Homesteading vs surviving the apocalypse

[JHuff8181]

I am blessed to live in central New Hampshire and have created a lifestyle that could be considered "close" to homesteading. My wife and I home school our children, we work out of our home and we are frugal (more so lately than in the past). Unfortunately we have not done anything to prepare for the current decline in the economy and the probable skyrocketing inflation.

In an effort to create a more self sustaining life style I have started looking for information on the web. There seems to be two types of people providing information; those wanting to achieve a simpler stress free life and those in a full blow panic.

With a feeling that I am somewhat late to this party I feel that I am somewhere in between. I am finding it hard to find information for organizing a plan for things like food storage, self sustaining food production, non food storage items, food storage rotation and probably many things I am not even thinking of.

Could anyone provide a list of links or books that would point me in the right direction? Thank you in advance for any help.

John

[Beaners]

Have you checked out the Survival and Emergency Prep forum? It is all the way near the bottom on the main list of forums. There is a lot of great information there if you haven't seen it yet.

Kayleigh

[sewsilly]

You've found a wonderful resource in this forum. The archived posts are great, and the daily information gathered here is amazing. You'll want to check out and do some reading in the Survival and Emergency preparedness forum, but most of these groups offer much of what you're looking for, from real live, honest to goodness, walk the walk sorts of folks... nice folks too!

dawn

[Callieslamb]

For Food Storage, you can't beat Alan's book
online at

http://athagan.members.atlantic.net/.../PFSFAQ-1.html

Start making lots of lists. Make a list of at least everything you currently use or know you can't live without, that you buy at a store. Keep adding to the list.

Form a goal - do you want to have a full shelf of food, a month's supply or several years' worth? You have to decide that for yourself. Do the same for non-food items. Prioritize.

Every family's list/goals/process is different. Do read Alan's book it is the best place to start that I have found.

Then come back and ask more questions. Lots of questions.

[SouthernLiving]

Try this book: Crisis Preparedness Handbook by Jack Spigarelli.

Its very well written and packed with pertinent information - not a lot of over the top paramilitary type stuff.

Secondly, don't panic or let yourself get overwhelmed. You are on the right track. Do your research and make a doable plan then stick to it.

[fretti]

John,

I have dozens and dozens of food storage books and I think the cream of the crop is Food Storage for the Clueless. It doesn't matter if you are a newbie or an experienced foodie, you WILL learn something from this book. It tells you how, and more important, why to store foods. You get to identify your food storage mentality and they help guide you to a more self-sustaining methodology. Most of the other books I've seen don't lead you by the hand as well as this book does.

Good luck in your journey!

[haypoint]

When it looked like the "end times" during the oil embargo days of the 1970s, I resolved to become as energy efficient as I could and reduce my need for outside imputs as much as possible. Stocking up was only a short term fix. I needed the land, tools and skills to be self sufficient.
During that transition, I met many like mined folks. I also met those that were preparing in a different way. While I can put up enough canned sucker to get me thru the winter, it just takes one bullet and one gun to take it all away.
I'm old enough to recall the bomb shelters folks were building in the late 1950s. Becides a supply of food, it was recommended that a firearm be included, just to keep the neighbors out.
Feed your land, buy durable tools and gain skills. Those are valuable efforts no matter what the future brings. Consider a plan for the unlikely time when things turn ugly. Prepare as best you can. Then drop it.