# Are YOU "READY".......??? Why "NOT"



## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

People seem to fiddle'fart around about prepping for the SHTF. It seems like for some it is kind of a hobby, or something to to think about, or collect information about, as opposed to a serious (Take action) endeavor.

I hope that they have time to move it from a back burner to the front burner, when the need arrives.

So what would kick you in the butt, to cause you to be more serious about being prepared.......???


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

The thing is, no one is really fully prepared. Yes, you may have enough today to last X amount of months, but you should always be using your supplies in a FIFO manner. So as you use 5-10 pounds of sugar, or flour, or what ever else you may have, you need to be continually replacing. Unless of course you are one of the people that just buys freeze dried prepared meals and puts them away and never use them. Then I suppose you could say you are ready. It seems the more I look at how I am setting, the more I see problems that need to be dealt with.


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## cfuhrer (Jun 11, 2013)

I think we are waiting to get to wherever it is that we are going to stay permanently. Right now we are renting a micro-lot in a town that we don't plan to stay in.

I feel like for where we are we are doing pretty well: food stores, ammo stores, some stored water but access within walking distance to a small river, raising rabbits and plans to get chickens. And we are reading everything we can to learn how to sustain ourselves long-term. We are also working like mad to get our debt paid off so we can move and get a piece of land.

But things like the garden we want (that's not in containers), fruit trees, water collecting, off gridding our power, larger livestock, possibly a food forest; those are all going to have to wait until we get a piece of land that is ours.


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## Oldshep (Mar 28, 2015)

There's so much to do and it takes alot of time and effort. I've been doing this for years. For me its not just about stock piling but an entire lifestyle change. My focus is complete self-reliance, or as close as I can get to it. Whether TSHTF or not I want to be self reliant. Finding the right homestead, learning to grow food, storage, building outbuildings, fencing, breeding livestock, acquiring equipment, and learning how to maintain it all has me 7 years in and still not where I need to be. On top of that I've had to learn how to make money off of this farm so that I can hold it.

I think I've done really well so far but I'm still a good 5 years from where I'd like to be.


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## cfuhrer (Jun 11, 2013)

Oldshep said:


> There's so much to do and it takes alot of time and effort. I've been doing this for years. For me its not just about stock piling but an entire lifestyle change. My focus is complete self-reliance, or as close as I can get to it. Whether TSHTF or not I want to be self reliant. Finding the right homestead, learning to grow food, storage, building outbuildings, fencing, breeding livestock, acquiring equipment, and learning how to maintain it all has me 7 years in and still not where I need to be. On top of that I've had to learn how to make money off of this farm so that I can hold it.
> 
> I think I've done really well so far but I'm still a good 5 years from where I'd like to be.


Like, like, like!


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

Oldshep said:


> There's so much to do and it takes alot of time and effort. I've been doing this for years. For me its not just about stock piling but an entire lifestyle change. My focus is complete self-reliance, or as close as I can get to it. Whether TSHTF or not I want to be self reliant. Finding the right homestead, learning to grow food, storage, building outbuildings, fencing, breeding livestock, acquiring equipment, and learning how to maintain it all has me 7 years in and still not where I need to be. On top of that I've had to learn how to make money off of this farm so that I can hold it.
> 
> I think I've done really well so far but I'm still a good 5 years from where I'd like to be.



Yep....very similar story here. At first, it was simply concentrate on getting a place to live hacked out of these woods, along with some garden space.

Stage 2 was start stockpiling stuff.

Stage 3 was shoot for self reliance, as you say "no matter what comes, you can't go too wrong". Our goal was never to make the place pay it's own way. I worked self employed construction most of my life, and wife was public school teacher/supervisor. We poured the most of our earnings into this place....it is our savings account. I'm content at this point for it to house, feed, water, power and heat us. What slight surplus we have is nearly negligible and I don't care.

We've been at it since 1982, and I can truly say only in the last 5 years or so would I consider us reasonably prepared. Each year adds a new level of self reliance....the place is a perpetual project. I usually tell people "I'm 30 years into a 50 year project". I honestly can't see EVER being at a place I'd call "done".....and that's fine. Life without projects I think would be quite boring.....heck, I might have to take up something silly like golf, or go on vacations, whatever those are.


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## Oldshep (Mar 28, 2015)

TnAndy said:


> Yep....very similar story here. At first, it was simply concentrate on getting a place to live hacked out of these woods, along with some garden space.
> 
> Stage 2 was start stockpiling stuff.
> 
> ...


My farm is my whole life, and I've been lucky enough to find a good woman who made it her life too. A homesteader/prepper/farmer or whatever you call it can never be with somebody who wasn't completely committed to the homestead, it could never work. Like you say, its my savings account, my job, my hobby and all of it. Funny thing is when you love it, there's not much need for those other things.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

We've been at this place 10 years, everything is produceing,the work is done(fencening ect.) Now, life is throwing me a curve ball and who knows what is going to happen. It's time to take care of my parents and they do not what to leave their house for now. So, I'm spread between here,2 hours north of here (the log cabin I'm fixing up) and 2 hours south of here at my parents 15 acre homestead.


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## NEfarmgirl (Jan 27, 2009)

We have been working hard to get to the point to say we would be ready but are not. I agree that I don't think anyone could be completely ready because I don't think it's possible to think through every situation. To me it is like if you go to make a cake from scratch and you find you are out of something like vanilla. It's kind of an important ingredient and you didn't expect to find you were out because you thought you had plenty. I think that we are doing pretty good then something happens to show there is a hole in our preps and plans so we have to take care of it. 

We take being prepared seriously every day and do what we can to not fall behind so we are caught off guard, but I realize that we are probably missing something and won't know what it is until the time comes.


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

You said, "So what would kick you in the butt, to cause you to be more serious about being prepared.......???"

I think many are serious and more are not. It may be different things for each depending where you are on the evolution of learning and the changes in your own life. For example, when I had small children I had a bunch of things to prep for that I no longer have, now that my kids are grown.

If you're asking -- for those people who do not take it seriously, what would it take?
I'm guessing it would take a scary event close to them to change their perspective. If they haven't already looked up and around and realized there is benefit in spending effort to anticipate and be prepared - then it'll probably have to be a 'tree-shaking' moment to get some of the coconuts to fall close enough to them that they feel the wind on their face as it rockets to the ground - and then they may see the benefits.

and some will never get there.


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

Just a quick note for what happened to me the other day. My wife was out of town, and I try to save money while she is gone by eating from what we already have on hand, and trying not to leave the farm. I will make it short and not include everything that I had on my mind that day, but here is the basics. As I woke that day I started to think about what would happen, and how would things be if the grid went down at that very moment. I started to think about what would truly be going trough my mind. I started to think it wouldn't have my morning coffee. I figured I would head out to get some chores done. I started to feed the animals, and noticed I was getting pretty low on feed. I start to turn the outside hydrant on, and realize that I shouldn't use it unless absolutely needed. I make a mental note that the chickens have enough water to last at least another day, or two. The pigs and dogs are pretty low on water, but should be able to get through the day, but I will top their water off once the electricity is back on. I have the cattle up on well water at the moment. They will have to have water before long but they will be okay until the power is back on. I head back in the house to see if I can make coffee yet, with no luck. I figure I will finish brush hogging the field I was working on the night before. I fire up the tractor and realize I am low on diesel, but I have enough to finish the field. Hmmm, I also notice that the tire that has been leaking on the tractor is too low to use. I flip the compressor on, and quickly realize no power. It wasn't that big of a deal though because I always shut the valve off to keep air from bleeding from the tank. I will have to run to the local country market / gas station and fill my diesel cans when I am done. I get done head to the house expecting to finally get my coffee, and breakfast with no luck. Still no power. It seems a little strange that it has been off for so long, because the weather has been calm. I throw the diesel cans in the truck and get ready to get in, and realize it isn't going to start. Even though it is warm out, for some reason the truck has not been starting unless it is plugged in for 30 minutes or so. I grab the cans and head for the wife's car.
I will stop here with the scenario, and go over a few things that I found would be trouble if it was a long term grid down scenario. 1st thing is water, sure I have a generator big enough to run the well. Guess what though it is mounted on my truck, that won't start. 2nd, the truck needs to be repaired, I am wasting electricity each time I plug it in when it shouldn't need to, and what if I had a emergency and had to leave quickly? 3rd, after checking that morning, not only was I out of diesel,I only had maybe a gallon of gas in the generator, and a gallon in the gas can. That sure won't last long if the grid was down long term. 4th, I need to have more feed on hand for the animals. 5th the tire needs to be repaired on the tractor, I can't rely on being able to easily fill it. This one is a very important one, because I may have to use the tractor to stage hay and other items if the grid was down long term, and I wasn't able to get diesel. There where many more thoughts that went through my mind that morning, but I will stop here. Am I truly ready? NOPE


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

Water is one of the main reasons we picked our place. Spring high enough on the mountain that it gravity feeds to 3,000gal of storage just below the spring, and then on down to the house. No electric required. I did have a well drilled few years back as a backup, because the spring is a small one, but in 33yrs here, it's never quit completely...but will get down to maybe quart/half gallon a minute in the driest periods. Even a quart/min is 360gal/day, enough IF you don't waste. One of the big things with a small water source is put as much storage in as you can stand.

I ran two lines down from the storage tanks, one from the tank bottom which is the pressure line, and another is the overflow off the top of the tanks. That overflow is piped to water the chickens/cows/and excess dumps into the upper fish pond, which flows into the lower fish pond. I can look out the window at the upper pond and see if there is water coming out of that pipe (have it up high enough it 'splashes' into the pond, not only providing water, but some aeration as well). If I don't see water for a while, I go check the chick/cow water (they are lower on the line, and get theirs first). If nothing there (and we haven't been using quite a bit in the house/greenhouse, which are on the pressure line), then I go up to the spring to check things and made sure we don't have a problem where I'd need to switch over to the well.

Fall is basically our dry period, and everything is still running fine.

As to making coffee, we used electric for many years, but switched to propane on the cooktop (still have electric wall oven) when we remodeled the kitchen few years back. I highly recommend everyone serious about prepping go to propane, with a wood stove backup. Propane still makes you dependent on the propane dealer, BUT unlike electric or even natural gas (unless you have your own well), you can storage it fairly easy. I put in a couple of extra 500gal above ground tanks, and keep a dozen 100lb (23gal) tanks stored. I figure we could go several years, easy, just on what is stored, and a lot long than that if I switch the water heater to solar/wood.

Tractor diesel ? You're absolutely correct. Being able to have a tractor will probably mean a huge difference in the quality of life if diesel becomes hard or impossible to get. I'd make that (and did) one of my very first priorities....store a bunch of diesel. I bought a 180gal used tank on a stand, cheap (like 50 bucks), and used it at first. Then starting storing more in 55gal drums....throw a little PRI-D in it, and it will keep forever. Recently switched to a 250gal tank in the new fuel shed. I try to never be below 500gal of diesel at any time.....that's 500-700hrs of run time on my tractor (41hp Yanmar). Currently, I put about 300hrs/yr on it, but could cut that back significantly if required....meaning I'd have at least 2-3 years on hand at any time.


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## Ozarks Tom (May 27, 2011)

Luckily, I'm a bit OCD. Anything I get into I get totally absorbed. That's why I never took up golf, I'd have wasted all my time learning/practicing/playing to the point my businesses would have suffered. I was into pool for many years, and when I'd become as proficient as possible for me, I quit.

Prepping has been our thing for many years, and the nice thing about it is you're never done. We're not living in constant fear of tomorrow, but the possibility of the world changing quickly and drastically is never far from thought. There's always something that could be done better, maybe completely redone, so the trek continues.


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## farmsteader6 (Dec 19, 2014)

Of course i have a decent wish list. Solar panels. 12 volt water pump. Larger veggie garden. Etc. but im pretty confident in what we have. Decent sized dairy goat herd. Good amount of heritage chickens that are very eager to go broody. Along with a dozen royal palm turkeys. Our rainwater catchment system is in place with a good sized cistern. We already heat with wood and have plenty of woods near by to get firewood from. I have a good assortment of hand tools, buck saws etc. protection is always a concern. I am fairly isolated and the few neighbors i do have are mostly older well established farms and we all seem to be like minded and have good working relationships. I am the youngest of the bunch and lend a helping hand as often as possible.


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## susieneddy (Sep 2, 2011)

anyone see this in the news.

TESLA UNVEILS A BATTERY TO POWER YOUR HOME, COMPLETELY OFF GRID

http://eattomorrow.com/blog/2015/09/tesla-unveils-a-battery-to-power-your-home-completely-off-grid/

[YOUTUBE]KXWHqjQNJ5Y[/YOUTUBE]


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## farmsteader6 (Dec 19, 2014)

susieneddy said:


> anyone see this in the news.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Does anyone know how to calculate what size solar array it would take to charge these batteries?


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## ronron (Feb 4, 2009)

Interesting thread I think when it happens I will be as ready as I am, better off than some worse off than many. You can hemorrhage money and go into debt trying to get everything right or pay as you go and be caught partially prepared. I guarantee one day soon we will regret what we didn't do, I advise we do more, or as much as possible to get ready..


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

farmsteader6 said:


> Does anyone know how to calculate what size solar array it would take to charge these batteries?



Seems they have a 10kw and 7kw battery, the 7kw being meant more (I think....didn't look too close) for more repetitive charge/discharge cycles.

Couple more things you'd need to know about them:

--The number of cycles they figure for their 10 year life expectancy.

--And at what depth of discharge. (DOD)

Most lead acid batteries fall WAY off in terms of life expectancy when you go below 50% DOD....and you're really better if you can keep it to 20%. What that means is a GREAT BIG battery bank if you plan to use it heavily.

Here, for example, is a chart on a typical, flooded, lead acid battery....like a golf cart battery. The number of cycles is the number climbing on the left, the DOD is the number across the bottom. Never exceeding a 10% DOD, for example, gives you 5000 cycles....if that were days, you'd be looking at 13 year battery life potential. But go to 20%, and you cut that almost in half....and at 50%, you're down to 3 years










I think these are lithium type batteries, and I just don't have any experience with them in terms of the above questions, nor in the recommended rate of charge. 

A lead acid battery is typically rated by it's rate of discharge over 20 hours.....from completely 'full' to completely empty. Take a 225amp/hr battery bank of flooded lead acid batteries, for example...the recommended rate is "C/8" to "C/10". Divide 225/8 (or 10) and get something in the mid 20ish amp range as a maximum rate of charge.

But sealed lead acid take a different C rate. Gells take another. And I would assume Lithiums takes their own as well. Lot of it is also going to depend on the charge controller. Some, you can't set field set ANYTHING in terms of what it puts out to the batteries. Some are wide open to a range of charging voltages and other options....basically mini-computers. People look at price only often...an Outback FX80, an 80amp max charger, will run $600ish.....but you're getting more computer power than early desktop computers in one along with being a solar charger. There is a reason for that price.

BUT the long answer to your question is "Heck if I know"  My guess is Telsa is going to have to put out some recommendations for C rate, array sizing tools, and so on, along with rolling out a battery. So far, I haven't seen that.


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## kemps (Oct 21, 2015)

We haven't been prepping for very long, about 11 months-a year or so. I think it would be obvious that, at this point, we aren't ready. We have always put the attention we can on this but with many hindrances there is just only so much we can do. We are poor, we live in an apt and I am disabled. Now, due to major life changes prepping has to be halted. I have been dealing with some serious health issues and will more than likely have to go into surgery as well as finding out that the company that owns our apt now (just got bought a week or two ago) is notorious for bullying poor residents from their apts to get "better" people in. We were previously saving up to eventually move but now we worry about limited time. With that in mind we are putting all we got into saving for the move. Luckily we are moving in with a friend so will be saving money on rent and utilities. That means once we make this move we can focus even more on preps and being ready for what we ultimately want to do, buy some land in Colorado (possibly NM) and homestead with family. This has to wait though until we can (hopefully) get the back pay I'd be owed for my Social Security claim. We'd use the money, not only for the land but to buy the supplies to build our home (luckily construction/carpentry run in the family) and get off grid power up and running. From there we are hoping to slowly build up using used/free supplies/materials and some creativity.


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## Ellendra (Jul 31, 2013)

Oldshep said:


> Whether TSHTF or not I want to be self reliant.


This is me too. It's almost a compulsion.

Unfortunately, due to some major health issues over the last 10 years, I am one of the thousands of adults still living with my parents. If it was just mom, she'd let me raise or grow anything I wanted, as long as I took care of the smelly jobs. 

Dad, on the other hand, thinks self-reliance is a mental disorder. He makes fun of everything i try to raise or grow, he looks for excuses to dig up my garden at every turn. He even throws out canned goods after a month because he claims they expire!

I'm doing what I can. Right before my health went downhill I had bought 5 acres, and I managed to hang on to it even with the bills piling up. I have fruit and nut trees planted, a garden carved out, and I'm getting one part of it back that a neighbor had been using for a hay field. I haven't been able to get the permits in order yet to build a house, so I'm watching for a fixer-upper and saving every penny until then. Next week I start a job that will let me telecommute, so I'll be set as long as I have internet access. I even have a list of medicinal herbs that will do well with my soil, and a buyer in Missouri I can sell them to.

Sometimes it's not a matter of a kick in the tush. Sometimes it's a matter of having been knocked down too recently. It takes time to get back up again.


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## kemps (Oct 21, 2015)

Ellendra said:


> This is me too. It's almost a compulsion.
> 
> Unfortunately, due to some major health issues over the last 10 years, I am one of the thousands of adults still living with my parents. If it was just mom, she'd let me raise or grow anything I wanted, as long as I took care of the smelly jobs.
> 
> ...


I know exactly what you're talking about. My health, for sure is my number one problem. Even over the lack of a good amount of funds. I sure do hope you can find what you need to live the way you want to. It sucks your dad does that to you!


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## cfuhrer (Jun 11, 2013)

I would love to know when self-reliance went from being the ideal to being looked down upon.

On another message board I'm embroiled in a debate (the debate happens to be about gun control) but I'm seeing that the few of us who are self-reliant, live in the sticks, hunt, etc. are in the minority and everyone else thinks they can turn to the government for their needs including to prevent a crime from happening to them.

It's a shame that folks are so willing to let others provide for them - and apparently that is not just a generational issue either.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

> So what would kick you in the butt, to cause you to be more serious about being prepared.......???


I can give you a handful of excuses. Most of them are real, legit, excuses.
I was well prepped before I had to sell my home.
I gave most of my stuff away.
I was emotionally unstable, and moving into an apartment.
Just not thinking clear.
Moved 1200 miles away.
More, unclear thinking.

Sure would help if I had a partner 100% on board......but that's not happening so I will have to figure it out on my own.

I need to get home, buy a home, and get back after it.
The end.


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## warreng5995 (Jun 26, 2014)

Sourdough said:


> People seem to fiddle'fart around about prepping for the SHTF. It seems like for some it is kind of a hobby, or something to to think about, or collect information about, as opposed to a serious (Take action) endeavor.
> 
> I hope that they have time to move it from a back burner to the front burner, when the need arrives.
> 
> So what would kick you in the butt, to cause you to be more serious about being prepared.......???


You are right about most people's actions Sourdough. Their words say a lot of things, but by their actions they show their decision. 
People shouldn't need any more of a reason to prepare than to see the *Immediate Need* to protect themselves and *their families*. 
With *ALL* the many events that have been taking place in the nations. Everything from the constantly increasing major "natural" disasters, to wars, economic failure, the intentional fragility & unprotected state of the power grid, to... etc etc. I could go on for pages. 

With having said that no one can be fully prepared. We can only prepare the best we are able to do, and pray that Yahuah our Heavenly Father makes the increase to fill whatever we lack. And when I say the best we can do, I'm talking about doing the actual work and time to *DO* the *Actual* Best we can Do, and Not just saying _"well... that's the best I can do"_. 

On just about Any Topic, When it comes to ideas or thoughts, people are quick to agree. But when it comes to actually investing the time, work, or action, most quickly distance themselves, become silent, or protest loudly against the idea. 
Which in regard to 'preparedness' those who protest against doing any actual work or such, just say it is only 'crazy tin-foil hat conspiracy nuts' who prepare. Leaving their own and their families well being and needs in the hands of the government.... 

We have been trying to warn people through our ministry outreach _(teachings, newsletters, "Signs of the Times" facebook page etc)_ for more than 7-8 years now, specifically to get prepared the best they are able for what is coming. Most people don't want to hear this though, most literally believe the government will fill their needs. But their trust is very misplaced. 

Don't mean to run on, but in short to answer your question, there should be Far *MORE* than enough reason for people to devote every resource and work they can do into preparing to protect their families, the first and foremost being to *Get Out and Away from the Cities*. 

Anyway, just my 2-dollars _(adjusted for inflation)_


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