Stocking items for barter

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i watched one of those Nat. Geo. shows called american preppers, this guy bought a tri fuel duce and a half military truck,out fitted it with, and I'm not lying,$80,000 worth of stuff, i saw it on EBay 3 yrs later,,he sold it for $15,000. I'm glad that fad is losing steam. oh by the way on ammo auction sites you can get ammo real cheap, i mean REAL cheap especially 5.56. people who stocked up causing the shortage are now realizing they don't have much use for 100,000 rds. of ammo, when they only shot 50/60 rds. a year. 22 ammo is getting cheap again, I've been buying CCI 22cphp maxi-mag 100 rds. at cabelas for $ 8.00, but on some sites I'm seeing it on sale for $7.00ish more and more.
 
oh, and i forgot to add,,how would you like to be a fireman running into a burning house not knowing there is 100,000 rds. about to cook off
 
Putting aside the disaster/EOTW scenarios and looking at just the I-ran-out-of-something-and-money situations -- bartering only works if there are (1) other parties willing to barter and (2) they have what you need. It's hard enough doing something when one thing is beyond your control. It's more than twice as hard when two things are beyond your control. And if you add another qualifier, like needing that thing right now instead of whenever you eventually find someone meeting the first two criteria, then things get exponentially harder. But, sure, it couldn't hurt to have a few trade goods on hand. I just wouldn't count on barter being a significant alternative to money. It might be more useful to stash the cash you would've spent on barter items.
 
it would never hurt to keep a few gold chains around, nothing fancy, just 18k gold or 14k from a pawn shop.
 
I have thought about this. I collect small mint candies for people around me who might be going in to Diabetic shock. I bet in a zombie apocalypse, there would be more diabetics experiencing Diabetic shock than there are now. I also have barrier masks in my car (both my own pocket mask and the big plastic sheets you toss over someone's whole face) for rescue breathing and CPR when/if necessary.

In the event of a zombie apocalypse, I have skills. I don't have things. I am valuable for what I can *do* for others. Upside is that it takes up very little space.

But were I to add something to my collection, it would be antibiotics and a few suture kits.

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MrNoodly said:
Putting aside the disaster/EOTW scenarios and looking at just the I-ran-out-of-something-and-money situations -- bartering only works if there are (1) other parties willing to barter and (2) they have what you need. 

I should have included: You have something they want.
 
theinf,,,,your a better person then me,,,giving mouth to mouth to a zombie,,that goes above and beyond,,,but wouldn't giving MtM to a zombie make you a zombie too
 
I am stocking beans and rice. 1 pound rice per day and 3/4 pound
Of beans. Replace after 2 years.
Wood burning rocket stove.
Tall stanless pots for Boiling water
Put pot inside. Turn lid updide down
You have drinking water.
Cast iron coockware will last execpt
To boil water.
You can plant the beans.
Ok for 6 monts to year.
 
James, those beans are hybrids, probably monsanto, they won't grow more beans. you want what are called open pollinated beans, you can save the beans from them and replant. the super mkt store bought won't. just an FYI
 
or buy heirloom seeds to get away from the hybrids. any type of hybrid will not produce. everything you buy in the store is a hybrid not just stuff from Monsanto it's been that way at least since the 60's. also hybrid seeds are genetically engineered. they just never used to call it that. for that matter so are most domesticated animals including dogs and cats. highdesertranger
 
highdesertranger said:
or buy heirloom seeds to get away from the hybrids.  any type of hybrid will not produce.  everything you buy in the store is a hybrid not just stuff from Monsanto it's been that way at least since the 60's.  also hybrid seeds are genetically engineered.  they just never used to call it that.  
Farmers Market?
 
at a farmers market you will have to ask. then you have to believe what the person is telling you. around here even the farmers markets are hybrid plants. BTW hybrid and organic have nothing to do with each other it can go either way. you might get organically grown hybrids or you might get non organic heirloom. highdesertranger
 
caretaker said:
theinf,,,,your a better person then me,,,giving mouth to mouth to a zombie,,that goes above and beyond,,,but wouldn't giving MtM to a zombie make you a zombie too
Not with a barrier pocket mask or face shield. [emoji6] That is the whole point of such devices. And also why they are used on non-zombies of unknown pathogenic quantity.

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theinf, i stand corrected, thank you. as far as hybrids, i have no problem with them, i just wanted to FYI on the replanting.
 
Sorry HDR, your information is not correct and I need to set it straight. Hybridization is NOT what is meant by genetic engineering although too many interchange the terms in common use, causing confused misinformation. :s  Hybridization is about cross-pollination, NOT gene splicing.  The difference is legally very important in the organic certification world.
highdesertranger said:
or buy heirloom seeds to get away from the hybrids.  any type of hybrid will not produce.  everything you buy in the store is a hybrid not just stuff from Monsanto it's been that way at least since the 60's.  also hybrid seeds are genetically engineered.  they just never used to call it that.  for that matter so are most domesticated animals including dogs and cats.  highdesertranger

TL/DR: Make sure to get heirloom or older hybrid seeds that breed true if your intention is to stock up for seed barter or zombie apocalypse situations :p ---some heirloom seeds are available at many of the big box stores and the local hardware stores now.  Don't just go by what some backyard gardener at a farmer's market says--I've found few that know. :dodgy: Link to get started, for those that wish to research, provided at bottom of post. :cool:

Plant Lesson for those that wish to know-

GMO-Genetically Manufactured Organism
GEO-Genetically Engineered Organism
GMO/GEO use non-related genes- for example, splicing BT into corn genes to give corn it's own "pesticide" against worms

Hybrid- new versions of similar plants created through cross-pollination (someone uses pollen from a plant whose characteristics they would like to breed with the plant they are pollinating)  This occurs in nature as well as through intentional human effort.

A GMO/GEO can be a hybrid, but being hybrid does NOT mean GMO/GEO.  GMO/GEO will cause sterile seeds--a big concern if they manage to pollinate the non-GMO/GEO crops, yet the GMO/GEO corporations see that as $$$$$ for them. :mad:

Some hybrids can become open-pollinated like heirlooms.  Older varieties that have been grown and selected and saved for years then will grow true to type. (Just like species of dogs are true to type now though they originated from one ancestor--that was through hybridization not genetic engineering.)  It is true that newer hybrids will most likely not grow true from saved seed and the seed may possibly be sterile.

Heirlooms are seeds/plants that have either not been created through cross-pollination or were created so long ago that it doesn't matter.  The plant is true to type from seed.  Depending on growing situation there is an opportunity for pollination from related plants possibly leading to a hybrid crop.  There is concern with this, especially for organic growers, if for example, their heirloom organic corn and the GMO corn next door come into pollen at the same time.  Lawsuits can be searched online.

Speaking of organic- Any seed can be grown organically, but NO GMO/GEO seed/plant can be certified organic at this time.  Hybrid seeds are grown naturally (only changes are through cross-pollination) and can be certified organic just like heirloom seeds. :exclamation:

For those who wish to read more here is some light reading :p LOL: https://www.ams.usda.gov/about-ams/programs-offices/national-organic-program
 
When money is tight which happens more often than it should considering I have a decent job, I have my priorities.  Pet food, toilet paper, and cigarettes are the items I will buy first.  I actually make my own smokes, a large bag of tobacco and a few boxes of tubes will make three cartons for less than $20.  The (hand crank) machine I use cost $35 and has lasted for 3 years so far.  That would be my barter item since you can sell a single cigarette for 50 cents here in the northeast.  I'll live on ramen noodles as long as I can feed my dogs.  Cat food is cheaper and they love it so I keep it on hand for an emergency.  Canned tuna, eggs and grits are cheap staples for me.
 
DECO, did you know its legal to grow your own tobacco, you can buy seed kits that has the blend you prefer most,(you can build your own). its actually pretty interesting doing the research, and not hard to find.
 
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