We practiced living off the grid this weekend.

No cell service!



It really does suck lol

We're building a self-contained cabin next to the creek where we can get hydro-electricity and use a ram pump for water up to the cabin. Composting toilet. Wood stove. Propane oven/stove with back-up outdoor grill.

More good info.

Be ready for an emergency: Create your prep kit.
[link to www.amazon.com (secure)]

Emergency Preparedness Checklist

Recommended
First Aid Kits
Emergency Ready Kits
Flashlight
Pocket Knife Multi Tool
Batteries
Water Purification Tablets/Purifiers
Lantern
Generator (Inverter)
Emergency Food
Emergency Blankets
Weather Radio
Optional
Flood Barrier
Generator (Portable)
Respirator
Fire Extinguisher
Fire Escape Ladder
Smoke Detectors

Ya I made list about 3 years ago and got it all pretty much. Fine tuning it now, tried everything too.

You can use an earth tube for air conditioning.

When we collected rain water it was for toilet flushing use. Using a large tight weave cotton cloth, filtered it once, then again with a linen one. Water came out reasonably clean. Again, only used it for the toilet. We drank only bottled water but do have filtration systems available. Our tap water was not drinkable until July of this year. It was a boil for 10 minutes scenario until then. Whew. During the 100 days without running water we used paper plates and cups. Pots and pans we scraped out then wiped out with dinner napkins and other paper towels and old newspaper. Then pots and pans were washed in hot soapy water --then rinsed (we saved the rinse water for toilet flushing.) Shower was a relatively new Spotlyte 15 gallon sprayer hooked up in our shower. Used commercial size pan like restaurants use to bus dishes to stand in. Again, to collect wash water for the toilet flushing. Water was a precious commodity.

Berkey filters are great. We have been useing ours everyday for over 6 years. We keep extra filters on hand and change them when needed.
The only thing that it will not get out of the water though is sodium. Too much sodium =

This thread seems like “bugout” then all of sudden “bugging in” even more lol

Wow,so many on this thread have never been camping. Kudos to my Dad and Uncle for taking us Deer and Elk hunting in primitive NW settings. We would setup for 2-3 weeks. But back then, you could drink the stream water, you can't really do that nowadays..

thats called going camping. Has nothing to do with conditions in your house.

Wash the dishes and pots with sand, gravel and a scrubbing rock. Brush it all off and rince it with a half cup of water.

It's not a question of taking the bait. What you did is fine for a weekend camping trip, but if you sincerely think that you can live a relatively safe lifestyle filling the air with the smell of cooked hamburgers and coffee while people near you are starving and desperate in a SHTF situation, you are truly clueless and what's worse, those who depend on you will suffer from your cluelessness as well.

You’ll last about 30 seconds in a SHTF scenario.

We learned...
- we need more water. Have a deep well if close to home but will need a pump.once power is lost. Have filtration straws but not brave enough to stick my head in a swampy pond yet. Really makes you think when it smells bad, its a serious consideration everyone should work through ahead of time.
- Cooking food smells travel with the wind, must be careful who’s downwind, should know and think about which way the wind is blowing, who’s there, who will keep watch, etc.
- slow cooking on an older fire made for better tasting food, compared against to different types of camping stoves, including one with a closing cover/lid. Hope to improve on outdoor cooking skills, including identifying and implementing more outdoor, natural food sources.
- I swapped out all my plastic silverware with steel. Switched my larger utensils out too.
- high heat on a camp stove should only be used when needing to boil something. Percolating coffee is easy and highly recommended if you’re a coffee drinker.
- no phones, no electricity, no appointments = peace.
- teamwork makes the dream work.
- everyone old enough, responsible enough, should have their own knife.
- I learned much and we all thought about things.

Op went camping lol.

The BAG purification systems ... with CERAMIC Filters that are good for many thousands of gallons ... I have found are the easiest and least demanding time wise for the people involved to use for smaller group size groups. (do NOT get the ones that only use the filters that are only good for a few hundred gallons). Obviously you will NEED a pre-filter system to keep the CERAMIC Filter from clogging up over those many thousand of gallons ... and also need to PROTECT the Ceramic Filter from ANY freezing temps for the filter itself. Many smaller groups (6 to 15 people) now use bag systems when going into the wilderness due to their ease of use and lack of need for heavy manpower input.

For Super a long time duration system you will probably need to go to a salt/chlorine system. For that you WILL need some sort of ability to recharge batteries so as to power the salt/chlorine generator.

so no one does that thing we all used to do it back in the day

what is it called again ??

o ya CAMPING


no serious tho

everyone that glued to the computer and shit they forgot how to camp

Yep, at least a week at a time and that is just an little adventure.

Yes. This weekend we tested our camping gear. That is one way of looking at it.

So nice. Happy to hear this.

We must not discount those that are wanting to prepare, but have-never been camping. It’s a good thing that they are at least taking the initiative to learn. I myself could go into the woods with minimal gear and survive. My wife and daughter need abit more. We are all at different levels. To berate those that are not up to “your” standard is uncivilized. Help one another, you’ll need it for what’s eventually coming. Use your time on the internet now wisely.

No matter what SHTF scenario you are prepping for, if it goes on long enough it will turn into a chaotic TEOTWAWKI event. Your preparations should take this into consideration. You should have at least 8 months to a year of food put away regardless.

You should also have enough seed to plant veggie crops. You might consider several Sawyer Mini water filters. They work great, filter 100,000 gallons and cost under twenty dollars. An added benefit is they can screw onto a standard water bottle, so you can fill a bottle up with lake water and drink it through the filter.

You will also have to find a way to eat without leaving a scent. Starving people develop a heightened sense of smell just as a blind person's other senses increase dramatically.

Think cold Dinty Moore stew or other similar product. Another consideration is if you are forced to live in the woods, you should not have a fire that can be seen. This will also attract ne'er do well's especially at night while you are asleep.

If you are serious about prepping, now is the time to start canning and putting food away. You can easily can meats, chicken, bacon, fruits, and veggies. You can actually preserve fresh cheese indefinitely by coating it with cheese wax available from New England Cheese Co. and other online sources.

Hope this helps.

Heads up Cali:

Thank you for the kind words.

Great words of help. Thank you,

Practice, practice and practice more. I am on a third upgrade to my equipment failures.

Thank you for this great information. I appreciate it.

Stay away... we are full and will shoot Yankees on sight.