# My neighbor saw my preps



## booklover (Jan 22, 2007)

First of all, let me say that if some of you saw my preps, you'd laugh and say that I merely have a well-stocked pantry.  

I'm not hard core and I don't prepare for TEOTWAWKI, but for a moderate economic or weather-related SHTF.

Basically, I have 3 (5 shelf) metal shelves that measure about 2' X 5'. They are completely stocked and I estimate that we have enough for 6 - 9 months for a family of 3 adults and 1 kid. For people who don't stock up, it is very impressive, indeed. Oh, I also have a few dozen gallon jugs of water that we rotate out, and well over 100 rolls of toilet paper.

So, the neighbors needed to put some stuff in our freezer and they came to the basement pantry. I wasn't even thinking about them seeing the amount of food we have down there. They said something to the effect, "Whoa, I've never seen so much outside the grocery store. Well, we know where to come if times get tough." (Or something like that.) I think I said something like, "Sure, you guys could do the hunting and we could help you cook it up."

After it was all said and done, I was thinking, "Yeah, she's the kind of person who will be out blabbing to people, 'You should see how much food they have!'" I blew it. I should have thought about it before she saw it all. If TSHTF... I can expect a mob at my door now. Learn something from my mistake. :Bawling:


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Bummer.You now have to kill her. I believe there is a gun thread if you need to get a weapon.









Dont make that mistake again.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Next week start casually moaning about some econmic happening that makes you have to use all that stuff up. (then move it and put at least a sheet curtain over the front of it. or in boxes and called old clothes your waiting for child to grown into, etc.)

Sorry that happened.

Angie


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## Amylb999 (Jan 28, 2007)

booklover said:


> So, the neighbors needed to put some stuff in our freezer and they came to the basement pantry. I wasn't even thinking about them seeing the amount of food we have down there. They said something to the effect, "Whoa, I've never seen so much outside the grocery store. Well, we know where to come if times get tough." (Or something like that.) I think I said something like, "Sure, you guys could do the hunting and we could help you cook it up."


We've had friends and family say the same thing because we're the only ones they know that have land, animals, gardens, fruit trees, wood stove, etc. (Basically the only ones that are even a little self sufficient.) They'll be greatly disappointed if they start showing up when things get tough and get turned away because they didn't bring their own food and supplies.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

I still don't get why everyone considers this such an issue. In my neck of the woods, quite a few people have stocked up and a lot of them are self-sufficient. I'm not going to be the lone wolf with food surrounded by 500 square miles of starving people, and most of you probably aren't either. 

I'm not so concerned with a friend, neighbor, or relative knowing I have a stockpile of food. They are welcome to come help us get by in a tough situation. If it's a permanent situation, then I'll have a lot of help to start up that new fortified colony I've been dreaming about. I'm far more concerned about the government knowing I have a stockpile.


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## JGex (Dec 27, 2005)

Amylb999 said:


> We've had friends and family say the same thing because we're the only ones they know that have land, animals, gardens, fruit trees, wood stove, etc. (Basically the only ones that are even a little self sufficient.) They'll be greatly disappointed if they start showing up when things get tough and get turned away because they didn't bring their own food and supplies.


Hear, here.... the grown boys of one of DH's cousins spend all day with the Play Station or building paintball forts in the woods. At 19 & 21 they should have some sort of job or in the very least be working a garden. 

They'll find no shelter or food here if times get rough.....


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Ok, that comment made me laugh really loud.

Many of my neighbors consider me an idle wastrel. I work only sporadically away from the farm, and I'm only really busy around here for about a month in the spring, and a month in the fall. The rest of the time I can keep my farm moving right along with no more than about 2 hours of work per day, most of which is done by the time my hard-working neighbors drive by in the new cars on their way to their office job. 

The rest of the time I do a lot of fishing, wander in the woods, go visit my friends, attend to one of my numerous fun projects, read books, and lay down in the afternoon for awhile to "think deep thoughts". (My wife says I often snore when I'm thinking deep thoughts).

One of the joys of homesteading is that I can no longer distinguish between my work and my fun. And when you compare it to the normal working salaried guy, I spend FAR less time working than they do.

However, those grown boys suffer from a military-industrial complex. (heh) They lack a purpose, because our society has extended childhood all the way out to about age 25 now. In a more enlightened era, they would have been considered men by the age of 18 or so, found a wife, and been working back on the family farm or working their own homestead. But now, with many young women putting off marriage for their careers, no frontier wilderness to go settle, and no ability to gain anything for themselves, why wouldn't they spend all day loafing? I don't blame them at all. Wish I lived closer and I'd take them fishing with me.


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## celticfalcon (Jan 7, 2005)

i myself,have a stock of food,water, 3 bob. we rotate our stuff. no one knows about it except our CLOSEST(sp) friends.they also have the same thing. if TSHTF,we could use eachothers stuff if needed. our truckes and vans never get below a 1/2 tank of fuel.we could leave to each others rally point in 1 1/2 to 2 hrs.
tom


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## Guest (Jan 22, 2008)

Ernie said:


> I still don't get why everyone considers this such an issue. In my neck of the woods, quite a few people have stocked up and a lot of them are self-sufficient. I'm not going to be the lone wolf with food surrounded by 500 square miles of starving people, and most of you probably aren't either.


 Around here, people don't grow their own food. Of our 2 nearest neighbors, one lady buys exactly the same groceries every week, because she cooks exactly the same menu every week. The only time she has 1 week's worth of food in the house is the day she comes home from the grocery store.

The other near neighbor buys all frozen precooked food so all she has to do is stick it in the oven. She has a very small freezer, so never has more than a few days of food on hand. At least her husband has a gun and hunts now and again, so he'd be able to bring home meat if necessary.

There are only a couple people in the whole area that have a garden (small ones), and only a couple of people who have any chickens. But those chickens are penned and all feed is bought.

Nobody has pigs, rabbits, goats, or milk cows. Everyone buys all their food, and I doubt very many have very much stockpiled.


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## JGex (Dec 27, 2005)

Ernie said:


> Ok, that comment made me laugh really loud.
> 
> Many of my neighbors consider me an idle wastrel. I work only sporadically away from the farm, and I'm only really busy around here for about a month in the spring, and a month in the fall. The rest of the time I can keep my farm moving right along with no more than about 2 hours of work per day, most of which is done by the time my hard-working neighbors drive by in the new cars on their way to their office job.
> 
> ...


No, those boys suffer from being LAZY. One of them worked for FIL in the abattoir for a DAY and quit because it was too much like work. 

The difference is that you take care of yourself. Build all the paintball forts you want if'n you're also not standing there with a hand held out...


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## mark.cheryl (Jan 6, 2008)

Ernie: I was going to hijack this thread further, but I was hoping I could encourage you to make a separate post about your setup. I would love to know how self-sufficient you are, and what those 2 hours compose of.

booklover: Lesson learned...


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

mark.cheryl said:


> Ernie: I was going to hijack this thread further, but I was hoping I could encourage you to make a separate post about your setup. I would love to know how self-sufficient you are, and what those 2 hours compose of.
> 
> booklover: Lesson learned...



Ernie - I second the request.
Angie


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## momlaffsalot (Sep 9, 2004)

Ernie, you have such a great attitude. I can only hope that when/if something awful happens, we find neighbors like you, who say come on in, let's work together, rather than neighbors who say, too bad you weren't prepared enough. Hope it doesn't hurt too much while you all starve/freeze/dehydrate to death. 
Sheesh, I too take the stance that I would help those who needed it and would be willing to pitch in. And I would never turn family/friends away. I might have canned goods, but maybe they can fix things, or have medical knowledge that I lack, or hunting skills...


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Heh, I'll have to think about that. I'm not particularly self-sufficient at all, compared to my heroes (John Seymour! Charles Long!) but I'm getting there. And I've been blessed enough to have some real-world skills that are extremely high in demand and when I need a chunk of cash I can rely on those skills to earn me the most for my time, allowing me to get back to the farm quicker. Essentially my measure of self-sufficiency comes from keeping my family's wants low and our tastes simple. 

Momlaffsalot: as I've gotten older I haven't gotten smarter, but it seems my knowledge is actually shrinking. It is as if I'm becoming more aware of how much knowledge there is in the world and what a really small portion of it I actually hold. 

I know a guy who can take a piece of wood and turn it into an outstanding, quality bow ... and I can barely make a sharp stick. I know another guy who could track a hawk by its shadow across a lake while I can just about follow the cats around by their prints with 8" of snow on the ground. There's so many skills I lack that I want to acquire, and many of them won't be picked up in this lifetime. So why wouldn't I welcome in others? Besides, from my Christian perspective (and as a Christian that's about all I have to go by), it's my responsibility to provide for others in their times of need, the same as God has provided for me. Every dollar you cast out into the world in the name of good comes back to you seven fold, and I suppose that same rule holds true for every calorie as well.


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## Amylb999 (Jan 28, 2007)

momlaffsalot said:


> Ernie, you have such a great attitude. I can only hope that when/if something awful happens, we find neighbors like you, who say come on in, let's work together, rather than neighbors who say, too bad you weren't prepared enough. Hope it doesn't hurt too much while you all starve/freeze/dehydrate to death.
> Sheesh, I too take the stance that I would help those who needed it and would be willing to pitch in. And I would never turn family/friends away. I might have canned goods, but maybe they can fix things, or have medical knowledge that I lack, or hunting skills...


I'm all for helping others,,but I'm not going to shorten the food supply for my children to help someone who didn't prepare. They may be willing to pitch in but they still have to be fed.


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## momlaffsalot (Sep 9, 2004)

<<<They may be willing to pitch in but they still have to be fed.>>>

Amy, your food is going to run out eventually anyway. Helping someone who has hunting skills would, in the long run, be helping yourself and your family...and if one of your kids, or you, need medical attention and you have turned away someone who might have been able to help, all the food in the pantry isn't going to do you any good. Just something to think about.


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## momlaffsalot (Sep 9, 2004)

<<<Momlaffsalot: as I've gotten older I haven't gotten smarter, but it seems my knowledge is actually shrinking. It is as if I'm becoming more aware of how much knowledge there is in the world and what a really small portion of it I actually hold.>>>

Actually, Ernie, I think that means you HAVE gotten smarter . There is always something to be learned.


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## Oggie (May 29, 2003)

We've found that, if you grind the more stable of foodstuffs into a thick paste, you can craft it into useful household items that just sit out in the open and no one is the wiser.

Well, at least until the family dog eats part of the coffee table in front of company.

Learn from my mistake and if you have a dog, don't make a coffee table out of oatmeal, beef jerky and, well, coffee.

Although the color did look kind of nice.


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## NJ Rich (Dec 14, 2005)

My daughter-in-laws all know how much we have. I don't think it is near enough but it remains a "work in progress". They don't stock much and our one son doesn't stock at all. He shops every week and stops for "other items" during the week. Compared to what they have stored we have a lot.

The point is I calculate there could be 27 semi-related (through marriage) people knocking on our door. :grump: Oh yeah, DW's aunt saw our preps and said, "I know where I am coming if there is an emergency". I have no intention feeding the multitudes who don't plan for anything. :nono: I know these people use us as an "insurance policy". I heard, "We will all go over to Rich's house". :grit: 

It isn't all about the cost but I don't want to take on the responsibility for all of them. Sons, wives and grandchildren, brother, father-in-law are all planned for. My brother would not show up empty handed BTW. He would come here to add what ever he has, for security and a heated house. Brother always has food for awhile but isn't set-up to cook or have heat if the power went out for a long time or an extended emergency.

What happens when these other people eat all we have prepped? :shrug:


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## Hip_Shot_Hanna (Apr 2, 2005)

ladycat said:


> Around here, people don't grow their own food. Of our 2 nearest neighbors, one lady buys exactly the same groceries every week, because she cooks exactly the same menu every week. The only time she has 1 week's worth of food in the house is the day she comes home from the grocery store.
> 
> The other near neighbor buys all frozen precooked food so all she has to do is stick it in the oven. She has a very small freezer, so never has more than a few days of food on hand. At least her husband has a gun and hunts now and again, so he'd be able to bring home meat if necessary.
> 
> ...


Well, of course not! When the new Woman's Day magazine touts getting your shelves all cleared out of food.. They even promote a week once a month as "Survivor Island" to use up everything before buying more. Stocking up is NOT seen as a virtue I'm afraid. Nice clean empty shelves are better...

Ernie, I'd love to read how you manage as well as per another poster's request.

My children and my son's wife have seen my preps. All my children are married, so I've told them they can come here, but they will have to work. My son in laws think we're a bit crazy, and have NOT been told about the preps, as I asked my daughters to keep mum.


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## Amylb999 (Jan 28, 2007)

momlaffsalot said:


> <<<They may be willing to pitch in but they still have to be fed.>>>
> 
> Amy, your food is going to run out eventually anyway. Helping someone who has hunting skills would, in the long run, be helping yourself and your family...and if one of your kids, or you, need medical attention and you have turned away someone who might have been able to help, all the food in the pantry isn't going to do you any good. Just something to think about.


True, food will run out eventually. But, if I stock enough for my family it will last long enough for us to grow more vegetables, pick fruit from our trees, and hunt for meat. That may not be the case if I decided to feed everyone that knocks on my door.
I'd gladly welcome someone with skills to contribute,, as long as they also bring supplies for themselves until more food can be harvested. I won't have freeloaders using up my supplies no matter how sorry I feel for them.


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## JGex (Dec 27, 2005)

Amylb999 said:


> True, food will run out eventually. But, if I stock enough for my family it will last long enough for us to grow more vegetables, pick fruit from our trees, and hunt for meat. That may not be the case if I decided to feed everyone that knocks on my door.
> *I'd gladly welcome someone with skills to contribute*,, as long as they also bring supplies for themselves until more food can be harvested. I won't have freeloaders using up my supplies no matter how sorry I feel for them.


Ditto. That's why the only people who have any clue that we're doing anything at all are people we would trust with our lives and who we know would contribute. It's not that I'm cold-hearted, but I'm not the Welfare Dept. either. I'll teach anyone that wants to know what skills I've accumulated, but I won't simply take care of the able-bodied while they sit on their rumps. Elderly and infirm excluded. 

Booklover, I would feel the same as you do..... our house is in the midst of remodeling, so I have an excuse to keep friends and relatives out right now.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

AngieM2 said:


> Next week start casually moaning about some econmic happening that makes you have to use all that stuff up. (then move it and put at least a sheet curtain over the front of it. or in boxes and called old clothes your waiting for child to grown into, etc.)
> Sorry that happened.
> 
> Angie



This is a good idea, I can recall a friend had a garage sale, a couple of days later it was broke in to, and selected stuff stolen, power tools, tool boxes, generator, etc.
When we had a similar sale, I covered anything not in the sale with cheap tarps, so at least most was covered.
Worked for us.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Amylb999 said:


> True, food will run out eventually. But, if I stock enough for my family it will last long enough for us to grow more vegetables, pick fruit from our trees, and hunt for meat. That may not be the case if I decided to feed everyone that knocks on my door.
> I'd gladly welcome someone with skills to contribute,, as long as they also bring supplies for themselves until more food can be harvested. I won't have freeloaders using up my supplies no matter how sorry I feel for them.


So why is growing vegetables, picking fruit, and hunting for meat something you would wait to do until your stockpiles are running out? Why not do it now and save yourself the labor of stockpiling rice and beans and whatnot? 

My ultimate goal will be that if the grid goes out, we lose power forever, the stock market crashes, and the world is suddenly plunged back into the Dark Ages, someone will have to show up at my door and inform me of the fact because otherwise I simply won't notice.


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## Amylb999 (Jan 28, 2007)

Ernie said:


> So why is growing vegetables, picking fruit, and hunting for meat something you would wait to do until your stockpiles are running out? Why not do it now and save yourself the labor of stockpiling rice and beans and whatnot?


I didn't say wait until the supplies run out. Besides veggies and fruits don't grow too well here in January when it's 5 degrees out.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

No, nothing seems to grow well in January. 

I think overall, the most noble thing you can do for a person is to help them when they need it most ... and then show them how to help themselves in the future. 

The time will come when we're all tested in that respect.


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## Madame (Jan 1, 2003)

While thinking about whether we will or not share, it's not a bad idea to factor in the fact that our actions will shape and mold the world we live in. Be the kind of neighbor/ family member you want to have around you.


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## wantabunch (Jan 7, 2008)

We are a family of 5, but have been prepping for a family of 6. That way we'll be able to share as we feel led, without taking food from our own children's mouths. Another thing I do is when I see seeds 10cents/pkg (Walmart carries them, as do drugstores like Walgreens) I buy a few dollars worth and stash them in a baggie in the back of the fridge. These would be given out as I feel led - sort of like the saying "give a man a fish, he eats for a day, teach a man to fish, he eats for life" This way I will be able to have compassion on people and help them to help themselves, but it's not a big burden for us, nor will it do anything to lessen our own chances of survival.


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## momlaffsalot (Sep 9, 2004)

wantabunch said:


> WAnother thing I do is when I see seeds 10cents/pkg (Walmart carries them, as do drugstores like Walgreens) I buy a few dollars worth and stash them in a baggie in the back of the fridge. These would be given out as I feel led - sort of like the saying "give a man a fish, he eats for a day, teach a man to fish, he eats for life" This way I will be able to have compassion on people and help them to help themselves, but it's not a big burden for us, nor will it do anything to lessen our own chances of survival.


What a great idea. Thanks for sharing that.


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## JGex (Dec 27, 2005)

I kinda get the feeling that a few of you might have taken what I said about the lazy boys as being an indicator of an unwillingness to share or take care of others less fortunate than myself. For clarification I'd just like to say that is not the case. My comments have to do with a very specific familial situation.


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## Batt (Sep 8, 2006)

wantabunch said:


> sort of like the saying "give a man a fish, he eats for a day, teach a man to fish, he eats for life"


 Since we live right on a large lake and over the last 30 years or so I have accumulated literally 1000's of hooks and line, I wonder if I could make up some small packages of hooks & line for donation to people who would be stopped at the end of the fenced drive? Perhaps include some instructions? If I started now I'm sure I could accumulate a few 1000 more at auctions and such.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

hunter63 said:


> This is a good idea, I can recall a friend had a garage sale, a couple of days later it was broke in to, and selected stuff stolen, power tools, tool boxes, generator, etc.
> When we had a similar sale, I covered anything not in the sale with cheap tarps, so at least most was covered.
> Worked for us.


When we had a yard sale, we also locked our house, and put everything else out of sight. We had some weird people looking over our stuff, and I didn't want to worry about them coming back later to break in.

As it was, we had people stealing 25 cent items and trying to change the prices on 10 cent items.

I'd be willing to give our neighbors some grain or some water in a hard time, but I don't want them knowing what we actually have.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Adron said:


> Since we live right on a large lake and over the last 30 years or so I have accumulated literally 1000's of hooks and line, I wonder if I could make up some small packages of hooks & line for donation to people who would be stopped at the end of the fenced drive? Perhaps include some instructions? If I started now I'm sure I could accumulate a few 1000 more at auctions and such.


That sounds like a great idea... in theory. In the beginning, it might work, as the desperateness of the situation wasn't totally realized... later on, it'd only take one person who'd rather just take whatever you have, instead of fishing hooks...

I would never ever give out the means for another person to fish out my lake... in a shtf scenario, my personal lake is my fresh fish delivery device. I figure that I could eat every day for several years, and not hurt the population..... but a hundred people could fish it out in days...

As for the OP's concern... I'm hesitant to allow anyone to even visit my place, much less start lookin' around at my preps. If someone did say they'd know where to go in an emergency, I'd say you'd best get your own, now, while everythings available... or else...

The few folks that know I do prep, also prep, and bring something to the table, so to speak... land, cattle, fuel, food, resources. No Leeches know of my prepping.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

fortunately, know what they should be doing. So they are not shocked when I say, I just learned how to make yogurt or that I am putting in bees, ofrthat I have enough raspberry plants to give them all 20 starts for their own berries. When I bring home-raise and made strawberry jam to my bread baking classes....they know. Unfortunately, they just feel guilty rather than feel a responsibility to learn themselves. I am willing to help anyone who is willing to help themselves. Anyone. And I am not talking "help themselves to my work" without my permission.


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