URBAN SURVIVAL SERIES - INTRODUCTION
Obviously, no matter what we do in this life, we will all die one day anyway… but that’s no reason not to try to postpone it if we can help it.
@papa-pepper is not some sort of hard-core, doomsday, prepper, survivalist who’s hoarding ammunition, silver, and bug-out supplies. However, I do enjoy filling my head with knowledge that may come in handy one day.
For a while, @mama-pepper was even picking up Bear Grylls, Les Stroud, and similar DVDs and having me watch them, just because she knew that if I watched them now, I’d remember it later, and if things ever got really bad, she’d be better off as long as she was with me. Recently, @doitvoluntarily also joined our zombie apocalypse team, so that should help!
Anyway, for several reasons, I do not believe that we will be able to live the simple, happy lives that we have been enjoying forever. That said, if I can give you some good tips and information now that just might be able to save your lives later, I rather do it than not. (Papa cares.)
Here are just a few of the reasons that I believe that things will eventually take a huge turn for the worse:
Obviously, those are just a few reasons. I could go on and on with many conspiracies and agendas, but those direct quotes should be enough to at least make us consider.
When I consider that now I am not just a solo man but rather a husband and father, my responsibility is obviously much greater. I have actual lives depending on me that are not my own…
This is part of the reason why I moved out into the country and am starting to build a homestead. The goal is to have many useful animals that can provide a variety of food, vineyards, orchards, and a permaculture food forest, just to name a few. This can usually only be achieved in a rural setting.
CITY LIFE
In the city though, urban life rules. As I share what I am about to, it is worth remembering that I am not judging anyone nor attempting to offend anyone either. I am simply sharing my own perception and thoughts.
It seems to me that the city can be the most dangerous environment to be in during a disaster or catastrophe, whether it is orchestrated by man or not. A simply power outage can suddenly become a race for survival in some situations. Since many people do not have access to much soil, the majority of city dwellers do not even have much opportunity to provide their own food.
I know that many with city lots can put in some fruit trees or a garden, as we did ourselves back up in Wisconsin, but those in apartments or similar living spaces have very limited potential. In my own understanding, apartment buildings have even begun to remind me of filing cabinets for people, where each one has its own tiny space. (That’s just my perception.)
Even the animals allowed in most cities is worth thinking about. Though a variety of common pets or exotic animals may be permitted, often “farm” animals are not. This means that if an animal can provide you with meat, milk, or eggs, you will often be breaking the laws or city ordinances if you attempt to raise some in an urban setting.
That said, I think it is worth considering ahead of time exactly what potential resources you may have in the city if disaster strikes. Rioting and looting will most likely quickly lead to an increase in violence and a decrease in available food supply, so you may need to step up your game if you are going to stay safe and keep hydrated and nourished.
As I continue this series, I will attempt to provide some solid information to at least consider. Hopefully, none of us will ever need any of the info that I will share, but if we at least have the knowledge in our heads, it’ll be there if necessary.
STEEMIT LIKE YOU MEAN IT!
We are all going to move in with you, best start building extra bedrooms 😃
I'll start building my place first, and then maybe make a few guesthouses. Great idea!
When your done give me first refusal lol
LOL!
At the time of the '60s, there was a "Small is beautiful" movement. My wife and I have developed self-sufficiency: garden, hens and goats. We had the vegetables, the eggs and the milk. The goat is like a dog with horns.
With some goats, we made yoghurt, cheese. We sold goat cheese in the area.
Then we developed the concept of "country restaurant" where the townspeople came to eat "homestay", the farm products.
Wow. We are in the stages of being self-sufficient ourselves. Gotta be far from the city/downtown. Working on garden first, then fencing so we can have chickens. It is so expensive to have organic free range chicken and eggs. Eventually, we'll be at the cheese making stage. That'd be awesome! Wow again, goat cheese?
For meat, you can add rabbits, ducks, turkeys and maybe some pigs . With 2-3 goats, you will have milk, yogurt and fresh and aged cheese all year round.
And if you want to have fish, here's an alternative.
Http://www.cultures-aquaponiques.com/index.htm
We already have rabbits, ducks, chickens, and pigs! Aquaponics is on the list!
used hydroponics with fish in the center of the cycle. I believe Koi are the fish, but check it out, I am working from an old time memory.
Cool, thanks @len.george!
Is it complicated to make cheese? What kind of cheese can you make?
It's like yoghurt. You can make soft pasta or fresh cheese, ripened pasta or firm pasta like cheddars. In short, the same varieties as cow's cheese.
Very cool stuff! And very cool to see your reputation jump from 25 to 31 when I Upvoted it!
Thanks. I'm new from an hour!
Looking forward to posts from you too!
With you all the way: see my post "Prepping for Reasonable, Sane, Responsible People."
Ounce of prevention = Pound of cure
type thinking.
If you always work harder for a better tomorrow, you will always enjoy your todays.
My quote.
Love your post!
Thanks much, and good quote! I'll check that post!
😊🤝
Your best resource for survival is knowledge and experience. And you are doing a good job of building that up. Well done. ;-)
I've watch the prepping shows (and laughed my head off) and looked at the situation where I live. I'm not a prepper, but I am prepared.
One of the biggest and most useful things we have in my country for surviving a disaster - natural or man-made, is us, our society, our psyche, our way of doing things.
This was demonstrated quite a few times in recent history with the very damaging earthquakes we have had. Looting and violence was almost unheard of (there was a rise in domestic violence in the years afterwards due to increased stress), but there were no gangs of armed men out trying to 'steal you stuff'.
What we did have was a huge gang of students, and another gang of farmers who left their places of study and work, and drove some long distances to help. No-one asked them to. No-one paid them to. They did it because that's what you do isn't it?
That's the next step in your prepping arsenal - a supportive co-operative community, and a psyche that says - how can I help?
No matter how many guns you have, no matter how much ammunition you have, you will not prosper as an armed loner. You might survive, but you won't recover what was lost. To do that requires a community.
So pay attention to @papa-pepper when he's talking about this stuff. He's got his head screwed on right, and I think he has a good plan.
And if the brown stuff really does hit the whirly thing, I've got a big comfy couch in a nice safe country, and a Greek wife that will feed you amazing food until you burst. First come, first served. ;-)
Dibs on the couch!
And, as usual, well said!
hehe. there's even room for some @little-peppers as well ;-) (and Runaway Rabbit)
We will bring them all if we come!
and you wold be most welcome :-)
Thanks!
In your survival quest have you tried the libraries? The pre europeans had to live without modern things, they knew which plant was for what job. Have your libraries got any books from that period where the ancient tales are told? "Op Shops" [opertunity] here have all sorts of old book, your may be the same
There may be a bit of trouble identifuing old names to your plants but it should be do able. Don't forget, grated fern root I presume you havr fern root there.dried then mixed with water into a dough, shaped into a ball, placed in the embers. Scrape the outer layer off and eat the rest.
Very good tips! Thanks again!
You seemed to have chosen a lot of very healthy choices for you and your family, not only for potential survival but definitely for sustainable ways of living. Thanks a lot for sharing with us all! Namaste :)
We try to live like our lives depend on it!
Man vs wild with Bear Grylls is a fantastic show to watch (with the kids too), we have the whole series! So much to learn from Bear!
until you see the re-runs of the tourists walking up the steps. soft drink in hand watching some bloke breaking his balls off on the other side of the creek. Remember a helicopter is never far away to get him, to pick him and take him to safety.
We have learned some things too!
Alright I'm hooked.This looks like it will be an interesting series.
I'll get to get a couple out in the near future, and then more as I think of them
Ok. But hurry! Things are getting crazy out there.
Check this one out!!
https://steemit.com/parenting/@papa-pepper/this-store-just-put-the-super-back-in-super-center-when-a-business-saves-the-day-papa-s-gif-project-1
Hilarious!!!! Is that a real sign? I have never seen that.
Real sign. It was the inspiration for that post!
I tend to be one of the unpopular people in our wee part of the world because the deer out here are like freakin' rodents on stilts. They eat EVERYTHING they're not supposed to with the exception of lavender.
They destroyed my tulips.
My housing association rigged the entire neighborhood, so I had to get rid of my chickens.
I digressed, I went from deer to poultry -- my point is that I am looking forward to the Port Townsend Venision Company opening up during the zombie apocalypse.
Oh, and I call shotgun.
No, seriously ... I get the front seat.
Those housing associations can certainly do a lot of damage.
You can sit shotgun, but will you be bringing your own, or will I have to provide one?
URBEN or URBAN?
I just saw that myself... Thank you!