I will be on Holiday so I invite anyone to please share the experiences of your family, friends and loved ones and what they have to teach us, remember the wisest advisers mentioned in the Op?

If you do not have any body in mind, create a wonderful karma for yourself and get dressed clean and neat, go to the local VA hospital, the local convalescent home, and ask permission to speak with an elderly person who may have lived through the depression era.

We have much to learn, and a short time to discover truths about who we are and where we are headed.

PLease share.

Hello friends I am back and just wanted to share with you an eye raising experience I had today at the insurance company which leads me to advise anyone who has been following this thread to perhaps step up your preparations and take what you know a little more seriously.

I have to say that to online a buy a few seeds and get them started will be the best thing you have ever done for yourself if we are looking at the total decline of goods and services in the near future.

(BTW, today is my 2 years at ATS, and I have learned so much as I am sure you have too.)

Now about the insurance company...

I let my policy lapse and today went to renew, there are some interesting changes which are now part of my standard insurance which made me stop and ask questions of my agent.

Here are the added elements:

Riot or civil commotion
Falling objects, she said like meteor or space junk/debris...
Sudden tearing apart...
Sinkhole
Volcanic action, (I live in the midwest???
Collapse
Freezing
Not covered, War, civil authority, nuclear events,

To name just a few of the new additions to my last policy. Now I realize I am on a conspiracy board but goog God, what are they antisipating?

One disturbing fact I discovered was that there is a moritorium on earthquake insurance...


[edit on 5-2-2009 by antar]

Ok since no one seems to be coming forward with the knowledge passed down by the people in their lives who have survived the first great depression I will give you another story which speaks volumes of the need to remain civil and honest during the chaotic times ahead...

My Grandpa Jake was running moonshine during the prohibition and even though he occasionally went to town to gamble and party with his friends, he managed to save most of what he earned for a future investment.

When the depression hit and he had lost both of his parents to a freak summer tornado, he went to my Grandma Jenny's house where she was the eldest of 10 children and asked for her hand in marriage.

They were married that afternoon in the postoffice/justice of the peace/dimestore. And left straightaway to California.

When they arrived Grandpa found a little run down cafe in the middle of an oil field and bought it with the last of his savings. It was a few miles from the shoreline in Huntington Beach.

Times got very hard for the oil workers who had been pretty much the sole patrons of the little place called "The Green Shack". Grandpa said that anyone who wants to come and have a bowl of soup or chile, whatever they had on the stove that day was always welcome. Usually the bowl was served with a slice of bread or crackers, and a hot cup of coffee or chicory.

For the vast majority of the oil field men, this was the only meal they received during the hard times and after the country began to get back up on its feet and the oil business began to pick again, many of the greatful men came to Grandpa who was expecting nothing but their friendship, and each one in turn shared at least one of their oil wells with him. This was the best way to repay him for his hand which he extended without expectation of any return.

I have so much respect for what worldwatcher has said in the previous posts because she has the same constitution as did my Grandparents, they could have been greedy and based their personal needs for the fear center but instead gave from the abundance of what they could and helped people through the toughest times in American history to see yet another day.

I cannot tell you how much I admired my Grandpa and how much I have missed him through my lifetime. This story is truly from the temple of my heart to you.

I forgot to add that during a time on these forums when we were all going to the web bot site, I typed in The Green Shack... it was right on! Spoke about the kind couple who owed it, that it sits in the middle of an oil field and more...

Hate to hijack, but my dad used to own The Green Shack back in the late 70's/early 80's. Fantastic place right in the middle of the oil fields. Anyway, I was trying to locate some photos, old or new... was hoping to find something more online, but just not much there.

The place was a haven for the guys in the oil field, both for lunch and after work. At least the times I remember growing up, Chili was still a mainstay and always had a pot cooking in the kitchen.

Great thread. I hope it continues to grow and more people start posting.

I will share a little bit about my grandparents and what they did during the depression. At least the little bit I know.

My paternal grandfather was a teenager during the Great Depression and was one of many brothers. None of them had anywork so they trapped and dug ginseng to sell and get a little bit of cash. They would hunt and fish throughout the year to supplement the family's diet. Towards the end of the thirties him and a brother saved some money and bought a broken down jalopie (junk car) and got a part time job picking up mail deliveries at a train depot and driving them to the post office 6 miles away. They would burn some time all day waiting on the evening delivery back to the railroad depot. This provided some much needed cash to the family.

I worked with an elderly gentleman who grew up in southern missouri during the depression. His family had one dairy cow and his job was to walk the cow out to the highway and walk along the edge letting the cow feed on the grass. He would stake the cow to the ground with about 15 ft of rope and the cow would eat in a circle. When the cow ate the circle he would move a litte further down the road and stake her again and let her eat. He also picked cotton come harvest time. Money was rare and cigarettes were cheap so for every row of cotton he picked the farmer would pay him about a nickle. He would give his mom the nickle and in turn she would give him a cigarette to smoke. This was when he was 5 and 6 years old. He had been smoking non-filtered cigarettes from when he was a 5 year old.

This gentleman I worked with also told me they never had medical care and his mom ordered a mail order correspondence nursing program so she could be educated enough to treat the families medical issues. He told me a story about being at the neighbors farm playing on a wagon and when he jumped off the crotch of his pants caught on a nail. The nail ripped his scrotum open and his testicle actually fell out and was dangling. He grabbed his testicle in his hand and ran home holding it in place. At home his mother treated the tear with alcohol to sanitize it and then sowed it up with needle and thread with no anesthesia. They were tough as nails back then.

This same guy moved to the city much later and got a job. With his first paycheck he went and ordered his first ever meal a restaurant. He got a steak (another first for him) and it came with a salad. A real pretty waitress asked him what he wanted on the salad. Well the closest thing he ever had to a salad was some dandelions gathered in his yard at home, so he told he wanted bacon grease on his salad. (the only thing he could think of) He said this waitress (who was his age and very pretty) started laughing so hard she couldn't finish taking his order. He said he never felt so small in his entire life and too this day will not eat a salad because of that memory.

These are just a few stories of the Depression I am glad I heard and I am happy to share them here.

GREAT thread. S&F

...I agree - only cooperation will ensure survival. I do wonder about the wealthy. They'll be thinking they're insulated, but I question if that will be enough in every circumstance.

I grew up in a farming village that was a kind of throw-back to the depression years. Everyone was fiercely independent, but if someone needed something, everyone showed up to help. Nobody stole anything, nobody drove by and left anyone stranded on the highway, nobody ate in front of anyone else without offering to share.

It was another world, really. But we need to re-learn those rules of cooperative community engagement right quick.

City girl now rural by choice...I am enjoying this thread for many reasons and yes,there is a WORLD of difference both good and bad between the two mentalities.

I will only add that one of the "issues" that I see first-hand is that no matter how great the outcomes may be,it's hard-work to be self-sustaining and takes a degree of unselfish- humanity to help others.

The "younger generation" out here has NO earthly interest in the land and crowing crops...only in so far as they might inherit it and then will be forced to sell it once they realize the taxes and /or what it takes to maintain an ag-exemption...don't know how or can't afford to use it as it was intended,I see it all the time.
Equipment,fuel,seed,feed...all have sky-rocketed in price..."making a living" off ag in any way is expensive.

Unless it's all in place WITH a financial-inheritance to sustain it,who and how can it be passed on?

They don't want to learn "how to" fix things,build,cook,grow...they don't mind if you do it FOR them but honestly,it's been tried my many and failed in our area.
How many teens to let's say 30 year olds do you know who can "do stuff" that would be of use in a self-sustaining community?

Not saying that there aren't some who can/will continue the efforts put in and lives made but overall,it's just too damn hard for most of them and they wouldn't be able to willing to do it,period.
Their minds do not work that way...I live in this environment and hear it all the time.

In a "perfect" world,it would continue to work as it has in the past but the world's a much different place now that it was when "the old timers" out here remember it.

I agree that we should all take the time to listen and learn from the "wiser ones" among us!

great thread! thanks for the stories guys!

Well I am one of those so called 30 years old that can't do squat. I have been in my profession for 13 years no and the idea of getting laid off is terrifying to say the least. I might not be trained though but that does not mean I am dumb. I am well aware of whats going on right now and I am preparing for the worst. I do believe We will have to get used to not having the conveniences we have but until that realization comes we will have to go through the chaos. I spent all last year battling the old ladies spending habbits and preparing for what I see coming. I now have many assault rifles and plenty of ammo to see me through a small battle. I have also been stocking up on dried goods which I have 30+ buckets full just in case, I am now buying as much silver as I can just in case the currency collapses so I'll have something to trade. I sure hope it doesn't get as bad as I think but I sure as hell want my child to survive and learn from what is to come.



On another note I remember my grand mother talking about the depression when I was a teenager. She said it didn't effect them to much because they never had anything to begin with. She lived in a 1 bed room shack with 8 children. The children were lucky to have an apple for christmas. She said the weirdest thing was many people just disappeared during the depression. Many fathers couldn't handle the stress of not being able to care for their families and just left and no one ever seen them again. My grand father made a little bit of money getting the tree sap out of trees to use for maple syrup and his sons had to help. The clothes the wore were hand me downs and my grandmother made everything they wore.

No my father talked a little bit about his family whom owned about 300 acres down from my mothers house. He said they pretty much grew everything they needed and then traded what they didn't need for sugar and coffee. So I think the idea is to get as self sufficient as possible because we might not have anything in the future. I believe when the SHTF I will head over to my fathers house and use the heirloom seeds that I have. The shame is we lost almost 270 acres due to stupidity and will only be able to plant about 20 acres which will be maxed out supporting several families. We have some old neighbors next door with 20 acres which I will more than likely plant for them in exchange for part of the food. I believe the goal is to help Your neighbors and look out for each other. The only thing I am worried about is the neighbors down the road which more than likely will come to steal.

Engaging responses everyone what a legacy our rich heritage has left us in the stories of a time not so different from now. There are numerous parallels to the great depression and the direction we are headed.

I am taking a trip for about two weeks and when I return there are some posts that need to be made here by me.

What a great read this has been for me just popping in.

Thank you.

Grandpa told me again the other day this story of the Deppression era:

My Great Grandpa had a field of corn planted and for several nights in a row someone or something had been coming along and stealing the corn from the stalks.

Well my GG told my Grandpa to go out to the field and take the first watch with shotgun in hand and to wake him at midnight and he would go watch until morning.

So Grandpa sat there and after a while an old truck came puttering up the road and as it got closer it cut off its engine and lights.

Pretty soon Grandpa could hear the corn being torn off along side the road just a few feet away from him. Not wanting to actually shoot anyone he sent a warning shot up over the area where the person was.

Who ever it was tore out of there fast and left in his truck. Grandpa went back and told his Dad who was up and leaning at the door just waiting for Grandpa.

GG then told Grandpa to go on to bed as he was too, he said whoever it was would not be coming back tonight.

The following day the Old Doc came by and told my GG that the neighbor came into his office that day to get buckshot taken out of him.

Now Grandpa said "Had it been Dad, he would have shot him."

So I guess what I thinking about today is how it would feel to have to defend your gardens against theives?

Great thread Antar! some good suggestions here. I keep
seeing the subject of heirloom seeds coming up which is
excellent - there probably is no more important thing to have
besides fireams and ammunition.

I would add that hand powered tools are also a must; bowsaws,
axes, chisels, planers, drills, hammers, wrenches etc plus nails,
screws.

Wood will be critical for heating and suburban areas can provide
a fair quantity of it. Chainsaws will quickly run short of fuel so
their usefullness would be limited.

Fish could be farmed in small ponds if people were to dig them
in their backyards.

Survival foods may be critical anywhere you are - many weeds
are edible and quite nutritious including dandelion, plantain,
chickweed and others too numerous too mention. In virginia
where I live they can be had year round.

If protein runs short theres always earthworms, crickets,
grasshoppers, larvae of all sorts and most beetles. In addition
rodents like mice and rats can also be eaten if well cooked to
destroy hantavirus (handle them with gloves and face mask, HV is airborne).

As for protecting crops/gardens you can rotate watch, chain
dogs nearby or just set up trip alarms. Your alarms can be rigged
to make noise (or worse) whichever you choose.

Water will be an important factor and we must rig methods to
collect rainwater and dew. Failing that you can usually dig down
deep enough to hit the water table and make your own well.

Great thread and I hope to learn much more from others. Best
of luck to all!

Hi friends, just wanted to bring this thread back up and dust it off as I have been thinking about what has been learned so far from the various responses by our forum members and also how with everything in place for the possibility of mass vaccinations, the announcement of Social security not getting a cost of living increase for the next 2 years, the very real possibility of self imposed quarantines for God only knows how long, that it is time to start doing the things that will make life a bit more comfortable when the time comes.

Remember this thread was not created as a way to scare anyone or get you to over spend in a time when our budgets are very limited and important.

Already we know that if you live in the city or the country there are ways of dealing with anything that comes our way, together or alone you can be a survivor of the future.

When you start by saving items such as flour,soda, sugar and yeast to make breads, remember now is the time to experiment, not when it is a matter of survival.

So put some time away for inventing your recipes now, you can even look online or talk to your family and friends to make some starter dough, that will enable you to make breads more easily when the need arises.

This will also give you a better idea of how much it will take to create a loaf or several loaves, and be a good way to learn from any mistakes you may encounter along the way.

Just bumping the thread for anyone who may have missed it the first time around.

Please feel free to add as you see fit as all the information we can get is welcome and most needed.