Prepping skills you've learned over the years.

[Martydondon]

Hey everyone, I'm new to NYFG and wanted to touch base with my fellow preppers. Just to start what skills have you learned or self taught in order to be better prepared for a SHTF/TEOTWATKI situation. Just to get it started. Here are some that I've become quite proficient at.

1) Home Brewing/distilling, I make wine, ciders and meads and spirits of all kinds, for barter.

2) Food Fermentation and Preservation, sauerkraut, kimchee, pickles, jerky and jams to name a few. Great ways to to enjoy tasty food, when the freeze dried and canned food all begins to taste the same... also a great way to keep vitamins and minerals in your system.

3) Growing Mushrooms, this started when I received a grow your own mushrooms kit from my wife. The prepper in me said this is a quick and nutritious food source if I can figure out how to do it with out a kit... a few weeks later and a few free spore prints from the grocery store. I have a rotating crop of button mushrooms growing in my basement.


These are just a few things I've taught myself over the years... but I'm curious to know what others have taught themselves or learned from others to improve their preps.

 

[Toecutter]

Dont trust whitey.

 

[Plater1]

When i bought my first house i set aside a 60'X60' spot in my yard for a garden. I grew the regular stuff like potatoes, peppers, cukes, broccoli, brussel sprouts and a few different kinds of onions. Every fall i would rake up all the leaves and even get some from friends yards and Fall till them in. After a few years that garden produced some serious veggies. I hope the family that bought that house kept it.

 

[96coal449]

Since the wife has decided we are not leaving NY ....... I am looking to purchase a farm. What I cannot produce there I can barter for with which I can obtain from the farm.

If it wasn't for the wife's family, I believe we would be gone. In another month she may change her mind yet again. Drives me bat shit crazy at times. But I understand it is a tough thing to do.

 

[Yotes]

Red Beets, Tomatoes, Cranberry juice, Garden, Water, Lifetime of Martial Arts training..... Long Rage AR pred rifles night vision scopes, 18650 model batteries for lights. Mag fire starter, etc... More on my long list I don't mention like stainless snares etc...

 

[GTN]

To have more ammo than I can ever carry per caliber I own.
oh and probably between 200-300 cans of food, water stashed

 

[GOPerfect]

Everything that the Army taught me on how to survive!

 

[FrankenCub]

What homes have good shit and who's well enough defended.

 

[Robin]

Some skills diminish with time, no more E&E, now its c'mon make my day.
Robin

 

[BDinPutnam]

Some skills diminish with time, no more E&E, now its c'mon make my day.
Robin

The muscle memory is there, but the muscles ain't.

 

[Robin]

Just a memory.
Robin

 

[Curmudgeon]

Pimping. Pharmacology.

 

[Yotes]

The muscle memory is there, but the muscles ain't.

They are still there.... Just being ruined by your diet intake. Think of your stomach and organs being a car engine. It only last and runs as long as what you put in to it for maintenance and fuel. Use a GOOD FUEL - Non Lectin diet. Laugh if ya want, I'm on edge of 63 age and still practice Martial Arts, And yes I'm still GOOD at it. Because of the fuel I give my body to feed my organs, muscle, brain, body etc... Not much animal fat protein etc... Broccoli, Olive Oil, Cauliflower, etc... GOOD STUFF....Have a Long list of GOOD fuels to keep in shape. Shaolin use to be a secret for excellent longevity in life. But you can now Google a Lectin free diet etc....

 

[BDinPutnam]

You realize it was a joke, right?

 

[Yotes]

You realize it was a joke, right?

yup, just giving an idea for good health.... This guy thinks he found something great, but it has been around before I was born in the arts.. We all know good bacteria such as yogurt etc.... to feed the bad bacteria.

 

[Michael]

Providing you have the space- never walk out of a hardware store with out a piece of lumber or some sort of supply. As of now, my shop looks more like a hardware store than just a shop for building and repairing things. Also, always be on the lookout for old hand tools and books with old knowledge of building, repair, and skills.
By doing this over the last few years, I now have the ability to fix or build damn near everything in the house at whatever time without having to go to the store. Also, I find using hand tools relaxing and a good connection to the past.

 

[repete]

The latest is home canning meat. Mmmmm good stuff!

 

[Bananabandit]

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

My grand pappy taught me that.

 

[togmaster]

The latest is home canning meat. Mmmmm good stuff!

Be careful. Freddie Mercury died from bad meat in the can.

 

[99cummins]

Basic mechanical skills. Don’t need to be a master technician but simple mechanical skill apply to a wide spectrum of situations.

Staying in fairly good shape. Not sure if it’s a skill but the number of people incapable of doing physical activity for any length of time is astounding.

 

[BDinPutnam]

#267: hot chicks are really only good as bait or currency.

I do know how to start a fire using a 9 bolt battery. The more ways you can start a fire using renewable / reusable stuff the better (flint / steel, magnifying glass, etc ). Firebow has always eluded me I would like to master that someday.

 

[Chevusa]

They are still there.... Just being ruined by your diet intake. Think of your stomach and organs being a car engine. It only last and runs as long as what you put in to it for maintenance and fuel. Use a GOOD FUEL - Non Lectin diet. Laugh if ya want, I'm on edge of 63 age and still practice Martial Arts, And yes I'm still GOOD at it. Because of the fuel I give my body to feed my organs, muscle, brain, body etc... Not much animal fat protein etc... Broccoli, Olive Oil, Cauliflower, etc... GOOD STUFF....Have a Long list of GOOD fuels to keep in shape. Shaolin use to be a secret for excellent longevity in life. But you can now Google a Lectin free diet etc....

I like ice cream. And pizza. And beer. And...

 

[Curmudgeon]

#267: hot chicks are really only good as bait or currency.

I do know how to start a fire using a 9 bolt battery. The more ways you can start a fire using renewable / reusable stuff the better (flint / steel, magnifying glass, etc ). Firebow has always eluded me I would like to master that someday.

I did it once. Willow on willow that had dried in my garage for two years. Did it on a warm, sunny day in perfect conditions. So essentially, I know nothing.

 

[ProgSpear]

#267: hot chicks are really only good as bait or currency.

I do know how to start a fire using a 9 bolt battery. The more ways you can start a fire using renewable / reusable stuff the better (flint / steel, magnifying glass, etc ). Firebow has always eluded me I would like to master that someday.

Whaaaat! I always thought that's what .22lr and pliers and flint were for...

 

[BDinPutnam]

Well, since I just finished a break down / grease / wipe on the CZ... a hoppes wet wipe makes a pretty good fire starter even on a wet surface, so I got that going for me...

 

[FrankenCub]

I have a couple pounds of FFF, that lights pretty easy.