Thread: preparedness

Originally Posted by kevint

Sounds good. What do you get, make, and grow, and how much do you rely on those today?

If you cant raise rabbits, you cant do crap, rabbits are the easiet animal to raise, twice the protein of chicken per weight, fast growth to harvest(2-3 months), create the best fertilizer in the world, if they laid eggs and tasted like bacon it would be better, but the way they are aint bad. You would be surprised how many rabbits you can raise in little space at minimal cost. Its true the price of feed has almost doubled in the last ten years, but rabbits eat grass naturally, easy enough to harvest.

Check out the heirloom seed companies for original seeds instead of hybrids. If you have space enough, be sure to plant fruit trees, berries, etc.

www.rareseeds.com


Get a subscription to Countryside magazine. Screw Mother Earth News, worthless.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

The way I see it if there is a really serious situation where you are on your own for a considerable period of time meaning months or more unless you live really out and away from population centers you will be overrun with people. Unless you landmine your property or have a 50 cal machinegun set up on your roof you will be in big trouble.

you may be right. But

I don't put much faith in the "strong defenders" being the ones to come through. That is the whole point of having an Armageddon ain't it? for the rambos and zombies to take each other out so all us cool, laid back people can have some elbow room.

I'm sure we all have visualized in our own minds how things could play out if there was an economic collapse. Some fanticize about it & I think hope that it would happen. Personally I like things the way they are. Sure, we could use some better leaders who are less greedy (I think this is the root of most of our problems here in the US), but I don't want to "have" to defend my home, hunt for food, and so on... Surviving is really no fun and I hope none of us here on the forum ever "have" to become survivalist...

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

If you cant raise rabbits, you cant do crap, rabbits are the easiet animal to raise, twice the protein of chicken per weight, fast growth to harvest(2-3 months), create the best fertilizer in the world, if they laid eggs and tasted like bacon it would be better, but the way they are aint bad.

Check out the heirloom seed companies for original seeds instead of hybrids. If you have space enough, be sure to plant fruit trees, berries, etc.

www.rareseeds.com

Thanks a lot for the link. I don't have a lot of space right now. I used to but it didnt pan out for several no good reasons

I would like to grow stuff like that-- heirloom yummies

Originally Posted by shooter74743

I'm sure we all have visualized in our own minds how things could play out if there was an economic collapse. Some fanticize about it & I think hope that it would happen. Personally I like things the way they are. Sure, we could use some better leaders who are less greedy (I think this is the root of most of our problems here in the US), but I don't want to "have" to defend my home, hunt for food, and so on... Surviving is really no fun and I hope none of us here on the forum ever "have" to become survivalist...

I accept things the way they are, but I'm not sure I can say I like it. It seems like things are both; getting worse and better at the same time.

I do agree with the sentiment; it would be sad times indeed. Yet I feel pretty confident that whatever may happen, will in the end, be the best thing that could have happened.

Here's two similar methods for growing your own in limited space with minimal effort. Especially handy for the beginner getting into gardening:

• Lasagna Gardening
  
• All New Square Foot Gardening

Originally Posted by kevint

Hi Mick, like we learn from sharpening razors- it's good to practice. I do believe there are a few indicators one could reflect upon- how do you handle traffic when its back up and you need to be somewhere; or maybe even- how do you drive, courteous or aggressive? How do feel when waiting in long lines, or being in the rough side of town?

As I learned from watching the movie Dune; "Fear is the mind killer"

Actually I have the quote right here.

" I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me, And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain"

You'll have to forgive me if I've misunderstood or if I haven't made myself understood. I think practice is very necessary.
The point I was trying to make was in reference to protecting what you have, with deadly force if necessary, as a few comments alluded to that being a possible scenario, and rightly so.
What I was trying to say, was, it's all well and good to say you have the fire-power to use if required, but if you have never had the joys of having bullets thumping into the ground around you and buzzing around your head (and I hope none of you do, that haven't already). You don't know how you're going to react. There is no practice for having someone shoot at you, with deadly intent and real bullets.
The first time surviver of such an encounter has to deal with the phsycological aftermath. Even if they dealt with the situation at hand, there is no telling whether they, to put it crudely, 'harden up' or go to water the next time around.
The victim of such an attack, if similarly armed, also has to be mentally prepared to kill.
It is a complex subject and as individual as the people who are in the situation, and the situation itself. There is much wasted ammunition, as those involved just panic, and blaze away, hitting nothing. Then panic some more as they reload. Maybe it's dark and they load a round in backwards (yes it can happen with some weapons)...You see what I'm trying to say? You just can't practice for the real life situation well enough to fully understand your own reactions.
Mindset, a preparedness to do or act coldly, ruthlessly, to another, and to be prepared for whatever you can imagine doing to another, being done to you, and surviving that when all is said and done. This is what cannot be practiced.
Fear is something that you need. Fear is the fight or flight reaction. You need fear and you need to learn how to control fear, so that you can bend it to your will. To stand and fight viciously, or, if heavily out numbered, to run so much faster than the pack.


Mick

I was a soldier once and young.....long time ago. Practice makes perfect, even if you have done the drill 10000x, practice, practice, practice. Prepare for every scenario you can that your mind can come up with and have a knowledgeable person critique.

Originally Posted by MickR

You'll have to forgive me if I've misunderstood or if I haven't made myself understood. I think practice is very necessary.
The point I was trying to make was in reference to protecting what you have, with deadly force if necessary, as a few comments alluded to that being a possible scenario, and rightly so.
What I was trying to say, was, it's all well and good to say you have the fire-power to use if required, but if you have never had the joys of having bullets thumping into the ground around you and buzzing around your head (and I hope none of you do, that haven't already). You don't know how you're going to react. There is no practice for having someone shoot at you, with deadly intent and real bullets.
The first time surviver of such an encounter has to deal with the phsycological aftermath. Even if they dealt with the situation at hand, there is no telling whether they, to put it crudely, 'harden up' or go to water the next time around.
The victim of such an attack, if similarly armed, also has to be mentally prepared to kill.
It is a complex subject and as individual as the people who are in the situation, and the situation itself. There is much wasted ammunition, as those involved just panic, and blaze away, hitting nothing. Then panic some more as they reload. Maybe it's dark and they load a round in backwards (yes it can happen with some weapons)...You see what I'm trying to say? You just can't practice for the real life situation well enough to fully understand your own reactions.
Mindset, a preparedness to do or act coldly, ruthlessly, to another, and to be prepared for whatever you can imagine doing to another, being done to you, and surviving that when all is said and done. This is what cannot be practiced.
Fear is something that you need. Fear is the fight or flight reaction. You need fear and you need to learn how to control fear, so that you can bend it to your will. To stand and fight viciously, or, if heavily out numbered, to run so much faster than the pack.


Mick

I was sure I understood what you meant by gadgets. Thanks for spelling it out though. The examples I gave may sound childish and far removed from what you are describing. Checking the pulse is not open heart surgery of course- but you have to start somewhere.

If one cannot manage the smallest things with calm awareness; it is very unlikely to develop those management tools on the spot should a situation devolve into melee. I believe the small things are the important ones; the big things self resolve.

Originally Posted by Sticky

Here's two similar methods for growing your own in limited space with minimal effort. Especially handy for the beginner getting into gardening:

• Lasagna Gardening
• All New Square Foot Gardening

Thanks man. I am not new to gardening but I would be new at being a good one.