What are you prepping for?

I recently started a thread on prepping for an EMP. It is my hopes that others will begin threads regarding what it is they are prepping for and what are they doing to prep? What scenarios do you see happening? Civil unrest? Economic collapse? Let's hear from you and maybe by discussing various scenarios we can help one another prepare for them. Of course, I believe our best prep is our relationship with the Lord, but God led others in the Bible to prep. He led Joseph to prep and it saved a nation. He led Noah to prep and it saved mankind. IMO this is no different. God does help us through things, but he expects us to do what he's called us to do.

Ok I'll start a thread, but here is my short answer

I see both civil unrest and economic collapse in the near future, and what will emerge after things settle down is what scares me the most. So we moved to a reasonably remote area where we have access to cities, but also are in such an area that most would just over look us. I am just wanting to be self sufficient and have the protection from high food and energy prices. I already store some food in mounds that just look like dirt piles. All root crops can be stored in this manner.

Keith I moved your post over to it's own thread so we can show what each thread is about and people can go to the ones that they are most concerned about or are trying to prep for. I'll post on the new thread sometime later, but like you, this is one of my main concerns.

There are so many things at this point in time that we need to be prepping for. I've found that I can't just concentrate on one thing. It sort of has to be an all purpose type of prepping in my mind. We try to create a hedge of sorts against some possible world events while realizing at the same time there are some possible scenarios no amount of prepping will help and we'll be swept up along for the ride. We're always prepping against a personal economic time of difficulty. Been there, done that and bought every t-shirt they sell. And once you go though that I don't think you ever really lose the feeling of being a bit spooked as far as never again trusting that a job will be there tomorrow simply because it was there today.

We want to be as prepared as we can for as much as we can. But at the same time realistically knowing that life will sometimes throw you a curve ball you never saw coming. So we pray a lot and then buy it cheap and stack it deep.

Well put plainfolk! I have ridden 3 factories down to closure, and jumped ship when Whirlpool of Evansville laid off in preparation to shut down. Now the other ship I jumped to is displaying the same pattern. I am putting a small business in place to jump to if this factory also fails. I have learned to not live on credit, and what lifes priorties really are. (got a couple t-shirts too, or as one fella puts it, "I've done stupid with zeros behind it, not gonna do that again)

Hey, I lived in my car when I was pregnant with my 4th baby, so I know how quickly life can change.

I don't see the need for specific reasons for prepping. I may be new to this, but my belief is to try to be ready for anything. as long as your ready for long term power outages with food and water storage and security. I do believe in safety in numbers as long as everyone puts in there share. some ppl like to keep quiet about prepping but seams to me the more ppl are prepping thats more ppl i don't need to worry about coming after me and mine

I wish I could prep but about the only things I can do is prep foodwise and live as frugally as possible. Where I live not remote at all but we are a community and everyone knows everyone else and I know I will have help if I need it. I only have one credit card and I'm closing that one out, even though I know when I call them to close it they are going to tell me how bad that will look on my credit report. Too bad.

I think there is going to be economic collapse and then will come the real problems. I'm worried about keeping my money in the bank. Any ideas on that subject?

My money NEVER!!!! I repeat NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!! is ever entrusted to large national chain banks. I have some in two different (local) credit unions, and some in a small community bank. My reasoning is if there is ever a problem the credit unions (being made up and owned by depositing members) are usually more stable and charge lower fees. The small (single branch) banks are usually owned by a family that has a vested interest in the community and therefore take fewer risks with deposits.

If you listen to Dave Ramsey (or go to his website and look for it) you know he recommends the smaller community, and regional banks over the national banks.

I could be very wrong, but if I am right...well lets hope we never know for sure.

At the rate the Feds are printing money, I'm not sure it's worth saving. I prefer to spend it on food and equipment.

well...you do have a valid point there

Yes, Sonshine you do have a point and so do you 12acre. I'm still with the credit union at work and also with a small "limited to this area" bank that has been in business in the area for 150 years. But still, Sonshine has a point.

I can prep foodwise but that's about it and I do have lots of room for storage in my mobile home. What do ya'll think about getting a small freezer? The only thing that worries me is if the power goes out. It would be a chest freezer and if the power went out I wouldn't open it anyway and if it was going to be out for a long period of time, well I'd just get out the canner. I'm lucky in that the stove in the kitchen is an "older" model and doesn't have electronic ignition so if the power does go out I can still cook and bake away to my hearts content.

Any tip you guys can give me would be appreciated. I'm not new to this but things are just different now that I'm not on my own land. I'm lucky though that there is a U-Pick right down the road from me and they have just about anything I would want so I can go there and if I want a bushel at a time all I have to do is pick it or they will even pick it for me.

modern pioneering is more about food and water and living with as few expenses as feasible. A deep freeze (aka freezer) is a great way to store some foods long term (months) if extended power outages are a concern, have a generator and extension cord. It will maintain food in a frozen state 24 to 70 hours so running a generator every day or two for a couple hours will keep the food frozen.

So what exactly are you wanting??

Actually I just want some chickens, a couple of goats and some angora rabbits for fiber. I may be able to have them at a friends lower farm down the road from me or I may be able to barter milk and eggs for milking her goats. I don't know, I'll just have to wait and see what happens.

I would like a garden but don't have the space for one as large as I want so I'm making the best of what I have and will supplement with container gardening. Most of my herbs will be in pots so I can bring them in during the winter. My fruits will have to come from local fruit farms or in the wild but that's okay. As long as I'm preserving food I'll be happy.

It sounds to me like you just lack a bit of confidence. Everything you have posted sounds like your house is in order Perhaps it is just the stress of the unknown, relax a bit and pray. God will show you what He wants you to do.

I have been prepping for years, but didn't call it that. I called it stocking up. always fearful of my well collapsing. I also store water. I kept myself out of deat. not wanting to lose my home for the lenders. I have paid every thing off. stocked up food. and water. cloths, wood, amo, guns, etc. and just the other day, I feel and almost ramed my head into a T post. came 2" from splitting my head clean open. I had to look back to see I was just fine. but it hounded me. how short are life is, and can be over in a hart beat. I thought instead of prepping, what eals was I not doing. I came up with a lot. first off, I was only watching out for me, and my family, seemed justified, then I paid all my bills off, protected me,and mine, then I thought, I preyed daily, gave my little dollar at church. donated cloths to are garoudg sale. gave all my unwanted junk to my local salvation army. gave all my neighbors all my unwanted advice . etc, etc, etc, and I realized. I was only taking care of myself. not my neighbor. not my friends, not my enemies, just me and who I thought was mine. and one T post could end my life, and one sandy or one earthquake, so now I am thinking, I still prepare food for hard times, and water, but I don't just plan it for me and mine. I figure, if I have the God given knowledge to do all this. I should be prepared to share it. I just refuse to believe that folks wont take care of each other. the bad ones are going to be there for sure. but they are there now. and I will not eat, and drink, and see a child or anyone else watch me do so. I would rather be just like them. and go with the fact, that I shared even though they didn't. it really saddens me, that so many folks are just looking out for themselves. if we put more time into saving are world, getting bad in teaching it in schools. putting it in news papers. what ever it takes. WE could all survive. not just me and mine. I could never shoot any one couse they are hungry, or thirsty. or cold. never. I think we should all be thinking on how all of us can survive, not just me and mine. don't get me roung, I will protect me and mine, but to the point of them just wanting food or water. God didn't give me this knowledge to survive alone. and if i have all this stash. surly he wont let me down, like I have the only right to survive. and not his other children. just couse they was waylaid. I don't wont to live in a world like that. any way, that is what I feel. and hope to God. I can live up to it.

we are the light, the city on the hill

I believe we are intended to guide others, and help those who cannot help themselves. We are supposed to survive to help others survive, we should share our harvests with others, always, good times and bad.

I temper this with one caveat I will give anyone a hand up, handouts, not so much. Too many just game the charity systems and are only seeking an easy living. A bit jaded I know, but I have seen too many make their rounds to all the local churches with the same story, week after week, and reeking of alcohol. I do not reward nor will I enable a persons desire to drink and have others pay for their lifestyle.

12a.cre, you're right, I'm now lacking the confidence. I lost it along the line somewhere. It could be I listened to much to a friend who told me I could never have my own place because I didn't have the funds and because of my age. When I was attending the Messanic church no one there had done any canning or preserving in years until I came along and starated talking about it. They wanted to know everything about the livestock I had had, ey the spinning, soap making. Maybe I just need to get my confidence back. I know I will never have my own land but I'm going to work on what I can do right where I am.

Evie, you said a mouthfull. I am of the same opinion, I could never watch anyone go hungry or cold. I would shoot anyone because they were hungry or cold (I can't shoot a gun anyway). I told one person my feelings and they called me a liberal. I don't think of it that way. My knowledge, what little I have on these subjects, is the one thing I can share with people. I've started getting involved in my community, one thing I never really did before, by helping out at the local food pantry. I can share my knowledge of cooking there. I've gotten involved more at my new Church and can share ideas there on things the guild can make for people in need or the bizzar. I can go to the local farmer's market and even if I don't sell one thing I can at least share my knowledge of spinning, soap making, baking, gardening and preserving with people who are interested. That is going to be one of the ways I prep now.

I think I'm going to start looking for a treadle sewing machine. I had one years ago but let someone borrow it and it never returned. My daughter's mother-in-law is big into JoAnn Fabric couponing and she told me that if you buy a whole bolt of fabric it counts as one cut. That's how my daughter got a wedding gown that would have cost $1500 (I know, nothing compared to what some pay) for $300. I think I'm going to start stocking up on fabric, all natural fibers. My fibers for spinning I've got covered. I've got three or bags of wool and will keep stocking up on more from friends who have alpaca and sheep. Once I get the wool picker in January I'll be able to get it all processed into yarn.