Something to think about

SurvivalBlog labels this article onthieves stealing from community garden as a “sign of the times”. and it is likely that. However, it’s also something that those of us who favor preparedness need to consider now.

Picture this–TS has HTF and you’ve used your stored food, maybe some hunting and fishing, perhaps even some scavenging from abandoned homes and businesses and you’ve gotten through that first year. Spring came, and you have turned your small practice/hobby garden into a garden meant to feed your family.

Except you get up one morning and it’s been raided–a big chunk of the food you were counting on to get you through the winter, the next spring and see you to the next harvest is gone.

You’ve taken the precautions discussed in various garden forums (You were smart enough to look this all up back when there was an Internet and electricity on tap, right?), and a careful examination doesn’t show any prints from hooves or small animal feet. Instead it shows prints from a pair of heavily worn work boots, 2 or 3 different pairs of tennis shoes and a pair of shoes that you can’t identify, but are pretty sure weren’t worn by Bambi.

Sure, you’re going to rant and rage, and you may even go after the thieves and be successful at it. But it would have been much easier if you had simply thought about this sooner and had taken precautions.

I can think of several, ranging from 24 hour guards), tripwires attached to cans with pebbles in them/mousetraps attached to cheap marine flares and less pleasant measures based on your knowledge of old Viet Cong booby traps. Dogs might also be a possibility, either in the garden (and magically trained not to destroy the thing) or kept nearby to provide warning via the bark mechanism.

All of these have pluses and minuses. Best to consider them now when it isn’t a subject of life or death.