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

[WestCoastGal]

Me too :)

I know that my two dogs will always understand how loved they are and that they are safe now. Both rescue dogs.

They have their beauty parlor appt tomorrow afternoon. They are not crazy about that, but they are so nice and clean afterwards I don’t even want to take them outside.

Nice to see you on this thread.

[Red_Devil 232]

Just a big WOW on your strawberry patch! This is something I will have to look in to doing!

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

You'd appreciate this post.

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?

[gardengirl]

Thanks for the recipe!

I make killer chili, only half the crowd wants “tomato soup” so I have to make two pots. Chili freezes extremely well—you just have to remember that freezing it makes it hotter spicewise! LOL We freeze it in gallon ziplock bags. Stores flat and thaws pretty quick.

[upcountry miss]

Goodness gracious!! Away from the puter 2 days and it takes me another 2 days to finish the old thread and go through the 600+ replies on this thread. I share your love of rocks. My problem is that I love BIIIIG rocks. Wish I could build a rock fence. We have literaly miles of old rock fences out in the country that our ancesters built many, many years ago. How I envy the people that own them now.

We live on land out of sight of the main road with river frontage that has a rock bed from the days of the glaciers going through. I can look at some of those hugh rocks and just visualize where I would like them. After much convincing, I get hubby to take his ancient loader, hook a tow strap to one of those rocks and haul it to where I have visualized having it. Then it is up to me to coax it into place with a crowbar. Have torn up a lot of field with those rocks being hauled out of the river and to the place I want them, but it is worth the bother of raking the sod back and smoothing it over. So far, I have large rocks at all four corners of the house, a large flat rock as a bottom step at my back door and lots of big rocks in the center of all my flower beds.
Got lots of ideas for more rock placement this summer when the river gets low enough for “rock harvest.” LOL. At the rate I am going, I need to live to 100 to get just half of my projects finished.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thanks to Fred for this link to the rest of the story on the
Koala Bear survivor of the Australia fire.

The photo showed up first on my terrorist list and there are even more here.

bushfire survivor:

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25038852-5018723,00.html

[DelaWhere]

Peninsula Emergency Preparedness Committee
Helping family and neighborhoods prepare
for earthquakes, volcanoes, fires and floods, in Gig Harbor, Key Peninsula, and Pierce County.

REDUCE FEAR.....

We believe that you don’t need the threat of a major disaster to have a need for emergency preparedness. Developing a family disaster plan and implementing it will empower you to conquer and control your fears about the threat of a major disaster to you and your loved ones as well as ease the frustrations that come with bridge closures or commute delays due to accidents.

TAKE ACTION 1 STEP AT A TIME.....

We believe that focusing on just one emergency preparedness measure each month will move you towards the peace of mind that comes because you know you’ve got your bases covered. We’re not fanatics! We’re your neighbors! And we know how lengthy lists of emergency preparedness measures can seem overwhelming and expensive. That’s why we developed our 12-Month Emergency Preparedness Program (E-Prep) to be both affordable and easy to implement.

PEACE OF MIND.....

We believe that emergency preparedness is a mindset and an on-going way of life. Being prepared gives you options and puts resources at your disposal before, during and after any disaster or emergency situation that will increase your odds of survival or raise your level of health and comfort.

HELP OTHERS HELP YOU.....

We believe that helping your neighbors prepare for an emergency and identifying and organizing your neighborhood resources is one of the best ways to insure your own survival after a major disaster strikes. And it just might help re-create a sense of “neighborhood” that seems to have gotten lost in recent decades.

PREPARE. . . . .because you care about your loved ones

[upcountry miss]

If I get sounding off on permits, I might be suspended forever. Have lived within one mile of the house I was born in for nearly 77 years and with hubby have built four houses in this same area. The first home was built with no permits whatsoever-we lived in the basement for two years while building, had an outhouse, bathed in a galvanized tub and drew our water by hand from a well. Things got progressively worse with each home we built. This last log home had me tearing out my hair. After spending hundreds of dollars on permits, the code enforcement officer hounded us with regulations. We have NINE smoke alarms, one in every bedroom, one in every hall,one at the foot and the top of the basement stairs, likewise the stairs between the first and second floor and one in the furnace room. Then these all had to be wired together to go off simultaneously. Whoops, thats ten, not nine, counted wrong. Then all electrical plugs within 15 feet of any faucet had to be a special kind, so we had to replace 10 four dollar plugs with 10 fifteen dollar plugs. The railings on our country porch had to be a specified number of inches apart (he even brought a small cicle of wood to test that it wouldn’t slide through any spaces in the railing.) What really made TSHTF was when he told us that we had to take our stair bannister down and cut four inches off as someone might catch a piece of clothing on it and fall!!! This guy wasn’t even a local. Just some smartaleck from away throwing his weight around. Got so the people at town hall hated to see me come through the door. They have you over a barrel as you can’t move in until you have him issue an “occupancy permit”. What a money making sham!

[Daffynition]

I LOVE it! LOL There's nothing duct tape won't do. Be prepared! CHEERS!

[DelaWhere]

ROFL Oh boy don’t I know it...

Sometime I will tell the group about Ms. Brown and the septic system... Oh, or the electrical inspection - maybe the building permit requirement that you had to have an approved perc test before the permit but you couldn’t get the perc certified till you had a permit... Catch 22 Told them I was sitting in their office till they could figure out who was going to be first and who was going to be second. (Permit office wrote a letter stating that I intended to get the permit so the perc could be certified then back to permit office..)

The problem is when you are going through it, you can’t afford to make too many waves as you said - then you say wait till I am done with it and then I will do something about it - but we no longer have a horse in that race so we do nothing...

[CottonBall]

My shoulders were acting up for awhile and I started wearing a double plastic bag as a shawl, it covers the shoulders and I keep it closed with a clothes pin.....it weighs nothing, and I forget that I am wearing it, until I lay down and the clothes pin hits my chin.

Now, that's a great idea. (I will likely end up at the store wearing my plastic bag, however...)

[CottonBall]

I am told the Texas mentality offends some.

I only find the attitude that one state is so much better than another annoying. How many other states have that point of view? ie., I've never heard anyone here talking about being from Maryland in the same way. New Yorkers might, but I haven't run across it here either.

[nw_arizona_granny]

SPECIAL REQUEST!!!!

COULD WE TALK A LITTLE ABOUT HOW TO SURVIVE, WHEN THE LAST PAYCHECK HAS BEEN SPENT???

WHERE WILL YOU GET THE FOOD TO FEED THE KIDS???

WHERE WILL YOU LIVE???

WHAT WILL YOU DO NEXT???

WHERE WILL I FIND A JOB???

WHAT SHOULD I DO TO BRIDGE THE GAP???

We have several Freepers who are out of work and no matter how well prepared we are, nothing lasts forever.

Those who are now storing food and getting ready think they are fine, but if you loose your job, it may well be months before you find another, and then what will you do?

We can’t all hang out at the food warehouse and hope to find a cache of out of date food and if we do, how do we find that warehouse, or any other place that has the intent to toss out the food.

Sure we know about the Salvation Army and soup kitchens, but more help / knowledge is needed.

What do you do, when the last bean has been eaten?

Where do you live, when the house is locked up and you and all you own are in the street?

I know that San Diego is full of cardboard shelters in the canyons, I heard the Police talk about it on the scanners and have heard it in other towns.

That is how we first came to San Diego, but we were lucky the second trip, as dad had nailed plywood into a box on an old car axle and called it a trailer, but we lived in the river bottom, where Linda Vista road comes down and there were lots of poor people under the trees, surviving.

In Denver this year, they moved the homeless out of the areas that would be seen by tourists at the Democrat’s convention, it was in the Denver papers.

How does one find a job in another town?

Imagine, it is you without a dollar to your name, what will you do?????

granny

[nw_arizona_granny]

Is it safe to assume that since it grew from seed last year, that it will do so again, and grow similar tomatoes given similar conditions? I guess I’m really asking if these seeds can be assumed to be non-hybrid, open pollinated. I already know that it is indeterminate, due to size and length of production. <<<

I can only give a granny answer and others may have one based on science.

First, try a few of the seeds and see what happens, start them indoors so you will have a head start and can maybe make a second planting, if it starts producing early.

My granny thought, is that it could be a hybrid of its own making and the saved seeds may not be good, but then it could be an old variety and it will be good.

You will not know, until you try them out.

Just be sure to plant other varieties, so you will have a crop.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Hey, the beer posting would have been way better if he provided samples... ;-)<<<

Yes, beer makes wonderful pancakes, use it instead of buttermilk and you will pancakes so light they will fly off the griddle.

[nw_arizona_granny]

I only use an albuterol inhaler maybe once a month and spiriva seems to help a lot. Losing 55 pounds helped more than anything.<<<

Good for you.

Using a blow gun could be important, should the need arise.

[DelaWhere]

Maryland? Hehehe On the eastern shore there is a tradition to doubt if there is civilization west of the Chesapeake. I sometimes wonder if they are right..... At least the DC area.

Then in Delaware we have that Fighting Blue Hen... Kind of a ‘cocky’ attitude... LOL

[nw_arizona_granny]

I would add the worms and I always added a couple to my flower pots too.

As long as your compost is on the dirt, so the worms can go down for coolness when the pile is doing its heating up cycle.

Someone may have further knowledge, mine is only what I have done with the big worms in my yard.

[nw_arizona_granny]

I am thankful for every Freeper prayer, they are powerful medicine.

We have several Freepers reading this thread that also need healing Prayers.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Makes for some LONG days but his contract is paying very well and we are using it to find that LAND! <<<

Wonderful, you will need every penny.

Amazing how things come together sometimes.