Opti wrote: ↑Fri Mar 04, 2022 8:45 pm
Hi
Not sure where to start on this one. I've been getting more into prepping over the past 5 years since I lost my (ex-forces) father. He would have secretly loved the last few years and probably would've finished digging in fortified tunnels under the garden shed 6 months ago. I have good intentions but lack confidence (for a year a brand new canner has remained unopened in the garage for fear of cultivating botulinum toxin) and now I find myself a carer to an elderly relative so in case of oh poo moments I'm no longer able to just 'wing it'.
I don't feel that I can talk to friends about my prepping and it certainly wouldn't come up in conversation with work colleagues. Elderly relative has high levels of anxiety anyway so really don't feel the need to mention that Amazon will be delivering night vision goggles tomorrow along with a rechargeable radio to go with the solar powered battery pack that came last week...
Hoping this might be a community of pretty normal people who just feel generally better knowing that their lives will hum on a relatively even keel regardless of what might happen that is out of our control. If someone could also offer tips on how to bottle veg in a way that won't cause death that would be appreciated too.
Hi Opti, and welcome. You have reached your destination: A meeting place for like minded but diverse preppers.
Here, we are not big on bugging out to the woods, but tend to lean towards sensible preparations for feasible crises. Many of us, for example keep a supply of food and alternative heating, cooking and lighting solutions. Such preps help us deal with a wide range of potential problems, so we can take the odd power cut, water outage, social unrest, and even pandemic in our stride. True, we are none of us indestructible, but we aspire to have an edge if whatever S hits the fan. Covid helped to make our little foible more socially acceptable ( having a few extra tins of beans in ) But we still have to recognise a need for discretion. We don't want to be shunned as 'hoarders' and we don't want to be taken for granted if we ever find societal breakdown and starvation.
I advise occasionally reviewing what eventualities you are prepping for. And that will change with world events. Heck, we are now redoubling our thoughts on WW3 apocalypse. Shopping round for geiger counters and barbiturates
Bounce your ideas round here. We have experts and keen amateurs in many fields and there's always something to learn and someone to help.
There are whole threads on food storage. Canning is a bit of an American practice ( using jars???) Personally, I favour dehydrating and vacuum sealing in jars, but there is an overlap.
Don't be shy here. You get out of the forum as you put into it. Share your thoughts, think out loud, bounce ideas about.
Night vision goggles??? Well, if you are serious, then someone here will share that interest and recommend the best ones. Certainly check out Solar panels here. We have some proper practica experts on solar stuff, generators etc.
"how to bottle veg in a way that won't cause death that would be appreciated too.
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
".....
Well. veg to me means essential staple veg: Carrots, Onions, Spuds, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Peppers...... Dehydrate the living daylights out of them. Pop in mason jars and suck the air out. Hey presto Safe, reduced volume, long term storage.... And food you can actually use back in your regular diet. Lots to be found on this forum about that. The whole botulism thing goes away with dehydration. It's certain sauces that can be dangerous to 'can' Take US based canning ideas with a pinch of salt.