Could you survive

[hurleyjd]

On the subject If we had for fend for ourselves I will post a saying from my Mother and I heard it a lot of times. "You would not last as long as a paper shirt in a bear fight."

 

[cowgirl8]

I forgot to mention having EMP safe equipment and the knowledge and a system to make bio fuel..... My husband is certain the next disaster will be a EMP..

 

[callmefence]

On the subject If we had for fend for ourselves I will post a saying from my Mother and I heard it a lot of times. "You would not last as long as a paper shirt in a bear fight."

Bear fighting. Now there's a sport I could get behind.

 

[hurleyjd]

Any one have a good sharp cross cut saw. Gonna let the cows starve. Can any one use a scythe to cut hay and put it into a haystack. How about splitting rails for a fence. No no one is prepared with the for sight to survive. Many years ago two twn brothers that lived in the area was always planning for the next depression because they lived through on. In the late 70,s they were still driving the model A, old house falling down around them and no electricity. But a lot of the neighbors in the area took care of them in their later years. They were educated and dumb at the same time. What would we do to light a fire if things kept going to the bad, no matches. We would have to protect that coal of fire with the fear that if we let it die we would also die. We would have to learn to live like a lot of people around the world lives now. But the meek shall inherit the earth.

 

[backhoeboogie]

If something happened tomorrow say the electrical grid is wiped out nationwide and there was no electricity, if you water is pumped with electric pumps no water, no fuel, no money, no grocery store, no phones, all the convenient stuff is gone could you survive? Could you live off the land catch and kill your own food? I got deer, rabbits, turtles, fish, birds and of course hogs I think I could survive. My main concern is my family down in Houston could they get out and make it up here. How long do you think you could survive?

Not a problem. But nephews, nieces, friends and so forth would be coming to my place. We could probably feed them all for three or four weeks. After that they had best set some snares.

Thievery would be a huge concern. City folks would come and try to take what's mine.

Old Alladin lanterns at garbage sales are perfect for me. I've collected and repaired them for 30 years. Old hurricane lanterns hang all over the house and get used from time to time during power outages. I do have a cross cut saw indeed (someone mentioned that) and a sythe but I don't intend on chopping and putting up silage at this point. I've got coleman lanterns and stoves - both gas and propane. Kitchen tents and conventional tents.

I would limit gasoline use. Even tho I have a generator and welder too, gasoline would run out in two weeks or so.

There are 15 or so bic lighters in the bucket by the stove. 3 boxes of matches above the upright freezer in the cabinet. Drawers full of batteries.

I've got solar chargers for charging batteries and for camping. I've got several deep cycle batteries too. I've got inverters.

I'm not a "prepper". I simply camp a lot and collect antique technology. I have a lot of blacksmith supplies and items etc. Way to many people know me and my wares. That will be the problem in an emergency such as this.

 

[RanchMan90]

Sounds like a job creator for electricians.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Hard currency is also good. Lots of coins. A debit card is not going to do you much good when no power.

 

[callmefence]

Any one have a good sharp cross cut saw. Gonna let the cows starve. Can any one use a scythe to cut hay and put it into a haystack. How about splitting rails for a fence. No no one is prepared with the for sight to survive. Many years ago two twn brothers that lived in the area was always planning for the next depression because they lived through on. In the late 70,s they were still driving the model A, old house falling down around them and no electricity. But a lot of the neighbors in the area took care of them in their later years. They were educated and dumb at the same time. What would we do to light a fire if things kept going to the bad, no matches. We would have to protect that coal of fire with the fear that if we let it die we would also die. We would have to learn to live like a lot of people around the world lives now. But the meek shall inherit the earth.

The old man ran cattle for years without hay.
I've got several large bottles of acetylene and propane. Usually around 100 gallons of gas and diesel. Lots of strikers and Flints. Probably 10 cords of split oak and mesquite.
( We sell firewood) I don't think fire would be a problem.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I think with all the centralized industry we are pretty fragile. What do you think would happen to the country if all the refineries in Texas were taken out somehow? This it would be a hiccup for the country or a national disaster?

National disaster your looking at 70%
of the countries capacity is located on the gulf coast. You loose just one major refinery and it would get ugly.

 

[cowgirl8]

Hard currency is also good. Lots of coins. A debit card is not going to do you much good when no power.

Check out what happened to the money in Zimbabwe..
Money will work for a while, but once the dollar is worth nothing its useless.
Learning how to make booze is the ticket for trade. Learn how to make it and you'll never worry about needing cash for trade.. Honey will be a new gold..Moonshine the new gold....
Having cash at first is smart, but it wont last long..

 

[Bestoutwest]

I'm a half azz prepper and have the essentials to survive...maybe. The heat would be my down fall I do believe. We need the power grid to go down for about a month in this country. The deadbeats and freeloaders would be weeded out by then and we could move the country forward for our kids and grandkids. If you ain't ready by now you'll never be. The fake news and hillery woke us up, and should of woke everyone up that loves this country.

You think a month is long enough?

Couple days would be enough. Once the yuppies run out of bottled water, they would die. My nephews would be some of the first to go - their parents have raised them that everything else but bottled water is poison - I toss a garbage bag full of empty water bottles every time they come for a short couple-day visit. It is the norm in the cities. Fruit cakes I tell ya.

Easy there, killer. I only drink bottled water. Our well has a very strong sulphur smell to it. I've tried it and I can't do it. However, I buy gallon jugs and do my own smaller water bottles every night.

The big thing I would be concerned with is medical care. We all saw what happened when the Wanna Cry virus struck Europe. Since everything is EHR these days, it would be massively scary to see what would happen with our medical care. Not to mention police, fire and EMS all rely on electronic/computerized info all the time to navigate and communicate. All lines of communication would be shut off. It would be like the Wild West again, and honestly, I think things would be pretty hairy. Not something that I'd like to see.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Hard currency is also good. Lots of coins. A debit card is not going to do you much good when no power.

Check out what happened to the money in Zimbabwe..
Money will work for a while, but once the dollar is worth nothing its useless.
Learning how to make booze is the ticket for trade. Learn how to make it and you'll never worry about needing cash for trade.. Honey will be a new gold..Moonshine the new gold....
Having cash at first is smart, but it wont last long..

No problem. I don't need to "learn".

As far as bees go I only have two hives so that is limiting.

I don't have a mule but I could hook a few up to plows if someone has the mules. I don't have a wagon but there are some sulkies out back. It might take an hour or two to get them in order.

 

[cowgirl8]

The big thing I would be concerned with is medical care. We all saw what happened when the Wanna Cry virus struck Europe. Since everything is EHR these days, it would be massively scary to see what would happen with our medical care. Not to mention police, fire and EMS all rely on electronic/computerized info all the time to navigate and communicate. All lines of communication would be shut off. It would be like the Wild West again, and honestly, I think things would be pretty hairy. Not something that I'd like to see.

So many people are alive because of medications...they'll be thinned out quick. How many dialysis clinics were there last century..0.. There is one in almost every shopping center now....
If you aren't healthy and alive because of a medication, you're sunk. One reason to do what you can to stay healthy...

 

[Son of Butch]

While all you boys are out panicking, burning your money, wrestling bears for honey, living in caves and trying
to invent a wheel, the men left among us that are problem solvers would be repairing and rebuilding the electrical
grid on a smaller grassroots scale from neighborhood to neighborhood to restore power and using alternative power sources.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Read about the economic collapse in Argentina it is eye opening.

http://www.rapidtrends.com/surving-arge ... -part-1-3/

 

[TexasBred]

Don't think any of us would do nearly as well as we'd like to think we would. We're all talking about a few weeks. After that many would literally starve to death as crime goes rampant. Won't be many fat folks waddling around though. Hard manual labor and the unwillingness to do it will be the big killer. Now.....let's go nuke somebody. :shock: :shock:

 

[red angus 2010]

Any one have a good sharp cross cut saw. Gonna let the cows starve. Can any one use a scythe to cut hay and put it into a haystack. How about splitting rails for a fence. No no one is prepared with the for sight to survive. Many years ago two twn brothers that lived in the area was always planning for the next depression because they lived through on. In the late 70,s they were still driving the model A, old house falling down around them and no electricity. But a lot of the neighbors in the area took care of them in their later years. They were educated and dumb at the same time. What would we do to light a fire if things kept going to the bad, no matches. We would have to protect that coal of fire with the fear that if we let it die we would also die. We would have to learn to live like a lot of people around the world lives now. But the meek shall inherit the earth.

All you mention (saws & scythe) is still hanging in the barn, with a file or grinding wheel (hand cranked) we are sharp and good to go. Still have tack, yokes etc. in the barn also, just have to train the cows to pull (no horses). There would be discomfort because of what we are used to but we would do ok. When it got really bad I just hope the men could keep up with the killing and not require the women to shoot.

 

[wacocowboy]

I just hope the wineries don't go down. When that happens, at some point you got to conclude that life is not worth living.

Come on BR you could make some homemade wine.

 

[wacocowboy]

Thieves would be a major problem. Waco is like 40 miles away but I would worry about all the bums in these small towns around here. I lived in Honduras for 8 years I think it would be kinda like that.

 

[WORANCH]

You better have alot of ammunition and not be afraid to use it....