21st Century Self-Reliance

Homesteader or Prepper?

The differences between Homesteaders and Preppers

Greg Pavlosky

The third book in the

HOMESTEADING Series

Title: 21 Century Self-Reliance: Homesteader or Prepper?

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The following is a comparison of the similarities and differences.

Copyright 2014 by Greg Pavlosky
All Rights Reserved
Published by TLP Enterprises

Disclaimer
This book is intended to be a source of information only, and is not a source of any legal, business
or financial advice.

Many of the tools, equipment and activities mentioned in this book are potentially dangerous. You
should NOT attempt to use or perform any operations without proper training and supervision. You
should take all necessary precautions to ensure your safety and the safety of those around you. You
should always wear protective equipment such as, but not limited to, eye, hearing, hand and body
protection.

An effort has been made by the writer to provide current and up to date information which has
been compiled, by the author, over many years. The author and publisher offer no warranty, or
assume any responsibility, for any damages or injuries sustained by you, the reader, or others as a
result of using the information contained herein.

The author and publisher reserve the right to change, update or delete any of this information in
future editions of this publication.

As the purchaser and/or reader of this publication, you do not have any rights to reuse or distribute
copies of this publication.

No portion of this book may be copied, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
including but not limited to electronic, digital, mechanical, audio recordings, facsimiles,
photocopies, or any information storage device or retrieval system without the expressed, written
permission of the author or publisher.

Thank you for purchasing this book and I hope that it provides you with useful information that will
help you for years to come. Stay safe and take care,
Greg

Dedication
Dedicated to those that came before us and helped to build this country with whatever means they
had available to them. They worked to develop the skills necessary to survive and build for the
future. Many of these people passed those skills on to future generations so that the skills would
never be lost. These are the skills that serve as the foundation for Homesteaders and Preppers.
 Table of Contents
Sections
1. Introduction
2. Our Reason for Preparedness
3. Homesteading
4. Tools and Equipment list
5. Household Items list
6. Vehicles
7. Prepping
8. Survival Pantry
9. Medical Kit
10. Safety and Protection
11. Other Prep Items
12. Facebook Pages and Websites

Introduction
My name is Greg Pavlosky, and this book is a part of my HOMESTEADING Series.

I am going to try to explain the similarities and the differences between Homesteaders and
Preppers. This is a question that is asked a lot of me. I felt that there is a great deal of confusion
about the labels that people like to place on others. My wife and I (which I will often refer to as
“we” in this book) consider ourselves Homesteaders. We have been married for more than 34
years, and she is my editor and publisher of my books. We have two children, a daughter and son.

We have tried for years to find a place to build a home that we could grow much of our own food
as well as preserve the harvest. So many times we thought that we had found the right place and
expended a lot of energy, and in some cases, money, to have a deal fall apart.

In 2013 we finally found and purchased “our homestead.” Good thing, as I had guaranteed to my
wife, in January of 2013, that “we will have our place by the end of the year.”
We cut it close by closing on December 30, 2013. One day to spare, but we did it!

If you have read any of my other books, then my writing style will be familiar to you. I try to keep
it loose and talk to you like we are sitting on a porch discussing something. I follow and preach the
“KISS” method - Keep It Simple, Stupid!

I will try to give you the information regarding the lifestyles of Homesteader vs. Prepper. There
are many similarities, but there are also basic differences. Many people confuse the two and I
often explain that there are definite differences. I will also share information that I have acquired
over the years as both a “Prepper” and “Homesteader.”

I was born in Chicago, IL, and my parents decided to return to Johnstown, PA several months after
I was born.

Our Reason for Preparedness

I grew up in suburban Johnstown, PA. Many people have heard of Johnstown, also known as “The
Flood City,” after three devastating floods. The worst of these floods was the one which occurred
on May 31, 1889. The second major flood was on March 17, 1936 and the last major flood
occurred on July 19/20, 1977.

The flood in 1977 taught me to become a prepared individual, as I had many experiences during,
and after, the flood. I know first hand what it is like when there is no drinking water available,
no electricity and quite a bit of the essentials have been lost.

Fortunately, my family didn’t lose our house, but my father lost his entire business. He owned a
bakery, restaurant, and lunch wagon business.
I was a volunteer firefighter at the time and had a brand new four wheel drive truck, which had
been delivered one week prior to the flood. That truck got quite a workout during the height of the
flooding, as well as the days and weeks after the flood.
I lost an Aunt and two cousins to the flood waters when a dam broke above their house and
destroyed it. This dam was above the neighborhood where my dad and his family grew up. My
dad’s mom, along with aunts and uncles, lived there.
My grandmother’s house was spared, for the most part, (it had sustained some
water damage in the basement.) My aunt, whose house was over her above-ground
basement/garage, was lucky, as the house was basically set back down where it had
been. Another uncle and aunt lost their house and, yet another uncle lost his wife,
her children, and their house. I will never forget going down over the mountain into
the neighborhood and seeing the destruction. My sister was almost lost that night to
the flood waters as she made her way home from work.

My dad was not aware of how bad the flooding was in the city and was trying to go to work at 2
o’clock in the morning. He made it down into the city, where he encountered flooded streets
almost everywhere he went. He stopped and rescued some city firefighters, whose fire engine had
been disabled by the flood waters.
He was driving a van that had about 200 cases of soda he had picked up the previous evening on
the way home from work. The weight of the soda enabled him to help the firefighters.
I worked in conjunction with my fire company that night and rescued some stranded residents on
the street next to the fire station. The creek that ran beside the fire house was swollen and had
turned the street into a river. I drove my truck up the street against the flood waters (yep, my truck
that was only a week old) to where people were stranded, and loaded them into my truck and the
drove, with the current, back to the fire station.

Trust me, when you reflect on it days later and realize that the force of the water had created
several holes that were more than 10 feet deep in the road, I thank God that we made it safely
back.

Anyway, this experience was what led me down the path to becoming prepared. It became a
motivation, as the fire company was rebuilding, to think and prepare, not for just a flood, but the
winter snow-storm in February of 1978 that caused

much damage and buried us under two feet of snow. It made me believe that there were many
disasters to prepare for. The people in those days that prepared were often referred to as
“survivalists.” I didn’t care about the name or the label; I just tried to tell people to be prepared.

I think that many people never considered the label of “survivalist” until the incidents of Ruby
Ridge and Waco happened. The label became something that few people wanted to be openly
referred to as.
I was referred to as “some nut that thinks it’s going to flood again.”

After I was married, my wife became involved in the preparedness efforts. This led us to the
decision that we wanted to live and raise our family in a more rural area. We began talking to
relatives and others that had lived through “the great depression” and World War II.

They knew what it was like to grow food to eat, to can and preserve foods, and make the most out
of what you had to work with. We began to realize that the early homesteaders, and those that
survived

during the first half of the 20 Century, were the real preppers. They prepared for anything that
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would come along, including the loss of jobs, labor strikes, or disasters, when they would not be
able to get what they needed from the store. If you happen to be around my age (55) you can
probably remember when your grandparents had, what you thought, were excess amounts of food
stocked in the basement. They may have been canned goods or they may have been canned at home
in jars.
My wife and I can remember when our parents and grandparents stocked up on a weekly, bi-
weekly or monthly basis. They didn’t run to the store almost every day to pick up what they
wanted for dinner. Menus were usually planned out days in advance. Many people didn’t have cars
and used public transportation. They had small local stores, not the giant mega stores of today.

The stories they told us were what pushed us into following our dream of pursuing a simpler
lifestyle. It also looked more realistic years ago than it did when we got into our 50’s. The fact
many people think we are crazy for still wanting to pursue this does not dissuade us from pursuing
it.

Even the health issues that I face will not stop us. It actually turns the fire up inside us. We
learned, that with all of the processing used in foods today, we are being fed poisons. The fruits
and vegetables from other countries are shipped early before they fully ripen, to arrive in time for
near peak ripeness when they get here.

The fact that the fruit doesn’t fully ripen before being picked and shipped, means that we are short-
changed on the full nutritional value. Yes, give me homegrown any day. It will be lower in cost
and healthier than any of that foreign stuff in stores these days. This is why we prepare, and are
planning, our homestead.

These stories are also what led me to become a scavenger (scrapper, recycler, junkman, etc.). The
stories of the junkman coming around and pounding on the fender of his truck to announce his
presence always sounded pretty cool. I knew a few of these guys who had started many years
before and heard their stories. They would buy scrap and then resell it. We live in such a
disposable world where everything is thrown out or wears out, and is tossed out to go to the land
fill.

After we got married, my wife thought I was crazy for going around picking through people’s trash,
looking for stuff to haul to the scrap yard and cash it in. But, as time went on, she saw that I was
picking up some spare cash, here and there, and that wasn’t a bad thing. As time went on, she
began going out with me and driving the truck so that I could jump out and back in.

I would have to say that we walk in both worlds, that of the homesteader and of the prepper. We
have friends that are either one or the other by their own admittance. So don’t be surprised if, after
you read this, you also feel that you walk in both worlds. It is okay.

This is why the name of our place is The Scavenger’s Homestead.

Homesteading

I will talk about what homesteading is first and then I will talk about being a prepper.

The following, from the original homesteaders

known for the western expansion of the US
in the 1800’s, taught me that many tried to be as self-reliant or self-sufficient as possible. Most of
these people were the ones that survived at that time. They knew they needed to do as much of
what was required for survival at their own place instead of relying on others. They sold extra
fruits and vegetables, as well as craft items, and performed work for others.

Women not only made most of the clothes for the family, but often worked on items for others who
didn’t have the necessary skills. Men worked outside on the land, tended the animals, fixed things
they needed and built a variety of the buildings on the homestead.

They didn’t have phones, computers for info, and couldn’t run down to Home Depot for materials.
If they needed lumber, they harvested trees and prepped them as logs or took them to a mill and had
them sawed and paid the price for the work. Bartering for goods and services was quite common
in many areas of the country, more so in the rural and expanding areas. Trucks didn’t deliver daily
to the stores, and homesteaders had to order a variety of items as the stores didn’t stock them.
Sears, Montgomery’s and JC Penney were the stores that would become the catalog sellers. They
had catalogs, and homesteaders could order and pay for the items there. The items arrived at the
store via rail, wagon or coach.

Usually it took weeks for the merchandise to arrive. It was a much simpler and slower kind of life
then the hurried place we live today.

So you get the idea that the homesteader lived a much different life than those that lived in the
Eastern cities of the US. There were still home gardens to feed the family, and many homes had
chickens and cows within the cities for their needs and to save money. Being self-reliant and self-
sufficient was a way of life. This is what drove the modern homesteaders. Most of the people we
meet, who are pursuing this sort of lifestyle, tell us that relying on themselves is viewed as the key
to survival. Most homesteaders today will work on their homestead, and live Off The Grid
(OTG,) with the exception of internet or cell phones.

That means that they are disconnected from the power grid, municipal water and sewage, and a
landline telephone. Some will have a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) or rely on a satellite system
for their internet connection. If they have cell service in their areas, then they use smart phones to
access the network.

At our Homestead, there are electric lines through the property, so we can be on the power grid.
We will be doing this initially while we are building our place, but plan on relying on solar and
wind for our power eventually.

There are phone lines out at the edge of our property but don’t extend to our property, or were
taken out some time ago.

There is no cable or cell service. A neighbor told me that they rely on a cell booster in their
vehicles and home to use their cell phones, so they will be able to access communications. We
will also access Amateur Radio and Citizens Band (CB) as well. TV service will be accessible
through an antenna or a satellite dish subscription service (I.e., Dish Network, etc.) or satellite
“Free To Air’ (FTA) system. These are not on our list of priorities.

We are building our home as energy efficient as possible, using wood for heat as well as for hot
water. We are also adding a solar water heater (homemade) which can serve as a preheated water
system, as well as a propane tank-less water heater.

We chose propane since the neighbors rely on propane gas for their cooking needs. We don’t like
cooking on electric stoves, so propane was the easiest choice. We will eventually add a wood
fired cook stove to the kitchen as well. We will be cooking over a wood fire while we are there
working on our place, or relying on cold foods if it’s too warm in the summer months. We have lots
of work that needs to be done with more than a dozen buildings on our place that are all in some
state of collapse. The picture at the front of this book is of one of two log cabins on our place,
which were built in the late 1800’s. Ironically, they are in the best shape out of all the other
buildings on our site!

The two homes on the verge of collapse were both built between 1930 and 1940. One has a
beautiful cut stone foundation which we hope to reuse, after we clear the remnants of the house that
is currently there. Hopefully, the buildings that we are planning to tear down can provide a large
amount of scavenged building materials for reuse in building our home and the other outbuildings.

We are planning to preserve the log cabins which were built in the 19 century, due to the historical
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nature and the knowledge that they were built from timber harvested on the land we own.

Unlike many log homes of that age that relied on mud or a cement mixture for the chinking between
the logs to seal the gaps, these used wooden wedges to close the gaps. In some cases, flat boards
were added to close the gaps. We were not familiar with this type of construction, and, since
finding the property, have found that many people we have spoken with seem to think that it is quite
rare.

If it seems like I got off subject, it was to explain what we are doing and set the stage to talk more
about what homesteaders are doing to build for 21 century for self-reliance and self-sufficiency.
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What we did to pursue our dream was to start by building a library of books written about the
skills we will need for living a simpler life.

This includes soap making, candle making, raising a variety of animals, blacksmithing, repairing
items, gardening, survival, orchards, beekeeping, hunting, fishing, greenhouses, and a variety of
other subjects.

If you noticed survival in there, and thought PREPPER, remember that early homesteaders had to
protect themselves and the homestead from predators, including animals, Native Americans, and
rustlers. Other landowners were trying to gain larger parcels of land, so they could raise more
cows or gain access to water. Watch some of the old westerns and you can get an idea of what
was going on.

During the western expansion of the USA in the 1800’s, many people tried to be as self-reliant or
self-sufficient as possible. Most of these people were the ones that survived at that time. They
knew that they needed to do as much of what was required for survival at their own place instead
of relying on others. They sold extra fruits and vegetables, as well as craft items, and performed
work for others.
 Tools and Equipment

We were forced to close our business (I repaired all types of tools and equipment) when I suffered
a health problem. Most of the tools that I owned prior to opening the business were used for
collateral when I opened the business. When I was forced to close the business, those tools were
lost. But as I recovered, I was scratching out some extra money with scrapping and began to add
back to the list the things that we had lost. Hey, no one ever said that life would be easy.

Here is the list:

Portable Generator - 5000 watts/ no less than 2000 watts as a bare minimum. I have had a lot of
questions about this since that first book I wrote, and the answer is really simple. Even if you have
power at your place, how reliable is the power grid? If you live where there are ice storms and
heavy snows, then you have, no doubt, experienced a power loss. Look at what you will need to
run to get by. Many items will tell you the amps and the volts (in the US use 120 volts) so you
multiply the amps by the volts to get the number of watts.
It really is that easy.

If the item plugs in to a standard duplex receptacle, it will not exceed 15 amps, and that, multiplied
by 120 volts, equals 1800 watts. You can also look at manufacturer’s pages online to find
information. But if think about it, you are trying to buy a generator sized for the bare minimum to
survive. It may be needed to run a furnace, or another type of heater, or it could be to run the
refrigerator. Of course, in the winter, you can use nature as the refrigerator. If you have an electric
stove, then use another cooking source, such as a camp stove, or gas grill. Remember that a
generator should never be used indoors. It should be kept outdoors and have plenty of
ventilation. Carbon monoxide KILLS!!!!

THE LIST

I would recommend the following to be kept on hand:

Scythe
2 Wheel Cart
Broad Fork (30” or wider)
Shovels, Flat with long handle (2)
Shovels, Flat with D-Handle (2)
Aluminum Scoop Shovel
Wheelbarrow with either 1 or 2 wheels
Rakes; Bow, Garden, Leaf and Landscape
Spading Fork, Broad Tine
Hayfork, also known as a pitchfork
with narrow tines
Compact Tractor, ATV, or UTV
Small Tractor with a 3 point hitch and PTO
Dump Trailer for use with your truck
Utility Trailer
Hand Carts, dollies
4 Wheel Carts or Wagons
Circular Saw with a 71/4 “blade
Cordless Drill with 14.4 volts as a min. and a ½ inch “chuck”
Complete set of Mechanics Tools, wrenches, sockets, ratchets, etc.
Fence post driver
Fencing pliers
Fence puller for stretching fencing
Wire puller for stretching barbed wire
Cable hoist with 2000# cap. for stretching wire and fencing, 4000# cap. for other uses.
Pocket knives, everyone old enough should carry a knife on the homestead
Fixed blade knife, at least 6”, hunting knife
Leatherman or other multi-tool
Digging bar with a wide point and a tamper
Digging bar with a pinch point
Post hole digger, 2 handle clamshell style
Tool belt; try to get everyone that will be helping to build your homestead one or at least a nail
apron
Laser level, tripod and laser glasses
Story pole
Asstd. Pliers; slip joint, groove joint, lineman’s, needle nose, etc.
Chisels, cold for steel
Chisels, for wood
Chisels for masonry
Tin snips, 12” duckbill style
Tin snips, aviation style with red, green and yellow handles
Sledge hammers, 8, 10, and 12#
Hand saws; keyhole, coping, rip, crosscut, back
Hacksaw, blades and a close quarter handle
Utility knives with extra blades
Bolt cutters, 24” min and 36” preferred
Chalk line with red or blue chalk
(I prefer blue as when I worked construction you could not use red since it stained items)
Levels, torpedo, magnetic 9”, 24” 48” and 72”
Speed squares, 6”, 12”
Carpenter squares, 6”, 12” 24”
Combination squares, 12”, 24”
Mason’s line, 3-4 spools with 100’ each
Plumb bobs
Line levels
Post level
Water level
Tape measures, 16’, 25’, 35’
Open face tape measures 100’,300’
Rola tape measure, with 12” wheel
Hammers; rip, claw, tack, ball pein,
Dead blow hammer
Rubber mallet
Drilling hammers, 2#,3#,4#
Mason’s hammer, brick hammer
8’ step ladder
24’ Extension ladder (min.)
Sliding compound miter saw, 10” min. and 12” preferred
Reciprocating saw, (sawzall) with asstd. wood and metal blades
Wet and dry vac (shop-vac) 10 gal. min.
Heavy duty corded drill with ½ chuck
Assorted drill bits for wood, metal and masonry
20” Chainsaw (min.) for cutting trees, with extra chains
16” Chainsaw for limbing trees and extra chains
Saw chain files
Stump vise
Electric air compressor with a 20 gal. tank
Pneumatic (air powered) framing nailer with asstd. nails
Pneumatic coil roofing nailer with nails
Pneumatic finish nailer and asstd. nails
½” impact wrench with SAE and metric impact sockets
Staple gun with asstd. staples (Arrow T-50 recommended)
Slap tacker, hammer stapler for roofing felt, signs, etc. with staples
Router 1 ½ Hp. Min. with ¼“ and ½” collets
Portable work stand (B&D, workmate)
Saw horses, adjustable steel preferred
Masonry tools, trowels, floats, strikers, edgers
Drywall tools, pans, taping knives, joint tape, sanders, sponge, saw, rasp
Wood chipper, if you are clearing land
Roto tiller for turning the soil
Bush hog or Brush hog for tract to clear fields
Bandsaw mill if you are clearing land and making your own lumber
Mattock
Railroad pick
Garden hose 5/8” heavy duty, rubber preferred
Buckets, assorted 5 gallon plastic
( I always find these scavenging and we have about 20 of them)
Pry bars and crow bars, short and long
Your own hardware store - Build a supply of all of the things that will need such as nails, bolts,
nuts, washers, screws, hinges, cabinet hardware, latches, padlocks, hasps, etc. ( I often add stuff to
this when going to yard sales, I will find boxes of misc. items for sale at a single price, such as a
box for $1)
Bow saw with extra blades
Pruning saw
Long reach limb saw
3 ½ # axe with either a single or double bit (2)
Machettes, with a smooth or serrated back (2)
Mutt style heavy duty scraper
Long handle scraper, floor scraper
Welder, either an arc or wire feed 110V
Heavy Duty Hand truck with at least 600# capacity
Appliance truck if you are moving your own appliances and other bulky items
Bench top belt sander 1” X 30” or a
1” X 42”
Push button propane torch that is capable of using Mapp gas as well as propane, for plumbing
Rotary hammer (SDS, spline drive system) with bits and chisels
Clamps; all sizes and styles, C, band, bar, pipe
Assorted files and rasps for wood and metal
Anvil, 50# minimum
Punches, assorted sizes and styles
Draw knife
Spoke shave
Hand planes, block, jack
Power planer, 3 ¼” size with extra blades
Table saw, with a 10” blade and the ability to rip 24”, with fence, feather board
Screwdrivers, all sizes and styles
Scratch awl
Brace and bits, older style of hand drill
Tap and die set, with metric and SAE sizes, coarse and fine (NC and NF)
Forstner bit set, self feeding bits
Auger bit set, short, medium and long
Spade or paddle bit set with long, short, stubby and extensions
Hole saw kit, the largest set you can afford, HSS and bimetal
Dremel rotary tool with an assortment of bits and accessories
Log jack
Log cant or peavey tool
Log carrier, 2 man
Skidding tongs with chains, grade 43 min. and grade 70 preferred
Splitting wedges, steel (2)
Felling wedges, plastic (2)
Miter box, (plastic or wood) for trim, or a good Jorgensen
A large assortment of rope, twine, string of various sizes and lengths
Sharpening stones. For your axe, knives
Hone, diamond preferred for fine sharpening, planes,
Bungee cords, elastic tie down straps with hooks
Tie down straps, ratchet straps for use with your trailer, truck
Tarps, a good assortment of sizes to cover materials, tractors, etc.
Tire and tube patching supplies
Duct tape and other repair tapes
Blue painters tape, for masking
Assorted glues, epoxies, etc. ( JB Weld, Gorilla Glue)
Binoculars, monocular, spotting scope
Work gloves, assorted styles and sizes for everyone
Muck boots or other type of rubber knee boots
Wood pallets, 4 ways, used for stacking materials on to keep off the ground
Planting trowel
Splitting maul, 6#, 8#
Scrapers, putty knives, assorted sizes, widths
Fish tape for electrical, 50’
Grout bags, for concrete and tile work
Shaper, if you are processing your own wood, 6” minimum
Bench top power planer, if you are processing your own wood, 12 ½” width minimum
Bandsaw, with a 14” throat capacity if you are processing your own wood for resawing
Workbench, 5-6’ width and at least 24” deep, strong, heavy duty
Bench vise, 5” minimum, at least 6” preferred
Pipe vise
Pipe yoke
Chain wrench
Pipe cutter
Pipe taps, 3/8”, ½” ¾”
Pipe threading dies with handle and the same sizes as taps
Tubing cutter
Tubing bender
Conduit bender
Tubing spring for bending
Flaring tool
Crimping tool with assorted crimp on connectors
Heat gun, variable temperature with accessories
Hobby knife, craft knife (Xacto) with assorted blades
Step drills, 2-3 pieces
Marking flags for site layout
Marking paint, upside down paint for site layout
Flagging tape (flags, paint and tape in assorted colors as needed)
Caution tape, to mark hazards
Leather punch with rotary spur
Grommet tool and grommets for tarp repairs
Assorted lubes, greases, oils, sprays (silicone, WD-40, 3 in 1, etc.)
Hi-lift or farm jack 48” or 60”
Acid brushes, applicator brushes, ½” wide with a metal handle
Chip brushes, 1”, 2”, 3”
Paint brushes, very good quality, 1”,
1 ½”, 2”, 3”, 4”
Angled sash brushes, 1 ½” and 2”
Tweezers, different sizes and lengths
Spud wrench (for plumbing)
Basin wrench
Shower sockets
Toilet plunger (bell style)
Snake or drain auger, spring type, 25’
Closet auger, (for toilets)
Wood glue, carpenters glue
Voltage meter
Continuity tester
Stud finder, with pie and wire finding ability
Grease guns for 3oz. And 14 oz. cartridges, with pistol or lever and flex hose
Stud remover
Easy out set, for removing broken bolts and studs
Nut splitter
Flex funnel, transmission funnel
Assorted funnels, sizes
Bar and chain oil for chainsaws
Sparkplug sockets, 5/8”, ¾”, 13/16”
Oil filter wrench
Oil filter pliers
Oil filter socket set
Torque wrenches, 3/8”, ½”
Bench grinder, 6” min.
Pop rivet gun, with assorted rivets and backing plates, aluminum and steel
Electric staple gun with staples
Nut drivers, in SAE and metric, recommend the hollow shaft style
Rotozip tool with assorted bits for wood, drywall, ceramic
Ratchet pipe and tubing cutter
PEX crimper and crimps for radiant heat and water
Circuit analyzer, 120V
Romex staples, wire staples
Conduit straps, pipe straps
Perforated strapping, steel strap with holes
#10 X 1” Phillips head sheet metal screws for straps, hangers and boxes, 2-3 boxes
PVC, CPVC primer
PVC, CPVC cement
½” Teflon tape, 2-3 rolls
Electrical tape, 10 rolls
Allen wrenches, hex in SAE and metric
Torx bits with ¼” hex drive
Bottle jacks, (2) 10 ton capacity
Floor jack, trolley jack, automotive style jack, with a 3 ton capacity
Hand pruners
Loppers, bypass style
Trenching shovel
Flat broom, corn broom
Dust pan, during construction we use the aluminum scoop shovel
HD exterior grade extension cords, 12 gauge, 50’, 100’
Caulking guns, small and large
Assorted caulking
Construction adhesives (liquid nails)
Vise grip style pliers, curved and straight jaws
Fire Extinguisher, ABC type, all purpose and at least a 5# capacity
Dust masks, N95 for dust, particles
Safety glasses, goggles
Welding helmet, auto darken is best
Forestry helmet with eye and hearing protection
Chainsaw chaps
Hearing protectors, ear plugs
Pens, pencils, markers
Carpenter pencils
Lumber crayons
Note pads, 3” X 5” or 4” X 6” pocket size, spiral bound
Stainless steel hose clamps in assorted sizes
Glass cutter
Dry cut or wet cut saw for ceramic tile
Notched trowel for adhesives
Power shot, (Hilti, style) .22 cal. Is good, with assorted loads and fasteners
Wire brushes, shoe style and long handle
Air hose, in 50’ lengths, 3/8” with ¼” fittings, rubber preferred for all weather use
Air hose couplers and connectors
Tapcon drill, driver set for concrete screws, assorted sized screws
Assortment of sandpaper, wood, metal, wet and dry
Steel wool, 0000 is good
Drop cloths, disposable is okay
Tack cloths
Posted, No Trespassing signs
Pump sprayers, 1 ½ or 2 gallon size is good for most applications, we also use a 4 gallon with
water in any time we are burning, for fire control
Spray bottles, 32 ounce, label for use
Gas cans
Diesel cans
Kerosene cans
Soldering iron and solder
Solder and flux for plumbing
Plumbers wire brush for exterior of pipes and interior of fittings
Plumber’s putty
Pipe cement, also called pipe dope
Tow strap, 20’ min. length and 2” - 3” wide
Knee pads, either soft style or hard cap
Tool boxes or tool bags
14” cut off saw for masonry and metal
( tip, if using for masonry cover the motor housing vents with nylon stocking to prevent the
abrasive dust from entering, very hard on the bearings)
Ceramic tile spacers, sized for the job you are doing, 1/8”, ¼” 3/8”
T-bevel, for marking and transferring angles
Hook and pick set, probes
Shovels, long handle spades (2)
Shovels, D-handle spades (2)
Close quarter drill
Assorted parts and bin cabinets for storing your hardware store in
Magnetic wrist bands, for keeping screws, bolts close at hand
Bench top drill press, with ½” chuck minimum
5/8” hitch pins
Hand cleaner, gallon size and tubes to keep handy
Multi ladder that folds into multiple configurations
4 ½” handheld grinder, with cutting and grinding wheels for metal and masonry
Pressure washer, 2500 p.s.i.,
gas powered
18 gallon storage tubs, with solid lids, (Rubbermaid, recommended) we have found a number of
these when scavenging
Welder’s gloves, apron and sleeves
Precision screwdrivers
Battery charger
Battery jump pack with 12V outlet(s)
Spring loaded punch
Contour gauge
Multi use transfer pump, for fuels
Chipping hammer for welding
Welding, MIG pliers
Oxy/acetylene torch set
Wire strippers
Wire cutters
Romex stripper
Drywall T- square
Ceramic tile nippers
Ceramic tile cutter/snapper
Diamond grit hole saws
Diamond grit rod saw for use with hacksaw frame
Diamond grit jigsaw blades
Glass and tile drill bits

I know that it is a long list, but, it is also a comprehensive list that was compiled over years. You
may have many of these tools already on hand and have forgotten about them. This list is larger
than that in my first book, as I added some things after we started to assemble everything for
starting our place. Yep, I had stuff that I had forgotten about. Also, if you are not planning to do any
drywall, you will not need the tools. If you don’t plan to do any ceramic tile, you won’t need the
tools for it.

There is flexibility, and everyone will not have the same tools at their place. I probably have a few
things that aren’t on the list, and I know that the specialty tools that I lost for small engines and for
repairing tools are not on there. I have replaced most of them already and they would not be of
benefit if you are not going to repair those items. Contact me if you think of anything to share with
others. You can also post them on our Facebook page, The Scavengers Homestead.

Household Items

This list will be different as well from the list in my first book. Again, if you feel that something
you have or use is not on the list, feel free to post to our Facebook page for The Scavengers
Homestead.
The list is not in any particular order and was compiled over many years from talking with a
variety of people. Some items may not be needed at your place, but we feel that this is a very
comprehensive list for a Homestead to make it as self-reliant as possible.

Sewing machine, electric or treadle

Canning supplies, jars, lids, rings and wax
Water bath canner and rack
Pressure canner
Jar lifter
Magnetic lid lifter
Cast iron cookware, skillets, Dutch oven, lids
HD cookware in aluminum or stainless steel, no coatings
Manual juicer
Sausage stuffer
Grain mill, hand operated
Egg mixer, hand operated, hand beater
Tripod for campfire cooking
Food mill
Solar oven
Solar food dryer
Smoker, either a store bought one with electric or propane, or a homemade one that uses an actual
fire chamber
Butchering supplies, paper, tape, twine, patty papers, etc.
Butcher utensils, knives, cleaver, Ulu, steel, scale burger press
Apple peeler and slicer
Manual chopper
Good set of kitchen knives ( I am partial to Henckels from my chef days)
Garlic press
Hand sewing supplies, thread, needles, buttons, zippers, thimbles, etc.
Wood cook stove
Oil lamps
Candles, matches, lighters
Comprehensive medical kit
Campfire grill
Nutcrackers and picks
Plastic storage containers, all sizes with lids

Plastic storage bags of all sizes and in large quantities

Garbage bags, leaf bags, contractor bags
Petroleum jelly (Vaseline)
Clothes pins, one piece or spring type
Meat thermometer
Candy thermometer
Handkerchiefs, bandanas
Aluminum foil, HD narrow and wide widths
Rubber bands, assorted sizes
Nail clippers, toe and finger
Medicine cups and droppers
Measuring spoons, stainless steel preferred
Measuring cups, stainless steel preferred
Measuring pitchers, pint, quart, gallon in either aluminum or stainless steel
Kitchen scale, 12-15# capacity
Bleach, pure, 5% with no scents
Heavy towels and cloths, cotton
HD manual can opener
HD spout style opener (church key)
Soap, liquid or bars, Ivory recommended
Borax
Cast iron griddle
Large stock pot, at least 5 gallons (20 quarts)
Baking sheets, aluminum or stainless steel
Pie plates, glass (2+)
Round cake pans (2+)
Muffin pans (2+)
Glass casserole dishes (2+)
Square baking dishes (2+)
Pot holders
Oven mitts
Loaf pans, bread pans, glass (2+)
Roaster pan with rack
Toaster, 4 slice, electric
Toaster oven
Immersion blender, electric
Countertop Mixer, (Cuisinart) with accessories
Coffee grinder
Rolling pin
Knife sharpener, sharpening stone
Cutting boards
Dough board, hardwood
Potato masher, hand operated
Hand mixer, electric
Whisks
Corkscrew, manual
Grater, hand
Fine mesh strainer
Salad dressing jars, with lids
Cruet set, for oil and vinegar
Wooden spoons
Large canning pot of 21 quarts or larger
Crock pot, slow cooker, the bigger the better
3 compartment slow cooker, big enough to warm a whole meal all day
Wire cooling racks, 10+ for cakes, cookies, bread
Dehydrator, large HD, (personal preference is Excalibur)
Pizza stone and peel
Tea kettle, stove top or electric
Ceramic crocks, for pickling pickles, sauerkraut
Kitchen shears
Steak knives, 4-8 as needed
Pizza cutter
Pastry brushes (2)
Biscuit, cookie cutters
Tenderizing hammer
Pie server, spatula
Zester, micro plane
Hard cheese grater
Mandolin (hand slicer)
Mortar and pestle, for herbs
Ice cream scoops
Assorted sizes of scoops with the lever
Melon baller
Citrus reamer
Kitchen twine
Parchment baking sheets
Meat saw for cutting frozen meats and bones
Big Berkey water filter and extra filters
Woodstove, heater
Wash tubs, round or square, galvanized (2)
Bed warmer, electric blankets
Clothesline
Umbrella style clothes dryer
Clothes props
Baskets for fruits and vegetables
Bedding, quilts, pillow cases, blankets
Bed sheets, 2 sets for winter and 2 sets for summer, per bed
Cauldron or large kettle for cooking over fire
Mountain pie makers
Long handle forks for cooking over fire
Toaster for use with camp stove or fire
Stainless steel bowls, all sizes
Hydrometer
Coolers, ice chests
HD wood cutting board for chopping
Sprout trays
Spray bottles
Aprons, heavy cotton
Funnels, assorted sizes
Wooden clothes dryer rack, accordian style
Popcorn popper for stove or fire
Glass storage jars (can use canning jars)
Kitchen canisters with tight sealing lids
Large tall storage containers (spaghetti)
Brown paper bags
Freezer paper
Freezer bags
Vacuum sealer with extra rolls or bags
Cider press, fruit press
Ice cream maker, hand or electric
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Small paint brushes for arts and crafts
Camp stove, propane
Gas grill, propane
Bug repellant, citronella candles
Snake repellant (if this is a problem in your area)
Mailbox and post
Microwave oven, 900 watts minimum
Percolator coffee pot for woodstove or campfire
Coffee maker, electric
Clothes washer, front loaders are more efficient
Clothes dryer, propane
Refrigerator/freezer
Upright freezer or chest freezer
Corn broom/ flat broom
Dust pan
Duster, fiber or feather
Dry mop, with removable, washable heads
Floor mop, heavy cotton recommended, but sponge is okay
Mop bucket with wringer
Flour sifter
Baster, bulb type
Carving knife and fork
Electric carving knife
Dining table and chairs ( I bought Teri one for Christmas 2013, that is a 5’ round and solid oak,
found at Goodwill for $60)
Rocking chairs for inside and outside
Towel bars, towel ring
Paper towel holder
Pantry cupboard
Shelving units
Picnic table
Bathroom mirror or medicine cabinet
Bath mats
Coal hod or ash bucket with lid
Fireplace tools, with poker, shovel and brush
Rubber scrapers, spatulas
Spatula, straight, stainless steel for icing cakes
Pastry bags
Rain barrels or some type of water collection system
Smoke detectors (at least 1 on each level, and near bedrooms)
CO Detector, carbon monoxide detector (if you are using any type of combustion appliance indoor
- wood, gas, oil, or propane) you should have at least one of these in your home

I know that these are both long lists and we tried to include everything that people would
recommend to us. The point is that you can work toward the acquisition of these things. You can
also find quite a few of these items at second hand stores, yard sales, scavenging. We have found
cast iron while scavenging.

A word on cast iron, try to go with Lodge brand if you are going to buy new. Avoid the foreign
made stuff. Too many nightmares have been heard about that stuff. If you can’t afford it, then save
for it and make do with a good set of heavy aluminum or stainless steel. Avoid the nonstick
coatings as most of these will wear or scratch and can give off toxic fumes if overheated.

Vehicles
You are going to need a pick up truck to build your homestead. I recommend that you avoid smaller
pick-up trucks and stick with the full size. Also, I highly recommend that the truck have at least an
8 foot bed. If you need a 4 door cab then 8 foot beds are few and far between in used trucks. In
which case, avoid anything less than a 6 ½ foot bed. The 150/1500 series trucks are the half ton
capacity and will accomplish a lot. If you can afford a ¾ ton or larger then I highly recommend it.
This would be the 250/2500 series of trucks. If you don’t own a piece of ground or have one in
mind, then I highly recommend that you also get a four wheel drive. They give you that added
security of avoiding getting stuck in places where a 2 wheel drive might get stuck. If you are
dealing with unimproved roads and driveways in and out of your place, you will appreciate the
extra traction, especially in the rain or snow. Just remember, in winter that ice doesn’t care if you
have 4 wheel drive. The advantage is really in the softer stuff such as mud and snow. If you have
a family, then having the larger cab will be a must.

With a truck you can also be moving to prepping, if after reading this book and you choose to be
more prepared.

For Preppers, an important part of prepping is being able to Bug out! Bugging out means the ability
to grab what you can and exit your immediate location and relocate to a safer location where you
can continue. Lots of preppers have bug out locations. But, from talking to as many as we have,
they plan to shelter in place, meaning they put their resources into staying put. In times of disaster
you will need to make a choice of staying put or “getting the hell out of Dodge”.
Also when the disaster strikes, whatever the disaster, is referred to as WSHTF or SHTF (When
Shit Hits The Fan). These are terms you should know as a prepper and as a person who wants to
protect their family and loved ones.

Having a vehicle that can get you to your location

is a must. Preparing that vehicle for the task is a very important task. You need to make it reliable
foremost, and then add anything that can help you accomplish your bug out or relocation. This is
something to think about.

I can give you an example from my own experience. We have a truck, a 1999 Ram 1500, quad
cab. What we have done is to add things in case we needed to bug out. We focused on reliability
first and then on outfitting the vehicle to perform the task. At the time we began, we didn’t have
our homestead so we knew that if we needed to leave our suburban home, we would need to take
as much with us as possible.

We added good tires that are 6 ply rated and have a mud and snow tread. We regularly take it off
road to make sure it will perform as it will need to in an emergency. Offroading or 4 wheeling is
something we have done since before we were married. I am not afraid to try almost any obstacle
as evidenced by my story about the flood and the rescue of people. I rely on my many years of
motorcycle racing off-road to guide me in assessing the terrain.
Anyway, my truck is equipped with off-road lights, (I have more to add yet) mounted on a rack in
the bed are 4 of these high powered lights, the rack enables us to carry materials, etc. and also
enables us to turn the bed of the truck into a camping area with tarps.
By placing the tarps over the rack the bed becomes a tent. The tarp is anchored at the sides, front
and back with tent pegs. The common tarp is camo and then covered with a mesh tarp that will
enable the addition of local vegetation for a better camouflage.

We have a variety of equipment in the truck at all times and also store supplies in 18 gallon tubs
for an easy load out. By angling the tarp out away from the truck on the sides, we have storage
space to relocate the tubs from the bed and still cover them with the tarps. We need to only add
our sleeping pads and sleeping bags to the bed for a place to sleep.

I also installed a 12V marine grade outlet in the bed that can be used for charging or operating a
variety of items. In a cold weather situation we cover the rack with the reflective insulation
known as R/B/B/R (this means that it has a reflective layer, 2 layers of bubble wrap and then
another layer of reflective material) to provide reflective heat source and contain our own heat.

I will cover vehicle kits later in the book and give you a list of what we carry in our vehicles. We
also have tarps to cover my wife’s vehicle in the same manner. If we need to bug out and take 2
vehicles or if she is not at home she can meet me at a predetermined location and I will have the
supplies. She also has a 4 wheel drive vehicle (Small SUV) that is good to go in all but the worst
off road terrain. We also carry a programmable scanner, a CB radio, an amateur radio for
communications.

Prepping

So now we get to what prepping is and why you prepare. If you have ever watched Doomsday
Preppers, you may have an idea of what Preppers are. If you watched the first season, you got to
see people that were more like what Preppers really are. Although, most of the Preppers that I
know would not go on TV and show others what they have, talk about where they are located or
what supplies they have on hand.

I am sharing info and giving you a variety of information about us. I am aware of the risks
involved and also understand that I am taking a certain amount of risk. I look at a lot of info put
forth by others and decide what I can do so in a safe manner. Many people share more info about
their location than I do.

Preppers are a unique set of individuals, The ones that you see on the TV are very unconventional.
Most rely on whatever they can do to prep and do not have thousands of dollars to spend on the
things that these other people buy.

Over half of the ones that we know plan to shelter in place, meaning they will stay and make a
stand where they are.

These are people that relate closer to us since we would do the same thing at our homestead. Until
we are onsite full time we have to resort to using it as a bug out location.

Prepping first and foremost involves developing a certain mindset. Many people ask “what do you
prepare for?” The answer is simple, “Everything”.
Now it may be difficult to wrap your head around that, but, it is true. While you can do general
prepping, certain types of preps will require more thought and more items to prepares for. You can
choose to start with more common preps and then expand your preps to include more scenarios.
Many start with the most recent events in their memory of being caught unprepared for.

For instance, winter storms were a big thing in the winter of 2013/2014. This included heavy
snows and ice storms. Many locations were without power for days. Roads were closed, schools
and work places closed, etc.
Power outages left thousands without power and on their own. So you can choose to make that
your priority, think of the basics, of food, water, and shelter. Your house is shelter. Food, any type
of canned goods that are simple to prepare (heat and serve) are acceptable, and, of course, water.
Maybe your water was unaffected, so you were good.

Depending on how cold it was and your heat source, maybe you have a fireplace in a living room
or family room. If it uses wood and you had wood, great. If it uses natural gas or propane and you
had those, great. Now, if you had these and were without fuel, shame on you. A very simple thing
to have fuel on hand for these items.
In a family room or living room, you would block off the other areas so that the heat was contained
to one room. Maybe it didn’t get the temp up to 68-70 degrees you are comfortable with and
stayed in the 50-60 degrees, you just add some layers of clothing and you are warmer. Add a hat
since your head is a major source of heat loss. Cover with extra blankets when sitting still or
sleeping. Having sleeping bags can solve the problem when it is sleep time. If you are buying
sleeping bags, make sure that you read the rating on the bag.
If you are in colder areas you would probably go with those rated as 0F and if in a warmer area go
with a bag rated at 30-40F. If you use an electric stove then you would need a source to cook or
prepare foods. A small camp stove or if you own a gas grill, then the addition of spare propane
tanks can help you get through cooking your foods. Remember, if the power is out you will need
to use the foods in your refrigerator first so that you don’t lose them. If it is cold enough outside
then take advantage of the natural fridge and move items outside if the temp is 30F or less.
Remember, depending on where you are that putting food outdoors may also attract animals, so
prepare by securing them in a container of some kind. Those 18 gallon tubs with latching lids will
work for this.

On camp stoves, you are better off with the ones that use the small propane bottles as opposed to
the ones that use liquid fuel (also known as “white gas”). This is very expensive (almost
$9/gallon) and it should not be stored for more than a year. Remember using any cooking source
that requires combustion (open flame) will also produce a certain amount of carbon monoxide and
consume oxygen.
You should use outdoors in a well ventilated area.

Finally, water is the lifeblood of us humans. You can survive weeks without food as long as you
have water,. You can survive an average of 3 days without water. The best way to determine how
much water is this - 3 gallons per person, per day. This figures that you will use 1 gallon for
drinking purposes (plain, coffee, tea, or with drink powders) then use 1 gallon for food
preparation ( this could be to make soup, boil to heat some thing, which doesn’t mean you throw it
out after you boil something in it) and finally 1 gallon for sanitation purposes. This includes
washing, brushing teeth, flushing the toilet, etc.

If you feel that your area when losing the power will also lose the ability to provide water due to
lack of electric for pumps, many systems have back up generators for their water systems. Don’t
be over confident and think that you will always have water. These generators can break down,
they can run out of fuel that isn’t available to refuel them. What you should do is fill the bathtub as
close to full as possible and designate it for flushing the commode.
Also, like it or not you will have to flush in batches instead of every use. So get a pitcher or
container and with every so many uses you add a gallon of water to the toilet to manually flush the
toilet.

Pouring it from the edge will help but the higher the container is when you pour will provide more
force or pressure. Also, pour toward where the drain is in the bottom of the toilet. The force of
the water will create a siphoning effect and pull whatever is in the toilet down through the trap of
the toilet. The trap seals off the drain so that sewer gas doesn’t come up through the drain. Then if
you have four people in your household, and you want to prepare for at least a 10 day interruption
you will need to add 120 gallons of water to your plan. I know that the shock of that just hit you.
Relax! First off, if you have filled the tub you have almost 100 gallons of water.

Now of course the tub was not scrubbed and sanitized so the water would not be suitable for
drinking right out of the tub.

But it can be boiled for at least three minutes and when cooled be safe to drink.
Also, you should know the size of your water heater (most are in the 30-40 gallon range). This is
an often overlooked source of water. What you can do is to assess the situation before you take
water from the tank, the tank is usually located in the basement (if you have one) or on the ground
floor of the house. At the bottom of the tank is a drain that is used to drain the tank to replace it,
also this is used to drain the sediment out of your tank ( you should do that once per year, in the
summer is recommended). If you have never flushed your tank I will give you a quick tip in how to
do this.

First, turn the thermostat on the water heater back to either pilot or the lowest setting, connect a
standard garden hose to the drain and place the other end close to a floor drain in the basement or
outside in the case of a home without a basement.

Turn off the water valve that feeds the cold water to the heater. Next you will see a pressure relief
valve on the side of the water heater near the top (it usually has a piece of pipe coming out of it
and stops about 6 inches above the floor.)

Open the drain to begin the draining of the water, and lift the lever on your relief valve to allow air
to enter the top of the tank.

The water will come out of the hose. Allow it to run until it is clear and then close the relief valve
(let go of the lever) as it is spring loaded and should seat in the closed position properly. Close
the drain valve, turn the water back on and turn the thermostat control back to where it was before.

You may want to mark this location with a marker before you move it to ensure that it ends up in
the exact same spot. In a survival situation you would
use the drain on the tank, but you would not close the cold water valve. You would go to the
bathroom that is located on the highest level and furthest from the water heater. You would open
both the cold and hot water valves on the sink so that air can enter the lines. This will actually
allow you to recover the water in the lines as well as what water is in the tank. Best to filter this
water since it may contain sediment in it. If you have a whole house water filter you should not
have to filter it since it was filtered when it entered the system.

So we have solved the main concerns for one event. If you live in tornado alley, then obviously
tornadoes are the one big thing that you need to be concerned with. Your main focus would be a
storm cellar. A below grade structure that can protect you from the power of the storm, the flying
objects that are produced in the storms and the sudden pressure changes that come with tornadoes
and will destroy a building due to the changing of the internal and external pressures.

Some of these structures are attached to the house and are a part of the basement that is isolated
and reinforced. These are also so unpredictable that many areas that have never seen a tornado
have seen them recently. They used to say in the mountains that we are safe but there have been
isolated cases in this area where a tornado has occurred. So what you need to do is to look at what
threats are common in your area and begin the preps for those.

What you do when you prepare is to take control of your own situation. You are declaring that you
will not be a victim.

If you have ever experienced a sudden, unexpected loss of a job or an unexpected health issue that
resulted in an unexpected loss of income then you need to prepare. Having a pantry that is stocked
with food can easily eliminate some of the stress that comes with this situation. Having food for
your family will make things so much better. A stocked pantry gives you a cushion that means you
can focus on how to best deal with the situation at hand. I will give you some lists of items to
prepare with such as foods, what to have on hand, as part of your preps. I will also include the
prepping on a budget list.

Among the first things that you should get is to make a doc bag (document pouch, a bag, an old
purse, etc.). This should contain all of your important papers or at least copies if you have a
fireproof safe or use a safety deposit box at a bank for these.

This will include the following:

Birth Records, Certificates
Drivers Licenses
Social Security Cards
Vehicle Registration
Vehicle Titles
Insurance Policies (Home, vehicles, health, medical cards)
Banking Info
Doctor Info
Medication List
Eye Prescriptions, extra or old glasses,
even left over contacts when you order new ones, as anything in an emergency is better than
nothing.
Dental records and Dentist info
Allergy Info
General Information Cards that you
laminate and carry with you.
Blood Types
ID Sized Photos- print this yourself at home if you have a photo printer.
Extra Keys (house, car, truck, etc.)
Download a duplicate of this info to a memory stick with a list of friends and family contact
information)
Cash in $1s, $5, $10s, and $20s
Don’t carry anything larger than a $20, since in an emergency getting change may be difficult, and
pulling out large bills will make people think you have large amounts of money. Putting aside
$200 to $500 should be your goal.
The size and scope of the disaster will determine if that money is even worth anything. I also
recommend putting aside 1 roll each of quarters, dimes and nickels. And a good thing to do is add
some loose change to this as you can.

Get some of those coin holders that you carry in your vehicle, sometimes there are ones built into
the vehicle console. Fill these and keep them filled, because you never know what might happen.
The removable ones are good since you can take them with you if you need to abandon the vehicle.

Spread the money out between the family members so that if one person loses their money, not all
of the money is also lost. Also, have a phone card for each person to carry if you evacuate, and
each person should carry a phone list with contact numbers. Avoid listing people on that list as
mom, dad, etc. Use first names and don’t place in any significant order.

On the lists of items that I will lay out for you, you may think that quantities are too large.
Remember in a local, regional or major national disaster that

barter can become a means to exchange goods and services.

You never know what someone may want, but I will give you a list of things that are good to have
for barter later on.
 Survival Pantry

This is an example of a list that we worked from to build our pantry. It may not work for everyone
but it will give you an idea of the things to include. You then add or delete to fit you own needs.
This is for 2 people and for approximately one year.

78 cans of soup- cream of chicken, tomato, bean and bacon

100# sugar
10# powdered sugar
10# brown sugar
12 boxes of Stevia packets
18 cans of coffee
12 boxes of tea bags
8# salt
80# powdered milk
52 cans of tuna
6# of beef and chicken base
2 gals. vinegar, white
2 gals. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
2 gals. vegetable oil, canola
2 gals. olive oil
2 qts. vanilla
5# cocoa powder
10# baking soda
50-1# canned hams
50 cans of chicken
50 cans of beef and gravy
2 cs. canned bacon
2 cs. canned sausage
26 cans of corned beef
26 cans of Spam
18 cans of powdered drink mix, (ice tea,
Tang, etc.)
1 cs. light mayo
10# honey
25# peanut butter
50 macaroni and cheese
100# flour
80# oats
50# corn meal
6# dry yeast
10# shortening
20# grits
25# popcorn
30# nuts
26 cans of chili
12 cans of hot dog chili
100# pasta
50#dried beans, peas, lentils
12 cream of wheat
10# dried apples
20# dried fruits
6 cans of apple juice
12 cans of fruit juices
2 cs. baked beans
12 bottles barbecue sauce
12 cans of chili sauce
12 bottles of ketchup, catsup
4 cs. canned fruit
6 cs. canned vegetables
4 cs. Tomato products
12 bottles mustard dark and yellow
20# dried onions
1 cs. Sauerkraut
50# brown rice
15 cans dried potatoes
12 pickles
6 relish
6 gal. bleach, Clorox
4 gal. bleach, other
2 gal. degreaser, Simple Green, etc.
50 cans Sterno gel fuel
72 rolls paper towels
104 rolls toilet paper
26 trail mix
12 dawn dish soap
24 boxes tissues
16 liquid soap refills
6 maple syrup
1200 gals. Water
12 onion powder
12 garlic powder
6 cinnamon
6 worchestershire
24 pkgs. Chili seasoning
50 pkgs. Precooked beef
6 large bags of hard mints
12 large rolls of aluminum foil
12 plastic wrap
12 cans Hershey’s syrup
50 2 1/2 gal. plastic bags
100 gal. plastic bags
100 quart plastic bags
100 sandwich bags
100 snack size bags
Bags can be washed and reused
100 55 gal. HD bags
100 Kitchen bags
400 10 gallon crapper bags
24 boxes granola bars
800 multi vitamins
800 vitamin C, 1000mg
12 non metallic scrub pads
6 black pepper
6 instant creamer
26 shampoo
26 body wash-Teri
26 body wash-Greg
26 deodorant-Teri
26 deodorant-Greg
1200 coffee filters
2000# cat litter- we have a waterless toilet that can be used in emergencies, with plastic bags, and
you shovel cat litter on the waste to absorb and cover.
You then double bag and bury the waste.

12 disinfectant spray
4 bottles lemon juice
2 basil
6 baking powder
26 toothpaste
26 tooth brushes
18 jelly/preserves
6 large cans pretzels
12 boxes saltines
12 Club crackers
12 wheat crackers
4 lg. Red hot sauce
50 pkgs. Jerky
18 fruit leather, roll ups
50 energy bars
12 powdered energy drinks
2 gal. red wine vinegar
20# dried vegetables
18 boxes dried cereals. Whole grain, multi grain
12 cooking spray
4 honey mustard
12 canned milk
20 5 gallon buckets
P-38 or P-51 can openers, mil. Style can openers
10 bucket lids, Gamma lids, best as they are resealable.

So it is a big list, but the best way to go about this is to start and add 1-2 of each item and move on
to the next item. You can start off with $5 per week, and then buy what you can and then next week
you add more. If you get paid biweekly or every other week, then put $10 aside from each pay and
spend that. Keep the money separate from your other money. We use a zippered bank bag, and all
of the change goes back into the bag.
Medical Kit

We assembled a medical kit that serves as our basic foundation for medical problems. While we
carry first aid kits and supplies on our person and in all of our vehicles, this is the main supply for
all of our kits.

This is our drug store that we can refill our smaller kits from if needed. It fills several of the 18
gallon totes when all packed to move.

You start with as many as you can of each item, then go back and keep adding to build substantial
quantities. Remember, Self-Reliance!

Our quantities are what some would call excessive, but, you never know what the future may hold
in a disaster situation. You never know what items may be needed by others that you can use to
barter with.

Collapsible water carriers

Wool blanket
Reflective space blankets
Butane lighter
Butane
Zippo lighter
Flints
Lighter fluid
Snake bite kit
Mess kit
Hobo tool
Mosquito coil
Water filter straws
Crank lantern
Squeeze light
Penlight, with extra batteries
Stainless steel cup
Small fuel tab stove
Extra fuel
Acetominophen (Tylenol)
Pepto tabs
81 mg. aspirin
325 mg aspirin
Antacid tablets
Laxatives
Stool softener
Antihistamine (Benadryl)
Dayquil caplets
Nyquil caplets
Diarrhea aid (Immodium)
Petroleum Jelly (Vaseline)
Vicks Vaporub (in a disaster where you may have to deal with death as well as destruction, place a
small amount of Vicks under your nostrils and put on a dust mask or bandana to help you overcome
the smells)
Electrolyte tabs
Stay awake
Sleep aids
Insect repellant w/at least 25% DEET
After bite
Sting relief
Bactine
Sunscreen SPF 30 and SPF 45
Lip balm with a sunscreen
Foot powder
Body powder
Dramamine
Hydrocortizone cream
Alka Seltzer
Alka Seltzer Plus
Phisoderm
Betadine
Hand creams
Noxzema
Baby wipes
Visine and Visine AC
Artificial tears
Eyeglass repair kit
Eyeglass/ lens wipe
Lens cleaner
Eye wash
Saline spray
Tongue depressors
Popsicle sticks, craft sticks
Assorted band-aids
Knuckle bandages
Triangular bandages
Sports tape
Paper tape, surgical tape
Waterproof tape
Electrical tape
Duct tape
Cotton applicators, long
Q-tips
Small peroxide
Large peroxide
Alcohol
Hot packs
Cold packs
Non-breakable thermometers, oral
Medicine droppers
Medicine cups
Assorted safety pins
Digital thermometer, with extra battery
Syrup of ipecac
Activated charcoal
Moleskin
Alcohol pads
Cotton balls
2” X 2” pads
3” X 3” pads
4” X 4” pads
6” X 9” trauma pads
Feminine maxi pads
Feminine mini pads
Feminine tampons
Plackers
Dental floss
Assorted needles
Assorted pins, straight
Syringes
Needles for syringes
I.V. bags, saline and water
Burn cream
Burn gel
Burn dressings
100% Aloe vera
Brushes and combs
Assorted scissors
EMT shears
Blood pressure cuff
Stethoscope
CPR face shields
Latex gloves
Nitrile gloves for latex allergies
2” gauze rolls
3” gauze rolls
4” gauze rolls
2” ace bandages
3” ace bandages
4” ace bandages
6” ace bandages
Iodine pads
Assorted tweezers
SAM splints
Finger splints
Finger nail clipper
Toe nail clipper
Nail scissors
Straight hemostats
Curved hemostats
Bandage scissors
Butterfly bandages
Surgical strips
Irrigation syringes
Dental kit
Oil of clove
Orajel
Opthalmic Neosporin
Triple antibiotic ointment
A & D ointment
Tincture of benzoic
Lydocaine gel
Mouth wash, antiseptic, alcohol and without alcohol
Hobby knives, Xacto, scalpels
Sawyer extractor
Double sided tape
Super glue
Liquid bandage
Quik clot sponges
Hot water bottles
Vaporizer
Parafin wax
Assorted hand, foot and body warmers
Permanent markers
Heavy cotton towels
Heavy cotton wash cloths
Canteens
Water tabs
Note pads
Pens, pencils
Sports drinks
Assorted string, rope
Swiss army type knife
Multi tool, Leatherman style
First aid and medical books, on emergency medicine, disaster medicine, emergency surgery, etc.
Rite in rain tablets
Large trash bags
Candles
Iosat tablets
Cyproflaxacin
N-100 Respirators
Waterproof matches
Single edge razor blades
Calcium Citrate with vitamin D
Vitamin B 12
Folic acid
Vitamin C 1000mg
Multivitamins
Contents list for each tub, box or container
This is the makings of a great medical kit or a base kit for either your homestead or for your bugout
location. It will allow you to deal with most of the emergencies and medical problems that arise,
in addition to, some of the uncommon ones that can happen. By building a similar kit or list of
supplies you should be equipped to handle most of the situations that you encounter. Of course,
nothing surpasses training, so it is recommended that everyone receive at least basic first aid and
CPR,
although advanced first aid and emergency care are better and hopefully one or more persons
within your family will consider taking those classes.

Having the right items in an emergency can be the difference of life and death. Preparing means
having the items on hand, so start prepping today. Remember that if you are homesteading in a
rural area, it will take longer for trained medical assistance (Emergency Medical Technicians or
Paramedics) to reach you. The more you can do onsite to assist or treat the injured can save a life.

Safety and Protection

Weapons, a key component of prepping, allow you to protect yourself and the ones you love, as
well as prevent someone from taking your supplies away from you. If you are new to the prepping
part of this, you may not be familiar with OPSEC. Operation Security (or Operational Security)
means to examine the security for the situation as a whole, and then take into consideration the
individual situation that you find yourself in and the available resources to protect yourself.

There are many weapons out there and people will favor one over another. The point is that
everyone will have a personal preference. What I will do is give you some information, which
will allow you take that information and decide what will work best for you. If you already have
pistols, rifles and shotguns, then there is no need to make any changes. My information is derived
from years of talking with many people, trying and using various weapons.

If you have a group of friends with a variety of different weapons, and you are not sure which is
the best, try to find a shooting range that you can go to, invite your friends, and have them “bring
what you got.” This is always a good time and a chance to use other weapons that you don’t own.
Suffice it to say that there are three basic weapons for every homestead. This would be a .22
caliber rifle for small game, a 12 gauge shotgun and a rifle with long range capability. There are
many different calibers for this last rifle and everyone seems to have a personal preference. The
30-06 is a very popular gun in my area. Some prefer a .300, .243, or a .308, all of which can take
an animal at a distance. The distance is different for each of these calibers. Training and practice
are the biggest reasons for success at longer distances.

As I write this book, know that we are in a difficult time for getting ammo: in particular the .22
cal. rimfire ammo. It is amazing how cheap and plentiful this ammunition was for so many years.
Then, threats of gun seizures and a variety of other stories abounded, and manufacturers chose to
scale back production and cause a shortage, which is typical of many things that happen in this
country. Couple this with the government insisting that lead be removed from ammo, and a whole
host of problems have been created. Many of the other calibers are still relatively easy to get, so
check the shelves for different calibers in your area and see what seems to be plentiful.

Preppers will usually add at least one more gun to the mix, and that is a handgun. I believe a
handgun has its place on the homestead, since there are many reasons to carry a gun on your land.
Snakes, bears, coyotes and wolves are some of the reasons. Also, when you live in a more rural
area, you are further from assistance compared to living in a town. Look at the number of home
invasions and how the number tends to rise every year. You don’t need to put all the signs up that
say you will shoot people, protected by this or that. In fact, many times this encourages thieves to
try and rob places looking for your guns.

Preppers try to maintain a lower profile than other folks in their area. They tend to be the ones that
few notice, and don’t go on TV and tell the world what they have and show all of their guns and
supplies they are stock-piling.

I will tell you that most have Concealed Carry Permits (CCP) and are armed the majority of the
time. They also walk into a place and look for the exits and assess how they would respond in
getting their family out safely. It becomes a habit. They will also say that they tend to frequent
places that they are familiar with and that they have mentally prepared on how to exit the quickest
and safest way.

Many preppers carry handguns, either 9mm, or .40 or .45 caliber. The reason for this is that in a
disaster situation, these are likely calibers to be available. Also, know that these guns carry more
rounds than a standard revolver.

As far as a revolver, a .357 would be the caliber of choice. A very common caliber, many were
made and are still around and can fire a .38 special cartridge as well as the .357.

We talked about the .22 caliber rimfire rifle for taking small game, such as rabbit, birds, and
squirrel. I would recommend you buy a semi-automatic over a single shot bolt action. The semi
gives you the ability to fire as fast as you can pull the trigger. This is faster if you miss with the
first shot and can immediately fire another round instead of having to manually cycle the round
with a bolt action. My personal favorite in .22 is the Ruger 10/22. It has been around for a long
time, is very reliable and loads of accessories are available for it.

Now, let’s talk about the 12 gauge shotgun. I prefer the Mossberg 500, the “Just In Case,” or the
Remington 870, 1100 series of pump action shotgun. Remember, no matter where someone is
from, when you rack a round with that pump, “everyone speaks shotgun.” I remember a few
years ago, when we were looking for our shotgun, we were in a gun shop. Teri was holding a
shotgun and racked it once and said “oh yeah, everybody knows what that means when they hear it,
even if they don’t speak English.” She had the sales clerks laughing when she said that! We had a
good time with that and still do, when we go back to that shop.

That sound alone can be a deterrent, intimidating at once, without firing a shot. That speaks
volumes for it.
Also, with the available ammo choices from specialized home defense rounds to rounds for bird,
deer, etc., it is the weapon of choice.

Here is where some people will argue, and really get their dander up. Most preppers will have an
assault rifle, the two most common will be an
M-16/M-4 variant or AK-47 variant.

No doubt, you have heard of both of these, and if you have seen any action movies, you have seen
the full auto versions in action. Granted, movie guns don’t exactly work the way real guns do. The
M-16 was the primary weapon of the US military since the Vietnam War. It uses a 5.56 X 39
round. Back then, it had some problems in the jungles, and improvements were made over the
years to make it better. Then, the M-4 was introduced as a modified version, with a variety of
changes and improvements. Many of those improvements were born out of the wars fought in the
desert. This is where so many problems happened and changes were needed.

The AK-47 is a Soviet era weapon, known for

its simple design and reliability.
It uses a 7.62 X 39 round. There are variations of this, which are manufactured in a number of
countries. They are easy to maintain and service, and are used by most terrorist organizations due
to their ease of use and reliability.
Anyway, it’s always fun when sitting with a group of guys to ask “What kind of assault rifle should
I buy?” Everyone starts talking their own guns. The AK is a more powerful weapon and the fact
that it is nearly foolproof are key reasons why friends like them. Others feel that they would rather
have an American style weapon. In addition, there are long range weapons for taking big game at
a distance. Some people in the prepper world think of this weapon for use more as a sniper rifle
instead of taking game.

It doesn’t matter what you are shooting at a distance. It takes time and practice to become
proficient at anything. So the choices in weapons will be a variety of different calibers. My
personal choice is a .308 caliber rifle with a good scope, which is accurate with plenty of
stopping power. It is easily able to make the 1000 yard shot with deadly accuracy.
Who could ask for anything more? There are other weapons that can be a part of your arsenal.
These should also be considered if you are adding weapons to your overall strategy.

Bows and Crossbows

The advantage of adding strung weapons to your plan is that they are quiet. That can give you a
distinct advantage in protection and defense scenarios. Remember, when you are trying to protect
yourself and your loved ones, any advantage can be sizable.

Bows have the ability to take game as well as serving as a defensive weapon. There are also
some basic concepts and differences that are available. The straight bow is essentially a long
piece of wood that is curved under tension due to the string. Notches near the ends serve to hold
the string in place. These bows will look more like what you would see in movies set in the early
years of Europe. Think of Robin Hood and the bows that were used in the many film versions of
this tale. There are even plans available online for building a bow using PVC tubes (½”) for the
backbone of your bow.

A recurve bow has the ends of the bow curved back away from the handle and they add additional
draw weight to the bow, thus providing more power. More power is going to flatten the trajectory
of the arrow and allow for it to travel greater distances. The force and the penetration are what is
important when using a strung weapon.

Now we move into the Crossbow and another weapon that has been around for many years. It is
easier to aim (my opinion) than a straight or recurve bow.

Crossbows come in two varieties, the pistol style (smaller and more compact) with pulls of 20-50
pounds. The bolts (arrows) are usually in the 6” length with multiple tips available (field or broad
head.) The broad head would be what you would use for hunting and field for practicing. At some
point you will need to practice with the broad heads to gain proficiency. The rifle style crossbows
are larger and tend to be more stable and accurate.
Many of these can be equipped with a scope or sighting system to aid in accuracy.

You will hold it like a long gun with the butt back against your shoulder (although the recoil is
significantly less than a cartridge firing weapon), aim and fire. The rifle style will also have
various methods to cock the weapon from a stirrup at the front you place your foot in and pull the
string back, to a lever you use to cock the weapon with, to a crank style device. So you can
research these if it fits into your plans. Do your homework, try a couple different models, ask
friends and family for their opinions.
Slingshots

Some people will tend to place these weapons into a category similar to the bows, but I tend to
think of them as their own weapon system. If you are in my age group you may have had a
homemade slingshot as a kid. You used a stick with a “Y” as the base for your slingshot, added
two bands of anything that has elastic qualities (rubber bands were a good bet) and a piece of
something to hold the ammo/projectile.

This could have been anything from a piece of cloth to leather to inner tube from a bicycle tire. We
usually shot stones in the fields behind our house. Now you can buy steel framed slingshots with
wrist supports for accuracy and aiming, rubber tubing and leather for holding the projectile. The
ammo for these can be either a glass projectile (think of a marble) or a steel ball (think ball
bearing) that is launched when you pull the bands back and release. Slingshots can be used for
hunting small game, but it takes practice and they are also limited in their range. The clear cut
advantage is their stealth or near silent ability during use.
Blowguns

These weapons have been around for thousands of years and yet they are still being sold. Mostly
thought of as a weapon in third world or undeveloped countries, they tend to be thought of as a
prepper weapon, due to their low cost and silent capabilities. Like any weapon that I have
discussed here, practice is the key to becoming proficient with any weapon system.

A blowgun is a hollow tube that the user blows through with force to launch a projectile at a target
or the game animal. They are limited by the force that you can provide as well as the size of the
projectile (lightweight) chosen.

The projectiles are small wires with a cone attached to capture and hold the force of your breath to
propel the projectile. There are a variety of projectiles available for blowguns that include broad
heads for hunting purposes. Practice with this weapon can lead to proficiency with it. You are
limited in your range, but the silence can be a distinct advantage. Another thing about these is that
length seems to aid the overall accuracy of the weapon. Most of the people that I know using these
prefer a 6’ - 8’ length. This can be a disadvantage if you are trying to be stealthy with the weapon.
There are shorter versions of the weapon available, but remember the length is what lends itself to
improved accuracy.

Air Rifles

Another weapon that is employed by both the homesteader and the prepper is a good air rifle. I am
not talking about the famed “Red Ryder” BB gun (“you’ll shoot your eye out kid”) that you may
have used as a kid. Some may have had a Crossman 760 if you grew up in th 70’s or later. This
was considered the first of the real air guns by many. You could pump it up to increase the
velocity of the projectile (BB or .177 pellet) and then fire. The stroke for pumping was short and
could be accomplished quickly. Today’s air guns are more powerful than those of the good old
days. Today if you are considering an Air Rifle you need to examine the abilities of them like any
other weapon or tool that you will buy.

The most basic of information will be the f.p.s. (feet per second) of the weapon. In looking for an
air rifle for the ability to take small game with, the f.p.s. will need to be 1200 feet per second.
Most air rifles will qualify the statement on speed with the fact that the speed is obtained using and
alloy .177 pellet.

The size .177 caliber (diameter) of the pellet is the same size as a BB. There are many different
manufacturers of air rifles, the best known is GAMO for the ones that you will see. There are
European manufacturers that produce high end (more expensive) models. There are also some
cheaper models around as well.

I recommend that you stick with a well known brand. Some of the gun manufacturers also have
their names attached to air rifles. I tend to think that these will also be good models, since they
have their name attached to them. They are trying to build brand loyalty at a younger age. Hoping
if you start out with a “whatever brand” you will stick with that name as you continue to buy other
weapons. This means that they want you to have quality from the start. It doesn’t guarantee you
will get it, as anything that is manufactured can have a defect in it. The point is that adding an air
rifle to your homestead or your prepping arsenal is a good investment. These rifles will tend to
start around $100 and go up to close to $200.

Do your research before making a purchase, talk to others and try out any models that you can.
Most of the air rifles can be equipped with a scope or sighting system, and some will come with
one. In a prepping role, the thing you try to do is take any attackers out of the equation. An air
rifle can do this, as a wounded person can often be forced to retreat or require additional
assistance from other attackers. Reducing the size of the force can be a key factor in fending off an
attack.

Remember, always treat any weapon as if it is loaded. Take a hunter safety course for your own
safety. Never hunt alone, since accidents can happen. You can incorporate hunting into a family
sport. Training youths to respect weapons is a smart move. Doing your research before buying,
testing weapons and becoming familiar with their features is very important. Learn how to
disassemble any weapon and clean and care for it. Look for a gunsmith with a good reputation
before having your gun serviced. Take care of them and they will take care of you.

Other Prep Items

There are lots of suggestions from people that are far more knowledgeable on prepping than I am.
Everyone has their own theories and ideas as far as what to buy, and carry. Like so many things
that I write in my books, K.I.S.S. is probably the best method to follow. Keep It Simple Stupid, is
what I tell myself all the time. I quite often tend to over think the situation or will try to over
engineer something I am designing or building. Why? Because that’s the way that my mind works.
So I pulled a couple of the kits that we use as a part of our being prepared.

These are suggestions or a starting point for you. You can adjust, change, add or delete what you
want. The idea is to get you to think about it and then act. The main thought here is to get you out
of trouble alive. With that in mind, let’s move on to these lists and you can decide for yourself.

Vehicle Kit

This is a basic, general use kit and we carry these in our vehicles, in addition to some other stuff.
Packed in a soft side tool bag (approx. 18” long) with interior and exterior pockets.

Pliers, slip joint, needle nose, locking style (Vise Grip), and groove joint (Channel lock style)
Screwdrivers, Asstd. straight and philips head
Tire gauge
Socket set, ¼”, 3/8” in SAE and metric
Combination wrenches, SAE and metric
Electric tape
Space blankets, enough for each person you can carry
Flashlight(s)
Light sticks
Candles, matches
Fuses, appropriate sizes and style for your vehicle
Extra keys, car, house
Tire kit, tubeless repair plugs, with tools
Wire and alligator clips (14 gauge, about 10’)
Tow rope, tow strap that is capable of pulling your vehicle out of a ditch
Food bars, 2400 calorie (one per person)
Flat bar (Wonder Bar)
Hatchet
Folding shovel
Work gloves, HD leather
Tarp, 8’ X 10’
Fixed blade knife, 6” with sheath
Multi tool, Leatherman style
Hand, toe and body warmers
SS cups, 2 is plenty
Phone card
Whistle
Compass
Signal mirror
Duct tape
Ponchos
Empty 1 gallon gas can, with $5 taped to the handle in an envelope
50’ of paracord, 550 cord
Tube of hand cleaner
Shop towels

In addition to our kit, we carry the following in our vehicles:

First aid kit
Jumper cables
12V air compressor
Cell phone charger
12V spotlight 1MM (million) candle power
Change holder, with quarters, dimes and nickels
Bungee cords
Note pad, pen, pencil, marker
Maps, local, regional, and surrounding states
Wipes and hand sanitizer
Toilet paper
Paper towels
Road flares

Get Home Bag

Your Get Home Bag, or Get Kit as some call it, is a bag that you can carry with you at all times. It
is a bag that is a grab and go if you need to abandon your vehicle and make your way home or
make your way to a meet up place or your Bug Out Location (BOL.) This is not to be confused
with your Bug Out Bag (BOB) that we will talk about later.

This is a bag that you will take with you when you leave the house to go to work and if needed use
to get home if you can’t take your vehicle.
Disguise can be a part of this bag.
It may be a soft briefcase style bag or it could be backpack style bag. This would contain some
things that are lightweight and easy to carry. I caution you that carrying a weapon (knife, etc.) in
this bag that you take into work may be a violation of your company policies about weapons in the
workplace. The same can be said about having your knife in your vehicle kit on their property.

Years ago that would not have been a problem (I knew guys that came to work with hunting rifles
to go hunting after work in their vehicles) but, a lot of that has changed as terrorism and work
place violence are more common these days. I am not telling you to do anything that can cost you
your job. You should know what is allowed and not allowed at your workplace.

I use a leather shoulder bag, briefcase or laptop style case. I picked it up at the Goodwill store for
around $4. It’s nice that it has dividers inside and a section for pens, pencils, etc. This is what I
carry in my bag”

Duct tape, about 10’, rolled up without the core

Electrical tape, water proof
EMT Shears
Pocket style first aid kit
Pens, pencils, marker
Tablet, note pad
Small flashlight
Cards, poker
Phone, address book
Phone cards, 2 different ones
Poncho
Emergency blanket, space blanket
Gloves
Knit cap
Compass
Local maps
Whistle
Asstd. string and rope, pieces
Matches in case, lighter
Spare keys, House and car(s)
Lip balm
Hard candies
Granola bars
Trail mix
Bandana, Handkerchief
Multi-tool
Large folding knife
Copies of documents, License, insurance, registration
SS cup
Drink packs*
Water bottle
Water tabs
P-38 can opener
Utility style carabiners
Napkins, from restaurants
½ roll of toilet paper
Pain tabs, like Tylenol or whatever you use
Birthday candles for starting a fire
A CD with the hole gauzed over to use as a signal mirror
Extra pair of socks
* Drink packs are made by us for our own use. They are snack size storage bags that contain
packets of instant coffee, sweetener, sugar, tea bags and instant creamer in packets. Lightweight
and easy to carry they offer you something other than water if you are out longer than expected. 3
of these packs in the bag provide a total of 6 hot drinks (coffee and tea.) You could add some of
those pre-measured drink mixes that are designed to add to a bottle of water.

If you are setting off from your car, you could add anything that you have from your vehicle kit. If
you are unable to get back to your vehicle, then this bag should help you get home.
Remember, in a disaster situation, or SHTF, you may want to avoid main roads and as many people
as possible.
Don’t be someone that looks like easy prey.

Get where you need to go, home or wherever it is. Assess the situation by gathering as much info
as you can and then make the decision to stay or go. Either you are going to shelter in place or you
are going to Bug Out.

Bug Out Bag (BOB)

Most of the people that we know refer to them as their BOB’s. There are a couple that use the
GOOD (Get Out Of Dodge) bag. Some will modify this when talking where some may overhear
what is being said and actually sat Goodie bag. What ever you choose to call it, you want to make
sure that you have one and that it is as close to the door so you can grab it as you exit. If you have
a closet close to the door, it serves as a good place to keep it.

What do we carry in the BOB -

Water, you can choose to pack it any way you want, some use water pouches, some water bottles,
and other use the 2 liter soda bottles. 2 gallons is what is recommended, and know that it will
weigh approx. 16 pounds or so depending on how you carry it.

Matches, waterproof, sometimes called lifeboat matches in a case

Lighter, disposable is ok, I like the Zippo, as they are reliable and we have lighter fluid and flints
on hand.
The 3600 calorie survival bars are great for food, you will see them marked SOLAS (Survival Of
Life At Sea). This means they meet certain standards and packaging.
They can be separated without exposing more of the food to air. 2-3 of these in your bag will give
you 6-9 days of food.
Granola bars
Trail mix
Jerky
Hard candies
First aid kit, even if it is a kit of items that you put together yourself
Snake bite kit, Sawyer Extractor
Sewing kit, pocket size kit with thread needles, etc.
Individual wipes in packets
A complete change of clothes, make sure that they are good sturdy clothes, denim, cotton
Extra socks and underwear (2-3)
Mess kit
P-38 or P-51 can openers
Fixed blade knife, I keep it attached to the outside so it’s easy to get to
Extra ammo, if you have a Concealed Carry Permit (CCP) as you would be wearing your weapon
as you are bugging out.
If you don’t have a CCP and you are grabbing a rifle or shotgun on the way out, extra ammo should
be packed with easy access. A belt with shotgun shells (25-50) can be slung over your shoulder as
well.
If you don’t have any guns, then get at least a slingshot and include it and ammo for it.
Cash $100 is a good amount for a minimum divided into 1’s, 5’s, 10’s.
If you add more you can add some 20’s.
Loose change, and a roll of quarters is also great.
ID, Drivers License, SS Card, Passport
Fishing kit, small with line, hooks, bobbers, split shot, and a couple lures if they are good to use in
your area.
Whistle
Signal mirror, or the CD with the gauze over the hole to aim it.
Survival Book
First aid manual
Radio, one that cranks to recharge is best
Flashlight, I recommend the LED style lights, since they will give you the longest life out of the
batteries
Extra batteries for light
Cyalume light sticks, chemical lights, snap lights
Respirator, or at very minimum dust masks N95 particulate or N100 for vapors
Assorted meds, including vitamins, pain reliever, Rx meds, vitamin C
Fire starter, of either the flint and steel or the magnesium style
2 cans of Sterno gel fuel
Rope, twine, para cord
5’ X 7’ tarp, ground cloth or tent, you can substitute a couple of plastic drop cloths for tarp
Sleeping bag, for your area and temps
Single edge razor blades
Life Straw for water purifying
Water purification tablets
Drink packs, homemade
Sun block with at least an SPF of 30 as a minimum
Lip balm, with sun block
Body wash, I use the 3 in 1, that is wash, shampoo and conditioner
Leather roping gloves
Brown jersey gloves
Hatchet
Tooth brush and paste
Safety wire or baling wire
Hand powered chain saw
Toilet paper, in plastic bag
Health info, blood type, etc.
Extra glasses, sun glasses, goggles
Hand sanitizer, wipes
Plastic bags, all sizes, garbage bags

On the outside of my pack are things that I can get to easily

Whistle
P-38 can opener
Magnesium fire starter
Tablet
Pen, pencil, marker
Local maps in a plastic bag; if it is raining I can use the map inside the bag.
Pen light
Multi-tool
Machette
I already mentioned the fixed blade knife
Some nails, 8d and 10d
Knife sharpener
So there you have it, a list of what we carry in our BOB’s. Again, you can adjust, add or delete
what you feel you need or don’t need.

If you have pets, especially a dog or cat, then you will need to make them a BOB of their own.
The list for them will be simple:

Food and water dishes

Food
Water, comparable to the amount they drink daily and enough for 7days.
Blanket, preferably one that they have used before, so that the scent is there.
Meds, these can include meds for fleas and ticks as well.
Treats, comparable quantity to what they eat in a 7 day period
Toy or ball that they play with. Not one that makes noise
Leash or lead
Collar

That should cover the pets. It would be tough to leave any pets behind, but remember you and your
family’s safety comes first. Also, if you end up at a shelter, pets are not allowed inside. Trust me
when I say that when a disaster strikes there are considerations made to round up animals and
provide for them. Now, I can’t be sure that every state is like PA and what I know they do here. I
was also part of the CART (County Animal Rescue Team). Our county is well equipped and
trained to handle a variety of disasters.

There are going to be other lists of items to have or that are recommended by a variety of people.
All I can tell you is to use them and these that I compiled as a guide for building/assembling your
own kits.

There are no kits that will serve everyone in every situation the same way.
Every kit or list should be seen as a starting point for your personal use. You may not need certain
things that a person living in the mountains needs if you are in the desert. If you are in an area
known for hurricanes, than you my need to look at how and where you secure your items. The
same can be said for those that live with the threat of tornadoes.

You may want to cache supplies (bury them in waterproof containers) that can be accessed after a
disaster. You may want to cache along the way to your BOL so that you can stop and replenish
enroute.
The point is that you can walk in both worlds as a Homesteader or Prepper. You don’t need to be
pigeon holed into thinking that there is only one way to best prepare or live your life. Be unique as
you are in whatever you do. It’s your life to live.
When Prepping, let me say this, there is more to it than just gathering supplies and hiding them. It
requires mental and physical preparedness as well as the supplies.

If you wilt under the pressure ofthe situation, you will fail and fail those that will be looking to you
for their own strength.

If you are a couch potato, then you will not likely survive what will lie ahead of you in a post-
disaster life. The work necessary to rebuild and continue will extract a heavy price on your body.

Homesteaders are prepared in that they generally have multiple daily tasks that are physical in
nature to complete every day. These tasks are part of their routine and prepare them for what they
would need to do in a more desperate survival situation.

I hope that you find/found the information that I shared in this book a help to you. I wish you the
best of luck in your endeavors as a Homesteader or Prepper.

Remember, that you can not rely solely on the government to provide for you after a disaster. You
need to take the bull by the horns and prepare for you and your family. Knowing that you have at
least something to get you through the first days, weeks or months of a local, regional or national
disaster is better than wondering, “if it happens what would I do?” Remember, that in a disaster
the stores will be empty in 3 days. After that, what are you going to do? What are you going to tell
your kids when they are hungry and crying for food? Where are you going to turn?
This is what preparedness is all about.

Homesteading carries that preparedness to a different level as you are more inclined to be more
self-sufficient or self-reliant. You also tend to possess skills that will provide for you going
forward. This could be your gardening skills, raising animals, repairing items, sewing and
mending, etc. Also, remember this, “No man is an island.” It will be very tough to maintain and
defend your homestead alone. Adding resources and skills can be accomplished with networking
so that you have the people to rebuild your area. If there is only 2-3 people in a household, it will
be difficult to maintain a 24 hour watch on a daily basis of your BOL or Homestead. Eventually as
time will go on, you will face a challenge to your survival. That challenge will need to be dealt
with head on. If reading this book scared the crap out of you, and made you paranoid about what
could happen, then PREPARE! That fear will ease as you become more prepared. But, don’t get
cocky about your preparedness. We all need to think about what could happen next.

On the next few pages are other places to connect with and are great resources for whatever path
you choose to walk. The social media pages are ones that I follow on a daily basis. The websites,
I usually visit at least once a month, and some more often than that.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions, there is no such thing as a dumb question. Everyone has a certain
amount of knowledge and they are willing to share. On my pages, you are free to ask/post
questions about anything that you need more info on. I would say that there is someone out there
with the answer to your question.

Prepping and Homesteading can also bring a family closer together.

Okay, so you are an experienced Prepper and you read my book and thought that there would be
more of one topic or another covered.
Or you are a Homesteader and thought the same thing about the Homesteading info. This is a book
designed to for those that are wondering if there is a better approach to either one. This gives you
some basic info and information. I could write hundreds of pages more of info and in most cases
you would probably get bored and put it down and be done with it. I wrote this because people
ask what are you, a Homesteader or a Prepper? The book tells you that you will probably walk in
both worlds regardless of what label you attach to yourself.

Facebook Pages

These Facebook Pages and websites are ones that I follow on a regular basis. I always try to
include some in each of my books for others that may be just getting started and are looking for
resources. I also share pages and posts on my personal page as well as The Scavengers
Homestead Page. I urge you to visit them and like them.

https://www.facebook.com/TheScavengersHomestead
This is our page. We will be more active this year, and sharing info as we work on our
Homestead. We have lots of work ahead of us, and we will share some pictures of things that we
find on our place as we get into the old buildings.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/ANTS-Americans-Networking-To-Survive/287516275613

https://www.facebook.com/preparingwithdave

https://www.facebook.com/SurvivalForBlondes

https://www.facebook.com/thehealthyhomeeconomist

https://www.facebook.com/BLACKberryFields

https://www.facebook.com/attainablesustainable

https://www.facebook.com/HomesteadingWays

https://www.facebook.com/cleversolutionsonline?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/Stilettos.to.Cowboy.Boots

https://www.facebook.com/preparednesspro
https://www.facebook.com/wbhomesteader

https://www.facebook.com/holdingearth

https://www.facebook.com/AreWeCrazyOrWhat

Website Links

We recently launched our Website/blog. We will be posting pictures and updates to this page
as well as our Facebook page. After that you will see the pages for those folks that have websites
as well
as their Facebook pages listed above. So, I encourage you to stop by and check them out.
They all have a great variety of information that will serve you whether you walk in the
Homesteading or Prepper worlds or you tend to blur the lines like us as both Prepared
Homesteaders.

http://thescavengershomestead.com/
http://www.homesteadingways.com/

http://preparingwithdave.com/

http://www.americansnetworkingtosurvive.org/

http://www.attainable-sustainable.net/

http://www.survivalforblondes.com/

http://blackberryfieldsfarm.ca/

http://thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/

http://stilettostocowboyboots.com/

http://www.backtobasic.us/

http://www.preparednesspro.com/

http://thewannabehomesteader.com/

https://sites.google.com/site/holdingearth/

http://arewecrazyorwhat.net/

Closing

I would like to thank you for your purchase of this book. I hope it provided you with at least some
useful and helpful information. If you can provide a review of the book on Amazon, I thank you.
My other books are:

http://www.amazon.com/HOMESTEADING-21st-Century-Beginning-Reliance-
ebook/dp/B00B6QF7N2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395863951&sr=8-
2&keywords=Greg+Pavlosky

http://www.amazon.com/HOMESTEADING-Money-Saving-Frugal-Recipes-
ebook/dp/B00C9SUMK4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1395863951&sr=8-
3&keywords=Greg+Pavlosky

http://www.amazon.com/What-Should-Know-Teaching-Kids-
ebook/dp/B00EUC80VK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395863951&sr=8-
1&keywords=Greg+Pavlosky

My wife has a book also in her pen name of Bobbi

Rice
http://www.amazon.com/Sometimes-full-book-Bobbi-Rice-ebook/dp/B00BGSS6H4/ref=sr_1_2?
ie=UTF8&qid=1395864123&sr=8-2&keywords=Bobbi+Rice

Thanks again, stay safe, and prepare.

You can also contact me at:
thescavengershomestead@gmail.com
email address if you choose to. You can also post questions to our Facebook page as well. We
also expect to launch a website soon to share more info about our place and the adventure that we
have begun. Every trip up there has led us to find things that we didn’t know before we bought it.
Our neighbors have been a wealth of information as well. We learn of the many things that are to
be inside those buildings that are falling down and look forward to the exploration of our “little
piece of heave on earth.” Greg