Practical Prepping Protocol even if Poor

Howdy Pooka, I am well, everything is going good. How about yourself.

I have been just been taking my time and had to take care of few things this week. Still watching movies all the time, still going through movie files.

Not really following the news and have nothing to really post right now. I just got an article on cloning different types of vegetation today.

Plant Cuttings | Garden Guides

[link to www.gardenguides.com (secure)]

Hello Changed Out. Welcome!

Please tell us more about P-100 filters and your reason for strongly recommending them. Thanks!

Having done a little research, the P stands for protective against oil-based issues. I think I will stand by my recommendation for N95, because these masks have the highest rating for bacteria and other substances. They also are tightly-woven enough to keep out the ebola virus.

Please tell us why you recommend the P100 and perhaps you know something we don't. :)

Last Edited by Pooka on 04/26/2019 02:23 PM

Glad to know you are doing well and things are moving right along.

Thank you for the reference to the plant cuttings.

I am okay, thank you. One foot in front of the other and all that, you know.

Thanks for the very interesting website. I have grapes including native Muscodine and would love to plant more.

My contribution today:

One of my firm beliefs based on my experience is that an important key to dealing with poverty and prepping is COOKING.

I find a lot of great cookbooks in thrift stores and have a couple of shelves full.

I have found that some kitchen appliances make it much easier to cook with minimum effort: a rice cooker (don't get the cheapie with the lining that is hard to clean), a crockpot, and a bread making machine. You can pick up most of those in thrift stores as well.

For example, I can make a big loaf of very healthy bread in my machine for $.50 You simply put the ingredients into the pan, push the buttons, and you have fresh bread in a few hours. Cleanup is about 2 minutes and there is no flour on the kitchen counter.

Some books that I have found to be incredibly useful are:

Passport to Survival by Esther Dickey. Tells you how to survive on the Mormon Four of wheat, powdered milk, honey, and salt, all of which will keep about forever if packaged right.

Quick Fix Healthy Mix by Casey Keller. Tells you how to avoid buying pre-made mixes, etc. from the store. Examples of how to make granola, pancake mix, baking mixes like Bisquik, mayo, mustard, soup mixes, rice and pasta mixes, BBQ sauces, syrups, salad dressings, seasonings, beverages, and hundreds of other recipes.

Making it yourself is cheaper and far healthier.

Putting Food By by Hertzberg, et al. Canning, drying, freezing, etc. covered in detail. Buy in season or in bulk and SAVE.

BTW, at one time I was beans-and-rice poor, living on a disability check. Cooking helped me get back to financial health by saving a lot of money.

I still LOVE beans and rice!

BTW, you preppers dreaming of living in the country need to know a bit of reality...

I put the buck in with the doe goats in October because I was tired of feeding him in separate pen.

Big mistake.

The does all dropped their kids on a rainy, cold weekend in Feb.

I lost 4 out of 10 total baby goats to the cold the first night.

Two of the mothers abandoned their kids and would not feed them.

Luckily, I had an ad on Craigs List and a buyer showed up. He bought two does with their kids and I GAVE him the abandoned bottle babies to raise.

A month later, two baby goats got past the gate to the front yard. My German Shepherds killed and ate one of the goats.

Then, I prepared a new pasture using 5 strands of electric fence. With 2000 volts from the fence charger, I was CERTAIN that no predators could get in.

Put in my remaining goats. The next morning, I found the skin and bones of the smallest, cutest cabrita. Aarrgh, Wife was very angry with me.

I think a bobcat jumped the fence and got the baby goat.

Now, I have a cage with a live duck in that pasture. I have a couple of leg hold traps hidden by the cage. Hopefully, Mr. Bobcat returns and wants a duck dinner.

Thus is life with livestock.

We have lost chickens, ducks, and geese to bobcats, coyotes, raccoons, and possums. All that and I usually have good fences with fence charger wire on top. Oh, and we lose eggs to squirrels and rat snakes. Squirrels I normally eat, but the snakes come at night and are hard to catch in the chicken yard.

^They get in here, too.

When you think you have it all set, you find out you don't.

Growing your own grapes is wonderful! Always wanted a grape harbor. Delicious, sitting there like royalty under the wonderful vines and huge leaves, munching grapes fresher than fresh, right off the vines.

Darth, I completely agree with you about cooking from real, honest food, not doing mixes and McD's every day. Salt to the highest level in your body - no thanks, and all the preservatives and coloring and everything bad, and so expensive!

I always loved to cook good country food, most of which I raised, myself. Chicken, duck, rabbit [til I couldn't bear that any more] and every variety of vegetable. I grew up on that food, and fed my family that way.

So sorry to hear about all the animal and fencing emergencies and issues. Poor critters! Having livestock will always be troublesome, I think, simply because they are living beings.

Some went wrong with some of our chickens and one night we happened to drive home at just the right time to see a weasel departing the chicken pen, so then we knew what to do, which quickly ended that problem.

They just always have needs, and unusual events, and the person to have numerous kinds of livestock is brave indeed!

It's funny that you should bring this up. I went to a library sale today and wound up buying a number of cookbooks. Indian food, Japanese food and an "American Heritage" cookbook that brings the melting pot of cultures that form the USA into a delicious hodgepodge of food.

Had a budget of $10, walked out after paying $5. And there were so many more volumes than just the cookbooks! Got a copy of "Practical Projects for Self Sufficiency" which isn't as good as Rodale's "Build it Better Yourself" but has a plan for a manual clothes washer that is as good as anything that I've seen

Used to love books sales - and amazing what can be found! Congratulations on all that you found today! What treats!

Please share with us the clotheswasher plans as best you can - I'd love to see how they do it! Having clean clothing is a high priority with me, and I want the best and easiest way possible to do i t.

Scanner, check. Filesharing site, check. Won't happen tonight but tomorrow is supposed to be rainy in the afternoon. Should have time to do a quick project.

May blessings fall upon your pate as fleas onto camel dung.
May your bluebird of paradise fly to the neighbors to unburden himself, then return to your home with all the good luck.
May the floorboards of your life never develop squeaky knots.
And like that.

Last Edited by Pooka on 04/26/2019 10:15 PM

Just watched another Bear Independent video and I think everyone here may well want to seriously consider this knowledge and his recommendations, and I suggest continuing to watch until the very last - the last few words before he says "Bye!" because that might be the most important think some of us needing to be thinking about right now.

This is all about having cash on hand, and why, and it's very wise.

Do please be aware that anything we are going to do MUST be done before SHTF. There'll be no banking or withdrawals or shopping afterward.



Last Edited by Pooka on 04/27/2019 12:11 AM

Cash on hand is a balancing act. I mentioned that I spent $5 today on books, that came from me sitting in a chair with a big fricking needle in my arm, donating my plasma but selling my time spent lying there. My job pays for my every day expenses but I have to prep using money that comes from other sources. All of the tools that I've bought in the last year have literally been paid in blood. Same with all of my vehicle repairs. It's pretty nice when I'm asked to put this to everyday expenses to point out that I am literally selling my blood so I'll spend it the way that I feel it should be spent.

I'm sorry things are hard with you, but you know, we are going to make it anyway! The Lord multiplied fishes and loaves in the past, and He is still in the miracle business, so whatever we have will stretch to fill whatever need we have. I believe this.

You made that five dollars run very fast, a very long way! What a delight to find such bargains, especially when funds are so precious!

Though some might want you to do otherwise with the funds, prepping is for the family - thank goodness you are doing it! Hope others get on the bandwagon with you in getting ready.

Times are hard for many people, no one wants to admit it.I just offer one way to extend a money making alternative. And to have that revenue to do with as I please is a blessing. Because I claim it for the purpose that I see. Because of what I see coming I have fifteen pounds of flour and three pounds of pasta, along with three jars of pasta sauce added to my preps this week alone And so many books! Eeeeek!

I've noticed a number of people, absolutely not in our thread or they would be banned and posts deleted, who make fun of anyone not bringing in a huge income. Life is not like that for everyone. That's why this thread is for everyone, including you and me, who do not have a great deal of money but have to prepare despite that.

You are doing marvelously!!! You have a lot added to your preparedness food in a week! wow! I'm impressed! You are waaay ahead of what I am doing so far. Hope to add some good stuff in the next few days. My "helper" is out for a couple weeks with a bad back and am making do with other people, so if I can find some good preps, I just need to figure out where to put them so their presence is not obvious a couple weeks from now. He is the only person that has the run of my house other than my girls, and I wish I could keep more of what I am doing private. I'll think of some place to put some things. Hey! I just thought of a place. Okay, we're good! It has a great deal of room, so I can stash a lot, more than I can buy this week. Long as I don't forget and have him move it, but that's not likely any time soon.

I'm really glad that you have found a way to get what you feel you need, for the future. Just please don't sell blood more often than they allow, like going to more than one place. It will drain your health, literally, and could damage your heart. Please be careful.

If there is something you could make and sell, that might satisfy your creative side and bring in more money without harming your body, except maybe the old hammer on thumb owie!

I just know enough people who are in a world of debt and aren't doing anything to get out from underneath it. Myself, I only have my mortgage to deal with but I so very much want to be done with that! There are schemes that I have to bring income. My local township keeps floating the idea of a farmers market and I just happen to have some herbs started. At the right price for a booth I could sell all kinds of things. It is something akin that I used to do along the side of the road.

The company that I use for plasma donation is keenly aware of the health of their donors. I don't mind giving their name, Grifols. In my experience they have been nothing less than ethical to the point where they find themselves in a shortage of donors. I only go to them and to anyone considering this option I recommend them. I work in healthcare and know a good operation when I see one.

Debt is a terrible taskmaster. I cannot abide owing. A mortgage is one thing, though I would want out from under that as quickly as possible, but few today have cash to pay for a home or land.

Good to know that the place you donate is so careful and conscientous.

Good luck on the farmer's market. Hope it works out for this year!

Why on earth are you guys buying vinegar when you can make it for a couple of pennies? You can use most fruits and veggies. No citrus. Peeling apples for a snack? Throw peelings and the cores in a clean mason jar. Add a little sugar if you want. Most fruit has enough sugar content already. Add water to cover. I would stay below the "shoulder" of the jar as things tend to float. Top with a paper towel or cheesecloth and the jar ring. Do not use the lid. Place the jar in a warm dark place. Hint: The fridge gives off quite a bit of heat. Give the jar a swirl every day for the first few days. In 2 to 3 weeks you will have vinegar. Just strain out the fruit or veggie. The paper towel or cheesecloth keeps gnats out of it and allows the natural yeasts in.

If I remember correctly, a newly wed couple used to be given a barrel of vinegar, as long as they kept filling it with water it would keep giving vinegar.

But the reason that I keep buying vinegar is that I can get it for $1.49 per gallon and it is a guaranteed 5%. Given the end of times I will surely go to making my own.

Miss you, Mental Case. Hope all is well and you are just busy with the snow finally done. At least we hope your snow is finally done!

Hurry back

$1.49/gal. Without the mother. Dead vinegar. $1.49 could buy a package of seeds. Just saying.

But... but... muh 5%. I know what you are getting at and I appreciate it. Got plenty of seed soaking right now too.

Ok. Thank you. I was stating for the benefit of those who don't know also. :dasbier

Crunch!! In the link below, at 49 minutes he begins the discussion, and the warning is within two weeks the dam will go over the top and over the top of the spillway as well.

Crunch must be out in the south 40 working still. He is one hard worker, but a person has to be with land and livestock and the high fire risk.

Edit: Marfoogle, a good YT news and discussion source, is talking about your dam [link to www.youtube.com (secure)] He might have new information. It's prerecorded from yesterday.

Last Edited by Pooka on 04/27/2019 06:30 PM

Typical quiet Saturday here. I think everyone has things to do by the end of the week. I don't feel well today, so I am just hanging out quietly.

Hope everybody is doing well with whatever they are doing.

Take care of yourself, maybe some ginger tea will set things right.