Preppers: Pick a Monthly Topic
Kevin Felts 04.27.17
Preppers, here is a piece of advice. Make it a point to choose a monthly topic, or even two topics. Read and watch everything you can on that topic for the month. Then pick another topic for next month
Some survivalist are like shotgun bbs. They are all over the place and few hit the target. As time passes, the person loses interest in prepping. When football season starts, or maybe baseball, less time is dedicated to learning.
Picking a monthly topic keeps you focused and on target while expanding your knowledge.
Let’s look at a few examples that I have done over the past few months..
May 2017
May will probably be dedicated to buying materials for a new 12 X 20 shop. This is something I have wanted to do for a very long time.
I want to get back into reloading and need a larger shed. My current shed is 8 X 10.
The water pump for my house will be moved to the new shed. Once in the shed, I want to rig up a solar power system with battery bank so the water pump can run when the main power grid goes down.
April 2017
The monthly topic was solar panels and USB rechargeable devices.
There is a thread on the forum about the topics I focused on in April – Survival Gear Additions, April 2017.
- Solar panel.
- Emergency Radio.
- USB battery charges.
With the cool spring weather fading, April is when I like to go on some hiking trips. The weather here in southeast Texas has not gotten too hot yet. In May the temps start to get into the upper 80s and lower 90s. So, April is when I like to try out new gear on some hiking trips.
Reading the book “Nameless Towns, Texas Sawmill Communities 1880-1942” by Thad Sitton and James Conrad.
March 2017
For March, the monthly topic was planting my garden. The date I watch is the Ides of March. Depending on whether we had a recent frost before the Ides, determines how much longer I wait. If there has been no frost in two weeks or so, I start planting spring crops.
Rather than planting fresh seed in March, I decided to do an experiment. I germinated decade old seeds and planted them.
March is also the month I replenish my garden seed stockpile. The local farm supply stores start getting their seeds in, so I buy fresh seed.
Read the book “Life in a Medieval City” by Frances Gies and Joseph Gies.
February 2017
February is when Circle Three feed here in Jasper, Texas starts getting their chicks in.
This month is dedicated to buying and taking care of chicks.
I look at the flock in February, figure out how many chickens I have and how many I need to buy. Always buy a few extra ( sometimes chicks die and a few will be killed by predators). When the hawks are migrating in March, chicks are an easy target.
Do you want meat productions, eggs, or a dual purpose chicken? I almost always go with dual purpose. In 2016 and 2017 I bought some White Leghorns and have had terrible results. They seem to be a favorite with predators.
Read the book “Life in a Medieval Castle” by Frances Gies and Joseph Gies.
Monthly Topic
The purpose of the monthly topic is to keep you focused and on target. Rather than meandering from topic to topic, or even no topic at all, pick something that is related to prepping.
One topic that stays constant is history. I read all the time about various times in history. After I finish “Nameless Towns, Texas Sawmill Communities 1880-1942,” the next book with either be about the Little Ice Age or Neanderthals.
