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
Hey the greenhouse sounds great.
I haven’t had a cover on mine for a few years - It is like walking into another world. I started out growing lettuce and then moved to tomatoes. Problem was that I wound up having to travel a lot and couldn’t work it. Plus fuel costs even back then made it hard to turn a profit.
I am planning to take half of it and attach it to the South side of the house. Already have double barrel wood stove ready for it. That will be much cheaper than propane, the house will help cut some of the wind and it will take advantage of the windbreak I have on the west side about 150’ from the house. It was 24 X 96 but will be a 24 X 48 when I am done. It will be nice to be able to step out the back door right into the greenhouse.
What crops do you raise in the one you manage?
my homemade peach wine jelly. Now anybody that’s ever had a chemistry class in their lives, or even basic science knows that alcohol boils at much lower temp than water.<<<
LOL, poor teacher, yes she should have known, but then how does she know when you added the ‘wine’ part?
But across my mind went the news headlines that I saw this morning.
Kindergardner has loaded stolen gun in school desk.
Second graders have heroin at school.
Two year old smokes cigarette in video at u-tube.
Some parents should be sterilized and locked up, it would not even upset me if we hung them.
Granny posts the best searches. She’s the only one I know to save the search terms.<<<
LOL, partly selfish reasons for posting the searches, as I also forget what I searched for.
And there is so much to see that someone else needs to help dig out the jewels.
And I have so many googles saved, that I can’t see the ones I want.
I have found that what I search for, is not going to match your search, so I like to see others searches also.
Cindy is the one who taught me to post the search, she often does.
The United States Is In Deep Doodoo!
Forecast: U.S. dollar could plunge 90 percent
Memories of a 77 yr old Grandma of the Great Depression
New Year 2008 may destroy USA’s struggling economy<<<
Yes, it can and may well do just that.
Excellent post of think about it suggestions.
Thank you,
I am going to start saving the beer dregs my husband leaves and use it to cook the next roast, now that I know what I’ve been doing wrong.<<<
You will enjoy cooking with beer, use it in place of buttermilk in many recipes.
Beer batter fried onions, squash, okra....LOL all good.
Homemade Bisquick Mix<<<
Thank you.
I was thinking this afternoon that it was time for posting a few of the ‘mix’ recipes.
But I haven't taken time to do much with it over the past year.
The address that I sent is my address, let me know if you need it again.
Thank you for making the index, that was a tremendous job.
Having a cd of it will be priceless.
Thank you.
Thank you for posting the Substitution list, some there that are new to me.
Small garden center. Greenhouse is about 30x60. We do a LOT of veggies, herbs, annuals, hanging baskets. For the space, intensely managed, we prob do more than some greenhouses twice our size. We have the best plants in the county. :)
Eastern Nc, right on the coast, so we have a little more leeway temp wise than some of you guys. Right now I’ve got cole crops going, they’ll be going outside as soon as they’re big enough, another week or two prob. Tomatoes and peppers started, rooted cutting for baskets came in yest. 250 roses yest too but they’ll go outside on a tarp as soon as we get them potted.
Your greenhouse sounds great. Don’t know if I want one at home or not! LOL They’re like babies—they always need something!
But, you described something I see in us. Some of “us” are just different in the old way. It’s easy to tell which ones are different, it seems there’s not gradual mixing. Just some of us don’t fit right.<<<
You are so right, we are different and more in touch with God and the soil.
My minister [ordained Baptist] brother, never understood that for me God was in a garden and not dressed up in a building, dozing off, as I never could sit still.
How anyone can look at the miracle of the plants and all they bring to us and not accept that there is a stronger force than man, I will never understand.
One of my real estate clients was a Nez Prez Elder and I talked to him about the Indian’s respect for Mother Earth, that so many are making an issue of, I am speaking of the non-indian here.
He said that I did not need to worry, that God created Mother Earth and asked her to watch over the earth and keep it safe.
I cracked up several years ago, a garden group was so excited about the latest additive to their gardens and how expensive it was.
Cornmeal, the same offering that I think every Indian tribe makes to God and Mother Earth, during every ceremony.
WARNING:For anyone planting mint or horseradish, beware. It will spread like wildfire, and try to take over everything.<<<
Not true in Arizona, I gave it an entire bed and it only stayed in the same spot.
I love the mints they are good for so many ills.
My Horse Radish grew, showed promise and died.
That is Arizona for you.
You can dry the swiss chard and add it to soups.
At one time, it was said the the white stem of chard was rich in Vitamin A.
Once dryed, it is good in soups and should be good soaked and steamed for greens, as I know spinach works that way.
Herbs make a pot of beans ‘good’, better than without them.
Herbs for healing purposes should also be grown, as a doctor may not always be available.
Hi, granny! Just checking in....do you ever sleep? So many good posts to read. I love some of the recipes. Will definetly try them. But, dog gone it, I’m probably going to have to buy more printer paper to print out everything I want to! I know I could probably save it but I really like to “hold” paper.
I’ll bet you were a good waitress. I know if I had to I could still do it. Depending on where you work they make some darn good tips. But then you’ve have the govt. with their hand out.
Again, I really enjoy all the tips and interesting facts you’ve found.
Take care!
One day, I watched a mother otter and her two babies while mama was teaching the babies to “hunt” turning over the rocks and chittering away at the young. Won’t those settees be nice, placed along the bank?<<<
Yes, and since hubby is so willing to help, why not saw a tree in half length wise and use that for a plank?
I hope while you are down there watching God’s babies, you are taking a camera with you.
Your husband will not be the first to wish their wife did not listen to me and make more work for them.
LOL, can I help it if I keep getting ideas?
I once said that I would be happy if the law allowed me to have about 5 husbands, one to work and feed us and the others to get the place built up.....
Bet I could keep them busy for years, greenhouses, arbors, benches and the list is long.
Really wish I knew how to build rock walls and had the strength to do it. I, too love rock walls and think of our forefathers building miles of them with no tractors or loaders or as hubby says “my bucket”. He thinks he can move mountains with his ancient loader and bucket.<<<<
At the Cerbat townsite, built and mined there in the 1800’s there are still rock walled cabins, build by the German family named Messersmith, I knew one and spent a weekend with him taking notes and should even have a tape or two.
He was born there about 1890 or before and knew who built every building and when.
There is not a drop of cement used in them, only the careful fitting of the rocks as they stacked them.
It might have reached 40 degrees today and radio says more snow on the way, tonight or tomorrow.
I love that song and can’t remember if it is part of the “In the Garden” song, that says “He walks and talks with me, in the morning, when the dew is still on the roses.”
You are right about the coming cold spell, last year we had snow in the middle of March.
The old timers told me that in Arizona, you will have a freeze the month that Easter falls in, and we have every year.
We also, almost always have rain on July 4th.
Granny, I can vouch for the weather differences in Arizona.
Late June 1963 we went through a snowstorm in Alpine and burned up at Yucca.
The truth this illustration teaches us is if you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.<<<
Truth.
Excellent thoughts in this one.
I am a fan of putting it all down on paper, to sort out my thoughts and NO not on the computer, 20 pieces of paper, as they will move around in importance and one needs to see them all at once.
It is amazing what one can learn about ones self or a problem, if they will empty their mind onto paper and then pick and choose the important stuff.
Sometimes I give the different parts a number value and add the pros or cons up, amazing results.
I thought that I wanted out of real estate and would of course be able to work as a waitress, but where and did I want to move?
Several hours later, it was clear that it was time to go to brokers school and on Monday following, I did enroll and got my brokers license.
From a Sarajevo War Survivor:
Experiencing horrible things that can happen in a war - death of parents and
friends, hunger and malnutrition, endless freezing cold, fear, sniper attacks.<<<
Excellent report and so very true.
It costs little to print up pages for the kids to color and enjoy, print them some books and hide till you really need them.
The Mormon’s teach that the fruits need to be stored and the makings for pudding and jello as we will all be difficult to live with, if we are eating rice and beans and nothing else.
When we first hauled water and was not set up for storage, I know what even running water to wash my hands at the gas station felt like.
So a war would multiply those feelings and after dealing with the sick and maimed, one would need perfume and a change.
Think of swiss chard as spinach and cook the same way.
Steam and then fry with bacon drippings and onion.
Steam and serve with butter.
Steam and serve with a salad dressing, I like the Safeway brand of Ranch Dressing.
Chop the greens and mix with other greens/lettuce for a raw salad.
Chop and toss in the stew pot.
Chop and stirfry with onions, celery, squash and, serve over rice.
The young leaves, I pinch and use as lettuce on sandwiches, the first is always cheese with mustard and chard.
Now I am hungry.
Chard is very good for you and dries well too.
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