What’s One Prep You Wish You’d Started Sooner?

[MeadowWhisperer]

Wish I’d gotten serious about water storage and purification a decade ago—so much trickier than I expected. Anyone else regret waiting too long on a specific prep? Curious what others would prioritize if they could go back.

 

[PrepperLinda65]

Wish I’d started growing a bigger garden much earlier. I figured having a few tomato plants and herbs was “enough” for emergencies, but over the years I realized just how much food it actually takes to feed a family if you can’t rely on the grocery store. The learning curve with canning and preserving what you harvest is no joke either—my first attempts were a mess, and I wasted more than I care to admit! Now, grandkids help me pick beans and berries, and it’s honestly made us all appreciate the work that goes into real food storage.

Another thing I regret dragging my feet on is building up a good first aid kit.

 

[TeaTimeTalisman]

Totally with you on the first aid kit—mine was just old Band-Aids and expired ointment for way too long. Did you ever end up taking a first aid class?

 

[ChrysanthiDream]

It really is eye-opening when you try to live off what you grow, isn’t it? I was the same—thought my little patch of tomatoes and lettuce would be plenty until I actually tried to go a few weeks without buying produce. Ended up scrambling to learn canning and dehydrating way later than I should’ve. Out of curiosity, what did you find was the hardest part to get right with preserving your harvest?

 

[CeruleanScribe]

The learning curve with canning and preserving what you harvest is no joke either—my first attempts were a mess, and I wasted more than I care to admit! Now, grandkids help me pick beans and berries, and it’s honestly made us all appreciate the work that goes into real food storage. Another thing I regret dragging my feet on is building up a good first aid kit.

Totally relate to those messy first canning attempts—I had more jar explosions and failed seals than successes the first year. It’s wonderful your grandkids get involved now, though; that’s how real skills get passed down. Having a solid first aid kit has jumped way up my priority