Nervous About the Times?

My 25th high school reunion was this past July. I was unable to attend as it was in Ohio, but I have been thinking much about the parallels of high school and prepping for a while. Before one enters high school there is a bit of nervousness because of unknowing what to expect. As a prepper, that is how I was when I began. I did not know what kind of crises or disaster or economic issue may happen and I was extremely fearful.

Over the past few years I have worked very hard to prepare myself for any type of crises and in this I have come to an incredible conclusion. All is well. I am prepared. I do not know what is coming our way, although it does not require a doctorate degree to see the impending economic crisis racing towards the American public. No worry, as I am prepared.

How on earth can one reach this point of preparation? Do you wonder if my house if filled from floor to ceiling with prep items, so much that I squeeze around the house instead of walking? Do you wonder how I was able to pay for so much?

Let me help you all in how easy this transformation has been for me. Like high school, I was nervous until I went to school, and realized it was the same as junior high or middle school. This is what has happened to me in prepping. I no longer worry about what may happen, as I am ready.

I have learned how to make food from scratch...you know from the very base ingredients. I can look in a pantry and create a menu without looking at a cookbook.

I have learned to grow foods in a desert climate. I have also learned how to utilize the sun and a solar well. In addition, I have mastered how to salvage and actually use gray water. From the foods I have grown, I then learned how to preserve the foods by dehydrating, canning, pickling or smoking.

I have learned to mend clothing, sew clothing, and refashion clothing into other items.

I have learned how to clean my home with minimal cleaning products...
I have learned how to wash my clothing by hand with home made soaps...

I have learned how to utilize the environment I am in- as in harvesting mesquite beans the fruit of cactus, and the likes. Mesquite beans feed the animals, make a great coffee, and can be ground into a flour.

I have studied and grown herbs...and taken this further to understand the human body and the healing process. More importantly I have learned more about living a healthy lifestyle and exercising to maintain health.

I have learned how to raise chickens, collect their eggs, build their pens, feed them, allow them to free range, and then butcher them. I followed the butchering up with canning the chicken.

I have learned how to raise turkeys and can do the same with them as I can with a chicken. Dollar for dollar and pound for pound, turkey's are more economical.

I have learned how to raise ducks and geese...in the desert. The eggs from a duck are the best ever to bake with!

I have learned how to raise goats and can milk them, feed them, help deliver the kids, and of course butcher and preserve the meat.

I have learned how to raise sheep, how to sheer them, how to feed them, and help deliver the lambs, and of course butcher and preserve the meat. In addition, I have learned how to wash the wool, and use it.

I have learned how to raise a cow to butcher and preserve the meat. In addition we have attempted(but not mastered the tanning of the hide...we will soon though as practice does make perfect).

You see prepping is about obtaining knowledge and skills to hold you over if in fact you cannot rush down to the local grocery store. Prepping is not about the hording mentality as supplies have a shelf life and of course cost $$$.

I am not afraid for what may happen in my life or my nation's. I can only say that I am grieved for the times as they are reflecting a change in the way America will be forevermore. I am prepared to help when times get tough, and prepared to help our nation come to stand once again. As a prepper I can only pray that you understand how important it is to study and learn how to live as much as it is to acquire items.

Jennifer