Is Recession Preparing a New Breed of Survivalist? [Survival Today - an On going Thread #2]

May 05th,2008

[nw_arizona_granny]

Yahoo ran an interesting article this morning indicating a rise in the number of survivalist communities cropping up around the country. I have been wondering myself how much of the recent energy crisis is causing people to do things like stockpile food and water, grow their own vegetables, etc. Could it be that there are many people out there stockpiling and their increased buying has caused food prices to increase? It’s an interesting theory, but I believe increased food prices have more to do with rising fuel prices as cost-to-market costs have increased and grocers are simply passing those increases along to the consumer. A recent stroll through the camping section of Wal-Mart did give me pause - what kinds of things are prudent to have on hand in the event of a worldwide shortage of food and/or fuel? Survivalist in Training

I’ve been interested in survival stories since I was a kid, which is funny considering I grew up in a city. Maybe that’s why the idea of living off the land appealed to me. My grandfather and I frequently took camping trips along the Blue Ridge Parkway and around the Smoky Mountains. Looking back, some of the best times we had were when we stayed at campgrounds without electricity hookups, because it forced us to use what we had to get by. My grandfather was well-prepared with a camp stove and lanterns (which ran off propane), and when the sun went to bed we usually did along with it. We played cards for entertainment, and in the absence of televisions, games, etc. we shared many great conversations. Survivalist in the Neighborhood

[DelaWhere]

VEGETABLE GARDEN: INTENSIVE GARDENING METHODS

MG Manual Reference Ch. 10, pp. 39 - 46

The purpose of an intensively grown garden is to harvest the most produce possible from a given space. More traditional gardens consist of long, single rows of vegetables spaced widely apart. Much of the garden area is taken by the space between the rows. An intensive garden reduces wasted space to a minimum. The practice of intensive gardening is not just for those with limited garden space; rather, an intensive garden concentrates work efforts to create an ideal plant environment, giving better yields with less labor.

Though its benefits are many, the intensive garden may not be for everyone. Some people enjoy the sight of long, straight rows in their gardens. Others prefer machine cultivation to hand weeding; though there is often less weeding to do in intensive plantings because of fewer pathways and closely spaced plants, the weeding that must be done is usually done by hand or with hand tools. Still other gardeners like to get their gardens planted in a very short period of time and have harvests come in all at once. The intensive ideal is to have something growing in every part of the garden at all times during the growing season.

A good intensive garden requires early, thorough planning to make the best use of time and space in the garden. Interrelationships of plants must be considered before planting, including nutrient needs, shade tolerance, above- and below-ground growth patterns, and preferred growing season. Using the techniques described below, anyone can develop a high-yielding intensive garden.

The raised bed
The raised bed or growing bed is the basic unit of an intensive garden. A system of beds allows the gardener to concentrate soil preparation in small areas, resulting in effective use of soil amendments and creating an ideal environment for vegetable growth. Raised beds warm-up more quickly in the spring. This is a major advantage when growing vegetables in the spring, giving them a head start. Because raised beds warm up faster and to a higher temperature by mid summer they dry out more quickly. In the hottest parts of Arizona raised beds may become too hot and use very high amounts of water. In the hot regions, gardeners should consider using lowered beds. With lowered beds, soil improvements are made below the natural grade rather than above and below but the other principles discussed are the same as for raised beds.

Beds are generally 3 to 4 feet wide and as long as desired. The gardener works from either side of the bed, reducing the incidence of compaction caused by walking on the soil.

Soil preparation is the key to successful intensive gardening. To grow so close together, plants must have adequate nutrients and water. Providing extra synthetic fertilizers and irrigation will help, but there is no substitute for deep, fertile soil high in organic matter. Humus-rich soil will hold extra nutrients, and existing elements that are "locked up" in the soil are released by the actions of earthworms, microorganisms and acids present in a life-filled soil, making them available for plant use.

If your soil is not deep, double-dig the beds for best results. Remove the top 12 inches of soil from the bed. Insert a spade or spading fork into the next 10 to 12 inches of soil and wiggle the handle back and forth to break up compacted layers. Do this every 6 to 8 inches in the bed. Mix the top soil with a generous amount of compost or manure, and return the mixture to the bed. It should be somewhat fluffy and may be raised slightly. To create a true raised bed, take topsoil from the neighboring pathways and mix it in as well.

This is a lot of work! Try it in one or two beds for some of your most valuable plants; if you like the results you can proceed to other beds as you have time. One nice thing about raised bed gardening is that it breaks work into units. Instead of gazing desperately at a garden full of weeds, thinking you'll never have time to clean it up, you can look at each bed and say, "I can do that in half an hour today!" Other chores are accomplished with the same ease.

By their nature, raised beds are a form of wide-bed gardening, a technique by which seeds and transplants are planted in wide bands of several rows or broadcast in a wide strip. In general, the goal is to space plants at equal distances from each other on all sides, such that leaves will touch at maturity. This saves space, and the close plantings reduce moisture loss from surrounding soil.

Vertical gardening
The use of trellises, nets, strings, cages, or poles to support growing plants constitutes vertical gardening. This technique is especially suited, but not limited, to gardeners with a small garden space. Vining and sprawling plants, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, melons, and pole beans are obvious candidates for this type of gardening. Some plants entwine themselves onto the support, while others may need to be tied. Remember that a vertical planting will cast a shadow, so beware of shading sun-loving crops, or take advantage of the shade by planting shade-tolerant crops near the vertical ones. Plants grown vertically take up much less space on the ground, and though the yield per plant may be (but is not always) less, the yield per square foot of garden space is much greater. Because vertically growing plants are more exposed, they dry out faster and may need to be watered more frequently than if they were allowed to spread over the ground. This fast drying is also an advantage to those plants susceptible to fungus diseases. A higher rate of fertilization may be needed, and soil should be deep and well-drained to allow roots to extend vertically rather than compete with others at a shallow level.

Interplanting
Growing two or more types of vegetables in the same place at the same time is known as interplanting. Proper planning is essential to obtain high production and increased quality of the crops planted. This technique has been practiced for thousands of years, but is just now gaining widespread support in this country. To successfully plan an interplanted garden the following factors must be taken into account for each plant: length of the plant's growth period, its growth pattern (tall, short, below or above ground), possible negative effects on other plants (such as the allelopathic effects of sunflowers and Jerusalem artichokes on nearby plants), preferred season, and light, nutrient and moisture requirements. Interplanting can be accomplished by alternating rows within a bed (plant a row of peppers next to a row of onions), by mixing plants within a row, or by distributing various species throughout the bed. For the beginner, alternating rows may be the easiest to manage at first.

Long-season (slow to mature) and short-season (quick to mature) plants like carrots and radishes, respectively, can be planted at the same time. The radishes are harvested before they begin to crowd the carrots. An example of combining growth patterns is planting smaller plants close to larger plants, radishes at the base of beans or broccoli. Shade tolerant species like lettuce, spinach, and celery may be planted in the shadow of taller crops. Heavy feeders, such as cabbage family crops, should be interplanted with less gluttonous plants.

Interplanting can help keep insect and disease problems under control. Pests are usually fairly crop-specific; that is, they prefer vegetables of one type or family. Mixing families of plants helps to break up large expanses of the pest-preferred crop, helping to contain early pest damage within a small area, thus giving the gardener a little more time to deal with the problem. One disadvantage is that when it does come time to spray for pests, it's hard to be sure that all plants are protected.

Spacing
Individual plants are closely spaced in a raised bed or interplanted garden. An equidistant spacing pattern calls for plants to be the same distance from each other within the bed; that is, plant so that the center of one plant is the same distance from plants on all sides of it. In beds of more than two rows, this means that the rows should be staggered so that plants in every other row are between the plants in adjacent rows. The distance recommended for plants within the row on a seed packet is the distance from the center of one plant to the center of the next. This results in an efficient use of space and leaves less area to weed and mulch. The close spacing tends to create a nearly solid leaf canopy, acting as a living mulch, decreasing water loss, and keeping weed problems down. However, plants should not be crowded to the point at which disease problems arise or competition causes stunting. Refer to Table 10.12 for recommended spacing in intensive gardens.

Succession and relay planting
Succession planting is an excellent way to make the most of an intensive garden. To obtain a succession of crops, plant something new in spots vacated by spent plants. Corn after peas is a type of succession.

Planting a spring, summer, and fall garden is another form of succession planting. Cool season crops (broccoli, lettuce, peas) are followed by warm season crops (beans, tomatoes, peppers), and where possible, these may be followed by more cool-season plants, or even a winter cover crop.

Relaying is another common practice, consisting of overlapping plantings of one type of crop. The new planting is made before the old one is removed. For instance, sweet corn may be planted at 2-week intervals for a continuous harvest. This requires some care, though; crops planted very early are likely to get a slower start because of low temperatures. In the case of corn, it can be disastrous to have two varieties pollinating at the same time, as the quality of the kernels may be affected. Give early planted corn extra time to get started, for best results.

Another way to achieve the same result is to plant, at once, various varieties of the same vegetable; for example, you can plant an early-season, a mid-season, and a late-season corn at the same time and have a lengthy harvest.

Starting seeds indoors for transplanting is an important aspect of intensive gardening. To get the most from the garden plot, a new crop should be ready to take the place of the crop being removed. Several weeks may be gained by having 6-inch transplants ready to go into vacated areas. Don't forget to recondition the soil for the new plants.

Planning an intensive garden
Begin planning your garden early, pull out last-year's garden records and dig into the new seed catalogs. As with any garden, you must decide what crops you want to grow based on your own likes and dislikes, as well as how much of each you will need. An account of which cultivars were most successful or tasted best is helpful in making crop choices. Use the charts below, and your own experience, to determine which crops are likely combinations.

Good gardening practices such as watering, fertilizing, crop rotation, composting, and sanitation are especially important in an intensive garden. An intensive garden does require more detailed planning, but the time saved in working the garden and the increased yields make it well worthwhile. Use your imagination and have fun!

Table 10.12

INTENSIVE SPACING GUIDE

Plant	Inches	Plant	Inches
Asparagus	15 - 18	Lettuce, head	10 - 12
Beans, lima	4 - 6	Lettuce, leaf	4 - 6
Beans, pole	6 - 12	Melons	18 - 24
Beans, bush	4 - 6	Mustard	6 - 9
Beets	2 - 4	Okra	12 - 18
Broccoli	12 - 18	Onion	2 - 4
Brussels sprouts	15 - 18	Peas	2 - 4
Cabbage	15 - 18	Peppers	12 - 15
Cabbage, Chinese	10 - 12	Potatoes	10 - 12
Carrots	2 - 3	Pumpkins	24 - 36
Cauliflower	15 - 18	Radishes	2 - 3
Cucumber	12 - 18	Rutabaga	4 - 6
Chard, Swiss	6 - 9	Southern pea	3 - 4
Collards	12 - 15	Spinach	4 - 6
Endive	15 - 18	Squash, summer	18 - 24
Eggplant	18 - 24	Squash, winter	24 - 36
Kale	15 - 18	Sweet corn	15 - 18
Kohlrabi	6 - 9	Tomatoes	18 - 24
Leeks	3 - 6	Turnip	4 - 6

Note: To determine spacing for interplanting, add the inches for the two crops to be planted together, and divide the sum by 2. For example, if radishes are planted next to beans, add 2 inches + 4 inches = 6 inches, then divide 6 inches by 2 inches = 3 inches. The radishes should be planted 3 inches from the beans.

Economic value of crops
It is difficult to evaluate the economic value of crops grown in the vegetable garden due to the different lengths of time they require for maturity and harvest, the availability of varieties and vegetables types not generally found in the marketplace, and the lack of comparison values for vegetables that are not acceptable by commercial standards (cracked tomatoes, crooked cucumbers, etc.), but which are perfectly usable by the gardener. Nevertheless, several studies have attempted to determine which crops bring the most value per square foot of garden space, partly to aid small-space gardeners in making decisions about what to plant. Of course, if no one in the family likes beets, there is no point in growing them just because they are economically valuable, but this list may help you determine which vegetables to plant and which to buy. Perennial crops are not on the list below because each of the studies was on a one-season basis. Asparagus, rhubarb, horseradish, and other perennial crops do also have considerable economic worth. Fruit trees and shrubs are also valuable producers, especially considering the long-term.

Top 15 Vegetables in Economic Value:

Tomatoes	Beets
Green bunching onions	Carrots
Leaf lettuce	Cucumbers
Turnip (green + roots)	Peppers
Summer squash	Broccoli
Edible pod peas	Head lettuce
Onion storage bulbs	Swiss chard
Beans (pole, bush)

Values based on pounds produced per square foot, retail value per pound at harvest time, and length of time in the garden.

Low-Value Crops (not recommended for small spaces):

Corn	Squash
Melons	Pumpkins

Miniature varieties or trellising may increase value per square foot.

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This site was developed for the Arizona Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture, The University of Arizona.

[upcountry miss]

Ah yes, you Freepers are wonderful!! Have seen that resin finish in camps up north but would never have thought of it. I have an OLD (sound familiar?) electric chain saw that I use mostly to chop off a few inches on logs too long to fit in the cookstove. With a couple 100 foot extension cords, I can wreak a lot of carnage around here. With a four foot level, I should be able draw a fairly straight line. Don’t really care if it turns milky. Not looking for a professional look, just usefulness.

Oh, yes, he is a sucker for that macho bit. In 60 plus years, I have used that gambit soooo many times. He usually does know an easier way to do outdoor things, but the day (several years ago) he told me how to hold the dustpan more efficiently was the day it became his job to sweep the floor. Likewise, he hated my dishwasher and complained constantly about the noise and waste of water. One day, he said he would rather do dishes by hand than put up with that. When that dishwasher wore out, we never replaced it. Guess who has done the dishes for the past 30+ years. Too proud to admit that dishwashers are quieter and more efficient now.

Yesterdays tractor is a good source for parts. Have many more sources in my “bookmarks” on the desktop up in the loft. Don’t climb the stairs anymore than I have to. Treated myself to a laptop several months ago, but if someone needs the info, I would be glad to check upstairs. Have sources for parts for golf carts as that is what I use to zip around with. Forgot to mention that is in the pole barn along with 2 John Deere garden tractors. Last spring DH’s John Deere developed strange symptems and we have several acres to mow, so naturally DH had to go purchase a new mower. Subsequently, another old crony of his checked the gas filter and guess what? He replaced the filter and “voila” we now have Mr. and Mrs. John Deeres. He religiously replaces oil filters but the gas filter escaped him.

Dh also makes wine. Doesn’t drink it, but makes it just to prove he can and to give away. Any fruit or berry we grow around here is fair game for wine-rhubarb, blueberry, strawberry, peach and even corn. That corn was too potent for even our grandsons and their “modern” friends. We see more of the grandson than we ever did before the wine-making days.

I laugh when you tell how exhausting it is to use a cross cut. DH and I cut the logs for our first home with a cross cut. We were young and the dreams we had made it easy work. My grandfather owned a sawmill and sawed the logs for us. We used grampas truck to take them to a planing mill for planing and some made into clapboards and were all set. How much more we appreciate the things we work hard to obtain.

Now, I can’t wait for summer and the river to get low enough that I can scavange for small, flat varied colored stones to put under that resin.

[DelaWhere]

Valley Forge park plans huge deer shoot

By Jeff Gammage

Inquirer Staff Writer When drivers approach Valley Forge National Historical Park from the south on Thomas Road, they're often greeted by hordes of attentive, long-eared hosts:

Deer.

The animals don't run from the noise of car engines. They don't bolt at the prospect of human contact. They stand and stare.

Soon those sentries may be gone.

Valley Forge officials plan a massive sharpshooting operation to kill up to 1,300 deer during the next four years, eliminating more than 80 percent of the herd and maintaining a much smaller pack through contraceptives.

Administrators say lethal actions are necessary because deer are devouring so many plants, shrubs, and saplings that the forest cannot regenerate.

"Our goal is to restore a natural, healthy, functioning ecosystem," said Kristina Heister, park natural-resource manager. "We feel we need to act now, and we need to act quickly."

The first shoot would take place next winter. Federal employees or contractors would fire high-powered rifles mostly at night, dispatching deer baited to areas with apples and grain. The rifles would have silencers. Some shooting likely would take place during the day in areas closed to the public.

Amazing how Goobermint seems to think that only THEY are the answer to everything... Geesh.

[DelaWhere]

The back section of our house is 5/4 pit-sawn hemlock diagonal sheathed post and beam construction - (c. 1763 and impossible to drive a nail into - have to drill every hole)

Cross cut sawing wasn't too bad, but the pit sawing is a real back breaker... (At least for me now - (grin))

[snippy_about_it]

1. picking them off and squashing

Ewww! LOL.

I've been thinking about the chicken idea. We're rural and that's doable, plus I could get eggs as a bonus. I'm going to read up on keeping egg laying hens. Thanks.

[Wneighbor]

Yes, good planning on the yeast, I freeze mine and pour a couple ounces in one of the little brown jars and keep it in the refrigerator door.

I kept 2 little brown jars all these years just to keep my nice inexpensive bulk yeast in. At least I've gotten many many uses from that jar of horribly expensive yeast. LOL

[Wneighbor]

Thanks for the wine recipe. In your experienced position do ya think I can substitute my frozen cantaloupe juice and follow the same method?

And when you say you used a 2 liter bottle are you talking about a 2 liter soda water bottle? I was told I *had* to use glass.... I’ve been waiting to see my younger daughter to get the official “glass” jug but I got soda water bottles all over the place just filled with water. With that I could do this now.

[Wneighbor]

And... on the wine....

I buy yeast in bulk. What does 1/3 cake of yeast amount to? I should know this but I usually just use a tablespoon in whatever I make.

[Wneighbor]

There might have been a quarter of an inch of onion on the root.

That's kinda what I was thinkin'. If I leave just enough of the onion attached to nourish the root a little before it sprouts it might work. Anyway, I'm going to try it just for experiment.

I might also try leaving the center bundle where the shoot would come from on another good root and see how that works. Better to experiment while I still have onions coming than when it's too late to waste any.

[Wneighbor]

I get a kick out of the fact that you can put zuc. in a pie and make folks think they are eating apple pie, or in jam and make them think it tastes like apricots. Of course, I like it any way it comes, cooked or raw.

Some will think this is just a gross idea, but I like zucchinni or other squash dehydrated. Just eat the chips. They have good flavor and are crunchy. Very tasty. Also I like celery this way. Celery dehydrated packs a whallop of flavor despite the relatively mild taste of plain celery.

[upcountry miss]

Have used the mineral oil on corn silk for years. I apply as soon as the silk is showing on the ears. Back breaking job but worth it as corn is my very favorite vegetable and I just hate to find those ugly earworms. I used to apply it with an eye dropper but that is so labor-intensive as one dropper full only does a few ears and I plant a lot of corn, so then I started putting the oil in a dish detergent squeeze bottle. Much easier that way. Tried many ways of freezing corn and found I preferred it best just cooking a few extra ears whenever we had corn, cutting it off the cob and popping it in the freezer. The oil kills the eggs before they develop into worms. I still have to apply the dreaded Sevin to the stalks to kill the borers. Sevin is deadly to bees, so I always use it before the pollen sets on and attracts the bees.

We used to have several hives of bees and one year a neighbor called and mentioned that he didn’t have many bees in his garden. I told him we had thousands of dead bees in front of our hives which indicted someone was using Sevin indiscriminately. A long silence, then a long oooooh told me who was using the Sevin.

[Wneighbor]

I started an edible plants thread. That, in my opinion, is way more about “survival”.

I do understand what you are saying here, however, I think the term "survival" in the sense this thread is titled is varying degrees of survival. There are some folks who have never "cooked" a dish from scratch in their lives. They wouldn't know what to do with raw ingredients if you put them in their kitchen. Some of those folks are being hit with the reality of the economic situation in a very hard way and the first step in their learning to survive is to learn how to feed their families on a budget.

In that sense I think some of these recipes are very useful to folks just realizing that they *have* to do something different. On this thread we don't know how many lurkers may be reading and are not ready for some of the more detail "hard" survival tips that a lot of us long time freepers/survival minded types know. There are still folks out there who are just getting their feet wet. This thread is for those also.

For me, the recipes are not something I need. I tend to skim over those and only take note if something sounds good today. LOL. But, I don't begrudge those people reading who many not have been cooking for 40 years. Just a matter of degree IMHO.

I find searching for native plants that are edible a very entertaining and fulfilling enterprise. I have done it for several years but in no means do I think I could feed my household that way - YET. I'm still working on that. I would enjoy it if you share more things you know about this. In my locale I know enough plants to gather "extras" for meals but I need to know lots more. If TSHTF today and I didn't have a thing in the world prepared, my stash was wiped out, I had to hit the road I'd look for game and cactus. There's lots of seasonings out in the wild that I know. And greens that I know. But, the more we know about this the better. When I have time I will try to post some of those and I'd like to see other things you have.

[Wneighbor]

Seems I remember somewhere from my survival training that it was best to ‘flame’ cactus to singe the small spines.

When I go to harvest any parts of cactus I try to find an area where I can build a small fire. (Well, if I'm getting more than a pear or two or a pad or two.) Wear leather gloves and leather jacket if you have one. Knee pads are good if you're going to kneel. Have pliers with long handles and a good sharp knife. I am a woman I don't know if the long handled pliers have an official name. But I use the pliers to hold a cactus pad or pear if I can then use the sharp knife to cut it off. Using the pliers to hold the cactus part I then hold it in the flame to burn off the spines. That works pretty well. You still have to watch for prickles but they are mostly taken care of in the field that way.

When I get them home I still use gloves to peel them "just in case." But, also the flame on a gas stove can be used to pass the cactus parts through to burn the spines.

I think sliced up prickly pear pad or fruit are good sauted in a little butter.

[Wneighbor]

Country Ham and Red-Eye Gravy

Oh man, that is good stuff with grits and biscuits!!!

[Wneighbor]

Actually, Delaware was the last State to still have the public whipping post on the books - and I support that coming back too.

Heck yeah!!! Deterents to crime are better than aftermaths any day!!!

[Wneighbor]

For bee stings I have always found that teaspoon of baking soda and vinegar immediately kills the sting. I put a bit of baking soda in my hand, pour some vinegar in it and as it bubbles, slap it on the sting - I was always the one the kids who had bee stings came running to - I carried a prescription bottle with baking soda and an old vanilla bottle with vinegar in my first aid kit.

Another thing that takes the sting right out of a bee sting is tobacco and saliva. Okay, gross, but if it's what you have, it works. Put a pinch of tobacco in your palm, spit on it, mix it around and slap it on the sting. It works!

[DelaWhere]

I think you would be making a very wise choice.

Portable hutches work great and their design is limited only by your imagination like some of these:

Fancy or plain, the chickens don't seem to mind.

I get my chickens from Ridgway Hatchery I bought my first from them in the '50's and their family run hatchery has always been very good as far as I am concerned. As an example, this last order I received a call that Mrs. Ridgway canceled that shipment and they would go out in 3 days - she inspected the chicks and was not satisfied with them so she was not going to ship them. Received them from the next batch and they were great - 100 Buff Orpingtons - Lost "0".

There are quite a few other good hatcheries out there but I can only relate my experience with Ridgway Hatchery

[Wneighbor]

How To Grow Oregano

Oregano is also a very easy plant to start from cuttings. If you know someone who has a good patch of it just cut a few ends off, apply some rooting hormone or dip the ends in honey and stick 'em in some dirt. Keep them moist and in warm weather they'll have good roots in about a month.

[Wneighbor]

I was thinking a greenhouse might reduce my interaction with the “elements”.

You are probably right. If you don't like bugs and worms it takes a while to get used to the fact that *most* of them are very good for your plants. In a greenhouse you can control your elements a little more and figure out what's good and what's not. I welcome those honeybees because I know they are pollinating my plants. Yesterday I had my first bloom of the season on one of my scented geraniums!

[Wneighbor]

Unfortunately, we are becoming a bedroom community of Boston. Have lived here for 77 years, so don’t anticipate moving any time soon, but sure do hate the changes coming our way every day.

That's what I keep hearing from Lloyd's family. He's pretty bitter about it. Most of the family's old homes are now owned by Bostonians because taxes went sky high and nobody local could afford them anymore. He still has 3 kids up there who find it harder and harder to make it.