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]

Hey, they still let you have a prison farm in TN?

We used to have one in Sussex county but the courts ruled that expecting prisoners to slop hogs, milk cows, fork manure, weed a field were all demeaning, cruel punishments.

Gee, I always was told they built character, responsibility and self-sufficiency.

Makes you question judges judgment when those are banned but picking up the anthropological refuse tossed from car windows along the highway is wholesome and refreshing for the inmates.

[TnGOP]

Just pinging you all to the new survival thread on FR

If I'm not on that list, please add me. Too much good stuff here to miss out.

[DelaWhere]

If I'm not on that list, please add me. Too much good stuff here to miss out.

Same goes for me!

[Marmolade]

Dittos, here. Please add my name to the list.

[PGalt]

Thanks for the ping 10th; thanks for the frugal dad link and the start of another great thread, granny. (I hadn’t seen this one)

The posts are flying. Thanks to all posters/linkers/researchers/educators. Life/health/survival BUMP!

[Marmolade]

I guess the request should go to you. Please add me to your list.

[TnGOP]

Hey, they still let you have a prison farm in TN?

Yes, they do! Until a few years ago, this prison was self sufficient. They cut back a few years ago, but it's amazing what all they do. They have a dairy that provides milk to Turner dairies. They grow tons of vegetables, and send overstock to other prisons in the West Tn area. They have a small engine shop where I got 2 craftsman mowers overhauled and painted for parts plus $20. They have a leather shop where we get custom belts, cell holders, whatever you can think up. There is an upholstery shop, they cut and sell firewood, and have orchards.

It would be a great place if it wasn't for the 2600 maximum security inmates...lol. There are even a few good fishing holes, when you can get permission to fish.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

My folks made wine that way. Welch’s grape juice concentrate, sugar, yeast, water. Into a big jug with a big balloon on top.

That was some wicked stuff. Sort of like Mad Dog 20/20 when it was done, LOL!

What I was talkin’ about:

‘This expression comes from World War I, when British artillery sent up a balloon to notify gunners to open fire, this visual signal being more reliable than courier or telephone. It was soon transferred to signal other kinds of beginning. [1915]’

[DelaWhere]

LOL - Yep, after waking up a bit I knew what you meant... It was just that first bleary-eyed catching of the balloon that caused me to jump to the conclusion.

Maybe I take that association memory method too far - like when I tried to remember Mrs. Shaw’s name - so I associated it with the weaver that she was (had a beautiful loom) But I could never get my associations right in my mind so I always called her Mrs. Weaver - which brought a scowl from Rev. Shaw - her husband. (Friends - but not my church...)

Hey, maybe it was the Wisconsin that did it - made me think of cheese and that meant that wine went along with it... See how dangerous that association method is... Ms. Wine... or is that Ms. Cheese... Maybe I should just go back to bed - 4 hours sleep was not enough...

[DelaWhere]

That balloon thing was kind of like -

Ready on the right - ready on the left - fire at will...

Poor Will!

[eXe]

Thanks for the ping, had no idea this thread was going. I will check in later.

[DelaWhere]

THE AMERICAN GARDEN

Almost any good American will admit it to be a part of our national social scheme, I think,—if we have a social scheme,—that everybody shall aspire to all the refinements of life. Particularly is it our theory that every one shall propose to give to his home all the joys and graces which are anywhere associated with the name of home. Yet until of late we have neglected the art of gardening.

Now and then we see, or more likely we read about, some garden of wonderful beauty; but the very fame of it points the fact that really artistic gardening is not democratically general with us. Our cities and towns, without number, have the architect and the engineer, for house and for landscape, for sky-scrapers and all manner of public works; we have the nurseryman, the florist; we have parks, shaded boulevards and riverside and lakeside drives. Under private ownership we have a vast multitude of exactly rectilinear lawns, extremely bare or else very badly planted; and we have hundreds of thousands of beautiful dames and girls who "love flowers."

But our home gardens, our home gardeners, either professional or amateur, where are they? Our smaller cities by scores and our towns by hundreds are full of home-dwellers each privately puzzled to know why every one of his neighbors' houses, however respectable in architecture, stares at him and after him with a vacant, deaf-mute air of having just landed in this country, without friends.

What ails these dwellings is largely lack of true gardening. They will never look like homes, never look really human and benign, that is, until they are set in a gardening worthy of them. For a garden which alike in its dignity and in its modesty is worthy of the house around which it is set, is the smile of the place.

"Beautiful results may be got on smallest grounds."

From 1914.

[upcountry miss]

Granny, Granny You make me laugh and then you make me cry. After 60+ years, I don’t know if I could stand more than one hubby to argue with. We love each other dearly, but just have different priorities in life. When he wants me on the ground under one of his old tractors holding wrenches etc., I want him hauling rocks and turning compost. Talk about conflicts of interest!! What a great idea! Now how do I get the log split? Got to think on it, or better yet, you think on it as you have better ideas. Hubby does have another oldtimer friend with an old, old sawmill. Maybe some day when he has it running, I can “convince” hubby to take a six foot log up to be split and have two benches.

I, too, could easily use five more pair of hands, but would dread having five times the tractors and junk I have around now.

The tears came when you mentioned “In the Garden”, my most favorite hymn. One of my earliest memories (over 70 years ago) was standing at church during the period when members of the congregation would call out songs to sing, and I would tug on my mother’s coat asking her to call out “In the Garden”. It was one of the hymns sung at my sister’s funeral.

[upcountry miss]

I had to stop going to town meeting. First were the complaints about high taxes, then immediately the complaints about “no sidewalks in town, no streetlights, no library” and on and on. Didn’t these newcomers realize that our taxes were determined by what expenditures were voted in? Some refinement woulld be suggested and all around me would be the buzzing-”that would be nice.” All the while, I would be visualizing my taxes going up, up, up along with my blood pressure!

[DelaWhere]

Oh boy, things are not the same - Leadership is not just lacking, it is totally absent. I remember a time when those town meetings would have been - street lights - OK, how many of you would like street lights? Great - it will be nice to have so many porch lights on so we can see our way. Library - Yep - Are you volunteering to be our librarian? We can all bring our extra books and we can empty the inspections department office and let you use it to catalog the books and maybe we can find some volunteers to help build shelves. Yes, by golly we can have a library.

Re: ‘In The Garden’ The peace and serenity of it seems to have gotten lost today. I walk in the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses - and the voice I hear falling on my ear - - - Hey, do you have a permit for that.... Is that pot growing over there? You have those lights on at night to grow your mari ja wanna? Grrrrr!!!!!

Re: Getting the logs to the sawmill - start now - get them to the sawmill so they can already have them there when they run the mill again - plus it lets the logs season.

Re: Tractors, etc. - please don’t be upset with a man’s treasure trove - It is what keeps us going - ideas, dreams, security, possibilities.. It is a creative man’s thing.

[JDoutrider]

WooHoo!

Received my tobacco seeds! Can't believe how small they are... now I have to research the ins and outs of tobacco husbandry. So much to learn, so little time!

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

There’a the link to the earlier thread with similar information:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1990507/posts

Happy Reading!

[DelaWhere]

THE

WHITE HOUSE

COOK BOOK

COOKING, TOILET AND HOUSEHOLD RECIPES,

MENUS, DINNER-GIVING, TABLE ETIQUETTE,

CARE OF THE SICK, HEALTH SUGGESTIONS,

FACTS WORTH KNOWING, Etc., Etc.

THE WHOLE COMPRISING

A COMPREHENSIVE CYCLOPEDIA OF INFORMATION FOR THE HOME

BY

MRS. F.L. GILLETTE

AND

HUGO ZIEMANN,

Steward of the White house

1887

TO THE WIVES OF OUR PRESIDENTS, THOSE NOBLE WOMEN WHO HAVE GRACED THE WHITE HOUSE, AND WHOSE NAMES AND MEMORIES ARE DEAR TO ALL AMERICANS, THIS VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR


THE WHITE HOUSE COOK BOOK 1887

CONTENTS.

ARTICLES REQUIRED FOR THE KITCHEN	588
BISCUITS, ROLLS, MUFFINS, ETC.	249
BREAD	238
BUTTER AND CHEESE	219
CAKES	282
CANNED FRUITS	438
CARVING	7
CATSUPS	176
COFFEE, TEA AND BEVERAGES	448
COLORING FOR FRUIT, ETC.	444
CONFECTIONERY	446
CUSTARDS, CREAMS AND DESSERTS	344
DINNER GIVING	600
DUMPLINGS AND PUDDINGS	381
DYEING OR COLORING	591
EGGS AND OMELETS	225
FACTS WORTH KNOWING	566
FILLINGS FOR LAYER CAKES	287
FISH	49
FOR THE SICK	510
FRENCH WORDS IN COOKING	587
FROSTING OR ICING	284
HEALTH SUGGESTIONS	521
HOUSEKEEPERS' TIME-TABLE	542
ICE-CREAM AND ICES	376
MACARONI	216
MANAGEMENT OF STATE DINNER AT WHITE HOUSE	507
MEASURES AND WEIGHTS IN ORDINARY USE	603
MEATS	107
MENUS	478
MISCELLANEOUS	587
MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES	543
MODES OF FRYING	48
MUTTON AND LAMB	136
PASTRY, PIES AND TARTS	320
PICKLES	179
PORK	144
POULTRY AND GAME	81
PRESERVES, JELLIES, ETC.	423
SALADS	168
SANDWICHES	236
SAUCES AND DRESSING	156
SAUCES FOR, PUDDING	417
SHELL FISH	67
SMALL POINTS ON TABLE ETIQUETTE	595
SOUPS	27
SOUPS WITHOUT MEATS	41
SPECIAL MENUS	503
TOAST	276
TOILET RECIPES AND ITEMS	577
VARIETIES OF SEASONABLE FOOD	473
VEGETABLES	191

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Here’s the link to download posts 1-4500 of the first survival thread, plus some other useful stuff I threw in for grins and giggles:

http://rcpt.yousendit.com/652465988/46614d3e7eb1fcc5b4aa4291287b2e93

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Mornin’ DW!