Share your knowledge & learn from experts
Because prepping and community go hand in hand
Another article on UK preppers
UKSeb - June 1, 2022 In the “prepping goes mainstream” series…
Everyone should prep’: the Britons stocking up for hard times
How to get rid of noxious weeds
mariamsanford - June 1, 2022 Help!I am overwhelmed by plantains and Queen Anne’s lace following a compost delivery last spring.
None of the weeds went to seed. I don’t know how to get rid of these pests, and would be grateful for any advice.
Thank you
Chicken Pot Pie
RedneckContributor - May 31, 2022 On a lighter note, does anyone here love chicken pot pie too? I grew up eating the ones we bought in the frozen section. Lately, I make my own, mostly following a recipe I got online.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/26317/chicken-pot-pie-ix/
How can I extend the shelf life of the yeast in my food storage?
Isabel - May 27, 2022 During covid, yeast for baking bread was non-existent for months and months. When it finally came back in stock, I bought a couple small jars not knowing if I would ever see it on the shelf again.
I am nearing the expiration date on them and don’t want to have them go to waste. I’ll try and bake more bread and use it how I can, but is there anything I can do to make them last longer? They are in a sealed glass jar in a dark and cool cupboard, maybe moving them to the fridge or freezer would help?
Can we as a forum bust a survival TV show myth? – Cooking an egg in toilet paper
Gideon ParkerStaff - May 27, 2022 On the Bear Grylls TV show Running Wild, actor Terry Crews tags along with Bear in the Icelandic Highlands of Season 6 Episode 2 (available on Disney+ for streaming). One of the main points of this episode is that Terry has to carry an egg around with him and on the second day of their adventure they eat it. Bear introduces Terry to a cooking technique where they wrap the egg in toilet paper and light it on fire. With magic of editing, the egg is perfectly hardboiled in 2 minutes.
Ever since seeing this scene, I wanted to test that out for myself. I tried to look online for anybody else attempting this and could not see a single mention of this technique. So going back to the original episode, I analyzed it to see if I could pick up on any tips or… Read More
How to balance community and independence (City vs Rural living)
Rich DCContributor - May 26, 2022 Let me ask my “simple” question first and provide more context afterwards:
How do you balance the need/desire for community with the space/cost restrictions required for higher independence with regards to long term prepping and where you choose to live?
The general consensus is that urban centers are not ideal or potentially even sustainable/viable in a long term or extreme crisis (i.e food, water, and security scarcity during an infrastructure breakdown). The converse is that (up until recently, at least) urban centers are/were also educational, cultural,… Read More
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act News
Karl Winterling - May 25, 2022 I migrated this from the news blog discussion because I thought it was a little tangential.
I thought the following news could potentially be of interest to preppers, especially if you take OpSec very seriously and don’t always like saying who you are.
The Department of Justice made revisions to its Computer Fraud and Abuse Act policy (see also here, though I want to clarify that I don’t consider myself a libertarian and I don’t necessarily agree with everything on the Reason Magazine Web… Read More
How to make a “well bucket” in case electricity goes down and you’re on well water
Olly Wright - May 25, 2022 I have a 500 foot deep well. The pump is normally powered by solar, and if needed, a generator. But in case those power methods fail or SHTF and we run out of fuel, how would I get water?
I made this manual “well bucket” backup out of scrap pieces of PVC pipe, wood, cordage, a pulley and crank, some nuts and bolts, and a foot valve. It’s all available from a local hardware store or Amazon. I only needed simple hand tools and a power drill. Depending on how you put it together, it might be… Read More
My second hand experience with the Ontario / Quebec Derecho storm on May 21, 2022
10 Canadian Winters - May 24, 2022 Hello everybody, I wanted to share my (second hand) experience with what happened on Saturday afternoon in my part of the world.
For context here is a news article about it, as well as a video from Ottawa
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-quebec-thunderstorms-power-1.6462627
It’s a little bit passed Hurricane week for our friends in the States, but this sort of event is new for me. There are sometimes tornado.s about an… Read More
The Big Bubba of BOBs – I made a level 3 bag based off The Prepared’s recommendations
Felix Hunziker - May 24, 2022 Living in earthquake country and not liking recent nuclear saber rattling I finally organized a “Level 3” BOB based on The Prepared’s well-researched guidelines.
I went through two other packs (Kelty Redwing 50 Tactical and the 5.11 Rush 72) before settling on the Mystery Ranch Terraframe 65 pack that could fit all this stuff AND be comfortable hauling it long distances. I do miss the many compartments of the Rush 72 but the MR pack is just so much more ergonomic, plus it’s less conspicuous (gray man). The BOB is currently 52 lbs. so I have some trimming to do and am considering switching to a mylar sleeping bag and lightweight bivy. In spite of the guidelines I opted for an inflatable sleeping pad for both comfort and reduced volume. I would have preferred to… Read More
80/20 Rule for Emergency Radios
Colorado Jones - May 23, 2022 Just wondering how others apply the 80/20 rule to emergency radios (both hardware and skills), keeping in mind that what constitutes 20% preparation for 80% of scenarios can and will vary from person to person.
I would breakdown the levels of preparation as follows:
Owning a good quality one-way radio: AM/FM/NOAA and, maybe shortwave Owning an inexpensive VHF/UHF/FM/NOAA Ham radio for purposes of receiving and monitoring emergency broadcasts but only transmitting in the case of a bona-fide emergency, meaning no ham license. All of the above +… Read MoreNeed recommendations on buying an RV system sized solar setup
MarcusAurelius - May 22, 2022 I’m looking into buying some solar panels, a battery, inverter, etc. that could be used to power some small appliances (not a whole house or even air conditioning or a furnace blower—basically something about the size of an RV system) in the event of a power outage.
At the very least, setting up and using a small system will give me some idea of whether we want to install a larger system down the road.
Does anyone have recommendations as to a retailer where I could buy the solar panels and other items? It would be helpful if the retailer has actual technical support available. I know some about electrical systems but am definitely not an electrician or an engineer. Of course, I have found… Read More
Recognizing when it’s time to change how you prep
UbiqueContributor - May 21, 2022 Yesterday, my prepping evolved. I made a hard choice and packed up all my canning gear for donation.
Over fifteen years ago, I purchased all of it when I ramped up my preps. It was a natural choice to return to the lifestyle I knew so well. Canning was part of self-sufficiency.
The problem was I never used any of it. The canning gear sat in unopened boxes for the someday promise of a… Read More
Cook your food in water instead of over a fire during a survival situation for the most nutrition
Bradical - May 21, 2022 When you need to cook something you have caught, hunted, or foraged, cooking it as a soup in a pot of boiling water is much more nutritionally efficient versus grilling it over an open flame.
By containing the food in the pot, all of the nutrients are infused into the surrounding water which can later be drank as broth. That’s why chicken noodle soup was a common “cure” to being sick, because back in the day the whole chicken was cooked into the soup and the bones, joints, and skin would be broken down into a very nutritionally dense broth. The can of Campbells chicken noodle soup from the store in 2022 does not provide the same… Read More
How to enable FEMA test alerts on your phone
Josh CentersContributor - May 20, 2022 There was a lot of coverage in the media about FEMA testing emergency alerts on 11 August 2021. I warned friends, family, and The Prepared community members so they wouldn’t be unduly alarmed. The time came and went and… nothing.
As it turns out, you have to opt into these alerts, and the way you do so isn’t obvious.
Android: The location of this setting depends on your version of Android. Your best bet is to open Settings and search for “Emergency Alerts” or “Public Safety Messages.” There are two settings you want to turn on: Public Safety Messages and State and Local… Read More
What is the best disaster-proof pouch for important documents in my BOB?
MrsPrep - May 19, 2022 I’m looking for a somewhat budget-friendly disaster proof pouch for my important documents but I don’t know where to start. Is there a brand I should begin with?
Is bamboo the super prepper plant it is made out to be or a nightmarish menace?
Frank Sampson - May 18, 2022 At first glance many preppers may be drawn to bamboo for it’s multitude of uses and extremely quick grow time. But for those who have dealt with it know that it is an invasive plant that will quickly overgrow the area in which it was originally planted and can cause more of a headache than anything.
If you do choose to grow it, make sure to install a barrier like is pictured below. You dig a 3+ foot trench around the bamboo and place this strong and thick plastic around it to keep the roots from spreading out. Growing in a raised planter is another option.
If you have acres for it to run loose in, then go ahead and plant it. But for the average suburban backyard, avoid it unless you know what you… Read More
Filling a 55 gallon water drum
jaybee - May 18, 2022 Question: I live alone with two dogs just outside of a large US city. I have about 30 gallons of store bought water for my dogs (stored in the basement where it’s dark and cool ) and 30 gallons in 5 gallon containers for me. I also have family living nearby (including a daughter with young baby), so I could see her coming to stay with me in an emergency situation. For that reason, I’m considering a 55 gallon drum in my basement. When it’s time to replace the water with fresh water I should be fine since I have a drain in my basement floor. My question is about filling! I have a hose that would reach to my basement for filling, but it’s not a potable hose. Will treating the water before sealing the barrel take care of that?
The dangers of leaving people and pets in hot cars
Gideon ParkerStaff - May 18, 2022 The above graph is from San Jose State University and shows the amount of children who die each year from being in a hot car. See the dip in 2020-2021 during the pandemic and when people were not driving as much?
Newborns, children, those with disabilities, the elderly, those with a chronic illness, or pregnant women are especially vulnerable and sensitive to extreme heat. To be safe, don’t leave anyone in a hot car.
Animals can die of heatstroke within 15 minutes in a hot car. Cracking the window does not help. Plan your trips and know where you are going … Read More
100 things to disappear first
UbiqueContributor - May 18, 2022 I was going through some prep info today and found this article originally published in 2007 on Fluwiki. It is a very interesting list of items and has been helpful in planning some of my preps, so I thought I would share it with you. Some of you may have already read this, but it is worth looking at from time to time. I keep tinned gravy in my preps because of this list.
(I have added spaces between the lines for ease of reading)
Quote… Read More
The Gottman Island Survival Game
Ostrich eggs - May 17, 2022 While reading a marriage book, I came across an exercise about communication and being able to influence your spouse. Thought it would be interesting for people here to think about and maybe do with each other here or privately with their own spouse.
The Gottman Island Survival Game
Imagine yourself shipwrecked with your partner/the members of this forum on a tropical desert island. Gilligan and Ginger are nowhere in sight – the two of you/the members of this forum are the only survivors. You have no idea where you are. A storm appears to be on the way. You decide that you… Read More
Get Home Bag vs Bug Out Bag – duplicate items?
Jess - May 16, 2022 I’ve been working on rounding out our bug out bags and I’m finding that a lot of items would be duplicates from those in our get home bags. For instance, I have compasses in the get home bags stored in the cars. What is everyone’s opinion on getting additional compasses (or other replicated items) for my bug out bag?
Hurricane Preparedness Week May 1-7, 2022
Gideon ParkerStaff - May 16, 2022 Hurricanes are powerful and very destructive forces of nature that affect millions of people each year. Luckily they are not spur of the moment disasters like a car accident or earthquake and some warning and preparation can be made beforehand to either ride out and withstand the devastation or get to a safer location in time.
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) will be releasing a daily tip on social media platforms this next week with advice on how to be better prepared for the upcoming hurricane season. The Prepared will be sharing those tips on our Facebook and Twitter pages as well, along with some additional… Read More
Which lighter is best for use in cold weather?
Jay ValenciaContributor - May 16, 2022 Many people (including The Prepared) say to carry a butane powered BIC lighter.
While I do agree that they are great because they are cheap ($1-1.50/each), pretty dumbyproof, don’t evaporate fluid, and just work, they do not work the best in cold weather. To test this I placed five lighters in my freezer for 30 minutes and noted the results.
The two lighters on the left in the picture above are regular Zippos that run off of lighter fluid. The three lighters on the right are two standard butane BIC lighters and a Zippo lighter with a butane torch… Read More
Book Review: “The Drought-Resilient Farm”, by Dale Strickler
brownfox-ffContributor - May 16, 2022 (image credit: “drought” by dasroofless is licensed under Creative Commons – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
In May 2015 a tornado hit Dale Strickler’s hometown and delivered four and a half inches of rain in 20 minutes.
While all of the neighbouring farms had water pouring off the field in several-foot-wide streams – Strickler’s field absorbed every drop of water.
For him this was the proof that his several-decade quest to improve land management and be better able to prepare for, avoid, and weather… Read More
