Wondering about wild grapes

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Wondering about preppers.

I know a lot of us our preppers to some extent. I like to keep an extra jar of crunchy almond butter on a shelf in case the store is out of it the next time we go shopping. You know, just little things like that. I always have been because I was influenced by my parents who lived through the great depression. I have never stocked up to last for more than a couple of weeks, unless we were going on a long RV trip, and then only with things I knew I couldn’t find where I was heading. I usually keep a supply of food, (frozen and dry goods) in the RV and water in the fresh water tank. If an emergency came up (like a hurricane), we would be able to load the dogs and my wife and I could boogie on down the road before it got all jammed up. Leaving early is the clue. Did that for Ike and when we got home, the RV was still used since the power was off for weeks and the generator in the RV came in handy. Of course we ran it sparingly to preserve fuel. I also keep the fuel tanks full. That gives me a lot of range to “bug out” if needed. I also run the generators every so often to keep them in shape. Yesterday, I ran the diesel generator in the new RV and the gasoline generator in the old RV. Both started right up and I ran them for over an hour with a load on them.



What brought this subject up today was the news last night. They went to a couples place who were preppers and interviewed them. This couple was self sufficient. They had a huge garden, live stock, and chickens. They were also stocked with food, water, and supplies that would keep them and friends for over 10 years. They had huge water tanks, full of course. They also had multiple old school busses loaded with supplies. They said they wouldn’t have to take time to pack anything to bug out, just get in the busses and go. Well, at least they are set for their retirement (grin).


I have enough land that I could be self sufficient if I had to, but I am not like those people on the news. My preparedness is only for short term disasters, like hurricanes, wild fires, and such and it is only getting out of the disaster’s way in an RV for limited periods of time. I may be wrong, but I believe that those folks on TV over did it a bit. If things got as bad as they were preparing for, I would think that it would be impossible to hold off the hordes of hungry (and possibly armed) city folks. Now, I don’t have anything against city folk, but they have very limited means to grow or raise their own food.


So, what do you think, am I right or wrong? Since most of you prep to some degree, I am sure you have opinions. Now, you all have a save, happy day today, you hear?

10 comments:

  1. I've read that if TSHTF within 10 days people would be attacking others in order to get their hands on their food. No animal, neither domestic nor wild, would be safe. And in 3 - 4 weeks they would resort to eating human flesh in order to survive.

    I have an enormous will to survive, but don't reckon I could sink that low. And, personally, wouldn't feel inclined to live on this planet if that happened.

    Busloads of stuff would be useless - an underground bunker would be better... I've also heard that there are a few of those for sale in the US of A, too, and some have been turned into more than adequate homes :) Guess you'd need to contact the armed forces to find out which bunkers they don't require anymore.

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  2. Dani, when I lived up north of Ft. Worth, I knew where there was a missle silo. Of course back then it had a missle in it. The main clue that gave it away were the radio antenas. Being a HAM, I took notice.

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  3. Grocery stores stock only enough food to last their demographc group three days. In any disaster, the shelves empty in hours. I am prepared to last a year without leaving my front door. I have the ability to defend my home. No school buses. No bunkers. Just common sense in the face of the what is happening to our country. I am not a radical, nor do I qualify for a TV show. I am just a normal (hopefully) human being who pays attention to what's going on, and takes resopnsibility for myself and my family.

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    1. Kris, I have a 4-door refrigerator in my RV and I keep it full along with the one in the house. That should keep us going for awhile, at least long enough to get somewhere where we can replenish sopplies.

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  4. I think being prepared for a short-medium term disaster makes sense. But hoarding enough for 10 years is a little off the wall. Like you said, hordes of people would descend on anyone that they thought held life sustaining supplies. They don't necessarily have to be from the city.

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    1. Gypsy, my point exactly. My reference to city folks is that they don't have land to raise plants and animals.

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  5. 10 years???,,,hahahaha,,,and i nearly emptied my pantry with all that out of date stuff!
    Remember back after the Cuba crises, when everyone was building underground shelters? We got a letter telling us where to go just in case,,,,the new hi school was built to be one.. A lot were told Longhorn Cavern was the place, and for years,,maybe still, there were barrels in them.

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    1. Trouble, I sure do remember those days - duck and cover!!!

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  6. Maybe they think they can become the next superpower with that much supplies? I.e. You be one of my army and eat or don't and starve.

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    1. David, more power to them, but I think it is a waist of food and money.

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