It's common to gaslight the sane, and the preppers are no different. Like anything, prepping can go too far, but what you've outlined here is not only eminently reasonable but should be obvious to any clear-thinking person possessing a desire to survive. Sadly, clear-thinking people are in short supply; but thankfully we have a few like yourself that are willing to lead the horse to water. Another great one JM:)
"Sadly, clear-thinking people are in short supply." -- I wish this weren't true, but unfortunately, it is. Tiny confession: I used to get a great deal of amusement watching videos of preppers building underground bunkers, turning their home into Fort Knox, etc. It was definitely out in "too far" territory you mentioned, but I was mildly addicted to the absurdity. I'm a sane prepper! Or so I tell my myself. :)
Excellent, I may copy this off locally. I nodded my head through the entire article. The only thing I haven't done is acquire an alternate means of transportation. After stumbling across survivalblog.com and peakprosperity.com (fka chrismartenson.com) in their early years I had an awakening and started in earnest. Family and friends were mostly just amused and occasionally annoyed by my efforts... until... the early months of the pandemic, when I was suddenly a very smart guy! One said "well, if I wasn't a prepper before I am now". "'bout dang time" I thought. My funnest endeavor has been acquiring an electric and manual (gotta have a backup!) wheat grinder and an assortment of different types wheat berries. Fresh ground flour is a different animal than any store bought flour. Its a dream to work with and the flavor is usually noticeable, depending on what you made with it.
Yeah, I totally get it. Prepper websites can go from practical to extreme, but I never throw the baby out with the bathwater. And I hope the readers here don't either.
A manual wheat grinder is a really good idea. There's a young guy several towns over from here that grinds local, organic wheat berries and bakes his own bread. He sells it at the indoor farmer's market every weekend. And you're right: the difference in flavor is tremendous.
Funny how the people paying attention are often deemed crazy...until they're not. Glad the people around you started to switch on a bit back in 2020.
Thanks so much for this. I think I'm about halfway there. Way back in the late 60s I had accumulated a pretty good stash of old style quarters that still had a good amount of silver. In J H Kunstler's "World Made by Hand" series those coins are used for trading. However I wound up spending my collection at face value for an engagement ring. In retrospect it was a good purchase, as she's still with me after 54 years.
Well, Jim, it certainly sounds like spending those coins for an engagement ring was a wise investment. 54 years is impressive, especially as you seem so happy and contented.
Yes, a lot of older coins that were one in circulation are known as "junk silver." (Of course, none of it is junk.) The following US coins from 1964 and earlier contain 90% silver: dollars, half dollars, quarters and dimes. Junk silver became particularly hard to get your hands on from 2020-2022, but oddly I've been seeing more of it out and about these days. Will make for excellent bartering.
Glad you're in Mexico for these times, GE. You're surrounded by creative, resourceful and industrious people. It doesn't hurt that Mexico has such a fantastic domestic economy (compared to most countries), including an abundance of food. And I'm sure you're able to find plenty of community if and when you so feel inclined.
It's common to gaslight the sane, and the preppers are no different. Like anything, prepping can go too far, but what you've outlined here is not only eminently reasonable but should be obvious to any clear-thinking person possessing a desire to survive. Sadly, clear-thinking people are in short supply; but thankfully we have a few like yourself that are willing to lead the horse to water. Another great one JM:)
"Sadly, clear-thinking people are in short supply." -- I wish this weren't true, but unfortunately, it is. Tiny confession: I used to get a great deal of amusement watching videos of preppers building underground bunkers, turning their home into Fort Knox, etc. It was definitely out in "too far" territory you mentioned, but I was mildly addicted to the absurdity. I'm a sane prepper! Or so I tell my myself. :)
Ben Franklin, quite the plagiarist, wrote, “Do good with what thou hast, or it will do the no good.”
Ha! Indeed he was. Still a very good quote nonetheless. Thanks, Donald!
Excellent, I may copy this off locally. I nodded my head through the entire article. The only thing I haven't done is acquire an alternate means of transportation. After stumbling across survivalblog.com and peakprosperity.com (fka chrismartenson.com) in their early years I had an awakening and started in earnest. Family and friends were mostly just amused and occasionally annoyed by my efforts... until... the early months of the pandemic, when I was suddenly a very smart guy! One said "well, if I wasn't a prepper before I am now". "'bout dang time" I thought. My funnest endeavor has been acquiring an electric and manual (gotta have a backup!) wheat grinder and an assortment of different types wheat berries. Fresh ground flour is a different animal than any store bought flour. Its a dream to work with and the flavor is usually noticeable, depending on what you made with it.
btw, I do not ascribe to some of the extreme views on either of the above web sites but there are a LOT of good How Tos there.
Yeah, I totally get it. Prepper websites can go from practical to extreme, but I never throw the baby out with the bathwater. And I hope the readers here don't either.
A manual wheat grinder is a really good idea. There's a young guy several towns over from here that grinds local, organic wheat berries and bakes his own bread. He sells it at the indoor farmer's market every weekend. And you're right: the difference in flavor is tremendous.
Funny how the people paying attention are often deemed crazy...until they're not. Glad the people around you started to switch on a bit back in 2020.
Thanks so much for this. I think I'm about halfway there. Way back in the late 60s I had accumulated a pretty good stash of old style quarters that still had a good amount of silver. In J H Kunstler's "World Made by Hand" series those coins are used for trading. However I wound up spending my collection at face value for an engagement ring. In retrospect it was a good purchase, as she's still with me after 54 years.
Well, Jim, it certainly sounds like spending those coins for an engagement ring was a wise investment. 54 years is impressive, especially as you seem so happy and contented.
Yes, a lot of older coins that were one in circulation are known as "junk silver." (Of course, none of it is junk.) The following US coins from 1964 and earlier contain 90% silver: dollars, half dollars, quarters and dimes. Junk silver became particularly hard to get your hands on from 2020-2022, but oddly I've been seeing more of it out and about these days. Will make for excellent bartering.
Great story, great information, thanks for this one JM.
Glad you're in Mexico for these times, GE. You're surrounded by creative, resourceful and industrious people. It doesn't hurt that Mexico has such a fantastic domestic economy (compared to most countries), including an abundance of food. And I'm sure you're able to find plenty of community if and when you so feel inclined.