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I could paint the rocks in hipster colours.
This weeks preps check-in
- Thread starter Trapper
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What style of pump is it? And how high is it able to pump water?
I've always been fascinated by pumps. Right next to Darling Harbor in Sydney there is a little park where they have a splash pad, but instead of just spraying the water everywhere like most do, they have different types of pumps you can play with.
It can pump at least 100' deep. It's the one they sell on legacyfoodstorage.com
Very nice quality and works perfect.
I've been to Darling Harbor Sydney, didn't see that. That was in 1984 though.
I've been adding to my long term food storage recently. I seem to go back and forth with focusing on developing skills and getting tools that will help me live a post-SHTF lifestyle, and saving food, water, etc. for immediately after during a "transition" stage.
Then I start to wonder how long that stage would last and exactly how much I need to store. I tend to go with the philosophy that more is better.
Then I start to wonder how long that stage would last and exactly how much I need to store. I tend to go with the philosophy that more is better.
Good morning Kate. Ever had too much money on your bank account? Nope. The only things stopping you from having TOO much for SHTF readiness are:
1. how much can you afford to buy
2. how much space can you use to store
3. how long is the shelf life of your food/stock
4. how many people could possibly needed to be supported for how long
5. how many factors and tolerances can change the whole plan
6. can you stay and protect/will you fight to the death, or Bugging out (need to carry all)
I imagine we old timers, with family, with older family members, with handicapped members, with small children, with no reliable transportation for so much stuff, and so many other factors: bug-in and fight it out. No mercy given or awaited. These decisions are to be made NOW. Later, under stress or in the line of danger, you will have no or very little chance to influence the choices and save your family. Split second decisions are made with training and instinct. Life or death, not what's for dinner or what are we watching on TV tonight...A real prepper, PREPARES for such a catastrophic future, that nothing can surprise them. The mental preparation is the hardest.
I have seen grown men run in a fire fight and I worked together with a GRAY HAIRED 12 year old sniper in the Croatian Police after his father was killed. He just took up his fathers place in our team and showed us all how his father taught him to fight and shoot...He survived the war and ALSO stayed normal and finished school. Extremely tough and unusual child who impressed us all. Not all of us can and/or will be so strong. You cannot break down if front of your children at the time they are depending on you to protect and save the from strangers/weather/hunger and possible death. Your emotions are turned off. You feel no hate for the enemy, only a greater love for those you must protect. You still have time to harden your heart against feelings which in this life are still ok, but post SHTF, are your own downfall. God bless and strengthen you and yours. Gary
One piece of advice I can give is with food storage. Of course we all have to work within our budgets. So some are lucky to stock up a pantry of canned goods to last a couple weeks. I started with the pantry, with canned goods, dried rice beans, etc. after a while I accumulated more than I could rotate out and the expirations were well past due on many items. I also noticed I was eating food at or past their freshness peak, so a lot had lost flavor and texture. So I eventually went to freeze dried foods. They have a longer shelf life than I do, so with any luck I will never have to eat any of the stuff. As far as taste and quality they can’t be beat. Home canning is great but the heat used during processing breaks down food prematurely. It’s good to preserve your garden for use throughout the year, maybe two, but not for long term storage. I whole heartedly think everyone should learn to can and have the supplies on hand for it, but feel freeze dried is so much better for storage. I get #10 cans from Walmart.com, and amazon. They are the most economical size, are light if needed to carry and stack well for storage. I’ve managed to not waste any expired canned goods, with some going to the dogs, local food bank etc., but Will never have to worry about the freeze dried stuff expiring in my lifetime.
My 2 cents... get things that last a long time, and will help you create what you need in the future. I have a great deal of seeds in the freezer, water filters, and freeze dried staples. I know the freeze dried stuff can be expensive, but I have my own freeze dryer (an investment) so I create food with an extremely long shelf life. You may want to investigate that option. Right now you can get a small freeze dryer for about $1500 on sale... freeze dried meals in a bag run $10 each for two meals. So roughly 150 meals would be a break even point. Any more puts you ahead...plus I hate throwing out food from the garden and I can buy in quantity if I find a deal.....the electricity is minimal. And it is fun.
I still do have cans and jars, but less of them and I use them to help with rotation. And I do have dried beans, rice, wheat and corn in buckets.
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When I first started with my food storage, I looked for sales to stock up and then when we bought this place and I could actually put some seeds in the groundm I started learning how I could preserve what we could not use fresh by either canning or dehydrating It was either can or freeze. I have a pretty descent stock room along with my freezers now and have even added in freeze drying. If you do decide to put things up in the freezer, have a good vacuum sealer. That is invaluable for the long run if that is the choice you chose for a 'long term'. But it is only a couple years
Well then, it looks like all of you are doing everything within your means and abilities to prepare with things. Invest just as much energy in preparing your minds and hearts for hard times. A well fed soul is just as much or more important that a well fed stomach. Whatever fulfills your need, music, reading, painting, God, nature, good wine. Just take care of yourself so you can take care of others too and be therefore self-dependent. I wish you strength, live free. GP
Good point about the seeds. Stockpiling foods is good but eventually they will run out. Probably much quicker than you expect with the additional friends and relatives that manage to show up at your door in an emergency. Being able to replace your foodstuffs or at least supplement them is as important as as having the reserves. Another thing we have talked a lot about is so many people say they will start gardening after shtf. My first couple seasons while learning to garden were terrible. It takes a while to learn how to actually produce any amount of food, adapting to your soil and growing conditions. I strongly advise learning now while your not dependent on it.
Good point. I invested in good books, games and a flute. Nothing electronic, of course!
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Excellent point. Post SHTF, you may get only one and only one season to not produce enough food to survive a harsh winter. As with all things for survival, your hard core, last ditch survival foods, clothing, tools and materials, should only then be used when there is no longer an alternative. Eat what you find, fish, catch or hunt. The good stuff in the freezer, smoked food, canned food or freeze-dried is you last hope stuff. Go barefoot to save shoes and socks for winter, use a sling-shot to save ammo, fish and trap to save energy, even go naked at times to make clothes last longer. Use willow leaves against your headaches and save your aspirin. Use solar charging to save your flashlight batteries and only work during the day for the same reason. Clean, dry and oil tools and knives to make them last longer. Waterproof you clothes and shoes with animal fat to save your stockpiles of waterproofing and camoflage your body smell against being scented by animals. Think gray man in nature. GP
nothing much done this week,let's just say,it's been easier workweeks than the last,but I signed up for two voluntary courses for my reserve unit, those are all about mortars, mortar team leader and more so..and ordered some more Israeli bandages from Israeli firstaid
Cleaned up and organized a lot today. I made loads of storage in the new bedroom so am going to put a lot of the prepping supplies in there. To make even more room I went through all my clothes and got a pile to give to goodwill, mostly because I’ve gained too much weight! It feels good to go through and thin out some of the stuff you don’t use.
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What sort of grouping do you get at 25 yards Bill?
Winter garden is growing , cabbage is forming heads .
8 to 10 mm for ten round groups using 22 pellets weighing 15.89 grain seated, about 15mm when stood up shooting free hand, with the inevitable flier, INDOORS. OUTSIDE If there is a decent breeze I'll be honest its more like 25 mm freehand. I can do better if I use 21 grain pellets but its hard worki with 21 grains in sub 12 ft pound guns. I am no sniper but I'm good enough to fill the cooking pot or to deal with 2 legged vermin.
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I miss having a garden. Where I live now I'm lucky to have a few potted herbs.
Wow, really new idea. Gotta look, don't know if I could afford it, but to get together with the whole family might be an alternative...GP
Bill and Dr.Henley: have you heard about "dieseling" your pellet guns? The high compression in diesel motors provide the combustion without a sparkplug. The high compression in your pump-up pellet rifle can do the same. Put a tiny amount of VASELINE on the back of your pellet as it is seated in the barrel. When the high pressure air behind the pellet reaches a high enough temperature, the vaseline is supposed to vaporise and actually burn. The produced gasses will give more pressure and accelerate the pellet to higher FPS. Videos:
Just beware the dangers of overdoing it...
Just beware the dangers of overdoing it...
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The parts for build a solar system have started showing up. Received 6 100 watt solar panels and two 100ah batteries. Expect the MPPT charge controller and 3000w inverter on Friday. Also have a number of cables and connectors. I plan to do the total install myself so I expect this to be a real learning experience. Sill need a number of pieces including fuses and breakers. I will run wiring to several new outlets through out the house where I will connect the fridge and other items just to test out the system. I plan on setting this us so I can easily expand the system in the future, if it works like I expect.
The goal is NOT energy independence or to reduce the electric bill (but I hope will happen). It is to have a readily available backup power system. In the case of power failure, I will just plug in the necessary devices in the SOLAR outlets and those devices will be "up and running". Will not run the whole house and no 220v capability (at least in the initial setup) but something to make life easier in the short term.
Goal #2, take advantage of the tax credits. I had a number of trees removed on the south side of the house. So this will allow me to include those expenses as part of installing the system. Those trees had to go to allow the panels to work properly so why not take advantage of the tax credit.
The goal is NOT energy independence or to reduce the electric bill (but I hope will happen). It is to have a readily available backup power system. In the case of power failure, I will just plug in the necessary devices in the SOLAR outlets and those devices will be "up and running". Will not run the whole house and no 220v capability (at least in the initial setup) but something to make life easier in the short term.
Goal #2, take advantage of the tax credits. I had a number of trees removed on the south side of the house. So this will allow me to include those expenses as part of installing the system. Those trees had to go to allow the panels to work properly so why not take advantage of the tax credit.
Yeah, I’m debating wether or not to purchase some panels and batteries before the end of year for the tax credit too. I guess I better hurry up and decide. It’s 30% right now, but I’m not sure what it drops to Jan 1st.
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No more DieHard AGM batteries. Sears appears to have let the DieHard brand wither on the vine. What a shame...
Just looked up the solar tax credit. You get a 30% credit through 2019, then it drops to 26% in 2020 and goes down to 22% in 2021. So, it is only 4% if I don’t jump on it before the end of the year. With all the research I’ve done so far the lithium batteries are the best way to go on solar. The initial sticker shock is tough, but for prolonged use and ease of maintenance it’s the best thing going, not to mention it is the lightest option by far.
