All Things Prepping, Simple Living, Back to the Basics [Survival Today, an on going thread]

vanity | 2/26/18 | CottonBall

[CottonBall]

I’ve been missing the vast amount of information on prepping, survival, camping, simple cooking, the old ways of doing just about everything – all the things nw_arizona_granny knew so much about and shared with us, along with numerous other posters with a vast array of skills and knowledge.

We have our various related-threads here, a recipe thread, a gardening thread, and even a prepper thread. They are all great and I don’t mean to take anything away from those and the hard work their owners put in.

But I was missing a place to talk about ALL those things, to get the camaraderie that we used to have on granny’s thread.

I learned how to can on those threads! The pressure canner was not my friend, I thought, but I bought one and stared at it for a month, intimidated. Then I read the directions for another month. But with the help and encouragement of posters on granny’s threads, I jumped in and now have my very own food storage room in the basement with lovely jars of shelf-stable meats, vegetables, and fruit. When we moved, I fashioned my food storage room – and insisted upon having a basement – from what I learned on her threads. Getting started gardening was from her threads. Making my own cleaning products….the list is endless.

So I thought I would take the chance and start another comprehensive prepper thread and see how it goes. I used to have granny’s ping list since I made one of the threads for her, but alas, with numerous computer changes, I cannot find it. So please pass this onto any posters you think might be interested.

We’ll just keep it running until..whenever. Granny created a new thread at 10,000 posts or so. I do like the idea of having ONE thread to go to – because often I cannot find or keep track of the weekly threads. I won’t be posting lots of recipes or tidbits myself – to any mods concerned about the size of this thread. I’d just like a place to chat, post questions, post ideas, make new prepping friends.

Here are granny’s threads, if anyone wants to peruse them:

nw_arizona_granny’s Thread #1

nw_arizona_granny’s Thread #2

nw_arizona_granny’s Thread #3

[Armscor38]

“Been playing the ‘Dumb Blonde’ when it comes to politics all of my adult life. ;) To any of my LibTard family members:

“Oh, you’re SO much smarter than me about this stuff. Explain it to me!”

And then I do the opposite. ;)”

While I live north of you in a very red part of Michigan, I keep a low profile. No signs, no flags, no stickers on my car, no MAGA cap and I avoid political discussions even with family.

Forays into political discourse is limited to just here. I do read at AR15.com but I’m not a member.

My number one concern an what I spend the most effort on is working to ensure my family can ride out whatever comes. So much of my free time is spent watching YouTube videos and reading articles on self reliance and learning new skills that could come in handy.

[CottonBall]

When I first started practicing and learning how to can and stuff like that, I wasn’t sure how much I would use a canner. So instead of getting the more expensive All-American I got a $90 Presto that I could practice with. And see if I liked it, or could even do it.

Well about 12 years later, I still have that presto. It’s working fine but I do have to replace the seals every few years.

But one thing good about it is that it’s very light compared to the All-American. Probably cuz it’s made of Cheaper metal. And less of it. But I have arm issues and it’s hard enough to lift decanter with 3 quarts of water in it, so maybe this one works out for me. It better because I can’t find an All-American to buy any way!

What kind of food storage do you like to have?

Yeah I was really surprised when I moved here how many people have a garden every year. And can their produce.

[greeneyes]

I love that site. Printed all sorts of stuff from it around 2009.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I canned up over 30 pounds of corned beef this week.

It was pickling since Thanksgiving and I was worried that it would have gone bad but it was the best we have ever made. Pickling meat is a really good way to preserve it if you can not get around to canning it right away.

And pickled beef and pork is very tasty.

[JustaCowgirl]

That’s good info. I also have arm issues, so a lighter canner would work better.

I like preparing and freezing food, but that’s not a solution if shtf.

[Jane Long]

Gosh, I’d forgotten about that book. I remember checking it out on the 2008 threads.

Thanks for that reminder.

[Vlad The Inhaler]

If I really wanted to be prepared I would print all this stuff out. I’d probably go through a few printers.

On the Grandpappy Index site click the last icon "My Books"

All the "Hard Times" info is available in book form for $69.95 (new book, 500 pages).

Sometimes I see used editions on E-Bay, ABE books etc. but always at higher prices than the new book.

It looks as if the new book is only sold through Amazon.

If you can bring yourself to buy there this is the link:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1732788367/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1732788367&linkCode=as2&tag=grandpappy-20&linkId=57576651902ed765ba1c99ddff7d11dd

.

[Vlad The Inhaler]

REMINDER

Back on post-1 of this site CottonBall posted links to a previous series of Survival posts on Free Republic.

There are many thousands of posts to read through on those links but you will find some very good info from other Freepers on just about any survival subject imaginable.

Plus it’s good reading!!!

[CottonBall]

Looks like I didn’t peruse the site enough. And what a great idea for him to put it all in a book. I like it that people will know what’s in the book before having to buy it. As opposed to buying it and finding out it doesn’t have that much that they didn’t already know

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Impressive!

I make our extra ‘meats’ into sausages and breakfast patties.

Gotta start working on that remaining frozen bear meat!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

My card reads: ‘Have Potato Masher. Will Travel.’ ;)

[Vlad The Inhaler]

As opposed to buying it and finding out it doesn’t have that much that they didn’t already know

LOL! I've fallen into that trap way too may times when buying books on prepping & survival, etc.!

[CottonBall]

“Pickling meat is a really good way to preserve it if you can not get around to canning it right away.”

Great tip, thank you. I love corned beef.

How can you pickle pork? I mean, what does it come out like?

[CottonBall]

Parlor has been taken down. The other conservative websites and apps are awaiting the same fate. You and your friends have been banned from Twitter and Facebook. The fate of Free Republic hangs in limbo.
How do you communicate? How do you find out what is going on in the country?
Other than OAN and Newsmax, all you have is the ministry of Truth media. And the left will take down those two other stations as soon as they can.

Now is the time to make arrangements and plans for how to communicate with each other. Otherwise we are just isolated groups, with no power to change anything and perhaps not even the ability to survive.

[CottonBall]

This is your ping to the All Things Prepping, Simple Living, Back to the Basics [Survival Today, an on going thread]

This week's topic is Communication at Post 1534

If you want off/on this list, just let me know.

[Vlad The Inhaler]

Confirmed In The Last Four Years: There Are No Limits On The Force And Violence Leftists Will Use Against Us
Remember The FBI/SWAT Raid Against Roger Stone And His Family
Remember The ANTIFA & BLM Riots, Anarchy, Arson, Looting And Beatings

We May Not Be At War Against Them, But They Are At War Against Us

[z3n]

I have been wanting a water distiller for several years. Not the electric kind that is mostly what you see for sale, for obvious reasons. I believe you can make one with a pressure cooker and some coiled copper tube, if you had to, but you’ll need the right hardware to attach the tube, and you can’t put most modern pressure cookers over a fire.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Cotton Ball : " Wow there’s a lot of information there! I’ve never seen this one before.
If I really wanted to be prepared I would print all this stuff out. I’d probably go through a few printers. "

(#1) .Actually, a printed copy in a three ring binder is the best way to store up your prepper information.
Even order extra print ink even though you may not need it now.
It will come in handy for communication in the near and distant future.
(#2) . The next best method, depending on volume is a 'thumb drive', which assumes that you will have access to electricity. No electricity means that you don't have access to your information.
(#3) . The next best method is to have a separate 'hard drive' of 2 -3 Tb (terabytes) dedicated to information storage, but has the same limitations about access to electricity.
(#4) . The next best method is to depend on your own memory, which I have noticed as I get older, sometimes fails me. Thus, personal memory can become faulty and unreliable.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

JustaCowgirl :" I like preparing and freezing food, but that’s not a solution if shtf."

Exactly true, but if that is what's best for you, just do it !
Consider having a back-up generator for 'home produced' electrical generation, however realize it's limitations since you will need fuel (gasoline, natural gas, etc.).
If gasoline, consider purchasing a fuel stabilizing additive, like "Stabil", available in most automotive departments.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

CottonBall :" Well about 12 years later, I still have that presto. It’s working fine but I do have to replace the seals every few years."

Exactly, get them now, because in the future they will be even more expensive (due to inflation).
Also, they can be vacuum sealed in a bag to protect them from oxidizing, moisture, or age dry rot.
Also, they can be used as a barter item, if need be.
The same is true about any canning supplies or necessary maintenance equipment (like seals). Irreplaceable in hard times !