We are a small family of 4 in Central Illinois that is just starting to begin prepping. We really are learning as we continue our journey. Any and all advice would be appreciative. We are currently trying to decide on the bunker that we want to have installed on our property. After discussing for a few years we have decided to follow through with our concerns about survival.
Family of 4 Trying to Survive
- Thread starter Fitzpatrick Clan
- Start date
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Welcome to DPF. You'll find so much information in the forums. It really gave me a jumpstart of knowledge when I joined and I learn new things every day here.
Welcome!! I hope we can help you along your prepping journey...
Until you can put in a bunker, I would make provisions for water, food, sewage, medical supplies, etc. You can always put those provisions in a bunker once it installed. I would also look into weapons and ammo. I would install rain barrel which are very inexpensive and easy to install. You can make a water filtration system too. Here is a link.
Also, learn to can with both pressure canners and water bath canners. If you have property, think about getting chickens and at least goats. You can rub mineral oil on your eggs when you store them and they will last for up to 9 months. There are a millions things that you can do to put away provisions and fortify the home you have now. If you wait until you have a bunker, you are in jeopardy of not being able to take care of yourself if something happens before then.
Medical supplies and food is what we are lacking most. We have water supply, ammo, weapons, water, and sewage already covered. We have discussed chickens and cows and decided to stock up on the 25 year foods from wise. We need more advice on the best ways of doing diy stuff that can help better benefit us. Like if our battery supply gives out what to do and stuff that people normally don't think of. I've got a list going of things we need to improve on. We are planning for a survival of 3 years that way we can make sure we are over stocked on things and if something comes up or we have an extra family join us we don't have to be at witts end and stressed over the smaller things. I do like getting ideas for rain collection as I would like to have a back up other than the wells and pond. Canning is something I have thought about majorly but a pressure cooker scares me.
There are several LDS (Mormon) canneries in Illinois. They are really cheap. You can purchase staples in 10# cans that have a shelf life of 20-30 years. Wise is really expensive in my opinion. If you dry can and wet can food, you can get more for your money. You can even brown ground meat and can it. You can can raw chicken breasts in the jars. There isn't much that you can't can. Buy bars of Zote soap for $1. They make 10 gallons of wonderful laundry detergent per bar. Better to store 15 bars of soap than 150 gallons of laundry detergent. Not to mention how much cheaper it is. Buy fish antibiotics over the internet through pet supply companies. They are the same as what humans take. I worked in the pharmacy business for 16 years. I promise it is the same thing. Adult dosage is -usually 500 mg 2X per day for 7-10 days. Children is 250mg 2X per day for a course of 7-10 days. Vitamins are extremely important. You will need multivitamins, magnesium, complex B formula, vitamin C and Vitamin D for sure. I saw a youtube tutorial on crocheting reusable bandages out of white cotton yarn. Be sure to get bleach too. A snake bite kit and quick clot kit are essential for sure. Also get plenty of Benadryl. Garlic tabs, herbal pumpkin and herbal black walnut will kill just about any parasite known to man when taken together. Get antidiarrheal medications too. Tea tree oil has at least a thousand uses. Buy a new pressure canner and then call you local agriculture extension office and ask if they have some classes. You can do it!!! I promise. Google "Make your own rain barrels". They have a ton of videos on line and it is super easy. I would start with chickens. They supply eggs for years, can be bred to have more easily and can also be slaughtered at home for meat. Let's be real, unless you are going to take your cows to be processed or learn to butcher, you probably wouldn't process your own beef.
However, a miniature Jersey cow will produce 1 to 2 gallons of milk daily so you'd have plenty to drink and more to make butter, cheese, yogurt...
A Warm Welcome! Ask and Ye Shall Receive....
Welcome!
All great advice you are receiving here!! One suggestion, Backwoods Home magazine had an article last month (I think) about a couple living off-grid here on the high plains and they have no water well. They use only collected rain water, via a gutter system off ALL their buildings and into a collection cistern type system. Take a look at it online, it is impressive and the rain is about the only thing the government hasn't taxed....yet!
My two cents worth would be to purchase heriloom garden seeds, then you have a perpetual food source. And learning to can is a must! Invest in two books, the Ball Canning Book available at every walmart for about $7 and "Growing and Canning Your Own Food" by Jackie Clay, its $24 or so. I'm a self-taught canner and with these two books, you will absolutely be empowered to can everything in sight!!
Blessings,
Shenandoah
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