My Favorite Part Of Prepping & Survival Preparedness
Survival preparedness, or practical-sensible-prepping, can be as simple, or in-depth, that you make it to be. Regardless, we all have our favorite parts (aspects) of prepping & preparedness, right? I thought I would mention some of my own…
Some people take it all pretty seriously. Others, casually. I believe it does the world good to at least do ‘something’ in this regard. More self-reliant people translates to a better world, in my opinion. So I don’t judge anyone by the extent at which they’ve taken prepping and preparedness. It’s all good…
Regardless of the extent, we all have our favorite areas of interest when it comes to prepping. We tend to spend more time working on that thing (or those things). Why? Because we enjoy it, whatever “it” is.
My Underlying Motivation For Prepping
Motivation. It’s what gets us started. Gets us going. Sometimes motivation comes from necessity. Or even fear. You need to do it, or else…
However, often times motivation comes out of personal interest. A desire to do it, just because you like it, or think you might like it.
Self Reliance
I would say my foundational level motivation is a desire to be self reliant to the extent that I can be. That’s different from self-sufficient (which is good too). But self-reliance is simply relying on yourself (for whatever). For me, it just feels good. I get tremendous satisfaction from this process. I can’t explain why. I just do.
I believe the desire to be self-reliant is a perfect match for prepping & survival preparedness. There are literally so many projects in this realm, that it could become a lifetime process, or a lifestyle itself. That’s kind of where I’m at today.
A lifestyle, while at the same time functioning perfectly well in today’s modern (and uncertain!) world. I just feel like I’m more ‘ready’ than most others. And that’s a good feeling (at least for me). I would say this is my foundation for all the rest.
A Man’s Castle
Sorry if that’s not ‘woke’. Must include the phrase “A Lady’s Castle”? And however many other genders there are today according to the ‘woke’ crowd? (hahaha, but I digress)…
Okay, you know what I mean (at least if you’re over 40). A man’s castle. I suppose many of us spend a lifetime building our metaphoric castle. Right now I’m working on adding enough alligators to the moat, and finishing touches on pulling up the drawbridge (haha).
All joking aside (sort of), here are some of my favorite aspects to prepping and preparedness.
Energy Sufficient
One of my favorite areas having to do with preparedness is alternative energy. My education, background, and work experience lends itself to this category (among others). Electro-mechanical, if you will…
Off-Grid self-sustaining solar power. Being prepared for most any length of “grid down”. It has been one of my favorite aspects of preparedness.
Although that project is done (apart from occasional tweaks, maintenance, or wishful upgrades), it was my first project that I undertook after having moved to my current location. I also did one at my previous home location, although a much lesser scale.
I did the entire project myself, and custom-built solar panel ground mounts. I really enjoyed doing it. The final results brought great satisfaction and peace-of-mind. (That foundational feeling of self-reliance I suppose).
Food Sufficient
One day along the journey, I felt that I had reached an approximate milestone of a one-year food supply for myself and Mrs.J. It had been a slow and steady project. I had made some $$ mistakes along the way, but I corrected them upon realization.
Except for designated long term food storage, I have a pretty good system of first-in first-out food cycling within our freezers and food on our shelves. It works. I always have at least a 1+ year cushion of food stuffs.
I have since increased that time frame to some extent, while also working on successful methods of self-sustaining food production efforts (and food preservation methods) from the yield of our gardens.
It simply feels wonderfully satisfying to know that you have all that food capacity, especially during today’s uncertain times of shortages! It’s great peace-of-mind. Again, falling back on that feeling of self-reliance.
Security
I’m not quite sure why, but I’ve always had some interest in security. Well I suppose we all do, right? To be secure in one’s person and property? I guess it’s stronger in my interests than some others.
I have enjoyed addressing the various aspects of personal and home security for myself, my homestead, my property. These all can be addressed and mitigated in multiple ways, and it’s just, well, fun. Why? When I think about it, I suppose it’s that feeling of being ‘snug as a bug in a rug’. The castle thing? Hmmm…
I dunno, it just make me feel, secure. Safe. Self reliant.
Your Favorite Aspects of Prepping & Preparedness
So that was three examples of my favorite parts of survival preparedness and prepping. There’s more too!
However, it’s different for everyone. There are many topics within the genre of preparedness. Some people may find one or two particular topics especially interesting and enjoyable. While others, not so much. That’s just the way it is. We all have our unique interests.
What are YOUR favorite areas having to do with preparedness? What do you ENJOY doing in this regard?
[ Read: Practical Skills That People Once Knew ]
Back to Basics – A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills
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The learning process is a feeling of empowerment. As long as you have your mind learning does not have an expiration date.
The memories of growing up during childhood
for me it’s not having to be dependent on other people or the gov. being your own country at your home if you will, with all of the responsibilities that goes along with it. if it’s done right it’s like running a small government. food production, energy needs, infrastructure like water and maintenance, communications. it’s a lot of hard work and it never seems to end for us. but it’s worth it.
we sleep well at night knowing we will not go without as long as our health holds. that’s the wild card!
people can never be truly self sufficient. even the ancient people’s and native americans depended on trade.
ya can’t grow salt.
good article Ken, thanks
I like living on a simple level. I like fixing and making things. DW fusses at me sometimes about all the junk I bring home but it gives me a great feeling of accomplishment when I can make something useful out of scraps. I also like gardening, canning and freezing.
Peace of mind knowing i wont be totally screwed if things go sideways!
The way things are going, sideways is definitely where its headed.
I’m with you. During all the chaos and crap of the COVID shortages and lock downs my life has hardly missed a beat. Used storage items when I had to and resupplied when they were back on the shelf. Power outage for 9 days not a problem. 4 feet of snow. Fire up the big jeep. Just knowing I have most of what can be thrown at me covered is a blessing
This will come as a shock to everyone here. Comms. I really didn’t think I’d like ham radio, but I was wrong again. The ONLY reason I did ham was to maintain comms with VIPs. I don’t have a lot more than (comms with VIPs) but I’ve learned much along the way. More is easily attainable if I so choose. I have enough parts and pieces, more importantly, I’ve learned enough to make it work.
I know how I felt before, not knowing, out of touch. The sense now, is much better. Well worth the surprisingly small effort.
I agree with you Plainsmedic! I try to stay involved with ham at community service, county emergency preparedness, and search and rescue. Amazing how many people I meet feel about the same as me. Sadly, many people are put off by what they perceive as the costs or the difficulty of licensing. I guess we can try to mentor interested people. Hang in there.
woodchuck,
I’m pretty much “done” with trying to convince folks about ham. If they can’t see or refuse to see the necessity of ham, it’s on them. I genuinely believe, once folks reach a certain age (?) they lose confidence in themselves. Afraid to fail. Their ego couldn’t handle the disappointment. Their self-image couldn’t deal with GASP a failure.
I applaud your ham skills. You already know, it’s not difficult. Besides, it’s not about hard/easy. It’s about preparedness. No one cares if ya pass or fail, LITERALLY no one. When the cell phones don’t work, how many folks will be looking in the mirror? Woulda-coulda-shoulda.
As you already know, the test has little to do with using ham radio. It’s just a hoop to jump through. Then the learning actually begins. I found it invigorating and interesting, fun. More importantly, a crude kind of communication is available to each of us. No outside infrastructure is involved, so it falls to each of us. If ham doesn’t work, it’s because I am doing something wrong. I won’t be able to sit back and complain about cell towers/internet/tv. It’s much easier to rely on others. It absolves you of personal responsibility. “It’s not my fault, THEY need to fix it.” Guess what, at some point, they’re NOT going to fix it.
My rant is not directed at you, woodchuck. You’ve taken personal responsibility for your comms needs. I find it very difficult to have sympathy for those who CHOOSE to do nothing. 73
many people here have our licences and are active, we just don’t cram it down everyone’s throat whenever we post. give it a break.
post it under communications.
i’m sorry ken but it had to be said.
nyscout,
Cram it down……
As I understand your situation: You have a license, but do not use it. Therefore, you have limited knowledge. You’ve said as much yourself.
My comment is in the appropriate place. Knowledge, not the license, is the key. When the phones go down…….
If the content of my comment touched a raw nerve with you, maybe you could calm your nerve with some know-how.
Plainsmedic:
Extremely well said, aka 12 on the Rant Scale of 10.
BTW, the same could be said for just about ALL aspects of being prepared….
Right?
We all see, hear about, it just about every day.
Blue and buddy,
Agreed. If I buy a pressure canner at a garage sale, does that “magically” give me the know-how to can food? Of course not! I always defer to the wife with canning. I’m her willing and able assistant. Lots of mischievous banter back and forth, fun. Through actually doing it, I’m confident I could do it alone. Much more fun with her.
You’re correct about “ALL aspects of being prepared.” Reading about something and actually doing that something, are two totally different things. I admire your “lights out weekends.” I’ll bet you’ve learned a lot from actually doing it. Lots of good folks on this site. People who actually DO things.
A short list of things I’ve actually DONE:
woodgas
solar still for distilled water
small solar and wind systems
penny stoves (many)
rocket stove (homemade)
numerous homemade ham antennae
On and on and on….. I enjoy self reliance. I’ll never be completely self reliant, but it’s a goal. I like to tinker in the garage. Maybe I can build one of those…………? I’ve had some failures, but a few successes as well. I encourage everyone to get up out of the chair and DO IT. I know lots of folks do.
Plainsmedic:
“Lights Out Weekend’s”
OMG you have NO idea how many times I said “Screw it” and gone inside.
BUT without ‘doing’ ya don’t learn squat. All yar doing is reading and buying ‘Stuff’.
Speaking about “Failures”, if someone say they have never failed, they are doing one of two things, Lying or sitting around and not doing a single thing that challenges themselves.
And yes, I got up this morning all fired up about a couple of comments made.
Sorry all, Rant’s and my BS is over.
Have a GREAT day and keep commenting on what’s your passion. Just wait till I start on Gardening….
Think I’ll go Scuba Dive and see if that Baofeng BF-F8HP will actually work under water HAHAHAHA
I just love the feeling of not being on the “treadmill” of modern society. Love growing and canning, hunting, putting up food. Old, grass-roots technologies and “forgotten” technologies have always been a fascination to me. (hence why I went into mining and hydrology- the very beginning of all “technologies”). Also, the feeling of being self-sufficient, or at least trying to be. Finally, i love passing all the knowledge i have gained on to others, to help them in their lives. I truly have been blessed with knowledge in this life by God, and love to pass that on to all.
My “favorite” part of preparedness is keeping vigilant. I keep my eyes open and my ear to the ground here in Winterfell (North Idaho). The Leviathan at all levels is my enemy. All of the beans, bullets, and band-aids will not help anyone if they do not have a plan and stay vigilant. Get out your Good Book and look up Proverbs 27:12. Bleib ubrig.
I think all those things you listed are just part of the intentional chaos created by the state. I used to think it was incompetence. Now I’m sure it is intentional chaos. It is one of the tools to creating an atmosphere of fear and anxiety in the population. Next, the state needed to identify a group to place the blame on- another part of the population who refuses to go along with the narrative. Those people are to blame! They must be ostracized, locked up, or…..
Maybe you have heard the term: mass formation psychosis.
So, the symptoms are not as scary as the end goal here but there is hope and there are ways to wake these people from the trance of fear and subjugation- and it is not violence. Violence only provides justification for atrocities.
No- we fight this battle by standing up for the truth even if there is a cost. We should be respectful and kind to these people and try to open their eyes to the truth.
The ultimate truth is as you indicated- God, or more specifically Jesus who is the way the truth and the life.
Semper Paratus. Just the Coastie in me.
A generator and solar power is nice, but among my favorite aspects of being prepared is not needing to rely on them. In a long term grid down, we will eventually run out of gasoline.
Here, solar gives out each winter. On Dec. 21st the sun is above the horizon for less than 3 hours.
Another aspect of being prepared is a working knowledge of foraging edible and medicinal plants.
Consider: Daniel Boone didn’t have a generator…
Yep, Daniel Boone,,, he and many others made it just fine without almost everything “modern”
Stuff to consider
” The sea is my refuge. “
Part 1:
Hi All, here’s my 10¢ worth (Inflation ya know).
I think my most favorite aspect of the Lifestyle is having what I call “Lights Out Weekends” or longer sometimes as much as two weeks.
Basically shutting down all Grid Tied “stuff” Power, Phones, Water, just wish I could shut down the Taxes as easily.
I have to be honest, hauling water is the biggest PITA that stuff is HEAVY, but it sure teaches ya how co cut the use a LOT!!!. Plus taking that bath in the Snow Melt River is a very quick ordeal for sure.
Next I would have to say Gardening and Preserving foods is right up there in the list, knowing how to process a Deer or Beef (aka Cow) is interesting to say the least. Honestly Y-all might think it’s easy-peasy to do a full process of a large animal… Try it sometime, not as easy as most think. And that Garden, as some have said, takes a LOT of work, and some years they are complete failures. Do you know how to harvest seeds? Have you done it?
Part 2:
One more “Best Liked”.
Just living the “Lifestyle”, now that may sound kinda crazy, right? But ya know, taking a 2-4 mile walk with Ole Blue and letting the mind just soak in the peacefulness and tranquility of life in general is a LOT to living ‘Prepared’.
If you want to still live in the Hustle and Bustle of “Keeping up with the Jones’s” than go for it, God knows you really need that new $95,000 truck, but let me tell ya, taking that walk and stopping for 20 minutes watching a heard of Elk graze in a field is more of my thinking.
When will people finally learn that money is NOT what the world revolves around?
Lastly, I want to thank Old Ken for doing such a great job on this BLOG, it sure keeps a lot of folks thinking.
Thanks Old Man HAHAHAH
How many skills we master, how well we are prepped, we can not do it all ourselves and therefore we need the “village”. So, developing trusted relationships in our community is probably more important than stuff we can acquire. You can’t grow salt as someone mentioned but you can grow friendships.