"Prepping" as a hobbie

[William67]

Thanks for bringing some sanity to the discussions. The reason we have so much in America is that for the most part we want peace. peace comes from stable farms, jobs and schools. How much water do you store? I store 10 gallons.

I try to keep 1 gallon, per person, per day. I take care of my mother, who is an invalid, so right now I have a 55 gallon, food grade barrel with filter. This allows for up to 15 days of drinking water, plus a bit for keeping ourselves clean.

 

[If Not For Grace]

I don't store water in great quantity at any give time, but I DO believe in having a way to boil it (or make fire) without matches at all times. Dry Tender bundles (just a couple) and a hunters match along with a good shape machete are tools no one should be caught without.

 

[hopeful321]

Another good idea for keeping prepared. Thanks.

What about food?

 

[contango]

I try to keep 1 gallon, per person, per day. I take care of my mother, who is an invalid, so right now I have a 55 gallon, food grade barrel with filter. This allows for up to 15 days of drinking water, plus a bit for keeping ourselves clean.

Water is always the real kicker when it comes to being prepared for anything long-term. A gallon per person per day is probably more than you'd really need for drinking purposes unless you live somewhere very warm, and for washing yourselves you don't need food-grade water.

I've often thought about the practicalities of putting some form of basic filter into place so that, for example, rainwater gets stored and used for bathing. Then the runoff from having a bath/shower gets put through some form of basic filter and stored for flushing the toilet. If it's practical to perform #1 and #2 bodily functions in separate places, after flushing a #1 the water can still be used to water the garden.

The problem with storing clean drinking water is twofold. Firstly it needs to stay drinking quality for potentially a long time - since you never know when you'll need it or for how long you've always got periodic windows where you're vulnerable to losing water pressure. If you just put water in a container and leave it there, will it still be good to drink when you need it? And if you periodically drain and refill it, did you make any provision for losing water supply while you're refilling it?

The other issue with storing water is that it requires the assumption you won't have to leave home. Dried food is relatively lightweight - an able-bodied person can carry several days' worth with minimal effort. Water is another issue - a US gallon of water weighs approximately 8lb, so if you're trying to carry three gallons of water per person (enough for only three days, using your projections) then everybody has to haul 24lb of water as well as whatever else they need.

For those thinking in terms of preparing for several weeks or months, having to leave your prepared base blows everything clean out of the water. If you're thinking in terms of a family of 4 using three gallons per day (allowing that children use less, and rounding down a little) then that's 21 gallons per week, ~90 gallons per month. If you need to ship out then being prepared for just one month means hauling ~720lb of water wherever you go, all the while protecting it from the less prepared who would very much like to save you the trouble of hauling it any further.

 

[MrJim]

Water is always the real kicker when it comes to being prepared for anything long-term. A gallon per person per day is probably more than you'd really need for drinking purposes unless you live somewhere very warm, and for washing yourselves you don't need food-grade water.

I've often thought about the practicalities of putting some form of basic filter into place so that, for example, rainwater gets stored and used for bathing. Then the runoff from having a bath/shower gets put through some form of basic filter and stored for flushing the toilet. If it's practical to perform #1 and #2 bodily functions in separate places, after flushing a #1 the water can still be used to water the garden.

The problem with storing clean drinking water is twofold. Firstly it needs to stay drinking quality for potentially a long time - since you never know when you'll need it or for how long you've always got periodic windows where you're vulnerable to losing water pressure. If you just put water in a container and leave it there, will it still be good to drink when you need it? And if you periodically drain and refill it, did you make any provision for losing water supply while you're refilling it?

The other issue with storing water is that it requires the assumption you won't have to leave home. Dried food is relatively lightweight - an able-bodied person can carry several days' worth with minimal effort. Water is another issue - a US gallon of water weighs approximately 8lb, so if you're trying to carry three gallons of water per person (enough for only three days, using your projections) then everybody has to haul 24lb of water as well as whatever else they need.

For those thinking in terms of preparing for several weeks or months, having to leave your prepared base blows everything clean out of the water. If you're thinking in terms of a family of 4 using three gallons per day (allowing that children use less, and rounding down a little) then that's 21 gallons per week, ~90 gallons per month. If you need to ship out then being prepared for just one month means hauling ~720lb of water wherever you go, all the while protecting it from the less prepared who would very much like to save you the trouble of hauling it any further.

Provisions for making water potable...as simple as keeping some plain bleach and some kind of filter media on hand...can make the difference..as long as water of any kind can be found. Thing about prepping is trying to cover all contingencies..bugging in or bugging out.

Picked up some extra canned meat at the store for the stash~~usually buy tuna in water but got some in oil too~~extra calories in a crisis would be a good thing.

 

[William67]

Most of my family comes from Appalachia. I was living there in '93 when we had the "Storm of the Century". 38" of snow in less than 12 hours. I lived 7 miles from town and it broke all but 2 power poles between my house and town. We had gas heat, but when the power went out, so did our furnace. So, we walked down to my uncle's house. He had a wood burning heater. It wasnt a wood cook stove. We went back and gathered up all of our fozen food, because that would be what spoiled first. He also had gravity fed water. Tank connected a natural spring with a line connecting the tank to his house.

Now, most of the people in the mountains have always been ready for "hard times". I remember seeing boxes upon boxes of canned food under the beds in my great-grandmother's house. (Which later became my uncle's house).

I no longer live in the mountains. We dont have gravity water or a wood heater. But I do keep some stuff for emergencies.

1. Water
2. Canned food
3. Fuel for a coleman camp stove and lanterns.
4. Alot of canned food.
5. First Aid kits
6. Kerosene lamps and fuel, spare wicks.
7. Cranked flashlights and lanterns
8. Emergency radio
9. A few weapons. Knives, a few hunting rifles/shotguns, and a revolver.
10. Spare meds
11. Spare fuel for my truck.

That may make me sound a bit like a "prepper", but none of that is out of the ordinary. I have firearms because I hunt. The extra food and meds are in case of another emergency (like the blizzard) where I can not go to the grocery store/pharmacist. The rest is just being smart.

 

[If Not For Grace]

I hate being called a dooms dayer for just being smart too. We have always lived like that in the South, had too

 

[William67]

I hate being called a dooms dayer for just being smart too. We have always lived like that in the South, had too

I have to agree with that. In my family, canning jars are like family heirlooms. They are passed from one generation to another. I probably have 1200 jars from tiny jelly jars to half-gallons. I try to fill as many as possible every year.

 

[William67]

Ive been reading up on what they call "preppers". While alot of it is malarky, some of it makes sense. I may have to get into this.

 

[MrJim]

Ive been reading up on what they call "preppers". While alot of it is malarky, some of it makes sense. I may have to get into this.

As some have said it not so different than our grandparents lived...and every group has their 10% of nutjobs

 

[William67]

As some have said it not so different than our grandparents lived...and every group has their 10% of nutjobs

True. And I grew up learning the skills my grandparents used. Hunting/fishing, tracking, gardening, canning, drying, etc. With some of the new tech, I should do well.

Dont I know it. Many seem to think its all about guns, wearing tactical gear, and such. Im a strong proponent of the 2nd Amendment, but some of these people are just nuts.

 

[MrJim]

True. And I grew up learning the skills my grandparents used. Hunting/fishing, tracking, gardening, canning, drying, etc. With some of the new tech, I should do well.

Dont I know it. Many seem to think its all about guns, wearing tactical gear, and such. Im a strong proponent of the 2nd Amendment, but some of these people are just nuts.

Yeah there's the old "survivalist" element from the 80/s but the most do seem to be taking a different approach than the "hunker in a bunker" mentality.

 

[William67]

Ok, checked out various articles and sites. I now have a 72 hour bag and some extras, like extra food and water. Not going to go nuts with it, just going to make sure me and mine have enough to make it through.

 

[MrJim]

Ok, checked out various articles and sites. I now have a 72 hour bag and some extras, like extra food and water. Not going to go nuts with it, just going to make sure me and mine have enough to make it through.

You're already light years ahead of others.

 

[MrJim]

Really focusing on personal health at this time....fitness and wellness...most everything else is covered but if I can improve my fitness and health even a little bit it will help in times of trouble.

 

[star in the sky]

hey if its any help you can make dried fruit fruit juice 2 teaspoons of sugar basically you blend the fruit same amount as 3 medium passionfruit for these measurements in the blender with 4 1/2 Cups of water and the sugar and hey presto ! it tastes not bad gives a good break from water too

 

[Poster0]

Im not really a Prepper but i do enjoy (as a hobby) things like survival techniques and simple living. I enjoy discovering things like solar power, rocket stoves and gasifiers, gardening, blacksmithing and carpentry. All of these things are good hobbies and they can be helpful in situations where one would need to improvise. I suffer with depression and other such things, and this hobby gives me much needed enjoyment and also gives me more positive things to focus on. Its therapeutic, and even spiritual because work is a spiritual. I dont however worry about tomorrow. I dont need to store up anything in order to feel secure, and i do my best to put faith in God. I would however not mind growing and canning my own food, or preparing for an emergency. I dont think this is necessarily a lack of faith although it could be depending on the person. Its all about motivation i think, and its good to examine our motivations and take any fears or weaknesses that we may have to God in prayer. The scriptures say to be anxious for nothing, but to take all things to God in prayer. They also say to be thankful for all things. Im thankful to God for my hobby, it seems like a blessing.

 

[Poster0]

If i were into hunting survival skills, i would learn about making rabbit snares, fish traps, and other such hunting techniques. The American Indian hunted for survival and they devised many useful tools for hunting. Im not against guns, but in reality a rabbit snare could be just as valuable, if not more so, than a gun. A snare doesn't scare away game, nor does it get impatient or cold and tired, but it just sits there patiently waiting for game.

 

[brinny]

Howdy. You might be surprised when you find out how much food you can produce in small spaces. Here's a situation that might interest you:

This family has turned growing crops into a highly efficient art form. They live in a small house in the city of Pasadena, California -

The Urban Homestead® - A City Farm, Sustainable Living & Resource Center, A Path to Freedom towards Self-Sufficiency

That-is-AWESOME!!!!

 

[brinny]

it's a houseboat..Propane, Solar Panels, Rain Water Collection & even a wood stove from a 1968 Cabin Cruiser

is that awesome or what?!