How self sufficient are you ? Honestly ?

[oosik]

I live way, way out in the country. The only service I receive is electricity which I can produce with my wind powered generator or tractor powered generator. Food walks thru my yard almost every day of the week, my home phone is cellular and my spring can be pumped at over 100 gpm. I built on this property over thirty years ago with the idea of being completely self sufficient and far away from the maddening crowd. I will have no difficulty being completely self sufficient.

 

[TCJatko]

"We are on the hook in this country what has happened to the independent thinking that made the USA number 1?"

Diluted by five decades of liberalism. I knew we were in trouble in the mid-eighties when I watched to following on TV: A news reporter was covering the closing of a factory somewhere in the Rust Belt (maybe Ohio). She was interviewing a man who had just lost his job. The first question from the interviewee was..."What's the government going to do about this factory closing?" That, my friends, is where we are today; the government has the "answers" for everything. Sad.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

I live way, way out in the country. The only service I receive is electricity which I can produce with my wind powered generator or tractor powered generator. Food walks thru my yard almost every day of the week, my home phone is cellular and my spring can be pumped at over 100 gpm. I built on this property over thirty years ago with the idea of being completely self sufficient and far away from the maddening crowd. I will have no difficulty being completely self sufficient.

I am in a similar situation as you oosik except all my power comes from my water wheel and my phone is satellite. I havent really been to a grocery store since April but with a full pantry, 2 greenhouses, a root cellar, lotsa different seeds,(and yes I am a criminal type who saves seeds) I feel I am pretty self sufficient. All it would take is mother nature or even Murphy to deal a wild card and it all could be gone and then without an infrastructure out there to restock/resupply from I would be back to living pretty primitive and while 30 years ago that was appealing there was a reason those folks didnt live to the ripe old age of 60 very often. The worst thing about having to be totally self sufficient is suffering from tbn withdrawal:laughing:

by the way welcome to tbn, watch out it is addicting! I like your forum name.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

When I was a kid, I would spend a few weeks with some step-relitives in the summertime. They went to the store every single day to purchace the exact amount of food for tonight's dinner. I enjoyed spending time with them except I was always starving.
How well do you think folks like that are prepared for extended disasters?
And disasters aside; no wonder they couldn't save a penny!!
Buying food in season and on sale in bulk is a huge money saver.
If you don't want to stock your pantry for disasters, do it for your budjet!

 

[charlz]

For the people hit by Sandy that were running generators. I wonder what the primary use was? Keeping fridge/freezer cold? Watching TV?

I have an RV and that would be my primary 'fall back' in the event of a disaster that cut power and services to my house. I could live comfortably in my RV for some time depending on the time of year. Not so much in the dead of winter as keeping it heated would require more propane and fuel than I normally keep on hand. In the dead of winter I would have to move into the shop as it has a wood stove.

 

[Rob-D]

For the people hit by Sandy that were running generators. I wonder what the primary use was? Keeping fridge/freezer cold? Watching TV?

I have an RV and that would be my primary 'fall back' in the event of a disaster that cut power and services to my house. I could live comfortably in my RV for some time depending on the time of year. Not so much in the dead of winter as keeping it heated would require more propane and fuel than I normally keep on hand. In the dead of winter I would have to move into the shop as it has a wood stove.

I think an RV is a excellent back up idea!

 

[Rob-D]

Any one of these and you're likely not going to make it.

Access to or the ability to produce, pure water for one year

Enough food for one year to feed everyone in your group

On a medication that must be renewed indefinitely. Are you sick? Can't put in several hard days of work? Close the door and shut the light .... it's over.

Energy for one year. (the best is renewables )

Heat for one year in cold climates

A way to produce and store food for extended periods of time

The best thing to do is shut off the outside world for one to two weeks in the dead of winter. You'll find out very quickly what's missing!

 

[Rob-D]

I am in a similar situation as you oosik except all my power comes from my water wheel and my phone is satellite. I havent really been to a grocery store since April but with a full pantry, 2 greenhouses, a root cellar, lotsa different seeds,(and yes I am a criminal type who saves seeds) I feel I am pretty self sufficient. All it would take is mother nature or even Murphy to deal a wild card and it all could be gone and then without an infrastructure out there to restock/resupply from I would be back to living pretty primitive and while 30 years ago that was appealing there was a reason those folks didnt live to the ripe old age of 60 very often. The worst thing about having to be totally self sufficient is suffering from tbn withdrawal:laughing:

by the way welcome to tbn, watch out it is addicting! I like your forum name.

Rick, how are you!

We save seeds too! ..... It's a Monsanto thing.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

Am good Rob, and unfortunately Monsanto has the pocket book to make it a legal thing, reminds me of my misspent youth trading seeds and plants under the table, only now it is for something to eat not to smoke:laughing:

 

[Joe Blackeby]

Rick, been there, got a tee shirt, but forgot where I put it......Cheers!