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

[BlueSkyWanderer]

Looking back, I genuinely wish I’d started learning about wild edibles and medicinal plants much earlier. Storing food and first aid supplies felt straightforward, but knowing how to identify, harvest, and use what’s actually growing around me took way longer to get confident with. Even common things like plantain or yarrow, I’d walked by for years without realizing how valuable they could be for wound care or insect bites.

I’m curious what others think on this. Was there a skill or resource you overlooked early on in your prepping journey that you regret not starting sooner? Maybe something you didn’t realize would be so crucial until later? Also, if anyone’s got tips for beginners wanting to dive into plant identification (books, apps, hands-on courses, etc.), I’d really appreciate hearing what worked best. Feels like the sooner you start, the less overwhelming it is to build that knowledge.

Would love to hear what’s on everyone’s “should’ve started sooner” list.

 

[BlueSkyWanderer]

I relate to this so much—really wish I’d started a garden earlier, even just herbs and weeds that grow wild. The difference it makes, knowing exactly what a plant looks like in every season, is huge. Plant identification field guides helped, but honestly, walking with someone who knows their stuff sped things up way more than books. Ever find yourself second-guessing IDs even after studying pics? It took me ages to trust my own eyes.

 

[CrimsonWren145]

Wish I’d started practicing water purification methods sooner—figuring that stuff out during an emergency is nerve-wracking. Has anyone actually tried wild water filters before, not just the store-bought ones?

 

[CrimsonWren145]

Figuring out water purification definitely should've been higher on my list, too. There’s just no substitute for practicing before you have to rely on it. I tried making a wild filter once with sand, charcoal, and gravel—it looked promising in theory, but honestly, it never got water as clear as a proper filter, and I’d still want to boil or treat it after. What really struck me was just how grimy water can *look* clean but still be risky.

After that, I did more hands-on with boiling, solar disinfection (basically letting a clear bottle sit in the sun), and some of those chemical drops. If you’re not used to the taste, it can be off-putting at first, but better safe than sorry. The absolute best was bringing a few neighbors together to practice with different methods;

 

[MarigoldBreeze]

So true about plant ID—wish I’d started paying attention to “weeds” decades ago. Anyone else ever mistaken something edible for its toxic lookalike?

 

[CrimsonWren145]

Wild plant ID is absolutely one I wish I’d started younger. Like you all, I walked right past so many useful “weeds” for decades—didn’t even realize dandelion greens were edible till after I retired! The trickiest part was getting over that nagging doubt every time I thought I’d found plantain or chickweed. Pictures in books