what do you think is most important ?

[andrew]

Veggie, you certainly have done a good job of pointing out the "elephant in the room!"

Maybe I can add something to this discussion.

Some knowledge must be recalled at a moment's notice to survive (I need to know were the safety is on the gun right now, I don't have time to learn it when I need it, or in the case of using first aid to stop bleeding, I must know the pressure points now.) Some knowledge must be available somewhere (recipes to combat flavor fatigue). I am of the belief that I can't remember everything that I know (otherwise, I must memorize all of the dosages of my medicines). In many cases, if not most cases, I must rely on knowledge that is recorded somewhere. There was an inscription on a library at a school I attended that read: "The half of knowledge is to know where to find knowledge." I believe that it rings true. If I can’t remember the knowledge then I must be able to find the knowledge by asking someone else or by finding were it is recorded. Hank had a good point above about having books on hand when the SHTF.

Then there is skill...generally acquired from experience. Firing my guns is an example. I can read all I want, but I won't be proficient with my guns unless I experience firing them enough (I really need to practice more.) I can't remember where, but I remember a guy at a forum that had a line in his signature read something like this: "The guns are tools, I am the weapon."

Next, is stockpiling of “enough” needed items (I've got to have the ammo to fire and the meds to administer).

Being a prepper seems to be an exercise in stockpiling. We stockpile knowledge, skills and stuff.

It occurred to me that the first step is probably discovering that there is a problem that needs to be addressed in the first place. From this point our journey as preppers began…

[veggieboy]

Andrew.... Very cool points!!!! What we need is knowledge AND skills.....

i'd also like to add -- given the state of the internet - you can download ANYTHING that your lil o' heart desires.... The web is chock full of pdfs of information... i download lots, hey why not most are free i print off a bunch of them so that i have hard copy of the info....

[hank2o]

my wife and i got into the movement back in the 1982 time frame and we had small kids at the time and we wanted to be able to teach them if something went wrong in life and then we both like to read for fun and we also collected books and manuals for diff typle items to basic all around knowledge of many subects that would need in the long run

[knine]

Aaaaa a bottle of whiskey. You know for medicinals purposes. (not trying to be funny) starting fires, calming nerves, disinfectant.. etc. A good supply of canning jars and extra lids, lots of salt. A good dog. Tools the ones that don't need electricity, like a good hand saw, a hand drill..etc . I can't think of one thing that is more important than the other. I agree with veggieboy knowledge is the key. There is a great set of books called Foxfire, there are 12 volumes, edited with an Introduction by Eliot Wigginton, shows you how things where done back in the day. I have six in pdf's format.

Here's the content of vol one
this is the way I was raised up
Aunt Arie
Wood
Tools and Skills
Building a Log Cabin
Chimney Building
White Oak Splits
Making a Hamper out of White Oak Splits
Making a Basket out of White Oak Splits
An Old Chair Maker Shows How
Rope, Straw, and Feathers are to Sleep on
A Quilt is Something Human
Soapmaking
Cooking on a Fireplace, Dutch Oven, and
Wood Stove
Daniel Manous
Mountain Recipes
Preserving Vegetables
Preserving Fruit
Churning Your Own Butter
Slaughtering Hogs
Curing and Smoking Hog
Recipes for Hog
Weather Signs
Planting by the Signs
The Buzzard and the Dog
Home Remedies
Hunting
Dressing and Cooking Wild Animal Foods
Hunting Tales
Snake Lore
Moonshining as a Fine Art
Faith Healing
Hillard Green

[Lynn]

This probably does not belong here on this post, but with books being discussed here, I thought I would just add what I have also been collecting in the way of "reference" materials. I have been purchasing off of ebay and at antique stores, older (and I do mean older 40's, 50's and 60's) civics books, history books. I feel that the truth of our American history is being deleated and I want to hold on to those truths. Never know, if TSHTF, we may have to start up our own "communities" that might include teaching and I thought they might come in handy.

[insidethebunker]

I feel that the truth of our American history is being deleated and I want to hold on to those truths.

What a great observation.... thanks for sharing that.

[matthiasj]

Yes very good point Lynn. That independent and revolutionary spirit has all but died out from our modern society. And the government/schools are doing their best to ignore it when teaching their version of American History.

[ljonsey2005]

Well here is my "pocket change". I think what has been started here is probably in the the top 10 best ways to prep. A community of like minded people that teach and learn from each other. This site gets us and KEEPS us thinking about the what if's and that is the first thing..Thinking, planning and doing. We see people every day that don't have a clue and that DON'T want one. For them, I feel a deep sorrow.

I sleep better at night knowing that I have made my attempt to keep a semi normal way of life when the time comes that nothing is "normal" again. We can't make plans for every contingency...but we can have water, food, shelter and friends.

[matthiasj]

Well here is my "pocket change". I think what has been started here is probably in the the top 10 best ways to prep. A community of like minded people that teach and learn from each other. This site gets us and KEEPS us thinking about the what if's and that is the first thing..Thinking, planning and doing. We see people every day that don't have a clue and that DON'T want one. For them, I feel a deep sorrow.

I sleep better at night knowing that I have made my attempt to keep a semi normal way of life when the time comes that nothing is "normal" again. We can't make plans for every contingency...but we can have water, food, shelter and friends.

Very well said LJonsey. Thank you for being a part of this!

[insidethebunker]

I sleep better at night knowing that I have made my attempt to keep a semi normal way of life when the time comes that nothing is "normal" again. We can't make plans for every contingency...but we can have water, food, shelter and friends.

Thats pretty much it for me, the confidence that I'm doing the best I can to preserve my families well being. I can think of so many things that have bought me piece of mind over the past 18 months, besides guns and food. 55 Gallon water drums, 50 gallons of fuel stored, the Kerosene heaters I bought last weekend, the 2 generators I picked up in the fall, the Army MOLE packs I bought for Bug out Bags, the 1982 step van I bought as a BOV.. That's my biggest problem, once I realize I need somthing I CANT sleep want to rush out and get it. That gets expensive but once again I'd hate myself if it's the one thing I need. (trying to talk BunkerMama into dirt bikes next, chuckle)

[matthiasj]

I sleep better at night knowing that I have made my attempt to keep a semi normal way of life when the time comes that nothing is "normal" again. We can't make plans for every contingency...but we can have water, food, shelter and friends.

Thats pretty much it for me, the confidence that I'm doing the best I can to preserve my families well being. I can think of so many things that have bought me piece of mind over the past 18 months, besides guns and food. 55 Gallon water drums, 50 gallons of fuel stored, the Kerosene heaters I bought last weekend, the 2 generators I picked up in the fall, the Army MOLE packs I bought for Bug out Bags, the 1982 step van I bought as a BOV.. That's my biggest problem, once I realize I need somthing I CANT sleep want to rush out and get it. That gets expensive but once again I'd hate myself if it's the one thing I need. (trying to talk BunkerMama into dirt bikes next, chuckle)

Dirt bikes! those are awesome. Go anywhere with one.

[KYPATRIOT]

I have one dirt bike and a couple of 4 wheelers like the 4 wheelers as you can carry more equipment---think i will have to see if I can mount a RPK on one of them

[insidethebunker]

The joke is I've never riden a motorcycle or a dirt bike, but I keep telling BunkerMama that one day I'm bringing one home. She laughs. Why is she always laughing at me? Could give a guy a complex.

But I do think in a serious SHTF scenario that a Dirt bike might be be the best way out of here.

[KYPATRIOT]

I think that a dirt bike will come in real handy in the future, they arent that hard to drive, now I have to figure out if I want to keep the Harley or not.