# How long are you good for?



## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

Not your wishes or best case scenarios. Using realistic scenarios with the stores all closed and a pandemic means no contact outside your immediate group.. How long are you and your group good for it SHTF happened now? Not tomorrow but now. No stores, only fuel and food you've got in your on your property at 2000 calories per day. Streets are dangerous and mostly blocked with dead cars. Trade is not an option for several months from a pandemic. The black plague lasted for 4 1/2 years. 

Reports on the TV today, the next day all is shut down along with the electric grid, water and natural gas stops within a few days.

No easy way to melt lead for bullets or purifying water, no extra tampons for the lady, No Rambo movies on TV. Got preps for all that?

Assuming all of your group was at home how long could you stay on your property?


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Three solid months. Longer if we go lean.


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## ekim (Dec 28, 2012)

About 3 / 4 years ago I could have gone for1 year, but health and age have gotten in the way. Probably 2 months now at best.


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## StratMaster (Dec 26, 2017)

Two years... unless a problem develops with water. If we experience this theoretical pandemic, disallowing us to go out, and a drought at the same time... that could go problematic quickly. I have 1100 gallons stored and plenty of gathering/filtering/purifying systems ready, but if there was NO new water coming, I would be screwed when the 1100 was gone. Everything else no prob: yes, even tampons. I buy supplies like I bought my ammo: always looking to get it for NUTHIN' LOL, and when there's a crazy good sale, I buy cases.


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## Yavanna (Aug 27, 2018)

I have not been prepping for that long, so I say 6 months, but it could be less due to water shortage. Non perishable itens such as toilet paper and tampons I have for 2- 3 years.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Need to get started, nothing here at this point.:tango_face_wink:


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

*@Elvis*, wow, guy, you make it sound so romantic! :tango_face_wink:

If we are to live within a commune, and I hope we do since no one can do it all, I hope we have some therapists, and I'm not kidding. If this is a real TEOTWAWKI scenario, the dead will out-number the living. And we're going to have to find a big, brass bell to warn the entire group of marauders. Not a good way to begin the morning.

Well, I'll have plenty of work. You won't be able to just toss a chipped knife away. Everything will have to be repaired.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

We should be fine. Plan has always been to get through 2 winters after that we feed our self on crops we grow . Life out here is different than in a city. We should be fine getting through the first one. Once it happens it takes a lot of labor to provide the things people need . Food ,water, security ect. By the time a day is over sleep will be need not a movie.
All the fire wood will have to be cut by hand, it will be a return to life the way our families did when they settled here in many ways. Nobody is going to waste much time worrying about how some one feels or what is PC.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

I can go a year or more, longer if I am really conservative. My problem isn't supplies, it's where I live. It will get hairy here in the city.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

3-6 months. Working on extending that.


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## BookWorm (Jul 8, 2018)

At least 9 months maybe 14 if we eat lean. But I have a few different plans to act on, based on the scenario that takes place. So it's hard to say exact numbers now.


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

At this point about 2 weeks, which is about where I need to be for what I'm prepping for, figuring in I will be doing some scavenging if it goes beyond that. 
If it's long term SHTF I'm not that well off, but I have most of what I need to keep going and source food and water.


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

Best case scenario, . . . couple of years.

Worst case scenario, . . . only a few months.

Depends on what goes down, . . . and how many blue jays come to my feeding station. I hear they taste like chicken.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## Green Lilly (Nov 8, 2018)

Having just got started I would say about 4 weeks. Food I have for about 6 months, my problem is water. I am trying to figure out creative ways to access our well without electricity. We have water stores but that is drinking/ cooking only. No bathing or water for toilets. There is a creek not too far from us and we have water filtration and treatment but it would be difficult hauling that back to the house continuously.


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## ajk1941 (Feb 17, 2013)

a couple of months. At 76, I don't think I'll last longer then that with the food and ammo I have stored. Location is good, age is the problem..


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## MikeTango (Apr 13, 2018)

Not long enough...


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## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

Used to be about a year. Now maybe 3 months, 6 going lean. Depends on how many kids come back to roost. I’ll need to work on it and get it back to a year. That will give us time for the garden and other things to mature and develop.


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## Real Old Man (Aug 17, 2015)

Probably for quite some time. We don't have a commune, just two very large truck garden farms on two sides of the property plus a number of neighbors that can pull together. We've done it when we've had trees down on the road. Got a very stable water table and ways to get it either from the ground or the ponds


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

I would be out robbing and stealing....
HA!! I joke I JOKE.
Water is my downfall. 
Maybe a month, on food and gas for the generator, but less than a week on water.
Thanks for the heads up. 
My crawlspace will be filled with gallons of water soon.


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## jimb1972 (Nov 12, 2012)

A couple days, a couple months, or a couple years depending on the disaster, where I am when it happens, if I can get to where I need to be.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

A couple of hours ago I went to Walmart to buy several cases of canned veggies only to find the shelves cleared out. The heck? The only thing I could figure was that @MikeTango beat me to it.


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## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

dwight55 said:


> Depends on what goes down, . . . and how many blue jays come to my feeding station. I hear they taste like chicken.
> 
> May God bless,
> Dwight


They don't, at least Grey Jays don't taste like chicken. Wilderness survival course I once did in CO.


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## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

Elvis said:


> Not your wishes or best case scenarios. Using realistic scenarios with the stores all closed and a pandemic means no contact outside your immediate group.. How long are you and your group good for it SHTF happened now? Not tomorrow but now. No stores, only fuel and food you've got in your on your property at 2000 calories per day. Streets are dangerous and mostly blocked with dead cars. Trade is not an option for several months from a pandemic. The black plague lasted for 4 1/2 years.
> 
> Reports on the TV today, the next day all is shut down along with the electric grid, water and natural gas stops within a few days.
> 
> ...


Damn, I thought this was a site for preppers, I'm surprised at how few could go more than 4 months.

Sounds like a lot to ammo talk but not much actual prepping.


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## MikeTango (Apr 13, 2018)

Denton said:


> A couple of hours ago I went to Walmart to buy several cases of canned veggies only to find the shelves cleared out. The heck? The only thing I could figure was that @MikeTango beat me to it.


It wasn't me... haven't been down to your Walmart since just before Christmas.

We did make it to the Walmart up here yesterday. I was surprised at how well the shelves were stocked. It was a madhouse.

We're in need of more shelving before adding to our supply.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

MikeTango said:


> It wasn't me... haven't been down to your Walmart since just before Christmas.
> 
> We did make it to the Walmart up here yesterday. I was surprised at how well the shelves were stocked. It was a madhouse.
> 
> ...


I understand. I need a bigger house.


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## MikeTango (Apr 13, 2018)

Elvis said:


> They don't, at least Grey Jays don't taste like chicken. Wilderness survival course I once did in CO.


Haven't tasted a Grey Jay (we called them Camp Robbers) or formal ID, Clark's Nutcracker. I did shoot one with a steel ball bearing and wrist rocket sling shot once when I was a kid. He was perched on spruce bow about twenty feet away. Hit him right in the breast, feathers flew everywhere, he somersaulted backwards several times in mid air and proceeded to fly away.

Toughest bird I had ever hit! Bet they're chewy...

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

before we moved I would have said 1 year, but having eaten down some of the preps.... 6 months +- and we would all be skinnier


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## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

Build some shelves, add a closet out in the garage, buy one of those large plastic garden boxes.
There is always storage space available.


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## modfan (Feb 18, 2016)

That's a difficult question to answer. The best answer I have is it depends. It depends what the refugee flow is, how much rain we get, and what time of year it is. It depends on how quickly I can get crops in, how much water we get to water said crops, and whether I can(see her is where ammo comes in) defend it.


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## PAPrepper (Oct 24, 2013)

My preps be bad, I need to load up!


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## SierraGhost (Feb 14, 2017)

Elvis said:


> No stores, only fuel and food you've got in your on your property at 2000 calories per day. Streets are dangerous and mostly blocked with dead cars. Trade is not an option for several months from a pandemic. The black plague lasted for 4 1/2 years ... Assuming all of your group was at home how long could you stay on your property?


Without leaving my property:

a) At 2000 calories per day, we could last 4+ years
b) Electricity to run well pump, fridge, freezer, stove, lights ... 1+ year (less if I run the two whole house air conditioners, 2+ years if I limit the hours per day I run the whole house gen set)
c) Medical supplies and most medical situations would be 3+ years. The limit is my knowledge/training/skills as I'm not a belly cutter
d) If my group joins me on my property, medical would be completely covered and years of food would go up slightly. Plus my group has other military fast movers

My biggest concern would be a large coordinated group of marauders


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## PAPrepper (Oct 24, 2013)

Well I have to tell you, sounds like you are set!!


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## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

SierraGhost said:


> Without leaving my property:
> 
> a) At 2000 calories per day, we could last 4+ years
> b) Electricity to run well pump, fridge, freezer, stove, lights ... 1+ year (less if I run the two whole house air conditioners, 2+ years if I limit the hours per day I run the whole house gen set)
> ...


Excellent. I figured 18-20 months would be the correct food build to level. 18-20 months would allow for a failed crop as we expanded the garden.
We could easily go for 13 months with electricity, water, and 2000 calories per day.
I'm also not medical but there is a RN nurse close by who has some food in her basement.

Lots of people here talk about what they bought or their new gun. But it's beginning to look like there aren't many actual preppers here. Not saying that a person needs 5 years worth of food, barrels of back up supplies in the woods, 40,000 rounds of ammo. But a year's worth of food and clean water and basic defense would be what I consider a prepper should strive for.


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## The Resister (Jul 24, 2013)

Elvis said:


> Not your wishes or best case scenarios. Using realistic scenarios with the stores all closed and a pandemic means no contact outside your immediate group.. How long are you and your group good for it SHTF happened now? Not tomorrow but now. No stores, only fuel and food you've got in your on your property at 2000 calories per day. Streets are dangerous and mostly blocked with dead cars. Trade is not an option for several months from a pandemic. The black plague lasted for 4 1/2 years.
> 
> Reports on the TV today, the next day all is shut down along with the electric grid, water and natural gas stops within a few days.
> 
> ...


I'm like Denton. I could go three months and maybe longer if we ration food. Bought into some heirloom seeds two years ago and put them in the fridge (don't know their shelf life.) We should be careful what we say about how long as if hoarding laws don't exist, they will.


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## Steven (Oct 30, 2017)

Elvis said:


> Not your wishes or best case scenarios. Using realistic scenarios with the stores all closed and a pandemic means no contact outside your immediate group.. How long are you and your group good for it SHTF happened now? Not tomorrow but now. No stores, only fuel and food you've got in your on your property at 2000 calories per day. Streets are dangerous and mostly blocked with dead cars. Trade is not an option for several months from a pandemic. The black plague lasted for 4 1/2 years.
> 
> Reports on the TV today, the next day all is shut down along with the electric grid, water and natural gas stops within a few days.
> 
> ...


How long as I good for?

Long enough that I am happy enough to smile...

but short enough for you that you don't want to be knocking on my door a begg-in for my beggin strips!


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## Old SF Guy (Dec 15, 2013)

Depends on the time of year. But not very long if food is cut off. I have no long term food preps beyond a few weeks. and then I revert to my skills to acquire food. One bad accident (broken bones, sickness) could very well end me in a matter of days.

Hunting/fishing will become a scarcity due to the immediate influx of others trying to do the same. Animals are smart and flee. I plan to supplement my diet of fish and vegitation, with the occasional murderer and marauder.


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

Denton said:


> A couple of hours ago I went to Walmart to buy several cases of canned veggies only to find the shelves cleared out. The heck? The only thing I could figure was that @MikeTango beat me to it.


It's Can Can time....Shoprite! Do you have that down South?


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

Old SF Guy said:


> Depends on the time of year. But not very long if food is cut off. I have no long term food preps beyond a few weeks. and then I revert to my skills to acquire food. One bad accident (broken bones, sickness) could very well end me in a matter of days.
> 
> Hunting/fishing will become a scarcity due to the immediate influx of others trying to do the same. Animals are smart and flee. I plan to supplement my diet of fish and vegitation, with the occasional murderer and marauder.
> 
> View attachment 95123


Might be easier to pick up a bag of rice and a case of water here and there pre shtf.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Annie said:


> It's Can Can time....Shoprite! Do you have that down South?


No, ma'am. Not that I've ever seen.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

The Resister said:


> I'm like Denton. I could go three months and maybe longer if we ration food. Bought into some heirloom seeds two years ago and put them in the fridge (don't know their shelf life.) We should be careful what we say about how long as if hoarding laws don't exist, they will.


Seeds are what I really need to get.

As far as hoarding laws:

https://legalbeagle.com/7640872-federal-antihoarding-law.html

You are right in saying we should observe COMSEC.


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## StratMaster (Dec 26, 2017)

Denton said:


> Seeds are what I really need to get.
> 
> As far as hoarding laws:
> 
> ...


https://obamawhitehouse.archives.go...order-national-defense-resources-preparedness

They have made it "lawful" to take whatever they want.

(e) "Food resources" means all commodities and products, (simple, mixed, or compound), or complements to such commodities or products, that are capable of being ingested by either human beings or animals, irrespective of other uses to which such commodities or products may be put, at all stages of processing from the raw commodity to the products thereof in vendible form for human or animal consumption. "Food resources" also means potable water packaged in commercially marketable containers, all starches, sugars, vegetable and animal or marine fats and oils, seed, cotton, hemp, and flax fiber, but does not mean any such material after it loses its identity as an agricultural commodity or agricultural product.

(f) "Food resource facilities" means plants, machinery, vehicles (including on farm), and other facilities required for the production, processing, distribution, and storage (including cold storage) of food resources, and for the domestic distribution of farm equipment and fertilizer (excluding transportation thereof).


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

StratMaster said:


> https://obamawhitehouse.archives.go...order-national-defense-resources-preparedness
> 
> They have made it "lawful" to take whatever they want.
> 
> ...


I'm beyond my prime, I am grumpy and I am not going to be herded into a camp for "my own good." No doubt that they'll take what I own if they decide to do so, but I won't be alive to see them do it.


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## StratMaster (Dec 26, 2017)

Denton said:


> Seeds are what I really need to get.
> 
> As far as hoarding laws:
> 
> ...


I threw a couple of these on the shelf... lazy yes, but better than having none.


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

I’m not trying to be a smart ass, but simply having seeds in storage means nothing. You have to know how to germinate, plant, and tend them to harvest. Gardening, like any other skill, takes some investment in time and energy to become good at it. It really helps to have a developed garden area, too. Simply planting seeds in the ground in an unprepared area will probably result in a disappointing harvest.

If you want to stock up on seeds cheaply, visit your local dollar store in the spring. They don’t have large selections, but they do cover most of your basics at cheap prices. I always keep a ton of extra seeds in the fridge and buy additional every year. I discard seeds after 3 years.


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## stevekozak (Oct 4, 2015)

Denton said:


> I'm beyond my prime, I am grumpy and I am not going to be herded into a camp for "my own good." No doubt that they'll take what I own if they decide to do so, but *I won't be alive to see them do it.*


I am guessing that a number of them will not be either.....:tango_face_wink:


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## StratMaster (Dec 26, 2017)

Chiefster23 said:


> I'm not trying to be a smart ass, but simply having seeds in storage means nothing. You have to know how to germinate, plant, and tend them to harvest. Gardening, like any other skill, takes some investment in time and energy to become good at it. It really helps to have a developed garden area, too. Simply planting seeds in the ground in an unprepared area will probably result in a disappointing harvest.
> 
> If you want to stock up on seeds cheaply, visit your local dollar store in the spring. They don't have large selections, but they do cover most of your basics at cheap prices. I always keep a ton of extra seeds in the fridge and buy additional every year. I discard seeds after 3 years.


Absolutely. Without those good gardening skills it's whistling in the wind.


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

I consider myself to be a pretty fair gardener. A couple of years ago I tried a 3 sisters garden on a virgin piece of ground that was basically just a field/yard for many years. I scattered a little fertilizer and I kept the plants well watered. The results were dismal. The corn was all small ears and the animals got all of it. The beans did nothing. I got a few very small squash. It was quite a wakeup call for me. Without proper prep work, or naturally fertile ground, all these prepper-commando-gardeners are going to starve to death.

One often overlooked prep is fencing. Animals got all my corn. So don’t forget lots of fertilizer insecticide, and fencing in your preps.


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## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

Growing a garden takes time, especially a large garden.
If things went bad in the late summer it would be a long time before you could try to grow a garden.


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## Yavanna (Aug 27, 2018)

Yeah, the gardening takes time. You need to learn it before SHTF. Sometimes even good seeds won't sprout if you plant them in the wrong month or put too much soil on top of it. Many things can go wrong. I live in the city, and I am investing my efforts in improving the soil quality and texture in my garden. 
One thing I belive is fairly easy to do, is planting fruit trees thas grow well in your area, after the first year they require very little upkeep. As trees take a few years to start producing good ammounts of fruit, I suggest planting them now


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## Old SF Guy (Dec 15, 2013)

Annie said:


> Might be easier to pick up a bag of rice and a case of water here and there pre shtf.


Oh....yeah. I'll try that too.


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## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

Denton said:


> As far as hoarding laws:
> 
> https://legalbeagle.com/7640872-federal-antihoarding-law.html
> 
> You are right in saying we should observe COMSEC.


Very scary. Our "government" stealing what we were smart enough to store for hard times.

We're in a rural area. By the time they get to us the food will be eaten. Of course if things get that bad I doubt the local government will be operating. That or I'll use the food trading to neighbors for things we need.


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