The American Preppers Network publishes the “Five Principles of Preparedness” on its website—here’s how we fit into their categories.
- Thrift & frugality. Having a good bone-yard and a nice selection of tools goes a long way. I like nothing better than repurposing a salvaged article into something I need.
- Self-reliance. We provide and maintain our water sources for home and garden. We use wind, water, and solar power to run our “secure location.”
- Independence. We’ve always considered ourselves independent. Off the grid, off the pavement, and some people think, “off our rockers.”
- Industrious. You can’t run a homestead or farm and not be industrious. It seems to be impossible for us to sleep in late. We always wake before sunup. And there is always a list of chores and projects to be worked on.
- A year’s supply. We grow, harvest, process, and store as much food as possible—while expanding our garden every year. I keep bees and chickens. We buy staple foods in bulk and store them in The Keep. Soon we’ll be pasturing pork, then butchering it ourselves.
