Anyone here from Missouri? Anyone there prepping yet?
Yup. Springfield. But don’t know a soul that is taking this seriously nor a social institution or church who’s got it on their radar screen.
I am in Springfield. Haven’t started prepping but plan to start this weekend. Problems are lack of funds to stockup and lack of space for storage but I’ll do what I can even if it really is only tuna and powdered milk under the bed.
Hi Guys Im from Monroe City. i’ve bee hitting it little by little. I’ve been checking things off from Owl’s list. got a long way to go.r
I am so happy to see that there are a few of “us” out there in the Show-me state. My husband asked if I am obseesing over the BF. Not really I just want to be prepared, especially after the tornado that hit our town two weeks ago. We are now the proud owners of a generator (suppose to be one of my last things on the prep list)after four days without power in 20 degree Missouri weather. Hang in there guys let’s keep in touch.
I’m trying to get ready in kc. Here’s a scary thought- I work for the state dept of mental health. At the group home where I work I brought BF up at a team meeting- not ONE of the people there had given it any thought!( And our disaster plan doesn’t cover anything remotely like it). Thankfully, they did ask for more info…
I am really torn. I could easily afford to stock rice and beans for six months today.
However, I have a seven year old daughter who is a very picky eater and I’ve always said she would not eat a bean to save her life. Perhaps that wasn’t so funny of a joke after all. It may well be a fact. My three year old may or may not eat them. He usually won’t eat anything that his sister refuses but will eat it if she isn’t around.
If I try to stock only things that the kids will eat it will take me a year to afford it all but it may be better to have 30 days of food they will eat than six months of food they won’t touch.
We also have six cats and one huge dog. To stock six months of cat litter and pet food would require more space than I have and that’s not even counting our other preps. Should I rent a storage unit and go get it and pile it all in the living room floor when TSHTF?
We have no basement, no garage, and a completely unfinished attic that you can’t easily access. I’m considering shutting down one of our two bathrooms and stacking it to the ceiling.
Hello, fellow Missourians. I, too, am in Kansas City area. We’re outside the city a bit, and have been pretty prepped since Y2K. Just keeping it current now. All the kids have flown the nest, but live in the region. They know we are prepped, and they are invited home for the duration. I can only hope they take things seriously if TSHTF. Our mothers are both in assisted living facilities, which worries me. I think I’ve decided that if things go H2H anywhere near here, I’ll be moving them in with us. I think. It sure would be nice if they got along… :)
Muttcats- peanut butter and crackers? You can store a LOT of peanut butter! Macaroni and cheese/other pasta dishes? Fortified cereal/hot cereal? Katydid: You remind me of the fun when our lights were out for 8 days and Mom and in laws moved in with us! LOL I can just imagine THAT long term! You’d have to set down some ground rules. And keep a squirt gun filled and ready for argue-ers!
Bingo on the peanut butter and crackers. My husband has lived off of PBJ for 65 years and he is 6′4″ and runs 5 miles 3 or 4 times a week. Go to Aldis and stock up on some of the canned fruits. . .pineapple in on juice, etc. Get less suger added and more fruit in own juice. Buy one can and store away one. Oatmeal is an excellent food for kids; more cinnamon less sugar. . .throw in some nuts and raisins. My husband and I are vegetarians. We are in great shape. You can thrive without meat. In fact, we are what one would consider old and we are never sick and neither of us suffer from arthritis or any deblitaing illness. In fact I have never spent a day in the hospital my entire life. Raman noodles, Spagetthi and mushrooms, instead of meat. Mac and cheese, tuna casserole. There is potato soup. My mother said they lived on potato soup for three months because that was all they could afford during the depression. We can make do with a lot less than we we think we can. We all have had it too easy for too long. In fact during WWII the British people who lived off the basics actually became healthier then they had been before the conflict. My mother always said that a kid will come to the table and eat about anything when they are really hungry. Just do a little day in and day out. Save a little aside every time you go to the store. Rent a unit if you feel you can afford it. Then when or if it comes, you can stack it to the ceiling. We all can do it. But you have started and that’s great!
KC Quiet—Yeah, you’re right. Ground rules. Just today, when visiting Mom, she told me about some new pains she’s having. Because she’s subject to pathological fractures of her ribs, I said, “You’ll need an x-ray to make sure nothing’s broken.” She about kicked me out of there! “I shouldn’t have told you anything! You always overreact!” (She falls on average every 3 weeks, breaks bones with regularity, etc.) She sounds like a REALLY fun camper to have in my home, huh? Still, I feel responsible for her and I don’t know if I could leave her in a situation where workers were coming and going every day, bringing in germs. It’s a quandary, isn’t it?
Yes it is, God bless you. If it ever comes to it, don’t forget to throw on some headphones or hide out under the covers for a little while each day! You have to care for the caregiver!
It’s so good to see other Missourians here. This is my first post, but I’ve been lurking and prepping since Sept. 05. We live in the northland, but sure wished we weren’t so close to the city. Our garden is in, and looking good, thanks to all the rain. Was thankful to wake up this morning and not have to hose the frost off my tomatoes!
St. Peters-Not taking it too seriously, but somewhat ready just in case.
Hello from west central Missouri. I have always thought it a good idea to keep food, water and essentials in reserve but I have livestock and caring for them will mean that I cannot “hole up” and wait out a pandemic or any kind of disaster. Moreover, I believe it is impossible to wall oneself off from the virus indefinately anyway.
That is not me, the original Sahara who’s been posting here for several months. I’m in Minnesota.
Sorry, Sahara, I am truly a newbie and wasn’t aware of anyone else with this name. By the way, however, I am originally from Minnesota, was there recently for my father’s funeral and no one in the northwoods seems to be even remotely interested in bird flu, much less prepping. I have altered my name to avoid further confusion.
Quite alright, I’m happy to share the name but it does get confusing! My condolences about your father, I lost my father 6 months ago and I know how it brings about many changes in a family. There are a few us on this forum from Minnesota, and the state has been planning for several years. It is just starting to filter down to the local level.
Welcome to the forum, we’re glad you are here!
Just wanted to say Hi from Columbia area, how’s everyone doing today? Just bought a generator and loads of paper plates this evening, I’m in a very preppy mood!
Lucky you with Sam’s right there in town. Columbia is a good place to be, except for all the international students! I worry about those kids travelling back and forth during the summer and Christmas break. I hope they don’t plan on quarantining the college kids like was rumored (and is the plan at a community college in Arizona!!)
Good Evening Nemo and Red Tea,
Good to hear from some more warm bodies out there from the Show me State. Sometimes I feel like we are very alone out here in God’s country. I talk to people at work or at the super market and I get this incredulous look like how could I be so stupid. I don’t want to shut up about the situation. But as frustrating as it is I keep mentioning the current situation to friends in hope that a few will see the relevance and at least put a couple of weeks worth of food on their shelves to sustain them. We had a firepit this evening and at least on neighbor doesn’t think that the flu obsession is totally out there. Are you out there talking or are you silent about your preps? By the way, I’m from near Hannibal.
I’m in Raytown (might as well be Kansas City). I have been talking at work a bunch- and finally they are starting to think about what to do( I work for dept of Mental Health). Some coworkers taking things to heart , too. And our shift at my workplace has figured out who will work (health allowing) and who should just stay home with young children and we’ll cover for them. We’ll spring it on tptb when the time comes. The hard part is getting my household up to speed on all the flu info/preps/ what to do, etc in case I have to move in to my workplace for a few weeks. My plan is to SIP at work unless I have reason to think I’ve already been exposed. I can’t abandon the patients, but don’t want to expose the family. I’d rather hide under the bed,though!
bump
I’ve talked to my parents and my boyfriend about it, and they all seem to be taking the situation quite seriously. My parents are continuous disaster preppers anyway, and sill have some items left from Y2K. The boyfriend has gotten sick of my constant obsession with BF, though, and says he doesn’t want anything to do with it until it’s time to leave our apartment complex for our country hiding spot. At least he takes it seriously… I’ve mentioned it to a couple of other friends, but they’re young and stupid, and just flat don’t care. I do like the Sam’s club here, though I’d rather be near a Costco, I just tend to like their prices better for some odd reason. ;) I hadn’t really given much thought to the international students here, because I’m planning on not being in the city when it happens, but I had thought about the dorms being a hothouse for it if any student should become infected. Frightening really, I’m glad that I attend school at one of the smaller colleges here instead of MU!
Yep, my husband is a tad sick of me mentioning the most recent news about BF. But bless his little pea pickin heart he know to trust my insticts when it comes to certain things and he is going along with my plans. I used a portion of my tax return to get started on the stocking up and I am now up to six months supply of food. I like the idea of getting organized. Organization is not my strong suit. I am setting money aside each week, all be it, just a couple of bucks saved from the convience store latte or a night out with the gang. Instead of going out I tell them to come over and we have a bondfire and eat hotdogs etc. The money I save is going each month to a grain grinder and a hand crank radio, or more vitamins. Im setting my sights one one big item a month averaging around a $100 dollars. I know I can usually scrounge up that much from my fun fund. I just feel better doing something!! It gives me a little sense of control in this out of control scenario. How much farther do you have in your studies are you graduating soon?
Im from Springfield,just moved to Buffalo on 15 acres Very glad to get moved before any major BF happenings here! Course moving all my BF supplies was NOT fun!!! :-)
a bump for lady biker
All Riiiiight there, whew for a while there I thought I was the only one in missouri that was gonna survive. I am at Noel, so hello neighbors and hide the beans….look out world here we come.
Hi Lady Biker, we are near St.Louis and began prepping in July when I ran across this site. Have enough for about 3 months but do you ever have enough water when you are in the suburbs and no stream,well,river,etc to get you out of a jam.Since starting to prep my house is in a mess. Either I’m buying more prep stuff or I’m on this site. No time for anything else. My big concern is cooking food while in SIP.We don’t have a fireplace so if Elec goes out we won’t be able to cook much. Our backyard faces an apartment bldg across the street.We don’t want to advertise that we have food by using the grill or even the little solar oven Cookit that we bought. Have bought some of those Ecufuel cans and small stove to use them with.That will be our only ‘stove’ as they are supposed to be safe to use in the house.I don’t want to use propane;don’t know anything about it and afraid the container might leak.
I’m new to MO - just in time for the summer’s treats (farmer’s market goodies, fresh air away from the big cities!), and the bugs… Do have a serious question about dealing with the chiggers. What to do other than Benedryl? Any down home advice would be GREATLY appreciated!
finger nail polish for the chiggers.
anonymous - can that really be applied to broken skin? (ya know, the seemingly unavoidable sideaffect of the instinctive response to the overwhelming itching - even in one’s sleep)
Its always worked for me, I prefer clear, but if you want to look pretty you could try different colors, lol I put it on right away before the scratching/itching gets bad. Soda baths, compresses on the area that is itching
thanks so very much - it’s kind of cramping my shorts wearing!
yea nail polish smothers them, works for me, I’m so glad to see other people trying to prep , I get so frustrated sometimes, cause no one takes me serious when I try to talk to them, even at my Dr. office, they looked at me like I was crazy. I haven’t told anyone that I was preppin , just to stay on the safe side. I do live in the country and not far from a creek so water shouldn’t be too much of a hassle, and I did buy some blue plastic water barrels from emergency essentials. and I just got a big order of FD food in cans from them. I now have three closets full of cases of food. LOLOL…gettin rough on the ole clothes. but I will make due cause just sent off two more orders. and am hoping and prayin that this BF holds off, I have heard some on here talkin like they think it could hit this winter with the flu season. so yall take care and keep up the good work.
LEG- also carry around with you the Cortaid liquid pen(?).And use ice cubes to ‘scratch’ with. It helps psychologically anyway. If all goes well I am off to BIL’s field trial next month. This time last year I thought I would never get to see one again- figured we’d be knee deep in sick birds by now. It is a joy to me to watch the dogs work. And fresh quail is a nice bonus, while we can still enjoy it. Even so, I’ll be toting around hand sanitizer and making very sure the meat is cooked all the way!
Hello show Me State! Are there really only 2o or so households in the entire state prepping? If so, we are in very big trouble. We are in the Springfield area. Has anyone heard of any community planning, ie MSU, local school districts, health departments…anything from our governor?
Hi sheena, and welcome, I know I have been here for almost two years most of it just reading and learning but I’m real worried that not that many are here from Missouri, I’m starting to wonder. I haven’t heard anything from any schools and I even asked over at the Dr.’s office and they didn’t know what I was talking about so, if you do happen to hear anything post it here so we can all see it. It looks like we might be in deep doo doo.
I am also from SE Missouri and have been reading this site since spring but have never posted. I know Springfield and Joplin both had some kind of medical emergency training excercise not too long ago. I don’t remember the details but when I read about it I thought it might be preparing for a pandemic. I’ll have to see if I can find the article.
My husband works for Law Enforcement and they have no plan that he knows of, everyone laughed when he brought it up. He doesn’t take it seriously either but he lets me do what I want and he gives me some good ideas. =)
I’ve talked to my friends and some family about prepping in general and specifically for flue, they all agree its a good thing but none of them have done anything and they really don’t want to hear any more about it. One of my friends works in the ER and she didn’t even know what bird flue was till I told her. =( They only good thing I can see is that many people in this area are more self sufficient than they are in big cities so the impact might be less. A lot of people have wood heat and fireplaces, gardens, and tend to keep a fairly well stocked pantry. But I do have friends that stop by the store every night to pick up groceries for dinner, that is scary to me.
Hi countygirl77……always nice to see new faces here. I hope your right on the emergency preparing in Joplin , I haven’t heard a word , no news and nothing in the papers. yea I’m in SW Missouri down by the Arkansas line, I am sorta in the country but off a HWY. I know my neighbor isn’t doing anything and it worries me, and I haven’t seen any kind of preps in the stores around here. My sister is A RN in Joplin and she actually told me that the Avian Flue was all a big Hype. I am totally scared cause I know that is what most of everyone’s mind set is at around here. So I just keep preppin and keepin my mouth shut, I am thinkin about extra beans and rice for handouts but I want to also have enought for my brother and two sisters and their families. I just pray alot and keep on goin. so hang in there and hopefully it won’t be needed , soon anyway. glad your here.
Hi Lady Biker, I’m in St.Louis area and we have been prepping for 3 months. We have more than 3 mons worth of food but only 3 months of water.I’m stocking more can foods to give out rather then raw rice & beans as the people I give it to probably won’t have any way to cook it.Sure hope it doesn’t hit in winter! I have one neighbor who is doing some little prepping but her husband thinks it ‘s all just a joke.Lots of kids in our neighborhood and I worry about them. I think most people are so busy working and doing other things in their life that they just don’t have time to do any research; especially with the media not being active in the local papers,tv,etc.I doubt if many of them have even heard anything about it.I think that if the local health depts, etc would do a job in information then more people would prepp.My docs are definitly aware but they really can’t do much by themselves. If I was younger and in better health, I’d start learning how to can and dehydrate so I could give more cooked stuff away. But you do what you can.
Hi new name……welcome aboard.glad your here, we need all the backup we can get, it tickles me to see more people checkin in , I like to hear that there are others out there preppin and how it’s goin for them. I’ve done some canning and I have also brought a lot of stuff and still goin for more. yesterday my preps were a truck load of cleaning stuff and OTC medicines. I think I about cleaned out a dollar store, but wish there were lots more doin it too. Just hang in there and check in and let us know how your doing. It’s all good.
Hello Ladies! Sounds like it is just the girls prepping in MO. I posted for the first time yesterday, but prepping and learning since March 06. I called the local health dept. today to ask questions. Had to leave my name and a phone number so someone can get back to me. I am interested to see if SW MO is doing any kind of public education.
Last spring Springfield had a mock pandemic exercise with local high school students. I have heard absolutely nothing since.
We have family some what prepping in 3 states and others that think we are just crazy. I still e-mail the doubters the important updates, hoping that they will start prepping soon.
I will let you know what I find out from the health department.
If you go to the Mo gov homepage and do a search, there are some folks working on it, but looks to me like right now everyone seems to be planning to plan! The reccomendations for individuals are a bit meager but better than nothing.
kc_quiet, you got that right, a little bit is a lot better than nothing at all. I wish we would see, read or hear something from some missouri government about preps or anything. I wish we knew if they are even aware of what all is going on. yup planning to plan is sorta like russian rollette. well I’m preppin and sending e-mails and talking all I can trying to get people to prep and learn. I have orders out and have made more to send. I have two closets and two big cabinets full and still don’t feel like I’m ready for anything yet. I stuffed tootsie pops in behind the cans yesterday, and that made me feel good. I do need to reorganize a bit but want to wait for my new storage cabinet to get here. never thought I’d get excited about a cabinet. LOLOL….doesn’t take much to make me happy anymore , just let me shop. hahahah……..so keep up the good work.
I’m here in Odessa, MO; just east of KC.
Missouri looks like big trouble. No one has posted for almost a month. Maybe everyone is just too busy prepping. Not likely. I live in central Missouri near Jefferson City. I can’t get anyone to listen to me. They just stare at me like I am crazy. I guess they don’t call it the “show me state” for nothing. If anyone is out there, pop in.
We’re here,LOL. Just not on this thread. I’m a little surprised at people who don’t prep. It only took one ice storm when I was newly married to convince me! Anyway, I’m glad you’re here- maybe we can revive this thread!
Yes Molly … we are here alright. I check fluwikie every day to at least read the news report. Don’t want to be taken by surprised. Wish someone else from the St.Louis area would check in. Most of the Mo preppers seem to be from the west side or central areas. Am I the only one from St.Louis? If so, this city will be in deep trouble.
I am still here too, I read and read again, was starting to think this missouri thread was asleep. I keep checkin but no one was ever here. LOL..glad to see that your still out there. I have found that I’m puttin more stuff away cause winter is coming. sorta llike gettin ready to hybernate. yea that ole nesting gene kickin in again. LOL gettin out soup recipies and lookin at cook books…….just got more yeast for bread too……I’m ready. I hope anyway..
Hi everyone! I’m from KCKS area. Wanted to address the chigger questions from up thread. Even tho there are none around now, this might be a good prep item to get. Flowers of Sulfer. You can get it at any pharmacy. It is a powder. An old trick from the girl scouts. Anyway, just put some in an old sock, knot it up and keep in a baggie. When you need it, just tap it on your skin (especially the parts where elastic or tight areas on your clothing could come into contact with the chiggers. Around the ankles, panty line, etc. This will keep the chiggers away.
I’m still here ! Near Odessa, MO.
I’ve been prepping for almost a year; and feel like as about as prepped as I can get; even tho I still have some things to get.
But my problem prepping has been money and space, since I am in a tiny apt and on Social security….but if I can do it, so can everybody else !
I have had to close off my dining room and use it as a pantry/storage room, up to the ceiling; but that’s ok. I live alone with a big, ol cat; and HE doesn’t care ! Of course; he’s in this mellow mood because he’s sleeping on a stack of kitty litter buckets, next to a stack of buckets with his dry food, too ! LOL !!
I was raised in NW Arkansas, and Biker Lady I know your country well. I wish I was back there…at least the river could be a source of water, if for nothing else but laundry,and flushing. Has it ever been tested , I wonder ?
Madamspinner - A tiny apmt, oh boy. How much water have you been able to store without much space? How do you intend to cook anything if the utilities go off? We bought some of those tiny Heat Cell cans with the small stove. We tried it by making coffee, heated can stuff. Tried to bake some bisquits but all they did was cook on the bottom. and burn,I might add.ggg
new name – at 19:36
Right now, I have water bags that hold 1 1/2 gallons each…have filled enough for 4 months, 3 bags to a box, stacked 3 boxes high; with light weight paper products on top. Have lots more bags to fill as soon as I “lock the doors”…they will go anywhere and everywhere at that point. Plus have saved pop bottles and have tubs, buckets etc for last minute fill-ups….even if that water is just used for flushing.
Cooking: I have several ways of cooking: sterno gizmos, candle & lamp power, Hobo Stoves with Buddy Burners, Coleman stove, BBQ grill. And most of my dry beans are already cooked and home-canned….so’s the meat & veggies.
I’m still hunting a camp oven, but I can eat/make corn pones on a griddle and tortillas, too.
Still here and pretty much ready with my preps but continue to be worried about how to manage things for some 30 odd horses and ponies, four of which are stallions. August 15th Century Tel took away affordable internet (dial up) to this area and still refuses to release a number for any other provider. The few of us who absolutely must have the internet have had to resort to expensive satellite or cell phone internet so I was out of the loop for about a month. Things don’t seem to have heated up too much yet but the winter months are fast appoaching.
lohrewok, chiggers are not much of a concern this time of the year, but they were a real personal problem to me and my youngest son when we went blue berry picking this summer. We got eaten up by chiggers. I found “Skeeter Stix” at Walmart. Ingredients are benzocaine 5%, menthol 1% in a base of isopropyl alchol and propylene glycol. I think the stuff is miraculous. You dab it on and the itching stops immeiately.
I am sure glad you all are still around. I was beginning to feel a little lonely.
I have not been prepping very long. I am still learning the basics.
Any good ideas about heat if the grid goes down? I live in an all electric home. I have been looking into kereosene heaters. Any suggestions or thoughts on them?
We have used a kerosene heater in the building where we house the carts and driving equipment. There is some odor to it but it worked well. You would have to store quite a bit of fuel, however. Wood heat is another alternative. We have an all electric home and altered the fireplace with a insert. All the charm of the fireplace is gone and it really does not provide that much heat.
Bint Sahara- at 21:19 We have a fireplace, but have not used it in years because its warmth is mostly emotional I thought about getting an insert but that was so expensive and I wasn’t sure how effecient they were. You do not seem pleased with your insert. What do you have for backup for your home heat?
We have an insert and it is the only heat we have had for the first 4 years we have lived in this house. We did get a electric air conditioner/heater in one this summer and have been using it when the nights are cool but we don’t need a fire during the day. The fireplace insert heats our 2100 square foot house fine. Our house is rock with a foot thick walls so it is insulated really well which helps, but we do have old drafty windows. We also have an unheated basement. Our basement never gets below freezing even without any heat. We had an all electric house before and I really like the wood heat, even though it is more work. I work from home so I don’t have to worry about the fire going out during the day. It would not be very convenient if I was working away from home though.
I have recently moved into a house thats mostly elec- no fireplace anymore. It’s driving me NUTS! In our last ice storm we lost power for 8 days and we were just fine- in fact everyone ended up at our house. I think the first thing I want to do (after a new roof, LOL) is have a plumber come run a gas line to the kitchen for MY stove and dryer. I paid an extra $40 for that stove to have a pilot light instead of electric igniter on purpose.
Our backup plan if it hits before I get my gas line is to set up a tent in the house with the really good sleeping bags and three large dogs.(At least for sleeping). Not much of a plan! But then I plan to work while my family SIP as long as I’m well enough.
We still have the kerosene heater so we can supplement the heat from the fireplace insert if the grid goes down. Having lots of outbuildings, fuel storage is not much of a problem for us.
It is difficult to post with the internet provided by cell phone as if you do not keep changing pages you get disconnected. Looks like I am going to have to get satellite.
Bint: We have had to go the satellite route as well. We have DirecPC, it’s $65/month and we’re not that happy with it. Trying to get connected with the microwave system from our local electric cooperative, but it’s line of site, so we are having to put up a tower, and that is taking awhile to arrange. Satellite goes out with bad weather which is a pain.
To All: I’m north of St. Louis a couple of hours. Missouri isn’t doing much to plan, and that doesn’t surprise me greatly. After all, this is the “Show Me” state, and it’s named that for a reason. My word, these people are stubborn and (forgive me) REALLY stupid! But then, I would probably think the same same in the 49 other states if I lived there.
I feel pretty isolated here prepping in the sticks and sure would like to have a get together someplace neutral to just chat and lend some moral support for our efforts. Any interest?
countrygirl77 – at 00:28 We also have an unheated basement. Our basement never gets below freezing even without any heat.
Lucky you ! You can store fresh potatoes in that basement all year long. I would KILL for that set up again ! :-(
My grandparents had wide shelves in the cellar/basement; covered with several sheets of newspaper. Lay taters on the paper, one layer deep; cover heavy with dry garden lime, stir to coat everything…leaving the excess on the paper. And you’re good to go ! Give them a stir every once in awhile, and check for bad ones.
You’re too far away from me ( Odessa) to meet, but I’d love to get with others closer to KC. I feel like I’m all alone here. ;-( How ‘bout it ???
I live 90 miles south of Kansas City in an area so rural it sometimes seems like the edge of civiliation.
Nemo - Thanks for the assessment of satellite. The few who have it here like it but we’re in a severe drought and the weather has not been bad often enough or long enough to cause problems with it.
Bint- my sis lives in Eldo Spgs- I’ve probably been lost in your neck of the woods at some time or other!We seem to be awfully spread out for get togethers! Is anybody having any luck getting others to take this seriously?
I am very cautious about when I bring it up because I don’t want to beat people over the head with it, but they still roll their eyes at me when I do. Family and friends think I am crazy. I try to talk about preparing for emergencies in general: tornados, power outages, and earthquakes. They think the risk of a pandemic flu is over because it is not on the nightly news.
I looked briefly at our state plan last night. It seems to consist of who will tell who in the government as we move through the phases and who will get the antivirals and vaccines.
OK, i will come out of the closet! I figure since I just posted in the vit d thread that i’m from stl, I should come over here and say “hi” since this thread has been revived. i am in the county and nobody knows I prep. I’ve been here since early in the year. I have tried to ask doctors that we know, but early this year they were like “i’ve never heard of it” ,”it isn’t anything to worry about”,etc. These are people we know. I am seeing a litle more recognition now…a good friend, and wife of a doctor casually said “oh bf, thats bad. Get your shots and wash your hands” I can’t even relate, in general, with most of the people around us-to concerned with status items- I just now that you could never even talk to them about it. Most of the women do not even cook, so why would they stockpile? I would love to sell and move to the country, but my 9th grader just got into a good school and I really would hate to have them leave their friends and for us to be somewhere where we didn’t know anyone. (It will all work out hte way it is supposed, though)
Anyway, nice to meet you all- and glad, new name, to know that there is at least someone else in the area!
ugggh! not I think there is something wrong with my keyboard!!!
Madamspinner -
There is a storm shelter built in our basement, it is under our front porch so it has a concrete ceiling. At one end of the storm shelter is a set of built in wooden slat shelves that had a few old dried up potatoes on them so I guessed that was what they were for, to store potatoes. I’ve never seen a set up like that before. If I ever manage to get a big enough garden in I’ll have to try to keep potatoes down there. Our property is on a big bluff overlooking a creek and we mostly just grow rocks here. I’m going to try to put in some big raised beds this fall.
Countrygirl77, We have lots in common. I live in NW AR on a bluff overlooking a creek and we grow rocks very well here too. Wish I didn’t have such a bumper crop. Lucky you for having a storm shelter like that!
HI Preppiechick
Good to hear from you! Where in the STL area are you located. I’m in Oakville,S.Cty area. My neighbor is prepping alittle but not much yet. I’ve told all my family and some are doing something about water and a little food. I’ve bought some cans of food from Honeyville for my 2 sisters and plastic jugs that hold 3 1/2 gals each with a siphon to use on them. Both are widows and live alone so I intend to help both of them. I figure my brothers can do their own as they have kids nearby.
We won’t have any heat of any kind so my husband & I will have to do with longjohns and lots of blankets,hats,gloves,etc. Just hope that it doesn’t hit in the freezing cold of winter. Spring would be nice,wouldn’t it! ggg
Missouri has a lot of rocks. I have 10 acres of them. The small garden plot we have has imported soil. I compost big time to make more onsite. The compost bin will become a humanure bin if it should become necessary. If it does, I won’t be able to use it in the garden, but I won’t have to worry about what to do with human waste.
I think anyone with a basement or celler is just down right lucky. lOLOL….. I have looked into having a celler dug but way tooooo expensive for my pocket. :) so I will just keep on doin as I am. ok now, I started to save my plastic soda pop bottles like everyone says and I washed them out and dryed them, now….here’s the biggie…..what in the world do ya do with them till ya need them??????…….they are lined up on my kitchen cabinet and all I can do is look at them and wonder…….where are some ideas to store loose botttles that can get away from ya if you try to pick up too many….already had them flyin all over the kitchen when they popped out of arms when I tried to pick them all up ……so some ideas would really be appreciated…… and be nice folks………LOLOLOL………:)
countrygirl77 – at 15:43; PBQ – at 15:49; MO Molly – at 16:01 ---
Rocks. After living in Connecticut for 4 years, I found out from the Master Gardener lady living next door to us that the CT State vegetable is rocks!!! :-)
LOLOL…….let’s just say that if Rocks were a Prep……..we’d all be ready for anything……..hahahahhahhaha so if anyone finds a rock cookbook and figures out a tenderizer…..you’ll be a billionaire……..and we’d all have enough to eat……:)
lady biker -
Fill those bottles!! LOL I found out the hard way, we had an electic line to our well go down this week and have been without water for 4 days. Supposed to get it back on tomorrow. I had plenty of water to last but was kicking myself for not getting things filled up like I should have. I had two 55 gallon barrels full for the livestock and plenty of bottled water for us but I have about 12 or so more 55 gallan barrels that I’ve going to use for feed if I can ever afford to fill them. I’ve been planning on cleaning them and filling them with water since they are just sitting there empty but just haven’t gotten around to it. I’d have been hauling water if we were out any longer. This week has been an learning experience, I didn’t have a big enouhg variety of disposable dishes. I had just bought some nice heavy paper plates and a couple big packs of medium plastic cups from Sam’s to put back but found out I need plastic bowls for cereal, silverware, and thin paper plates for sandwiches and chips, and also styrofoam cups for hot things.
lady biker-at 16:24 How about under the bed, under the couch, or behind the couch? Maybe in a large plastic bag hung on a hook in the laundry room.
biker lady - I don’t know if you shop at Sam’s or not but when you buy two liters there you can get the holder things for them. I don’t know what to call them but they are the heavy plastic things that they stack them on the pallets with. I didn’t know you had to buy 4 two liters at a time and they had to bring me 3 more up to the front and they brought them in one of those holders and wanted to know if I wanted it too. It holds 8 bottles and says cocoa cola on the side. They work great to keep the bottles in and you can stack them if you put a piece of cardboard on top of the bottles, I’m going to buy some more soda there just to get more of those.
oops, that is what I get for trying to type and bake cookies at the same time. They say Coca-cola, not cocoa cola LOL
Lady Biker---
You can take 1 bottle, tie a long cord onto its’ neck and then tie more bottles into that, and hang the whole thing up. This actually works better with milk jugs…tie a long string to the handle of one, then string the rest onto that…can hang just about anywhere and they get pretty compact. I know about NOT using milk jugs for long-term water storage; but am saving mine, in addition to my water bags, buckets, etc. They can always hold washing, flushing, and rain water…..or drinking water in a pinch.
I do have some in huge trash bags, tossed up on top of my other stacks…to the ceiling ! You can only stack so much on top of itself, before the whole thing starts to break down and topple….
i’m live in springfield but have been working in des moines for the last year. two weeks ago i saw a news article for a bird flu seminar at msu. i emailed the snooze leader but never heard back. did anyone else hear anything about this “seminar?” It was suppose to feature “bird flu products.” Thanks
Nope,I never heard about it. Whatever it was wasn’t well publicized. BTW welcome to the thread.
come on ladies and tell us how your preppin and getting ready just incase TSHTF. maybe you can give someone ideas or remind them of something forgotten. I for one just bought the biggest of my preppin materials yet. I am so excited it isn’t funny. well maybe it is. cause I never dreamed I’d want one of these again. I GOT ME A TREADLE SEWING MACHINE. yup I sure did. one just like I learned to sew on in the beginning. I reckon I have now come full circle. at least I can quilt and sew without any electricity. I got extra belts for it too. so now gotta stock up on more thread. so come ladies let’s do it…………:)
Well, tonight I’m canning pintos with ham hocks, in jars I got at an auction the other day….( somewhere in my cold-induced fog ) ..I’m starting to feel human, I think.
I had picked up about 150 jars for 6 bucks…Mostly quarts, some pints, and about 3 dozen 1/2 pint jars. THOSE will hold some real butter, jam or blended meats for my cat. Pete’s only 10 yrs old, but his mom didn’t give him good tooth genes, and the poor guy’s down to 3 teeth. I have prepped canned food for him, but he still likes mine the best.
Friday is payday; and I’m going on another rice-run….Jasmine rice, of course. If you haven’t tried jasmine rice; you’re really missing out. The freshest is at your oriental grocery stores.
When I first ate this kind, I thought they had added the Jasmine smell/taste….but NO ! It comes from the region in Thailand where it is grown. Comes up from the ground somehow. They have planted this same seed rice in other parts of the world, with “plain rice” results…. I figure if I hafta eat THAT much rice, it’s gonna be the good stuff ! It comes in 25 pd bags made from stuff like those blue tarps at W mart. with a heavy plastic bag inside; plus I wrap it in pallet plastic and dump the whole thing into a bucket/lid.
So far, I’m up to 225 pounds plus another 125 on Friday. Then I think I’ll stop that prep, and concentrate on canned and dried fruits. My mom is a diabetic and she’s concentrating on meat/protein products, and flu meds for her house.
As a reminder for those buying lots of white rice; you also need to get bottles of B-1 , as an additive to the rice diet. You need it with the white rice. Thiamine 100 mg tablets.
I am also canning a mexican pork dish tonight. if I don’t poop out. Then tomorrow I will be pouring my buddy burners. I’m going to try something new with those….using the wood pellets instead of the coiled up cardboard. If it works, it’d sure make it easier. Will also try the cat on it, as a kitty litter substitute…if it works and he takes to it; it’d sure be ALOT cheaper and lighter then clay litter. $3.58 for 40 pds, vs $12.00 for 31 of clay scoopable. And as it is made from sawdust, it can always be composted ( wet stuff only ) .
I snagged a crank/solar powered radio from Ebay last week…that should be here any day. My preps are “almost” done…except for my canned fruits; so my PPF is down a notch.
Madamspinner – at 21:34 I get tired just reading everything that you are doing. Where do you get the energy? Where do you get the wood pellets? I’ll be anxious to hear if they work in the buddy burner.
I’m in a tiny town…we have MFA and a farm & home store here that carries them. I don’t have that much energy..just made the canning session my ONLY job for the day, that’s all.
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