I think the writer doesn’t give enough credit to those who’ve thought about preparing but haven’t done much.
Someone who has at least thought about the eventuality and done some research is still miles ahead of someone who refuses to admit there are problems.
I’m lucky I grew up in a tiny town with my grandparents and great grandparents within a block or two. I knew what a victory garden was by the time I was 5 years old. I learned to fix things rather than throw them away. I learned to be frugal and to keep food on hand.
On a side note. Speaking of prepper shows on TV, the show about Mountain men is probably more helpful than the prepper shows. Those guys live it every day.
Thanks. Great post.
I dislike the expression “SHTF”, because if you think about it, it is just a small part of a very big list of scenarios from “just annoying”, through “pestiferous” and “expensive”, as well as “hazardous” and “dangerous”, to “evacuation and refugee” and “fight for your lives”.
Overlaying this is the “disaster timetable”, which can be from an unpleasant weekend to a couple of decades. Part of which is the problem being “chronic” or “acute”, “intermittent” or “constant”, “stick it out” or “beat feet”. And the ever popular “live with it and move on”.
To make things even more entertaining is the equation of the problem in itself + government + others in the same boat who are not helpful. Call them “multiplying factors in making the problem worse.”
Having a well that isn’t dependent on electricity is no small trick.
Want to try putting in a holding pond?
Good luck!
The EPA will kick you off of “their” new found “wetlands”.....
bttt
Grandpa was either a hell of a shot, was taking small deer, or was willing to stalk a bleeding out deer for days.
Well done. Thanks! Emailed it on.
Good article - brings back memories and knowing many farmers up this way are still living frugally, with an eye to the future. I got a kick out of the comments where others mentioned, among other skills, how the old timers made Chow Chow relish. I have the recipe for that from my grandmother and it’s the BEST relish ever. Got to plan on making more this fall.
Original prepper (our grandparents) ping.
Preppers’ PING!
A few thoughts on items to stockpile.
Bars of soap. I know you can make soap from fat and lye. This is what made me think of stockpiling soap. Good to have, good trading material, the perfect gift for spouse or sweetheart if the emergency lasts a long time.
Canned salmon. Shelf life several years — check the date on the can.
Lumber. Some 2X4s, some larger dimension lumber. Nails, lag bolts. Some sheets of plywood. A roll of heavy plastic. Maybe sandbags. Obviously this depends on your living situation, storage space, whether you’re in hurricane country, whether you expect shelter-in-place or get-out-of-Dodge.
At my age I’m not too concerned w/ surviving in order to procreate the human race.
OTHO we do have a stash of food, mostly canned, 30-40 gal, of water available. Much more with any prior warning. If electric stays, a freezer full.
Securitywise I’m in pretty good shape.
My kids and grandkids are many miles away so helping them would likely be problem.
I do watch the show, some good ideas. Some over the top.
Great article, wonderful memories.
That generation is dying off, and few are talking to them about how things really were.
I’m reminded of a quote from comedian Robin Williams: “When you get old, the first thing to go is your hearing, because people stop talking to you”.
I’m headed to that site now to thank the author.
I'm sorry now that my children couldn't have that experience. They'd be better fixed for what's coming.
That could be my grandparents who half raised me. Everything worth knowing, I learned from them.
About that well without electricity, you can thank the gub-mint and EPA wackdoodles. Our well used to be easily assesible but nooo, had to seal it. Same with the septic which “ran down hill” without electricity but nooo, had to buy property down the road several owners away to move it to and connect it to electricity to pump it up hill.
I’m going to die.
Some of us never totally left that life but stayed close to it, ready to go back at a moments notice.
They called us hillbillys back in the day.
One thing grandma & grandpa had that was not mentioned in this article was a 32 volt Delco-light home electric plant in their basement. Big mysterious-looking glass batteries were charged by a generator, and would provide them enought electricity for several days. They still used it into the late 50's.
Of course in this area of the country we still live among thosands of eco-minded preppers. We call them the Amish ;-)