So...if the economy completely collapses, are you prepared?

Started by JustKari, September 16, 2012, 01:06:39 PM

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JustKari

I have to say, I am not as prepared as I would like to be.  The draught here this year destroyed our garden.  We do haves lot of potatoes, but little else made it, the deer got all of our corn, even with the fence.  I wanted a laying flock by now, at least that provides a little protein.  We don't have a barn for shelter of any larger livestock, we want to at some point, but the money for a shelter won't be there for a while, it depends on how well or how long we can hold off a full-scale economic collapse.

At least we will have the woodstove and will not have to rely on the grid for electric or gas to survive a winter.  Our biggest concern would be having enough food.

Solar

ST and I are pretty well off, but until I have at least two years of food and fuel to offset inflation, I won't feel safe, but that's just me, I don't want to have to resort to hunting, I hate deer meat, bear is too much work dressing out.
ST sells freeze dried food, tastes great and that's what we will be living on if we have to.
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Solar

I consider myself extremely lucky, in that my entire life has led me to living independently from city life.
It's taken me more than twenty years to get to this point, if I had been lucky enough to have had children, I know I wouldn't have probably more than a few days of food around, kids eat a lot.

If I was just starting, I'd probably look into heirloom seeds, as much fuel as I could afford to store, and get a smoker and start saving beef and chicken for the long haul.

I don't think the economy will collapse, but I do think were in for some really tough times when inflation kicks in.
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JustKari

Kids eat a lot.  :toungsmile:  They sure do, I am not sure if Matt bought heirloom seeds, but he does buy the best we can, we get them from Stokes out of Canada.  The climate is really similar to ours, so we have really good luck with them, sometimes almost %100 germination, which we think is pretty fantastic.  The price is very reasonable as well.

Matt has wanted to build a smoker for years, and we have made jerkey in the oven before (duck and goose are my personal favorites).

We are not blessed with financial security, but we could be a lot worse off than we are, we just made some poor decisions during our non-parent years.  We learned about fiscal responsibility the hard way.  I don't begrudge or covet anyone elses success, I may be financially successful yet.  You just never know what the Lord has in store.

I am not worried about a collapse, I just like the idea of being prepared.  I am not building a bomb shelter, or anything like that.  By the end of the winter, we should have enough trees cut and split to last at least through one year and we have plenty more that need to come down. 

Solar

Unfortunately we are pretty limited to what can be planted here, because of the elevation and soil type, (or lack of soil).
Were considering a greenhouse, that might be the answer to our problems.
Like you, I too made bad choices earlier in life, but they didn't seem bad a the time :rolleyes: :biggrin:

But the only reason I got into selling solar, was one, I understood it, and two, I brought power to the mountain, and then the county wouldn't let me hook up till I paid a butt load of fees, so out of spite, I told them screw off and went solar, and it was the best move I could have ever made, except that it kept me broke for years trying to outfit my own home and tons of personal sacrifices because of it.
I literally lived as if I were in a depression with little money to eat on, only because I had a goal of finishing my house and having solar as my sole source of power.
That's why I say, if I had kids, life would be far different than it is.

This life isn't for everyone, I guess to some it would be considered barbaric, but for us, it is freedom to do as we please and aren't dependent upon govt, local or Fed for anything.
It's that freedom of threat of having services cutoff for not doing as they want us to which is freeing in itself.

So it's not as if I was trying to prepare for whats coming, I just got lucky in how the cards were dealt, which is why I have so much faith in God, he saw to it I was dealt all aces, when I thought it was all face cards at the time.
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Elfie

Preparing isnt easy by any means.  My gardens went to the drought also...pretty much burned up in the heat, so I am going to do an inside veg garden starting with basic stuff like salad and tomatoes,,, I have some rogue plants that are small now and will be transplanted into pots then  slowly brought indoors. cherry tomatoes and romas are best...radishes,strawberrys green beans cucs are this years experiment. Granted I tried a tomatoe once but I screwed up and didnt keep the soil warm enough. I also have a wood burner and will put the garden in the front window next to the stove.With a grow light for good measure....
Any kind of stock you can do is better then nothing at all.  Dried soups, drinks, canned meats like chicken,,,salmon,,tuna also works. Nuts, all kinds not salted. Honey, flours regular all purpose, wheat, cornmeal, oils- veg,canola ,olive. sugars all kinds, tea coffee,,, baking supplies, and if you can buy a half a cow,or a pig from a local farmer. Its cheaper and by all means you're helping a farmer not a corp.
My rule is one for the now and one for the later and one more for ya never know. I usually have 7 months stocked,,, but these days I have kicked it up a notch,, a big one.... just do what you can, when you can, starting with the important stuff first.  It is good to have a food saver. Those things are awesome....
There are people in our family that think I am nuts......There are people in  our family that will be looking to see if they can come on over.... Then there are those that think its stupid to begin with,lol, yep,,,,and I just look at em and smile...
Oh as far as seeds go,,,I let my stuff go to seed, at the end of season, and there's next years for that plant.... its garrunteed for that particular one.....
;)
Nature is an infinite sphere of which the center is everywhere and the circumference nowhere.
Blaise Pascal

tbone0106

Quote from: Elfie on September 17, 2012, 07:14:28 PM
Preparing isnt easy by any means.  My gardens went to the drought also...pretty much burned up in the heat, so I am going to do an inside veg garden starting with basic stuff like salad and tomatoes,,, I have some rogue plants that are small now and will be transplanted into pots then  slowly brought indoors. cherry tomatoes and romas are best...radishes,strawberrys green beans cucs are this years experiment. Granted I tried a tomatoe once but I screwed up and didnt keep the soil warm enough. I also have a wood burner and will put the garden in the front window next to the stove.With a grow light for good measure....
Any kind of stock you can do is better then nothing at all.  Dried soups, drinks, canned meats like chicken,,,salmon,,tuna also works. Nuts, all kinds not salted. Honey, flours regular all purpose, wheat, cornmeal, oils- veg,canola ,olive. sugars all kinds, tea coffee,,, baking supplies, and if you can buy a half a cow,or a pig from a local farmer. Its cheaper and by all means you're helping a farmer not a corp.
My rule is one for the now and one for the later and one more for ya never know. I usually have 7 months stocked,,, but these days I have kicked it up a notch,, a big one.... just do what you can, when you can, starting with the important stuff first.  It is good to have a food saver. Those things are awesome....
There are people in our family that think I am nuts......There are people in  our family that will be looking to see if they can come on over.... Then there are those that think its stupid to begin with,lol, yep,,,,and I just look at em and smile...
Oh as far as seeds go,,,I let my stuff go to seed, at the end of season, and there's next years for that plant.... its garrunteed for that particular one.....
;)

Are you sure? It sticks in my head that some veggie plants won't reproduce from their own seed. (Kinda like you can't get new mules out of old mules -- it takes a donkey and a horse every time.) You might be right, and it's certainly not my line, but I can't get that article out of my head.

Elfie

radish,,,tomatoes, some kinds of lettuce,,,green beans n peas worked.. I am sure not all,,,but those I know do....  Nothing from the store shelf though,,I heard tell they dont work.
:)
Nature is an infinite sphere of which the center is everywhere and the circumference nowhere.
Blaise Pascal

Elfie

Nature is an infinite sphere of which the center is everywhere and the circumference nowhere.
Blaise Pascal

JustKari

Quote from: tbone0106 on September 17, 2012, 07:18:35 PM
Are you sure? It sticks in my head that some veggie plants won't reproduce from their own seed. (Kinda like you can't get new mules out of old mules -- it takes a donkey and a horse every time.) You might be right, and it's certainly not my line, but I can't get that article out of my head.

Heirlooms and organics will usually produce viable seeds, but they have to be taken care of and stored properly.  We haven't done it for the simple fact that Matt bought in enough bulk that he got two years worth out of one order, and interestingly enough, the yield was about the same as last year.  We really expected lower viability with carry-over seeds.  Not sure if those we bought would work or not, we'll just have to hope that when we make our March order that things ate still okay.

The foodsaver is fantastic, Matt got one for Christmas last year and we have used it a lot.  Before I was on total bedrest, I used to do extreme couponing, I would bring home a cartfull of "family pak" or bulk buy meat, we would portion it out and freeze it, saving tons of money.  Plus Matt is a hunter, so we will have duck, goose, pheasant, and deer to process and freeze.

Elfie

I am getting ready to vacuum pack whats left of my seeds for next year. Well when it slows down a bit around here...
Sounds like you've got a good start on everything else....  Himself hunts also. I love it.
:)
Nature is an infinite sphere of which the center is everywhere and the circumference nowhere.
Blaise Pascal

Eyesabide

I am nomadic and would be dependent on my gathering skills.  To supplement that, my contribution to the community would be transporting goods and information, and perimiter ranging.  For the most part I am self sufficient and used to being alone for long periods of time. I am proficient in a few primitive skills that will help with the overall well being of the community.

Muskets High!

walkstall

Quote from: Eyesabide on September 18, 2012, 06:58:05 PM
I am nomadic and would be dependent on my gathering skills.  To supplement that, my contribution to the community would be transporting goods and information, and perimiter ranging.  For the most part I am self sufficient and used to being alone for long periods of time. I am proficient in a few primitive skills that will help with the overall well being of the community.


By the way Eyes, how many survival class have you attended?  I remember you or Elfie saying one or more just off the top of my head.  As I remember when I first met you online you had just completed one.
A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation.- James Freeman Clarke

Always remember "Feelings Aren't Facts."

Elfie

Nature is an infinite sphere of which the center is everywhere and the circumference nowhere.
Blaise Pascal

walkstall

Quote from: Elfie on September 19, 2012, 04:42:03 AM
To eyes he has a class everytime he comes home lolol

Eyes must really suffer coming home and eating your meatloaf.   :lol:
A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation.- James Freeman Clarke

Always remember "Feelings Aren't Facts."