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

[TnGOP]

The answer to your question - a definite - maybe.

That's what I was afraid of. Even so, I'm going to plant them and see what I get. I can't wait to see what they do now!

[DelaWhere]

Oh, Absolutely!!!

Plant them and if they grow true, you could have a really valuable tomato resource.

The majority of the heirlooms were ‘discovered’ and were cultured by someone doing exactly as you are doing.

Selection - even among heirlooms - year after year is how we improve them. Always select those with the best characteristics for next year.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Instructions for building earth boxes here:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-your-own-Earth-Box/

Nice pictures to help you along, too.

[azishot]

Hey it could be worse, I could be living in a mine shaft some place.

***Hi, granny. Just catching on reading here and didn’t realize you had a leak. Wish I was closer to help you. Please see if you can get someone to fix it for you. I wish I could say my husband could but unfortunately he needs help changing light bulbs! But I love him anyway...going on 41 years. I married him when I was 9. (just kidding!)

I noticed in you “tag line” that you do crafts. What kind?

Please take care of yourself and stay WARM! It’s even chilly down here. I even got to see snow on Superstition Mountain. I know that doesn’t thrill you but I was excited!

[Titan Magroyne]

>>> What is a gadget cook?

Mom will try about any kitchen gadget that comes along.

Except for good knives. I really need to get her some good knives. That’s her blind spot, and my particular specialty (IMO). Drives me nuts to prep foods in kitchens lacking cutlery made for the job.

[hiredhand]

If everyone were like you we would NOT be in this mess because not one of us would have dreamed up the deadly CRA that the media refuses to talk about. What a nightmare!

The problem is that too many lack fortitude and follow through. Everybody wants real and serious problems taken care of, but they want it to be clean and unoffensive. They don't want to get their hands dirty doing it. They think somebody else should do it. They believe in sacrificing liberty for security (a sin in my opinion), even when the security is proven time and time again to be a false security at best! A good example is the current mindset across most of our society about crime. I'm not talking about how we think. We've already established that we're different. Most people admit that the state of the world as we know it right now isn't exactly what we'd call optimal. People are evil at their core, and especially so without the presence of God in their lives. Most people think that the police get paid to protect them personally from criminals...and they're good with thinking this!...in SPITE of the facts! They want the police, and the military, and others who are sanctioned to simply take care of the problem. But they don't really want the criminal to be hurt either. After all, they're people too. :-) Just because the really bad criminals rape children and cut them into pieces afterwards, or drown them, or kill them in any number of other methods doesn't mean we should just kill them!...right? After all, don't they have RIGHTS too?!....or so they ask!

The illustration I just used is a small and basic illustration that most can relate to. But there is an unknown quantity of people here in America like myself who periodically pop up and interject things into this realm. We don't really belong here, and we're not even comfortable here. We don't believe in compromise, we love the truth. We disregard immoral laws, and speak out against them. We believe in an absolute right, and an absolute wrong. We believe that not only is capitalism good, but that we should have PERMANENTLY planted the U.S. flag on Iraqi soil after the invasion and then hosted the Israeli Air Force to make it easier to help them convert portions of Iran and Syria into glass parking lots! We believe that Cuba should have been OWNED by the U.S. years ago, and that we should have killed Hugo Chavez several years back. I could go on and on with my "list" but I think you understand. People think I'm joking about these things, but I'm not. We trust in a God that can't be seen, but who's presence is well known by us and although we're immensely frustrated by this world, we know that God has a plan and that we are to WITHHOLD from doing the harm required to fix the problems we've been talking about. If our leaders weren't so blind and ignorant, they would be grateful for this. But they simply don't have it in them right now, and we try hard not to take it personally. :-)

I'm flattered by what you say, but truly....nobody wants people like me in charge...Not in this age anyway.:-)

[Wneighbor]

You’ll be sending us all some yummy cantaloupe preserves now, right? mmmmmmmmmmmmm

I better find some more cantaloupe. Not sure how far 2 pints would go amoung all of us! Yikes!

[Brad from Tennessee]

I ended up in Savannah about 20 years ago with the intention of working for a particular company for 9 months or so and returning to Florida. Except for a three year assignment in Colorado, I've been here since. I tell people it's the local anthropology that keeps me here. Now Corinth, Slugburger Capital of the World, is a big city to me. When I said eight miles to Shiloh I was talking about (direct line) air miles.

There was a sauger tournament, I think last weekend, and the catfish are biting though it's a little windy today.

[DelaWhere]

Hmmm only problem with that recipe is ‘How much did Lloyd eat?’

My standard portion when eating cantaloupe is 1/2 - Wife and daughter only like 1/4 - so it works out well.

Ok, so I like cantaloupe!

One of my favorite ways of eating it is to cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and fill the cavity with homemade goat milk vanilla ice cream.

I have one of those Bosch ice cream makers where you keep the tub in the freezer - then just before dinner, mix the ingredients and put them in the tub and put it in the mixer. By the time dinner is over - fresh homemade ice cream. Got pretty creative with it using surplus goat milk and added a few pounds in the process - but oh so gooooood.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Then you enjoy and report back to us. LOL!

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Thank you very much for posting the photos of your strawberry 'patch' ... that was a very imaginative, impressive and innovative project. I too like coming up with unusual ways to do usual things. When I first used the landscape fabric in the garden, the oldtimers all poo-poo'd the idea, mostly because I don't think they understood how it would 'breathe'. We have long spells of 100+ temps here and I feared that the black color would cause too much heat, but it actually didn't. The fabric gets way too hot to sit on, but it doesn't seem to radiate the heat up to the plants.

I've read the replies that you've already given about construction, but I was wondering if each PVC pipe that held the pots were anchored into the ground, or was it just the supportive frame that was anchored?

My goats would love to get ahold of my garden area, but their fenced pasture is on the other side of the property for that very reason. If they escape, they've got a bunch of ground to cover before they get to something they can damage. Luckily, they have lots of room and are fed more than they really need, so they don't ever try to escape. ;-)

[Wneighbor]

I have one of those Bosch ice cream makers where you keep the tub in the freezer - then just before dinner, mix the ingredients and put them in the tub and put it in the mixer. By the time dinner is over - fresh homemade ice cream.

Gees! I gotta get one of those someday! Only thing is, I would also add the pounds.

Lloyd didn't eat much cantaloupe, I had also made banana bread the same day. If given a choice, he'll go with the least healthy option most times. LOL

Made a key lime pie day before yesterday. Forgot that my mom had sent up some pound cake Sunday. He thought he had to have *both* for dessert. Pie's gone, today he's getting strawberries.

[ExSoldier]

You have freepmail.

[DelaWhere]

Mmmmm Key Lime pie...

I think while the bread is rising ... Hmmm no limes - but a bag of lemons - Sounds like I will be making a Lemon Meringue pie instead... Chickens are producing about 20 eggs a day now - gotta use ‘em.

Oh, still no reply to my email on the ‘Nekkid’ Oats. Still waiting...

[WestCoastGal]

No word lately from a_d.

Pinging RR and MD

[ExSoldier]

Thanks. I frequently correspond with MD offsite. To my knowledge, a_d has dropped off her radar, too. I'm pretty worried about him, but he's not alone. Clyde the wonder-pup will take care of him. That's why D-O-G is G-O-D spelled backwards. They love you no matter what!

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

My measure of how dogs view life:

Offer your dog a butter wrapper and a fifty-dollar bill. You’ll see which one is more important to him. LOL!

[DelaWhere]

To:  U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Dear Sirs:
 
I am writing to you for further instructions as to what the next step is for me to take in protecting my family from possible attacks by terrorists. I have my duck taped ... now what?

I was wondering how many of our FReepers have ever had a home disaster drill...

I know, I know - I've got this and I've got that - I could handle it... but have you ever really ever tried? Maybe we need to put together some practice drills.

[Richard Kimball]

When I was single, I used to have one every time her husband came home unexpectedly.

[DelaWhere]

Ahhhhh, So you were the guy I used to see running down the street nekkid with his clothes over his arm.

Did you carry your whole bug-out pack in your pants pocket?

Was that a 3 day or 7 day supply?