Greetings to the faithful remaining preppers in the world,

I have a silly question - what is the "favorite" item that you purchased to prepare for Y2K.

OK, I'll go first:

I have two, actually...

1. My brand-new 2-burner Coleman propane stove and 11 lb. refillable tank, with adapter. 2. My 1/2 case of 80-proof Southern Comfort :)

How 'bout you?

Live long & prosper

-- Patrick (sea_stars1@excite.com), March 21, 2000

Answers

1. The two Norwegian Fjord ponies we'll be using for farm work. OK, not strictly a Y2K purchase. We were planning on using horse power on the farm someday, and when these two boys were up for sale last summer, we jumped. Better now than later or maybe not at all, we thought - just like so many other things we did sooner rather than someday because of Y2K.

2. The Tobler chocolate oranges and the Ghiradelli chocolate chips - not all gone yet! :)

-- Bingo (ecsloma@pronetisp.net), March 22, 2000.

My crank flashlight. We use it all the time.

-- helen (handbasket_helena@hotmail.com), March 22, 2000.

1. My Amish built wood burning cookstove. I have always wanted one and my husband didn't even fight me on it.

2. Our Shire draft horses - they are such big, nosy babies.

-- beckie (sunshine_horses@yahoo.com), March 22, 2000.

I am thankful for all the extra canned food items that I purchased, but my favorite y2k item is my Big Berky waterfilter.

-- Joyce (kcklein@flash.net), March 22, 2000.

My new stainless steel pressure cooker! I have used it almost everyday. I don't know how I managed without it. Also my new 18/10 stainless commercial cookware. This will be my grandbaby's cookware someday it is that good. I also found many quirky items that I just had to have just in case like a wind up fan that goes in the oven to circulate the hot air. I paid about $15 for it and it works! Also I bought a hand held meat tenderizer that has three rows of stainless sharp blades that are only exposed when pressed into the meat. Makes the tenderest steaks ever! Name brand of the tenderiser is Jaccard in Buffalo, NY. I recommend it because it works and will will last for years. I noticed that I bought more quality items than quanity for y2k. I have to mention my Bay-Gen wind up radio. It gives me lift just knowing I don't use electricity or batteries for it. And talk about a conversation piece at outdoor gatherings! There is always a crowd of children around my radio.

-- Carol (glear@usa.net), March 22, 2000.

like everyone else, i have two also:

the woodstove we installed last year, and the pur water products siphon filtration system.

a big thanx to all of the contributors to this forum!

-- Cowardly Lion (cl0001@hotmail.com), March 23, 2000.

I had to think about this one for a while. I'd say my favorite Y2K prep is my daughter Katie. We altered the timing of when we planned on having children because of Y2K so that she would not be arriving anywhere at all close to the date roll over just to be safe. She's been a real educational experience in ways I would neve have imagined but we've never regretted it so she is our #1 favorite Y2K prep. Now our second favorite prep would be the new foods we added to our storage program. This was in response to the research we were doing in order to write my book The Prudent Pantry and the companion work we're currently working on now The Prudent Pantry Cookbook. Many new foods added, many new ways of doing things, new recipes to try and a lot of fun. Some of this stuff has really added covenience to our food prep which serves to balance out the greater time and effort needed to make some of the more basic stores edible. As much as I'd like to claim the garden and chickens as Y2K preps I didn't have time for either before the date roll over but I do now. I've done both many times in the past and it feels good to be doing them again. Knowing how and actually producing at least a small part of your own food supply is an important part of being self-reliant. ........Alan.

The Prudent Food Storage FAQ, v3.5 http://www.ProvidenceCo-op.com

-- A.T. Hagan (athagan@netscape.net), March 23, 2000.

Favorite is the peace of mind - knowing that just in case...

But as far items the favorites would be the hardy cheeses and smoked meats. When nothing happened New Years we went straight to the good stuff and cut open a wheel of Manchego cheese and sliced some spicy smoked Hungarian summer sausage. Grabbed a couple dusty bottles of bordeax that I had put asside for a special occasions...

Life is good.

jh

-- john hebert (jt_hebert@hotmail.com), March 23, 2000.

I guess it's the battery chargers and the slew of Nickel Metal Hydride batteries. No more tossing out bags full of "planet killing" standard batteries. Many of my preps are environmentally more sound. I much prefer to take an active roll in protecting the environment rather than knuckle under to some low down, no good, trash out of Hell international oraganization attempting to govern American citizens.

Ok. So. I have a one track mind.

Watch six and keep your...

-- eyes_open (best@wishes.2all), March 23, 2000.

No. 1 would be the wood stove (and futon) I purchased to winterize my porch. I am using it as a bedroom at night/my parents get a great sitting room by day. It has really opened up the inside functions of the house in ways that I never would have rationalized without y2k issues lurking in the foreground all last year.

I expect that No. 2 will turn out to be the BayGen solar/wind up radio. I plan to use it a lot, on sunny days in the garden this summer. Meanwhile, perhaps the several months of cat litter/cat food. It has been so great not having to lug these home from the store all winter.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), March 23, 2000.

Hmmm..interesting question.

I'd have to say my most used prep is my Big Berkey water filter; bought two and gave one to my 10 year old son to use at my exwifes house.

Have 250 gallons of gasoline which I know will be very handy and save me beaucoup dollars. Tapped about 15 gallons yesterday when I realized I might not make it back to town (forgot to get gas coming in)

Been eating some of my preps so I can rotate them; trying to keep fairly fresh coffee beans in stock, have eated three dozen of my 250 cans of Staggs chili since the first of the year (chili over rice, chili in omlets, or by itself...yum). Just broke into my big stash of vitamins/herbal supplements.

My expanded medical preps are giving me much peace of mind as well.

Kinda fond of my SLR-95 but haven't been shooting much lately...it's time to knock out the next CDROM in my Solar Series.

That reminds me....love the new windplant (AIR403) too....

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), March 24, 2000.

#1 is my Berky #2 Squeeze flashlights (I bought 6 and gave some as presents). These have come in handy so many times I can't even count 'em. #3 Baygen windup radio & flashlight combo

I too went for quality, some very sturdy non-electric items: Clothes wringers, washers, seeders, hand pump vacuum - I love them all and have taught the grandkids how to use them too.

-- Sammie (sammie0x@yahoo.com), March 25, 2000.