How would you protect your animals from nuclear fallout?

[MarGyver7]

That was my thought.

When they drop a nuclear bomb near me the chickens are going to be pretty low on the list of priorities

They aren't my priority but I feel I've prepared pretty well for all of my first concerns so I'm putting my hand to the plow and pressing forward

 

[MarGyver7]

Wow, IF it happens, or when, I hope my place is just snuffed in the blink of an eye. I've already lived through chemo at the brink of death 3x & have cared for several loved ones that passed from cancer. Basically, 1999 to 2018 life...no not life, existence is the right word, Existence revolving around cancer. I don't think I have the oomph left in me to tangle with nuclear fallout, nor the emotional resources to see more loved ones suffer & wither away. Nope, just take me & my flock out, here one second, over the Rainbow Bridge the next.

I understand Liz....and part of me feels the same...I'd rather go home to be with the Lord than stay here to suffer and watch others suffer....I'm sorry for your struggles but as hard as they are, I believe they are purposed....you are stronger than you think! I know this is off topic but I'd like to share my experience with you and anyone who cares to read it.....

A decade ago I took care of both of my parents at home until they passed....both died from cancer....it was so hard and I felt exhausted and defeated, like I had lost my purpose in life after they passed.

Then 7 years ago I was diagnosed with a rare and inoperable brain tumor, and was given 5 years to live only "IF" chemo and radiation could extend my life a bit...surgery was out of the question because the tumor spread throughout my brain like tentacles from the main lump....2 years after my diagnosis when all treatments failed, I was put into a nursing home on palliative care, and while I waited to die there, drugged up on copious amounts of pain killers and seizure meds, I shuffled around the hallways with my walker to visit other patients, to keep them company and make them feel loved, or just pray for/with them if that's what they wanted, and most did no matter what they did or did not believe in.

Then one day the Lord spoke to me....not audibly but in my thoughts with His still, small voice, and said "It's time to leave here, you have work to do" I knew it was Him because it sure wasn't my thought to leave!

I convinced my case worker that I had somewhere to go live where I would be cared for for my remaining days, but in actuality I was talking about living in my SUV with the Lord as my sole caregiver because that's all I had.... and to my surprise without further explanation, she agreed to discharge me....highly unusual and against protocol!

I spent the next year travelling/camping out in my SUV which was a huge challenge in my condition (couldn't take much pain meds when I had to drive) but all the while I used the opportunity to minister to, and encourage other people I met who also lived in their vehicles or relied on homeless shelters to survive.

Ok a lot happened during that time... too much to type ....but I emailed a Pastor about a business opportunity that I saw on ytube and he was also street healer... he said call me in the morning so we can pray together. So I did, and the instant after he finished praying and we said "Amen", all of my pain was gone, I was sobered up from the morphine, I could walk normally, and the titanium plug in my skull from the initial tumor biopsy sunk into my head about a half an inch.... the tumor in my brain disappeared and I still have that indentation in my skull....THANK YOU JESUS! Anyway, He then ordained me and now I am a non-denominational Christian minister.... I met my husband through a ministry, and here I am now....living out my calling while preparing to help others when they are in despair! I hope this encourages you to press on and not give up....whatever happens, you were born for such a time as this, and if you would like me to pray you as well just let me know.... I would be honored!

 

[MarGyver7]

I've played all the Fallout games. I'm prepared.

NICE! LOL

 

[MarGyver7]

You seem pretty dead set on these plans, which is totally fine, you do you. However, like others have mentioned, I think shelf stable foods and things would be more realistic to have. Any eggs or meat from the animals, I don't think I would be comfortable consuming. And I have no idea how you would treat the animals with the iodine, or if they would even need it. Have some pills for yourself, I think everyone should to be honest. I have two nuclear power plants within a few counties of me so I have pills. But those pills are just to prevent thyroid cancer from the fallout

Agreed....have the KI for thyroid and nonperishable food stores among other necessities...

Yeah I could understand being leery about eating eggs and livestock after an event (even after checking it with the geiger counter), and that's one reason I started this post... but even now with all of the gmo and nanoparticles in store bought food, I pray over everything before it touches my lips and we mostly eat what we produce here....now they are pushing bugs on us food!....ugh!

 

[MarGyver7]

Let me add, if you're in an area that could survive, it is wise to try & be as prepared as you could be. Being just due west, not far from Wash DC & right down the road from Dover AFB, my place would be snuffed out in a nanosecond.

Nuclear fallout is one thing, but not many are talking about what a serious, massive solar flare or CME could do, & the Sun is a very active place, no one has to push any button, it happens, we just haven't been in the direct pathway of a colossal event...yet.

This event was like the Sun shooting a tiny spit ball, that mostly ricochet off earth

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrington_Event

Theorists claim Venus & Mars magnetic fields & atmospheres were done in by extreme solar activity, that they once had life.
After mapping cosmic radiation levels at various depths on Mars, researchers have concluded that over time, any life within the first several meters of the planet's surface would be killed by lethal doses of cosmic radiation.

https://www.apexmagnets.com/news-how-tos/the-magnetic-fields-of-our-solar-system/

Sorry don't mean to go off topic, ADD at work again

I hear ya....and how about that gamma ray burst and the 250 mile wide chunk of our atmosphere that just got blown off with that highly charged particle aurora!?!? ....and the pole shift and ....argh....don't even get me started lol! I check space weather and the geological affects daily but most don't even consider it....it will have far worse consequences than war and we are at a period of the earth's cyclical disaster cycles converging.

.... but I digress. I feel I've done quite a lot to prepare for my family and neighbors (short of feeling like a hoarder), and that's why I'm asking how to help my animals now, but there are things coming that we just can't mitigate, so I put that in God's hands since He hold's ultimate control over everything.
Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge....BTW my hubby is from Bethesda

 

[MarGyver7]

Are you for rent?!? We’d like to be off-grid with greenhouses but barely have the energy & finances to sustain our 5 acres. So we exist, do the best we can with stashing here & there, watch the tide of humanity as reported by various media & see if we can stay afloat.

LOL ...Yeah I just do what I can and trust the Lord for the rest

 

[MarGyver7]

I don't know which I'd choose between the barn and the greenhouse, especially without seeing either of them.

I'm not going to read all four pages looking for whether you said what kind of barn it is. If it is a bank barn, I would see how feasible it would be to make it less leaky - fill the loft with hay, lay a few tiers of square bales preferably. Or a layer of wood sheathing. Possibly lay some plastic but that would ruin the wood if done for long because it doesn't let the wood breath. I would go for keeping most of the wind out rather than airtight. The ground of the bank and the stone (I assume it has a stone foundation?) are massive enough to be very good protection. Even cement block is pretty good.

If the barn is above ground and has thin walls, I'd look at the greenhouse first. I wouldn't pile dirt against the walls unless it is designed for that. Ideally, a wallipini would be a first choice - it is a good design for its greenhouse function, too. Otherwise, among the things at the top of the list would be cement block walls. They don't have to touch the greenhouse walls and can be dry laid so you can move them. Or barrels of water. Inside or outside the greenhouse. Cement blacks and water are about the best way to get cheap, available, heavy, and handleable all at the same time. Or two walls with dirt between them.

Pine isn't heavy so you would need a LOT of it to get as much protection as a cement block. But some protection is better than none.

Adding something lightweight won't help much, other than if the radioactive particles would otherwise enter the space.

I had the numbers at one time - radiation halving thicknesses or radiation shielding equivalents or something like that is the search term.... I found a chart with a few materials on it here (I know nothing about the site other than it had this info - it looks about right but I didn't check other sources to confirm it is right)
a half inch of lead equals and inch of steel equals 2 1/2 inches of concrete equals 3 inches of packed dirt or sand equals 7 inches of water equals 11 inches of wood (I assume that is pine; osage orange or ironwood would be need quite a bit less).

The numbers for distance (in open air) is twice the distance from the source of the radiation equals one quarter the amount of radiation from that source.

Very helpful info.... I so appreciate it... the barn is above ground and made out of rough cut log slabs so from inside you can see daylight through tons of cracks...I guess I'm leaning more towards the greenhouse plan ....Thanks for your help!

 

[MarGyver7]

Great topic!! A couple of random thoughts from a fellow prepper: watch the dates on your medical supplies and OTC supplements. Change your prescriptions to 3-month supply if allowed.
Assume all medical facilities will be down indefinitely.
Assume internet & cell will be down indefinitely. You’ll need hand-crank flashlights & hand-crank radio.
Assume the government will NOT be sending official notifications of incoming anything (missile/meteor/etc) to avoid panic and vote-changing…
Assume electric will be down indefinitely. No power to draw water, charge batteries or cells, warm water dishes, run any elec appliances, get any deliveries (no gasoline or diesel cuz pumps run on electricity).
No banking.
Yikes…. Lots to consider.
If you can’t wear it, eat it or shelter with it, you don’t need it. $$ will be worthless in anything bigger than ones.

Totally agree with all you stated ...great advise for everyone....thank you!

 

[MarGyver7]

Yeah, this thread contains keywords...so you know we are already being "monitored" by big brother. I say it jokingly, but really, it's true.

True dat, but AI monitors absolutely everything anyway....you don't even have to type it on the device to have certain words flagged.
For example, smart devices monitor us speaking in our homes.... sometimes when my husband and I speak about sensitive topics we speak like Peter Brady did when he was impersonating Humphrey Bogart on the Brady Bunch.... "Poke chawpsh and appo shawsh, gee thats shwell"

We don't really believe we are actually fooling the sophisticated AI/algorithms... but we have a good laugh about it anyway

 

[MarGyver7]

One thing about the first level or so of planning for disasters, is that the plans are mostly the same regardless of what the disaster is.

Having a place to go decided on (which room is most sheltered, even if you don't have a basement) and a place away from home decided on; three days of food and water, sensible shoes and clothes, id and meds, list of phone numbers, a flashlight, a small game or toy for kids, first aid kit.

Edit to add. Three days was the nearly universal recommendation by community disaster training, fema, common sense, and such. With the state of the supply chain and of sources, it is probably more days now. Or should have been for quite some time now.

Yup...now we have the "diesel shortage" to further collapse the supply chain, farming, etc....please, everyone get what you need ASAP!