The SHTF Stockpile

Just finished reading two prepper books. Both interesting. I'm a little on the fence about both of them: did I really learn anything new?

The first, The SHTF Stockpile: What you need on hand before it hits the fan by Bill Hoyt has an interesting premise. His basic theme is: do, learn, gather, acquire NOW. And not just "food", everyone knows that. No, he goes further and really talks about becoming self-reliant now, and by that he means tools and skills.

It's actually similar to what my friend Wendi has been preaching at me for quite a few years. Both of them have urged me to start now. For example: I am a horrible gardener. Really. But a few years ago thanks to Wendi's urging, I sucked it up and started vegetable gardening. I think I grew one pepper plant successfully that year. But her point (and Bill's) is: Do I want to make all my horrible gardening mistakes NOW, when I have the option of going to the stores and purchasing a year's supply straight out? Or do I want to be learning for the first time THEN, when there are no other options than to grow it myself?

Bill goes further: discussing the need to collect tools to be self reliant, and the ways to maintain them. Do you really want to dig a garden with a spoon? Or would you rather have invested in solid gardening tools and stockpiled extra handles? How about stockpiling ways to sharpen those tools?

Now, when he says stockpile, I didn't envision like a 10 year supply. In fact, unlike the TV show Revolution which presumes we go back to the stone age and after 15 years, we're still there, Bill presumes that at some point after a cataclysmic event, the world will rebuild. In fact (my opinion), look at "third world" countries. Somehow, they manage to get along just fine without the internet. Or Big Banks. Or even, gasp, electricity.

But they do have something we tend to not value in the USA: skilled trades- or crafts-men. (Or women, let's not be so PC shall we?) 

Bill stresses this point in the chapter: You need a hobby: planning your post SHTF occupation. Now, doctors, nurses, medics, plumbers: they're probably going to do just fine. Teachers (and that means us homeschoolers too) might be as well, if you're able to teach the "old fashioned way" without relying on the internet. The rest of us who make a living in the "service" industries are probably going to be in trouble.

His point is to develop a hobby which will stand you in good stead THEN. Since it's a hobby and that means most people enjoy doing it so it doesn't feel like "work", you will put time and effort into it now, benefiting you then. He came up with a list (not inclusive) of 50 hobbies which would easily translate to an occupation THEN. You may already be doing some of them, and to increase your skill set: are you developing the skills/supplies in your hobby to ply your trade if you don't have the means to perform your "hobby" the way you do today (i.e., #2 on the list: Baker. Develop the skillset to bake without electricity.)

Hobbies which can turn into occupations such as: Ammosmith, Baker, Barber, Basket Weaver, Beekeeper, Blacksmith, Boat Maker or repairman, Bow Maker/Fletcher (not the kind you wear, the kind you shoot!), Brewer/distiller/winemaker, Butcher, Candlemaker, Carpenter, Cobbler, Construction, Cowhand, Dentist, Doctor/Medic/Nurse, Electronics repairman, Engineer, Entertainer, Farmer, Fisherman, Forager (wild foods), Gleaner (scavenger of goods), Goldsmith/jeweler, Gunpowder maker, Gunsmith, HAM Radio Operator, Law Enforcement officer, Lumberjack, Maker of feminine hygiene products, Mason, Mechanic/engine repairman, Merchant, Midwife, Miller, Miner, Painter, Plumber, Potter, Saddlemaker, Soapmaker, Tanner, Teacher, TInker, Veterinarian, Wagon and Wheel maker, Well digger. 

He makes the point that most of these occupations will demand not only skills, but specialized tools...so you should be stockpiling the tools and means necessary to ply your craft. 

He discusses stockpiling things I had not given much thought to: shingles for your roof, plywood to board up windows, maybe a replacement window (or here's a thought: developing the skill set and stockpiling tools to make "stained" glass. Not so much the stained part, but the pieced together part.) Stockpiling plumbing fixtures (I've been living for a year without one working toilet because I lack the skill set to fix it, and the piece to fix it too!), rubber washers, a general assortment of 2x's (wood), stored somewhere the elements won't get to it.

He makes the point that you should be acquiring capital, then defines what capital is: something which can be used to create wealth. For example: your home is wealth, but your hammer, because it can be used to build a home, is capital.

One shouldn't neglect building a personal library (I've got this one covered in spades!) In the list of real not electronic books you should have, he suggests books on: First Aid, (he likes the American Red Cross First Aid & Safety book and CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer), Homesteader manuals or encyclopedias (I like The Backyard Homestead: Produce all the food you need on just a quarter acre! LOVE IT!), specialty books on livestock such as growing chickens, ducks, rabbits, sheep, goats; gardening books, crafts books (think basketry and how to do fly tying rather than scrapbooking); canning and food preservation, including jams, jellies, chutneys; basic cookbooks including dutch oven, solar oven, BBQ or open fire cookbooks; nature/wild plant books; books on home repair; fiction.

He doesn't advocate stockpiling toilet paper (my goal: 365 rolls of 1000ct TP) instead suggesting you focus on non-electric food preparation items like cutlery, spatulas (wooden spoons), frying pans in cast iron, manual can openers, bottle openers, nut crackers, metallic measuring cups and spoons, cups, mugs, plates, mixing bowls in stainless steel, graters and grinders, sharp knives and wetstones, hand operated whips and beaters etc.

His point on that is that you can store a lot of those types of things in the same space it takes to store toilet paper. Yeah, that might be true: but I'm still going to err on the side of toilet paper.My logic is kinda like wheat: I figure don't need to store a lot of wheat (versus rice) because I know all those Mormons who only store wheat will come knocking on my door looking to trade a bucket of wheat for a quart of rice <grin.>  Speaking of wheat...how about a non-electric grinder? Milling non-electrically will be a high demand skill !!

I actually learned quite a bit, and that's something valuable. I don't know everything about being prepared, but I'd like to think I know a lot: and The SHTF Stockpile: What you need on hand before it hits the fan gave me a lot of food for thought. It opened my eyes quite a bit, and I heartily recommend it.