| Author |
Across the Fence:  Preparing for hard times?  |
|
Old Spirit
True Blue Farmgirl
1498 Posts
Rae
MN
1498 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 09 2009 : 03:13:23 AM
|
We heat with a wood stove and I got one that has a flat top so I am able to cook on it if power is out and have done it. Cast iron frying pan and bacon and eggs, mmmmm
Just nice not having to rely on store for everything and knowing what is in my food which is nice as well.
Rae
Farm Girl #647
...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles:...
Isaiah 40:31
|
 |
|
|
Bonnie Ellis
True Blue Farmgirl
2474 Posts
Bonnie
Minneapolis
Minnesota
USA
2474 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2009 : 8:48:28 PM
|
It is always good to be prepared. What I worry most about is a shortage of meds. My husband has been diabetic for 43 years. He is on an insulin pump and needs supplies. If there is a shortage of money or the insurance stops, that would be devestating. But as farmgirls, we are lucky to have a network of friends and family to help us get through. our faith and our friends form community. That's key.We can help each other. You go girls!
Bonnie Ellis
grandmother and orphan farmgirl |
|
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
|
|
Autumn Leaves
True Blue Farmgirl
463 Posts
Jennifer
Northern
California
USA
463 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2009 : 08:05:41 AM
|
We usually lose our power several times in the winter. My wood heat stove is also flat topped and I've cooked pork chops and mac & cheese for dinner before. My husband LOVES his T.V. so he thinks I'm crazy when I hope it's a couple days before the power is back on. I just wish we had water, but our well runs on electricity so we carry buckets.
Guineas are great for rattlesnakes, just a couple will kill a snake. They are noisy little critters though!
Jennifer
Never let yesterday use up too much of today - Will Rogers
http://jenscountrylife.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
Old Spirit
True Blue Farmgirl
1498 Posts
Rae
MN
1498 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2009 : 5:23:26 PM
|
Alee our stove is made of soapstone so if the fire goes out it holds heat for 6 hours which is nice. Yeah when we bought it I knew I wanted the flat in case I need to cook. Always thinking about that food 
Rae
Farm Girl #647
...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles:...
Isaiah 40:31
|
|
|
|
Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2009 : 05:22:22 AM
|
| Bonnie, a sudden shortage of prescription meds would be a bad thing. I know it's always recommended to have a stockpile of them for emergencies, but most health insurance companies won't let you refill more than a 1 month supply at a time. I worry about this one too, because my husband takes an ADD med that you aren't supposed to withdraw from suddenly. So, great. If there's an emergency situation and he can't refill his prescription, he'll be suffering side effects and unable to think clearly during the emergency. |
|
|
|
krissy
True Blue Farmgirl
278 Posts
Kristen
Snohomish
WA
USA
278 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2009 : 11:22:28 AM
|
We have a downstairs pantry that is stocked full of canned goods, pasta, jarred goods, etc. Stuff that just doesn't go bad. Well, I know pasta does, but we use it up. The pantry is just an extra holding area because our kitchen is so darn small. It started out as a wine cellar, but then we added shelves for food. Now it's 90% food, 10% wine. lol
http://lateinlifemommy.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
geminidream62
True Blue Farmgirl
74 Posts
Molly
Spokane
Washington
USA
74 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2009 : 11:42:31 AM
|
Oh my goodness, I totally neglected the prescriptions...thank you for the reminder. Luckily, most of the ones my family members use aren't quickly out-date-able but still I'll talk to our various Dr's (military...we never see the same one twice I think) about getting an extra month's fill of each to put away.
Molly
http://geminisdream.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
krissy
True Blue Farmgirl
278 Posts
Kristen
Snohomish
WA
USA
278 Posts |
|
|
Brenda Kay Groth
True Blue Farmgirl
100 Posts
Brenda
Manton
MIch
USA
100 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2009 : 2:48:31 PM
|
i've been doing this for 38 years..but for you newbies to this..please remember to rotate your foodstuffs and other things that you store up..as things do go bad even with a long shelflife..and you'll end up with things that are no good when you need them.
also if you find that you are holding on to something you really don't like..give it away before it goes past being good enough to give away..you will find things that your family just won't want after you've bought it.
also ..try to buy those things only when on sale..don't just go out and buy a bunch of extra things cause you think you might need them..wait until there is a sale to buy extra products..fall is a good sale time of year..
keep those things that you buy as supplies ahead..accessible..don't put them under the bed or in a rear closet..or they'll just get old..and might get rodents in them..and if they are piled in a corner of a closet you can get mildew behind them and they could freeze on an outide wall..really..i've had that happen even with 6" highly insulated walls..remember..treat your extra supplies just like the food you use every day...just more of it
bloom where you are planted |
|
|
|
AmethystRose
True Blue Farmgirl
254 Posts
Rosemary
Huntingdon
PA
USA
254 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2009 : 3:13:13 PM
|
| Check with your pharmacist about refilling prescriptions. Your medical plan may allow you to refill after a fixed amount of days since your last refill, or so many days before the end of the month. If you refill as soon as possible, eventually you will have an extra amount |
|
|
|
krissy
True Blue Farmgirl
278 Posts
Kristen
Snohomish
WA
USA
278 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2009 : 4:14:29 PM
|
Yep, Brenda, we rotate our extra pantry's foods often and if there is something we won't use, we give it to the food bank.
http://lateinlifemommy.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
Old Spirit
True Blue Farmgirl
1498 Posts
Rae
MN
1498 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2009 : 6:38:02 PM
|
That is one nice thing about canning it lasts a long time. I have really tried to get on a cycle that I can buy when on sale. Hate paying full price for anything and I am a stockpiler. Comes from never knowing in winter if one will be snowed in for a few days and having ancestors that lived through the WW's and depression.
Rae
Farm Girl #647
...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles:...
Isaiah 40:31
|
|
|
|
Room To Grow
True Blue Farmgirl
974 Posts
Deborah
Kingston
Georgia
USA
974 Posts |
Posted - Sep 17 2009 : 07:15:48 AM
|
And not only the obvious should be saved...But also heirlom seeds should be saved as well. I have read for many yrs that we are 1 crop from starvation...My neighbor and are saving them this yr from our gardens...Mine didnt do as well as hers did. But we still got some seeds for next yr. And we will be doing this. My daughter got some of our veggies this yr and I didnt know until this past weekend that she is has saved the seeds from what we gave her..So she is listening to what I have been preaching to her...Even though I thought she wasnt.
deborah
we have moved to our farm...and love it |
|
|
|
Old Spirit
True Blue Farmgirl
1498 Posts
Rae
MN
1498 Posts |
Posted - Sep 17 2009 : 08:12:06 AM
|
Where to you order your seeds from? I have some pumpkin that I got years ago and continue to use but forgot where.
Rae
Farm Girl #647
...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles:...
Isaiah 40:31
|
|
|
|
countrymum
True Blue Farmgirl
97 Posts
Lorie
PA
USA
97 Posts |
Posted - Sep 17 2009 : 10:01:04 AM
|
this is a very interesting topic. I grew up pretty poor. I never lived in a house until I married my husband, is one example. But what's funny is that I never realized we were "poor" because we always had enough. So now that is "ingrained" in me to can, freeze, have a woodstove for heat, cooking & heating water when the electricity is out, never buying full price for something, fixing it if you can before buying new, etc.
"Life is brief & very fragile. Do that which makes you happy."- Flavia |
|
|
|
Room To Grow
True Blue Farmgirl
974 Posts
Deborah
Kingston
Georgia
USA
974 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2009 : 4:54:35 PM
|
Rae, I am not sure where my neighbors gets her seeds, but I will ask her
Deborah
we have moved to our farm...and love it |
|
|
|
Old Spirit
True Blue Farmgirl
1498 Posts
Rae
MN
1498 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2009 : 6:07:54 PM
|
Thank you I appreciate it very much. Still working on the canning but sure want to get everything I can put up this year. Just never know what is going to happen and like to stockpile My Grandma lived through depression and did it, taught her children as they went through the WW's and passed on down to me.
Rae
Farm Girl #647
...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles:...
Isaiah 40:31
|
|
|
|
Bonnie Ellis
True Blue Farmgirl
2474 Posts
Bonnie
Minneapolis
Minnesota
USA
2474 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2009 : 6:39:13 PM
|
Rae: If you are looking for seeds, Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, IA sells them and has a fantastic catalog. Try them online: http://www.seedsavers.org
Bonnie Ellis
grandmother and orphan farmgirl |
|
|
|
barnagainkristin
True Blue Farmgirl
465 Posts
Kristin
Utah
USA
465 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2009 : 8:26:02 PM
|
I live in an area that could experience a large earthquake at anytime so we are often reminded to be prepared. One thing I haven't done that I know I need to is strap my water heater.
Don't know if any of you have CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training in your area but if you do I would highly suggest taking it. You will learn to care for your families first in an emergency, then your neighbors, and then help your community. Part of taking the course is putting together an awesome jump bag (first aid kit) that I have used so many times since I took this course.
The area I live in is somewhat rural and lots of neighbors have heavy machinery. We were told this would benefit our community if canal bridges were out or other structual damage occured since so many people could help with the equipment they own. We were also told that many people in rural areas own trailers or campers which would be great emergency shelters if people were unable to remain in their homes. If you do own a camper or trailer try to keep your propane tanks full just in case you may need to use it even in a power outage. I thought of this one while I was canning this year and we had a lightning storm with power glitches. In the middle of my peaches I decided I could run the batch I was on out to the trailer and finish at least that one batch if I had to. Don't forget we could cook on our outdoor grills also.
One thing I have heard that is important to have is cash. This is a hard one for me. We live in such a debit card or credit card society but in a major power outage cash would be a good thing to have.
This is such a good thread since we can be reminded by each other what we can do to be prepared.
When you see the news you know that hard times are here every day for certain areas who are hit by fires or natural disasters. Thanks farmgirls for all your good ideas.
barnagainkristin |
|
|
|
queenofdreamsz4u
True Blue Farmgirl
3845 Posts
Stephanie Suzanne
Smoky Mountains Tennessee
USA
3845 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2009 : 2:03:20 PM
|
As a young boy my Dad remembers the aftermath of the Great Depression. He watched as people would walk the streets and visit homes in hope of being offered a bite to eat. He remembers his Mother and Aunt taking turns saying that one of them wasn't hungry every night...of course, as he got older he realized the reason behind one or the other not being hungry was so that HE could have a meal each evening.
So as a young child I learned by watching my Dad buy extra food....we had a pantry that many people questioned....WHY so much food? Once you seen people go hungry you try very hard to make sure your own family always has something to eat and hopefully can offer a stranger something too.
So I learned very young...had nothing to do with living rural, farming, homesteading or the like..that didn't come in my life until I was 30 years old.
I also lived on the Gulf Coast off and on and you always build up a supply of food in the case of a hurricane....so that was another affirmation to always have plenty of food.
Now that I live on a mountain ridge I have a new found reason to hoard food..LOL I will not be able get down the ridge if we have the slightest amount of ice.
So the way I see it...the economy is not the driving cause for storing away food..it's just common sense for survival during any number of situations. It should be a way of life..a way of staying prepared for anything.
 Queen of Dreamsz ~ keeper of dream kingdom
* * * * * * www.queenofdreamsz.blogspot.com * * * * * *
"Imagination is more important than knowledge"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Albert Einstein ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
|
|
|
KD Earthwork
True Blue Farmgirl
210 Posts
Katie
Gualala
Calif.
USA
210 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2009 : 9:27:27 PM
|
We live off the grid and use solar for our power and lights.Propane for freezer(takes way too much) and frig(considering a spring cooled area as a substitiue) and cooking.Wood for heat.We are still a little too dependant on propane,costs about $100. mo. Were eatting mostly from our garden, buy meat as a half cow from my friend (organic,grass fed),have chickens.Have at this point 42 young fruit trees.We do buy our grains, dairy and various products we could do without probably .We've just built a wood fired brick oven to be able to bake without propane or fossil fuels, also drys fruit,veggies,meat.We often make a crockpot like meals on the woodstove come winter when the wood stoves always on.We also have a wood part of our gas stove.
Mostly it's also so we can sometime live on a fixed income.We're trying to pay off all our debts, still have some on the mortage but not too much.But our taxes here kill us in Calif. and one thing I don't want to have happen is to loose our farm.So were trying to develop a rental of some sort.We can live on very little, my husband just retired (early ,lost job he had) so it's really helped that we've planned it this way.
I really worry about our kids too, will they be able to afford a home in times to come?I hope I can leave this land and home to them so I know they'll be alright. |
|
|
|
Old Spirit
True Blue Farmgirl
1498 Posts
Rae
MN
1498 Posts |
Posted - Sep 23 2009 : 04:31:53 AM
|
Katie does CA have any of the green acres or forest management kind of things? We do in MN. We get a lower rate on our land for taxes. We have most of ours under the green acres as we farm the land, pasture it or make hay. Also will have more once we get fence up for our sheep. We just signed up so won't see it until next year or year after, can't remember but finally something to benefit the small farmer.
Rae
Farm Girl #647
...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles:...
Isaiah 40:31
|
|
|
|
sherone_13
True Blue Farmgirl
2460 Posts
Sherone
Evanston
WY
USA
2460 Posts |
Posted - Sep 23 2009 : 07:53:45 AM
|
Rae, I love that scripture. It's my favorite.
My church has a great plan for beginners in food storage. The idea is that it's better to have something than nothing. They suggest the following:
"To become more self–reliant, people should have a basic supply of food and water and have some money in savings. To do this they should:
* Build a three–month supply of food that is part of their normal daily diet.
* Store drinking water.
* Establish a financial reserve.
* Complete a longer–term supply of food where permitted that can be stored for long periods, such as wheat, white rice, and beans.
Sherone
http://tinytaylorranch.etsy.com
http://taylorscountrystore.blogspot.com/
http://www.youravon.com/sheronetaylor
|
|
|
|
Across the Fence: Preparing for hard times? |
|
Preparing for hard times?
