Do you practice what you prep?

pint of beer - October 9, 2021

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You have the gear, but do you know how to use it? Running mock disasters or using your supplies is sometimes the only way to know what you are lacking or missing.

For example, can you cook that spaghetti that you have been preparing and buying extra of? You have the pasta, sauce, water, and even can cook it without electricity out on your bbq, but did you remember some spices or cheese? You may not know about it until you do it.

This weekend, try out one of your preps and see what you are lacking or what you can do to make things easier on yourself. 

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I was looking through my emergency supplies this week and realized that I didn’t have a straw or bag attachment for my Hydroblu water filter! It won’t be of much use without those, so I’m glad that I looked. 

I’m thinking of going to the hardware store and buying some tubing to make a possible straw attachment. And I can save some 2 liter bottles to make the gravity system temporarily. I’d like to get a collapsible bladder that I can attach to it as well. 

Just doing a mental checklist, I already know that I am lacking on cooking supplies. I have a little butane stove, but only a half can of fuel. I do have some little wood burning backpacking stoves that feed off of twigs, so that’s an option but not ideal.

 

Good afternoon Robert,

A possible solution re the twig fed back packing stove is to get a tube or two of fuel tablets. One chemical name is Heximine Tablets.  Walmart has them. They are small, lightweight and not expensive like some of those high altitude fuel cannisters.

Now you won’t be putting a roast in the oven with a hex tab fueled stove but you can make coffee/espresso, soup … it’s a stopgap measure that can work for an all Hades situation. Haven’t done it but can guess a can of spaghetto-o’s can be heated up 

Here, must avoid picking up anything off the ground.  Even those with 20/20 eyesight cannot see a copperhead snake. It would first require a raking operation and we’re not discussing ideal conditions.

 

Very good point Bob! I actually do have an additional little stove with those tablets but have never even lit one because I wanted to have them all for that emergency when I really needed it. 

But I’m looking at them differently now. I need to see if they are still good, if they actually work, and how to properly use them BEFORE the disaster hits. I can always buy more. Thank you for the idea.

Pint of Beer, I will try and cook something on that heximine tablet stove this week and see how it works as part of my practice what I prep.

 

Good afternoon Pint of Beer,

Yes, I do practice.

During a practice section very early AM at a highway rest area, decided breakfast cruisine would be a can of kippers. Had to augment my dining arrangement.

I now have every can of kippers or sardines -usually one of each in field jacket pocket – packed in 2 each small plastic bags.

When opening the can(s), unless there’s a safe picnic table near truck and can monitor area, had to be ultra careful not to get even one half a drop of the reconstituted machine oil they’re packed in (Label says “oil” and only one brand specifies olive oil [since identified company]).

There could be bugs forever during hot weather in truck cab. Thus, plastic bag number one is for can to be placed and opened.  Bag two is for garbage bag for can and first bag. 

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Some time ago during a practice session for a hurricane, had forgotten to have something to extinguish a match I would use.

Now everything I have using matches, also has a 2 ” X 2 ” plastic container with baking soda to put used match in for safety.

 

Kippers and sardines are an excellent source of protein and fat, if you can stomach them that is… I have to rely on cans of Vienna Sausages. Not as healthy as your choice, but a world more tasty!

 

Good afternoon, Bob, and Robert Larson

First Bob, I am adopting your baking soda idea. I have recently discovered that baking soda reinforces super glue and makes the repair more durable. I will probably use a 35mm film can to carry it.

Second, I am going in a different direction with nutritional choices. In my corner of the ‘verse, peanut butter over Vienna sausage over sardines. I have no idea of the nutritional value of peanut butter, versus either of the other two.

When I was single, I used to keep a can of Vienna sausage around so that I would never be out food. I have eaten it a few times (the weekend i came home with 17 cents to go though the week, comes to mind), but I can eat it if I have to.

 

Peanut butter or honey are healthy boosts of energy that you can sometimes find in snack sized squeeze pouches at the grocery store. Awesome to pack in a pocket or backpack.

 

Good morning Ranger John,

Peanut butter … Peanuts are really a legume; not a tree nut … are a nutrious food – but there’s an even better one although more costly when compared to peanut butter.  Real comparison is against pharma and doc apt costs.

The ideal nuts are unsalted tree nuts – any of them, even a mix of ’em. Tree nuts are ideal for prostrate maintenance. This point is always discussed at VA health clinics and fairs.

By coincidence, went to big town south of here last week and although never expected to find this, Target was carrying jars of almond butter – just almonds: no salt, no sugar. More expensive than peanut butter of course but no pharma bills nor doctor office visits. Aforesaid due to VA appointments being after one is deceased. Of course Medicare is nearly as bad a program as the new VA one.

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I once had one of those 17 cents weeks (I had $5.00 a week for 4 weeks survival [Couldn’t punch open 4 bbl carb for over 4 weeks !])after finishing sentence at Ft Hood, Texas and moving to Houston. Made a small education “investment”. This investment yielded HUGE return on investment. 

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Robert; 

One of my evac foods is a plastic jar of raw honey. It is ideal.

 

FYI I’ve capitalized your title and post because folks with dyslexia and/or ADD/ADHD (myself included) have a really hard time to read a text that it’s not capitalized or doesn’t use proper punctuation. Hope you don’t mind!