First rule of how you prepare: never tell how /you/ prepare. Keep it general.
Not because of fellow citizns looting you. Because of governement in case of crisis deciding to confiscate assets. If you have a tank for gas, say a modest 200L - don't tell anyone. If you have several years supllies of beans, keep silent.
Keep the description general and non-personal. Ammo, guns plural, medical supplies, are all important but so are simple things like diapers (if you have kids).
Best advice apart from ready made stuff is get books on any and all topics relating to say building a house manually, sans modern tools, gardening, preservation, health care including minor surgery, and so on. All trades and crafts are immensely valuable, and only increase in value the deeper a crisis get.
Currently, we're putting that into practice reinsulating our windows - you wouln't believe how much you can save on heating by improving insulation.
this way you can also make "sand battery" if you need to heat a room.
where I'm at there's plenty of fire wood but also plenty of sunlight so instead of sticking a rocket stove in a gas tank filled with sand you can stick a resistor connected to a few solar panels.
this takes care of warm water and heating.
I live by the sea so abundance of fish and shellfish, with a big mountain rising from the coast so a few wild animals will get eaten eventually.
this takes care of proteins (and possibly fats), I still have no long term solution to getting carbs. maybe we don't need those anyway?
P.S. Barry O'Kenyan is concerned with toilet paper, but I can't say I'm equally concerned having such a large body of water on my doorstep. I hope you'll make it Barry :)
Ah, sand batteries, sounds good: thanks a lot, I shall enquire about it.
As to the toilet paper issue, well, I leve near a creek (it's the border of our property), and I agree with you, even though it may not be the most pleasant thought in the middle of winter).
DON'T cut down your forest unless it is absolutely essential. They are only a short-term solution with a massive long-term costs.
Learn to eat food cold or raw.
Another easy source of growing food is SPROUTING. I am learning how to sprout for hobby and, of course, for my tummy.
I recommend you stock up on the following as they are nutritious and easy to sprout:
1. Blue peas - green peas with their coats on.
2. Chickpeas
3. Mung beans
4. Fava beans
5. Lentils
Plus any other peas and beans local to you.
The key is to soak them in room temp water for 24 hours. Drain. Rinse. And water them twice a day. There are heaps of youtube videos.
Use glass bottles, jars and containers; plastic drinking bottles also work fine.
Thankfully, here in Australia we are ok for power and food in general. Of course, prices have gone up massively for most items. A purple cabbage, about 50% of a basketball, costs $14 each! About two weeks ago it was $10. However, we can get oranges and lemons for less than $2/kg.
I have not stocked on food. except for toilet paper!
Oh, well, in lieu of toilet paper, my late grandmother (born in the early 1920s) told tales of using either old newspapers or hay, when push came to shove. She lived in the city, though, and my rural grandparents (who were born around the same time) never said anything about these matters: perhaps there always was enough of it, or they never needed it?
Grass. Leaves. Dirt. Sand. Your non-eating hand! If you have plenty of water, top it off with a non-cotton cloth - it lasts longer. Use the water via a bidet.
Transitioned to the wife's ancestral family farm in the Eifel in the wake of a "specific event" in late 2001, with roughly similar details : centuries-old house garden, many hectare of forest, access to a small local net of more-or-less traditional producers and their varying skills and talents.
As expected, the last couple years -- while emotionally and physically taxing -- have also refined our views of both our preparations for the scheduled arrival of the next socio-economic "train wreck" and those around us who are worthy of our trust.
First rule of how you prepare: never tell how /you/ prepare. Keep it general.
Not because of fellow citizns looting you. Because of governement in case of crisis deciding to confiscate assets. If you have a tank for gas, say a modest 200L - don't tell anyone. If you have several years supllies of beans, keep silent.
Keep the description general and non-personal. Ammo, guns plural, medical supplies, are all important but so are simple things like diapers (if you have kids).
Best advice apart from ready made stuff is get books on any and all topics relating to say building a house manually, sans modern tools, gardening, preservation, health care including minor surgery, and so on. All trades and crafts are immensely valuable, and only increase in value the deeper a crisis get.
Currently, we're putting that into practice reinsulating our windows - you wouln't believe how much you can save on heating by improving insulation.
I like your first rule, it's crucial. I also think that the main problem isn't the neighbours, but the gov't coming to confiscate your stuff.
Books are always a good idea (helps 'kill time', too), esp. if they come with an 'added value'.
As to 'handy' stuff, well, my bucket list includes reading up and learning to build/operate a wood gas converter, you know, just in case.
Finally, we're in the final steps to arrange the acquisition of new (three-layered) windows.
"I also think that the main problem isn't the neighbours, but the gov't coming to confiscate your stuff."
Government coming to confiscate your stuff is the problem of densly populated areas, hungry neighbours are the problem of remote areas.
Slowly implementing plan..
Cash reserves to hand
Important medicines
Dried/tinned foods:
Rice, beans, tuna, lentils, etc.
Small petrol powered generator
Enough firewood for long winter
Improving thermal insulation of home
Reserve gerry cans of diesel for car, petrol for generator
Seems all reasonable to me, in particular the insulation/heating stuff: easy to do, not too visible.
U.S. citizen here. The U.S. is big and we keep discovering oil and gas deposits.
Enough NG under Pennsylvania to keep us warm for generations.
Supply is not the problem. Gov't intervention and taxation is. After Biden's term is expired, we will be knee deep in oil.
The regulatory environment is a crucial aspect, I agree.
As to Mr Biden, we'll see if he expires before his term does, eh?
As to the garden etc.: that's good to know!
We have a full hen-house, a garden, ponds full of fish. A 2000 liter tank of propane and 12500 watt propane generator.
Enuf dry beans, rice for my remaining lifetime.
Don't forget to stock up on anticeptics and basic first aid materials.
Ammo. Lots of ammo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWKBWROF8P8
this way you can also make "sand battery" if you need to heat a room.
where I'm at there's plenty of fire wood but also plenty of sunlight so instead of sticking a rocket stove in a gas tank filled with sand you can stick a resistor connected to a few solar panels.
this takes care of warm water and heating.
I live by the sea so abundance of fish and shellfish, with a big mountain rising from the coast so a few wild animals will get eaten eventually.
this takes care of proteins (and possibly fats), I still have no long term solution to getting carbs. maybe we don't need those anyway?
P.S. Barry O'Kenyan is concerned with toilet paper, but I can't say I'm equally concerned having such a large body of water on my doorstep. I hope you'll make it Barry :)
Ah, sand batteries, sounds good: thanks a lot, I shall enquire about it.
As to the toilet paper issue, well, I leve near a creek (it's the border of our property), and I agree with you, even though it may not be the most pleasant thought in the middle of winter).
Fackel,
What do you do for toilet paper?
DON'T cut down your forest unless it is absolutely essential. They are only a short-term solution with a massive long-term costs.
Learn to eat food cold or raw.
Another easy source of growing food is SPROUTING. I am learning how to sprout for hobby and, of course, for my tummy.
I recommend you stock up on the following as they are nutritious and easy to sprout:
1. Blue peas - green peas with their coats on.
2. Chickpeas
3. Mung beans
4. Fava beans
5. Lentils
Plus any other peas and beans local to you.
The key is to soak them in room temp water for 24 hours. Drain. Rinse. And water them twice a day. There are heaps of youtube videos.
Use glass bottles, jars and containers; plastic drinking bottles also work fine.
Thankfully, here in Australia we are ok for power and food in general. Of course, prices have gone up massively for most items. A purple cabbage, about 50% of a basketball, costs $14 each! About two weeks ago it was $10. However, we can get oranges and lemons for less than $2/kg.
I have not stocked on food. except for toilet paper!
Oh, well, in lieu of toilet paper, my late grandmother (born in the early 1920s) told tales of using either old newspapers or hay, when push came to shove. She lived in the city, though, and my rural grandparents (who were born around the same time) never said anything about these matters: perhaps there always was enough of it, or they never needed it?
Grass. Leaves. Dirt. Sand. Your non-eating hand! If you have plenty of water, top it off with a non-cotton cloth - it lasts longer. Use the water via a bidet.
During 2020 bidets sold like masks in Australia!
Transitioned to the wife's ancestral family farm in the Eifel in the wake of a "specific event" in late 2001, with roughly similar details : centuries-old house garden, many hectare of forest, access to a small local net of more-or-less traditional producers and their varying skills and talents.
As expected, the last couple years -- while emotionally and physically taxing -- have also refined our views of both our preparations for the scheduled arrival of the next socio-economic "train wreck" and those around us who are worthy of our trust.