Posted on 02/09/2009 12:36:11 AM PST by 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
Thank you very much. I tend to read it quite a bit but haven't submitted anything. I'm having a greenhouse this year for the first time and looking forward to seeing if there are any tips for that. Up until the past couple years I've always had a huge garden, canned alot, etc. but just now getting back into it. Family is basically gone so I don't need as much food as before and moved and lost my huge garden plot.
Back when I was younger and we used to do a lot of family hiking, I put a pretty neat survival kit in our walking sticks. I made them with 1 1/4” pvc pipe and found some cast aluminum points that looked like a well point which was threaded - I cemented a pvc adapter for the same thread and screwed the point in. With that on one end and then filled them with everything from first aid kit to strike anywhere matches as well as water purification drops, a pocket knife and a string saw and 2 mil plastic sheet wrapped up really tight - amazing how much they hold. I wrapped some sport grip cushioned tape for a handle, drilled a hole through the top and put a lanyard through it which kept everything in as well as giving you a wrist strap.
That way, everyone had not only their own survival kit, but a very effective defense tool for bears, rowdies, etc. and it made hiking a lot more fun - pushing brambles aside, extra balance and so on.
My kids after grown took theirs with them and wife and I still have ours around somewhere.
You’re in Kingman? We usually travel through Kingman on our way to Bullhead City. Have stopped to see the Route 66 museum many times. Neat town! Alot smaller than Mesa.
Very windy here with big, dark clouds. Hubby said he heard that water is going to be released into the Salt River.
I kind of like the cold weather. I can get to wear my new sweaters I got for Christmas.
Stay warm! I’ll about you watching the snow fall.
LOL I meant the melon jam - must have had the wine on my mind.
I didn’t say that they hadn’t risen sharply prior, but they are falling now.
A little bit about seeds.
If you have a choice, buy open pollinated seed - If you have hybrid seed, and TSHTF - save seeds anyway.
A bit about genetics - hybrid seeds are a cross between two parent plants. Plant A and Plant B - Not only do you have the qualities of both parents, but you get a boost from what is called hybrid vigor. If you save the seeds from your hybrids you would have AB and AB the plants that grow from that upon pollination can be AA AB BA or BB So, you would get 25% like parent A and 25% like parent B but you would still have 50% that would be similar to the hybrid AB or BA.
So, knowing this, understand that you can if really needed, save those seeds but understand that you just will have 3 different variations of the plant. Don’t throw them away if you don’t have a way of replacing them with open pollinated seeds.
Ping!
Excellent idea. No burning the light.
Couple of more really easy milk recipes that will save money and make you very good eats..
Farmers Cheese
* 1 gallon whole milk
* 1 pinch salt
* 1 large lemon, juiced
PREPARATION
1. Pour the milk into a large pot, and stir in a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching on the bottom of the pot.
2. When the milk begins to boil (small bubbles will first appear at the edges), turn off the heat. Stir lemon juice into the milk, and the milk will curdle. You may need to wait 5 or 10 minutes.
3. Line a sieve or colander with a cheesecloth, and pour the milk through the cloth to catch the curds. What is left in the cheesecloth is the Farmer’s Cheese. Place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator.
Cream Cheese
* 2 cups whole milk
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 2 Tbl fresh cultured buttermilk
* 1/4 tablet Junket rennet tablet
* sterile white plain handkerchief (boil to sterilize, hang to dry thoroughly)
PREPARATION:
1. Combine milk and cream in a stainless pot. Gently warm to 70 F, stir regularly.
2. Mix buttermilk thoroughly into the warmed milk-cream mixture. Cover.
3. Let sit 15 minutes. Meanwhile, dissolve 1/4 tablet of Junket rennet in 1/4th cup cool water.
4. Thoroughly stir solution of rennet into inoculated milk/cream, cover again.
5. Allow to sit overnight at warm room temperature (70-75 F).
6. The mixture should have gelled by the next morning. Sprinkle 1/2 - 1 tsp salt on the surface. Stir briefly and gently with a whisk to produce pieces about the size of a pea.
7. Line a large strainer with the sterile handkerchief. Gently pour the semi-liquid product into the cloth. Let drain for 30 minutes.
8. Pick up the corners of the cloth, wrap corners in a looped thick rubber band, hang over a bowl to drain. I let mine hang for 24 hours or so in a cool place.
9. Remove the cloth and refrigerate the cheese.
2. Clean water.
3. Clothing/Shelter (protection from the elements).
4. Food.
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!)
Please don’t hang your hat on lower food prices....
While it is true that grain prices have fallen, consider this - California is the main source of fresh vegetables followed by Florida and Texas. Water rationing - extreme drought could severely curtail vegetable production in Calif. They are diverting river water for cities which means that the farms would have to rely on well water which increases problems from salinity and is getting harder to reach.
Florida has been having some really tough times with the reverse global warming... Freezing temps have hit them hard recently.
Central Texas is currently having an extreme drought.
Harvest labor is getting harder and harder to get - the largest tomato grower in Pennsylvania who grew several thousand acres of tomatoes quit after last year - couldn’t get workers so he threw in the towel and sold the farms to developers.
With Mexico on the verge of collapse due to drug cartels, how long can we depend on their imported produce?
If you grow your own, you not only control the supply, but you control the quality. Price is very very favorable too.
Check this out:
If you go to that link you should allow yourself a few hours... Reading Jackie Clay's articles are addicting - just like the rest of Backwoods Home Magazine.
The easiest way is to build a nice campfire out in the backyard. And when the flames go down a bit and the logs turn to red coals, place a pan or two right in the middle. Let it cook. That yucky burned on grease and gook will bubble, burn and stink. And when the fire goes out they will cool. When you take them in, you'll see that they are now nice and smooth. No more chunky gook. Now wash them well with hot water and detergent to remove any soot, charcoal and debris.
When the pans are clean and dry, wipe them well with olive oil, on the inside, and place them in a very slow oven 250 degrees or less. You don't want them to smoke, only heat well so the oil will be absorbed. I often leave them on the oven rack of my wood kitchen range all evening, with the oven door open.
Then take them out and wipe them off with a paper towel and let them stand a day or two before use. The first use or two, make a "simple" use, say frying hamburgers or making stew. To clean after this use, skip the detergent and wash with only very hot water. You can even boil them a bit to remove stubborn food. Do not let food dry on your newly seasoned pans!
That's all there is to it. If you should get or have pans that have rusted, fire them as above, then use a very fine grit sandpaper to remove any clinging rust. Then wash and season. Just like new. Better than most new, today, as the modern cast iron has a coarse finish and is not as nice as the older iron.
—Jackie
There’s a Dave Ramsey ping list on FR. Reply if you want to know more. Forgive me if one of you is running the ping list!
Excellent idea! I keep all that stuff in the backpack (in addition to keeping a “to go” bag in the truck with essentials. Always best to be prepared.
It doesn’t make your stick really heavy? We love to hike and I’ve looked into lightweight collapsible sticks.
Thanks for the Freecycle suggestion. I’m sure there is one in my area, but will have to look into it more.
Garage sale season will soon be here. Our community has a city wide sale the beginning of May. I’ve gotten some great bargains in the past. Guess I should start making a wish list before heading out this year.
Thanks and bump.
QX ping.
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