Becoming a doomsday preparer

i don't think the tale of the wise and foolish virgins is about doomsday prepping, but since covid, we have kept an extra supply of most everything in the cellar.
it does make rotation of 'use by' dates a little more work.

 

When I see a prepper doomsday list I always feel sorry for next of kin who have to clean up the mess of wasted food the prepper left behind after dying of old age and the doomsday they thought would happen didn't happen.

And If we do have an economic meltdown and can't afford food anymore, hundreds of millions of hungry people will make quick work of overthrowing the government that created that reality for them. And the way things are looking with preperations underway by state government: < https://www.conservativenewsdaily.net/breaking-news/new-york-floats-holding-back-taxes-and-leaving-the-union-as-roadblocks-for-trump-washington-examiner > I suspect that west coast and the Northeast will be new countries well aligned with standards similar to the European Union and the Northern Midwest will best benefit from aligning with Canada and the southern states will disintegrate into the fascist leaderships and massive poverty akin to Banlgadesh and Thailand.

Most of all the new nations of the former US will be so relieved to no longer have the racist deadweight of the deep south's Electoral College interfering with their elections.

 

Like the spare tire or the fire extinguisher, food or other supplies is not really wasted if never used.

The security provided is priceless.

 

One could imagine days with a range of different dooms. Towards the pastel end is 'I can't buy food but everything else is fine'.

Personally I would choose dried beans according to culinary appeal singularly or in combo. Nutrients listed (after protein) are trivial to store durably and compactly. Not basis for choosing.

Storing beans, dry grains, and similar is likely to bring much familiarity with insects that specialize on this niche. They are experts. They can be beat but effort is required.

Growing from these seeds was mentioned. It would be Bob-like to perform germination tests on each because some may be 'done' in ways that interfere. As a general rule larger seeds will have longer shelf lives before germination.

I would (and do) start prep with water storage. Along with dries like above, canned goods are appropriate. Please, preps, learn how to discern poorly sealed cans before purchase. And don't smack them around after purchase.

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Finally a personal question for our starter: Do you have a basement?

 

@ 'preparer' it's 'preper' Bob.

Mormons are 'encouraged' to keep a year's supply of food but as I understand that tribe it has more to do with self-sufficiency and allowing them to bless others by helping them through a crisis. They do the same thing with money - for the same reason - again, as I understand it.
Not in that tribe.
If you're a Christian you're encouraged to read the Christian bible and those folks get into a lot of goofy arguments about the Book of Daniel and pre, post, and mid tribulation rapture - etc...etc...
I'm thinking that Christianity DOES inform the modern human and 'prepping' has more to do supply chain disruptions and government efficiency, corruption and taxation than it does with lamps, talents and virgins, but that's me being me again.
TIFWIW

SO....
If you're going to store a year's worth of food perhaps you should store and eat what you normally........um.....eat rather than buying thousands of dollars worth of freeze drying equipment or cases of MREs.
Folks did it in the mid 1800's - more or less, so it's doable.
They did it more in the 1930's.
It required a little planning (or prepping) 'left of bang' - but the human animal is highly adaptable - and we tend to write stuff down.

Don't forget....
If you have a year's worth of food in the basement and a bunch of money stuffed into your mattress.....then you're going to look a lot like an ATM and a food pantry if (when) SHTF.

Develop friendships and be more helper than hoarder.

Bob's an Oakie.
They had root cellars.

 

Geez, started itemizing the staple foods we keep on hand:

kidney beans
brown rice
white rice
rolled oats
Pasta!
flour (white and whole wheat)
Raisins
Goji berries, dried
Shredded coconut
Walnuts
Almonds
Flax meal
Hemp hearts
Nutritional yeast
Bone Broth Powder
salt
sugar
Molasses
baking powder
Baking soda
yeast
Various spices
White vinegar
Apple cider vinegar
Canola oil
Olive oil
Avocado oil
Lard
diced tomatoes (canned)
corned beef (canned)
tuna (canned)
salmon (canned)
peanut butter
Jam
Honey
Peanuts in shell
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds

 

I’m not worried about ‘doomsday’.
If our food infrastructure breaks down, our pharmaceutical infrastructure is also history.
That gives me about 3 months to live, at best. More likely half that.

 

That's why I renew my 90 day prescriptions at the earliest possible time when the renewal windows opens.

Over the years, I have accumulated over a year's supply of medications.

 

Half-gallon canning jars are nice, and there are vacuum-sealer attachments for evacuating them and holding a lid on. They are no substitute for heat-and-pressure canning but can be handy for keeping many kinds of dry foods that stay tastier longer just by keeping oxygen and insects and rodents out. You can open them and take a little out and vacuum-lid them again.

I think I remember reading somewhere that there are some foods definitely to not treat this way, and that some things on that list might have been mushrooms, soft cheeses, and Allium spp. The explanation was that those are hospitable to anaerobic microbes that might flourish in evacuated jars.

Hard cheeses were said to be ok. Of course, anything normally needing refrigeration still needs it in an evacuated jar; the benefit is more just slowing down flavor or texture loss from air exposure.

That does cross my mind from time to time. Some preppers apportion more of their prep budget to their arsenals than I do, and in any significant breakdown I suppose those are the folks who'll end up with my preparations once they have ensured I won't be needing them. That may sustain and elevate their spirits temporarily until envy of my situation sets in.

 

"Some preppers apportion more of their prep budget to their arsenals than I do"

 

Leave it to Bob to twig to the obvious....
Engineers are like that.

I half-remember something like the rule of 3's.
3 minutes for air.
3 days for water.
3 weeks for food.

I'm sure 'shelter' was in there somewhere, but in an urban/suburban discussion this is probably not a 'thing.'
Ain't much you can do about air, unless you live where large scale wildfires are a 'thing' and in these cases we are (fortunately!) dealing with a relatively short duration event.

WATER is the thing that most people take for granted.
Most of the Earth's surface is covered with the stuff.
IN FACT....if it were not for the bumps and dips the entire surface of the earth would be covered with water over a kilometer deep.

SO.....
Cisterns are good.
(IF they are properly constructed and do not get swept away by flood waters!)
The thing is.....you have to think a little deeper than getting a couple of extra cases of Dasani and maybe a campground water filter.
The thing that folks in North Carolina found out THE HARD WAY (besides the fact that you may not always be able to count on local government for help!) is that mud and contaminants cannot always be 'filtered out.'
The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is anywhere from 3/4 to one (US) gallon per day - but those folks are sedentary office workers, in a temperate climate....and presuming (as they perhaps should) that things are 'ops normal.'
Double that or triple it if you plan on running a chain saw, mucking out a mud or ash filled room, or doing any cooking and cleaning when the A/C ain't running.

ALSO....
Learn from your red-hat wearing crazy prepper neighbors.
In addition to guns and ammo they probably also keep things like _OTC meds and bandages, a good quality multi-tool, 1840's household items like SALT!, herbal teas, ethanol, witch-hazel, Epsom salts....real SOAP (not 'beauty bars!!!) candles matches and butane lighters, some extra knives and scissors, rope and twine, plastic sheeting, etc...etc...etc...


Finally....
There are about 1500 Yoo-Tube videos featuring things you can get at the Dollar (now more like $1.50) store to "Prep on a Budget."
Beware!
Dollah stos used to be called 'Convenience stores' (or sack and robs) for a REASON!

Use those videos to give you ideas - THEN go to a real big box store or other such outlet and get a little higher quality items.
Quick examples: Butane lighter, butt wipe and batteries.
You REALLY want 'the good stuff' when you really NEED it in most cases instead of some bottom-shelf item that you're going to stuff into the back corner of a closet or cabinet.
The bulkier and more durable items (salt, rope, OTCs, etc) are actually more cost effective at the larger stores and often of higher quality.

 

You're both right: it used to be one year but the teaching changed (several years ago) to three months.

Context: I come from a prominent Mormon family with a very recognizable last name and my dad was an administrator in the Church Educational System for 40 years. I left the church years ago but most of my immediate family is still in.

My parents kept one room in the basement as "food storage": everything went in there, marked with the purchase date (month and year). Whenever we used canned whatever (we canned all our own jams/jellies, various fruits, tomatoes, etc.), flour or staples, a new container of dish soap, toothbrushes, or anything we would grab the oldest and then mark it on the grocery list. It was an efficient system; we never had to throw anything out because it went bad (except when weevils got in the Cream of Wheat).

Dad still keeps the storage room going, although turnover is quite a bit lower now that it's just him and my older sister (Down syndrome) than it was when there were 8 kids at home.

 

romney?

 

"when weevils got in the Cream of Wheat" Just so. Prep competes with other consumers even before anything exciting happens.

To me this is a fascinating topic revealing both where people think they are, and what future they anticipate.

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Much could be said before I talk about China. Forgive my impatience There are many very populous cities here, each surrounded by a local ring of agricultural production. It may not be like this in other countries. I suppose it arose accidentally, not by wise Central Planning.

Much should be said before I talk about America. Y'all got guns, but 'drug-funded criminal elements' and high-money folks are your betters. BE NOT seen as resource for harvest.

In other words, don't talk about the Prep Club. Anywhere.

 

Hmmmmm......
Interesting.
I suppose that the tribe still gets their 10% off the top - ....but, of course, they will phrase it a little differently.
A wild-child cousin of mine was pulled into the LDS orbit - and since I myself am a 'fallen Catholic' or a saved Baptist (depending on the point of view) we get to poke good fun at each other.
I may not be encouraged to drink alcohol, but I still get to drink coffee....

Also....the '10% for the Big Guy' isn't really anything new - is it?

Concur!
Knowledge is power.
In some of our alabaster deserts they used to teach "3 days, 3 ways" and even though this has proven to be insufficient in most large scale disasters - it's a good enough jumping off point and you can scale it up to 'two weeks ready' as your resources and talents lead you.
https://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/58/72_hour_kit?bidId=

I got 'red-pilled' by the autumnal storms that plague the US - starting with Hugo in '89.
I have a brother behind the 'tinsel curtain' they have to deal with major earthquakes and wildfires, and we've recently had another 'theory-to practice' in the Smokies.

I remember post Katrina (now, 20 years in the rear-view mirror) we used to have armed guards when delivering fuel to the central offices in some of the more poorly administered places. I had the city EOC deliver fuel to the office I was covering because it looked like I would suck the 500 gallon tank dry before Big Bell got there at storm plus 3 days - and I was already shedding non-vital loads.
I asked them about an armed escort and they laughed at me.
"Son....EVERYBODY in THIS county is armed!"

We had very little looting OR shooting in that town, and my heart was warmed by the 'strangers helping strangers' vibe.
(DANG glad I get to use that word again!!!!!)

 

The Mich/Ohio game is boring.

We have enough food to last the fam three weeks. Then there is 200 to 300...rarely 400...pounds of dog food always in rotation.

That actually is "storm prep" not "Panic in the year Zero."

The real issue is fuel and water. Keep 30 gallons of no ethanol gas in the winter and five to ten spring/summer/fall.

Keep 35 gallons of water. That is the downfall, but it is tough to store without springing for a large tank and that has it's own problems.

I am primarily set up for localized winter storms that prevent regional travel. Not Putin invasion forces. Typically, lose power about two or three times each winter. Usually out for three to four days to a week. Ocassionally, two weeks. Rarely, three weeks or so.
Why I have little sympathy for those whining when they lose power for two days.

No natural gas or propane.

Oh, also an assortment of arms and ammo to keep varmits at bay.


kris