Back to Basics

Prep Rehash
Everything is going to be fine Uncle Obammy said so “the foundations of our economy are strong “. Yep, and I think I’ll have another beer, as I watch retail sales crash to the floor faster than a newlyweds underpants after crossing the threshold, for yet another straight month.

Yep, I think I will set back and read a good book or maybe rent a movie, while over two million more people are evicted because they couldn’t pay the mortgage (you know the one they really couldn’t afford from the start). It’s all good.

Everything is fine, Uncle Obammy said so, and he did it with a straight face so it must be true. Never mind the fact Industrial output experienced the biggest quarterly drop since the end of the Second World War, and Job losses are currently running at 650,000 a month.

We are nowhere near bottom and things are only going to get worse in the weeks and months ahead. The sad thing is a lot of you, despite my begging and pleading have failed to prepare, looking at preparedness as only a pastime or hobby, a place for daydreaming and living out Rambo fantasies. Or many you don’t have the money to prepare the way they think you should and give up without even trying. There is hope.

Food

Those of you who have been with me for a while know, I am firm believer in the basic four storage foods; Wheat, Honey, Salt and Powdered Milk, these four foods should be the backbone of any food storage program. But let’s face reality; most people are not going to stock up on hundreds of pounds of these stables. They prefer foods they know and are accustomed to preparing now, they don’t want to learn new skills or do peasant labor like grinding their own mill from basic grains.

All is not lost, buy a 25 pound bag of pinto beans, a 25 pound bag of flour and one of corn mill for everyone in your family. This should be work out to about $35 per person and will last about three months or maybe more if supplemented with wild plants and game. It’s not the most exciting plan, it will keep you alive, but not happy.

Water

You need clean drinking water, for some this will not be a problem for others this could be a major concern depending on where you locate. If you are not 100% certain a source is clean and contaminate free you will need to purify it before use.

There are a number of ways to do this, boiling or adding a few drops of bleach will work in a pinch. If the water is dirty it will need to be filtered, a simple homemade filter can be made from PVC pipe and few odds and ends from the pet store, total cost; around three dollars. Or a much larger BioSand Filter can be made from a clean plastic drum and some sand and rock.

Protection

This is the area that seems to stir controversy and ruffle feathers. You need a gun to protect yourself, your investments and to forage. A .22 rimfire rifle or single shot break open shotgun are good starting points. If you can afford an arsenal of weapons, knock yourself out, but only after your food needs have been met. Food should be your top priority, everything else should come after you have your food storage squired away.

Recommended

(1) Coleman Dual Fuel Gas Stove, extra mantles and Coleman Two-Mantle Dual Fuel Powerhouse Lantern and at least six gallon of white gas.

(2) Sleeping bag for each person in your group. A good rule of thumb is to think about the coldest condition you might experience, and then drop down ten or twenty degrees in the temperature rating when choosing a bag.

(3) A good belt knife and a Victorinox Swiss Pocket Knife or Leatherman Multitool for each person in your group is recommended.

(4) $20 worth of wooden kitchen matches, stored in waterproof containers.

(5) A rake, shovel and hoe for every two people in your group.

(6) Two-man crosscut saw and file, bow saw and extra blade, ax and sharpening files.

(7) Comprehensive Medical kit.

(8) Flashlight with extra batteries and bulbs.

More Food

Add more foods as your budget allows. Canned soups, fruits, and meat, rice, slit peas, sugar, peanut butter, drink mixes, coffee, spices and seasonings etc. Store what you normally eat and rotate it into your everyday meal plan, no surprises and no shock to the taste buds.

Have anything to add? Feel free to do so in the comments.

Keep Surviving.