SHTF Plan Editor’s Note: The following article from Chris Carrington of The Daily Sheeple poses an interesting scenario and one that every prepper has likely discussed with friends and family in their preparedness group. When the system fails how far are you willing to go to help your fellow man? We know what happens when resources run out and panic grips the populace. There will be riots, looting and violence. And despite the inherent good I’d like to believe exists in every human being, when people are at their wits end, hungry, and tired, they will do things they’d never have imagined during a time of peace and stability.
This is why the following topic should be of interest. It is one covered by many survival and preparedness authors. My wife Tess has provided some tips and strategies for charitable giving in a post-collapse world in her 52 Weeks to Preparedness series. It’s easy for all of us to say “If a family with kids shows up looking for help I will gladly give them food.” But when it hits the fan and your life is really on the line, will you still be so generous? Will you risk your family’s safety just to be charitable? As with everything else preparedness, if you are adamant about charitable giving in an SHTF environment, consider the risks and weigh your options. James Rawles of Survival Blog, for example, suggests going through a local church or organization to make donations rather then providing it directly to people in need as an operational security measure.
I know Chris Carrington. And I know Chris is the kind of person who will stop to render you medical aid if you are seriously injured and dying on a street while most others would simply walk on by. This is why I take this article seriously. I am certain Chris thought long and hard about this, as many of you have, and it wasn’t just slapped together.
We welcome community discussion on this topic, because it is an important one, and because you will no doubt be faced with making this decision should the worst come to pass.
Why I Won’t Be Charitable When The SHTF
By Chris Carrington
I have learned a great deal since I came on board here at The Daily Sheeple. I have read and listened to the opinions of many who are far further down the line of preparedness than I am, and although it may make me unpopular, I disagree with a some of what they say.
Of course agreeing or disagreeing with someone is purely personal choice. I am not saying they are wrong, just that I disagree with them.
Take for instance the charity aspect of prepping.
Many of the big names in prepping advocate that we should show solid Christian values in times of crisis and lay aside some essential items to give away to those that pass through who are less fortunate that ourselves.
NOT A CHANCE.
It has nothing to do with the fact that I have prepared, that I have scrimped and saved, and they possibly have not. It has nothing to do with greed on my part and to hell with all others. It has to do with the survival of my family.
A great deal is made on all prepping sites about OPSEC. Keeping low and not attracting attention, and this is where the trouble starts.
I know for a fact that if I had been given food, water and maybe a few other essential items by someone I passed along the way I would remember them.
I know that if the survival of my children was at stake and I couldn’t provide for them I would revisit the person that had assisted me in the hope of getting more supplies.
I know I would do anything I had to do to feed my kids, to keep them alive. Now if I could trade something, work for the food I would certainly do so. What happens though if the answer is no, we’re fine thanks, off you go?
Think about this. Put yourself in the position of the people you helped. You know this family had enough food to give some away. It’s unlikely you are the only people who have happened by. To a desperate man with starving children the logical conclusion would be that the family who helped you out had food to spare.
This is a situation that’s going to get ugly very fast.
Moving a little further into our imagined scenario. You helped the passers by as best you could. You are well armed and willing to defend your family and your supplies. The passers by you assisted know this, they know they couldn’t take you alone. So they come back with a mob. A mob of cold, hungry and armed people who want what you have got.
Once again it will get ugly very fast.
So, I will learn from those who know more than me, and I’m extremely grateful that they share their knowledge, but for me, charity really does begin at home if we are in a SHTF situation.
I will not risk blowing my OPSEC. I will not risk the lives of myself and my family in order to be charitable, it just isn’t going to happen. Every morsel of food I give away could keep my kids going for another day. Every item of clothing I give away could have kept my kids warm in the winter, could have wrapped my future grandchildren, could get passed on to the next generation who may have no access to new clothing.
We all know it’s not a case of if the SHTF, it’s a case of when. Be it a natural or man made disaster, there’s no reason to think we are the immune generation, that it won’t happen to us. We are not special in the grand scheme of things, we are no different to other generations that have faced war or famine or pandemic. The list of what can and does go wrong on this planet of ours is long, very long. Should one of these events occur, all of us, no matter how well prepared, are going to struggle to survive. Many of us won’t make it for one reason or another.
To attempt to survive, and even thrive after a catastrophic event is normal, it’s human nature, and while I pity those who have nothing I will not assist them with food, water or material items that could hasten the demise of me and mine.
There are many who will read this and decide I have no Christian values, I accept that , and I won’t argue with them, they are fully entitled to their opinion. What I will say is God gave me a brain and the ability to use it and that’s exactly what I’m doing.
Opening my door and handing out charity parcels when the grid is down or the food supply chain has snapped, when people are cold, hungry and desperate is to me akin to going to an ATM in a rough part of town and announcing loudly that you are taking out $1000 from an account that has $1,000,000 in it.
You just wouldn’t do it would you? You wouldn’t announce to every mugger in the neighborhood that you had a $1000 on you and there was plenty more where that came from.
In a collapse scenario your preps are worth more than that $1000. They are worth more than $1,000,000 in a situation where no amount of money can buy you what you need.
Think about this…how far would you go to protect you and yours?
I know for a fact I would do whatever I had to, including stealing from others. It’s not something I like to admit to, but it is the truth. Thinking this way also makes you realize you may not survive the encounter of taking from others and where would your family be then?
This is why I prep. To provide for myself and my family in times of trouble. To make sure they have enough water, food and clothing to see them through for as long as possible. To have enough seeds stored, and enough gardening knowhow that we can supplement our diets making our canned and dehydrated supplies last longer, far longer than they would have done otherwise.
It’s why we’ve opened up fireplaces and brought dynamo flashlights. It’s why the nieces and nephews join our own kids for ‘craft’ sessions where they are taught to knit, sew and fix things up with hammers and nails. they think this is so cool as none of their friends get to do it.
They make bread and pick produce they have grown. They are learning what they can and cannot eat from the hedgerows.
All of this is why I prep and I’ll be damned if I am going to risk all that because I give a bottle of water and a couple of cans of beans to passing strangers.
Delivered by The Daily Sheeple
Chris Carrington is a writer, researcher and lecturer with a background in science, technology and environmental studies. Chris is an editor for The Daily Sheeple. Wake the flock up!
They can never take God from anyone who truly believes.
That in itself is priceless.
I have no problem helping someone in need when the SHTF because we will all be pretty much in the same boat. I just hope they have no objections when I give them some Chef Boyardee. 😛
Why should you share with people that laughed behind your back and called you and other preppers/survivalists tin foil head nut jobs? Why should you feel obligated to feed those that had more than enough money to store away what they needed. Why should you give up what could be the extra days you need to make it through to live and survive? Why should you feed those that will NOT help you when the well runs dry?
You sacrifice much to go without so your family and friends will survive. Many others live it up. I can see mercy on the truly poor that barely made ends meat. Someone that has all sorts of toys at that house, one toy alone could have brought a year’s worth of food for their family. Let them eat grass and chew on tree bark like a termite. They call preppers/survivalists selfish, F THEM. There are plenty things to eat around the neighborhood. Let them eat each other for as far as anyone could care. Preppers/survivalists put away for a rainy, or hurricane day because they have insight and intelligence to see what is necessary when something happens. Non preppers can learn the art of preparing insect casseroles, plenty of protein in bugs.
By the way did you see the article the Daily Sheeple put on about this poor high school student that was suspended and punished for trying to prevent her friend from going out and drinking and driving. She was blamed under the nazi zero tolerance of drugs and alcohol. Trying to save her friend from possibly causing a fatal car crash to innocent people because she went to the party to pick up her friend. BO nazi police state. BO anti sanity nazi thugs making sure all freedom and common sense is driven out of America. BO devil goon squads at full operation.
Be informed,
When Jesus was spit upon, laughed at, flogged and nailed to a cross, was He thinking to Himself “screw these people”?
Now that is not to say that you are wrong in your judgement. In fact, when push comes to shove, I will most likely keep my preps for me and my family and that’s it.
All I’m doing is providing food for thought. My argument is shouldn’t we strive to be like Jesus? Imagine a young couple with a starving child begging for food. Sure it would be wiser to decline help, but how could you live with yourself if you said “sorry, no can do”?
Matthew 5:42. Pray and stay frosty, my friends
Stay Frosty,
No offence intended but you said, “My argument is shouldn’t we strive to be like Jesus?”, and yet, you also say, ” when push comes to shove, I will most likely keep my preps for me and my family and that’s it.” You can not have it both ways so your argument is mute.
Anon,
Many people do try to be like Jesus. I’m one of them. Most of the time, I’m a miserable failure and I don’t measure up. Yep, I failed to be Christ-like again today! Those failures are occasion for a Christian virtue called “Humility”. Realizing that I can’t be like Christ in and of myself puts me where God wants me to be. Then I pray for enough grace to at least “tread water”, or even to make a tiny bit of progress in the spiritual life.
“Stay Frosty” meant that we try and fail, try and fail again. Occasionally, we have a moment of grace that’s made just for each person alone. You can’t explain it, you can’t brag about it, you can’t pretend it came from you; it came THROUGH you.
That’s how I look at it.
Thanks for writing this. I couldn’t have gotten it out quite right, and I’m really only considering taking up along that path, so I wouldn’t have been able to say much about it.
Mark, beautiful post. Jesus also instructs us to be shrewd as vipers, and yes gentle as a dove. Point, Jesus was the sacrifice for all mankind, I will carry my cross for my Lord, my family, and then others. Will I assist others in need? Yes. Mr. Carrington has made some very good points but I still couldn’t turn away a child in need. As the Lord has motivated my wife and I to prep, I know he’ll provide when the supplys get low. If He doesn’t, I won’t lose my faith in Him.
We are all walking through the valley of death, Whom will you trust and let guide you?
Also I have considered something some of you might consider a middle ground. I have even toyed with it as my livelihood post-SHTF. But its so darn risky.
The apocalypse caffe might be open for business. But no one eats for free. No charity. But if people have something to trade, then their children need not starve. It might sound evil and opportunistic to you, but to me it would be more of a way to sort through people who are just caught short and out of luck vs. those people who expect to be fed for merely existing. What if they have nothing to trade? Will they put in a good four hours labor for a meal from them and their child? If so, then they are welcome, if not then please be on your way.
Isn’t that a reasonable sort of middle ground. It also sounds very American to me also.
But it’s all just fantasy. Some amoral little creep who was born and raised on Grand Theft auto and first person shooters will probably blow me away from 300 yards off. Possibly not even realizing I had anything – just for a kick.
You CAN be like Jesus… “be ye perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” It just takes time…keep trying!
It is prudent to prepare… and share.
It is foolish to be selfish, because even the selfish will eventually die and will eventually have to answer for their selfishness.
Better to die hungry and charitable early than die selfish later.
Do your best… both temporally and spiritually.
But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal.
Matthew 6:20
Dude – we all screw up. We’re sinners, it’s what we do.
In the article, I noticed one big, fat, glaring omission: Anonymity.
When you give, you give anonymously or on the down-low. Here’s how:
* Walk up to the neighbor with your donation stuff and say: “Hey, Jim, I found this stuff out in a wreck on highway 20 last night, but you got kids and I don’t, so here – take as much of this as you need, and I’ll take the rest.”
* Be generous with whatever you forage and/or scrounge – especially if you end up with more than you can use.
* Leave donation stuff out where your neighbors can sort of find it, such as in an abandoned store or along a route you know they take.
* Stash the donation somewhere nobody’s looked before in the neighborhood. Go ‘foraging’ with the neighbor, semi-guiding him to the stuff you’ve hidden.
…lots of other ways to be Christian about it, without violating OPSEC at all…
@ Odd Questioner
Excellent suggestions (except for the part about lying).
“But whoever does not receive you, neither listens to your words, when you depart from the house or from the village, shake the sand from your feet.” Matthew 10:14
Ad gloriosum sempiterne Deus
That would be “moot”, not “mute”. Lol
Could you feed that young family until things are back to normal? Where I live there must be hundreds of people who live within a one mile radius of where I live. If I gave them all food I would run out in a single day. Between me and my wife, we have about 50 relatives in the area. That includes siblings and their spouses, their children and their spouses, and their grandchildren. We couldn’t possibly provide for them all. We have one year’s supply of food for 4 people. Each additional person we take in gives the rest of us less food. If I feel that God wants me to take someone in, I will. Otherwise I won’t. Except for my wife’s sister but I’m hoping they move to Texas before the collapse.
There are 29 other people, parents and children, on this street alone.
I’ll stop right there. I am not feeding all of them; therefore I will feed none of them.
God urged me to prepare years ago–I was listening.
Why aren’t they??
Didn’t we do our part when we constantly told them why it is so important to prepare, I told the same people over & over only to be called a nutjob.
We all have to be responsible for ourselves, if you give one meal it will never be enough because this will not be a short term problem.
I have no blood on my hands because I preached until I was blue in the face, but it fell on deaf ears.
SF — what you have to keep in perspective is that Christ had been given an assignment: To atone for people’s sins…he lovingly chose that path, BUT what Christ never, ever, EVER preached was for you to sacrifice the welfare of your family for somebody else, especially someone who had been warned a thousand times.
When it started raining and after Noah had closed up the drawbridge to the ark, did Noah open it back up for the people who mocked him? Nope. Noah warned and warned and warned and then he closed the door and saved HIS FAMILY. Nobody but Noah and Noah’s family were saved: No children, no adults, no animals.
Christ’s teachings have always been about love and forgiveness … you can love and forgive somebody and still not let him into your camp to destroy you. Christ loves everybody, so that would have to include Satan, YET you have never heard one time of Christ hanging out with Satan…”get thee gone” is a familiar theme.
The bottom line is this has to be decided in advance by EVERYBODY in your camp, to do it or not to do it, method and mode, OR it could wipe you all out.
Just a quibble in that Noah did save the animals, as God instructed. Your point about saving his family holds true.
I was talking about extras once that bridge was up…LOL!!
Down below are a lot of comments on giving to Africa etc. One if my extended family is religious, he was going to Africa, his church asked him to look in on a school etc they were funding in Africa. When he got there, he went to the village, no nothing. They hadn’t seen a white person in three years. Going there he was told take NOTHING with him, or you will be robbed and likely killed. Turns out the missionaries spent their time in the capital city, in the hotel, asking for money. Nobody was dumb enough to be out into the villages.
You must remember that once Noah closed the doors it was a done deal. All those that laughed, mocked and scorned him, including children, sealed their fate when the catastrophe started.
I know you want to be charitable but you open that door for one the hoard will soon be on your doorstep which will be your and your family’s demise. In other words your Ark will sink.
Excellent point about Noah! Will have to remember that one.
John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” – Luke 3:11
More than anything the trouble that is to come will expose the many who claim the name of Jesus, but merely practice Christian philosophy. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 7:21
“Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” – Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:42)
While we do have to take care of our own families, the Bible is clear that must be balanced with charity to foreigners. The Old Testament records part of the tithe went specifically to them. 1/10th of every fresh kill and as much clean water as they can carry will be anonymously distributed by a church a few miles from our community.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ – Matthew 25:31-43
You’re either a sheep or a goat. . .
Proverbs Chapter 6:6-6:8
6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8 Provideth her meat in the summer, [and] gathereth her food in the harvest.
““Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” – Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:42”
Prepared Pastor, there is no “borrowing” in a SHTF scenario. There is only consumption. I’d be happy to teach someone to kill and cook a squirrel. That way they can help themselves.
“Give a man a fish, and you have fed him for a day.”
“Beat a man with a fish and he’ll quit bothering you.”
Looneytunes 36:24-36
“A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”
Proverbs 22:3
Prepared Pastor, Why not use the opening verses of Matthew 25? You know the part about the WISE bridesmaids not sharing their oil and the foolish ones being locked out…
Proverbs 21:20 & 23 [NIV]
The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down… Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.
There are any number of pious souls out there quoting scripture and beseeching others to give away their possessions, even if it means harm to the other person and his family.
My answer to them is always the same : There are people who are hungry at this very moment, why do you stock up food, you should give it all away right now.
Here, when it’s time for charity, some will be admitted into the community, especially the helpless. The takers, however, will seek and not find.
Glad to see somebody remembers Noah in this day. The original prepper. I also remember a biblical parable about reaping what you sow…if others have not prepared then aren’t they reaping what they have sown? Yes, Noah saved animals but for the entire length of time it took him and his family to build the Ark he tried to save people with his warnings. Some will listen…many won’t.
Christ didn’t love satan,; satan is delusion! Either you love the Lord (Love, Truth, Wisdom) or you don’t. Jesus loved Truth, not delusion.
Mathew 24:12
“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”
It’s really about discernment between brothers in need and evildoers.
Insanity–you forgot the most important part!
‘Then the LORD shut him in.’ Genesis 7:16
It provides a wonderful demonstration of the twin truths of man’s responsibility and God’s sovereignty.
Amen.
And yes, I know Noah was Old Testament and Christ New Testament, but the same “family” is running the show…the rules don’t change and there are plenty of examples in both Old and New Testaments of people being warned and warned and WARNED and when they didn’t listen, they were destroyed. There was NOBODY who stayed to help them with a hand-out.
Stay Frosty,
You mean, help that young couple that has a staving child? The same couple that I watch go to the food pantry on wednesday’s here in town?
The ones that drive a hell of alot nicer car now, then my ole’ mid 80’s truck? The same couple who are walking up the sidewalk tapping on their I-crap? The young couple that is laying around all day makin’ more yung’ins?
The ones that would feel that they are entitled because the baby is hungry?
I’m not trying to argue the point. Jesus would help.
I’m not the Lord. Will I answer to him some time? YUP!
I do without a lot today… so, I may have something tomorrow.
BI is right. Just cuz’ they can breed, don’t mean “I have to feed.”
Our country is where it is today, because of this thought process. Sorry y’all, just count me out.
Y’all play nice. 🙂
hillbilly SC
Howdy, hillbilly SC. I’m the same way. THEY ARE THE ONES RESPONSIBILE FOR THEIR OWN KIDS, NOT YOU OR ANYONE ELSE. Nobody is owed anything by anyone else in this world. if those parents didn’t live up to their responsibilities to keep enough food on hand for themselves and their kids, that’s their own stupid ass fault, not someone else’s. It’s all we as individuals can do to keep ourselves alive. We are individuals, NOT A BUNCH OF TWO-LEGGED ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS FOR FREELOADERS TO JUMP ON. braveheart
braveheart
Thank you for the support. 🙂
I would like to add that if I found that baby alone and hungry, I would take it home, raise and care for it. Just as the pharaoh did.
Just hope he don’t grow up and take everything I have. 🙂
Y’all enjoy your evening.
hillbilly SC
hillbilly, don’t forget, many young couples have money for tatoos but not for prepping.
DRD5508,
You got that right. My daughter got one, but can’t figure out how to save money for an apartment she wants.
“stupid is as stupid does”
Forrest Gump
Or me… after a conversation with her. 🙂
Y’all behave. No peeing in the gene pool. We got nuff’ already doing that.
hillbilly SC
Hey DRD5508 I just got a small tat a few weeks ago! BUT my family and I are fully awake and prepping!!
The tat was just something I got for me…after undergoing a life changing event that I had no control over! It was my way of saying “I am a woman who overcame adversity with strength and honor! And that’s what my tat says “Strength” with a small red heart attached 🙂
But you’re right…so many young couples are wasting money, when they should be preparing for what is coming…especially if they have children!
I totally agree with Chris, I have family and friends that I plan on helping, but no one else!
My family and I won’t risk OPSEC helping strangers. That video from the Walmart in LA should be proof enough just how bad it will become when the SHTF!!
SmokyMtnLady, You earned that right and bravo to you. What I was refering to is how many youngsters have money for tats, car mods, Ipads, etc.. but need help from the gov’t.
Love hearing from prepped women as does my wife.
Stay in grace.
@ Stay Frosty. This is one reason I have a small box of extra food for those people that are truly desperate for two reasons. First to give someone something that I can’t use and to give the impression to others that I am sharing the last bit of what I have left and that is it for them and me. I know this is deception, but this logic is one of the ways to survive the longest as possible.
Compassion and empathy can go only so far. It is extremely likely that you will not just see one couple with a small child, but dozens or hundreds. Whom do you pick out, why is one better than the other? Or do you divide all your food and supplies to the crowd and then starve yourself? Everyone has to realize that they personally are worthwhile and they don’t have to sacrifice and save others for a very limited amount of time. Logic can be cold and calculating, but it WORKS.
Look at all those like Jesus that tried to give everything of themselves and look at what they got from it. Tortured, killed, taken advantage of. One of the finest minds of human history, Nikola Tesla wanted to give free energy and knowledge of science to the world for the betterment of all humans. Evil demons like JP Morgan and Thomas Edison made sure this never happened. Edison even electrocuted dogs and cats to try to disprove AC power and show how dangerous it is which is much cheaper to use than DC current. Tesla died a poor pauper stating that his only friends were his pet pigeons. This is exactly what happens when you give of yourself to the ASS MONKEYS, they take and throw you away like a piece of used toilet paper.
99% of the people don’t prepare, and most of them could store up something but choose not to. Why should you share anything with any of these fools? They are very likely not going to appreciate it. AND you are really not helping them spiritually by showing them that live is nothing but taking advantage of those that sacrifice so much for their own families. It should be 99% of the people put away something for reserve. Even the poorest of the poor have found ways to put something away. There are rare exceptions and discreation is needed with all survival situations. In general through: “Feed the ass monkey and shorten your own family’s survival time and you will get bit for your trouble is my philosophy, it is their nature”.
It was George Westinghouse who screwed Tesla, not Edison.
@ The Old Coach. Yes Westinghouse was part of it, but Edison still went along with destroying Tesla and tortured innocent animals to prove a point against AC power. Kind of like the stooges that go along with BO and do his dirty work. My real point was that to survive in this sticken world you have to think about yourself and your family and true blue friends first. There is just too much disloyalty and shear stupidity in the masses to trust too many of any of them.
The 1% prepper/survivalist ratio tells it all, most people are too selfish to even think ahead and provide for their families during emergency times. 99% don’t even store up a couple of boxes of food that would take not too much money or effort, but give them some buffer and wiggle room when something happens. These are the same people that will be DEMANDING your food and supplies because “how dare you hoarde food for your family”. This BO idealism has struck this country like a plague that you are rotten if you prepare for your family.
To give or not to give that is the question. I supose the short quick answer, is that it depends on the situation and circumstances and one will have to make it up as they go.
But, I have zero obligation to shield others from the natural consequences of their own self inflected stupidity. That black bimbo on You Tube, squandered her EBT money on getting her nails done, when she could have spent the money on having some extra food in her house. Nor do I have any sympathy for those who feel entitled to dine on steaks, and now out of food. Tough.
Yes, I am being very stone cold hearted, I don’t care what happens to her or her 6 children. She has that chip on her shoulder and the attitude that she is entitled to other people’s money. If she wants others to help her out of her mess, then the absolutelty first place would be with the sperm donnors of her 6 children.
I am willing to help and give to others, BUT since it is my money and my stuff, it is my call to make as to who, where and when.
Well said.
It’s your call every day except April 15.
I agree with you 100%. I have been speaking with my neighbors for YEARS about preparing and I’ve even gone so far as to suggest WHAT to buy that will keep for years without vacuum sealing such as rice, wheat, dry beans, and canned goods stored in their basements. But no…they all call me “Tin Man” and crap like that. I took an informal poll last week of a handful of my neighbors. I asked them how many days of food do they think they have in their homes for their families. Most said they have “A few days worth” with one guy telling me he thought they had “About a week and a half of food”. That’s about it. None of these neighbors owns a single gun nor do they want to and none of them have anything stored. I’ve been talking to them for the past four years and nothing has changed with them. So, when the SHTF I will NOT do a single thing to help them. NOTHING. I will barricade my windows and doors and arm up for the mobs that I know will be coming down our streets. Lock and Load!
Jack Hammer, in that sort of scenario you are describing, I can relate. You have obviously shown your neighbors what they need to do but instead of heeding your advice, they ridicule and deride you. All I can say is that after four years of them placing their heads up their posteriors and allowing the scent of the own fecal matter to distort their progressive, profligate, entitlement mentality, you’ve done your part. Wash your hands of them and walk away. However, due to the fact that you are prepared and they aren’t be prepared to defend your own by any means possible if they try to take what you have, up to and incuding the use of deadly force.
You better move, Jack!!!
BI, once again, AMEN to your comments. All of the newcomers to this site should go back in the archives and read your article of 5-12-12, “How Horrific Will It Be For The Nonprepper?” the first time I read the article, I printed a copy and made extra copies for other people to read. They still didn’t “get it”. If they don’t get it by now, they never will. They’re going to pay the ultimate price for their ignorance and stupidity. braveheart
BI,
Of course those who act like Christ are tortured and killed. He said that would happen, and all the Apostles were tortured and killed except St. John, who ended up on Patmos. If your home truly is not of this world, then you are probably pretty comfortable with the grim designs the bastards have on your fleshly body. I’m not quite there yet, but there is that “cloud of witnesses” that I am supposed to be emulating.
Speaking of Tesla, a good Serbian Orthodox boy, one of his countrymen, Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic, wrote the “Prologue from Ochrid”. It’s kinda like a Foxe’s Book of Martyrs for the Orthodox.
From the Book of Hebrews:
35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Be informed,
I do agree with you about the hordes of sheep that did not prepare. I’ve seen the videos of the EBT shutdown, Obama phone girl, etc. My point is that Jesus wants us to give. However, prudence is the key. And I will be picking and choosing who receives charity. A young child will be more likely to receive food then middle aged, former welfare recipients.
The comparison is a good one, but it is based on Noah and his family being deemed the only righteous people left in the world. There are still righteous, good people who simply were not wise enough to prepare. Will you tell them, “sorry but you didn’t prepare so I’m not giving you anything”?
You might want to read what Selco wrote about how children behave and can be used in a protracted SHTF situation. Also read what he said about givers in general. Very, very sobering.
No, I will not tell them “sorry but you didn’t prepare so I’m not giving you anything”?
I don’t have to —I’m not opening the damned door!!
Sign for door:
I donated to the church what little I could afford.
Find the one nearest you.
BI – On occasion I get boxes containing biodegradable packing peanuts which are actually made of edible food starch. I ate one once as an experiment. Not very tasty but they will keep you alive in an extreme situation. I save them specifically to give away to neighbors who refuse to properly prepare. Those who genuinely have something to offer can be upgraded to the better stuff, but always grudgingly with OPSEC in mind.
Stay Frosty,
No offence intended but you stated,” My argument is shouldn’t we strive to be like Jesus?” and you also stated that ” In fact, when push comes to shove, I will most likely keep my preps for me and my family and that’s it.” I don’t believe you can have it both ways, therefore your argument is mute.
And after that first family comes another…then another…then another until you have nothing and you join them in their hunt for food and shelter. Have at it. I will NOT help those that come to my door, not even relatives. They have all known for years to prepare, especially my relatives. If they cannot prepare before hard times come, how will these same people survive on their own when the SHTF? They won’t. They will be parasites and will attack and kill those that have prepared and we will have to kill them to keep our families alive. To hell with them.
Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, Nashville floods, Oklahoma floods, Colorado fires, Gulf oil spill, New Mexico floods, Japanese tsunami, Iceland volcano, Haiti earthquake/floods….
Have these folks that you want me to feed been existing in my universe??
Exactly JayJay! My best friend is a cop in Tampa…she SEES what is going on, all around her, but she does NOTHING to prepare for her family! She just traded in her car and bought a big ole, gas guzzling truck…because her car “needed new tires” and she couldn’t afford them! HUH?????
She told me a few years ago that all my “prepper” talk was boring…so I stopped talking to her about it. It makes me sad, because she IS my friend and I love her….but to use her very own words, when telling me about trading in her car for the truck, because she didn’t have the cash for tires….”Yea, I know, I’m stupid”….I have to agree…. Sigh……..
Smoky Mtn. Lady–multiply her and my neighbor by thousands.
It will not be pretty when the SHTF.
I have neighbors right now who are both unemployed. Do you think for one minute that while they were making good money that they stacked food or put some cash back? No. Neither will work for less than $25/hour but there are jobs nearby for $15-$18/hour. They would prefer to struggle on unemployment, beg and borrow rather than work for a steady paycheck they deem less than they deserve. I can’t fix that or bring myself to help out.
When I was stationed in Panama and worked throughout Central and South America we had a saying, “If you come here with a bleeding heart, you will bleed to death”. Yes it would be difficult to turn people away, but sometimes you have to harden your heart and do what you have to do to survive. You can only live with guilt if you live.
Be like Jesus? You mean dead, hanging on a cross? No thanks. Because you start handing out food to starving people that’s what you will be, stupid suicide is a bad idea.
Jesus died.
When the flood came, Moses only took in his family, nobody else. They all had time to prepare but did not. And think of the parable of the virgins – 5 prepared, 5 did not, and those 5 were locked out.
Stay Frosty: You and others seem to assume that your neighbors already know that you have “extra” food. There’s no reason that folks should see you as a survivalist/prepper unless you’ve blabbed. Since I moved to a small town four years ago, I haven’t mentioned preps of any kind to anyone because talking time has passed. Time grows shorter with every day that passes, and if folks aren’t on board by now, well that’s just too bad. There are various prepper show now that talk about all the possible collapse scenarios and how each group or family is preparing. Add to this shows like Revolution and Jericho, if people can’t get the hint, then they are truly useless eaters and breeders who won’t be missed. I can’t care more for my neighbor’s family than he does because that’s just insane thinking. But that’s what this welfare state mentality has done to folks and it will be their undoing. This will be a lifeboat situation where each one of us decides who stays and who gets tossed overboard. Two movies on this subject are “Lifeboat” 1944 but the better one is “Abandon Ship” 1957 where tough decisions like these are made.
stay frosty
giving food away is one of things that started this mess. I advise you and anyone else don’t come knocking on my door,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, God gave us both the same brain,,,,,,,,,,,, I listened you didn’t choose too,,,,,,,,
snake
I think I’ going with the analogy of the 10 bridesmaid. 5 were smart and prepared, 5 were foolish and did not. When the 5 foolish asked the 5 wise ones to share their oil, the response was NO, if we give you some, we won’t have enough for ourselves. I intend on being a wise bridesmaid in this situation.
I,m too broke to help people now.
When the shtf, forget about it.
I couldn’t agree more BI. Remember, NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED and in a SHTF situation that punishment could be your life!
My neighbors don’t even have band aids. They called me a few monhs ago needing a band aid and then again a few days ago. They still didn’t get any. WTF over. I will network with other people who are prepared, if you are not an asset your a liability.
Chris
We know one another and I know what you’ve gone through over the years preparing..
Couldn’t agree more..
Charity begins at home..
Nough said.
possee
BI, good morning, sir, and once again you’re right on target. I’ve seen how people act in Miami after hurricanes came through the area. I’m talking way back from mid-70s to early 80s. Even then people were terribly brainwashed. mrs. braveheart and I took this position way back then. Either one of us could’ve written this article but we would have to disagree about stealing from someone who is still alive to feed our families. Now if you come across someone who is dead and find something on that person’s corpse that will help you stay alive, that’s different. When you die, your preps will fall into someone else’s hands. Can’t take preps with you to the grave. otherwise, the article is spot on. Nonpreppers who refuse to take responsibility for themselves and their families are the damned fools and that will be proven in any post-SHTF scenario. braveheart
“Why should you share with people that laughed behind your back and called you and other preppers/survivalists tin foil head nut jobs?”
Could not have said it better myself.
Even when the tide is going out 1/2 mile further than normal, some ppl just want to look a the pretty shells, as the tsunami approaches. I got my “life preserver” [in many forms] and will run for the hills when the SHTF.
Bi,
Well, I am rethinking my strategy of keeping out of date preps for charity. Since, when the SHTF, my yard will be posted “Enter at your own risk. There be booby traps here.”
At least they will have been warned.
Upon thinking about it, I will take the supplies to the church up the road for distribution. Anybody that stops by begging will be sent to them.
Splitting the difference sounds like good policy. It makes me feel good, and safer…
Now, what will happen? The church will be attacked…
Yes, exactly just like the Walmarts were “attacked” last week! The churches will be overrun! As will the Amish…God help them!
@ BI. I will share because I want to. I am in a different situation where 75% of the people around this area are awake. Few are laughing at anyone. Some just have thier head up thier sandbox because it is too depressing for them to think what is about to happen or they are just ignorant. This state has the very least amount of $$$ assistance of all the country. Private and church charities make up the rest. I think you are looking at only one side of the coin, as there are folks struggling to feed themselves and family and cannot prep. There are homeless veterans with mental problems, and others that will need help. Then there is the assholes that have boats, cars, motorcycles, big house and no preps…, fuck them. I will use my best judgement and decide which ones to help, and not help. I am in a area that will get very few outsiders from the cities.
Sorry, but there is no one in this country that is too poor to prep. They may not have a house or a place to prep, but no one is too poor. I lived in the Ghetto for 3 years, there are lottery tickets every where, smoking, booze, you name it. (I was in Sam’s Club yesterday, 20# 0f rice $9.00.) I lived on PB&J sandwiches, top Ramen, Macaroni, and Cabbage in a condemned building, for two years. I saved money they can.
@ Paranoid. Disagree with your first line of comment.
@ gone under
A good way to judge who spent their money on expensive items will be the brand name clothes they show up in. If you see ralph lauren polo horses on their jackets you know they had plenty. I never feel like I have enough preps so it will be hard to give away any of them. The Holy Spirit will lead me to do what is right.
I’ll still have the sign in my yard stating “Due to Ammo shortage; no warning shots will be fired”
NOMI
Not necessarily. I have 7 kids. And there are no ways in Hell we could afford to clothe them all in brand-new stuff, even the cheap Wal-Mart/Giant Tiger/Loblaws brands. That’s why we hit second-hand stores and thrift shops like Value Village. And yes, some of my kids sport some stuff we couldn’t afford if bought new, but when I’m paying less than a dime on the dollar, a grand total of $6.99, for these brand-name duds, it’s fine by me.
Mind you we still get some new brand-name stuff too but it is mostly for my wife and I since we’re not likely to outgrow it anytime soon and we are a lot gentler on the kit than the kids are. And even then, we don’t go top-shelf, more like middle shelf anyways. Why pay 200 bucks for fancy jeans when some Wranglers or Levis will do the same job for a lot cheaper?
I have not bought a new work shirt in over 35 years, they all came from the thrift shops at 10% of retail.
Be Informed,
OT- I find your observations/predicions about earthquakes to be quite accurate. I would like to get your take on the Philippine earthquake and ramifications for potential releases elsewhere because of it.
Thank you!
For Those That Did not prepare, or said what a Nutcase you were for Prepping…How about a Nice Hot Lead Sandwich?
Nuff Said!
Semper Fi
Thumbs up. I made a LOTS of sacrifices to make my preps. I will help ONLY my familly i can’t save the world. And to prep you don’t need to be rich. And if something happen a WROL or SHTF event comes i don’t think i will be laugh at anymore !!!!!! Lock and load.
I think you meant to say Bolshevik rather than Nazi.
Nazi is given a bad rap because they outlawed USURY, They never prohibited any alcohol or drunkeness, or much anything else, EXCEPT USURY, Central Banking, and Fractional Reserve currency controlled BY
J E Ws and Freemasons, who were arrested (They also declared war ON Germany in 1933.
Read JKB Campbells HITLERS UNFORGIVEABLE SIN (Resisting Judaism), menawhile Bolshevik J E Ws that ran USSR killed 66 million Christians from 1917-1949.
Germany made abortion illegal, banned brutal Kosher slaughtering, introduced workers rights, 40 hr work weeks, vacations, birth rates set records, lowered the age to own guns to 18 for Germans, and it was an economic miracle, a nation the size of Arizona became a powerhouse with less than 10% military GDP spending.
Yes, Germany Spain and Italy were Fascist. What is it?
International banks that fleece the nation are not permitted under fascism.
NOTHING INTERNATIONAL is permitted in fascism.
Fundamental difference between fascism and marxism is that one is nationalist and the other is INTERNATIONALIST.
Fascism supports religion and recognizes God, Marxism is atheistic and de facto worships the state/ J E Ws.
Further, fascism also doesn’t guarantee equal results from unequal labor Marxism like the USSR… I might mention that just the murder rates of the nation’s citizens is another good indicator-66 million Christians killed by Marxist J E Ws from 1917-1949.
Fascism is about A nation and A people; and it is not communistic or internationalist. Fascism is geared to serve the host people and their traditional culture.
USA is copying the march towards Marxism and not fascism.
We are clearly being extorted for international banker goals and Marxist initiatives and dreams of a global totalitarian atheistic agenda of Marxist multiculturalism.
I am with you on this. I have never understood how people that prep and complain about the government giving handouts ( food stamps welfare ect ) to people advocate doing the same in a SHTF situation. If people didn’t have the thought process that allowed them to save and store then they were not meant to survive in my book. This may sound wrong but in nature the strong survive and the weak die. You would never see an animal in nature willing give up its food to another animal.
Even in the 1990;s I was a prepper living just outside of Los Angeles on a 5 acre property in a solar powered house. The morning after the Northridge quake friends started showing up knowing that I probably had power and food. They brought their friends and relatives too. By the end of the third day, more than 200 people were camped out in my yard. By the end of a week they had eaten my entire years supply of food, destroyed my garden broken many parts of my house and equipment in my shop then suddenly they left when the power came back on in LA leaving me with nothing but a huge cleanup bill and destroyed home.
Next time no one gets to come. Period.
Good evidence that preps should include moving your abode to a location that is more than one tankful from any major city.
Joe, you learned the hard way and thank God the calamity didn’t continue on more than a week or so. The next time something really happens I think it will be permanent. I think the corrupt, evil government will nuke a city or two or do something similar and the U.S. and perhaps the entire world will collapse. We have to be as ready as possible and consider ourselves and our immediate family first for survival. “Tell No One” are three words I’ve learned to keep close to heart. I tell no one of what I have and what I’m prepared for. Lock and Load!
@ Joe3..You have too kind of heart..You should have said that you only have enough to feed immediate family. Those isolated disasters do not meet the requirements of a total breakdown in society, which is around the bend.
@Joe3….HaHa!! That’s crazy ,but it’s just human nature!! (oops ,sorry for your loss tho) Around here if you would be dumb enough to loan someone your car ,they MIGHT walk back in your house, much later ,throw a steering wheel on the floor ,at your feet , and say ” Your damn car tried to kill me !!”….INSANE ….mm
Joe3: ONE: Never tell anyone anything, we call that OPSEC in the military. TWO: Are Nucking Futs, living that close to L.A.? I’m originally from Oxnard, just up the coast from there and I wouldn’t step foot back into that state of chaos called California. 38 million folks living there and over half the folks are either on some form of welfare, in gangs, or heavily medicated, some are combos of these. Northern Nevada or Eastern Oregon would be a lot safer. I suggest you watch “Panic In Year Zero” 1962 (polite civilized folks) and apply “Road Warrior” rules to it. You are almost at ground zero for ‘hell on earth’.
The problem is the fact that they didn’t prepare in the first place with all that we see happening today. It’s their mindset. You give them one can of spagetti o’s and tomorrow they’ll be back wanting two. And the day after that all their family friends with their kids will be their also because they’ve gottent the word that you’re the man that can save them.I try to turn this argument around on people who think prepping and not believing in entitlements is selfish. I ask them, isn’t it actually selfish to think you can take from others against their will simply because you don’t have what they have?
Some here and other places speak about those not prepared helping you, doing tasks for food, working for supplies, etc.
They didn’t see the need to prepare?? Therefore, they do not have the resources(brain waves) to help me do squat!!
We are only in this mess because lots of people think they deserve stuff they didn’t work for. No thanks, I will give only to people I know. I have tried to get people to help themselves, when it hits it’s just to bad.
Creation does not care if you live or die, unless you have some role to play in the grand scheme of things, even then, your time is temporal at best.
Chris Carrinton is correct to prep for his family. It may feel good to preach about “Christian values”, but that will mean nothing when you are starving. Better to prepare for your family, and if you give away their food, to people who knew better and did nothing, you will rightly suffer, “values” or not.
It is the peak of doublespeak, that gov has bunkers and decades worth of rats, some of them even tell you to prep. Then, when you do prep, other agencies label you a “terrorist” or whatever, and msm decends upon you like vultures.
For those who have had plenty of time to prep (and I know many), and who have still done nothing, they will have a brutal finale to their lives, and rightly so.
I forgot to add, the “card game” called “Conflicted” has many such questions, will give you pause to think, and is highly recommended.
Sooner or later we will all die and be at the Judgment Seat.
Choose carefully what you do in the trying tests ahead.
Keeps your lamps trimmed and burning.
Nice reference to the parable of the wise and the foolish virgins as well as a literal injunction. And yes, I know that parable is about entry into the Kingdom but that does not invalidate the point. If you don’t have enough to share, you don’t share. If you don’t prepare for yourself, you can be left out in the cold.
No matter how intensively we plan we will never have the knowledge on how to react to each and all situations that we will be faced with.
The first three weeks will be an absolute hell, tapering off and lasting as long as two months.
Those that haven’t prepped will be dead in a month. From dehydration or hunger.
Others from violence while out foraging for food.
Suicide is going to be awful and a lot of it.
If you are bugging in, security at your location 24/7 is an essential thing from the onset.
Small dogs are a great, great forewarning device. They don’t eat much, don’t lay many land mines and always on the lookout day and night. Listening for a bark is a lot easier on you than looking for people lurking in the dark.
Water where we are at is far more desirable and essential than food. I figure depending on what is in front of me each time, a milk jug of water in one hand and a pistol in the other hand and let them choose. Urging them to take the water and leave.
What will really get me is adults that seen this coming and were to stupid or lazy as not to prep for it will get little concern or charity on our parts.
Then with that said what do you do with the children?
Due to our locale, we don’t anticipate a lot of traffic such as this. In the summer months, 120 degrees ambient is not uncommon here. People from the cities that live in A/C will be foolish to come this way. But, they might not have a choice.
If something like this goes off, no matter the preparations, in the end, each situation will be individually evaluated and appropriate action taken or given accordingly.
,
I’m Christian, albeit, not a church-going one. There is a similar story in the Bible about prepping. Even if you never read the Bible, you still know this story. Noah’s Arc!
As far as I can tell, Noah wore the first tinfoil hat, just ask the neighbors who laughed at him. I don’t reckon he took too many vacations after knowing what was coming. Just hard work, and determination. BTW, this story is also in the Koran, or so I have heard, as well as many religious books other than Christian ones.
Ghrekko, The same story came to mind as I read this. Noah did not leave his neighbors to die out of spite and hate for what they had visited on him, in the form of name calling and ridicule, he did it because he was commanded to by God. Noah was greatly vexed to find out the end was near and God had chosen to set the world awash and those same people would perish. This is much the same problem many preppers find themselves in. Open the door to the Ark and let the masses in and probably sink it or keep the door shut and live for another day.
I believe that the very old phrase, ‘You should prepare for a rainy day’ did come from Noah’s Flood.
Saw your reply after I posted mine…first one that popped into my head…profound and accurate.
Do you save for retirement? Are you planing at retirement to give it to your relatives, neighbors, or strangers? Didn’t think as much. On the backside I am sure the CORP. will being trying to take both from you.
Yes, I’m planning on giving part of my retirement income away, just as I give part of my present income away. No difference.
If you do not want to contribute to my program now why would I want to contribute to your program later? Choices suck. Make one and I may support you.
Kind of like the old fable of the ant and the grasshopper. My advice is get away from the cities go rural. Those who don’t I have sympathy as that is where the carnage will reside and flourish.
How can a 70 year old man sit an watch a small child hungry and not try to help? Hope I die in the first wave.
You probably will with that attitude.
Will the parents leave that child with my family so it can be fed, or will they keep it with them to use its hunger to extort food from other people? Is it even their kid or did they kidnap it for that purpose? I won’t help the adults; I will help the child even if it means I have to forcibly free it from its captors and the fate they have planned for it.
You watch too many movies.
I’m not trying to take this out on you personally. I’m just using your comment as a springboard. You got lucky and hit a nerve by accident.
Actually I don’t see many movies. I have seen people use their own kids that way. I would not be surprised at someone stealing a few for that purpose. Sociopathy is not a family value but it surely can be a family trait.
You haven’t met some of the neighbors I’ve had. (I wish I hadn’t.)
I don’t think this is a race, religion, or sexual orientation thing- it is a “how you are taught to see the world ” thing. I have met, worked with and been friends with a lot of people of different races and persuasions but, being white and straight, most of the people I know are white and straight. Just for the record- white and straight describes most of the out-and-out trash I know also. “Poor white trash” is a term that does not refer to material wealth.
Next post- “How I really feel.”
Helping is as honorable as fighting, if not more so. There’s always a place for men of compassion and men of battle. He who has both will fair better in the end. Myself, I care only for the survival of my family, my team and those who have taken the initiative to prepare. This may be morally wrong, but these are choices we make and there will be worse ones to make. I hope you can retain your compassion if the worse comes, humanity will need it.
Good Luck my friend.
Semper Fi.
We are a Marine family too, Vietnam…lessons hard won.
Semper Fi, Do or Die
Jesus said there will always be the poor so SHTF will be no different. You can’t save everyone so I’ll wait and see how things unfold. I think most people who know me would tell you I wouldn’t be the guy you want to piss off SHTF or not. I pray daily for patience and a loving heart because I just don’t trust people in general.
Bill. we all are going to die someday. If you die helping someone, then you ahve died with Honor… Same goes for Unhelping the PTB that got us here.
Bill: You will!
To be honest Bill I completely understand your sentiment. I am sure I don’t want to become what I will have to become when this happens. I have always said I don’t necessarily prep because I want to survive , I prep because Im scared I will.
IMO, these people preaching about christian values are just like the people who cannot fathom that when the SHTF that so many people are going to turn mean and hurt other people, even their neighbors, to get food and water. What they have in common is they’ll both be dead within a week. There is a growing and dangerous belief in this country, because people have had it too good for too long, that everyone is born entitled. Like people who think we’re born with a right to free health care. Those of us believeing in self-reliance, self-accountability, and self-determination are rapidly being outnumbered by do-gooders, bleeding hearts, and needy people who think they have right to take from the rest of us just because they fell on hard times. A handful of prepared people cannot take care of the world.
Good points.
I don’t know what the answer is… but I do know that during the Great Depression, my grandparents, who owned a large farm and orchards, would load up peoples’ trucks with food when they came by, asking for food. And it was given for free. No one came by with a gang of mobsters, trying to destroy my grandparents.
But then, this is now, not back then. Back then, a man’s word was gold. My grandparent once promised his farm as collateral for medical assistance when a family member needed to go to the doctor…of course, the medical bill was paid and grandpa didn’t need to sell his farm to pay the bill. But the point is, back then you didn’t need no payment plan or legal papers signed– peoples’ word was good as gold. And they went to door with their doors unlocked… eveything has changed now.
There are SO MANY storys of people doing good and ending up dead as a result…
For example, the black guy, who went to get a gas can full of gas for a couple white guys, who had run out of fuel. When he came back to give them the gas, they threw a match on him and he burned to death… or the incident of the lady who went to help out old people and the man raped the woman as the wife looked on… I could go on and on. And even a hispanic friend I used to have, who was always helping people– he got tied up and almost killed. Later, he DID get killed by a couple guys he was helping out. The point is, things have changed. This is not the good old days.
God, really? We all know god does not exist and is not real. The Christians have taken over the prepper movement whole heartedly. Pathetic.
I agree with you 100% and would add that giving a starving person enough food for a meal or two won’t save them. It may prolong the agony but it won’t save them.
I also don’t think it’s a good idea to trade when the shtf, because that’s also announcing to everyone that you have spare. A good article.
In biblical terms…teach a man to fish. 🙂
I’ve been teaching for 5 years now, WSHTF I’M RETIRED!
i could have written this article myself it completly reflects my veiw ,now the comments on this page will be diverse ,those that dont have children or grandchildren may have a different feeling about it ,but my wife ,chilren ,and grandchildren are the only reason i prep ,and i will do everything in my power to keep them safe and from starving ,it isnt like no one saw noah working on the ark ,he worked on it for years ,and if they wanted they could have helped and joined him ,but they scoffed ,why are you collecting food noah ? our economy could never collapse ,when God closed the door and the rain came ,noah didnt throw a life saver to any one and nor did God instruct him to ,when the seven foolish virgins failed to trim there lamps and they ran out of oil ,and ask for some of the wise virgins for oil ,what was there answer NO! lest we deprodize our own salvation ,if i make the wrong choice by saving my family then i will have to answer to God ,but my family will be alive ,and that is my objective ,it isnt like the word hasent been preached ,its on the net its in the news ,and ive told my share of people ,there’s always a price you pay on the other end ,if you dont want to preppare then that is your choice ,but to some how think that you then become my resposabilty because of guilt is an error in your thinking
Amen. I originally thought that I would want to help others during a SHTF situation, but after seeing how people act when they think you have something they want I will no longer even let people know I have anything. If times get really tough and people see you handing out a few things to someone, they will not even ask. They will just storm your house attempting to take whatever you have. I personally believe the Bible is clear on this. There are ample warning to prepare for what is coming and when it happens, close the door and let those who scoffed drown.
Yes, JAS–the Bible is clear.
I Timothy 5:8….Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Shut up you religious nut! Stop hiding behind your faith and be a man.
Unprepared people who have children will be the most dangerous. They will rationalize to themselves that it’s ok to take whatever they want from someone else because it’s to keep their kids alive and fed. Look around your neighborhood at how many unprepared people have kids. Imagine a whole mob of them knocking at your door. Now think about what’s going to happen when you tell them “no”.
Amen Rey
thats why you should always practice OP-SEC ,i have 11 people that i have to prepare for ,there are only 2 people other than me that even know of my preps ,my wife and my son
In a SHTF situation, there is no such thing as “spare food or water”. Every bit will be needed at some point. When the timeline is fuzzy at best, there is no “extra” anything.
I’ll give something to everyone that asks. But maybe not exactly what they ask for.
An awful long line could start at your doorstep.
You missed the part about “not exactly what they asked for”.
Yes, John, some people don’t read the fine print. But all will be have to answer my questionnaire. First question: “Did you vote for a Kenyan Kommie?”
If you must give then that’s your choice and I respect it. May I suggest giving it to your local church instead and then direct people there who come knocking. You can give and still keep OPSEC.
Don’t think U-South is going to give them the hand-out they’d expect or would want….buckshot? LOL!!!!
Yeah, and lot more ROF than LMAO.
I am going to look out for my family and the morons in my family that refuse to prep. My sister in law is super dependent on EBT/Cash Aid. I think me providing for her and her four kids is all the charity I can handle. The help ends there. I’ve been hurt too many times trying to be helpful.
Had a profound epiphany one time with regard to a continually “needy” family member. After giving and giving and giving to this person, I finally got fed up and said, “Why do you keep coming to me for handouts? There are at least 30 people in this family.” Their reply, “You are the easiest person to get it from, so I ask you first.”
HEAD-SLAP….That was a seriously hard-earned, expensive lesson for me.
Okay time for a JayJay story.
I had one friend–I mean she always asked about dehydrating, canning, prepping, etc.
I hinted many times I’d like to go to Sam’s with her –she has gone I know 3 times already in the last 12 months.
Well, I decided to see when she or anyone would contact me after Gene had his seizures.
No one–3 weeks and she hasn’t even tried to contact me by email.
So, today I was cleaning the mower to store in the shed–she pulls up–to tell me she’s having bladder surgery.
I wonder (in my head) what she really wants…then she says she can’t lift for 8 weeks…BINGO!!
I’m to be the lifter.
As she started to leave, she says, well, I’m off to Sam’s and I’ll let you know when I have surgery.
I..DON’T..THINK..SO.
These are the types of folks that will be at your door first. They do not see you; they see what you have, and what you can do for them.
i am an incredibly compassionate person and have helped so many friends and family usually to get shat all over in the end. But the kharmic return comes back in other forms, maybe not from those i’ve helped. Not sure how i will react to starving children in shtf situation, while knowing my own kids will be well fed and warm… but knowing my family’s survival is the #1 reason we have prepped for many years, planning for sorts of scenarios, otherwise i would’ve taken to the woods and turned into a hermitess long ago, who knows, until the face of hunger is staring them in the face? We all here can ride our high horse, knowing we have seen the future playing out and it is not good. Not just aware, but prepared, prophets of sorts. And there will be false prophets across the land, wouldn’t the falseness lie in not sharing the last bit of bread or fish with the masses who manage to survive what passes. it will be more than civil unrest, or war.
What we are facing, no matter how prepared many of us are will be lucky to survive at all anyways! those who manage to survive whats coming to make it to your door, and humbly ask for sustenance would deserve some bit of respect. They themselves may have prepped and lost everything to looters, fire, earthquakes etc…. If we move forward into the uncertain future with a lack of compassion and love what is the point of surviving?
I’m not saying I know the right response, but I know we have no business surviving if we don’t hold onto our human-ness, in the face of rabid animals. Step wisely- thats all.
Sounds like your sister is a Deficit Operation, unable or unwilling to contribute at least as much as it costs to keep her alive. Got one like that myself, sad to say.
Anyone who shows up at my place offering to trade labor or material goods for food might get a hearing. If the first contact doesn’t meet that criterion, they’ll leave in a hurry, or lose the power of locomotion. I’ve seen too many professional beggars in my time.
This subject isn’t for the future. How many appeals to give to starving kids in Africa have you ignored? How many charities that do medical care overseas have you ignored? How many photos of kids with cleft palates? How many missions to foreign orphans can you care less about?
Face it, we are living high while babies starve RIGHT NOW.
I don’t have the answer, but I think you should start RIGHT NOW to give at least 10% of your money to the (genuinely) poor and needy. A biblical tithe. Right now. You reap what you sow. Why sweat about the future and prophesy what is to come (when the fact is you have no idea what your situation will be) when right now you are holding onto your stuff while little kids go hungry.
Maybe the best way you can help your kids is to raise them to be unselfish. Let them work with you to decide where some generosity goes. Get one of those “compassion” kids where you pay 20 or 40 a month so they can go to school. Do something. Do it now.
Payback is a bitch.
Yes, payback IS a bitch. It made me remember the sweet mother of two who, as a servant in her church in Phoenix, reached out and “adopted” a poor family, shattered by drugs, and would take them food boxes, etc, a couple times a week and check on their progress.
One day she never returned home from her mission to the poor. Eventually her body was discovered buried in that family’s backyard; raped and murdered by both adults. True story.
Two more devils in prison. One more Angel in Heaven.
Know your limitations. Understand your surroundings. Do what you can as you can, and as the Spirit moves you, but consider your safety and the safety of your family first. Now two sweet kids have to grow up without their mother.
Weapons training and concealed carry of even a small caliber pistol may have been enough to save her life. Engage life at every level, but think your process through and be prepared for the unexpected.
The life you save may be your own. 🙂
@ durango kidd. It seems like an awful like angels are getting attacked more and more these days. This is why what you say is so brutally true, be armed and know how to use what you have. Next be fully willing to take down evil fast and hard when attacked, you are doing the part of the world that is still good a big favor.
Hey be informed what do you think about the earthquake in the phillippines?
@ Ronald. Please read the previous article’s comments as I talk much about this. The Philippines was one the dangerous areas listed in 4 previous posts before it happened. The Philippine plate has twisted in a counter clockwise motion and has put additional pressure on India and China. More outer rim divergent earthquakes should tell what is coming next.
Your story reminded me of the stupid, IQ defective White family who lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and who were probably some of these drooling, bible-thumping religious do-gooders – and they agreed to let some black dude from New Orleans, right after Katrina – to come live in their spare bedroom.
Well, that story ended in a highly predictable fashion, at least to any White man or woman who has a thimble-full of race realism in their DNA.
The black dude from New Orleans showed his gratitude for the generosity (translated: blind, irresponsible stupidity) of these naive and gullible ‘Christians’ by raping their 16 year old White teenage daughter.
Make a note, survivalists. If you allow any of these do-gooder Christian types inside your prep and survival circle, make danged sure you have your last will and testament up to date – because these saps will get you and your loved ones killed.
And, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to also put a chastity belt on any of your wives and daughters.
Do-gooders, yes. Christian Bible-thumpers, I doubt it. Bleeding-heart anti-Christian liberals, more likely.
DK, spot on. I know it sounds harsh, but I don’t think it’s worth the effort to reach out and help such people. all the hell they do is take advantage of it and worse. The story you just gave is a classic example. braveheart
I used to be willing to help people. I once thought that people wanted to improve themselves and have a better life. Practical experience says otherwise. The woman I gave a job to embezzled almost $10,000 by forging my signature and stealing checks. The people I allowed to stay in a spare bedroom for a “week” ended up taking three months to get rid of. The renter that I allowed to pay late one time proceeded to trash the apartment and was shocked that I kicked her out. The banker that I trusted stole thousands from me but stands outside the law as an “upstanding community member”. My extra compassion is gone, reserved only for close friends and family. A lifetime of experience has convinced me the truth of the saying “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”.
I couldnt’ agree more Merree. Life has taught me that people suck. And they will send their kids to you to beg for food with a gun in their pocket. God bless people who feel compelled to give! But I’ll be protecting me and my own ONLY.
@ Merree ~ I agree 100% with what you just stated.
I too have observed the same thing throughout the years, from family and friends. I am SICK of Moochers, Con Artists, and Users. Actions Speak Louder Than Words.
Put Up or Shut Up.
Been there…got the shirt…Dad always told me charity should start at home…too many people all gung ho to feed Africa but wouldn’t give their brother a darned thing…used to give 90% plus of what I had to help others only to get kicked when I didn’t give more…my “give an dang is busted”…doesn’t mean I wont help anyone out side my family again but I will be the one deciding…not them…not the church and not the state…ME!
No angel. Just stupid.
yeah… no way… Not my prob you screwed like rabbits and couldn’t feed your nine kids afterwards… good luck with that
Lynnie.
Just to let you know, I have been donating to Compassion International on a monthly basis for 25 years now. I also donate to Pacific Garden Missions in Chicago IL.
I am a Creationist, so I donate to ICR and Answers in Genesis. I donate to other stuff as well. We donate to the local Christian Radio. And so on.
What I have seen though is that those that usually tell us to donate more are also the ones that don’t hardly donate anything. I am curious, what do you do?
Also, I have not been to Church for 14 Sundays now. I will go back. At church we donate to a fund called the Good Samaritan Fund. That Fund goes to people that are in need locally, usually a church goer or a newcomer in need. But what I have seen is that a folk needs it and attends church and then they leave when they can no longer receive anymore funds from the church. They leave and probably go elsewhere to another church.
People need to donate locally. At least you can see what is happening locally. A gift to Somalia may just land in the terrorists hands. Who knows?
Keep charity….
I volunteer at an organization called love inc. (in the name of Christ). I am in the call center and hear heartbreaking stories all the time. I try to look for inconsistencies that would preclude the client help. We give them local resouce contact info. We have food and clothes and furniture. This only goes into people in our county. I witness to them but rarely get a good response. These people will rarely turn down a prayer. Maybe there is a love inc. near you. thanks
@ Ugly…Spot on. Donate to a Local Charity and then send the door knockers there.
Lynnie, you need to grow some balls. Exactly what are YOU doing about the dying babies over in Africa? Let me tell you what you’re doing. You’re here, typing guilty comments on a prepper forum, that’s what you’re doing. Nothing more than attacking the wrong people.
Perhaps what you SHOULD be doing, is addressing those same snarky remarks and complaints to someone who has the power to make the changes that you seek. We little people here can’t save a continent, hell, we’re having a hard enough go of it to provide for ourselves.
Are you aware that obama has sent hundreds of millions of YOUR tax dollars to feed and arm terrorists who behead Christian babies? How many babies in Africa could THAT money save, huh? How about the BILLIONS spent on spying on the entire world, how many babies could THAT money save?
Yet, here YOU ARE, attacking fellow victims about their choices in matters close to home.
Get a little more practice at aiming your anger at the proper channels and then come back and debate the issues again. Until then, I hope you find the courage to change the things you can, and the wisdom to know when it is out of your hands.
sixpack
A friend once told me he wouldn’t donate
to impoverished countries abroad because
when two starving kids are saved, they
grow up and have twelve more starving kids.
When it came to light that some charities end up using donations to pay their CEOs bonuses, instead of feeding children it put a serious damper on my donation potentials. I don’t donate to bureaucrats. period.
I used to sponser children through Christian Childrens Fund. Then the were taken over by the U.N. That ended that. Now it is local only.
My senniments exackly. Worst thing we Americans have ever done for Africa is trying to roll back natural limits to populations.
Now is a good time to point out that those ‘Christian Preachers’ in the former Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe – told their White congregations that it would be A-Ok for them to vote to turn over the little outpost of White Western civilization that they had created to black majority rule, and that everything would go on as before, and everything would be peachy-king.
Yea, right. I’ve read that there have been something like 40 or so thousand White South Africans who’ve been slaughtered, some in ways that involved horrible mutilations, torture, dismemberment, gang rapes, and a favorite stunt of the Mugabe savages is to tie a White man up and force him to watch while the blacks take turns raping their wives, their daughters, and even ass raping their White sons.
That is what listening to your treasonous Christian Preachers will bring to your door, folks.
Pay attention instead to Sam Colt and Smith & Wesson.
Throughout human history there’s 3 people that run every society, pimps, preachers, and politicians. And they’re all out to get a piece of you.
Reynaldo: Most of our so-called leaders are all three at the same time-they have a fine little speech about helping and sharing and then their hands come out for payment.
Sixpack, AMEN to your comments. Lynnie sounds like another troll. could she be related to ncjoe?
As a Christian. I am ashamed of the mess we Christians have made in Africa. Do-gooders push their adds on TV. We ship medicines and food in. And the needy mouths only multiply.
Only when their crappy culture is eliminated and they are educated to a First world level. Will the multiplying babies shrink.
Sierra Dave, maybe that’s because the medicine and food are sold on the black market to the highest bidder by the leader of that country that cares not whether those needy mouths get fed or not???
I know there’s massive corruption too.
Lynnie: My government tithes me more than 10% already to send money to Africa, so bite me.
Lynnie, we know all too well there are starving kids in other parts of the world, but there are people right here at home who are suffering too. THAT is one thing you never hear the MSM talk about. I do donate to a certain charity or two to help people here at home on occasion when I have a few dollars to spare. look at how much of the economy we’ve lost since the 2008 financial crisis. There are fewer people working and paying taxes into the system now than before. People are increasingly hard pressed just to keep themselves going. I would say very few, if any, people could possibly give up 10% of their income to any charity. Plus, charity begins at HOME, NOT IN SOME FOREIGN NATION. We have people on food stamps who have made it a career to be on that and other programs. I’ve never seen any of them being charitable or even give so much as a “thank you” for the food stamp program being available. money is much tighter now than ever before. You’re living in a fantasy world. Wake up and smell the coffee before it’s too late.
For many years we sent checks to these charities, then found later that some of them were taking the majority of monies for the fat cats running the show. Forget it. Don’t throw your guilt trip this way.
Maybe not proven to be taking too much off the top but suspected as such.
If you look at charity and the New Testament, the monies were always locally. Jesus never said, as far as I know, to donate and the monies will go to the poor in Egypt. Almost all donations stayed and were distributed locally.
I’m back…the sun is up and can power my computer now. I just can’t keep my mouth shut on this one. That comment makes me furious. I have commented about this on another article but want to add more today. Years ago when my kids were still home, we had a neighbor with 6 kids. The couple divorced and the mom went back to college to become a nurse, RN. As she was in school, our family, for 2 years, took them on at Christmas as a special project. Bought hundreds of dollars worth of gifts for the kids. That made us real happy as the mom was working hard to improve their life. Shortly thereafter, I went to visit the woman and low and behold there sat in her living room a brand new brocade sofa. She was quite proud of it and I tried to show how happy I was for her. That ended the gift giving. Then lets talk about the cancer societies. If you are unlucky enough to still have a landline phone, you know how annoying those cancer fund raising calls are at dinner time. For years I donated to those and as I recall, I believe they lead you to think that the funds would be used locally. Well, my youngest daughter developed cancer, mid 30’s with several children to raise on her own. She was told by that same local cancer society that they had not even one copper cent to contribute to treatment. I want to tell you all that she was helped by the Oregon Health Sciences University Hospital in Portland. The only thing she had to pay for was her slippers. I am putting in a plug for that hospital. They can sometimes take charity cases as patients for the new doctors. If I were to make any more donations for medical care, it would most certainly be to them. Most of you probably also have similar hospitals in your state. They are doing a wonderful work and I cannot tell you how grateful I am for their saving my daughters life. Now I hope that no more people add comments about us preppers donating to charities and such. I am quite burned out with the whole topic.
Well, I must share this one. Then I’m finished.
A child with cancer receiving treatments; family in hardship, blah, blah.
The school had several events, gave all the money to the mom.
She went to Florida with a friend.
TRUE STORY!!
JayJay.
That type of stuff happens. We donated to a cancer scenario and later the kid looked great. I think we were fooled by a gypsyie.
Another though, they had a fundraiser and the young lady did die a few weeks later. Felt bad for her.
Keep prepping.
I’ve seen the ads for Africa for decades going all the way back to that fat P.O.S. from Archie Bunker fame. All these celebrities pay millions for these ads so they can steal donations from people that feel guilty when they see those ads. If these “celebrities” want to help these poor people so much then they can donate THEIR millions of dollars they have to help these poor people. Every country in the world has poor people, poor animals, poor something or another and ALL of them stick their hands out asking for someone else to take care of their problems instead of fixing it themselves. The more we GIVE to these countries and organizations the more we ENABLE them to continue doing the same old crap that got them in trouble in the first place. The hell with that. Stop having kids and learn how to grow food and earn a living. Most of these people from Africa have I.Q.’s around 70. No thanks…I won’t help them and I won’t lose a minute of sleep about it.
Umm yah there were 1954 hearings by Senator Dodd about charities , foundations , trusts . He was told to take a hike and the investigation was closed . This is nothing new in regards too the usual suspects families stealing from the poor , middle class and nouveau riche and giving generously unto themselves.
I quit Giving when I saw How Fat Sally Strothers Was!
You do as you please and I’ll do as I please. I am not just concerned solely with what happens on this Earth and in this life.
If things were to melt down severely, why wouldn’t you want to setup charity through your local church? Local centralized charity would be better equipped to handle the needs of the people.
Perhaps the right thing to do is to have big community meals on Sunday and Wednesday and everyone could come to eat and come together as both a church and a community?
Give God the credit for the food, and protect yourself at the same time.
@oUCH – Very well put.
Hmmm…”Charity’,
When times are so bad that you CANNOT know whether having a particular ‘thing’ will save you and yours,
When everyone, EVERYWHERE is toting a gun…and using THAT as thier primnary ‘aggresive negotiation tool’,
When, there is no certainty that the crops that you’ll plant in the Spring will suffice to feed you and yours,
When you expended years of your life MAKING DAMN sure that yours would survive to see another day…and then another…and those coming to you begging for what you HAVE suffered to set aside did themelves SET NOTHING back for the years of trouble while they HAD the chance to do so…
Well, to be sure, the Holy Spirit MIGHT well move one – at times – to act on another’s behalf, whom themselves did not HAVE what they SHOULD have acquired by that point…but I think we can “PRESUME” that that ‘movement’ wouldn’t exactly be a DAILY thing.
To those who continiue to embed thier heads in the sand of ‘Hope and Change’, I can only say this: My DOOR will not open when you knock…unless I KNOW you…and ALSO KNOW that you are wholly a victim of circumstance, and NOT a victim of your own short-sightedness.
Though it grieves me to put it so harshly, there is a line of division here; those on the RIGHT side of that WILL Survive it’s Death (Hat-tip here to you know who), while those on the Left….
Draw your own conclusions there. Good Night All.
JOG
I’m making as many copies of “Dancing with the Stars” as I can afford to now, so when people come pounding on my door begging–or demanding my food, I can give them all they ever seemed to need before the crash–“Dancing with the Stars”. Might even throw in some Mylie Cyrus or Lady GaGa CDs…
Awesome 🙂
Truly…a ‘tactical technique’ I had NOT considered, “Brilliant’ Sir! 🙂 Given the mesmerizing effect those seem to have on the populace at large I AM quite sure it will be perfectly EFFECTIVE…Obviously, “Kudos therefor!”
JOG
your a good man Leonard ,im not even going to give them sweat from the nether regions
leonard
thats a damn good idea
If I take care of me & mine and others take care of them & theirs there wont be any problems. outside of my immediate family Im not giving anyone anything. Even my relatives Sisters brothers in laws ect will be turned away. Noah didn’t let everyone on the Ark. Even now when we have garden surplus we don’t give it away. We feed it to the livestock or add to the compost heap. I don’t want anyone to know what we have. Its a true fact that no good deed goes unpunished.
No Christian values!! Christian values indicate that one should not only be prepared for foreseeable danger (Proverbs 22:3), but that one should take care of his own family first (1 Timothy 5:9).
I can’t quote chapter and verse, but Noah’s Arc was a good story. First prepper in the book, I think.
this is just my ocd kickin’ in, but it’s ark, not arc
Everybody quotes 1 Timothy 5:9 but how could that apply during a famine? My wife and I will provide for her adult son, his wife, and their baby. We don’t have resources for much else.
I Timothy 5:8.
I’ve been robbed before and I know people thats been robbed, it allways comes down to somebody you know, and thats because they know you have it an were its at, an what you do an were you do it.
Good points. I have made the mistake in the past of allowing others to see some of my guns. This was before the current Regime took over the government & it never occurred to me to worry about things like that. Now I DO worry about what others know and I keep everything tight lipped now. I also wear a gun in my home at all times and have a shotgun ready close by. The time is coming when the SHTF and those that know I have guns will remember me too. Will they bring their friends to attack my home and take my guns or will they stay away? Sooner or later someone will talk to someone and they WILL come. I’m ready for what is coming and it won’t be pretty.
This one scares me. We belonged to a target shooting group a few years ago, so there are at least fifty people who know what we have, although not where we put it. We also used to urge prepping (to looks of scornful dis-belief)and I’m sure many will remember the talks. The best and worst of our talks started with our daughter’s kids who help us garden and can. They’ve been warned about not touching the guns we have, but they know we have them. After SHTF, I can hear those little voices saying, “My grandma and grandpa have lots of food and lots of guns.” Don’t know what we can do to stop that, now, and I’m glad we taught them to garden and care for animals, but this may come back big time to bite us in the butt.
Here is the scenario.
Lets say you have a family of 4. Lets say you have 6 months of food for a family of 4, plus some barter food. If you eat just 1200 calories per day for survival only, then you are looking at 4,800 calroies per day (4×1200).
Lets say you have a mix of #10 cans and you are mostly eating rice, beans, dehy potatoes, powdered milk, and pancakes each day from the #10 cans. Lets say you eat 2 servings from the #10 cans, plus you have other food sources.
In 6 months, your family of 4 will have consumed over 50 #10 cans. That is assuming you have other store food too.
Now those 50 #10 cans can last 6 months or just one day if you are raided.
That is why you are always looking for food everyday. The 6 month storage is only if that is all you ate.
That is why I highly recommend tuber crops in one of your garden spots. A small area of just 24×24 with potatoes and Jerusalem Artichokes can supply a family of 4 with food for 2 months.
On community. Well, we are lucky here if we work together. If everyone in Eastern Idaho ate potatoes everyday for all 365 days, we would hardly put a dent into the supply of potatoes that leaves this area for other markets. Thus, folks need to work with farmers, assuming fields will be farmed. This is an advantage of smaller areas.
Big Cities are in trouble.
Ugly’s advice.
1. Start with a 6 month food storage (increase if can).
2. Have garden with tuber crops
3. Work with farmers
4. Learn to glean idle fields
5. Be community on the farm stuff, not your stuff.
Good luck. We all need it.
I like the tubers, have a shitload of sweet potatoes planted, you can eat the leaves and the root.
Im growing taro is a Hawaiian root crop that they make poi out of, the whole plant can be eaten, have some small fruited squashes growing wild, chayote, can eat the fruit and the young shoots,
We got banana trees too and most of this stuff isnt even growing in the main fields, just the taro and sweet potatoe plantings can produce around 25-30,000# in a year, so i think ill share,
Karma eh!
Kula.
great. with that many tubers, you need to start a CSA.
tubers are a must in a garden for a shtf moment. good yields and nutrition and relatively easy to grow.
good luck….
and store very well, incredibly nutritious, and doesn’t take much experience to save “seed” from root crops either. been having one of our best potato crops ever this season! sunchokes are best stored in the ground, dig as needed. daisy shared a great root cellar storage article last month on her blog last month that helped me plan how to keep some of my fall crops.
Storing the roots has been a challenge, the only way i have been successful is in a closed plastic tub in my walk in refer. But if SHTF i dont think that will be running, still stays cold even if its off though because of the insulation,
I really want to dig a root cellar.
Ground temps are in the 50s though so not real cold, and mold and mildew are an issue. The drawback to not having a freeze cycle,
Im going to experiment som more though to try and figure it out,
***WORD OF WARNING TO PREPPERS AND WANT TO BE PREPPERS***
Start doing these things NOW
Its going to be a whole lot harder to figure out how to grow and store and cure or preserve stuff when your life is dependent on it, and a whole lot less room for error!
ROOT CELLAR. Build one, cover with Lots of dirt. They have other uses too.
Kula…Ive found that packing sunchokes in damp sand in the rood cellar helps extend their life considerably…otherwise the shrivel even in 85% plus humidity…hope thatll help…
@Veggimama
What do you do with your sunchokes, i grow em but not sure what to do with them other than sell em!
Anyone eating 50 #10 cans of MHouse in that time will assuredly be dead of to much salt intake and dehydration.
I am finding out who in my community and locally plants a garden, who has firewood stored ahead, who cans, works hard, just plain tries, etc.
There are alot of likeminded folks where I live…but the devil is also present…and I know who the fuck he is.
When the moment arrives, I will have been thru it 1000 times and I will(hopefully) make a decision swiftly.
If I have no clue as to who you are, God help you.
…or rather I should have said, God help me.
If it’s someone who scoffed at my warnings and then they want my food, I plan to say I’ve already tried to help you but you scoffed. That was my help to you already. Just ‘go to the grocery store!’ (or whatever they said they would do rather than prepare).
LT
I like you in this case believe in your harsh approach, although you must take into consideration that these same people will sell you out to any and all others once there bellies begin to distend.
LT, your best bet is to tell anyone you tried to convince to prep, that they sold you on their idea that your were overreacting and you decided to eat your stores awhile ago. Look as hungry as you can and beg them for food. y99 is correct..The golden horde will sniff you out in a heartbeat, if you admit to having food.
Well, JT, when I brought the subject up with my neighbor 2 years ago, she said she’d rather die.
I said, well, you will!! I swear I did say that.
I see plenty of reasons to be charitable, that’s already been part of my life for a long time. But the things which we’ll share with those in need will simply be left in a central place to be handed out as needed by a staff of “well armed” and cautious men. Our plan has been in place now for sometime and we are prepared. No need to risk family opsec, just direct folks in need to the distribution point. (for as long as it lasts, at least…)
And then what? Are you passing out seeds and some basic survival instructions?
How to capture and filter water?
How to grow your Potatoes that were in your fridge?
What to expect from society once the violence settles down?
This is really a tough and personal decision. For example if I have my last meal of the day and I see a hungry child, I probably would share it. Again this is a very difficult decision since my family comes first. However, when the SHTF, I’ll go after those SOB’s who were part of the plan causing the situation we are facing and suffering each and every day no matter how little they were involved.
It will be so cool to watch the country fall apart.
I’ve slaved my entire life and at ever turn the boomers have fucked up every path in life for those that follow.
I predict this is all planned so Obama and the bankers can confiscate the 401k and IRA.
Ha… I’m used to being poor and a debt slave.
So nothing in my life would change.
We actually have bets on what scumbag boomer will die next.
I hope they are all eating a big fat artery clogging steak right now and smoking a cigar.
Steaks don’t clog your arteries stupid, calcium does.
LOL, you can thank our education system for that blunder too.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/76792-list-foods-clog-arteries/
A1 steak sause boomer?
blah, blah, blah…they said the same about using lard and eating eggs.
The “food pyramid” is wrong. High levels of “bad” cholesterol has a lot to do with genetics and processed food.
Oh great, another troll.
Boomers built your house, your car, and developed medicine to it’s current high level. They built modern highways and modern airliners. Boomers invented the computer and the Internet. In fact, boomers brought you just about everything you take for granted. One thing we failed at, though. We forgot to put dipshits like you to the stable bucket when we had a chance.
Yeah, they are doing a great job at keeping the govt. open too.
Boomers let the cities go to shit…then everyone had to spend big bucks commuting..life in a car.
Think about it… the greatest generation and their kids build the country.
The boomers let it all fall apart. You guys think things are peachy. ha.
The boomers got in power and shipped all the factories to China. Nice job guys.
Now….the tax base cannot support the welfare state.
It’s all falling apart and the boomers are the ones making decisions..their numbers sway votes.
It’s OK… I’ll have plenty of dead boomers toys to buy cheap.
Harley’s, boats, second homes.
Goodbye boomers….your days are clicking away. Tick tock, tick tock.
You were all so selfish your kids turned commie.
Dead boomers aren’t much fun…
Ah…the me generation.
At least my generation will benefit from all the med. experiments done on them.
Let’s see…
No factories, no real jobs, no real taxes…no wonder congress cannot pay the bills.
http://www.chicagonow.com/lists-that-actually-matter/2013/06/7-reasons-baby-boomers-are-the-worst-generation/#image/1
Under your watch…the national debt went exponential.
Can anyone say traitors?
You watch… the boomers drove the stock market up….now watch it all collapse as they all pull their money out.
Say you had a pond and you had two swans on it…you’d feel blessed.
But that same pond with massively greater numbers….with all the shit is a curse.
See my point.
NOTHING GOOD CAN COME FROM THE FINAL YEARS OF THE BOOMERS..THE MOST SELFISH GENERATION IN HISTORY. YOU WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN…HISTORY WILL POINT A FINGER AT HOW YOU FUCKED UP THE UNITED STATES.
Quote…”Think about it… the greatest generation and their kids build the country.
The boomers let it all fall apart.”end quote)…ah,just so you know the kids of the greatest generation ARE THE BOOMERS…guess them boomers messed up your education too eh?
You are wrong.
The greatest generation had the silent generation who had the boomers who had generation x who had the millenials often called gen. Y.
Go read the book the 4th turning if you can read through your coke bottle boomer glasses.
Just like a boomer…they think they know everything. Their ME generation..look what it did to the country. The original poster was right on the money.
As a boomer, I’ll use you as steak to feed the hungry. Make sure to eat a lot and keep some fat on.
Tactical, this new troll sounds like ncjoe; might be related to him.
Brave, the more troll we get more steak we can give to our dogs.
you might be the scumbag
I agree with most of this. I have long since stopped trying to convince folks who will not listen that they need to have some prep. I prep for my family and my team. I have set up my property for the same. I friend asked me about “coming up the hill”. I gave him the “password”. This person has every gadget known to man, a boat, an RV, and ATV’s. He has made NO Preparation for any event. What he does not realize is his “password” just gets him up the hill within range of our team. The second password saves their lives and most will not have this. This is harsh from a Christian stand point this is harsh but at some point you can’t “throw pearls to swine”. It is a crapy deal but in a full SHTF scenario, my family and team comes first. We have devised a charity drop area for help to others. It is at a church parking lot. They will not be able to trace that back to our retreat. In a full SHTF situation our team will be at one of the three retreats we have. When it gets too dangerous to help folks then we have done what we can. As for OPSEC… I continue to deny that I prep and people on my team play the role and tease people that do prep. We keep our heads down and our mouths shut. We also let people know that if you mess with our families we will not shoot you… we will use knives, fire and other means…. And we will start with your kids… Sounds terrible but it plants the seed that these quiet guys and gals who are pretty decent are not to be FRACKED with. Street talk goes a long way… Good article and yes if you did not prep and you could have… you will receive nothing from our team. Try to take it from us and it will cost you and you entire family (kids, pets, friends, whoever) all of their lives. PRAY, PLAN, PREP, FORM TEAMS.
This is a tough decision for many, myself included. We all know that OPSEC is rule number #1 of Fight Club…you don’t tell anyone about preps and there won’t be any fight, right? Wrong. Here’s why.
While everyone around you gets thinner, weaker and slowly starves, you and yours will be looking pretty healthy, relatively speaking. It’s only a matter of time before people start to notice who’s been eating well and who hasn’t. Do you really think you can stay holed up, hidden or hunkered down forever? You simply cannot, no matter how well you have planned. Sooner or later you have to go out and mix it up with the masses.
Now that you know that it is inevitable, you best be prepared… again. When you venture out, you don’t wear your “Look at me with my new boots and survival vest I bought on sale at the Army/Navy store”. Nope. You need to ‘blend in’ and look just as disheveled, dirty and forlorn as the rest of the world. Odd, large loose fitting clothes help hide your true fit and trim figure. If you look clean, well-fed, and tidy…you are painting a huge bull’s-eye on your forehead…and endangering the rest of your group, if you have one. I guarantee that you raise eyebrows with your actions and/or appearance, individuals *will* follow you back to your basecamp to see just where someone like you comes from. You will not go unnoticed, unless you purposely blend in.
Socrates urban survival tip#1
Dirty, torn clothes, old boots or shoes are good disguises and you can even enhance the look of your footwear with duct tape. The easy way to do this is with a duct tape ‘band-aid’. This is where you have duct tape wrapped around your shoe or boot to make it look like it’s ripped up, torn or otherwise falling apart. Tear off a long length of duct tape 1-2 ft worth and stick it to a slightly shorter length of saran or plastic wrap.
When you are done, wrap the duct tape around your shoe or boot making sure you end up with the one small sticky piece remaining. If you pull tight enough, you can stick this tab of tape to the rest of the loop around your footwear. Rub some dirt, charcoal from burned wood, anything to make it look nasty and older, not bright and shiny. Voila! You just made shoes and boots that ‘look’ worse than what someone else is wearing. And, when you get back to base camp, you can remove the duct tape Band-Aid if you want to.
This way, you blend in and don’t draw attention with your footwear. The whole idea is to make yourself look worse off than the next guy…so they skip over you and look for better targets. Creativity will be needed to stay one step ahead of the pack, always.
I bought several shirts from the big and tall shop at a local mall–I’m only 5’8, so they look like my big brother’s shirts. I’ve recently worn them and people I’m acquainted with have pointed out “…how much weight…” I’ve lost. Could be the perfect camouflage…
Selco addresses the topic of attire and blending in with everyone else. His SHTF course is very good.
Yes it is….
agreed Soc, try to look sickly too. A little iodine on the face gives a yellow hue to it, giving you a jaundice look. Careful working it in around the eyes though. Know your stages of starvation and look the part.
We have food stored. We won’t be going outside for a long time. Just once a day in the middle of the night to dump garbage and poop. It will be too dangerous to go outside. It won’t be long and cannibalism will begin. People will kill people and eat them as food. That happens with every famine.
(2 Ki 6:29 NIV) So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son so we may eat him,’ but she had hidden him.”
Heck I actually have & wear a pair of boots with that are duct taped up now, I try to get all I can out of what I have here !
The other give away will be having animals in the home- dogs or livestock. I remember tales from the hyperinflation in Germany where gangs would descend on farms and mutilate the livestock, not even eating them.
One idea I have had but haven’t done (yet) is to put aside some unpleasant foodstuffs to show other people. Explain the lack of weight loss by showing food full of maggots or jars of edible insects. Hide the good quality supplies and leave out the trashy goods. Giving the appearance of poor hygiene could also help. (I have a few family members that already have this down to an art form.)
Remember when Noah warned everybody and they thought he was crazy? Remember when he was “prepping” and everyone was mocking him? We are at our Noah moment and I warn people everyday. We are doing the Christian thing right now and warning our fellow humans of what is to come. If they choose to die in the flood, we, cannot help them. Our families are on the arks and we are listening to god or just applying common sense to a situation. I for one will not be helping the grasshoppers while we ants have been working for the winter.
Please tell me clearly what is to come?
The life boat can only hold so many people.If it floats or sinks it is up to the individual.
I can’t say what I’d do in that situation till it happens. I’d prob do the same as the the person in the article (least till some order is restored) I’m lucky I live in a farming county, other then a few 0bamabots, Drug(ie) Kin living next door (don’t claim them) I don’t think it will be…quite as bad here. Even much as I dislike my sister’s unruly kids, I’m Hoping my Bro-in-law and his cousin come here for added security since they live in the city. We may have room for another family too if they were willing to work, gardening without fuel/tech wouldn’t be an easy task. Think of it this way, in the old days it wasn’t uncommon to have families with avg of 8-15 kids helping run farms (my dad had 17 Brothers and sisters) of course they sold most of the crops being the reason for the large family.
Atm I’m preparing my mind for it, going through all sorts of scenarios. I hope I never actually have to deal with any of the scenarios, but its me or them.
Half the folks ive chatted to about this have made it clear,i got the ‘If it all goes to shit,i would wanna be alive anyways.’
So starved,beaten and sodomized will be the your last memories of life,i reckon…
Grrrr! Keep prepping!
I agree 100% with the author. As far as anyone is concerned, I have nothing. When it comes down to mine or someone else eating, I have no problem making that decision and will have no moral, ethical, or religious qualm about it…
Hey everybody! First time poster but I’ve been reading the articles for a while now. I love this topic though because it’s interesting…
I think what I would do in this situation is have a wait period of a certain number of days before talking to anyone other than family. I mean if you haven’t prepped at all and things go bad for a week, how many people do you think will die? I’m guessing a good portion and then after they make it a week or two or whenever you set your time limit the rest should understand they have to barter for stuff and will know the real value of what they need. Do you guys agree with my thinking about that? I realize it’s sad to turn away strangers in distress but I’m not going to feel too bad for someone who didn’t see this type of thing coming.
Also, the one weapon I have in my home right now is a cheap katana(samurai sword). Lol so what type of gun should I look for? Handgun, shotgun, rifle, ect…? You should know I live I a small town of about 1000 people next to a big lake so getting water is easy enough for most of the residents and just about everyone has a relative with a farm nearby. I mean I’ve left my car parked on the street with my keys in it multiple times with nothing bad happening so it’s going to take a shtf scenario to make this place go bad. I really shouldn’t have to kill anyone I’m hoping! *fingers crossed* But in the event that I do what you guys suggest? I appreciate your help!
I personally think a .22 or a “multi” purpose rifle is the best to start with, I am not the best person to give you a well informed opinion. I have spoken at great lengths with my immediate family about preparing. They live far away so I helped when I visited last time. My family knows they are welcome here, they have skills that will be an immense help.
Things happen all the time, that’s where I started the conversation. Pipes froze all over Tucson Az a few years ago, some people had no water for days. But it NEVER gets that cold here, well it did. So food and water is needed because the weather is so bad. So rather then fight crowds or be stuck with nothing start a little at a time. It really adds up.
1 12 gauge, 1 .223 or 308 asault style, 1 .22 (marlin or such), 1 .308 hunting rifle with scope, 2 pistols (9mm, 380, 45, or 40), and 1000 rounds of ammo for each to start…. and learn to shoot them with a well trained freind. Learn how to clean and maintain them.
All three. Pistol-If you’re a noob (new to firearms) pick up a 357 mag revolver. S&W makes a 686-Plus, and it holds seven rounds instead of six. You can also fire .38 special rounds in it as well. Rifle: If you get a .357, look at the Marlin lever action rifles in .357 magnum caliber. Then you can use one caliber bullet for both weapons. Shotgun: 870 Remington (hands down). Look at the 12 gauge and 20 gauge. I have both and the twelve and 20 both have shortened stocks for younger people to handle. Normal LOP(length of pull) for a shotgun stock is 14 inches. My shotgun stocks are either 12 &13 inch LOP. They both have extended mag tubes as well as shell carriers attached to the receiver. If you get a shotgun, check out some of the law enforcement buckshot which is a low recoil type round. These hold eight pellets instead of the classic nine pellet shells. The eight pellet shells pattern better and unlike the nine pellet shells they don’t have that one “flyer” pellet that strays wide of the target.
I expect 90% of Americans to die.
The only guns I have are Mossberg Bantam 20 gauge shotguns. I prefer shotguns for home defense because they’re the best option for firing multiple shots into an intruder.
After it hits the fan, don’t go outside. Don’t answer the door. Cover your windows from the inside so people outside can’t see light. Pretend you’re not home. Park your vehicle somewhere else. Be ready for people who will go door to door kicking in doors looking for food. You absolutely need a second person who can use a gun so you always have someone awake with a gun. You can’t afford for someone to surprise you during the night.
Shotgun, Rifle and Pistol. All cheap and multi propose, except the Pistol which is just Backup/defense. For a Rifle I’d sugest a surplus bolt or semi auto, both around 200-400. The bolt Action Rifles will have larger cailbers and range. 5-11 rounds average (some of the ammo is pretty cheap to),if you use it in offense make sure to practice real well, keep your distance and use Ambush/sharpshooter tatics. The old semis Usually don’t hold more then 11 rounds (some newer surplus Rifles can be converted to hold more)rounds are pretty cheap too. Also their very reliable and Durable.
Master Scott.
Waiting a couple of weeks for the herd to thin out before talking to anyone outside my PICK SEVEN, was exactly my thoughts. Less contact, Less problems.
MasterScott,
Although living by a lake seems like a God-send it can also be hazardous. Water is a critical esseential for life. People will be drawn to it like flies. Many will probably set up camp near it…so be very careful.
How, if a bunch of people are flocking to the lake near you and setting up camp, will you be able to get water?
You definetly need a way to protect yourself…and get some of that water stored up so you won’t have to rely on going to the lake.
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I realize the lake thing might be a little dangerous but I love the town I live in because the nearest city is an hour away. I’m two hours away from major cities and unless you actually know of this place, your not likely to stumble upon in. And when I said big lake I mean 1 mile long and 3 miles wide with fish, I have enough water stocked up at home to last at least a month.
As to the weapons, you thinking learning to use a handgun is the easiest to learn? Yes I am a noob to firearms. I never liked hunting and didn’t think I would need one but times are changing sadly. I was thinking a shotgun would be the easiest but I didn’t actually know.
Also opsec, I’m currently living in my dad’s house because he isn’t here most of the time and live in the basement, so if anyone came kicking my door in they would probably think we already moved out because there isn’t much upstairs. Unless they check the fridge or if they try to reach the basement … I’m looking for a gun for a reason…
MasterScott,
If you are needing a gun for in close and personal work, ie inside the home…
Then all the posters above are correct. BUT.
IMHO, after a tour overseas, and many years of shooting, the 12 GA shotgun can be pointed in a panic and has the stopping power of a mule.
Stopping power, is what its all about in a close up situation.
Personally, I wouldn’t have a 9mm is somebody gave it to me, I’d trade it for a shotgun or, better, my choice.
The old reliable;
Colt 1911 .45 ACP
It will stop most big guys, and knock them backwards, while taking out BIG chunks of them.
It is also, much less easy to be taken from you in a fight.
The problem most ‘noobs’ have?
Hesitation to fire.
In war my friend, he who hesitates is dead.
The other mistake in a civilian situation?
Allowing the bad guy to walk towards you, or get within range to snatch the gun out of your hands.
If they come inside my house, I will tell them to “Freeze or die where you stand.”
That’s the last warning they get.
One comment. the 9MM is a much better gun than you think. Some damn fool signed an agreement 100 years ago against DumDum bullets. (Named after an arsenal in India,) the US Gov has blown this way out of reality, as it shouldn’t even apply against non government fighters. With a good load and jacketed hollow points it is a very effective round. And yes, I do have a Stainless 1911 and it will indeed clean your clock.
When your time is up, it is up to God, no man lives forever,
True, but that doesn’t mean we can’t drag our feet a little, on the way to the other side.
Step in front of a Mac Truck and it’s over today, so what’s your point? No man lives forever, but stupidity kills. Trust in God if you like; but HE trusts you to use the brains you were given.
We’ve all thought about this issue, I’d like to believe I’ll fall somewhere in-between. Some people you can just tell are not worth the trouble and others will be obviously deserving, either way it will always be a risk and it will never be much food.
Most of us will only be eating 2 small meals a day by the time we realize how bad things are. I worry more about friends and neighbors I’ve tried to wake up who refuse to see the need, we’ve all heard the “I’ll just come to your house” line, my reply to that is you’d better have 6mo of food and a bottle of JD to get through my door, or I’ll shoot you myself.
I plan to have 3 full meals a day just like today. That’s why we have all the food we have.
guess we’re lucky to have many old school agrarian neighbors who can, hunt, make their own stuff, store away, and share. thrifty and mostly good people. maybe they don’t call themselves preppers, but they are in their own way. plus a large amish community who are also great teachers in simple living, and a sense of community.
My father told me once, “Charity begins at Home.”
He is a wise man.
We had a food drive at work and this one lady sent out a mass email asking who wants to go to Aldi’s and get some canned goods for the drive.
I asked her what the logic was of buying canned food for others if she had no food herself. It made her stop and think, but the seed I think withered away.
I got horribly sick last year- seems I became hyper allergic to gluten, which means almost all of the food I had put up is poison to me now. I tested positive for casein intolerance, so no more dairy in any form and just for shits & giggles, I can’t process the complex potato starch either. At least I can eat rice- lots and lots of rice. All that work I did stocking up and I can’t eat the oats/barley/pasta-etc. GF/CF foods are %expensive$ and I haven’t been able to work much to afford it. I’m down to 93 llbs because of all the damage and have been working very hard to heal my gut/immune system holistically. I already am camouflaged with my bone thin body, ppl will think I haven’t eaten in weeks! And no, I will not give to others- hungry ppl are like feral cats- feed them once and they be hanging around for more-
Bets you can get gluten free breads and flours. Gluten is always added to flour. what about beans? green beans an rice go over pretty good here. just ideas . I dealt with cancer an went from 200 to 162 so i know what you mean losing weight, what i have done to get back to fighting form is weight gainer from gnc. it has taken me almost 2 yrs to get back to 175 so keep up the fight you will figure it out. wildman out
Thanks- I’ve been eating gf/cf for a year, so I have a handle on what to eat- it’s just harder to re-stock everything that I’d been piling up for the last 4 yrs-
Beans & rice? Way past that-I’ve made gf pasta w/ sauted shrimp but am concerned about eating well when it hits- I’m like starting at square one dude. Wheat is gluten btw- they don’t put it in- but it’s a binder, so it’s in cold tablets, shampoos, lotions,etc and I have to be very careful-and it’s extremely restrictive. I checked on protein mixes- nope- got bad for me ingredients in them. Sorry about the cancer- you do know it’s from your weak immune system right? Allergies are the 1st sign of a weakened I.S. and cancer loves sugar and a bad I.S. – just saying..
Bets…we also have gone GF since last May….we are in a different position then you because we CAN eat gluten, have just chosen not to do to reading how unhealthy it is…so I am keeping my preps for SHTF…will have to introduce it back into our system slowly though, so we don’t get sick.
My sis in law has Celiacs though, so I do want some GF food for her….my bro and SIL aren’t prepping so I’m doing it for them. They’ll thank me one day 🙂
Anyway, here’s a website where you can order GF long term food….and they even have a layaway plan! My son just ordered a 3 month supply of the GF food, so I can let ya know how it taste when we get it 🙂
http://www.mypatriotsupply.com/Emergency_Survival_Food_s/104.htm
Good luck!
Does sprouting help in your case?
Sorry to make this so simple… I don’t care… I have a child and that child owns it all already…If you even look at her property with curious eyes this childs father will make sure you are fed to the dogs smoked and salted…wake up people…you made the kid now make sure the kid survives at all cost
you sound like my dad!
Here I go again, asking newbie questions. I’ve noticed picture of what looks like home-made bread. One of your readers told me the hard red winter wheat (my choice – any others) would have to be ground up in a mill. I saw what looked like a good hand mill for $75. O.K. Now assume there is no gass to bake. Plus I’ve never made bread before. I would like to get on the ball and make that my next step. Please know that I am not rich. Serious answers only please.
Mike, sorry to tell you this, but unless your getting an old mill from a farm or such youwill be wasting your 75 dollars, you get what you pay for, mine costed about 460.00 or so and it hurt to pay that but I make some fine flour with it
And google “green stick bread” but you can make bread on a hot rock next to a fire for that matter I suggest a good cast iorn set don’t forget the Dutch oven and practice practice and then practice some more
Mike, I second that what Drew wrote. You can also make corn bred in a cast iron dutch oven over a fire or on a hot woodstove as you heat your home. I got a nice grain mill along with a corn auger that can grind up or crack field corn for my chickens, or grind some of the popcorn from the 50 lb. bag I got to make cornbred.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHNHJ6nuQlQ
Family grain mill $480.00 or the Grainmaker from Montana $650.00… Both will out last your grand kids. A good wood stove and a dutch oven to bake in. Also look on line on how to make your own solar cooker. Cheap and easy. As for recipies… ther must be a billion of cook books for that.
Mike, I invested in a solar oven.
You will find this to be a wonderful purchase. Simple things as this, or a grain mill and a wood stove can be big assets to those who cannot or do not want to bug out.
Be well
mike, a solar oven can cook anything a crockpot can and then some. there are good ways to make one using a box, tinfoil, and plastic if you cant afford to invest in one; use a car windshield reflector to boost the oven temp. no cooking odors to attract anyone. for cloudy days, there are plenty of bread recipes the can be made in a castiron skillet or dutch oven. you will obviously need a heat source for them.
it is great to ask those questions now. plans and recipes are free and you can print or write them now so you will have them later. also, baking with whole wheat flour is a bit different, so look for breads that also use oats, and search cornbreads. there are lots of ways to get good carbs! practice baking while you can 🙂
@ mike- i have a hand mill bought for about $70 since that was what the budget would allow. it works fine for grinding, but is physically hard and takes about 10 minutes to grind 4-5 cups of flour. figure that it is better to have it than nothing; cannot attest to how many years it will last but the reviews have been good. Also, if it is any help, i store montana gold spring white as the winter red is very “wheaty” tasting, and can be hard on sensitive tummies.
no-knead oat bread (adapted from king arthur flour)
5 cups white wheat flour
1 1/2 c rolled oats
1/3 c brown sugar or honey
1/4 c melted butter or oil
2tsp salt
1/2 tsp instant yeast
2 1/4 c cool water
Mix well – ok to use your hands :). Dough will be sticky. Put in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. let rise overnight or at least 8 hours. turn out and shape to your pan or 9 1/2″ dutch oven, cover and let rise about 1 hour. Sprinkle a few oats on top and slash top of loaf. bake in covered dutch oven 450 for 45-50 min. (you can check with lodge for how many coals it will take to campfire this) remove lid and bake 5 more min until top is brown. if baking in a bread pan or on a stone free-form, 350 for 40 min or 400 for 25 min is about right.
free-form loaf (adapted from artisan bread in 5 min a day)
1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups white wheat flour
add yeast and salt to water, let rest 5 min. add flour 1 cup at a time, mixing well but don’t knead. cover loosly and allow to rise 2 hours if warm water, 3 -4 hours if cool water. this is a very wet dough. shape into a ball and let rise on pizza peel, parchment,cookie sheet, etc that is sprinkled with flour or cornmeal. let dough rest 40 min. 20 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 450. dust and slash loaf, slide onto baking stone or bake on cookie sheet approx 30 min or until brown. you can slide a broiler pan with water on the rack under the loaf before baking to make a “crusty” bread. this loaf can be adapted to a bread pan and baked in a solar oven or dutch oven.
Thank you for the recipe…I will be trying this.
I also have and have used a hand mill (65.00) I have been making bread for years now. The hand mill makes a coarse flour and results in a heavy , dense bread. The multi-hundred-dollar mills make a much finer flour and better bread; that I will admit. The biggest unmentioned problem with the hand grinders is you need to let the flour sit longer to soak up the water since coarse flour absorbs more slowy and if you mix it to the consistency you think is correct the dough will wind up too dry.
Mike you really got to try making bread. it took me a while to get it figured out what works an what doesnt, plus its not as easy as it sounds. we ate alot of mistakes along the way but i now got it down to a science. if ya live in the cold climate look into a wood fired cookstove. if not you can go solar. but better stock up on yeast. cause without yeast you are left with 12 hr rise times wildman out
I disagree with the fellow that says you need a $400 dollar mill. I have one in the basement that I bought for $49, stone grinder it makes good flower, one pass. It’s work, but it’s ok. Other issue; buy a small Dutch oven and try sour dough bread baked on a fire. You can get your own starter by just setting some potato water on the window sill; with a bit of sugar, flour, water, salt, a bit of bacon fat or oil or butter just give baking a try. First few times just use your oven, all it takes is practice. Lots of stuff on the net will give you advise. Remembr a Dutch oven has little peg feet and a rim around the top to hold the coals when you bake on a fire, and look at garage sales you can find them for $10.
A big thank you to all the people who gave good comments on making bread, and not one smart a**. I will practice making bread in my modern oven with flour available at the store. Then I will proceed to grinding grain, then dutch oven or sun oven or ?.It’s a long trip. I hope I get there in time.
Mike Prince….I bought this http://www.everythingkitchens.com/wonder-junior-hand-grain-mill.html 2 yrs ago and LOVE it, especially the price!
I bought the deluxe…and haven’t regretted it once! And I’ve been grinding red winter wheat and everything else in it!
My husband mounted it to my island and it doesn’t move at all! I stopped grinding wheat in it in May when we went gluten free…..but once SHTF I’ll be cranking that baby back up! 🙂
Ten virgins, five were wise and five were foolish-what happened to the foolish five? THEY were “LOCKED OUT”
The Bible clearly States we are to “BE READY” for you never know when the Mater will return.
Noah heeded God’s command to build that boat, and what did his neighbors do? They ridiculed and made fun of him, when the rains came how many did he take on board=0
God will only give you “so many chanches” before he will let you go your own way to your doom.
And that’s all I got to say about that…..F. Gump
^^^^MASTER^^^^
‘you never know when the Mater will return’
this guy?
Booo! stripped the pic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MaterCars.jpg
Wow, This one is hard but here go’s, I’ve been prepping for 30 years- told everyone in the family they should to but they don’t, They laugh and say”we’ll come stay with you” my dad says (stock market man) don’t worry about it so much, everything will work out. Sister runs interference for them (Rons crazy) but she accepts any kind of help for her and kids (3) but I know its a waste of my time. Mother is a complacent. What do you do? I really would like to get an answer to this question before its time to act.
If your maried take care of your family and find a team or form one of like minded people. As for the rest of your family… Don’t give them a thing. They did not care and they WILL bring THIER frends to take what you have. Except for my mom and my kids … everyone else in my family will die…. sucks but that is just how it is.
Have you not read, they came to Jesus and said your Brothers and Mother are outside and wish to see you and Jesus looked around and said “THESE ARE MY BROTHERS AND MOTHER! Those who obey God and His Commandments!” For even Jesus’s own family, except Cousin John the Baptist, didn’t believe Him.
THEY MADE THEIR BED, DON’T LET THEM LAY IN YOURS.
I live alone and haven’t seen any of my family for years. They don’t even know where I live, or IF I live for that matter. That’s what I did. Members of my family are self-absorbed thieving bullies who probably WILL BE of those who think it’s okay to take what they want during SHTF.
Sometimes, you just have to cut them loose and make your own way alone. That’s all I got for you.
@ sixpack..you have a cat and prepper friends that would drive down there and hwlp if you asked. you will be fine.
It’s nice to know that if my back was truly up against the wall, with no exits left, that someone would help me—ONLY IN THE WORLD OF PREPPERS AND LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE COULD THIS HAPPEN. That takes the fear out of govt fear mongering. I would indeed ask for help if I needed to, but it would be my last resort. Thanks guys.
I will be fine, no matter what happens in the future.
Make no mistake. I live alone because I prefer it that way. I may be disabled, but I’m still fiercely independent and hard-headed about that.
I get disability benefits right now, but if push comes to shove and they try to attach ANY strings, I’m fully prepared to tell them to take their benefits and shove them. I won’t even think about it once, much less twice. The assistance was nice, but MY SOUL ISN’T FOR SALE…at any price.
A church couldn’t assimilate me and the govt won’t control me either…I’d rather eat grass and pine needles.
When I say “I will not comply”, I mean every word.
You have to decide for yourself who you can prepare to take in. If anybody. You should have at least a year’s supply of food per person. I don’t know if even that is enough but that’s what we have. If all you can provide for is yourself you have to be ready to turn everyone away. Me, I just plan on not answering the door unless I’m expecting someone. If you can provide for some people then pick people you’re closest to or people who will be useful. You can’t afford to be gutless and take everyone in if that means all you have is a month’s worth of food for everyone because then you’ll all starve.
I have a neighbor who lives across the street from me who goes on four vacations a year. Not once has he said to me come on vacation with me and I’ll foot the bill for you. So when the SHTF why should I give to him what I sacrificed all year for. He didn’t think about me and my family when he was on vacation so I am just returning the favor. If this moron is too stupid to see what the hell is going on in this country and around the world or just plain refuses to acknowledge it and do anything about it than that is his problem.
In this life we all are responsible for our decisions we make. We live and die by them. In his case he will die by the decisions he chose to make. It was his choice to live as there were no tomorrow and or in denial and not take the necessary steps to insure his survival.
It has nothing to do about being Non- Christian. As a matter of fact it is very Christian. The Bible makes it clear in the parable of the then Virgins. When the five foolish virgins finally got to the banquet they found the door closed and locked, and were not granted entry.
Verse 11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ And that is exactly what I will tell everybody who comes to my door and it will be backed up by some heavy ordnance. To be fore told is to be fore warned.
You must decide whether to accept their ignorance and plan on providing for them as a gift, or reject them. If you reject providing for them, you must tell them now. It will make life easier.
Just a short story. Many decades ago a buddy and I went on a summer adventure, just thumbing around the country, between our Junior and Senior year of high school. We we’re looking the country over and looking for a summer job, we lived in Missouri and one of our stops was in Leadville Colorado, don’t know why but it seemed to be the place where all broke drifters ended up, in those days the streets was lined with bums. Anyway we had money stashed in our clothing but we tried to play the broke game like everyone else, anyhow we met a seasoned old drifter late one night and we went into a greasy spoon and had a cup of coffee with him, and as we sat and talked, he asked if we had any money, and of course we said no, then he looked at me and said I don’t know if you have any, and then he looked at my buddy and said but I know you have money. My friend then ask him why he thought that he had money, and the old drifter pointed to his hand and said if you were broke you would have pawned that class ring along time ago. Point being if you ain’t hard, up those that are, will spot you in a minute, unless your really good at playing the game. Trekker Out.
If you have a spouse and kids or family etc You only support them. If its just you, then its only you. All others will be suspect and may harm you. Use your judgement and discretion. Don’t let emotion get the better of you because it will try. Other peoples poor life decisions are not your fault or problem in anyway shape or form. So many people have chosen to invest in tattoos, big screen t.v.’s and, more kids than they can care for. None of that is any of our fault. If a man wants to eat his t.v. let him. If a man wants to nibble on his tattoo’d limb let him. If a man wants to eat his kids let him. Those were his investment choices. Those are his payouts. Oh Well. All of this may sound disturbing or even childish or delusional. Trust me! When people are in desperate situations they do desperate and even strange or sick so called things. Be prepared for and ready to see. You just might. The clock is running down and October 17, 2013 is the defining moment for civility in our country if a default occurs. Chaos may not instantaneously insue but it will gradually work its way into the norm. Stay vigil and remember about “emotion” that will be your worst enemy especially if you are a naturally caring person to begin with. DON’T FEEL SORRY.
I am not sure what the hubbub is about on this one. I would do exactly the same. It only seems controversial becuase you are refusing to help someone who didnt put away for a rainy day for themselves.
I scrimp and save and go without the latest gadgets just to have more resources available for when they are really needed so my family will never go unfed.
We are all told the story of the ant and grasshopper as children and the grasshoppers continue to make the same mistake over and over again without learning anything.
“Defiance!” is a good movie to see and consider the possibilities of dire times. I’m personally going to consider everyone a potential asset until it is obvious they are either dead weight or have malicious intent.
Running prospects through a few well designed subtle gauntlets (and everyone is a potential prospect if they come wanting something) to discern their character and other attributes will be a high-priority for all new contacts. If they are only wanting a handout, then some moldy bread, hot oatmeal without any salt or butter, or other unappetizing fare like roadkill or greasy opossum might be offered by those who are both skinny and dirty. We’ll find out how grateful those wanting a handout are, how potentially useful they might be, and whether or not they consider lending a hand at some hard chore, like helping to dig Captain Call’s well in Lonesome Dove, to pay for their handout is beneath their dignity.
If, and as they successfully make it through different tests they will be introduced to different layers of community with better things provided to those who participate. Finally, the select few who make the grade will get fully patched in and will be given key positions to help the community continue to run smoothly and thrive.
My library already contains way more projects than I’ll ever get around to doing with current family and friends on hand without extra manpower. So, recruitment will be a main order for the day. What are potential recruits looking for? Just a handout? Or, something else? Can they lead, follow, or stay out of the way? If someone doesn’t want to be there, then neither will they be wanted. If someone thinks they are too good to follow some reasonable rules, they may find themselves banished in a way that they can cause no harm. For those who can follow some rules and want to be there, we’ll try to create an esprit de corps and sense of community that makes them glad to be a part of our attempts to make a new life in our fallen, now collapsed world.
Dire times will call for dire methods. I won’t limit myself by definitely saying I won’t be offering any outsiders any help. But, neither will I make offering help an automatic given. Or, let them see all my cards when it would be a foolish lapse of opsec.
And Dirty Greek, I definitely don’t relish any last memories of this life being starved, beaten, and sodomized, so yeah, we’ll keep prepping in more ways than just stocking up food, ammo, and supplies. Hopefully, if my group doesn’t have the bigger stick, we will at least have the smarter one for whatever situation we end up encountering.
And finally, all men die. It is just a matter of when and how. Hopefully it won’t be going out of here starved, beaten, and sodomized. But regardless, I’ll not fear those who can kill the body, but can’t harm the soul; for what happens to the soul is by far the more important aspect when all is finally said and done. Therefore, I have no interest in receiving the mark that will allow those who accept it to continue to buy and to sell when it comes in full force, even if that choice of rejecting the mark would cause one to go out of here starved, beaten, and sodomized.
Now, besides the normal prepping fare, I include Ephesians 6:13 as very important for the times we live in:“Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”
ciao,
the Wild Goose
The Wildgoose,
I agree the Movie Defiance may well be what our future holds. History is rich with stories of those who resisted fought against all odds and prevailed against a far greater force , because their fight was just.
Ultimately those responsible for the atrocities have to be brought to justice , tried, and punished for their crimes against humanity. Those that bear witness have a solemn responsibility to speak out and testify on behalf of those that have no voice so this NEVER WILL BE FORGOTTEN OR OCCURS AGAIN.
If this occurs to us the responsibility lies on the Leadership of this country for causing it.
I was just following orders did not work at Nuremburg and will not work now.
Excerpt from “What I saw at the Coup” Matt Bracken
“No, it was the President, the man in whom we invested our very lives, the ultimate standard-bearer of the global forces of progress; it was he alone who let us down at the crucial moment. He vetoed the last plan to arrest the remaining right-wing media voices and shut down their vile hate networks. He failed us when we needed him the most.
Air Force One landed in South America while I was being arrested. As the world has seen, the blue and white 747 now sits empty on a tarmac at a remote Argentinean air base near the Andes, disabled and unflyable. The President has gone with the wind, and he is still a relatively young man, nearly a decade younger than me.
I have no doubt that he will eventually turn up somewhere in the developing world, someplace tropical and near the ocean, a land where the call of the muezzin is heard at sunset. A place where he will be admired for striking many hard blows at the Great Satan.
Coming home, the almost-conquering hero”
http://westernrifleshooters.wordpress.com/2012/09/11/what-i-saw-at-the-coup/
Those Who Refuse To Learn from history are Doomed to repeat it.
GOD IS WATCHING
RESIST NO MATTER WHAT
III%
Semper Fi 8541
SUPPORT THE WOUNDED WARRIOR MARCH ON DC TODAY
There was a time I tithed with the money to going to our church. I realised the vast bulk of that money went to the minister who lived a much grander lifestyle than we could ever afford. Then when we totally ran out of money there were few who could help us and we had tough times. I learned that first and foremost we have to be responsible for ourselves as a family first. So we pay our bills, live frugally, prep, educate ourselves, look after our health and there is nothing left to give others. We could use our prepping money to donate to others but we reckon the best we can do for the poor is not be one of them, using up the few resources that are there for them. So health, housing, prepping first. We live in one of the most modest housing areas, but our place is almost our own, I’m proud to say.
When we don’t share in an event we have become HOARDERS not PREPPERS – and there is a difference
It is a great idea to send Birth Control pills, condoms, and Footballs to
the save the children funds. For goodness sake, when people already
are living at refugee levels, why do they insist on having 5 MORE kids.
Seems like they have plenty of free time on their hands to fornicate
nonstop. Maybe they should redirect all that sexual energy away from
the lust of their genitals into learning to farm, work in service to their government,
and help improve the environment and infrastructure of their own country.
Let each man sweep his own sidewalk, and the whole world will be clean.
This is an excellent piece and is very good advice. I have been in a shtf scenario and know that charity is absolutely the wrong thing to do. He is right: be charitable and you will be like the person who dumps a bag of bread crumbs on the sidewalk and gets mobbed by pigeons.
Charity is completely the wrong dynamic in this situation. It will mean the weak-willed and the unplanned will target the better ones who have prepared. Charity also encourages the worst in mankind, creating a dependency mindset and means people fail to take responsibility for their lives.
Day after day, you will have somebody outside your house as you leave in the morning saying “meat, meat I need meat!”. They will get more aggressive and then attack you (this is a real story).
Mutual aid based on respect and dignity is the thing that gets people through shtf scenarios. It brings together the better people who self-organize and re-build civilization.
Charity, on the other hand, creates a poverty pimp class of effete liberals who, like Roman emperors of old, will haughtily dispense the aid depending on who they like or do not like. The dependent people will behave like animals as they scrap it out for the aid.You can watch footage of this sort of thing over and over again on You Tube.
I have to agree! Hate to sound mean, but the give-mes will just have to die out they put their own greed first, unfortunately thanks to these people the ones who really need help prob wont get it.
Friends, I have been there, I have done that. In all our preparations we must never forget a very powerful variable which was taught in ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. We are taught to pray, ‘Give us this day, our daily bread’, meaning the ultimate source is God. It doesn’t matter in the great scheme of things whether you tilled the soil or used your EBT card, the ultimate source is God. What’s going to happen when an ‘act of God’ destroys all your supplies? The key to survival is sharing. I have personally witnessed how a small quantity of food would suffice to feed many. Of course we need to wise and prepare, store, can, etc., and plan for all eventualities but we must never leave God out of the equation. Moment by moment we need to learn to be connected to the ultimate source of our ‘daily bread’, our ‘Protector’ and our ‘Shield’. Every effort made to prepare is in vain if you are not right with God.
When we say, “Our Father who art in heaven”, it implies a relation between father, brothers and sisters. That relationship was terribly marred when Cain killed Abel for religious reasons. Unfortunately we still see that happening today. My mother would always set extra plates out at the dinner table for unplanned guests and amazingly, there was always enough food. Be kind to strangers, for many have unwittingly entertained angles in doing so. Such was the case of the two disciples on their way home to Emmaus when they unwittingly entertained the Messiah himself.
Who says an act of God will destroy our supplies? You can’t feed a lot of people regularly on a small amount of food. The math doesn’t work. I want to be as close to God as I can and as obedient as I can but I have to be wise too. Sharing indiscriminately will just cause everyone to starve. When it’s all over you want to be alive along with the people you prepared for. Otherwise you’ve failed. If God wants me to take people in, I will. He will just have to make it very clear to me what I’m supposed to do. So if there’s a knock at the door and I hear God say in my mind, “Let them in.”, then I’ll do that. I expect the Rapture sometime after the collapse. We may end up with a house full of people. I don’t know now what God has planned for us.
You are right: we aren’t Jesus. The idea that distributing small amounts of food to the masses will suffice in a crisis is pure nonsense. That tin of corned beef will not magically turn into 2,000 pieces of cod.
Your relationship with God is a personal one: as my father used to say, “it’s one-on-one; it is not a trunk call or a conference call”.
If God has a message for you, it will come. But when it comes to food and the starving masses, trying to dole out little crumbs, one to each person, will not work. People are not wired that way: and then throw in things like race hate etc. and you are just as likely to be told you are favoring one group or another and cause a riot.
I hate rewarding bad behavior.
Having said that, I might chose some unprepared neighbors and feed them the basics in exchange for better survival chances.
Pass out a coupe CB radios and small Solar chargers. And you have a small survival community. They create a buffer between you and the initial attacks. And you join in. Strength in numbers and all that.
They need to toe the line and do what you say. Or you cut off the food. That means start growing immediately and doing watch.
Some of the morons will want to take the food but not dig in for the long haul. Thinking that food will be in the stores in a few months. Cut them off.
God doesn’t reward bad behavior. Nature doesn’t reward stupidity. Neither should you.
Not saying i agree but it gives you something to think about. In my opinion that is why we are forming communities, teaching , training people to be as self sufficient as possible so when the SHTF they dont have to beg from others, and so we can take care of each other in our community. The writer does make some valid points though, at what point do you say “No” We cant help, at what point do we turn away so as to protect our community from looters or the starving hoards there is no way we could feed, thus causing our own to starve ?
As he said being charitable is a choice, being charitable needs to be a wise decision I believe. First you must be in a position to be charitable, your decision will be easy if you barely have enough for your family.
Below are three examples of being charitable or not, assuming you have gathered extra stores.
1- Neighbors who did squat comes for assistance, if you help them once, expect them to be back then possibly becoming a threat when cut off. My choice is no!
2- A family of four traveling to get home 50 miles away, you give them a jug of water and enough food to get them miles away and warn them you have very little we are heavily armed and don’t come back. Good luck and be safe. I would help them, my choice, even if it has some risk.
3- A husband wife team, armed, he’s wearing BDU’s with military skills. The wife has some nursing skills, both are Christians and able and willing to contribute to the camp. I would do a food inventory and a meeting at the round table, they will be extra help farming and security. Offer them a 30-60 day probation. I prepared for this situation, I would take them on.
4- A family of 6 wonders by, some skills but to many non skilled mouths to feed. A little rice & beans and send them on there way.
Again it’s all about your choice, you should store extra for these situations. Be charitable when it’s advantageous to the well being of the camp.
my 02
Where I live, that will not work.
When I feed the house next door, whether it be the seniors that laughed at me and said they’d rather die, or the man with two teens that said he’d go to his church(I laughed in his face at the time), word would spread like wildfire that JayJay had food and was sharing.
29 adults and kids live on this street alone.
Aint’ gonna happen.
And what do you do on day two?? Feed them again??
Don’t open the door. I told both neighbors and they rebuked the idea.
Sorry.
I got into collecting knives (now I have enough so I can cut back on the collecting). I showed my friend two knives and he said if “I ever go camping it is defensively going to be with you”. He also knows I am into gear and survival/ prepper related things. To me that translates what my friend said to “I have one piece of shit knife, no food stored up, and am too lazy to plan ahead for anything. Therefore I will use people if there ever is a SHTF event.” Guess who showed up at my apartment during hurricane Sandy? Yep. He only lost power, his house was not destroyed like many others.
While what I mentioned is not my reason for moving, luckily I moved out of the overpriced tyrannical craphole (New York City) a few months ago and I am extremely happy so far.
Speaking of Noah as one blogger has posted. We don’t know the exact time although some have said several hundred years it took to built the ark, but The Scriptures record That Noah preached to the people and told them God was going to destroy the world by water and they laughed and mocked him. It had never rained before on earth. The day the ark was completed and all the wildlife located, God told Noah and his family to get in and God shut the door. The rest is history.
Yes, it is going to get ugly real fast……..
I have pleaded with my family to prepare, not for fear but to live…….I think they are finally seeing the light
I will help anyone that I can….however, the few hundred dollars in my checking account and the monthly check from ……are evaporating by the minute due to the on-going nature of the “currency.” Maybe congress and “you know who” can help all of us—quite probably with a new “paper” currency….or some of that Fort Knox
“gold.”
What to do when the starving show up on your doorstep:
Just because someone knocks doesn’t mean you have to answer the door.
Thinks just like I do, and exactly as I have taught my kid , and agreed upon with my wife.. a knock on the door doesn’t constitute an answer all the time, Ive also trained the dog to be quiet , or bark on command, depending on the situation
Even now, I only answer the door when I’m expecting someone (and I look through the window first to be sure it’s who I’m expecting).
Some say it’s rude not to answer the door. I say it’s rude to show up unexpectedly at someone’s home and be pounding on their door…especially if it’s a stranger.
I keep a locked gate down by the road. There are no trespassing signs. You cant see the house from the road. Nobody has any business knocking on my door. They had better not climb the gate. My home is olny for me and mine. I meet friends at a public place. The salebarn is one of those places.
When desperate folks want something they won’t knock, they will kick your door in!
Hopefully my two little yappy dogs will alert me that some desperate folks are coming to kick my door in. I decided since I cannot be 100% shure which tresspassers to trust. Ill just kill them all and let god sort them out.
and they will be blown ass first right back outside so sayeth the 12ga
Someone knocks and you look out the window at a frail lady or child with no weapon. So, you decide it’s safe to open the door. The knocker hears you opening the door and steps sideways. A hundred yards away, someone opens fire shooting through the door. Simple and effective. Providing aide to others from your home is suicide. Put up signs directing them to local charity where all the neighbors donate to once a week. Keep your neighborhood free of outsiders if you want to live.
supported them from the cradle to the grave when welfare was up and running. I’ll be damned if I let them put me in my grave for a free meal when they decide to come and get more. Giving out a free meal is not really worth risking the well being of you and your family now is it? Too bad they didn’t prep while they could have. Not my problem. Will have enough additional problems to deal with wtshtf.
So when you get sick and can’t work its OK to let YOUR kids starve? How about when the raiders come out of the cities after the EBT cards stop working? You Think it’s OK if I dig in and watch them burn the selfish A** Hole’s house down and eat his kids? Yeh you can do that (be a S***) but don’t expect any help when YOU are down. Karma sucks. Or do you just plan to keep slaves WTSHTF?
those of us who are a tad on the old side
remember this classic Twilight Zone episode
if you’ve never seen it
its well worth a few minutes of your time
The Shelter Part 1/2
http://youtu.be/4TqOu4r1KQA
The Shelter Part 2/2
http://youtu.be/kW1956wyFq4
People will act just like cats. Put a little fod on the porch and the cat comes back the next day. The next day, all of his friends are on the porch waiting for their dinner. Be careful out there.
There is a saying that if you feed a stray cat…they will keep coming back and they will breed. Therefore, you got a bunch of cats that you neither wanted nor can feed. As cruel as it sounds, this perfectly describes the free sh*t army today. They have children they cannot afford and many babies daddies. Opportunity is there, still, in this country to better your position in life. I prep for my immediate family and close friends although not all of them help themselves but I do, love them still in their faults. I would hope that God gives me the wisdom in a time of crisis to know who to help and who to leave on the door step. As for my non-prepper family and friends? They will be in for a rude awakening when they must get out of bed at 5 am to work duty. There will be no free rides. My sis in law who is overweight and got high blood pressure must do the cooking with the help of the small children. My 30 year old niece must work the farm. Teenagers can tend to to chickens and goats. Everybody will now have a job or get out. Period.
I forgot the most important thing that must be done post shtf. I am Christian and I expect everyone in my house to respect the Gospel. That is the most important demand. Get right by God or you must go. I will not accept anything less. If we are still alive and we are eating and flourishing, that is by His grace and we must be thankful for all His mercies. Period.
Well said!!!!!!!!!!!
Have been putting back some extra supplies that I don’t inventory or count towards my own preps. Not charity for strangers. But know that grandparents and or best friend may show up. They have basic preps as a result of me but could use more. So I have some things set aside for them. Plus that gives me an excuse to buy new gear as I can save my “old” stuff for them haha.
Did Moses take everyone aboard the Ark? No it was just his family. Only when the water began to fall from the skies did anyone want his help.
moses?
Might have been Noah.
It won’t make sense to give someone food after the collapse unless you take them in for the duration of the collapse. One meal just delays the inevitable and lets them and possibly others know where they can get more food. I don’t plan on answering the door unless I feel a strong nudge from God to do so.
7.2 magnitude earthquake strikes Philippines: 32 dead, state of emergency declared
http://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/2013/10/15/7-2-magnitude1-earthquakes-strikes-philippines-4-dead/
Major earthquake would collapse over a thousand buildings in Los Angeles
http://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/2013/10/15/major-earthquake-would-collapse-over-a-thousand-buildings-in-los-angeles/
extinction protocol is a good site. A little eviroweenie leaning, but good info.
I’m willing to be charitable to the needy that have something to barter with…work, a skill they are willing to teach….otherwise unless it were a child in need or a really old person they should have prepared the writting is on the wall for all to see…..
You never know what you will do in a real s.h.t.f. situation. Will you open up a can of 40.00 dollar mountain house freezed dried and feed a person? or would you give a bag of fruits and vegges,that you worked to garden so hard for. Or maybe a wrapped up portion of that wild game animal that you donated much of your time to procure. And when you making your mind up on what you will do, that lazy give me all you can bum of a sheeple will be looking in the glass of your door begging for bread. Then you will really have to decide. A bag of rice or the food that you prepped so hard for to secure for your loved ones. A choice all serious preppers will shortly have to make.
Matt 6:19-21
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Just remember, there are a lot more of the unprepared than there are of us. If they so much as think they can get something from you, they will storm your home in mass. If you open your door to a passerby, they will attempt to force their way in. This is not the 1930s anymore and no one has any gratitude for a helping hand. It would be more like “That is all you are going to give me? I want more”
“… they will storm your home in mass.” I really doubt that the hungry masses will storm my home to take what I have since they obviously were and are too stupid to prepare what makes you think they will suddenly be smart enough to organize a coordinated attack against mine or anyone else’s home? A few well placed shots should mitigate any attempt and if they are well armed, you can be sure they won’t be the hungry masses. by and large, most of the hungry masses will kill each other off for small morsels they take from unoccupied dwellings or unfortunate lone prepper’s on the move. Personally, I don’t think I or anyone like me has too much to worry about from the hungry masses. However, we do have lots to worry about from the armed gangs of uniformed thugscrum who think their badge, gun and position elevate them above the law, and who have a much different agenda than the hungry masses. just saying
As a first time poster long time lurker felt time to respond . This is a issue that I have tried to deal with in my mind over the last several years while preparing. Many have already said it but it bears repeating, you must be able to discern each situation. Then determine which way to handle;do you reach out 300 hundred yards plus and give your answer or do you do it up close.
We must pray for additional guidance and react accordingly.
My situation is probably different than most 15 miles from closest small town (5,000), know by face everyone or someone’s cousin, brother, sister etc. I am sure most all of us in our little area prep if so they are not telling me or mine and I haven’ t told them. However as a group we are held together by our faith and our church doctrine (The Bible).
In closing I will say they contact us befor visiting to ensure they don’t get shot.
With that attitude, bro, your going to lose it all! Selfish people can never keep what they have. Someone coming around needing something could be the perfect opportunity to witness about the Lord Jesus Christ, and giving that person spiritual food as well as bodily food. Those are precious opportunities that could save someone eternally, as well as in the present. If your family and in-laws prepped, then you have plenty to spare with someone truly desperate and in need.
The Salvation Army is famous for doing exactly that. How much gratitude do they get?
It’s not about gratitude, it’s about service to do the Lord’s work on this earth – hello, thats why we are here. Most folks have forgotten that fact!
I understand that gratitude is not the reason for doing it but the lack of gratitude shown is an indication of the mind-set of the needy in society now. When I was growing up we were frequently told “beggars can’t be choosers”, now it seems beggars expect to be dictators over those who have worked and saved.
Look at the stories about the EBT “glitches and you will see what happens when you Try and be “charitable” after ANY disaster..The TAKERS will demand more , more and more again. They will NEVER be satisfied with a “jug of water and a can of beans” if they even Think that you may have more. This is why they are takers and as far as I’m concerned they are the reason We, as a nation, are where we are at today. I WILL NEVER give any supply that will decrese the amount available to MY children, EVER, PERIOD, end of discussion.
If, However, someone were in need of KNOWLEDGE on how to go about feeding themselves and their family WITHOUT TAKING FORM OTHERS, I would try to guide them through that, provide them some reading materials and wish them the best. Do NOT simply give out handouts anymore, This breeds an entitlement and laziness mentality, not to mention the Takers then KNOW YOU have the goods. Just plain dangerous and dumb to give handouts.
I agree: the EBT is a classic example and shows the danger that lurks below. Konwledge, however, is the Christian thing to do: “Teach a man to fish”.
Your priority list has to be this: you first (you need to be strong and healthy to do things and think), immediate loved ones (wife, kids), extraneous family that are not a problem and are cooperative, then friends that pull their own weight. If all of this is good, then maybe start printing some leaflets and write a book or two.
Turning people away that are starving would be hard for me. I suppose I will die for it. So be it.
I’m almost positive some of my grown kids and grandkids will show up at my doorstep. They know how I live and most of what I have. I believe they think I’m a little off. “Pops? That’s just the way he is.” I have tried to prepare for this. I won’t turn them away.
You would feed a stranger today, knowing your family will die that much sooner?
Or, more likely, you make a friend and ally who can help you tomorrow. And in years to come.
I have done this experiment many times over and it does not support the charity approach. Nearby, there is a regular soup kitchen. During the boom years a handful of people used to go to it and were a sad collection of people, really the bottom of the heap.
But, starting about a year and a half ago, the line for this soup kitchen just grew and grew and is now 3 or 4 deep and there are multiple charities doling out various foods. The people are more mixed: jobbing labourers, students, asylum seekers, lazy people, etc. It looks like a refugee camp and it gets worse and worse. This is a good example of where the charity approach is not solving these people’s problems (living in a major city with no income, skills, or place to live, no savings etc.) and just keeps them alive day to day to keep coming back to the soup kitchen.
These are times of relative prosperity. Now imagine this crowd and the food supply being disrupted, or the charities not being able to make it except for 2 days a week?
Can you imagine what mood these people would be in without a hot meal for 3 days?
Basically, to them, it is free food. They do not need to lift a finger to get it and they presume some rich guy will just keep paying for it. That’s the worst attitude. They should, by the second day, be made to do something to gather the supplies for making the meal (maybe shift some boxes of onions donated by a supermarket etc.). Then they would actually become deserving of help.
I could not agree more, BUT, that works both ways and you better be mentally prepared to handle the fact if you lose everything and have to beg you may not get a thing. Karma, shes a bitch…
I can handle the fact that in spite of all my precautions all my preps could vanish overnite. I have the ability to be very versitle and can do well wherever I find myself. I know my well being success or lack of success is not dependent of other people things & conditions. I posses a prep that cant be stolen. Im self reliant and have Know How. I know a large variety things plant and animal that are food that most don’t have knowledge of. for instance I can catch a cow or horse and open a vien and get a cup of nutritious blood. Use the tail hair to suture it closed and get a life sustaining drink from that animal every day. Ill just starve & die before I beg or steal from someone else. I encourage everyone to learn as much Know How as you can aquire.
You will never get out of this life alive. you can horde, I mean prep for as long as you like, you’re just leaving goodies for the next wanderer to find. or take. And the last time I checked, bullets go through drywall and wood. And if you fire enough of them in a general area they go through thick steel too, just sayin’.
Good day.
Notice you got thumbs down but this is true. Very true. Drones can fly around and bomb anyone at anytime. We just don’t know or can’t predict when and how this will go down. Only God knows. Each of our circumstance is different. I believe the Lord is merciful and if you show some amount of mercy, He will show mercy. Try not to have too hard of a heart fellow Americans…chances are, most of us posting on this site will die. That’s a fact. Do what you can do – that’s the best we can do. I have been awake for many years now. Many many years. My husband is not. Very hard to be married to a man who can’t or won’t see it. I am in the Lord’s hands. I alone can only do so much…there is a reason why the Tribulation is only 7 years long…all would die otherwise. I’m hoping I will be counted worthy to escape the time of trial that is to come upon the earth. That’s all I can do.
@ Mike.There is a big difference between Horde and prep…troll.
I have been trying to prep for several years. I built a root cellar, and tend gardens. I built water storage. I have some fuel stored. I have spent lots of money, and done a lot of work, and my own wife is barely on board. I worry I have not done enough for my own family, and people want me to feed my neighbors who have no concern for themselves or their own families? I will be lucky if I can keep my own family alive. It actually makes me angry that anyone would look down on me because I would not sacrifice my own family so a stranger could have a nice day, then die anyway.
Different situations require different acts. In your case, I would provide for your family only.
Pity, love, mercy, giving are characteristics of Jesus. That won’t change after a collapse.
Was it a test or a training lesson for the scum? They sure resembled Zombies. Better shoot ’em in the head. Dead Zombies don’t need your food.
Maybe in the first week they will be knocking,after that i think the ‘nice’ people will be killed off and it will be ‘im taking what you got,and im not asking.’
A common way to kill someone in the gangbanger areas of where i live is shooting right through the front door,just as you go to look at who it is. Quite petty but effective. There a youtube video of a man shooting through a steel fire door @200 yards and it goes through. If i had a bug out place,a cheap cheap investment would be 1/4 inch plated front door. Just a suggestion to you guys and if you install it and paint it in the evening,no one would even know its plated.
I practice many things normal folks dont do,situational awareness is one and another thing i do is eat once every 24 hours. If you guys really wanna know how its gonna be,dont eat for 2-3 days and see how grumpy you get. Also noticed when hungry,testosterone kicks in and you will take more chances than when you are full. Im sure the risk taking will include trying to overtake another person for their preps. Its human nature,were all selfish to the core,i can only imagine what it would be like when the basics are taken away from us.
The movie ‘threads’ does a great job of describing it.
Don’t eat for two days ? Ask any delivery driver , people are absolute raging dickbag maggots. If they have to wait 3 more minutes , then they think they should have.
Well it looks like Chris may have hit upon something here. Wonderfully refreshing after reading so many ridiculous Christian blatherings about helping your “fellow man.”
Like him, I will turn away anyone foolish enough to come to my door in the first place. If they persist, I will not do anything as foolish as shoot them on my doorstep. Rather, invite them inside, and provide them with the “special” rations I have set aside for just such an occasion.
“Why does it taste funny?”
Because Potassium Cyanide is really hard to mask.
The dead tell no tales.
Lets hope that it never comes to the place where we have to take anothers life. However I think only those who are crafty and willing to do what is necessary will survive.
If you all will allow me a clarification here,
Is it not now clear that s significant fraction – a majority, in fact, of the population of Humanity ‘pon this Earth, are effectively unable to perform the basic function that is called ‘Thinking’?
With Monday Night Football, DWTS, and all the asinine examples of relevised ‘Comedy’ whith which any viewer of Television is afflicated DAILY…not to mention the entire genre of ‘Soap Opara’s’ which are frankly more destructive os the mind of modern Feminity than is is even HARD-CORE pornagraphy acting pon the minds of the male of the species, THAT a ‘houae-cleaning’ of the Human genome is LONG overdue, Hmmm?
The ability to THINK singlarly defines Humanity beyond any other species upon this Earth…yet so FEW practice that: Why? One might consider that what People endeavor to fill thier lives with in these days and times is a form of narcotic sedation, is it not?….Specifically, an EFFORT to NOT ‘Think’, for THEMSELVES. Such as THAT is THE exemplary, signatory indication that Humans are – en masse – no longer fit to be refered to as the reigning species here….de-evolution is – and has been occuring for some few generations…right before our very eyes. IF there come no ‘House-Cleaning’ as mentionmed above, then it is a certainty – in this day and age – given the incredbile destructive capacity’s that we now possess that someone, somewhere WILL release something AWFUL into the World at large, thereby ensuring the ‘consequence at hand’ irregardless of what we individually intend.
In truth, we can only HOPE that SOON some event comes to sweep the detritus from the House of Humanity, and therefor allow for the New, Regrowth that will allow us to once again THRIVE….else it might instead be the case that there remain NONE of us, anymore…at all.
Just a thought here forfor you all, for the day….dwell upon it if you will.
JOG
There is a new show coming out on cable TV soon. It’s about a massive blackout in the US. Another subliminal message from TPTB? Surely the EBT fiasco, the FEMA commercials about disaster preps, the MSM talking about cyber attacks on the power grid etc., are all warnings. Soon it comes. Soon. It may come when your family is spread out during the day. School? Work? Shopping? Doctor? What is your plan to get your family home when it all goes down?
a get homes bag for every member of your family is a must…even if they don’t want one…don’t leave home without it
get home bag….(stupid phone)
I love the refference to being “selfish” That shows how ignorant people are of how bad things can possible get. People you give a handout to will kill you for the rest in a split second if they think their children are going hungry.
Why should I give away ANYTHING that I, myself, worked to put away, that will serve to keep MY children alive? Why SHould I do that? Because it’s the “RIGHT THING” to do? WHO SAYS SO? Who says I should take food from MY Childrens mouths, or tools from their hands, to feed and clothe those who were too dumb or lazy to work to ensure a future for THEIR children? The “Takers” will ALWAYS be takers and that is that. There will always be those too lazy to procure items or food for their families and the see themselves as entitled, I WILL NOT enable that mentality now OR After any SHTF scenario and anyone who tells me that I should decrease the odds of my children surviving to feed someone who refuses to feed themselves because “God” says so IS just plain crazy.
If your “god” is telling you to kill your children so others can survive then you are listening to a false “God”
SugarHoneyIceTea:
Great post.
I wonder if any of you took notice when the EBT folks knew they could take all THEY could, if they worried about anything being left for someone shopping behind them?
They didn’t give a damn if a crumb was left as long as they had theirs.
Don’t think for one minute that you will be safe handing out a “small” amount of your preps to people if they think for one minute there is more in your house. Your home could become a “Walmart” in an instant, and you just might find yourself on the outside looking in.
Everyone will have to make their own choice. But don’t make the mistake of waiting to make it when it happens. You will most likely be conflicted. Something you can’t be in a survival situation. Like the author has done, it should already be part of your PLAN. Priorities are the most important part of prepping IMO and this is a basic one for me. My family will always come first. 4 crackers that you may give away could help keep a family of 4 alive for another week. Always, always look at the big picture.
Taking this one step further, you should also have decided whether you would be able to do physical harm to another person if necessary, and if you have the means to do so. These are both just survival basics that should already be part of any plan. Make your decisions NOW. Prepping and indecision are not compatible.
This sure is a tough situation to be in. One wants to protect their family but it sure would be hard to turn away little children. But the article is correct one meal wont save that child only put it off an extra day of misery.
Harsh as it may seem That child unless your prepared to adopt it and take care of it forever should be sent packing. When I was little folks commonly dumped unwanted dogs near our farm. They would come to our place and my Dad would kick them in the rear and chase them away. If they came back he killed them. I thought he was the meanest man alive. I learned you never feed a stray unless you plan to keep it. Now I share his view He already had enough dogs to feed. That starving child might possibly be a great danger. He could be a judas sent to scout out and gather info. myself I think that harmless child very likely will eventually turn into a dangerous adversary. You simply cant take chances in a Root Hawg or die situation.
Great point. You can’t be too careful in a survival situation. I’ve seen stories on how children can become much more ruthless than adults in survival situations. Children can fire a weapon and kill you. Know all your possible enemies. Make this decision ahead of time with your co-habiters so there is no indecision if the situation ever presents itself. Prepping and indecision are not compatible.
I learned that lesson too,
Typically if you didnt kill them they eventually ended up in a pack killing the wean calves, or chewing em up bad enough that they might as well been dead.
Some of the posts on here have me rethinking my earlier post and thought process
As a Christian or sorts i generally try to think in terms of doing what is right,
But what IS right?
Tough questions,
Got to think on this stuff more
Ask king arthur how well taking mordred in worked out. Or obi wan training anakin .
LOL
I have given to these people all my working life. The taxes I paid have supported them and their ever growing families. I have one child because we could not afford more. I’ve been supporting women with many children from multiple ‘fathers’ who have never worked. I will probably help friends/family but the time of supporting strangers comes to an end when shtf.
Great post! And so very true!!
I’d like to make a comment about the basic ‘controversial’ advice contained in this article.
While I found myself agreeing with a good deal of what the author had to say, I also want to state that Lone Rangering in a SHTF/CW2, collapse scenario is not going to be a wise or very smart approach. An exception might be, if someone had a remote piece of property and it already had a decent, fully stocked cabin or retreat-like house on it and it was so far off the beaten path that the zombies from the inner cities and barrios would never be able to stumble upon it. But, even that scenario is risky, because of the possibility that the survivor might get sick or get hurt in an accident and without anyone around to help him, he’d be toast in short order.
So, I would advise that we should take the advice of the author and apply it to a small, trusted group – and not necessarily only to your own individual family. There is safety in numbers, and when there are small groups of people who you know you can trust and who are part of your prep team – tasks and responsibilities can be distributed across the team, based on individual skills and abilities and the concept of ‘teamwork’ can greatly enhance the entire group’s chances of survival. This arrangement also facilitates a better environment for cross-training, so in case one of the critical-skill members of your team is lost or incapacitated for a time, there will be someone else who can pinch-hit in their place.
One caveat. There most certainly must be a designated team leader, plus one or more alternates who will fill in if the leader goes down. Also, decisions that affect the entire group must be decisions that are discussed, debated, made by a select group of ‘elders’, and this is where strict rules can be laid down about the subjects that Carrington was addressing in his controversial article. These rules of conduct must be documented and each member of your group must be required to read them and abide by them, and they should also be made fully aware of the consequences for not doing so.
Loyalty must be to the group first and foremost, and if your group is infected with a few of these goody-two-shoe liberals or any of these dangerous bible thumping Christians who seem to constantly be on the prowl for some way to earn brownie points for themselves with their Big Hero in the Sky and who’ll not think twice about shoving a knife in the backs of their fellow preppers in order to do it – these are the kinds of poison pills that can pose a very serious and even fatal threat to the survival of the entire group. Thus, individuals who fit these profiles must be watched and not allowed to bring any harm upon the whole group.
Let them eat their iphones and big dollar Nike shoes.
Nothing wrong with charity, but we all make choices, some of us choose to prepare for future crises, others take vacations to Hawaii and buy new cars and big screen TVs.
First of all charity should not be given if it would weaken the chances of your own survival, and second any charity available should be given anonymously such as through a church to protect your OPSEC, and to those who come by, you should not interact with others, but if you have to interact with them direct them to that church.
Personally I believe that those who choose to spend their money on self indulgences which leaves them unprepared are like Obama voters, they will not have much sympathy from me.
Criminals in suits reside on both sides of the isle. One bought and paid for will almost always replace another. No matter what party. Too much time is being wasted by us on social issues. This distraction away from true political issues is what politicians love. It helps them hide their political ineptitude. Evidence today. Time to put INDEPENDENT grass roots politicians in office who aren’t bought and paid for. Politics should always take precedence over social issues.
Exactly. An on the money comment. I used to try to send a little cash to various organizations (NRA, GOA, etc.) who I thought were defending the freedoms or advancing the issues that I held dearest to my heart. I also used to donate to pro-White organizations who were defending the perfectly legitimate interests of White European Americans – until I began to realize that those scarce dollars I was sending to these various organizations were dollars that I was not able to devote to prepping and to preparing for the coming collapse.
With money as tight as it is and has been for the last decade or longer, priorities have to be set and followed as much as possible. Also, it seems like everyone and his brother these days is scheming up some way they can set up a website or an online podcast and then start soliciting for people to click the donate button. It is insanity.
The average productive American cannot leave his residence and go anywhere without some parasitic bell ringer outside of Walmart or a grocery store trying to hustle you out of your pocket change. Or, some paper hat wearing, VFW WW2 looking geezers standing outside a liquor store trying to hand you a ‘free’ tootsie roll as a means of guilt-tripping you into tossing a greenback in his bucket. I even have 6’4″ tall, sullen looking black teenagers ringing my doorbell with plastic storage boxes full of candy and trying to hustle me into tossing him a $5 dollar bill for a candy bar that sells for $1.25 at the local convenience store.
The Internet has given White people, who are usually too embarrassed and proud to beg face to face in public – a degree of anonymity whereby they can set up a website and then add a button to click to entice people to send them money. I’ve often wondered just how profitable this kind of begging must be, because there is an explosion of these Web based radio podcasts and almost none of the show hosts say they are being paid.
I suspect that, while this unpaid web radio show hosting racket probably seldom generates enough in donations for these guys to live on – I bet it is a pretty easy way to supplement your income and make a few hundred extra bucks a month multiplied times 12.
So, no matter where you turn – its beggers, moochers, beggers and moochers. You can’t escape it these days. America has become the begger nation, and it appears to now be the nation’s favorite past time.
Whatever happened to the America where people felt shame and embarrassment whenever they were forced to ask someone for a handout?
We were a better country, back in those days. Stronger, more moral, more hard working, more self reliant and more self-confident. Plus, we cared about things like pride, self dignity and honor. You know, those awful ‘old fashioned values’ that our alien enemies out in Hollywood have worked so hard to demonize and destroy.
I agree with this article. Information is spread by word of mouth a lot. So if you help out one family then not only will they probably be back, but they will also bring friends. And thus your prepping will be exposed. So look for the high powers to raid. In a SHTF situation, everything you possess will then become a necessary item – whether to use or eventually possible trade item. I think you need to look at the situation also. In a city situation, you will probably be screwed no matter what, but in a rural setting you will probably know the people that come to your door and whether or not to trust them. They may be a valuable assest later on. In the long term, you will need to establish some kind of contacts.
So yes the article is very much accurate in that helping one starving family could put your own in jeopardy, but everyone’s situation is different. There are too many factors that could play out. Therefore, everyone needs to look at their own situation and decide.
I am a christian and am in complete agreement. Today I will help anyone that comes to the door, who truly needs help. I will also be sensitive to those who would try to take advantage of my benevolence. I have no issue with helping or even turning the other cheek when necessary. But Jesus told as to be meek as doves but wise as serpents. I will not put my family at risk when the SHTF – period. I don’t remember it it was James Rawles, but I remember the scenario of someone sending a little girl to your front door to beg for food, and when you open it up, you’re in the sniper’s sights. Anybody can and will do anything under a given set of circumstances. Thanks for the post. Truth is truth.
Preppers? Really? You better wise up. Once you even engage a beggar you are totally screwed. They will choose to starve to death at your perimeter because that just became their best chance of survival, unless they convince or coerce you to save them. If you have food and resources and your next door neighbor has none—he is your most dangerous enemy. You must be located where NO ONE will come begging, or even know you have anything. If charity is in your plan then go ahead and do it now, then join the starving mobs who have nothing left when SHTF. If you have an obvious entrance to your bugout, leave a large, decomposing carcass of whatever variety there, or at least cause any interloper to walk on broken glass. Only fire a few rounds OVER THEIR HEADS(Which will be the alpha and omega of my “charity”) as a next to last resort, since that act will give away your position. Only those families whose head is a mean tyrant, with absolutely NOT ONE charitable bone in his body for anyone other than his family will survive what is coming. Accepting others into your group that have something to contribute IS NOT CHARITY. Being politely accepted in a survival comment section is not being a prepper. The first thing you MUST do is get your mind right. Decide whether or not survival is the ultimate goal. The first firearm you acquire should be a Ruger 10/22 and high capacity magazines and then a 10 shot .22 revolver and several thousand rounds of ammo. Don’t stop there, just START there. If you’re part of a larger group, find the first alpha-male that is trying to fill a dominate/leadership void THAT DOESN’T EXIST—and shoot him in the back of the head. Let his rotting corpse be the deterrent at your entrance. Think back to the worst examples of human character weakness and expect it—it is on the way to where you are.
Your post is certainly not politically correct. But your dead on. Im the mean tyrant that is the head of my family. As harsh and distasteful as it is I agree with your opinion. Im old and If I die its not a great loss. Im hoping to enshure my grandchildren have a fighting chance to carry on my family tree. If by doing so I damm my soul and go to hell so be it.
The best human material for being trusted with ‘leadership’ positions are those who seldom volunteer for the role. They usually wind up being drafted by others for the job, or forced into it as a result of unforeseen circumstances.
Remember this cardinal rule, and it will be pretty easy to spot the authoritarian, power hungry control freaks – who are usually also certified, closeted psychopaths. Never let these kinds of individuals take charge of your team, because you will live to regret it.
ALERT URGENT!
Department of Agriculture to suspend SNAP program November 1, 2013,
The FREE SHIT ARMY is going to be on the march.
Prepare accordingly.
http://westernrifleshooters.wordpress.com/2013/10/15/bracken-department-of-agriculture-to-suspend-snap-1-november/
RESIST NO MATTER WHAT
ENGAGE
III%
Semper Fi 8541
That is about 1/6 of the population here, could be sorta ugly
Looks like its time to lock an load. The bs stops here. If they want a scrap they sure got 1 in hicksville, im very sure of that. Iphone aint gonna feed ya , nore are the nikes. I damn sure aint gonna feed ya unless ya work an we know that aint gonna happen. Plus by the time the riots end in the city, the herd is really gonna slim down, so if you are 200 to 300 mi from the action you should be ok, if not let em fly cause the wont be much to stop ya. as i say pop em an drop em. all this crap about government sure has begun to piss me off. between what i hear from the usda, epa, and every other alphabet soup bunch, its time to stans up or take it laying down! I for 1 aint taking much more shit from none of em. SO AT THIS TIME ITS A POP EM AN DROP EM ATTITUDE HERE wildman out
Better pick up that Vortex rangefinder that i was looking at last week.
Living on a ridge can be a benefit.
Bet my wife lets me build that roof platform now…
***The state of Kentucky might consider distributing Kentuckians’ SNAP funds twice monthly to help those on food assistance better balance their food budget, a state legislative committee was told last week.***
This is sad. No, just take the food to them weekly.
Bread, milk, oats, rice, beans, and ground beef, cheese, butter, and soup.
Breakfast–toast and oats.
Lunch–hot dogs
Dinner—burger, beans, and, bread
I have actually said for years that we need to STOP SNAP benefits and just have a warehouse that doles out certain basic foods for survival. This way, it is not costing us a ton of money for people to buy name brand cereals I CAN’T EVEN AFFORD, name brand can goods, thick steaks, etc. Also, it ensures they aren’t selling their EBT cards, etc. to get their nails done and buy liquor. Even with SNAP, there are kids going hungry because their parents are swapping the benefit cards for drugs, alcohol, and a little cash to use for things THEY DON’T NEED! A close friend told me his sisters do it all the time.
Well this pretty much confirms my thoughts that last weekend’s ebt episode was not a glitch or a ‘test’ it was a Show Of Force. Watch what we can do if you don’t give us everything we want. Shut it down? Not if we, tptb, do it first.
I thought the EBT drama was very telling. Some time ago I read online somewhere of someone telling about an experience in their small town…place escapes me but something happened (I think it was that the place lost power)…so instead of accepting cash and continuing transactions – THE STORE CLOSED DOWN AND THE DOORS WERE LOCKED. The next time there is some kind of glitch, I believe this is the scenario. So whether or not you have piles of $10’s and $20’s…it won’t matter because the stores will be instructed to close. I predict the government will order it. Also, don’t you find it odd that they were told that after they figured out they had “no limit”…that they were allowed to go ahead and make unlimited purchases? That makes no sense whatsoever. Someone at the top made that call…very disturbing. Was it a test? Absolutely. What did you all learn? I learned when tshtf, they will shut it all down in a heartbeat. There won’t be the mythical 72 hour time frame. That means stores, bank accounts, internet and grid. It will spread from one aspect to another…like a domino effect. Get right with God.
After seeing just how quick the word got out that there was no limit on the EBT cards that were being excepted at two wallyworld stores and just how quick the store emptied out of stock is a lesson on what would happen to your cache.
I would rather be the little red hen who did all the work of growing the wheat, harvesting it, griinding it into flour, and then baked and ate the bread herself than the ant that gave his food to the grasshopper.
ATTN: Mac – you may consider running your ad content on both iframes as static while scrolling, so ppl can see the ads while scrolling down + you can get even more CPM due to more exposure. Just an idea.
Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath
7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”
12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”
13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”
15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.
17 Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. 18 She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”
19 “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!”
22 The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!”
24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”
Look, When the SHTF and you may NEVER have power again, get gas again, be able to go to the “store” to meet your needs again, ETC,ETC Then anything left deserted is up for grabs. I will NOT rob the living of their supplies, I will not kill you to get what you have and If You are my neighbor I WILL defend you against any intruders. HOWEVER, Should i find that my neighbors (or anyone else) have perished I WILL take what you have left behind in this world and use it to Aid in the survival on myself and my family. At that point, when it gets that bad, it is ONLY about surviving and thriving. Scavenge what you can use from what is left of the world and use it to better your survival.
If Anyone finds me deceased PLEASE feel free to take what you can use from my supplies and have the best of luck with it, I would hope if it is useful to you it will not go to rot.
Pretty simple really. In any given situation everyone will have to make their own choices. Some will, some won’t. Some will suffer for their choices, some will benefit.
I won’t try to persuade anyone in their choice either overtly by trying to change your mind directly or covertly by giving all the reasons I might use to make my choice one way or the other,that’s for each person, their unique situation and the issues _at the time_ of the choice to influence.
I’ll just say, when the time comes to make the choice _for real_, whichever way you choose, do it with both eyes open and with full understanding, or as much understanding as you can have at the time.
Don’t assume you know 100% which way you’re going to go right now when things aren’t desperate.
And regardless of which way you think you’re going to go now, preparing to go either way in advance is never going to be hurt you when the time comes. If you end up choosing against then you have extra, if you choose to do so then you’re providing assistance with materials you’ve not earmarked for your own survival.
First time reply: John 6:35
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. If shtf it is b/c we are reaping what we sowed as a country/world….we have put other idols in front of God. God is patient, not willing any should perish (eternal separation from God in hell). I think it is possible God will allow America to be judged (reap) for what we have been sowing (increasing idolatry and decadence)….He has historically used this to get his children’s attention….this time, one last time, before He sends Jesus to gather His children at the Rapture. I will leverage my preps to allow me to share the Bread of Life (Christ)….my preps will help keep me and my family healthy so we can witness to Christ’s imminent coming and that people still have a chance to survive (salvation from hell). We’ll have to be smart to not give up our prep stock….
You may be facing the above scenarios faster than anyone thought…the EBT ‘snafu’ was a shot across the bow. They intend to sink it this time.
Bracken sends via WaPo comments at 0942edt today:
It looks like Obama plans to crash the economy and instigate massive food riots in November. This will be blamed, naturally, on the Evil White Racist Tea Party Republicans. American Pravda, (ABCNNBCBS, the NYT, the WaPo, the LAT) will dutifully serve as Obama’s microphone for this scapegoating.
“States across the country are being told to stop the supplemental nutrition assistance program for the month of November, pending further notice. That’s according to a letter from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Fox 13 obtained a copy from the Crossroads Urban Center in downtown Salt Lake City. Crossroads says if Utah families don’t get food stamps, they’ll turn to the local food pantries, which are already strapped due to the government shutdown. Homeless people Fox 13 talked to, some who use SNAP, say losing food stamps would mean going hungry.” Fox 13, Salt Lake City, October 14.
Last Saturday’s hours-long EBT “glitch” led to mass panic and near riots in 17 states. Was that just a “warning” from the regime to the GOP to extend his infinite debt ceiling pronto, “or else?” If the EBT system is shut down for even three days, every supermarket will be looted, and riots will sweep our cities that will make 1968 look like a picnic. This is not an accident, this is deliberate.
We’ve seen this kind of deliberate provocation before: Reichstag Fire, anyone? I’m beginning to feel like it’s Berlin, 1933, and my name is Goldstein. And the new “Berlin Zeitung” will be the NYT and the Washington Post.
Fox story from last night as ref’d by Matt here:
Utah families on food stamps could be cut off soon
Verbatim below to help thwart the Memory Hole:
States across the country are being told to stop the supplemental nutrition assistance program for the month of November, pending further notice.
That’s according to a letter from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Fox 13 obtained a copy from the Crossroads Urban Center in downtown Salt Lake City. Crossroads says if Utah families don’t get food stamps, they’ll turn to the local food pantries, which are already strapped due to the government shutdown. Homeless people Fox 13 talked to, some who use SNAP, say losing food stamps would mean going hungry.
“This is going to create a huge hardship for the people we serve here in our food pantry,” says Bill Tibbits who is the Associate Director at Crossroads Urban Center.
They posted a letter from the USDA on its Facebook page. It says in part, “in the interest of preserving maximum flexibility, we are directing states to hold their November issuance files and delay transmission to state electronic benefit transfer vendors until further notice.”
“What this means if there’s not a deal, if Congress doesn’t reach a deal to get federal government back up and running, in Utah about 100,000 families won’t get food stamp benefit,” says Tibbits.
In other words, tens of thousands of Utah families may not be able to feed their children come November.
People out on the streets like Richard Phillips says, “It could impact us and it’s going to cause problems because you’re going to come to find out that people are going to steal and do what they have to do to survive.”
“People out here are going to go without food,” says Loralee Smith whose been homeless since August and says the uncertainty is making her uneasy about where her next meal will come from. “I’m on food stamps, I don’t know if I’m going to get them, a lot of people are on food stamps and they don’t know if they’re going to get them.”
Others say if SNAP shuts down, they’ll find a way to feed themselves.
“There’s always food pantries to go to, to get food,” says Mason who is homeless and relies on food stamps. However, Crossroads says there’s no way they could handle the increase if food stamps go away.
“We’ll be affected because if people, if a family doesn’t get food stamp benefits, they’re going to come here,” says Tibbits. “Wee can’t, there’s no way we could deal with it.”
The local pantries are already feeling the pinch because WIC, a federal program which provides baby formula and food to families in need has been affected by the shutdown. With SNAP on the chopping block temporarily, Crossroads fears their shelves will soon be empty.
direct link…
Are you in the SLC?
I am and had to look up the ‘Crossroads Urban Center’. Never heard of it.
Evil White Racist Tea Party Republicans.
We may have a Race War on the side.
E.B.T. stands for, Everybody Be Taking.
I will help others where ever I can,that said,not hand out food from my door.I could easily see me being perhaps a food johhny appleseed to a small degree though in what I can spare.I as have said before have no wife/kids and unless am taking care of someone will not worry too much.I as have also said do not expect to survive more then a few months,will come across folks being raped/killed whatever,will fight for em any way I can.That,to me personally is one of the main reasons to survive,to fight atrocity whether by govt. or mobs.Each persons situation will be different and they need to handle it as they see fit obviously.Live for today,prepare for tomorrow.
I agree and disagree with this argument. Obviously opspec is needed. But to steal from others, what a disgrace. You steal from others and it will frustrate those individuals, harden there hearts and it will make them want to steal to get back at others. Your actions of theft are going to cause a chain reaction. I say don’t steal, show compassion, then tell those people to do the same to another person. We need to help each other as a country….Americans. Obviously there will be people who will need to be taken out, defending your family. But to steal from others even though you prepped……your an idiot!
In the end, God will decide whether or not you will be “damned,” regardless of how well you care for and protect your family. It would be wise to keep that in mind.
_________________________________________________________
On a different note, and very insightful….
A middle school teacher in an area school with a high percentage of food stamp recipients has a difficult time getting her students to comprehend how she buys food without food stamps. The students, school year after school year, are constantly bewildered as to what she does when she goes to the grocery store and doesn’t have food stamps. They, of course, come from households where food stamps have been received for so long that these kids literally don’t know that there’s any other means for obtaining food. The concept of working and earning money to pay for food is completely foreign to them.
This is as worrisome as it is shocking. These are people who have absolutely no control over their own lives and are entirely at the mercy of those who ensure the continued flow of food stamps. And yet, they are content with their lot, and evidently don’t have even the sense to discern that they are leading the most perilous of lives. These are the types of people who are all too easily manipulated and who, in a matter of hours, could be directed and whipped up into a rioting mob, i.e. a “rent-a-mob.”
It is reprehensible that our politicians have allowed this type of underworld to develop in this country. It is inhumane, dangerous to others, and a threat to national security. Where does one start in impressing upon a politician how badly they have damaged the country?
And the thing is, this country cannot afford any longer to keep feeding these people. There just are too many of them and not enough working people to pay for their costs, and we cannot continue to indebt ourselves by borrowing or printing to pay for them. Something’s gotta give.
Just Do It!
No More IF”s.
Just Do It!
I agree with Chris on everything he said about after the shtf, however, I believe we can stop this from every happening with one simple action:
First a story I heard once: A farmer saw that it was the time for his field to be harvested, and so he went into town and hired the best men, they agreed to work from sun up to sun down the next day for a given price. Next day they show up and begin working. At noon the farmer sees that maybe he needs a few more workers and goes into town, what is left are not great workers, kinda slow and not too bright, but they agree on a price and will work for the rest of the day. One hour before sundown he notices he may need just a few more and goes into town and hires the handicapped and really mentally challenged and they agree on a price, they show up and do what they can. At the end of the day his farm has been successfully harvested and all the food is in his barn. Only thing left to do is pay his workers. They line up and he pays the first ones the agreed upon amount, the second and third group get the same amount. Well, this does not set well with the first group that worked all day and they complain. The farmer asks, “did I not pay you the agreed upon amount?” They complain that they worked harder and longer and should get more. The farmer states the obvious, “is this not my money to do as I please, if out of my compassion I had those less fortunate work for a little and gave them the same, who are you to complain.”
Lesson I learned from this story: The farmer did not want to see starving people on the street of his town and took compassion. He knew they were born either lazy or stupid and would never be truly able to work a whole day, but knew that everyone working together, even if they were only doing a little, would make for a better harvest. He was wise enough to love both sides of humanity. Love being what will keep us away from a true Shtf.
In real life the Best men in the future would not work for the farmer for any amount of money. The next crop wouldn’t get harvested and the farmer would go broke. The farm would be snapped up by a large agri businessman who owns automated equiptment and only has a few employees and those workers are green card immigrants who work for a pittance.
Finally someone has written an article that we needed to hear. The bottom line is, as I see it, staying alive is a selfish business. I am single, have no children,and save family, have few ties to anything. Some would envy that and others scoff. I have worked hard at being a Mr Nobody. Believe me vanishing in plain sight aint as easy as it seems. If there is some sort of event, false flag or not, and the whole thing comes falling down, I plan on being one selfish SOB. Not out of meanness ,but a sheer will to live and survive.I do not for a minute plan on fighting hordes of unprepared people that have discovered an easy mark. This whole bit of Christian giving till it hurts may work for some folks but not me . It’s not my responsibility to take care of folks that can’t or wont do that for themselves. Selfish? Yes. I have have been preparing for any event I could think of and tried to meet that head on . Are my supplies vast and infinite? Not by any stretch , but they are mine and I believe they will sustain me and a small number of family (2) for a while till we either die or thrive.
All:
I am in Northern VA this week visiting my husband who has refused to leave this house until he sells it. After seeing that the EBT cards will be empty come November 1 and there still is no “deal” in Congress…would I be wrong in insisting that we pack everything possible in the truck and trailer and get the @*&%# out of here before this thing totally goes to hell?
Everything inside of me is screaming “RUN”. Am I just being panicky? I don’t think so…
I’ve tried to read thru all comments here, but only got about 1/2 way thru (@200)
I see some of you have ‘farmer’ in your name.
This is my mind-scenario. Did you fill out your dept of Ag census form? course you did because it’s a felony not to.
they know what we have.
Did you fill out your Dept of L and I census form asking what supplies you have on hand in the running of your business? course you did, because it’s a felony not to.
So. besides the whole it’ll be better to survive in the rural areas away from the hordes of parasites, how do we survive when THEY come to take our stuff, for the collective good, of course.
also I’m wondering since 1/3 of my neighbors are dairy farmers, what are they going to do with all that milk if SHTF? there won’t be every other day pickups. I bet farmers in your neighborhoods will need help guarding their livestock/milking/chores, if they even survive with no power (silo unloaders run better on electrical current).
I have been having a hard time getting thru to some of my neighbors because IT CAN’T HAPPEN HERE, but
things will get interesting. that’s for sure.
I don’t participate in any dept of agriculture programs. I don’t fill out any forms.
No…and its not a felony(or even a crime) to not fill them out…biggest lie the ag dept ever told…try to get compliance with lies…its BS
When It first begins it will be a lot of suffering and enduring. Survival and sustainability are whole different subjects.
Family and select friends first everybody else…sorry. Hoarding? Not if you buy when there is plenty. I read where the SNAP program will be suspended Nov.1st. Look out! Do it now,won’t have a chance later!
ME-ME-ME-ME MINE -MINE-MINE Y’all want to know WHY America is in this fix? Selfish Me first people who think “look out for # 1 and to hell with everyone else” That really worked on Omaha Beach. You selfish- “one way- Me first-you die” types are WHY Obama is in the White House. Because when push comes to shove the only thing y’all care about is you. Jesus would be real proud.
Good to know. Now, I know that I, too, must be ruthless in SHTF. Shoot first and do not bother to ask questions. Better yet, take preemptive action, especially against all those loud mouthed preppers.
ncjoe, just go and try something so stupid and asinine and see how long you live. Stupidity does have consequences.
Chest thumping will get you nowhere, fast.
It will take discernment concerning who to help and/or if you should even help. A lasting shtf situation is going to be very serious and everyone who has supplies might just have enough for themselves and their family.
It’s going to be difficult watching children starve to death. Children don’t understand what’s here and what’s coming. It’s unfortunate that most of their parents wasted time not preparing.
I believe the attitude at first by many people who didn’t prepare are going to be like those 5 foolish virgins in Matthew 25 who didn’t prepare. When the 5 foolish virgins realized they didn’t have enough oil needed to continue on their journey, they went to the people who they knew had prepared and said to them to give them some of their oil, otherwise they wouldn’t have enough oil to continue their journey. These 5 foolish virgins were trying to make their problem someone elses problem. The 5 wise virgins were smart and told the foolish ones to go back to the dealers and buy their own because if they shared what they had, then they also would not be able to continue their journey
A lot of people today laughed, ignored, and thought they were so smart not to prepare when they had the chance. They are going to be the first ones knocking on the doors of those whom they knew prepared, saying “hey man, we ran out of food and we need some of yours, otherwise we’ll go hungry.” These people will try to make others feel responsible to take care of them. When they realize that they are not going to get what they asked for, eventually they will try and get aggressive.
Get ready.
If anybody is too stupid to realize the near over-lapping of the proximity of mucho feces and whirling fan blades well!
Nothing wrong with letting evolution do it’s job!
I’m not knocking your religious ‘beliefs’ but when they fail as it is apparent they are with everything else it is time for God’s own Nature to settle the tally.
This can be good! (But you should still prep.)
Good luck all of you fine points of being with the clear picture of the needs and objectives of living!
I have never posted on this site, but I couldn’t resist after reading all your posts. I read this site every night, spending at least an hour, and sometimes two or more, reading every post. I want to thank everyone on here for your ideas and advice – I have learned so much from you and feel I am fairly well prepared as long as I can stay in my home. I live in a remote area about 20 miles from the nearest large city so this is as good a bug-out location as I’m going to find.
For a long time I tried to explain to people why they should prepare for whatever might come if only by having some extra food on hand. A few listened, but most didn’t. The reaction I most often got was (jokingly said?) “Now we know – we’ll just come to your house for food.” My answer was, “The only food I have to give away is food for your brain and I just gave that to you.” I no longer try to educate people unless I have first ascertained from previous conversations they will be receptive or at least not completely discount me. Aside from that, I finally realized that by trying to convince others to prepare I am telling them that I have done so. That makes me an easy and sure target.
Many of my friends are members of my church. I got so tired of hearing, “I’m not going to worry about it. God will take care of me.” I finally started answering, “And how do you think he will do that? Put a plate of food on your table three times a day?” Their voice trailed off as they confessed they didn’t know . . . which, to me, means they are counting on someone else to provide for them. I tell them that God is taking care of them right now – he sent me to tell them to prep. Then I remind them that God takes care of those who take care of themselves. LOL – I don’t mean to attempt to set myself up as God’s helper, but so far nobody has argued the point.
Mom–just for you , next time.
I Timothy 5:8….Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever
Welcome….been there too…kicked out of a few churches for telling folks to prepare and to try to be independent,got the same “we will come to your house if trouble comes” and my answer was simply NO!…sad that so many who claim to be followers of Christ are willing to sponge/steal off their fellows…wolves in sheeps clothing…its better to get the left foot of fellowship now then to go into a SHTF time only then to learn the true nature of your fellows…again welcome!
Folks, All the preparation is fine and dandy and is absolutely essential going forward. There is not enough time to do all that needs to be done but we must do what we need to do. But, I am wondering, what am I suppose to do when you show up in my neck of the woods seeking urgent medical attention that cannot wait. From the sounds of it, many here who are so anxious to live by the sword are also going to die by the sword or better yet get wounded by the sword and if you are one of the lucky ones you will need my attention.
Hopefully, everyone of you who is so anxious to preserve your little fortresses and kill everyone who approaches you also have medical back up. I can think of any number of ailments that will beset you as you hunker down armed to the teeth. Hopefully you will have the courage to put a bullet through the head of one of your own as they are writhing on the floor with some calamity that has befallen them. Perhaps that person is your wife, your mom, your dad, your little daughter or your son. You are prepared for all eventualities, are you prepared for this? Are you prepared to live with this for the rest of your life? I expect a lot of red thumbs with this posting, but really, there is a lot of bullshit being written.
Community is the key. I have lived in a situation where for two years 4-5 thousand people were all pretty much on their own, surviving off of what they could hunt, fish, and forage. We ate leaves, tubers, grubs, and got poisoned many a time. Usually folks were gathered in small bands consisting of immediate family members. Eventually, we came down from the hills and surrounding jungles and gathered in small villages. By the end of 5 to 6 years the region had become a thriving community with schools and churches.
It certainly was a TEOTWAWKI situation. None of us expected a free hand out but we often shared and we bartered. There was very little use for cash in that situation. Skills were important. But no one, can develop all the skills you need for survival in such a situation.
I have helped many in their times of need but more importantly many have helped me in my time of need and nakedness (literally), in my sickness (near death). I am reminded of one of the greatest truths revealed to mankind, “Do unto others as you would have them to unto you!” Some would interpret that to mean, ‘what goes around comes around’. I have known some who would call it Karma!
laeagle – there is truth in what you have said. However I think most of us are seriously talking about all of the “takers” out there who have no sense of community and have developed a life of simply just taking. They take what others give and in some cases just take what others have. When the generosity of others is finally extinguished with the coming collapse, these “takers” will turn into animals. When people’s animal instincts come out mobs of takers will develop and they will come to TAKE what most of us had the foresight to stock away. I’ve seen this behavior firsthand. I would not call that “bullshit”. It is simply what happens when takers don’t get their daily or weekly handouts. These people have been conditioned by our government to react this way. You think I’m being unreasonable or selfish…look at the recent EBT card debacle that happened this last weekend. Tell me people won’t revert to an animal state! Recent and historical events prove you wrong. No one is abdicating going out looking for trouble, but when trouble comes pounding at your door looking to take what little you have stocked away, we all need to be ready for it.
Raider you have it right. Remember the 6 P’s. So many people talk about “Bugging out” then when asked where they are headed to the answer is “The Mountains”. I live 85 miles West of Wash. D.C. and you are not welcome to “Bug Out” to here unless you have made prior plans and agreements. Nor are you welcome to share in our hard earned preparations. For every charitable act in the bible there is an act of self awareness. Own both plowshares and swords and do unto others but not at your own expense.
Rawles recommends giving your food items to the church to have them distribute it to the needy. How many of you have been screwed over by a pastor, deacon or some other influential member of a church? And this was in good times not when your life depends on him not revealing that the food came from you. If you want to donate food to the church for the needy then do it anonymously, leave it in the parking lot, put it by the front door just don’t let anyone see you or follow you back home. Remember even Jesus was betrayed by Judas and there will be a lot of betrayal in the coming bad times, its predicted in the Bible.
It’s sound reason that others will spread the word of your direct charity. Churches or other charitable organizations would still allow you to live a Christian life and protect your family at the same time. However in such uncertain times how will you know that you even have enough for you and your family? These are the trials we have before us…may God help us all.
I got something for you to think about, put on your thinking caps!!! There was a discussion recently on TV all thiese folks where sitting around a table and talking about the government shutdown. One man said what if the government was not broke, if the government was broke everyone would of been without a job the military and so forth. Very few people where layed off most of the government is working. He said the government is not broke the American people are broke, for to many years politicians have handed out monies for every program which in turn has wiped out social security and so forth. If the government was that broke other countries would have came in and taken over. If you noticed Florida was not one of those states that had a EBT card misfunction that is because Florida is already implementing strong rule to govern welfare. Floridas governor has gone to court to make it legal to drug test all welfare residents, that letter in Facebook to Utah is a warning to conform to new rules that govern welfare if something is not done now to change people’s attitude in this country to be part of the solution not part of the problem we will not make it as a country.
Hey Mike. 12-8-12 Tales from the Future
“Hey Mike, what’s up?”
“Hey, Hi Joe, I just stopped by….. I mean…. I was wondering…..”
“No!”
“Huh?, what…. I uh……”
“The answer is no Mike, you don’t have to ask.”
“I… uh…..Joe? Is there any way you could”
“NO! I said No and I mean NO.”
“But but, but there’s gotta be something you can…”
“NO! Don’t you get it? You had your chance. I’ve been talking to you about this for the last ten years. You remember? You laughed, remember? You said I was crazy. Your whole family laughed at me and mine for preparing. You said I was paranoid, and other less kind words….Remember!?”
“Uh, uh yeah…I remember Joe….It’s just that..”
“NO!”
“But I figured you had so much and…”
“NO! You figured wrong. We may not have enough. We are sharing with our extended family who also didn’t prepare. It will be touch and go for us to make it through to next years late spring harvest. We will probably lose a few of us to starvation. Anything I give away now will just mean we will lose more of MY family. You had an infinity of chances, every day a new choice and a new chance to prepare for what was coming. You laughed at it. You frittered your money away, now you have to suffer the consequences. I refuse to exterminate my family because you were too pig headed to get ready.”
“I was pig headed. I know, I admit it, is there any way you..”
“NO! And NO again Mike. We are on starvation rations now. If I help you, we all die. I won’t let it happen. I’ve worked too hard over the years to make sure my family and I would make it and I won’t throw that all away because you were a damned fool. I’m sorry Mike, I really am, but I can’t help you.”
“Well, I’m sorry you feel that way Joe, but really, you leave me no choice…..” Mike started to pull a revolver from his shirt !!!!!BLAM!!!! he dropped straight down. My daughter Michele had been watching through the scoped rifle. She did her bit, I nodded my appreciation back towards the open upstairs window and went and got the wheel barrow.
Amen Bishko….Amen!
Perhaps the key is “they will remember me”… As part of opsec, perhaps there is a need to think through disguise and drop off points away from your hidey hole along with 3rd party (church) help.
I’m sure with you that’s what’s wrong with the world today!!!!
During the Great depression my Grand Dad was a farmer, he use to have my mom collect eggs and extra rosters so he could take them down to the city square (Almartha Mo.) and let his neighbors and friends take them, he just asked them to bring back the containers so he could do it again (most part the people did) a few years ago my mom was visiting her home town, she just said she was kid of my Grand Dad to a business man there, he had a small parade over that, because of all the people it saved, so to some limit I would, but only if I could give it in away they would not know were it came from, and it is renewable or some thing I would need. Mainly I would help teach them on how to grow stuff est.
correction would not need
I must be bitter, I dont want to help anyone, either.
I choose to remain charitable to the end.
JayJay:
I don’t know what I said that gave the impression I would not provide for my relatives or household but I assure you that is not the case. My children (all grown) understand what is happening in this country, and they have prepared well for themselves and their family. I would sacrifice my life for my children and grandchildren because they are young and have their lives ahead of them while I am old and have lived most of my life.
If you take time to read the entire Timothy 5:8 you will see he is referring only to widows who are not less than sixty years old and have no family of their own to take care of them. He said children should be the first to take care of their parents so as not to burden the Church in order there may be enough for those who are truly widows. Nowhere could I find anything that suggests a person should share his extremely limited food supply with non-family members, thus denying his own family, with those who have not bothered to provide for themselves.
I really don’t think God approves of quoting the Bible out of context just to make a point, especially a point that wasn’t intended.
WHAT FOOD ????????
Whether you are Christian or not, leaders in history and of today all say the same thing – “Treat others the way you want to be treated”. It’s called the golden rule for a reason. Live by it. You’ll be happy with the results.
In a community that I lived in for over 30 years all of the churches in the two small towns had an origination named LOVE INC. And everyone (Churches & individuals alike) made their donations to them.
Anyone coming for help was referred to Love INC. and Love INC kept records of all that was given and to whom it was given. This kept the ‘Church hopping’ to just about 0%.
With this system in place it would be possible to give and still keep your security measures in tact. To me this seems to allow the individual with supplies to make a choice and not be ‘hammered’ by public opinion. So give or don’t give and no one will be the wiser.
While I do like to help those in need and agree that we should, I also feel that helping those in need should be done when you’re NOT in a SHTF, life and death crisis.
I remembered something my parents told me about animals many years ago. Never put out food for a stray or wild animal UNLESS you want it to stay and keep coming back. This rule is 100% true. About 7 years ago, there was a feral cat that had been sitting near our doorstep. I had never seen this cat before in the 3 years we lived they previous to it’s arrival, it was scrawny, boney and you could tell it hadn’t eaten properly in awhile. So, I gave it a can of sardines. That cat showed up at my step EVERY day for 2 years until I took it to a cat placement shelter.
The lesson learned is…. People living in a severe crisis WILL remember WHO has the food if you give them a small bit as a charity in a major crisis. Unlike cats and dogs that show up at your door for more, THEY don’t show up with 30 other dogs or cats with the intention of overwhelming you, raping your wife, killing you and stealing ALL of your preps when you tell them “No”.
The fool is the one who gives out food during a life and death crisis. I know it sounds horrible, and we’ve been taught from a young age to help those in need, but unless you have a drop off point to leave food, NEVER give out from your house during a crisis! If you do, you have more than likely sentenced you and your family to death if the crisis isn’t *immediately* resolved.
Old Bo here at 6’3″,260lbs of pure T whoop-ass is gonna come get what he wants from the stackers,packers,slackers,and prepper boys. Somebody’s goin to get a hurtin laid on em if I ask for a fat t-bone and all they come up with is burger meat. Cheers.
All the lead you can eat, here!
Just kidding. Trying to throw out a little humor to lighten things up. Not much to laugh about these days if you turn on the tv or read the paper. Cheers.
Bo don’t seem to get it….this isn’t a joking matter. We are on the precipice of coming disaster and many, many people will be suffering and possibly even dying. I find no humor in it and these are no light matters. You come to my house with your “posted” attitude you’ll be met with a slug from my 12 gauge and your size won’t save you sir.
“The shrewd man saw trouble and took cover the simple kept going and paid the penalty”
Proverbs 22:3
We all reap what we have sown. I have been trying to awaken the masses for over twenty years and what I have realized is they want to remain “ASLEEP.”
That is why it is called the “American Dream.” They are all slumbering and get highly irritated when you try to wake them from their dream world!
I coined the term “Instant Gratification Nation” and that is exactly what we see going on around us today.
The EBT card fiasco was a great test to see how quickly the masses revert back to their animalistic ways.
We are paycheck to paycheck in my household and we manage to put aside a little bit every payday.
Which one of my kids goes hungry so I can feed one of the “Sheeple?”
I say not a single one!
I am sick of family and friends saying they will show up on my door step when TSHTF because I had the foresight to do something and they did not.
They have sown the seeds of sheeple and they will reap the slaughter they all deserve.
Remember what was said about “casting your pearls before swine…..or they shall turn and rend upon you!”
Also remember that when Joseph stored up for the lean times that were coming that those who came for grain were not given it for free.
Many blessings to all of you who have done what is just and right and Stand Firm on those principles 🙂
I prep. I will help others if I can. During a SHTF situation I will focus on the fact that we are here for a limited time we are all going to die. I would rather follow the Lords guidance as I know eternity awaits.
There’s a lot of talk about ‘Jesus’ here. It might be well to bear in mind what happened to him? According to the gospels, he rose from the dead. Can you? There is much historical precedent for selling the anesthesia of religion to keep a people docile. Napoleon said too, that it was religion that kept the poor from killing the rich.
Luke 22:36
And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one.
The way I see it, I have been helping others for years and years…I’m sure some of my taxes over the last 40 years have gone into the EBT/SNAP program.
Several years ago, the place I worked at would help out a family at Christmas. We were given a list of the family members, their ages, sizes, wish lists, etc. We shopped and planned, and even went grocery shopping for not only food for the holiday dinner, but lots of extras also. We wrapped all the gifts nicely. We put a lot of time and effort into this so that the family would have a really nice Christmas.
When we got there to deliver our car load of stuff, it was the middle of the day. None of the adults were at work, they were all home. Wearing brand new name brand sneakers, fancy designer clothes, even smoking name brand expensive cigarettes. Of course hair and nails were done.
Now, mind you, I shop at garage sales, the dollar store, and Salvation Army. I roll my own cigarettes. I garden, and put up my harvest. I never really go anywhere. I drive an old car that is paid for. You get the point.
I was never so disappointed, sad, and depressed. We had put a lot of effort into all this. Not to mention spending money that could have bought some food for my house, or outfit for my daughter, or gone into savings or toward my electric bill.
From that point on, I decided charity truly does begin at home. My home.
Don’t get me wrong, I will still probably end up taking care of my air head stupid sheeple dolt neighbor, coz he refuses to listen to me, even tho I’ve tried and tried to talk to him about putting a little extra food and supplies back every month. So I plan for this.
But I’m afraid I’m of the Noah school of thought. This ship has sailed.
And as for the entitlement attitude, I just say NO, HELL NO!!!
I give quite often. I never let the reciepent know where it came from. I buy a money order and mail it to them. I usually send money to a family when they have a house burn. or when a very young family member dies. I never tell others about it.
I think that the coming trials during the SHTF events that are before us is simply God separating the chaff from the wheat. Those who are decent God fearing people know that something is wrong in our world. Those living a God Fearing life will have prepared for the coming disasters because they heeded God’s word and God’s commandments. The prepared have seen the signs pointed out by simple truths. Those who haven’t prepared mocked those of us who followed the signs that God laid out before us. The lesson to analogize this too is that of Noah and the great flood. The only difference is that the great flood in our case is the flood of people who will be without food, water, weapons, and ammunition. Did Noah let all the people in the boat once the floods started? NO he did not. Whatever happens to those who didn’t prep will be God’s will.
The coming time of trouble will be a time of cleansing. Those who are working now to prepare will have a much better chance of surviving, while those who merely live beyond their means paycheck to paycheck, or make no effort to earn any income, will be among the first to die. Either they will die from lack of water and food, or they will die during their efforts to steal from those who are prepared. The population will be reduced by a large percentage in a matter of weeks. In our case, we will have supplies to support our extended family, but not the general public. Today, as a Christian, from our surplus I support and give aid to those in need around us. After the collapse, we will not have a surplus to give away. All that I will have stored away, and that which we grow in our gardens, will be a necessary to keep our large family alive. I will grieve for those who are dying due to their lack of preparedness, yet, I will not bring starvation on my loved ones in order to give to strangers.
Those who have lain back for multiple generations dependent on government handouts will riot first and then form loose gangs to steal needed supplies. When the local stores and warehouses are emptied out, they’ll then migrate to the suburbs… and then out into the surrounding country side. The farther out in the country, the greater the distance from any city, or major roadway, you’ve set up your retreat, the less traffic you will have showing up at your gate. The more twists and turns of remote roadways necessary to reach your property, the fewer the number of roving gangs will find you. Even as I write this, I know there will be special circumstances that will find me giving to those in need, yet even now I must prepare my heart and my mind to care for my family with whatever means necessary for their survival. Above all do be prepared, what we foresee is coming, and it will be much worse than we expect. Millions will die due to their not being prepared. Brum
This was a very good article and the comments are thought provoking too. Though as I was reading, I saw OPSEC quite a few times and I can not for the life of me figure out what the heck that stands for. lol Yes this 53 yr old lady has been preaching to the choirs for years, always give give give and I am always teaching myself something so when push comes to shove, my conscience is clear and it will be me, and mine only and yes I can lock and load.
Anita, it is primarily a military term… Operations Security (OPSEC) relates to any process used to identify critical information in determining if our actions can be observed by adversary intelligence systems. OPSEC is also used to determine if information obtained by adversaries could be interpreted to be useful to them. OPSEC then is used to eliminate or reduce adversary exploitation of friendly critical information. When TSHTF, we will be living in a dangerous “we (the prepared) versus them (the unprepared” scenario. We will do well to study and practice military OPSEC rules and actions before society collapses. Brum
Old age is a house paid for… a safe full of metals. The kids are on their own. And you get to watch your country fall apart.
They steal the wealth via inflation…all the while…the price of metals keep adjusting for the old man.
THAT, my friends is why the banker controlled media keep referring to “HOARDING” GOLD AND SILVER.
Anything they put down…for sure is something I will do as their vaults are filled with metals.
It’s real….sound, cannot be fucked with.
Yeah in 1933 the commie Roosevelt nationalized it.
So do silver. There are too many productive uses and it’s not compact enough for the banks.
There you go.
Personally I don’t ever plan on retiring.
I’m loving my life, my job and the safe keeps growing.
save your copper it is set to skyrocket. There are folks already trading in small copper iginots. Copper is more useful than gold & silver. Lead is also something useful to save. Ive been digging my sweet potatoes & yams. We Grew a good crop should last a year.
500,000 and 5 minutes ago, hugs replaced political correctness as a shocking, just as indispensable, regal appointment in one of God’s thatched mansions. It would have been shocking if they had not. If the old priests get their way, in 500,000.0005 years, give or take, that will be inappropriate touching. When the muffin mumbles, bite.
Some years back there was an Ice Storm in upper NY State which resulted in mountain areas completely shut off. One family, who lived there year round, had plenty of food and supply’s including firewood for the winter. Included with their yearly supplies were plenty of cheap candles, canned goods, matches, lighters and other needs.
-1st Week people came asking for some matches and firewood.
-2nd Week people were asking for firewood, food and other needs.
-3rd Week people were “taking” the firewood and demanding with threats both food and supplies.
-4th Week people came taking firewood (which was getting low as many had come from nearby), demanding food and threatening the family, which had now armed itself and warned all away from that point on.
The head of this family said another week or tow and he expected a firefight with his “friendly neighbors” who had now had become a danger to his family and seemingly like monsters. This is a family that at first gave firewood willingly, some food and supplies, what they thought they could afford and now they were threatened with their lives if they didn’t turn all their supplies over to these previously “friendly” neighbors.
-5th Week the owner and his family were
In addition to my previous post: It was in the 5th Week of this Ice Storm in Upper State NY that equipment and supplies broke through to these stranded people in the mountains. The family that had been generous at first was now on the threshold of having to use force of arms to keep people away who were now threatening them and demanding access to see and take their needed supplies. These people, who had the opportunity to prepare for storms or events like this, did not have anymore than a week or less of supplies, but now demanded, with the threat of violence their neighbors supplies.