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Could you live without power

Could you survive without power

  • Total voters
    44
polgara said:
Greetings, JC. :2wave:

*hug* Even I was shocked at the number of women of all ages that signed up for the free classes on how to safely pressure can meat, vegetables in season when they are inexpensive, and soups and stews and other foods, for future meals to feed their families! I've probably taught close to 100 myself over the past two years, and I only volunteered for one day a week! The other days were taught by other women on how to bake bread, sew new clothing out of cast off but still usable older garments and coats, etc, how to knit warm gloves and hats and other clothes for Winter, and many other skills that are slowly vanishing. NIMBY told me they have pretty much discontinued teaching Home Ec to students in his school system these days, but everyone has to eat and clothe themselves.... Go figure! :sigh:
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Well, at least your students will be prepared! :yes:
 
I think many kid themselves. It's one thing to do it for a few days, a guard shift, a night or two. I used to live in a hole I dug, wear the same uniform for a week- swap out socks by drying them in my arm pit, ate crap in a can, slept in muddy crappy blankets because carrying a sleeping bag got in the way of the other crap we had to carry (anyone use the old 'tanker's roll or the 'sleeping bag carrier' straps?), sleep in the snow and CAREFULLY folding the sides of my shelter half off me so the snow didn't cave in on me (can't use tents on the front line, not tactical) I did it for weeks at a time- it isn't anything I'd wish on anybody.

How does one get clean water? Pumps don't run on kerosene heaters. How do you keep food fresh??? Everything canned??? Been there, done that with C-rats- most here wouldn't like it.

These days I have a nice warn house at the literal end of a dirt road and we have a pretty powerful generator for power outages.

Camping is one thing but sooo very few do the month trek into the wilderness type of camping- most pitch tent near a power drop and a shower facility...

and I damn sure can't blame them...

Live without power??? Seriously, who are we kidding... I remember my youth- hot sweltering summers... hell no, I'd challenge all who think they can live without power to stay out of the forum for two weeks.... ;)

It ain't living without power... survive maybe, but certainly not living... :peace
 
beerftw said:
The question is could you? bout a month ago there was a power outage from wind knocking down trees over power lines, and all my neighbors were throwing a fit, had all their appliances electric, and no backup anything. I myself have a 700 watt generator, but it will only power a few lights a fan and charge a cellphone.

When I was in the military it was common to have zero power during field exercises excpept for the command areas, so up to two and a half weeks no power, and people flipped out, no way to charge their phones, no ac, heck no coffee pot.


Myself I am the type of person who has a percolator, basic backup power, and enough knowledge to survive without power. Others however do not, to the extent when they go camping they need a site with power outlets. So the real question is after todats conveniences could you survive without electricity?
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Could I? Yes. Would I? No. I have solar panels, and backup diesel generators for my place. I could live without power, but rather not. If power was going to be down for a long while I would be working very hard to bring it back up asap. I don't like not having power.
 
JC Callender said:
Well, at least your students will be prepared! :yes:
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I neglected to clarify that it was one day a week for an entire three months! So much to teach, and while I had hoped to show them how to make jelly and jam, I just ran out of time. :shrug: Starting again with new groups in May, so we'll see how it goes....
 
polgara said:
I neglected to clarify that it was one day a week for an entire three months! So much to teach, and while I had hoped to show them how to make jelly and jam, I just ran out of time. :shrug: Starting again with new groups in May, so we'll see how it goes....
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Do you get to teach new stuff each time, and can former students come back again? Do you plan an teaching jams and jellies this semester?
 
beerftw said:
The question is could you? bout a month ago there was a power outage from wind knocking down trees over power lines, and all my neighbors were throwing a fit, had all their appliances electric, and no backup anything. I myself have a 700 watt generator, but it will only power a few lights a fan and charge a cellphone.

When I was in the military it was common to have zero power during field exercises excpept for the command areas, so up to two and a half weeks no power, and people flipped out, no way to charge their phones, no ac, heck no coffee pot.


Myself I am the type of person who has a percolator, basic backup power, and enough knowledge to survive without power. Others however do not, to the extent when they go camping they need a site with power outlets. So the real question is after todats conveniences could you survive without electricity?
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Have you seen life before power? It's possible, yeah. But back to burying food and curing meats and all sorts of crap instead of a refrigerator. And medical technology....forget about it. Not to mention scientific progress. It's nice to think "oh I can go camping and live without power", and I'm sure that for some period of time that's true. But electricity is f'n awesome and it has really enabled many significant advances in technology, science, and understanding. And GPS. Sure, I can read a map, but I'd rather use my garmin.
 
Kinda hard for a computer guy to survive without power.

But isn't the real question how would millenials survive without power and their social media? Heck, I've seen kids that can't put it down for even 5 minutes.
 
beerftw said:
The question is could you? bout a month ago there was a power outage from wind knocking down trees over power lines, and all my neighbors were throwing a fit, had all their appliances electric, and no backup anything. I myself have a 700 watt generator, but it will only power a few lights a fan and charge a cellphone.

When I was in the military it was common to have zero power during field exercises excpept for the command areas, so up to two and a half weeks no power, and people flipped out, no way to charge their phones, no ac, heck no coffee pot.


Myself I am the type of person who has a percolator, basic backup power, and enough knowledge to survive without power. Others however do not, to the extent when they go camping they need a site with power outlets. So the real question is after todats conveniences could you survive without electricity?
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Quite easily. My brother and I own some property about 20 miles from where I live now. It has a nice wood stove and plenty of supplies to last a few weeks. Might miss my internet and games, but I can live without them when I have to. ;)
 
Captain Adverse said:
True, but you don't have to heat your whole house. That's a waste of energy anyway.

No, you find a small enclosed area, perhaps your bedroom (although you'd have to insulate your windows to prevent heat seepage) and build a small smokeless fire. Of course you'd have to watch for carbon dioxide buildup, but theres solutions to deal with that.
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Or you have a wood burning stove which both heats your home and cooks your food, add a good solar generator and you can run a few lights, charge your electronic devices and run a refrigerator.
 
Kal'Stang said:
Quite easily. My brother and I own some property about 20 miles from where I live now. It has a nice wood stove and plenty of supplies to last a few weeks. Might miss my internet and games, but I can live without them when I have to. ;)
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GoalZero, look them up.
 
beerftw said:
The question is could you? bout a month ago there was a power outage from wind knocking down trees over power lines, and all my neighbors were throwing a fit, had all their appliances electric, and no backup anything. I myself have a 700 watt generator, but it will only power a few lights a fan and charge a cellphone.

When I was in the military it was common to have zero power during field exercises excpept for the command areas, so up to two and a half weeks no power, and people flipped out, no way to charge their phones, no ac, heck no coffee pot.


Myself I am the type of person who has a percolator, basic backup power, and enough knowledge to survive without power. Others however do not, to the extent when they go camping they need a site with power outlets. So the real question is after todats conveniences could you survive without electricity?
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Probably not. But I'll never have to worry about that thankfully.
 
Many urban areas would have a severe problem with a loss of power for any extended period. Those who live in the rural areas could get by a little easier overall.

It would be hard to explain a wood stove in a town house in Norfolk..... to the housing association. ;)
 
Been there, done that. Obviously, no one wants to live without power access, but I find it pathetic for one to lack the mettle to survive without what's essentially an amenity.

On a slightly different note, power being a requirement for camping? lol go home already.
 
In the event of an electricity black out and a breakdown of society liberals would be some of the first to die.
 
beerftw said:
The question is could you? bout a month ago there was a power outage from wind knocking down trees over power lines, and all my neighbors were throwing a fit, had all their appliances electric, and no backup anything. I myself have a 700 watt generator, but it will only power a few lights a fan and charge a cellphone.

When I was in the military it was common to have zero power during field exercises excpept for the command areas, so up to two and a half weeks no power, and people flipped out, no way to charge their phones, no ac, heck no coffee pot.


Myself I am the type of person who has a percolator, basic backup power, and enough knowledge to survive without power. Others however do not, to the extent when they go camping they need a site with power outlets. So the real question is after todats conveniences could you survive without electricity?
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it's not really a question of could we live without power. We could, however it would be a nomadic existence. I am in the iT field and would have to find another line of work.
 
JC Callender said:
Do you get to teach new stuff each time, and can former students come back again? Do you plan an teaching jams and jellies this semester?
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There is a rough schedule that is to be followed, but when I ask the moms what they would most like to learn first, it's mostly always meat. This does make sense, because these gals are inner-city residents who can grow a few tomato or pepper plants in a small area, but meat usually has to be bought with their food stamps. Ground beef (hamburg) can be canned as is for chili, tacos, etc, but it can also be precooked and made into meatballs or even small individual meatloafs by adding bread crumbs, onions and seasonings for future meals like spaghetti dinners, etc. Chicken or turkey is also popular to be used in future potpies. Bacon slices are canned a little differently since they are canned raw between sheets of parchment paper and fried when the jar is opened at a later time. Too much info to cover here.

I guess former students can also join in if they want to, but I don't handle registration so I don't know. Jelly and jam classes are fun, and they smell so good when cooking, so I intend to try to make time for that this semester, even though sugar has gotten more expensive lately! Then again, so has everything else! Ground beef costs as much per pound now as a sirloin steak used to a year or so ago! :shock: We shall see....
 
I turned my workshop into 90% hand tools. I build crabbing skiffs as a hobby. My chop saw and table saws stay out of the way.

I just can't seem to give up my Dewalt 20 volts drills though!

The shop is much more quiet and clean without the noise and dust.
 
beerftw said:
The question is could you? bout a month ago there was a power outage from wind knocking down trees over power lines, and all my neighbors were throwing a fit, had all their appliances electric, and no backup anything. I myself have a 700 watt generator, but it will only power a few lights a fan and charge a cellphone.

When I was in the military it was common to have zero power during field exercises excpept for the command areas, so up to two and a half weeks no power, and people flipped out, no way to charge their phones, no ac, heck no coffee pot.


Myself I am the type of person who has a percolator, basic backup power, and enough knowledge to survive without power. Others however do not, to the extent when they go camping they need a site with power outlets. So the real question is after todats conveniences could you survive without electricity?
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Yes, I could survive, but I don't enjoy it. We live in a rural area that has occasional power outages. Sometimes for multiple days. I think the longest was about a week. I have protocols in place to get through it, but it's a PITA.

Yes, I'm spoiled by modern conveniences. Even my emergency protocols don't nix all of them. You just have to work harder to maintain them. :D
 
beerftw said:
The question is could you? bout a month ago there was a power outage from wind knocking down trees over power lines, and all my neighbors were throwing a fit, had all their appliances electric, and no backup anything. I myself have a 700 watt generator, but it will only power a few lights a fan and charge a cellphone.

When I was in the military it was common to have zero power during field exercises excpept for the command areas, so up to two and a half weeks no power, and people flipped out, no way to charge their phones, no ac, heck no coffee pot.


Myself I am the type of person who has a percolator, basic backup power, and enough knowledge to survive without power. Others however do not, to the extent when they go camping they need a site with power outlets. So the real question is after todats conveniences could you survive without electricity?
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You must live near me, because wind knocking down trees is exactly what happened and we were without power for 10 days.

I have been a survivalist since the 70's, so we were just fine. My wife works remotely and she did not miss one minute of work.

The keys is to not rely on any one system.
 
beerftw said:
Bonfires create carbon monoxide, which is why you do not make them indoors. Fireplaces and woodstoves are designed to contain the gas, while someone without would be better with a propane stove or the candle method which puts out too little of it to affect your health.
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Yep, indoor fire is not good without a means to ventilate the CO. I have a wood burning furnace as a main heat source, so I'm good to go in that regard.

Convection kerosene heaters are a good temporary source of heat. The do not emit CO in any quantity that is harmful, but they do emit other potentially harmful gases which don't make them a great long term solution. The only caveat is, they must be maintained in good order. I have one that I use for work in the winter to heat garages to set up my wet saw and mixing gear for tile work. I have used it to heat my home in emergencies for a night or two. Make sure you take it outside to turn it off, because they emit heavy kerosene fumes for a few minutes when switched off.

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I don't get why people are critiquing modern life so harshly. The U.S. has less than 2% of its original forest left. Not all of us can have wood stoves, it's just not feasible anymore. We switched to an electricity economy because it's more efficient and affords us a better lifestyle -- yes that includes luxuries.

My family has a backup generator and that's mainly because we have a farm. In the middle of winter if the power goes out, the chickens freeze, the chicks die, and the water lines freeze, our food storage loses power. It just creates a lot of chaos. We lose power about twice each winter, usually. It's just part of living in a harsh climate zone. It usually takes a day or so for the township to get things back up and running.

We are also blessed with a large creek flowing through our property, which we've built a water mill into that generates about 60% of our electricity year round. So we don't have to worry too much about the grid going down. Self-sufficiency is tough though. We could last for a lot longer than city folk, but not forever. The idea that you're somehow weak or less capable because you can't survive off the grid in an emergency is a bit cruel and unrealistic. Last year when our power went down it was the day before our usual big food run, and we had to trade with neighbors to get some basic supplies. **** happens.
 
beerftw said:
The question is could you? bout a month ago there was a power outage from wind knocking down trees over power lines, and all my neighbors were throwing a fit, had all their appliances electric, and no backup anything. I myself have a 700 watt generator, but it will only power a few lights a fan and charge a cellphone.

When I was in the military it was common to have zero power during field exercises excpept for the command areas, so up to two and a half weeks no power, and people flipped out, no way to charge their phones, no ac, heck no coffee pot.


Myself I am the type of person who has a percolator, basic backup power, and enough knowledge to survive without power. Others however do not, to the extent when they go camping they need a site with power outlets. So the real question is after todats conveniences could you survive without electricity?
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Survive yes, enjoy no.

But I have almost all the stuff you mentioned and know to use it, except a generator.

I'd have to make coffee in my percolator on my gas stove. or since I spend most of my time at work anyway, I'll just buy coffee wherever there's power
 
Northern Light said:
I don't get why people are critiquing modern life so harshly. The U.S. has less than 2% of its original forest left. Not all of us can have wood stoves, it's just not feasible anymore. We switched to an electricity economy because it's more efficient and affords us a better lifestyle -- yes that includes luxuries.

My family has a backup generator and that's mainly because we have a farm. In the middle of winter if the power goes out, the chickens freeze, the chicks die, and the water lines freeze, our food storage loses power. It just creates a lot of chaos. We lose power about twice each winter, usually. It's just part of living in a harsh climate zone. It usually takes a day or so for the township to get things back up and running.

We are also blessed with a large creek flowing through our property, which we've built a water mill into that generates about 60% of our electricity year round. So we don't have to worry too much about the grid going down. Self-sufficiency is tough though. We could last for a lot longer than city folk, but not forever. The idea that you're somehow weak or less capable because you can't survive off the grid in an emergency is a bit cruel and unrealistic. Last year when our power went down it was the day before our usual big food run, and we had to trade with neighbors to get some basic supplies. **** happens.
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how cold does it get? Weve never had to heat our birds. ever. most heritage breeds are fairly hearty, they're well insulated and huddle together for warmth at night. Wyandottes especially take cold well.

Well I feel you are less capable if your emergency plan is "b*** about how slow the government is when they finally save my a$$ or turn my power back on" you don't need to be doomsday prepper level prepared, but you should have enough that you can eat for a week without grocery stores and stay warm for a couple nights without grid power. any likely emergency, winter storm, etc are events where you only need to wait out a few days, no one should be unprepared for that level of problem.
 
EMNofSeattle said:
how cold does it get? Weve never had to heat our birds. ever. most heritage breeds are fairly hearty, they're well insulated and huddle together for warmth at night. Wyandottes especially take cold well.
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It can go down to -40 here. Our chickens are pretty hardy but during the coldest times they take a beating, mostly their feet. Last year a couple of our birds had their feet frozen off, but it was partly our fault because there was a leak in the insulation. It was a sad day :(

EMNofSeattle said:
Well I feel you are less capable if your emergency plan is "b*** about how slow the government is when they finally save my a$$ or turn my power back on" you don't need to be doomsday prepper level prepared, but you should have enough that you can eat for a week without grocery stores and stay warm for a couple nights without grid power. any likely emergency, winter storm, etc are events where you only need to wait out a few days, no one should be unprepared for that level of problem.
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I agree with you there. Modern living has deluded too many people into thinking that nothing bad can ever happen. Human infrastructure is pretty delicate in the face of nature, when it comes right down to it!
 
polgara said:
There is a rough schedule that is to be followed, but when I ask the moms what they would most like to learn first, it's mostly always meat. This does make sense, because these gals are inner-city residents who can grow a few tomato or pepper plants in a small area, but meat usually has to be bought with their food stamps. Ground beef (hamburg) can be canned as is for chili, tacos, etc, but it can also be precooked and made into meatballs or even small individual meatloafs by adding bread crumbs, onions and seasonings for future meals like spaghetti dinners, etc. Chicken or turkey is also popular to be used in future potpies. Bacon slices are canned a little differently since they are canned raw between sheets of parchment paper and fried when the jar is opened at a later time. Too much info to cover here.

I guess former students can also join in if they want to, but I don't handle registration so I don't know. Jelly and jam classes are fun, and they smell so good when cooking, so I intend to try to make time for that this semester, even though sugar has gotten more expensive lately! Then again, so has everything else! Ground beef costs as much per pound now as a sirloin steak used to a year or so ago! :shock: We shall see....
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Well I really admire you for sharing all of your valuable knowledge with these ladies in need! :thumbs:

I tried the Big Brother mentor route last fall and they still haven't found a match for me, so I'm also looking for another effective way to help out in the community. :think: Let me know if you have any ideas.
 
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