I hate the word 'prepper' due to the shows on TV, that make them seem bat sh*t crazy. I perfer the words self sufficient, and  self reliance.  Thats why i am in the woods and building my own personal homestead. it seems that most members here are into wilderness survival,  and bushcraft as well. I am curious if other members are into 'prepping'. My gf and i and always learning new skills, mostly long term food storage, canning, pressure cooking,  dehydrating food,  i am currently teaching her about bug out bags, which i am in the works of building mutiple up. Which our current plan is to bug in, which is to stay home for as long as possible. Which the bags are a last resort. We are surrounded byy 1000 acres of privately owned land, and the border of Canada is about 2 miles away. Which opens up a few towns, and about a million acres of woods. Our town population is about 200 people, the nearest town has maybe 3000 people which is about 13 miles away., but most residents are the outdoors type. I figured this thread can be about prepping, or any type of survival, maybe homesteading.

I like the easy life if possible. But we're prone to cyclones here so I have a storm proof house, a big water tank, food stores, fuel, generator, tools, a bit of solar, first aid kit etc,.

Having gone through a couple of natural disasters the one thing you really miss when it runs out is toilet paper. So we've always got a couple of big packets of that these days.

I took an interest in wilderness survival a few years ago, and then I realized that nothing for 100 miles around me resembles anything like wilderness. There’s still some value in knowing how to forage and trap and build fires and  shelters, but in an urban disaster/collapse scenario, those skills have limited value, and there are a lot of other things to worry about.

The US government recommends everyone have what they need to hunker down for a while. You don’t have to be a “prepper” to be resilient against major disruptions to life. In my day job, I used to work with search and rescue teams who were interested in using tactical robots, and I sat through a lot of interesting briefings on real-life rescue and recovery operations following hurricanes, mud slides, fires, and even the aftermath of hostage situations.  It’s nothing like what you see on tv, and there’s a lot of things you will never prepare for, so you have to be good at adapting on the fly.

If I remember correctly there were parts of Houston out of power for weeks after Ike. (Don’t quote me on that lol.) But that’s what I’ve been told. Nothing wrong with being prepared. My wife and I used to have years of wheat food storage and other things because we really like the idea of having something if you need it. I got laid off at one point and it was really helpful for the time it took to get back to work. We had lots of dried soups and different things as well as puddings, jellies etc. Made our own homemade bread every morning... Man we ate pretty good come to think of it.

Oh man!  One of the best things that came out of the early lockdowns last year at my house was that I finally pulled out the sous vide cooker my wife bought me a year before and started learning how to cook with it. We are still eating really well because of it!

... and when the grocery stores were running out of food, we had 10-year-old freeze dried food to fill in the gaps. Definitely need to restock all that now.

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Tp can be used as currency eventually lol. I keep some in my bag, can also use as a pillow. Ever since we moved up here, my gf learned the pressure cook.  On Thanksgiving we can pressure cook a Turkey in 4t minite. It falls off the bones. Its amazing. We try to make everything homemade as best we can. I do have to build up my reserves of staples.


Before we moved, i built up our staples, mylar bags, O2 absorbers. I packed 100lbs of flour, 80lbs of rice. Made almost 100lbs of dehydrated food, fruits, veggies, snacks.that took us almost 2 years with 2 people eating daily. We even traded some eventually.  I did that since i knew we wouldnt have electricity,  or storage. Rice and flour doesnt need it, as long as its dry it will keep i had a ton of prepped food.

Really NOOC? Man I'm hungry now...

I got 5 kids, so a 2 year store of food would probably last a month. It doesn't really seem to matter how much food I have, they'll eat 10 times a day of given the chance. On the bright side I can send them out foraging when it all runs out I guess.

Morphy wrote on Jan 15^th, 2021 at 1:50pm:

Really NOOC? Man I'm hungry now...

Let me tell you... that brisket was amazing! I still have 3-4lbs of it fully cooked and waiting in the freezer... You know I'm only a 3-4 hour drive away Morphy. 

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a wrote on Jan 15^th, 2021 at 6:33pm:

I got 5 kids, so a 2 year store of food would probably last a month. It doesn't really seem to matter how much food I have, they'll eat 10 times a day of given the chance. On the bright side I can send them out foraging when it all runs out I guess.

I am sure in your area, that youhave plenty to forage for. I dont have kids, just a few dogs. But they can eat just as much.

    These days it's bat sh*t crazy to not be as prepared as possible.  Like NooneOfConsequence, there is no real wilderness anywhere near me here in South Jersey.  There's the Pine Barrens but the soil is very sandy and poor there.  It's not the best place to try to survive.  I'd be better off hanging tough here in the suburbs.  Consequently my prepping is different from Vetryan's.
    We have increased our arsenal here just because you never know.  I intend to increase it more in the near future.  To assume that the supermarkets will always be full is foolish.  I generally keep in a very good supply of non-perishables.  My biggest ace in the hole is rice.  At any given time I have about eighty pounds of it in.  A little goes along way and it keeps forever.  I also keep in a good supply of pasta, ramen, beans, canned goods, and other various non-perishables.  Even without  foraging, scavenging,  poaching, fishing, hunting, trapping, road kill, etc. there's enough food here to last more than a year if properly rationed.  I am also fortunate to have a good knowledge of edible plants.  I could easily supplement our stores with food that most around me would completely ignore.   
     One can only do so much to prepare for the collapse of civilization but to do absolutely nothing is IMO lazy and insane.  If the chit ever really hits the fan some will survive and many won't.  Stocking up isn't expensive or hard to do. 

Edit:  I also keep in a good supply of kibble for the dogs.  I usually have three fifty pounds sacks in.  In a bad situation they don't really need cans or home made stew.  Those things are a luxury.  The quality kibble I buy is nutritionally complete. They can thrive on just that.   In fact people can eat it too if necessary. 

Rat Man wrote on Jan 18^th, 2021 at 2:25pm:

I also keep in a good supply of kibble for the dogs.  I usually have three fifty pounds sacks in.  In a bad situation they don't really need cans or home made stew.  Those things are a luxury.  The quality kibble I buy is nutritionally complete. They can thrive on just that.   In fact people can eat it too if necessary.

I'm not going to feed my dogs enough, there will be plenty of unwelcome people roaming about that they can top up with. Probably start with the neighbours, their stored supplies wouldn't last an hour and there's 3 families over the fence on one side, two on the other..

I will be taking up hunting soon. We have moose, and if i get one.  Its 6months of meat. It taste delicious since i know a few hunters up here. Some like to share

vetryan15 wrote on Jan 19^th, 2021 at 11:26am:

I will be taking up hunting soon. We have moose, and if i get one.  Its 6months of meat. It taste delicious since i know a few hunters up here. Some like to share

I’ve heard rumors that the hide makes nice sling pouches too! ;)

NooneOfConsequence wrote on Jan 19^th, 2021 at 4:07pm:

vetryan15 wrote on Jan 19th, 2021 at 11:26am: I will be taking up hunting soon. We have moose, and if i get one.  Its 6months of meat. It taste delicious since i know a few hunters up here. Some like to share I’ve heard rumors that the hide makes nice sling pouches too! ;)

Sinew and hide sling with moose testicle ammo.

Let’s all have an awkward pause for Morphy...
so anyway...
Back to the original post: when I wanted a portable generator, I coordinated with my father in law and we both bought the same small one. They’re the kind you can pair together for more power, so we each have a basic portable power solution that can flex if we need to borrow more capacity from each other. Plus everyone is familiar with how to run and maintain the same equipment.

Morphy wrote on Jan 19^th, 2021 at 5:08pm:

NooneOfConsequence wrote on Jan 19th, 2021 at 4:07pm: vetryan15 wrote on Jan 19th, 2021 at 11:26am: I will be taking up hunting soon. We have moose, and if i get one.  Its 6months of meat. It taste delicious since i know a few hunters up here. Some like to share I’ve heard rumors that the hide makes nice sling pouches too! ;) Sinew and hide sling with moose testicle ammo.

Not gonna lie, thats kinda creepy.  ;D but i am sure i know a few locals who would be doijg that sort of thing.

NOC, oh yeah!! I will send you some when you are ready.

Back to OP, yes i know exactly what you are talkimg about, i thought bout doing the same thing buying 2 to series the power, but end up with a much smaller one. Mine is only 1500 start,  1200 power. But i only use it for power tools, a small dishwasher,  and dehydrator.  If u go about 500 feet, you can barely hear it. Neighbors do not hear it.  It is in compliance to be used for camp use at all national parks. Which i think defeats the purpose of camping.

    I plan on starting a veggie garden this year.  I had one for years at my last house.  Some veggies that grow really well in South Jersey are tomatoes of course, cucumbers, any kind of squash, and any kind of pepper. I've grown Winter Lettuce with success before too.
    I'm going to start out small this year just to get my feet wet again.  I'd also like to learn to jar veggies and fruits so I can put up some of my crop plus it would be a handy thing to know.
   I'll probably plant tomatoes, Kirby Cucumbers (pickles), zucchini,  bell peppers, and cherry peppers.  I might plant some kind of  very hot pepper too.  I've grown Thai chilis that were killer.  They seem to like this sandy, acidy South Jersey soil.  Mike might want to plant something also. 

Hydroponics are usually associated with growing illicit substances, but I like the idea of “urban farming” vegetables with hydroponics. With the right grow lights and recirculating pumps, you can stack a lot of vegetables into a small space and you don’t have to worry about the weather or pests. As long as you have electricity, it’s a pretty great way to grow food... but because you need electricity, it’s not a good contingency plan for apocalyptic scenarios (except maybe nuclear fallout scenarios where the soil is contaminated and there’s no other choice).

@vetryan... I forgot about that!  If the offer stands, then I’m ready now that the holidays are over.

   I've bought from Burpee Seeds in the past.  I was very pleased with their products and service.  I'll probably go that way again.  One of the things I like about backyard gardening is that you don't need a huge garden to take care of your needs.  Even a small garden  will supply you with everything you need plus leftovers for family and neighbors.  I like to use that black biodegradable ground cloth because I'm too lazy to weed.  I don't own a rototiller so I'll either have to rent one or turn over the ground manually, which is miserable work, especially for an old man.  With the size of the plot I'm planning this year I'll probably just do it with a shovel.  In that this soil has never been farmed to my knowledge I won't have to do anything to it this year.  I have enough room for a two field system, where one goes fallow for a year while you plant the other one.  I'll have to start a compost heap this year.  The crops I mentioned above love South Jersey's sandy, acidy soil.  They're almost impossible to screw up. 
   My one concern is that in that I live on a lake there is always lots of crop stealing wildlife around here.  Other close neighbors have had successful gardens though. I'll figure it out. 

NooneOfConsequence wrote on Jan 25^th, 2021 at 12:13am:

Hydroponics are usually associated with growing illicit substances, but I like the idea of “urban farming” vegetables with hydroponics. With the right grow lights and recirculating pumps, you can stack a lot of vegetables into a small space and you don’t have to worry about the weather or pests. As long as you have electricity, it’s a pretty great way to grow food... but because you need electricity, it’s not a good contingency plan for apocalyptic scenarios (except maybe nuclear fallout scenarios where the soil is contaminated and there’s no other choice). @vetryan... I forgot about that!  If the offer stands, then I’m ready now that the holidays are over.

Window boxes are also useful for urban farming and they of course need no electricity.

Lots of chicken wire, definitely make fences. Our own turkeys ended up eating everything lol

vetryan15 wrote on Jan 25^th, 2021 at 10:55am:

Lots of chicken wire, definitely make fences. Our own turkeys ended up eating everything lol

    The plot I'm going to farm is already fenced in on three sides so completing the enclosure will be easy.  My biggest concern are ducks and geese who can of course fly over any fence I put up.  A scarecrow would probably help initially but eventually they get used to it.  I think that no matter what I do there will be some loss due to wildlife.  My goal is to keep the loss acceptable.  If it ever came down to where I needed the garden to survive I'd shoot the ducks and geese and eat them too (Mike has a crossbow that would do a quiet job of it) but as it stands now they're sort of pets. 

Rat Man wrote on Jan 25^th, 2021 at 11:28am:

vetryan15 wrote on Jan 25th, 2021 at 10:55am: Lots of chicken wire, definitely make fences. Our own turkeys ended up eating everything lol     The plot I'm going to farm is already fenced in on three sides so completing the enclosure will be easy.  My biggest concern are ducks and geese who can of course fly over any fence I put up.  A scarecrow would probably help initially but eventually they get used to it.  I think that no matter what I do there will be some loss due to wildlife.  My goal is to keep the loss acceptable.  If it ever came down to where I needed the garden to survive I'd shoot the ducks and geese and eat them too (Mike has a crossbow that would do a quiet job of it) but as it stands now they're sort of pets.

Believe it or not, a thin wire or fishing line strung above the fence may be all you need.  That's how free-range chicken farmers protect their chicken yards from eagles.  Maybe it'll protect crops from ducks too?  It's certainly an inexpensive thing to try.

See #4 here:

https://bestfarmanimals.com/protect-chickens-from-hawks-eagles-and-owls/

Most domesticated ducks and geese cant fy. Its been bred out of thier genes.  Our ducks are 'Kahki campbells' fantastic egg layers. Will lay all year, except for 2 to 4 weeks to molt they can only fly up about 4 or 5 feet high. They are mostly runners.

NOC is correct,  i have researched it and fishing ling,  also people will hang blank cds. The reflection will scare most birds away. If done while your flock is young. They will get use to it, and wont be scared

   All of my geese can fly including the one domestic and all of the hybrids.  All but three of my ducks are wild so they'll be flying too.  I will try the fishing string idea.  That's something very easy to do.  Thanks.

A construction size wheel barrow during the spring, summer and fall months and a toboggon in winter for moving anything and everything like hay, food, grain, wood etc. were our most valued posessions.

^^^ fullly agree, i love my sled. I use it for Work daily here. We also get 2 to 15 feet of snow a year.

I've got something that I've found very useful: ice spikes for your shoes. Over here, the ground can pretty quickly become lethally slippy and spikes like these have saved me from nasty falls a few times. Even if it isn't straight ice you're moving over, the extra grip can really help. For those that have't experienced it, walking through snow can be exhausting VERY quickly. Highly recommend.

https://www.google.com/search?q=snowline+spikes&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwj61pjN3LvuAhWMyCoKHUH1A3cQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=snowline+spikes&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIECAAQEzIGCAAQHhATMgYIABAeEBMyBggAEB4QEzIGCAAQHhATMgYIABAeEBMyBggAEB4QEzIICAAQCBAeEBMyCAgAEAgQHhATMggIABAIEB4QEzoECAAQQzoHCAAQsQMQQzoCCAA6BQgAELEDOgQIABAeUIhIWJ5XYI5YaABwAHgAgAGuAYgBrwuSAQQxMC41mAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=ESgRYLqKI4yRqwHB6o-4Bw&bih=754&biw=1536

Ok a non testicle related tip: learn to use hand tools whenever possible. It's rewarding and fun and might help at some point if the power goes out.  Much of it is a lost art. I’m speaking of old school tools here, not a flathead by the way lol.

Also in the same vein something I love to do is go to garage/estate sales and buy any tools that look old for super cheap and refinish them. I have a hewing hatchet that probably did work on a farm a hundred+ years ago and after refinishing it looks like new.  People don't realize how valuable a rusty hunk of metal can be.

I definitely have a soft spot for old tools. If I see an old axe or a rusty draw knife, I can’t not buy it.

The funny thing about “preppers” is that they seem to always think the solution is to hide in the woods like a cave man, make a bone knife, and rub sticks together until they start a fire.  Camping for a few days is fun, but personally I don’t want to downgrade my lifestyle any more than necessary most of the time. I’d rather fall back to the 1950’s than jump straight to 10,000 years ago the minute the lights go out.

One resource that would be abundant in any major collapse scenario is broken down cars. You can start a fire with a car battery (or make an improvised welder from a few),  make knives out of leaf springs and other tools from the spring steel in wipers. You can generate electricity with an alternator. You can make shoes with tire rubber. The chassis can provide shelter or act as a defensive barrier... the list goes on... and broken cars are not the only resource preppers ignore.

It's because their goal isn't survival, it's to live out some romanticized fantasy of what they think being a hunter gatherer is like. It's why they are all about living on their own (despite the fact that humans are group animals) and using stones (despite, as you say, metal continuing to exist now for hundreds of years even if all the knowledge we have on how to make new metal is lost). A lot of them actually have no idea how to survive. They might know a few tricks that will keep them alive long enough to kill themselves rather than freeze to death.

I don't want to sound like I'm some expert by the way. I know enough to know I know absolutely nothing. I think Finland can be a good example to use. Finland is a vast, lake and forest covered country. There are plentiful resources here if you know where to look, but you better be storing up those resources as soon as you find them because you will die when winter comes if you don't. No question about it. It's still possible to find food in winter but it's a thousand times harder than in Summer and you will be using almost as much or more energy getting that food as you get from it. Before industrialized farming and modern food distribution, starvation was common and that was WITH an entire village all working the fields. One guy on their own in the Finnish forest, with no food stores in, let's be generous, October? They won't make it to Christmas I can tell you that.

Oh come now, Kick... all you need is a flat rock!  Use it to break the ice on a lake, then sling it at the water and the stunned fish will just float to the surface  :whistle:

We just won’t mention how you can literally freeze like a statue in a Finnish winter when your blood circulation slows down after an otherwise moderate gash on the hand or leg.

;D I hadn't considered the flat rock trick! I take it all back!

There are three things I would love on a homestead. To produce raw unpasteurized goat or cow milk, free roam chicken or duck eggs and pure biological honey and honeycomb. These are my favourite foods.

We have a flock of chickens, ducks, guinea hens, and a single female turkey.onlyy eggs. Only eggs we haven't eaten are Turkey,  which we wll this year. All our toms got sick and died.  I am lookimg to get a couple of hives this year up and running as well. We were debating on goats or behives this year. We made the decision to do bees. Especially since they are in such decline.

vetryan15 wrote on Feb 11^th, 2021 at 9:09am:

We have a flock of chickens, ducks, guinea hens, and a single female turkey.onlyy eggs. Only eggs we haven't eaten are Turkey,  which we wll this year. All our toms got sick and died.  I am lookimg to get a couple of hives this year up and running as well. We were debating on goats or behives this year. We made the decision to do bees. Especially since they are in such decline.

Sounds wonderful!

Its really good healthy living. Love it