Any preps other than a thousand bullets and a case of canned tuna?

[Brosia]

I'm not laughing. I've thought long and hard on lots of these. Good points, thank you

[mdogspot]

For me the back-up stash IS the stuff I am currently able to buy at the stores or home can. As for sustaining, we are working on that as well. Purchased a hand pump for the well, poultry, fish pond, gennie, alternative heat sources, a lot of hand tools and gardening equipment, etc.

Thankfully, gardening is not something new to us, nor is harvesting seed.

I, personally, do not believe that one man makes an army, so we have very close friends and family who are onboard and of the same mindset. We all have skills which compliment each other and we work together very well. :)

What kind of hand pump did ya get for your well. GPM? well depth? Any info would be great and appreciated. Thank ya kindly.

[Lostinoz]

What kind of hand pump did ya get for your well. GPM? well depth? Any info would be great and appreciated. Thank ya kindly.

Let me get back to you on that as my husband is at work and I can't ask him specifics at the moment. This is his department. :D

[mdogspot]

Let me get back to you on that as my husband is at work and I can't ask him specifics at the moment. This is his department. :D

Cool I appreciate it.

[iceman]

I think with the cows and the horses, the stashed food, the land that is farmed, two wells, as well as the personal items....I really think I have a chance

just my .02

[Victor Lazlo]

As far as generator noise look at this.

http://www.alpharubicon.com/altenergy/gensetquiet.htm

It really works wonders. Did this after the ice storm this year.

[Loshali]

As far as generator noise look at this.

http://www.alpharubicon.com/altenergy/gensetquiet.htm

It really works wonders. Did this after the ice storm this year.

Now thats using yer ole noggin!

[waitnc]

Great food for thought there. Some aren't envisioning the collapse of civilization here.
It could be a prolonged crappy situation like the Mexicans face today. However, if one is thinking that the fan is going to get a overload of crap tossed its way then you are right. Take the thought process to the next level all the resources we see are exhaustible. Your plastic containers dry and crack, glass breaks, your roof needs repaired. Need some cement? It is easy to make, the materials are everwhere! We encouraged everyone to collect informational materials as to how to make the simple things we need or could possibly trade. Making iron or steel is basic enough get the recipe. Going out to forage could be your last trip in a collapsed USA. Collect basic charts from the big out doors sporting goods stores.. Like the Mushrooms good and bad are listed with pictures or the medicinal uses of many weeds and the like. Did you know dandilion leaves make a decent salad? What plants are edible? Get the charts! They are pocket sized. Get cast iron pans, a tripod for a dutch oven and a couple of cook books for it as well. Maybe, study up on how to best dry and store seeds from your crop/s simple stuff but we all need to revisit this stuff if there is no more walmart right? Consider the need for a liquid fuel to use the equipment around before it becomes useless. How can you make ethanol or alcohol, or bio diesel? Again it isn't hard get the printed materials and laminate if they aren't put them in a water tight ammo can or two and color code it or something that you can recognize as vital. Consider these things. If you are find yourself without supplies and you have essentially no "Skill Sets" or "Trade Craft" why would anyone want to extend their resources to you?
Examples of possible vital skills: Brick making, Blacksmith, Tanner (Leather) (without chems), food storeage, glass making, making soap, Pottery, making black powder, Smelter, Miner, Cobbler (shoe maker) Weaving, yarn spinner, leather working, beer and wine brewer, Candle making, wagon wheel manufacturing. Laugh if you like, but if this place crashes and a few things happen around the world life as we have had it is over.
The list can go on for a while here people. Most of these skills can be found at craft fairs or historical places like Williamsburg in VA. Fort Boonesborough KY Etc. We by no means suggest becoming a expert on them. Do get a working knowledge that you can then draw from if needed.
And this forum is perfect to spead the skills out into your our "Bubba" community. Perhaps each adult could study 2-3 each? This way we all have "Value" to the person next. Or community.

As far as ammo and guns go we'd like to add this. If it goes way south and 5-10 yrs go by and current ammo and resources aren't around. The bow and black powder guns are two things you can still produce making them effective weapons.

We hope that you go the extra mile and educate yourselves a little, preparing a little more. If nothing happens? A few dollars lost for now perhaps but, think of it as insurance.

Waitnc

"Don't Tread On Me!"

[barkingowl]

A generator, huh? Unless you live in an extremely remote location, you will have to stand guard over that generator AND your fuel source day and night, once you turn it on the first time. Otherwise you wont have it for long.
You'll be the only house on the street with lights in the evening, and generators arent exactly whisper quiet. Be prepared to defend it at gunpoint, or turn away dozens of neighbors coming over your fence with extension cords 'for just a little bit of electricity'.

That's not quite true here. Most of my neighbors also have generators & those that don't won't be in their houses after the first day w/o power. We've had enough ice storms & electrical generation failures here to know who stays & who leaves. A generator can be significantly quieted by building an insulated enclosure around it.

Is your fuel renewable? What you gonna do after that 50 or 100 gallons of fuel is gone? Have you looked into solar generators? Solar converters for the generator?

I'd be interested in some links if you have some you'd like to share.

Same goes true for any propane needs. How you gonna renew it?

Well there's a big propane tank at BJ's warehouse down the street. I'm thinking that most folks will either try to get some from a supplier or take what they need, by force if necessary. In the case of the latter scenario there'll probably be a good size fireball in the night's sky if its not done correctly.

[Loshali]

That's not quite true here. Most of my neighbors also have generators & those that don't won't be in their houses after the first day w/o power. We've had enough ice storms & electrical generation failures here to know who stays & who leaves. A generator can be significantly quieted by building an insulated enclosure around it.



I'd be interested in some links if you have some you'd like to share.



Well there's a big propane tank at BJ's warehouse down the street. I'm thinking that most folks will either try to get some from a supplier or take what they need, by force if necessary. In the case of the latter scenario there'll probably be a good size fireball in the night's sky if its not done correctly.

Glad you've checked into using your generator and you know its limitations. Another suggestion is to make blackout curtains for the windows when you have lights and no one else does. Bright windows will shine like a beacon when the rest of the neighborhood is dark.

I do have some links to a solar generator somewhere. I'll look for them when I get home and post.

personally I'd check into an underground propane tank, I'm not sure how that works since I've never been on a propane or natural gas system. Is that possible? I dont consider propane to be a 'backup' because its not renewable immediately, like wood or solar. Temporary backup, most definitely. And true, no one will be stealing your big tank, maybe just the small tanks on the gas grill or something like that. But I also see some angry people when you refuse to share your preps with them, and they just might cut your gas line, slash your tires, etc. Farfetched? Maybe, but its better to think about what 'might' happen, than to not be prepared for it.

Loshali

[Big_Saw]

Well, besides my tuna and ammo, I also pack these!

[unswydd]

This is a very good idea. I have a well next to the house and several portable (backpacking) filters if needed. Also have extra canisters for them when the ones in them wear out. I also have plenty of filters for in the house if needed. There's plenty of farm land where I'm at so I can dig my holes for waste.
Gardening and canning is definately going to be the immeadiate source of food. The canned stuff I'm gathering is when I can't get fresh in the season. Here in Illinois I can't get garden stuffs all year around. But. I can use a bow if necessary and get one of those deer that run through the field in back. Yummy! Smoked Venison is very good in the Winter months.

[Vicious Ignernt]

Saw,

Are those 220V. plugs? Owwwch!:eek:

[jita]

I agree with all that you say. I am a new to all this. I have some food, water but I need all the right info I can put into use now. I have no guns or bows but i am open. we are not young both close to 70 but as the Bible says those that are willing and able can........

[jita]

I am new but this sound interesting. since you are in your chair how about some teaching on this subject