People find the post-apocalyptic idea somewhat exciting etc. If the prepers were really planning for it, they would dump all their modern tech. And basically revert to Amish style living. Or at least early 20th century living. Brush up on your animal husbandry, traditional farming methods. Start growing heirloom crops, and get really good at blacksmith work, sewing, and DIY construction with natural materials.
Not Amish, but born in a house built by my father and family, with electricity connected four years before my birth. No house payments. One 20 amp, 120vac circuit. No running water, no bathroom, wood heat and stove for cooking. 40 acres, chainsaw, small tractor and a few implements. One milk cow, hogs, chickens, and a garden. No deer or turkeys in our southeastern area then. I still have the large cast iron cook pots, chain fall, singletrees, hog hair scrapers, blacksmith and woodworking tools from that era. Also, the axe with the short broken handle my mother used for chicken head chopping. All food scraps went into a disgusting slop bucket for the hogs.
Pork, chicken, beans, collards, cabbage and potatoes. Beef occasionally. Cows are large, hard to process and preserve. I've killed many animals, but never enjoyed it. I still enjoy the aftermath processing.
I didn't realize until being drafted how few from that lifestyle and supposed poverty there were left in the sixties. While others complained of chow hall food, I was amazed at the quantity and variety. By then, times were better and the home place had a bathroom, propane cooking and water heating.
40 acres, of which 20 were trees. By 1978, when my father had to give up wood heat, the trees were becoming much fewer and smaller.
It was somewhat drudgery, and would definitely be now, but I was happy. That was in a community with unlocked doors, and neighbors willing to assist in a pinch. We had a .22 rifle, 12 gauge shotgun, and an old box of shells for each that lasted a long time. For meat.
When I hear and read about prepping and living happily-ever-after, especially by my descendants in person, I just keep quiet and let them dream. Even then we had fuel for the chainsaw and electricity. Given today's environment and my age, my little inverter generator is my best prepper friend for an easy way out. My primary care physician agrees.
en.wikipedia.org
www.smithsonianmag.com
