(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article.)
The Prepper Plan
I just finished what I think is a solid 5-year prepper plan. I also then wrote a 5-year prepper supply / equipment plan to support the plan.
The 5-year plan is a list of projects that I can think of that needs to be done, and in the order that makes the most sense to me. You can’t do everything in one year. At least I can’t… There is a normal, panic reaction to panic buy and do once it truly dawns on you that there is danger coming and there is something you are supposed to do to be best prepared for it. We panic shop and buy things we regret later because it spoils or is unnecessary. I have made some mistakes. During Covid, I bought cases of canned chicken and Spam. This week, I went up to the homestead and brought them back to throw out. Expired by one year already… A few hundred $ to the land fill… Oh well, could be worse. So, I write this book to help with that portion.
I also write this to help you pace yourself and think big picture and everything in its proper time. Otherwise, you will be overwhelmed with all you and yours need to do in order to be ‘off grid’
The plan I put together is only partially completed by me and mine at the time of this writing. I too feel overwhelmed because we have a Lot of work to do. Full disclosure, I work full time as does my wife. We spend weekends at the homestead and get as much done as possible without going crazy with the work.
Pacing
Also, the things that we are doing are done in such a way that it does not seem too crazy when I explain to friends and family what we are doing and ‘why’ on our free time. “We built a pole barn last year because we need a place to store our equipment. Lawnmowers, Golf Cart, log splitter…”
“We built a pavilion too, so we can have an outdoor dining area when friends and family come for the weekend. The outdoor kitchen in it will be Sweet! When its done. Wood fired grill, Pizza Oven big enough to roast a pig! Sink with a hand pump cause the water tastes great from the pump”.
“It planted an orchard and a vineyard a few years ago. Because I want to feed the deer and turkeys. And I want to bottle some of my own wine!”
“Yes, I have 6 varieties of hops growing up those ropes. I bought a sweet beer brewing kit on Facebook for $500 bucks! Hey, I can’t dunk the basketball anymore, but I can brew my own beer!”
“Why do I have a mushroom garden?! Duh! Cause I love fresh mushrooms when I grill us some steaks tonight!” “Yes, 12 varieties are a bit excessive, but they fruit at all different times of the year, and I want to make sure I have Something when I want to grill!”
The things that we do serve multiple purposes. Betterment and beauty for today and a deeper purpose for tomorrow.
Yes… A nice deep and wide pond is a great idea. Think rainbow trout. Or smallmouth bass. Think a nice dip and swim on a hot summer’s day in a world with no air conditioner. Or just reading a book on the dock, while your grandkids are cooling off and your husband is fishing up something for dinner.
Now the pond that we are digging this coming year will be just that. But more. The dirt that we excavate will be used to build a long berm that shields our property from travelers on the road. It can bend and turn in areas (sideways and up and down) and look natural. My wife uses the phrase when we landscape “I want it to look like God placed it there…”
Once completed it will be seeded with grasses, planted with trees (mostly white pine) and will be a shield of sorts. It will also double as a defensive perimeter in the hard times to come. Lookout posts and bunkers can quickly be created at the appropriate time. Fallen Logs dragged into position and small depressions dug out of the berm in just the right locations.
Back to Timing. A lot to do. Overwhelming. So much to learn also…
The Bible talks a lot of endurance, patience, wisdom and diligence.
Pace yourself. I am trying to do the same.
Especially when we look at world events and think “Oh I need to buy $10,000 worth of canned spam!” That might be fine if you are going to hunker down in your basement bunker and hide by yourself for the next 7 years of the Tribulation.
Who would want to do that anyway? I’d probably just want to die if that is what I had to ‘look forward to…”
In my case I have family, friends and strangers yet to meet. They know about our property, many have visited and spent the weekend over the past 48 years. I’m pretty sure when the time comes, some of them will say “I wonder if they are up at the property? I wonder if they have food and shelter?”
I have to prepare as Big, Wide and Deep as I can.
My approach is this… Remember the childhood story “Stone Soup”? If not, then look it up.
I am the man with the Stones. I also have a big black cauldron with a fire burning underneath it. I even threw in a few pieces of beef and bouillon. I am asking the neighbors (i.e., friends and family) to bring the rest.
I do not think I’ll ever have enough food to feed everyone who comes, but I will have a place for them to sleep and a place to cook what we have. I also will have land to grow and a place to store what we can produce ourselves. Hopefully, also a strong relationship with my neighbors where we protect and provide for each other as a community. One of my neighbors raised a few dozen cattle. The other raises some chickens. You get the idea. We are going to need to band together for many reasons.
How much time do we have to prepare? I don’t know, but I have some ideas. I’ll get into that in another chapter on Eschatology. That is a fancy term for end times prophecy.
I’ll give the short version of what I think right here and provide details in the Eschatology section. We have some time. I’m presenting a 5 year plan in this book. That means to me that the Great Tribulation starts 5+ years from now (Autumn of 2023). There are a lot of events that still need to happen according to the Bible. Some of the Big ones already have happened. Israel established in 1948 was The Big One. Bible ‘scholars’ in the mid-1800s didn’t see that coming and ‘got fed up’ thinking that the Real Israel would happen. They came up with the new ‘theology’ / eschatology’ called pre-Tribulational rapture or imminent rapture “Jesus could come Any Day!!” Yay!! John Nelson Darby was the Main guy who promoted this and the Scofield Reference Bible is the summary of his work.
He was wrong. The Bible is Clear. The Jews return to the promised land BEFORE Jesus returns. Before Jesus returns, they live in the land in peace and security (without walls or gates). That has not happened yet. They Have Walls and Gate (and Need them!). But… The Bible predicts a Peace Treaty is coming that will prompt them to remove their walls and gates. People will say “Peace and Safety” and then Sudden Destruction comes. See Ezekiel 38 & 39, Daniel 11 and Matthew 24.
So from where I stand now (Currently Israel is at War with Hamas in Gaza). The next step is a resolution to this conflict and then The Peace Agreement in the Middle East. Everyone is Happy!! Well… Most everyone… Then… Ezekiel 38 & 39 happen….
What are we doing while all this is going on? Preparing! At a proper pacing.
Enjoy the life that we have Now with all its bounty and blessings. Go Detroit Lions!!
Have some fun. Take a trip somewhere amazing. But stay focused. Build your Ark.
Reminder… Noah needed 120 years to build the Ark. Joseph prepared Egypt for 7 years in the time of plenty for the 7 years of famine that was to come.
The Watchman and Master Builder – Nehemiah
The title of my planned book is The Watchman and the Wise & Faithful Servant.
Nehemiah is my hero because he is the example of Both Characteristics. Let’s look at the how he operated. He is Our example to follow leading into the End Times.
There was opposition to doing God’s work. Nehemiah is our Example of What to Do and How to Do it.
Defensively Minded
Diligent at all times 24/7
Aware that they had enemies all around
Aware that among his own people were ones that did not want to do the work
Called out those people who Did Not Contribute (The ‘Nobels’)
Did the work quickly (52 days!)
I recommend reading the whole book of Nehemiah (then read it again from time to time).
Nehemiah 4 – Opposition to the Rebuilding
4 [a]When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?”
3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”
4 Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of[b] the builders.
6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. 9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
10 Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.”
11 Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.”
12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
13 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. 14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.
16 From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, 18 and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.
19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!”
21 So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.” 23 Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.[c]
We have a wonderful example of a leader. Prepare your heart to become a man like Nehemiah. I will do the same.
Now, with the spirit of Nehemiah in our hearts and minds, let us take a look at the work we need to do.
The key takeaways from the story of Nehemiah are:
- Watchmen are needed
- Workers are needed
- Warriors are needed
- Funds are needed
5 Year Plan
Year 1 (Buy Land / Develop Land / Or… Find Group with Land)
Year 1 Plan (Once you have your own land or have joined a group that does)
Plant Trees (Fruit / Nut / Cover Trees / Berry Bushes / Mushroom Logs)
Defensive Infrastructure (Berms, Cover Trees, Briars)
Housing (Main Dwelling)
Barn
Water Solutions (Shallow wells with hand pump. Home pump system)
Food Storage (Food and Storage Building / Cache)
Build your Team (Create a list of contributors and users)
Start getting to know Neighbors (hopefully eventual allies)
Compost Bin / Area (think big)
Year 2 Plan
Build Garden (Phase 1). Start smallish and build outward over time.
Dig Pond (bigger the better) – Use excavated dirt to build berms, barriers and landscape features. Then plant trees. Lots of them. White Pine mostly. Buy a few decent sized ones and then a bunch of seedlings (Bunch of 100 root stock)
Equip the Barn (storage cabinets / bunks / gun safe / wood burning stove)
Outdoor Kitchen (Pavilion with wood fired Grill, Pizza Oven, sink w handpump
Dining Table with benches and chairs for Pavilion
Year 3 Plan
Annex Building (bunk house / food storage)
Bath House
Chicken Coop
Year 4 Plan
Livestock Building
Farmland Clearing / Development
Root Cellar – Bomb shelter 12’ x 12’ min with cinderblock walls
Mushroom Garden (www.Northspore.com) I have 12 varieties currently.
Year 5 Plan
Smoke House (for cold curing of meat) 6’ x 6’ x 8’ h
Greenhouse (Sturdy with irrigation and a wood burning stove) 10’ x 26’ x 8’ h
Crow’s Nest. In a good location that can see the surrounding countryside. If anyone asks… “It’s a tree fort for the grandkids.”
Defensive locations (outposts and layers of inner rings of defense)
Caches – for weapons, ammo, medical and supplies
Front Gate / Sentry Location
Chapel. Small, personal. A friend of mine has one made of field stone. Everyone will need some private and quiet time.
Build some nice things. Fountain, Rose Garden, make a park area to relax.
5 Year Supply & Equipment Plan
Year 1 – Supply Plan
EMP Shield (Vehicles, Home)
Beans, Rice, Wheat Grain and TVP
Grinding Mill (a good one)
Water Solution (Shallow wells with hand pump).
Weapons (Just a started set) 9mm, 22 rifle, AR15, Shotgun, Air Pellet Gun (.17)
Food Storage Equipment – 60 gallon pickle barrels, 5 gallon buckets with lids, Large Black with Yellow Lid Costco Tubs, Mylar Bags (5 gallon), Oxygen Absorbers.
Oil Lamps, Wicks, Kerosene
Concrete, Lumber, Plywood, Tarps
Cement Mixer (you’re gonna need it) – Get a used one…
Good Chainsaw and good tools
Antique Wood Burning Kitchen Cook Stove, piping, roof vents
EMP Shield for Equipment (Faraday Cages / Bags)
Books
Heavy Duty Chain (60’) to hook to assist in tree felling trees, dragging logs, and pulling out stumps.
Year 2 – Supply Plan
Solar Power System (800 Watt) for recharging electric devices / batteries
Radio system (BoaFang) Hand Held
Radio system at HQ (Main Set with roof mounted antenna
Medical Supplies, Trauma Kit, Antibiotic Kit (JASE Medical) – Book “When Help is Not on the Way”
Dental Supplies including Tool Kit (and the book: “Where There Is No Dentist”)
Home Interior Closed System Hand Pump Water System (and installation equipment). Utilizes your pressure tank for constant water pressure
Bidets that mount to standard toilet (better long term solution than paper…)
Salt, Sugar, Powered Milk and Butter
Canning, Canning, Canning (Pressure Cookers, Jars and Lots of extra seal lids)
Feminine Hygiene (Cases and Cases)
Diapers +++ Powder, Pins, Balms (for Young and Old / Injured) +Bedpans
Case of Pool Shock (instead of chlorine jugs) – makes 1000’s of gallons and stores forever. Cleans and Sanitizes (Diapers +++)
Shavers (think old timey straight razors and strap sharpeners, lather and brush)
Laundry Equipment (Wash Board, Tubs, Wringing Dryer)
Soap Recipe for Laundry
Year 3 – Supply Plan
Ammo
Crossbows
Tools for Gardening
Tools for Farming
Equipment for Farming
Wood Cutting Equipment (Two Man Saws , Splitters)
Gas Cans (Lots of them / Fill Them / Stabilizer / 2 Cycle Oil / Oil
Bedding / Pillow / Beds / Clothing
Year 4 – Supply Plan
Livestock Equipment (Housing / Feeders / Fencing)
Greenhouse Equipment
Livestock Food Plan
Smokehouse supplies (For Cold Smoking – Curing Salt / Knives / Meat Grinder)
Root Cellar supplies (Crates / Shelves / Hygrometer/Thermometer/Wood Shavings / Buckets)
Food, Food and More Food (Diversify) – Non Perishable
Spices
Oils & Dairy
Dog Food
Wood Stoves (backups and for ‘trade’)
Beehive / beekeeping equipment
Electric Fence (solar) for chickens
Cream separator (manual crank) for goat cream
Butter Churner
Cattle Panel for Trellis for climbing vegetables
Fencing for garden (posts and fence 6’ high)
Seeds – Vegetable, Clover, Jerusalem Artichoke tuber/seeds
Year 5 – Supply Plan
Beer Brewing Equipment / Supplies
Wine and Spirits fermenting Equipment / Supplies
Tea and Kombucha
Coffee Beans (Green and stored in mylar), Roaster / Grinder
Dehydrator – Simple and Solar (for things like spices, veggies and fruits)
Games (board games, darts, bocci, sports)
Fishing Gear
Hunting Gear (blinds, salt licks, bird calls, decoys)
Defensive Gear (Patrol Bags / Communication / Night Vision)
Handcuffs / Zip Ties
Defensive Protection (Sandbags / Barbed Wire / Motion Detectors)
Front Sentry / Gate Supplies (Pipes / Chains)
Copper Pipe 1/2” min dia x 100’ min (to spool around your kitchen stovepipe – for heating the water going into your hot water tank)
Plumbing Kit
10 year calendar / planner
Note: I am just starting to draft this book. What you are reading is more of an outline at this point.
I will put a little more detail into the Eschatology and a lot more detail into the Prepper Plan.
Jude – A Call to Persevere
17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.[f]
Doxology
24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
Conclusion
Again, I am just starting to draft this submission into a longer actual book. What you are reading is more of an outline at this point. I will put a little more detail into the Eschatology and a lot more detail into the Prepper Plan.
Final Thoughts
Remember the conversation James and John had with Jesus? “Lord allow us to be seated with you at your right and left hand. What did Jesus say? “It is not mine to grant, but my Father.”
Seated at the Table. The Lord’s Table has a seat for you? For me?
I have a hard time thinking that I would have a seat at His Table. Especially, in the company of such heroes as Paul, Peter, Nehemiah, David, and all those martyrs through the ages. (Have you ever read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs?). I’ve only skimmed it over the years because it is so horrible. How do we relate with That Company? We who are so well fed and entertained. If we are being truly honest with ourselves, how much suffering have we ever had?
This Tribulation is called by Jesus “To refine and to test us”.
Our humble answer should be “Thank you Lord.”
“May we be found faithful. To the end.”
What a blessing, if you think about it. That God the Father chose You to be on this Earth for this last and final Chess Move of His. The Great Tribulation. Armageddon. And we have a front row seat.
Brace yourself for the trouble to come. Test your hearts and bodies daily.
See you on the Other Side. Brother. Sister. Overcomer.
God willing, we’ll see each other at The Table.