# Why?



## Vertigo (Aug 6, 2009)

Hi all,

Just something I have been wondering about, it might be interesting:

What made you think about preparedness the first time? Was it something you experienced, a discussion you had, something you read in the newspapers, because of the education your parents gave you, etc. ?

And how did people around you (husband/wife, girlfriend/boyfriend, brothers/sisters, parents or other family,...) react when you first started thinking and speaking of this?

I'm interested in what the responses will be!

greetz,

V.


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## Vertigo (Aug 6, 2009)

Well, let me make the first step:

Although we at home have always had a pretty self-reliant upbringing, I never really considered things like 'preparing for the worst', 'what-if-scenarios', etc until about 2 years ago:

My grandparents (father's side) had invited us all for dinner in a nice restaurant, not for a particular reason, just to be together with family. While we were chit chatting about the usual things, inevitably the topic of future prospects came up. I started off carefully saying that I had this feeling that things in society were not going the right way, that harder times may come. I told them that I got this feeling from reading through reports, articles,... on the subjects of population growth, geo-politics, the struggle east vs west,... 

To my very surprise, my sister (I would have never expected) suddenly spoke out and pretty much said she had the same feeling that things were heading for worse. At first my parents (who are absolutely not in the doomtelling business, clearminded and feet on the ground yes, but no dramatic changes) did not believe we both had come to the same conclusion without influencing each other.

In the end we spent several hours talking over dinner and suggesting things on the topics of being self-sufficient, preparedness,... And ever since, I have even gotten my parents (which I could not believe where I not there) on the self-sufficiency track. (albeit slowly).

Since then, whenever possible I try to push to buy things in big quantities, to buy more tools, etc.

So far, we now have a steady supply of fresh water (we buy those big water reservoirs for on top of a water dispenser), 2 old fashioned iron cast pumps connected to underground rainwater collection tanks, 12 or so geese for eggs, hens and a cock for eggs and breeding, pigeons for breeding and meat, 4 turkey for meat, something called a pindaar (like a small turkey, but with a more beautiful feather coat than turkey's) also for meat. 

Meanwhile on other food sources like grains we are better stocked than most will ever be, since we trade it as a wholesaler. So we usually have several tonnes of corn, wheat, rice, ... stocked 

Biggest problem so far is convincing them in the security section. (They are completely anti-gun minded)

well, let's see what you guys and girls of course  have to say!

greetz,

V.


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## xj35s (Oct 29, 2008)

*Built in...*

I grew up with neighbors that had many wooded acres. We used to camp out for day's on summer vacation. We taught ourselves allot. Then explored different things.

Then Rambo came out. That put a different aspect on things. We started making weapons and setting up "booby" traps. Built home made forts and protected them. We even went on reconisence missions.( spying on neighbors ) One thing we found out real quick was if It's dark out and the house is well lit, you can stand right outside the window. If the house light isn't directly on you, they can't see you from inside.

I'm not too "prepared" but I have 17 acres and my house is on top of a nice knoll. Plenty of H20 available. The only thing I want is a still. If I can make my own alchol for running the generator and lawn mowers I'd be happy.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

xj35s said:


> I have 17 acres and my house is on top of a nice knoll. Plenty of H20 available. The only thing I want is a still. If I can make my own alchol for running the generator and lawn mowers I'd be happy.


you might want to look into a wood-gas generator


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

Being prepared has been a "normal way of life" for me - mostly due to the influence of my grandparents. My grandparents were born in the 19-teens and they went through the Great Depression, the world-wars, alot of "skirmishes" and such. The stories they told me about making their own coffee (because it could not be purchased), about winters so cold that being outside would kill you, the skills they taught me (cooking, baking, sewing, carpentry) and such gave me the sense that things were bad - very bad - and yet they survived and thrived.

I have always wanted to live in such a way that my father grew-up in where running water was two-feet and a bucket, where heat was given when you swung an ax, where growing a small garden was larger than the land that my entire house is situated on ... that kind of living where money wasn't the requirement to survive - skills were what was required.

I would love to be able to live "in the good-old-days" .. but .. I can't so I will do what I can with what I have now.


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## Liberty (Aug 6, 2009)

My husband is a hoplophile. So he got me into guns... 

I've always been into having a lot of food around the house. And never running out of anything. While growing up, my parents would often let us run out of TP, flour, bisquick, beans... but they would just run out and get them the next day. I hated it. So when I moved out, I never let myself run out of anything. It slowly turned into stocking up.

I'm quite politically involved so I guess I just see what could happen. I'd rather be prepared for TEOTWAWKI and not need my preparations than be faced with TEOTWAWKI and be totally caught off guard.

Also, the novel "Patriots" woke me up more.


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## SurvivalNut (Nov 13, 2008)

In the Army I was into Long Range Patrols and Fire Support (Field Artillery). After retiring, I kept on backpacking. I enjoy 30-50 mile treks and living self-sufficiently out of a backpack. 

After watching Hurricane Katrina unfold on TV and seeing everyone pointing fingers at one another, I went on the quest from BOB to full self sufficiency. 

There is something satisfying with producing your own eggs, fruit and vegetables and learning skills forgotten to most. 

Today I left the office early ( I work at home) and went and cut 2 cords of firewood. I don’t worry about the future. Plan ahead and have fun as you do. Don’t fear, tomorrow is a new adventure!

I enjoy sharing knowledge with my grown children and preparing a small productive piece of land to pass on to the next generation.

My favorite recent reading was LIGHTS OUT.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

For me, it's just something that I've picked up an interest in. I don't know anyone that I know is into prepping. That said, most of my family and friends can hold their own quite well. I see the way the world is turning and I want to extend what I've learned and been taught. I'm a husband and a dad now and I want to make sure my family is always warm and dry and sleeping with full bellies.

I guess I just don't have much faith in "the system" and I want to be able to hold my own if the need should ever arise.


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## sgt.doug (Jun 1, 2009)

military back ground,my upbringing and the general overall status of our country in the last 10 or so years...at least thats when i started seeing that the road we all were traveling was not good and that made me nervous and last but not least having a realitive killed in his own home by some idiot that took less than three hundred dollars worth of items.......




when you take um down ....take um down hard
my first sgt.preached to me.....


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## Expeditioner (Jan 6, 2009)

My reasons for prepping are similar to Sgt. Doug's. More so a way of life then anything else. Both of my parents grew up in the country during the Depression. My father in the Appalachian region of NC and my mother in middle TN. My wife is from Rhodesia (what is now called Zimbabwe).....it is definitely a way of life for her!!!!


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## sailaway (Mar 12, 2009)

I've always thought about things beyond what most of society thinks about ie. sports, sports and the Sunday Game. :congrat: I wondered how I would fare if the system let me down. When Hurricane Andrew hit it did. I thought I was reasonably prepared which I was however I wanted to be more comfortable and for a longer period of time. I started at that point and have grown from there. We lost power in Ohio from Hurricane Ike and were ready with a generator. We have also been snowed in at times and have been prepared for that. We weren't completely prepared for the grid going down across Canada, NY, Pa and Oh. a couple of years ago. This made me start thinking more about the system and becomming more independant of it. I also experienced the City of Cincinnati being locked down do to civil unrest a couple of years ago. That fuelled a need for a place away from the masses and more personal protection. Being prepared has become more of a way of life for me and does influence my decision making process more and more. I was a Scout and still am, Our Moto is: BE PREPARED!:2thumb:


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## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

Amen brother!


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

sailaway said:


> I've always thought about things beyond what most of society thinks about ie. sports, sports and the Sunday Game.


I used to be a fan of "general TV" but not of "sports TV". I can't stand watching people play games - I would rather play it myself.


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## LittleFire (Jul 9, 2009)

Sailaway, I totally agree with you there! Motto: BE PREPARED!


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## GatorDude (Apr 23, 2009)

I've always had being prepared in the back of my mind. Growing up in Florida, hurricanes were always a possibility. Now, as I've grown older, I've seen a few things--


Big changes - Fall of the Soviet Union
Civil unrest - LA Riots
Terrorism - September 11th
Reasonable Organizations getting ready - Big Data Centers in Corporate America AND their backup plans
Natural Disasters - Katrina
Tornadoes in downtown Atlanta
Economic Disasters - The loss of my really great job

Twenty years ago, preparedness was looked on as slightly kooky. Now, the business case for being prepared is amazingly strong. Being unprepared is just plain dumb now...


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## sailaway (Mar 12, 2009)

GatorDude said:


> I've always had being prepared in the back of my mind. Growing up in Florida, hurricanes were always a possibility. Now, as I've grown older, I've seen a few things--
> 
> 
> Big changes - Fall of the Soviet Union
> ...


Gator Dude, that's an impressive list. Most of have been through all of that and then some. I have never added all of that up in my head, I just keep looking at what's infront of me. Change keeps happening and things seem less and less stable for all of us.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

In the winter of 06-07, we were at the grocery store and noticed that the packaging had shrunk while price did not. About the same time, I discovered SurvivalBlog.com and had my eyes opened to the fragility of our food chain. We've always had a garden but decided to expand. As we started growing more of our own food, a few chickens seemed like a prudent step. Every step we _took_ led us to think about another step we _should_ take. 
We got a few goats and then thought about how we would feed and them and the chickens ( which we have 40 of now ) over the winter if our regular suppliers were no longer available, so we grew some hard red wheat over the 08-09 winter. We plan to add oats in the spring. These are only small plots of about 1500sq ft each, and with the 2000sq ft of corn, will give us enough grain to feed the animals and us, as well as save enough to plant next year. 
So, it started out as just a way to avoid being caught off guard in the event of any unforeseen circumstance and has grown into a goal of becoming as self sufficient as possible. If you grow or raise most everything you need, you're fairly well prepared.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

UncleJoe - I have also noticed that the "bulk items" are no-where as large as they were in 1990. Not long ago I found some of my old-stash of pit-stick and even those packages are twice the size of the largest pit-stick that I can buy today at the local WallyWorld - and the ones at WallyWorld are currently double the price of what was stamped on the outside of the pit-stick from my stash.

I think that having a stash is kind of good because it allows you to see the differences that have happened in the last few years and it cements our belief that things are changing - and - not always for the better for the "little guy" ..


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## rainygardener (Sep 1, 2009)

OK, growing up my Grandmother and Father hammered preparedness into my head because they had gone through the Great Depression and WW2. They taught me how to garden, butcher, make soap, make butter and such.
What made me think about preparedness as adult was living through tough financial economic times, so I started there.
When 911 happened, I literally freaked out with anxiety. I didn't know how bad things would get afterward and I think I was in shock for months. I couldn't stop shopping and storing, good grief I was a mess!
I am in a much better place. DH and I have country property, we remodel, garden and feel well prepared for emergencies now and I try to help others prepare and learn skills, only if they are interested. 
My siblings pretty much have no interest and some think it's stupid, but I never want to feel unprepared again like I did on 911, so their opinion, is just that. 
I rotate and carefully use food that is stored and try not to overstock, I hate waste.


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## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

For me, it was way back in the 80's when we had the power go out because of a snow storm. Living in an all electric house ( stove,heat,etc) we were without stuff for days. I had a handicapped child and another in diapers. Well, after that I was determined not to be that helpless again. I switched over to propane gas stove for cooking. We put in a wood stove and I started stocking up on caned goods at sales at the grocery stores when school started every year.
So, basically I've expanded our pantry to where I can "shop" from my preps now, and stock up on things when there a good deal and I have coupons to save even more. We've moved over to our acres and have a pellet stove for heat. We're switching it over to solar to power it. We also have a generator to run the important stuff ( fridge,freezer,water). I'm learning to can foods. I've almost gotten the hubby to agree to get chickens (LOL), and I've got him thinking of how to put us in a root cellar for storage of course  We have a set of berkey filters and I hope to get a second set soon.
My goal would be as self sufficiant as possible so we could afford to pay all the taxes which I feel is coming and also to know where my food is coming from and to help lower the amount we'd have to spend on it.
I have to go slow and steady with the hubby as he's one of those folks who don't like to rush into things ( which is good cuz I am LOL) That way he's (we) are not overwhelmed with things to learn and adjust to and to deal with.

I just hope we have the time to get there.


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## Tammy (Sep 12, 2009)

I've recently gotten in to being prepared. I'm only 23 years old so I think i'm starting out good. Me and my husband have want to get a good spot of acres 20-30, but right now cant afford it. So we started out small and got a two bedroom house in town for now so that we would have a place with out rent and waste of money so that we could raise our 4 year old daughter until we can get the money to buy what we want. I've been researching on how to live off the land and how to make your own solar power. I like to garden,but with only 1 acre of land i dont get to do much and i'm still learning too.I would love to hear the more experience survivalist and to learn what they know. I love to learn and dont feel like i can learn enough. the more i know the better.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Tammy said:


> with only 1 acre of land i dont get to do much and i'm still learning too.


 You can do a lot more than you might think with an acre. An acre is 43,560 sq ft. Let's say your house, driveway, sidewalk, etc. has a "footprint" of 3500 sq ft. ( ours is about 3000) and that you're not on a wooded lot. That leaves 43,000 sq ft of your lot to work with. Let's subtract another 10,000 for areas that don't get full sun such as around landscape trees or the north side of the house. Now we'll take another 10,000 for a front yard where you may not want garden type plants. That still leaves 23,000 sq ft for growing food. I don't know if my figures are close to your situation or not but it gives you an idea of what may be possible.
We use about 6000 sq ft for our garden. In one plot, at 2500 sq ft, we grow all the major veggies; tomatoes, peas, beans, carrots, beets, broccoli, cukes, potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, peppers, cantaloupe, and zucchini. Another plot at about 2000 sq ft is for sweet corn, watermelon, which grows in and around the corn, and lima beans which grow on the corn stalks. Then there is 600 sq ft of strawberries and 2 rows of blackberries (10 plants). And finally, last fall we tilled up a new plot of about 1000 sq ft and planted winter wheat for grinding into flour and supplementing the feed for our chickens and goats.
Starting small as you are now is a great way to learn. Better to make your learning mistakes (and you will have them) on a smaller scale than to lose several acres of crops. Growing most of your own food is a great feeling until you get a rotten growing season like ours was this year  but the point is, there is a lot of food production potential with an acre of ground to work with so get out there and start digging.


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## Lady_B (Jul 23, 2009)

I am thoroughly enjoying this thread, reading everyone's stories. I was a youngster (11 yo) when the Detroit riots (summer of 1967) occurred, and our home was there on Detroit's east side. I was scared sh_tless! I recall my folks discussing whether we had enough groceries in case Mom couldn't get to the local Farmer Jacks for her regular Friday shopping (in case the rioters came to our neighborhood), and remember mom checking her change purse to see if she had the coins for a gallon of milk (about 70 cents then). It made quite an impression on me. Thus, I have always been one to 'stock up' to the extent my budget would allow. It's been in the last 5-10 years however, that I've realized that the lousy politicians just aren't going to change no matter how many letters I write, or phone calls I make. I truly believe now that they're destroying our wonderful country and that there are now so many possible SHTF scenarios that could occur at any time. So, again, as budgets allow (husband retired, I'm still working), we have been making preparations, reading, learning, etc. for a few years now. It's now a lifestyle and not just a passing activity/hobby. I only wish I could find more like-minded people in our area.


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## Tammy (Sep 12, 2009)

I feel the same way about wishing there were more like minded people in your area. I'm still quite young at the age of 23(fixing to be 24 christmas). It took my husband a little while to convince me that this is what i'd like to do.. Now i wouldn't even mind having a small farm that is actually our five year goal. Right now i work in a factory and hate it i would rather be out doing something more constructive with my time. I'd really enjoy doing farming more. When I talk to people around me about what i think is going to come they just laugh at me, family and friends. I fear what will happen to them when things do get rough. I know alot of them dont know the first thing about having a garden, they talk about having one but they never learn how. Then some of our family, like my mother in law knows how to garden,but she only has small crops just enough to last the summer and then depends on going to the store. I'm trying not to go to the store as much so that i'm not dependant on it. I read all the survialist blogs that i can hoping that i'll learn something and order books that i think will help to teach me new skills. I wish i knew of some kind of class the i could take on this kind of stuff that would be in tennessee.


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## bunkerbob (Sep 29, 2009)

I grew up in the 50s and 60s, old eh!, and this was always on my parents mind with Cuba, Russia, and the Cold war going on. Food storage was practiced, where to go if we were in school, and what to do in an emergency. My mother even showed us the storm drains to go down if there was a nuclear weapon attack. Grew up in the Mormon church, not practicing now, so food storage was ingrained in our minds. My immediate family members(wife, son, daughter and families) support the idea of preparedness, and we update a plan every year. I try not to announce to everyone about my plans, preparation and location of our survival in case of a crisis.

I like your quote, looks like the one on the Alpha Rubicon site. Speaking of that site does anyone have any info or experiences with them


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## Vertigo (Aug 6, 2009)

Great to see so many life stories of people! 

btw, bunkerbob, you're right, I picked that quote up from the alpha rubicon site. Heinlein is actually a famous SF-writer. 

I don't have any experience with them, once I tried to apply, but never got a reply back from them. They do seem to have a jolly good time together though.

greetz,

V.


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## bunkerbob (Sep 29, 2009)

Robert Heinlein, pronounced hine-line by the way, ended his career here in Calif. at Bonny Doon after living in Colorado, and he and his wife at different times were cremated and their ashes were spread out at sea. No children. One of my favorite authors, Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Have Spacesuit-will travel, Stranger in a Strange Land, Starship Troopers, Farnhams Freehold, about a fella that builds a bomb shelter....just to mention some. Look at this site for more...Heinlein Society

I also applied to Alpha Rubicon, they said I would have to have a paid email style site to be accepted, no free hotmail, gmail and the such, I'm retired and can't afford these, had my hotmail one for at least 10 years. I think this was ok and never followed through. I will be prolific in my contributions regardless of which site accepts me.

Remember the Ant and the Grasshopper fable...


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## sinbad (Oct 27, 2009)

Y2K scare was just a spark, but in reality I was always the type of guy who thinks before jumping into anything. This thinking and planning habbit plus getting involved in safety related activities, I started to see a connection to preparedness. And then the Y2k came, I started visiting Y2K related sites, and then preparedness sites.


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## reymond (Oct 31, 2009)

*Preparedness*

I remember being hungry the whole time I was growing up.I remember waking up to my stomach growling. I vowed to myself that it would never happen again if I could help it. The only promise I made to my wife was that she would never go hungry. I'm 67 years old and so far neither of us has gone hungry and I.m doing my best to make sure we never do. Therefore I prep.


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## kyfarmer (Feb 22, 2009)

Raised country and everyone always raised a garden and canned or put up stuff. Got in 14 bushells of taters this year, it's just the norm for us. Bad year for blight, maters,beans done bad this year but had plenty from last year canned to do us. Fixed some leather britches (dryed beans) that had a date of 05 outa the freezer the other day, they were so good, big ol peice of ham in them, i hope to have enough seed put back for the next 10 or 12 gardens if need be. Been a way of life for a long time now.


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## allen_idaho (Oct 21, 2009)

I grew up in the country as well. Growing up in the 1980's in a single-parent family, my brother and I didn't have much. Most of my clothes came from thrift shops. We had to make our shoes last for years at a time (very tough to do on a farm). Also not an easy task when my feet shot up to size 13.

We could have gotten food stamps and gone on welfare back then but my family doesn't believe in it. Our motto has always been "You want something, work for it". 

We had a large garden, some chickens, pigs, and horses. The rest of our food was canned goods from a canned foods outlet. 

Living in the middle of nowhere, we could spend days at a time without water and electricity every time the wind or a tree branch damaged the power lines. 

So when I was growing up, I knew I never wanted to be unprepared. Even while I went to school at a very young age, I got into the 4-H and FFA programs to raise and auction animals at the county fair. When I wasn't doing that, I was doing a variety of farm labor for pretty much slave wages. 

Now, I'm relatively well off. Much better than I was when I was growing up. I raise cattle. Grow my own fruits and vegetables. Every year I get a nice haul of raspberries, blackberries, apples, apricots, prunes, and pears. I usually slaughter one steer every one or two years, keeping half in my freezer and giving the other half to my brother. I keep a large selection of canned goods, both store bought and home canned. 

The only downside is that I now take care of my mother who has been fighting a terminal kidney disease for the last few years. The combination of medications she is now taking have been working quite well to keep the disease in check, but in a disaster, I don't know what I can do when the medication runs out. She will probably waste away in front of me.


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## kyfarmer (Feb 22, 2009)

allen_idaho said:


> I grew up in the country as well. Growing up in the 1980's in a single-parent family, my brother and I didn't have much. Most of my clothes came from thrift shops. We had to make our shoes last for years at a time (very tough to do on a farm). Also not an easy task when my feet shot up to size 13.
> 
> We could have gotten food stamps and gone on welfare back then but my family doesn't believe in it. Our motto has always been "You want something, work for it".
> 
> ...


I do know what you mean. Just filled my dads copay for 8 diffrent meds to the va yesterday, if they stop he would not do well. It is some thing on a lot of peoples minds now i think. I take care of him full time. But what could we do.


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## kyhoti (Nov 16, 2008)

I like this thread, so I'll give it a bump. Growing up, I was in Scouts, so being prepared was always in my head. The idea of running out of food, water or power wasn't. I took it for granted. One day when I was in the service, we lost shore power; no A/C, back-up lights only, no hot food. That planted the seed. Y2K got me going, 9/11 got me going more, and the '08 elections got me positively humming. It's a worldview now, not just a hobby.


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## HozayBuck (Jan 27, 2010)

*Y2K and prepping*

I think Y2K did more for prepping then anything I can think of, I started hounding my friends from the moment I heard of it and a lot of them made at least a half hearted attempt to stock up on food .

Then it came and nothing happened and most of them donated their bulk stuff to different food share orgs. when asked what I did with mine I told them I kept mine and was adding to them, when they asked why? I reminded them "Y3K was coming" it got a good laugh but little else.

I still have buckets and buckets of stored dry food stuff, and intend to keep getting it, but now I'm more inclined to just live the life and not have to be ready because I'll already be there...

But you can never have enough and I don't have much in the way of tools as far as digging and working the dirt so my new goal is to spend the winter saving up the odd dollars and come spring I'll start hitting the Garage and estate sales .

I go into thrift stores and it's like I have blinders on, my buddy goes in and finds oil lamps, grinders out the yang he found a very nice coffee grinder a week ago, after he cleaned it we tossed in some beans and cranked it, every bit as fast and well done as the elect one..

There is a world full of old hand powered wood working tools out there, I did buy an old brace and a pile of bits a few years ago for penny's. 
My buddy also has found some great old log shaping tools that I can't even name but I know how they work . one find was a peevy (sp) for rolling a log by yourself, and they work as I have used one before.. got it for something like 5 bucks!!

I think the best tool we can have for prepping is our mind but ya gotta open it and let the light in, I'm working on that one. I've been blinded by the pile of guns and ammo I've built up to the point I haven't allowed that light into my mind...but the shade is up and that window is up...


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## hardrock (May 19, 2010)

Always was big into hunting,fishing,gardening. But the 'light' really came on in 1994.

I started to become a little more political and learned of the massave debt our country is under. (now much worse.) I knew that it could not go on forever and not collaspe.

When in the service I saw real poverty and knew what could happen when things go out of control. 

Started slowly (in 1994) to get ready for whatever happens and now am as ready as I can be.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

Being ready has been a rural way of life for, well pretty much recorded history
People had the skills to feed them selves and their family , not many had extra cash for things that are now considered needs, but not many died during tough winters. A friend of mine told me a story about visiting an old friend of his families in a retirement home, he did this once each week, after a while he ran out of things to talk about, So he asked the Elderly man "what is the biggest change you have seen in your life, the most important big change"?
This happened about 30 years ago. Keep in mind that this man had seen most of the industrial ages big change. The answer. The way people treat and regard others. 
After the me me me people have discovered that their worthless paper won't majicly give them skills it will be too late 
I was lucky enough to be raised for my early years with out utilities (I am in my late 40s) I learned that you don't need an embilical cord (the grid) But people from the generation before me couldn't wait to throw out their old wood fired heat source once some other conveinient thing showed up , and the should have known better. 
The "vision" that the person who should look after me better be the one I look at in the mirror when brushing my teeth, has to be hard wired into some of us.:2thumb:


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

My parents grew up in the depression. My dad's family wasn't too bad off, but my Mom and her family nearly starved. She never got over that. Our basement was full of shelves of home-canned food and a huge chest freezer was always stocked with meat. She kept an eye on the cupboards in the kitchen and we never ran out of anything, not even a spice or bread or anything. She did the same with toilet paper, shampoo, dish soap, etc. 

In my adult life it started as a habit, but we had some pretty lean years here and there along the way. That, plus having a lot of Mormon friends who educated me about long-term food storage, got us rolling on the prep path. Now we live in such a remote area that driving an hour and a half each way to the stores is so unappealing that we do like my Mom did...watch our supplies and never run out of anything.


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## flatwater (Dec 15, 2008)

For my wife and I it's always been there. We have always wanted to disconect and with Obama at the helm we are moving faster at getting there


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## PS360 (Sep 10, 2010)

My parents have always been self reliant and thrifty, so it rubbed off on me.

But Y2K really started it for me, and then sept 11th sunk it in a bit harder, and the constant talk of economic problems, and global warming sealed the deal.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

gypsysue said:


> My parents grew up in the depression. My dad's family wasn't too bad off, but my Mom and her family nearly starved. She never got over that. Our basement was full of shelves of home-canned food and a huge chest freezer was always stocked with meat. She kept an eye on the cupboards in the kitchen and we never ran out of anything, not even a spice or bread or anything. She did the same with toilet paper, shampoo, dish soap, etc.
> 
> In my adult life it started as a habit, but we had some pretty lean years here and there along the way. That, plus having a lot of Mormon friends who educated me about long-term food storage, got us rolling on the prep path. Now we live in such a remote area that driving an hour and a half each way to the stores is so unappealing that we do like my Mom did...watch our supplies and never run out of anything.


I grew up poor, never starved, but did go to bed 'hungry' a couple times... & being a kid, was less than appreciative of 'baked beans, AGAIN?' now I am FAT, & I plan to stay that way, there is NEVER a decision whether to put food on the table OR pay this or that bill, luckily I'm good at stretching a dollar, AND I own all my stuff, but if that choice ever has to be made... it's FOOD, every time.


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

I have been hungry, to the point of dreaming of grocery shopping. I also grew up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast where hurricanes were common. It is just normal for me to want to be prepared for what ever. I never want to be in that panic mode, pantry empty and store shelves are too. I do belive we will see the store shelves bare in the not too distant future. Things just can't keep going on like they are. Everyone is in for a rude awakening. Prepare now.


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## roaringaslan (Mar 4, 2010)

*why i prep*

I was an anthropology major in college, and though I initially was introduced to my fear of global collapse through threats of the coming "global warming" event...I actually believe that it will be the opposite that will do us in, "global cooling". Been studying about it for a long time, and it seems to me that it is happening and that pretty soon there will be massive crop failures and flooding/harsh winters, leading to food shortages and higher prices (even at Walmart). I support my family on one income, so I've got to be prepared. The problem I see is even with all the prepping we do, unless you're lucky enough to live in a very remote location - you'll be smoked out within short order and attacked by desperate people who have not prepped...I really don't see any hope for anyone who lives within 100 miles of a populated area. Anything larger than a small town or village will self destruct when/if they lose electricity and water. People living far enough away usually have their own self-sufficiency skills built in due to their distance from the infrastructure. i say this as a person who does live close to a city...it's something i worry about constantly. My job and current situation doesn't permit me to move away. i would love to find a way to move out into the country and be self-sufficient and far away from the populace! there i would feel that all my stock-piling and efforts at learning to survive on my own would result in my actual survival should shtf. I also think that an EMP event is possible, which would completely wreck society. Can you imagine living without technology? I mean most of us have imagined it, but your everyday citizen...no electricity, no t.v., no internet (noone to tell people what to do to get through the emergency), no "entertainment" (that's the first thing that everyone would cry about), then the more serious issues such as - no heat, no cooling, no water in the cities, no sanitation...no transportation...


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## bstickler92 (Apr 15, 2010)

my reason for why is probably not the most interesting nor something that i've read here already. i'm 18 and a freshman in college so i do not really have the resources to prep very efficiently. yet. it was sometime in high school when a friend of mine started to write a SHTF novel for fun. to this day i haven't read it(probably because it's not finished) but it really got me thinking about the world around me and what really makes it tick. how things happen around us that we don't even notice. i've worked in distribution so that helped me to learn firsthand how goods are circulated from where they are made all the way to the end customer. it's a complicated process that nowadays involves modern technology(although the scanner system we used was made in the mid 90's and the router is about as big as a desktop computer's tower). so getting back to my point, i have always watched my spending, even on jeep parts, which is really hard(haha) but i see so much wastefulness in our world that has become the norm. and i do not want to be a part of that world. so we are forced to live in that world and do the best we can do to prepare for whatever happens whether it be something as simple as a natural disaster or something a bit more complicated.


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## mongo79 (Nov 7, 2008)

Vertigo said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Just something I have been wondering about, it might be interesting:
> 
> ...


Growing up on a farm in the midwest, sudden disaster is preceded by a sudden north wing on a hot muggy day. (tornado weather) Then 6 years marines. Then 28 years law enforcement. And common sense. I just dont see things improving........


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## elder (Oct 25, 2008)

A personal friend wrote a book on preparedness (When All Plans Fail: Are you ready for disasters? Be ready for natural and man-made disasters.) and discussed it with our home church group throughout the writing. I admit that I am not prepared, but am beginning to assemble tools, some emergency food, a "wall of fire" fireplace grate, a supply of wood and have my mind engaged on the subject.


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## Vertigo (Aug 6, 2009)

Just refound this thread and thought to bump it up the pages, so some of the new members of PS can share their eye-opening experience 

V.


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## Ur5hittingMe (May 1, 2011)

I wish I could remember "why" I started.... but the best I can say is that it probably came about more through maturing than anything else. Not that I was ever 100% sheeple, (maybe just 50% at a more youthful time:sssh Just growing older and wiser and opening my eyes to the constant dishonesty of our elected officials, the complacincy of the public to continue to allow the dishonsty to continue, the chemicals that are being forcefed to the population which in turn makes them all sick to make the medical industry wealthy, the never ending circle of keeping up with the Jones's mentality, the never ending peeing away of our tax dollars to do nothing to remedy the financial mess that this country has become while few people seem to think that there is even anything amiss.....
I could ramble on and on of the things that have made me look to prepping for what seems to me to be a very unsettling future, but if I continue to ramble, my wife will punch me...  

I wish I could remember what the original question was.... or if I answered it at all........


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## Asatrur (Dec 17, 2008)

My wife is/was a gardener for years including canning, etc. and I fell into it when I wanted to start doing things around controlling what my family ate meaning what choices we had, which while more than a lot of places in the world, they were limited.

We have found other areas of our lives that the gubermint has long tried to control and manipulate once I opened my eyes.


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## Salekdarling (Aug 15, 2010)

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f2/dreams-7962/

My response is in this thread. First page. Please don't think I'm on the kool aid.


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## Ponce (May 3, 2009)

Hello Vertigo.......I only read your post and no one elses..........being from Cuba I know what it is to have nothing so that it has always being in the back of my mind. I knew that we were screwed when we gave back the Panama Canal Zone and China took over at both ends of it.

I was living in CA back in 1999 when I realise what was going to happen in five or ten years and the first thing that I did was to sell my home and then to buy one in the woods of Oregon....for the past 12 years I have been getting ready and thanks to my military training and my experiences around the world I know what to do.

I would like to think that I am 100% ready but....... ("To be ready is not"...Ponce) ... always something else to do.


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## wildone_uk (Aug 9, 2010)

i have been doing survival since the 50s my grandad got me into it after the war i supose prepping is a natural progression as you get older


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

*I'll follow salekdarling's lead but just copy and paste my original response.*

In the winter of 06-07, we were at the grocery store and noticed that the packaging had shrunk while price did not. About the same time, I discovered SurvivalBlog.com and had my eyes opened to the fragility of our food chain. We've always had a garden but decided to expand. As we started growing more of our own food, a few chickens seemed like a prudent step. Every step we took led us to think about another step we should take.
We got a few goats and then thought about how we would feed and them and the chickens ( which we have 40 of now ) over the winter if our regular suppliers were no longer available, so we grew some hard red wheat over the 08-09 winter. We plan to add oats in the spring. These are only small plots of about 1500sq ft each, and with the 2000sq ft of corn, will give us enough grain to feed the animals and us, as well as save enough to plant next year.
So, it started out as just a way to avoid being caught off guard in the event of any unforeseen circumstance and has grown into a goal of becoming as self sufficient as possible. If you can grow or raise most everything you need, you're fairly well prepared.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Back when Bush Jr. was in the White House, I heard that Russia had lost track of several of their suitcase nukes. Knowing how much the radical muslims hated Bush and his ranch being about 80 miles from me as the crow flies made me think of finding a safe place to go and having a store of supplies there.

I had no ideal what a prepper was and that their were more like me. I had a piece of land in West Texas found and was getting ready to purchase it when the drug cartels got really active on the border so decided to just start getting ready to shelter in place.

Since the food prices really started rising a few years ago and especially when BoB was elected in 08 realized that an economic collapse may be a more real threat, anyway, here I am.


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

I just like having the things I need handy. I have always had plenty of food and material for sewing on hand. enjoying making things from scratch helps too. I guess you could say being prepared for a problem and being able to solve it has always been the way my DH and I work. we would dumpster dive when we were younger and find things that we could use or fix and use. never been afraid to learn or ask how to do something. but if I had to chose when it started for me...... I guess it started when I read a book in middle school about early midwifery and found out how herbs and things were used back then and learned later that it was "old" medicine that saved my grandmothers life back in the early 1910's. it all fell in place that modern is not always the best or only way.


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## JustUs (Nov 7, 2011)

Vertigo said:


> What made you think about preparedness the first time? Was it something you experienced, a discussion you had, something you read in the newspapers, because of the education your parents gave you, etc. ?


My first child was born between Christmas and New Years. EVERYONE was watching and waiting for this boy to "do his thing", IE soil a diaper, so we could leave as an ice storm was on the way. We made it with about a half hour to spare. I decided I was NOT going to take this little guy out in nasty weather just because I didn't have the foresight to "stock up" on what we needed. It started off simple enough....extra package of TP, milk and bread in freezer, etc. One thing lead to another "hole" I needed to fill. I was doing this mostly "on my own" and focusing mainly on food, first aid and soap type things. I didn't want DH to tell me I was nuts and to chill out....like my father always told my mom (who always had a few shelves full of food in our basement) so I never talked to him about it. Food and daily supplies were "my job" and he was happy with how ever I did it, so I just did it.

Fast forward 8 yrs and we are living outside the US. I pose a question to DH to "feel him out". After a few weeks of chatting I realize he's "on board" to some extent. BUT he is coming at it from an entirely different angle....COOL! He saw TONS of holes I never even though of :congrat:. Now, DS is 13 and we are back in the US in a better situation to withstand the future....but still not "done".


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

I share similar backgrounds with a few other posters in here. I was raised by my Grandparents from age 1 to 16. My grand parents went through the great depression and I guess they past those values to me. Gardens, saving money, self sacrifice, etc. My grand parents lived a very simple debt free life. My grand mother made most meals from scratch and always had weeks worth of food in the pantry. When my grand father died when I was 16, I went to live with my mother. 

My mother was the reverse of my grand parents in that she never had any money, never had any food in the house and was always running out of gas in the car. She put me to work washing dishes at a local business. Being a good kid I bought food for the house and paid some bills and when she asked I would loan her money. My mother had 2 boy friends that I remember. 

The first one was a former Marine sgt "very strick and did not talk much", and was always grumbling something like "THIS IS NOT A FREE COUNTRY", not really sure what he ment by it? 

The next boy friend was a rancher/farmer that put me to work on one of his ranches. I spent years working without pay for him, but I did learn a lot from it. He was a regular Nebraska good-ol-boy. Taught me hunting, fishing, butchering, farming, ranching, camping, firearms, etc.. He had a lot of distain for gov types. However, he did know all the local LEO's and seamed to be friends when ever the LEO's showed up at the ranch for some reason. He also taught me things that would now be illegal in 50 out of 50 states. 



When you put all this together and then mix in some of my DNA you get what I'm today. So I've been a survivalist/prepper all my life.

There is a lot more to the story but I don't want to bore any one to much.


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## forluvofsmoke (Jan 27, 2012)

August 12, 2005 @ approx 4:40 pm an F-2 tornado destroyed or severely damaged about 1/4 of our town, nearly took out my house and one vehicle and almost got my wife and kids while they fled for safety. If it hadn't been for the last house it tore the roof of off (asphalt shingles in the funnel), I wouldn't have seen it heading right at me on the highway, due to the torrential rain. We were displaced from our home for 2 - 1/2 days until the gas leaks were stopped and partial utilities were restored.

That was an eye opening experience, to say the least. To compound everything since then, with the multitude of global problems and our own country's financial scramble, well, I've seen enough to not want to wait to see what's coming next. I figured the sooner I start heading where I want to be the sooner I'll get there...it's been a long time coming, and I'm finally seeing a viable plan.


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## GaryS (Nov 15, 2011)

I was raised on a North Dakota farm in the forties and fifties and you could depend on being snowed in at least a few days every year, and often for weeks at a time, so prepping wasn't one time mission, it was the normal way of life. You did it all the time, or you died when nature got nasty. 

After a few years of getting spoiled by city living, Jimmy Carter came along and I was again inspired to relearn how to become self-sufficient. My dedication has ebbed and flowed since that time, but this time I'm convinced we will actually experience what we all fear and prepare for.


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