2012 TSHTF Preps

[SKR8PN]

If you are storing it for longer than 6 months apparently you need to treat it. Here is one option...
http://www.priproducts.com/consumer_products.cfm

Sta-Bil is another gasoline treatment option.
http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/stabil/default.aspx

 

[Blackbird]

There was a thread on here about having secret passages and hiding spots in your house to hide people and things, it was very interesting.. anyone know where that thread went?

Here you go BB! I'm glad you found it interesting!:
http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1777

You bet! I loved it! It was very cool.

 

[SKR8PN]

This spring, we plan on buying another 500 gallon propane tank just for the generator. If used carefully, that should keep the freezers going for at least 3-4 months..........I also already have 500 gallons that I use to heat the shop AND run the generator. The shop would be shut down if/when TSHTF......................

 

[pioneergirl]

DH and I discussed this a bit more today, and figured the one culture that would be the least affected would be the Amish. So, looking at how they live, it would make sense to learn from their lifestyle. We have a large Amish community about 15 miles from my house. I had a man and his 3 oldest boys (of 8 children total) build my deck, which meant I was their transportation for a week. I learned a lot about their lifestyle just from chatting with them (although "chat" is probably too big a descriptive, haha) and watching what I could while at their house. They didn't use anything gas powered....all true horse power...for everything. They had a tank of water in the attic that stayed moderately warm. It gravity fed the toilets and sinks/showers. They retrieved the water to supply said tank from rain barrels and a well. I watched as his 5 year old twin girls caught chickens for the 10 year old girl to butcher. They had a garden, and a compost pile. They basically had everything most of us SSers would like to ultimately achieve.

So, we made the decision to make that our goal.....live like the Amish. Simple, effective, and sustaining for our families.

Again, not trying to debate, but maybe this will help with "the list".

 

[Mackay]

would a solar flair also interrupt electrical devices that use batteries? cars?

Good question! anyone know?

My husband was looking into it and the US seems to have had a pretty large solar flair back in 1859. They say it interrupted telegraph communications.

If I knew solar flairs were happening or going to soon I would keep things unplugged as much as possible. Some appliances are very susceptible to surges. Like don't leave the washer and dryer and computer plugged in unless you are using it.

 

[Beekissed]

I agree, Pi. You can store all the cans of goods, fuel and necessities until doomsday but they will eventually run out. Then you have to learn to make do without anyway. Best just to learn to do it now, have things in place to make it possible and just live life.

Think about before matches, even. You carried your coals when you moved, tended them diligently, the fire never went out all year round.

Breeding animals on the hoof, ways to smoke or otherwise cure the food, somewhere to dispose of human waste, somewhere to get water without using electric. I have most of these things, working towards a hand pump for my extra well.

Have a sharp axe, even have a crosscut saw that is in good shape. Have good two-wheeled carts for hauling things by hand.

Person needs to lay in plenty of salt or know a good natural salt-lick.

 

[pioneergirl]

Exactly Bee....P&C was right, nobody can take away your skills!!!

 

[hwillm1977]

Again, it may be time to store some gasoling also. I really hate doing that but for emergencies we may need some.

Any idea how long gasoline lasts? Don't you have to add a stabilizer for longer periods? I see those elevated tanks for the farm for $100 and it is tempting to buy one.

The other option would be to learn to make your own biodiesel and drive vehicles/farm machinery that ran on that biodiesel. Less storage if you grow your own fuel, or can scavenge used veggie oil from somewhere. You'd obviously need land for growing fuel though.

I would love to finish my 5 year plan for self sufficiency in the next two years, but in reality it would be closer to 10 years

I'm going to keep working to build up my skill set, learn as much as I can... canning, sewing, weaving, spinning, gardening, butchering, animal care and breeding... etc,etc,etc....

The more skills I have, the better equiped I am to deal with survival. We do own land in the middle of nowhere... it's only 5 acres, but the nearest house is approximately a 40 minute drive on ATV from there... so within two years I'd like to have a functioning cabin built there with gardens ready to go. We could fall off the face of the earth there with little chance of someone stumbling onto us since it's a few miles from the nearest dirt road.

 

[TanksHill]

This spring, we plan on buying another 500 gallon propane tank just for the generator. If used carefully, that should keep the freezers going for at least 3-4 months..........I also already have 500 gallons that I use to heat the shop AND run the generator. The shop would be shut down if/when TSHTF......................

I found a used 500 galon tank in suposedly good condition in my area for 1k. Is that a good price? I wonder if there are any restrictions in my are for installing and filling big tanks?

Hummm, got me thinking.

gina

 

[freemotion]

I have two gallons of seawater on the woodstove, boiling down into, I hope, salt. I read something that indicated that certain conditions could produce epsom salts, not table salt. I'm confused by what I read about it, but you know me....I gotta try it!

Skills first, read about what you can't fit into your life so you will have some knowledge to draw on if needed. I love those little youtube videos that people post, so informative. I've been watching wool carding and spinning lately. Did you know that mature nettles have flax-like fibers in them?

Sew a set of pj's so you will understand the basic construction of a simple shirt and pair of pants. Knit a pair of socks and if in a cold climate, a pair of mittens and a pair of gloves. Once accomplished, you will have the basic skills from which to improvise.

----Monique, not really worried at all......