Remember four years ago when things started getting really whack, likely because of the upcoming Presidential election year? Well, here we are again folks. Time to ramp it up and prepare. We spent years trying to inform others, keep doing what you can, but don't forget to prepare. If anything, it may save you some stressful trips searching empty shelves. Not trying to panic you. I used everything I stockpiled by watching dates. I'm glad I did what I did. The things we prep are 90% things we need anyway over time. Just make smart choices, and things that can serve multiple purposes.
HEYYYY! I really appreciate your comment and you taking time to make it! It was a lot of thought I put into the post, more than I have in a long time, and I am very glad that you found it useful. So thank you!
Well done, and so practical. I've been working for years on preparing everything necessary to survive (and help unprepared neighbors). At this point, it is critical that people remember that the convenience of 'always-available-food' is a recent, and rather fragile, phenomena.
God provides, including (and especially) through each other.
Re food: our dilemma is that (1) eating carbs (granola bars and so on) will make spouse diabetic and (2) spouse can tolerate literally no salt so all those meat sticks and such are out. I keep saying I need to make pemmican but the beef tallow has been in my freezer for two years, so….
Re written directions, yes, include printed maps/directions even if you have memorized. The brain in trauma may not be able to recall previously known information.
I've made jerky using a dehydrator and vacuum sealed. Stored in cool place out of sun, and I've eaten it no problem up to a year later. There are other people who keep in in fridge or freezer, which I have tried too, and is fine but not so great when you lose electricity, so that's why I wanted to try without a refrigeration method. Others just place in glass jars and cover it, but I haven't tried to know how long it lasts.
I do so many different kinds to experiment (international flavors), usually does involve salt, but I'm sure there's kinds you can without. I make my own from spices. Maybe check out lower sodium coconut aminos or tamari. Or Mr. Spice Organic Salt-free?
I love army surplus stores, I have one near by. The backpack is key and the carabiners, those kinda ugly military style backpacks with lots of loops and straps designed for carabiners to attach is good. This bag called a compression bag is great, helped me out many times camping. It's like a tote bag with a drawstring to close it except it has straps around it so you can cinch it down and compress the contents. It's meant to be a space saver. There are these wrist band bracelet thingies, but it's basically meant for super emergency, when you undo the braid it's ~25ft of strong rope, and buried inside there is a small fish hook and fish line and a decent size square of aluminum foil. Shoes are key. I like Merrell shoes, they have breathable waterproof hiking shoes and ankle high boot types. Thermal under pants and tops are key in cold and semi cold weather. There is this one brand called chili peppers that is pretty good, but the best brand has a rams head logo I just can't remember the name? Those are expensive but the best. ~$100 for bottoms and ~$100 for tops, ouch. but they have the sub zero Mt Everest type and the cold night at the beach type. Either way they are not at all bulky and your body can breath easily. That thin semi water proof thermal tech is amazing, I don't know how they do it? I think there is some wool in there too. The solar charging brick is probably important. Maybe even a solar matt thing I see people at camp sites have, it just unfolds to about a square yard or so. Mini one or two man tent. Sleeping bags get pretty techie these days in that you can squeeze one into a very small space. Those shammy things swimmers use like a towel. They are tiny like a square foot but super absorbent. Sorry no big fluffy Martha Stewart bath towel when you are on the lamb. lol Good wool socks! The three-in-one spoon/fork/knife. A good thermos like a Yeti brand or something similar. A good pocket knife and small can opener. Duck tape. That thin but strong rope ~100ft super useful doesn't take up hardly any space in a backpack (same material as that bracelet). A floor mat, tiny tripod chair thing for a seat. A walking stick. Some sticks are fancy and doubles as a weapon. The mat and tripod get fancy too and made for hikers. Some blow darts and you'll be like Rambo. Food, fire, cooking is important and there are some cool utensils for that. The water straw filter thing to turn questionable water into drinking water... Wow! You're ready.
Thanks for sharing! I have some of these things in mind for the next post for packing up a car and will definitely refer back to your comments. Yeah, army surplus is great. Can spend way too much time looking at stuff in there. But I did pick up my cool little can opener there.
I address this in the post a few paragraphs down, and why this is Part 1. I wrote: "I realize I’m responsible for more than myself, but this at least gives me a start in assessing the difference between need and want … likely the greatest distinction that we should keep in mind when prepping for whatever sort of scenario.
So, why am I not thinking about packing a car and more stuff than just for myself? Well, I am and I’m thinking that can be a Part 2 post. This two-week backpack is more about me needing to leave a situation as quickly as possible, with the possibility that I may not be able to return because of destruction or safety."
As someone currently on a backpacking hiking holiday in the mountains of Greece... This article is hilarious ;). Backpacks with wheels are ridiculously heavy even when empty. I appreciate you say this is for more level ground but even so, I challenge you to put even half this stuff in a bag. Then I challenge you to walk up 2 flights of stairs with it... :D
I hiked the trail in the pic with such a backpack lol muddy, rocky, loose terrain to boot :-) the backpack had straps and doubled as my carry one luggage on airflights ... where there's a will ... Spartan training/racing helps keep me sharp, highly recommend
excellent! I find backpacking, even for just a few days, to be healing for mind, body, and soul. Just being completely cutoff from the barrage of information we're all subjected to from the interwebs is reason enough to go. However, when you add in stunning beauty of the high mountains or rugged coastline or deep forest or sweeping vistas of desert terrain--whichever environment you choose for your backpack--the experience is unlike anything else that I know of. It's more than restorative: I would call it a spiritual experience, except for the fact that that word "spiritual" has some negative connotations for some.
Thanks for the question....yes, last 2 years, been trying to focus on dry goods and dried foods. (lucky gifting of a dehydrator).For fruits I like to dry lemon slices and lemon rind (cut small and grind in coffee grinder to use as powder)(coat in sugar for baking or lemon tea, but sugar is messy yes) and also making fruit leather is fun and useful. I want to work on a pastry using fruit leather and my twig fired camp stove, just to see if its possible in a dutch oven. I also like drying onions, carrots and parsley, as a soup base and especially good for stews as they keep their form more. Dried potatoes seem to turn grey, but can taste ok. Also dried meats and sausages, the best keeper I have found in commerce so far is the dried chorizo offerings from Palacio, keeps for 6 months in a cool cupboard. I did make jerky once but I have trouble not eating it all after I make it!! It was good but had to do it in the oven, for temp, need a real meat dehydrator perhaps, my dehydrator doesnt get quite hot enough. Dried milk is pretty expensive, I may try to buy some goat milk in cans next. Getting a sheep or goat (usually two) is possible, and has really helped this guys life, he lives in Oregon with a cart and a few sheep. Here is the first of 3 videos on the goat herder at Kirsten Dirksen Youtube, lots of camping tips in this and the next vid...https://youtu.be/U54HRmglYEA?si=FLSDcxqgBlmsVVtJ (I wish she could get off Youtube! been generally avoiding it) best
I have a bug out and emergency preparedness bag but my favorite way to prepare for emergencies is in a way that stacks functions for any situation.
Some say that one should prioritize diversified hard assets, cash, non-perishable food stores and cryptocurrency (and those are great) but those things do not have intrinsic value, thus their value in a survival situation pales in comparison to natural medicine, emergency shelter building, water purification, food cultivation, foraging and preservation skills.
Knowledge, skills and experience related to food cultivation, natural medicine, foraging and preservation cannot be stolen from you, and thus it has intrinsic value as it is applicable and accessible in any and all situations.
Therefore, I strive to attempt to simultaneously prepare for short term and long term emergency preparedness whenever possible. Foraging skills (plant/fungi identification, harvesting and storage experience) as well as Cultivating and saving large amounts of nutrient dense seeds (which offers permanent and valuable experience and knowledge and can also be used to grow copious amounts of food and medicine given the right conditions and timeframe) are among the ways I attempt to prepare for multiple types of emergencies and stack functions in my emergency preparedness efforts.
For a list of some species of trees and plants that offer medicine and food read:
Remember four years ago when things started getting really whack, likely because of the upcoming Presidential election year? Well, here we are again folks. Time to ramp it up and prepare. We spent years trying to inform others, keep doing what you can, but don't forget to prepare. If anything, it may save you some stressful trips searching empty shelves. Not trying to panic you. I used everything I stockpiled by watching dates. I'm glad I did what I did. The things we prep are 90% things we need anyway over time. Just make smart choices, and things that can serve multiple purposes.
Love your caveat Lee!
“I am not an expert at anything!”
You n me too. Thank you for your
time and keep up the great work!
HEYYYY! I really appreciate your comment and you taking time to make it! It was a lot of thought I put into the post, more than I have in a long time, and I am very glad that you found it useful. So thank you!
Most welcome Lee. I love your writing style and sense of humor too! 😁
Well done, and so practical. I've been working for years on preparing everything necessary to survive (and help unprepared neighbors). At this point, it is critical that people remember that the convenience of 'always-available-food' is a recent, and rather fragile, phenomena.
God provides, including (and especially) through each other.
Re food: our dilemma is that (1) eating carbs (granola bars and so on) will make spouse diabetic and (2) spouse can tolerate literally no salt so all those meat sticks and such are out. I keep saying I need to make pemmican but the beef tallow has been in my freezer for two years, so….
Re written directions, yes, include printed maps/directions even if you have memorized. The brain in trauma may not be able to recall previously known information.
I've made jerky using a dehydrator and vacuum sealed. Stored in cool place out of sun, and I've eaten it no problem up to a year later. There are other people who keep in in fridge or freezer, which I have tried too, and is fine but not so great when you lose electricity, so that's why I wanted to try without a refrigeration method. Others just place in glass jars and cover it, but I haven't tried to know how long it lasts.
I’ve made jerky once or twice. I think it marinated first in some kind of marinade, that contained salt?
Does yours?
I do so many different kinds to experiment (international flavors), usually does involve salt, but I'm sure there's kinds you can without. I make my own from spices. Maybe check out lower sodium coconut aminos or tamari. Or Mr. Spice Organic Salt-free?
I love army surplus stores, I have one near by. The backpack is key and the carabiners, those kinda ugly military style backpacks with lots of loops and straps designed for carabiners to attach is good. This bag called a compression bag is great, helped me out many times camping. It's like a tote bag with a drawstring to close it except it has straps around it so you can cinch it down and compress the contents. It's meant to be a space saver. There are these wrist band bracelet thingies, but it's basically meant for super emergency, when you undo the braid it's ~25ft of strong rope, and buried inside there is a small fish hook and fish line and a decent size square of aluminum foil. Shoes are key. I like Merrell shoes, they have breathable waterproof hiking shoes and ankle high boot types. Thermal under pants and tops are key in cold and semi cold weather. There is this one brand called chili peppers that is pretty good, but the best brand has a rams head logo I just can't remember the name? Those are expensive but the best. ~$100 for bottoms and ~$100 for tops, ouch. but they have the sub zero Mt Everest type and the cold night at the beach type. Either way they are not at all bulky and your body can breath easily. That thin semi water proof thermal tech is amazing, I don't know how they do it? I think there is some wool in there too. The solar charging brick is probably important. Maybe even a solar matt thing I see people at camp sites have, it just unfolds to about a square yard or so. Mini one or two man tent. Sleeping bags get pretty techie these days in that you can squeeze one into a very small space. Those shammy things swimmers use like a towel. They are tiny like a square foot but super absorbent. Sorry no big fluffy Martha Stewart bath towel when you are on the lamb. lol Good wool socks! The three-in-one spoon/fork/knife. A good thermos like a Yeti brand or something similar. A good pocket knife and small can opener. Duck tape. That thin but strong rope ~100ft super useful doesn't take up hardly any space in a backpack (same material as that bracelet). A floor mat, tiny tripod chair thing for a seat. A walking stick. Some sticks are fancy and doubles as a weapon. The mat and tripod get fancy too and made for hikers. Some blow darts and you'll be like Rambo. Food, fire, cooking is important and there are some cool utensils for that. The water straw filter thing to turn questionable water into drinking water... Wow! You're ready.
Thanks for sharing! I have some of these things in mind for the next post for packing up a car and will definitely refer back to your comments. Yeah, army surplus is great. Can spend way too much time looking at stuff in there. But I did pick up my cool little can opener there.
I'm adding facial tissues!
what about parents. children. babies. I think all the prepper stuff looks at moving solo. what about those who cannot move or move poorly.
I address this in the post a few paragraphs down, and why this is Part 1. I wrote: "I realize I’m responsible for more than myself, but this at least gives me a start in assessing the difference between need and want … likely the greatest distinction that we should keep in mind when prepping for whatever sort of scenario.
So, why am I not thinking about packing a car and more stuff than just for myself? Well, I am and I’m thinking that can be a Part 2 post. This two-week backpack is more about me needing to leave a situation as quickly as possible, with the possibility that I may not be able to return because of destruction or safety."
What a nut world we are in
As someone currently on a backpacking hiking holiday in the mountains of Greece... This article is hilarious ;). Backpacks with wheels are ridiculously heavy even when empty. I appreciate you say this is for more level ground but even so, I challenge you to put even half this stuff in a bag. Then I challenge you to walk up 2 flights of stairs with it... :D
I hiked the trail in the pic with such a backpack lol muddy, rocky, loose terrain to boot :-) the backpack had straps and doubled as my carry one luggage on airflights ... where there's a will ... Spartan training/racing helps keep me sharp, highly recommend
excellent! I find backpacking, even for just a few days, to be healing for mind, body, and soul. Just being completely cutoff from the barrage of information we're all subjected to from the interwebs is reason enough to go. However, when you add in stunning beauty of the high mountains or rugged coastline or deep forest or sweeping vistas of desert terrain--whichever environment you choose for your backpack--the experience is unlike anything else that I know of. It's more than restorative: I would call it a spiritual experience, except for the fact that that word "spiritual" has some negative connotations for some.
Thanks for the question....yes, last 2 years, been trying to focus on dry goods and dried foods. (lucky gifting of a dehydrator).For fruits I like to dry lemon slices and lemon rind (cut small and grind in coffee grinder to use as powder)(coat in sugar for baking or lemon tea, but sugar is messy yes) and also making fruit leather is fun and useful. I want to work on a pastry using fruit leather and my twig fired camp stove, just to see if its possible in a dutch oven. I also like drying onions, carrots and parsley, as a soup base and especially good for stews as they keep their form more. Dried potatoes seem to turn grey, but can taste ok. Also dried meats and sausages, the best keeper I have found in commerce so far is the dried chorizo offerings from Palacio, keeps for 6 months in a cool cupboard. I did make jerky once but I have trouble not eating it all after I make it!! It was good but had to do it in the oven, for temp, need a real meat dehydrator perhaps, my dehydrator doesnt get quite hot enough. Dried milk is pretty expensive, I may try to buy some goat milk in cans next. Getting a sheep or goat (usually two) is possible, and has really helped this guys life, he lives in Oregon with a cart and a few sheep. Here is the first of 3 videos on the goat herder at Kirsten Dirksen Youtube, lots of camping tips in this and the next vid...https://youtu.be/U54HRmglYEA?si=FLSDcxqgBlmsVVtJ (I wish she could get off Youtube! been generally avoiding it) best
Well done.
I've been doing a series on this topic that you might like to look at.
E.g. https://whatdoino.substack.com/p/travel-hygiene-89a?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2
Thanks for this :)
I like your list.
I have a bug out and emergency preparedness bag but my favorite way to prepare for emergencies is in a way that stacks functions for any situation.
Some say that one should prioritize diversified hard assets, cash, non-perishable food stores and cryptocurrency (and those are great) but those things do not have intrinsic value, thus their value in a survival situation pales in comparison to natural medicine, emergency shelter building, water purification, food cultivation, foraging and preservation skills.
Knowledge, skills and experience related to food cultivation, natural medicine, foraging and preservation cannot be stolen from you, and thus it has intrinsic value as it is applicable and accessible in any and all situations.
Therefore, I strive to attempt to simultaneously prepare for short term and long term emergency preparedness whenever possible. Foraging skills (plant/fungi identification, harvesting and storage experience) as well as Cultivating and saving large amounts of nutrient dense seeds (which offers permanent and valuable experience and knowledge and can also be used to grow copious amounts of food and medicine given the right conditions and timeframe) are among the ways I attempt to prepare for multiple types of emergencies and stack functions in my emergency preparedness efforts.
For a list of some species of trees and plants that offer medicine and food read:
- https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/unlocking-autumns-abundance
- https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/befriending-the-boreal-getting-to?
- https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/befriending-the-boreal-introducing?
- https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/befriending-the-boreal-an-invitation?
- https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/embracing-the-abundance-of-spring
For more info on seed saving and why it is important:
- https://gavinmounsey.substack.com/p/seed-saving-to-save-the-future