Figured i would bring this thread back out and dust it off as we seem to be needing this kind of incouragement more today than when it was written.
hang on to your hats folks we are in for the ride of a life time very very soon.

I tell ya' what, there are some cynical damn people on here. I agree with all you said 'cause my mother and father lived through that time, the places are different, but the stories are the same.
As for those that don't believe these kind and caring things could happen again under such pressures need to go and really visit or even move to a rural community. Even now, we help and visit our neighbors. Our church has a food closet for anyone of any color that has a need. We have a firewood ministry and deliver free firewood to homes that have needs. We volunteer in fixing up homes, do missions here and abroad, and we actually get together and have dinners, bakesales, the best Xmas parade ever for a small x-roads community, we all garden, raise-trade-sell-help slaughter livestock, help at the VFD with stew sells and BBQ sales.
Yes, Virginia, there really are still people and places like your grand mother spoke of.
I suppose there are those that are a bit more high browed and too sophisticated for church and such quaint rural charms, but we won't be hungry, cold, and prowling around like a lost dog on the side of the road when the stuff hits the fan.

Well it seems this thread has again fallen into the abyss, so I shamelessly pull it back up for those of you who have not had the chance to read it can and hopefully join in the discussion.

As for me and my family we continue to make strives towards a life of self sufficiency should the need arise and if not, if we simply continue down this slow suicidal path toward the National failure we all experience daily.

My work is still not in vain even if we do not have a definite point where the dollar collapses at once or food supplies end abruptly, I have taken all we have discussed here to another level which in the future could bring me and my family to the next higher level of living.

Here is how we are doing it:

I have put in a 12x20 green house and everything in it is doing exceptional, there is plenty to eat and can as well as share with neighbors and family.

My vegetable gardens are double what they have been in the past and again the abundance will be shared and sold to the local markets.

We have also taken the first steps towards self sufficiency in the future whatever may come by installing mist systems and have thousands of starts on a timer daily.

We have also put in (quite nice) cold frames to over winter various varieties which need protection in my area.

I have come to the understanding that even if the lines continue to me marked between the rich and poor, there will always be a market for plants, shrubs, tree's, and a large cornucopia of vegetables and fruits.

It is amazing how much you can squeeze into a small space! And we have 5 acres to play with.

I admit in closing that this may not be for everyone, as for me, I have spent more time covered in mud this year than cleaned up, but the rewards are more than I could have ever hoped for.

So even if you get a 5 gallon bucket and plant something, anything, you will have taken the positive steps towards helping the enviroment and your independence.

Just wanted to share 'the haul' my youngest and I had a great time bringing in this afternoon. Now the point is that if "I" can grow a garden so can you!

I have learned so much this year and look forward to preparing my soil and getting everything closed up and conditioned properly this fall so next spring we will be ready to get busy.

Opps the picture is small and blury, but we got a 5 gallon bucket of tomatoes, braden loves the green zebras he is holding in his hand looking at fondly, and several other things like zucks and squashes, garlic, jade green beans (my fav) hot peppers, pickles, cucks, and bells.

We have plenty of watermellons and pumpkins coming on and the corn is high and tassling.

Nice thread ya got here Antar!

I just wanted to do a drive-by and bring something up that was discussed on page 1 of the thread - the Great Depressionand what it did to commerce.

The whole notion of an economic depression is a bit of a misnomer. It was given the moniker because they were depressing times. But they were NECESSARY times. To be more true to it's origins and effects it should have gone down in the history books as "The Great Correction". The roaring 20s created an unsustainable economy, a series of economic bubbles that needed to pop in order for normalcy to prevail. As a society, we have failed to learn the lesons of the 20s, 30s and 40s and we have ramped up another roaring 20s and more unsustainable bubbles. The difference this time is that the government is not allowing the one thing we need, a REAL market correction. Those who failed should have been allowed to fail and enter the dustbin of history. Stronger and more inventive companies would have replaced them. Instead we are laboring under the same broken system, hobbling along, confused as to why things aren't improving.

Next, to address the cynacism that has permeated the thread with respect to "Society". I witnessed neighbors and perfect strangers pulling together during the great blackout of 2002 in a very large metropolitan area. I watched perfect strangers pull together after 9/11. I have hope for society!

Here are some of the delicious jade green beans we are putting up. These are tender and very tasty, the best Ive ever had.

One thing I will say is that I did have trouble getting parts for my pressure cookers, one was my grandmas an old big Presto, I will have to order parts... the other is a Mirro and it too has to have parts ordered,

If you have stuff just sitting around, I suggest you get any extra parts now so that when sitx is upon us you are not rendered helpless... Seals and such do need replacing from time to time.

So went ahead and bought one more that was ready to go as the beans were picked this morning and I wanted them fresh.

I did try last year to dehydrate green beans and although they were 'ok' they were not as good as fresh canned.

The other thing is that most recipes call for the beans to be cooked before canning, but we like them a bit crisp so I blanch them and then can.

Anyway, off to pick beets! ( one of my favorites, extra spicyish pickled beets!



[edit on 28-7-2010 by antar]

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[edit on 22/8/10 by masqua]