Survivalist prepper websites. Are they real?

reply to post by works4dhs


Many of the scam sites have been busted,but not enough of them! I have to laugh every time I see the 9/11 commemorative coin.They may really become collectable,when people realize they are worthless and trash them.I do believe a stash of junk silver coins are a wise move,but in a dire situation,I'll grab food and ammo first.If you can't eat it,or get food with it,its way down on my priority list.And the websites say to save nickels for the melt value? WHY??!! Your going to haul a ton of nickels around so you can melt them down? I'd save old pennies if anything,as they are almost pure already,easier to melt into something useful,such as an arrowhead or a knife.

what are the opinions on the seed bank things?

If you're already growing things before a SHTF event, then you can simply use the seeds from the garden to replant (assuming you are using heirloom vs. hybrid plants/seeds). Either are good normally, but in a SHTF environment, where you need the ability to replant them (as you can't just go to the store next season for new hybrid seeds), heirlooms are best for this.

A seed bank isn't a bad idea, but most bought and packaged ones are overpriced. If you can, get heirloom seeds locally instead, as they will be of a type that grows best in your area, vs. some version off a website. Better off to build your own seed bank, of things you actually eat, than growing a bunch of stuff you don't. Everything in my planned garden is stuff we eat normally, and in amounts to mirror our consumption of them.

reply to post by Gazrok


I think a lot of people are confused regarding heirloom vs hybrid seeds.The belief is that hybrid seeds are sterile.NOT TRUE! Some GMO seeds are sterile,but most garden stuff is just cross bred for flavor,size,or yield.They will grow,if properly saved,but they will lose the breeding that gave them the initial quality.By the way,my grocery store bean seeds are going wild already!

reply to post by blkcwbyhat


Good point.

but they will lose the breeding that gave them the initial quality

True, but whether or not the quality loss is a deal-breaker or not.... With heirlooms, you get the same thing year after year. Hybrids are more hit or miss, if you are using those seeds to replant. From a survival standpoint, I believe heirlooms are a better choice, but in general, non SHTF times, one or the other is fine.

reply to post by Gazrok


Granted,an heirloom is the best choice,if available.My understanding is that they will lose quality,but anything is better than nothing.Regarding potato's,if you plant the store bought sprouting tater's,they will be smaller than those from seeds.My parents get decent size ones from them,but mine are more fingerlings.Probably a soil problem,being in Arizona.
Forgot to add,if you plant heirlooms of 2 types,say big boy and roma tomatos,you WILL have hybrid seeds next year,due to cross pollination.The bee's will cross breed them

Has anyone done anything with preserving meat? I read an article last year about taking cooked meat,in a jar or crock,the covering it with lard.You cook the meat almost well done,to kill any critters in the meat,then cover it with melted lard to seal out the air.When you want meat,you dig it out of the lard,heat and serve.I made up a bunch of brown and serve sausages for a camping trip last year this way,turned out fine,but they were only a month old then.Got a few jars left that I'm going to tryout soon,some bacon too!
My questions about this are,can you re use the lard? Assuming you reheat it and melt it,filter out any chunky stuff,it should be sterile enough,right? Could you use a shortening,like Crisco instead? I know this probably isn't an FDA approved method,but they used it 100 yrs ago,but in the back woods,it could be a lot more efficient than a pressure canner.

reply to post by blkcwbyhat


Meat is low acid, so home-canning prepped meat dishes is a good way to preserve them for a long time. Most suggestions are that it is good for 5 years, but I read an article once that a 118 year old jar was tested and found to still be consumable with very little nutrient loss. Of course, not sure if anyone trusted the analysis enough to take a bite!

Here's a great article on it:

www.backwoodshome.com...

reply to post by Gazrok


I agree,home pressure canning is the best,and most economical method.My issue was about after shtf preservation.Pressure canning on a wood fire,even a propane stove is iffy at best,as the temperature needs to be steady.Being that meat is low acid,I wonder if adding tomato juice to it would increase the life,maybe even make it safe to waterbath.As far as low acid veggies,say beans,my grandmother and my mother water bathed canned them all the time.I know it was common years ago,sadly my grandmother is long gone,and mom never paid enough attention to remember how she did it.It's not approved by the FDA now,but it worked way back when.

reply to post by blkcwbyhat


low acid is what makes it last LONGER... It is the high acid foods that last less time, but even then, you're looking at a couple years or more. From my grandparents' experience, I've never had anything bad, and some were over 5 years, even the high acid ones.

I agree that home canning in a SHTF scenario is a little bit more difficult, but certainly not impossible...and, I hope to have a pretty large store of it prior to anything ever happening. Of course, the key is to rotate through it, and USE the stuff.

reply to post by Gazrok


not to argue,you believe what you want....Hi acid lasts longer,as in tomato's,thats why they are ok to water bath. Meat needs pressure canning.

reply to post by blkcwbyhat


Agreed that meat needs pressure canning. But, seems we aren't the only ones in disagreement over the acid level issue. I've found some sources agreeing with one stance, and then others going with the opposite. I think the issue may be whether pressure canning is involved maybe? Anyhoo, it will last a long, long time, and that's really the jist of it....

reply to post by DPrice


Its one of the 3 key ingredients to make black powder(salt peter).