PREPPING ... who was already doing it?

Exactly that! Staying very fit helps enormously with warding off dementia and the like

 

Ok... ok... I'm much more at peace with the fact that when its my time to go... I'm gone. I spent most of my life as a Soldier and I always thought I'd take a bullet by the time I was 40. That didn't happen so I'll just PARTY HARDY until my Heavenly Limo shows up. I'm interested in seeing what the NEXT STEP holds... but I'll wait until my designated appointment time... whenever that is. I can't help but think that I'll have a better vantage point then to see what happens to my grandkids.

 

Yes it's quite sad.

 

I hear that a lot. Usually from people who don't know what they're talking about.

It takes 2.0 acres of land to feed one person a diet of 1,250 calories per day for a year.

For a family of 4, you need 8.0 acres. If you don't have 8.0 acres, you'll probably wanna start thinking about which one of your family members you're going to eat first in order to survive.

If you've got meat to eat, you can cut that down to 1.5 acres per person.

Most "farmers" don't even know what crops to grow, and none of that matters anyway, since they'll burn their fields out within a few years. Yeah, there ain't pesticides or fertilizer.

Sure, 8.0 acres of tomatoes and okra and green peppers is lovely, but that's not gonna feed you for a year.

Neither are you. You ain't even got a rally point.

I am. And to prepare, all I did was a paper shuffle.

I made up some spreadsheets. Well, I already had them from when I was at TRADOC. I just modified them. We're organized as battalions. Everyone has a line-number. And maps. Lots of lovely critical maps for lots of different things. Why? 'Cause I'm lazy and I don't like to do more work than necessary.

We figure we can save maybe 2,500 to 2,700 people.

Out of the 1.1 Million in the area. They're all gonna die. We can't save all of them, so we'll save the ones we can. Besides, we need them just as much as they need us.

We can do that because we control a huge chunk of farm and orchard land. And, most importantly, it's all easily defensible and not easy to access.

Um, the Free Market never goes away.

So....how much are you willing to pay to have others protect you?

It's so sad that so many cannot wrap their brains around that incredibly simple concept.

Oh, no, you're a prepper.

The preppers are the blissfully ignorant who think they're gonna live in their homes.

The "self-reliant" who don't end up begging to be rescued will be dead.

 

Well since we've been doing it for many years, I'm hopeful we have some idea of the reality. But don't believe me, believe the many many millions of humans who exist and have existed throughout history, on tiny patches of ground - much less than 2 acres per person. When you know what you're doing, it's entirely possible to produce enough food for a family on half an acre. Of course that means a climate with a 12 month growing season (different crops according to the time of year of course, and no 'freeze'), but other than that it's fairly easy. We almost always have surplus .. enough for several other families usually - at least in one or two crops. When my silverbeet and lettuces take off I have to give armfuls away EVERY DAY, to avoid overgreening my compost. Same with sweet potatoes, plus cucumbers/zuchinnis, and other prolific circubits. I have so much fresh herb that I could write a song about parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Then there are all the medicinal plants, and our extensive range of fruits: lemons (two varieties), mandarines, cumquats, oranges, loquats, passionfruit, grapes, avocado, nectarines, multiple apple varieties, and our 20 odd macadamia nut trees. Chickens for eggs too - and all of the above takes up just one quarter of an acre of our land. Here's an image of something similar:


It's easy to see how much food can be produced from a small plot, when you understand how it's actually done. And don't forget that you can always add in fishing, thus provide additional protein. The combination will keep a fairly large family or group going, for a long time.

 

My wife and I have been preppers for years. We're not fanatic about it, but we are committed. The reasons we prep" is a whole different discussion. Suffice it to say, however, that we aren't preparing for bad weather. We're preparing for long term chaos. Here, I'd just like to explain what we do.

We started with the ten classes of military supply as a guide and filled in the blanks. Food, water (purification), medical supplies, hygiene items, ammunition, fuel, clothing and the rest. For fuel we have a few gas cans, a GENERAC and we just contracted to go totally solar. A good library is essential. It shouldn't just contain entertainment, but also agricultural textbooks, food preparation, some military survival and medical manuals. Seeds are important... of the "heirloom" type whose offspring will produce more seeds.Tools for agriculture are key too. And radios. And perhaps a few homemade "Faraday Cages" to protect vital electronics from EMP effects. Don't forget barter items like booze, coffee, ammunition, silver, and chocolate. Details are important so if you have kids or pets, don't forget their special needs. Litter, foot, toys, diapers, etc.

Its a never ending process which can really pay off if you ever need it. And if things remain stable in the world, you're set for endless camping trips having fun!

 

A good plan. We've never thought about 'chaos', so don't have anything defensive. For us it's always been about low-impact independence. We just really dislike having to pay for every last thing we eat and do, and paying for it via a complex infrastructure which is incredibly destructive. It makes us feel like helpless prisoners, trapped by our own apathy.

 

Hey! Umm.. Yeah.... hey.... umm ..um. yeah....... umm... never mind.

 

So the prospect looms again, and not for the first time.
In having to assume that the entire Russian military command isn't mentally deficient enough to want to conquer vast nuclear poisoned wastelands, just for the sake of conquering it, I haven't bothered to "Look Up" . I have to rely on the guess that someone would stop Putin before they obeyed his lunacy.
Frankly at my age, there isn't much to look forward to seeing or doing if I have to stay locked down. And I have always been ready for the Great Blackout which has never worried me. There isn't much time to do what I already haven't done and no one would be there to benefit anyway.
But I have idly toyed with my escape route.
Load DIY books, an axe, a couple of young border collies for gathering, and a copy of Shakespeare into the car and head for the Pyrenees, just below the snow line. For obvious reasons.
Clean water bubbles out of the ground all over the place, there are lots of clean dry shepherds cabins, trees to build houses and stockyards with and to burn. There are sheep and goats, marmosets, birds and eggs, vegetation ,open ground and vantage points.
I don't need to worry about years up there. But I would enjoy the experience before the inevitable happens.
Our ancestors lived like this for thousands of years. I am quite sure we could.
What would I miss? Not much. I would create a choir, share in storytelling and the arts. I would miss visits to some cities and my often postponed trip around Italy, but I could live with that.
There are, TBH far far more things I wouldn't miss.

 

We prep for hurricane seasons, although we dont need much because we have natural gas + generator which keeps the fridge and freezers going until power is restored. No need to hoard ice and gas for gasoline generators.

 

Sounds like a great place to go on vacation. In a 'great blackout' its likely to become very crowded, being that its within mere hiking distance of multiple large cities. But then again there arent many places in europe that arent...

 

Generac or the equivalent?

 

Don't you think you would be more likely to be shot as a looter once you tried to settle in one of those shepherds cabins?

 

They are available to anyone passing.
This is not the USA.

 

The Pyrenees are rather a large area.
There are also the Alps and the Massif Central which are closer for some.

 

That would be based on the assumption that those services are merely interrupted though, yes?

What about situations where they simply become out of reach?

 

What about your children and grandchildren? Nieces and nephews?

Border Collies are a good idea, though I'd go with something a bit more stable temperament wise

 

Others a long way away can sort themselves out.
Well bred BC's have a hugely stable temperament when they gave a job to do.

 

Coming back to this early post ....

"Unwarranted fears" is what we call them when we want to stay in denial. The irony is that that denial is a result of a fear which is TRULY unwarranted (the fear of the results of one's own apathy). Unwarranted because it's so easily overcome via action.

Also, COVID does indeed present with gastro symptoms in some individuals - especially children. It's actually listed as a 'common' symptom.

 

Not sure if I've already responded to this, but

1) That was when we had CIVIL society. Since then the Welfare State has turned us into lazy, entitled, overgrown spoiled children - with every man for himself.

2) No Govt can save us from ourselves.

3) A Govt can only meaningfully contribute to our survival when the people are willing to help themselves - as seen in the War Effort of last century. In the meantime, Govt is not there to feed and house its citizens. It's there to ensure certain infrastructure and services are maintained, while the people are busy doing the work of keeping themselves and their families alive.

 

You don't feel any desire to provide for your descendents, or your sibling's descendents? At least to get them started in life?

I'm only comparing BC's to other herding breeds. I have always owned herding dogs myself, and so not commenting from ignorance of the type!

 

That, and the fact that half of Europe probably has the same idea.

 

You think they would be just as available during some sort of major catastrophe that would require you to flee civilization as they are now?

 

I had the same thought. I would want to gather my family, or at least make sure they were safe somewhere.

 

My family started in life many years ago.
They can look after themselves where they are.