[coyotech]

I didn’t grow up rural. I was an Air Force brat and we moved a lot, and saw many different places and things, and lived through turbulent times like everyone did who grew up in the 60s and 70s (and all the other decades, too). My mom and dad had both grown up on farms and ranches, and I remembered the things they told me about it. We didn’t have much money when I was a kid, and mom and dad had both grown up pretty frugal and independent. They taught us kids to be the same. All the things that had recently happened when I was a kid- the events in Europe and Asia with the wars, the concentration camps, the cold war, the upheavals in society that were developing, the natural disasters, all helped form in my mind the idea that there was a bad moon rising, and I needed to be ready. I wasn’t sure for what, but that things would be completely different and it was necessary to be tough and ready … I won’t say I understood things as a teenager and young adult like I do now, by any means. But it was a theme running through the back of mind for most of my life.

I learned to do all kinds of things and adapt to all kinds of situations. I learned to cut firewood, work on vehicles, do house repairs, plumbing and electrical, butcher chickens and rabbits for meat, hunt, survive in the desert and whatever I could do to get ready for whatever I was supposed to be getting ready for.

I got an old house and a little land at the turn of the century and eventually got goats, raised a garden, learned home cures and herbs, and how to fix, make and build more things. I was still working then, but got fired from m IT job at a university for political reasons in 2012. That was rough, but it was also really good for me in many ways. Around 2016 my husband died, and I realized I couldn’t afford to keep my place with its mortgage indefinitely, as the taxes and insurances kept going up on it, and there were ever more laws and regulations being made. I worked on making repairs for a couple of years and tried to sell it, but couldn’t. Meantime things were getting crazier in the world and society. Finally I walked away from my place, went to be a caretaker on a ranch while I bought some land, and then moved onto the raw land and started building almost 3 years ago.

I’m not that far along yet – no livestock or chickens, a small garden, not much storage room, lots of equipment I’d like to get. On the other hand I have built and made quite a bit here, and have a small but comfortable place that I keep improving on, and friends I’ve been making. I call all of that prepping (more like being independent), even though I don’t have a big stockpile of ammo, a year’s supply of food, a bunker or a bug out bag. 🤓

[SLINGSHOT]

We have a lot in common i’ll say that much. By being a brat i learned to continually adapt to changes.

My story would take over an hour to explain it all but i don’t regret very much it was a great learning experience.

[coyotech]

Yes, being a brat definitely makes you adaptable, and you don’t get fazed easily. I’m glad for my experiences, too.

[coyotech]

oops. It went in twice and you can’t delete!

[MommaD]

I started seeing the change of events over the last several years. The deliberate “race baiting” is what started tweaking the antennas. I started doing little things here and there without really realizing it was doing it. And then Covid came along, and the spidey sense really started buzzing.

I will say however, that the last year and a half has been full speed ahead ( as much as money will allow) and I am so thankful for the groups and communities I have joined that have helped me along the way !

Anyone that doesn’t see what’s coming is just willfully ignorant at this point.

[SpagsUnfiltered]

Nothing in particular made me start prepping. I just always did as an adult without calling it that.

Certain events certainly caused spikes in my prepping intensity: 9-11 and the Obama administration taking power were the two big ones.

[LocalPrepper]

👍👍

[MaBear]

Fear of being without food and comfort. I grew up in a privileged liberal family. It just made sense to get ready for what can happen.

[LocalPrepper]

Love it!

Our lives are always in a constant state of change.

[Myst]

I’ve been Hungry in different periods of my life. Flat broke and starving. It’s a horrid feeling! We grew up with gardens, hating being conscripted for the work, the processing, etc. As I became an adult I began to finally see the value of it all, then became disabled by a job I absolutely hated. My (now ex) husband promised for years to get us out of the city with so many reasons to wait “two more years”.. then mom, living alone on 72 acres, needed my help, so into a big truck I packed my stuff and left. Now I’m doing my best to tame a rocky, steep wild place to feed not only us but take care of neighbors too. It all adds up and has become a frustrating, loving, refreshing and fulfilling life.

[Hanidu-Farms]

You’re off to a great start!!!

[SLINGSHOT]

Sounds like you might have ended up right where you need to be by helping others. Sounds like a good place for a small community. Good luck to you.

[MuddyMess]

Family. At a young age I was exposed to gardening, raising livestock etc. Then life, job ,kids, I went in a whole other direction. Was living in the burbs of Atlanta. Nice 1/2 acre lot. Above ground pool ,deck all around it, NO HOA, etc etc. I had planted fruit trees in front yard already. About 5+ years ago I was standing in my back yard and something just hit me in the gut, saying that pool isn’t necessary, growing food is. I tore out the pool and most of the deck, had soil and compost brought in , made a small in ground bed, then numerous raised bed. Had a abundant garden that year, started back canning, realized we needed more space. Looked for 2 years and finally found our place. That i call Muddy Mess hollar, 7 acres, house build in 1842 ( it had been updated on inside recently) barn , a small pond, lots of fence already in place. From the time I sat foot on this place that gut feeling went away, I truly believe this is where I was ment to be so I could provide for my family and help the community as much as possible. We now have chickens, pigs and a milk cow that will be delivering her second calf on our homestead ( I call it my staystead, because I’m staying right here. Don’t even like to go to the store for necessities) sorry for the long post, but I would encourage any one that gets that true gut feeling that want go away follow it, is it risky, yep probably, lots of work ? Oh yes, some days you will think why did I do this, but when you lay your head on that pillow at night take a minute to think about what you accomplished, no matter how big or small the chore, I can always smile knowing I’m taking care of my family.

[LocalPrepper]

👍👍👍

[YadkinFarm]

Obama first years in office and reading James Wesley Rawls book on prepping! That Dis it for me and my wife! Engaged immediately in 2007 and never looked back!

[Ark-Rose95]

I have always kept a deep pantry, I just called it buying in bulk 🤫, Covid made me go deeper, and when potato head Joe said we will have food shortages and they will affect everyone, I went deeper still. Now I shop sales, and replenish with that. My husband fishes and hunts, so our protein/meat comes mostly from that. In 2021 the Lord put it on my heart to learn how to grow my own food, I’m still learning, but right now I have cabbage, carrots, collards, kale (all from seed), onions and potatoes growing. I have added apple, peach, pear, grapes and fig trees to my back yard, this spring I added Meyer lemons and a satsuma orange tree. I have strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, elderberries, mulberries and asparagus for permanent food sources, God willing! I will grow green beans, summer and winter squash, cucumbers, peppers (bell, jalapeños, banana), tomatoes, okra, herbs, melons and sweet potatoes this summer God willing! I have learned a lot in the last couple of years thanks to the prepper community on uTube!

Thank you!!

[FaintlyArtistic]

I’ve always been a pantry cook (not shopping for certain meals, but keeping plenty of ingredients on hand, stocking up during sales, etc), and I’ve gardened and canned off and on. When Killery ran for POTUS, we got serious…

[aztec8]

I began prepping many years ago because of a woman named Rose. Rose was like an extra grandmother. She grew up on a farm in Wisconsin and knew how to sew, quilt, bake, and garden. I liked her independence and skill and grew up wanting to do the same things.

When I got older and purchased a house, I planted a garden. The house had fruit trees and I made plum jam and mandarin jam. I learned to make homemade Kalua and I created baskets of these things to give at Christmas. I always had a sewing machine and I would sew my own curtains for the house.

Then, I went to Standing Rock in 2016 and witnessed the hatred for indigenous people and the militarization of the police. I questioned why I would want to live in such a country. In 2017, I moved to Costa Rica and planned my homestead. Began in earnest after my father died, my mother died, my two aunts died, an uncle died, and my younger cousin died all within months of each other in 2020. How does something like that happen? I got an inheritance and purchased a house on a hillside next to a small river. I raise chickens, I planted a garden, I learned to bake bread, and I know how to quilt.

I had taken a survival class in college and went camping all over California. I have camped in the rain, the snow, on the beach, and in the forests. I think that background helped me develop the skills to be independent-minded and want to prepare for anything that might happen.

So, I buy in bulk and learn a new skill every week. My house has solar panels but I need to get the funds together to make it totally off-grid. Every month I am adding fruit trees, herbs, and flowers to the landscape here.

The smartest thing I had done in life was to pack up and move out of the country. I am surrounded now by independent homesteaders in a rural zone of Costa Rice. Here everyone is a prepper.

[KAJ]

In 2018 I felt God nudging me to prepare.

Which to be candid, prepping wasn’t anything I’d heard of.

I started buying trays of canned goods to start then kept going.

[LocalPrepper]

GoodStuff™!