Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Well I never thought I'd say this, but...

I believe I am satisfied with our level of food preps. As it stands we have approx. 10 months of mid- and long term foods stored, figured @ 2800 calories/meal x 3 meals/day for each of our family members.

I consider our mid term stocks to be those foods with a realistic shelf life of 18 months to two years (i.e. canned and dry goods) that are rotated as they're consumed on a regular basis.

Water is another story. We have 350 gal potable stored. I want more but we will be moving back to Texas in June or July of next year and I'm reluctant to expand our water storage until then.

I estimate our stock of non-edibles (hygiene, paper stuffs, etc.) to be at around three and a half to four months.

Our firearm situation is, uh, well, I'm happy. Have enough sharp objects, also.

Am continuously adding to the ammo stocks.

I'm thinking I need to focus efforts now on another generator and bump up fuel stores.

Lord knows I have enough tools, both power and hand. Flashlights and batteries out the wazzoo.

Probably could run my own ER with the med and trauma supplies we have on hand.

At the end of the procurement phase and easing into the sustainment phase of prepping? I dunno.

Anyway, how are y'all coming along?

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Still shopping for a new genset. Most likely will make purchase next week. Plan to acquire several new 55gal drums for diesel storage this week.

Wife made a large batch of fresh blackberry/raspberry preserves. All canned and now sitting with the rest of the food preps. We realized during the hurricane that sweet things are a necessity.

We plan to try canning chicken and chili next weekend.

Closing out all remaining investment accounts this week, paying off as much debt as possible with the proceeds.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

I am moving my primary efforts to this direction much to my dismay. I will say no more on the internet regarding this. Very sad.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Pretty happy with preps. Really only started a year ago working on them and I can not be upset with what I managed to accomplish in that time period. Still want to add some more water and finishing up a medical kit this week.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Scott, we pulled our heads out of the sand just about two years ago. It's amazing what one accomplishes when truly motivated.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

I got the root canal done I have been putting off. Bought more 55 gallon Drums and filled them with fuel and PRIG and PRID. Added more can food, and because what goes in must come out I added to the T.P. stockpile.

Started work on a new 2 story garage for storage, I will add pics later when there is more to look at other than dirt. TN Andy sets the standard high on pics, so I will try to keep up.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Always good to have another prepper on the boards....

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Paid off the 1 credit card that I had a balance on. Beyond that, mainly nonfood items, asswipe, soap/detergent/bleach, other cleaning products. Looking into fuel storage, knowing it is not enough just keeping both cars topped off every week. Stockpiling FRNs, considering a banking holiday is a real possibility.

I get this feeling that I am going to be considered both a store and a bank from my worthless SIL and her boyfriend when the balloon goes up. Denying those 2 retards would make me a major villain in the eyes of my wife (who of course contributes nothing toward prep efforts).:banghead:

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

I bought a bit more silver and a couple of Eton 150 dynamo radios for my Get Home Bags (I have a GHB in each of my two vehicles). I'm impressed with the radios. Good reception and sound and a nice compact size. I bought mine from LL Bean because they had the coolest colors. I liked mine so much I ordered another one for my sister for Christmas.

I suspect that before the end of the month, I'll make another firearm purchase. As I was researching snubbies for my mom, thanks to advice from GIMers on another thread, it occurred to me that I don't have a "pocket gun," either. Some of the ones I looked at were intriguing. I may get one for myself, too. In particular, I'd like to look at a hammerless S&W 642 with a ported 2-1/8" barrel.

It's not a whole lot of prepping, but I'm pretty well set on food and the other basics, and I made some big purchases (like a generator) a month ago, so I'm not rolling in dough. Not much more I can do as long as I'm living in the city.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

I'm looking to place a sizable order with Honeyville in the next week or so. I also plan on buying a couple of hundred pounds of cat and dog feed. :)

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

I have been picking up a few extra things each week and have now achieved a relatively solid inventory of food. That has been less painful monetarily than running out and buying all at once.

Protection has never been a problem. Basic load is not doctrine, it's how much you can carry. Great NCO's taught me that along with many other things.

The wife's economics teacher told her the same thing I have been saying for years--over extended people are going to have a rude awakening. Well----it's here guys. He told the class to the make sure you have cash and extra food on-hand because the transportation system may be the first to fail as well as the food harvest and distribution systems.

I smiled and told my wife that now I don't look so "crazy" anymore.

:-)

To have a primary plan and alternative plan is the only way to make plans.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

I know I'm insanely late because after all ... I still didn't see it coming this fast (I know I'm an idiot) ... I'm heading out right now to get at least a month of stuff. I also didn't have any place to store everything, I live in the city ... I'm gonna stay with my mom the next couple of days, out of the city in a much calmer evironment ... because the place where I live is about the last place you want to be when the shit breaks out ... lot's of poverty and immigrants). Gonna store the food and stuff at my mom's.

If it wasn't for finding this forum 4 days ago I still wold be clueless to the scale of all this.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

The important thing is that you know now. I don't want to pretend to speak for others on the board, but I'm sure that most of us didn't expect things to get so bad so quickly.

Welcome aboard, and take solace in the fact that you're living through an exciting time in history! :smile:

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Ah, I was wondering when you were gonna show up. Another East Tn mtn boy....welcome.


Although level of prep is a personal decision, I personally think everyone should strive for a year of food put up, minimum, and more would be better. You can't count on a harvest next year with 100% accuracy.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Well Andy, lets just say I had a good teacher! I am almost at a year of food and working on it everyday. Thanks again for all your advice.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Drew down a little more cash from the ATMs, why let the banks keep it if they ain't planning to lend it anyway...

Made another 2 hundred buck Walmart trip for the canned goods.

This is the second week in a row a cashier was nosey enought to ask what we were buying all that for.. Last week I told one we had a lot of kids to feed. We made sure we got a different one this week, but she too asked why? I think they should train the cashiers to mind their own business, like if I was buying jock itch powder would they ask why? I guess not. This week the wife said we were buying it "for the church" and others. I told her she's going to hell for that.. Heh heh..

It isn't much, but it was all we could do right now.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Been stocking up on canned goods the last few weeks. Added a new free-standing shelf to the pantry. Put in another case of cream of mushroom soup as it can be used in so many recipes. Caught that on sale plus had coupons which the store doubled. That was a nice deal.

Canned 2.125 gallons of beef stew in 4 quart jars and 9 pint jars. This upcoming weekend I need to make a trip to stock up on spices, salt, sugar, oats, cream of wheat, pasta, tomato sauce, and some other items that can be stored long-term.

Need to refill one of the 20 pound propane tanks. Need to can more jalapenos. Need more water storage.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Scored 1400 rds of M193 last week! :bear_thumb:

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Welcome!!

Remember you could get stuck at home for a while if transportation stops. At least keep a minimum of preps at home and make a bug out pack for quick departures..
Also have an emergency plan with family members in case communication goes out like it did during 9-11.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Glad you're on board, Miin. Better early than late to this party, but better late than never.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Not to go too far off topic, but this from Jim Sinclair:

Jim Sinclair's Commentary
I always felt that people with stored food were a tad neurotic. I now apologize for that.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

That was posted, exactly today, by the way.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Apology accepted Jim.....now git with the program.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

I was looking at the S&W 642 too. I am leaning toward a Taurus (pretty similar) because it's same size/weight but it's about $200 less. Below $350 where I shop. I only wish it was available in 9mm instead of .38 (I already have too may different calibers)

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

I put away 84 mylar-bagged six-gallon buckets of various foods, mostly grains and beans, last month. I have another 20 buckets worth of food waiting for my next bucket shipment. I'm a long way away from where I need to be on lots of non-food supplies, but that is where my focus is now switching, so I hope to get caught up soon.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

84!?! Holy Mackerel! How many people you need to feed, and for how long?? Am I way behind? Cuz I can fix that if need be...

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

I have been spending the last year or so working on learning some skills and techniques that may be helpful in the future. Basically learning how to grow stuff & preserve it, and things like metalcasting, welding, electronics repair, gunsmithing, etc. I already had some basic woodworking/metalworking skill, along with all the handyman stuff (plumbing/electrical,etc) I still wish I had some auto mechanic skills but cars still are a mystery to me. Ahhh well.

As for food and other necessary items, I have always kept a fairly full pantry, but now I find I am buying a lot more stuff by the case rather than 4 or 6 at a time.

I'm looking into buying some freeze dried foods but haven't done it yet. I don't like the "food for a year" plans because I think It would be better If I plan my preps around the way we actually eat.

I'm real interested in having a source of fresh meat and vegetables so I'm trying to get to know all the homestead farmers in the area. http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

I would love to be able to raise some meat animals but since I live in the suburbs that won't really work (although I'm sure when SHTF, the local gov will have to let those rules slide)

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Thanks for the welcome guys ... still have a lot of food preps to buy but I'm going to do that in a couple of houres when the stores open. Can't go into details about "other" preps but I'm taking care of it.

note to self: don't forget the toilet paper this time!

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

There's just two of us. But I have a fairly big extended family of ignorant (despite my warnings) idiots living within 50 miles. I would like for them to help themselves, now, like I am doing, but none of them are making any preparations. I expect I will want to help them.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

:36_1_32v::RockOn:

Very commendable. I am stocking what I think to be a little extra for that same reason.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

I get asked this question alot. My standard answer is "Oh, it's for a food pantry". People seem to like that answer and when they look at what I've got they seem to think that makes sense. Some have asked which one. I reply "usually it's through the Church" and that satisfies their curiosity.

Actually, it is for a food pantry. Mine.

I've recently started buying the large cans at Sam's as the prices really do go down. I've pondered how to use them since the quantities are so large. But I figure if tshft they will be used one way or another. If this doesn't happen for quite a while I will start rotating them into the Churches food runs during the fall and then simply replace them, thus keeping my stores fresh .

sb

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Yo Silver,, 84 buckets/bags huh? You sound like me. Don't forget to split everything up and keep things in different places. It would be a shame if a fire took it all out. or see it stolen after tshtf.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Canned some apples (thanks TN...Andy for the recipe).
Bought some ammo.
Working on the chimney for the wood stove.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Pretty set here with dried foods (beans, lentils, rice),
Buying some "luxury" canned foods (canned olives, corn)
Investigating what the local feed stores have in the way
of seeds, that one can sprout and eat.
Building another hideyhole to put preps inside (cement).
Building a web blog to help people flourish in crisis.
A few more Silver ounces on the cheap to barter with.
Buying more herbs to flavor prep foods.
More SALT!

And to the Prep God I say
Please give us more time!
:36_1_32v:

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Hey Grace, what kinda cement hideyhole? I've been thinkin about something myself.

sb

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

SPAM, SPAM, and more SPAM. I tasted it for the first time a couple days ago. YUMMY! Was back at Sams the next day to load up, when the cashier asked who likes all the SPAM, I said it i'm stock piling food for the pantry. She said that was a smart move considering the economy. I had to agree :)

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Three 55-gallon water barrels...

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Good deal.

Figure a 6 gallon bucket will hold 40-50lbs or so of beans, rice, wheat,etc, and figure you average 500cal/lb on most foods like that, and you have 84x45x500 = 1.9 million calories stored in those 84 buckets.

Divide by 1500/day for a low, but sustainable diet, and you have about 1260 days worth of food there for one person....3.5 years....or 1 year for 3.5 people.

( VERY rough figures, and probably low.....can vary greatly upward with WHAT you stored....meats, sugars, fats are much higher mileage food )

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Hats off to you silverblood.

I just placed my order with honeyville a couple of days ago. I ended up getting 10 cases of assorted veggies, a case of beef TVP, and a case of milk powder.

Not much, but it should do a decent job of complementing my current food stores.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

A cement bench built with blocks, hollow inside, with a cemented panel
to sit on. On the side is one area, a hole, that is styrofoam and finished with
thin cement. Easy to kick open but no one would ever guess there were
preps inside.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

Found a used ( Yr/2000 model ) 500 gallon propane tank on Knoxville Craig's list.....25% full. I took a trailer down (100 miles ) yesterday and got it ( rented a Bobcat for one hour near where it was to load ), and hauled it home. That brings my propane capacity to 1000 gallons.....which is REALLY gonna hurt on a full fill up....but Considering it has 25% in it, the tank was really cheap......less than 1/2 what I paid for a new 500 gallon tank couple years ago.

If I were to only use it for heating water and cooking, 1000gal would last many many years.

Re: Monthly Prep Thread October '08
 

I've got the normal stuff. I've been trying to focus on things others don't think of. I recently picked up a bunch of candy that should last a long time. Mostly just hard candy to pick up the spirits of others. I also scored about 30 Zippo Lighters and 15 Butane lighters that have an LED flashlight on the bottom. 10 Packs of playing cards. Stuff like that. I've always wanted to open my own store. Not like this...not like this. But I'll be making the best of what I can. Lots of alcohol...Baking Soda...Baking Powder...

Further Preps? www.glendalegunshow.com Nov. 15-16....

Edit: I forgot to mention that the army surplus store has machetes and Khukris for about $20 each. I would much rather have a tool that lasts a lifetime than a piece of paper. Turn these papes into cold steel NOW! Great survival items for friends. If it wasn't against the culture of my family, I'd give blades to everyone I knew for Xmas....But in our culture, gifting a blade means you are *SEVERING* the relationship. Just like the American tradition, blades MUST BE PURCHASED.

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