A number of years back, I opened a discussion of preparing for probable events and setting aside the extreme for a later time. It all started with a conversation in my household, and whether we needed to take our prepping to the next level. The specific context was freeze drying our own food but it could have just as easily been medical supplies, firearms, and communications gear.
This got me thinking about prepping in general and the various stumbling blocks that many face along the way. These stumbling blocks may include expense. Let’s face it, money for food, supplies and gear is an ongoing struggle for almost everyone. Then there is time. Learning skills, organizing preps, forming community groups and, for lack of a better word, organizing and inventorying what we have takes a tremendous amount of time, to the exclusion of more pleasant and enjoyable pastimes.
The pressure to get it all and to do it all is great.
Prepping Priorities
For some, planning for family safety and security during rough times or a disaster is foremost. And for that, you will not get an argument from me. Earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, floods, fires and storms are all things we can relate to. But what about preparing for a doomsday scenario such as a pandemic, terrorist attack in our own backyard, nuclear holocaust, or a massive world-changing EMP, or global economic collapse?
I will be the first to raise my hand and say that of these examples, the latter doomsday scenarios are what I fear the most. But are these the most probable? Taking just one, once a global economic collapse begins, the nations of the world will crumble like a set of dominoes and a major, global depression will occur. The will be no money, no industry, no jobs and no rule of law. There will be chaos of a grand scale and those of us in the Western world will need to learn to fend for ourselves as did the pioneers of years gone by. That is my opinion, anyway.
But I digress and moving out of context. The point I am attempting to convey is that we each need to come up with our own set of probable scenarios and prep for them over and beyond the extreme, more apocalyptic scenarios.
Prepping Is Not An All or Nothing Thing
I once asked readers to comment on whether they planned to bug in or bug out if a disaster or crisis were to occur near their home. The overwhelming answer was “bug in”. The reasons were many: health concerns, proximity to family members and access to prepping supplies were just a few.
Let me add another. Not everyone can afford to own and stock a secondary bug out location. Yet there are certain survival and prepping websites that will deride their readers for not making the sacrifice to set up an alternate location. What kind of BS is that? In a similar manner, certain sites will claim that without 300 pounds of wheat or 10,000 rounds of ammo, you will not survive.
It is not that those are bad things, but simply that everyone has different needs.
In spite of the description of preppers portrayed by Nat Geo’s Doomsday Preppers and other reality shows, being prepared is not an all or nothing thing. You do not need to be extreme, you do not need to run around in camouflage outfits and you do not need to look like a Rambo or Rambette.
And most of all, if your prepping is imperfect, it is still better than 90% of the population. I say it is time to get over extreme prepping and come to terms with your prepping priorities. That is what I am doing and you should, too.
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Register Now for a Free Webinar on Home Canning the SAFE Way
I have written about the fear of canning in the past, and now know that my kitchen will not blow up from using a pressure canner. Still, I have some personal uncertainties about the canning process. It is for that reason I have hooked up with my almost neighbor, Melissa K. Norris, to present an online webinar on home canning the SAFE way.
Why this and why now? Truth be told, there are some outdated methods still is use and still being pitched both online and in eBooks. Why take a chance?
Appropriately titled “How to Can Safely at Home with Confidence“, during this online session you will learn which methods are outdated and just plain dangerous. At the same time, you will learn about methods that are safe plus some best practices for building up food storage with real food you “put up” yourself.
Spots are limited and registration is now open! Note that this is a free event.
By the way, both Shelly and I have already attended one of Melissa’s webinars. I promise you, this is a fantastic chance to learn from one of the nicest and most sincere persons you will meet online. Be sure to save the date, August 9th, at 6pm Pacific.
The Final Word
There are days that I think I should rename Backdoor Survival “Ordinary Prepping”. I say that because that is what we do here. We promote common sense and thoughtful preps that can seamlessly blend into our day to day lives. We may keep some of what we do private, but for the most part we share and help others become self-reliant and self-sufficient.
Don’t you agree?
Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye
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Related Articles:
The Care and Feeding of Pressure Canners
Canning Jars 101 - Everything You Need To Know and More!
How to Overcome The Fear of Pressure Canning
Fast Track Prep Tip #4: How to Use a FoodSaver for Vacuum Canning
Spotlight: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
Many consider this Ball Canning Guide to be their canning bible. I have the eBook version but really need to get the print version as well.
Bargain Bin: I frequently emphasis the importance of “Comfort” when it comes to survival. Whereas being truly comfortable during and following a disruptive event is an oxymoron, here are items that I feel will contribute to our comfort, for better or for worse. For more ideas, visit 16 Items To Help You Hunker Down in Comfort.
Let’s start with something we can use to brew coffee and move on from there.
Farberware Classic Stainless Steel Yosemite 8-Cup Coffee Percolator: Here is a link to my own percolator. It is about $21 and without question, it makes great coffee. I also own this manual coffee grinder and starting using it a couple of weeks ago when my electric grinder went T.U.:
Hario Ceramic Coffee Mill. Note that whole beans store well when sealed in a Mason Jar (see How to Use a FoodSaver for Vacuum Canning).
Lodge Logic Cast Iron Pre-Seasoned Drop Biscuit Pan: Biscuits with jam are one of my favorite comfort foods. This is the pan I purchased for biscuit making and to me, it was worth the cost.
Dorcy LED Wireless Motion Sensor Flood Lite: Having adequate light when the grid is down is another key to comfort. Don’t let the $20 price lead you to think this wireless flood light is wimpy. I have two of these and feel that these lights are worth double the price.
Coleman Mini Lantern: You already know that I have a think about flashlights but this is a slightly different take on portable lighting. It is 7.5 inches tall lantern and weighs just seven ounces, including batteries. And boy does it give off light. Inexpensive plus, it is a genuine Coleman.
Mr. Heater Portable “Big Buddy” Heater: Off course you are going to need a heat-source. With the Mr. Buddy heater, you can use propane indoors safely. It features an automatic low-oxygen shut-off system that automatically turns the unit off before carbon monoxide fumes reach dangerous levels in home. To learn more about propane, read the series Propane for Preppers.
Ticket To Ride: This my favorite board game, bare none. Family friendly, you will spend hours in front of the fireplace playing Ticket to Ride with your favorite people. This is worth the splurge.
Bicycle Canasta Games Playing Cards: This timeless classic will keep the entire family occupied when the power it out. Playing cards or board games should be in everyone’s preparedness kit.
Coloring Books for Grown-Ups: This is the latest addition to my list of comfort items. I hope you don’t think I am being silly because there really is something quite relaxing about coloring books. Don’t forget the crayons or Colored Pencils.
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Which are the best oils for your survival kit? This article describes my top picks.
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The post Survival Buzz: Coming to Terms With Your Prepping Priorities by Gaye Levy first appeared on Backdoor Survival.