There are many more things that you can do to help yourself to be more self-sufficient if a crisis was ever to hit. Because you don’t know how long the problem will last, it’s a good idea to be as self-sufficient as possible.
You’ve probably already stocked up on emergency food supplies and prepared other stores such as water, hygiene products, medications, torch, batteries, first aid kit, tarps, and ropes, etc.
And you’ve got vegetables and fruit trees growing with a few chickens to help sustain you. You’ve also packed your bug-out bag, just in case.
However, try building some of the following ideas and others, while you still have time.
Build A Greenhouse
In addition to your garden, you can build a greenhouse that will give you the ideal opportunity to germinate your seeds early.
Being able to use a greenhouse allows you a longer growing season which in turn will give greater yields in your garden.
Related: Couple Builds Greenhouse Around Home to Stay Warm and Grow Food All Year Long
Building a greenhouse does not need to be an expensive project. Greenhouses can be made easily and cheaply using repurposed materials.
Many different items can be used, including old window frames, PVC pipes, plastic sheeting, bubble wrap, plastic bottles, or CD cases etc.
Build A Composting Toilet
Composting toilets do not use any water and can easily be built by someone with some carpentry skills.
The beauty of this kind of toilet is that it can save you from having to flush gallons of precious water down the drain, and the completed compost can be used as a fertilizer.
It’s a good way to dispose of human waste, especially if you live in a rural area with no sewage system. For those of you who have a septic tank, using this type of toilet will do away with the need for the tank to be emptied, which might not be an option during a crisis.
The compost from this toilet can be added to your regular compost heap or composted separately. To make this compost safe for use, it needs to undergo hot composting to kill any pathogens that might be in it.
Some people recommend ‘cooking’ the compost for a year and only using it around fruit trees and berry bushes, just to be on the safe side.
Build A Medicinal Herbs Garden
Even though you may have a supply of medications, these may run out if there is a prolonged crisis.
Better to build a medicinal herbs garden so you can be prepared for the worst scenario. In fact for some people, herbs are their primary go-to remedy when they are unwell.
⇒ Stop Spending Money At The Pharmacy By Growing These 10 Plants
Herbs are very easy to grow and will give remedies for all ailments. Having a medicinal herbs garden gives you your very own medicine chest on hand that will also promote good health.
Build A Bottle-Drip Irrigation System
This method of irrigating your vegetables is very easy to make. It’s a water-efficient way to water your garden that will also encourage deep root growth for strong plants.
BPA-free plastic bottles are preferred so that no harmful contaminants are leached into the soil.
If holes are made in the bottom of the bottle, the cap can be used to regulate the flow of water. The looser the cap is screwed, the more water is released.
Build Your Own Cooking Equipment
During a SHTF event, you may experience power outages and other fuels such as gas, etc. may not be available. In this case, it’s always better to be prepared by building your own device that will see you through the hard times.
Related: 7 DIY Stoves You Can Build When SHTF
Although the ones below are wood stove designs, there are also many homemade solar stoves that can be made.
There are so many different stove/oven designs that are easy to build and use firewood as fuel.
The simplest uses flat stones with repurposed grilling from an old cooker on top to balance the pots and pans. Others repurpose tin cans, oil barrels and old propane tanks, to mention but a few.
Rocket stoves made from bricks or cinder blocks etc. are very popular because they use less wood than other stoves which could help to safeguard your firewood pile.
Build A Beehive
Building a beehive isn’t difficult for a handy person with the right tools. There are different designs to choose from with the Langstroth hive being common in North America.
If you’re new to this, some research will be necessary to learn about making the hive and beekeeping.
Honey is a valuable addition to help in a number of ways. Obviously, it can be used as a sweetener, but it can also be used for medicinal purposes, having lots of medicinal properties.
It can be used to make alcoholic drinks and used as a preservative. Honey has a unique PH balance and sugar level that makes it impossible for bacteria to live in it. Anything preserved in honey will not spoil.
Build A Smokehouse
Building a smokehouse will give you another preservation method in addition to other methods you may be using.
A smokehouse can be used if you slaughter one of your larger livestock or are fortunate enough to have caught a lot of fish and need to preserve them for future use.
Smokehouses are simple to build for an average handy person. It can be constructed of wood and/or cement blocks and can be as small as an outhouse.
The smoke can be created by burning charcoal (which you can make yourself), wood chips, or sawdust. Smoked meats, fish and fowl taste really delicious.
However, even more flavor can be added by marinating the meat or rubbing a sauce or spice mix into the meat before smoking.
Build A Water Filtration And Purification System
So you probably already have a rainwater catchment system in place, but this can be developed further by setting up a filtration and purification system. This will allow you to use the rainwater and any nearby river or lake water if you should run low on your long-term water storage.
Anyone can make a simple water filter as it requires very little skill, even a child could make one. The materials used include large plastic bottles, cloth, activated charcoal, sand, gravel, small rocks and rubber bands.
This device will filter out any debris present in the water, but will not make it safe for drinking. To purify the water, various methods can be used such as boiling, bleaching, using commercial water purifying tablets, or utilizing solar purification.
In these uncertain times, it’s wise to be as prepared as possible. The above projects can help to sustain you, your family and your friends through rough times and crises alike.
Not only are they helpful for self-reliance, but they are also more natural and helpful for the environment. The more self-sufficient you become, the better your chances of survival will be. Try to add these projects and others to your to-do list while you still have time.
You may also like:
How To Make Delicious Lard With 2 Years Shelf-Life (+5 Tasty Recipes)
This Homemade Device Can Power Up Your Entire House 7 Days In A Row (Video)
The States with the Most Medicinal Plants. Do You Live in One of Them?
10 Things Not To Do When The Next Great Depression Strikes
Sure build a bee hive……or buy one
Frank
If you can not build most all you need, then it is already to late for you.
Simplicity; is the reason that we are here where we are today.
Men are not men today, because it”s easier to buy something, rather then learn how to build it from trial and error.
Simplicity, look up the definition
Stay sharp, real Men…
The cost… time and materials … you be better off buying the sets
A “weak man”, buys what he needs, and a strong man, makes what he needs, because he saw how weak, that man became when he would just buy something and not put in the time and effort to learn how to build it him self.
I can build one for free, with all the stuff just laying around my house. No cost but learning and time.
Just lazy, that’s all it is, really…
Red a smart man knows what his time is worth.
A truly smart man builds for himself for little or no cost then produces more to sell or trade to others. We each can not do all things . We can do what we can and trade for the rest.
Many of these projects are doable even if you happen to live in the city! You just might have to tone it down a bit so it all fits in!
rm p
No way. 👎
And only a smart man will use his time wisely. Frank
Only so much time in the day….. and i’ll focus mine on things that are pratical to bulid and not BEE houses……
That is the reason they make vanilla and chocolate ice-cream.
So, you can have a choice.
That’s why I said, Wisley…
Red ant:
Please calm down….use emotions wisely, too.
Top bar hives are the easiest to build although I have ‘built’ a Langstroth hive from kit form since the wood is not easy to come by here.
I’ll pass on the glass house though since cold isn’t a problem either and I already have a shade house lol.
As with any suggestions we can adapt things to suit our own situation. Fairly good list although a cellar is what I would like.
I often wonder how to do a cellar across some parts of WA … so much clay and rock! If you are in the coastal sand plains then it’s gutless shifting sand and low water tables. I am curious though whether a root cellar would work well here (probably). I’m tempted one day to start experimenting with a Coolgardie safe and see how long things really last in those.
I love these ideas. They are all well within the realm of a few weekends work, with out having to buy an entire carpenter’s truck of tools, and let you learn as you go. None of them are complicated, high stakes or expensive in their own right, making them perfect learning projects.
Sure you can buy most of these projects, but going through the process of learning how to adapt and build it yourself is going to be the edge you need if/when SHTF and you have to figure stuff out for yourself. Buy the kit version if you are a complete novice or need an early easy win, but consider going from scratch as you level up your construction skills.
A great post!
Askaprepper.is and has been for quite a while the laughing stock of the Prepper blogosphere.
The never ending nit picking and down right insane comments
have turned the site into a worthless time suck.
Have you ever seen this level of rancor and arguing on any
other site? The answer is no because it’s not allowed.
If you want to beat the freedom of speech drum the make sign
buy a megaphone and go stand on a street corner.
That way more people can see butt ignorant you are.
what other site?
Seriously, what other sites. I’m ignorant and newer to prepping and want to know of other sites.
And you are one of the worst for this with your insane trolling of certain people that I will not name.
But here you are. There is a lot of good stuff here. If you don’t like something just pass it on by, it might be of good use for someone else. I see only a couple of people on here that go at each other. It gets downright uncomfortable at times. Sometimes I think the moderator needs to do some moderating. Just my 2 cents.
Re; the composting toilet. I strongly recommend you put a cheap wastebasket in the biffy with the toilet and make it a rule to put the bumf (used toilet paper or government paperwork) in the wastebasket to be burned later. This stuff is a lot harder for bacteria to digest than the feces you deposit there, Also, collect the urine for other uses: don’t waste it.
urine makes a great organic fertilizer. Just mix 1 part urine to 10 parts water. 20 parts water for seedlings.
Most people pee about a quart a day.
What you can do in the cold weather is to pour it directly on a compost pile or on pots/planters.
Just do the mix about 1 month before spring planting.
If you take a trash can and fill with fall leaves (moistening them a bit with each layer), you can pour urine straight on top of the pile in the can and put a lid on it.
*IF* you can spare some sulfur free molasses, mix a cup of that into 1 quart of urine.
Can speed things up quite a bit.
Winter is the best time to make compost. It sits there breaking down while you plan your next garden.
Should be ready by spring.
also used toilet paper closed in a plastic grocery bag and hung by your garden keeps deer away. They hate the noise and smell.
To red ant, not all of us are 100% healthy. And don’t have the luxury of having the use of our hands. Some of us gave that up for you to be able to say bulls**t like that. I take great offense to your flippant comment..
To A veteran
So sorry that my post anger you.
I to, am disabled and have very hard time making things work, I have very bad arthritis and sever nerve damage and 5 surgeries’ trying to give some kind of relief to my Arms and hands and its pain, all day and night. NO meds at all for relief. Just natural herbs and prayer…
But as a man you do not have an option, but to only keep going.
I am NOT a soy boy. but have worked almost my whole life at very hard labor jobs. I get up way before the chickins even know that the sun is coming up and go till I collapse in my easy chair. Been 48 yrs working and still going.
Let me say that my family has fought in every Dam war. I have family in the military right this very min.
What I am saying is, If you are a man get your ass up and become the man you should already be…
“One more thing you did not fight that war by your-self, my family has also fought for your freedom, So, you can come on here and bitch about my post”.
Not talking about someone that has very little use of there hands or body. You should have known that.
I will say that I to take great offence in you thinking that I would include the disabled people, really.
stay sharp
Is it honorable to brag a about fighting in wars for elites and big oil
Also, many parents and/or schools don’t teach those skills anymore or for a long time. Even friends won’t or can’t.
Yep. If you can build it yourself, then chances are, you can always maintain it and repair it if needed. If you simply buy it because you lack the skills/motivation to build it, then it’s only as good as the initial build quality and the longevity of your luck/situation.
If one does not know how to change a flat tire or sew clothing, one most likely does not know how to design and build anything.
Many Millennials and GEN Z can’t figure out which bathroom to use.
You could teach them but i suppose mocking them is easyer when your boomer generation can’t do anything either. (thankfully Gen X had a brain)
Composting toilet?! LMAO. Skip that. Out house. Make your little portable building. Dig hole. Put house over hole.. When full, dig next hole. Move bldg to new site and use dirt from hole 2 to fill in and cover hole 1. Seriously! Not that hard to figure out.
Well it is…. but you should study up on how the military or YAH explained to the people of ISREAL on how to setup that.
Just make sure the seat does not make splinters! lol
Now if you could add a mini rocket stove to that to take the chill off….
Brilliant idea. When I was 12, in the mid 60s, I holidayed at Seal Rocks on the NSW mid coast (Aussie land), a fishing village back then. When they had the electricity put on they got the guys that drilled the holes for the poles to drill holes in their backyards for the loos. Two, with an outhouse over each. When one was filled they would move to the next, but the load in the first would eventually reduce to practically nothing due to the liquid dissipating into the coastal soils, and maggots doing their job. They were still working when I visited in the mid 70’s, though sewage was put on some time soon after, due to Seal Rocks turning into a tourist destination.
Or plant a fruit tree after you fill in the hole. By the time it’s roots are down into the waste it will be just right. 😂
Linda, it is an OPTION. That’s what all these posts are about: options to do things and to have more than one option for every need. Sure, go ahead and do your outhouse, that is a good idea, but don’t crab on people that choose another option or one in ADDITION to an outhouse. Options.
For me, a greenhouse is just a big advertisement for others to come and steal.
Greenhouse only works when others cannot find it.
Now they do have designs for underground greenhouses of sorts.
Only the top and southern side is exposed to the sun. And barely visible too.
Requires a hill or make a big mound.
Still this is unlikely going to be safe when the Demozombies come looking for YOUR stuff.
I just found that photos cannot be attached.
Any way take a look here: http://www.horizontalhive.com under the PLANS tab for a hive to build with the FREE PLANS that will not strain your muscles when Honey Harvest time comes around. Lifting the supers off the hive greatly disturbs the hive with each removal.
Langstroth hives have Supers that are stacked on top of one another. When full one of the Medium Supers can weigh up to 60 to 80 lbs. that is a heavy weight even for healthy young males to handle by moving those around. Another problem with Langstroth hives is that you need to add insulation for over-wintering the bees each year.
By comparison the Horizontal Hive (recommend 20 frame size) FRAMES will weigh around 8 to 10 lbs when filled with honey. These larger Layens frames’ tops all align with no spacing except at the ends. This allows for calmer work for the Beekeeper even when pulling out a frame. Of course when more are pulled the do get upset. But at Honey Harvest you will be leaving a minimum of 10-12 frames. I would recommend leaving 14 frames for the bees to have over-winter food. IF you pay close attention to the PLANS you should have a nice INSULATED hive for all of your efforts
with year round protection of the bees.
KEEP ON BUILDING! Your neighbors will want one! 🙂
Some very useful ideas here I was fortunate enough to have a brother-in-law who was a GC and had a construction company when I was 13 yrs. old I was driving back hoes and bulldozers.
I have never called a plumber, carpenter, mason, roofer, …etc.
I have always done everything myself.
If a man built it and it breaks a man can fix it. The trades is becoming less and less popular amongst young people.
It is best to learn how to build not buy.
So what are you guys, 6? If not, then don’t act like it. Those of you that piss & moan about every little thing won’t last a day if the SHTF… Can you say COOPERATION? Grow up!
what a well written article thank you for sharing
Several good ideas in the article and I have made some of them (green house at a former home, drip irrigation, I play around a lot with stove designs, I have put together water filtration/purification).I will pass on the bee hive. I agree with Ginny, a root cellar would be a good addition. I also agree with Red ants theme, build as many things as you can. It is a learning experience and that knowledge may be what saves your butt someday. Even if each of the skills themselves are not needed for survival, the self confidence that says I am able to make what I need will be very important when the stores are closed and the chips are down.
Domeliving: I too, agree with you. However, some of us aren’t that handy. I used to do a lot more around my acreage (5) but can’t do a lot anymore. I’m a 68 Year old woman living alone. I can fix things, but often can’t make them. I took offense at the WAY Red talked about “not being a man” if you can’t build all of your own everything. There are some things that not everyone can do, and it doesn’t make them “less of a man” if you can’t. I agree, it is better if you make what you can. To not be lazy and just buy stuff. But to downright SAY you aren’t a man if you don’t is extremely judgemental. (and, not a libber, but what about a “woman”?) These types of tirades are not the type of comment I have come to expect from Red.
Carol, you bring up a great point! I am not a carpenter or plumber or electrician not not not. My wife and I have owned 7 houses and 3 condos. Every one we either gutted or (ahem) improved. I worked 13 yrs in a factory in Detroit and 23 yrs in an automotive tech center in mich sitting on my Butt behind a computer. She worked in many offices. So we are not professionals by any means, She was by my side on every project doing what she could. Sooo, when I talk about our house projects I say WE not S/He! I think Red Ant and Others come across as crass sometimes but what I think everyone is saying is that IF, you are able, you need to at least try to do what you can. Right now I have arthritis and am going through a bad bout of Vertigo and she is still taking care of my A$$…
Stay safe and God Bless…
To Carol L and everyone else’s.
Okay let me say this to clear things up, about my post.
If you are able to build what you need then YES’ I fill that most “men”, NOW let me clarify A MAN… are very lazy and would rather go and BUY, what they need, instead of trying to build what they need.
Okay My post reads as it says and if you can understand how, it is written then you might get the way my post reads.
I can’t believe that everyone would think that I am including all people, BUT I am not saying that; what it reads is that “most men” will use there and not there body to preform things that will not benefit them in a survival way, but only make then LASY to go out and buy, instead of building something. It’s not just building it’s being a strong Leader in or outside the family and without it going to your head. You know, a power trip…
NOT TALKING ABOUT
women and most women can do things that most men can’t or won’t. so yes, women can.
child, only when you are old enough to learn and mind.
disabled
sick
broken
handy cap
blind
mental
ETC:
BUT what I am saying, is that if you are ABLE to perform a task AS A MAN such as building what you will need rather than BUYING it, which to me is being LASY as a Man. NOT, saying that you are NOT a man if you cannot perform the task at hand. There are many men that can do things that some men can’t, and they still try and preform the task at hand, instead of BUYING it OR not even trying to build it all.
Boy things have gotten out of hand as how people can take what you have said and make it into something that it is not.
Yes, MEN, let me clarify, MAN, meaning ONE not more then, but ONE and men meaning more than one. If you are ABLE and most men are, then going and build it and maybe learn your children to be able to go and build things instead of BUYING them.
I have been prepping for many years and if I went and bought everything that I needed or wanted, then it would not have helped me to be much of a prepper, and most would not want me in their group, because I cannot do anything because it was easier to buy it then to lean to build it.
I am Self-thought
Pluming
Electrical
Construction
Medical
Drafting
Engineering
Automotive I-car GOLD
Sewing
Management
Teacher
MIG Welder- certified on automotive
Cook
Black smith
Demolition
Water Well drilling and pump installer- certified
Gun smithing
certified in many things and there’s more. I also paid for all of it myself…
I wanted to learn all these things’ “so I would not ever have to depend on anyone”, but JESUS CHRIST.
You are only limited to what you want to Learn.
To make it clear, I AM NOT and NEVER BOST OR ACT BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE THAT IS ON HERE, just stating a FACT. So please do not whin at me saying that I am bosting.
It has takin a lifetime for me to accumulate all this knowledge. It can be done. I know for a fact, it can. And still learning.
I hope this clarifies what my post was meaning when I said what I said.
Maybe read it more than one’s and then maybe again, then do what you need to do.
I DO…
stay sharp
Just fighting for my reputation, because it can be destroyed in a single post.
I WILL be more Theral in my posting, so this will not happen again, and I won’t be miss understood, when I post. If you are not satisfied with this responds about my post, then so be it.
Thank You.
Understand.
There is more to it then that. Glad that you know that. And so do eye.
So what are you saying, There’s more to gunsmithing then straping a flish light to a gun. Okay you got that right.
Thank you.
Knowledge is power. Gives you the ability to do most things for your self, so you do not have to depend on any one. But JESUS.
I have a dear friend that is crippled and bent body and hands are very badly closed and has almost no movement in his hands and very limited body movement, this man is in a wheelchair and dose everything by him self and will not let you help him. I saw him get out of his truck and drag him self to the back to get is mobile chair out with a lift.
It was sad to watch and I asked him why he will not accept help and he said to me. If you help me, then I lose the ability to help my self. This man builds custom saddles. He is a inspiration to me every time I fill like I can’t go another day.
If you new him you would be inspired, also. That’s why I say that you can do it if you have the will power to do it. He has been crippled sences 1964. That’s a long time.
Your ability to learn and understand how things work will give you the ability to do many things.
I build custom parts for restoration car and trucks that you can’t buy. So you have to use your mind all the time to figure out how it was made and then remake it. You can do it.It takes, nothing but time and there is 24 hrs in a day. Use all you can. One day it will be over..
Stay sharp
My prepper name is “red ant” and is spelled that way with lower caps.
(I do respect the spelling of all names in here), because the prepper name means what it means to that person, there are some exception of a few people that troll, I will dawg on them.
Thank you.
Carol, there is a totally different poster named “red”, who is a Native American that lives in Arizona – red is NOT Red Ant. Red Ant often gets arrogant and is a “holier than though” soapbox preacher. You have to sort through Red Ant’s posts to obtain the few nuggets of worthwhile information. most of what Red Ant posts is just him opinionating about how everyone should do things like he tells them.
dz
You make me laugh at you every time you post your stupid c**p here and not one time have you said or posted anything that would help or benefit anyone.
Your posts are like you, fake.
I see that you have sucked up to RED and trying to get him to agree with your post, about how this web site s*cks now. Crickets
You said you do not come here anymore, BUT here you are, still saying nothing but cr*p as always.
Great item to own if you have solar: dehumidifier and a filter = fresh water daily
Buckeye, you should be in a high humidity area, and have an adequate power supply to get enough water from a dehumidifier to make it worthwhile, as in several gallons per day – a couple of liters per day would not be enough to support several people (family) and animals (pets and livestock). Beware those SCAM adds claiming “the Israeli’s discovered how to get water from air”, which can be done, but at extremely high fuel usage/cost to run the generators to power the dehumidifiers and condense water from the atmosphere.