Foraging Texas

Making Self-Watering Earth Buckets

A bold person can get an almost infinite supply of free 5-gallon buckets. Restaurants, bakeries, and fast food joints are particularly good places to ask for these. At worst they'll say no, at best you'll be needing a truck to get them all home. So what does Merriwether do with free buckets? He turns them into uber-productive (hopefully) container garden thingies aka Global Buckets.

Just finished these two hours ago. Meanwhile the rest of the world seems to be wrapped in blizzards. I love Houston!!

Global buckets are based on the self-watering Earth Boxes, but are made from easy to find scrap materials. I did have to buy some 1.5" diameter PVC pipe and the soil mixture for inside the buckets, but everything else was just laying around.

1. inner bucket
2. outer bucket
3. fill tube made from 1.5" PVC tubing
4. cotton cloth to wick water from reservoir to soil
5. soil (mix of peat moss, topsoil, and vermiculite)
6. gap between two buckets which acts as the water reservoir

This is the bottom of the inner bucket.
A hole approximately 1.5"-2" in diameter is cut in the center of the bottom, this is for the cotton wick. A second hole 1.73" in diameter is cut near the edge of the bottom, this is for the fill tube. A bunch of small holes (about 5/16" in diameter) are drilled randomly around the bottom of this buck to improve drainage and allow air to get to the plant roots. Sidenote: do you really think I drilled a 1.73" hole? I just cut until the tube fit.

The bottom of the fill tube has a large notch cut in it to simplify the system.
A precise person could measure (twice) and cut (once) fill tubes to the exact length needed for perfection. Luckily, plants don't need a perfect system in which to grow, so just hack a chunk out of the bottom of the fill tube, stick it through the inner bucket, and whack it off somewhere around the top rim of the inner bucket.

An overflow hole is drilled in the outer bucket.
To keep from flooding the buckets a drain hole is drilled in the outer bucket just below the bottom of the inner bucket. Hopefully you can see how I precisely measured the location for this hole.

Completed buckets before adding soil.
Now you can see all the drain holes, the fill tube and the cotton wick. The wick was made from this really hideous dust ruffle thing that I've always hated. Hopefully this hatred won't affect the plants.

Getting ready to fill the buckets.
Being lazy, I didn't feel like holding up the wick while adding the soil so I tied it to a stick. This picture is slightly misleading as the wick does end 2"-4" below the top of the soil once the bucket is filled.

Making soil.
My soil recipe is based on Square Foot Gardening and is composed of roughly 1/3 cheap topsoil, 1/3 peat moss and 1/3 vermiculite (the stuff in the wheel barrow) mixed together thoroughly. The peat moss helps hold water, the vermiculite keeps the soil loose and aerated, the topsoil gives the plant roots a place to grow. Depending on what I grow, some fertilizer may be added to the particular bucket.

And here we are back at the beginning.
It took me about four hours total to make these eight buckets and they have all been planted with different wild edibles except for the one on the end which has chard I picked up on clearance.

This is a great way to set up a container garden in a small area, especially in hot, dry locations. Another benefit of these Global Buckets is that you can move them around to optimize their access to sun or to protect them from freezing.

Once the plants are growing I'll add either a thick layer of mulch or some secondary plant like nasturtiums to shade the soil which reduces evaporative water loss. Water is added to the system through the fill tube until water flows out the overflow hole. The plants will eventually grow their roots through the holes in the bottom of the bucket directly into the water reservoir. Until then the wick keeps the soil at the perfect level of moistness.

Update January 8th, 2011: to help protect the new plants from cold weather I picked up several 12" diameter cake covers from a local "dollar store". These covers fit over the buckets perfectly, turning them into mini-greenhouses. Originally I wanted to find some sort of clear bowl, but the shape of these cake covers works better as the fill tubes don't get in the way of the covers.

Water has condensed on the inside of the covers, making them translucent rather than transparent.

Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

Make a Worm Composter

Here be worms.

Give me a Dremel tool and I'll change the world...or at least improve my backyard. Today's project is a vermiculture worm bin. I've been wanting to raise worms for a while, mainly for fishing but also for the great soil they produce from kitchen fruit/veggie scrapes.

So, worm bins. They are easy to make out of two identical, opaque plastic bins, shredded newspaper, and something that will make holes in two different sizes (1/4" and 1/16" diameter). The ideal bins would only be about a foot deep but as wide as possible to maximize the surface area. Right now Walmart, Target, Home Depot and other stores all have their "Christmas storage bins" on clearance dirt cheap (ha ha ha) so it's a great time to tackle (ha ha ha...fishing joke...worms...get it) this project. You want opaque bins as worms hate light and won't act naturally or even die if exposed to too much light.

1. inner bin
2. outer bin
3. loosely wadded up strips of damp newspaper
4. fruit/veggie waste
5. red wiggler worms
6. worm casings (aka worm poop) both in inner and outer bin
7. bricks or other thing to lift up inner bin

The key to a healthy worm bin is ventilation, hence lots of air holes are drilled in both bins. The holes in the wall of the outer bin should be 1/4" in diameter but only 1/16" in the walls and lid of the inner bin. If you use holes larger than 1/16" on the inner bin the worms will crawl out which leads to dried out worm carcasses all over. Yucky. Also drill about twenty or thirty 1/4" holes in the BOTTOM of the inner bed to allow the processed worm casings to fall into the outer bin. Occasionally you'll have a worm drop into the outer bin, too. Oh well.

Outer bin with brick risers in place. The risers raise the inner bin away from the outer bin to increase air flow to the inner bin.

There are several ways to get red wigglers, I bought mine from a bait shop. If you do this make sure you don't buy the big nightcrawlers used for bass fishing as they won't eat you kitchen waste. You'll want the smaller worms used for trout and panfish. If you don't want to buy the worms you can gather your own from the wild. Look in/under compost or manure piles or just lay some wet cardboard down on the grass for a day or too. When you lift it there will likely be a number of red wigglers under it. Even Amazon.com has jumped on the worm-wagon.

Place the worms and the media they came in in the bottom of the inner bin. If you caught them yourself then put a 1" layer of damp earth in the bottom of the bin. This soil shouldn't be dripping wet nor dusty dry. Aim for somewhat clumpy.

Worms, now home. Note all the ventilation holes.

Worm food: potato peels, lettuce, and a few other scraps.

One pound of worms will eat 1/2 pound of kitchen waste every day. Some people add their scraps every day, others collect about 3-days worth of kitchen waste before added it to the bins to minimize annoying/disturbing the worms. Do whatever you significant other tells you to do. It's just easier that way. Once you have a large, hungry horde of worms you can expand you scraps to include meat and other non-plant matter.

Newspaper layer. Yes, worms are excellent climbers.

Cover everything with 2"-3" of shredded newspaper. Cut the newspaper into 1" strips, soak them in water, squeeze them out to "damp sponge" wetness, loosely wad them up and toss them in the bin. Don't use glossy advertisements as they don't dampen well and the inks may be somewhat toxic.

That's about it. Store the bins in a dark area where they will neither freeze nor overheat. They can handle temperatures close to 30F and as high as 100F but will stop breeding at these temperatures. Under ideal conditions your worm population will double every 90 days. Note that like with every other creature, worms don't like living in their own excrement. You'll have to empty the inner bin about every 4 months to keep your worms healthy. Worm casings are loaded with beneficial microbes and nutrients vital to plants, often having five times as much nitrogen, seven times as much phosphorus, and eleven times as much potassium as ordinary dirt, making it a wonderful natural fertilizer.

Worm bins should have a nice, earthy smell to them. If an unpleasant odor is noticed you've probably been overfeeding the worms. Don't add any scraps for several days until the current material has been consumed. Also check that your system isn't too wet. If it is more than just damp add some more shredded newspaper to absorb excess moisture. My problem in Houston is the system drying out so I keep a spray bottle of water next to the bin to dampen the newspaper as needed.

Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

Fermenting Texas

"I drink and I know things."
-Tyrion Lannister

The use of wild plants to produce alcohol or add flavors to alcoholic beverages goes back into prehistoric times. These are the books I recommend to help you tap your inner cave bartender!

#1 is definitely Pascal Baudar's The Wildcrafting Brewer. This is pretty much the bible of all things wild and fermented, from where to get your wild yeasts, what plants to combine with these yeasts to create alcohol, and how to blend the flavors to make fermented beers, wines, meads, and whattzits that will make people rave.

#2 is the amazing mixologist Ellen Zachos with her book The Wildcrafted Cocktail. If you want to know how to make delicious cocktails by mixing your foraged finds with traditional hard liquors and spirits, this is the book you want.

#3 is Emily Han's Wild Drinks and Cocktails, the book that started me off into the fascinating world of foraged drinks. This book covers the switchels, shrubs, and squashes which were the "cocktails" of the prohibition era. These types of drinks are being rediscovered by top-level bartenders due to their fascinating history and fantastic flavors!

#4 is Stan Hieronymus's Brewing Local. I was actually one of the technical consultants on this book which covers the history of beer in North America. The early Germany settlers made beer out of damn near EVERYTHING the grew and this book tells you how you can, too!

#5 is John Peragine's wonderful 101 Recipes for Making Wild Wines at Home. As much as I love beer, wine is much simpler to make and so it fits my busy life.

#6 is Ken Schramm's The Complete Meadmaker (not shown in picture, lent it to friend). I have a real sweet tooth and access to honey which is good because mead is my favorite fermented drink thanks to Viking ancestors.

#7 is Will Budiaman's Handcrafted Bitters. Bitters are the magic ingredient that turn a mix of alcohol and fruit juice into cocktails. There's a whole world beyond Angostura Aromatic Bitters!

#8 is Amy Steweart's The Drunken Botanist which covers all the history of the plants used to make those alcoholic drinks y'all love so much. It's a hysterical and somewhat scary book when you realize where the fine line between tasty and poisonous lays!

Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

Podcasts

Merriwether on Podcasts & Print!

Cost-Effective Preparing

Once you start reading through the information on this website panic will likely set in. Not because of all the ways things can fall apart, but rather how much it may cost to get all the gear you'll want to keep you and your family safe. Buying it all brand new, right now would:
1. be really expensive
2. not be very wise unless you were loaded in money.
Yes, as part of the Amazon Influencer program it would help ME out if you bought every item for which I created an Amazon link...but don't. Well, if you're loaded with money please use my links but for the rest of you, but for the rest of you, keep reading to learn ways to save a lot of money.

To give an overview of this post, saving money can be accomplished by:

Buying the right new stuff at the right time.
Finding deals on new stuff.
Buying the right used stuff from the right place.

Buying New Stuff at the Right Time

Let me state again, you don't need to buy everything right now! As I'm writing this Texas has just come through the devastating winter storm of mid-February, 2021. We have over three months yet until June when hurricane season starts, and (knock on wood!) ten months before we may have worry about winter weather again. This means we have time to search for good deals on gear for hurricanes or winter storms, so let's explore some of these possible sources of good deals.

Seasonal Sales: Stores love to lure you in with deals at the beginning of summer, end of summer, and a few other big seasonal events.

Spring Sales

Texas Tax-Free Emergency Preparedness Weekend is a good time to pick up big-ticket items such as generators, along with other stuff such as camping gear, flashlights, water purification, gas cans, coolers, tarps, carbon monoxide sensor, and a bunch of other useful equipment. Many big box hardware and sporting goods stores offer additional sales that weekend to convince you to go to them.
Big box hardware stores know people are starting to repair winter damage and prepare for summer activities. Look for deals on construction materials, plumbing and electrical repair stuff, and gardening tools. This may be a good time to pick up a 2-gallon garden sprayer, Gorilla Tape, and a shower nozzle to make an improved shower (see Sanitation & Hygiene Page) or a Deep-Cycle battery to attach to a solar panel system. Also look for deals on kerosene heaters and 5-gal cans of kerosene that didn't get sold during the winter.
Camping and outdoor sports stores have deals on camping gear, tents, camp cookware and other useful things to have on hand when the grid is down. But it may be even more cost effective to wait until fall. ;)
Department stores also may offer deals on things like insect repellents, sunblock, first aid kits, and even fire extinguishers.

Mid-Summer Sales

Department and camping/outdoors stores are starting to put summer-weight clothing on sale to make room for the winter fashions and equipment. Keep an eye out for "quick-dry" clothing (good during/after hurricanes), and assorted cooling wraps and vests. Camping gear may also start to go on sales.

Fall Sales

Camping and outdoors stores are clearing out camping and backpacking gear, picnic stuff (plates, bowls, cups) and the last of their lightweight clothing and raingear.
Grocery stores are clearing out summer seasonal goods such as coolers, Nalgene water bottles, hotdog/marshmallow campfire sticks, bbq equipment including grills, and other assorted picnic/outdoors stuff.
Big box hardware stores may be putting winterizing supplies and materials on sale. This includes small engine and chain saw oils/fluids, chainsaws, antifreeze, gas cans, pipe insulation, power inverters, solar-powered lawn lights, etc.
Department stores will be clearing out their "lawn & garden" stuff so deals are available on garden tools/equipment/maintenance materials, solar lights, bbq items, picnic gear, insect repellants and sunblock (best time of year to buy these!)

Mid-Winter Sales (Post-Christmas)

Outdoors/hunting/camping stores are clearing out all the cold-weather hunting clothing such as warm socks, hats, gloves, mittens, coats, sweaters, and long underwear. They are also clearing assorted warming devices from little, on-use chemical heaters to propane and kerosene heaters.
Auto parts stores often have deals on batteries, power inverters, and other spare parts for cars and other devices.

Finding Deals on New Stuff

Stores want you to buy from them and to help draw you in many have free or low cost "club" memberships. Often they'll send out weekly email adds with assorted coupons or other special deals. Create an email account specifically for these ads so they don't fill up your main email, but check the newsletter emails for coupons and other good offers. Some ones I like include:

MooseJaw Outdoors - big names gear are decent prices, especially with coupons or on clearance. Check them for clothing, packs, camp cooking gear, sleeping bags, etc.
Campmor - another good outdoors gear site selling brand name stuff. Sign up for their newsletter for even better deals.
Harbor Freight Insider Track - yes, a majority of the stuff is cheaply made imports but for things like tarps, rope, zipties, security cables, safety glasses, etc. As often as once a month they send out 25% off coupons and several times a year the offer even bigger coupon discounts. They also offer Insider Track members cheap, free stuff coupons such as flashlights, screwdriver sets, and other things just for coming to the store. The clerks generally let you keep the coupon so you and family members can re-use them to build up a stash of trade goods and goodwill gifts to help with bartering. Harbor Freight's line of solar panels and solar equipment is a great way to use the big coupons to start learning the ins and outs of setting up a solar power system.
Northern Tools Advantage Club - pretty much Harbor Freight's main competition with all the same sorts of stuff and deals.
O'Reilly Auto Parts Rewards - saving money on auto parts such as batteries, tools, and free vehicle diagnostic checks to make sure your vehicle is ready to get the heck out of Dodge if necessary!
Camping World - while their RVs and campers are really expensive a lot of the support equipment is reasonably priced and can be tempting when it goes on sale. Joining their club does cost $29 per year but they give you more than that back in coupons. They have a lot of hard to find stuff like generators, generator power cords, overly large or unusually small propane tanks, 12vdc lighting and kitchen devices, and interesting solar stuff.
Renogy - this is THE company for solar power. Sign up for their newsletter to get assorted tips, deals, and notice of sales. Their equipment costs more than the Harbor Freight stuff but the smaller size and higher quality makes up for it. A Renogy 100 Watt solar panel is 1/3 the size of the equivalent power HF panel but only costs about 15% more.
Sportsman's Guide - if you want military surplus they have everything. Sign up for their catalog just to drool. Lol! Their clearance deals can be awesome.

Buying the Right Used Stuff from the Right Place

Buying used gear is an excellent way of saving a lot of money. Things I buy used include cookware, blankets, clothing, storage tubs, water bottles, assorted tools, and even shoes & boots. Things I would NOT buy used are generators or other things with a gas-powered engine, kerosene or propane heaters for use indoors, wood ladders, or electronics such as CB radios and walkie-talkies. Places I like to shop for used gear include:

Goodwill - this is where I get a lot of clothing, tools, cookware, and even camping equipment. They have a great online store, too.
Salvation Army - another store like Goodwill and they also have online sales but it seems to have a smaller selection of goods.
St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores - the Catholic version of Goodwill/Salvation Army. They sell clothes, bedding, tools, etc.
Pawn Shops - simple tools such as screwdrivers, wrenches, socket set are cheap at pawn shops. Machetes, heavy-duty chains, bicycles, and firearms are another thing to check for. Pawn shop generators may be tempting but it's likely they were either abused or stolen.
Craig's List - you can find great deals over time but some of the people you'll meet can be a bit scary. Follow safe purchasing guidelines such as meeting during daylight hours in a busy location. A number of police departments have set up exchange zone for strangers selling/buying stuff.
Next Door - find out what your neighbors are selling (or giving away!). You can also ask if anyone is selling items.
Facebook Marketplace - kind of cross between Craig's List and Next Door. It can be useful for finding older ham radio gear!
Garage Sales - someone else's trash can be yours...but occasionally good finds occur. Tools, camping gear, kitchen stuff...
Flea Markets - a bunch of garage sales in one place! These can be a fun way to kill a few hours.
Local outdoors clubs - many places have one or more social groups devoted to hiking, camping, off-roading, hunting, fishing, hammocking, etc. People are constantly upgrading gear and then selling or even giving away older stuff. Sometimes they even organize swapmeets where everyone brings the gear they no longer want to trade or sell to others. Those are really fun!
Ham Radio Swapmeets (HamFests) - ham radio operators often thrive in setting up impromptu radio broadcast stations in weird places. This means they usually have a lot of off-grid solar panels, battery systems, camping gear, and other preparedness items. Unfortunately, many of these events have been cancelled due to the coronavirus.

Hopefully this helps give you ideas of when and where to buy emergency preparedness gear. You don't need to buy everything and right away. A side benefit of buying things over time is that gives you a chance to "play" with the items, learning how to set them up, use them, and pack them away again. That experience will reduce the surprises caused by untested gear.

Of course, if you DO have tons of money and want everything NOW then check out my Amazon stores and help me out. :)

Merriwether's Amazon Stores:
72-Hour Emergency Kit
Hurricane Preparedness
Ready For Damn Near Anything!
Urban Survival Gear
Wilderness Survival Gear

Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

Emergency Preparedness: Generators

Nowadays we used a lot of very power-dependent gizmos and so if you want to maintain anything near a modern lifestyle when the power goes out you'll need a generator. To try and do it with solar panels is possible but requires a lot more space and money.

In this post I'll be covering general safety tips, how the generate electricity, the pros and cons of different types of generators, what types of extra equipment you might need with a particular type of generator, and the preventative maintenance you'll need to perform on it to make sure it's ready to go when you need it. I won't be covering whole-house generators that are plumbed directly into your natural gas supply, other than to say while they can be sized to power your entire house, they have a high initial cost and a fairly high running cost. If that's the type of system you want contact an instillation company directly.

Generators are labelled by how many Watts of power they can produce continuously and for initial surge. An example would be "3250 Watts Continuous, 5050 Watts Surge". The surge Watts are necessary to run certain devices that require a lot of energy to start but once they're running they need less power to keep going. AC units, freezers, and fridges are examples of devices having a high, initial surge power demand and then a lower operating power requirement.

Generator Safety & Considerations

Placement

Don't run inside the house or attached garage. Exhaust is poisonous!
Running a generator in an unattached garage isn't a much better idea.
Don't run it near an open window, door, or AC air intake (yours or your neighbors).
The exhaust is HOT so don't direct it towards anything flammable or easily melted. It's not good for plants, either.
Don't let rain, snow, or sleet fall on the generator. Set it on a dry surface.
Be sure the generator is level and stable to insure proper flow of fuel.
Check local or state laws and HOA regulations on the type, placement, hours of use, and fuel storage for generators. Texas generator laws.

Carbon Monoxide

Generator exhaust contains carbon monoxide, a poisonous, odorless gas that irreversibly binds to blood hemoglobin, preventing the blood from absorbing/transporting oxygen.
Always have a working carbon monoxide detector between the generator and the house to let you know if the wind has shifted, sending carbon monoxide towards the house.
Pay attention to wind direction (see warning above).

Grounding

Read the owner's manual to see how to properly ground your generator!
To avoid possible, accidental shocks/electrocution the generator should be grounded.
Grounding can be accomplished by running a jumper cable from the generator's grounding point to a piece of metal pipe or iron rebar stuck at least 12" into the ground. Attaching the ground end of the jumper cable to your water line is another good method.

Refueling

Don't try to refuel a generator while it's still running. You and your house will end up burned beyond recognition.
Let the generator's engine cool down to a touchable temperature before refueling.
Don't smoke while refueling the generator. Using a match to see into the fuel tank is also a real bad idea.
Don't store spare fuel inside the house or attached garage. Storing it in an unattached garage isn't much better. Store it in the yard somewhere protected, like a shed.

Power Cords

Use a heavy-gauge power cord to run power to heavy-demand items such as freezers, fridges, or AC units.
If possible, run individual, heavy-duty power cords from the generator to each heavy-demand item (fridge, freezer, AC) to avoid drawing too much current through a single power cord. If the power flowing through a cord gets too high it can catch fire!
If you can't afford multiple heavy-duty cords get one super-heavy duty cord with three outlets at the end.
Run the power cords through a window and then fill the window opening with blankets, foam rubber, towels, or other stuffing to reduce the chance of carbon monoxide entering the house.

Theft

Generators are targets for thieves, especially in a big disaster.
Write down the make, model, and serial number of your generator to help recover it if stolen.
Figure out where you'll be running the generator and then cement into the ground some sort of large, steel ring near that spot. Chain the generator to that ring using a heavy-duty security cable and lock. Better yet, cement several rings into the ground and use several security cables to lock it down.
If the cemented ring isn't an option, chain it to a tree, vehicle, or some other big, immovable object.
If possible, after dark take turns staying awake to keep an eye on the generator.

Spare Parts

2-3 bottles of the proper oil required to maintain proper lubrication of the engine.
2-3 spark plugs
1-2 spare air filters
1 spare pull-start cord
In the case of a gasoline or diesel unit, a spare carburetor is good to have on-hand
Fuel line tubing. As the machine ages the fuel line naturally becomes brittle. Figure out what size interior diameter (ID) your generator needs and buy a few spare feet of fuel line (it's cheap) from a local hardware store.
Funnel for adding oil
Used oil container
Battery charge maintainer if electric start
Multimeter for troubleshooting power issues, assuming you learn how to use it.

Pull vs Electric Start

Pull starts are mechanically simpler and therefore more reliable but also require a great deal of physical strength. Weak or injured people may not be able to get the generator running.
Electric starts are much easier to fire up...assuming everything is working right. They require a battery which needs to be kept charged. Over time the battery naturally loses strength even if kept connected to a battery maintainer. After three years it becomes much less likely to work and probably should be replaced.

How Generators Produce Electricity

When you move a magnet past a piece of wire, the magnetic field will force some of the wire's electrons to be released and move along the wire. This movement of electrons is what we know as electricity and it can be tapped to power electronic devices...assuming the wire is long enough and the magnet is strong enough.

If you coil the wire into a ring the magnet only needs to move a short distance to start moving the electrons. In a generator, there is a very long piece of coiled wire that is rotated between a ring of multiple magnets. As this wire coil turns lots of electrons are sent down it to the power outlet where you plug stuff into the generator. The more wire, more magnets, and faster the wire coil is spun the more power the generator produces. The the resulting electricity is alternating current aka AC voltage with a full sine wave.

To spin the wire coil, generators use some sort of gasoline, diesel, or propane powered engine to rotate the coil at extremely high speeds. The type of fuel the engine uses determines a lot of the cost, physical size, pros, cons, extra equipment, and maintenance the generator will need. Keep in mind, while it might be nice to have power continuously, depending what you're running you don't have to run the generator non-stop. Running it for an hour every 3-4 hours will be more than enough to keep your fridge & freezer cold if you keep them closed.

I've already shown how to calculate how many Watts you'll need in the post Emergency Preparedness: Power Basics so let's move on to talking about what to expect from the different types of generators.

Propane Generators

I'm starting with propane-powered generators because in my personal opinion they are the most practical type for most people due to the easy & safe storage of fuel along with their relatively low maintenance needs. After studying everything about generators I chose a 3250 Watt, propane-powered generator and love it. The one I have is no longer made but the equivalent would be a Champion Model 76533 Propane/gasoline Dual Fuel Generator.

Pros:

Fuel Storage - these generators use a standard, 20lb propane bottle like your propane grill which are readily available (most of the time). Propane doesn't degrade so you can store multiple bottles for years if necessary.
Fuel Cost - Propane is generally much cheaper than cost of gasoline or diesel needed to produce an equal amount of power.
Fuel Safety - while propane is highly flammable it is non-toxic. If you accidentally release some it'll quickly dissipate without causing an environmental or health risk.
Runtime - a 20lb bottle will give 6-10 hours of run time depending on how much power you need from the generator. Three bottles will often be enough for most situations...but you can usually trade your neighbors electricity in exchange for their BBQ grill propane tank if the situation lasts longer than three days.
Power Output - propane is a high-energy fuel so it can produce a lot of electricity. They usually start at 3000 Watts and can be found up to double that.
Maintenance - since propane is a gas, when it evaporates it doesn't leave behind the gums and resins that gasoline or diesel do. This means lower carburetor maintenance! The carburetor is where the propane and air mix before going into the piston's ignition chamber (the part where propane is burned). Since the fuel is still unburned in the carburetor, when you turn off the generator fuel remains there. Gasoline and diesel will eventually evaporate form there, leaving behind goo which can prevent a carburetor from working the next time you need to run the generator. Propane doesn't leave goo behind!

Cons

Size - to take full advantage of the power produced by propane the resulting generators are physically large. They will be up to 2-3 feet long and 2 feet wide.
Noise - most propane generators are made for construction sites where noise isn't a problem. They will be as loud as a standard gas-powered lawnmower so running them is noisy! This is especially problematic at night...or when you don't want thieves to know you have a generator.
Fuel Storage - keep in mind while propane tanks are safe to keep filled for long periods of time, the valve systems on the tanks have an expiration date. If the tank valve has expired, propane refillers won't refill it. This is really only a problem with the big, 50lb propane tanks that can't be swapped out for regular tanks at tank exchange locations, though.

Extra Equipment & Maintenance

Fuel Tanks - if you have a propane generator, then you'll want at least three standard, 20lb propane tanks. Better still, several 50lb propane tanks, though those are heavy to move around.
Maintenance (Tools) - proper oil for the engine, funnel for filling the oil, spark plugs, spark plug wrench, spark plug gap tool, used oil storage container.
Maintenance (Oil Changes) - Usually oil needs to be changed after the first 30 hours and then every 100 hours of runtime after that or every year after, but check the generator's instruction manual to see what it says.
Maintenance (Spark Plug) - Change every year.

Gasoline Generators

While there's a lot of good things about gasoline-powered generators, I just don't like their negative aspects. If I were to get one it'd be a Honda Model 663510 1000 Watt Generator.

Pros

Small Size - gasoline is a very efficient fuel and so its popular for physically small, lower power demand generators. A 800 Watt unit can be less than 1.5 feet long and 1 foot wide, making them popular with campers who don't have high energy demands
Quiet - because gasoline generators have a long history of use by RVers and campers, silencing technology on them is much more advanced.
Linking - again due to the long use by RVers, certain gasoline-powered generators of the same make and model can be linked together to meet higher power demands. Honda's, in particular. This is useful if several family members, neighbors, or post-apocalyptic tribes want the ability to sometimes join together to run a higher power-needing device.

Cons

Fuel Lifespan - gasoline begins degrading right after it leaves the gas station pump so long-term storage is problematic. You need to add some sort of fuel stabilizer to the gasoline can to slow down this degradation but even then the life is measured in months, not years.
Fuel Safety - gasoline is REALLY flammable so storing three days worth (15-20 gallons) basically places a bomb on your property (only slight exaggeration!). Gasoline will dry out and irritate skin if spilled on it. A leaking gas can will cause environmental damage to the ground where it leaked. Cleaning up a gasoline spill creates a hazardous waste.
Fuel Ethanol - most gas station gasoline is mandated by the government to contain ethanol. Ethanol causes corrosion of metal parts in an engine, causing hard-to-fix mechanical issues and shortening the generator's lifespan. Ethanol-free fuel can be found at some locations but it costs a lot more.
Gas Cans - metal gas cans will last years but they cost a lot and if damaged they can start rusting. Plastic gas cans are cheap but turn brittle and have a short lifespan (less than two years, to be safe).
Maintenance - a gasoline generator MUST be run under a load one a month otherwise the carburetor WILL get gummed up, making it unreliable. This month running is a pain in the A55!

Extra Equipment & Maintenance

Fuel Tanks - you'll want at least 15 gallons of gas stored at all times.
Fuel Stabilizer - if storing fuel for months you need to add some sort of fuel stabilizer otherwise it degrades and doesn't burn properly.
Replacement Carburetor - its often best to swap out a clean carburetor while cleaning a gummed-up one because you forgot to run the generator some month.
Maintenance (Tools) - proper oil for the engine, funnel for filling the oil, spark plugs, spark plug wrench, spark plug gap tool, used oil storage container.
Maintenance (Oil Changes) - check owner's manual
Maintenance (Spark Plug) - check owner's manual

Diesel Generators

Diesel generators have a number of benefits over gasoline but also some big drawbacks, depending on your needs. A diesel generator was actually my second choice based on the pros and cons. I like this Generac Model 6864 unit as it is made by the company that makes my propane-powered generator.

Pros

Durability - diesel generators are usually used where they need to run a long time and so are generally the most reliable type of unit.
Power - because of the power density of diesel fuel, they are often the most powerful units one can buy. If you are wanting to run a lot of stuff at the same time and you have a place to store the fuel a diesel generator makes sense.
Fuel Storage - diesel actually has a fairly low flashpoint, making storing a large amount of it much safer than gasoline or even propane. Diesel fuel cans are colored yellow to distinguish them from gasoline cans.
Fuel Cost - if the diesel is going into a generator you can buy the untaxed "farm" aka "off road" diesel...but if you are caught using to fuel a vehicle driven on the road you can be fined a lot. Off road diesel contains a red dye to indicate its untaxed. If traces of the red dye are found in your diesel vehicle you are in a lot of trouble. The government wants its tax money!

Cons

Cost - SUPER expensive!
Physical Size - with power comes size and so diesel generators will be bigger and heavier than even propane ones.
Fuel Stability - diesel degrades in a different way than gasoline. It actually supports bacterial growth so stabilizing it requires a diesel-specific fuel stabilizer.
Fuel Viscosity - diesel fuel is thick and in cold temperatures it can gel up and become hard to pour!
Maintenance - like a gasoline generator, the diesel unit needs to be run at least once a month to keep the carburetor clean and all the seals tight.

Extra Equipment & Maintenance

Fuel Tanks - you'll want at least 14 gallons of gas stored at all times such as in this farm equipment diesel tank.
Using Up Old Fuel - if you don't have a diesel truck using up old fuel close to going bad becomes a problem. If you are using farm diesel then you can't even burn it in a diesel road truck or car.
Fuel Stabilizer - if storing fuel for months you need to add some sort of antibacterial diesel stabilizer otherwise it degrades and doesn't burn properly. Due NOT use a fuel stabilizer designed for gasoline!
Replacement Carburetor - like with a gasoline unit, its often best to swap out a clean carburetor while cleaning a gummed-up one because you forgot to run the generator some month.
Maintenance (Tools) - proper oil for the engine, funnel for filling the oil, spark plugs, spark plug wrench, spark plug gap tool, used oil storage container, diesel storage tank
Maintenance (Oil Changes) - check owner's manual
Maintenance (Spark Plug) - check owner's manual

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