily found on eBay.
  • No, you don’t have to worry about “fumes” or “carbon monoxide.” This is modern hysteria; you’re not afraid of your gas stove, so you don’t have to fear your lamp. Your ancestors who used these weren’t dying of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Heat

If you already have an expensive heating system in place, I get that you’re not going to change that out.

When I moved into this house, I had the “blessing” of starting from scratch as the downstairs had been flooded. If you're in a similar position, I strongly advise installing something that requires no electricity.

I mean no electricity at all. Not for igniting, not for running. If it needs juice to put out heat, it’s too modern and complicated to be a good basic choice in the country.

I chose a propane-fired “fireplace stove.” It’s a beautiful cast iron piece enameled in red with a glass front; it looks like a late-19th-century wood stove. The operation is entirely mechanical, even the wall-mounted thermostat. It has its own igniter but can be lit with a match if necessary. It maintains a standing pilot light.

Whatever you choose, I recommend a basic model that ignites and fires without electricity. If this means you have to buy a vintage furnace in good or refurbished condition, then yes, that is a better choice.

Good emergency supplies of heat are portable kerosene or propane heaters. Be sure to keep a supply of fuel on hand.

Cooking and eating

If you have an electric kitchen stove, you’ll need a backup. I love my two-burner Coleman propane camping stove. It’s compact and folds up neatly for storage. That the burners put out serious heat is a bonus. Keep extra propane cylinders on hand.

Of course, you’ll also need to have nonperishable food on hand. Vegetables and grains aren’t going to get you through alone; don’t forget meat and fat. Canned goods are your friend in this situation, especially canned meat.

People’s minds seem to go toward “buy lots of dried beans and rice,” and I don’t know why. These are not the high-quality proteins you can get from meat (and they don’t have necessary fat), and they take more water and energy to cook.

I suggest laying in:

  • Canned chicken breast and tuna
  • Canned corned beef
  • Canned Spam-type meat

Be sure to keep some bacon grease or lard on hand. It doesn’t need refrigeration and can cook just about anything, adding necessary animal fat and calories.

Transportation

Don’t forget about your car.It’s always a good idea to keep your gas tank full during winter.

If you go off the road, you’ll be glad you have the engine to keep you warm. But it’s also a great backup for charging your phone so you can stay in communication while the power is out and the roads are bad.

Obviously, this isn’t a guide to true homesteading or living off the grid, but it can help you get through a few days or weeks of living in the sticks without power and running water. If you’re an old hand at this and have wisdom to pass along, please share it in the comments.

Tennessee Valley Authority gets a Trump-style reckoning



President Donald Trump has made the Tennessee Valley Authority a key front in his America First energy agenda. With the authority to appoint and remove TVA directors, Trump hasn’t hesitated to fire those who promote globalist “green” schemes that ignore the needs of the region’s residents.

This month, Trump ousted two Biden-appointed directors, including the board’s chairman. Their offense: trying to turn the TVA into a vehicle for the radical left’s anti-carbon agenda.

The future of reliable energy across the Tennessee Valley — and much of the South — still hangs in the balance.

Trump took similar action during his first term, firing several directors, including a previous chairman, after they approved outsourcing 146 American tech jobs to foreign workers on H-1B visas.

These firings are critical to ensuring that the Tennessee Valley Authority continues to produce abundant and reliable energy for the seven states it serves.

A call for reform

Last month, Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) published a joint letter voicing their concerns about the agency’s distracted leadership. They stressed the need for the energy provider to expand nuclear projects, especially small modular reactors, which utilize existing fission technology on a smaller, more deployable scale than the massive projects of decades past.

As to the incapable leadership of the existing Tennessee Valley Authority board, the senators wrote:

As it stands now, TVA and its leadership can’t carry the weight of this moment. The presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed TVA Board of Directors lacks the talent, experience, and gravitas to meet a challenge that clearly requires visionary industrial leaders. The group looks more like a collection of political operatives than visionary industrial leaders. The current TVA board focused on the diversity of its executives ahead of job creation for hungry workers in the region it is supposed to serve.

Shortly thereafter, Trump fired two of the agency’s six current directors.

A critical purge

Trump fired Michelle Moore on March 27, followed by TVA board Chairman Joe Ritch on April 1. Both were Biden-appointed green energy enthusiasts bent on turning the Tennessee Valley Authority into a utopian solar-and-battery experiment.

Had they succeeded, the consequences for the region’s energy reliability would have been disastrous.

Moore founded and runs Groundswell, a “sustainable energy” company whose mission statement boasts a “people-centric approach to developing community solar projects.” I’m not sure what that means — but I know I’d rather depend on coal, natural gas, or nuclear power than on some feel-good solar scheme when temperatures plunge below freezing.

Ritch, originally appointed to the TVA board by President Obama, returned under Biden’s nomination to serve as chairman. In his Senate confirmation statement, Ritch promoted transitioning the agency away from its current mix of coal, nuclear, hydro, and gas toward unreliable green alternatives — convinced, somehow, that it would help the environment and boost the economy.

A historic blunder

This utopian obsession with “sustainable energy” isn’t just naïve — it’s deadly. In December 2023, a hard freeze struck the Tennessee Valley Authority’s service area. The cold snap wasn’t historically extreme, but the consequences were.

For the first time in TVA history, the agency failed to produce enough electricity to meet demand. Rolling blackouts swept the region. Why? Because the TVA lacked enough baseline reliable energy. On those near-zero nights, solar energy produced exactly zero kilowatts.

That’s the future TVA customers would face under the fantasy energy plans pushed by climate zealots like Michelle Moore and Joe Ritch: blackouts in the dead of winter and no backup.

TVA leadership has failed in other ways too — most notably by outsourcing American jobs. In 2020, CEO Jeff Lyash tried to replace over 100 U.S. tech workers with foreign nationals on H-1B visas. While gutting working-class jobs, Lyash collected nearly $8 million a year, making him the highest-paid federal employee. One longtime worker said employees were expected to train their foreign replacements before being shown the door.

Trump responded immediately. While he couldn’t fire Lyash, he could — and did — remove board members who refused to act. When the board wouldn’t fire Lyash or cut his pay, Trump fired them instead.

Soon after, Lyash ended the outsourcing plan. Following Trump’s 2024 election win, Lyash saw the writing on the wall and resigned.

Protections are still needed

The Tennessee Valley Authority remains vital to the economic strength of the upper South. Trump’s removal of Obama-Biden-era appointees has played a key role in preserving the agency’s reliability and focus. But the threat isn’t gone.

The TVA’s service states — especially Tennessee — face a serious vulnerability: Any future Democrat president could again install green energy ideologues, fire current directors, and impose Green New Deal policies. The result? An energy-starved Tennessee Valley plagued by blackouts and foolish political experiments.

Trump’s stand against the radicalization of TVA energy policy deserves recognition. His pushback has protected millions of residents from rolling blackouts and economic self-sabotage. But the fight isn’t finished.

The future of reliable energy across the Tennessee Valley — and much of the South — still hangs in the balance. The region cannot afford to treat Trump’s changes as a lasting victory.

Get your car ready for winter now before prices rise



We're midway through fall, and that means it's time — if you haven't gotten around to it yet — to do the automotive version of spring cleaning: a winter tune-up.

Everyone else is doing this too, so prices for services tend to increase this time of year — but you still may be able to save some money if you act sooner rather than later.

Getting your car maintenance done when the mileage points are met per the service schedule can save you up to $1,200 per year. You can do some repairs yourself, but if you have no clue what you are doing, find an ASE-certified mechanic or technician to do the work for you.

Scheduling maintenance early not only guarantees better service availability but also helps drivers budget more effectively.

Tire inspection and rotation

  • Average cost: Typically ranges from $20 to $50 for rotation.
  • Fall price difference: Prices can increase by 10%-20% due to higher demand as drivers prepare for winter conditions.

When it comes to your car, tires are one of the most important maintenance items to keep up on. With winter on the way, you’ll want to inspect each tire for any damage as well as check its tread depth. You'll also want to rotate all four tires to ensure even wear.

Brake inspection

  • Average cost: Inspection is usually free, but replacing brake pads costs around $150-$300 per axle.
  • Fall price difference: Prices can increase by 5%-15% as more drivers service their brakes in anticipation of harsher driving conditions.

Brakes, of course, should also be kept in tip-top running order. It’s not just the actual brakes themselves but the rotors, pads, and fluid levels that keep the whole system running smoothly.

Battery check

  • Average cost: Battery testing is often free, but replacement costs between $75 and $200.
  • Fall price difference: Prices may rise by 5%-10% due to higher demand and potential supply chain issues.

An easy check you can most likely do yourself or have done for very little money at the end of summer: test your battery. Does it have a charge? Does the terminal need cleaning? Is it on its last legs, ready to be replaced?

Do it while the weather is still relatively warm. The cold puts a strain on batteries, draining them even faster than normal. You do not want to be out in freezing temperatures on the side of the road because your battery died.

Fluid top-up and replacement

  • Average cost: Oil changes usually cost $30-$70; coolant flushes around $100-$150.
  • Fall price difference: Service prices may increase by 5%-10%.

Fluid checks, flushes, and replacements are another simple and fairly cheap set of fix-it jobs ... that is, if you do it now.

All you have to do is make sure your essential fluids — brake fluid, windshield washer fluid, coolant, and oil — are full and clean. Should they happen to be dirty or low, you can have a mechanic flush the old fluids and replace them with new fluid or top off the levels if they are a little low.

These fluids are like the life-blood of your car, crucial to the performance of the engine and stopping cold weather-related problems before they start. Waiting until it’s chilly will only add to the amount you’ll have to pay for fluid maintenance, so take care of it while the weather is still mild.

HVAC system check

  • Average cost: Basic inspection costs around $50-$100.
  • Fall price difference: Prices can rise by 10%-15% due to higher service demand.

You’ve probably been using your car’s air conditioning a lot this summer, but have you checked whether the heat is also working? What about whether the ventilation is allowing the right flow of air?

Better to do it now than wait until winter sets in and you are frozen in the driver’s seat. Those who do not will find long lines at their local mechanics and high prices as a cold comfort toward the end of the year.

Wiper blade replacement

  • Average cost: New wiper blades cost around $20-$50.
  • Fall price difference: Prices typically remain stable but may see slight increases.

It's easy to tell when your wiper blades have kicked the bucket. However, this problem can seem less urgent during an Indian summer. But by the time leaves, rain, and snow start falling, it will be too late.

Ask your local mechanic to take care of it today or do it yourself to save a few extra bucks.

Neglecting any one of these repairs can leave you on the side of the road. Also, being proactive will save you money. Waiting almost always means much higher costs down the line in the form of more extensive repairs or lost resale value if you blow it off.

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'The Mootrix'? Cows wear virtual reality goggles in winter to simulate sunny pastures. It reportedly makes them happier, boosts milk production.



Virtual reality technology apparently isn't solely for humans.

Turns out some folks got the nifty idea to outfit cows with virtual reality goggles in the winter in the hopes of boosting their milk production, the Sun reported.

Say what?

The goggles were developed with veterinarians and first tested on a farm in Moscow, the paper said, adding that cattle breeder Izzet Kocak put them on two cows in Aksaray, Turkey, and results have been favorable.

Photo by Zekeriya Karadavut/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Believe it or not, the cows' milk output has increased from 5.8 gallons to 7 gallons a day, the Sun said.

Instead of looking at a chilly indoor facility, the cows are "watching a green pasture, and it gives them an emotional boost. They are less stressed," Kocak told the paper.

Russia’s agriculture ministry said the system was developed based on the principle that cows perceive shades of red better than shades of blue and green, the Sun said.

“During the first test, experts recorded a decrease in anxiety," the ministry noted to the paper.

Indeed, while previously Kocak played classical music for his 180 animals, presumably as a mood booster, he's so happy with the virtual reality goggles that he plans to buy 10 more sets, the Sun said.

'The Mootrix'?

Images of one cow digging what's likely a sun-drenched pasture while hanging out with other cows indoors has captured the imagination of folks on social media, who are comparing the experiment to the sci-fi classic "The Matrix," the paper said.

As most of you know, "The Matrix" is the tale of the earth as we know it being nothing more than a simulation, while our real bodies are afloat in goo-filled pods as we generate energy for evil machines.

The main character Neo — played by Keanu Reeves — is located by "freed" humans inside the Matrix simulation and given a choice between taking a red pill to escape his pod and begin living in the real world or taking a blue pill to forget the whole thing.

“You take the short grass, the story ends, you wake up in the pasture and believe whatever you want to believe," one witty observer wrote in reference to the cows' VR experience, the Sun reported. "You take the long grass, you stay in wonderland, and I show you how deep the human hole goes.”

Another person offered the following quip, the paper said: “With the sequels The Mootrix Reuddered and The Mootrix Ruminations.”

Feds to Americans: Expect your heating bills to soar big-time this winter — as much as 54%



If you thought inflation was a problem this summer and fall, just wait until you try heating your home this winter.

At least, that appears to be the warning from the U.S. Energy Information Administration in its new Winter Fuels Outlook report released Wednesday.

Americans can expect their home heating bills to jump significantly over the winter months compared to last year, the EIA reported — with some citizens possibly paying 54% more.

What's this now?

The EIA released its Winter Fuels Outlook report Wednesday, and the news was not good for the American people. Heating prices across all types of heating — natural gas, electricity, propane, and heating oil — are expected to rise significantly for the coming months.

According to the EIA, "retail prices for energy are at or near multiyear highs" in the U.S. as the nation continues to experience supply problems.

Natural gas users can expect to spend about a third more than they did in 2020-21, while electricity users will see a 6% bump. Those using heating oil should expect to pay more than 40% more, and propane users will really get the shaft, with estimates projecting a 54% hike in heating prices.

And that's if we experience an average winter. If the nation sees a colder winter, bills will jump even higher, with propane heating costs projected to nearly double from a year ago.

From the EIA:

● We expect that the nearly half of U.S. households that heat primarily with natural gas will spend 30% more than they spent last winter on average — 50% more if the winter is 10% colder-than-average and 22% more if the winter is 10% warmer-than-average.

● We expect the 41% of U.S. households that heat primarily with electricity will spend 6% more — 15% more in a colder winter and 4% more in a warmer winter.

● The 5% of U.S. households that heat primarily with propane will spend 54% more — 94% more in a colder winter and 29% more in a warmer winter.

● The 4% of U.S. households that heat primarily with heating oil will spend 43% more — 59% more in a colder winter and 30% more in a warmer winter.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

The new report is, the Associated Press said, "is the latest reminder of the higher inflation" consumers are suffering under. Earlier Wednesday, the government released a report showing prices were 5.4% higher for American consumers in September than they were a year ago — the highest inflation in 13 years.

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