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Letter Re: Garage and Yard Sales as a Retreat Logistics Source
Hi Mr. Rawles,
I've been able to pick up a lot of gear at garage and yard sales. Most importantly,
I've found many practical books at yard sales and junk stores that sell books
for $1 or even just 25 cents each. I was able
to pick up a home medical adviser from the 1920s for 25 cents. I
have also bought numerous books on small scale farming, canning, food storage,
and living off the grid from the 1920s for a dollar each. Much of the information
would be relevant to a post-TEOTWAWKI,
as it was written for farmers or rural residents that didn't have access
to electricity and largely lived
off the land.
I have a few books about working on houses from the post-WWII years since it
is before plastics, which has inherent benefits in a survival situation since
they will
be hard to find at Home Depot. They also have information on how to make repairs
that today the answer would be buy a new one, or use a hard to find/expensive
par. (Impossible in a survival situation.)
These are the books that I have found most helpful:
The Home Handyman's Guide edited by Hubbard Cobb copyright 1949
Readers Digest Back to Basics Copyright 1981 (most important by far with general
info on everything)
2004 Emergency Response Guidebook (there is a new version every year, its given
free to public safety organizations)
The Weather Wise Gardner by Calvin Simmons Copyright 1983 ISBN 0-87857-428-X
The New American Garden Book Copyright 1954 edited by Dorothy Sara
The People's Common Sense Medical Adviser by RV Pierce copyright 1895 [JWR
Adds: Keep in mind that some of the home medical remedies described
in books of this vintage (such as "take a spoonful of kerosene...") are not safe
or recommended! OBTW, a similar encyclopedia titled "The Household
Cyclopedia", circa 1881, is now
available online for free download.
Thanks to reader "TinCan" for sending SurvivalBlog that link.]
Various USDA agricultural yearbooks from pre-1935, these are also great because
a fair deal of them is geared towards the farms that existed as family farms
and were quite self sufficient.
Also, on another note, for people that live
in suburbia it is important to block visibility from neighbors or the street
when storing cached gear. For example, I was driving through
my neighborhood today and there was a small horse trailer (in neighborhood
where livestock is prohibited by the homeowners association) inside a garage.
That sort of thing draws attention and others will start rumors "Why does
he have a horse trailer inside his garage? What are they trying to
hide?" When TSHTF neighbors
will start talking more and maybe something may come up. I hope these books
and the
advice helps someone. Regards, -Sam
