Posted on 03/05/2011 9:14:08 AM PST by Kartographer
We all realize it won’t happen, but the dollar is very weak. That’s just a fact.
Anything I read about survivalism indicates to keep at least a few weeks or even months supply of food on hand. As far as guns and ammunition, I seriously doubt that one person can protect what they have if people are starving. This means a network of friends is needed. That way the things that you have can be shared and protected.
I do know many people will say they can’t afford it. A food item that costs $1.00 today could cost $2.00 or $3.00 or even more by mid summer. We should all know that gasoline which won’t even store well, especially now with the ethanol can’t really be stored in quantity for any length of time.
The interest on just about any investment is presently much less than the increase in the cost of food. Therefore, a few hundred in savings spent now, will increase in value faster than just about any investment there is.
(Excerpt) Read more at mypeoplesvoice.com ...
“As far as guns and ammunition, I seriously doubt that one person can protect what they have if people are starving.
That may be true, but I can still take out a whole lot of starving thieves before I’m robbed. “
My thought is, if your can annoy the thieves then they will simply go to a house that has no guns!
I have a years supply of food and at least a month or two of water. Water is the most important and vulnerable resource.
I can seal off an area of my house so that a thief would have to work awfully hard to reach me. I can allow thieves to ransack the rest of my house without even knowing I’m there.
The “after that” depends on the situation- in a total melt-down our society will have to start over- people will need to hunt, gather and grow food, raise chickens and other meat, have a milk cow...survivors of the short-term crises will want to rebuild society so eventually there will be jobs of some sort again. I do think everyone should have supplies for a year- just gives you a better chance at short-term survival.
Anyone that lives in a city will be much worse off in a true melt-down since the only chance they have of starting over will have to be done in a rural area. Not much room for the chickens and milk cows in town. My mother’s family was literally starving in a city during the Depression, my widowed grandmother was unable to provide for her family in town. They moved to a rural area and my mother said it was like becoming rich, they were able to have a large garden, milk cow, chickens- could fish in a nearby river. My grandmother was able to do laundry in exchange for other things they needed.
The “after that” is adapting to whatever works for long-term survival or not surviving. Not a lot of options. The transition to “after that” will certainly be easier for those with a stockpile of goods.
Well looks as if I have done the impossible plus.
Look you there could come a time no doubt in which hard choise will have to be made, but you any plan in which you you attempt to support a unknow number of ‘grasshoppers’ is bound to fail. As for me I had set asside one tenth of my stores as tithe to help those that did not plan. To me by setting aside that which God ask in tribute and then distribute it to those in need I have meet God‘s covenants and yet have not place my family in need or want.
I will add a warning to this solution and that is for you to be careful as to how you distribute this aid. In these days in which so many seem to deem that it is their ‘right‘ to have their needs provided to them by others, the knowledge that you have prepared and have stores of food and goods could quickly cause others to ‘demand‘ that you share.
“Let me tell you something about humans, nephew: They’re a wonderful, friendly people - as long as their bellies are full and their holosuites are working.”
“But take away their creature comforts, deprive them of food, sleep, sonic showers, put their lives in jeopardy over an extended period of time and those friendly, intelligent, wonderful people...will become as nasty and as violent as the most blood-thirsty Klingon.”
Quark from:Star Trek Deep Space Nine, Episode: The Siege of AR-558 (#7.8)” (1998)
5 gallon bucket with a lid that seals tight at Home Depot for a little over $3.00...
If they can prevent paint from drying up for years, it will seal well enough to preserve your food...
I have found that they hold about 33 lbs of food [rice, flour of sugar] and it equates to about 80 cups...
Regards,
Raven6
As for me I purchsed a pump action shot gun, 250 rounds of 00 buck and a AK74 (Yes AK74 not a typo) and 2160 rounds of 5.45 for around $1000.00. Seems like cheap enough insurance to me that I won’t be the ‘slowest one running from the bear’.
Me I ask and got fo free 5 gallon snap on lid buckets from the ‘Wally World’ bakery for FREE!
Agreed. I read it too. Plus we have a sizable Mad Maxx population that will make things harder.
” Then to each gallon add a few drops of Clorox and let it stand over night. “
Household bleach in the common plastic container has a limited shelf-life - the chlorine molecules come out of suspension and are tiny enough to pass through the pores in the plastic...
If you’re storing bleach long-term for survival purposes, transfer it to canning jars, or other tight-sealing glass containers.... (Metal, not so much - chlorine is extremely active, and will corrode metal...)
Better yet is Calcium Hypochlorite easy to store and a little goes a long way:
” pump action shot gun, 250 rounds of 00 buck and a AK74 (Yes AK74 not a typo) and 2160 rounds of 5.45 for around $1000.00. “
In a survival scenario, to my way of thinking, unless one is an accomplished (old-style, sans power tools) gunsmith, one would be better served with a double-12 with a selection of loads (00, deer slugs, #4 and #7 shot), a revolver (an old Police Issue 38 Special, in my case - simple and reliable-durable), a bolt-action 22, and a bolt-action deer rifle (.270 or .30 cal - I’m still looking for one that I like)
Moving parts are the enemy....
Still doesn’t negate my other points: This store can be stolen, or you could be killed for it. It’s another thing to defend.
I’m sure it will do you some good - But I don’t think it should be in the top 10 of items of preparation. What if you HAVE to leave your home, or where it’s stored ? Fire, gangs invade, Martial law is declared, etc. You’re evacuated.
As those of us on FR, Evacuating us isn’t easy (Not after even the Florida hurricanes a decade ago, where seizures were performed before people could return to their homes). But do you really think that you’re good enough at self defense, home defense, and strategy to cover all of these bases ? Would you stake the lives of your family on this ?
I do stake my life on my capabilities, and I think I’m smart enough to protect a food and materials store. But I’m untested - As just about all of us here are - So it’s an unknown quantity. After it happens, and I succeed or fail, I will know.
This is great if I’m switching careers, getting into a new hobby, or even skydiving - But this is all such an unknown to all of us, that I find it hard conversing with my family, god, or even FR that I am 100% confident I can deal with something that I, truthfully, haven’t even begun to comprehend.
Years of childhood survival training (I wasn’t ever a Scout, but my upbringing has surpassed typical scouting by leaps and bounds) and constant training by my parents has given me an advantage : But I’ve also learned that there will always be someone who is faster, smarter, and more armed than myself. And if I don’t avoid that person, they WILL conquer me and make efforts made in vain.
To avoid this conflict, I have chosen to avoid the prize. Of course, that “prize” is vital resources, such as food and water. After having identified that (and it’s significance) I have chosen to instead focus on alternative methods to get that prize - Where I stand a higher chance of success and survival.
And I’ll eat a cat. I’ll eat a rat. I’ll eat snakes, grass and tree bark. I’ll maintain my civility because I’ll avoid absolute desperation. I’ll gain resources by preying upon those who prey upon others. The most successful bird in the sky has a habit of never looking up - Because it doesn’t have to.
This is the definition of “Pride” in my book. It’s how I answered questions growing up about my Parent’s (And mine) “sins” of being proud of me. It’s not _that_ kind of Pride. It’s the Pride that knowing you’ve got it all figured out.
I haven’t got ANYTHING figured out. I’m safer to believe that.
the best way to survive...
You are right on target- learning skills our grandparents used all the time to make and grow and what have you are going to go farther than anything else. Most people today do not know homesteading skills much less how to use them.
Food storage for things like unemployment or illness yes- as a way to maintain longstanding food supply, not so much.
My sugar is in its original bag which has never been a problem. I have never known a mouse or weavil with a sweet tooth,. More important is to keep it dry and avoid heat extremes.
There is a ton of information online for storing good safely and to preserve its quality.
I use canning jars for stuff I don’t want ruined. If you use the lids and screw them on snugly, then even though you are not processing the stuff, nothing can get in or out.
The only problem is that they break if dropped.
Salt is another thing to consider storing. I’d say it’s more necessary than sugar by far.
I don’t hear a lot of advice about making sure you have adequate salt, but it’s necessary for survival if someone is doing hard physical labor and sweats a lot.
I’d suggest putting the salt and anything else you want to store in containers on days with low humidity. That way, the stuff will be as dry as possible because once you seal the jar, it’s there for keeps.
A slice of bread or half an apple will do that same thing if brown sugar has gotten hard. Put a slice of bread in a closed container and let it sit overnight and no more rock hard brown sugar.
Well, I was being sarcastic and didn’t mean to be harsh.
But I think it is irresponsible to encourage people NOT to have at least a few preps stored away.
And I have the self-defense thing covered, and have talked with a few of my neighbors who are very like minded.
As I said on another thread, I’m not sure I can see a “road warrior” scenario happening. Simply because Americans are pretty well armed. The life expectancy of a looter or thief if the SHTF would probably be measured in weeks or days.
Food as a barter item or food as a means to establish some kind of community seems to me can’t hurt.
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