Prepper thoughts.

[BigDaveK]

I moved to the country about 15 years ago and I learned real fast - become a prepper or move back to the suburbs. I didn't move.

Because of the recent storm I was without power for 2 1/2 days. My well pump wouldn't work but I had plenty of water in storage. I have 2 generators ("2 is 1 and 1 is none" in prepper-speak) and always plenty of gas. Food? Never an issue. If things get REALLY bad I even have some freeze dried food - it actually tastes really good but I find it a little salty. Oh, and I have wine. Oh, and I have wine. Oh, and I have wine.

This latest power outage forced me to catch up on my reading - which I've been meaning to do anyway.

The only problem I had that was completely out of my control was no internet. I REALLY missed WMT!!!

 

[Tin_Man]

Yep. The more independent the better. I've always enjoyed the country/survival way of life. Internet connection is vital. An educated woodsman just may be the wisest of them all!

 

[mikewatkins727]

I moved to the country about 15 years ago and I learned real fast - become a prepper or move back to the suburbs. I didn't move.

Because of the recent storm I was without power for 2 1/2 days. My well pump wouldn't work but I had plenty of water in storage. I have 2 generators ("2 is 1 and 1 is none" in prepper-speak) and always plenty of gas. Food? Never an issue. If things get REALLY bad I even have some freeze dried food - it actually tastes really good but I find it a little salty. Oh, and I have wine. Oh, and I have wine. Oh, and I have wine.

This latest power outage forced me to catch up on my reading - which I've been meaning to do anyway.

The only problem I had that was completely out of my control was no internet. I REALLY missed WMT!!!

@BigDaveK: In the 15 years I've been home here in SE Ohio only had one 8-hour day w/o electricity, all others where why shorter terms. I haven't had much commercial freeze dried food to say it is too salty, but then I have my own freeze dryer. I, too, have the issue about a well pump (220 V) and no electricty. I have one under powered generator.

 

[ChuckD]

To me “prepper” has too many connotations and I refuse to spend a second on the prepper websites… talk about toxic garbage! That said, I live in the country and love to hunt,fish, garden, and I really have fun foraging for natural foods. Oh, and I recently started making too.

 

[Sage]

Lived in the country all my life. Water is pumped out of a 900 ft deep well, but into a 2500 gallon cystern. Good for a long time. Second 2500 gallon tank early spring to late fall for forest fire protection but could be used for anything. High pressure fire pump and hoses. Small and large generator. House is wired specifically for possible power outages and generator use. Freezers full and pantry is well stocked. When you live in the boonies, town trips aren't regular so you do stock up.

Then there's fuel. I try to keep at least 15 gallons of gas. I have a lot of diesel but it only works in the tractors. We rarely ever let our vehicles get under a half tank. That is a good practice for a lot of reasons. (Condensation in empty tank. Since your fuel pump is inside of the fuel tank it relies on the fuel to keep it cool. Run a low fuel level a lot risks early pump failure.)

 

[BigDaveK]

@BigDaveK: In the 15 years I've been home here in SE Ohio only had one 8-hour day w/o electricity, all others where why shorter terms. I haven't had much commercial freeze dried food to say it is too salty, but then I have my own freeze dryer. I, too, have the issue about a well pump (220 V) and no electricty. I have one under powered generator.

You're lucky. I had a couple 1 day outages early on that told me to get ready. Then I had a couple 5 day and 1 7-day outage...and I was ready. This last ice storm was unusual because we also lost cell service. That was a first.

 

[BigDaveK]

To me “prepper” has too many connotations and I refuse to spend a second on the prepper websites… talk about toxic garbage! That said, I live in the country and love to hunt,fish, garden, and I really have fun foraging for natural foods. Oh, and I recently started making too.

I love catching one of those prepper shows now and then. Collapse of society, super volcanoes, aliens, zombies - where do they find these people?
I "prep" because I've been without power way too many times. And besides, if there is a collapse or volcano or aliens or zombies we have wine so it's all good!

 

[BigDaveK]

Lived in the country all my life. Water is pumped out of a 900 ft deep well, but into a 2500 gallon cystern. Good for a long time. Second 2500 gallon tank early spring to late fall for forest fire protection but could be used for anything. High pressure fire pump and hoses. Small and large generator. House is wired specifically for possible power outages and generator use. Freezers full and pantry is well stocked. When you live in the boonies, town trips aren't regular so you do stock up.

Then there's fuel. I try to keep at least 15 gallons of gas. I have a lot of diesel but it only works in the tractors. We rarely ever let our vehicles get under a half tank. That is a good practice for a lot of reasons. (Condensation in empty tank. Since your fuel pump is inside of the fuel tank it relies on the fuel to keep it cool. Run a low fuel level a lot risks early pump failure.)

Ooh, a cistern! That and a root cellar are on my wish list.
I have a spring fed pond and also a very old spring house in need of repair and updating. That place is cool even on the hottest days. Here I am doing things in case I lose power and the original landowner NEVER had power.
Living in the country, the boonies, you HAVE to do things "just in case" because if you don't you're screwed.

 

[Sage]

Forgot about the 2 lanterns sitting on the top shelf (battery, LED). Must have half a dozen LED flashlights. We used to have 4 Aladdin kerosene lamps scattered around the house. And a battery radio!

 

[winemaker81]

My wife & I grew up in Upstate NY, and have lived in central NC for almost 30 years. Hurricanes and ice storms can leave us without power for weeks (we've been lucky, hasn't happened to us, but certainly to others). We are out in the county, so we don't have community water. When the power goes out, the water in the pressure tank is what ya got!

We keep a variety of foods on hand, have jugs of water handy. If a storm is forecast, we fill a spare carboy or 2 (for drinking), and fill the bathtubs with water (it's REALLY handy to flush the toilets!). Our stove is a gas stove and we have a gas fireplace -- 300 gallon LP tank feeding both. We are prepped for stuff to happen, and survive it.

Many moons ago, when my wife was pregnant with our first child, an ice storm left us without power for 3 days in the winter. Winter in central NC is a lot warmer than Upstate NY, but that doesn't mean it's warm by any standard! The fireplace was wood-fired at that time. She slept bundled on the sofa, while I slept on the floor in front of the fireplace, covered with a sheet. When the fire died down, I got cold, woke up and added wood to the fire. This sucked for me, but my wife was comfortable.

After that we installed a gas log. If the power is out overnight, we sleep snuggled on the sofa, and we're both warmer.

 

[jswordy]

Not a prepper and not a back to the lander (I go to their equipment auctions when their schemes fail, lolz... no, REALLY!). Best term is cattle farmer. Been doing that 30 years and working in town, too. Ran about 60 goats for 5 years, too. Farmed way longer than I have held any one job in my career*, but do enjoy the health insurance and the actual, real pensions for when it's time.

* career – a series of jobs held during an individual's life. (It's exactly that, too, no more and no less.)

 

[Sailor323]

I guess I am both a prepper (someone who is prepared?) and a back to the lander. My wife and I lived off grid for 18 years, we produced nearly all of our own food; we said, "If we don't grow it, we don't eat it." We didn't have a generator but did have a gas refrigerator. We heated and cooked with wood. We always canned lots of veggies, had goats and even produced goat cheese commercially. Pigs lived on whey and old cheese and ground corn. and provided bacon and prosciutto. We now have electricity and running water but believe in having a stockpile of the foods we like to eat. The cellar is well provisioned with wine.