Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Have We Gone Soft Or Just Scared

Not to long ago every time I clicked on my blogger dashboard and scrolled down through the list of blogs I am currently reading, seven out of ten would be talking about prepping, surviving and all the other stuff that goes with it. Have we met our peek?

The other day I saw two out of ten talking about food storage. One was saying on how she makes up her cooking mixes for a later use and the other was talking about canning. Are we at a threshold of our knowledge on this? Surely I say there is more to learn.

The one thing through all our blogs, at least the ones I read, nobody talks about a bunker. Does any of us have one?
 Maybe some of us do, but want to keep it a secret. I don't blame you if you do.
If the Dooms Day Prepper show has taught us anything it is to keep our heads down and our mouths shut, right?





I want to see one of us take on a massive undertaking. To stretch the limits on something we never done before and make us say wow. (Me first right)

Sure we all should now have a bug out bag and should already have tested it out to see if what we have in the bag can actually keep us alive for 72 hours, but some of us still have to search the web using countless man hours trying to find out what some of us already know.
I understand the gardens are in full swing this time of year and and by now some of us in the South should be putting food by, but I do not read anything about it. I want to learn new tricks, new time saving techniques that will come in handy in the future.
The weather is too pretty to be inside writing a blog post anyway right. As for me I have slowed down to a couple times a week on the count of it. 

Within this small blogging community we have there is enough knowledge to do anything. I challenge you to do something you never done before. If you never pressure canned, it is time. If you do not have a rain water collection system, it is time. Try something solar on for size, as far I can tell there are only a hand full of people that have a solar cooker, but I never see them use it.

Maybe we have gotten soft and tired or maybe we are just scared that if we do it wrong we will be chastised and call dumb. Look how many time I screwed up on dehydrating eggs. I posted about everyone of them screw ups to and was told I was screwing it up by doing it that way, but now I can tell you just about everything there is on that subject.

Have you repacked you BOB for summer?
I think we get wrapped up in page views, the number of followers and so on. Maybe for some of us it is just that life is in the way right now, I don't know.

Lets get out and get dirty, then post about it.
              

44 comments:

  1. I have loads about solar cooking on my blog - just search the labels list on the right of my home page (solar oven, solar oven recipe book, solar recipe (Personally, I have not used my electric oven for 2 years - and I couldn't live without my solar oven :) )

    But, I agree - blogs are for sharing - not only daily news, and gardening happenings, kitchen preserving, etc. but also for unfamiliar, interesting lifestyles / ways of life / methods of building / ways to recycle everyday waste. Nothing I love more than finding a blog which stretches my horizon :)

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    1. Dani, you are in the handful. I am a new reader to your blog and have really enjoyed it.
      Keep up the good work.

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  2. I mean to but then as I sit to write I think who am I? I am no authority on canning, prepping, old time skills etc. HOWEVER, I am inspired by your posts because after all someone may come to my blog who is "new-er" than me. Maybe there is something I can give to the community from the limited knowledge that I have. Thank you for challenging me. :)

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    1. Who are you kidding AHH, I read your blog and you got what it takes. Just like your current post. Two things on there made me scratch my chin and say "hu"
      We all have limits and are learning and I will be the first one to say I am not an authority on anything, but I am trying.
      Keep up the good work.

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  3. Every good post. I think I am going to go through all my blogs and separate them and put my favorites on top. I am willing to learn as much as I can. maybe that will be my topic for tomorrow.
    Thanks MDR maybe some just need a kick in the ass to get restarted.

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    1. Thank you Rob. I always say a kick in the butt is forward momentum. No matter if it stings a little at least you get to walking.

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  4. I've got all sorts of ideas, but it seems something else is always more pressing. I do want to get in to pickling though. (desert plants mainly)

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    1. tffnguy, I want to tell you what, I have been reading you since your first day. We have a mutual friend here in North Texas that told me about you and Yours and The Field Lab were my first blogs I started with. FYI, y'all two were the inspiration of the MDR blog. You my friend are a genius and have inspired me in many ways.
      I will be looking forward in your pickled desert plants and your ideas yet to come.
      Thanks for stopping by.

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  5. Good point. I'm as bad as anyone. I should post far more often on survival techniques. Then again I've been a survivalist for most of my adult life. I was a fan of Mel Tappen before most even knew the man. You given me much to think about for the next few days. And, my bunker is above ground. The water table here is about six inches deep.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Stephen, I know you are busy with a lot on your mind already.
      That's what I am talking about, The stuff we have done our whole lives and think is mundane, is actually new and interesting to someone else. Prepping/Homesteading is second nature to me but I still learn something every day. I want to know more about Aquaponics and extended growing seasons in the Southern region. I have always excepted the fact nothing will grow but now with my new set up I can do much more.
      Yup, a water table that shallow would suck. Do y'all not have tornado shelters, I guess if you did they would be a concrete vault above ground right?
      Thanks again for the comment.

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  6. MDR,

    Good post yet again! Makes me want to visit what I'm doing and how it may help others. I feel silly posting about freezing green beans, but then I have to sit back and realize that even though many people know the steps already, someone new may be reading, so down in writing it goes... that someone new was ME not that long ago.

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    1. Exactly Izzy, Take me for instance. I am not much of a freezer, I do some but not as much as I need to. I am not sure on how long to blanch each vegetable for. I am afraid I will over do it and then they will be soggy and mushy. I hate mushy vegetables. So I can and pickle everything.
      Thank you for the comment.

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  7. I want to make a solar oven and use it, that's on the list for this summer.
    I've been posting a lot about what I'm canning and done a couple of tutorials. Last one was on making a feather pillow, but I had no birds to pluck so the feathers were bought. Still I think I had some good tips.
    I'm working on making some herbal medicinals this year and I'm posting about that as well when it happens. Like you I post the mistakes so others can learn too.

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    1. Ladyhawthorne, Store bought feather are still good. At least they are feathers.
      I am interested in the herbal medications. We have five herb gardens and getting tired of drying the same old herbs every year. I need to learn about that so I will be looking at your blog more in the future.
      Thanks for your input on this.

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    2. I recommend this blog too as she is just starting a series on herbal medicinals: http://frugallysustainable.com/

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    3. Thanks lady, I will check it out.

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  8. Just for you I did a post on survival handguns today.

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  9. Something new....We read about and looked at a video on African Key Gardening. Daughter asked neighbor if he had any plans for a pile of bricks he had in his front side yard. Neighbor said no, and did we want them? Early that Saturday morning we were there and picked them all up. We have the site picked out, now we are going to put it together so Daughter can make a herb garden. We are now in the process of trying to find another stack of free bricks. I want one so I can experiment in growing lettuce all summer long in a very hot climate.
    So many plans, so little time, so little monies, reason we like it when the material is for "free, just come get it soon".
    And I'm a follower of your blog, I just don't have my own.

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    1. Check freecycle.org in your area. People post what they want to get rid of for free and you can ask for things you are looking for.

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    2. I found a lot of good stuff from them.

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  10. Thanks for the comment tehmom.
    Free is the best word there ever was as far as I am concerned. Your herb garden sounds great.
    I would be interested in how you plan to grow the lettuce in hot temps. I eat on mine until it bolts and becomes bitter then pull it and feed the rest to the chickens.
    Please keep me informed on how it goes and what you did to keep it from bolting.

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  11. I have to agree. I feel like I am not learning enough lately. I have done a few things this year that I really wanted to do but there is so much more I want to learn. I do have some projects in the works but they just aren't ready yet.
    I, however, don't consider myself a survivalist. Don't have a BOB. I think a bunker would be lovely but not likely to happen here. It's just a little slow here now. Not a lot going on. Hatching and butchering are starting though, and I am sure I will have less time soon.

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    1. Becky, You have a great blog that has a lot of good info on it. You have a wide range of things going on that we all need.

      Winter months are my worst when it comes to having something to write about. Nothing is growing, all the animals are just living and so on. That is when I start posting about surviving and prepping stuff the most.

      Our hatching is winding down here because of the Texas heat. In one week our last hatch will take place and that's it until October so I will need to find something to fill the gaps.

      What some call a bunker, I call a tornado shelter or a root cellar. I guess it is all in how you want to be viewed but everyone should have a BOB if they are a survivalist or not. I never knew it was called that until I started blogging. Having one is just a comfort thing I guess and it is always in the way until needed.

      Cherish the slow moments while they last.
      Thanks for the comment

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  12. it is easy to have all these great ideas on what a person would like to do or to get done or to do to help with the "prepping for ?" but if you don't have the kind of backing and support you need it dosen't do any good to think about it you can only do so much by yourself love your blog has been very helpful

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    1. Anony, I want to thank you for your comment.
      I am sorry you don't get the support you need, it is a shame. I do not have any Redneck words of wisdom I can contribute because I do not have that problem. On some things yes, but in general all my crazy ideas are met with little to no resistance.
      Is there no equal ground you can come to?
      Whatever you do, don't stop thinking about it. That is like giving up.

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  13. I'm still blogging although I admit I have been absent lately. The weather has finally cooperated and around here you have to hurry to get the garden in or you just don't. Prepping is still high priority on our list. Although you wont see me write about it, the man has recently made a couple purchases that we need to learn how to use. We have also joined a club to learn how to use them properly. It has been a big step for a couple Yankee pacifist.

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  14. Sista, thanks for stopping by and sharing.
    That was one of the things I said about all this. The weather is too nice to sit around in the house and think of something to write about. Gardens are in full swing and things are just happening. I like doing and reading about gardening about just as much as anything.
    It is good y'all found a club to gain some knowledge from. I wished there were more like minded people around here so we could do the same.

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  15. Everything is new to us. We have always gardened to a lesser extent. But, what if there were not more seeds? So, we are trying heirlooms this year. Also learning how to dehydrate to make jerky, dried fruits & leathers (loved your okra recipe, b-t-w). Have the BOBs ready and take them w/us whenever we travel more than 2 hours away.

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    1. Thanks for the comment DFW and there you go, do a post about your BOBs and what you carry. Everyone is different with different needs and you might have something in yours I have forgotten about in mine.

      Heirlooms and harvesting seeds are many posts on their own. Most people do not know how to harvest tomato seeds right and they end up rotting before the next year.

      Good job on the blog and I look forward in reading more.

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  16. MDR - our blog isn't so much a prepping blog - just a record of our lives and what we do. prepping, of course, is involved as we are preppers. we are looking forward to getting the smoker out and smoking some of the trout that jam's been catching. i will also do posts about blanching, drying, freezing veg and herbs from the garden. lobster season starts saturday so i will definitely bore everyone to death with how to properly steam, and eat lobsters - bahahahah! we do try and share our knowledge on our blog but it's not something that i intentionally set out to do. i did enough of that at the APN/CPN, i guess - bahahaha! great post buddy!

    your friend,
    kymber

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  17. Hy, that Brown and white sign looks like it hails from thé uk.... Kelvedon hatch by any chance? Decomissioned cold war uk bunker ....

    Icequeen

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    1. Icequeen, I found the pic on google so I don't know where it is at, sorry
      Thanks for the comment tho.

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  18. Kymber, I just wrote you a huge comment and it was good but blogger trashed it. Sorry I don't have the half hour to redo it.
    Thank you for all you do and Thanks for stopping by.

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  19. MDR,
    Survival, survivalism, prepping and homesteading all go hand in hand. You have to have the skills to do any and/or all of them. I write about them, and about what I'm doing as I'm doing it. If I'm in the process gardening, then I write about about gardening. If I'm packing a BOB then I write about BOB's (which by the way I haven't written about, but I have an EDC bag). I guess what I'm saying is people write about what they're doing while in their process to become self sufficient.

    BTW, I enjoy your blog...

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  20. DR, Thanks for the comment.
    I understand it is a process. I enjoy watching the process unfold in people's lives. One month they are new and asking for help and the next they are seasoned vets.
    Keep up the good work.

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  21. Great points MDR! I am in the middle of getting ready for the big move, but once I get settled, I will be working on some stuff, and will definitely share what I learn on my blog (canning for the first time, solar cooking, etc).

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  22. Right on Stephanie, I am looking forward to it. Thanks for stopping by.

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  23. Thanks!! BTW the approximate BTU of a hen is 8 per pound. Considerably more than I thought!! How funny is that? And I am excited to check out some of the other blogs on here to soak up some info!!

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    1. So are you saying a 5 pound hen can put off 40 BTUs of heat? Hu, I never would have figured it.

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    2. So they say... weird isn't it??

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  24. this is just such a great idea , i just found your blog and wells as i read on and on , i see that your a prepper and well i always wanted to get started on that but you see i'm Hispanic my husband is Hispanic and our culture is based on something totally different but i have always believe that being prepared for the unexpected is always the best, but my husband well his more of a " Grab the keys and the machete and lets go to your dads house type of guy" lol sadly , i of course live in pennsylvania and theres little to no danger here but while i was in nyc in long island while that hurricane hit two or 3 years ago well i was the only one ready with a bug out bag and looking at that this post makes me realize i need to be prepare and make some research because the unexpected can happen at any moment like it did in nyc so weather my husband likes it or not im deff going to get on prepping . By the way Great Blog !

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    1. Thanks Lindsy. I wish you the best of luck in your preps. If you need anything all you have to do is leave a comment or email me with whatever question you have. My email is on the right side of the blog. Thanks for reading MDR.

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