To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make long-term and short-term plans. Steadily, we work on meeting our prepping goals. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities. They also often share their planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, property improvements, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year. We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in the Comments. Let’s keep busy and be ready!
JWR
Dear SurvivalBlog Readers,
We did some travel part of this week, so were mostly away from the ranch. But even while traveling, we continued homeshooling our kids. We did have the time and a nice break in the weather to do our usual poultry house and barn mucking. But not much else — other than the usual livestock feeding and stock tank filling.
We are looking forward to reading comments from readers about your preps this winter. May you all have a blessed week, – Avalanche Lily Rawles
HJL
We had a busy week preparing for and hosting guests and we have more coming next week, so most of our prep plans are put on hold, but we will continue to squeeze in some food storage rotations when we can. We also have some indoor painting and sewing projects that are on hold, but for now we will enjoy the family and friends who are with us.
o o o
As always, please share your own successes and hard-earned wisdom in the Comments.
Making a range EDC pouch for my brother – will be a Birthday & Christmas gift – he’s a new avid reloader and gun owner that’s been training and practicing to improve his accuracy with his 9mm. Similar to mine, this EDC is for the range – knowing even with common sense gun safety that something can happen, especially with an accident or carelessness of others at the outdoor range. The range EDC contains: 2 – 4” Israeli bandages, 2 chest seals, tourniquet, 2 Celox syringes, tape, zip ties (these are the 12” extra wide bands that can hold a bandage in place that’s blood saturated), shears, intubation tubes, Mylar blanket, other handy items (eye rinse, pocket magnifier lens, tweezers, forceps, small folding knife, etc.) and the pouch has an exterior mesh pocket for the cell phone – keep it in one place so there’s no fumbling around to find it when minutes count.
Made up and delivered a 72 hour bag to my 88 year old mother who lives in a 3-story condo on the west side of WA state. She (and other family members) asked what was she to do with it – I said hopefully nothing but if there’s a 6+ earthquake and your building is unsafe and you got to get out, then you got stuff ready to go – she agreed and liked what was packed away in the bag (with a fold up roller cart given its weight). She knew that she wasn’t well prepared and even with family close by, told her that they (or I) could take days to get to you. Even at her age, Mom is pretty resourceful, healthy and likely better prepared mentally than others to deal with such an event. Not long ago, Mom got stranded over night at O’Hara one time and thought it was a great adventure while others were complaining how bad it was to have no food service and to sleep on cots with so many other folks. My only fear are (1) the bad guys that will mug an old lady for her stuff – hope some of the neighbors can muster up some protection in a worst case scenario, and (2) she’ll be more than willing to give away her stash if others are in need. She loved the small but large print New Testament and daily prayer book stuffed in the bag too. Reminder for her to stash a extra pair of reading glasses in the bag too!
Now trying to get the other local family members to think about how unprepared they are for even a 24 hour disruption and if caught with having to find a way home from work when the two floating bridges are jammed or unusable, and faced with a 25-35 mile hike around Lake Washington to get home. Amazing that well educated and financially able folks that are willing to buy insurance yet are so naive to not take some time and money to insure they are ready and prepared for events when their insurance policy will only be good for starting a fire (if it’s not soaking wet from the rain) or wiping the backside only once when there’s no toilet working for miles around you!
Merry Christmas and may everyone have a blessed New Year.
I am preparing to store various critical electronic devices in EMP protected environment. A fresh computer with accumulated prep related files survivalblog archives and Mother Earth News archives, portable solar panel, charge controller and inverter as well as some Communications equipment. With the cold weather coming on I’m trying to take inventory of what we have and where we’re at. Since we don’t have an unlimited budget (most do not) I am trying to prioritize our purchases and manage the budget with some wisdom. It’s a constant struggle to remember that this moment is the only time that we actually have. I see preparing for the future as a fundamental responsibility but not at the exclusion of the opportunities at hand for family and ministry. Only what’s done for Christ will last…
Here in the “Show Me” state we’ve been putting up extra hay. Its been a dry fall. So hay prices are going up in the southern part of the state. The guy hauling our hay was stopped three times by people wanting to buy it. Prices are only going up as winter arrives. Could impact need prices locally.
Finally got a 40′ shipping container. Now in the process of building shelves to line the walls, and some aggressive organizing, lol!
Down in Fl the same thing on hay prices and availability. We had a dry first part of the growing season and then it got real wet. So while hay grew, couldn’t get it cut or out of the fields in a reasonable period of time. So some growers let it grow.
Had some oak trees cut down earlier in the week. They were close to the house and some fences. Too complicated a felling job to do myself when I have the option to pay someone else to climb into the trees and bring them down a chunk at a time. Now that the wood is on the ground, its time for us to cut up and stack that wood for next year’s firewood.
This past week I’ve made an attempt to improve the rotation of my small cans so I purchased several can organizers for my pantry shelves. Depending on can size and how it is configured, the cupboard organizer will hold from 20 to 30 cans with 6 to 7 cans per row. The pros are being able to use the oldest can first (FIFO) and having a visual inventory; plus it’s neat and pretty. The cons are these are not space saving devices and they take up valuable space in your pantry. You can get 15-20% more cans on your shelf than you can with an organizer. IMHO, these would be great for shallow depth storage shelves but no so good for pantry shelves.
Took advantage of grocery store sales and purchase a lot of fresh greens on BOGO-F. Got those canned up and stowed away in 2 days. Also found colored sweet peppers on sale so I dehydrated those and jarred them for storage.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Season’s Greetings to all.
18Nov:
Solar power system maintenance continues with particular attention to large number of batteries in the battery barn. Replaced about six batteries that were borderline performers as they had reached their 10th year of usage. Also purchased a new MPPT controller for the solar system that powers the well. Wanted to get all purchases made before the end of the year as the solar tax credit expires. In between working on the solar system, wood splitting and stacking continues. Life is good in the Ozarks!
While driving in eastern MA, I found in a Stop &Shop store split dried peas on sale this week for only 61 cents a pound/bag. I got 15 bags. The sale ends Thursday. I store some dry goods and sugar in cleaned Ocean Spray juice bottles.
Finishing my BOB comms kit. KX3 W/ all options including 2 meters, have the KPAX 100 watt amp but rarely use it; the ATU built into the KX3 as well as the amp, roofing filters set & calibrated, internal battery set. I have a NOS AS2259/GR antenna with a base I built, and the 2 meter antenna as well. Working on building a external battery / charger / solar panel array for field use. All this contained in a nice ACU back pack though I am planning to buy a better cammo pattern pack with a snow cover.
Upgrading my CW skills, ad looking for a smaller laptop / tablet to use with the KX3 though its not really needed. Lining the pack with ESD liner.
We have an insulated and sheetrocked (not finished…that will be this spring) cabin to sleep in. Not complaining about the rustic facilities, just thankful to be able to be here to help our son get through college and ROTC.
We are behind on the wood, but it is at least in a big pile to be cut, split and stacked. This fall the days were just not long enough.
Since getting the land, I have taken over a ton of trash to the transfer station. A last pickup load is about ready to go. That means the place is finally cleaned up. Let more snow fall!
Found metal flasks(6oz) in bargain bin,used one for cough syrup(don’t trust plastic bottle) the rest for barter/gifts/bribes(small flask of liquor is the universal bribe(except strict Muslims))
Meat and liquor sales filling freezer and canning