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

[Wneighbor]

He only wanted to haul out the choice ones for lapidary, but not I, if they were weird enough, I thought of ‘crafts’...

I love using cool rocks around my plant beds. They add to that nature look instead of manicured yard look. It would please me to walk out any door of my house and feel like I've walked into an unplanned natural area. Only have it feed me what I like!

[ozarkgirl]

Guess the reassurance and heft kind of made you feel invincible. (grin)

Actually that might be a good thing in case you run into critters. Last time we went (packed in, packed out). No trouble in the boonies but back on the main trail, a nice fat copperhead awaited us. He didn't bother us, just fat and happy and hardly moving but it wouldn't hurt to have a big stick handy.

I think it's a great idea, I think we'll probably do that. Like I said we carry that stuff anyway in our packs, we're always looking for "lightweight" and that would just take it off our backs. Same weight either way and more room in the pack.

[Brad from Tennessee]

Yeah, please add me to Frugal Dad, Granny. Thanks.

[ozarkgirl]

I also use Freecycle. I got a purebred retired boxer, some canning jars, some nintendo player guides the kids wanted, all free!!

And I got rid of some junk (old curtains, clothes, makeup, etc) that 6 people request. One woman’s junk is another woman’s treasure.

[DelaWhere]

Hmmm well the lettuce is reportedly down 50% and they don't look like they are getting rain recently causing the ranking of the drought to way worse than expected.

I hope I am wrong, but it does not look good at this point.

Depending on how much it rains this winter, federal water supplies could be slashed down to nothing this year, forcing farmers to rely solely on brackish well water. But the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation won't make an official decision until late February, said Ron Milligan, the agency's Central Valley operations manager.

The state Department of Water Resources, which also ships farmers water, has promised to deliver 15 percent of the normal allocations in October, but conditions are so dire that that's now in doubt, too.

"The consequences are expected to be pretty horrible in terms of farmers' revenue, but what's really disconcerting are the possible job losses," said Wendy Martin, who leads the agency's drought division. "Those communities that can least weather an economic downturn are going to be some of the places that are hit the hardest."

Richard Howitt, a professor of agriculture economics at the University of California, Davis, estimates that $1.6 billion in agriculture-related wages, and as many as 60,000 jobs across the valley will be lost in the coming months due to dwindling water.

Analysts haven't yet provided any estimates of crop losses this year. But Bill Diedrich, an almond grower on the valley's parched western edge, said he's already worried he may lose some of his nut trees in the drought.

"The real story here is food security," Diedrich told Milligan and other officials speaking at a conference in Reno, Nev. "It's an absolute emergency and anything to get water flowing quickly is needed."

In the meantime, the forecast appears to be worsening: Meteorologists are predicting a dry spring, and a new state survey shows the population of threatened fish is at its lowest point in 42 years, more imperiled than previously believed.

"This has devastating effects not only for the guys out there in the fields with the weed whackers, but it affects the whole farming industry," said Thomas Nyberg, Fresno County's deputy agricultural commissioner. "I'm just praying for rain."

I would agree with you that there would not be much savings from trying to traditionally run the sprinkler during drought, but just think a hose connected to the washing machine drain to reuse that water for a garden reduces the waste and produces a decent crop.

I think we are going to have to step outside that habit box and be creative.

[hiredhand]

In the precise, correct order HH!

You see what I see happening within the next year (IMHO)! It's going to get outright nasty, and medieval in the urban areas.

We are prepared... (and twelve miles from the closest small hamlet!)

I sure wish I could "see" something else coming. But I just don't. Here's something people need to understand.. It's a bit of a story so bear with me. :-)

There's a lot of extreme talk here among survivalists and CW2 types about the section-9/welfare hoards overtaking the "nice" neighborhoods and there being mayhem and pandemonium. It "might" happen this way. We don't live in a population center and are well prepared against this sort of thing, so I don't give it a lot of thought nor do I dwell on it. However....

I left a high paying corporate sector job back during mid 2005. I had been in that environment for nearly five years and was able to get a very up close view of the very people who couldn't pay ARMs (sub prime mortgages) when they ballooned. These people are NOT welfare class, uneducated, ignorant or underpaid. They are very well educated, very well paid, intelligent, and competitive. But the problem is that they're also filled with want and greed and they're willing to put a coworker out of a job, or even shut down an entire business unit for personal advancement. Most of the ones that I ever came in contact with lived on the "edge" of disaster financially. They worked full time as did their wives, and NEITHER could afford to lose a job because it would have been financially disastrous! For that matter, neither could afford to miss a paycheck or suffer a pay reduction.

O.K. you say...so what's the problem here? I'll tell you. The people I'm talking about in that last paragraph are greedy and nasty on a good day when things are going their way. Does everybody think that these people are going to become nicer people when they've lost everything and are forced into a lifestyle change?! We'd like to think that they'll be humbled and convert into better people, but those who understand this world for what it is know that this doesn't happen without the presence and intervention of God.

My point here is that America is going to have a brand NEW class of poor. The section-9/welfare types are always going to have it badly. Liberals will see to that. But this new class of poor people is what concerns me. I know them from working with them for five straight years. They're not nice and they WILL hurt others in order to get ahead. I have no reason to believe that they won't do the same things in the future as they suffer loss on account of the financial problems. In fact, their past history fully leads me to believe that they'll act this way.

I've had others lately tell me that these new poor are going to go door to door and beg...or ask nicely for food and necessities. But I doubt it. These people are users of people and typically use others as a means to an end. This is at the core of their personalities and they'll continue to be this way unless (as I mentioned before), they have a change from the heart.

[Wneighbor]

When the bill came, he told the waitress -”These fellers got a job to do - I’m payin for their meals.” I have tried to carry on his act ever since.

Well God Bless ya'll both. Those kind of things always come back to you too ya know? I am so glad you liked Texas and that somebody here welcomed you proper!

[hiredhand]

Sure! Add me! Thanks. :-)

[editor-surveyor]

"

As long as the detergent that you are using doesn't drastically upset the soil ph, and metal content.

[Travis T. OJustice]

Way cool!

Thank you for your service.

[wintertime]

Excellent idea!

[DelaWhere]

Must admit that it made me feel good that both girls came home and wanted their walking sticks - Youngest daughter had her husband make two more for them - youngest grandson is only 2 1/2 so he hasn’t made it to the ‘stick league’ yet.

But felt like old dad had something to pass on to the next generation. LOL Well actually more than the sticks, but it did make me feel good.

[CottonBall]

That’s perfect! Thank you.

[Wneighbor]

LOL I meant the melon jam - must have had the wine on my mind.

Not to worry! I am going to make both eventually. I stuck the 3 quarts of juice in the freezer to make the wine. Daughter's friend is sending me *detailed* instructions and ingredients for the wine. He was excited when I told him I wanted to try it with cantaloupe, he thinks it'll work well if I add some malic adic to the mix.

Since I had jelly on the brain first I took the leftover cantaloupe meat from 1 cantaloupe and cut it up and doused that with sugar. Probably I will end up making jam or preserves and not jelly but for me those words kinda interchange from time to time. LOL I will let you know how both turn out - for better or worse.

[DelaWhere]

LOL Yep - Phosphate taken care of... Now just add the Nitrogen and Potash...

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Yet another Dave Ramsey ping request!

[Free Vulcan]

Boy did they. They we’re real hillbillies and I’ve seen the pictures. I can’t tell you how many times one of them would talk about the Depression and say ‘I’ll tell you what! We used to have to....”

The one that always got me was how they’d use potato sacks for sleeveless shirts when they were picking cotton down in Alabama. Tuck it in and a piece of rope or bailing twine for a belt. No money for real clothes. They didn’t mind cuz they were way better than the burlap bags they had been wearing. Now that’s poor.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

You’re most welcome!

[Canedawg]

Thanks for posting that list

[DelaWhere]

Thanks, as a 15th generation American it was an obligation I took seriously!

Ark and Dove Settlers - Maryland 1634