I seem to be coming across lots of this stuff on youtube and other forums ,so i have been having a gander as you do that 2012 is to be quite a year to say the least ! not too sold on all the cataclysmic theories but the financial meltdown seems to be the only one i could believe ,After all i dont think the Greeks would have believed it a couple of years back.Does anybody prep?
Are there any preppers on BCUK.
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I think the idea of prepping is a bit of a delusion to be honest.
Unless you are completely self-sufficient in water, food, fuel, ammunition AND you are behind a secure stockade then all you are doing is buying a few days before the rioters and looters come for you. The only way I can think of where bush skills would give you an edge is if you are constantly moving (i.e. keeping away from the mob) or hidden way deep in a forest?
Flame suit on: check.
Unless you are completely self-sufficient in water, food, fuel, ammunition AND you are behind a secure stockade then all you are doing is buying a few days before the rioters and looters come for you. The only way I can think of where bush skills would give you an edge is if you are constantly moving (i.e. keeping away from the mob) or hidden way deep in a forest?
Flame suit on: check.
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Shambling Shaman
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Shambling Shaman
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Living in the NE Scotland far enough away from any big cities and in a relativley small town, I could see it being easier to take a 'step back' and deal without the infrastructure we've all become so accustomed to.
I work just down the road from where I live - sure we use computers and laser cutting equipment etc - but if push came to shove I'm sure we could go back to manual ways of doing stuff.
I would hope there is more of a community spirit here where people actually look out for one another rather than just being out for themselves, so that along with being surrounded by large areas of farm land - oh and the north sea - I'm sure there would be plenty of food around, money? probably go to a barter system or something?
anyway just fancied a rant
I'll go back to sleep now....
I work just down the road from where I live - sure we use computers and laser cutting equipment etc - but if push came to shove I'm sure we could go back to manual ways of doing stuff.
I would hope there is more of a community spirit here where people actually look out for one another rather than just being out for themselves, so that along with being surrounded by large areas of farm land - oh and the north sea - I'm sure there would be plenty of food around, money? probably go to a barter system or something?
anyway just fancied a rant
I'll go back to sleep now....
yes and to a degree.
Ultimately I don't believe in an end of the world type event but I do believe people should be able to be self reliant where possible.
As mentioned the financial meltdown can affect people, it already is in the UK for a lot of people already. If I am unlucky enough to be one of those people my preps won't stop me needing help or stop it affecting me. But hopefully they will improve my quality of life but they will even if I am not too badly affected. Mine revolve around growing our own food, reducing bills etc though.
Ultimately I don't believe in an end of the world type event but I do believe people should be able to be self reliant where possible.
As mentioned the financial meltdown can affect people, it already is in the UK for a lot of people already. If I am unlucky enough to be one of those people my preps won't stop me needing help or stop it affecting me. But hopefully they will improve my quality of life but they will even if I am not too badly affected. Mine revolve around growing our own food, reducing bills etc though.
Most of prepping is attitude and skills not buying "stuff" - the "hidey hole / TEOTWAKI" stuff has as much to do with prepping as Captain Pugwash has to do with piracy.
Why do I break my back on a garden and learn to can, make my own soap, make vinegar etc.? Its just as cheap to buy things. But, by seed saving heirloom varieties, our garden is gradually becoming zero input, by converting to solid fuel range we can eat and be warm without gas, power, etc.
In my case rioters and looters would have precious little to steal (and a heck of a long walk too - I wonder if looters have bivy bags?). Rather like bushcraft - its about what you know, not what you own.
I guess its a subject I enjoy because its very akin to "homesteading" and the variety of things to learn is so huge. In a few months I'm going to try making my own sugar from beet that I have grown. When the onions are finished drying, I'll make onion strings in the way I learned thirty odd years ago watching "Out of Town". The surplus garlic may well be swapped for a nice chunk of salt marsh beef. Oh - and I need to make another batch of home made laundry detergent as we are running low - but the spare fat off the meat should take care of that.
Red
Why do I break my back on a garden and learn to can, make my own soap, make vinegar etc.? Its just as cheap to buy things. But, by seed saving heirloom varieties, our garden is gradually becoming zero input, by converting to solid fuel range we can eat and be warm without gas, power, etc.
In my case rioters and looters would have precious little to steal (and a heck of a long walk too
- I wonder if looters have bivy bags?). Rather like bushcraft - its about what you know, not what you own.I guess its a subject I enjoy because its very akin to "homesteading" and the variety of things to learn is so huge. In a few months I'm going to try making my own sugar from beet that I have grown. When the onions are finished drying, I'll make onion strings in the way I learned thirty odd years ago watching "Out of Town". The surplus garlic may well be swapped for a nice chunk of salt marsh beef. Oh - and I need to make another batch of home made laundry detergent as we are running low - but the spare fat off the meat should take care of that.
Red
"prepping" seems to have become a bit of a catch all phrase these days, a little like "survival" used to be. we all prep, whether we like to admit it or not. do you put a coat on if you've got to go out in the rain? do you buy more than a single meals worth of food at a time? have you got a pension/life insurance? is there a spare lightbulb anywhere in your house? have you got anything at all planned for any point in your future? etc. etc. if you answer yes to any of the aforementioned then, guess what, you're a prepper.
i think what most people are asking when they say "are you a prepper?" is actually "do you believe that society is about to collapse any minute leaving behind nothing but roving gangs of hoodies/chavs/zombies, and as a result of this you are currently stockpiling 22LR and andrex triple quilted toilet roll". no would be my answer to that one. however, if "are you a prepper" actually means "do you think that life could take some kind of unexpected twists and turns in the future, and do you think that by having a couple of months worth of food/fuel/cash saved up you would probably be putting yourself in a better position to cope with the unexpected" then yes, very definately, personally i think anyone who doesn't do that should probably start looking after themselves a bit better.
i think what most people are asking when they say "are you a prepper?" is actually "do you believe that society is about to collapse any minute leaving behind nothing but roving gangs of hoodies/chavs/zombies, and as a result of this you are currently stockpiling 22LR and andrex triple quilted toilet roll". no would be my answer to that one. however, if "are you a prepper" actually means "do you think that life could take some kind of unexpected twists and turns in the future, and do you think that by having a couple of months worth of food/fuel/cash saved up you would probably be putting yourself in a better position to cope with the unexpected" then yes, very definately, personally i think anyone who doesn't do that should probably start looking after themselves a bit better.
I prep....
But very much a beginner compared to Mr Red ....
With my employment/ lifestyle I always need to be in a position where I am OK if the power/food/money suddenly runs out/van dies etc etc
So - a bit of food, fuel, cash, gear set aside, a bit of food being grown, knowledge of where to find food and fuel (wood) for free, how to make some of the everyday needed items (or how to do without the commercial kind) ... that is my kind of prepping...
If that helps me through the trip to Mr Reds to sponge off him when the manure hits the airconditioning then that is good too (though I will have to rely on speed and my old record collection to get past the zombies)!
Living in the country means that you have to be able to get through power/water/transport failures by having your own back up... life insists that you prep!
But very much a beginner compared to Mr Red ....
With my employment/ lifestyle I always need to be in a position where I am OK if the power/food/money suddenly runs out/van dies etc etc
So - a bit of food, fuel, cash, gear set aside, a bit of food being grown, knowledge of where to find food and fuel (wood) for free, how to make some of the everyday needed items (or how to do without the commercial kind) ... that is my kind of prepping...
If that helps me through the trip to Mr Reds to sponge off him when the manure hits the airconditioning then that is good too (though I will have to rely on speed and my old record collection to get past the zombies)!
Living in the country means that you have to be able to get through power/water/transport failures by having your own back up... life insists that you prep!
Thats exactly what it means to most who use the term I think - also some degree of self reliance - so that if the ability of having everything "provided" is interrupted, its an adevnture, not a catastrophy.
I'm sitting here now with the tv on the weather channel watchin Tropical Storm Debbie out in the Gulf of Mexico. I expect several more hurricanes before the season is over. If I'm lucky none of them will hit here this year. BUT! In the 23 years I've lived here 5 have hit. Electricity and other services are tango uniform for anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks. I can cook on my stove because I have gas (which has never been interupted as the gas lines are below ground) but usually lose everything in the fridge & freezer. Probably the worst thing to live through here (without electricity) is the lack of air conditioning and refrigeration. Think that isn't a big deal? Try to keep your diabetic meds from going bad without it; the scramble for ice is always a priority as is the scramble for gasoline (for portable electric generators and chain saws as well as autos)
I know you don't get hurricanes as such there but you did get at least one hurricane force storm when I was stationed over there and I saw quite a bit about snow and ice storms on the news last winter. There is ALWAYS something to prep for
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