The Most Often Forgotten Survival Preparations

SHTF Plan ^ | 7/31/12 | Brandon Smith

[bigheadfred]

All the contents in the wife’s “lingerie” drawer.

[papertyger]

All the contents in the wife’s “lingerie” drawer.

Do you really think it's wise to indulge a fetish during a SHTF scenario? Besides, your wife may need that stuff ;o)

[JRandomFreeper]

If you really want to try some survival living, eat half as much as you normally would.

If I did that, I would die. Literally. Normal day is 1800-2400 calories while working. I weigh about 120.

Besides, I don't have to. There are enough tree rats around here in the trees and in the freezer that I can maintain that caloric intake.

They never seem to run out.

/johnny

[JRandomFreeper]

I'm currently not buying anything. Zero cash flow. Nada. None. I'm living on the pantry and the garden and the chickens. And, of course, forage (squirrel).

/johnny

[Redcitizen]

Somehow I think you have the spurting artery scenario covered just fine.

(lit torch and a bottle of whiskey standing by)

=)

[JRandomFreeper]

But that piano... Oy, vey! I have told my daughters that it can be moved again AFTER I die.

/johnny

[Secret Agent Man]

Yes, think about looking at all your stored stuff and having to limit yourself under genuine circumstances. May be easier in some ways, but harder in others.

[Secret Agent Man]

Yeah, you don’t have any weight to spare. I figured you might have some extra padding like me.

If you have any stuff around that you don’t need, you can try to barter or sell on craigslist for some cash flow. Consider it good practice for a barter economy. Can learn how to value things and negotiate trades, partial trades, or prices.

[JRandomFreeper]

Don't need to. I'll have to cut back on some luxury items, but as I said, it ain't my first rodeo. No house payment, no rent, plenty of food. I'll manage.

I wasn't whining. I was pointing out the value of preparing for the unexpected.

I'll eat better than 80% of Americans since I have a culinary school graduate on staff as chef de cuisine. Me. ;)

Squirrel dumplings in ham-hock broth with wilted swiss chard and flagolet beans would cost about $12 as an appetizer course in a fine dining restaurant. I call it foraging.

I think I have 10 gallons of homebrew beer working right now.

/johnny

[Looking4Truth]

Is this 'blog pimping'? SHTF.com doesn't sound exactly like a site that would sue FR for copyright infringement.

'splain it to me.. I see others get slammed for much less.

[bigheadfred]

There is enough stuff in there to Mcgyver anyone out of any situation while living in style and comfort.

[JRandomFreeper]

It's not blog pimping. It's a jumping off point for weekly preparedness threads. I regularly contribute to the threads, but unless the article looks really good, I rarely go SHTF.com. Sources may not always be the same web site.

/johnny

[TEXOKIE]

Thanks for the thread.

I think one thing that people sometimes forget is knowing some of the edible surprises that are in their own yards and neighborhoods.

One advantage to this information is that it might be helpful if you have desparate neighbors who think their only recourse is your stuff. (Or you could be desparate yourself!)

Here are just a few that I learned about recently which are available in my area:

1) Maple seeds:
http://www.wikihow.com/Eat-Maple-Seeds

2) Elm seeds:
NOTE THE WARNING FOR PREGNANT WOMEN!
http://bushcraftoz.com/forums/showthread.php?982-Elm-tree-fruit-and-seed-%e2%80%93-Samara

http://www.eattheweeds.com/chinese-elm-a-tree-that-doesnt-go-dutch-2/

3) Mesquite and other desert plants:
Note that it is customarily the PODS that are used to make the flour, not the seeds! However, in the second source cited below, the author states that the seeds are edible as well with quite a bit of protein in them.

http://www.yumasun.com/articles/mesquite-68874-jean-nopalitos.html

For nutritional value of the mesquite pod:
http://www.swordofsurvival.com/2011/06/edible-mequite-bean-revistited.html

4) Day lillies and other edible flowers
http://honest-food.net/2010/06/29/dining-on-daylilies/

http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/blflowers.htm

5)Burdock

http://www.kitazawaseed.com/seeds_edible_burdock.html

There are of course other flowers and plants commonly known to be edible, and so if you have an interest, start looking them up! Dandelions, acorns, and cattails are some that pioneers used. Acorns have quite a lot of tanin and must be boiled a time or two and drained in order to make them edible. After that, they can be dried and then powdered into flour.

I have not tested any of the flowers for myself, but have tried the elm and maple. A health food store we go to actually carries mesquite flour in their raw foods section.

I have looked up a couple of other trees in our area such as catalpa, and have found it is NOT edible! Before eating any unknown food source, do your own research, and be VERY SURE that what you are proposing to eat is truly the species you are wanting to imbibe.