More than 10 years ago, I read a book that tilted my world sideways. One Second After by William Forstchen is about a small North Carolina town which is suddenly thrust into darkness from an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) which knocked out all electricity, electronics, automobiles – The End Of Life As We Know It.
The story of this town and its people as they faced problems like storing insulin without refrigeration (it only lasts ½ as long), pacemakers failing (electronics, remember?), medications no longer available (including narcotics and psychotropics), prisons unable to retain inmates, and just the day to day struggle of bathing, cooking, and raising food resonated with me. What would WE do? Could we survive?
My knee jerk reaction was, “Sure. No problem. We live on a farm.” But the reality is that dealing with an occasional power outage because of a storm is not the same as facing a massive EMP or other event of this size. I began to prep.
Luckily, Bob is on the same page and we began our journey to preparedness. It is a journey, too, not a destination. Here are a few examples of steps we are taking:
· When I replace a household appliance, I look for a non-electric solution whenever possible, i.e. handheld can opener and hand mixer;
· Our garden expanded and my canning skills grew;
· I began to can meat and broth in addition to freezing it;
· I put together an extensive library of resources;
· I purchased and stored material for clothing and I have a treadle (non-electric) sewing machine to use if needed (my everyday sewing machine is computerized);
· I expanded my first aid supplies and library of medical books to include wilderness medicine;
· We began to standardize our weapons so we have multiple guns which use the same type of ammo;
· I passed a concealed carry handgun class so one of us is armed at all times;
· We assessed our water situation and purchased a Berkey Water Filtration System;
· We have backups of important tools and resources;
· I have a Kitchenade stand mixer, but I also have large ceramic bowls that are perfect for making bread by hand.
There are additional steps we took, including raising chickens for eggs, having a dairy cow, raising beef for our own use and heating with wood.
We take the long view for our prepping. Each year we make a large purchase for the farm or the household. Last year I bought a steam juicer, the year before we replaced a chainsaw. We sat down with our prepper club and determined how to address security, established a command system, standardized communication equipment, and assigned jobs to everyone in the event of a breakdown of life as we know it.
As a Christian, I trust God to ensure my safety. He is Jehovah Jireh – My Protector and Provider. He is Yahweh-Shammah - He is always present and he will never leave me. He is also El-Deah – He is knowledge and wisdom.
I will use knowledge and wisdom to provide for my family, using the skills and insight He gives me to do this. I believe He used the book One Second After to open my eyes and press me into action. I have been grateful many times for His encouragement in this direction.
I encourage you to take this time to assess your situation. When you first realized that you couldn’t leave your home for 1 month starting on Tuesday, what did you do? Did you rush to Walmart and knock somebody down to get toilet paper? Did you look in your pantry and see snacks but not enough to put dinner on the table for weeks at a time? Did you have Tylenol, cough syrup, anti-diarrheal medicine, and a decongestant in your medicine cabinet? Were your prescriptions nearly empty?
During this time, Bob and I have been keeping a list of what worked, what we lacked, what didn’t deliver on promises, what we had in abundance, what we learned and what we need to improve on the homestead. Even though we are prepared for many things, we weren’t prepared for everything and there is plenty of room for improvement. When we meet with our prep group, we have some things to discuss.
Here are some of our ‘fails’:
· We were low on hay for the animals. Luckily a local farmer was selling some round bales that Bob was able to pick up.
· I was almost out of dish washing liquid.
· We need stronger gates to close off the driveway for security reasons.
· Bob had only a small amount of bar oil for his chainsaw – he was waiting for a good sale to stock up.
· We didn’t have a supply of livestock minerals, including kelp.
· We are low on nails, fencing staples, and other hardware.
· I didn’t have Gaterade, ginger ale, and koolade water packets. I keep these on hand in case one of us is sick.
· The oil in our car was overdue to be changed and our truck needed a tune-up.
· We were nearly out of popcorn. This is our main snack food.
· We needed to get our off-road diesel fuel tank filled.
I was paying attention to the news and watching how the coronavirus epidemic was spreading long before the governor made his proclamations. I went to a local store and stocked up on gloves, masks, disinfectants, hand soap and sanitizer long before there was a rush on it. Bob and I fixed most of our ‘fails’ before the lock-down. However, it is the stuff of nightmares to think – what if we didn’t have any notice and an End Of The World event suddenly happened? What if we were stuck at home and absolutely could not leave? What if what we had when it happened is what we will have to live on for the next 2 months, or more?
The coronavirus pandemic seems to be winding down and many state governors are beginning to relax the restrictions of self-isolation and social distancing. Our worst fears were not realized and we all hope ‘normal’ will return soon.
Let’s use this event as a trial run. Now you know what an EOTW event can look like and how crazy people get (for toilet paper!!!), don’t be caught unprepared again. Start building a pantry, make a good first aid kit, stock up on basic over-the-counter medications, have some basic tools and supplies on hand. Read. Learn skills – prepping isn’t all about how much stuff you have. Bob and I could have addressed all of our fails with substitutes and alternatives if we absolutely had to do so. We have the skills and knowledge to do that. If we don’t know, I have resources to teach us – hard copies, not online. I’ll link to a few of those resources to get you started.
http://outbreaks.globalincidentmap.com I used this website to track the pandemic from the beginning, tracking its progression across the globe.
https://www.theorganicprepper.com Daisy Luther is the queen of preparedness. She has books, articles, lists, resources for the prepper at any stage of the journey.
Calendula
Calendula officinalis
One thing that has been fundamental to my prepping is to increase my knowledge of herbs and essential oils for medicinal purposes. I am slowly building my apothecary and library of herbal wisdom. Herbs are restorative and supportive, not curative. This means they support and restore the body as it heals itself. I don’t consider using them to ‘cure’ a disease. For example, they tone a system so that it works more efficiently and is in balance. The herb I want to discuss now tones and decreases inflammation of the integumentary system – the skin. It promotes cell repair and growth. It is also antiseptic and anti-fungal. The herb is Calendula.
Used frequently in salves, balms, creams and ointments for treating bruises, burns, sores, skin ulcers, skin infections and rashes, it is also safe for babies, being potent as well as soothing and gentle, as it treats cradle cap, diaper rash and other skin irritations. The tea can be used internally and externally as a wash or poultice for moderate fevers. It is also very effective to promote drainage and move congestion from the lymphatic system. Use it alone or with other lymph cleansers such as red clover and chickweed.
Calendula is very easy to grow from seed and blooms throughout the Summer and well into Fall. Dried calendula flowers are available at most herbal stores or online. www.mountainroseherbs.com
Calendula Oil
· Fill a quart jar ¾ full of calendula buds (pick when they are just opening, on a dry and sunny day. They should be sticky with resin – that is a good thing!) or use dry calendula flowers
· Fill the jar to within an inch of the top with olive oil, grapeseed, almond, or apricot kernel oil. Place in a warm, sunny spot, letting the herb infuse into the oil for 3 – 4 weeks. Strain and rebottle. Store in a cool place out of direct sunlight. The refrigerator works well. It will keep up to a year.
· Apply to skin rashes, eczema, and swollen lymph glands. It can also be made into a salve.
Calendula Salve
1 cup of calendula oil
¼ c. of grated beeswax
4 – 6 drops of lavender essential oil
· Warm the oil very slowly over low heat
· Stir in most of the beeswax, reserving 1 tablespoon
· When the beeswax has melted, place a small amount of the oil/wax and put into the freezer for a minute or two. Check the consistency of the salve. If it is too soft, continue to warm it over low heat and add the reserved tablespoon of beeswax.
· Add the essential oil.
· Pour into small jars or tins. Store in a dark, cool place.
Calendula information and recipes from Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs, a beginner’s guide
Grab a good plant identification book specific for your area before you pick and use any plant. There ARE look-alikes that can make you ill. This information is for educational purposes only and not designed to diagnosis, treat, or prevent any disease process. See your HCP when you are ill.
Stay well and be prepared,
Polly
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