As the New Year approaches, it’s a time to reflect on the past and plan for the future. We can set New Year’s resolutions and clean out some clutter.
With each passing year, we get wiser (or at least older). In the upcoming year, we can grow as preppers by learning new skills. The best way to learn new skills is to take up a new hobby. No matter how skilled you are as a prepper, there’s certainly something new to learn or a new adventure to pursue. Even if it only helps minimally with your prepping, you’ll grow as a person.
The Art of Manliness has a neat list of manly hobbies, which many women might enjoy too.
Metalwork let’s you make new things. Some like to work with welders. Others like to build small parts with a lathe and mill.
Combining outdoor hiking with a craft, lapidary skills have always been valued in societies. For the prepper seeking self-sufficiency, hydroponics is officially listed as a hobby by wikipedia.
A few people make a hobby of trying out new hobbies.
Beekeeping,
Candlemaking,
Archery,
Knifemaking
Gunsmithing
Leatherworking
and Reloading
all have practical applications.
To quote a line from an article on Oprah.com about watercolor as a hobby, it’s about “Process, not product.”
You can purchase a Buck Special knife inexpensively and be all set. It’s likely your first bench-made knife won’t be as nice. So what? You’ll learn about working with metals, hardening them, and their properties. If you enjoyed the process, you’re next one will be better. If you didn’t enjoy the process, move on to something else.
As Ranger Man on shtfblog.com says
“Prepping is also a hobby that begets hobbies. ”
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Here’s a link to building your own AR-10 rifle. Sounds tricky, not quite mix and match like with an AR-15.
Gun and ammo sales surge as people anticipate a new ban on semiautomatic rifles and “high capacity” magazines.
Salt’s great on French fries, not so much on the underside of your vehicle.
preppernextdoor 