Things People Say

This is a hilarious satirical video about the things people say to homesteaders and/or people who like to be prepared. Apparently she'd had more than she could take of her family laughing at her and did a little relief therapy for herself.  It's really so much about the difference between city people and country farming people.



The gal that did this titled it "Things Sheeple Say." To those that don't know, preppers call the mass of people who are oblivious to the need to be prepared for the unexpected "sheeple," as in people who wander around oblivious as sheep. To me, that's a unnecessary demeaning word. I was glad to watch a follow-up vid she did expressing that same sentiment. In that vid she said she wished she hadn't used that term and wouldn't again.

Okay, so here's a little of my philosophy about prepping. To me, it's only wise and prudent to be fairly well prepared for whatever disaster that might befall us. Am I a die-hard prepper preparing for the end of American Society? Nope. However, if we have another ice storm that knocks out the electricity for two weeks as we had a few short years ago, I can:  warm and light a room; cook and have decent meals; drink, bathe and flush the toilet.

Why am I not a die-hard prepper? First, I can see the possibility of our society crashing; however, it's a real crap shoot to predict such a thing. I'm not as convinced as die-hard preppers are that it's imminent. Second, I'm nearly 60, without a large family clan or neighbors I've lived with all my life, so actually, I think I'd be killed by looters.

Of the numerous other scenarios that could happen, I don't know if I'd really want to live through that. Nuclear bomb? I don't think so. Asteriod strike - maybe if it's on the other side of the planet. EMP - whoof, maybe. Again, I'd likely die rather quickly - looters, stroke, heart attack.

Why am I soft prepper? Mother Nature can give us a rash of bad events, and I'd like to be able to ride them out without having to scramble just to survive until recovery happens. In our area we have bad storms, ice storms, tornados, and being by the New Madrid fault, we've even had some bad earthquakes.

To me it's wise to have enough preparations on hand to be able to live without electricity, have first aid supplies enough to take care of minor injuries, and have enough water and food to not starve in a couple of weeks.

Now if a tornado blows my house away, none of that will help. If the New Madrid fault goes, I might or might not be in good shape.  If a sand blow comes up under my house, I'm pretty well screwed, or if the house falls down, likewise. If my house survives, but the bridges are out, I can make it - even though I'm in an area that can't be reached from any direction, north, south, east, or west, without crossing a bridge. The groceries will be empty of food within 3 days, but I have enough to hopefully survive until lifelines can be established. If we have an ice storm that takes out the electricity, I'm set. Likewise with a bad storm.

So anyway, that's my little op ed for the day.

Eating Primitive

I'm doing a little research on foraging. I'd love to be able to forage a little, but right now my foraging experience is limited to poke in the spring and dandelions. Pretty poor skills there.  I think I'm going to have to break down and buy, gasp, a real book with pictures.

Anyway, in my research I ran across this video on youtube.com about primitive bark plates, ash cakes, and hemlock tea. I'm linking it because it is fascinating. His youtube name is gotrocksinhead which I bet a lot people think is appropriate. I don't think I'm going to run out and make some ash cakes tomorrow. However, seeing it done confirmed I could do it, and that's always good. I loved the drinking cup he made and watching him peel bark for plates. I'd likely pass on the evergreen/hemlock tea, but if you're starving, nutrients are good things. Now I'm just pondering what acorn flour tastes like.