Preparedness Lessons from COVID-19

[BarredBuff]

So, I am curious what are some specific lessons you all have learned about preparedness since this crisis began. I am going to reply too, but want to hear what others have learned!

 

[Hinotori]

I learned that we are fairly well prepared here, as are my parents, uncles, and great aunts. Anyone in my family who grew up with having to put up food and supplies for winter still mostly does and was fine.

My brothers didn't do so well. Joe pays enough attention to the world goings on that he got neccessary items right before the rush. He's sworn he's going to keep more of a pantry now. His wife is on board so they will be fine.

Rob lets his spendthrift wife ride roughshod over him. They are lucky if they have a weeks worth of supplies. They are still trying to find things they've been out of for weeks.

I learned that having a root cellar of some sort is something I need. I don't have house room to store all the produce we need.

I need to get another freezer or can meats. I'm starting on the canning this week. I need to keep more canned veggies instead of just frozen ones.

 

[Britesea]

I found holes in my preps during this time. Notably masks and covers for our thermometer.

 

[tortoise]

In addition to what you need, you also have to prepare for shortages on what other people (who don't know how to prep) think they need.

I've had to stock up on TP, only because there's been no guarantee I can find it in a store on the day I go shopping.

I had purchased enough cleaning supplies for our normal amount of cleaning and laundry for 6 weeks. I used my previous inventory info to decide how much to purchase. I forgot to factor in that I'd be doing more cleaning and laundry than usual.

I'm finding that my children's habits are a liability in a SHTF scenario. Especially the teen who feeds his meals to the goats and then binges on sugar, maple syrup, the chocolate chips and stuff I stashed for a cookie party to lighten the mood, gallons of applesauce, etc. An extraordinary amount of food disappearing. I sent him to grandma's house for the duration.

I learned that I'm most prepared for a situation that doesn't involve power outage.

 

[tortoise]

I learned that most people desperately need to prep their mental health! I am totally fine, but I'm shocked how many people are just falling apart at the seams! This is a prep that happens every day. Grow some SS and persistence! Cultivate your support system! Learn to thrive in solitude. Jeez!

 

[Hinotori]

Oh. I also learned I need to keep more animal feed stored. I normally keep 6-8 weeks of chicken food. Same for cats. Dogs it's normally 3 weeks but I bought extra to take them to 6 weeks right before the rush.

I'm really plotting out that shed to use for root cellar/feed storage. Just waiting for stores to open back up.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I learned that I'm most prepared for a situation that doesn't involve power outage.

And the internet! I need to print off the things that I regularly look up. Recipes especially!

 

[Britesea]

Yes! I will lose an awful lot of information if computer and internet aren't available for some reason.

I've also learned I need to make sure I have room to do Tai Chi if it's too cold to do outside.

 

[flowerbug]

keep on doing what i've been doing.

growing beans as much as i can and teaching other people to appreciate them and gardening in general.

i'm adding more peas this year to my collection. i like having the earlier crop and something growing earlier (starting about now) that will come in sooner rather than later.

probably should start seed saving some tomato seeds and sprouting our own starts. i can live without peppers if we can't get those starts from the greenhouse and we can hit or miss on onions and cucumbers, but tomatoes are such a big part of things that we cook with and enjoy eating that if we can't get those starts this year from the greenhouse we're not going to be too happy.

since i don't know how well this is going to go this year yet or not it will be interesting. how much of this interesting turns into changed behaviors (i have a lot of struggles with Mom wanting things to be just exactly what she likes that it is hard to get her to change or to see what else we could be growing for food).

 

[tortoise]

And the internet! I need to print off the things that I regularly look up. Recipes especially!

I have used internet for looking up recipes with random leftover ingredients from my pantry. Better organization and maintaining my pantry will prevent that from being a need.

I keep a cookbook, a canning book, a butchering book, and a gardening book for paper reference in the case of SHTF.

oh! Having the library system closed is not something I ever expected to need to prep for!!! I might grow my home library a little bit.

I've also had a really hard lesson in how "struggle food" like flours, rice, beans, etc, makes me quite sick and fatigued. In the case of long term SHTF, I cannot prep rice, beans, etc. I'm going to have to can and freeze. IDK how long we can keep a freezer going with generator power, and IDK how much propane we keep on hand for outdoor pressure canning. But this where I have some holes in my preps. If I eat struggle meals, I'm a miserable, non-functional dead weight.