What did you do Today to Prepare?

[MarshallDodge]

Excellent post MarshallDodge! I believe that well rounded approach to prepping is on the mark. It isn't about just food, or just guns, or just precious metals. It is about having saved up stockpiles AND being ready personally and as a family to do more on our own. Being fit, having DIY skills, and becoming a producer not just a consumer.

Thank you, I enjoyed your post as well. You can't buy survival, it comes from within.

Now I need to go water the garden...

[Logicalpath]

Thank you, I enjoyed your post as well. You can't buy survival, it comes from within.

Now I need to go water the garden...

Shot about 300 rounds from my AR and about 100 from my Glock. Ran some drills ranging from different positions, distance, concealment, etc. Began researching some water containers(55 gallon drums), purification and replenishing solutions.

Also, began a discussion line with a group of friends to challenge them mentally about what they would do if the SHTF(natural disaster, economical or political).

Made some additions to my bugout gear and organized all of it. Finally, I am in the beginning stages of adding a very small garden in backyard of my town house.

[docsherm]

I wonder what % of "preppers" have actually hiked, camped, or spent serious time in the woods. Simply going without modern conveniences will be a shock to most. As Doc and Dave can attest, no a/c takes some getting used to. Thanks to Lenny and Katrina I've had crash courses in no running water, inside toilet, a/c, or power(just like camping except with looters). Getting time w/o these things may be a valuable prep for many.

I still say being in shape with good cardio is one of the most important, and overlooked, preps.

People have AC? How come I did not hear about this?

Great point about being in shape. That is the #1 survival skill; besides doing PT because of the Army (that keeps me alive) my family does activities to maintain. My wife goes to the gym 5 times a week and we walk around the block almost every night with the kids (on bikes most of the time) when I am there. From my discussions with other MIL Medical people the biggest problem we face here are people “jumping into this and are not physically ready for it. A good example of this is a PA I was talking to with the NG telling me how he has so many injuries from people trying to “get into shape” at the MOB site before coming over. You can’t decide to get into shape. It is a continuing process. The older you get the worse it is. I can even tell when I don’t work out on leave for 2 weeks. So the on and off again thing is not going to “cut it” when we are talking about a survival situation. That is one of the best things you can do to prepare yourself and your family. It also starts the correct mind set for getting into the “suck”.

[PA PATRIOT]

Not to much I added some very light weight mess kits to the BOB's that I picked up and had the kids practicing their marksmanship with a pellet rifle/pistol which they love to do. Going to start looking at BOB water purification units, any recommendations?

[hatidua]

-picked up 40 cans of black beans and 40 of those little cans of diced chili's at Costco today - the poor checkout lady couldn't help herself commenting: "wow, you sure have a lot of beans here!".

[hatidua]

Going to start looking at BOB water purification units, any recommendations?

I keep two different water items on hand:

1. Sweetwater Guardian filter (pump)
2. Steripen

Between the two, I can make most any water drinkable (I spent a full year in Indonesia with nothing but the Sweetwater Guardian for water filtration and never contracted a water related illness (the malaria episode sucked though...).

[PrarieDog]

I bought the large Cabelas food dehydrator today. Plan on doing some industrial dehydrating for my family and rounding our the food storage with fruits and vegtables.

[Dave L.]

Going to start looking at BOB water purification units, any recommendations?

For small BOB's, check out the Aquamira Frontier and Frontier Pro (Military) survival straws. They are small and great as a secondary or even as a primary for very small kits.

[Dave L.]

I bought the large Cabelas food dehydrator today. Plan on doing some industrial dehydrating for my family and rounding our the food storage with fruits and vegtables.

That's awesome man, do you have a vacuum sealer also?

[MIKE G]

I bought the large Cabelas food dehydrator today. Plan on doing some industrial dehydrating for my family and rounding our the food storage with fruits and vegtables.

My wife makes apple chips. Cores them and uses a mandelin/V-slicer to cut them into 1/4" thick slices. Sprinkle them with cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg. These dry for about 16 hours to get a good crispy texture.

She has started doing coconut covered banans as well. I need to ask to confirm but I think she just presses long slices of banana into sweetened or unsweetened bakers coconut. I like the sweetened but she eats low carb and uses unsweetened. These dry for about 6 hours to get a good crisp.

Both are a hit with friends and family. Zip-loc baggies keep them crispy for a few days. Ball glass jars with rubber gasket lids keep them crispy for weeks. They usually dont last that long because we eat them. She keeps the dehydrator running pretty constant.