Do you prep by learning new skills?

[CupOhTea]

And if so, which skills and how did you learn them please?

I’m not really a prepper per se, but I have built up a little buffer of long shelf life food, first aid supplies etc in case of financial hardship, illness, whatever.

I’m now thinking what skills I could learn and what we could learn as a family which might be useful.

[BlackeyedGruesome]

New to this board as well and hoping someone comes up with an answer.

Going back to guiding days and the annual powercuts cooking Christmas dinner on the barbeque news reports...

Cooking outside on a fire/ barbeque.

Thinking about my Brexit stash... Baking bread.

I am sure there are lots of other things as well...

[BlackeyedGruesome]

I suppose there are the skills such as darning, mending, sewing which would be useful

Also growing your own vegetables.

[CupOhTea]

Yes, I keep trying to grow things in pots in my garden (crap soil, so pots it is). Mixed results so far.

I might try potatoes soon.

Also would love to know more basic DIY. Wonder if there’s a course or something... I’m totally rubbish and call professionals to do it at the drop of a hat .

[BlackeyedGruesome]

You tube videos have been recommended on other threads for DIY.

I can decorate and am teaching myself basic other stuff. I do not do anything with water as I live in an upstairs flat and even a few miles runs through the floor to the ceiling below.

[BlackeyedGruesome]

Mils not miles. Doh!

[bellinisurge]

I play to my strengths and know my limits on diy. I can do a certain amount myself but would have a strategy of plying our neighbour (who is handy) with food etc if we were unable to get a handy person in the normal way.
I have taught myself water purification skills and how, if necessary to make a composting toilet. I can already cook and build a fire from scratch.
My first aid skills are a bit rusty.
I'm old and my parents were wartime generation so I know quite a bit innately, as it were about making do. My dad taught me to sew (bought me a sewing machine for my 18th which I still use) and grow veggies. I learned how to knit at school. I taught myself to crochet and actually find it relaxing and undemanding- as well as a great way to use up bits of yarn to make huge granny square blankets.

[ElyElyOy]

Have a look at your local adult education offerings, think about things that interest you, and think about gaps in your skills.

You can learn via classes, you tube and books: it’s just getting the right learning tool for the right thing. I think basic first aid is a must for everyone (prepper or not) and a class is probably more appropriate. If it’s natural remedies then books are probably more accessible. If you want to learn how to change a tyre or your spark plugs then manuals and YouTube are probably the way to go.

Also have some faith in yourself: you can probably do a lot more than you think if you’re pushed

[Snugglepumpkin]

First you look for the things you are most likely to need to do.
Sounds stupid but if you have to get someone to re-pressurise your boiler/change the oil in your car/change a plug/fit a lock/sharpen a knife etc... then you start by learning to do those things for yourself.

It doesn't matter if there is someone else right now who can do those things for you, they might not be there if the SHTF & everyone should be able to do pretty much everything.

After that you look at the skills that will improve your everyday survival & quality of life.

[cozietoesie]

Basic first aid is a must - and will become increasingly important in everyday life, especially as ABs become less useful. See what there is locally re training.

[BogglesGoggles]

How to run a business. If you know how to earn a living independently then you will always be fine.

[PersonaNonGarter]

Basic first aid will not address the medical gap caused by antibiotic resistance.

[bellinisurge]

But @cozietoesie is right. And the question of antibiotic resistance is much broader than prepping. There are skills you can learn, as a prepper (or just generally) to avoid nicks and cuts than can get infected or food/water bugs. Spoiler alert: use gloves; clean food prep surfaces and utensils without ready access to disinfectant and paper towels; learn how to collect and purify water; consider toilet options if there is a problem with the main sewer (see Christchurch post earthquake solutions for ideas) . I actually needed to consider this recently when our loo got blocked. Thankfully, I was able to resolve it without resorting to plan C (Plan B being using nearby supermarket loos).
First Aid is just that - first aid.

[bellinisurge]

@BogglesGoggles is also correct, in my view. I actually have "back of my mind" plans to have a viable small business if we have to fall back on that. Not just about the tin foil hats

[cozietoesie]

When did any of you last milk a cow? Remember that electricity will be very vulnerable.

[bellinisurge]

About 45 years ago  @cozietoesie . Always good to think about non electric options

[cozietoesie]

Slightly less- she had mastitis and wanted a woman's hands. (Animals become infected also.)

[cozietoesie]

To answer: I suspect that you need to hone existing skills.In Old Times,not everybody could do everything. Even then, there were .......specialists.

[Orchidoptic]

Machine sewing, crochet, woodwork

[BlackeyedGruesome]

basic first aid can reduce the chances for a small cut to turn into infected sepsis...

[RhubarbTea]

I can knit jumpers, hats and socks, sew clothes and crochet blankets. And run a small business. That's about it though

[bellinisurge]

Those are excellent skills @RhubarbTea . My "if we have to go back to zero " plans involve turning my sewing skills into a little business- a little, "keep the wolf from the door " business.
I am not strong in that area and I wish I was. I look at other small businesses now in a similar field and turn ideas over for products and promotion.

[RhubarbTea]

I ran a sewing business for 6 years and then changed tack to something else so am happy to advise if you ever want to know more. My main issue is that my current business replies on the internet so I'm hoping that doesn't change. And also people having a little disposable income, which may well change!

[bellinisurge]

@RhubarbTea , and again this is about a completely stripped back economy and infrastructure, I always said that, in an extreme situation, I would value people by their skills and usefulness to me and my family (including social skills/morale boosting abilities/local knowledge etc). And it got me thinking well what have I got to offer.

[Mumpkind]

What a lovely interesting thread. I love adding to my practical skills and knowledge. I always want to be able to make or mend stuff in general so - at a basic level - I can do lots of craft, DIY, gardening, cooking, music (entertainment/morale boosting) type things. Never learned any animal husbandry but would like to.

Please tell me how to make a composting toilet!

[bellinisurge]

@Mumpkind google Christchurch Earthquake and composting toilet. Basically you try and ... er collect... wee and poo separately and cover the collection with organic material each time. Like dead leaves or soil.
Use a couple of buckets with, say, a pool waddle thing around the top to sit on. Obviously, wee is easier to collect from blokes.