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
1. Pie was great!
2. Couldn’t find anything closer than San Antonio -
* Laws - As of April, 2008
o You can keep chickens in San Antonio with some limits on the number:
+ Five (5) poultry confined to a pen 20 ft. from another dwelling.
+ Twelve (12) poultry confined to a pen 50 ft. from another dwelling.
+ Fifty (50) poultry confined to a pen 150 ft. from another dwelling.
Everybody keeps saying ‘We are a nation of Laws’ Geeesh the Libertarian in me says can them laws!
I always thought a prime example was one Nebraska law that required that when approaching an intersection in an automobile, you were to fire into the air three times and mount the highest ground near the intersection and look for any horses/wagons before proceeding.
Smiling at you!! You sound like my husband! But truth be told, it’s probably best that we don’t have them because we’re gone almost all summer. Chickens kinda like to be fed. There’s no one around (that I like or trust) to care for them. Plus there’s a guy not too far that sells eggs. I guess I was just getting nostalgic...I kinda miss all the clucking (sigh).
A few tips to go with the preparedness drill:
# Plan your drills so they have value to your family. Look at your emergency plans based on what actually could happen. What would you do in the event of a loss of electrical power when computers were down and you lost phone communication? If you live in a high-crime area, it’s worth having a security drill. Think about what you would do if a water main breaks. At minimum, plan for an earthquake drill, a fire drill and an evacuation drill.
# Pay attention to the number of drills and the timing of them. List the drills that will benefit your family. Then pull out a calendar and schedule these drills over a 12 month period so that each drill is conducted at least once during the upcoming year.
# Assign responsibility for emergency preparedness drills so they get done. Typically, one person will be your family’s “drill” sergeant and that person should execute the drills when they are calendared. That doesn’t mean one person must do all the tasks, but he or she can delegate responsibilities.
# If your neighborhood is organized, piggyback your family drills onto neighborhood drills.
# Incorporate evaluation processes into each of your drills. Come up with recommendations on how to modify your family plans based on what you learn from the drill. If you execute your drills with an eye toward learning you will learn something.
# Just do it.
P.S. But I know if if I HAD to, I could and would.
Outdoor Stoves Recalled by Jetboil Due to Burn Hazard
NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 11, 2009
Release #09-126
Firm’s Recall Hotline: (888) 611-9905
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
Outdoor Stoves Recalled by Jetboil Due to Burn Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Personal Cooking Systems and Group Cooking Systems
Units: About 15,000
Manufacturer: Jetboil Inc., of Manchester, N.H.
Hazard: A tight valve attached to the stove’s fuel source can allow gas to leak, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Jetboil has received five reports of fires resulting from leaking fuel. No injuries have been reported.
Description: This recall involves personal and group cooking stoves often used during outdoor camping. The recalled models include: Personal Cooking Systems in black (PBL075-BLK-(PCS) and camo (PBL075-CAMO-(PCS), Backcountry Gourmet Set (BDLFRY), Personal Cooking System with Companion Cup (BDL001), Personal Cooking System with Pot Support & Stabilizer (BDL002), Personal Cooking System with Coffee Press (BDL003), and Personal Cooking System Java Kit (BDLJAVA) and Group Cooking System (GCS150).
Sold at: Specialty outdoor and general sporting goods stores nationwide and on the Internet from July 2008 through November 2008 for between $100 and $130.
Manufactured in: United States
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled product and contact Jetboil for a repair or replacement.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Jetboil toll-free at (866) 611-9905 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.jetboil.com. Consumers can also email the firm at customerservice@jetboil.com
To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recall product, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09126.html
LOL - I can relate to the clucking... they have personalities and are each different.
We have one rooster that always gets up on a roost in front of the top nests and when you bend down to fill the waterer, he jumps on your back, and as you stand he moves up to your shoulder and stays there the whole time you gather the eggs. Then when you are through, you hold your arm out and he steps over to it and lets you put him back on the roost again. Of course we talk to him and he clucks back in response. My wife sings to them while she feeds and gathers eggs and loves how they respond with a chorus of clucking.
Excellent family drills.
I have read where several camped in the back yard for a weekend and were amazed at what they wished they had remember to bring.
So few really have the concept of what it is all about and how quickly a bomb or toronado can take away all your supplies.
In the attic is too hot for them and roof may blow off and in the basement it may flood.
There is no place 100% safe for storage.
All good answers and all true.
My brother always told me, “I don’t need to prepare, as all I need to do is get to you and you will be prepared!!!”
He will find that I am not so prepared today, as I was in the past.
He will be welcome, as not only do I love him, but he can FIX anything.
I like your list, many of them I would be planting also.
I would add Swiss Chard and herbs.
For the times that I have needed more pots for starting seeds than I had, I have bought the cheapest of stryrofoam coffee cups, they are cheaper than flower pots.
I poke 3 holes in the bottom with a pencil for drainage and they will last about 3 years.
The questions you posed are a real eye opener.<<<
I found out how close living on the street could be when I got sick and had to quit work.
I sold the 80 acres at $50,000. less than I had turned down only 5 years before and managed to survive on that, until I got social security.
But it was rough going for awhile.
I can’t imagine going down that path with small kids.
True, I had this place rented, but what was I to do if I did loose the ranch?
Live in the car and eat on the rent money from here?
Maybe.
I was lucky and survived, but it was scary for a few months.
Never mind all the fancy skills, if one is not able to show up for work, you don’t hold a job for long.
Incorporate evaluation processes into each of your drills. Come up with recommendations on how to modify your family plans based on what you learn from the drill. If you execute your drills with an eye toward learning you will learn something.
# Just do it.<<<
Excellent advise.
And do teach the young kids to call 911 in a real emergency, I love hearing how very small children manage to get help for their parents who are sick or hurt.
Granny, thank you SO much for your invaluable information at this time. And, thank you for caring enough for all of us, to keep us informed. We love you!
Pandy - if you read any thread on this forum, I implore you to make it this one!
Blessings, to all who are here - who care enough for their families and loved ones, to prepare!
Granny, and all - Two months ago, I was in conversation with a manager of one of the City Departments. He told me then, that our state would be bankrupt by Feb. He then told me that if the city was without funds, the police department and fire department would not be available for emergency assistance. (IOW, if salaries could not be paid, staff would not be on payroll.) We may be on our own, sooner than we think.
Not to be a gloom and doom gal here - just stating what was told to me by a city employee. Something for all of us to keep under consideration.
I made it, thanks! I am busy reading from the beginning. Hugs & prayers ~Pandy~
When you get the chance, thank Granny! If it weren’t for her, where would we all be?
Big hugs, Granny!
Along with your drills, prepare on a broader base - your neighborhood like this community who have trained over 1500 citizens...
PC-NET
Pierce County Neighborhood Emergency Teams
PC-NET is a neighborhood-oriented approach to emergency preparedness. It is based on the belief that a cooperative effort between a community and its citizens is the only sure way to prepare for major disasters.
Major disasters stretch city resources to their limits. It is estimated that regular emergency services will be unable to respond to most calls during the first 72 hours following a major disaster, such as a severe earthquake. The number of people who will be needing help, and the inaccessibility of many neighborhoods due to damage and debris will prevent immediate aid.
If individuals and their neighborhoods are prepared to mutually assist each other during thee critical hours, lives can be saved, property can be spared, and emergency services can be freed to respond to the most devastated areas. PC-NET’s overall purpose is to enable neighborhoods to be self sufficient for a minimum of 72 hours following a major disaster. This will be accomplished by:
* encouraging each individual and home to become personally prepared at home
* organizing block groups into seven disaster response teams:
o Block Coordination
o Communications
o Damage Assessment
o First Aid
o Safety and Security
o Light Search and Rescue
o Sheltering and Special Needs
* utilizing the skills and knowledge the neighborhood currently possesses.
While the overall purpose of the PC-NET program is to teach neighborhoods self sufficiency during times of disaster, preparedness efforts must also focus on individuals and families in their homes. A city whose population is prepared at home will see a significant reduction in the need for police, fire and ambulance support.
Thank you very much for this thread. I am at the beginning but I will catch up asap. Hugs & Prayers ~Pandy~
My parents had chickens until my dad died 10 years ago. We lived in Virginia at that time and I would come out for a visit once a year.
One year my dad had bought some new chicks and I guess they were a few months old when I saw them the first time. Now mind you, my dad grew up on a farm in PA with about every farm animal imaginable.
I looked at one of the chickens and said, “That’s a rooster.”
BIG argument! Anyway, I went home after a week and one day I got a call. Yup, it was a rooster. We laughed about it for a long time. Good memories.
Your a survivor, granny. I don’t think any of us know how we will react until we’re faced with a challenge. Our oldest says, “Expect the best but prepare for the worst.”
My parents had a restaurant the whole time I was growing up. I worked there, and I do mean worked starting at 12 years old. Started waitressing at 15. No pampered “boss’s daughter!” Saved money, bought a car, paid for school, etc. I learned from an early age that no job was too menial.
I’m glad to hear you have a brother close by. Take care.
OMG! We live in AZ, too. What city? At least we have our own “protection.”
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