Five Must-Have Items for a Full Collapse
Kevin Felts 04.19.18
If the reader were to pick five must-have items for a complete collapse of society, what would they be?
There is an old saying which has been used ad nauseam: “Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.” With that in mind, what would be a worst-case situation? New viral plague; nuclear war, etc? Whatever may bring modern society back to the stone age.
This article is based on what I use around the farm. We are excluding everything which needs fuel or electricity. That means no tractors, no tillers, no generators, and no flashlights.
Good Metal Bucket
Starting off our five must-have items list is a good quality galvanized two gallon bucket. Why two gallons? Because at least one gallon is needed to flush a toilet. With a conventional septic system a bucket can be used to move human waste from the house to the septic tank.
Buckets are used for a wide range of purposes:
- Collecting eggs.
- Picking crops.
- Bringing water to the livestock.
- Bringing water to the garden.
- Fetching water from a water source: e.g. creeks, ponds, bayou, river.
- Taking a bath.
Being able to carry items such as eggs, crops and water is essential. Plastic buckets only last a few weeks here on the farm, while metal buckets can last years.
After Hurricane Harvey, I used creek water to flush the toilets here on the farm. There was no sanitary issues whatsoever. I have been using the same metal bucket here on the farm for almost three years, and it gets used almost daily.
Farm Hand Tools
Unless someone plans on digging the dirt by hand, a good quality garden rake and hoe are indispensable. Chances are the local hardware store, or China-Mart has some low cost farm tools in stock. Go ahead spend the money and get a quality product.
Besides gardening, rakes and hoes are good for taking care of snakes.
These farm hand tools save an enormous amount of time when working the garden. Whether it is making rows, or cutting weeds out of the garden, good farm tools are well worth the money.
In the past I have bought those cheap garden rakes, or cheap hoes, and they barely make it a full year before the head comes off. Sometimes they only make it a few months until they break.
Seed Stockpile
This is something we have talked about here on AllOutdoor ad nauseam. The most recent article talked about planning primary and secondary crops.
Some preppers say they are going to bug out to the wilderness and survive by fishing and hunting. Chances are those people will show up at some prepsteader’s farm begging for food.
Agriculture is the only way humanity can thrive after a collapse. A well-rounded seed stockpile would be essential when a collapse happens. Seeds could also make excellent barter items.
Experience
It is one thing to study something, it is another thing to do it. Book knowledge does not always equate to real-world applications.
Take time to practice survival skills:
- Gardening
- Hunting
- Fishing
- Preserving food
- Raising livestock – for example, a many cities allow people to keep chickens
These can be fun activities for the whole family. Take the kids fishing, plant a garden, take them camping. Have a good time and learn new skills.
Firearm
If the reader were to pick one firearm, what would it be?
- Small bore rifle?
- Large bore rifle?
- Shotgun?
- Handgun?
Would the reader want something for small game, large game, dangerous animals, etc?
Chances are, my pick would be a bolt action 22 rifle.
Final Thoughts
The trend in the list is renewable food sources, or items used to maintain renewable food sources.
Many preppers focus on consumable resources, such as food stored in mylar bags, or stockpiling #10 cans of freeze dried food. When the consumables are gone, then what?
