TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The Preparedness Expo on Saturday, October 19th at the Grand Traverse Republican Headquarters in Traverse City gathered a mix of survival enthusiasts, including nurses, farmers, gun advocates, gardeners and other attendees eager to expand their knowledge on preparedness.

The event featured more than a dozen tables showcasing a wide array of topics, from homesteading and medical preparedness to ham radio operations and solar energy. Visitors explored holistic medicine, beekeeping, breadmaking, and natural food preservation, while also getting hands-on insights into growing food, basic first aid, and firearm training. Attendees truly immersed themselves in the essentials of self-reliance.

Survival in the real world: tips from Mark Baker.

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Mark Baker, owner of Baker’s Green Acres in Marion, Michigan, was a key speaker at the event. His website explains that Baker’s Green Acres is a small, sustainable family farm where community is at the core of their mission whether it’s building soil health, fostering a wholesome environment for their family, or strengthening relationships with their neighbors.

Their pasture-based model harnesses sunshine and soil to raise happy, healthy animals like chickens, pigs, turkeys, and dairy cows. Raised on green grass, fresh air, and plenty of sunshine, their animals produce meat that’s rich in essential nutrients and flavor.

With roots in Montana, where Baker started raising food for his family, he embraced sustainable practices early on, focusing on natural growth methods rather than chemicals. Now in Michigan, his entire family of eleven is involved in every aspect of the farm – from caring for the animals to harvesting crops – ensuring that the food they provide is not only delicious but nourishing. Their business has also expanded into offering classes to the community and they also have an on-site campground.

With his military background and sustainable farm operation knowledge, Baker emphasized during his speech that survival goes beyond “beans and bullets.” In his talk, titled “Solutions,” he outlined three crucial principles for surviving tough times:

1. Do “the thing”: Inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson’s philosophy “Do the thing, and you shall have power,” Baker encouraged attendees to start small, like growing tomatoes in a bucket. He shared that it took him 20 years to achieve full sustainability on his farm – and that people have to jump in and decide how they want to start their vision to be self-sustaining.
2. Know Your Enemy: Baker warned about the regulatory challenges facing farmers. He recounted a 2012 battle with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Agriculture, and the Attorney General’s office over keeping “feral” pigs. When they told him he would have to get rid of his pigs, he said “no” and fought them. He advised attendees to rely on the Constitution to defend their rights like he did and said that more people need to prioritize local food production which the government doesn’t really want because they use food as a means to control the population.
3. Obedience to God: Citing John 10:10, which says “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full,” Baker emphasized that following God and having spiritual health is the foundation of physical preparedness and said that teaching people to take care of themselves is a message of love. To that end, his company has classes on building fences, how to harvest rabbits, poultry processing and more.

Baker’s final advice was clear: start growing your own food. He encouraged attendees to visit his website along with the Anyone Can Farm Experience website to learn more about self-sustaining farming.

Nurses and nutrition: a holistic approach.

Kathy Williams, RN shared practical tips for better health, focusing on simple but effective habits like taking vitamins C and D, getting plenty of sleep, as well as finding sunlight and activity. The nurse also highlighted the importance of having a health advocate during medical visits and warned of the “destruction” caused by COVID-19 vaccine mandates and food additives, emphasizing the need for detoxification for overall well-being.

Ham radio for communication: amateur operator insights.

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Amedee DeCruydt from the Leelanau County Patriots explained the basics of amateur radio. For about $100 he said that, anyone can get started pretty inexpensively by passing an exam and then obtaining a license from the FCC – and starting out with a small handheld transceiver (ham radio).

He explained that operators can get different communication ranges depending on the equipment and license level. DeCruydt noted growing interest in ham radio, as “more and more people are interested in it right now.” He directed attendees to ARRL.org (the National Association for Amateur Radio), a resource for licensing and education.

Firearms and the community: Hampel’s Gun Co.

Rodrigo Meirelles, president of Hampel’s Gun Co., was enthusiastic about attending the prepper event. “I think it’s a great event to be closer to our community and to present our business,” he said, acknowledging the challenges of promoting gun businesses on social media platforms.

Meirelles shared his plans for future firearm training courses, urging attendees to sign up for his newsletter for updates. He said that because social media puts limits on gun companies getting the word out, they have to communicate directly with customers and with emails and blogs.

Faith and survival: Evangelist Melissa Ward.

Melissa Ward, an evangelist from Atlanta, Michigan, attended the expo to seek solutions for managing her property. An unapologetic Trump supporter, Ward discussed her passion for preparing people for “end times” and emphasized the role of spiritual health in survival. “God will bring us through everything,” she said, underscoring the need for spiritual resilience in turbulent times.