I’ve been feeling kinda like a “hoarder”...now I don’t feel so bad....my sugar stores alone could save us...LOL
I’ve long thought that the best way to survive under “survival” conditions is not to rely on stockpiles (which will eventually run out) or protecting what you have by force (you’ll eventually run out of ammo or get caught by surprise) but rather by having a skill that will be valued sufficiently that others will be happy to give you what you need.
Think of the old time country doctor who may not have been wealthy but never went hungry. Your brain is the best possible survival tool
That may be true, but I can still take out a whole lot of starving thieves before I'm robbed.
I cannot emphasize to people enough the importance of getting started.
All it would take is buying an extra five pounds of rice or beans a week, and putting it in a safe/secure area.
If you can do more, that’s even better.
I’m doing all heirloom seeds this year so that I can save them for next. I ordered from heirloomseeds.com and they were very reasonable. Something we’ve done is buy canned beans. They take up more space, but if water becomes too precious then we won’t be using it to rehydrate beans.
ping
/bump for later
I feed the birds & squirrels regularly at home, and I keep a large supply of seed & corn on hand. I also have a couple of good BB guns with 10,000 BB’s in case the doves & squirrels have to feed me. ( BB guns for soft report, less damage and no leftovers to deal with.)
This method will also work well for “City Folks” - getting meat off their own high-rise balcony.
We also keep Deer around with Corn, salt & mineral licks. However, relying on large game means a lot of noise, work and meat. Be prepared to share big game, as your neighbors will most likely know what you are doing. Besides, the excess meat will very difficult to preserve without electricity, and your neighbors can earn their meal by helping out with processing & cooking.
If you can find them The Foxfire Books are an amazing source of information.
Many years ago someone posted this on a FR thread, I haven’t seen it reposted here in a long time:
Appropriate Technology Sourcebook
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(Online Edition)
By Ken Darrow and Mike Saxenian
Published by Village Earth
Welcome to the online edition of the Appropriate Technology Sourcebook which reviews over 1,150 of the best books on appropriate technology. Most of the books reviewed in the sourcebook are available as a collection in the AT Library on CD-ROM or DVD available for sale from Village Earth.
This is the online version of the latest edition guide to practical books on village and small community technology. Over 50,000 print copies of the previous editions have been used in more than 130 countries to find a wide range of published technical information that can be used by individuals and small groups. In the new edition, 1150 publications are reviewed, covering small water supply systems, renewable energy devices such as water mills and improved cook stoves, agricultural tools and implements, intensive gardening, nonformal education, small business management, transportation, small industries and other topics. The Sourcebook can also be used as the index for the Appropriate Technology Library on CD-ROM or DVD, which contains the complete text of 1050 books.
http://www.villageearth.org/pages/Appropriate_Technology/ATSourcebook/index.php
Really appreciate the email of the manual. I thanked you in advance, but here is some more thanks on the back end.
One comprehensive manual.
Ping for later!
Gasoline can be stored for up to 5 years by using Stabil which was designed for that very thing. The ethanol will evaporate off after awhile.
You should have 12 months of food reserves. Don’t forget water. And don’t go telling everybody in your bridge club. If you can last 12 months after an “event” you will have a chance that things will get back to some sense of normalcy. It does not have to be fancy. Rice and beans will keep you alive. If you have $209 to spare buy yourself a Big Berkey water filter. We just got one and it rocks. It will turn pond scum into 99.99% pure water.
For storing quantities of grains and beans we get the food grade buckets for $1 each from the nice ladies at the grocery store bakery. Instead of throwing them away they hold the buckets for us. We have used the mylar bag liners and dry ice to deoxygenize. Don’t do that its a pain use the oxygen absorbers. You can order them online at Country living.
Almost any prescription medicine can be ordered in quantity online through the Canadian pharmacies. I’m talking antibiotics, pain killers, thyroid, high blood pressure, cholesterol drugs etc. You can order a years worth at a time. They will be effective past their expiration dates you might just have to take a little more of it at some point. The only drug I know of that actually goes toxic after a time is Tetracyclin. Don’t buy it.
Weapons: Get one or two or three. A high capacity semi-auto handgun like a Springfield Armory .45 ACP, a shotgun and a AR-15 or AK assault rifle come to mind. Make sure you have about 1000 rounds of ammo for each of them. And yes you may have to actually kill somebody. If you live in the burbs you will be fending off every neighbor who didn’t bother to buy an extra can of soup not to mention the denizens of the inner city who may make it out your way. Make that 2,000 rounds of ammo for at least the AK. Don’t worry too much about the food police. Their life expectancy will be less than 48 hours. If they show up at your door weeelllll you have a decision to make.
Get your whole family together in one place and make sure they all have a weapon. The reason its called survival is because your only objective is to still be alive 12 mos after the SHTF.
If you can afford to buy even a small retreat no farther than 1 tank of gas from where you live now do it. The folks that are out in the country will be OK. The burbs and in-town areas will be extremely hard to survive in. We came to the decision some time ago that even with excellent weapons and a bad attitude our home in the burbs is basically not defensible. We are one foot out the door to the mountains.
Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.