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
I recently tried a recipe of Farmers Cheese for the first time that called for milk, buttermilk, and lemon juice. Nice to know I can just use milk and lemon juice if I don’t have buttermilk.
I’d love to try your second recipe. I’ve only tried the farmers cheese so far and haven’t experimented with rennet, but I’d like to give it a shot. I’m surprised I haven’t gotten in cheese making considering I am addicted to the stuff. I love aged, sharp cheese, which I imagine is more difficult to make at home.
We are in temporary housing now until we find a place in the country. Been looking for months but haven't found the privacy and seclusion we need. We know time is getting short but we've found 3 places already this year that were under contract before we could get our offer in.
We definitely need to have the safe as you describe when we are in a place we own.
I, too, get nervous if there’s no feedback of any kind.
Thanks for the link :)
Thanks for posting about bookmarking threads. I didn’t know how that works, either. I’ve been just adding them to my favorites list, but its getting pretty big.
Sure can - HOWEVER unless they are stored cold but not freezing (don’t let them freeze) you will get nice long sprouts growing - If they do, be careful and be sure they don’t get broken off. Each one you break off is a plant that won’t produce.
I would cut them in half or quarters as you choose, leave them out exposed to the air for a few days till they ‘heal’ over - in other words they should dry off on the cut side and start getting a tough layer there. Then I would store them in the refrigerator. That way you will not run the risk of breaking off the sprouts when you are trying to cut them before planting and they should heal over anyway before you plant them - it reduces the stress and the disease.
If I were trying to grow them for short season, I would probably try the tire method.
1. It heats the soil by the black tires absorbing heat.
2. If you do not have prepared soil out there, you can fill the tire with straw mixed with compost in manageable quantities.
3. You can add a tire and cover it with plastic during a cold spell
4. It significantly increases yield - when the plants get to be 8” tall, add another tire and fill with straw - leaving the very top few inches of leaves exposed. Potatoes will form all up the stack.
5. It is way easier to harvest - just tip over each tire and pick up the potatoes. Much easier than digging in rocky soil which much of the higher altitude land is.
You can use any old used tire - either with a sharp knife, cut around the tread. I only do one side and put that up. This leaves a cup all around the bottom that holds water yet does not waterlog the plants.
Well, at least that is how I would do it... (grin)
LOL
Methinks thou worrieth too much.
Remember, they grow huge quantities of potatoes up around Penobscot Maine. Also remember that they are native to the high Andes mountains
That looks so simple, I might even give it a go. I don’t bake at all.
Thank you!
The Bum Rap on Biofuels
American Thinker | 5-13-08 | Herbert Meyer
Posted on 05/14/2008 3:59:06 AM PDT by Renfield
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2015711/posts
Campaign to vilify ethanol revealed
ethanol producer Magazine | May 16, 2008 | By Kris Bevill
Posted on 05/17/2008 9:22:13 AM PDT by Kevin J waldroup
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2017389/posts
Interesting. And inexpensive!
Well, soon as I can get some more batteries for my camera (daughter uses same size for her cd player so we never seem to have any good ones) I’ll slip around the corner and get Joel to let me take some pictures of his fish rearing operation. Looks more like a factory than fish farm operation.
Thanks, I will check out the 8 circuit switch and I like the sounds of the Paloma water heater. I am also checking out wind, solar and hydro generators. I am considering making my own wind powered generator. The prices for the models on the market seem outrageous for what they are. I have read where there have been some major strides made in solar energy producing cells. I don’t like the idea of the large windfarms...to me they are a blight on the land. But, individual small windmills are great. I think in the future if we can slow the government down in their pushing of the large windfarms individuals may become independent of the monopolies the government set up and control in energy. Wouldn’t that be grand?
REAL LIFE TODAY:
http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news/?fr=yalerts-keyword&c=&p=gun+at+school&ei=utf-8
Breaking News
MORE DETAILS: http://www.fox5vegas.com/tu/5Et9O8YuZ.html
http://atlanta.fbi.gov/pressrel/2009/at020909.htm
FBI Press Release
Atlanta Field Office
Gregory Jones, Special Agent in Charge
2635 Century Parkway Suite 400
Contact: SA Stephen Emmett
Atlanta, GA 30345 Desk: (404) 679-6451
(404) 679-9000 Cell: (404) 392-2506
For Immediate Release
Monday, February 09, 2009
Atlanta – Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Gregory Jones, FBI Atlanta, announces the FBI’s assistance to the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA/OCI), in the ongoing investigation of the Peanut Corporation of America.
The FBI was asked to assist FDA/OCI in this matter, due to its ability to bring to bear a considerable amount of investigative resources. Although the FBI is fully involved in this investigation, FDA/OCI remains the lead federal investigative agency. As such, the FBI will defer to FDA/OCI for all public commentary regarding the details of this ongoing investigation.
For the time being, the FBI will make no further public comment on this matter.
I love stuff like this. My friends in school would laugh at my being a bit of a survivalist, but even if it’s something as ‘simple’ as the power going off or being sick and unable to get to the store, it’s good to have a way to light a room or have something to eat.
I’m not sure I have anything to add to these great posts, but I will tell a ‘blond’ story on myself. I woke up one morning and the power was out. No problemo. I’d just go in the kitchen and whip up some breakfast. I thought I’d use my small smoothie maker - after all, it’s small, it shouldn’t use a lot of electricity. Of course I could use it during a power outage, right? It took me a couple of times pressing the button to realize, ‘Oh yeah, the power’s out, even to the little appliances, you idiot.’ Usually I’m not so dense; maybe I wasn’t fully awake yet. : )
Using the van is an excellent idea and you can also use it for dehydrating food.
LOL, when my Walmart dehydrator quit working, I took it back and they do not hassle you on returns, the lady that gave me my money back, told me she uses her car to dehydrate food, puts in on trays and makes sure to turn the slices over.
I knew you would have the answer, thank you for knowing where things are in the thread.
Ferfal and the Argentina collapse do need to be read, they know how it is going to be.
To the gardeners -
I’d appreciate any help with this question. There are 2 of us and a rabbit. I live in a house w/a backyard, but am renting the house and don’t know if I can tear up the backyard for a garden (probably not).
I have been looking at container gardens, which seem feasible, but I am unsure where to put them. I have a deck - put there is a lot of direct sun and we get squirrels and birds. There is a patio below the deck, which gets light, but is obviously shaded by the deck. I could roll the containers out in the yard area, I suppose, and roll them back at night. Sounds like a pain.
I live in a development at the edge of a small town. The yards flow into each other, and even where there’s a fenced yard, there is area on the other side of the fence that’s open to the creek that runs between the properties. I mention this because we get a fair amount of wildlife, including wild bunnies, through the yards.
So, is it worth growing your own veggies for 2 people & a rabbit? Will they be able to grow under the deck or should I put them on the deck? Will the containers be so heavy that the deck might break?
I guess this is the place where I say I’m vegan and my son eats what I prepare, which means he’s pretty much vegan at home. We go through a lot of veggies and it would be nice to have our own, but maybe it’s not worth it. I’ve never grown anything before. The other option would be to buy them from a CSA that delivers a box full of organic veggies every week thru the summer. A little pricey, but locally grown. I’m near farms and a large Amish farming community. We have very good food available, I just don’t know if it’s worth doing it myself, for 2, when there are these other options available.
Suggestions? Thanks.
I do not have experience with MRE’s, but have read of whole shipments sitting on the dock, spoiled, something about the seal on the package not being right and they spoiled.
I would rather store the water and cook the dehydrated foods and if it is that desperate, you can take a rock and pound the grains for those with out teeth and still eat them, or mix the pounded grain with fat, lard, oil, honey or what ever you can find, taste will not matter, when it is survival time.
When a company tells me they have the best, I don’t shop there, I want the users to tell me it is the best.
I know that even past its prime, the dehydrated in cans can be eaten, as I had to, when I first had to quit work, I had a Mormon friends old stuff that she sent to me to feed the burros and wild animals, I ate most of it, at 20 or more years old and the wheat still sprouted.
I shop only at Walton’s, for I know the quality of their service and products, fresh, most is less expensive and if they are not swamped in orders, the year that I had no one to shop for me and they were my grocery store, I would have my order here in a week or less.
There are other Freepers who feel the same about Walton’s.
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