"Prepping" as a hobbie

[BeeWrangler]

Those are both very cool! I'm not sure I would trust them 100% to remove possible e coli but they would be great to remove dirt and stuff out of the water after it has been boiled.

 

[ActionJ]

Those are both very cool! I'm not sure I would trust them 100% to remove possible e coli but they would be great to remove dirt and stuff out of the water after it has been boiled.

I agree. I think boiling impure water should be a priority if at all possible. I also carry iodine tablets as an antibacterial and I stock chlorine bleach downstairs as well.

 

[oldandslow]

I do a bit of "prepping" as well, but perhaps not in the same sense. I believe in growing and producing as much food as you can for yourself as well as buying locally when I can. That way I develop relationships with people. I also try to use my produce as a witness when and where I can. For example, every holiday we try to make holiday meals for several families completely out of our own stock...goose, turkey, ham, homegrown sweetpotatoes, green beans that we canned, frozen corn out of our garden and of course pumpkin pie...We do the 12 days of Christmas so the kids and I try deliver one a day to different families and shut ins that we develop relationships with. The kids draw holiday pictures and put a Bible verse or two on them...

Anyway, we have set up our place so that we produce 70 or 80% of everything we consume during good years. Also sell some at Farmers Markets...

At any given moment we will have 6 months to a year's supply saved up, but I don't worry about it too much. The Good Lord has given me the knowledge and ability to produce again. He will provide. However, like others on thread have said - He told Noah to build the Ark. As a post-trib guy myself I just keep working on the old boat.

 

[ActionJ]

I do a bit of "prepping" as well, but perhaps not in the same sense. I believe in growing and producing as much food as you can for yourself as well as buying locally when I can. That way I develop relationships with people. I also try to use my produce as a witness when and where I can. For example, every holiday we try to make holiday meals for several families completely out of our own stock...goose, turkey, ham, homegrown sweetpotatoes, green beans that we canned, frozen corn out of our garden and of course pumpkin pie...We do the 12 days of Christmas so the kids and I try deliver one a day to different families and shut ins that we develop relationships with. The kids draw holiday pictures and put a Bible verse or two on them...

Anyway, we have set up our place so that we produce 70 or 80% of everything we consume during good years. Also sell some at Farmers Markets...

At any given moment we will have 6 months to a year's supply saved up, but I don't worry about it too much. The Good Lord has given me the knowledge and ability to produce again. He will provide. However, like others on thread have said - He told Noah to build the Ark. As a post-trib guy myself I just keep working on the old boat.

Love is an action word. "Love Thy Neighbor" -- Christ's second great commandment. Thanks for your wonderful witness. I think that living off of the "grid" and learning to live off of the land is probably the best way to prepare.

Thanks for your post.

 

[If Not For Grace]

By no means am I a doomsdayer, but one thing I've learned from them is how much I have forgotten. Although Born/Raised in the South (US) my Dad's people were "city dwellers" and Mom's were "country folk". I remember being around those who lived off the grid, because the grid did not reach that far. , but once it did..we got "soft" for lack of a better word.

I remember as a punishment for behaviors we took 100 licks at the churn. Yet the last time I used one was to show my neices how to make sauerkraut and today some yrs later I don't even know where the blessed thing is

I've gotten so used to freezing everything, I can't remember HOW to set a pressure cooker or how to seal a lid on a jar. Why go through the process of making 50 jars of jelly, if I only use 2 jars a year and it costs less that $2 a jar?

I've moved to a cabin on the river where flooding is a problem and we no longer have a cellar (Root nor Storm). I would love to have a Windmill, but know of no feisable finacial way to get/build one since my husband is now suffering from medical issues that include diminished eyesight which glasses will not aid.

For the life of me I can not understand why there is not Solar after Solar Supply stores here. No One utilizes this resource in our small town farming community except for my BIL who uses a homemade panel to fuel a battery and a small I"electric" fence (more like a catch pen) for cows.

Something keeps telling me I need to learn more about knotts and matchless fires-but so far all I have are intentions. The info is out there and sites like this one help inspire me-I 've just got to do better with time management so I can work what I CAN DO in.

and While I too believe the Lord will provide- I mean He has feed his servant by ravens...I prefer my meat cooked, so if that's ever the case for me-I want to know How to build a fire

Please keep ideas coming and time saving ideas would be great.

 

[ActionJ]

By no means am I a doomsdayer, but one thing I've learned from them is how much I have forgotten. Although Born/Raised in the South (US) my Dad's people were "city dwellers" and Mom's were "country folk". I remember being around those who lived off the grid, because the grid did not reach that far. , but once it did..we got "soft" for lack of a better word.

I remember as a punishment for behaviors we took 100 licks at the churn. Yet the last time I used one was to show my neices how to make sauerkraut and today some yrs later I don't even know where the blessed thing is

I've gotten so used to freezing everything, I can't remember HOW to set a pressure cooker or how to seal a lid on a jar. Why go through the process of making 50 jars of jelly, if I only use 2 jars a year and it costs less that $2 a jar?

I've moved to a cabin on the river where flooding is a problem and we no longer have a cellar (Root nor Storm). I would love to have a Windmill, but know of no feisable finacial way to get/build one since my husband is now suffering from medical issues that include diminished eyesight which glasses will not aid.

For the life of me I can not understand why there is not Solar after Solar Supply stores here. No One utilizes this resource in our small town farming community except for my BIL who uses a homemade panel to fuel a battery and a small I"electric" fence (more like a catch pen) for cows.

Something keeps telling me I need to learn more about knotts and matchless fires-but so far all I have are intentions. The info is out there and sites like this one help inspire me-I 've just got to do better with time management so I can work what I CAN DO in.

and While I too believe the Lord will provide- I mean He has feed his servant by ravens...I prefer my meat cooked, so if that's ever the case for me-I want to know How to build a fire

Please keep ideas coming and time saving ideas would be great.

I'm not a huge fan of TV but I do enjoy watching some of the reality shows like:

Dual Survival
Survivorman
Man vs. Wild
Yukon Men
Alaska: The Last Frontier
Man, Woman, Wild

and other shows along those lines.

Outside of an occasional hunting or fishing trip I've spent very little time in the wilderness and would not consider myself a skilled outdoorsman. I would love to take some courses and learn from folks who truly live off of the grid. I wish I had known my grandparents because I believe they had skills that have been forgotten by modern society (generally speaking).

 

[contango]

I'm often impressed by how inventive the Amish can be. Admittedly they aren't as totally off-grid as it may first appear (it is rather surreal to see a horse-drawn buggy tethered at a gas station) but they'll certainly cope better than the rest of us if the lights go out.

 

[ActionJ]

I'm often impressed by how inventive the Amish can be. Admittedly they aren't as totally off-grid as it may first appear (it is rather surreal to see a horse-drawn buggy tethered at a gas station) but they'll certainly cope better than the rest of us if the lights go out.

Agreed. Not only can they grow their own crops and milk their own cows but I'm very impressed with their carpentry and woodworking expertise.

 

[If Not For Grace]

 

[contango]

Agreed. Not only can they grow their own crops and milk their own cows but I'm very impressed with their carpentry and woodworking expertise.

What impresses me is the way they manage to do so much stuff without all the mod-cons that we tend to regard as essential.

If they use electricity they generate it themselves. OK, that means they are vulnerable if they can't buy a new propane tank but then most of what they need electricity for is industry and if everything goes south in a big way the chances are they won't need to do much in the way of making sash windows or mixing concrete.

I always find it interesting seeing adjacent fields where one is being harvested with a machine and the other is being harvested by a teenage boy riding the back of an odd-looking contraption being pulled by six horses. As long as they can feed the horses they can harvest.

 

[If Not For Grace]

Some Items on most "prepper Lists" that may be more valuable than you think-some depends on your area- Remember-If you are in the desert a fishing pole or boat may not serve you at all

We All know some means of FIRE/Water/Food is paramount but have you thought about:

Misc Goods

1. Bibles – When I was in boot camp no one wanted a Bible when they offered them to us numerous times while in processing. After a week of being in the barracks suddenly everyone was coming up to me asking to borrow mine or read over my shoulder. People like to bash Christians but when the goings get tough, my experiences show that they always turn to God for answer, help and support.
2. Duct Tape and Electrical Tape
3. Bicycles…Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc most efficient method of transportation. If you think about it, standard bikes will become extremely valuable.
4. Hand pumps & siphons - Gas, water, etc …
5. Cigarettes – or something for Barter---People will always need stress release and if you haven’t noticed even the poorest people on all types of government assistance always can find money to buy cigarettes. This will continue to ring true in a SHTF situation.
6. Generators (Solar, Gas, Diesel, Propane, Kerosene) – Buy solar now cause nothing will be available when they are needed. People will kill over generators so be warned.
7. Seasoned Firewood - Wood takes about 6 – 12 months to become dried, for home uses. There are ways to speed up the process but it will still take time. People will begin cutting down all trees they can access in order to provide warmth and fire for cooking.
8. Lamps, Candles, Flash Lights, Matches etc …
9. Batteries (all sizes…buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates) rechargeable batteries are ideal. Don’t forget car batteries.
10. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food) - Valuable as looters and robbers will be plentiful. Dogs can see and hear what we can’t. The more vicious the better.
11. Country Land - Good farming land will be nearly impossible to find as the cities and suburbs empty. You will also need to defend your property from large groups of people demanding that you share and make your land a community garden and all that communist [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] …
12. Gold and Silver – This will be the new currency when things begin to settle
13. Motorcycles – There is a reason they are so popular in 3rd world nations, they are cheap, easy to maintain and gas goes a long way.

 

[If Not For Grace]

There's a youtube video about this if you're interested:

 

[If Not For Grace]

How to build a TePee

How To Build A Tepee - YouTube

 

[If Not For Grace]

If there's an outside world left....one free way to know....

A Solar Powered Radio--might let you know what else is left

DIY Solar Powered Radio for $5 | Survivalist Daily

 

[If Not For Grace]

and for a Water collection system (Great for Gardens or pet baths)

 

[If Not For Grace]

forgot-need an elment of fire

mailbox converts to stove...

 

[AServantofGod]

Where is your Closet?

 

[ActionJ]

Wow If-Not-For-Grace, that's a lot of great information. I don't know how I missed seeing it all until today. I must of missed the email alert. Thanks for posting. I'll start absorbing it here in a little while.

 

[ActionJ]

Where is your Closet?

I have several throughout the house.

 

[MrJim]

I listen to this podcast regularly:

Survival Podcast

Available through iTunes too, this isn't your "lone wolf with gas mask & AR" sort of podcast but a community based podcast that speaks to all sorts of prepping, homesteading, and general preparedness. Frankly not much talk about guns or "tactical" stuff; mostly a lot about gardening and storing and beekeeping and aquaponics and info about national/international issues. I've been listening for about a year and always intrigued with new information. Language can be a bit salty at times but overall highly recommended for the prepper crowd.