19th Century assault rifle. Still being sold.
Posted on 09/09/2014 4:48:39 PM PDT by Kartographer
I would like to share some of my observations, feelings, and plans for dealing with the current and future difficult times that we face. As I have read and studied the survival plans and strategies of the fine members of the SurvivalBlog community, as well as other sources, I have frequently been overwhelmed and discouraged about my ability to deal with the inevitable trouble that is barreling toward us faster every day. I read the stories of people moving to a fully-stocked and well-equipped retreat with their ex-military buddies, who are also master gardeners, trained medical personnel, and have every other skill imaginable, and then realize that I will never be able to protect and provide for my family in this manner. I live in a rural, but not isolated, part of Appalachia, and for various reasons I will not be able to bug out to a fully-equipped and ready-to-go homestead when things get really sour. Furthermore, I am not a farmer, master gardener, or a soldier, but I have developed a plan to try to maximize the potential for survival for my loved ones.
(Excerpt) Read more at survivalblog.com ...
Preppers’ PING!!
19th Century assault rifle. Still being sold.
I’ve been thinking about knife making.
Gardeners PING !
SHTF “jobs” almost anyone can learn or prep for:
Having a huge stack of refillable BIC lighters (100+) and being able to refill from a propane bottle works as well.
Being able to make lamps / lamp oil
Knowing how to make charcoal
High quality still / alcohol production
Reloading ammunition (at least till the primers and powder run out)
bio-diesel from algae or waste vegi oil
producing yarn from wool and knitting/crocheting
SHTF “jobs” almost anyone can learn or prep for:
Having a huge stack of refillable BIC lighters (100+) and being able to refill from a propane bottle works as well.
Being able to make lamps / lamp oil
Knowing how to make charcoal
High quality still / alcohol production
Reloading ammunition (at least till the primers and powder run out)
bio-diesel from algae or waste vegi oil
producing yarn from wool and knitting/crocheting
Gathering seed,storing seed, planting seed, creating transplants, disease control,insect control, interplanting,and knowing herbal remedies are learned talents.
Plants are more sustainable,since it takes eight pounds of vegetation to make one pound of meat which may not be harvestable until sexual maturation, and
that doesn't include the amount of healthy water necessary for meat production.
Not many American gardners have expierience in raising crops in "night-soil" (human manure/waste) or without commercial fertilizer, but do know about compost production.
Some crops are havestable in as short as 35-40 days; most crops require 65-120 days, sometimes more.
I believe that gardeners are better prepared for food production than meat producers, whatever adversity may befall them .
Those plant husbandtry abilities are learned talents , and would be an asset in any comming 'hard times'.
Hand in hand, food production/preservation, and animal husbandry...this fella just don’t think a 3D printed omelette would be too tasty ;-)
doesn't even sound good...
But you could trade a tractor part for eggs.
I’m glad I’m not the only one of that mindset regarding the lever-action repeater.
I saw an article about that a few years back.
Interesting article. Nice skills to have.
I am not a farmer, soldier, or Master Gardener. However, between me, my husband and other family members, we do have many skill sets.
We also can’t practically bug out, but since we are in a rural area, we stand a good chance of being able to shelter in place. So that’s primarily what we concentrate on.
Shelter, water, food, security, medical, and hygiene are the things that we have concentrated on. We try to have redundancy of at least 3.
For example we have stockpiled 25 gallons of bottled water. The hot water heater holds 55 gallons. We have a well, and a generator to run the pump. We have a swimming pool holding 4000 gallons which can be made drinkable, and several rain barrels. Of course we have filters, portable filters, and bleach, and water treatment tablets.
We have also learned to garden. We also know that we need to plant 60% of our crop in food crops that have a high amount of mass left for compost. Like Corn, wheat, alfalfa, rye etc. No need to buy fertilizer if you know how to make your own compost, and there’s lots of books that tell how to do it.
We have learned a lot, and have lots left to learn and do for each of the main aspects of preparing for emergencies - especially those of longer term, and with out some or all modern conveniences.
None of us are welders, but we know some around our area.
Thanks. I’ll try to remember to run a link to the next garden ping on Friday.
I’m going to grow meat and veggies. There is much vegetation that cows and goats can eat that we can’t and chickens can eat bugs.
I have some heirloom seeds but my first plantings are going to be hybrids because they have disease resistance and yield better than heirlooms.
SHTF strategy fully depends on yer location, and you, and your family’s/neighbors skill set....and trust.
3D printing might be good once some sort of order is restored, but the ability to live off the grid, and provide barter seems more valuable.
Mah $0.02!
You know that you can also lower a bucket into the well if you run out of fuel for the generator.
“None of us are welders, but we know some around our area.”
Get yourself a nice little 120 volt flux-core wire feeder machine for about 250-350 dollars and learn in about 2 hrs.
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