Dee Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 The well or creek is a tough one. We have both and the creek is beautiful, we can fish from it and the wildlife (think hunting) comes morning and evening to drink BUT people also travel on and beside creeks. So, if you're trying to keep out of sight of others the creek can be a hindrance in that way. Since our well is artesian and we have acres of pasture that feeds livestock as well as wildlife I'll go with a well. As to 24 hours or 24 pounds of gold. There is no question here. I would love 24 hours notice to get those last minute things done/bought. I suppose living where we do and being preppers for the last 12 years makes the difference on 24 hours or 24 pounds of gold. I'm anxious to see what others say. Would you rather have a ham radio or a cell phone? Stephanie, this is so much fun. Thanks for bumping it back to the top. Link to comment
Amishway Homesteaders Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Ham radio! But I may have to change it to a CB radio (don't need a license) but the ham would go further? I am sure cellphones will not work well in times like that? now lets see- this is getting harding to come up with new things to pick from. how about........... which would you rather have. A Gas Genny and 3 100 foot extenstion cords or 3 solar panels and all that goes with it Link to comment
Vic303 Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Ham radio! But I may have to change it to a CB radio (don't need a license) but the ham would go further? I am sure cellphones will not work well in times like that? now lets see- this is getting harding to come up with new things to pick from. how about........... which would you rather have. A Gas Genny and 3 100 foot extenstion cords or 3 solar panels and all that goes with it FYI: Ham radio goes a LOT further (around the world on some bands). I'm a licensed ham... I guess I would pick the gas genny as it will generate a lot more power than 3 little solar panels. I know solar is stealthy, but it is also fragile in my environment (wind and hail), and just won't generate a lot of power. I'd have to have a monster battery bank to make solar feasible with only 3 panels. Which would you rather have: Fixed blade knife or folder? State your preference, manufacturer, edge (plain or serrated), and why? Link to comment
Stephanie Posted February 11, 2011 Author Share Posted February 11, 2011 Okay Vic, you made me do a little research. (which is a good thing). I looked at this page.... http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/how-to-choose-a-survival-knife/ Here's a tidbit from that page.... There are two main types of knife blades that the survivor need concern himself with, namely smooth and serrated. Serrated survival knife blades do well at cutting synthetic materials, clothing, and flesh. For self defense and paramedics, etc, serrated edges are a good choice. A drawback to serrated cutting edges is that they are difficult to sharpen properly in the field. This is certainly a major drawback in a survival situation where maintaining a keen edge during hard use is vitally important. In addition, serrated knives do not have an efficient blade for carving and chopping. A plain smooth edged blade is the blade of choice for most survival situations. Such a blade is useful for carving, chopping, and cutting. Though it may not slice through nylon webbing, clothing, or flesh as efficiently as a serrated blade, the straight bladed knives will still make short work of these materials. The added advantage of the regular blade is that you can sharpen your survival knife on a rock or piece of concrete should you not have a regular sharpening stone handy whereas the serrated blade generally needs a special sharpening device and technique. Based on the info on this page (and very little prior experience) I would choose The Becker BK10 Blade You can see it described and pictured at the following link..... http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/becker-bk10-survival-knife/ VERY good choice option Vic...I learned a few things!!! Now... Would you choose..... a year's supply of honey or your own bee hives?? Link to comment
Amishway Homesteaders Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 OK So this is a hard one........................... I WOULD take the bees but around here we are still dealing with that bee die-off. So I pick the Honey! and if you are bring it to us - you better have a BIG truck as we use a LOT of honey. Lucky for us most we don't have to buy as we get all we need from Amish Friends in trade. so My turn to do it............................ Would you rather have: a supply of surviver tools and food or a save place to keep them (and yourself) Link to comment
Vic303 Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Would you rather have: a supply of surviver tools and food or a save place to keep them (and yourself) Nice choice Stephanie. BK10 is a big knife, but well made. Michael, I choose the food and tools. Why? Because there is no safe place... Which would you rather have, a small 3 season tent, or a large tarp (plastic)? Link to comment
Jori Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Would you rather have: a supply of surviver tools and food or a save place to keep them (and yourself) Nice choice Stephanie. BK10 is a big knife, but well made. Michael, I choose the food and tools. Why? Because there is no safe place... Which would you rather have, a small 3 season tent, or a large tarp (plastic)? I would go with the tarp just because I could use it for more things. Would you choose a small neighborhood with severe other prep minded families in a large urban area or a large homestead where the nearest person is 25 miles away? Link to comment
Ambergris Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Large homestead miles from nowhere. People will come. The question is being able to feed them. Hives instead of honey. The gift that keeps on giving. Tarp instead of tent. I'd have a hard time patching my roof with a tent, and I'd ruin the tent turning it into a rainwater collector. Solar panels instead of generator, since I'm not expecting Fimbulwinter. After Wilma, most people who had generators ran out of gas weeks before the juice came back on. Link to comment
Amishway Homesteaders Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Large homestead miles from nowhere. People will come. The question is being able to feed them. Hives instead of honey. The gift that keeps on giving. Tarp instead of tent. I'd have a hard time patching my roof with a tent, and I'd ruin the tent turning it into a rainwater collector. Solar panels instead of generator, since I'm not expecting Fimbulwinter. After Wilma, most people who had generators ran out of gas weeks before the juice came back on. ............since I forgot to post a 'which would you pick' now and then I will help you out this time. would you pick: a treadle sewing machine or 5 bults of fabric (you pick what kind) Link to comment
Stephanie Posted February 13, 2011 Author Share Posted February 13, 2011 Ohhhhhh, I can give a quick answer here. A Treadle Sewing Machine, no doubt!! That would be a treasure! Next choice.... Concerning Animal Husbandry... Would you rather have the tools and skill to be able to Trim Goats hooves, shoe horses and take care of the feet of animals OR Be able to assist in difficult birthing situations with your homestead animals. Both are valuable....be sure to explain why (that's the best part)... Link to comment
Jori Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 I would go with the treadle machine since it can be used w/o electricity. (My step aunt has one and I think she was shocked when I was excited that she had it & knew what it was). But the thought would be to have fabric, recycle what I currently have, or trade for it. Stephanie, good question. I'm in an interesting situation one of my good friends from Middle School on homesteads (with her husband) but she grew up on a farm and does the bulk of care for all of her animals so I think I would use her help for the care of the animals feet and I would go with the skills for difficult births. Next question: Would you pick Seed to Seed: Seed Saving & Growing Techniques OR The Winter Harvest Handbook: Year Round Vegetable Production OR Joy of Cooking 1931 Edition (Early edition have illustrations of how to field dress small wildlife) Link to comment
Dee Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Manhandling animals to trim their hooves or shoe them is too much for me anymore so I'd choose the assisting with a difficult birth. I've already done it and it's a joy when you succeed and sadness when you don't. It has helped me learn many things which would help with a woman delivering a child IF I had to. NOT when there are other options available though! I think I"d take the Winter Harvest Handbook. I would like to grow things inside if possible and I don't know much about it. The seed saving I do and the dressing wild animals I could do if I must. Would you rather have a full size van or a 4 passenger pickup? Link to comment
themartianchick Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 I'd rather have a 4 passenger pickup... I'm making the assumption that it would be equipped with 4 wheel drive. While I like the fact that a van is fully enclosed and that people cannot see what we're carrying. I want to know that I'm in a vehicle that can handle rough terrain. Besides, you can always build a cap for the truck with plywood or other scrap materials. If you could grow only one type of vegetable to get your family through the winter (and IF both had the proper nutrition to allow for survival) would you grow some kind of bean or something from the squash family? Link to comment
Stephanie Posted February 15, 2011 Author Share Posted February 15, 2011 Interesting..... hmmmm, well, I think I'd choose a type of squash as we have such a good stock of canned green beans and dried beans. I think squash is a little more of a challenge to store long term. And for us...if it was only one squash would be simple yellow squash. yum! oh and about the other...definitely a van, with a famliy this size....no doubt. Sooooooo......... speaking of XL families....would you rather have.... An XL family with between 6 and 10 children OR A Small to Medium Family When answering, think of the implications that each would hold in a crisis situation. There were reasons that families were XL in the days of hard work and toiled labor. Lots of reasons. What would you choose??? Link to comment
Stephanie Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 Was the choice too hard? Sorry! Well, I'll answer my own question and pose another. Having an XL family can have it's benefits. In times of old having many children was a blessing (Henry is known as Quiver Full) and also a great benefit in homesteading/farming/pioneering families. On the other hand, that means more mouths to feed and clothes to wash and etc.. In the long run, I'd go for the XL family. After all, children are our hope for the future. NEW QUESTION!!!! Would you rather own and know how to use A DROP SPINDLE or A SPINNING WHEEL ??? Be sure to tell us why? Link to comment
Dee Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 A XL family would be my choice but then it always has been and I love children. Even if there's more work and toil with little ones they do make life a joy. I would choose a houseful with a preference of a couple of years apart in age. DDIL's sister has triplets that just turned 2 and wow, what a wild place that is! I'm not sure I want a drop spindle or spinning wheel not knowing how to work either but I think I'd take the spinning wheel because of the woold we have/had from sheep. Actually, to be honest, I don't know what a drop spindle is. Would you choose a climate where it snows 4 months out of the year and gets very cold but has great farmland that needs no irrigation or would you choose a desert location where it's warm and dry most of the year but with little water and not very good soil. Link to comment
Vic303 Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 A XL family would be my choice but then it always has been and I love children. Even if there's more work and toil with little ones they do make life a joy. I would choose a houseful with a preference of a couple of years apart in age. DDIL's sister has triplets that just turned 2 and wow, what a wild place that is! I'm not sure I want a drop spindle or spinning wheel not knowing how to work either but I think I'd take the spinning wheel because of the woold we have/had from sheep. Actually, to be honest, I don't know what a drop spindle is. Would you choose a climate where it snows 4 months out of the year and gets very cold but has great farmland that needs no irrigation or would you choose a desert location where it's warm and dry most of the year but with little water and not very good soil. Cold climate. I prefer 4 seasons, and water is essential...I can always wear more clothes to warm up, but there are limits to how much I can remove! Link to comment
Mt_Rider Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Oh goodie. I've Internet access for a bit today and I can jump in on this fun thread. XL family...for all the reasons Stephanie said. Just DH and I ....well our unit is becoming more and more limited. We NEED the next generation and Grkids to maximize survival. SPINNING WHEEL!!! Cuz drop spindle can be made from anything and is easy to learn. [it's a stick with a disk on one end, like a top. You spin it after getting the fibre connected and it does the same thing as the spinning wheel. Drop spindle is more portable but takes a lot of drop-spins. ] Location: Snows a mere FOUR MONTHS out of the year....lemme at it! And good soil/rain? Ahhhhhh....it would be heaven on earth. OK....altering that location choice a bit: Would you rather be WAY up in the Mts [not great for self-sustaining lifestyle] where "hordes of hungry folks" are very unlikely to bother/pillage you....WITH a goodly supply of PREP STUFF!!!! or Be in a more habitable/self-sustaining area but only 60 miles from a small city? Missin' ya ALL!!! MtRider [likely be back in about a week to peek in again...] Link to comment
Stephanie Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 Hiiiiii!!! MtRider!! So good to see you. Good answers! As to your newest question.....hmmmmmm. In a way, I want to say quickly....way up in the mountains. BUT, in all reality, unless in a situations of the most dire circumstances where we were running for our lives.... I have to go with what I know and that is the other choice. Hoping that city that is 60 miles away isn't too big! A little twist to our choices, after my recent shoulder injury and then Michael's accout of the ribs that encountered a fence!!! In a time of Crisis....would you rather have.... A BROKEN ARM or A BROKEN LEG Link to comment
Mt_Rider Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Definitely broken arm! I have MS and sometimes my hand coordination/strength is greatly affected [or old age gives my shoulder injuries a chance to seize up - OW!). So I go around not being able to lift one arm for a day...or two. Other days the MS zaps my legs...I mean I can't make them work at all. Guess when I'm most helpless/useless? For firestarting: A goooood supply of newspapers or a good supply of pine wood boards? [this is leaving out the option of using anything in a forest....so mebbe you're in town, OK?] MtRider Link to comment
Vic303 Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 For firestarting: A goooood supply of newspapers or a good supply of pine wood boards? [this is leaving out the option of using anything in a forest....so mebbe you're in town, OK?] MtRider Newspapers. You can also use them as insulation, toilet paper, and even read them for entertainment... Which would you rather have for your garden? A shovel, or a hoe? Link to comment
Foxglove Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 I've really been enjoying this thread, makes you think. I'd pick shovel, I could always figure something out for a hoe if I had to but I'd want a good sturdy shovel for turning the garden or digging a latrine. If someone came to your door for food, would you give them a pound of rice or a pound of beans? Link to comment
WormGuy Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 A pound of rice since I have way too much. Would you rather have a magnifiying glass or a pair of binoculars? John Link to comment
Crazy4Canning Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 I'd rather have a pair of binocs because you can start a fire with them like a magnifier and they are EVER so handy. In your preps would you rather have 2 lbs of wheat berries or 2 lbs of legumes (your choice) and why? Link to comment
out_of_the_ordinary Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 In your preps would you rather have 2 lbs of wheat berries or 2 lbs of legumes (your choice) and why? Legumes. I have celiac disease so anything wheat is a no. In a disaster with no electric and no city water, would you rather have garden hoses or watering cans? Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.