An apocolypse herd/flock

[mississippifarmboy]

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Not everyone is religious or monotheistic, so no, God is definitely not one of the most important things.



Gun and ammo - Well I prefer bows and/or crossbows. Quieter, less maintenance, and less hassle with getting more "ammo."

Trees - Not entirely a necessity. America was raised to think that houses, shelter, etc were all about the lumber. Well, it isn't. Elsewhere people have learned quite well to live with mud, straw, bricks, bamboo, etc.

As for people's concern on things like Coffee and Sugar - Some advice.


1) a greenhouse.

You can actually grow dwarf coffee plants in them as well as sugar cane.

2) there's a lot of other sources of caffeine, which is truly the addiction, not the flavor

3) Stevia, Agave, Sorghum, Maple, and Melons. Really good sugar replacements. All ones you can grow.

Illia.... you never fail to amaze me...

Now I'm going to be picturing you with a bow and a yak.

 

[KristyHall]

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OK i'm about to ramble here so ignore me if you want, i'm just gonna use your post as a jumping off point.

It depends on the squash. in the deep south squash often fails to reach the age where the fruit is old enough that the seed is viable to save. You have to take into account that native diets vary per region. in an apocalyptic situation, unless you grow vine borer resistant variates (butternut and green striped cashaw) you will not have the insecticides to keep the squash producing long enough to get food and allow the fruit to mature enough to get seed before the borers kill the plants. even hand picking won't be enough to save them.

sunflowers wee a big staple in some native cultures, as were potatoes but much of the information on breeding TPS has been lost and eventually the potato community will collapse as disease build sup in the soil as people keep cutting up the same roots and replant the genetically identical tubers.

The best thing to do is research research research the best native food plants for your micro climate, also look for perennial vegetables and "wild" food plants that were likely loosely cultivated by natives of the area, and not only will you have a massive food source but most of the hungry people not recognize them as food plants and will leave them alone.

Some books I recommend for an apocalyptic garden:

"Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times" by Steve Solomon

"seed to Seed" By Suzanne Ashworth

"perenial Vegitables" By Eric Toensmeier

"Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties: The Gardener's & Farmer's Guide to Plant Breeding & Seed Saving" by Carol Deppe

"Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden" By Lee Reich

I have red and re-read the first two books so many times they are falling apart and the other books I have re-read as well. But if you can only invest in one or to books invest in the first two. They are full of so much information on the basics.

The first is basically how to grow a garden (and how to prepare your garden just in case) in an apocalyptic type situation, and how to do it the best way you can. the second is a wealth of information on breeding , processing, and seed saving of hundreds of vegetables

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

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ME TOO!, but not for coffee or sugar, neither of which I use. For me it was the comment: "Not everyone is religious or monotheistic, so no, God is definitely not one of the most important things."
Many, many thanks for that!
If you are in the apocalypse scenario, I'd say god did not do much for you up to that point! Just get a grip on reality and hang on to your boots! You have to move on regardless of your "beliefs". It does not matter that I am a tree-hugging dirt worshipper, what matters is that I can survive with my abilities and keep my loved ones alive too.

PLEASE DO NOT TURN THIS INTO A RELIGION TOPIC AND GET IT CLOSED!!!

I do not care what any of you believe. I only asked what animals you would want to provide for your family in a self-sustaining manner. Sheesh. Do we always have to get these things shut down? Believe what you want but don't bash other people's beliefs.

Now back to our regularly schedule apocalyptic converstaion.

Talk to me of Nubian goats and Kinder goats.

 

[SourRoses]

Ditto CityGirlintheCountry!
This is a really fun thread! I'd like to see it stay around until it's natural conclusion pretty please everyone.

Goats..... I have no idea about goats. At the local fair a few months back, in the livestock shows... there was a momma goat that had 4 kids! She was a little (dwarf?) goat.. and the babies were the size of puppies! So incredibly adorable! One was buckskin (fawn?) and white

... the other 3 were tri-colors in varying amounts

I couldn't stop coooing!

They had little kids coming up and holding and snuggling with the little babies

 

[PineappleMama]

Isn't there an old saying like get milk from the sheep, cheese from the goat and butter from the cow? Or maybe it was milk from the goat and cheese from the sheep? Really all I remember is the bit about butter. *shrug* I donno if I could handle that much milking when I can make all three from just cow... maybe goat too but butter is trickier since the fat is in bigger globules... still coupla goats or coupla cows versus keeping a batch of all three... with three different housing and feeding needs... always figured I'd settle on just cows or maybe a cow and a couple goats, for year round production... but then sheep produce wool and meat as well so there's that. Eh, too many variables.

 

[aprophet]

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*whispers meekly* is it bad that i know how to make alcohol and build a still? No Alabama jokes or I'll get my furby cannon!

They make that stuff there in Alabama? Who knew....


I guess that's why we all call it "Alabama Water" here?

RUNNNN! It's a furby cannon! With drunk furbies...

Some folks make it in VA as well it is a good bartering tool I am fond of goats and deer they are both delis with he right amount of garlic

kina depends on how apocalyptic it has gone but a trip to the coast whatever that is and the same still would be one way of obtaining salt

and salt would be quiet valuable just like the alky me I would want rabbits and we have wild hogs here that are really easy to snare I have a couple thousand feet of snare cable that I sell and make snares with most weeks around here so I am kina prepared depending on what week it is

that and my recurve still works well I was playing with it the other day hitting everything I aimed at

the first half of my life all I ever shot was cedar arrows there weren't no such thing as ally arrows back then LOL

 

[aggie9296]

I want to live by the one who has the still!

 

[redhen]

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Yep!

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

I was studying breadmaking all day yesterday(so it seemed) that plus canning and long term storage of food

Did someone already mention wheat and grains of that sort? I think I would rather freeze bulk packages of flour (to kill any bugs) and vacuum pack some so I wouldnt have to grind it up myself

Does rice grow anywhere in USA? I hear rice wine is pretty good.
I suppose this is a little OT so I will say definately a pond stocked with fish ( I love fishing) !

 

[SourRoses]

Yes, to rice.
On Dirty Jobs... they were featuring a rice farmer in..... some state or other

... but what they do is flood the fields and make paddies that way.