Discussions
Reply to: Rural preparing – manual well pump backup? Posted 2 weeks ago

Hi pwocken, 9 years ago we installed a solar pump system (Lorentz is the brand name) and we have had a fairly good experience with it so far. We also use a normal electric AC pump. The normal AC pumps are 1) cheap 2) easy to repair 3) easy to install yourself 4) when shtf and the power goes off you’re in trouble what water concerns Solar DC pumps are 1) expensive 2) difficult to repair 3) difficult to install yourself, not the hydraulic part but the electronics involved in it 4) when there is a power grid failure you’re ok with water  Looking back now I would; install a decent solar power system and use only AC pumps, adjusting the pumping (in a 2000 liter tank) to the hours of most sunlight.  In winter it rains a lot here and we collect and store rainwater in a 5000 liter tank uphill. Good luck!

Reply to: Where do you keep your car fire extinguisher? Posted 1 month ago
Reply to: What does prepping look like in your area of the world? Posted 1 month ago

Hello Robert, We store our gas here in small 10 liter (2,5 gallon aprox) metal containers that are well sealed. The gas is constantly rotated and stored in a cool (locked) space. You can’t fill large containers here anyway. I make sure the containers are always filled up but never take more than 2 to the gas station. I always tip the guys who fill the car and gas tanks, that way when there are limits on how much gas you can buy, they fill mine up anyway. Yes, that’s part of South America… To buy a gun you can just walk into a gun store, choose the one you want and buy it. But then they keep your gun in the store until you have done your paperwork. 1) get a certificate of good behaviour, you can’t have a conviction of violence 2) visit a psychiatric and have you examined. They mainly look for suicidal and psychopath behaviour. If you have a history of that, no certificate. 3) pass a written exam at a specialised police department in your area, pay a fee and give them your medical and behaviour certificates. They also interview you to see if you have a genuine reason to obtain a firearm. 4) wait for about 2 months. 5) buy bullets, go to that specialised police department with the receipt and they give you an authorisation. 6) once you receive all your documentation, send it to the gun store and they will send your gun and bullets. 7) 5 years later, repeat step 1,2 and 3 We have a farm and animals so that is a reason to have a firearm. Someone from a city would have a harder time to obtain a gun license. The police can visit you at any time to see if your firearms are on the premise ( you cannot take them somewhere else unless you have a hunting license) and stored in a safe. So Robert, I hope it answered your questions, at least for 1 specific country in South America, Chile in this case. All the best!

Reply to: What does prepping look like in your area of the world? Posted 1 month ago

I live on an island in southern South America the size of the state of Connecticut approximately. There are often smaller earthquakes and every few years a bigger one with the danger of a tsunami. In 2010 roughly 450 died in a tsunami because the warning system didn’t work. Most people here take these events very calmly and just seek higher ground after a tsunami warning. Life is very basic here anyway so most people don’t have many material things to lose in case of a major disaster. A lot of islanders are preppers without them knowing it. Most people have their own well, own animals and grow a wide variety of vegetables, fruit trees and nuts. Self sufficiency is pretty much the way of life here. Personally I store enough gas to last 2 months in case of a disaster or other event (once the island was blockaded for 6 weeks and no goods were coming in). We have a solar backup system, a solar water pump we always use and all the other typical prepper things. Few people are armed here with guns because it is extremely difficult to obtain a license to buy a firearm. We do have guns because we think it is an important part of prepping.  My advice to other preppers in different parts of the world would be; grow a garden, breed some animals and have plenty of water close by in the form of springs, wells, creeks etc. Greetings from the south!

Reply to: Online survival/prepping courses? Posted August 17, 2020
Reply to: Generators? Posted June 24, 2020
Reply to: Thoughts on mens’ “Dress shoes” that are also practical? Posted June 24, 2020
Reply to: What are you doing with your stimulus check? Posted May 23, 2020
Reply to: Hobby farm or homestead? Posted May 16, 2020

After 15 years homesteading in a temperate climate with a small family (a 6 year old child as well and my wife and I in our early forties) I would answer the 4 questions with 1 answer. Find a community with a diversity of people to live with. Much better than finding the right soil or climate is to be with a good group of like minded folks. Homesteading is an enormous task and it is much better shared. Get a feel for the place first, do some volunteering (wwoof, workaway,…) to see what you like or not. A school close by and a medical center are more important than anything. Keeping a paid (online) job is vital as living in the country is more expensive then in most smaller cities, at least from our personal experience. The benefits of homesteading eventually outweigh living in a city so my advice; go for it!

Reply to: What did covid-19 expose as a weakness in your preps? Posted May 16, 2020
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Reply to: Rural preparing – manual well pump backup? Posted 2 weeks ago

Hi pwocken, 9 years ago we installed a solar pump system (Lorentz is the brand name) and we have had a fairly good experience with it so far. We also use a normal electric AC pump. The normal AC pumps are 1) cheap 2) easy to repair 3) easy to install yourself 4) when shtf and the power goes off you’re in trouble what water concerns Solar DC pumps are 1) expensive 2) difficult to repair 3) difficult to install yourself, not the hydraulic part but the electronics involved in it 4) when there is a power grid failure you’re ok with water  Looking back now I would; install a decent solar power system and use only AC pumps, adjusting the pumping (in a 2000 liter tank) to the hours of most sunlight.  In winter it rains a lot here and we collect and store rainwater in a 5000 liter tank uphill. Good luck!

Reply to: Where do you keep your car fire extinguisher? Posted 1 month ago
Reply to: What does prepping look like in your area of the world? Posted 1 month ago

Hello Robert, We store our gas here in small 10 liter (2,5 gallon aprox) metal containers that are well sealed. The gas is constantly rotated and stored in a cool (locked) space. You can’t fill large containers here anyway. I make sure the containers are always filled up but never take more than 2 to the gas station. I always tip the guys who fill the car and gas tanks, that way when there are limits on how much gas you can buy, they fill mine up anyway. Yes, that’s part of South America… To buy a gun you can just walk into a gun store, choose the one you want and buy it. But then they keep your gun in the store until you have done your paperwork. 1) get a certificate of good behaviour, you can’t have a conviction of violence 2) visit a psychiatric and have you examined. They mainly look for suicidal and psychopath behaviour. If you have a history of that, no certificate. 3) pass a written exam at a specialised police department in your area, pay a fee and give them your medical and behaviour certificates. They also interview you to see if you have a genuine reason to obtain a firearm. 4) wait for about 2 months. 5) buy bullets, go to that specialised police department with the receipt and they give you an authorisation. 6) once you receive all your documentation, send it to the gun store and they will send your gun and bullets. 7) 5 years later, repeat step 1,2 and 3 We have a farm and animals so that is a reason to have a firearm. Someone from a city would have a harder time to obtain a gun license. The police can visit you at any time to see if your firearms are on the premise ( you cannot take them somewhere else unless you have a hunting license) and stored in a safe. So Robert, I hope it answered your questions, at least for 1 specific country in South America, Chile in this case. All the best!

Reply to: What does prepping look like in your area of the world? Posted 1 month ago

I live on an island in southern South America the size of the state of Connecticut approximately. There are often smaller earthquakes and every few years a bigger one with the danger of a tsunami. In 2010 roughly 450 died in a tsunami because the warning system didn’t work. Most people here take these events very calmly and just seek higher ground after a tsunami warning. Life is very basic here anyway so most people don’t have many material things to lose in case of a major disaster. A lot of islanders are preppers without them knowing it. Most people have their own well, own animals and grow a wide variety of vegetables, fruit trees and nuts. Self sufficiency is pretty much the way of life here. Personally I store enough gas to last 2 months in case of a disaster or other event (once the island was blockaded for 6 weeks and no goods were coming in). We have a solar backup system, a solar water pump we always use and all the other typical prepper things. Few people are armed here with guns because it is extremely difficult to obtain a license to buy a firearm. We do have guns because we think it is an important part of prepping.  My advice to other preppers in different parts of the world would be; grow a garden, breed some animals and have plenty of water close by in the form of springs, wells, creeks etc. Greetings from the south!

Reply to: Online survival/prepping courses? Posted August 17, 2020
Reply to: Generators? Posted June 24, 2020
Reply to: Thoughts on mens’ “Dress shoes” that are also practical? Posted June 24, 2020
Reply to: What are you doing with your stimulus check? Posted May 23, 2020
Reply to: Hobby farm or homestead? Posted May 16, 2020

After 15 years homesteading in a temperate climate with a small family (a 6 year old child as well and my wife and I in our early forties) I would answer the 4 questions with 1 answer. Find a community with a diversity of people to live with. Much better than finding the right soil or climate is to be with a good group of like minded folks. Homesteading is an enormous task and it is much better shared. Get a feel for the place first, do some volunteering (wwoof, workaway,…) to see what you like or not. A school close by and a medical center are more important than anything. Keeping a paid (online) job is vital as living in the country is more expensive then in most smaller cities, at least from our personal experience. The benefits of homesteading eventually outweigh living in a city so my advice; go for it!

Reply to: What did covid-19 expose as a weakness in your preps? Posted May 16, 2020