01 / THE BIG PICTURE

A place to keep going.

A practical fieldbook for eight people, two years of reserves, and a Utah homestead that can grow into two homes.

Planning household8 peopleShared food, water, and knowledge

Reserve horizon730 daysStored food independent of harvest

Property plan2 homesOne coordinated resilience system

Field readiness0 checkedTasks completed, not certified readiness

Build capacity in the right order.

Secure water and shelter. Protect essential power. Store food you actually eat. Grow a little successfully, then scale. Keep the skills, manuals, spares, and relationships that let every system keep working.

The two-year pantry buys time for crop failures, repairs, and learning. Solar reduces recurring fuel demand; propane bridges bad weather. Local knowledge helps people make decisions even when remote services disappear.

Start with the implementation plan →

Planning assumptions

These are editable planning inputs, not an inventory of what you own. Eight people is the confirmed starting point; age, activity, medical needs, animals, and guests change demand.

PeopleHomesReserve daysCalories / person / dayFood contingency %

Water before acreage

A large parcel without dependable legal water is not a food system. Verify potable supply, irrigation rights, drought priority, soil, and winter access before buying.

Practice before stockpiling

Try a full week of stored meals, a cold-start power drill, a WAN-disconnected library test, and a radio walk of the property. Fix what fails.

People before gadgets

Assign two trained operators to each critical system. Build a neighbor network and a clear guest plan. A single expert is a single point of failure.

Pantry & purchasing →Site & budget →Emergency field cards →

Reference edition 2 adds quantities, stock tracking and operating plans. It cannot establish future property conditions or replace measured commissioning results. No harvest is credited against the two-year reserve.

Winter heat →Household supplies →Production plan →

02 / IMPLEMENTATION

From useful now to durable later.

Buy against a tested capability. Each phase has a clear exit test before the next investment.

NOW · FIRST 30 DAYS

Make the current household harder to disrupt

Count food, water, medication, fuel, tools, and charged batteries; enter locations in Equipment.Build fourteen days of potable water, low-fuel meals, handwashing, and toilet supplies.Measure fridge, freezer, one-room cooling, router, and medical loads over normal days.Pack one go-bag per person, including a child kit for Davy; make a laminated loading list.Download local maps, books, repair guides, and contacts directly to two devices.

Exit test: Run a supervised 24-hour practice with internet disconnected. Everyone can find a light, safe water, a meal, and the family contact plan.

BEFORE LAND · 1–3 MONTHS

Prove the portable systems

Build the NOMAD pilot on available hardware; verify searches, videos, PDF pages, and model answers offline.Preconfigure radios and a relay node; print a reset/configuration card and test real routes.Cook a seven-day stored-food menu; record calories, water, fuel, waste, and family acceptance.Learn bleeding control, CPR, food preservation, hand-tool repair, and seed starting.Request itemized quotes only after writing performance requirements; buy broadly reusable equipment first.

Exit test: A second adult can start power, reach the library, cook, treat water, and use radios without the primary operator.

PROPERTY GATE · BEFORE COMMITMENT

Buy a site that can support the plan

Verify legal water rights, permitted uses, well yield/quality, seasonal reliability, and irrigation allocation.Check zoning for two dwellings, septic capacity, outbuildings, livestock, setbacks, and access easements.Evaluate soil, frost dates, elevation, slope, fire/flood exposure, snow access, and two exit routes.Model winter solar and measured loads; get electrical, propane, water, and septic designs and permits.Map garden, orchard, tanks, power shed, buildings, drainage, emergency access, and defensible space.

Exit test: Written feasibility evidence for water, buildings, wastewater, access, and power. No acreage or climate promise substitutes for parcel evidence.

FIRST YEAR ON LAND

Establish the essentials and one growing cycle

Install essential-load panels, battery/solar system, approved generator connection, and a metered water reserve.Build dry rodent-resistant pantry shelving; reach 6–12 months through normal meal rotation.Start manageable test beds, drip irrigation, compost, seed records, and a small orchard.Create workshop spares, safe winter heat, fire protection, sanitation, and family operating binders.Store two independent library copies and demonstrate recovery onto a spare machine.

Exit test: Survive a planned 72-hour outage safely, preserve a real harvest, and record a winter of energy and water data.

YEARS 2–3 · EXPAND FROM MEASUREMENTS

Reach the two-year reserve and second home

Scale pantry toward the calculated two-year calorie target with balanced menus and actual label totals.Expand crops using measured yields, storage loss, water consumption, and labor; retain a bad-harvest buffer.Connect a second home only after engineering feeder, protection, source transfer, and peak-load controls.Add livestock only after fencing, water, winter feed, veterinary arrangements, and daily labor are secured.Run annual replacement drills for pumps, filters, radios, compute storage, and key consumables.

Exit test: Two trained operators per system, an audited reserve, repeatable crop production, and successful winter/outage drills.

03 / EDITION 2

Fit the systems to the land.

Use this as a property-screening and quote worksheet. The future parcel, utilities and permitted dwelling arrangement remain decisions to verify.

Before committing	Evidence to collect	If it fails
Water and irrigation	Recorded right/share/contract, permitted uses, seasonal allocation, well test and drought history; assess potable quality and irrigation separately.	Do not purchase on a verbal water promise or assume residential water permits crop irrigation.
Two dwellings	County land-use approval, legal access, setbacks, utility/service arrangement, septic capacity and fire access for the planned occupancy.	Reduce scope or select another parcel before designing the second home.
Winter and hazards	Solar shading/snow, road access, frost conditions, wildfire/flood hazards, emergency vehicle access and evacuation routes.	Price mitigations, reserve space and alternative routes before buying equipment.
Soil and production	Soil/contaminant assessment as warranted, usable growing area, drainage, slope, wind and legal irrigation capacity.	Do a pilot garden; do not assume advertised acreage equals productive acreage.
Layout	Survey showing house sites, water source/tanks, septic and reserve field, energy shed, propane, access and crop area.	Resolve required separations and grading with qualified local designers. Distances are site-specific.

Home A
Refuge · pantry · water kit

Shared service area
Energy · protected storage · workshop

Home B
Refuge · pantry · water kit

Water source & tanks
Protected access · independent reserve

Garden & orchard
Irrigation · compost · wildlife exclusion

Wastewater & reserve area
Approved placement · service access

Relationship diagram only. Propane/fire clearances, well/septic separation, drainage, trenches and building setbacks require a surveyed, approved site design. Keep clean and waste flows separate.

Budget by gate, not one giant purchase

The ranges below are deliberately broad planning allowances in USD, not vendor quotes. They exclude land, houses, financing and extraordinary ground conditions. Pantry subtotals in the purchasing tab use actual entered package prices. Avoid counting an item again in both worksheets.

Work package	Initial allowance	Release funds when…
Existing-home 14-day resilience	2,000–6,000	Water, no-cook food, sanitation, radios, light and household needs are specified.
Pantry, packaging and shelves	Use live purchase worksheet + unpriced goods + suitable shelving	A 14-day menu and storage conditions are proven; fill price blanks before calling the subtotal a budget.
Knowledge server, readers, backups	1,500–4,000	Choose measured performance/power goals and verify existing hardware that can be reused.
Garden pilot, irrigation, fencing	3,000–15,000	Water and soil are verified; size to a demonstrated labor budget.
Fixed solar, battery and generator system	30,000–80,000+ installed concept allowance	Obtain itemized site-specific quotes and one-line design; trenching/service work can exceed the allowance.
Water storage, treatment and distribution	5,000–25,000+ excluding new well	Have water tests, source yield and a freeze-protected design.
Well / septic / road / major site works	Quote required; excluded from above	Site professionals have assessed the actual parcel.
Heat and workshop readiness	5,000–20,000+	Appliance installation, chimney/venting, tools and spares are scoped.
Contingency and renewal	Add 20–30% planning contingency; fund annual maintenance separately	Update with firm quotes, operating costs, consumable use and replacement intervals.

Quote request checklist

Electrical: loads, motor starts, PV/battery/generator models, two-home expansion, protection, installation, permits, warranty and commissioning.Water: yield/quality, tank size, treatment, freeze protection, backup delivery and filter/media operating costs.Site: survey, permitted dwellings, septic capacity, roads, trenching, fire access and hazard mitigation.Food/library: package weights, dates, storage footprint, landed cost, spare drives and restoration test.Keep a replacement fund and the names of two people who can operate each system.

Parcel decisions, quote totals and assumptions

Site arrangement and phased procurement budget

The schematic is functional, not a scaled engineering drawing: put the shared pantry, workshop and utility controls between homes; keep a protected route to the garden and accessible all-weather gates. Place wells, septic, propane, batteries, wood storage and buildings using surveyed setbacks, prevailing weather, drainage, fire access and local requirements. Maintain a separate safe exit from each dwelling.

Phase	Budget allowance, USD	What must pass before the next phase
0 · design and household trials	$2,000–5,000	Water/soil tests, property due diligence, load/heat assessment, 14-day menu and actual consumption log. Excludes land purchase.
1 · 14–90 day resilience	$5,000–12,000	Portable potable water, hygiene, alarms, safe cooking, clothing/bedding, communication and evacuation kits; subtract items already owned.
2 · two-year food and supplies	Use live food subtotal + all unpriced foods + supply ledger; planning reserve $30,000–50,000 for food, supplies, storage and rotation setup	Storage room load/temperature validated, exact dietary menu accepted, lot records and cash-flow buying schedule. These are allowances, not a market quote.
3 · water/waste infrastructure	$15,000–45,000 excluding a new deep well, water rights or major septic replacement	Permitted sources/treatment/cisterns/pumps and waste capacity; freeze and source-failure drill. Obtain site-specific bids.
4 · power and winter heat	$55,000–110,000 combined allowance for solar/battery/generator/distribution plus two heat installations and fuel storage	Approved designs; cold-start, load-shed, generator, fuel and no-grid winter tests. Fuel is also an annual operating expense.
5 · production, workshop and library	$15,000–40,000	Fencing/irrigation/tools/crop storage, starter plants, spares and offline hardware. Does not include major new buildings or livestock.
Whole example	$122,000–262,000 before 25% project contingency; approximately $152,500–327,500 with it	Land, homes, new wells/rights, major septic, taxes, financing and quoted site complications excluded. Avoid adding individual phase totals twice when existing equipment is credited.

Annual renewal worksheet: food actually eaten + short-life pantry rotation + heating/cooking/generator fuel + seed/soil inputs + pump/filter/chimney/engine service + insurance/taxes/communications + a battery/electronics replacement reserve. Set costs from quotes and service life; an initial build budget is not an annual operating budget.

04 / ENERGY

Solar for the routine. Fuel for the gaps.

Separate survival loads from discretionary consumption, then design a system around measured demand.

PV array
DC protection + MPPT

→

Battery + inverter
islandable AC supply

→

Essential-load bus
house 1 · house 2 · pump

Utility, if available

↘

Approved transfer / inverter AC input

↗

Propane generator

Concept only. Source isolation, neutral/ground arrangements, disconnects, conductor sizes, and protection belong in a permitted electrical design.

What stays on?

Priority	Loads	Operating policy
A · Essential	Medical equipment, refrigeration, safe-room heat controls, water pump, basic lights, local communications	Reserve energy for these first; measure starting surge as well as daily energy.
B · Scheduled	Laundry, workshop tools, crop processing, water pumping into storage, local AI desktop	Run in daylight with surplus generation; avoid concurrent large loads.
C · Deferrable	EV charging, resistance water heating, whole-house cooling, freeze dryer	Pause automatically at the designer-set battery reserve. Do not assume normal lifestyle during a long outage.

Explore an energy budget

Illustrative inputs for small homes using separate winter heat. The house count comes from The plan. Adjust to measured loads; neither these solar hours nor losses are a prediction for your Utah parcel.

Essential kWh / home / dayShared kWh / dayEV kWh / day at wallNo-sun reserve daysUsable battery fraction %PV equivalent sun hoursPV net yield allowance %

Battery nameplate = essential kWh/day × reserve days ÷ usable fraction. PV = (essential + EV) kWh/day ÷ sun hours ÷ yield fraction. PV result covers one assumed average day only; it includes no rapid recharge margin or prolonged storm guarantee.

One home → two homes

Provide each house its own essential-load panel and accessible isolation. A shared power plant can feed engineered underground feeders; size them for distance, voltage drop, simultaneous loads, fault protection, grounding, and local requirements. Independent systems may offer better fault isolation if buildings are far apart.

Ordinary grid-tied PV may shut off with the grid. Specify equipment that can form an island and black-start as designed. Never connect separate inverter outputs or improvise an outlet-to-outlet generator connection.

Charging a car

An adjustable EVSE lets charging follow solar surplus. At 7.2 kW, two hours adds 14.4 kWh at the wall—nearly another essential-home budget in this example. Set priority and reserve rules; keep a departure charge for evacuation.

Vehicle-to-home requires a compatible vehicle, approved bidirectional charger, and transfer equipment. A normal charging port is not a backup house supply.

Propane is a finite bridge

Specify the chosen generator’s fuel curve, elevation derating, starting capability, and service interval. Size tank, regulators, lines, and winter vaporization with the supplier. Heat, hot water, cooking, and generator fuel draw from the same reserve if connected together.

Propane gallons on handGallons reserved for other usesGenerator gallons / hourGenerator hours / outage day

Use actual fuel on hand, not the tank’s nominal water capacity. The 1.2 gal/hour entry is a placeholder, not a generator specification. Fuel-limited days are not a promise of two-year independence.

Winter design

Use parcel-specific monthly/hourly solar data and account for snow, shade, and access for clearing. Protect batteries from temperatures outside their charging specification. Reserve power for pumps and freeze protection.

Safe-room comfort

Insulation, weather sealing, shading, blankets, and a small conditioned room reduce demand. Select code-compliant heat with a fuel supply and safe flue; many furnaces still need electricity. Summer heat can also determine when to relocate.

Portable bridge now

The notes’ F3000 + BP3000 ↗ and LG inverter AC ↗ are candidates for a one-room trial. A 6.1 kWh nominal pack at 80% allowance and 500 W average lasts about 9.8 hours. Measure before relying on it.

Read / save: NLR PVWatts solar calculator ↗ · Victron MultiPlus-II documentation ↗ · CPSC generator safety ↗

Acceptance checks

Installer demonstrates safe transfer/islanding, labeled shutoffs, source interlocks, and a cold start.Measure a full day of essential load, pump start surge, and one-room cooling/heat needs.Perform a planned reserve-runtime test without jeopardizing medical equipment or food safety.Verify EV and workshop loads shed before essential reserve is consumed.Log generator load, fuel use, service hours, oil/filter stock, and seasonal fuel balance.

A concrete system to request quotes for

Use this manufacturer-supported family as a reference configuration for design discussions. Final equipment selection follows measured loads, service layout, local approval and exact current manuals. It is not a construction wiring diagram.

Part	One-home starting concept	Two-home expansion
Inverter / charger	1 × EG4 18kPV, 120/240 V split-phase, 12 kW AC output.	Shared 12 kW only if combined simultaneous loads and motor starts fit. Otherwise separate protected systems or an approved parallel design.
Battery	2 × compatible 280 Ah WallMount batteries, about 28.6 kWh nominal.	3 × about 14.3 kWh = 42.9 kWh nominal: roughly 34.3 kWh at 80% usable, about two days at the 17 kWh/day example before additional losses. Verify exact model/listing.
Solar	Quote a site-specific array; 8–12 kW is a discussion range for the current essential-load example, not a winter guarantee.	At 3 peak-sun-hours and 75% yield, 8 kW gives 18 kWh/day average; 12 kW gives 27. Snow/clouds can erase that margin. Model worst month.
Propane generator	240 V split-phase unit with manufacturer-approved power quality and enough output for loads plus limited battery charging.	Set charging current so loads + charging remain below generator rating after altitude/temperature derating. Obtain the exact fuel curve.
Panels, disconnects and wiring	Critical-loads panel; listed isolation/transfer arrangement; disconnects, grounding, surge protection and required rapid shutdown.	Separately protected feeder to Home B; trench, voltage drop, grounding and service arrangement designed together. Never join independent live panel buses.
EV supply	Dedicated adjustable EVSE on an interruptible circuit.	Charge during verified surplus; stop when reserves are low. Example 7.2 kW × 2 h = 14.4 kWh, almost the whole essential daily budget.
Serviceability	Local display, saved settings and manuals, labeled shutdown/startup cards, installed bypass where designed.	Each dwelling keeps portable light, phone charging and a warmth fallback even if the shared energy shed fails.

Read / save: EG4 18kPV manufacturer page and manuals ↗ · EG4 18kPV + WallMount All Weather ESS ↗ · EG4 battery parallel connection reference ↗ · NLR PVWatts solar calculator ↗

Winter heat is its own system

Reduce the demand

Choose an insulated refuge room in each home, repair drafts, insulate accessible pipes, add curtains and suitable bedding. Log indoor temperature during a cold-weather outage trial.

Have a fuel-backed heat source

Specify a properly installed and vented heater or wood stove, with a heat-loss calculation and working smoke/CO alarms. Verify whether ignition, fans, pumps or controls still need electricity.

Store heat as well as electricity

For wood, use a measured local seasonal burn rate, moisture meter, safe wood storage and chimney service. For propane, allocate heating, water heating and cooking before generator runtime.

Plan a safe failure response

A frozen pump, smoke intrusion or unsafe refuge temperature changes the plan. Move people to the functioning home or leave for the prearranged destination before conditions become dangerous.

Delivered heat needed (BTU/day)Heating daysHeater efficiency (%)

Illustration uses 91,500 BTU per gallon of propane; it is not a heat-loss calculation or a supplier tank-sizing recommendation. Set heat demand from the building assessment or metered use. Reserve heating gallons in the propane calculator above; this worksheet does not automatically allocate fuel.

Read / save: EPA Burn Wise: best wood-burning practices ↗ · National Weather Service winter preparation ↗ · USFA home smoke alarms ↗ · EIA fuel energy conversion factors ↗

Commissioning record to get from the installer

Signed one-line diagram, equipment model/firmware list and approved two-home expansion plan.Cold-weather PV voltage, battery charging temperature limits and installed protection checked against exact manuals.Well pump, refrigerator and workshop motor starts tested with other critical loads running.Grid-loss transfer, black start, generator charging and safe shutdown demonstrated to two adults.Generator altitude derating, cold-weather propane vaporization, tank/regulator sizing and refill access reviewed by suppliers.Record measured kWh/day, no-sun autonomy, generator fuel use and the operating limits for EV charging.

System interfaces and commissioning package

Subsystem	Concrete reference assembly	Required matching evidence
Two-home essential AC	One central EG4 18kPV-class 120/240 V split-phase inverter (12 kW AC rating in the example), three compatible EG4 280 Ah / approximately 14.3 kWh batteries, and a professionally designed essential-load distribution system.	Confirm exact listed inverter/battery combination and firmware with the manufacturer. Total example nominal storage 42.9 kWh; at 80% usable, 34.3 kWh before conversion/temperature/aging losses. Both dwellings share the same 12 kW output ceiling; motor starts and coincident loads must be measured.
Solar	8–12 kW array is a planning range; use actual site winter PVWatts/shade/snow data.	String Voc at lowest temperature, MPPT limits, rapid shutdown where required, conductor ampacity, overcurrent/disconnects, grounding, surge protection, battery location and fire access belong on an approved one-line drawing. No generic wire sizes here.
Generator and propane	Generator chosen for required 120/240 V output, inverter charger acceptance and starting/load behavior; manufacturer-approved connection to generator input or transfer equipment.	Test charge power without exceeding generator continuous rating or propane vaporization. Portable generator stays outdoors at safe manufacturer/CPSC distance; never backfeed a receptacle. Independent home transfer equipment must prevent grid energization.
Load priorities	Tier 1: heat controls, water/treatment, medical equipment, refrigeration, lighting/comms. Tier 2: laundry/workshop in sunny periods. Tier 3: EV and discretionary heating.	Shed EV first. EV charging only from measured surplus; a 7.2 kW charger can consume most of the inverter’s capacity. V2H requires supported vehicle and approved equipment; a normal charging port does not provide it.
Acceptance test	Seven-day measured essential-load log; pump start test; dark-day battery run; generator recharge; black-start after shutdown; second operator performs recovery.	Save serial numbers, final one-line diagram, settings export, torque/commissioning record, manuals and installer contact in both printed binders and offline archive.

Read / save: EG4 18kPV manufacturer page and manuals ↗ · NLR PVWatts solar calculator ↗ · CPSC generator safety ↗

WORKING REFERENCE / EDITION 3

Keep two homes warm—or consolidate early.

Planning basis: two 1,500 ft² homes, northern Utah, roughly 4,500–6,000 ft. This worksheet sizes a fuel allowance from explicit assumptions; an installer must determine each building’s room-by-room heat loss and appliance/venting design.

Design heat loss / home (BTU/h)Indoor design (°F)Outdoor design (°F)Annual heating degree days, base 65°FWinters to storeFuel contingency (%)Propane efficiency (%)Wood energy (million BTU/cord)Wood delivered efficiency (%)Heat supplied by wood (%)

UA = design heat loss ÷ (indoor − outdoor design temperature). Seasonal heat = UA × HDD65 × 24 × heated homes. Fuel = heat × winters × contingency ÷ fuel energy ÷ delivered efficiency. HDD65 approximates internal gains; this is a screening model, not a room-by-room load calculation.

Mode	Operating plan	Switch trigger / commissioning
Normal winter · both homes	Weather-sealed envelope; maintained primary heating. Each home has a listed, vented wood stove or an independently fueled heater sized to its measured load. Heat pumps may reduce fuel use when power is ample, but this reserve assumes no solar heat credit.	Before purchase: heat-loss assessment, electrical parasitic loads, chimney/vent route, air-quality restrictions, insurance and permit review. Verify coldest occupied room and plumbing chase temperatures in a real outage drill.
Extended utility loss	Wood carries the selected share; vented propane equipment covers overnight/absence or wood failure. Keep ignition/fans/pumps on critical circuits if required. Test each appliance with grid power off.	Daily logs: indoor minima, wood volume, tank gauge, battery state and forecast. A room stove does not automatically heat closed rooms or pipes.
Fuel or equipment shortfall · one home	Move all eight into Home A, with safe sleeping space, exits, sanitation and ventilation. Fully winterize Home B using its written plumbing procedure.	Consolidate when projected remaining heat fuel is under 30 cold-weather days, a critical heater fails, or any active plumbing zone approaches 40°F despite heat. These are household action thresholds, not universal safety temperatures.
Unsafe refuge	If safe warmth, air quality, water or occupancy cannot be maintained, use the prearranged heated destination and two vehicle routes.	Any CO alarm, smoke/fire, fuel leak or concerning illness triggers the emergency plan and professional help. Never operate outdoor combustion appliances inside.

Procurement and fuel layout

System	Working bill of materials	Installation / spares
Wood heat per home	1 correctly sized listed stove; complete matched chimney system; approved hearth/clearances; moisture meter; stove thermometer if permitted; ash bucket with metal lid; gloves; tools.	Two installed systems total. Store one model-matched door-gasket kit and needed firebrick/baffle/catalyst spares per appliance based on its service manual. No generic vent dimensions or improvised chimney connections.
Propane backup per home	1 listed vented heating appliance selected for required output; manufacturer vent kit; permitted fuel lines/regulators/shutoffs; cold-weather tank sizing.	Prefer a model with verified no-power operation when feasible; otherwise include measured electrical demand. Tank vaporization at design temperature and simultaneous loads must be sized by the supplier.
Fuel reserve	Purchase actual measured gallons and full cords, not tank-nameplate capacity or pickup-truck loads. A full cord is 128 ft³ of stacked wood.	Stack off ground, top covered with airflow; verify moisture on freshly split wood, normally below 20%. Keep next winter’s wood seasoning separately. Set setbacks and tank protection from the approved site design.
Detection / tools	Smoke and CO alarms per code/manufacturer in each dwelling; extinguishers; 4 indoor/plumbing temperature sensors; 2 spare sensors; chimney inspection/cleaning tools only for trained safe access.	Monthly alarm tests; annual appliance and chimney service; replace units/batteries by label. Maintain a no-power thermometer in each refuge.

Read / save: DOE: proper sizing of HVAC systems ↗ · EIA fuel energy conversion factors ↗ · EPA: best wood-burning practices ↗ · USFA home smoke alarms ↗ · National Weather Service winter preparation ↗

Winter water procedure

Stage	Procedure	Proof
Before freezing weather	Keep the source, pressure tank, treatment, pumps and indoor reserve inside a maintained thermal envelope. Bury service lines to locally required depth. Disconnect/drain seasonal hoses and irrigation; label every isolation/drain valve.	A plumber walks both homes and records low points, dead legs, traps, appliances, backflow devices, well equipment and any heat-tape loads. Pipe insulation alone is not a long-duration heat source.
Active cold-weather operation	Read coldest pipe-zone temperatures morning/evening; inspect for leaks; maintain active heat. Protect stored water from freezing; stage drinking water in the warm refuge.	Test a 24-hour power outage before winter while safe conditions allow. Record temperature drift, heater fuel and battery consumption.
Home B shutdown	Use its specific signed-off procedure: isolate water; turn off water-heater energy before draining; depressurize; open designated drains; winterize toilets, traps, appliances and hydronic equipment per manuals.	A professional must identify trapped water and approved plumbing antifreeze applications. Never put automotive antifreeze into domestic plumbing. A closed main valve alone is not winterization.
Recommission / frozen line	Keep water-heater energy off until the tank is full and purged; inspect for leaks while restoring pressure slowly; flush/treat/test when contamination is possible.	Shut off the supply before thawing suspect frozen lines. Never use an open flame. Stop and seek qualified repair if hidden breaks or electrical hazards are possible.

Read / save: USU: protecting waterlines in freezing weather ↗

05 / THE FIRST DEPENDENCY

A water source, a reserve, and a safe way back.

Drinking water, household operation, crop irrigation, livestock, and fire reserves are separate demands.

Verified legal source
well / utility / approved source

→

Protected storage
freeze protection + isolation

→

Treatment for tested hazards
potable outlets kept separate

Emergency potable floor = people × 14 days × 1 gallon/day. Operating example = people × 25 gallons/day × 14 days. The latter is an adjustable-design assumption here, not a public-health minimum; neither figure includes irrigation, livestock, firefighting, or unusual medical needs.

Layer	Build	Prove
Potable reserve	Food-grade sealed containers in more than one location; label fill date, source, and treatment. Keep several portable jugs.	Draw, carry, and dispense it without power. Inspect and rotate home-filled water on the CDC schedule.
Operating storage	Cistern sized for actual demand, screened openings, cleanout access, protected vent/overflow, isolation valves, and level indication.	Time refill at measured source yield; verify freeze protection, leaks, pump restart, and no cross-connection.
Treatment	Water analysis determines the system: sediment, pathogen controls, and contaminant-specific treatment as needed; store replacement parts.	Obtain lab results and document a backup treatment method when power fails. A generic filter does not remove every contaminant.
No-power retrieval	Stored water, suitable hand pump where well depth permits, or engineered gravity supply.	Demonstrate actual flow and safe access. A deep well is not automatically compatible with a cheap hand pump.
Sanitation	Permitted septic sized for occupancy; identify any powered lift pump. Keep portable toilet, liners, waste supplies, handwashing, soap, and lawful disposal plan.	Locate cleanouts and shutoffs; practice water-conserving use. Septic can fail or flood and is not unlimited storage.

Read / save: CDC emergency water storage ↗ · CDC boil-water advisory guidance ↗

Utah water is a land-purchase gate

Verify the water-right number, priority, source, authorized use, quantity, diversion, irrigation acreage, and any needed changes directly with Utah’s Division of Water Rights. Have title and transfer details reviewed. A parcel listing or well hole is not proof of a right to irrigate or supply a second dwelling.

Utah’s rainwater program permits up to 2,500 gallons of registered storage; the registration-free exception is no more than two covered containers of 100 gallons or less each. Check the official rules for your parcel and use. Rain capture is supplementary, not a substitute for proven summer supply.

Garden demand can dwarf household demand

Irrigated acresWater depth, inches / week

Volume = acres × inches × 27,154 gallons. This is water depth applied to area; rainfall, crop needs, soil, delivery losses, and irrigation efficiency change source withdrawals.

Read / save: Utah water-right policy ↗ · Utah rainwater collection ↗ · USU vegetable water recommendations ↗

Print source/treatment records, storage map, shutoff map, and a water-quality response plan.Test water at baseline and after flooding, repairs, or suspected contamination; follow local testing guidance.Store filter elements, seals, approved disinfectant, test supplies, hoses, and repair fittings.Separate potable and nonpotable containers/hoses; label them clearly.Plan handwashing and waste disposal before relying on a water-conserving toilet.

A complete water chain

Layer	Working design for eight	Failure fallback
Source	Verified potable source and lawful allocation; document well depth, static/drawdown levels, yield, pump voltage and service contacts.	Second approved source plus portable containers. A shallow hand pump cannot be assumed to work on a deep well.
Storage	112 gal is the 14-day emergency floor; a 25 gal/person/day operating example needs 2,800 gal for 14 days, before crops/animals.	Two isolated tanks or a split reserve prevents one leak from emptying everything; food-grade materials and clean access.
Treatment	Test raw water and specify treatment for identified hazards; include prefilters, spare cartridges, disinfection instructions and monitoring.	Portable treatment for its rated hazards plus stored safe water. Chemicals/toxins require a different safe source; boiling does not remove them.
Distribution	Frost-protected pipes, labeled shutoffs, backflow protection and a pressure/booster system sized for both homes.	Protected gravity outlet or matched manual pump; demonstrate filling a kitchen container with utility power off.
Wastewater	Approved capacity for eight occupants and two dwellings; confirm whether pumps/aerators need backup electricity.	Portable emergency toilet system and authorized disposal route while the normal system is unavailable.
Irrigation	Separate irrigation accounting, filtration, valves and seasonal volume; house water gets priority during drought.	Reduce planted area, mulch and use a measured crop survival schedule. A rain tank is not a proven irrigation supply.

Read / save: CDC: make water safe in an emergency ↗ · CDC emergency water storage ↗ · Utah water-right policy ↗ · EPA: types of septic systems ↗

Sanitation kit and consumption trial

Stage two toilet stations, two foot/hand-operated handwashing stations, soap, water jugs with spigots, gloves, separate lined waste containers, surface cleaner, absorbent material and locally approved toilet waste bags. Keep human waste away from crops and water; identify disposal with the local health authority before needing it.

Consumable	Provisional starting target	Validation
Toilet paper	192 rolls/year for eight at 2 rolls/person/month; 384 for two years.	Roll sizes vary. Measure one month and use actual consumption × 24.
Emergency toilet bags	2 stations × 2 changes/day × 14 days = 56; stage 70 as an initial allowance.	Use bag/system instructions and actual occupancy; this is a short bridge, not a two-year waste solution.
Soap / detergent / cleaning	One measured month × 24, bought in rotation-sized lots.	Record handwashing, dishes, laundry, cleaning dilution and wastewater compatibility.
Water filters	Service kits sized to rated treated volume and actual feed-water condition.	Two years of daily volume can exceed many small filters; keep a stock change log.

Demonstrate safe water delivery with the well/pump circuit unavailable.Mark both homes, source, septic field, tank isolation valves and emergency fill point on a printed site map.Practice one day of the emergency toilet routine and confirm waste disposal.Keep the source test and exact treatment instructions beside the equipment.

Read / save: CDC septic systems during floods ↗ · CDC: make water safe in an emergency ↗

Operating water and waste budget

Use / failure	Quantified working allowance	Procedure / replacement
Daily domestic budget	25 gal/person/day × 8 = 200 gal/day: 16 drinking/cooking, 24 dishes/handwashing, 40 bathing, 40 laundry, 80 toilets/cleaning. These are metered trial allowances, not a health minimum.	2,800 gal buys 14 days at this rate; 400-gal usable indoor buffer buys 2 days. Outdoor cistern volume only counts if freeze protection, treatment and delivery work. Reclaim water only through an approved safe system.
Minimum portable drinking layer	112 gal at CDC’s 1 gal/person/day × 8 × 14; more for heat, illness and preparation. Split between both homes and portable containers.	This drinking/emergency floor does not also supply the 200-gal operating budget. Rotate self-filled stored water per CDC guidance; keep containers food-safe and sanitized.
Source/pump failure	A 14-day buffer plus independent accessible source agreement; spare pump/control components matched to actual depth, voltage, pressure and flow.	Stop discretionary use, isolate failed source, switch to tested potable reserve, inspect electrical/plumbing safely. A hand pump must be engineered for actual well lift; it is not a generic bucket attachment.
Treatment	Use a laboratory water analysis to choose sediment, pathogen and chemical treatment. Example order: raw source → protected cistern → pump → sediment → contaminant-specific treatment → validated disinfection → potable storage/distribution.	Track gallons through cartridges and lamp hours if UV; stock manufacturer-matched sets. UV needs power and adequate clarity. Boiling/disinfection does not remove fuel, salt or many chemicals.
Wastewater	Baseline assumes a permitted, inspected septic system sized for actual bedrooms/occupancy, accessible risers, protected drainfield and service records.	Follow inspection/pumping schedule from installer/local authority. Avoid overloading with simultaneous laundry. Do not put wipes, grease or chemicals into septic. A full/failing septic tank is not repaired with additives.
Septic unavailable	Two emergency toilet stations, handwashing stations, 280 liner allowance for 14 days at 20 changes/day, and covered secondary containment.	Follow the approved toilet system’s change frequency and health-authority disposal plan; never dump waste on crops, into waterways or an improvised shallow pit. A two-year waste solution requires permitted permanent capacity.
Laundry and trash	60 laundry loads/month starting allowance; clothesline + sheltered winter drying rack. Separate recycling, food scraps, hazardous waste and residual trash.	Reduce packaging before storage. At two trash bags/day, 1,460 bags over two years before contingency still require a lawful disposal route. Do not burn plastic or bury household hazardous waste.

Read / save: CDC emergency water storage ↗ · CDC boil-water advisory guidance ↗ · EPA: types of septic systems ↗ · USU: protecting waterlines in freezing weather ↗

06 / STORED RESERVES

Store meals, not a pile of ingredients.

Keep the two-year reserve separate from hoped-for harvests. Rotate the foods that need it and verify the calories on actual labels.

Target = people × days × calories/day × (1 + contingency). This is a planning energy target, not a nutrition prescription. It excludes pets and livestock and does not prove adequate protein, fats, micronutrients, or medical diets.

An illustrative staple basket

The editable household scales the basket below from a per-person, per-year planning example. The rough calorie factors are explicit estimates, not product-label data. Add vegetables, fruits, proteins, fats, and foods for children and special diets; then reconcile total menus and nutrition. The contingency target above is separate from this base basket.

Do not put oxygen absorbers into foods that are too moist. Store suitable dry foods in food-safe packaging protected from heat, moisture, light, and pests. Salt and sugar do not need oxygen absorbers. Packaging method and shelf life depend on the exact food.

Four layers of food

14 days: ready-to-eat foods, familiar snacks, drinking water, and minimal-cook meals.
3 months: a rotating pantry based on the household’s usual menu.
12–24 months: dry staples and properly preserved foods with tested packaging, calorie records, and stock rotation.
Renewable production: crops, orchards, and later livestock, supported by water, skills, tools, and preservation.

The easily forgotten food

Cooking oil and other fats need realistic rotation; “two years stored” does not mean every ingredient lasts two years untouched. Add protein variety, vegetables, fruit, iodized salt where appropriate, spices, leavening, comfort foods, and clinician-guided nutrition needs.

Keep separate lists for infants, allergies, pets, and winter livestock feed. Planting seed is never counted as edible grain reserve.

Practice menu to turn into recipe cards

Meal pattern	Store with it	Practice requirement
Oats / milk / fruit / nut butter	Oats, suitable milk powder, dried fruit, nut or seed butter	Portions, allergens, rehydration water, and actual calorie totals.
Rice or wheat / beans / vegetables	Grain, lentils or beans, canned or dried vegetables, oil, seasonings	Measure soak/cook fuel and water; establish safe cooked-food handling.
Flatbread / canned protein / vegetables	Flour or millable wheat, oil, leavening, shelf-stable protein	Cook on the backup stove; keep a hand mill if grain is whole.
Soup / stew / preserved sides	Tested preserved foods and familiar recipes	Record ingredients, servings, utensils, water, fuel, and safe leftovers.
No-cook outage day	Shelf-stable foods appropriate to every family member	Eat a full day without refrigeration, kitchen power, or excessive preparation water.

Preserve by a tested process

Use current USDA/NCHFP tested recipes and their altitude adjustments. Pressure-can low-acid foods in a proper pressure canner; an electric multicooker is not an assumed substitute. Do not invent processing times from AI or a home pH reading. Test dial gauges as recommended and keep the exact canner manual.

Use the existing freeze dryer when energy is abundant, after confirming ownership and condition. Budget its energy and packaging; test seals and rehydration. Root storage, dehydration, fermentation, and freezing each need their own validated storage conditions.

Read / save: NCHFP tested preservation guidance ↗ · NCHFP altitude and processing time ↗ · NCHFP recommended canners ↗ · USU food-storage guide and resources ↗ · USDA A Harvest of Recipes ↗ · Your food-storage workbook ↗

Write a 14-day menu with portions and actual label calories; repeat it before bulk buying.Record quantity, lot, purchase/pack date, storage method, inspection date, and location.Use oldest suitable stock first; inspect quarterly and set replacement dates for fats and short-life foods.Plan outdoor cooking fuel and a safe indoor cooking option rated for its use.Keep thermometers in fridge/freezer and print current food-outage safety guidance; do not judge safety by smell alone.

Seven-day pantry kitchen trial

These are meal combinations to practice, not preservation recipes or a complete nutrition prescription. Use the linked USDA recipes, your tested family recipes and actual labels to set portions. Repeat with substitutions in week two; log fuel and water for each batch.

Day	Breakfast / lunch / dinner	Preparation to learn
1	Oats + milk + fruit / bean-rice bowls / pasta + canned protein + vegetables	Batch beans according to safe instructions; record fuel used.
2	Wheat porridge / lentil soup + bread / rice + vegetables + nut/seed sauce	Mill wheat by hand and cook one pot without electricity.
3	Oats + nut butter / canned fish or bean wraps / potato-vegetable stew	Practice a meal with no refrigerator and one with minimal cooking.
4	Pancakes from a tested mix / leftovers safely held or a fresh bean salad / pasta + tomato sauce	Count baking powder, oil, spices and safe leftover storage.
5	Oats + dried fruit / lentils + rice / canned poultry or substitute + vegetables	Check whether the household actually eats the planned portions.
6	Bread + nut/seed butter / soup + crackers / bean chili + cornmeal bread	Budget every ingredient, including salt and leavening.
7	Favorite stored breakfast / ready-to-eat meal / family choice from reserve	Measure all waste, missing ingredients and dishwashing water.

Each recipe card should state servings, dry ingredient weights, exact water, active cooking minutes, equipment, allergens and safe handling. For food preservation, use a current tested recipe exactly, with its elevation adjustment.

Read / save: USDA A Harvest of Recipes ↗ · NCHFP tested preservation guidance ↗ · NCHFP altitude and processing time ↗

07 / EDITION 2

Buy useful food. Know what is on the shelf.

A scalable purchasing worksheet for eight people and 730 days. Defaults include the selected calorie allowance and contingency; they are a menu-planning example, not a prescribed diet.

Read / save: Church Home Storage Centers: prices and locations ↗ · Official U.S. Home Storage Center order form ↗ · Church online food storage store ↗

The purchase list

Targets scale with People, Days, kcal/person and Contingency in The plan / Two-year pantry. Enter package size and package price for your actual supplier. The seven prefilled prices are verified 2026 pickup form examples. Blank costs remain unpriced, never zero-cost. Quantities are dry weight except canned foods (edible weight) and oil (quarts).

Calories are rough food-category estimates. A stock total cannot certify adequate protein, essential fats, vitamins, minerals or suitability for children, pregnancy, allergies or medical diets. Build a dietitian-reviewed menu for the actual household before buying the full reserve.

Actual stock: lot by lot

Enter food you physically counted. Use the label’s best-by/use-by date or your chosen review date. A flagged date means inspect/rotate; it is not an automatic safety determination. “Undated” lots need review. All entered quantities count in the calorie estimate until removed, including flagged lots.

Spend in useful increments

Stage	What to buy and prove	Pass condition
14 days	Foods already eaten, ready-to-eat meals, manual can opener, safe water, outdoor cooking fuel. Include every dietary exception.	Feed all eight people for a weekend using only stored food and the backup kitchen.
90 days	Repeat a tested 14-day menu; stock condiments, oil, protein, produce, milk substitutes and baking supplies.	Every meal has ingredients, water and fuel. Count stock, do not count future harvests.
One year → two years	Buy durable staples in batches after checking cool dry storage, load capacity, pest control, mill and recipe acceptance.	Track lot dates and replace foods as they are eaten. Keep a 90-day working pantry in front of the reserve.
Annual renewal	Rotate oils, nut butters, comfort foods and shorter-life items; germination-test seed; replace spent filters and fuel.	Two-year food purchasing horizon does not imply every item will safely last two years untouched.

Complete the pantry around the staples

Category	Starting allowance for eight / two years	How to finalize
Yeast, leavening, spices	Yeast for actual loaf count; 4–8 lb baking powder/soda combined; 12–24 frequently used seasonings.	Use tested recipes and label storage; rotate yeast, do not assume long-term ambient viability.
Preservation supplies	12 dozen reusable quart jars + 12 dozen pint jars as a first-season trial; lids for two intended canning cycles plus 25%; two canner gaskets if model uses them.	Scale from your crop plan and tested recipes. Use proper new canning lids; do not plan to pressure-can in a generic electric multicooker.
Food service	10 place settings, 2 manual can openers, 2 kitchen thermometers, 1 kitchen scale, 2 large stockpots, outdoor-rated cooking appliance.	Test cooking for eight without the normal range. Account for dishwashing water.
Diet and comfort	Coffee/tea/cocoa as used, electrolyte products, favorite snacks, sauces, shelf-stable substitutions, infant/pet food if applicable.	Measure one month of actual use × 24, adjusted for shelf life, age and health needs.
Packaging and storage	Shelving sized for actual load; temperature/humidity loggers; rodent exclusion; food-grade bins; labels and scoop.	Price DIY bags, oxygen absorbers and buckets alongside food. Follow food-specific packaging guidance; do not indiscriminately use oxygen absorbers in moist foods.

Read / save: USU food-storage guide and resources ↗ · UGA long-term emergency food storage ↗ · NCHFP tested preservation guidance ↗

Compare a local bulk deal with a Church can

Package price ($)Net food weight (lb)Calories per lbExtra packaging / shipping ($)

Compare the same food, edible weight and usable shelf life. Travel, tax, membership and spoilage may change the result. No order is placed by this planner.

A menu that reconciles to the food manifest

The following daily household basket feeds eight at the planner’s 2,500 kcal/person baseline. Repeat the basket for 730 days; the purchase worksheet adds 15% contingency. Weights below are ingredients before cooking (canned items use edible weight). They are approximate nutrition estimates, not product-label guarantees. Changing People or Calories scales the basket; contingency belongs in storage, not the daily serving.

Three batch cards · eight servings each

Meal	Weighed ingredients for the baseline household	Method / water / fuel log
Breakfast · approximately 580 kcal/person	0.941 lb oats; 0.500 lb dry milk; 0.533 lb dried produce; 0.462 lb nut/seed butter; 0.233 lb sugar.	Cook oats with potable water according to package directions; reconstitute milk to its label. Serve fruit/nut butter separately as desired. Start a measured 2-gallon potable kitchen-water allowance for all three meals and adjust after a trial; it is part of the daily water budget.
Lunch · approximately 910 kcal/person	1.939 lb dry rice; 1.548 lb dry beans; 0.182 qt oil; 1.400 lb canned produce.	Cook rice by its label. Cook beans fully by an appropriate safe recipe; use canned beans during the no-cook layer, adjusting drained weight/calories. Add half the oil and produce. Pressure-cook only in equipment rated for cooking; a cooking recipe is not a canning process.
Dinner · approximately 1,010 kcal/person	1.867 lb wheat; 1.190 lb dry pasta; 2.000 lb canned protein; 1.400 lb canned produce; 0.182 qt oil; 0.233 lb sugar.	Mill wheat for simple pan flatbread with water and a measured amount from the salt allowance; use part of the oil to cook. Prepare pasta with protein/vegetables and the remaining oil. Sugar may be moved to another meal. Cook small batches when refrigeration is unavailable.

The combined basket uses exactly the calorie allocations in the pantry model before rounding. Salt, spices, leavening and drinking water are separate supplies. Choose age-appropriate portions and allergen substitutions with equivalent nutrients; assess protein, calcium, iron, iodine, vitamin C/D/B12 and essential fats using actual labels and the real household. No supplement is assumed to make an incomplete diet complete.

14-day flavor cycle

Days	Breakfast / lunch / dinner flavor	Extra ingredients from supplies
1 / 8	Apple oats / pinto-rice bowls / tomato chicken pasta + flatbread	Cinnamon; cumin; garlic; tomato counted within canned produce.
2 / 9	Fruit oats / herbed white-bean rice / fish pasta + flatbread	Herbs; pepper; canned fish choice and consumption frequency suited to household.
3 / 10	Nut butter oats / black-bean rice / vegetable-protein pasta	Cumin; paprika; onion.
4 / 11	Cinnamon oats / lentil-rice bowls / chicken vegetable pasta	Lentils replace bean calories by label; curry blend optional.
5 / 12	Milk oats + fruit / savory bean rice / garlic-herb pasta	Garlic; dried herbs; use the same allocated oil.
6 / 13	Nut-fruit oats / chili-seasoned rice and beans / protein flatbread + pasta salad	Chili blend; vinegar; fresh preparation if no refrigeration.
7 / 14	Favorite oats / bean-rice soup / pantry pasta and flatbread	Seasoning choice; soup water comes from kitchen allowance.

Storage footprint and renewal

Food group	Initial rotation plan	Packaging and space decision
Wheat, rice, oats, pasta, dry beans	Long-storage packaging may last many years under specified conditions; use actual product label. Inspect quarterly; use oldest first.	Church #10 cans reduce repackaging work. Compare same net weight with bulk plus food-safe packaging. Keep cans off damp concrete and shelving anchored.
Milk, dried produce, canned protein/produce	Use label dates. Open one representative lot every six months for quality review. Rotate working pantry monthly.	Keep a cool, dry, pest-resistant pantry that never freezes. Do not count swollen, leaking or otherwise unsafe containers.
Oil and nut/seed butter	Maintain a rolling supply; choose packages with dates covering planned use. Review monthly and replace before quality loss.	A two-year demand quantity is not proof a purchase will last two years. If label life is shorter, use scheduled replenishment or validated longer-life alternatives; record the dependency.
Salt / sugar / flavor	Separate kitchen iodized salt from preservation salt; iodine retention and packaging matter. Renew spices by actual use.	Salt target includes preservation allowance and is not a recommendation to eat it all. Store dry; use small working containers.

Read / save: Official U.S. Home Storage Center order form ↗ · USU: food storage conditions ↗ · USU: A Guide to Food Storage for Emergencies ↗

WORKING REFERENCE / EDITION 3

Consumables are part of the reserve.

An editable two-year supply ledger for eight people. Default rates are trial allowances, not measured household consumption. Target quantities scale with people, days and contingency; fixed emergency kits scale with people.

Enter actual stock, a measured monthly use rate, unit cost and review date. Days remaining uses stock ÷ daily consumption. Fixed kits show readiness instead of invented consumption days. Prices below are budget allowances in USD, not vendor quotes. Food is tracked in Pantry & purchasing; do not add food costs here again.

Personal item	Quantity rule / example	Rotation
Menstrual supplies	For two users at 24 disposable units/cycle × 24 cycles × 1.15 = 1,325 units rounded up; set actual users and preferences.	Store dry; reusable options require enough safe wash water and practiced use.
Infant diapers	Example 6/day × 730 × 1.15 = 5,037, but growth makes a single-size purchase wasteful.	Phase sizes and training needs; cloth system needs wash/disinfection/drying capacity.
Infant formula / medical nutrition	Exact product and feeding plan from the child’s or patient’s care team; label preparation and use-by dates govern.	Do not substitute a generic adult ration or homemade formula.
Prescriptions / rescue medication	Coordinate lawful refill quantities, cold chain, expiry and backup treatment with prescriber/pharmacist.	No guessed two-year shelf life or dosing; keep private medication list.
Pet feed	Measured lb/day × animals × days × 1.15, subject to shelf life; add water and vet needs.	Keep feed separate from human food; rotate fats and opened bags.

Private household supply exceptions

08 / RENEWABLE FOOD

Grow the system before you need the harvest.

Utah’s valleys and high elevations differ sharply. Choose crops and planting dates for the actual site, water supply, and season.

Start with a crop portfolio

Role	Candidates to trial locally	What must be solved
Calories and winter storage	Potatoes, winter squash, dry beans; locally suitable grain or flour corn where feasible	Yield per area, irrigation, labor, harvest tools, curing, storage losses, and a second harvest plan.
Cool-season nutrition	Peas, cabbage, kale, carrots, beets, spinach	Stagger plantings, frost protection, pest pressure, and storage capacity.
Summer diversity	Tomatoes, summer squash, beans, peppers where season permits	Use locally proven short-season cultivars; start transplants and protect tender plants.
Flavor and storage	Garlic, onions, herbs	Variety selection, day-length suitability for onions, seed freshness, and dry storage.
Long-term perennials	Locally adapted apples/pears/plums and berries	Rootstock, pollination partners, winter hardiness, late frost, wildlife protection, years to bearing.
Animal products, later	Eggs first if appropriate; dairy/meat only after feed and labor planning	Winter feed, breeding/replacement stock, secure housing, daily water, veterinary access, manure, and humane care.

A seed bank that actually grows

Keep at least two complete plantings of the planned area, plus a 25–50% replanting contingency as a planning choice. Derive packet weights from each crop’s sowing rate and your bed map; “one survival seed can” is not an acreage plan.

Store labeled, dry, cool, airtight lots. Keep a second sealed set in another location. Test germination annually and record variety, lot, year, test date, percent germination, sowing rate, and replacement date.

Seed saving is a skill

Use open-pollinated varieties when saving seed true to type; hybrids may still be useful crops but do not reliably reproduce the same traits. Learn isolation distances, cross-pollination, population size, biennial life cycles, drying, and disease selection.

Keep fresh seed potatoes and other vegetatively propagated stock on their own renewal plan. A dry seed jar does not preserve all crops. Grow out and replenish seed before the last viable lot is used.

Plan the year by frost and soil

Winter

Audit pantry and seed lots; run germination tests; calculate bed areas; choose locally proven varieties; repair tools; plan irrigation and seed starts.

Spring

Use the local last-frost date and soil readiness. Start transplants and hardy crops at the right time. Install drip, mulch, fencing, and frost cloth before they are needed.

Summer

Record irrigation, pests, labor, and harvest weights. Succession sow; preserve surplus; protect workers from heat and smoke; maintain drinking-water reserves.

Fall

Cure and store crops by their requirements; save suitable seed; winterize irrigation; prepare soil cover; count actual edible calories and losses.

Measure before scaling

Begin with beds you can irrigate and weed consistently. For each crop, log planted area, seed used, harvested edible weight, storage loss, and hours worked. Compare the resulting food to household meals and the calorie target. No fixed acreage guarantees self-sufficiency.

Greenhouses and high tunnels extend seasons but still need ventilation, snow-load design, water, and sometimes heat. They do not make a short-season site behave like a warm valley for free.

Read / save: USU Utah planting-date calculator ↗ · USU soil testing ↗ · USU collecting and storing seeds ↗ · USU seed storage and handling ↗ · USU vegetable water recommendations ↗

Obtain a soil test and actual-site frost dates; correct soil based on results.Create a bed map with crop areas, rotation, irrigation zones, and succession dates.Inventory two sowings plus contingency, seed-starting media, trays, labels, and row cover.Finish one growing and preservation season with measured yields before expanding.Establish winter animal feed and water before acquiring livestock; include daily backup caregivers.

What does the garden actually contribute?

A garden may supply variety long before it supplies most calories. This model counts one harvest per year and subtracts a loss allowance for storage, seed retention and waste. Potatoes and dry beans start at the low end of USU garden yield examples. Corn, squash and calorie densities are editable planning assumptions; replace all defaults with your own harvest log.

Harvest / storage loss (%)

Row feet are not acreage. Add row spacing, paths, rotation, isolation, compost and irrigation access. Seed potatoes, fertility, weather and water can prevent the forecast yield. The pantry calculator gives no credit for this harvest.

Read / save: USU potatoes in the garden ↗ · USU beans in the garden ↗ · USU vegetables, fruits and herbs handbook ↗

Seed stock for two planting attempts

Crop / working plot	Initial reserve example	Renewal and know-how
Potatoes · 800 row-ft	About 64–80 lb disease-free seed potatoes per planting; arrange fresh supply for the next year.	Living seed tubers are not a two-year sealed seed packet. Maintain a cool appropriate store and a replacement strategy; disease can accumulate.
Dry beans · 600 row-ft	About 8,500 seeds: 4 plants/ft × 600 ft × 2 sowings × 1.5 spare ÷ 85% germination.	Seed count, not pounds. Choose proven short-season dry beans; dry thoroughly and test germination.
Grain corn · 600 row-ft	About 2,120 seeds at 1 plant/ft with the same two-sowing/spare/germination factors.	Plant in pollinating blocks. Choose early grain corn and plan isolation/population for saving seed; sweet corn is a different harvest.
Winter squash · 50 planting stations	About 180 viable seeds for two sowings plus the same allowance.	Choose a locally proven storage variety; isolate compatible crossing varieties when saving seed.
Vegetable diversity · pilot beds	Tomato 100 seeds; pepper 100; cabbage 200; lettuce 1,000; carrots 5,000; onion 3,000; peas 2,000; beet/chard 1,000; cucumber 100.	Trial quantities for two seasons, not a harvest guarantee. Use packets with lot/variety/year, germination %, depth, frost timing and expected maturity.
Perennials and propagation	Garlic planting stock, adapted fruit trees/berries, rootstock details and replacement cuttings where practical.	Budget years before full production. Wildlife exclusion, irrigation and pollination matter; do not offset stored food with unestablished trees.

Keep working seed and a separate cool, dry backup; seal with a labeled desiccant if appropriate. Test a sample before spring, record germination and grow replacements annually. Keep open-pollinated seed for practiced saving and reliable hybrids where they meet near-term needs. Seeds alone do not supply fertility, irrigation or skill.

Read / save: USU collecting and storing seeds ↗ · USU seed storage and handling ↗

Utah calendar with local dates filled in

Window	Work	Record to keep
Winter planning	Determine parcel elevation, frost dates, growing days and water allocation; soil test; select varieties that mature inside the local season.	Seed map, irrigation volume, supply list, planting-date calculator printout.
Before spring planting	Service drip filters and regulators; germination test; start transplants using crop-specific lead time; protect tender plants from late freezes.	Actual soil temperature and transplant dates, not a statewide calendar assumption.
Growing season	Scout pests twice weekly, weed early, track irrigation and rainfall; stagger quick crops; maintain a spare drip repair kit.	Weekly hours, gallons, pest pressure, amendments and harvest weight.
Harvest and winter storage	Cure crops as appropriate, sort damaged produce, preserve with tested methods, save isolated seed and protect plumbing from freezing.	Usable stored weight after losses; temperature/humidity and spoilage log.

Produce and weigh one full season before expanding acreage.Confirm drought-year legal water availability and a failure-year crop reduction plan.Practice seed saving for beans and tomatoes before relying on corn or squash genetics.Record winter crop storage losses and change the next planting plan.

Read / save: USU Utah planting-date calculator ↗ · USU soil testing ↗ · USU vegetable water recommendations ↗

WORKING REFERENCE / EDITION 3

Grow the next year before you need it.

A small garden provides experience and fresh produce. A staple-food system for eight needs substantially more land, water, storage and labor. The scale-up below is a scenario to test, not a harvest forecast.

Annual staple production scenario

Eight × 2,500 × 365 = 7.30 million kcal/year. The table applies 30% combined seed, processing and storage loss. It deliberately does not reduce the two-year purchase reserve. Crop values are planning estimates; weigh dry grain/beans and edible produce locally.

Crop	Rows / planted area	Gross → usable yield	Usable kcal/year / seed
Potatoes	10,000 row-ft × 3 ft = 30,000 ft²	7,500 → 5,250 lb at 0.75 lb/row-ft	1.838M kcal; 800–1,000 lb fresh disease-free seed/planting using USU’s 8–10 lb/100 ft.
Dry beans	12,500 row-ft × 2 ft = 25,000 ft²	2,500 → 1,750 lb at 0.20 lb/row-ft	2.713M kcal; at 4 planting positions/ft, 50,000 established plants. Two sowings + 50% spare at 85% germination = about 176,471 seeds. Weigh an actual sample to order pounds.
Early dry grain corn	15,000 row-ft × 3 ft = 45,000 ft²	2,250 → 1,575 lb at assumed 0.15 lb/row-ft	2.599M kcal; 15,000 established plants. Same two-sowing factor = about 52,942 seeds. Verify maturity and drying before relying on it.
Winter squash	1,875 row-ft × 6 ft = 11,250 ft²	2,812.5 → 1,968.8 lb at assumed 1.5 lb/row-ft	0.236M kcal; roughly 469 stations at 4 ft spacing. Same two-sowing factor = about 1,656 seeds. Match spacing to variety.
Total staple block	111,250 ft² = 2.55 net acres; approximately 3.2 acres with 25% paths/access	About 10,544 lb usable produce/grain	7.385M kcal, about 101% of annual calorie need on paper. This does not establish a complete diet or reliable yield.

Water and soil make the crop plan possible

At 3.2 irrigated acres, 1 inch delivered/week and 85% application efficiency, the arithmetic is about 102,700 gallons/week before effective rainfall. Twenty such weeks would use about 2.05 million gallons (6.3 acre-feet). Peak crop demand may be higher. Secure legal irrigation quantity, seasonal availability and pump capacity before buying the land or seeds. Household water storage does not solve irrigation.

Input	Initial operating specification	Renewal / evidence
Irrigation	Meter source and garden separately; zone drip to measured flow and pressure; add matching filter/regulator, flushing ends, spare emitters, fittings and repair tubing.	Log gallons/week by crop; soil moisture and weather determine timing. Provide a pump-repair path and prioritize high-value survival beds if water is restricted.
Fertility	Soil test each production block; buy amendments to that report; test compost/manure where appropriate. Keep two seasons of specified amendments dry.	Account for nutrients removed in harvest. Legumes do not eliminate all fertility needs. Do not apply arbitrary large amounts of fertilizer or fresh human waste.
Varieties	Trial early potatoes such as Red Norland plus storage types such as Kennebec/Yukon Gold; dry bean classes Pinto/Great Northern adapted to the actual season. Test early dry grain corn and storage squash locally.	USU examples are starting candidates, not guarantees at every elevation. Choose maturity before local first frost; grow seed-saving populations with correct isolation.
Seed resilience	Separate working and backup dry seed with labels, germination %, variety and year. Germination-test annually and renew living stock every season.	Store two sowings for dry seed; a third season requires viable seed or a successful seed crop. Potatoes/garlic are living planting stock and cannot simply sit sealed for two years.

Read / save: USU potatoes in the garden ↗ · USU beans in the garden ↗ · USU collecting and storing seeds ↗ · USU vegetable water recommendations ↗ · Utah water-right policy ↗ · USU soil testing ↗

Storage and preservation workload

Harvest stream	Capacity allowance	Work and replacement
Root cellar / ventilated crop store	Potato target 5,250 lb; at a provisional 35 lb/ft³ in crates, allow 150 ft³ of crop plus aisles, air gaps and sorting space. Separate squash/onions by their required conditions.	USU potato guidance: cure appropriately and store dark around 40–45°F. Monitor humidity/temperature and inspect weekly. Reject green/damaged/diseased tubers for eating; proper seed selection is separate.
Dry grain and beans	About 3,325 lb usable combined; at a provisional 40 lb/ft³ bulk density, approximately 83 ft³ before container/aisle allowance.	Provide drying, shelling/threshing, moisture measurement, pest-proof storage and a mill. Never seal damp grain into a supposedly oxygen-free store.
Canning pilot	500 jars/year as a first proven workload; 250 quarts + 250 pints = 187.5 gallons of product. Start with 300 quart + 300 pint jars (20% breakage/working spare); 1,000 new lids for two annual cycles, plus contingency.	At 7 quarts/batch, 250 quarts alone requires 36 batches; pint capacity depends on canner. At an illustrative 2.5 elapsed hours/batch, quart processing occupies 90 hours before garden work. Use exact tested recipe, jar size, pressure and elevation.
Dehydration / freezing	Dry herbs and appropriate produce; freezer capacity must be a measured load on essential power. Do not assume the entire crop can be frozen.	Keep safe preservation references printed. Test actual fuel/electricity per batch; no invented one-size canning time.

Read / save: USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning ↗ · NCHFP altitude and processing time ↗

Three-year buildout and two failed harvests

Stage / event	Action	Gate
Year 0 · skills and reserve	Build 14-day then 90-day menu; secure water/soil; grow the existing pilot plot; complete 500-jar capacity trial only as yield and skills justify.	No livestock expansion until feed, water, winter shelter, care and humane contingency are funded.
Year 1 · expansion	Plant about one quarter of the staple scenario, measure yield and labor, preserve a full winter’s vegetable supply, save seed from suitable crops.	Record edible stored calories and nutrients, not green biomass or gross wet fodder weight.
Year 2 · proof	Expand only where water, labor and two-season results support it. Work toward a full annual staple harvest while maintaining the food reserve.	Before claiming independence: two successful local seasons, actual winter storage losses, seed renewal and a manual/repair fallback.
First disappointing harvest	Reforecast remaining pantry days immediately; defer discretionary feed, protect seed, arrange replenishment or relocation while transport exists.	At under 18 months of food with no reliable next harvest: act on resupply/alternate food production, not hope. Do not sacrifice nutrition by arbitrary ration cuts.
Second failed harvest	Use the prearranged resupply or relocation agreement. Two years plus 15% buys roughly 839.5 baseline days, not unlimited survival.	Two complete failed growing seasons can leave a third-harvest gap. For a 36-month bridge, increase Days to 1,095 before buying; baseline with 15% is 25.185M kcal. More storage still does not solve permanent crop failure.

Private harvest and resupply commitments

09 / KNOWLEDGE THAT STAYS

The internet goes away. The library stays.

Build a useful archive, a repairable local computer, and an AI assistant that can point you back to the source.

THE RECOMMENDED SHAPE

Three ways to reach the same knowledge.

At home: low-power library server over a local Wi-Fi network.
In the field: cyberdeck or laptop with its own offline copy.
With no electronics: indexed binders and essential books.

Project NOMAD is the hub

NOMAD coordinates offline reference, learning, maps, and optional local AI. Its documented services include Kiwix, Kolibri, Ollama and document search. Install and download while internet works; print the setup and recovery steps.

Use a supported Debian-based Linux installation on x86 hardware for the primary build. Treat current hardware guidance as the compatibility reference; benchmark the chosen machine rather than assuming a cheap mini PC will answer quickly.

Component	Planning specification	Why it exists
Low-power home library	32 GB RAM, 2–4 TB SSD, wired Ethernet, local Wi-Fi router, supported Linux, measured DC/AC power	Serve books, videos, maps, and modest local AI; 4 TB is an initial allocation, not “all information.”
Portable cyberdeck	Repairable laptop or mini-PC case with screen/keyboard, cooling, weather-resistant transport, 12 V/USB-C power where compatible	A self-contained copy that works away from the server; label cables, voltages, fuses, and charging needs.
Optional AI workstation	32–64 GB RAM, suitable GPU/VRAM for selected models, 2–4 TB SSD; test on real prompts	Run on demand during solar surplus. Verify memory, thermals, latency, and watts at the intended context length.
Local network	Router/AP with a printed address, spare power adapter, Ethernet leads, local name/address plan	Wi-Fi can serve the library with no internet. Keep NOMAD private to trusted LAN; no router port forwarding.
Independent backups	Two external drives with verified copies, offline OS/app/model installers, configuration export, checksum manifest	One nearby recovery copy and one separately stored copy. Test restoration, not just file existence.
Readers and paper	Readers/tablets with locally transferred books, charging cables, waterproof quick-reference binder	Verify every book opens in airplane mode after restart. Account for account/DRM dependencies before an emergency.

Qwen, including an uncensored option

Use an established local baseline such as qwen3:8b, with a smaller model for low-power fallback and a larger one only after a benchmark. Qwen is not inherently “uncensored.” The community huihui_ai/qwen3-abliterated:8b-v2 is explicitly presented as an uncensored derivative; keep both and compare them on the same practical questions.

Reduced refusal behavior is not improved factual accuracy. Download the model weights, license, model card, tokenizer/configuration, and runtime. Store the exact tag/digest and recovery instructions. Never let a generated answer replace a canning process, wiring manual, or clinician’s instructions.

Run after installing Ollama, while connected

ollama pull qwen3:8b
ollama pull huihui_ai/qwen3-abliterated:8b-v2
ollama run qwen3:8b

Document retrieval needs its own downloaded embedding model and working index. A Wikipedia ZIM archive is not automatically a fully indexed AI knowledge base. Keep direct browsing/search available even if AI or document indexing fails.

Read / save: Project NOMAD documentation ↗ · Qwen 3 local model catalog ↗ · Huihui Qwen3 8B v2 model card ↗ · Uncensored Qwen model download ↗ · Your OffGrid NOMAD build manual ↗

What to load first

Video lessons should end in a usable repair

For every topic, save an authorized downloadable video, captions/transcript, a short tool list, the matching written manual, and a one-page procedure. Include recipes from stored ingredients; roof leak diagnosis and product-specific shingles; framing and small outbuildings; door installation and flashing; plumbing shutoffs; pump service; generator maintenance; solar shutdown; canning; gardening; sewing; and vehicle repair.

Use publisher-provided downloads or content you have permission to save. Streaming bookmarks alone fail offline. Record author, date, revision, applicable product, local filename, license, and a playback test. High-consequence work also needs training and the correct current manual.

Video and guide starter shelf

Skill	Start here	Save alongside it
Roofing	This Old House — roof shingles ↗	Matching product instructions ↗; tool list, safe-access training, and captions.
Exterior doors	This Old House — prehung exterior door ↗	Door installation manual ↗; opening measurements and flashing details.
Small buildings	This Old House — shed foundations ↗	Permitted drawings, local frost-depth and snow/wind design, framing and connector manuals.
Stored-food meals	USDA A Harvest of Recipes ↗	Storage and packaging guide ↗; family-tested recipe cards and fuel/water notes.
Preservation	NCHFP tested preservation guidance ↗	The exact recipe, elevation adjustment, equipment manual, and a supervised practice record.

Physical shelf and reader collections

Start with your existing books. A compact shelf can cover The Encyclopedia of Country Living, Seed to Seed, The Resilient Gardener, a current tested canning guide, Hesperian’s medical/dental guides, a framing/carpentry reference, the actual equipment service manuals, a Utah map atlas, an electrical/solar reference, sewing, and an age-appropriate homeschool collection. Publisher editions vary; use approved current processes for food and medical care.

Read / save: The Encyclopedia of Country Living ↗ · Seed Savers book catalog — Seed to Seed ↗ · The Resilient Gardener ↗ · Hesperian books and free health resources ↗

Organize digital and paper indexes together: 01-water / 02-food / 03-growing / 04-power / 05-building / 06-medical / 07-comms / 08-vehicles / 09-learning / 10-family. Keep personal documents encrypted separately from the shared library, with a printed recovery process in secure storage.

Storage and energy reality

Budget by measured files: a hypothetical 500 hours of video averaging 1 GB/hour consumes 500 GB. Leave free space for updates and indexing. Measure the combined server/router draw: an illustrative 25 W running all day uses 0.6 kWh; a 250 W AI session for two hours uses 0.5 kWh. These are planning examples, not hardware benchmarks.

Read / save: Kiwix applications ↗ · Kolibri offline learning ↗ · Calibre manuals and help ↗ · Hesperian books and free health resources ↗

The airplane-mode acceptance test

Disconnect WAN, restart the system, and connect two family devices to local Wi-Fi.Find a stored-food recipe, seed-starting guide, roof manual, map, and complete downloaded book.Play saved videos at the beginning, middle, and end; verify audio and captions.Ask AI five practical questions; verify answers against cited local pages, including an unanswerable question.Start a cold backup without the main server; restore one file and a sample document index.Have a second adult recover Wi-Fi, local addresses, and model selection using only the printed card.

The acquisition and recovery plan

This fieldbook contains its written guidance and worksheets. Wikipedia, videos, ebooks and model weights are separate acquisitions. Each collection starts unverified. A saved link is not a saved resource.

Tier	Hardware allowance	What to prove
Pocket / paper	2 e-readers or tablets, paper emergency binder in each home, vehicle map packet, USB-C cables.	Open books in airplane mode after restarting; no account login or DRM renewal needed for critical references.
Knowledge server	x86-64 computer; planning allowance 32–64 GB RAM, 2 TB working SSD, wired Ethernet and local Wi-Fi. Confirm current NOMAD requirements.	Measure idle/load watts. A low-power computer may serve books well while answering AI questions slowly.
Local AI	Keep an official Qwen model plus the chosen community uncensored variant and both model cards.	Exact downloaded weights, sufficient RAM/VRAM and context size must be tested on the actual hardware. Reduced refusals do not establish accuracy.
Independent copies	2 backup drives at least as large as the complete library, one disconnected; spare boot media and a recoverable OS image.	Restore on a second computer without downloading software, container images, embeddings or models.
Two-home access	One access point per home where needed, a wired/fiber link chosen for distance and electrical isolation, protected power.	Disconnect the internet; each home can still search and play content. Paper and reader copies survive server failure.

Folder and manifest convention

Homestead-Library/
  00-START-HERE/   fieldbook.html, emergency cards, catalog.csv
  01-FOOD/        recipes, canning, pantry labels
  02-WATER/       tests, treatment, pump manuals, septic map
  03-GROWING/     Utah crop guides, seed records, soil tests
  04-POWER/       one-line diagram, manuals, settings, service logs
  05-BUILD-REPAIR/roof, doors, framing, plumbing, tools
  06-HEALTH/      first aid, dental, private care plans
  07-MAPS-COMMS/  maps, radio plan, equipment manuals
  08-REFERENCE/   Wikipedia ZIM, books, school, entertainment
  09-RECOVERY/    OS images, installers, containers, models
  10-BACKUPS/     dated catalog and fieldbook JSON exports

For each file record title, publisher, edition/date, original URL, license/permission, filename, byte size, SHA-256, topic, tested device and test date. Save files through official downloads or permitted offline access. Keep personal records encrypted and outside the public website.

The fieldbook download is a clean single HTML file. Export your JSON backup separately to preserve your entries. The manifest is an acquisition checklist; it does not download external collections.

Minimum useful lesson library

Shelf	Specific material to collect	Practical test
Cooking / preservation	USDA A Harvest of Recipes ↗; USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning ↗; 14 family recipe cards.	Cook three meals, find the exact altitude-adjusted preservation recipe and identify missing ingredients.
Garden / seed	USU vegetables, fruits and herbs handbook ↗; USU Utah planting-date calculator ↗; seed packets and local soil test.	Plant a bed from the instructions and complete a germination test.
Roof / envelope	GAF Timberline installation manual ↗; This Old House — roof shingles ↗; own roof and flashing manufacturer manuals.	Explain the leak-control method, required materials and safe-access limit.
Doors / buildings	JELD-WEN prehung door instructions ↗; This Old House — prehung exterior door ↗; This Old House — shed foundations ↗; approved structural plans.	Build a noncritical mock-up; locate sill flashing and fastening specifications.
Power / plumbing	EG4 18kPV manufacturer page and manuals ↗; exact generator, pump, heater and treatment manuals.	Identify shutoffs and service parts without relying on AI-generated instructions.
Medical / dental	Hesperian books and free health resources ↗; ACS Stop the Bleed training ↗; individualized care plans.	Find a needed procedure and the point at which to seek professional help; take hands-on training.
Reference / education	Kiwix download library ↗; Kolibri offline learning ↗; Calibre manuals and help ↗.	Search offline, open media and complete a lesson on the intended reader.
Maps	USGS topoView map downloads ↗; road atlas, property survey and alternative evacuation routes.	Navigate a known route with network off; check map coverage beyond the property.

For every video, save a permitted local copy plus a short written procedure and relevant manufacturer manual. Record resolution, length and storage use. At an assumed 1 GB/hour, 200 hours needs about 200 GB; actual files vary. Keep 25% drive space free and test the longest videos.

Read / save: Project NOMAD documentation ↗ · Qwen 3 local model catalog ↗ · Huihui Qwen3 8B v2 model card ↗

Actual offline shelf · acquisition receipt

Specific resource / original publisher	Local filename	Bytes	Acquisition / validation
Official U.S. Home Storage Center order form ↗	churchprice.pdf	963,517	PDF parsed: 1 pages; visual review not yet complete
USU: A Guide to Food Storage for Emergencies ↗	Not downloaded	—	403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://extension.usu.edu/preserve-the-harvest/files/Food-Storage-Booklet.pdf
USDA A Harvest of Recipes ↗	recipes.pdf	4,461,627	PDF parsed: 98 pages; visual review not yet complete
USU potatoes in the garden ↗	Not downloaded	—	403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/potatoes-in-the-garden/
USU beans in the garden ↗	Not downloaded	—	403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/beans-in-the-garden
USU collecting and storing seeds ↗	Not downloaded	—	403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/collecting-and-storing-seeds-from-your-garden
USU seed storage and handling ↗	Not downloaded	—	403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://extension.usu.edu/vegetableguide/production/seed-storage-handling
USU vegetable water recommendations ↗	Not downloaded	—	403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/water-recommendations-for-vegetables
USU soil testing ↗	Not downloaded	—	403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://extension.usu.edu/utah/gardening/soil-testing
USU: protecting waterlines in freezing weather ↗	Not downloaded	—	403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://extension.usu.edu/news_sections/agriculture_and_natural_resources/pipes-freezing
CDC emergency water storage ↗	Not downloaded	—	403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://www.cdc.gov/water-emergency/about/how-to-create-and-store-an-emergency-water-supply.html
CDC boil-water advisory guidance ↗	Not downloaded	—	403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://www.cdc.gov/natural-disasters/psa-toolkit/boil-water-advisory.html
EPA: types of septic systems ↗	septic.html	14,559	Self-contained text HTML; 10760 text characters; images/video excluded
EPA: best wood-burning practices ↗	burnwise.html	6,354	Self-contained text HTML; 3714 text characters; images/video excluded
DOE: proper sizing of HVAC systems ↗	heatload.html	2,002	Self-contained text HTML; 956 text characters; images/video excluded
CPSC generator safety ↗	Not downloaded	—	403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Guides/Carbon-Monoxide-Home/Generators-and-Engine-Driven-Tools
GAF Timberline installation manual ↗	Not downloaded	—	403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://www.gaf.com/en-us/document-library/documents/installation-instructions-%26-guides/timberline-layerlock-installation-instructions-trilingual-restl622.pdf
JELD-WEN prehung door instructions ↗	doors.pdf	2,736,879	PDF parsed: 11 pages; visual review not yet complete
EG4 18kPV manufacturer page and manuals ↗	eg4.html	35,732	Self-contained text HTML; 6570 text characters; images/video excluded
This Old House — roof shingles ↗	roofvideo.html	12,705	Self-contained text HTML; 7941 text characters; images/video excluded
This Old House — prehung exterior door ↗	doorvideo.html	18,329	Self-contained text HTML; 8161 text characters; images/video excluded
This Old House — shed foundations ↗	Not downloaded	—	Incomplete or blocked source
Project NOMAD: WSL2 installation ↗	nomadwsl.html	15,335	Self-contained text HTML; 10785 text characters; images/video excluded
Huihui Qwen3 8B v2 Ollama download ↗	qwenlocal.html	7,726	Self-contained text HTML; 3280 text characters; images/video excluded
Meshtastic introduction ↗	mesh.html	6,132	Self-contained text HTML; 2942 text characters; images/video excluded
NOAA Weather Radio ↗	weather.html	13,350	Self-contained text HTML; 4001 text characters; images/video excluded
FCC General Mobile Radio Service ↗	Not downloaded	—	403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/general-mobile-radio-service-gmrs
USU: food storage conditions ↗	Not downloaded	—	403 Client Error: Forbidden for url: https://extension.usu.edu/preserve-the-harvest/research/storage-conditions
NCHFP tested preservation guidance ↗	canning.html	7,933	Self-contained text HTML; 1595 text characters; images/video excluded
NCHFP altitude and processing time ↗	altitude.html	48,365	Self-contained text HTML; 18746 text characters; images/video excluded
NCHFP recommended canners ↗	canner.html	55,957	Self-contained text HTML; 27436 text characters; images/video excluded
Introduction ↗	usda-31.pdf	467,339	PDF parsed: 12 pages; visual review not yet complete
Part 1: Principles of Home Canning ↗	usda-32.pdf	3,794,234	PDF parsed: 40 pages; visual review not yet complete
Part 2: Fruit and Fruit Products ↗	usda-33.pdf	1,098,841	PDF parsed: 32 pages; visual review not yet complete
Part 3: Tomatoes and Tomato Products ↗	usda-34.pdf	976,490	PDF parsed: 26 pages; visual review not yet complete
Part 4: Vegetables and Vegetable Products ↗	usda-35.pdf	2,013,613	PDF parsed: 22 pages; visual review not yet complete
Part 5: Poultry, Red Meats, and Seafoods ↗	usda-36.pdf	1,356,485	PDF parsed: 16 pages; visual review not yet complete
Part 6: Fermented Foods and Pickled Vegetables ↗	usda-37.pdf	3,173,534	PDF parsed: 36 pages; visual review not yet complete
Part 7: Jams and Jellies ↗	usda-38.pdf	1,300,368	PDF parsed: 13 pages; visual review not yet complete
OffGrid-NOMAD-Build-Manual.pdf	OffGrid-NOMAD-Build-Manual.pdf	14,366,865	Copied from original; checksum recorded
OffGrid-NOMAD-Companion-Kit.zip	OffGrid-NOMAD-Companion-Kit.zip	6,890,968	Copied from original; checksum recorded

All eight parts of the USDA canning guide are included when marked downloaded. HTML captures contain readable text but omit images and video. A saved video landing page is not an offline video. Rows marked “Not downloaded” remain acquisition tasks; do not count them as ready. Publisher rights remain with their owners; these local reference copies are not redistributed by this website.

Cyberdeck assembly and recovery standard

Layer	Working configuration	Offline acceptance test
Current setup computer	64 GB RAM, NVIDIA RTX 3090; Project NOMAD source preserved at commit 54ee30a44902e5c252b477f8685c26ec3064ab72. Windows uses a Linux/Docker runtime; model and library files are separate downloads.	A source ZIP is not an installed server. Runtime, database, images, weights and content must all be present. Follow the local setup receipt for verified service status.
Portable reference build	x86-64 Linux mini PC, 32 GB RAM, 2 TB NVMe for OS/apps/working library; two separately stored 2 TB USB SSD backup copies; 12–14 inch USB-C/HDMI display; compact wired keyboard; USB/Ethernet hub; travel router with offline LAN mode.	Match display power/video interfaces and charger voltage. Benchmark the selected model before purchase. A low-power mini PC can serve books/maps well but will not match an RTX 3090 for AI.
Power and enclosure	Measured 30–60 W whole-kit budget as a trial range, not a product specification; fused regulated DC conversion or a listed AC power station, exact device adapters, strain relief, padded case and ventilation.	For 40 W × 8 hours = 320 Wh delivered; at 80% usable battery and 85% conversion, about 471 Wh nominal. Size from measured peak and average draw. No guessed barrel polarity or direct raw-battery wiring.
AI	Keep both a factual comparison model and the chosen community Qwen abliterated model; preserve model cards, exact tags/digests, weights, runtime and prompts.	Disconnect internet access in a controlled test and ask a local question. An uncensored model can still hallucinate; use source manuals for canning, electrical, structural and medical decisions.
Library hierarchy	00-START-HERE; 01-water-sanitation; 02-food-recipes-preservation; 03-Utah-growing-seeds; 04-power-heat; 05-building-repair; 06-health; 07-comms-maps; 08-education; 09-device-manuals; 10-private-household.	Find an exact canning altitude table, installed pump part and roof detail from a second device without internet. Keep private records separate from the published guide.
Recovery	Preserve source ZIP and git bundle; pinned Docker image archives; runtime installer; full database/storage backup; model weights; checksummed library; bootable OS media and a printed restore card.	Restore to a spare drive/machine and demonstrate search, a PDF, a local AI reply and an offline map. Keep a second physical copy offsite; two folders on one disk do not survive disk failure.
Paper / e-readers	One waterproof field-card binder per home; printed USDA preservation tables, shutoffs, crop calendar, parts register and maps; two e-readers with DRM-accessible books loaded and tested.	Cold-start each e-reader with Wi-Fi off and open every critical book. Account-linked purchases are not necessarily portable files. Print the references needed while the server is being repaired.

Read / save: Project NOMAD documentation ↗ · Project NOMAD: WSL2 installation ↗ · Your OffGrid NOMAD build manual ↗ · Huihui Qwen3 8B v2 Ollama download ↗

Video and hands-on learning queue

Topic / specific lesson	Where to get it	Download / verification requirement
Installing roof shingles	This Old House: How to Install Roof Shingles; GAF installation manual for the actual shingle.	Written reference is cataloged where acquired; video not downloaded. Save a publisher-authorized offline copy and inspect beginning, middle and end with Wi-Fi off. Safe access and the actual product manual govern work.
Installing a prehung exterior door	This Old House: Installing a Prehung Exterior Door; JELD-WEN instruction PDF in the shelf.	Video not downloaded. Practice flashing, square/plumb/level and water management on a suitable supervised project.
Food preservation / recipes	USDA A Harvest of Recipes plus the complete canning guide; county Extension hands-on pressure-canning class.	PDFs are cataloged. Record your own tested meal preparation and equipment-specific workflow; never invent canning times from video summaries.
Building / foundations	This Old House shed-foundation reference; engineered plans and manufacturer details for the actual building.	Offline video and site-specific plans still needed. Utah frost, soils, snow and seismic loads cannot be determined from a generic tutorial.
Water, heat, radio and repair	Record the installer teaching each real system; include shutoffs, normal readings, fault codes, spare part and recovery sequence.	Create short MP4 files, plain-text transcripts, filenames, duration and checksums; copy to both drives. Have the backup operator follow the recording successfully.

Read / save: This Old House — roof shingles ↗ · This Old House — prehung exterior door ↗ · This Old House — shed foundations ↗ · USDA A Harvest of Recipes ↗ · NCHFP tested preservation guidance ↗

10 / STAY CONNECTED

Local first. Wider reach in layers.

Know who you need to reach, over which terrain, and what happens when a tower, relay, phone, or account fails.

Layer	Job	Limits and preparation
Printed plan + meeting points	The fallback for all family members	Paper map, contact tree, two meeting sites, missed-check-in procedure, names of out-of-area contacts.
FRS handhelds	Immediate simple voice between nearby people	No individual license; use compliant radios. Terrain/buildings limit range. Assign channels and carry spare power.
GMRS base / mobile / handheld	Farm buildings and family vehicles	FCC license required; family coverage does not automatically cover unrelated guests. Verify authorized radios, antenna arrangement, and repeater availability.
Meshtastic 915 MHz	Short texts, location sharing, and local relay paths	Use compatible region/channel settings and securely share keys. No voice or internet replacement; test terrain and packet delivery. Your T-Deck is a useful standalone interface.
Amateur VHF/UHF and optional HF	Trained local/regional contacts; possible longer reach	Licenses/exams and band rules apply. Practice now; coverage, propagation, antennas, and operator skill matter. Do not assume private traffic.
NOAA SAME receiver	Official warnings without cellular data	A different job from two-way radios. Program local coverage and test reception; keep backup batteries.
Multiple cellular carriers	Everyday internet and short-outage diversity	The hurricane showed one carrier can work while another fails. Both still depend on upstream infrastructure.
Satellite messenger / internet	Optional wider reach outside local coverage	Needs compatible equipment, active service, power, clear sky, and functioning provider infrastructure. It is not indefinite independence.

Turn the radio pile into a system

Start with a base station, a unit for each active work group or vehicle, and spare handhelds for guests. Your notes suggested 5–10 mesh devices and a solar relay; select node count after a coverage walk. Elevation and a good antenna often matter more than buying more radios.

Use a weatherproof, correctly fused solar relay with serviceable battery, mounting, grounding/lightning protection, and winter access. Match Meshtastic region, modem settings, channel, and firmware compatibility. Keep firmware/installers and configuration notes offline.

Routine check-in timesPrimary meeting pointBackup meeting pointOut-of-area contact

These fields are browser-local and included in your backup export. Avoid entering sensitive information on a shared computer.

Read / save: Meshtastic introduction ↗ · Meshtastic regional radio settings ↗ · LILYGO T-Deck hardware guide ↗ · FCC personal radio rules ↗ · NOAA Weather Radio ↗

Label radios and chargers; print channel plans, plain-language calls, and reset instructions.Test house-to-house, garden, barn, driveway, evacuation route, and known dead zones.Repeat coverage checks with internet disabled and relay power interrupted.Agree how long to wait after a missed check-in and who makes the next contact attempt.Train every user to send location, need, and status without exposing unnecessary personal details.

A small, repeatable communications kit

Layer	Starting quantity	Operating plan
Voice on the property	8 certified handheld radios + 2 spare; 2 charging stations.	Use FRS or properly licensed GMRS as appropriate. Label each radio, test through buildings and terrain, and print channel/call-sign instructions.
Text when voice is difficult	4–8 compatible Meshtastic devices, including a tested fixed node if useful.	Same region/channel settings and agreed check-in routine. Terrain/relay failure can break coverage; it is not an emergency-service guarantee.
Warnings	2 NOAA receivers, one per home, with tested batteries and local coverage.	Practice recognizing alerts and receiving them without internet.
Outside contact	Existing mobile phones, charging, alternate carrier where justified; optional satellite messenger.	Satellite subscriptions, sky view and service continuity matter. Keep printed out-of-area contacts and a physical rendezvous plan.
Longer-range radio	Optional amateur radio station after licensing, training and antenna practice.	Use local club/training support and repeat realistic contacts; buying an HF radio does not establish a communications network.

Default drill schedule: household radio checks at 08:00 and 20:00 local; urgent traffic immediately. Write the primary channel, fallback channel, two meeting points, out-of-area contact and missed-check-in actions on a wallet card. Keep actual channels, names and phone numbers in your private exported backup.

Read / save: FCC General Mobile Radio Service ↗ · Meshtastic introduction ↗ · NOAA Weather Radio ↗

Two-home communications operating card

Layer	Quantity / arrangement	Outage drill
Local voice	4 matched FRS handhelds as an unlicensed starting layer (one per home, one per mobile team, one spare); or properly licensed GMRS and certified radios where range needs justify it.	Program identical channel plan; label A/B/rover/spare; test both homes, garden, gate and routes. Terrain determines range. Privacy tones do not encrypt speech.
Text / location	3–4 compatible US-region Meshtastic nodes: two fixed elevated locations, one mobile, one spare if budget allows.	Local mesh has no guaranteed internet/SOS delivery; verify actual message acknowledgment in terrain. Keep config backup, USB cables and battery tests.
Broadcast / outside contact	1 NOAA-capable receiver per home; charged phones; outside-area contact and optional satellite communicator with active service.	Weather repeaters and satellite services may fail; keep printed frequencies, check-in times and maps. Ham transmission requires applicable licensing; reception and emergency rules must be understood before use.
Schedule / missed check-in	07:00 and 19:00 local voice check; mobile teams state destination, return time and next contact. Missed check: retry, alternate channel, phone/text, then prearranged safe welfare check.	Put exact channels/callsigns/contact numbers in private binders. No one departs alone to an uncertain location without leaving a plan.

Read / save: FCC General Mobile Radio Service ↗ · Meshtastic introduction ↗ · NOAA Weather Radio ↗

11 / REPAIR WHAT YOU OWN

Keep the roof dry and the tools useful.

Build around your actual house, vehicles, pumps, power system, and farm equipment. Store the parts that stop a repair from happening.

Weather envelope

Label shutoffs; inspect drainage, roof, flashing, windows, doors, siding, and freeze-prone plumbing. Keep product-matched repair materials and a safe ground-level damage-assessment plan.

Workshop basics

Hand saws, drill/driver, metric and SAE tools, clamps, files, sharpening tools, multimeter, torque tools, adhesives, fasteners, seals, plumbing fittings, and organized bins.

Manual alternatives

Hand mill, hand saw, manual water access, sewing repair, sharpening stones, mechanical fasteners, and lighting. Test whether the fallback actually does the task.

A repair library matched to the property

Job	Save / learn	Stock / verify
Roof repair	Installed shingle/metal product manual, underlayment/flashing details, leak inspection, fall protection training	Compatible roofing materials, tarps, fastening supplies, sealant specified by manufacturer; safe access and weather conditions.
Doors and windows	Exact installation guide, rough opening, sill pan, flashing sequence, shimming, fastening, weather seal	Shims, compatible sealant/tape, screws, replacement hardware; plan code-compliant egress.
Small buildings	Permitted plans, foundation, snow/wind loads, structural connections, roofing, drainage	Material cut lists, connectors, tools, local inspections; a generic video is not structural design.
Plumbing / well	Pump model, wiring diagram, pressure settings, filters, shutoff map, freeze protection	Valves, fittings, repair couplings, seals, spare controller/pressure switch where appropriate.
Generator / engines	Actual service manual, fuel system, oil/filter intervals, starting and storage procedures	Correct oil, filters, plugs, belts, starter battery, approved fuel containers. Shut down a leaking engine before repair.
Vehicle / EV / tractor	Owner and service references, tire repair limits, towing points, battery isolation, maintenance log	Tire tools, compressor, recovery equipment, consumables, spare key; specialist jobs remain specialist jobs.
Clothes / tools / homewares	Sewing, leather repair, sharpening, handle replacement, corrosion care	Needles, thread, patches, glue, abrasives, spare handles, manual sewing options.

Read / save: GAF Timberline installation manual ↗ · JELD-WEN prehung door instructions ↗

Wood, cleanup, and inspection

The hurricane notes favor a gas chainsaw for substantial cleanup. Keep the correct fuel/oil, spare chain, files, bar, service parts, and PPE; train before use. Battery tools remain useful for small repairs and share your existing tool batteries. Never work around power lines, unstable trees, or tensioned storm debris without qualified help.

Use a charged drone or camera for safe post-event documentation when conditions and flight rules permit. Store roof photos, serial numbers, receipts, insurance terms, and claim contacts offline. Insurance deductibles and coverage are policy-specific; the anecdotal dollar amount in the notes is not a planning rule.

Protect the home and the people

Use strong doors/locks, visible addressing, safe exterior lighting, locally recording cameras if helpful, fire extinguishers, smoke/CO alarms, and a trusted-neighbor plan. Provide secure firearm storage inaccessible to children, lawful ownership/use, and qualified safety training. Keep conflict avoidance, accountability, and safe evacuation central to household security.

Create a model/serial/manual list for every critical machine and add local PDF copies.Build labeled repair bins by system; record consumables and reorder points.Photograph buildings and valuable equipment for insurance before a loss.Train two people in safe shutoff/isolation, common repairs, and when to stop and get help.Inspect fire extinguishers, smoke/CO alarms, exit routes, and locked hazardous-material storage.

Repairs that keep the homestead running

System	Spares and tools to stage	Replacement rule
Water	Matched pump control/pressure switch if serviceable, spare filters, O-rings, pipe fittings, two shutoff valves, thread sealant, leak clamps, wrench set.	Keep exact pipe sizes/materials and pump model. A spare component only helps if someone can safely fit it.
Solar / electronics	Manufacturer-approved spare fuses, connectors and communication cable; surge modules if replaceable; labeled settings backup.	No improvised fuses or bypassed protection. Reserve funds for inverter/battery failure and arrange service.
Generator / tools	Oil, filters, plugs, belts and starting battery appropriate to the exact model; two scheduled service kits plus fuel-hour allowance.	Use maker intervals. Stock from expected generator hours, not only calendar years.
Building envelope	Matching roofing/flashing repair supplies, tarp kit, exterior sealant, door weatherstrip, fasteners, hinges and latch hardware.	Inspect after storms; work at height needs proper access and training.
Garden	Drip couplers/end caps/filter screens, hose washers, spare timer or manual valves, sharpeners, handles, row cover and pest exclusion.	Maintain hand tools so a battery/tool failure does not stop planting and irrigation.
Textiles / household	Hand sewing kit, heavy thread, needles, patches, boot repair materials, clothesline, drying racks, manual wash method.	Repair clothing and bedding; choose replaceable standard sizes.

Set one battery-tool platform where practical, but keep manual saws, drill/brace where useful, pry bars, shovel, hoe, rake, files and sharpening stones. Keep two eye/ear protection sets for each active work area, fitted respiratory protection for appropriate tasks, work gloves and dust control. Add workshop lighting, labeled fasteners and a printed parts inventory.

Failures that stop the homestead

Failure / owner role	Spare stock to acquire after model selection	Manual fallback / service trigger
Water pump · Water operator	One compatible spare controller/pressure switch and contactor where applicable; fuses; pressure gauge; two filter sets initially, sized further by rated gallons; pipe/fittings/valves matching installed sizes.	Indoor reserve + alternate source. Record exact well depth and lifting equipment; never assume household members can safely pull a deep-well pump.
Heat · Heat operator	Matched gaskets, necessary firebrick/baffle parts, ignition/thermocouple or control parts approved for that heater; dry fuel and two working alarms.	Other vented heat or consolidate. Annual chimney/appliance service; stop for leaks, unsafe draft or CO alarms.
Power · Electrical operator	Model-rated fuses, spare communication cables, surge module if replaceable, generator maintenance kits, oil/filters/spark plugs per engine-hour schedule.	Load shed and generator/direct approved circuits. A spare inverter is a budget decision; repair access and heavy lifting matter. Qualified work for mains/battery fault energy.
Kitchen · Pantry operator	Two manual can openers, spare mill wear parts, two kitchen scales/thermometers, pressure-cooker/canner model parts, separate outdoor cook kit.	No-cook layer; hand mill. Test manual throughput before relying on it for daily bread.
Cyberdeck · Library operator	Two offline data copies on separate drives, spare boot SSD, USB installer, keyboard/mouse, matched power adapters and charging leads, printed recovery card.	Paper library + charged e-reader; rebuild from preserved images and backup rather than an internet-only installer.
Structures · Repair operator	Two tarps sized to vulnerable roof areas, compatible fastening/patch materials, matching pipe repair fittings, hinges/locks/weatherstrip, lumber/fasteners for temporary weather protection.	Work from safe ground/interior positions where possible; unstable roofs, snow load, ladders and structural repairs need qualified help. Manuals must match actual roof/door assemblies.
People · Coordinator	Two trained operators per critical system; accessible task cards; maintained medical/dental care; dependable transport.	If both operators are unavailable, use the written simplified operating mode and outside support agreement.

Keep a parts register with manufacturer, exact part number, quantity, shelf/service life, source link, storage bin and last fit-test. Inspect annually and after use. Batteries, membranes, seals, fuel and electronics do not have one universal replacement interval.

12 / PEOPLE ARE THE SYSTEM

Keep ordinary life working.

Medical continuity, hygiene, clothing, learning, rest, and morale matter more as an outage gets longer.

Health continuity

Build a plan with the household’s clinicians and pharmacist for essential prescriptions, refill limits, refrigeration, allergies, medical equipment, and alternatives during outages. Keep a medication list and printed care instructions with each person’s kit.

Stock ordinary first aid, wound cleaning/dressing supplies, gloves, thermometers, oral rehydration products with instructions, and age-appropriate OTC medicines. Use legitimate products and rotation dates. Do not assume two-year medication availability or safe use past expiration.

Training and access

Arrange CPR/first aid and hands-on bleeding-control training; consider wilderness first aid for remote living. Identify primary/backup clinics, dental care, transport, and evacuation thresholds with clinicians. Printed books support care; they do not replace training or make invasive treatment safe.

Prioritize dental and preventive care now, spare glasses, hearing-aid supplies, menstrual supplies, infant needs, disability access, and caregiver relief.

Read / save: Hesperian books and free health resources ↗ · ACS Stop the Bleed training ↗

Hygiene

Handwashing stations, soap, laundry supplies, drying lines, washable cloths, waste segregation, cleaning products, and safe pest control. Keep drinking water protected from dirty hands and waste.

Winter and smoke

Layered clothing, boots, gloves, bedding, safe warm-room heat, and a plan for smoke filtration when power permits. Plan to relocate if safe temperature or air quality cannot be maintained.

Education and morale

Downloaded school material, paper, pencils, books, games, musical instruments, worship/family routines, and age-appropriate chores. Keep children supervised and adults rested.

Build per-person health cards and clinician-approved continuity plans.Check first-aid and prescription expiry/storage requirements on a recurring schedule.Practice moving a person with limited mobility and transporting essential medical equipment.Choose a care lead and backup; plan shift relief, child supervision, and household routines.Include pets: food, water, carriers, veterinary records, medications, and an evacuation destination.

Care continuity and everyday supplies

For each person, keep a private care sheet with medications, allergies, prescribing contacts, insurance/ID copies, needed equipment and an evacuation companion. Ask the clinician/pharmacist for a lawful refill and storage plan; do not treat two years of medication as automatically available or stable. Test the power and temperature requirements of medical devices.

Need	Eight-person starting checklist	Renewal
First aid	1 main station per home; 2 portable kits; gauze, dressings, gloves, thermometer, eye rinse and training-matched bleeding-control supplies.	Review quarterly, after use and at label dates. Take first-aid/CPR and bleeding-control classes.
Dental / vision	16 toothbrushes per quarter as an initial household allowance, toothpaste/floss by measured use, spare prescribed glasses per wearer.	Keep preventive dental visits and written instructions for urgent problems; stock is not substitute dental treatment.
Hygiene	Menstrual products or suitable reusable options, infant/incontinence supplies if applicable, hand soap and laundry routine.	One actual month of use × planned months, limited by shelf life and changing sizes.
Smoke / heat / cold	Suitable masks, a clean-air room plan, indoor thermometers, warm clothing, bedding and a cooling refuge.	Keep a prearranged alternate location for unsafe indoor conditions.
Education / morale	School materials, reference books, writing supplies, games, exercise and regular rest.	Schedule ordinary routines and children’s roles appropriate to their age.

Read / save: Hesperian books and free health resources ↗ · ACS Stop the Bleed training ↗ · National Weather Service winter preparation ↗

13 / FAMILY & GUESTS

Know what comes with you.

Prepare for hosting people at the homestead and for leaving it. Life safety always outranks equipment recovery.

Leave in layers

Window	Take	Prepare now
Immediate danger	People, pets if safely possible, immediately accessible essential medication and mobility aids	Exit routes and a meeting point. Do not delay escape to load gear.
About 5 minutes, if safe	Go-bags, documents/keys, phones/radios, child kit, pet carriers, coats/shoes	Everything staged in one labeled location; a person assigned to each child/pet.
About 30 minutes, if safe	Water, ready food, bedding, medical cooler/power, cyberdeck, archive drive, paper atlas	Vehicle load plan with weight/cargo restraints and seasonal items; avoid overloading.
Planned relocation	Extra food, tools, clothing, portable power, seed reserve, selected records	Destination agreement, alternate routes, fuel/charge stops, livestock arrangements, and communication schedule.

Triggers to leave

Follow official evacuation orders and local hazards. Also plan for unsafe heat/cold, fire or smoke, rising water, building damage, loss of safe drinking water or sanitation, or medical needs beyond your capacity. Hurricane category alone does not determine safety; flood, surge, trees, access, and the building matter. Utah adds wildfire, winter storms, earthquake disruption, and road closures.

Download the entire route and alternate route, carry paper maps, and check actual conditions while communications are available. Offline maps do not know live closures. Shut down utilities only when safe and instructed by the appropriate plan; never reenter a dangerous area for possessions.

Read / save: Google Maps offline download instructions ↗

Pack and label a go-bag for every person; update children’s clothing and supplies as they grow.Stage a waterproof document pouch, backup keys, cash, contacts, and medical essentials.Locate Garmin GPS, radios, power banks, and charging leads; test them without internet.Set minimum vehicle fuel/EV charge and confirm two destinations and two routes.Rehearse the loading order, child/pet accountability, and a departure without the primary adult.

Arrival agreement and staffing

Eight people includes everyone who will eat, sleep, use water and need transport. Allocate beds, sanitation capacity and storage before inviting additional households. Assign a lead and trained backup for water, power, food, garden, health, communications and repairs. Avoid putting every critical skill with one adult.

What guests bring	What the host stages	Decision before arrival
Identity/care records, personal medicines, glasses, clothing, bedding and personal hygiene supplies.	Sleeping space, private storage, safe water, shared meals, toilet access and orientation.	Headcount, needs, allergies, pets and expected duration.
A labeled 72-hour bag, usable footwear, headlamp, charging cable and agreed contribution of food or supplies.	Shared tools, training, radio plan, supply ledger and secure storage.	Transport, roles, resource use, privacy, conflict handling and how decisions are made.
Skills list and willingness to train a backup.	Printed shutdown cards, practice time and a realistic work/rest schedule.	Childcare, elder care, accessibility, limited mobility and guest overflow.

Daily work allowance to test

Start a time log: kitchen and dishes 3–5 person-hours/day; water/sanitation 1–2; garden/livestock 1–4 in season; maintenance/comms/admin 1–2. These are planning allowances, not labor measurements. A large harvest, injury or hand-carried water can multiply the workload. Add animals only after proving feed, winter water, fencing, veterinary care and daily staffing.

Private role roster and arrival agreement

Eight people is not eight workers

Start with four adult-capable operator seats and two rotating backups; these are roles to assign, not claims about the household. Children, illness, disability, employment and caregiving change available labor. Record actual names privately.

Role seat	Daily work estimate in normal operation	Backup / competency
A · Water + power	30–60 min: meters, tanks, batteries, alarms, leak/heat checks.	B must isolate water, transfer power safely and read the fault cards.
B · Food + hygiene	2–3 person-hours: cooking, dishes, inventory and sanitation. Shared with other adults.	A must cook the tested menu and identify unsafe food/water.
C · Growing + preservation	1–4 person-hours seasonal tending; harvest/preservation can exceed 6–10 on peak days.	D must operate irrigation and identify planting/harvest tasks.
D · Repair + coordination	30–90 min routine repair, procurement, communications, logistics; major repairs extra.	C knows shutoffs, spare parts, radio schedule and transport.
Care / education / rest	Dedicated time scheduled separately; never hidden in “free family labor.”	Reduce garden/livestock workload if caregiving or illness removes an operator.

These are initial labor allowances, not measured performance. Log four weeks plus a harvest week. Plan two adults unavailable for seven days: simplify meals, postpone nonessential work, prioritize water/heat/sanitation, and pause crop expansion. No animal is added until daily care, stored feed, winter water, veterinary needs and a named backup are covered.

Rhythm	Operating schedule
Morning · 07:00	Water/heat/battery check; food plan; weather; assign three highest-priority tasks.
Midday · 12:00	Irrigation and crop check; run discretionary electric loads if surplus; rotate breaks.
Evening · 19:00	Count people, review temperatures/fuel, communication check-in, next day plan and meal prep.
Weekly	Inventory exceptions; harvest/consumption reconciliation; sanitation, repairs, laundry and rest day.
Monthly / seasonal	Test alarms/radios/backup startup monthly; fuel, chimney, plumbing, seed and storm preparation before winter/spring.

Private role and backup roster

14 / THE BUY LIST

A list you can actually work through.

Generic requirements come first. Named examples are candidates, not a compatibility guarantee or a claim that you own them.

P1 = basic continuity / acquire or audit now. P2 = property system. P3 = expansion. “Tested” means you performed the relevant real-world test. Quantities are planning suggestions; enter actual totals and costs. No purchase or installation is automated.

Add a property-specific item

15 / KEEP IT WORKING

Preparedness is a recurring practice.

Consumables expire, children grow, firmware changes, seeds weaken, and machines fail. Put the work on a calendar.

Cadence	Action	Evidence to keep
Monthly	Check battery charge, radio operation, alarms, fuel/water levels, go-bag fit, critical medication dates; exercise generator per its manual.	Date, operator, result, fault, next action.
Quarterly	Count pantry and spares; inspect leaks/pests; test offline library and backup recovery; walk communication dead zones.	Reconciled inventory, corrected stock locations, one restored file, updated coverage map.
Before each season	Prepare for freeze/heat/smoke; maintain heat/vent systems; test seed germination; check crop and irrigation plan.	Service records, germination results, planting dates, winter feed and fuel budget.
Annually	Run a safe 72-hour household exercise; review legal/technical guidance, insurance, roles, evacuation route, and replacement funds.	Measured power/water/fuel use, failure list, signed-off repairs, revised plan.
After a real event	Inspect systems and document damage; replace consumed supplies; write what actually failed and helped.	Photos, receipts, revised procedures, lessons shared with household.

Five drills that reveal weak links

Black start: a second adult brings essential power online from the written procedure.No internet: retrieve a recipe, map, medical reference, repair manual, and video after a full restart.No powered water: obtain safe water, cook, wash hands, and operate the toilet plan.Bad harvest: calculate reserve remaining without credit for garden production; cook stored meals.Leave now: account for every person/pet and load the correct kit without blocking the exits.

Field notes

Observations, unresolved decisions, and next actions

Export a backup after major updates. This planner has no cloud sync and no background reminders.

Maintenance and renewal calendar

Cadence	Routine	Evidence of readiness
Daily during outage	Check water, battery, indoor temperature, food safety, waste and vulnerable people; log radio contacts and fuel.	A one-page log, with issues assigned and a next check time.
Weekly	Inspect leaks/pests, exercise radio plan, back up changed inventory and review the shopping gap.	Correct failures before adding new equipment.
Monthly	Inspect alarms and emergency lights per manuals, charge/test radios and readers, rotate working pantry, review dated stock.	Record result, not just “done”; follow product-specific service schedules.
Quarterly	Read offline samples, restore a backup, exercise generator as instructed, inspect treatment and first-aid supplies.	Second operator completes the task and can find the procedure.
Before winter / spring	Winterize plumbing, service heat/chimney, test fuel supply; then test seed, irrigation, tools and seasonal transport.	Document failures, repair parts and dates.
Annually / at manufacturer interval	Water testing as locally required, septic inspection/service plan, electrical/roof review, evacuation and communications drill.	Update the manuals, measurements, maps, stock and replacement budget.

Failure drills with pass/fail criteria

24-hour no-utility drill: every person gets water, meals, safe sanitation, light and suitable temperature; record actual energy/fuel/water.72-hour no-internet drill: both homes retrieve manuals, maps, books and radio procedures; restore the server from backup.One-operator-unavailable drill: backups run water, power and meals without the usual lead.Winter week tabletop: no solar harvest, road closed, generator service due and one illness; identify when and where to relocate.Failed-harvest tabletop: retain food for the next planting window and replenish seed; never count the same harvest twice.

Service and failure log

16 / EDITION 2

Make the next action obvious.

Print these cards in advance and fill in the property-specific blanks privately. They are an operating checklist; device-specific shutdown and treatment procedures stay with their equipment.

First 15 minutes

Account for people and pets. Check immediate fire, structural, flood and medical hazards. Get official alerts by available channels. Choose stay, shelter elsewhere or evacuate; assign one coordinator and one recorder.

Power lost

Identify the outage and unsafe equipment. Use the installed transfer procedure. Shut off discretionary loads, especially EV charging. Read battery state and temperature. Follow the written generator/charging sequence; keep portable generators outdoors at least 20 ft from openings and away from occupied areas.

Water source questionable

Use stored safe water. Separate suspect containers. Identify biological versus chemical contamination using official guidance and testing. Follow the printed treatment instructions for the actual hazard; do not assume boiling or a camping filter removes chemicals.

Toilets unavailable

Stop using a damaged or backed-up system. Set up the emergency toilet and handwashing stations. Keep clean and dirty supplies separate. Follow the prearranged disposal plan and track remaining consumables.

Heating or smoke problem

Move people to the designated safe refuge. Check temperature and alarms. Do not bring outdoor combustion equipment indoors. If safe heat/air cannot be maintained, relocate using the predetermined destination and route.

Departure

Account for people, medicines, documents, pets and mobility aids. Use known safe shutdown procedures only if time permits. Load personal bags, water, food, communications and weather gear; notify the agreed contact and leave before access closes.

Read / save: CPSC generator safety ↗ · CDC: make water safe in an emergency ↗ · National Weather Service winter preparation ↗

Loading order

Time available	Take first	Pre-stage
Immediate danger	People/pets, essential mobility aids and medicines if within reach; leave.	Keys, shoes, headlamp and personal essentials beside an accessible exit.
10 minutes	Personal bags, medication/care records, water, ready-to-eat food, phones/radios, warm layers and documents.	One labeled bag/person; shared kit by exit; printed headcount.
One hour, if safe	Additional food/water, portable power, offline drive/readers, bedding, pet feed and agreed tools.	Vehicle payload and seat plan; do not overload or sacrifice safe seating.
Vehicle unavailable	Essential wearable kit and a realistic walking/assisted-mobility route to the agreed safe point.	Suitable footwear, accessible transport fallback and physical maps.

Private field-card details

Entries stay in this browser and your exported JSON. The public site contains no prefilled household contact or medical records.

Arrive, stay, or leave: packing standards

Who / situation	Bring or take	Check before movement
Each arriving person	Named medication and care information privately; glasses; weatherproof layers; two durable outfits; boots; sleeping bag/bedding; hygiene kit; reusable bottle; ID copies; assigned radio/charger; any agreed dietary food.	Give hosts headcount, expected arrival, transport, allergies/care needs and useful skills. Arrivals do not automatically increase food or septic capacity.
Shared vehicle kit	Three days of appropriate food/water for occupants; cold-weather bedding; first aid; paper route maps; headlamps; tire/inflation tools; vehicle-specific spares; charger/power bank; cash/documents in private pouch.	Account for children, pets, accessibility, seatbelts, weight and fuel. Use current evacuation instructions and road conditions.
Ten-minute departure	People/pets first; medications; go-bags; documents/cash; phones/radios; keys; portable water; offline drive if immediately accessible.	No one delays departure for bulk reserves. Use preselected destination and alternate route. Shutoffs only if safe and time allows.
Planned relocation	Add days of menu food, winter bedding, can opener/cook kit, sanitation, maps, repair tools and portable energy within legal vehicle payload.	Notify outside contact where authorized; inventory passengers; leave route/return instructions privately. Never transport fuel in unsafe containers or occupied enclosed space.

17 / THE REFERENCE DESK

Experience, verified guidance, and open questions.

Both tabs of “Hurricane lessons: gear and preparedness” were read in full. The plan combines those lessons with current official references and explicit design assumptions.

From the notes	Where it becomes part of the plan
Fridge mattered more than the whole house; router worked on backup power	Power priorities, measured essential loads, local network power, one-room comfort.
Three to four months of food helped; water was the weak link	Separate potable/operating/irrigation water budgets, two-year food target, low-fuel menus, sanitation.
Five water jugs; tub liner; uncertainty about reverse osmosis	Portable reserve, protected storage, advisory-specific water treatment; no blanket RO assumption.
Neighbor repairs, leaking generator, roofing and fence skills	Workshop manuals, pre-event service, spares, trained backups, neighbor roles, insurance records.
One phone carrier failed; T-Deck was useful; setup required internet help	Layered communications, offline reset cards, relay coverage tests, printed contact plan.
Books on the server were unreachable; local AI helped	Independent copies on cyberdeck/readers, offline model weights, paper shelf, WAN-off tests.
Watch light, headlamps, fans, power banks, cooking stove	P1 equipment and one-room comfort; watch light is a convenience alongside dedicated lights.
Davy needs a bag; GPS and gear hard to locate; drone should be charged	Personal go-bags, labeled garage staging, loading order, GPS check, safe documentation.
Fuel exhaustion, noise, privacy, safety, and neighborhood cooperation	Solar-first routine, finite fuel calculator, secure storage, local coordination, practical household security.
Forecast shifts, dangerous branches, possible evacuation	Hazard-based departure triggers and routes; hurricane category is not a safe-to-stay rule.

What still depends on the future property

Exact location/elevation, water rights and quality, crop acreage/yields, household age and health needs, permitted dwelling count, septic design, winter heating fuel, measured electrical peaks, generator model/fuel curve, array size, trench distances, and total budget. The calculator examples do not resolve these decisions.

October 11 prices in the hurricane notes are historical and were not promoted to current quotes. Older project files contain assumptions that should be rechecked; this fieldbook uses newer source checks for the highlighted water, power, and NOMAD topics.

Source register

Research date: October 17, 2026. External links need internet until downloaded. Official sources guide procedures; product pages identify examples. Availability, revisions, and local rules can change.

notes

Hurricane lessons — both document tabs ↗

Personal experience; TLDR and Long Version read October 17, 2026.

manual

Your OffGrid NOMAD build manual ↗

Existing 60-page manual; file metadata verified. Recheck component compatibility before building.

nomad

Project NOMAD documentation ↗

Installation, hardware, local services, and network exposure.

qwen

Qwen 3 local model catalog ↗

Established model sizes; download size is not total runtime memory.

uncensored

Huihui Qwen3 8B v2 model card ↗

Community uncensored variant; compare factual accuracy with the base model.

model

Uncensored Qwen model download ↗

Explicit local Ollama model tag; not an official Qwen release.

kiwix

Kiwix applications ↗

Offline readers for downloaded ZIM archives.

zim

Kiwix download library ↗

Choose current archive dates, languages, coverage, and sizes.

kolibri

Kolibri offline learning ↗

Offline lessons and learning materials.

calibre

Calibre manuals and help ↗

Catalog and transfer locally accessible ebooks.

water

CDC emergency water storage ↗

At least one gallon per person per day; aim for a two-week supply.

boil

CDC boil-water advisory guidance ↗

Boiling duration, elevation, and safe alternatives.

rights

Utah water-right policy ↗

Parcel-specific rights, approved uses, and quantities require verification.

rain

Utah rainwater collection ↗

Registration, storage limits, and parcel restrictions.

planting

USU Utah planting-date calculator ↗

Use the actual location rather than one statewide calendar.

seeds

USU collecting and storing seeds ↗

Seed saving, labeling, and storage.

seedhandling

USU seed storage and handling ↗

Germination and storage guidance.

soil

USU soil testing ↗

Test before choosing amendments.

irrigation

USU vegetable water recommendations ↗

Crop watering and irrigation planning.

canning

NCHFP tested preservation guidance ↗

Tested recipes for canning, drying, freezing, and more.

altitude

NCHFP altitude and processing time ↗

Follow each tested recipe and its elevation adjustment.

canner

NCHFP recommended canners ↗

Pressure canner selection and operation.

NLR PVWatts solar calculator ↗

Site-specific solar production estimates; not an off-grid reliability guarantee.

inverter

Victron MultiPlus-II documentation ↗

Example inverter/charger family; US split-phase design must be specified as a complete system.

generator

CPSC generator safety ↗

Portable generator placement and carbon monoxide prevention.

battery

Anker SOLIX F3000 + expansion battery ↗

Candidate from the hurricane notes; verify the exact bundle and compatibility.

LG LW6023IVSM window air conditioner ↗

One-room cooling candidate from the notes; measure actual use and window fit.

mesh

Meshtastic introduction ↗

Local low-bandwidth text mesh; performance depends on terrain and antennas.

meshradio

Meshtastic regional radio settings ↗

US regional settings and compatible configuration.

fcc

FCC personal radio rules ↗

FRS/GMRS regulatory source; confirm current licensing and equipment rules.

weather

NOAA Weather Radio ↗

Local broadcast weather warnings and receiver coverage.

roof

GAF Timberline installation manual ↗

Example shingle instructions; match installed product and code.

doors

JELD-WEN prehung door instructions ↗

Example product-specific door installation guide.

health

Hesperian books and free health resources ↗

Where There Is No Doctor, Where There Is No Dentist, and environmental health.

bleed

ACS Stop the Bleed training ↗

Hands-on bleeding-control training.

maps

Google Maps offline download instructions ↗

Download all route regions; offline maps do not provide live closures.

foodsheet

Your food-storage workbook ↗

Existing project reference; stock quantities were not audited for this planner.

foodguide

USU food-storage guide and resources ↗

Food-specific storage, packaging, and reference downloads.

recipes

USDA A Harvest of Recipes ↗

Downloadable recipe collection; adapt meals to actual stored ingredients and dietary needs.

roofvideo

This Old House — roof shingles ↗

Video and written demonstration; use the actual product instructions and safe access.

doorvideo

This Old House — prehung exterior door ↗

Video and written demonstration; match door and weatherproofing requirements.

shedguide

This Old House — shed foundations ↗

Construction overview; local frost, soil, structural loads, and permits govern the actual design.

countrybook

The Encyclopedia of Country Living ↗

Publisher listing for the 50th anniversary edition.

seedbook

Seed Savers book catalog — Seed to Seed ↗

Publisher/organization catalog; check current title and edition availability.

gardenbook

The Resilient Gardener ↗

Publisher listing for Carol Deppe’s book.

tdeck

LILYGO T-Deck hardware guide ↗

Hardware and setup reference for the device mentioned in the hurricane notes.

Expanded operating-plan sources

Checked October 17, 2026. Planning allowances and editable assumptions are distinguished from quoted product facts. Supplier prices may change.

church

Church Home Storage Centers: prices and locations ↗

Preferred first stop for pantry staples, per Clark. Pickup and online prices differ; confirm stock and hours.

churchprice

Official U.S. Home Storage Center order form ↗

Form prices effective January 1, 2026; form fields extracted and visually checked October 17, 2026. Prices shown here are per listed can/pouch, not per online case. Reconfirm before buying.

churchstore

Church online food storage store ↗

Convenient delivery; compare landed price and pack size with local pickup.

eg4

EG4 18kPV manufacturer page and manuals ↗

Example: 12 kW AC output, 120/240 V split phase, up to 18 kW PV input. Product name is not AC output.

eg4ess

EG4 18kPV + WallMount All Weather ESS ↗

Manufacturer-supported component family. Exact model, configuration, listing, installation manual, and local approval govern.

eg4wiring

EG4 battery parallel connection reference ↗

Use current manuals and an installer-produced one-line diagram; not a site wiring design.

wood

EPA Burn Wise: best wood-burning practices ↗

Archived program guidance: dry wood, moisture testing, correct appliance use and ash handling.

btu

EIA fuel energy conversion factors ↗

Propane example is approximately 91,500 BTU/gallon; actual fuel heat content varies.

winter

National Weather Service winter preparation ↗

Cold-weather home and vehicle preparedness.

potatoes

USU potatoes in the garden ↗

Garden yield reference: about 75–100 lb per 100 row-feet. Seed potato disease management matters.

beans

USU beans in the garden ↗

Dry bean reference: about 20–25 lb per 100 row-feet; distinct from fresh bean yield.

vegbook

USU vegetables, fruits and herbs handbook ↗

Crop-specific planting, care and harvest instructions. Download for the garden binder.

water-safe

CDC: make water safe in an emergency ↗

Match treatment to the hazard. Boiling/disinfection cannot make chemically contaminated water safe.

septic

EPA: types of septic systems ↗

Identify gravity versus pumped/aerated systems before estimating backup loads.

septic-flood

CDC septic systems during floods ↗

Flooded or damaged septic systems need specific restrictions and professional assessment.

fire

USFA home smoke alarms ↗

Placement, testing and replacement guidance; follow applicable local requirements.

usda-canning

USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning ↗

Save the full guide, including altitude tables and the exact recipe used.

gmrs

FCC General Mobile Radio Service ↗

Check licensing, covered family users, certified radios and current rules before transmitting.

food-long

UGA long-term emergency food storage ↗

Storage variety, containers and rotation. Shelf life depends on food, packaging and conditions.

usgs

USGS topoView map downloads ↗

Download map sheets for the property and both evacuation corridors.

Edition 3 operating references

freeze

USU: protecting waterlines in freezing weather ↗

Insulation delays freezing; a prolonged freeze needs heat or a properly drained system.

heatload

DOE: proper sizing of HVAC systems ↗

Room-by-room heating load, envelope and ventilation determine equipment size; floor area alone does not.

burnwise

EPA: best wood-burning practices ↗

Historic EPA guidance: measure seasoned wood moisture below 20%; follow the appliance manual and local burning rules.

storageconditions

USU: food storage conditions ↗

Cool, dry storage and protection from freezing and pests; labels and conditions govern usable life.

foodbook

USU: A Guide to Food Storage for Emergencies ↗

Downloadable food-storage reference. Review food-specific guidance against current labels.

nomadwsl

Project NOMAD: WSL2 installation ↗

Windows route is community-supported; keep Linux, Docker images, models and downloaded content together.

qwenlocal

Huihui Qwen3 8B v2 Ollama download ↗

Community abliterated model. Offline availability does not establish factual reliability.