SCHOOL OF SELF-RELIANCE
"OTIS' GENERAL STORE"
Remember: "Oink!" means "Hello" in OtisTalk.
Here you'll find books, booklets, and DVDs on survival and self-reliance. Plus, we have fire-making tools, herbs, knives, knife-sharpeners, water purifiers and more. LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC NEED!
You can call our office at (626) 791-3217, or mobile at (323) 605-7283
Please first check our SPECIALS, and then scroll down to see our other products. Thank you for visiting!
Click here to see items Christopher is selling on Ebay
SPECIAL OFFERS:
Purchase the DVD called "Survival Foods,"where we see Huell Howser interview Christopher and Dolores Nyerges in downtown Los Angeles -- and get a free magnesium fire starter.
ALSO, any order over $100 will get a free copy of Shiyo Miller's "The Winds Erase Your Footprints,"the true story of life on the Navajo reservation during the Great Depression. (see description below).
PACKAGE SPECIALS
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2 NYERGES PLANT DVDs SAVE $6 WHEN YOU BUY "EXPLORING EDIBLE WILD FOODS" DVD AND "SURVIVAL FOODS" VIDEO. $44 if purchased individually, purchase them both for $36.
BOTANY PACKAGE SAVE $8 When You Buy the Botany Package $75 if purchased individually, buy them all for $67. NYERGES LATEST BOOKS SAVE $10 For $35 you receive |
ALL 3 NYERGES DVDs SAVE $16 3 DVDs "Exploring Edible Wild Foods," a one hour DVD filmed in Hahamongna Watershed Park, where Christopher shows you how to recognize and use wild edibles; "Survival Foods," a Huell Howser public TV production, where Christopher and Dolores Nyerges explore the wild spots of downtown L.A. and talk about the "old ways" with Huell Howser "Survival Skills," a one hour collection of Christopher’s segments for a national TV show, demonstrating 39 survival skills.
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3 NYERGES BOOKS SAVE $10 WHEN YOU BUY 3 GREAT BOOKS BY CHRISTOPHER NYERGES.
Purchased individually, these 3 would cost $58. Buy all 3 for $42.
FIRE PACKAGE SAVE $10 When you buy the Fire Package we give you the magnesium fire starter (carry it with you all the time!), a flint and steel kit, a bow and drill, and a hand drill. Purchased individually, these will cost $65; buy them all for $55
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DVDs
USEFUL PLANTS OF THE U.S.
HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS WILD FOODS GROW EVERYWHERE, EVEN IN YOUR BACKYARD AND NEIGHBORHOOD! Take a walk with plant expert Christopher Nyerges as he shows you how to identify and use common wild plants found anywhere in the U.S. Closeups of each plant are included, as well as useful facts. Christopher Nyerges explores a wilderness area and shows you common edible and medicinal plants, and how they can be used. Some poisonous plants are also shown, as well as plants used to make fire. Great for personal study, home schools, Scouts, and nature centers. Filmed by Alan Halcon. One hour DVD.
$17 DVD
Click Here for a sample of the Useful Plants of the U.S. DVD
SURVIVAL FOOD
WILD FOOD IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES!! In this highly-entertaining public TV program, Christopher and Dolores Nyerges show host HUELL HOWSER how to gather a wild food meal in downtown Los Angeles. This was filmed near the original Yangna Indian village site, now right next to the freeway just south of Little Tokyo. The show, called "SURVIVAL FOODS," was produced by Huell Howser as part of his "Visiting" series for public TV. Expertly filmed by Luis Fuerte.
You and your family will enjoy this for years to come!
$17 DVD
SURVIVAL SKILLS on the streets of Los Angeles
Here is a solid hour of Christopher Nyerges demonstrating wilderness survival skills in the urban wilderness. You’ll see skills such as wild foods, soap-making, skinning a snake, catching a fish, making a snow cave, snow-fishing, net-making, fire-making, and more. These were all filmed on the streets of Los Angeles for the X Show, now defunct, where Christopher demonstrated the skills as if he were in the woods, oblivious to the suits and cars passing by. All bona-fide skills shown, and great entertainment.
$17 DVD
Click Here for a sample of the Survival Skills DVD
HOW TO BUILD AN IGLOO: $17
WATCH US BUILD AN IGLOO FROM A TO Z! This DVD was filmed by Rick Maschek as he conducted an igloo-building class in the Angeles National Forest. This is the footage from a class in the Angeles Forest as Rick explains how to site the igloo, how to cut and place the snow blocks, how to build the entryway, etc. You get to see it from start to finish, as all of the students crawl into the finished igloo.
It's a real treat to watch the excitement of students inside an igloo for the first time. Plus, everything that you need to know for building a proper igloo is in this video. Approximately an hour and a half of viewing.
$17 DVD
BOOKS Please let us know if you'd like Christopher Nyerges to autograph his books for you $20
THE SELF-SUFFICIENT HOME -- Going green and saving Money.
YES, YOU CAN LIVE IN THE CITY AND STILL BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION TO OUR ECOLOGICAL WOES. This book is a treasure trove of information for living a simpler life. The book includes interviews from folks who live the life, folks who walk the walk. This book will provide you with more money saving tips, beyond his other popular book, "Extreme Simplicity -- Homsteading in the City." Subjects include how to plan a home solar electric system, interviews with folks who've done it, collecting rain water, alternate toilets and methane digesters, how to make biodiesel, solar water heaters, permaculture, and more!
Fully illustrated, with lots of practical ways for you to take action now.
HOW TO SURVIVE ANYWHERE, Second Edition. $20
If you have ever been to any classes conducted by Christopher, you will see that this book contains many of the skills and projects that you learned in the field trips. This is your guide to prepare for the next earthquake, hurricane, tsunami, and other disasters. A Guide for Urban, Suburban, Rural, and Wilderness Environments. Subjects include Water (finding, purifying, storing), clothing and fabric and shelter, health and hygiene, fire, alternate power sources, fibre from nature, food and food storage, wild soaps, first aid, further considerations of "survival," and more.
Fully illustrated with photos, drawings, and charts.
FORAGING EDIBLE WILD PLANTS OF NORTH AMERICA is Christopher's wild food cookbook, fully illustrated with color photos and recipes for the most common greens that you can find anywhere in North America. In fact, many of these plants are found world-wide."I was really happy with the result, and the way the color photos turned out," says Christopher. The book is 211 pages full of wild recipes, and various ways to use wild foods, their nutritional value, and the ways to process the plants, with full color photos of every plant. [Remember, be sure to let us know if you want your book autographed] $22.95 YES, IT IS POSSIBLE TO ADD NUTRITION TO YOUR MEALS FROM COMMON PLANTS THAT ARE OFTEN SIMPLY PULLED AND DISCARDED! MANY OF THE PLANTS IN THIS BOOK ARE COMMON EUROPEAN "WEEDS" THAT ARE IN FACT EDIBLE AND TASTY AND NUTRITIOUS. $24.95. Newly Revised and Updated Color Edition. Originally published as Guide to Wild Foods in 1978, this is the first book written by Christopher. It has been revised and republished five times before being reincarnated into the present format. $24.95 COLLECTING WILD NUTS AND BERRIES HAS LONG BEEN A POPULAR AMERICAN TRADITION. This is a full-color book, 122 pages in length, covering the most common native nuts and berries of California. Foreword by Dr. James Adams, USC doctor of pharmacology, and author of "Healing with Medicinal Plants."
$18.95 HOW TO LIVE BETTER WITH LESS. ANOTHER WAYS OF SAYING -- IF WE COULD DO THIS ON OUR LOW BUDGET, YOU CAN DO IT TOO! "Homesteading in the City" is the subtitle of this lively and informative book by Christopher and Dolores Lynn Nyerges. This is the story of Christopher and Dolores Nyerges' "urban homesteading" in Los Angeles. Want to learn how to produce more of your food, generate some of your power, or cook with the sun? Do you desire to make your own compost and learn to create a wildlife sanctuary even in the city? Here is book that tells how we went about this, step by step, on a low budget. The "Economics and Self-Reliance" $16.95 $20 URBAN WILDERNESS: A Handbook to Ecological City Living. Note: You can also go to KINDLE to buy this as an e-book $15 WRITING FOR SURVIVAL: A step-by-step guide to getting published without going broke by Christopher Nyerges. This is the textbook that Christopher uses when he teaches writing classes at the local college. It is designed to get you writing and marketing your work. Topics include newspaper writing, magazine writing, book writing, keeping records, cover letters, press releases, marketing tactics, self-publication, and more. 8 ½ x 11 format, 51 pages. Hardcopy $15. Word Copy emailed to you, $3 A KINDLE E-BOOK $2.99 Click Here For more information about this E-Book in Kindle Format and to purchase it. Note: You can purchase a .pdf file of this book which we can then email to to you. Cost is only $3. $2.99 Click Here For more information about this KINDLE Book and to purchase it.
$2.99 Click Here For more information about this Kindle Book and how to purchase it.
$2.99 Click Here For more information about this KINDLE Book and how to purchase it. Note: A percentage of the proceeds from the above book goes to Dolores' favorite charity. $2.99 Click Here For more information about this Kindle Book and how to purchase it.
BOOKS BY PAUL CAMPBELL A PAUL CAMPBELL BOOK EARTH PIGMENTS AND PAINTS This is Paul Campbell's second book, a hard-cover book in full color where he shares his quest for the elusive red ochre, descriptions of how pigments were mixed with other substances so they lasted for cenuries, and so much more. Though there is much "how-to" in this book, the variety of rock art depicted is clearly worth the price of the book. There are also old California Indian photos showing body art, as well as face art, bow and arrow art, etc. Every museum and school should have a copy. A truly remarkable book! Retail is $30, but we sell for $25. Paul Campbell's book is a dream-come-true for anyone interested in the specific skills used day in and out by California’s pre-mission people. Included is how to make sandals, rope, nets, arrows, bows, hunting skills, plant information, soap plants, and more. Campbell takes you through it all step by step, with lots of photos. $40.00
This is the latest by Paul Campbell, released September of 2013, a year before he died.
'The Universal Tool Kit' refers to taking a rock and turning it into a tool. Some of you may think this is not a very interesting subject, but believe me, it's an incredible insightful look at how ancient man survived. This is not the theoretical charts and arrows and categorization you might get in an anthropology class. Campbell brings it alive, and makes it relevant.
Introductory special: $22 by Tom Elpel. This is the best treatment of botany and taxonomy that we have seen. THIS IS THE WAY BOTANY SHOULD BE TAUGHT IN THE SCHOOLS. Learn how to recognize the major plant families, and how to understand some of the basic chemistry of plants. 8 ½ x 11 format, 196 pages. $30 “If you can’t beat ‘em, eat ‘em!” Peter Gail of Cleveland has written the book that contains everything you’d ever want to know about the common dandelion. His celebration of the dandelion is 151 pages that might surprise you if you’re one of the many gardeners who despise dandelions because they grow in lawns. But it turns out that dandelions are not trash -- they are treasures. Gail begins by telling us some of dandelions’ long history of food and medicine, showing us that dandelions have more nutritional content with other common wild and cultivated foods. We learn that dandelion is the richest source of Vitamin A and magnesium, in his study, as well as a rich source of most of the tested minerals. It is richer in beta-carotene than carrots. Despite these incredible health benefits, more people don’t eat dandelion because it’s bitter. So Gail gives us recipes for turning this bitter weed into a tasty dish. He tells us how to use the roots, leaves, flowers, and hearts. There are recipes for some very unlikely dandelion dishes, like dandelion ice cream, and also the standards, such as dandelion wine and coffee. Spiral bound for easy-use. $13.95 by Cecilia Garcia and Dr. James Adams. $17.95 This book, written by Shiyo Miller (mother of Dolores Lynn Nyerges), is the true story of a young newly-married couple (one White, one Navajo) who move back to the Navajo reservation. You really feel the daily challenges of what it normally takes to live on the reservation, not to mention that this was during the Depression when work and money were scarce. There is a subtle backdrop of Navajo witchcraft, as well as the colorful scenery of the Southwest. Shiyo started writing this book in the 1940s. Shiyo died in 1983, and due to her daughter's (Dolores) dilligence, the book finally got published in 2002. $17. BOOKLETS by NYERGES ANIMALS AS ORACULAR MESSENGERS, transcript of a Halloween night lecture by Christopher Nyerges. Includes symbolic interpretations of animals in daily life. $7. WHOSE CHILD IS THIS?, is a transcript of a Christmas lecture given to Philosophical Research Society by Christopher Nyerges. An exploration of the many symbols of Christmas (and Hannukah), and their practical meanings. A real eye-opener, especially if you never considered the origin of the diverse symbols we now associate with Christmas. $7 GUIDE FOR SURVIVAL IN CATASTROPHES. Transcript of a lecture presented by Christopher Nyerges and John Watkins to a Mensa meeting in February 1986. What would it REALLY be like if modern society collapsed? What would you ACTUALLY do to live in strength after such an event? 8 ½ x 11 format, 17 pages. $7 SURVIVING DROUGHT, ECONOMIC CALAMITY, AND OTHER WOES VIA THINKING. Transcript of a six-hour workshop by Christopher and Dolores Lynn Nyerges, given at Philosophical Research Society. See how we create all our problems. Learn the tools necessary to analyze what you can do better in your own personal life. 8 ½ x 11 format, 17 pages. WHY EAT WILD FOODS? by Dolores Lynn Nyerges
Dolores originally wrote this as a chapter for the Guide to Wilds Foods book. She expanded it into this booklet, which also became the basis for many lectures. She discusses many of the problems with modern agriculture, such as hybridization, unnatural fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, waxes, irradiation, and moral and spiritual considerations of using wild foods. We'd all be better off by learning about, and using, wild foods, as well as growing some of our own food, and supporting organic farmers, where possible. Other Booklets SOLAR COOKING. Plans are provided for making two different types of solar cooker from inexpensive materials. After a few hours on a weekend, you can take scrap materials and make a simple device for cooking from the sun. $7.50. POOR MARSHALL'S MANUAL: The Individual Economics of Living on $99 per Month Written in his own hand, Marshall Greenwood tells how he live (circa 1979) on $99 a month. Reads like a modern version of Ben Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac. Full of practical tips and information. 51 pages, spiral bound. $12. WHAT CAUSES GAS? by Dolores Miller Nyerges This has been one of our most popular booklets over the years. We recommend it to anyone who has problems with indigestion or gas. Includes some unusual information, including When you are eating, How you are eating, Where you are eating, and more. 20 pages. $5. PATTERNS $15 $15 ___________________________________________________________________ KNIVES AND TOOLS EMERGENCY LOCK-SMITHING $7 What do you do when you've lost or misplaced your keys? There are several ways to open a lock, and one way is with the rake (or pick) and tension bar. Yes, you would benefit by taking a lock-smithing course, and many simple lessons can be found on YouTube. We sell you a rake and tension bar, but you'll have to learn how to use them on your own. $7 EZE-LAP DIAMOND KNIFE SHARPENER A good knife sharpener is a MUST. This one is compact, and fits into a leather case. We've used this for several decades now, and find that it is an excellent sharpener, easy to carry at all times, with no oil required. $22 This is an awesome one-piece knife capable of incredible punishment, such as splitting logs (for making bows, or hearths for fire-making, etc.). The hollow handle allows you to attach a handle. High carbon steel. Includes a sheath. The blade is 7 inches; the knife is 12 1/4 inches overall. $34
____________________________________________________________ FIRE-MAKING This is THE fire-starting tool that everyone should carry, all the time. It is a block of magnesium from which you scrape shavings. Then, using the built-in sparker, you ignite the powdered magnesium. This tool provides thousands of lights. No moving parts, nothing to re-fill or wear. This is easy to carry on your keychain, and have one in your purse, glove compartment, and pack -- as a backup to your Bic. Don't leave home without one! $8 each or 2 for $15 BOW AND DRILL. We assemble a primitive kit so you can practice fire-making the Old Way. You receive bow, drill, hearth, socket, and instructions. Everyone should learn how to go into the woods and make a fire using this method. Though we send you instructions, the full details for this method can be found in Larry Dean Olsen's "Outdoor Survival Skills" book, or Christopher's "How to Survive Anywhere." In the meantime, you can practice with our kit until you achieve mastery. $30 This is the simplest, though difficult, method of primitive fire-starting which was more widely used world-wide than any other method. We send you a mulefat hand drill, a baseplate of willow or ash, and instructions. It's best if you practice this with a partner. Once you master this method, everything else is downhill. $17 STEEL STRIKER -- Gary demonstrates the striker with flint and charcloth. This is a heavy-duty steel striker for making fire by the “flint-and-steel” method. They’re made by a blacksmith and designed to wrap around your knuckles and hopefully prevent nicks and cuts. Strike flint, quartz, or other sparkable rocks, and let the sparks shower into char cloth or steel wool. Detailed directions for use can be found in Christopher’s "How to Survive Anywhere" book. If you need assistance, let us know and we’ll include an instruction sheet with the striker. $15. FLINT & STEEL KIT Our standard kit includes a “U”-shaped steel, a piece of flint, cotton tinder, and instructions all packed into a tin. Everything you need to get started is here. $15 Sun Oven -- Ed Begley out in the yard using his trusty Sun Oven. SUN OVEN
We've used our Sun Oven for nearly 20 years and it's still going strong. This is a great way to cook with the sun, and this is the best commercial solar oven we've seen. If there's an emergency and you don't have gas, you can cook during the day with this oven. If you can't make a fire, you can cook with this oven. And it's portable, with a handle. We've taken it on car-camping trips. Though some lower-quality solar ovens take a long time to work, this one has gotten up to 350 degrees f. on a summer day! This means that it takes no longer to cook in this oven as it does to cook with a conventional gas stove. This is a "must-have" addition to your home preparedness gear, and it's something you can use every day to demonstrate the power of the sun. Remember: A solution to our problems rises every morning.
Suggested retail is $349, we sell it for $269. Shipping to your home is $32.85 if you live in the contiguous United States.
$269 + $32.85 Shipping. ___________________________________________________________ WILD-CRAFTING FLORIAN RATCHET CLIPPERS These are the original ratchet clippers that make it easy to cut wood and branches. They are great in the garden, and in the field. If you have been on Christopher's outings, he is using these all the time to make clean cuts to cut plants for food, or mulefat for hand drills and arrow shafts, or willow for bow drills, etc. etc. etc. If you want a quality pair of clippers for long-term hard use, these are the ones you want. Yes, you can buy cheaper knock-offs, but they won't last like these. traditional yellow. $34 MUGWORT "You can never have enough mugwort!" Dried mugwort is one of the best materials for getting your primitive fire going. You make a birdnest-shape from the dried leaves, add your ember and blow on it until you get a flame. Native Americans used mugwort cigars in the old days to carry thier ember from camp to camp. It is also used in Chinese acupuncture, called "moxa." You'll get a sandwich bag pouch of the dried leaves. $7 Epazote (Chenopodium ambrosiodes) has been used in Mexico and Central America for centuries. It has been used for many herbal remedies, as well as a seasoning for bean dishes and other foods. It is most commonly known as an anti-flatulent [nature's Bean-O] when added to beans. Use in your cooked foods, or even add to dog food to prevent gas and indigestion. If you ever had to spend time in a bomb shelter, you'd really want to have some epazote with you. $3.50 "GROW YOUR OWN WILD FOOD PATCH" Starter Kit Turn any unproductive part of your yard into a bountiful and delicious wild food patch! Get a package of wild seeds that are easily grown and will produce you with nutritious plants for nutritious meals.
Note: It is not advisable to plant these wild seeds in your yard if you live near a native plant habitat, because it is very easy for the wild plants to spread and cause habitat disruption.
Lamb's Quarter Seed
Lamb's quarter seed (the leaves are eaten raw or cooked, and the seeds can be added to bread batter or soups)
$3.00 (the leaves are added to cooked dishes, or used like French sorrel in salads)
$3.00 ("cheeseweed") (the leaves are used in raw or cooked dishes, and the "cheeses" can be eaten)
$3.00 Our Wild Food Patch Starter Kit comes with all three seeds, plus one more seed (depending on what we have available), and instructions.
$7.50 This is a tobacco-free blend of wild herbs. We use manzanita leaf, mullein, mugwort, sage, passionflower leaf, yerba santa, willow bark, and others. $12 a bag _____________________________________________________________ WATER-PURIFICATION TIMBERLINE WATER FILTER. This is a low-cost water filter that is easy to use, and easy to carry. It will purify water from giardia, and othe biological contaminants. The filter element can be replaced so you don't need to purchase an entirely new unit. $30 IODINE CRYSTALS FOR WATER PURIFICATION. You receive 1/4 tsp. iodine crystals in a glass bottle, with instructions for purifying water. This is the best chemical method of water purification. (Obviously, boiling is best when you can make a fire). $17 
There is an introductory chapter on how to prepare wild foods, and how to make your own wild spices. A chart at the end (based on the USDA's "Analysis of Foods") demonstrates the incredible nutritional value of wild foods.
The book includes comments from people who have tasted Christopher's dishes at his classes. Responses varied from those who have tried his "Earth Bread," based on lamb's quarter seed. Some have said it tasted "like dirt," and others said it was "virile,""amazing," "deliciously wholesome and sustaining." If you're one of those who likes to try wild foods, you"ll love this book. $22.95
FORAGING CALIFORNIA: Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Foods in California
"Foraging California: Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Foods in California," is a Falcon Field Guide by Christopher Nyerges, released in May of 2014, part of the Falcon Press national Foraging series of books.
This 244 page book is full color, and is organized by plant family, according to the latest Jepson Manual ("Higher Plants of California").
"Foraging California," with a foreword by Paul Campbell (author of "Survival Skills of Native California"), is dedicated to Nyerges' teacher and mentor, Dr. Leonid Enari, who emphasized that the way to learn about plants was to understand their familial relationships. Based on the methods learned by Dr. Enari, this book tells that there are many safe families, and that there are many more foods beyond what is in this illustrated book.
The book includes a map of the state of California, showing the distribution of wild foods by environment. Also included are nutritional charts, a chart for wild bread and wild sugar sources, and Nyerges' wild food test which he uses in the classroom.
The book is useful for California and beyond.
GUIDE TO WILD FOODS AND USEFUL PLANTS
This is an ideal book for beginners and experts to get to know some common wild foods and their uses.
Fully illustrated with color photos, many original references, and pictorial keys (for Leaf and Fruit) to all the plants included. Most of the plants included are found all over the United States. Each plant's identification is described, as well as edibility, medicinality, and other practical uses.
Very useful Appendix on Safe Families, and an insightful Appendix on WHY EAT WILD FOODS?
NUTS AND BERRIES OF CALIFORNIA:Tips and Recipes for Gatherers. A Falcon Field Guide by Christopher Nyerges, 2015.
The book is divided between the native nuts and berries, and the horticulturally introduced plants (HIPs), which thrive in the cities and wilderness. The book includes some unique information on the processing of the buckeye seeds, details on processing olives, and recipes throughout.
EXTREME SIMPLICITY 
TESTING YOUR OUTDOOR SURVIVAL SKILLS by Christopher Nyerges.
DESIGNED AS THE TEXTBOOK THAT NYERGES USES IN THE CLASSROOM, THE BOOK IS ALSO DESIGNED SO YOU CAN TEST AND IMPROVE YOUR OWN SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE. Chapters on identifying plants, primitive fire-making, food in the wild, navigation by sun and stars, water (finding, purifying, storing), clothing, first aid, weapons (primitive and modern), and more. This textbook became the foundation for "How to Survive Anywhere." 8 ½ x 11 format, comb-bound, fully illustrated. 
This edition focuses on simple, low-cost ways to "do more with less," even in the city. Think of it as a basic manual of urban survival. (This is a revision of Christopher's 1979 book of the same title.)
Sections includes food storage, water storage, alternate power sources, communication section, hygiene (what do you do when there is no toilet?), community and safety issues, emergency preparedness, and more! 
Ancient Writings On Rock. eBook by Christopher Nyerges: Evidence for
Pre-Columbian European Presence North of Los Angeles.
This is an e-book by Christopher Nyerges, where he documents his discovery of two inscribed rocks in the Angeles National Forest, and how these rocks were eventually translated. One boulders reads as a funerary epitaph, and the other is the name of a Celtic goddess. He also documents numerous other unique rocks on the site, which are consistent with a European ceremonial site. Yes, controversial, and Nyerges gives tells you how he came to his conclusions, and presents the arguments both from those who agree and disagree with this thesis. The book can be purchased from Amazon in KINDLE format, or from us as a pdf download. $3.00
TUNNEL 16. eBook by Christopher Nyerges.
Tunnel 16 is a fictional tale about a teen in the foothill community of Altadena, California, who accidentally falls into a tunnel near the Angeles National Forest. He discovers that a race of invisible beings live there. The teen, Rick Jasper, meets his underworld mentor, the holographic ghost of Jack Parsons, who guides Rick in the underworld. The tunnel system is near the famous Jet Propulsion Laboratory of Pasadena, and JPL security engineer Frank Landry becomes enmeshed in this underworld drama in his effort to improve security at JPL.
Though fiction, many real names and real locations are used, and the book includes much of the myth and folklore of the Pasadena area, including Parsons, JPL, tunnels under Los Angeles, L. Ron Hubbard, and more.
SINKHOLE 102 (The Tunnel Series) [KINDLE Edition]
eBook by Christopher Nyerges:
A young adult fiction, Sinkhole 102 is a sequel to Tunnel 16. Five years after the Tunnel 16 adventure, Rick Jasper is a freshman physics student at Caltech when he is called upon to resolve an underworld conflict, this time in the tunnel system below Malibu Canyon. Rick agrees to do it only because he is promised gold as payment. A sinkhole opens near the beach in Malibu, and a mysterious Native American who says the sinkhole is an opening to a sacred site, jumps in and disappears.
California Department of Transportation works to seal the hole and hold back the media throng that appears after the native man disappeared. Meanwhile, upcanyon, Rick and his native guide enter the tunnel system and interact with the Invisibles to assist them in resolving their differences.
TIL DEATH DO US PART? eBook by Christopher Nyerges.
The Story of How Dolores and Christopher Dealt with Death. How can we deal with death in an uplifting -- even positive -- way? This book covers some of the lessons about death from the life of Christopher and Dolores Nyerges. Included are lessons about how to support those whose spouses have died, having animal funerals, how to prepare for the inevitability of death, how to 'be with' your loved one when they die, and more. There are sections about dealing with 'ghosts', and the possibility of an afterlife.
After reading this book, a man told Christopher that he felt Christopher was preoccupied with death. Christopher responded, No, I am not preoccupied with death. I am preoccupied with LIFE. Only by grasping the fact that we will not be here forever will we have the sanity and soberness to live the best life possible, moment by moment. 
SQUATTER IN LOS ANGELES: LIVING ON THE EDGE, eBook by Christopher Nyerges.
For a year and a half, Christopher Nyerges took and occupied a hilltop home on one acre whose ownership was being disputed in probate court. During this time, Nyerges was able to experiment and practice many of the skills that he later used in his ongoing classes, and books ("Urban Wilderness," "Extreme Simplicity," etc.). This book describes how this all came about, some of the specific experiences during that time, and practical lessons about gardening, use of resources, self-reliance, recycling. how we relate to our land, etc. This is a wild ride which includes lawyers, a ghost, a near-death experience, dowsing, a rain dance, and lots of other great topics for your next dinner party.
This is not a how-to guide to squatting, nor does it glamorize homelessness, squatting, or any illegal activity. The purpose of this book is to show that it is very possible for anyone to live better with less.
Available on Kindle from Amazon. Or, we'll send you the book as a Word document for $2.
SURVIVAL SKILLS OF NATIVE CALIFORNIA
THE UNIVERSAL TOOL KIT out of Africa to native California
Just like his previous books - "Survival Skills of Ancient California" and "Paints and Pigments" - Campbell thoroughly investigates his subject matter.
Campbell gives us a review of stone tools in primitive cultures around the world, and how extreme simplicity was the name of the game. This is not a book about fancy flint-knapping. Rather, this is a book that describes Campbell's personal research and experimentation in making quick and simple stone tools, and how he went about using those tools to make bows, atlatls, and other necessary products. It seems that too many people have made all the basic survival skills all so complicated. Too many folks are telling us you must have this huge knife and this big compass and that big weapon.
Why? Because for the people selling all the survival paraphernalia, it helps to put their daughters through college.
But if you really want to get simple and get basic, then just GET THIS BOOK. A stone is the ultimate survival tool.
And guess what? When you're done reading this book, you'll agree with Campbell that you really don't need the stone, per se. The greatest skill is your knowledge, and your ability to transform natural resources into the tools of everyday life and survival.
Campbell gives you a thorough background in the subject in a readable way. You'll know far more than the average anthropologist after reading this.
He describes how to make one-day willow bow, atlatls and spears, flakers, and more. Fully illustrated with hundreds of photos and drawings, this is the book you will want when you do the research that matters.
Top quality hard cover, 316 pages. Suggested retail is $29.95
Click Here for a larger image of the inside of the book.
BOTANY IN A DAY
DANDELION CELEBRATION
HEALING WITH MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE WEST (3rd edition)
This remarkable book was the collaboration of Dr. Adams, a professor of pharmacology, and Cecilia Garcia, a Chumash medicine woman. When Dr. Adams got the idea to write a book on the medicinal use of plants, he sought out a native medicine person, and finally found Cecilia Garcia. After she accepted him, they collaborated on this book, and nearly a hundred walks and lectures. People have been very impressed with their presentations, sensing that "this is the real deal."
The book is 266 pages, fully illustrated with color photos, and the details of each plant delineated with identification characteristics, primary and secondary uses, active compounds, and many of Cecilia's recipes for how to use the herbs. (Cecilia passed away May 15, 2012 in Mexico).
The book is a real treasure! It`s a unique blend of science and spirituality.
THE WINDS ERASE YOUR FOOTPRINTS
Illustrated by Chester Kahn, it is 335 pages long.
When Christopher first read the manuscript of this book, he was spell-bound. "I could not put it down," says Nyerges. "This was like reading a Tony Hillerman novel, except this one is true."
$7 
$6 
We sell several patterns for making your own clothing. If you have never done so, it is a remarkable feeling to make and wear your own garments. This is just a partial listing of the patterns available.
CAPOTE. A capote is a cape-like coat originally made by the Plains Indians from trade blankets. Adjustable for men and women of all sizes. A separate pattern is available for children. We have made several of these over the years from this pattern. On a cold day, there's nothing quite like a full-length capote!
MOCASSINS: Create your own leather mocassins following the instructions here.
COLD STEEL BUSHMAN
MAGNESIUM FIRE STARTER. If Carlos likes it, you know it's good!
THE HAND DRILL 
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EPAZOTE
Curly Dock Seed
Mallow
Wild Food Patch Starter Kit
