Motivations

[frustratedearthmother]

Personally - we have lived through the hurricanes, we have lived through the job lay offs, we have lived through the devastating injuries and our own personal apocalypse's. Being prepared, having a stockpile, a garden, fresh eggs and knowing how to do as much as you can with as little as you have becomes a personal challenge. Overcoming those challenges leaves you with a feeling of accomplishment. Having skills you can use in those situations takes some of the fear away.

After Hurricane Rita when there was no bread on the shelves - there was plenty of flour and yeast. Make your own... When there was no electricity or water...fire up the generator and pump your own IF you run out of the water you had saved up... So much of this is simply common sense and the scary part is that so many people have so little of it (common sense)! They truly believe that the store shelves will always be stocked and the ATM's will always have cash and the gas pumps will always dispense gasoline. Will they? I HOPE so. But if they don't, at least some of us will know how to deal with those consequences.

 

[MoonShadows]

I think we are all preparing, in our own way, to varying degrees, for whatever the future may bring, whether it be economic, political, social, climatic or personal downturns. I like to hear other's motivations because it gets me thinking. I don't know everything

 

[baymule]

Because of SS I now own a Family Grain mill with an electric motor and a hand crank, if there is no power. I have 50 pounds of wheat berries, so I could even plant some, if needed. I keep plenty of store bought flour too. Hurricanes.....flour tortillas are simple to make, can be made over a wood fire in the backyard and are great for wrapping around meat, scrambled eggs or other food for a satisfying meal.

Pray for those facing Hurricane Matthew along the Florida and east coast.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Flour tortillas - @baymule That made me think of something. Along with having our own skills - having great neighbors is such a blessing. I've had an acquaintance for many years that lives down the road from us. We'd wave when they drove by or say 'howdy' when they walked past but lately we've become more than acquaintances - and I'm thrilled. They are a Hispanic family with a different skill set than my old white self has, lol. I found out that she loves goat milk, and she found out that I love tortillas! So - we now have a barter system in full swing.

 

[NH Homesteader]

So... How do you make flour tortillas?

 

[baymule]

Flour
Cut in some lard
a little salt
water to make a stiff dough

Knead it, pinch off some, roll into a ball and flatten it with a roller. cook in DRY hot iron skillet. Eat all the mistakes to hide the evidence.

You can find the recipe on the internet. @frustratedearthmother a Hispanic neighbor taught me how to make them when I was 30. Sometimes I dredge up old memories to make them. Get your neighbor to teach you how!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Oops, sorry I didn't respond here - but I did in my journal.

 

[Beekissed]

I've noticed that the most-cited reason for not preparing is a lack of fear. So maybe it's good to have a little fear, even if if's fear of an extremely unlikely obscure implausible scenario.

Not sure how to digest this idea....so a lack of fear in one's life is a bad thing? And having fear, even if just a little, is a good thing?

Maybe the word fear is being used to describe just every day ordinary precaution and not necessarily fear as the more common meaning?

Simple Definition of fear

• : to be afraid of (something or someone)
  
  
• : to expect or worry about (something bad or unpleasant)
  
  
• : to be afraid and worried
  

I grow and preserve food because I have the land, knowledge and time to do it and that's been the custom of having food for the colder months down through history, but I don't consider it what others call "prepping", though it IS preparing for a winter time with no fresh food on the land.

Folks who have always done this have kind of gotten mushed in with the whole prepper ideology somehow, so the only place one can talk about doing these normal, every day activities seem to be on self sufficiency, prepper type sites.

I do not, however, do it because I'm afraid of having no food to eat if I don't do this, so maybe there are folks out there with different ideas of what "fear" and "prepping" is, exactly. What motivates one person to preserve food may not motivate another but I don't know that a lack of fear of other people's motivations should be any gauge of what is a good thing or a bad thing. Some folks just don't put much security in material things and goods in this world for help in escaping a prolonged change in the current status.

 

[MoonShadows]

 

[Beekissed]

What? Did I put that wrong again??? I'm just trying to understand what's been stated and work it out in my mind as to the meaning of it all?