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DennisThornton

Prepping? Preppers?

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DennisThornton

Trying times this year and perhaps into next year.  Pandemic, riots, hoarding, outages, lost jobs (industries?) and it's not over yet.  My grandparents weren't preppers but were always prepared for what they could.  Always lots of foods, dried, frozen or canned in either the cellar, basement, smoke house or freezer with plenty of firewood and storm cellar nearby.  No Walmart or Amazon, just a general store several miles away.  Times have changed but the threats persist!

 

I think I'm perhaps more prepared than many around me but I'm not sure I'm really prepared for what I could or should be. 

 

Anyone here stocking up or "preparing" more than usual?

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ebinmaine

A tad more than usual. 

Trina does all the shopping for us and she's been building up a bit of stock since we met. (5+ years) So we've had a decent amount of food and essentials for years. 

With the onset of the craziness last March we were advised by a couple friends to buy more. 

 

We never did get behind on anything thanks to them, and her. 

 

We went from having about 2 weeks worth of supplies on hand to maybe 3 or 4 now. 

 

 

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DennisThornton

I've had gardens here in the past but trees grew and shaded the plot and I put gardening on pause.  CoVid scared me so I moved the garden to another area, cut trees and said I'm ready for seeds.  There weren't any!  Major seeds suppliers were "OUT OF STOCK"!  How can that be?  Well, I wasn't the only one scared!  I finally found seeds from a company I'd never heard of that weren't out of stock on everything and got a decent garden planted.  Meantime I found that a lot of the things I wanted were again, "OUT OF STOCK"!  I wasn't the only one planning on drying, canning and preserving!  There were NO canning jars ANYWHERE that I could find.  Fortunately I had enough but I would have bought more if I could have found them.   The shortages almost caught me in a bad way in several areas.  I had some items and was just barely ahead of several out of stocks.  Scared me more realizing that I couldn't count on Amazon and Walmart anymore.  I have several pictures of WIPED OUT shelves at our local WALMART.  Whether the threat was real or perceived there was NO toilet paper to be had ANYWHERE!  Again, fortunately I already had enough.  All that told me that I could no longer depend on regular retail and "just in time" shipping for the things that I really needed.

 

Remember gas lines?

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ebinmaine

I'm just few years too young to remember gas lines but we lived very rural at that point so there weren't any lines. 

 

Luckily for us the local farm and garden supply store had a decent amount of seeds. 

Trina's mom has done canning for a number of years and had a good stash but she did run a little short on lids. We eventually got some (usable but not awesome). 

She's been buying a dozen jars or lids for a couple months when in the stores now they're back in stock locally. 

 

 

We were already on the way to a more independent lifestyle before this year and of course all the happenings just magnified the desire. 

Next year we'll be relocating slightly and adding to our garden boxes. 

 

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OldWorkHorse

I would not consider myself a prepper but I do enjoy knowing I can make it somewhat on the land, honestly I'm not very old and most of my adult life I've been spoiled with the ease of big box stores and online shopping convenience. But with myself my other half and 3 kids under the roof with all that has gone on and how fast it all happened this year, we have been trying to be a little more self efficient. I've always been a outdoors skip the city type guy so I figured I'd try my hand at a garden this year. Lucky for my my grandmother has 2 green thumbs and she showed me a thing or 2 growing up. That being said my green thumbs are a bit out of color nowadays so I'm trying to get back to the roots and also canning. Canning is a skill I lack but am trying learn what I can because can be a very useful skill to have in hard times. Built a enclosed garden area with a rain catcher, can never have to many ways to water. 

20201129_105958.jpg

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ZXT

I prepared some; I went up to the dollar store when this all started and bought a bunch of store brand Spam, a couple cans of Salmon, and some canned chili. I can make that last a long time if needed.

 

I haven't even looked for TP since this all began. I've got probably 6 rolls left which is enough for another year for me.

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JoeM

I remember my Dad telling me about their times during the depression. They we lucky enough to have room for a cow and chickens where the lived. Of course they planted a big garden. He said that saved them and provided for some of their neighbors during that time. 

There is a large amount of folks that live where anything like that is impossible. Those in the city have to rely on the "food chain stores". A big challenge. 

It is like the power grid. The american people have an various appetite for power. We want power, convenience, and clean air! No one wants to give up the old automobile. it is a double edge sword.

Yes, we need continuous improvement of the environment. And we need to be an independent country. i.e. a lot of the PPE for health care workers comes for a foreign world. 

We say the covid has stolen are freedom, were all a long we may have gave up our own freedom. 

the silver lining....looking at yourself, gaining self control / independence and helping others.

 

Just like you said "am I ready!"

For those affected with the virus, I am keeping you close to my heart. 

 

 

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8ntruck

We are carrying a heavier stock in our pantry and freezer this year.  Did more canning than usual for us this year too.

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Tractorhead

My Grandparents teached me, to be independent for at least one month.

All after that timeline, most can be organized without any Hurry.

 

A issue like the Covid pandemic was so far from most of us, we can not imagine that such a thing can happen in out Lifetime.

 

However i learned my Lesson, but i never feel prepared for an issue like that Covid thing and Nobody know‘s how and when it will end.

 

But one thing i have learned as lesson, there can any time something happened, nobody can imagine that before.

My grandparents was right.

 

 

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WHNJ701

It's on thing to stock up on food and stuff for a couple weeks to get by without shopping, but how many can do it if the grid goes down for a few weeks?  The people across the street can't go 10 minutes before the big propane generators kick on.  Boxes of noodles are kinda crunchy if you don't know how to boil water without a stove!

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ebinmaine
4 minutes ago, jabelman said:

It's on thing to stock up on food and stuff for a couple weeks to get by without shopping, but how many can do it if the grid goes down for a few weeks?  The people across the street can't go 10 minutes before the big propane generators kick on.  Boxes of noodles are kinda crunchy if you don't know how to boil water without a stove!

 

Yepp. 

 

We have 2 wood stoves, a gas kitchen stove, 2 camp stoves. 

We even have a nice assortment of pots and pans. 

Boiled water we can do. 

 

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DennisThornton

My grandparents planted, grew and stored enough to get them through until they could do it again.  They raised hogs and kept chickens year round and ended up with about a year's worth of food stored away.  They weren't preppers, just did what everyone else around did.  Today that might be strange, perhaps wacko preppers!  Of course, back then, back there, that's what everyone did.  Can't do that in today's towns and cities!

 

2019 I became friends with a fellow that I suppose everyone today would call a real bonafide "PREPPER", on steroids!  Seriously!  Big time!  I was somewhat prepared before CoVid so I wasn't all that concerned (actually I was somewhat) but I asked him what he was going to do?  "Not a thing!"  Ok, what should I do?  "Figure out what you need to live and get it!"!  How much?  "For as long as you plan on living!"!  Well, that had an effect on me!  Really did!  So I went to Walmart that was showing lots of empty shelves!  Even Amazon PRIME was failing!  Local stores!  Online!  What the heck was the world coming too!  What if I can't get what I need to live?  Made an impression on me!  Obviously I got what I needed, for now!  Perhaps this was just a test, a trial run, but I don't want to ever be where I can't get what I need to live and I've seen enough to scare me enough that I'm not nearly as comfortable as I once was with entrusting that to someone else. I want to have in MY control what I want to live for as long as I want to live!  Profound words!  I'm not there, might never be, but that is my goal.

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DennisThornton
44 minutes ago, jabelman said:

It's on thing to stock up on food and stuff for a couple weeks to get by without shopping, but how many can do it if the grid goes down for a few weeks?  The people across the street can't go 10 minutes before the big propane generators kick on.  Boxes of noodles are kinda crunchy if you don't know how to boil water without a stove!

Getting by without is complicated!  You just started something!

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DennisThornton
1 hour ago, Tractorhead said:

My Grandparents teached me, to be independent for at least one month.

All after that timeline, most can be organized without any Hurry.

 

A issue like the Covid pandemic was so far from most of us, we can not imagine that such a thing can happen in out Lifetime.

 

However i learned my Lesson, but i never feel prepared for an issue like that Covid thing and Nobody know‘s how and when it will end.

 

But one thing i have learned as lesson, there can any time something happened, nobody can imagine that before.

My grandparents was right.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Tractorhead said:

My Grandparents teached me, to be independent for at least one month.

All after that timeline, most can be organized without any Hurry.

 

A issue like the Covid pandemic was so far from most of us, we can not imagine that such a thing can happen in out Lifetime.

 

However i learned my Lesson, but i never feel prepared for an issue like that Covid thing and Nobody know‘s how and when it will end.

 

But one thing i have learned as lesson, there can any time something happened, nobody can imagine that before.

My grandparents was right.

 

 

'can not imagine that such a thing can happen" is moving to me!

 

In a major way!

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DennisThornton
51 minutes ago, jabelman said:

It's on thing to stock up on food and stuff for a couple weeks to get by without shopping, but how many can do it if the grid goes down for a few weeks?  The people across the street can't go 10 minutes before the big propane generators kick on.  Boxes of noodles are kinda crunchy if you don't know how to boil water without a stove!

 I've found out that being prepared is far more complicated than I thought!  

And I was a Boy Scout!

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DennisThornton
48 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Yepp. 

 

We have 2 wood stoves, a gas kitchen stove, 2 camp stoves. 

We even have a nice assortment of pots and pans. 

Boiled water we can do. 

 

Imagine not being able to go ANYWHERE for a day.  A week.  A month.  Longer?  And how long do you feel good about YOUR preparedness?  I have NO idea what that should be but I suspect that longer is better.  I know longer is costlier, but I'm still pretty sure it's better.

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slim67

My wife is a smart shopper (she started stockpiling long ago) and we did a garden this year with some success. I couldn't help as much as I wanted mainly because of work but plan on being more involved next spring. We have 18 chickens so we're good there. I get, cut and split firewood and have access to as many pallets as I want. We have a nice hearth stove that my mom bought when I was a kid that helps for heat and humidity. My water is well and septic has a lift station so I can power those with a generator of which I have 3. Im well stocked on tools, torches,welders,air compressor, chop saw, hardware etc.I also have guns and ammo very well covered. I am not a prepper as extreme as some and don't even know if I can consider myself one but I feel pretty confident so far. I guess it comes down to the scenario. I have heard certain calibers are hard to find right now FWIW.

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DennisThornton
2 minutes ago, slim67 said:

My wife is a smart shopper (she started stockpiling long ago) and we did a garden this year with some success. I couldn't help as much as I wanted mainly because of work but plan on being more involved next spring. We have 18 chickens so we're good there. I get, cut and split firewood and have access to as many pallets as I want. We have a nice hearth stove that my mom bought when I was a kid that helps for heat and humidity. My water is well and septic has a lift station so I can power those with a generator of which I have 3. Im well stocked on tools, torches,welders,air compressor, chop saw, hardware etc.I also have guns and ammo very well covered. I am not a prepper as extreme as some and don't even know if I can consider myself one but I feel pretty confident so far. I guess it comes down to the scenario. I have heard certain calibers are hard to find right now FWIW.

I think you are off to a great start.  But ask yourself how long can you and yours get by without ANY outside help.  I know I'm better prepared than many but I don't know how prepared I really am and I'm a tad nervous to find out!  I'll continue.

 

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slim67
26 minutes ago, DennisThornton said:

I think you are off to a great start.  But ask yourself how long can you and yours get by without ANY outside help.  I know I'm better prepared than many but I don't know how prepared I really am and I'm a tad nervous to find out!  I'll continue.

 

When you talk prepping everyone has different ideas on what to prep for. Do you mean for the Covid crisis or something much worse? Civil war, Nuclear war , EMP discharge? Im sure there's people on the fringe who prepare for aliens. Its an interesting subject you brought up for sure. Funniest thing Ive ever heard about prepping was a comedian who didn't care much to live in a doomsday scenario. His " survival" kit was a cyanide tablet and a Dixie cup. He would pee into the Dixie cup to wash down the cyanide tablet. I laughed so hard I had to stop the mower for a minute. 

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wallfish

If you're going to prep, don't forget to prep for the people who didn't prep and will want to take your prep.

It sucks human beings are like that but many will do whatever it takes to survive, even if that equals you don't survive so they can. If someone is willing to kill for only money now than imagine what they are willing to do just to survive.

We keep a fairly decent stock of food but nothing to last for years and years. It's a good idea to cycle those dried bags of soup which last a long time on the shelf. Eat the older ones and replenish with new as time goes by. There are some MRE type meals which have a 20 year shelf life too. Since you still have power and the innerweb now, research on local edible plants and insects plus the poisonous ones too. There are plenty of websites out there dedicated to prepping so you can certainly find some useful information. The answer to "how much to prep" is the same as "how much money do I need to retire". There's no absolute answer so thinking about it, some reasearch and estimating is the best anyone can do. 

 I don't crazy prep like the guy down the street but keep enough shelf life food for probably 6 months or so, some medicines, a way to get fresh water, heat etc etc. In 6 months I can most likely figure out how to extend that time and if it's that bad, think I'm with the comedian in the prior post. Not so sure I want to live like that but of coarse anyone's mind may think different when or if that time actually comes.

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WHNJ701

There's an old twilight zone episode about a family that made a bomb shelter and no one else in town did.  When the sirens went off half the town tried breaking in and went nuts, then it was a false alarm or something.

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ebinmaine
3 hours ago, DennisThornton said:

Imagine not being able to go ANYWHERE for a day.  A week.  A month.  Longer?  And how long do you feel good about YOUR preparedness

Trina has us set up to stay in our own yard for at 3 to 4 weeks. 

The only thing we'd run out of is milk. Not a big deal. 

 

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ebinmaine
31 minutes ago, wallfish said:

If you're going to prep, don't forget to prep for the people who didn't prep and will want to take your prep.

It sucks human beings are like that but many will do whatever it takes to survive, even if that equals you don't survive so they can. If someone is willing to kill for only money now than imagine what they are willing to do just to

 

28 minutes ago, jabelman said:

When the sirens went off half the town tried breaking in and went nuts

 

I got a me Bear, a Meeha Mirror, several types of high speed metal movers, and a BBT. 

 

:scared-eek:

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DennisThornton

A friend just sent me an email that truckers are planning a strike. I have no idea if they are or not but I replied:

 

"Whether they do or don't is yet another reason to do what is necessary to not care whether they do or not."

 

Obviously a truckers strike would bring a city or town to its knees.  I have lots of beans and rice but I still depend on gas stations that depend on trucks.  Been meaning to stock some more fuel.  I need my herd and they need nourishment.  

 
--
Dennis Thornton
 
 
 
 
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Tractorhead

I think it also is different if you life in Cities or in rural envoirement.

 

In Cities you have less possibillities to be independent in opposite to rural -  i.eg on Power.

If Electric power drops, no Water, no Heaters and something more so too much dependencies on one simple Source.

even keep a little distance is more complicated.

 

I think in rural envoirements you learned better to be prepared for any uncommon things than in Cities.

 

 

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