Posted on 08/25/2012 4:56:33 PM PDT by Kartographer
Periodically, I like to perform what I call a “walk around” inventory. In the simplest of terms, what that means is that I walk around my home, garage and yard with an eye peeled to deficiencies that need to be corrected to insure my safety in the event of a natural disaster.
Here where I live, that primarily means an earthquake or winter storm but in fact, it could mean anything that disrupts a normal way of life.
In addition to my walkaround inventory, I go over my preparedness checklist so that I can re-familiarize myself with the things that need to be in place at all times – things that I may have allowed to go slack for one reason or another.
With hurricane season upon us, I thought it would be a good idea to uncork the preparedness test as a reminder that even though a it has been almost seven years since the last major hurricane in North America, we still need to be aware of the supplies and skills we need to have at hand to stay safe.
(Excerpt) Read more at activistpost.com ...
Preppers’ PING!!
Been there done that. At the beginning of July our town was shutdown by a storm for almost a week.
No electricity, Water was unusable (the Water Works couldn't run properly due to the power outage.)No gas stations worked. Stores were closed. We managed fine with our stores of food and water and used my "water still" to get us drinkable water and we had enough stored water to wash with. We didn't activate our rain storage system but we were getting close.
And the large outdoor woodburning adobe oven is coming along nicely. I have spent exactly $0 on it so far. All materials are off the property, plus my labor.
I can't wait for the first loaves of bread out of it.
/johnny
What state are you in?
I’m in better shape than most people, but I fall short in this test.
Sigh, back to work.
But, I think this test is missing something vital. Security. Can you protect your family if law enforcement is unavailable for 72 hours or more? If you have any weapons, are you properly trained in their use? Do you periodically use them to maintain your proficiency?
I was living in Central Florida when Andrew hit. The news reports of Dade County afterwards were ugly. A few smart people saved themselves a lot of grief by sitting on their front porches holding shotguns.
I did purchase a portable oven that uses the 1 lb. propane bottles but can be hooked to a large one. I can bake bread or anything with that. I guess compare that to your adobe oven. I spent $120 and you spent nothing.
I can't compare myself with you as you are the master.
Keep the car filled up, too. We're near a nuclear power plant.
Besides, building the oven gives me something to do while I wait.
I expect I'll be selling some bread from it in the future. It's big enough to do a dozen loaves without crowding.
Probably cook 6 pizzas at one time.
/johnny
The 51st...
I asked because I met a Mad Dawg (one g) in NJ and we did have such a storm recently.
If we would all learn how to make really good bread; that would go a long way on our food list. Simplify. Simplify. Simplify. - I’m sort of tired of those we get at the supermarket, even the whole grain ones. - My homemade yeast bread has always turned out like a brick; but I make cornbread, whole grain pancakes and sometimes biskits.
It takes a mentor that is good to really teach you how to make bread. I can teach the basics in a 10-12 hour session.
I make all of my own bread; loaf bread for sammiches, baguettes, bread sticks, cinnamon rolls, all of it. I haven't bought bread in years.
/johnny
I tried going without electricity and it sucks. The AC doesn’t work. Satellite TV? fuhgettaboutit. However,like you, I have my back-up “water still” and can make creek water into potable water if needed. It makes the hobby more palatable to the missus.
Foraging, not just for nettle soup. ;)
/johnny
Now that’s a good idea.
“My homemade yeast bread has always turned out like a brick;”
Don’t tell Johnny, but I cheat. I have a big bucket (like the Amish use) with a manual handle and you turn the handle for 3-5 miinutes and the bread is kneaded. Then, leave it in there to rise. See, I couldn’t knead worth a darn, so I got the Amish dough bucket. There are manual kneading machines now, but they are modern looking.
Johnny is an expert with anything food, but I have to cheat.
/johnny
If I ever break out of my reclusiveness again, my next companion will be better at making bread than I am. Bread has a spiritual quality to it when it is made right and just out of the oven. My first wife grew up walking past a local bakery every day from school. She was given a nickle by her mother, to buy a personal loaf of fressh baked bread, which she would eat on the walk home. ... What a woman! She was one heck of a cook, too.
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