Out of curiosity...

Forward,

Good to hear your story. Too bad the media tycoons are only interested in revenue generated by twisting stories. I have not seen the episode, but I can read between the lines and sense your frustration, both with the way you were exploited by the TV show and how you perceived some of the comments on this forum.

You have a story to tell and lessons that you can teach the rest of us, who for our own reasons chose not to stick our necks out. To some degree, by contributing on this forum we are each sticking our necks out a little. This site like many others in probably being monitored. But, until they kick down my door, I will continue to exercise right to freedom of expression on here and my blog without regret. I hope you will, too.

I look forward to reading more of your posts,

Mountainman.

The show was shot in November 2011. At the time we were not aware of this web site. If I remember right I found a couple of Canadian prepper blogs but they were not very helpful so I was reading - (but not posting) at the American ones gleaning what I could from them.

I recommend Survival Mom. Good site. She was one of the first to be on Doomsday Preppers and that is one housewife who knows her stuff.

Basically my wife & I tried to get our relatives & friends involved but few were interested. Some other people we talked to were interested in prepping but whenever you tried to talk nuts & bolts preparation all they ever seemed to do is want to talk about guns, Mad Max, fighting off the starving hordes and all that fantasy garbage.

So we said screw it. We weren't going to wait for somebody else to lead us by the hand. We did our own research and got busy without support. We decided that this would be our activity and that's how we would spend our disposable money. Some people spend money on bowling, some go to the pub, some buy a cabin or RV. We would prep. We determined that money spent on Prepping must be the minimum necessary to get the job done and must not interfere with bill paying.

We put off buying firearms because they were one of the most expensive items on our list and probably the ones that would get the least use. But guns WERE ON the list.
They are tools and have a use. They can gather dust in your basement for ten years but with proper upkeep will be perfectly ready for use when you need them. Like a can opener if you need one and you haven't got one you have some real trouble.

There are a couple other expensive items: an extra vehicle (I hate the term bug out vehicle) and a small trailer. We'll get those too but only when we can afford it.

Couldn't agree more , the exact reason myself and my wife started prepping, not for the Mad max/Zombie apocalypse but for the [" when the S.H.T.F."] scenario..which could be any thing from a 72hour storm to the world economy collapsing.[ which looks like it may have started].. To the Possibility of a Natural or man made apocalypse....Good prepping, and good to have you aboard....

Thank you sir.

Since the Canadian release of this show we have been contacted by others interested (serious ones not Rambo fantasy types) and we have directed them to this site.

The entire show was played out in a manner which Both pleased us and displeased us at the same time. Really the stuff we wanted emphasized wasn't and the stuff we thought was minor was
mase to be a major part of the show. My wife made the comment about this reuccurring nightmare she has had all her life but they interviewed her for about 3 hours on the first day and I can't remember how long on the second and what you saw is what they used.

The trip to the gun store was completely staged. We were going to buy a handgun.... eventually. But not then. Why? Because we wanted to. That's it. To us firearms were just another item on our list to create the complete prepper tool kit.

The scene of us purchasing the handgun was staged. Anybody in Canada who has ever bought a handgun knows you don't just go in and whip out your debit card and walk out to the range as it appeared in the show.

This is hard to explain. And I'm kind of getting tired of explaining it. These people are real pros at moving you along. My wife & I are not weak willed people but you sort of get manuevered into doing these scenes in ways that you look back on and say "Gee, I should have....." Don't get me wrong these producers are very nice people. They had a story to tell and they told it and we helped them.

It just wan't 100% OUR story.

As far as the glock handgun purchase went? We did buy one. - 3 months later.

And the things about the show we are pleased with? Our daughter looks beautiful and our cat is funny. Years from now we can watch the DVD & laugh. It was fun. It was educational in both a positive and negative way. It was an all around interesting experience.

Would I do it knowing what I know now? Probably not.

But screw it that's life. You win some you lose some. In 10 years I doubt people will still be going "Hey! Aren't you the guy who did a single 7 1/2 minute segment on Doomsday Preppers that show that only lasted 2 seasons back 2011 and 2012?".

If they do I'll say "Nope wrong guy now get away from me you nut!".
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BTW? Just after they shot the show Nat. Geo magazine called us up for an interview. I was at work and my wife talked to the journalist. But the New York journalist was such a snotty bag that my wife didn't bother being interviewed and ended the phone call. We agreed it was just as well because even though at that time we had not yet seen the show we were getting pretty sick of the whole deal. The novelty had worn off and we just wanted to be done with the experience. Nat Geo. has never called back and no other papers or TV people have contacted us. ---- Good! Now, that the episode has aired in Canada my wife I talked about it if any Canadian news people call us we will politely decline.

We've had our few minutes of quasi-fame now we look forward to comfortable, boring obscurity. 🙂

Thank you sir.

Since the Canadian release of this show we have been contacted by others interested (serious ones not Rambo fantasy types) and we have directed them to this site.

Your very welcome...My philosophy is [" you can lead the horse to water but you can't make him/her to drink"]and prepping is the same way ..The ones that are thirsty will find the info and be willing to drink and have something of value to contribute...I myself would mutch rather have the ones that sought us out then the ones that are lead....By the way Excallant choice of a hand held defence....

Forward, thank you SO much for your response and clarifying your appearance on DP. Others all over the country have commented on your family's appearance. Perhaps you could just 'cut and paste' your above response to a 'new topic' on the Canadian Preppers section......
P.S. Your little girl IS a cutiepie!

Forward,

Thank you for the response.

Can you please explain to me the scene around the dinner table looking at that container and explaining to your daughter about "Okay, S-H-T-F - when mommy and daddy say..."

I just can't justify in my head why you would use fear to educate kids?

I am just curious more than anything and again, the show probably twisted the scene and staged it - but, would appreciate your input here.

~Make it a great day!

Basically the whole show was staged. I don't know how it is with other reality shows but this was an educational experience. It's not like they had hidden cameras in our home passively observing our every natural move.
There was a producer there, a camera man, a guy who handled the lights and his assistant. So with four people in your house about 15 large suitcases of equipment and this big furry boom mike over your head how REAL could it be?

We would say well, how about we talk about this? And the producer would say very rapidly something like "Oh yes! That's a wonderful idea but why don't we try that a little later? Right now what we would like is....".

So my wife & I would exchange quick frustrated glances and go along with it because the alternative was kicking these people out of our house (which by the late evening of the second day I was ready to do anyway - carried many of their suitcases out to the car for them to move them along. I even joked with the camera man as he was going to the car. I said "Well, this has been fun but Uhhh".

He replied "It's been a slice but get out - Right?".

I responded Uh, well, yeah, pretty much".

Now about "using fear to educate kids" . We don't frighten our daughter but we don't hide things from her either. She takes the prepping in stride and is more concerned with Pokemon cards and Littlest Pet Shop toys than in generators and dried food. She is a beautiful, wonderful, full of life little girl and she is concerned about the things that 7 year old little girls are concerned about ie: will this classmate invite me to their birthday party? The boy I like threw sand at me and why do I have to go to bed if you guys are still awake? THAT!! is what 7 year old little girls are worried about and ours is no exception and my wife & I like that just fine.

I appreciate your concern but really our lives are pretty dull uneventful and suburban. We prep. We did this because we thought helping make TV show would be fun and we thought we wanted to educate as people as we could. It WAS FUN in some ways and I'm not going to deny that we cooperated with the making of the show but I have some regrets that we were not forceful enough in pushing our own viewpoint and too cooperative in allowing the producer to put words in our mouth and take others out. 🙂

Oh! one other thing. The segment narrator says we have nightly "prepper talks as a family"....... 😕 No we don't.

Bottom line we signed on the dotted line and were not allowed vett the show before it aired. 😳

Forward, thank you SO much for your response and clarifying your appearance on DP. Others all over the country have commented on your family's appearance. Perhaps you could just 'cut and paste' your above response to a 'new topic' on the Canadian Preppers section......
P.S. Your little girl IS a cutiepie!

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll think we'll just ride out our 15 minutes of ..."fame" until it blows over and then get on with life.

P.S. Your little girl IS a cutiepie

Thanks. 😀

It certainly seemed like the producers had staged the show. They do like to sensationalize everything for the ratings. I think you did a great job with your food, water and general preparedness. I also don't think you came across as a 'crazy prepper type'. You seemed quite logical and level-headed. Anyone who questions your need or desire to prep for whatever scenario you believe may happen just needs to see the post on '10 reasons not to prep'.

Why don't you think about coming to the meeting on Saturday in Cochrane? There will be many there that can learn a thing or two from you.

I dont think anyone who preps could be called excessive. We all do what we think is best for our families. I get called "excessive" and when I do I ask them how much do they spend on house,auto and other insurances for those what if issues. I own my bussiness and pay around $30000 on insurance per year. I have never used it. I have spent close to $30000 prepping. I may never need it, but I might. I sleep well knowing that if shtf, my family will be ok. Do what makes you feel safe. Those of us who are prepared will survive and those who dont ------good luck

Well said! I don't judge those who don't believe in it and I don't judge those who might spend their entire savings on something like this. Each individual decides what is right for their family and needs to sleep at night with the decisions he/she made. I "am" starting to sleep better at night with the direction I am taking my family in.

For me, prepping is just making small changes over time to ensure self reliance.

It is important to note when you are purchasing food or other items for storage today it will not be cheaper six months or a year from now so it is simply financially smart to pick up a few extra items everytime you shop.

For me, prepping is just making small changes over time to ensure self reliance.

That is exactly the way I have been thinking. Although over time I have notice a subtle change in what self reliance and self sufficiency mean. My plants for a root cellar have gotten altered in ways I hadn't expected.