Celebrating a Decade of Survival: The Changing Earth Podcast’s 10-Year Anniversary

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“Ten years of podcasting, and we still have technical difficulties. What's up? It’s because the technology’s always evolving, you know, and we’re just trying to keep up.” That’s how I kicked off the Changing Earth Podcast 10-year anniversary episode, reflecting on a decade of growth, challenges, and community. Since launching on July 24, 2015, this journey has been a wild ride of survival knowledge, storytelling, and meaningful connections. As we celebrate this milestone, I’m thrilled to look back at where we started, the lessons we’ve shared, and the incredible community we’ve built together.

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From a Single Book to a Survival Saga

When I started Changing Earth, I had just published Day After Disaster, the first book in what would become an 11-book series. “I started when I was 25. Here I am 10 years later, still 25,” I joked during the anniversary show, though I’m “a little bit older than that now.” Fast forward to today, and The Las Vegas Years, the final book in the series, is here, complete with Doug Hogan’s stunning cover art. Writing these books while producing nearly 500 hours of podcast content has been no small feat. As my co-host Chin Gibson noted, “The average number of books a self-published author does? One to three over their career… You’re standing on two uncommon feats at one time.”

The podcast has always blended survival fiction with practical advice, creating what James Walton called “the legitimate Emergency Preparedness podcast.” From navigating technical glitches to interviewing experts like Dr. Bones, Kat Ellis, and James Yeager, every episode has been a labor of love. “It’s not just about the 500 hours of survival knowledge,” I said during the show. “The biggest takeaway is the friendships that are made.”

Memorable Moments and Key Takeaways

Picking favorite episodes from a decade of content was tough. “I tried to pick two shows that we really liked from every season,” I said. “It was rough. I started walking a goal for myself because there’s so much.” Here are my top picks from each season, with links to dive into the survival wisdom:

• Day After Disaster (Season 1):

  • Eat What You Store, Store What You Eat with Dr. Prepper taught me the importance of practical food storage. “How many of us go out and buy stuff we’re never gonna eat?” I asked, reflecting on early prepper mistakes.

  • Post-Disaster Medications with Kat Ellis was a game-changer, especially during my 2018 gallbladder issues. “It really gave me the ‘Mom has high blood pressure, what can we plant?’ mindset,” I shared.

• Without Land (Season 2):

  • Government Takeover in an Emergency Situation with Doug Hogan blew my mind. “They can control the air, lodging, food, water, oil—just everything,” I said, stunned by the scope of executive orders.

  • Higher Brain Living for Survival with Craig introduced human evolution and resilience. “The past does not exist, so you’re forgiven,” Craig’s quote, became a mantra for starting fresh each day.

• Walls of Freedom (Season 3):

  • Footcare with Long Hikes or Bugging Out emphasized physical readiness. “Your feet are your wheels. You don’t have feet, you ain’t going nowhere,” I stressed.

  • Maintaining Your Weapons with Ben Branam offered firearm insights. “He’s just crazy good when it comes to weaponry,” I noted.

• Battle for the South (Season 4):

  • Getting & Staying Self-Defense Ready with Dan Robarts shaped my self-defense philosophy. “It’s not just about moves; it’s about nutrition in your body,” I explained.

  • Self-Defense Contracting with James Yeager detailed military loadouts. “How much more gear do I have to carry?” I asked, highlighting the realities of preparedness.

• Dark Days in Denver (Season 5):

  • Stop! Human Trafficking with Skip shifted my series’ focus. “Knowing that human trafficking hit me hard,” I said, explaining its influence on my writing.

  • Prepping for Addicts addressed overlooked challenges. “There’s so many addictions… we need to think about that when planning,” I noted.

• The Endless Night (Season 6):

  • Surviving a Collapse with Fernando Aguirre was eye-opening. “If you don’t think it could happen in the United States, think again,” I urged.

  • Psychological Warfare with Hakeem Isler offered leadership tips. “He has a cool set of personality traits to figure out people,” I shared.

• Hope on the Horizon (Season 7):

  • Communist Takeover explored historical parallels. “We ended up finding way better information than we wanted to,” I admitted.

  • Healing from Psychological Abuse summed up 2020’s toll. “We were all psychologically abused,” I reflected.

• The Bitter End (Season 10):

  • Prepper Camp 2021 captured our community’s energy. “Prepper Camp is awesome,” I enthused.

  • Australia Locking Down & Tracking offered a boots-on-the-ground perspective. “What was happening in Australia was insanity,” I said.

• Live Shows:

  • Surviving Catastrophic Flooding and Wildfire Safety: 20 Essential Tips hit close to home. “We were both talking from our hearts,” Chin said, reflecting on our experiences with floods and wildfires.

All these episodes are available at authorsarafhathaway.com. Subscribe to access this survival library, paired with each book in the series.

A Community Built on Friendship

“The survival community that has stemmed off of this show… it’s irreplaceable,” I said during the episode. The friendships I’ve made—Chin Gibson (six years as co-host!), James Walton, Dave, Doug, and countless others—are the heart of this journey. “I’m not just talking about digital friendships,” I emphasized. “There’s a lot of people I’m personal friends with now, in person.” These bonds, forged through shared passion for preparedness, have made the last decade unforgettable.

Our community’s support keeps Changing Earth thriving. During the anniversary show, we had fun with giveaways, like when Firewolf won a copy of The Las Vegas Years by guessing the nine-year gap between books one and two. “You can win a copy of my new book… just start guessing numbers,” I teased. Your support, whether through pre-ordering The Las Vegas Years on Amazon or joining us at events like Prepper Camp, means the world.

Eerie Coincidences and Creative Sparks

Writing Changing Earth has been a surreal experience, often mirroring real-world events. “When I was writing Dark Days in Denver… California was having really bad fires, and it was all orange outside,” I shared, recalling the eerie orange haze from wildfires. Similarly, Battle for the South predicted a Houston hurricane three months before Hurricane Ian hit. “I wrote that part of my book three months before it happened,” I said, marveling at the “writing angel” guiding my work.

These coincidences fueled my storytelling, from the wine cellar scenario in Day After Disaster to the human trafficking focus inspired by Skip. “I had no idea what the real catalyst was going to be,” I admitted, but the stories unfolded organically, shaping a universe that resonates with readers and listeners alike.

Looking Ahead: New Horizons

The release of The Las Vegas Years is a huge milestone. “It’s finally done,” I announced, thrilled to see it available for pre-order. The audio drama continues to grow, with dreams of a TV series on the horizon. “The next time you see the next Walking Dead-type series… it’s so timely right now,” I said, hopeful for its future. I’m also exploring a Changing Earth video game, inspired by discussions about NES Maker. “You can make a legit Nintendo game,” James noted, sparking ideas for interactive storytelling.

Prepper Camp remains a cornerstone of my year. “If you go back and listen to some of my shows, you can hear every single year I was there,” I said. I’m excited for James’ interviews with this year’s lineup—check them out for a taste of the event’s energy.

A Legacy for the Future

Podcasting has left a legacy I never anticipated. “If something happened to me, my kids have over 500 hours of me talking about different stuff,” I reflected. From my father-in-law’s veteran interview to the countless experts who’ve shared their wisdom, these episodes are a gift to my family and our community. As James put it, “You created the universe… It’s a very rare person that brings it all together with that many books.”

A Heartfelt Thank You

“You should wow a little,” James urged during the episode, encouraging me to celebrate this milestone. So here I am, wowing at what we’ve built together. To every listener, reader, and supporter: thank you for turning a thought exercise into a thriving universe. “The lives that have been touched… it’s irreplaceable,” I said, and I mean it.

Here’s to another decade of dreaming, surviving, and thriving. Pre-order The Las Vegas Years on Amazon, dive into the podcast archives at authorsarafhathaway.com, and join us at Prepper Camp. Let’s keep this community growing—see you on the airwaves!