***Thread for survivalists, preparedness, G.O.O.D., SHTF, TEOTWAWKI***

[Nainoa]

I picked up a 22 recently to take up some rabbit hunting as there's a growing rabbit apocalypse growing down in the lower forest and the herd is sure to try and turn itself on my garden some time this summer. But they have elusive moments.

Hopefully this coming warm spell will get them out and about more!

[Procta]

traps > .22 for bunnies

[Nainoa]

traps > .22 for bunnies

Yeah I'm kind of coming to that conclusion.

I mean stalking through the woods I know exactly where their trails go and where a ton of dens are, but they're only out on the nicest of weather days in the winter. And I can't "Technically" hunt them after Feb 28th.

Still I needed the 22 for all the possums, woodchucks, skunks, chupacabra and coons that are sure to invade again this spring!

[FitStick]

When I specifically go out searching for rabbits it seems like I never have any luck. I spot tons and tons of them when I'm looking for deer or elk, though, just spooking the rabbits while they are grazing. The couple times I've gotten to do some pest control on people's property (usually they have a nice garden and rabbits and squirrels are tearing it up) I usually have to make a day of it and sometimes set up bait. I think traps are probably worthwhile, I simply shoot them for the fun of shooting.

[lhprop1]

Yeah I'm kind of coming to that conclusion.

I mean stalking through the woods I know exactly where their trails go and where a ton of dens are, but they're only out on the nicest of weather days in the winter. And I can't "Technically" hunt them after Feb 28th.

Still I needed the 22 for all the possums, woodchucks, skunks, chupacabra and coons that are sure to invade again this spring!

Bait pile + tree stand near multiple trails = profit

[Nainoa]

When I specifically go out searching for rabbits it seems like I never have any luck. I spot tons and tons of them when I'm looking for deer or elk, though, just spooking the rabbits while they are grazing. The couple times I've gotten to do some pest control on people's property (usually they have a nice garden and rabbits and squirrels are tearing it up) I usually have to make a day of it and sometimes set up bait. I think traps are probably worthwhile, I simply shoot them for the fun of shooting.

Yeah I was thinking that...

I saw a lot of them deer hunting, using my own bush trails.

It's my favorite deer stand... So I'm thinking about shoveling it off, bundling up and see what happens with this warm streak coming.

[RyouBakua]

lol at chupacabra

I was just about ready to bump this thread. My prepping has come to a standstill, due to an agressive debt reduction strategy that I've started recently. At least, the purchasing part of the prepping. Now I'm focusing on honing what skills I have, learning new skills, and learning how to make do with as little as possible.

good job at debt reduction. the more aggressive the better!

[Nainoa]

This year I'm not going to sell nursery plants... With the baby coming in less than 2 months, just don't need the extra headache... So I'm just growing for the family... Building my garden plan (Just planted the tropicals and chives on the 1st) So this year with the extra greenhouse space I'm focusing on things that have more long term storage... Cabbages, doubling my squash, sunflowers for seed, more canning tomatoes, potatoes, onions and the garlic is already in the ground.

This will be my first year building my from day 1 garden plan for this soil... last year I basically just took last year's garden plan (Which was already in the works) drove it up here and shoved it in the ground.

[Hartski]

I'm looking to increase the size of my garden to about 30x40 this year. I'll be making a few changes to what I plant, also. I'm going to plant some popcorn instead of sweet corn, Going with bush beans instead of pole beans, and I'll only plant one or 2 cucumber plants (had to give away like 300 pounds of cucumbers because I couldn't do anything with them).

I'll still do some heirloom seeds, but I'm also going to do some regular hybrid ones. And I'm going to put a fan on the seedlings in the basement so they get stronger than they were last year.

[Nainoa]

I'm looking to increase the size of my garden to about 30x40 this year. I'll be making a few changes to what I plant, also. I'm going to plant some popcorn instead of sweet corn, Going with bush beans instead of pole beans, and I'll only plant one or 2 cucumber plants (had to give away like 300 pounds of cucumbers because I couldn't do anything with them).

I'll still do some heirloom seeds, but I'm also going to do some regular hybrid ones. And I'm going to put a fan on the seedlings in the basement so they get stronger than they were last year.

Yeah an oscillating fan set on low (Simulating a light summer breeze) And then once the seedlings germinate, keeping their soil temps cool, will encourage thicker stocks and stronger roots.

I spotted in one of my seed catalogs (I think it was territorial seed co) where they had a new type of Hopps that will grow in zone 4!

When it comes to stocking from the garden, don't forget about things like Butternut squash and sugar pumpkin. I still have 2 of each from this past summer that are still going strong in the root cellar/utility room.

It's a great, highly nutritious food that stores well...

Imagine if a SHTF situation broke out in December... A guy with a fat stack of squash stored up would sure be doing a lot better in March when the first of the low calorie spring greens get PLANTED, than a guy who didn't have a pile of squash to augment his spam and vienna sausage diet.

[rangerkid2187]

just started getting into prepping so I thought I would sub. to this thread. Tried to start a thread in the Misc and got no where.

My preps for the week :
Lightsticks from the local Big R/Farm & Fleet storm that will last between 8-12 hours in case of a power failure - $5
Emergency candles that burn for 6 hours a piece with 6 candles per box - 2 boxes $3/box
Butane windproof lighter - $4
Case of 30 water bottles from walmart - $4

Total for the week approx $20

Also picked up some ammo
100 rounds .380 for $37
250 rounds .22LR for $10.

[RyouBakua]

just started getting into prepping so I thought I would sub. to this thread. Tried to start a thread in the Misc and got no where.

My preps for the week :
Lightsticks from the local Big R/Farm & Fleet storm that will last between 8-12 hours in case of a power failure - $5
Emergency candles that burn for 6 hours a piece with 6 candles per box - 2 boxes $3/box
Butane windproof lighter - $4
Case of 30 water bottles from walmart - $4

Total for the week approx $20

Also picked up some ammo
100 rounds .380 for $37
250 rounds .22LR for $10.

lanterns > candles > lightsticks

need more food and water

30 bottles will last 1 person a week if lucky


good start. keep it going

[rangerkid2187]

lanterns > candles > lightsticks

need more food and water

30 bottles will last 1 person a week if lucky


good start. keep it going

Agreed on more food and water, forgot to mention I also picked up about 10 cans of chunky soup, a few cans of corn, few cans of mixed fruit cocktail.

Will be slowly building up over time to keep the ease on the budget.

I really need to get a solid bag for a BUG out bag. Any suggestions? Was also looking at getting a good fixed blade knife for the bag.

[rangerkid2187]

anyone get anything cool this week?

Going to walmart tomorrow, see what ammo they have in stock.

[RyouBakua]

picked up a new garmin actually




getting my nav-operator on

[B.O.L.A.]

I bought 200 rds of 12 gauge online for my mossberg... 125 field loads, 50 slugs, and 25 #00. Should keep me busy for a while.

[Hartski]

Hope to purchase my Springfield XDm this weekend. My CCW permit should get here this week sometime....

[JMath]

Hope to purchase my Springfield XDm this weekend. My CCW permit should get here this week sometime....

I like my XD a lot. When I get a carry permit this fall, it'll probably be what I carry.

[Nainoa]

I bought 200 rds of 12 gauge online for my mossberg... 125 field loads, 50 slugs, and 25 #00. Should keep me busy for a while.

You could clear my forest of wasp nests!

[Damien1990]

Any good sites to buy MRE's and long term food preps?

[JMath]

Any good sites to buy MRE's and long term food preps?

Most of the stuff out there isn't the actual military MRE's, but a good start is MRE Depot. Then I'd kind of shop around by just google searching and comparing prices. I'd look on Amazon too, but read the reviews of the products before purchasing. MRE's in general are kind of expensive...I guess all long term food is though.

The other two big names in the long term food world is Mountain House and Wise Foods. They're more freeze dried stuff and from what I've read Mountain House is a little better. But I think Wise is probably just fine. The freeze dried stuff is supposed to last 25 years though, so they're a pretty good option I think.

Otherwise you could get into canning, but it's not for everyone.

[Damien1990]

Most of the stuff out there isn't the actual military MRE's, but a good start is MRE Depot. Then I'd kind of shop around by just google searching and comparing prices. I'd look on Amazon too, but read the reviews of the products before purchasing. MRE's in general are kind of expensive...I guess all long term food is though.

The other two big names in the long term food world is Mountain House and Wise Foods. They're more freeze dried stuff and from what I've read Mountain House is a little better. But I think Wise is probably just fine. The freeze dried stuff is supposed to last 25 years though, so they're a pretty good option I think.

Otherwise you could get into canning, but it's not for everyone.

Sweet i'll check that out, was looking at these http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=1009715 . Btw, did you ever happen to receive any confirmation from NRA?

[RyouBakua]

i would start slow with canned goods, dry goods like rice/beans and water barrels


it would be cheaper than MREs in some places

[Nainoa]

i would start slow with canned goods, dry goods like rice/beans and water barrels


it would be cheaper than MREs in some places

Also a proper root cellar is HUGE!

This new place I'm at now has a utility room in the basement that keeps just about perfect temp for keeping long storage apples and winter squash.

My butternut squash in there is still good as new, even this deep into winter.

[RyouBakua]

Also a proper root cellar is HUGE!

This new place I'm at now has a utility room in the basement that keeps just about perfect temp for keeping long storage apples and winter squash.

My butternut squash in there is still good as new, even this deep into winter.

i do envy your root cellars

(although not your weather)



storing things underground has always appealed to me though

[JMath]

Also a proper root cellar is HUGE!

This new place I'm at now has a utility room in the basement that keeps just about perfect temp for keeping long storage apples and winter squash.

My butternut squash in there is still good as new, even this deep into winter.

I feel like a total idiot asking this, but do you have to store the squash or apples any special way? Like is there a specific way they need to be prepped for storage, or you just put them in the root cellar (in your case the basement room) and you could go down and grab one right now if you wanted to eat one?

Definitely something I'll have to look into. Thanks.

[RyouBakua]

I feel like a total idiot asking this, but do you have to store the squash or apples any special way? Like is there a specific way they need to be prepped for storage, or you just put them in the root cellar (in your case the basement room) and you could go down and grab one right now if you wanted to eat one?

Definitely something I'll have to look into. Thanks.

i believe squash will keep a lot longer than apples but Pa Nature would know for sure

[Hartski]

Any good sites to buy MRE's and long term food preps?

www.foodinsurance.com
www.beprepared.com
www.nitro-pak.com
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/emergen...navAction=push

[Damien1990]

Also a proper root cellar is HUGE!

This new place I'm at now has a utility room in the basement that keeps just about perfect temp for keeping long storage apples and winter squash.

My butternut squash in there is still good as new, even this deep into winter.

A root cellar would be nice but I live in Florida lol, so it would be under water :P

www.foodinsurance.com
www.beprepared.com
www.nitro-pak.com
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/emergen...navAction=push

Sweet I'll give these a gander, thanks.

[Nainoa]

I feel like a total idiot asking this, but do you have to store the squash or apples any special way? Like is there a specific way they need to be prepped for storage, or you just put them in the root cellar (in your case the basement room) and you could go down and grab one right now if you wanted to eat one?

Definitely something I'll have to look into. Thanks.

Well every vegetable has slightly different humidity and temperature levels that it wants to be stored at. This is why the crisper drawers in your fridge have humidity adjustments.

My basement root cellar is about 5 degrees warmer than I'd like it to be, It hangs between 55 and 60 and ideal is 50 to 55. But the humidity level is perfect.

With squash it starts when you pick them. You want to cut the stem off the vine and not take the stem off the gourd, which essentially creates a wound that mold can get at etc...

Then take a bucket (Or Big Tote) with some bleach water, dip, quickly wipe off any soil, rinse, pat dry... And then straight into storage. Keep in mind at this stage you are NOT soaking not even really washing, you're just getting contaminants off the skin.

Then I have some old POS laundry baskets, I'll put 2 levels deep of squash in the bottom basket, using a little crumpled newspaper as packing material, just to keep them from laying their full weight in hard spots on each other, but still allowing air space. When they are 2 squash deep... I slide some old oak lats through the laces of the laundry basket, stack another basket inside, rinse and repeat with the next level of squash.

Each sqaush type gets a different basket tower, OR I make sure that the sugar pumpkins and acorn squash are the easiest to get at, as they don't have the same uranium shelf life as butternut.


When it comes to apples... A similar system works well... However, if you're not picking your own and you're buying from the super market, it's important to remember that an apple that was picked cold, delivered cold, allowed to warm up in one of those STUPID store displays and then put in cold storage again will on the average last 6 weeks less than an apple that is kept cold all the way through.

So when you see that zit faced produce boy spilling apples onto a display and they are still cold, dig down to the lower apples and buy them for storage.

Just keep in mind that apples give off ethylene gas, which will cause any bruises on other apples to go bad faster. (Hence the saying one bad apple spoils the bunch) So again don't stack them more than 2 deep, buy cold, keep cold, maximize air space, and the second you see one with a spot get it out of there!

My wife and I actually processed the two "Yard Tree" apples straight into apple pie filling this fall and then bagged it up and put it in the chest freezer, so then she could just pull them out and dump them into a pie shell and bake a pie.

I JUST ate the last dutch apple this past weekend.


When it comes to carrots, turnips and beets, you can keep them direct from the garden... Just pull cleanly (If a root breaks off, use it directly) Otherwise just lightly shake any excess dirt off them, and put them in a tote with some clearn (Preferably sterilized) playground sand. They will actually prefer more cold than a common root cellar temp. My garage rarely gets below 34 degrees.

So this year the last bumper pick at frost, I'm just going to tote up and keep sanded in the garage.


A lot of people store cabbage in the root cellar to. But really, I'll just make massive batches of Sauerkraut. Or like my wife loves pickled red cabbage, so when I turn to growing cabbage myself, I'll just Kraut the green cabbage and pickle the red.


Does that all kind of make sense?