Late starter humble prepping stash

Better late than never.

Acer-m14 said:

how about this in your tool kit .. to get water if needed ?

Bon Tool Adjustable Fire Hydrant Wrench 84-637 - The Home Depot

This Bon heavy-duty adjustable fire hydrant wrench has an overall length of 12 inches. It is designed for use on pin or rocker lug couplings. The wrench can be used to operate standard 1-3/4in pentagon

www.homedepot.com

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A pipe wrench should cover everything this tool can, and it'll be useful for other tasks.

enigma said:

A pipe wrench should cover everything this tool can, and it'll be useful for other tasks.

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pipe wrench will get the gate open on the top .. how about that 3 or 6 inch cap on the outlet ??

Acer-m14 said:

pipe wrench will get the gate open on the top .. how about that 3 or 6 inch cap on the outlet ??

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The old school ones have the same pentagon connector the valve does, the newer ones have the pin or rocker points. Like the hook on the specially designed tool, a pipe wrench can grab that point with it's hook jaw. There's no need for the pipe wrench to open up to the size of the cap, just enough to ensure the hook jaw has a decent grip on the pin or rocker. Depending on how tight/rusted the cap is, you could also probably hammer it open with the wrench (or even a rock) - although without a tool for the valve that will do you little good.

enigma said:

The old school ones have the same pentagon connector the valve does, the newer ones have the pin or rocker points. Like the hook on the specially designed tool, a pipe wrench can grab that point with it's hook jaw. There's no need for the pipe wrench to open up to the size of the cap, just enough to ensure the hook jaw has a decent grip on the pin or rocker. Depending on how tight/rusted the cap is, you could also probably hammer it open with the wrench (or even a rock) - although without a tool for the valve that will do you little good.

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If the hydrants are working, so are the taps in the nearby buildings.

No need to get too creative.

spat said:

If the hydrants are working, so are the taps in the nearby buildings.

No need to get too creative.

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And that's why I keep not a hydrant wrench, but a sillcock key. A lot of businesses will pull the knobs of their exterior sillcocks or place them in modestly locked housings. With a sillcock key, you can usually get into most of them and access water.

Bob said:

And that's why I keep not a hydrant wrench, but a sillcock key. A lot of businesses will pull the knobs of their exterior sillcocks or place them in modestly locked housings. With a sillcock key, you can usually get into most of them and access water.

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If things are that bad, a medium sized rock will get you into most buildings.

I started pretty late myself. I had a good stash going at the last house, but I decided to start down sizing when we went to sell it. I had to live with my parents for a year while building this house. The money has been pretty scarce so I wasn't able to start again until right before the covid happened. Here's what I have so far, mind you I have 2 adults and 3 very young kids to feed. I decided to start with the things we eat regularly soon the shelf will be full of that kind of stuff. After that I will be buying another one just like it and start on the longer lasting stuff.

Also I let my ammo and reloading supplies dwindle. I cant wait for this shortage to be over(hopefully), so that I can start stocking up again.

Podmonkey said:

Oh well, if it happens it happens. I move around so much It probably won't matter.

I did have MREs and a bunch more Mountain House in the past but I have since consumed them during periods of unemployment. I think that unemployment is a perfectly valid use for emergency food.

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Good way to rotate and test stocks.

NYS (outside of the cities) have plenty of private wells. I have owned 3 homes and never had municipal water. Years ago I found plans on the web for a lang draw, manual pump. The cost was around $90. Mostly PVC construction with a foot valve. I ran the pipe 90' down into my well and am able to draw water. I test it a few times a year. You can always drop a garden hose down a well and attach a pump to the top, power with a generator. A lot of water can be drawn in a short amount of time. Harbor Freight has this little guy at a cheap price 900 Watt Max Starting 2 Cycle Gas Powered Generator - EPA/CARB It is small and easy to transport. It has enough power to let you use power tools and small pumps.

Gasoline - Like a lot of folks here, I have a collection of cans that I rotate. I have a fairly large lawn that my wife loves to mow (I know, I am a lucky guy) and we go through a lot of gas in a season. Another source for gas, if you keep your cars/trucks mostly full, you can siphon gas out of their tanks. We have 4 cars/truck that we use regularly. At least two of them are always full. In a SHTF situation, if you bug in, you only need one escape vehicle. The gas in the other vehicles can be used.

Powdered pool chlorine, yeah, as a last resort. Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water | US EPA

Swimming pool water can be a HUGE reserve. Keep in mind, we need water for all sorts of things including washing, toilets, etc. Use pool water for non consumption and save purified water for consuming. As a last resort, can you drink your pool water? Emergency Water Supply - Your Swimming Pool! - Emergency Plan Guide

Storing food - Shelves are OK but consider plastic bins or buckets. If you vacuum pack items, bins protect against mice and such. They also provide protection against light. Also, in a grab and go situation, food is already packed and you save time. Originally I sorted food items by type for storage. A buddy of mine pointed out, if you grab and go, how many containers can you take, a couple? Your luck, you would grab the one that is all spices and coffee and have to live off a caffeine high while going hungry. Since then I have mixed up what is in each container for variety. Also, don't forget spices and such. Bland food sucks. You should also consider stocking powdered drink mix. They come in single server (add one packet to a 12oz bottle of water) size and are packaged to last a long time. There are also vitamin enriched as well as electrolyte varieties to supplement your diet.

If you are going to vacuum seal or store food in food grade sealed buckets, do not forget to use oxygen absorb packets. Vacuum seal + oxygen packets are great for storing more than just food. Medicines and vitamins last considerably longer in an oxygen free environment. Bullets stay dry and looking new too. They are also a good way to keep your kids quiet.

One last suggestion. If you stock food and water, pick a two week period and live exclusively off what you have stocked. Use the grocery money for that period to restock what you use. This is a good way to see what, if any, gaps exist in your supply. If you do this once or twice a year, it is also a good way to rotate out the older supplies.

dsdmmat said:

You do have a good start. Down here in hurricane country I have to build up my stores. My main concern is power back up. In NY I have a generator I just need to get the house wired for one down here.

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So where is Alpha Sector Quadrant 001 . . . ? I. e. down here in hurricane country? I'm in central Florida

Acer-m14 said:

pick your price and have your water source tested now before SHTF .. i picked the well water section for the first link .. how will they know the water came from your closest river , stream , creek , pond ... ect..

Well Water Testing Kits | Easy & Accurate Testing | Watercheck

Well Water Test Kits From Watercheck. Get Expert Analysis and Real Lab Results. Keep Your Family Healthy. Order Today.

watercheck.com

or

Mail-in Laboratory Water Tests Archives -

Our laboratory water tests offer a highly accurate measurement of what’s in your water. When you order a water lab kit from us you’ll get everything you need to sample your water and many of them even include return shipping. Simply follow the instructions to sample your water and mail us the...

watertestingkits.com

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If your going with creek water you are going to want to filter it somehow.

Send them a sample *after* running it through your filtration setup to see how it goes.

Also, bear in mind that water quality in a source like that could shift drastically in a SHTF situation.

Who knows what happens when that chemical plant 50 miles up river from you has been abandoned for months.

MilesTeg said:

I started pretty late myself. I had a good stash going at the last house, but I decided to start down sizing when we went to sell it. I had to live with my parents for a year while building this house. The money has been pretty scarce so I wasn't able to start again until right before the covid happened. Here's what I have so far, mind you I have 2 adults and 3 very young kids to feed. I decided to start with the things we eat regularly soon the shelf will be full of that kind of stuff. After that I will be buying another one just like it and start on the longer lasting stuff.

Also I let my ammo and reloading supplies dwindle. I cant wait for this shortage to be over(hopefully), so that I can start stocking up again.



View attachment 82603

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Some plastic totes will offer additional protection for some of the items with softer packaging. If any mice get in there, they will have a field day!

GOPerfect said:

Big fan of the #10 cans. Many places sell them, good food. You ever buy from LDS?

https://store.churchofjesuschrist.org/usa/en/food-storage-3074457345616678849-1?ddkey=https%3AClickInfo

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Haven't tried Mountain House or LDS. How do they compare to 4Patriots?

GOPerfect said:

As in frozen meat? I do not store a shit ton of frozen meats for the obvious reasons. We always have an ample supply, but I never go overboard.

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What are the obvious reasons ?
I have put 5-600 pounds of beef and a bunch of pork and chicken along side of it in my freezer and slept soundly. The freezer for the most part is one of the most dependable appliances I have owned . Some lasting over 25 years. . One can get alarms to alert you if freezer starts warming.
I do have a generator . If one has a frozen mass during a power outage then running it about 1 hr a day is more than enough to keep food frozen. Perhaps a little more in the summer .
When a butcher processes the beef and wraps it correctly I have had meat 2 years old without a freezer burn taste .

spat said:

If your going with creek water you are going to want to filter it somehow.

Send them a sample *after* running it through your filtration setup to see how it goes.

Also, bear in mind that water quality in a source like that could shift drastically in a SHTF situation.

Who knows what happens when that chemical plant 50 miles up river from you has been abandoned for months.

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Folks that live near lakes say we can use that water. Years ago most homes on the fingerlakes had the inlet pipe for drinking and the sewer pipe only 40-50 ft apart in the lake. .. Could see that again ... I see a lake becoming very fouled very quick

1Self said:

Haven't tried Mountain House or LDS. How do they compare to 4Patriots?

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I like 4Patriots a lot. Just got another order delivered today.

Mountain House is tasty food as well... Comparison? I would rank them pretty equal. I have ordered and received LDS #10 cans, I have not tried them as of yet.

livingston said:

What are the obvious reasons ?
I have put 5-600 pounds of beef and a bunch of pork and chicken along side of it in my freezer and slept soundly. The freezer for the most part is one of the most dependable appliances I have owned . Some lasting over 25 years. . One can get alarms to alert you if freezer starts warming.
I do have a generator . If one has a frozen mass during a power outage then running it about 1 hr a day is more than enough to keep food frozen. Perhaps a little more in the summer .
When a butcher processes the beef and wraps it correctly I have had meat 2 years old without a freezer burn taste .

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Obvious reasons in the way of SHTF. Power goes out, meat thaws and rots.

My plans for this ...
I do have a generator and as I said an hour a day will keep things frozen. A natural disaster comes on one quick .Wake up in the morning and lights out for days not months ... In upstate NY.
As I have mentioned before my preps are for an EMP strike .I keep at least 100 never used canning jars in inventory.. I have propane outdoor burners and close to 200 pounds of fuel .for them
A kerosene cooking stove Alpaca Kerosene Cooker
also a ecozoom wood burner
An American pressure canner
I also have 3 drilled wells and 3 dug wells on the property.. Dug wells one could at least flush the john that is on a septic system..
As I live in a rural area I cannot see being overrun overnight and the local folk will be bewildered for the first few weeks.
My plan would be is to thaw the freezer meat and can it . My girlfriend says the most relaxing thing she does is canning ... Loves it.
So if things go south having her mind occupied doing something she loves would be a big plus.. At times she does not sleep well at night ... What goes on in Portland worries her . One wonders what will happen if they do the same in Rochester. (being worried )
I understand my game plan will not work for everyone . I also have noticed some of the links I posted the item is sold out.

Home : All American Pressure Canners : All American 921 21 Quart Pressure Canner
Just laying it out and
perhaps it give someone a different look on trying to prepare for what is ahead....

GOPerfect said:

Obvious reasons in the way of SHTF. Power goes out, meat thaws and rots.

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Agreed but this is what triage is for.

Fresh stuff that rots first. Eat first.

Fridge. Eat/freeze, or take out what doesn't need to be kept cold / discard what you can't save.

Freezer.

Shelf stable stuff.

The neighbors.

There's always this in a pinch.

These came in the mail yesterday. Two, one week ammo can food. And 16 packets of the ten year rice.

One thing many folks lack is rat and mice poison. .. Traps will work but at times ineffective, I live in a mid 1800's home and for some reason one year was invaded by perhaps a family... that bred. ... Poison was the only thing that did the trick. Scented candles helped after they died in the walls . ... Then came the .infestation of flies. .. Half the size .of bees.... Sticky fly tape worked best. .. Let folks throw the garbage on their lawn after there is no garbage pick up.. See how fast rats move in.
. The best poison came from tractor supply .Green in color..

livingston said:

One thing many folks lack is rat and mice poison. .. Traps will work but at times ineffective, I live in a mid 1800's home and for some reason one year was invaded by perhaps a family... that bred. ... Poison was the only thing that did the trick. Scented candles helped after they died in the walls . ... Then came the .infestation of flies. .. Half the size .of bees.... Sticky fly tape worked best. .. Let folks throw the garbage on their lawn after there is no garbage pick up.. See how fast rats move in.
. The best poison came from tractor supply .Green in color..

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I guess there's a lot to consider. Something I hadn't considered stockpiling. Infestation was not something I wanted to think about.
Thanks a lot!

Podmonkey said:

View attachment 82961
Thanks for the filter suggestions!

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Gravity filter is fantastic for the price. Thanks!