SpokaneMan
Veteran Member
Oh dear. I better buy a piano then. Thanks for the idea!
PREP What Are Your Oddest Preps And Why Do You Have Them?
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goosebeans
Veteran Member
Pack buros ( donkeys ). If it gets to the point that there is no gas available, we can still bring in supplies, or deliver milk, eggs and meat to the elderly neighbors. Also, our creeks flood big time whenever a very heavy storm comes through, washing the dirt road and bridges away completely. There are seven low water bridges on our dirt road as the creek winds back and forth from one side to the other. Been cut off many times. Can take the donks on the higher deer paths along the mountain side or even up and over the mountain for a short cut. There are numerous old woods roads that were once used when mail was delivered on horseback. One of them comes right into our yard to the old general store that still stands on our property.
I cut them open and spread them out on a table to use as small drop cloths when starting seed trays or other messy projects.
My hybrid tomato plants produced incredibly well this year and since I don't have any seed for that variety I started suckers that I intend to overwinter and plant in spring. I might do it with some of my heirlooms just to get a good head start. Who knows what will be available come planting time.
How hard are they to train?
The ones I've been around are cantankerous little $#its.
homecanner1
Veteran Member
Sad iron, press clothes with grid down, doorstop and wonderful bludgeon at close range from behind. Goes with my lo tech 1938 dripolator. Still shopping for my dream Lebel bayonet.
jward
passin' thru
Nothing unusual- at least, not to sites like this... wood stove set up in barn, a few semi tamed black snakes, 4 season tents, odd herbs, fruits n veggies stealth planted here and there, deer shooting blinds also planted here n there for "deer" redundant heating, watering lighting systems for living in whatever century I might wake up in one day, instructions and hand tools for building cross bows- instruments of all kind, medical, musical, culinary. . .
Think DH had some OS info on nuclear toys, and alternative energies, but I can't make use of that level of prep.
Think DH had some OS info on nuclear toys, and alternative energies, but I can't make use of that level of prep.
That leads to the discussion of cost vs. price vs. value
Gilfeather turnip seeds (extremely cold hardy sweet rutabaga-turnip cross), south anna butternut winter squash seeds (a seminole-butternut cross immune to almost everything), a 12 volt tube regenerative shortwave radio immune to EMP, a 13 volt briefcase solar cell power supply (kept in a galvanized garbage can), a 5.56mm Saiga "AK47" rifle fitted with an AR magazine adapter, working on a small stirling engine heated from my wood stove to make limited electricity...
mzkitty
I give up.
Had to leave just about everything moving to FL. BUT my son's little St. Christopher statue that he found a long time ago on top of a snow pile, and a big pretty yellow candle of St. Mary (our lady of charity one) that I bought when we got here. They both reside in the kitchen for if ya need panic prayers. Can't hurt.
Voortrekker
Veteran Member
Rubber bands, largest I can find, big paperclips, big safety pins, bobby pins, pens, sharpening stones, toothbrushes, sewing needles and threaders and various superfluous stuff.
jward
passin' thru
I bought a piano for a prep for realz
lonestar09
Veteran Member
Rolls of window screen.
jed turtle
a brother in the Lord
Charcoal gasifier (only uses homemade charcoal) to run “gasoline” generator,
Home-made 17’ and 21’ portable domes for greenhouses and guest houses,
Rocket stove mass-heater (to reduce firewood required for heating home to 1/4 of normal amount),
Gasoline water pumps with 2” hoses to distribute irrigation water through 600’ of hoses, at about 50 gallons a minute,
Extensive use of crushed stone throughout wood lot to make otherwise very rough roads accessible for truck to get to firewood
[i will try to take some pictures and post later]
Home-made 17’ and 21’ portable domes for greenhouses and guest houses,
Rocket stove mass-heater (to reduce firewood required for heating home to 1/4 of normal amount),
Gasoline water pumps with 2” hoses to distribute irrigation water through 600’ of hoses, at about 50 gallons a minute,
Extensive use of crushed stone throughout wood lot to make otherwise very rough roads accessible for truck to get to firewood
[i will try to take some pictures and post later]
Meemur
Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
I have a copy paper box in a closet that's my "rainy day" box. When I come across craft packs on clearance or inexpensive pencil puzzle books (like word seek or sudoku), I add them to the box. There's already a box of sharpened pencils with erasers and a pencil sharpener (or two) in there, plus a couple of decks of cards and a book on solitarie card games.
If I'm ill or otherwise need to lie around and stay quiet, I've got things to do, along with a box of various thrillers I got from the library for $1 or less apiece (last summer, I read about half of those and need to add more).
If I'm ill or otherwise need to lie around and stay quiet, I've got things to do, along with a box of various thrillers I got from the library for $1 or less apiece (last summer, I read about half of those and need to add more).
Meemur
Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
I bought a piano for a prep for realz
I had one before I moved to Iowa -- gave it away. It would've cost more to move it than I paid for it. I've been meaning to get an electronic piano, the light type that fits in the back seat of a car, but that hasn't happened. I did get alto and soprano plastic recorders and some music -- those fit into a tote bag, so are super easy to store and move. (Plus they are still very affordable. A decent plastic soprano recorder can still be had for under $15)
I've thought about taking up the guitar again, but I really want a full-sized keyboard.
Cyclonemom
Veteran Member
I have been saving various pieces of clothing from each size my boys grow out of. Only a very few pieces are for 'memorabilia'. Mostly it is for using for any kiddos that show up, or born here during a crisis. I even have a sterilite of cloth diapers.
Unfortunately, I don't have any little girls clothes, but I figure something is better than nothing!
Unfortunately, I don't have any little girls clothes, but I figure something is better than nothing!
hiwall
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I have a large roll of clear vinyl to cover windows if they get broken (or shot out).
A bunch of dental floss to use as heavy thread.
A bunch of building materials (plenty to build an outhouse).
A large amount of metal (I am an amateur machinist).
Many, many gun parts from when I used to be a gunsmith.
A bunch of dental floss to use as heavy thread.
A bunch of building materials (plenty to build an outhouse).
A large amount of metal (I am an amateur machinist).
Many, many gun parts from when I used to be a gunsmith.
Teeja
On the Beach
Chicken wire fencing - 48" x 100 ft. Keep critters out of garden, staple to frame of windows to prevent Molotov cocktails from entering the house, when SHTF, build a make-shift fence shield around solar panels to prevent larger flying rocks from hitting the glass - lets most of the light through, but provides some shielding.
goosebeans
Veteran Member
How hard are they to train?
The ones I've been around are cantankerous little $#its.
I found them to be extremely easy, but by easy I don't mean fast. Mine don't have a mean bone in their body but I think it's due to a long steady positive experience and no treats. They're not nippy or constantly looking for a hand out. They love to be brushed so I always used the grooming brush as a treat. Pick up your foot, you get brushed. Move over, you get brushed.
I found my two on Craigslist. A jenny ( named her Damascus Steel) and her six month old colt (Rimfire). Had him gelded. They'd been in a twenty acre field with a few sheep for I don't know how long, so I had to pretty much, start from scratch. The jenny would let you pet her a little but the colt was pretty much untouched and very skittish. She was extremely protective of him so I had to be very careful not to overstep the boundaries. I started out by just taking a chair down to their paddock two or three times a day and reading a book, pretty much ignoring them. Think I did that for about a week. The colt became a little braver and got closer every day. I put one of my work gloves on the end of a stick and eventually he touched it with his nose. He took off like it had bitten him, but curiosity brought him back, and after a while I could rub his face with it and then his neck etc. Finally, I was able put the glove on my hand and stroke him. Just worked on that until I could touch him all over. I'd do that while they were eating their hay also. So they associated touch with the pleasure of eating. Even now, I'll often lean and hang all over them while they eat and they couldn't care less.
I halter trained the colt by putting the halter on top of his hay. Boy, he didn't know what to do. He wanted to eat so bad but he was scared to death of that "thing". After snatching little stalks from the very edge and realizing the thing didn't jump up and eat him alive, he became brave enough to eat all around it and then, finally, through it. Once that became the norm for him I attached baling twine to each side of the brow band and ( I was on the other side of the fence) slowly raised it so the nose band was on his nose. The next time I raised it higher and after a couple of days got it all the way over his ears and buckled up. did that at every feeding for a few days. Added a lead rope and let him run around dragging the rope. He'd accidentally stand on it, giving him a jolt which taught him to stop and think without freaking out.
So all that to say take everything slow and steady, lots of praise and loving on them and they grow into sane, level headed, willing animals.
There are actually some very nice, partially trained burros up for auction on the BLM wild horse and burro site. They're trained by the inmates at the correctional center in WY. - It's killing me not to put in an application and bid
but the closest off range holding facility they ship to, for us, would be Ewing, Illinois. A bit too far. I'm hoping there will be a satellite event over here at some point.There are little videos of them in a pack string:
2 YEAR OLD GRAY FEMALE BURRO (2984)
Wild Horse and Burro Online Corral
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Mary Contrary
Inactive
I have a bunch of new pencils with an erasure on the end. Need to be sharpened. Can use a knife if no sharpner. I also have a small bag of tobacco and papers for neighbor who smokes. They got BEEF and i want to barter for some! They have 3 full size freezers FULL of beef and pork from their animals. They usually have 3 cows a season and a couple pigs. They give me pig scraps for my dogs. Kool!
jward
passin' thru
I hope you treat yourself sooner rather than later; it's not only a great prep it's wonderful for the brain, spirit and soul!
..I love playing by oil/candlelight- only wish some form of doom could require me to select my clothing from a few centuries in the past ::sigh:: : ) Ya know o' course, even quality pianos are dirt cheap used.. . .. and grab the geetar too while you're at it lol.
Mary Contrary
Inactive
Oh no! Possums are Pacifists by nature. They don't hurt anything. They are just scavengers. They only live 1-2 yrs in the wild and same as domestic. I had a female living in my barn for two yrs and she just died a couple months ago. I fed her dry cat food, hot dogs, grapes and bananas, and hard boiled eggs. She was my pet. I buried her in the pen. Possums do NOT attack!!! This is disimformation. They are very docile. They are terrified of people. They run and hide or play dead becuz they are so scared. They do not "attack"!!Some may not appreciate the value of attack possums tho.
Everybody has a few...don't they?
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Mary Contrary
Inactive
The cheap plastic scissors break in time. I will buy more. Glad you mentioned it. What the heck will we do without ANY scissors in an end time scene.
Mary Contrary
Inactive
Possums do NOT attack!!! They are very passive. If they are terrified they will roll over and play dead or start shaking. They do not attack!!
Mary Contrary
Inactive
Now that is a very intelligent idea! I like that one.....lets see if i can find some guitar strings now......Please do tell about guitar strings. I have some laying around, especially the really thin Super Slinkies for electric guitar. You wouldn't dare snare a leftist by the throat, would you?
Mary Contrary
Inactive
Glad you mentioned this. I throw away the large plastic feed bags for the duks. Will save a few now. Didn't think of it., but the old neighbor next door used to fill them up with trash and burn the whole thing.
sy32478
Veteran Member
Have I been here too long when the oddest preps seem common?
Mine oddest is bamboo chopsticks that I keep in my Jeeps. Carve off the square butt end and you've got a better than new linkage for the gearshift unlock link. The crappy plastic beads from the OEM are crap, and not being able to put it into D or R reduces the value of the Jeep as transportation.
I save my old guitar strings hoping to find the time to try my hand at snares. ...and I think a wound G from an electric would make a fine garrote.
Mine oddest is bamboo chopsticks that I keep in my Jeeps. Carve off the square butt end and you've got a better than new linkage for the gearshift unlock link. The crappy plastic beads from the OEM are crap, and not being able to put it into D or R reduces the value of the Jeep as transportation.
I save my old guitar strings hoping to find the time to try my hand at snares. ...and I think a wound G from an electric would make a fine garrote.
West
Senior
AKA, hardware cloth. Have ample amounts, in 1/8th, 1/4, and 1/2 inch.
Also have everything needed to build things, like traps, buckets, light duty metal goods.
jward
passin' thru
That's some deep prepping to be sure! Still, nothing I would find "odd" lol, just stuff your regular well dialed in country boy has on the back burner, just in case.
jward
passin' thru
I have to agree with SY- there's nary a thing weird about any of y'alls preps.. surely someone has something a lil strange?
.. I've got a training program planned for the wethered goats, so they can be pack animals in a pinch, but it got bumped to the back of the line, because it seemed moreuseful entertaining to teach them tricks like jumping thru hula hoops 
.. I've got a training program planned for the wethered goats, so they can be pack animals in a pinch, but it got bumped to the back of the line, because it seemed more
bobby.knight
Senior Member
During English tax increases to the American people goods became expensive. So the saying:
Use it until you can use no more,
Then find another use for it.
Use it until you can use no more,
Then find another use for it.
dstraito
TB Fanatic
I have collected tools for fifty years.
Everytime a project would come up I would do it myself and with the money I saved by not hiring someone to do it I would by the right tools I needed to do the job. ,
Granted, not know how to do certain projects I messed a few up but the knowledge and tools I gained were worth it.
I could never bug out but I could work on a lot of stuff after tshtf
Everytime a project would come up I would do it myself and with the money I saved by not hiring someone to do it I would by the right tools I needed to do the job. ,
Granted, not know how to do certain projects I messed a few up but the knowledge and tools I gained were worth it.
I could never bug out but I could work on a lot of stuff after tshtf
Illini Warrior
Illini Warrior
you have any ready preps to move and cache your more portable tools? - have materials for sweeping the tool bench(s) of the critical hand tools - protect them against the elements & camo them in their cache spot >>>> better than let them burn or be looted