The ABSOLUTE and ultimate preppers

[Tarrel]

A serious reality-check for anyone contemplating "bugging out" to the wilderness and living a subsistence existence after a hard crash.

Learning points:
- Acquire spares of hand tools, and look after them
- Acquire good stocks of hardware (nails, screws, wire, etc)
- Invest in cast-iron cookware - it will last forever
- Grow birch trees!
- Build a seed-bank

Interesting to read about their impoverished living conditions. One can harbour all kinds of " desert island" fantasies about building a wonderful shelter, lashed together with natural cordage, etc, but I guess the hard reality is that most time and effort will be taken simply trying to feed oneself.

When I've taken the scouts on a traditional "patrol camp", in which they operate as teams of six to plan and cook their food, build camp-gadgets, collect firewood, make fire, etc, it takes them nearly all their time just to go through the process of living. Easiest camps to run, and they collapse exhausted into their tents at night, so no problems getting them to settle down!

Actually, the article demonstrates the value of living and working together in a community, rather than trying to go it alone.