Thread: preparedness

To me, being prepared (thanks BSA!) is knowing that you will one day be in a situation where you will not have all the tools, all the information, all the skill, or all the ability to perform the task which will unfold before you.

You will need to rely on others to some extent. You will need to make hard decisions. You will need to adapt and overcome. You will need to learn quickly.

You will need some luck but you will not be able to rely on that.

I don't stock up on food. I stock up on what I need to get/make/grow food.

I frequently don't go looking for the perfect tool when I am tinkering, I use what tool is in front of me to see if I can make it work.

I know how to tie knots.

All through out college, I didn't have a bed. I slept on the floor. If I was visiting someone and they offered me a couch to sleep on, it was like being in the lap of luxury.

In short, I don't make things too easy on myself I push to try and figure out everything as though it is a problem to be solved. I think this is the greatest way in which I can be prepared: being truly creative.




-Rob

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 guys have it all wrong. Once the dust settled and a post-apocalyptic society sprang up, we'd be the barbers.

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 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.

Originally Posted by sicboater

To me, being prepared (thanks BSA!) is knowing that you will one day be in a situation where you will not have all the tools, all the information, all the skill, or all the ability to perform the task which will unfold before you.

You will need to rely on others to some extent. You will need to make hard decisions. You will need to adapt and overcome. You will need to learn quickly.

You will need some luck but you will not be able to rely on that.

I don't stock up on food. I stock up on what I need to get/make/grow food.

I frequently don't go looking for the perfect tool when I am tinkering, I use what tool is in front of me to see if I can make it work.

I know how to tie knots.

All through out college, I didn't have a bed. I slept on the floor. If I was visiting someone and they offered me a couch to sleep on, it was like being in the lap of luxury.

In short, I don't make things too easy on myself I push to try and figure out everything as though it is a problem to be solved. I think this is the greatest way in which I can be prepared: being truly creative.




-Rob

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

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 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

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