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

[nw_arizona_granny]

People are awakening... Starting to prepare - <<<

That is good news.

I wish we did not have to go through another depression, they are not fun.

[Alice in Wonderland]

And water to drink as well!

Good planning. Did you move there specifically for a survival plan?

Survival was definately in the back of my mind when I was looking for property. The lake is fresh water and there's a hand pump for the well somewhere ('tho I don't have the slightest idea how to use it). When we had extended power outages I went to a spring that's on the side of the road nearby for water and to the truck stop for laundry and showers.

My friend, Glenn has a generator that powers his whole house and his well. I'm jealous - my generator will only power the fridge, TV, a lamp and a fan.

[DelaWhere]

WOW - thanks for the Blue Corn recipes...

I have 1/2 pound of Aztec Blue corn that I will be planting this year. (first time) I also have two other heirloom varieties that I will be planting too. Sowells Evergreen and Trucker’s choice. Will be keeping them well separated so they don’t cross pollinate.

The Aztec Blue is supposed to be white when it is good for fresh table eating (in the milk stage) then it turns a dark blue/purple and is supposed to be excellent for blue corn flour.

For those who have chickens - I have found that my chickens will skip the regular corn and eat the sweet corn first. I can scatter some regular corn and then start shelling a few ears of sweet corn, and they will all be gathered around waiting for them to drop - some of them even catching them in the air.

After eating all we want, canning, freezing and drying what we might need, I let the rest dry on the stalk and pick and husk it and put it in the corn crib. I then shred the stalks for bedding. Chickens then turn the bedding into nutrients for the compost pile, which I then turn back into growing more corn... Nothing wasted...

Can hardly wait for this weekend with warmer temperatures and the snow melting... So much to do - spring is almost here... I’m hoping that last nights 8ºF temperature is the last for this year. For the week beginning Friday, they are calling for temps in the 60’s - Arthritis says hurry and warm up!!

[DelaWhere]

California's Vital Role in Food Production

related: Stephen Chu: "We're Looking at a Scenario Where There's No More Agriculture in California"
Droughts and Food - Are We Heading for a Food Crunch?
Calif. Facing Worst Drought in Modern History
Climate Change Could Wipe Out Calif. Farming

	CALIFORNIA CROPS
	Artichokes – 19% Asparagus – 55% Broccoli – 93% Cabbage – 22% Carrots – 89% Celery – 94% Garlic – 86% Lettuce – 78% Cantaloupe – 54% Honeydew – 73% Onions – 27% Bell Peppers – 47% Spinach – 18% Tomatoes – 94% Almond – 99% Apricots – 95% Avocados – 84% Strawberries – 90% Dates – 82% Figs – 98% Grapes – 88% Kiwi – 97% Lemons – 89% Nectarines – 93% Olives – 100% Peaches – 76% Pistachios – 96% Plums – 93% Walnuts – 99% Honey – 18% Milk & Cream – 21%

California food facts are incredibly interesting. Most people think of the Golden State as a tourist destination where you can visit Hollywood film locations, see celebrities and go to beaches. In additional to California ranking as the top destination in the United States, it also ranks as the top food production state for a number of crops.

FACT BOX

California Agricultural Commodities: Items produced or grown in California along with percent of total US production.


Though tourists hardly consider the agricultural significance of California as a food growing region, the temperate year – round climate and expanses of land provide foods the nation and world have grown to enjoy and count on. Below are some of the top crops and percentage of the nation's supply produced in California.

CALIFORNIA FOOD FACTS

California has been the number one food and agricultural producer in the United States for more than 50 consecutive years.

• More than half the nation's fruit, nuts, and vegetables come from here.
  
  
• California is the nation's number one dairy state.
  
  
• California's leading commodity is milk and cream. Grapes are second.
  
  
• California's leading export crop is almonds.
  
  
• Nationally, products exclusively grown (99% or more) in California include almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, kiwifruit, olives, persimmons, pistachios, prunes, raisins, clovers, and walnuts.
  
  
• From 70 to 80% of all ripe olives are grown in California.
  
  
• California is the nation's leading producer of strawberries, averaging 1.4 billion pounds of strawberries or 83% of the country's total fresh and frozen strawberry production. Approximately 12% of the crop is exported to Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Japan primarily. The value of the California strawberry crop is approximately $700 million with related employment of more than 48,000 people.
  
  
• California produces 25% of the nation's onions and 43% of the nation's green onions.
  
  
• Gilroy, California, "Garlic Capitol of the World," has hosted 2 million at the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival.
  

http://www.beachcalifornia.com/california-food-facts.html

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Some are free online books...and some are just “must” reading lists! Some great fun here!

http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/100bestnovels.html

http://www.bibliomania.com/0/0/frameset.html

http://www.luminarium.org/lumina.htm

http://books.mirror.org/gb.titles.html

http://www.optimates.us/Greatbooks.htm

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

I can get a kidney transplant if I accept a bone marrow transplant first, but I don’t want to do that... too many risks. So I guess I’m in limbo for the time being. That’s what’s insidious about multiple myeloma, you don’t even know you have it until it’s too late! However, my diet, and many many prayers of FReepers, family and friends have sent the cancer into remission! From April of 2008 to December, SOMETHING killed 16 billion cancer cells. It wasn’t the chemotherapy, which was very mild (no hair loss, nausea, etc.). It was God!!

[DelaWhere]

VERY glad the fires were far away...

I know Texas is a big place...

How are your onion experiments coming?

The 6 I tried are now 3 inches tall - yesterday morning they looked like this:

Will have to get more to start a pot to put in the kitchen South window.

The other ones just coming up in the rest of the tray are an experimental variety for me... Heirloom Ailsa Craig Onions - supposed to be very big and very sweet... Will see.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

One day we were at Sam’s Club in Phoenix in the produce section. I decided to do an unscientific survey by reading the boxes of produce and finding their sources.

Peaches - Dinuba, California.
Apricots - Reedley, California.
Strawberries - Watsonville, California.
Grapes - Bakersfield, California.
Nectarines - Sanger, California (where I live).
Garlic - Gilroy, California (actually grown in Hanford).
Oranges - Fresno, California
Avocados - Watsonville, California
Tomatoes - Modesto, California
Cherries - Sacramento, California

I want to go over to this rise near the foothills this week and take a picture of the fields of beautiful orchards all in blossom - white and pink everywhere! I’ll post it here next week.

Google “Blossom Trail” Fresno and you’ll see the enormous agricultural treasure we have here. All ready to be destroyed for the Delta smelt!

The libs in the bay area and LA hate us because we are conservative, and they want to drive us all out of the Central Valley.

[DelaWhere]

>>>>I wish we did not have to go through another depression, they are not fun.<<<<

You are Soooo right!

Now if I could just get back to my preparations... This weather has brought it to a halt...

I was planting in the back yard, into the seedling trays, but now, here is what it looks like:

Oh, that cart that I told you I was going to motorize with 12 volt electric batteries and motor - took a picture of it too... (will send another when the snow is gone)

So with March coming in like a lion, I hope it remembers to go out like a lamb...

[DelaWhere]

>>>I decided to do an unscientific survey by reading the boxes of produce and finding their sources.<<<

I would say it was more scientific than the Goober-mint surveys I’ve seen over the last few years...

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

You guys give me way too much credit.

Granny did all the work!!

Pretty soon there will be another 4500 posts to read through in the next consolidated survival file. Really, it’s no big deal.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Aha, you have global warming going on over there!

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

You can eat tumbleweeds??? Who knew?

[nw_arizona_granny]

US-CERT Current Activity

Malicious Code Targeting Social Networking Site Users

Original release date: March 4, 2009 at 11:53 am
Last revised: March 4, 2009 at 11:53 am

US-CERT is aware of public reports of malicious code spreading via
popular social networking sites including myspace.com, facebook.com,
hi5.com, friendster.com, myyearbook.com, bebo.com, and
livejournal.com. The reports indicate that the malware, named
Koobface, is spreading through invitations from a user’s contact that
include a link to view a video. If the users click on the link in this
invitation, they are prompted to update Adobe Flash Player. This
update is not a legitimate Adobe Flash Player update, it is malicious
code.

Additionally, some of the reports indicate that there are multiple
bogus Facebook applications being used to obtain users’ private
information.

US-CERT encourages users and administrators to do the following to
help mitigate the risks:
* Install antivirus software and keep the virus signature files up
to date.
* Do not follow unsolicited links.
* Use caution when downloading and installing applications.
* Obtain software applications and updates directly from the
vendor’s website.
* Refer to the Staying Safe on Social Networking Sites document for
more information on safe use of social networking sites.
* Refer to the Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks
document for more information on social engineering attacks.

Relevant Url(s):
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ST04-014.html

http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ST06-003.html

---

This entry is available at
http://www.us-cert.gov/current/index.html#malicious_code_targeting_social_networking

[nw_arizona_granny]

You can eat tumbleweeds??? Who knew?<<<

The Indians knew.

I think one of the names is Russian Thistle and I could be wrong, so it may be known in Russia too.

As I recall from other articles read over the years, you eat the young shoots, LOL, No the one you catch as it blows by is not edible....

May taste like asparagus, several weeds do.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Yes, you keep your credit, as I had more fun looking for something to post, than you did in attempting to sort them out and make them usable.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Oh, that cart that I told you I was going to motorize with 12 volt electric batteries and motor - took a picture of it too... (will send another when the snow is gone)<<<

I would think that you are going to need to install a heater on that rig.

Sure looks cold to me.

Why are you fussing?

Look at the facts that your seed flats are now being washed, and prewatered, as the snow melts.

LOL, it is easy to laugh at your snow, the sun is shining here today and it is cold....

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thanks for the book links, will check on them later, as I have too many sites open on my tabs bar...........LOL and this is the page that is not for research, it is for my yahoo mail box.

[nw_arizona_granny]

California ranking as the top destination in the United States, it also ranks as the top food production state for a number of crops.<<<

I think that I feel the urge to laugh at this disaster, blame the liberals, they have managed to chase out much of the farming in California and now they will not have their fresh foods, they can eat the imported crap along with the rest of us.

That is how my family made it to California, as Texas, Dustbowl, Fruit Tramps, and I grew up there, when there were farms up and down the state.

The lots my dad bought in Otay, south of San Diego, had a huge lemon grove on the other side of the canal/ drainage ditch.

Before WW2, we also had Japanese farms and we were just an intersection of 2 roads.

[DelaWhere]

>>>Aha, you have global warming going on over there!<<<

We sure do!

Even the Empress Pelosi had to cancel out on the Global Warming Symposium a few days ago in DC... Blizzard delayed her (taxpayer paid USAF DC10 plane - Dang, how many seats does it take for her?) chariot.

This ‘global warming’ is playing havoc with my arthritis... It deceives my wood stove into thinking it needs to run way hotter than it should and burn more wood too - even to maintain lowered temperature expectations inside.

I can do pretty well in the heat - I can visualize being by a cool mountain spring and I feel cooler - BUT no matter how hard I try, when I am cold - I AM COLD! Visualizing the heat of the beach in summer does NOT help.

I did break out my Refrigi-Wear suit that I used to wear when I managed freezers (-20ºF) and was in and out of it all day long. Now that works!