When SHTF, I'm coming to your house

[W54/XM-388]

Yeah, this guy might have convinced me to just KOS anyone looking for gas. Probably get some toilet paper out of the deal, at the very least.

Without going into too much detail about how some of us plan, if things get as bad as the pessimistic of us think may happen, pretty much in the end, trading will only be able to be done once most of the initial wave of dying is done & groups establish firm control of their areas, unless it's people you know really well & trust. Anybody offering to trade stuff to all and sundry without a very significant protection group, will be in danger of becoming among the first wave of dying as will be anybody a bit too visible that looks like they have stuff worth taking & places that look weak.

Which is why regardless if your plan is to stay or go or both, you need to prepare for the very real chance that you will have to make do with what you have and won't be able to buy or barter for what you want/need for a significant period of time, either because it's not available, or it's too dangerous among a number of other reasons.

 

[Ironcreek]

I tell em good luck with that

 

[shootist2004]

food, water, gas, ammo, siphon hoses and antibiotics will be like gold. I figure gas will be gone in about 4 months.
My house has solar panels and my car is fully electric so you will see me scootin around town years after the party starts.........

 

[Unknown]

The people who are saving gold and silver for the TEOTWAWKI are going to be really disappointed when they are told "we can't eat or shoot gold or silver". Then people who have stashed antibiotics, other meds, ammo, and even things like toilet paper and feminine hygiene items will be kings...if they can figure out how to protect it, then how to safely trade it for what they need.

A friend of mine was laughing when I told him he has enough ammo, to stock up other items. He thought I was nuts until I asked him if he had considered how valuable toilet paper and feminine hygiene items would be to a man who had a wife and three daughters in his house. If they had been without toilet paper and feminine hygiene items for three months, you can be sure he wouldn't remain happy at home for long until he traded his prized Harley for a case of toilet paper...

 

[RTH1800]

Ethnic animosity runs deep and is universal across all cultures. I suspect safety will be higher among your own ethnic group. As humans, we also get a better read on facial tells and body language that clue in to motivations and potential actions from those more like ourselves. The benefits of ethnic diversity have been wildly over sold for a couple of generations. History simply does not bear out the oft touted benefits. Sad but true.

 

[supercorndogs]

The one I love is when they say "I am headed to the mountains when the SHTF"
You and 10 million others, good luck with that.

The indians left the mountains for winter. It isn't a garden of eden winter wonder land. They will all eat each other the first year, and the suriviors will slink back down like the Donner party.

The people who are saving gold and silver for the TEOTWAWKI are going to be really disappointed when they are told "we can't eat or shoot gold or silver".

Couldn't you cast bullets out of gold?

The garden is just a tool. You must learn how to preserve the food from it to be self sufficient. Humans got a crash course in this sometime in our distant history. A little axis tilt gave us our first taste of a yearly famine season.

 

[deersniper]

People vastly overestimate what a garden will produce and vastly underestimate the time tools and know how required

 

[W54/XM-388]

People vastly overestimate what a garden will produce and vastly underestimate the time tools and know how required

I think part of that might be that for a short time some things like your Tomato garden will produce just huge amounts of stuff... then comes late fall, winter and early spring...

 

[supercorndogs]

People vastly overestimate what a garden will produce and vastly underestimate the time tools and know how required

Not understanding a tool, is not a shortcoming of the tool. Needing lots of tools and work is a product of being taught to do it wrong, and it being done wrong for nearly a century now.

 

[supercorndogs]

I think part of that might be that for a short time some things like your Tomato garden will produce just huge amounts of stuff... then comes late fall, winter and early spring...

And if you are smart, you are making buckets of sauce from your sauce tomatoes. Pickling cucumbers drying fruit, smoking meat. pickling okra, looking at swiss chards that will grow until winters hardest freeze. Waiting for the frost to freeze off the sweet potatoes and regular potatoes for harvest. Drying beans, and corn. Most can't plan ahead, agreed, and estimating 3 to 6 months of food is tough.

 

[truth]

It's much easier to just live near farmers market type small scale organic farmers. #worklessnotsmarter

 

[W54/XM-388]

It's much easier to just live near farmers market type small scale organic farmers. #worklessnotsmarter

There is however a special something satisfying about growing your own vegetables, raising your own chickens and picking fruit off your own trees, eating the food that you produced, that you just don't get when buying it from others.

 

[Mooncake]

They will all eat each other the first year, and the suriviors will slink back down like the Donner party.

Wrong. I will eat them. Suvivors? lol.

 

[splean]

Most city dwellers wouldn't know how to skin and gut an animal properly. Cities will turn into nothing but large graveyards

This is certainly true and for Los Angeles in particular, my home town, it is guaranteed. Aside from the unimaginable violence within the city, millions will die in the desert of thirst and hunger while they try to get out. The best scenario anyone can hope for within this urban setting is that the government will setup "safe zones" or ghettos if they wanted to keep a presence in the city for whatever reason. Given this situation I'm inclined to follow Army Jerry's plan.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

It's gonna be like this at my place, I'll hold down the fort single handed against the Beigefoot....since I actually have that many personalities:

 

[FS1]

I think we need a hide password in case we come upon each other in the fire. I suggest "what is the best caliber 9mm or 45" is the call. You should already know the proper response.

 

[W54/XM-388]

A significant and well planned attack on our power grid would not be that difficult to pull off for a well funded, staffed and knowledgeable adversary who was willing to risk retaliation
(which might depend greatly on on who is president at the time... Trump = Nuke you... Obama = Ask nicely not to do it again)

If an event causes the power to go off for just a week it would make a mess, no power for a month and the death toll would be a lot more than people expect in the big cities.

 

[W54/XM-388]

I think we need a hide password in case we come upon each other in the fire. I suggest "what is the best caliber 9mm or 45" is the call. You should already know the proper response.

Would that be.... "Here let me send some your way & you let me know".......

 

[armorpl8chikn]

I think we need a hide password in case we come upon each other in the fire. I suggest "what is the best caliber 9mm or 45" is the call. You should already know the proper response.

"Whichever one I'm totin."

 

[Mooncake]

Haha...like a safe word. Just like in the bedroom, it should be short and easy to remember.

 

[Veer_G]

I think we need a hide password in case we come upon each other in the fire. I suggest "what is the best caliber 9mm or 45" is the call. You should already know the proper response.

"Phoenix Eye" ... "Propane Tank"

 

[armorpl8chikn]

"poodle"

 

[Redmanss]

"I bought more ammo."

 

[Veer_G]

"Spin-D" ... "Eez nuts"

 

[ArmyJerry]

I gotta say when natural disasters happen in most of this country people helping people is what gets things done, moved to safety, and cleaned up after the event,,,,, redneck navy, redneck monster truck convoys, etc etc, here in Texas and same shit in Florida after hurricanes, Dont judge the 80 % of our country based off the 20% that is DC NYC an Kali, the rest of this country is full of good people who will either join in the sacking of DC or stand by and clap when its done. the 20% that disintegrates after a disaster are the ones we need to let eat each other for a 3 or 4 week period. block the roads in and out.

 

[wilson1911]

I say “where’s Jerry ?” We respond with “buying more ammo. “ the first one who says “who’s is Jerry” gets shot.

I feel sorry for you guys in big cities. Out here in the rural states/areas will be much better off. At most there will be less than 100 LE. They can either tow my rules or be penalized for violating the constitution. Everyone knows where they live in small towns. The local dirtbags will keep them busy enough. This will give us time to gather supplies and start a small group.
If others are starting small groups also, while you can never trust them, they would allow you limited trading/intel.

Knowing where supplies are before hand would seem quite important....having a cdl is a huge bonus.

 

[RNWRKNP]

Password is easy gentleman........Velcro Sneakers?

 

[Unknown]

The indians left the mountains for winter. It isn't a garden of eden winter wonder land. They will all eat each other the first year, and the suriviors will slink back down like the Donner party.



Couldn't you cast bullets out of gold?

The garden is just a tool. You must learn how to preserve the food from it to be self sufficient. Humans got a crash course in this sometime in our distant history. A little axis tilt gave us our first taste of a yearly famine season.

Sure, you could cast bullets out of silver and/or gold... If you have ever lived with a house having more than one woman in it, you will well understand the value of toilet paper and feminine hygiene items. Of course, a fellow could always just remain apart from women, but that too has it's benefits and problems.

but my point was more about the limited value of gold, silver, and cash compared to things like food, medicine, toilet paper, ammo, etc.

 

[SilentStalkr]

And if you are smart, you are making buckets of sauce from your sauce tomatoes. Pickling cucumbers drying fruit, smoking meat. pickling okra, looking at swiss chards that will grow until winters hardest freeze. Waiting for the frost to freeze off the sweet potatoes and regular potatoes for harvest. Drying beans, and corn. Most can't plan ahead, agreed, and estimating 3 to 6 months of food is tough.

Man, for me the problem wouldn’t be growing it, it would be all the things you mentioned above, having the space to store it and keeping it all organized and roster/eaten before it was out of date lol.

A significant and well planned attack on our power grid would not be that difficult to pull off for a well funded, staffed and knowledgeable adversary who was willing to risk retaliation
(which might depend greatly on on who is president at the time... Trump = Nuke you... Obama = Ask nicely not to do it again)

If an event causes the power to go off for just a week it would make a mess, no power for a month and the death toll would be a lot more than people expect in the big cities.

Sadly, the power grid is not our weakest point. It’s something far more valuable and used everyday for everything and is the least protected asset. I won’t say what it is or what someone could do but it would be super bad and people would go out/down quick.

 

[Shadow knows]

A significant and well planned attack on our power grid would not be that difficult to pull off for a well funded, staffed and knowledgeable adversary who was willing to risk retaliation
(which might depend greatly on on who is president at the time... Trump = Nuke you... Obama = Ask nicely not to do it again)

If an event causes the power to go off for just a week it would make a mess, no power for a month and the death toll would be a lot more than people expect in the big cities.

No power for a month, a huge amount of babies being born 9 months later.

 

[truth]

Man, for me the problem wouldn’t be growing it, it would be all the things you mentioned above, having the space to store it and keeping it all organized and roster/eaten before it was out of date lol.



Sadly, the power grid is not our weakest point. It’s something far more valuable and used everyday for everything and is the least protected asset. I won’t say what it is or what someone could do but it would be super bad and people would go out/down quick.

Well well well...any idea what a solution might be? ;-)

 

[Shadow knows]

I don’t think it’s a well kept secret. Yes, mostly unguarded.

Actually the world will fight over it some day

 

[Mooncake]

Are you talkilng about water?

 

[Veer_G]

Are you talkilng about water?

Easy fix for that.

 

[deersniper]

Nukes + desalination plants

 

[MarinePMI]

Or one huge solar still

 

[W54/XM-388]

Taking down the national power grid is easier to do without boots on the ground than messing around with the many various water supply routes.
Plus if you take down the power grid, the water processing plants mostly won't be doing much till somebody figures out how to power them.

 

[Strykervet]

I think part of that might be that for a short time some things like your Tomato garden will produce just huge amounts of stuff... then comes late fall, winter and early spring...

That's what canning is for. Lots of mason jars. Big kettles.

Being able to make beer is nice.

Wish I had the Foxfire books, my father had 'em. Several volumes on pretty much now lost pioneer methods. It's how they were able to survive and live deep in the mountains with no help. Foxfire, Firefox, something like that. We should all have a set, ideally on a thumbdrive.

 

[splean]

That's what canning is for. Lots of mason jars. Big kettles.

Being able to make beer is nice.

Wish I had the Foxfire books, my father had 'em. Several volumes on pretty much now lost pioneer methods. It's how they were able to survive and live deep in the mountains with no help. Foxfire, Firefox, something like that. We should all have a set, ideally on a thumbdrive.

Are these the books you were referring to? They seem pretty interesting. Probably a good read. Couldn't hurt....

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Collection-Anniversary-Editions-Anniversay/dp/B00MRH3RYU

 

[Wheedle]

That happens here even without a "disaster"... a couple wrecks or a small ice storm and the whole huge metro area grinds to a standstill. Once we even had people stuck on the road for over a day thanks to idiot truckers trying to drive their 18 wheelers up icy bridges with summer tires. (Because pulling over and waiting was just not their style).

So a big part of my plans is hoofing it on foot if I can't take the car, or need to bail out of the car because something very bad is coming & traffic is at a stop, or other players are involved and it's time to get off the road right this moment car or no car.

You apparently live in the same general area as us. It always amazes me how little of a clue people have when dealing with any sort of weather here. I have lived in Georgia all my 45 years, and I'm always the only one clearing the drive, porches, steps, and walkways when it snows. Our old house had a steep driveway, and people always looked at me like I was crazy when I would park our AWD Traverse and my AWD Audi in the yard near the street.

 

[Wheedle]

I'm not one to let anyone in on what I have and what we have planned, but anyone coming to my house when SHTF better bring their own, cause anything of use will be gone.

 

[Mooncake]

We should all have a set, ideally on a thumbdrive.

How is that going to help you with no juice?

 

[Quarter Horse]

I've had the first four volumes of the Foxfire books for decades. My remembrance is that there is lots of interesting stuff but that many of articles do not provide a step by step guide but instead an overview. They are also completely regional.

 

[SilentStalkr]

That's what canning is for. Lots of mason jars. Big kettles.

Being able to make beer is nice.

Wish I had the Foxfire books, my father had 'em. Several volumes on pretty much now lost pioneer methods. It's how they were able to survive and live deep in the mountains with no help. Foxfire, Firefox, something like that. We should all have a set, ideally on a thumbdrive.

No comment!

 

[Mike Casselton]

How is that going to help you with no juice?

I'm gonna bet Stryker has some solar shit lying around

 

[brianf]

largest issue is a continuous food source, especially in you have a good size group or stay on the move.

once the process happens the Govt will administer marshal law and the military will take control of all basic necessities.

if you have crops/livestock that will be taken from you etc.

if the law enforcement/military becomes useless in one giant EMP etc, the population of the US being 300mm+ will venture out of the large population cites when transportation is still avail and/or with in 2-3 weeks after it is known the govt is not coming to help.

the first place they will go is to known farmland...livestock and crops will be used and wasted (no refrigeration or communal canning/preserving).
by then if it is a not a WW3 scenario, hopefully other countries wil come to the aid of the US.

studies have shown that humans as a species begin to travel/walk when disasters occur. and the less information that is had about the unknown the more random and farther humans will travel.

no matter how much ammo and how many friends we have "protecting" our camp, once a flashlight is seen on a dark night or food is smelt in the wind you are suddenly outnumbered.

 

[Mooncake]

no matter how much ammo and how many friends we have "protecting" our camp, once a flashlight is seen on a dark night or food is smelt in the wind you are suddenly outnumbered.

That's where a six pack of 30 round mags per person comes in handy. I think you're underestimating the ability of a few determined and well armed men to hold a fortified position.

 

[brianf]

i agree 1000%, problem is that there is no resupply on the way accompanied by a striker or 2 (never mind a friendly Apache hanging around).
after the first engagement or so were out of munitions.

 

[MarinePMI]

i agree 1000%, problem is that there is no resupply on the way accompanied by a striker or 2 (never mind a friendly Apache hanging around).
after the first engagement or so were out of munitions.

LOL! Not at my house. Not even close.

 

[brianf]

I LUV IT !!!!