I'm just going to come right out and say it:
I'M A PREPPER!
I believe in being prepared for the worst, and it's something I've been working hard at for the past 2 years. I don't consider myself neurotic nor paranoid; I'm not delusional and I wouldn't say that I'm a conspiracy theorist either, although I think the powers that be have put us in one tight spot at the moment.
I'm carrying on a proud tradition that folks have been practicing for millennium on end; preparing for dark days, for a long winter, for turmoil, for plight. You wouldn't have called Ma Ingalls a fanatic, despite the fact she put up as much food as possible and stocked her pantry preparing for the worst possible winter that the Prairie could throw at them. But in our modern age, if you have more than a week's worth of food and supplies, you're a nut-case. You're one of those people who have 10 years worth of MREs and an underground fallout bunker in the backyard.
What's frustrating is that in the minds of most folks (Joe Q. Public), preparedness and homesteading go hand in hand with anti-government mentality and the aforementioned conspiracy theorists. And to a great extent, this line of thought has been perpetuated by the preppers themselves. They find themselves a theory or a 'cause' and they pounce on it and beat it to death. And while there may be some logic or fact behind it, their zealous approach does nothing but make themselves look the fool. It's a "group-think" that has an almost cult-like quality to it that makes even me nervous. There's so much focus on what the gubment is about to do, that it takes away from the reason behind being a prepper; being prepared! Don't give me politics, give me food preservation!
So I'm done with it. I'm done reading junk that has no merit other than to further the demented line of reasoning of a deluded blogger. Don't tell me the President is the anti-Christ, that Canada and Mexico will divide up the US when the economy collapses next month or that troops are going to invade Pleasant Township, Ohio, steal my chickens and force immunizations on my children. Don't tell me, cuz I'm not listening. Don't tell me what you think will happen, tell me what you plan to do instead. Tell me how to build a solar shower. How to make rhubarb wine. How to build a cold frame, save seed, how to build a still out of 2 coat hangers, a spork and a wad of gum. (Wait, I may be channeling MacGyver there.) And if anyone knows what the heck to do with all these stinkin' tomatoes, please, leave a comment.
8 comments:
Right on...
I've been thinking along similar lines myself. Time to stop theorizing and worrying about the "evil" government. Although there are certainly a fair number of corrupt government officials, maybe they are just as clueless as the rest of us!
But that's a pretty grim prognosis, too...
Let's just prepare for a more localized way of life, and let the big boys sort it out among themselves.
Very well said! I think a lot of us fall into the prepper category. But like you said I don't think I'm a fanatic. I think of myself as prepared.
AMEN!!!
Thank you. Sheesh.
Well said. I live in an area of the country prone to large amounts of snow, ice and loss of electricity. Being "prepped" for such occasions is normal and I fall in line there. Having bullets, bandaids and beer, wait, that's supposed to be beans!!! is normal too. I might fall into the definition of prepper by most standards but honestly I'm just a Vermonter.
As for tomatoes.... I used my green ones for green tomato ginger jam and it's fabulous!
Wow.
Followed you over from Just In Case and with one post.. I'm hooked. Really very well said! I'm also getting tired of everyone running around screaming the sky is falling - but never talking about what they are going to do to prop up their little corner of it.
It doesn't have to be the end of civilization to have prepping make sense.
Heck... I'm in the midst of shingles hell (there is something really wrong when you get septic spider bites, poison ivy, AND shingles at 29) and those big packs of tp and the pantry shelves I filled are saving my life. Quite possibly literally. Knowing my husband and I are fed, and the basics are covered means I can do what I have to and let my body heal. Running around like crazy will just make me sicker.
You've snared another reader!
Yes, there are more reasons than one to be prepared. I had a similar talk with my 17 year old today because I wanted her to learn some gardening techniques BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST GOOD SKILLS TO HAVE whatever may happen - economy, weather, joblessness, etc.
Tomatoes. Check out That British Woman's list of 51 things to do with them at
aaahttp://thatbritishwoman.blogspot.com/2008/08/50-1-things-to-do-with-tomatoes.html
This list will at least get your mind going.
makes perfect sense.
Amen!
Its becoming alarming how the common sense self sufficiency discussion meanders into the delusional "keep yer powder dry boys" nonsense.
I recently heard a pastor on the radio instructing people to stock up on food and ammo because of what he feared might be droves of hungry people fleeing NYC after a catastrophe. I cant even begin to count the things wrong with that. I fear any association people may draw between him and myself.
We are not all crazy. We just want quality food we can afford, and like to keep a little extra in the pantry just in case. Our reputations suffer more from our fellow enthusiast than the opinion of the outsider.
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