Thread: preparedness

That is really cool Rob. That's a lot of doins'. I'm impressed.

Originally Posted by sicboater

I get: fish, in season game (deer and wild hog mostly), wild mushrooms, whatever I can find. I really like learning about plants and especially which ones I can use for food.

I make everything I can (bread, beer, flour, etc.) The make part probably is less useful from a preparedness stand point.

I Grow: cucumbers, melons, strawberries, tomatoes, pole beans, squash, zucchini, radishes, carrots, basil, and anything I think will sprout in our soil!

Lots of stuff gets canned. I would say we eat about 50% stuff that we have a hand in providing ourselves directly.

Sorry I didn't see your question until now.

-Rob

How much of what you grow is of a native (wild) food plant variety? I ask only because I find most people could be surrounded by food plants and would still starve due to no knowledge of what a wild food plant looks like.


Mick

Jumping into this thread little late. This has been most interesting. ENjoyed reading all posts.

I have a little pouch i carry with me whenever i remember. Includes little mouth-to-mouth mask, pressure bandaid, little knife and little lamp. Not really a survival kit, but these are just items that i probably need sooner or later. When i travel i have another small pouch with sewing kits, few little screw hooks etc gear that i might need. Not a real survival kit either. Just something i might need.

What it comes to preparedness i believe that it is ok to get prepared until some level for what might happen, but i can't get prepared for every possible scenario and i cannot get prepared for the unexpected. IMHO there is no reason to prepare for the apocalypse, nuke war or sky to fall on my neck etc. At least materially. Mind, attitude and skills are probably the best (and only) tools when something new, unusual and unexpected happens.

As someone wisely stated, catastrophic situations are usually (but not always) caused by more than one aspect. One simple thing leads to another simple harmless thing and suddenly all have gone terrible wrong. Understanding this helps, but being fully materially prepared is difficult and usually impossible.

In the military i've trained for years various skills that might be needed in various situations. Trained and trained some more and also tested some of these skills in a real life. Using survival gear and various tools and objects to do what you have to. With or without support. Alone or with other people.
The most important lesson from military and by common sense is that in the end everyone responsible for themselves and maybe for people around them as best. You need to know what you have, how to use it, what you are able to do and what you are not. To accept the situation and not trying to change something you aren't can't change. And never take the final steps beyond limit where turning back is impossible.

I'm not saying that getting all the survival gear and reading all the survival books is wrong, but if i can't fully understand my capabilities versus situation, lose my mind or get into panic then no gear or book will help me for long.

This is not for everyday harmless preparing or survival of course. How to deal and behave with people around me. Having two teenage kids the best survival tool is few coins in my pocket to give them whenever they ask. Nice words, diplomatic skills and not always thinking aloud or not always asking some logic with 1st lady. Forgetting this might raise an angry viking woman no preparing can help.

Originally Posted by shooter74743

I read a great book that fell in line with our recent economic downturn & SHTF factor. If any of you read, buy, beg, or borrow "Patriots" by James Wesley, Rawles. It is published by Ulysses Press & the ISBN # is: 978-1-56975-599-0

It's one of those books that is super hard to put down, fast moving, & makes you wonder about things...

I second that. It's a great book. I'm reading it right now.

Once you are done, you will actually think about how easily it could happen!`

Originally Posted by MickR

How much of what you grow is of a native (wild) food plant variety? I ask only because I find most people could be surrounded by food plants and would still starve due to no knowledge of what a wild food plant looks like.


Mick

I actively grow very little of the native stuff, but, by not hobbling my lawn with chemicals which keep it to a single boring variety of grass, I have a few nice options in front of the house including:

Wood sorrel
sheep sorrel
dandelion
clover

Near by in the neighborhood we have a plethora of nut and fruit options:

Eastern persimmon
Paw paw
Blackhaw viburnum
mulberry

Shag bark hickory (nuts)
Butternut
pecan

We also have sunchokes, sassafrass, and a wild morning glory which has a root that is very much like sweet potato. Oh, and queen ann's lace grows everywhere and that is just wild carrot. Sometimes I have found fiddlehead ferns as well.

This is just the stuff that is in the wooded areas around our neighborhood and doesn't count the peach, apple, fig, and pear trees that folks are growing in their yards.

As far as mushrooms go, we get a ton of chantrelles, some oyster, some lobster, the occasional (and blissful) morel, and a good amount of shaggy parasols.


I really find it fun more than anything to hunt for this stuff. I need to learn my field herbs in order to get to the point where I can make a stew out of 100% found edibles.

-Rob

Mmmmmm! Did you say Paw paws!

Sailor; Hands-Only CPR

as they say the more you know the less you need. So now you may not need CPR mask, you have room in the bag for something else.

[QUOTE=kevint;640585
as they say the more you know the less you need. [/QUOTE]


I wish my English was better. I used so many words and you said the same in this short sentence.
Thanks for the link as well. Not only for me but worth reading (and understanding) for everyone.

Originally Posted by kevint

Sailor; Hands-Only CPR

as they say the more you know the less you need. So now you may not need CPR mask, you have room in the bag for something else.

Your actions can only help.

If only more people believed that...

This world would be so different.


-Rob