The last couple of days have been in the 60's, and temperature wise it has been super! It wont last I saw that we will be dipping back down to the upper 40's. Last night we had an electrical storm, it was very short. I only saw 1 lightening strike and heard the resulting thunder that sent my dog scurrying to the smallest, tightest corner she could find. This morning we've been getting wind gusts, that make me envious of those who own wind turbines.
Weather plays a big part in the life around here. We have snow days, and black ice to deal with in addition to the wind, rain, and such. I find checking the weather is one of the last things I do before heading off to bed. It effects decisions like when I go grocery shopping, or staying in.
I have been thinking about how weather would effect my emergency preps. For instance if I was forced to evacuate in a snow storm I wouldn't be taking the dirt road to my brothers house. How about sheltering in place, I know I want to install a wood stove because on one particular day last winter the electrical went out and without an alternative form of heat we would have been really cold. So I've been thinking what if scenario's like what if we had a week long power failure like they did in NYC. What if it was in winter, or summer? (Spring and Fall being relatively mild temperature wise). So after all my musings, I believe what I am saying is think things through. Maybe even experiment, see if you could survive a day without using electricity during winter, or summer. Then adjust your preparations based on what you've learned.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Forming your group
For me and my family it was a no brain-er about who would comprise our core group. We wanted all of our extended family to be together. We each recognized the value of having a plan and being prepared. Even my sister in laws were okay with it, maybe not as "gungho" as the rest of us, still supportive.
But what if your family isn't like mine. I'm guessing it isn't, how could you form your group? Well you have a few options. 1) You could be like the ant in the Aesop tale the "ant and the grasshopper" and save your grasshopper family by gathering enough supplies to care for them. 2) Take a little time and have a heart to heart with your family and tell them about the trends that you are seeing in Europe, or your fears of economic collapse, or your fear for some disaster and what it was like after Katrina (lots of footage online about that) and tell them it isn't going to hurt anything to be prepared, but it could be deadly if your not. 3) You could form a group of unrelated like minded individuals. This could be set up like a club of sorts.
Getting other people to desire to prepare for themselves is a huge undertaking, but worth it if you care about them (not to mention easier on your own budget).
But what if your family isn't like mine. I'm guessing it isn't, how could you form your group? Well you have a few options. 1) You could be like the ant in the Aesop tale the "ant and the grasshopper" and save your grasshopper family by gathering enough supplies to care for them. 2) Take a little time and have a heart to heart with your family and tell them about the trends that you are seeing in Europe, or your fears of economic collapse, or your fear for some disaster and what it was like after Katrina (lots of footage online about that) and tell them it isn't going to hurt anything to be prepared, but it could be deadly if your not. 3) You could form a group of unrelated like minded individuals. This could be set up like a club of sorts.
Getting other people to desire to prepare for themselves is a huge undertaking, but worth it if you care about them (not to mention easier on your own budget).
Friday, February 10, 2012
Spring? Is it really around the cornor?
Being in a new area I've really been studying the weather and the averages for the next month. I know that people in my area have said that this year was warmer, but I've found it to be close to the averages with the exception of 2 weeks in January. This week is actually colder than the average. One thing that does seem to be different this year seems to be how dry its been this year. I was excited to see that my brother is getting the garden in CA ready for spring plantings. Soon I'll need to do that too. My first year I'd actually like to plant my small "orchard" and get my trees established because I know that it can take a couple of years to start producing a fruit crop.
Gardening in prepping is important because you are doing two things. 1) You are creating a food source for your family, and 2) You are learning the skills that are important to do the first part. If you only store seeds in your preps and don't use them then you wont learn your areas growing season, if and which certain crops are more successful than others. You need to learn to recognize weeds, and plants. How to deal with particular rodents, birds and pests. All stuff you can't learn unless you actually go out and do it. I'll let you know if I can find someone to plow up my front yard so I can plant my "orchard." I'm also going to challenge you my reader to plant something even if it is just an herb in a container on your kitchen counter top, good luck.
Gardening in prepping is important because you are doing two things. 1) You are creating a food source for your family, and 2) You are learning the skills that are important to do the first part. If you only store seeds in your preps and don't use them then you wont learn your areas growing season, if and which certain crops are more successful than others. You need to learn to recognize weeds, and plants. How to deal with particular rodents, birds and pests. All stuff you can't learn unless you actually go out and do it. I'll let you know if I can find someone to plow up my front yard so I can plant my "orchard." I'm also going to challenge you my reader to plant something even if it is just an herb in a container on your kitchen counter top, good luck.
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