What are you doing at home to survive?

Originally posted by NotThat

Originally posted by Geeky_Bubbe


And, it's a complicated process that requires a *lot* of research and sometimes stretching those brain cells. It's a shame that to be what I feel is prudent we should not be so quick to "share" which would make the process easier and help others avoid pitfalls we may --- or may not --- know about.

Wow, why not? On another thread I asked about wood. I learned not to store wood against the house. I am glad I learned that because some of the wood I collected ended up having termites. What's the harm it sharing general information on line?

Again, it's the way the question was framed. Asking questions about wood would receive information on wood. Asking question about water purification would inspire answers of a technical nature on how to purify water. Etc.

Asking what people have done in a general sense inspires answers about specifics of what a person has or hasn't done. You are asking for much more specific information about what *individuals* have done.

Chances are very remote that this country would descend into utter breakdown, but if it did why would one want to be exposed to the government knowing that you have "x" stashed away in "x" quantity and gee whiz they just happen need "x". Chances are the government or what would be passing for a government would come and take your "x" and then you would be without it, probably to your grave detriment.

Originally posted by Mountainmeg
Adding 2 4x8 strawberry beds this week. Bet my neighbors just love the 6 vegetable beds in my front yard!

I haven't tried raised beds yet. That seems to be the best way to garden. I thought bins would work for me because they are higher and designed for no weeds.

Originally posted by IgnoranceIsntBlisss
Although I have about half the materials I need to raise rabbits and quail... just haven't had time to set it all up lately.

Why quail?
How are they better than chickens? Aren't they smaller?

reply to post by IgnoranceIsntBlisss


How many folks are we feeding with over 100 tomato plants?

Well, I am counting on my parents and my daughter and my wife's mom, might have my brother and his family up with us... total of about 9 or so adults.

We can the tomatoes in quart Mson Jars. We make tomatoes, tomato soup, corn-beans-tomatoes or succotash, also salsa, and homemade Italian sauce...with basil oregano, green peppers grown here...and in the fall we kill hogs and save some for Italian bulk sausage.

My best advice for anyone serious about this is start now. Plant a garden and grow into it...don't start giant and get discouraged.

Also, develope the skills needed to make a life if everything shuts down. Basically, you need to be able to live with just a good cast iron frying pan, a good axe, some rope, a few blankets, a tarp, the most basic eating utensils, a good knife, a rifle, and a really good pocket knife.

Pretend you are a settler headed out to the frontier like your great grandparents. This is all you would have. They made it so that means you can too....develope the skills.

do you know how to fell a tree, or know the difference between red oak and pine? At night, can you find the North Star? Ever drink from a natural spring? Know how to drag an 800 pound log across a field by yourself with no truck or horse? stuff like that.

Good luck

Originally posted by Geeky_Bubbe
.

Asking what people have done in a general sense inspires answers about specifics of what a person has or hasn't done. You are asking for much more specific information about what *individuals* have done.

Chances are very remote that this country would descend into utter breakdown, but if it did why would one want to be exposed to the government knowing that you have "x" stashed away in "x" quantity and gee whiz they just happen need "x". Chances are the government or what would be passing for a government would come and take your "x" and then you would be without it, probably to your grave detriment.

I hadn't thought about it that way. I guess I expected people wouldn't tell me about their guns or money hidden in the mattress.

I saw a neighbor's yard this week. They have big plastic trash cans lined up across the front of their porch roof to collect rain water. Cheap and simple. I though I might get some practical ideas I could use.

Originally posted by NotThat

Originally posted by IgnoranceIsntBlisss
Although I have about half the materials I need to raise rabbits and quail... just haven't had time to set it all up lately.

Why quail?
How are they better than chickens? Aren't they smaller?

They require less space per pound of harvest. They require less feed per pound of harvest. They sound like everyday birds (i.e. they don't ring the dinner bell for everyone else around). Easier to GTFO with. Reproduce faster. Harvest in shorter time. Quail eggs / meat have higher market value than chickens today.

Rabbits share a lot of those same qualities.


[edit on 12-6-2010 by IgnoranceIsntBlisss]

Originally posted by NotThat

Originally posted by Geeky_Bubbe
...

Chances are very remote that this country would descend into utter breakdown, but if it did why would one want to be exposed to the government knowing that you have "x" stashed away in "x" quantity and gee whiz they just happen need "x". Chances are the government or what would be passing for a government would come and take your "x" and then you would be without it, probably to your grave detriment.

I hadn't thought about it that way. I guess I expected people wouldn't tell me about their guns or money hidden in the mattress.

"Prepping" has become much more mainstream than it was just a few years ago. The economic downturn created an awareness in a lot of folk. But, I would suggest that even with the heightened awareness we are not talking even 10% of households. But using the 10% figure, cos it's easy, that leaves 90% of households without preparations.

Any community has no more than an average of 3 days of provisions available "on the open market". Many households have less than week's worth of food in their homes. A significant number of homes have less. A statistically significant number of households do their shopping day-to-day.

Major cities, such as NY city, overturn their food stocks every 24 hours, and have the highest number of day-to-day consumers.

Interrupt the food supply in this country, or a significant portion of this country, and food gets scarce REAL QUICK. Toss in a loss of electricity and much of the food non-preppers have on had goes bad very quickly.

It's not money or guns that are of concern. I have no money other than what I need day-to-day and my gun situation is a matter that is already on file with all manner of governmental agencies. I would post all day long about my guns cos it's already information easily gleaned by TPTB.

Then, add that even those who would classify themselves as "preppers" aren't really. Oh, they may have a garden and a few chickens or such, but what if we have weather that ruins that garden? It's happened to me. What if a hungry group descends upon your garden like a swarm of locusts? Are you will to shoot people just because they are starving and your garden looked so inviting? Not me.

Many "preppers" have no real clue about how much food it takes to survive for "x" amount of time. They think that brimming at the seams pantry will get them through. It *will* get them through for a time, but nowhere near the time that they assume.

A garden will be useful for when the pieces of society begin to be picked up and put back in place. Not during the crisis... not after three days have elapsed.

Taking care of myself because human nature dictates that in the end....its every man for himself.

Here are some things to consider:
Food storage
first aid kits
medicine
stocks of TP and alternatives
emergency radios, flashlights, batteries
alternative cooking methods (propane burners, dutch ovens)
Weapons and ammo
How To books
Garden/Seeds
Water filters
a method to hand wash clothes, etc
CB and shortwave radios
Alternative heating source (I'm thinking kerosene heaters)
More of TP, food, medicine, first aid
Precious metals, cash reserves
Baking soda and vinegar (good for just about everything!)
Your community (living in an urban area has different requirements than living in the country)

I'm sure I'm missing a whole lot...


[edit on 24-6-2010 by LizzyQ]

[edit on 24-6-2010 by LizzyQ]

reply to post by LizzyQ


People don't know what they have in their own back yards. Three different people have talked to me about fruit trees that no one will eat the fruit because they don't know what they are.

reply to post by NotThat


100 quarts peas, 45 qts butterbeans, 500 ears corn,(creamed and whole kernel), 100 ears on the cob, 50 qts tomatoes, 100 lbs. new potatoes, 18 qts squash and that is just what has gotten ready to harvest so far! Our fall garden will hopefully supply just this much more. So, I don't think we are gonna starve. It will have to be some other catastrophe to root us out of LA!

reply to post by NotThat


Mods don't beat me...please...

If your growing food stuffs for "survival" not just a garden...in your yard..

ETA..its mornin now...and my head hurts, felt I should explain teh "why" I follow this method..
I feel a manicured garden, is nothing more than a big bullseye, as far as drawing the rats outa the woodwork, hungry ppl ask few questions.

I looked towards the contraband growers ...with a purpose..gimme a chance ..

The reasoning behind this is...in a true SHTF sit..you'll need to be able to know how long you can leave things un-attended, if you do your homework, and apply it to food, wow is all I can say, I eat real good, and very nice produce..
Currrently tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, onions...etc...etc...

The bucket growers...my new method..in detail..

start out with corn cobs "eatin or stripped, no corn"...dry and cut into 3rds...mixed evenly, with a few small sticks and golf ball/base ball sized rocks.

that mix should be 25% of the bottom of the bucket, this is where you get the 1/2" cotton rope 4 feet, swirl 1 foot of rope in a circle and let the rest hang over bucket.."trick here is the rope needs to thread out through the rest of the media" ...dirt
ETA this part is important...drill a few holes at this level, it will stop the bucket from over flooding and washing out..
so drill say 4 holes around the sides of the bucket 1/4 the way up from the bottom....this is very important...I can't stress that enough.

next is good ole potting soil...I make my own..or you can by bag dirt.

then cover with 4" of mulch..

Mix 1 beer "sugars and starchs" and 1/4 cup of dish soap "good natural pesticide" with luke warm "2 gals or so of water"
pour this "with a water bucket that has a rain type nozzle" into the soil and let it settle in the bottom of the bucket.

Now plant you seeds or starts....mine drinks about 1 gallon a week.

After the initial feeding of the mix....just use water from then on..unless you notice a bug problem, then use one more mix w/out the beer and only 1/4 of soap..."add soap after the water" foaming is not necessary.

I now have no reason, to re-visit that bucket for at least a week, the rocks and stuff soaking in the water is drawing out minerals "plant food", and the rope is a wick watering devise.
if these are stategically placed and camoed, like mine could be...but they are in plain sight for now...

I feel that food that can be easily seen from afar..could be at risk...
is my reasoning for this method...if it were a true SHTF sit..

I had a few too many barley pops tonight ...so I'll edit this by mornin if I forgotton anything. ...peace..



[edit on 30-6-2010 by Doc Holiday]

[edit on 1-7-2010 by Doc Holiday]

reply to post by NotThat


Twice this summer a neighbor has given me some fresh vegetables that I had never eaten before. One was sort of a pumpkin/squash and the other looks like a long cucumber and tastes like a nutty squash.

They tasted fine but strange and I found it difficult to eat much of them. It is just not enjoyable to prepare and eat strange foods. Each time I was willing to try it but didn't want seconds.

If I am having a hard time eating vegetables I doubt if I could eat bugs or cats.

reply to post by jennybee35


My gzarden has not done well. I get plenty of flowers but very little fruit. I have no bees. next year I will try root vegetables and more greens.

reply to post by jessieg


In regards to your question re wondering how many people may not want to live if the SHTF - I might be one of them. It has been 105 here and very humid. We are not using the AC any longer, it went out and we decided not to get it repaired. I am broke out in a severe heat rash, no energy, dizzy, muscle cramps, etc. If it was to get worse then this I might just hang up my hat.

As well as animal excreta, liquid and solid, wood ash is very good for your vegetable garden, and rotted plant material (compost) remember, carrots do not like this years animal excreta, gives them forked roots, anyway, get some good BOOKS on the gardening subject.