Redneck Engineering and the Lost Art of Self Reliance

Summary

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Episode Overview

Title: Redneck Engineering and the Lost Art of Self Reliance
Podcast: Practical Prepping Podcast
Hosts: Mark & Krista Lawley
Air Date: July 6, 2026

The episode delves into the philosophy and practice of “redneck engineering” – a mindset rooted in grit, creativity, and making the most with what you have. Mark and Krista explore how these resourceful skills, often associated with rural, working-class Americans, can help anyone prepare for real-world emergencies without special equipment or apocalyptic paranoia. By combining lessons from their own experience and stories passed down from the Great Depression era, the hosts advocate for self-reliance, adaptability, and practical solutions for everyday crises.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining “Redneck Engineering” and Its Modern Meaning

(00:01 – 02:57)

• "Redneck" originally referred to hard-working rural farmers, particularly in the American South, who had sunburned necks from working long hours in the fields.
• Today, it often describes people who are practical, plain spoken, resourceful, and self-reliant, sometimes reclaiming an insult as a point of pride.
• Krista: “It’s a philosophy. It’s the ability to create functional survival solutions on the fly when pre-made gear is unavailable.” (02:17)
• Emphasizes knowledge over gear: “The more you know, the less you have to carry.” (02:57)

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2. Improvised Shelters & Survival Solutions

(03:07 – 04:21)

• Building shelters with natural materials: leafy branches, vines, sticks, etc.
• Tarp and paracord shelters: “We carry tarps in the car and also in our get home bags… You never know where you might have to spend the night.” (03:47 – 03:53)
• Everyday materials repurposed: heavy trash bags, plastic sheeting as ground covers, barriers, pack liners, or rain gear.

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3. Fire Starting Resourcefulness

(04:21 – 05:31)

• Carrying a lighter as part of everyday carry, regardless of smoking habits.
• Creative fire-starting methods: magnifying glass, eyeglasses, or using a bottle of water to focus sunlight.
• Krista (childhood story): “I actually practiced this as an uneducated child… took some newspaper out in the backyard and a magnifying glass and I sure enough started a fire… until the wind picked it up and went over the fence into the neighbor’s yard.” (04:45 – 05:11)

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4. Improvised Water Filtration & Purification

(05:39 – 06:47)

• DIY filtration: Inverted 2-liter bottle layered with sand, homemade charcoal (not commercial), and small gravel.
• Pre-filtering water: Bandana, t-shirt, or coffee filter for removing sediment.
• Boiling for purification: Use single-walled steel bottles, not insulated/double-walled (they’ll explode).

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5. Redneck Gear & Tool Adaptation

(06:47 – 08:14)

• Unraveling paracord for high-strength thread, fishing line, or wound closure.
• Always carrying a knife (folding or fixed). “A redneck engineer usually carries a knife of some sort.” (07:09)
• Zip ties and duct tape for versatile repairs, from broken backpack straps to shoelaces.

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6. Improvised Security & Safety

Home Hardening

(09:11 – 12:22)

• Door reinforcement: Replacing short screws on hinges and strike plates with 3-inch screws for harder-to-kick-in doors.
  • Mark: “That way the door is anchored directly to the wall studs and it makes it nearly impossible to kick in.” (09:43)
• Creating physical barriers: Crossbars and notched 2x4’s wedged under door handles.
• Securing windows and sliding doors with dowels or bars in the track.

Strategic Landscaping

(11:32 – 12:22)

• Use thorny/sticky bushes under windows as physical intruder deterrents.
• Keep shrubs trimmed low to eliminate hiding spots.

Shadow Casting

(12:22 – 12:45)

• Place outdoor lights so they cast intruder shadows on the house, making them visible from the street.

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7. Improvised Defensive Tools

(12:45 – 15:52)

• Everyday items as defensive weapons:
  • Baseball bats (sock over the end to thwart grabs)
  • Cast iron skillets (“If you’re fighting for your life… whack him.”)
  • Fire extinguishers (spray and use as blunt object)
  • Bike chains/weights for striking
  • Sock filled with pennies or rocks
  • Tactical pens (“A pin designed to be able to use for self-defense… used for stabbing your attacker in a last-ditch defensive scenario.” (14:19))
  • Endorsement of the Proof Vanguard tactical pen.

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8. Concealment & Security Habits

(15:52 – 18:55)

• Diversion safes: Everyday product containers (shampoo, lotion) with hidden compartments.
• Hiding valuables in nondescript containers (“People don’t think to look [for coffee] under the bathroom sink.” (16:38))
• Hollowed-out books on shelves.
• Misleading labels on storage totes (e.g., “baby clothes” instead of “camping gear”).
• Security routines: “An effective security relies just as much on habit as it does on the physical tools.” (18:00)
• “Gray man” awareness: Don’t advertise expensive buys with visible boxes on the curb.

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9. The Two-Person Rule & Buddy System

(18:55 – 19:49)

• In times of crisis or when meeting strangers, always bring someone and position at different angles to watch each other’s backs.

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10. Lessons from the Great Depression & Redneck Ancestors

(20:22 – 30:26)

• Self-Sufficiency was a way of life: Victory gardens reduced dependence on fragile supply chains; food preservation (‘putting it up’) through canning, curing, and root cellars.
• Frugality: “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.” (22:59)
• Repurposing everything, even flour sacks for clothing (with companies developing decorative printed sacks).
• Financial resilience: Cash was king; cash economy offered more freedom than credit.
  • Krista: “If we ever lose being able to pay for things in cash, we are now subject to no liberty when it comes to being able to spend.”
• Technical self-reliance: Multi-skilled labor—farmers as mechanics, engineers, blacksmiths, and carpenters rolled into one.
• Earth wisdom: Plant and herb identification for home remedies when doctors were scarce (“A doctor was a little in short supply. There wasn’t necessarily a doctor within 50 miles…” (26:54))
• Community support: Bartering, skill trading, and group resource pooling for survival.
  • Mark: “Skills and goods served as the primary currency.” (29:32)

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11. Modern Takeaways: Applying Old Wisdom Today

(30:26 – end)

• Adopt the adaptability and resilience mindset: “Focus on the solutions rather than dwelling on the problem.” (30:42)
• Pass on skills to future generations: “It’s important we teach age appropriate survival skills to younger generations so that this knowledge of self-reliance is not lost to technology.” (30:49)
• Closing encouragement: “Stuff happens. Stay prepared.” (31:31)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Krista: “It’s a survival mindset...you gotta fix it now, utilizing whatever materials and resources are currently at hand.” (02:44)
• Mark: “The more you know, the less you have to carry.” (02:57)
• Krista (on victory gardens): “Over 20 million gardens were planted in the US alone, and that produced 9 million tons of food.” (21:22)
• Mark (on flour sack clothing): “Their bags were higher quality cotton, and they added decorative prints...they became very, very popular.” (23:43)
• Krista: “Cash was king. Just between you and me – I hope we always have cash in our economy, because there’s a lot of freedom and liberty where cash is involved.” (24:29)
• Mark: “Skills and goods served as the primary currency.” (29:32)
• Krista: “It’s kind of like training your mindset…reduce your anxiety by adopting the adaptability and resilience of our ancestors, our beloved redneck ancestors.” (30:26)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:01 – Introduction to “redneck engineering” and philosophy
• 03:07 – Building improvised shelters
• 04:21 – Fire starting skills and stories
• 05:39 – DIY water filtration and boiling
• 06:47 – Paracord, knives, zip ties – gear improvisation
• 09:11 – Home security modification (door, windows, lights)
• 12:45 – Defensive tools from household items
• 15:52 – Concealment and “gray man” security best practices
• 18:55 – Two-person rule and meeting strangers safely
• 20:22 – Great Depression self-sufficiency, food security
• 23:43 – Repurposing (flour sack clothing)
• 24:29 – Cash-based resilience and freedom
• 29:32 – Community support and bartering
• 30:26 – Modern takeaways, resilience, passing on knowledge

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Summary Takeaways

• Redneck engineering is about practical, everyday creativity – not about buying gear but about cultivating resourcefulness, grit, and adaptability.
• Many solutions for emergencies—shelter, water, fire, security—can be found using household or natural materials.
• Lessons from Depression-era ancestors include frugality, food preservation, and financial discipline; these principles are timeless.
• Building strong community ties and sharing skills/goods is key to resilience.
• Passing on self-reliance skills to younger generations ensures that this wisdom survives in an increasingly technological world.

Final thought from the hosts:
“Stuff happens. Stay prepared. And we’ll see you next time.” (31:31)

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Transcript

[A]

Today we explore the mindset behind redneck engineering. A philosophy built on grit, creativity and using what you already have. From improvised shelters and fire starting to low tech home security upgrades, this is about real world resilience.

[B]

Welcome to Practical Prepping. Today is July 6, 2026 and this is episode 561. This is the prepping podcast with no bunkers, no zombies and no alien invasions. Just practical prepping where we teach everyday people how to prepare for life's emergencies, disasters and crises. And we're here to help you get prepared. I'm Christa.

[A]

And I'm Mark. And if you would like the expanded notes for this episode, go to practicalprepping.info 561. And let's talk about the word redneck

[B]

makes me think of Jeff Foxworthy. You might be a redneck.

[A]

Oh yes. And we see ourselves in so many of those things. The term originally referred to rural white farmers, especially in the southern United States. And it likely comes from farmers working very long hours in the sun and developing a sunburned neck or a redneck. And this dates back into the late 1800s.

[B]

You know, today redneck often refers to somebody who lives in a rural area or has a working class background and is seen as plain spoken, practical and self reliant. And they enjoy outdoor activities like hunting and fishing, farming, camping or truck culture.

[A]

Now, the word can be used as a pejorative, as an insult, implying ignorance and backwardness, but the word's been reclaimed and it's used humorously or proudly to mean resourceful, hard working and country minded. So today we're talking about an introduction to redneck engineering.

[B]

So practical.

[A]

It's a philosophy. It's the ability to create functional survival solutions on the fly when pre made gear is unavailable.

[B]

I saw that with my dad. He grew up a farmer on a farm community and developed a lot of practical knowledge just using and utilizing the wood and the metal scraps and the wire and the fencing and whatever they had there on the farm to build whatever they needed.

[A]

It's a survival mindset. It's characterized by the you gotta fix it now approach, utilizing whatever materials and resources are currently at hand.

[B]

And it really does stress knowledge over the gear. And this skill set reinforces that fundamental prepper principle that the more you know, the less you have to carry.

[A]

Now we're going to talk about some of the things that redneck engineering can really shine in. And some is in improvised shelter using natural material for the construction of shelters. Survival involves knowing how to construct those temporary structures using Forest resources like leafy branches, bamboo sticks, vines, all types of coverings that you can find in the forest.

[B]

There's also the tarp and paracord method. This is where a basic shelter can be created by stringing paracord between two trees and draping a lightweight tarp over it to create a makeshift a frame or a pup tent.

[A]

And that's why we carry tarps in the car and also in our get home bags.

[B]

Absolutely. You never know where you might have to spend the night. Out on the absolute grass.

[A]

It's absolutely possible. But we can adapt everyday materials like contractor grade trash bags or different plastic sheeting, and repurposing this as ground covers, moisture barriers, pack liners, even improvised thermal layers for warmth. And I've seen it used as rain gear.

[B]

Oh, sure, absolutely. Talking about warmth, a redneck can come up with a heat solution because a lot of them carry a lighter or some kind of an instant fire. Even if they don't smoke or what have you, they've got some way to light a fire.

[A]

Yeah, I carry one in my EDC bag and I haven't. I quit smoking in the 80s.

[B]

Sure, absolutely.

[A]

But I still carry that lighter. And if he doesn't have one in his pocket, he at least has one or more in the truck, you know.

[B]

And they have learned how to be very resourceful when it comes to fire starting because like on a bright sunny day, they could use a simple magnifying glass to focus sunlight and put that on some tinder. I actually practiced this as an uneducated child back when I was a little kid. I took some newspaper out in the backyard and a magnifying glass and I sure enough started a fire in the backyard. It was very small and very contained until the wind picked it up and went over the fence into the neighbor's yard. That's a day for another story. Anyway, so you can use a magnifying glass. Found out you can also use a pair of eyeglasses to do the same thing. To train that sunlight down into a pinpoint, which is super hot and can ignite tinder or paper pretty quick.

[A]

You can even use a bottle of water. You can this very same thing. Now there's some improvised water filtration and purification.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

A good old redneck will be able to build a 2 liter bottle drip filter.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And that's just Simply inverting a 2 liter bottle and layering with sand with coarse natural charcoal like you would get from a fire. Not charcoal intended for grills. That stuff has chemical treatment on it. And it's not to be used for purifying water and putting small gravel in there to remove sediment and debris.

[B]

And it's really good to do a pre filtering technique using a bandana or a handkerchief or a clean T shirt. Even a coffee filter helps to remove some of the chunky stuff from your sourced water before applying that final purification method.

[A]

And there's some wild water boiling options. A good single walled stainless steel water bottle, you can use that as a tool for boiling. And you cannot use an insulated water

[B]

bottle like the double wall.

[A]

Like the double wall insulated, it will explode on you. But you can use this single wall for boiling and purifying water directly over an open fire.

[B]

Let's talk about some redneck gear and tool adaptation. You know those multi use paracord strands, those inner strands of paracord can be unraveled and used as high strength sewing thread if you have to repair some gear or an emergency fishing line. Even some improvised wound closure can be used with some of those little strings out of the strands of paracord.

[A]

And a redneck engineer usually carries a knife of some sort.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

It's probably a folding blade clipped in a pocket, but it's possibly a small fixed blade on a belt. But he also has access to a long blade, probably in his or her truck. And yes, there's a lot of her rednecks running around with trucks. Love them dearly. But these will be tools like machetes. And they're for more than just clearing brush. They can be used to split small firewood. They can be used to construct shelters. They can be used to cut poles for a travoy or limbs for splints. All kinds of uses for those long blades which are probably carried in the truck, possibly a shorter one in a backpack.

[B]

I'd count on it. Oh, and also for the hardware utility, a redneck is going to have a package of zip ties. They're going to have duct tape. There's all kinds of redneck engineering fixes for everything from broken backpack straps to shoelaces or securing items one to the other.

[A]

Now redneck engineering is cultivating resources. It's about improving the process. Developing this skill requires proactivity, looking for ways to improve our survival procedures and finding better uses for mundane items.

[B]

Now we're going to talk about some improvised security and safety. But first we're going to tell you that today's cup of coffee comes from Harold. Harold is a new supporter of our podcast and he bought a coffee membership. Harold, welcome to the Family, we really do appreciate your support and you too can go to practicalprepping.info support and. And that's where you can show us some love by buying us a few cups of coffee or even a coffee membership. It's only $5 a month for the membership, but it really helps us offset the expenses of our show. So please consider doing [e-mail] support. Now let's get back to the show.

[A]

Here we're talking about improvised security. Now, this statement came from our book Practical Prepping for Everyday People. Here's the Improvised security focuses on utilizing common materials and clever strategies to protect your home and family when conventional systems are unavailable or insufficient.

[B]

So we're going to start with hardening the residents. What do we mean by hardening the residents?

[A]

Well, first place to start is door reinforcement.

[B]

That is very important.

[A]

Those door screws, those screws that hold the door into the door frame, usually really teeny. Many of them are very short. Take those things out and replace Those screws with 3 inch or longer wood screws. Yes, both the hinges and the striker plates. That way the door is anchored directly to the wall studs and it makes it nearly impossible to kick in.

[B]

Absolutely. And do this whether you own the home or even if you live in an apartment.

[A]

We did this with our apartment when we first got married. We took those, especially that striker plate. We took that out and secured those with 3 inch deck screws. Also, you can create some physical barriers. You can make some heavy duty crossbars. Now we did this in my mother's basement, had a walk through door and we put brackets on each side of the door and we cut a 2x4 to drop down into that. And there was no way to kick that door open. You had that 2x4 with those brackets mounted into that frame with very large screws in there. Or you can cut a 2 by 4 with a notch in one end and wedge that under a door handle and angle it into the floor to serve as a brace.

[B]

Oh sure, that works.

[A]

That works on carpet. Works very well on carpet. Doesn't work on hardwood. So you have to do some other thing there. But it's a good way to keep that door from being breached.

[B]

You can also have some window and some sliding door track security by using wooden dowels or like a mop handle or a metal bar and lie that down in the track of the sliding glass door or the window. And that prevents them from being pried open from the outside or, you know, slid over one side to the other, it'll stop it in its track.

[A]

Now, here's one of my favorite, and that is strategic landscaping deterrence.

[B]

Oh, yes.

[A]

You want to create a hostile environment for intruders, but you don't want to signal that the home is a prepper household.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

So you can plant thorny or sticky bushes, such as roses, holly, or yucca, plant directly under first floor windows, and it makes a painful physical deterrent for anybody trying to climb through that window.

[B]

Speaking about landscaping, keep your shrubs trimmed low around the entrances. This way, it deters an intruder from hiding behind large, tall hedgerows or trees or growth that might be near a door or a window. So make sure that the doors and windows can be easily seen from the street.

[A]

Shadow casting. And this is simply positioning outdoor lights out in the yard, pointing back at the house. This is not illuminating the yard. It's illuminating the house. But the purpose is that it causes an intruder to. To cast a large, noticeable shadow against the building that can be seen from the street.

[B]

Okay. Yeah. Let's talk about some improvised defensive tools. You know, a redneck is going to find many household objects that can be repurposed for defense, such as a baseball bat. Now, this is cool, what you had shared here. I learned this. I never thought about this. The sock strategy. That's where you just place a sock over the end of the bat. So if an intruder tries to grab that, the sock will slide off. And then you can still have the bat in your hand. And now you can use the bat for weights.

[A]

You can go back to work with your bat.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

Some impact weapons.

[B]

Oh, sure.

[A]

Cast iron skillet.

[B]

Boom.

[A]

Now, this worked in many old westerns.

[B]

Oh, it'd crack a skull.

[A]

Grandma hit him in the back of the head with a cast iron skillet. And if you're fighting for your life or your family's life, hitting them in the back of the head with a cast iron skillet is a pretty good way to go. And don't try to just thump him, whack him.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Make it mean to something.

[A]

How about a fire extinguisher? You can discharge the contents in their face.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And then you can use that heavy canister as a club.

[B]

Okay. All right. Well, all right. I see where you're. I see where you're going.

[A]

Some weights and chains, you know, the

[B]

length of a bicycle chain with a lock. You know, that could be a pretty nasty striking weapon.

[A]

Absolutely. Even if somebody tries to block it, I mean, that. That thing's going to break bone.

[B]

Oh, gosh.

[A]

A sock filled with pennies or heavy rocks in it. Yep, all of these can be swung with significant force to stop a threat.

[B]

Now tell us about tactical pins.

[A]

Well, really any sturdy metal pin will do, but it's a pin designed to be able to use for self defense. And it's used for stabbing your attacker in a last ditch defensive scenario. And talking about those tactical pins, have you seen the proof Vanguard tactical pin?

[B]

I have seen it. Tell us about it.

[A]

It's crafted from solid billet 6061 aircraft grade aluminum. Its bolt action mechanism is smooth, deliberate and satisfying. The Vanguard pin is engineered for those who move with intention and demand the tools that they carry do the same. It writes anywhere with a black Fisher space pin number SPR4. Cartridge writes in the rain, the grease, the cold or chaos. And it's the same cartridge the astronauts carried in the AG7 astronaut pin. It writes upside down. It writes underwater. It operates in -30 degrees Fahrenheit up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. It's made for precision and durability with a smooth bolt action built to perform under any condition. The proof Vanguard is balanced for action and built robust enough to double as a self defense tool. And it makes a great gift. I love the one that I have. You can go to caryproof.com and use the discount code prepper and the link will be in the episode notes.

[B]

Now let's talk about some concealment and decoys to conceal things in plain sight. This is to deter nosy visitors or opportunistic thieves.

[A]

You can use diversion safes. These are empty, cleaned out containers of everyday products. Can be shampoo bottles, lotion containers, fake hairspray cans to hide cash, keys or small jewelry. My first mother in law had what looked like a can of hairspray that sat on her dresser. But you unscrewed the bottom of it and it was a little safe in there. It was just a way to conceal things out in the open. You can also put it in a coffee can under the bathroom sink.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

People don't think to look there.

[B]

I wouldn't think to look for coffee in the bathroom. That's true.

[A]

No. Or you can use any kind of a can or any kind of a container there.

[B]

I know what you're saying.

[A]

Put it under the bathroom sink. That's not a place that burglars.

[B]

Now here's one that you've seen in the movies and TV shows and it really works. And a hollowed out book. And that's where you cut a compartment into the pages of an old hardcover book and it allows it to sit on a shelf unnoticed among the other books. When you're storing items, and a lot of times you can conceal guns or cash or jewelry or whatever's valuable. A treasure map or whatever you've got can be in that hollowed out book.

[A]

You can also use misleading labels, totes that are labeled with boring titles like baby clothes or Christmas decorations. These deter thieves looking for high value gear or items throughout your house. These are great for storing in the attic, storing in the garage. You can put your gear in there and have some type of a misleading label.

[B]

So you wouldn't want to label it valuable silver and gold.

[A]

No collection. You wouldn't really even want to put things like camping gear or prepping gear, but label it in something that some nosy neighbor or some thief is really not going to be interested in.

[B]

Think about the security routine and the mindset. You know, an effective security relies just as much on habit as it does on the physical tools. For example, you might establish yourself a 9pm routine, a nightly habit of physically checking and double locking all the doors and the windows, vehicle doors, even if it's inside your locked garage because it makes your residence a much harder target. Also, you could think about gray man awareness. So avoid displaying high ticket item boxes like large TV boxes or large PlayStation boxes sitting out at the curb next to your garbage can because you're basically advertising to anybody that drives by that you've now got a very expensive PlayStation and an expensive TV all up in your house.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Tear those cardboard boxes up and turn them inside out and tear them into smaller pieces, put them in the recycle and that way nobody knows that you've got expensive stuff there.

[A]

Now I really like the two person rule.

[B]

I do too.

[A]

This is used in a lot of different circumstances, but in a crisis you can use a buddy system and one person's watching the other's back during outdoor task. It can be while cooking or chopping wood or making fire or loading a vehicle. One person is watching the other one's back. It's also something good to do if you're meeting someone off of Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace in a different location other than your house. You're meeting in a parking lot. It's good to take that other person and don't stand just side by side. Split apart just a little ways so that you kind of have a 45 degree angle on this person that you're meeting. But one is doing business and the other one is over there. With Overwatch is Basically, what's going on?

[B]

Now we're going to look at lessons from the Great Depression, particularly some of our redneck ancestors who are family members we love very dearly. But we want to ask you this question, friends. Do you learn from our podcast? Do you get new ideas for your prepping? In other words, do you receive value from the Practical Prepping Podcast, and would you help us by giving back a little? That's value for value. So Please go to practicalprepping.info support and you'll find several ways you can help support our show. Now, let's get back to the podcast.

[A]

And here we're talking about survival lessons from the Great Depression that our redneck ancestors put into place and the smart ones do today.

[B]

Now, our parents lived through the Great Depression.

[A]

Yeah. And our grandparents and great grandparents were, we could say, the original preppers, even though it goes back many, many years before that. It's a lifestyle, not just a label. They were preppers before that term was even established.

[B]

Yeah. That really wouldn't have made any sense to them, because everyone they knew prepared in some way to carry on their life because it was convenient, available, and smart.

[A]

And they just referred to their practices as plain old common sense or just life.

[B]

Their primary motivation was self sufficiency. They wanted to ensure that their family remained fed, housed and clothed through long winters when nothing was growing. So they had to master their food security and their food independence.

[A]

During World War II and even World War I, they planted victory gardens. Over 20 million gardens were planted in the US alone, and that produced 9 million tons of food. And it reduced the reliance on the fragile commercial supply chain.

[B]

Something we need to get back to.

[A]

We need to get back to today.

[B]

And because they had gardens that produced an abundance of food, they learned the art of preservation. They called it putting it up or canning it. They used water bath methods, pressure canning methods, salt curing sugar, curing smoking meats, sun drying fruits and vegetables. And they utilize these root cellars. And my grandmother actually had a bona fide outdoor entrance root cellar. And I used to go down into that root cellar and gather up jars of peaches or green beans or whatever she asked me to get.

[A]

My grandmother had one under the house, and you could. You could actually access it in long before me through a staircase down the. Through the floor in the kitchen, or you could go under the house and go down that way. But there were just jars and jars and jars on benches down there that she had put up during the fall to carry them through the winter.

[B]

Well, you know, Another reason was because it maintained an effective temperature in that particular root cellar. So whether it was a very hot summer or a very cold winter, that root cellar maintained temperature and that also helped preserve.

[A]

And it needed no electricity to do that.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

They also had a frugal mindset.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

The Depression era creed was use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.

[B]

Pretty easy to remember.

[A]

And it was a reminder to maximize every resource that we had. They practiced a mindset of waste not.

[B]

Yeah, waste not, want not.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Scraps were never thrown away. Whether that was fabric scraps that got used for quilts or food scraps became compost or animal feed. Even the flour sacks that they were purchasing, a flour to bake with, they became repurposed into clothing.

[A]

The Bemis Bag company recognized that flour sacks were being used for ladies dresses and for children's clothing.

[B]

Mm.

[A]

So they began to put out. Their bags were higher quality cotton, and they added decorative prints to their flour bags, their flour sacks, florals, polka dots, gingham style patterns, and they became very, very popular. And it wasn't that long before a lot of other bag companies began to do the very same thing. So this was a matter of repurposing those flour sacks into clothing.

[B]

Also, brilliant marketing on the manufacturer's part

[A]

and saved a lot of money on the user's part. You had to buy flour anyway.

[B]

Right.

[A]

So why not buy it in the sack that you could use at a better dress than just the plain old rough cotton?

[B]

Well, they did believe in financial resilience, because paying in cash, that was the standard. You know, even as late as the 1980s and early 90s, when I was in business in a mall, I met customers who did not have a bank account. They did not use a check. They were paid by check from their job. And then they would go to a grocery store or convenience store and have their whole paycheck cashed out. And from there they would go and pay all their utilities in person, in cash. Cash was king. Just between you and me, friends, I hope that we always have cash in our economy because there's a lot of freedom and liberty where cash is involved.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

If we ever lose being able to pay for things in cash, we are now subject to no liberty when it comes to being able to spend. That's. That's a whole different podcast.

[A]

It also helped families stay mindful of their budget and it helped them avoid the hamster wheel of debt.

[B]

Right. You know, when you spend cash, it's spent.

[A]

It's spent and it's Harder to put out that $20 bill than it is to put $20 on a.

[B]

Well, that's true. And that's a hard lesson we're all

[A]

having to learn, really. I can remember on Friday afternoon, my dad owned a service station in the 60s and 70s. And Friday afternoons he had to have a lot more cash on hand because he cashed a lot of paychecks for people that traded with him throughout the week. Our redneck ancestors also had technical self reliance and trade skills. Sure, they were multi skilled labor, especially around the farm. You had to be a mechanic, an engineer, a blacksmith, a carpenter. You had to fix whatever broke.

[B]

Exactly. If it was a hand drawn plow or some kind of a tractor engine, you're the tinkerer. You're the one that's having to fix it. And there's also traditional craftsmanship. A lot of times the ladies were learning how to do sewing, knitting. Some of them even built furniture. A lot of the women learned how to use the hand tools and the saws and the hammers. They did leather work, they did tanning. Items were repaired rather than replaced. And clothes were handed down from the first child to the 12th child. Those clothes were going to be made

[A]

to work until they got used up or worn out.

[B]

Yeah, and there was a lot of earth wisdom. My grandmother was particularly gifted at being able to identify plants and herbs that she could form into a poultice or a tincture or a type of a tea. And she had a lot of folks from her neighborhood, her rural farm neighborhood, they would seek her out when they were ailing because she had the skills and the know how to use her earth wisdom with her herbal remedies to treat illness. Because, you know, a doctor was a little in short supply. There wasn't necessarily a doctor within 50 miles of where she was living. And you had to do your own

[A]

doctrine and had to wait on him to come around. We used to talk about circuit riding preachers. Well, there were circuit riding doctors. And my great grandfather was an old horse and buggy doctor and he made his rounds in that buggy. So you may not get the doctor coming by for a week or two and you may not be able to go into his office. And these folks could use garden plants or they could find plants in the, even in the yard, things that we look at as weeds that were often used to make these herbal remedies. They also understood the strength of neighborhood community.

[B]

You know, the rural groups of people, they knew each other. A lot of them were family members, maybe even distant family Members, but they were neighbors and they had to share and collaborate in large tasks. They would have community gardens where one might have a better cornfield and the other one might have a better bean field. So they'd do some trades and they would work each other's gardens. They would swap labor, they would plow a field. You even see this going on even in today's agronomy, the agriculture economy, where they'll pool their resources and they'll buy a big combine and they'll buy one combine and five farms will be able to use it because it all belongs to them.

[A]

And they might plow a field in exchange for a portion of the resulting crops. Oh sure, I can remember my uncle plowed the gardens for several people. He had the tractor. I mean, he worked a small working farm and he would go down the road or over the hill and he would plow someone's back garden. And it might be that they paid him in crops when the crops came in. Not everybody had a lot of money to be able to hire things like that done. So there had to be a lot of money. You can't eat money. But there had to be a lot of bartering and trading going on there.

[B]

Oh, sure.

[A]

Skills and goods served as the primary currency.

[B]

My grandfather did a lot of blacksmithing for a lot of the people because he had the skill, the know how and the resources to do it. And he also made sure that there were several widows in the area too, that they couldn't do a lot of heavy lifting on some things. And so these rural rednecks, these strong Americans, would gather together and they would look after each other. It was a community spirit and it

[A]

was a shared purpose. Yes, they had a spirit of patriotism and national unity. It provided the emotional support needed to survive long term crises. Sure, of course, the depression was a long term crisis, but now there's some takeaways we have for you today. We want to apply that old wisdom to the modern world.

[B]

It's kind of like a training, your mindset. You can reduce your anxiety by adopting the adaptability and the resilience of our ancestors, our beloved redneck ancestors, who focused on the solutions rather than dwelling on their problem.

[A]

And that's a big problem. Today we tend to focus on our problems rather than the solutions.

[B]

The solution focused.

[A]

Number two, we want to pass the torch. It's important that we teach age appropriate survival skills to younger generations so that this knowledge of self reliance is not lost to technology.

[B]

Well, there's a big amen on that.

[A]

Yeah, these kids today. They know how to operate computers, they know how to play computer games, but they wouldn't have the first idea about survival skills. We have one friend that teaches his daughter so many survival skills, and she is preschool. She. She's preschool and she's learning to do things that she'll need down the road,

[B]

building good character for her and building

[A]

good character and hopefully that she'll pass this on to her children. We do appreciate you being here today. We appreciate you taking your time and as Krista always says, stuff happens. Stay prepared and we'll see you next time.