Is it Preparedness or is it Homesteading?

Is it Prepping or is it Homesteading? Answers From the Preparedness Mama

In this interview with Shelle Wells, founder of Preparedness Mama and Rockin’ W. Homestead, we talk about the incident that led her into preparedness and why as a single mom, she changed everything in order to be prepared.

Then we zero in on the nuances of the differences between preparedness and homesteading and why it matters.

What do you think of when you think of prepping?

Hurricanes? Floods? Wildfires? Evacuations? These are all things you need to be prepared for, for sure.  You need to be prepared to bug out or evacuate your home and to have enough clothing, food, water, and shelter to get by for 3 days to a week on your own before you can reach a safe place where you can access aid.

You might also, in these circumstances need to “bug in” because you are cut off from outside help.  When the power goes out or the access roads in or out are temporarily blocked you need to be prepared to take care of your own needs for a week or more.  Until aid can reach you or power and access are restored.

These emergencies require a different kind of preparedness than homesteading.

Homesteading preparedness

Homesteading, on the other hand, prepares you for everyday needs.  It gives you resilience in the good times so you can help others.  It also gives you a backup plan when you face dire straits like unemployment, economic downturn, garden failures, or even winter.

When facing a problem of hurricane proportions, homesteading and self-reliance can help you weather the storm if you are bugging in if the storm isn’t too severe, and if your home is unaffected.  But if you have to bug out you need a different kind of preparedness.

Skills Preparedness

When you own the skills you are able to rely with confidence on your ability to meet your own needs no matter what life throws your way.  If you have to bug out you have a plan and you know how to make do.  If you are bugging in you have the confidence that you can manage, in any circumstance, not just waiting for help to arrive.

The first step and the one most people don’t bother with until it’s too late

Whether you lean more toward homesteading or prepping, one thing both sides agree on is the need for a 72 Hour Kit or Bug Out Bag (BOB).  The BOB or Kit ensures that whether you can stay home or are evacuated you have what you need for food, water, shelter, and clothing to survive for 72 hours, the estimated time it might take for help to reach you in an emergency.

But most people don’t have a kit.  September is the best time of the year to put together your bug out bag because many of the supplies needed for a BOB or 72 hour kit are on sale.

So pop over to Shelle’s website.  Get that BOB ready today, so that when the next emergency hits you won’t be caught with your preps down.

And then as you consider your own level of preparedness make a plan to increase your own self-reliance so that you won’t be caught with your preps down.