Sustain

Sustain: Building Food, Water, and Energy Systems for Life Without Shortcuts

Sustain: Staying Alive While Everyone Else Is Waiting for a Handout

Most people treat “sustainability” like a buzzword for organic kale and expensive solar panels. That’s a great way to end up hungry, thirsty, and desperate when the supply chain snaps like a dry twig. If you can’t provide for your family’s basic needs without a grocery store or a utility company, you’re not “living green.” You’re a liability.

I’ve spent over 20 years living the outdoorsman life, and I’ve seen what happens when systems fail. The grocery store is just a three-day buffer between civilization and chaos. Whether you’re managing a homestead in the Ouachitas or just trying to keep the lights on during a winter storm, self-reliance is the only insurance policy that actually pays out. This page is your roadmap to outlasting the crisis.

If you want the philosophy behind this mindset, start here: 👉 Why the Bible Supports Being Prepared (Not Paranoid)

Notes From the Field: The Weekly Newsletter

“Self-reliance is a muscle. If you don’t exercise it when things are easy, it’ll fail you when things get hard. Join me, and let’s get to work.”

Notes From the Field: The Weekly Newsletter

Stop Panic-Buying Gear and Start Building Resilience

Most people think being “sustainable” means having a basement full of MREs. But if you don’t know how to manage those resources or replace them, you’re just delaying the inevitable.
Every week, I send out unique, practical strategies to help you build a resilient lifestyle—from water procurement to off-grid energy—without the fluff. It’s 100% free, and I promise not to sell you “survival seeds” that won’t grow in your climate.

The Sustainability Roadmap

Don’t treat this like a random pile of articles. It’s a survival system. Follow it in order. Build your layers of resilience.

1. Foundations: The “Don’t Die” Phase

Before you worry about solar panels and chicken coops, you need to master the basics that keep you fed, hydrated, and functional.

This is where preparedness actually starts.

👉 The Deep Pantry Blueprint: Eating Well When Stores Are Empty
How to build food storage you’ll actually rotate and enjoy.

👉 Water Storage 101: Keeping Your Supply Clean and Safe
Why one rain barrel won’t save you and what will.

👉 Off-Grid Water Filtration Systems: Beyond the Straw
High-volume purification for families and long outages.

👉 How to Survive A Winter Power Outage in Freezing Temps (Without Burning Your House Down)
How to survive during a winter power outage and not turn into a popsicle.

2. Field Gear: Tools for Real-World Resilience

I only recommend equipment that can survive heavy use, bad weather, and Arkansas humidity.
If it’s flimsy, it doesn’t make this list.

👉 7 Best Thermal Scopes for Preppers in 2025
When the power grid fails and darkness becomes your reality, will you be the hunter or the hunted?

👉 Solar Generators for Beginners: Powering the Essentials
Keep food cold, lights on, and radios alive.

👉 Vehicle Vitals: The Ultimate Winter Car Emergency Kit Checklist (2026)
The best list of gear for your vehicle in the cold winter months.

👉 Best GMRS Radios for 2025
Field-Tested Communication Gear That Works When Everything Else Fails

3. Advanced Systems: The “Thrive” Phase

Once the basics are locked in, it’s time to move beyond survival and into long-term independence.

This is where resilience becomes a lifestyle.

👉 The Financial Foundation: Building Your Prepper Emergency Fund
Money needs to be front and center in your thinking.

👉 Situational Awareness Mastery
Mental Toughness for Preppers Who Refuse to Panic

👉 Survivalism for Real People
Why Being Prepared Just Makes Life Better

👉 7 Best Water Filters for Preppers: Because Dysentery Is So Last Century
Water is always a concern even during the “Thrive” phase

The Adventure Wiser Sustain Philosophy

I don’t care how much “survival food” you have in your closet if you don’t have a plan to replace it. Real sustainability is about closing the loop. It’s about looking at your home and seeing a fortress of production, not just a box of consumption.

Preparedness isn’t about hiding; it’s about having the resources to help your neighbors when they realize their “blinking blue dot” can’t feed them.

Stay Wiser: Sustain Notes Each week, I share practical self-reliance tips, field lessons, and resource alerts. No hype. No noise. Just what works.

Trusted External Resources

I don’t send you off-site lightly. These are proven, no-nonsense resources I actually respect and reference when building my own systems.

👉 Ready.gov: Water & Food Storage
Official emergency guidelines for safe, long-term supply planning.

👉 The Old Farmer’s Almanac: Planting Guides
Time-tested planting calendars and growing advice for every region.

👉 Solar Power World: DIY Solar Education
Straightforward guidance on building and maintaining small-scale solar systems.

👉 LDS Cannery: Food Storage Calculator
A practical tool for estimating real long-term food needs.

Sustain: The Ultimate Hub for Self-Reliance, Food Security, and Long-Term Preparedness