Posted on 02/09/2009 12:36:11 AM PST by nw_arizona_granny
Yahoo ran an interesting article this morning indicating a rise in the number of survivalist communities cropping up around the country. I have been wondering myself how much of the recent energy crisis is causing people to do things like stockpile food and water, grow their own vegetables, etc. Could it be that there are many people out there stockpiling and their increased buying has caused food prices to increase? It’s an interesting theory, but I believe increased food prices have more to do with rising fuel prices as cost-to-market costs have increased and grocers are simply passing those increases along to the consumer. A recent stroll through the camping section of Wal-Mart did give me pause - what kinds of things are prudent to have on hand in the event of a worldwide shortage of food and/or fuel? Survivalist in Training
I’ve been interested in survival stories since I was a kid, which is funny considering I grew up in a city. Maybe that’s why the idea of living off the land appealed to me. My grandfather and I frequently took camping trips along the Blue Ridge Parkway and around the Smoky Mountains. Looking back, some of the best times we had were when we stayed at campgrounds without electricity hookups, because it forced us to use what we had to get by. My grandfather was well-prepared with a camp stove and lanterns (which ran off propane), and when the sun went to bed we usually did along with it. We played cards for entertainment, and in the absence of televisions, games, etc. we shared many great conversations. Survivalist in the Neighborhood
One other thing to consider for medications is pro-biotic tablets that contain acidophilus. Anti-biotics kill all bacteria in your system and replenishing the good flora will help prevent opportunistic infections.
I can't figure out why I'm the crazy one just for having extra food on hand. Go figure.
I’ve been reading ExSoldiers posts on the TM for years. He is a great source of information. He knows his stuff.
Our family is quite fortunate that my grandson-in-law is an MD. He has given us prescriptions for Cipro to put in our “Mormon” storage unit. He has also recommended to buy the large quantity multi-vitamins that are sold at Sam’s Club, their Sam’s Club brand. He says they are very good, and cost less than the “name” brands. He also recommends Vitamin D3 supplements for immune systems protection.
YES!! I eat one container of yogurt a week for acidophilus, but that may not be available. The Vitamin stores have it in pill form and it is very valuable.
I have a closet in my house (a full complete bedroom closet, not a hat closet) FULL of food, safety supplies, vitamins, etc... Unfortunately the weather hasn’t allowed a garden this year, but I’m not complaining about the rain after the drought we had a few years back. 110 degrees with 100% humidity and NO WATER for months on end... I’ll skip a year with the garden. But we have the land available and I know how to can food. I am currently learning and practicing how to cook outdoors. We are building a pit with bricks and I want part of it to be an oven. I know folks think we are nuts, but I’m sure if you told some New Yorkers that those two big giant towers wouldn’t be there in an hour they would have thought you crazy too.
I have no doubt ExSoldier knows his stuff. I look forward to his posts also.
Make sure the yogurt has active cultures. Some yogurts are pasteurized which make them useless for that purpose.
The tablets can keep a lot longer.
We are fortunate to live in an area that’s fairly distant from any really big cities and a fair hike from any medium size cities.
Our biggest weather hazard is snow, and MAYBE an ice storm. We’re not in an earthquake zone, no flooding occurs here, very little fire hazard as it rarely gets that dry for more that a couple days, likelihood of a tornado is very slim, not near any place where a chemical spill is much of a threat.
However, we are supplied and I need to go take an inventory, organize what I have, and get one of those bugout books that ChocChipCookie talked about.
She should make that a thread unto itself cause I’ve lost track of the posts where she mentioned it.
>>>If one could place the light “just so”, it charged in the day and then the interior of the car stayed lighted at night, there would be less car thiefs, for the next thought would be,
“ they will take a photo of me, so lets go to the next ‘dark’ car.”<<<
LOL And being the ornery character that I am, I would probably put a sign on the dash that said - “Please SMILE for the CAMERA”
Those solar lights are so much better than earlier generations of them were - they open up a whole myriad of possibilities.
Well, yesterday late, I got the seed potatoes I had ordered. I am extremely impressed with not only the service but the quality of the seed potatoes from Ronniger Potato Farm. - http://www.ronnigers.com/index.html They are going on my recommend list! I have not seen the quality in any of the local stores (when they did have them) no dehydration, scab, physical damage and loaded with nice ready to burst eyes.
I got the sweet potato slips yesterday too. 50 really nice, well rooted Beauregard slips for $7.50 (the online ones were about 4-5 times as expensive plus the freight. One was even $1 per slip)
So, today was potato day... 1,800 square feet with three kinds of potatoes... All hilled and planted! Since the white potatoes are being put in late, I opted to not let them heal after cutting (takes 2 weeks) so I dusted them with sulfur powder and planted the same day.
Was going to expand the root cellar, but daughter who lives next door reminded me that she has a 3 1/2’ crawl space under their house that doesn’t freeze but stays nice and cool, so I will probably store the excess there - besides she is a sweet potato nut! She would eat them every day if she could.
Well, everything is now planted! (until the wheat is harvested, then will plant the late corn, late cabbage, more lettuce, turnips, etc. there. Now the battle continues to keep the weeds in check. Oh, I did get that wagon I was talking about and tried it for sitting on to do some of the weeding... Worked great - can reach the rows on both sides with ease and is easy to push ahead with my legs. I have not gotten the seat for it yet, am just using an old cushion and so far that works pretty well but doesn’t swivel like the seat will.
Hooked up the new dehydrator and tested it out - works fine! Still can’t get over the $6.99 price.
Now I need to be doing what CottonBall is starting - cleaning out the freezer and canning it so I will be ready for harvesting which won’t be that long before it starts. (only a couple of weeks before peas will be ready to start canning.)
>>>What do you dehydrate?<<<
I have done fruit, meat, tomatoes, beans, etc. but with two of them, I will probably dry anything that comes along.. :^)
From Squantos on another thread. Sound advise from ex-military and from someone who has been there and done that:
We can make lists and share em but IMO the best way for a person to prepare for a self reliant event is to conduct the following family exercise ........::
WTSHTF Scenario arrives ya do NOT want to be out in public for a few days or week maybe even months. Best way I tell my neighbors to prepare for such is to get a note pad, a 4 day weekend and then go out back of the house and turn off gas, electric, phones, and water. Live in the home without leaving if possible or turning all the stuff back on for that entire weekend. Live it as just reading , buying and planning ain’t worth the effort unless you have personally tested it and found the pros and cons of each tool or material you have squirreled away for that rainy day !!
Do this during the coldest part of the year as well as a second exercise during the hottest part of the year. Make a list of what does and doesn’t work after you think you have made all the proper preparations by reading all these self reliance and survival threads. Have done the proper shopping and construction and modifications to your home and vehicles and then see what the results really are.
Is that emergency genset loud ? Is it subject to theft where ya have it running ? Do you have a dedicated shed for it with a muffler on the exhaust to keep it as quiet as possible. Are your resources secured in such a manner that cord wood and bulk fuel stored for emergencies will still be there when ya need it ? Do you rely on a large breed doggy that can eat a 55 gal drum of dry dog food in two weeks or a small alert barking alarm system that same 55 gallon drum will feed for a year ?
Is your homes insulation values and landscaping designs such that shade, large eaves and overhangs and small whole house fans will quickly cool your home in the evening and at the coolest part of the day and then when temps start to rise you can close up the home and stay cool till temps start to drop later in the evening ? We did that today when local temps were in the mid 90’s and it was cool and comfortable inside all day without AC on . Thermal heat sinks such as a large concrete covered porch when wet down in the evening will stay cooler all day and aid in the homes cooling . Properly positioned trees and shrubs will provide shade as well and contribute to the homes cooling. In regions where humidity is low we use foggers on our screened in back porch and that evaporation cools the air by 20 degrees easily..
Also we are designing a old style convection system for cooling where we can use stored propane to fire off a ring of burners in a small tall tower we have on side of the home. The convection of the heat from the smallest of burners will cause the hot air to rise out of the home and draw the cooler air on off the cool covered porches if the whole house fans won’t work for what ever reason.
In the winter a small glass door wood stove will easily heat up 1200sq ft of a home and more if as we stated the home is very well insulated. We did last winter which was pretty cold with 2.5 face cords of hickory.
I mentioned generators. We use ours for charging a battery bank system we made from 36 blue top optima marine batteries and use a trace inverter. If all power goes out we will only use this to keep our chest type freezers running. The freezers will run for a week without recharging the battery bank. Also consider the DC to AC power inverters for vehicles, the 5000W one is the smallest I would buy. You can idle the vehicle to power up any emergency needs if ya have not a generator in the home.
Security, a simple revolver and a shotgun go a long way for PDW’s in the home. .... as well the small barking dog(s) I mentioned above. Use lights only in rooms that have the windows blacked out. Not that you do not want to help your neighbors you do not want a band of driveby’s that want what ya have. Stay low profile during the event is at all possible. If you must go out on foot or bicycles go in threes if possible and stay 40 or 50 yards apart minimum and in sight of each member of the group so all can not be subjected to an attack and other two can come to each others aid if such were to occur.
Many many things to consider , more than can be written for the most part. Experience is key. ......just the way we do it here in poohville........:o)
One thing that people might want to consider too, is any medical treatments or procedures that are considered elective surgery.
I’m having carpal tunnel surgery because I’ve been having a lot of trouble with it lately. I could live with it if I HAD to, but it’s not very fun. But the thought of trying to get it if obama healthcare kicks in, or TSHTF, made me decide to do it now and get it taken care of while we have the health care coverage and medical care is still worth it.
Keeping up on dental care could be very useful as well. At least you wouldn’t have that toothache or suspected cavity to live with because it’s not able to be treated because you put it off just a little to long.
I know the tendency to procrastinate about medical issues is common, but it may not be worth it any more.
Keep up with the eye and dental exams as part of the medical preparedness. Check out any suspicious lumps or moles. If you’re due for routine tests, (colonoscopy, PAP test) get them taken care of for the peace of mind. They are no guarantee that something won’t develop, but if you haven’t had one in years and start showing odd symptoms, you can have a little more peace of mind.
Make sure immunizations are up to date if you don’t object to them. I’d do tetanus especially.
ABSOLUTELY the best advice anyone could give!!!
I can think of nothing more important than practice - test runs or whatever they may prefer to call it. The important thing is to DO IT!!!!!
>>> Remember not to rush the cool down... Most seal failures occur from trying to cool it too fast. <<<
Exactly!!
>> Bill used the iron inside tank of a hot water heater, he cut the top out of the side and welded a flat iron plate in the cut out area for cooking. <<
here are the instructions
>> Perfect time to find another as I was planning to dry much more this year. <<
Found a new Nesco foodsaver at closeout and grabbed it a few weeks ago , so we’re duobled up also..
>>>Found a new Nesco foodsaver at closeout and grabbed it a few weeks ago , so we’re duobled up also..<<<
GREAT!
I particularly plan to do a large quantity of tomatoes - after trying blending them into powder and then using them in cooking, plan to do quite a few. Even plan to do the spaghetti sauce ‘leather’ that some have written about.
With the vacuum jar sealer, it should be terrific.
Was in town for a dog collar (to replace broken one for Lucky Dog, who lunges hard if anything comes in the yard) and stopped at the Big Lots to see if they had canning lids yet... They only had 48 boxes of Regular size (I took 40 of them toward 2011 stock - I already have them for this year - figured I would leave 8 in case someone desperate might be trying to find some) and the 99 cent price is history - they are now $1.25. Quart jars are $7.95 and pints are $6.75 - Golden Harvest brand.
One thing that some of you might be interested in - they had quite a few (about 15) Ron Popeil (sp) dehydrators (remember them from TV?) for $25 each. 5 tray models. Sounds like a reasonable price if you are looking for one.
Have been having a hard time keeping up with this thread lately with all the outside work and a couple of health-related emergencies, but I just managed to skim through all I had missed.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.