As the world becomes increasingly uncertain, many people are turning to prepping as a way to ensure their survival in the event of a disaster. Many people think of crates of emergency food and a roomful of guns and ammo when they hear the word “prepping.” While that’s not incorrect, there is more to prepping than just stocking up on basic necessities and weapons. Prepping is also about self-sufficiency and one way to achieve this is by taking up hobbies or learning useful skills that’ll help you survive emergencies and thrive in a post-disaster world. In this blog post, we’ll explore some self-sufficiency skills that can make you a better prepper.
1. Gardening
Growing your own food is one of the most important skills for preppers and a useful hobby to learn. By growing your own fruits and vegetables, you can ensure that you have a supply of fresh produce even if the grocery stores are empty. Gardening can also be a great way to pass the time while learning valuable skills. It teaches you about plant care, soil management, composting, and pest control, all of which are essential skills for preppers.
If you have a lot you can turn into a farm or ample space in your backyard, you can get into gardening with ease. But even if you have a small space, you can still garden using raised beds or container gardens. You can even grow vegetables in containers indoors if you don’t have much space or access to land.
2. Hydroponics
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil, using a nutrient-rich water solution as the growing medium. In a hydroponic system, plants are typically grown in a container or tray with their roots suspended in the water solution, which is constantly recirculated and replenished with nutrients.
Hydroponics is a beneficial hobby because it allows you to grow food in a small space with little maintenance. It also requires less water than traditional gardening, making it more efficient and sustainable. With hydroponics, you can grow vegetables year-round no matter where you live, even in urban areas or places with poor soil quality.
3. Aquaponics
One sustainable hobby that’ll make the most of the space you have is setting up an aquaponic system. Aquaponics is a combination of aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil). In an aquaponic system, the waste from fish or other aquatic animals provides nutrients for the plants, which in turn filters the water for the fish.
Aquaponics is an efficient way to grow plants and raise fish for consumption. It requires minimal maintenance and can help you produce a steady supply of food in an emergency.
4. Hunting and Fishing
When you’re stranded in the wild or the world has collapsed and the grocery stores are empty, you don’t need to go the Jeffrey Dahmer route to survive. You can always hunt and fish for food. Fishing is the simpler of the two, as all you need are some basic tools and knowledge about where to fish. Hunting on the other hand requires more skill, experience, and specialized gear for tracking and killing animals. These life-saving skills can also teach you outdoor survival skills, including tracking, navigation, and wilderness safety. And when things get really bad, your hunting skills can be used for self-defense.
5. Foraging
If killing animals is not your cup of tea, your next best option to survive without grocery stores and restaurants is to forage for food. Foraging for wild plants and mushrooms is another useful skill for preppers and homesteaders. By learning about the edible plants that grow in your area, you can supplement your food supply and add variety to your diet. Foraging also teaches you about plant identification and natural medicine, both of which are useful skills during emergencies. However, it’s important to be cautious when foraging, as some plants can be poisonous.
6. Cooking
Learning how to cook is a must-have skill whether you’re a serious prepper or not. However, there are people that you just can’t leave in the kitchen. Still, cooking is one hobby that everyone should learn to do, especially since fast-food joints and food delivery services will be a thing of the past after the apocalypse.
There are many ways you can get into cooking, from taking classes to experimenting with recipes on your own. Star with the basics such as frying an egg or boiling water. Then move on to more complex recipes and techniques such as baking, grilling, and roasting. You can also try out international cuisines or look for recipes that use non-traditional ingredients like wild edibles. But since you should also be into prepping, you can learn some simple dishes that you can make using canned goods and other items in your prepper pantry.
7. Canning and Food Preservation
Canning and other methods of food preservation are self-sufficiency skills that’ll teach valuable skills necessary for self-sufficiency. When it comes to food preservation, you can learn how to store perishable food like fruits and vegetables in jars or cans for later use. You can also preserve meat by curing, smoking, or dehydrating it.
Learning how to preserve food correctly is a great skill to have, especially when the economy is uncertain. When things get bad, you’ll still have homemade meat jerky, jams, tomato sauce, pickles, dried fruits, herbs, and other food items to sustain you until life goes back to normal. These homemade products can be stored for long periods of time without the need for refrigeration. So, even long after the harvest season is over, you can still enjoy the fruits of your labor.
8. Homebrewing
Learning how to brew your own beer or wine is a fun hobby that can also be useful when SHTF. In a long-term disaster scenario, having access to alcoholic beverages can boost morale and provide a sense of comfort. Your homemade brew should also fetch a fair price if you wish to earn extra income or barter for other goods and services. Additionally, homebrewing teaches you about fermentation, sanitation, and food preservation.
9. Soapmaking
Making your own soap is another enjoyable and rewarding hobby that can come in handy during emergencies. It involves creating your own soap bars using natural ingredients such as oils, fats, and essential oils.
By learning how to make these items from scratch, you can ensure that you have access to basic hygiene products even if store shelves are empty. It also assures you that you get none of the unhealthy ingredients often found in commercially-sold soaps like harsh chemicals and synthetic fragrances that can irritate the skin and cause allergic reactions. You have control over the ingredients you use so you can use natural ingredients that are gentle and nourishing for the skin.
10. Candle Making
Candle making is an excellent hobby for self-sufficiency since you’ll have a reliable source of light when power is out due to a natural disaster, emp attack, or if you simply forgot to pay the bills. With power out, the heater will be useless and your homemade candles can be of help.
Aside from light and warmth, DIY candles are great gifts to give out to friends and loved ones. And if you need extra income, you can make money off your hobby.
11. Sewing and Knitting
Sewing and knitting are relaxing hobbies and valuable skills that you can use to make your own clothing, blankets, and other items. This takes away the need to buy new clothes or have a seamstress make them for you. You also don’t have to depend on a tailor to repair your damaged clothes with these skills.
With sewing and knitting, you can create gifts for friends and family or make products like bags, sweaters, hats, curtains, and bed linens to sell. You can even use recycled materials like old clothes or scrap fabrics and turn them into something new.
In the event of a long-term disaster, these skills will also come in handy. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, people made clothes out of flour sacks since it was impossible to buy new ones or to make new clothes with fancy fabrics.
12. Woodworking
Many people are into woodworking as a hobby since you can make lots of interesting and useful things with this skill. For some, this hobby has turned into a money-making venture while others simply enjoy it as a leisure activity.
Woodworking is an invaluable skill to have when SHTF since you can create tools, furniture, and other items. You won’t need to depend on outside materials or resources if you know how to make them yourself. Plus, it’s always great to be able to fix things around the house without having to pay someone else to do it.
13. Home Repair and Maintenance
Knowing how to repair and maintain your home is another important skill for preppers. By learning how to fix basic plumbing, electrical, and structural problems, you can ensure that your home is safe and functional even during emergencies. Home repair and maintenance also teach you about basic tools and equipment, which can be useful during other types of emergencies, such as power outages.
14. Camping and Hiking
Camping and hiking are both hobbies that teach you outdoor survival skills. By spending time in nature, you can learn about navigation, shelter building, fire starting, and other essential skills. Camping and hiking also help you build physical endurance, which can be useful during emergencies. Even if you don’t have access to wilderness areas, you can still practice camping and hiking skills by setting up a tent in your backyard or going for a long walk in a nearby park.
15. First Aid and CPR
Knowing how to provide first aid and perform CPR is another essential skill for preppers. By learning how to treat common injuries and illnesses, you can provide emergency care to yourself and others during emergencies. First aid and CPR classes are widely available and can be completed in just a few hours. Plus, the knowledge you gain can be used anywhere and is not limited to just disaster situations.
16. Home Energy Production
Knowing how to produce your own energy can be useful during emergencies when the power grid is down. There are several ways to generate your own energy at home, including solar panels, wind turbines, and hydroelectric generators. Learning how to install and maintain these systems can be a valuable skill for preppers. Additionally, reducing your reliance on the power grid can help you save money on your utility bills.
When you busy yourself with such self-sufficiency hobbies, you’re not only turning yourself into a better prepper and homesteader. You can also use the skills you learn to make a profit by selling your homemade products or offering your skills to other people. And if SHTF, you can barter with these items. Either way, these hobbies will help you be more self-sufficient and prepared for any kind of emergency.
Being able to provide goods and services to your prepper community can be invaluable during a crisis. So, why not start learning one of these hobbies today? Discover more valuable self-sufficiency skills over at Gentleman Pirate Club. You never know when you might need to use them!
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