Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Basic Preps

Here are just my thoughts on the Basic Preps, the Holy Trinity of Preps if you will. Beans, Bullets and Band aids.

Beans- This term is used loosely and covers a variety of foods. It does not apply only to beans but food storage of any kind in my opinion. Everyone should have a good store of food at home. Buy a little extra each time you go to the store and you will be surprised how fast you can accumulate a good stock of food. Dry beans, rice, flour and meal are just a few of the things that you need to keep on hand at all times. I purchased a 25 lb bag of pinto beans for $14.00 so it's not really expensive. When you think about it that bag of beans could provide a family of 4 good healthy meals everyday for a whole month...for $14.00. Now you may tire of them but you will be healthy at the end of the bag. Food storage is good insurance for times when money is tight. Loose your job, get laid off or just getting in a pinch like so many do and you will be glad to have some food stored away.

Bullets- This term is also used loosely in my opinion. Not only does it apply to guns and ammo but overall security. Items that allow you to protect yourself and your home fall into this category. Good quality locks on your doors and windows, motion lights outside your home, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors are some of the things that come to mind. Just being secure in your home and person is part of the Bullets part of the 3.

Band aids- A good first aid kit is mandatory for all homes. Small kits should also be carried in each of your vehicles too. Accidents don't really care where you are when they hit so always have one near by. Also, making sure your home is safe will lessen your chance of needing your kit. Make sure all walks are in good shape and have light for times you need them at night. Hand rails and ramps to your porches or decks if needed. Think of things that may be a hazard to children, you too can be injured by these same hazards. Being safe and being smart will help to keep you out of the first aid kit.


Like I said before, these are just my thoughts. I know you have some too, let's hear them. Feel free to leave a comment about your thoughts on the 3 basic preps. Your comments are always welcome and help us all to learn from others.


This is Bullseye...OUT !!!

8 comments:

Bitmap said...

The basic three are a good start.

"Beans" should include some plan to make food as well as storing it. Your chickens are a good start on that. Probably a good idea to have some high energy food stored that doesn't require a lot of time, effort, and energy to prepare. Imagine if you and your spouse both had a bad flu. How would you feed yourselves if it was an effort just to get out of bed to the fridge? MREs or Mayday bars aren't the answer to everything but they are great for some things. Dried beans are not easy to cook when you are stuck in bed. Poptarts eat about the same whether they are heated up in the toaster or eaten cold when the power is out for a few hours because of a thunderstorm.

I think you got a bullseye on "bullets". I never really thought of a fire extinguisher as "bullets" but it makes sense.

We are looking for a good first aid course as part of the band-aid part. Having a complete EMT kit won't do you that much good if you don't know how to use the stuff.

I think the trinity should be expanded to include information and entertainment.

Information on anything from medicine to making stuff you might need from day to day to caring for different kinds of plants and animals. A first aid course or a defensive shooting course would come under this heading even though they are related to other things. Books also spread knowledge in that while you may know everything the rest of your family may not and you won't be around forever.

Entertainment will keep from going crazy with boredom. Especially if you have kids. Entertainment can be combined with information by reading books on stuff you never had the time or inclination to read about before. For kids, games that don't require a lot of hardware like chess and checkers, as well as any kind of building toy or game, even a set of wood blocks in different shapes and sizes. A musical instrument is great entertainment for the player and the listeners and can bring people closer together and improve teamwork. We paid $20 for an old piano (3x that to get it tuned) and it has been great for us and the kids. A harmonica is compact enough to take with you if you had to leave your home.

HermitJim said...

Always a good thing to be reminded of things we need to get or add to! That's why I keep coming over to you guys...you make me think about things and that's good!

ErinAndBrad said...

Excellent break-down Bull! I began our preps with the thought that we needed to have 1 meal per day - enough to keep you going and anymore than that was extra. Need protein and carbs. Need to have fruits a couple time a week and vitamins for extra. Grow a garden too and learn to can - homegrown provides more of the vitamins and minerals that we need especially in times of stress!

Benjamin Franklin said...

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. "


"Our necessities never equal our wants"


Join us at: http://domestic-terrorist.blogspot.com/

riverwalker said...

Always good to keep the basics in mind when getting prepared. Expanding your options once you get the basics covered should be the next step.

Being prepared is a good thing.

RW

Humble wife said...

Perfect with the B-Three...

Just a tip on cooking the pinto beans: Do not add salt until the very end of cooking, because if you do the beans will not open(or soften) as quickly or as big as they can. The salt tightens the outer case of the bean.
(I have about 100 lbs of just pinto beans(not counting the others- and we of course live in the Southwest...)

We must all remember to continue moving forward in our prepping and not become stationary.

Right on Target!
Jennifer

Bullseye said...

Bitmap, man, you have made some really good points. Thank you for all the info. I may do a post in a few days that list all the suggestions made on the post. Thank you very much.

Uncle Jim, glad to be able to provide some things to think about. Many items are simply overlooked because they are so simple. Thanks for the visit my friend,

Ben Franklin, well said my friend, well said. Please come back often.

RW, this is a good start for those that are just getting into prepping and with this they can expand even more. Thank you for the visit friend.

Humble Wife, thanks so much for the bean cooking tip, never have enough cooking tips. Glad to hear you have a good stock of beans, e love 'em. Thank you for coming over to comment, I appreciate it.

Bullseye said...

Ernie, 1 meal a day will keep us fit and in good health, we may want more but 1 good meal will do us. If you have extra that's all the better. And yes, a garden will make it all that much better. Thanks a bunch Big E, good to hear from you.