{"id":40409,"date":"2013-06-09T20:47:25","date_gmt":"2013-06-09T19:47:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/breaking-news\/when-prepping-just-isnt-enough\/40409\/"},"modified":"2013-06-09T20:47:25","modified_gmt":"2013-06-09T19:47:25","slug":"when-prepping-just-isnt-enough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/breaking-news\/when-prepping-just-isnt-enough\/","title":{"rendered":"When Prepping Just Isn\u2019t Enough"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theorganicprepper.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/cabin-in-the-woods.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"cabin in the woods\" src=\"http:\/\/www.theorganicprepper.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/cabin-in-the-woods-300x265.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"265\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a sense of urgency in the prepping community lately that is at an all time high. Between the\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.shtfplan.com\/headline-news\/dhs-source-warns-world-war-about-to-break-out-will-kill-millions-of-people-must-read_06072013\">global elite warmonger<\/a>s, the\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.shtfplan.com\/headline-news\/financial-insider-we-are-moving-into-the-last-stages-before-an-all-out-collapse_06072013\">impending financial collapse as the government makes plans to attach pension funds<\/a>,\u00a0the new viruses, Monsanto\u2019s GMO seeds running amok and threatening the world\u2019s food supply, and \u00a0Big Food\u2019s toxic food-like substances in the grocery stores with no regard for actual nutrition, it is clear that we are going downhill fast. The soothing\u00a0\u201deverything-is-just-fine\u201d\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailysheeple.com\/erosion-of-our-civil-liberties-highlights-those-who-will-resist-when-society-breaks-down_062013\">propaganda is so blatant\u00a0<\/a>that even the most die-hard zombie is beginning to see that something is amiss and that a massive change is soon to take place.<\/p>\n<p>Many of us have stocked our homes to the rafters with beans, rice, bullets, and band-aids. \u00a0Each trip to the store adds more to our stockpiles as we try to get what we need before time runs out. \u00a0Newbie preppers are feeling even more frantic, wondering\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/readynutrition.com\/resources\/preppernomics-how-to-finance-this-prepping-gig_06062013\/\">how to prepare<\/a>\u00a0when each week it takes more money to put less in the grocery cart. (If you\u2019re new to preparedness, here\u2019s a little<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theorganicprepper.ca\/the-preparedness-primer-how-to-get-started-02272013\">\u00a0primer with some great links<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>With the situation looking more grim by the day, it is very clear that stockpiling is not enough. \u00a0No matter how many cans of green beans you have stored away, one day they will run out. \u00a0We have become so dependent on the \u201cbuy it as you need it\u201d lifestyle that despite our food storage, there are still gaps that must be filled.<\/p>\n<p>And the only way to fill these gaps is through that which is a step beyond prepping\u2026.self sufficiency.<\/p>\n<p>Self sufficiency is \u00a0defined as the ability to provide for oneself without the help of others. \u00a0No amount of stockpiling gives you true self sufficiency. \u00a0It is a combination of skills, supplies, attitudes and habits that mean the difference between a person with a great pantry and a true survivor.<\/p>\n<p>Self-sufficiency is for\u2026<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The day the grocery stores close their doors or become so expensive that people cannot afford to shop<\/li>\n<li>The day that the FEMA Camp gates open in only one direction<\/li>\n<li>The day that the banks go on an indefinite holiday, after draining depositor savings accounts and pension funds<\/li>\n<li>The day that electricity and heat on demand become so expensive that only the wealthy can afford them<\/li>\n<li>The day that medical care no longer exists for the average person, or is directed by government death panels<\/li>\n<li>The day that a natural disaster or false flag locks down the country and completely, irrevocably changes our way of life<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The list could go on and on. \u00a0These things are hurtling towards us and we must be ready. \u00a0Self sufficiency, unlike prepping, doesn\u2019t cost a lot of money \u2014 it\u2019s about planning and acquiring basic skills and tools. \u00a0It is about putting your plan into practice before you have no other option but to do so.<\/p>\n<p>What would you do if you could never go to a store again? If you could never have utilities provided by a supplier again? \u00a0What if you were truly on your own, forever?<\/p>\n<p>For some situations, prepping just isn\u2019t enough. \u00a0If you don\u2019t have plans for the following, you cannot consider yourself to be truly prepared.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Water<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Clean drinking water is one of the most important requirements for survival. \u00a0Now is the time to figure out how you will get water if your stored water runs out. \u00a0Some ideas might be:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Rain barrels (which are beginning to be illegal in some states)<\/li>\n<li>Less obvious water collection containers like pools and ponds (don\u2019t forget the roof if you live in an apartment building<\/li>\n<li>Water purification methods<\/li>\n<li>Locate nearby lakes, rivers and streams<\/li>\n<li>Wells (including non-electric pumps)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Food production<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Many people believe that they will just be able to stick some seeds in the ground and feed their families year round. \u00a0It isn\u2019t that easy. You can only learn the foibles of your bit of ground through trial and error. \u00a0It takes a lot more veggies than most people think to feed a family for a year. \u00a0Anything from a blight to bad weather to a horde of hungry bunnies can wipe out all of your hard work and leave you without a bite to store away. Look into some of these methods:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u00a0Gardening in your backyard or on a balcony<\/li>\n<li>An aquaponics or hydroponics system<\/li>\n<li>Raising chickens and other micro-livestock<\/li>\n<li>Sprouting<\/li>\n<li>Hunting and foraging (a nice supplement to your diet but a risky plan for long term survival when everyone else has the same idea)<\/li>\n<li>Full-scale farming<\/li>\n<li>Rooftop gardening<\/li>\n<li>Greenhouses and cold-frames<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Food preservation<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Not all of us are lucky enough to live in a place where we can grow food outdoors all year long. \u00a0For the rest of us,\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theorganicprepper.ca\/category\/preserving\">food preservation\u00a0<\/a>is a lifeline in the winter. \u00a0A few basic supplies and tools are needed. \u00a0Just like food production, it\u2019s important to practices food preservation and work out the kinks now, while you still have moderately affordable groceries as a back up. \u00a0As well, this allows you to rely on healthy, non-GMO foods instead of the inexpensive, highly processed garbage at the stores. \u00a0Learn the following skills:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Canning<\/li>\n<li>Freezing<\/li>\n<li>Dehydrating\/drying<\/li>\n<li>Pickling<\/li>\n<li>Fermentation<\/li>\n<li>Salting and curing<\/li>\n<li>Root cellaring<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Reduce dependence on utilities<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Whether you live in the country or in a high-rise apartment, you need to take steps to reduce your dependence on electricity at the flip of a switch, water from the tap, heat from the thermostat, and cooking at the turn of a dial. \u00a0As the divide between the rich and the poor widen, there could one day be a choice between food and electricity.  Your priorities are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Water<\/li>\n<li>Sanitation<\/li>\n<li>Heat<\/li>\n<li>Electrical power<\/li>\n<li>Lights<\/li>\n<li>Refrigeration or other method of safe food storage<\/li>\n<li>Cooking methods<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Every situation is unique so start now to amass the necessary tools to meet your needs should the lights go out on a long term basis.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Personal defense<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This is the sticking point for many people. But if you can\u2019t defend your supplies, your home, and your garden, you don\u2019t really have them at all \u2014 you are just using them until someone better armed or tougher comes and takes these things away from you. \u00a0Look at Argentina\u2019s economic collapse as an example of what could happen \u2014 violent crime there increased by 35%\u00a0in one year. One study went so far as to call property crime a tool of redistribution:\u00a0\u201dOverall, these results suggest that property crime has\u00a0been used as a redistributive tool for the poorest to compensate for their impoverishment\u00a0during the last decade and in particular during the ultimate crisis in Argentina.<\/p>\n<p>Some solutions for personal defense:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Arm yourself and learn to use your weapon of choice<\/li>\n<li>Stock up on ammo while it is still available<\/li>\n<li>Have secondary methods of defense in which you are proficient<\/li>\n<li>Learn basic hand-to-hand self-defense skills<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Home security<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Not only should you be prepared to defend your home, but you should try to avoid the fight in the first place by securing your property.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Make your property less accessible by fencing it<\/li>\n<li>Install heavy doors in reinforced frames<\/li>\n<li>Install sturdy brackets to hold a bar in place on either side of the doors<\/li>\n<li>Growing thorny inhospitable plants under windows and on fences<\/li>\n<li>Place alarms on windows and doors<\/li>\n<li>Install security cameras (even if they are fake and just have a blinking light)<\/li>\n<li>Keep a low profile \u2014 if no one else has lights or power, cover your windows thoroughly so that they cannot see that you have them<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t be ostentatious \u2014 keep your property looking similar to everyone else\u2019s in your neighborhood<\/li>\n<li>Keep all windows and doors securely locked<\/li>\n<li>Consider the potential necessity of standing watch in shifts if the situation has thoroughly devolved<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Change your perspective on finances<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Devastating financial changes are coming to a location near you. \u00a0Wouldn\u2019t you prefer to<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theorganicprepper.ca\/personal-austerity-12-ways-to-radically-cut-your-expenses-04042013\">\u00a0make the cuts now<\/a>\u00a0and adjust accordingly, instead of having them forced upon you through evictions, foreclosures, repossessions, and other painful methods?\u00a0Making some difficult changes now can provide a stable standard of living in a world that is going downhill at breakneck speed. By\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theorganicprepper.ca\/cheap-by-choice-when-frugality-means-freedom-04112013\">decreasing your monthly output<\/a>, you can hang on to necessities.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Redefine what necessities mean to you<\/li>\n<li>Get your money out of the banks<\/li>\n<li>Convert fiat currency to tangibles like seeds, ammo, food, medical supplies, real estate, and \u00a0precious metals<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t be in debt<\/li>\n<li>Reduce your monthly expenditures to the bare minimum<\/li>\n<li>Spend more<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theorganicprepper.ca\/the-economy-of-staying-home-03112013\">\u00a0time at home\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Learn to enjoy\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theorganicprepper.ca\/the-virtue-of-industry-02032013\">productive hobbies<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Prepare for a potential barter-based economy \u2014 what skills do you have that could be traded for essential goods and services?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theorganicprepper.ca\/what-does-it-mean-to-prepare-for-the-economic-collapse-12222012\">economic collapse\u00a0<\/a>is not some far-fetched, end-of-the-world fantasy. It is the reality that is occurring all around us, incrementally. \u00a0The collapse that has been occurring since 2008 has been one of 1000 small cuts as income goes down\u00a0and expenses go up.<\/p>\n<p>No matter how much food you buy, it may not be enough to get you through these difficult times. \u00a0You must learn to be self-sufficient in order to remain free from the control of those who would offer you sustenance and shelter in return for your fealty.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of a huge, life-changing calamity, consider that it may be the culmination of many small events, rising prices and lower incomes, and the deliberate erosion of our self-sufficiency by those who would control us that cause TEOTWAWKI. (The End Of The World As We Know It).<\/p>\n<p>The lists above aren\u2019t comprehensive \u2014 they are \u00a0jumping off points to apply to your own situations. \u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theorganicprepper.ca\/bloom-where-youre-planted-03072013\">Wherever you are planted<\/a>, you need to come to grips with the fact that the world as we know it is undergoing massive changes. \u00a0Figure out now how to make the best of it and not only survive with your family, but thrive.<\/p>\n<p>Ask the people in Greece whether they regret not having stocked up on food supplies when those items were abundantly available. \u00a0Ask the people in Argentina whether they feel the need to be armed against roving gangs and home invaders.<\/p>\n<p>Hunger, cold, crime and fear are the daily realities in many countries that once enjoyed a similar standard of living to that of the average North American. \u00a0Our debt-based standard of living is unsustainable, and you must be able to connect these trends with what is happening in your own country in order to see the need for preparation.<\/p>\n<p>Today, you still have stores at every corner, reliable utilities, and social safety nets in place. These may soon become a thing of the past and if you wait before preparing, your window of opportunity may slam shut.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not suggesting that you stop prepping \u2014 your stockpile is vital insurance that can help to \u00a0cushion you when things go downhill. But along with your food storage and your rocket stoves and your medical supplies, begin creating a self-sufficient lifestyle that will carry you far beyond what mere prepping ever could.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theorganicprepper.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/depression-garden.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"depression garden\" src=\"http:\/\/www.theorganicprepper.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/depression-garden-300x185.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"185\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>Please feel free to share this information in part or in full, giving credit to the author and including a link to this website and the following bio.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Daisy Luther is a freelance writer and editor. \u00a0Her website,\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theorganicprepper.ca\/\">The Organic Prepper<\/a>, offers information on healthy prepping, including premium nutritional choices, general wellness and non-tech solutions. You can follow Daisy on\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheOrganicPrepper?ref=hl\">Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DaisyLuther\">Twitter<\/a>, and you can email her at daisy@theorganicprepper.ca<\/em><\/p>\n<p>This article originally appeared on: <a href=\"http:\/\/feedproxy.google.com\/~r\/SHTFplan\/~3\/S6HiIDZqTj0\/when-prepping-just-isnt-enough_06092013\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"When Prepping Just Isn\u2019t Enough\">SHTF Plan<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There\u2019s a sense of urgency in the prepping community lately that is at an all time high. Between the\u00a0global elite warmongers, the\u00a0impending financial collapse as the government makes plans to attach pension funds,\u00a0the new viruses, Monsanto\u2019s GMO seeds running amok and threatening the world\u2019s food supply, and \u00a0Big Food\u2019s toxic food-like substances in the grocery [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[487],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-40409","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-breaking-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40409","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40409"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40409\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40409"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}