bartering post-SHTF

[xcountryswimmer]

This past week I began to think (which is usually dangerous) about using my hobbies to help my loved ones and I out post-SHTF.

I have been brewing by own beer of about 2 years now (and I am damn good at it :) ) and realized that the world's beer supply is probably going to go downhill fast post-SHTF. The problem with beer is that it lacks the kick ( my batches are usually 4.5 - 6% alcohol by volume) and takes up way to much room.

I was able to pick up some distilling equipment yesterday to make hard alcohol. In a post-SHTF situation, the ability to home-brew a precious commodity such as alcohol can go a long way when trading and will be worth much more than it takes to make it. Next time I travel south to the great tax-free state of New Hampshire I will be picking up a whole lot of cigarettes for a similar purpose...playing on some of society's addicting habits to get what I want.

What are your thoughts? Do you have any talents or hobbies that can be useful in a post-SHTF situation?

[hubste5]

Been thinking about this too, not necessarily a hobby, but i live off spring water, a good one too, strong flow. It has sustained generations here. Now I have a pump/pressure tank modernization, but if need be, I am 50 paces from the fountain of life. My idea is to start storing empty (cleaned) 2 liter bottles/juice containers, etc. I figure if I had to, I could sell them full of H2O for a modest price/barter, if you provide your own container, even less. If you are thirsty, fill up your belly for free... or is it better to not to advertise? hmmm... Also considered growing an abundance of taters every year, for me they are comparable to water... store in the cellar all winter, easy to grow/harvest. These are win/win because they are both a necessity for life, and virtually no $$ investment.

[hubste5]

I wonder about alcohol and cig's. If the SHTF real bad... are peeps going to be going nuts to satisfy these habits, or are they more likely to kick the habit as a secondary result of dedication to seeking life's neccessities? I guess the consumer base for such things would be the "prepared" one's that are doing OK, and have things to barter, such as ammo, food, water, clothing, contruction materials.

Me, I don't drink or smoke, but I do chew bakker... and I don't think I would use my own bartering power to continue something that was not a necessity, I would just quit... I have kicked it for years at the time in the past, just to prove I could, so unavailibility would be a good excuse to concentrate on other things. I just can't see someone that is in need of life's essentials bartering for smokes, etc... I may be VERY wrong here.

Where ya at smokers/drinkers?? great topic... what would you do?

[rsanders]

Isn't NC a big tobacco producing state ? If I were still smoking or dipping ,or chewing,(I've done all of these) I would be putting aside at least one pack of seeds ,on a good year you would have more than enough tobacco for yourself with plenty left over to barter with. And yes I do think that there are those that would barter for a smoke, I would have when I was smoking, now with all the taxes here in Ky. some of the bars charge up to $6.50 per pack and get it so my son says, I don't go to bars any more.

[hubste5]

Isn't NC a big tobacco producing state ? If I were still smoking or dipping ,or chewing,(I've done all of these) I would be putting aside at least one pack of seeds ,on a good year you would have more than enough tobacco for yourself with plenty left over to barter with. And yes I do think that there are those that would barter for a smoke, I would have when I was smoking, now with all the taxes here in Ky. some of the bars charge up to $6.50 per pack and get it so my son says, I don't go to bars any more.

My point was, or really just a blind stab, that most will have less selfish things to "barter" for... At the point in your life when you would have bartered for smokes, it is likely that you were not hungry or thirsty, or in need of shelter. When things crumble, the focus shifts... Maybe I'm thinking too much here, perhaps the scenario will be where everyone has something to trade. The idea of keeping tobacco seeds for my own use or barter would be low on my list, compared to true necessities of life...

Ok... thread hijacking over... back to the point :D What hobbies or interests would you turn into barter opportunities?

[Big_Saw]

Armed security and Building expertise....pretty much a mercenary carpenter.....

[kenno]

Bullets brew and drugs

Not the sort of thing I would want to be known to posess or trade in. There are several problems invoulved with beer it takles alot of grain and fuel to make it so it will be expensive to produce. Having said that, beer can be distilled down to Barely Wine which can be very high in alchohol content. Perhaps once the PSHTF situation settels down and the hard core addicts are thinned, when trading centers spring-up one could trade booze for needed items but I would still keep my manufacturing skills a seceret.

[TheLastMountainMan]

Mine would be the same as it is now......Jack of all tades, master of none.

[Centurion]

Professional Pirate. AAARRRRR

Well ok I would need a crew and a boat and a parrot and all so thats out

I would like to get into wine production I mean all you need is a couple gallons of juice some sugar and some yeast and your in business. Need to find some tobbacco seeds. Any Ideas?

[Big_Saw]

Professional Pirate. AAARRRRR

Well ok I would need a crew and a boat and a parrot and all so thats out

Oooh ooooh! I'll be a pirate with you! We could do the whole Mad Max thing.....only without the whole rape and murder thing........yeah.... :D

[hubste5]

Professional Pirate. AAARRRRR

Well ok I would need a crew and a boat and a parrot and all so thats out

I would like to get into wine production I mean all you need is a couple gallons of juice some sugar and some yeast and your in business. Need to find some tobbacco seeds. Any Ideas?

I made some wine a few years back... got a new clean plastic bucket from HD, I think it was a 3 gallon... (same build as a 5, just not as big), some clean cotton material (like a t-shirt), bungee to hold it on top of bucket (keep the critters out, while allowing mixture to breathe.

Ingredients were (as I remember): Peaches, raisins, sugar, yeast and water. It was an easy peach wine recipe from the internet. Now I wouldn't consider this "production", more like a trial run, cool experiment, etc. Everything turned out perfectly, I put it up in mason jars, and still have a few. I believe it was 2005 when I made it. When putting up in jars, very important to siphon off from the top, after giving plenty of time for the solid material to settle out, as it is very bitter.
It was all very easy, fun watching it cook off. I guess it took several weeks to complete the process, and I could envision having several of these going at once, staggered weekly, maybe?

[kenno]

We could sail the briney seas in search of pirates and send em to Davey Jones's Locker (not the one that sang for The Monkeys either) Aye! Har,,Argh!!

[Oscar Wilde]

[If you are thirsty, fill up your belly for free... or is it better to not to advertise? hmmm... ]

I wouldn't tell a soul about my sources for anything .... you'll find yourself with LOTS of unwanted company. Sell, trade, or give it away .... but don't tell where it came from.

O.W.

[lady_banjo]

Hey, I'd like to tag along on that pirate adventure! I'm an experienced sailer and it's good luck to have a chick on board! (Just no bananas!)

[kenno]

Hey, I'd like to tag along on that pirate adventure! I'm an experienced sailer and it's good luck to have a chick on board! (Just no bananas!)

Sure come aboard, after you learn how to spell sailor!