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
Get them while the getting is good. Waiting until you need them is too late.
Th thing I use my pressure canner for most is canning soup stock. When I have enough turkey or extra chicken scraps to make a BIG pot of stock, I cook it all down and can up the broth, usually several quarts worth.
Ammo is just not to be had in these parts. All the gun owners are complaining that they can’t find it. It’s out of stock everywhere. And that’s here in NYS, no less.
My favorite catalog for survival type items. The Amish know how to do it.
Lehman’s Non Electric Catalog
http://www.lehmans.com/
I never thought of using a canner for stock. Good idea. I usually freeze mine, but I do need to get away from freezing alot of stuff. It’ll last longer and keep no matter what the conditions.
Neat. I’ll do some ‘shopping’ in that catalog when I return from the SPCA. It’s volunteer day. Our local organization is so wonderful - and we sadly have a great need for them.
I can what I am able to. Stuff that simply does not can well, gets frozen or dried.
The advantage of canning the stock is that you can always have some on hand to make soup with. Canning the soup already made doesn’t always result in the best quality veggies.
Since grains can be stored fairly easily, you can whip up a good soup in no time.
BTW, I store my grains and herbs in canning jars. I use used or scratched canning lids for that because I’m not processing the grains so the lid provides a good enough seal to keep unwanted guests out. Those can go in the freezer as well to improve shelf life. Anything in canning jars in the freezer rarely ends up with freezer burn or an off taste because of the seal, unless you keep the stuff for simply YEARS. (about 5 or so, IIRC) :)
Nuts freeze well, too.
I’m not nearly as upset about my retirement fund losses as I am concerned for my children’s losses. Hubby and I have and still can survive on very little, but, sadly, I don’t believe my kids are as well equipped as I am. Hopefully, some of my survival skills will be remembered by them should it become necessary. They come to me now for advice and, truthfully, I don’t know what to tell them. If their employer is contriburing to their fund, I usually advise them to hang in there and hope the funds will recover, but it is scary when their quarterly statements always show a loss even though monies are being continually deposited.
>>>I’m not nearly as upset about my retirement fund losses as I am concerned for my children’s losses.<<<
Well, I figure that by my living frugally, they will have the balance in the estate - not that it would even come close to covering what the government is indebting them for.
>>>If their employer is contriburing to their fund, I usually advise them to hang in there and hope the funds will recover, but it is scary when their quarterly statements always show a loss even though monies are being continually deposited.<<<
If there is an employer match or addition, definitely!
Otherwise, they should check - They should be able to move it to a secure investment. But that won’t recoup their losses, only realizes them. Hard choice to make.
Also, if I advise them to no longer contribute to a company retirement fund, will they have the self discipline to save a like amount every payday on their own. Their inheritance was going to be what’s left of my Roth and our property with 2000 feet of river frontage. That looked good five years ago, but with the decimation of my retirement and the drop in property values, it’s troublesome to say the least.
Also, if I advise them to no longer contribute to a company retirement fund, will they have the self discipline to save a like amount every payday on their own. Their inheritance was going to be what’s left of my Roth and our property with 2000 feet of river frontage. That looked good five years ago, but with the decimation of my retirement and the drop in property values, it’s troublesome to say the least.
Sorry for the double post. Laptop unfamiliarity!
Sorry for the double post. Laptop unfamiliarity!
LOL upcountry miss is using ‘Double Talk’.
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/mccormick04_09.html
McCormick and Company Recalls Lawry’s Fajitas Spices and Seasonings Packages Due to Unlabeled Milk Ingredients (April 24)
Tue, 28 Apr 2009 10:21:00 -0500
The Lawry’s Fajita Spices and Seasonings packages were distributed to grocery stores nationally beginning on October 17, 2008. The product is available in 1.27 oz. pouches, and the date code is found printed in black on the back, bottom center of the pouch. The “best if used by” date of OCT0110PX62 is the only date code affected by the recall.
London’s Mayor to plant runner beans in the shadow of City Hall
THE rooftops and open areas around some of the capital’s most famous attractions
could soon be sprouting crops of vegetables under plans drawn up by Boris Johnson,
the mayor of London.
His advisers hope to convert unused plots of land around the Tower of London, Marble
Arch and on the roof of the Hayward gallery into public vegetable patches as a model
of sustainable living. Johnson will lead the way by planting runner beans in the
shadow of City Hall.
Chef at Vancouver’s Fairmont Waterfront hotel harvests apples
A chef at Vancouver’s Fairmont Waterfront hotel harvests apples ripening among skyscrapers.
Hotel accountants say the roof garden produces fruits, vegetables, herbs, and honey
worth about $16,000 annually.
Rice used to brew sake, growing on roof in Tokyo
Wasted space in the modern metropolis may become productive “farmland” thanks to
advances in waterproofing green roofs. Some of the rice used to brew Japan’s popular
Hakutsuru sake grows atop the company’s Tokyo office.
Urban Farming Grows Up
Discovery Channel’s Matt Danzico investigates vertical farming, an agricultural
concept aimed at growing food and raising animals in skyscrapers in city centers.
Video - In An Absolut World Cities Farm
“The video features footage and interviews from a dinner that Jim hosted to raise
awareness about and show the potential of urban farming. He hosted a dinner for
about 120 eco-chic New Yorkers and prepared a five course menu composed entirely
of ingredients from the five boroughs. Some of the menu items included Rockaway
Striped Bass with Bronx Collard Greens, Brooklyn Cranberry Beans, and even cocktails
with muddled berries foraged from Central Park.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All stories here:
City Farmer News [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102563945870&s=1304&e=001n7jIvnV3syAL1SqjE0WvaUrIbsoi4vQkea6ybrV2FXGpdmLoN81aZh5HeiN14IujUUCLvjbwheCRP7A26KwDESx_33L3nbUlCkKNbk6APcUhYzZCdYFQhw==]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael Levenston
City Farmer - Canada’s Office of Urban Agriculture
LOL! I love that statement. If we think we are free, act as if we are free, and don’t let anyone tell us we are not - then perhaps we still have some semblance of liberty left.<<<
Enjoy that liberty while you can, an hour ago the news said 2 dead from flu in California and Napolitano [sp?] said they were thinking about closing the border.
Martial law will be here any minute.
Ammo is just not to be had in these parts. All the gun owners are complaining that they can’t find it. It’s out of stock everywhere. And that’s here in NYS, no less.<<<
I hear the same here and all over the west.
But somehow, the gangs have plenty for their drive by shootings.
Lehman’s Non Electric Catalog
http://www.lehmans.com/
<<<
Yes, an excellent catalog, always something to want there.
Closing the border I can live with. Martial law is another thing.
I wonder if closing the border includes patrolling the stretches where the illegals sneak through, or just keeping out the honest people who are doing it the right way.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.