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

[CottonBall]

and my wife wont let me buy a used one ( wanted a matched pair)

Thanks Eagle. I love buying from Amazon. Their customer service is the best. If this sales tax on internet sales goes through, I'll be very depressed. As for the matched pair of canners......now I've heard everything!

[PGalt]

Thanks for the ping at #7062, granny...and thanks to all posters from that post to the one before this.

love

[CottonBall]

Thanks for the canner info.

Let’s say, for the sake of argument ;) - that i’m really cheap. Is it worth it to pay $200 or so for a canner when Walmart has ‘em for $100 or less?

[metmom]

Let’s say, for the sake of argument ;) - that i’m really cheap. Is it worth it to pay $200 or so for a canner when Walmart has ‘em for $100 or less?

I don't know enough about canners to know.

The canners from Wal-Mart might not be as heavy gauge aluminum. I'd be careful about buying something like that that may have been made in China.

Pinging Gabz and Diana In Wisconsin as they might have a clue.

In the meantime, I'll see what I can google up on them.

[DelaWhere]

>>>Is it worth it to pay $200 or so for a canner when Walmart has ‘em for $100 or less?<<<

Guess it is a matter of choice... Many are quite happy with the Mirro or Presto....

I wanted a rugged - heavy duty one. Plus, I like having the gauge to monitor what is going on in addition to the bobbler. I also didn’t want to ever have to hunt for a gasket. If TSHTF or TEOTWAWKI I didn’t want to be limited by a danged gasket... Plus, the safety latches tend to stick sometimes after a lot of use - don’t want to have to fiddle with that at 2 AM as I am finishing up a long day of canning. But that is just me - rugged old codger that I am.

[metmom]

I googled *pressure canner comaprison* and got these links....

http://www.pressurecooker-outlet.com/canchart.htm

This link shows one pressure canner
http://www.shoprover.com/compare_prices/2003193282/

The All American pressure canners look to have a much different system for securing the lid. It has six evenly spaced screws. It also has the little weight that rocks so you can hear if it’s at the proper pressure.
http://www.allamericanpressurecookers.com/

I don’t recall what size I got but I can process 14 pints or 6-7 quarts at a time. It’s pretty big and heavy.

Googling *pressure canner comparisons safety* I got these links....

http://www.homesteadharvest.com/aa930.html
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/uga/using_press_canners.html
http://www.epinions.com/content_2170331268

[metmom]

I really like my All American canner.

Yes, we did spend more for it, but like you said, no replacement parts to hunt for.

I get “TSHTF” but what’s “TEOTWAWKI”?

[DelaWhere]

>>>“TEOTWAWKI”<<<

LOL that was from Y2K worries...

‘The End Of The World As We Know It’

[metmom]

I think we’re just about there....

For real, this time.

Y2K doesn’t compare to the obama administration.

[DelaWhere]

I did make a slight modification on mine... I added a key ring and chain to a cotter pin on the weight so it can't get lost.

[nw_arizona_granny]

(Iraq) “Mommy blows up with toddler — this has got to be a new low for militant Islam”
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/04/28/jonathan-kay-mommy-blows-up-with-toddler-this-has-got-to-be-a-new-low-for-militant-islam.aspx
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/world/middleeast/24iraq.html

(North Korea) South Korean Pop star criticised after praising North Korea’s nuclear ambitions
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/5235314/Pop-star-criticised-after-praising-North-Koreas-nuclear-ambitions.html

(Communist China) Report: “China has 100 million people with mental illness”
— “From the late 1960s, Maoist thought attributed any mental illness to
an incorrect appreciation of the class struggle. Many mentally-ill patients
were taken from hospitals and sent to labour camps because of their
‘counterrevolutionary’ behaviour.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/5235487/China-has-100-million-people-with-mental-illness.html

Arrested Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo to receive prestigious award
— “Liu Xiaobo is to receive a prestigious literary award, but he will
spend the day in a windowless cell, unaware of the honour”
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article6183079.ece

New era of cooperation for Russia and China
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6188506.ece

Commentaries:

(UK) The burkha of irony - by Emma Hartley
— Hartley says: “It’s all about power.”
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/emma_hartley/blog/2009/04/28/the_burkha_of_irony

Health Security News:

(U.S.) NYC: New York City Health Commissioner: ‘Many Hundreds’ of
School Students Sick With Suspected Swine Flu
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518262,00.html

__._,_.___

Judge’s mercy prevents honor killing, for now
Worldnetdaily.com ^ | Monday, April 27, 2009 | Drew Zahn

Posted on Monday, April 27, 2009 8:59:58 PM by Lesforlife

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2239322/posts

If reposting elsewhere, please credit source of this research as UnitedStatesAction.com

[DelaWhere]

>>>Y2K doesn’t compare to the obama administration.<<<

You are SO RIGHT!!!

Then we throw in the Swine Flu...

Was just listening to an Epidemiological Historian about the 1917-18 epidemic. According to him, it started out slowly through the summer of 1917 and then in the Fall, it really took off through the winter of 1918.

I wasn’t too overly concerned with the Swine Flu, but his statistics shed another light on it. All just giving Zerobama excuses to take power in his own hands.

Congress has become a farce. Now with Specter grandstanding with hopes of being re-elected as a Democrat, and the Comedian Franken - the stage is set for an Obamathon for power grabbing.

I for one would like to see his vault copy of his birth certificate, and his applications to colleges... (was he a foreign student?) But that would put Ding-a-Ling Biden in and nobody has a clue what he would do. I could foresee riots over that one as they declared his acts as unconstitutional. But, even with a $25,000,000 offer out there, he still won’t show it - in fact still paying law firms to cover it up. (over a million in legal fees so far)

Then, who could have been the passengers on AF1 as it dove onto New York for that (photo op) with no camera planes in sight...

Then there is the judiciary... what a weird bunch they are. Never really sure what they will go for. Constitution today, Sharia Law tomorrow or even some tribal version the day after that. (Wife says no way she is being beaten by a stick the size of my thumb - my thumbs are too big PLUS she is decisively against 4 wives to have to share with.)

Hey, can we just stop this world and let me slip over into another dimension..... Or better yet, a time machine to go way back...

On that I think I better take an ambien and go to bed... Otherwise I would stew and worry all night...

[nw_arizona_granny]

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.

Seriously? I’ve been volunteering at the SPCA for 4 hours. This is the first I’ve heard of it.

Closing the border - that’s way overdue. This socialist government carrying it any further than that - I hope they’ll have mayhem on their hands.<<<<

That is what I was hearing today on Fox radio news.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Just imagine what it would be like if we were into flu season. Unusual that it is a combination Swine/Avian/Human virus... Now where could that have come from?

Well, if it keeps up, it might be a good time to stock up on pork... Prices will plummet - even though you can’t get it from properly handled and cooked meat, people are associating the two.<<<

In a few minutes I will post a post from ProMed, they are still looking for a hog with the disease and indeed are going to change the name to Mexican flu.

As a further note, I was sent a post that I won’t post, but know and trust the sender....yesterday.

It was from a hog growing state, the head of the state livestock department, a warning to all hog growers to exercise the highest alert of protection measures.

From keeping strangers out of the growing sheds to no sick employees and regular washing of hands....a long and involved alert.

[DelaWhere]

Well Granny, I finally got lucky and caught the local Walmart clerk stocking the ammo shelves... Got his only 3 bricks of 22 LR and 5 packs of 22 shot shells and some more boxes of shotgun shells. By the time I and 5 others finished grabbing, the shelves were emptier than when he started.

Now just have to find supply of rifled slugs, a cheap 410 single shot and ammo for my wife, and find magazines for my Remington 522 Viper.

[nw_arizona_granny]

That said, there has to be some way of getting your inheritance to your kids in some useful form. Right now, you can give gifts of money to them tax free. If you don’t want to do that, I suppose buying property might be the next best option. If the economy keeps going down, it might not be a bad deal for someone who has the money. If the property is paid for (no mortgage) then it’s just a matter of keeping up with the taxes.<<<

Over the years, I worked with many clients who felt that cheap land today, would have value tomorrow.

I always made it simple, if the price of a lot today, would buy 100 pounds of beans and you sell it in 20 years and can still use that money to buy 100 pounds of beans, then more than likely you have a nice profit, for look at the price of beans and how much the have gone up, thanks to inflation.

Take it another way, in 30 years will your kids find a piece of dirt to own, that they can afford.

Bare lots , the largest one can afford are good, as there is no plumbing to break down and if you pay the taxes that is all that will be needed.

In this low income valley, in 1977 I looked at 2 1/2 acre lots that were fine, no water or electric at that time, priced at $600.00 total price.

Today if you looked at the same lots, the price will be $30,000. to $50,000.

That is a lot of beans.

[nw_arizona_granny]

If you’re going to pick them up at garage sales, though, be sure to check the edge for nicks or chips that would make the jars unusable. Some people are unscrupulous about selling stuff you can’t use because of damage.<<<

I would also suggest joining the local Free Cycle group and posting a request for them, for I see them asking and getting them in this area and it is not a canning area.

I save all glass jars.

Salt is cheap in a 20# bag and odd jars work fine for storage and the using of it.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Pig Farmers in U.S. Take ‘Every Precaution’ to Prevent Swine Flu
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/28/farmers-precaution-prevent-swine-flu/
<<<

Yes, this is going to hurt the pig farmers and mean more people loose their jobs on farms and in the packing/canning plants.

[nw_arizona_granny]

You are welcome.

Join in the conversation, any time.

Love to you.....and add a hug.

[DelaWhere]

>>>to all hog growers to exercise the highest alert of protection measures.

From keeping strangers out of the growing sheds to no sick employees and regular washing of hands....a long and involved alert.<<<

Got that from our State Extension Animal Specialist. It included showers going in and out with clothes change, wearing mask and gloves and no work if you were sick at all. Also NO visitors.

Most of those are now SOP for our poultry industry. Try and visit a farm and you are liable to be shot! They are even washing down vehicles that come and go. Particularly feed trucks and flock production supervisors, using disinfectants.

Oh, almost forgot - got the LP gas tank filled today. prices were down 70 cents a gallon from what they were last winter. I now have enough to last till next spring.

Next are two additional shelve sets for spare room for my overflow canned items. That should add 60 square feet of shelf space.