Because I care about my BYC family....

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Start working on your community and learn to barter!!!!!!!

We all should be prepared for life's ups and downs. Over the next two weeks if Greece doesn't get settled into a structured default on their debt it'll get bumpy everywhere!

But, storing food and supplies and learning to make your own are only part of the solution. Barter, barter barter and work on establishing a group of other people you can count on in a pinch. I have made a network of friends who are willing to exchange goods without green notes from the Fed.

But, after I watched what happened in other countries whose economies and governments fell I realized it would be just as handy to know more about IT as about raising food. Good IT people bypassed government systems and invented new ones in the span of hours. That was very cool.

I don;t think it's going down in the next two weeks or in a crunch style like in Rawles' Patriots. But, we're setting up to repeat what happened in the great depression - crash in 29 followed by stimulus spending followed by easing off of stimulus spending and restrictions followed by much deeper crash (that no one talks about) in 32. We're right on schedule.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
They fudge the numbers because food and energy are not included when they calculate inflation. I guess food and energy doesn't cost in real money.

 

[Dar]

Quote:
They fudge the numbers because food and energy are not included when they calculate inflation. I guess food and energy doesn't cost in real money.

well it sure feels real as it burns its way out of my pocket every week!

 

[itsy]

Kind of off topic but related.....

Take care of necessary dental work while you can afford it or while you have coverage for it. I know people don't "like" to go to the dentist - but it's much more painful if you let a tooth or teeth go...and they get worse and more expensive to treat/repair. I'm not talking about that elective dental "whitening", but if you choose to do that, you might be able to make one of those fancy solar cookers powered by your own smile.

 

[bargain]

I do not want to overly concern any one but apparently and I quote "President Obama signed his 86th executive order (13575) on June 9, which established the White House Rural Council (WHRC). According to The Blaze, the Executive Order seems to be in line with the United Nations radical Agenda 21, as it is designed “to begin taking control over almost all aspects of the lives of 16 percent of the American people.”

Many of us independent small farmers do not need another level of bureaucracy, regulation and/or control over the miriads of loops we must jump daily. Supposedly this is to pour money into rural farmers, but my understanding was that the UN Agenda 21 was so the rural assets - food, animals etc could be called in if needed.

The times are rough..... I pray more than ever, That is the bright lining for me. Remember when you read the news to really study it.... That rural stimulus package is coming with heavy strings. We won't be part of it, but we're so small, we might be overlooked.

On that note, I'm off to mail hatching eggs Mahonri, thanks so for posting this. I'm shopping for that hand pump to the well and iodine tablets and more toilet paper and an outdoor toilet! And that solar cooker!

 

[gavinandallison]

I have my chickens , I have a wonderful veggie garden , I have my rain barrells , my four dogs , my gun and DH ---- and above all I have my personal savior Jesus

- I am not worried about the end coming I put it in his hands - he provides what I need .

If we spend our life with a worry cloud over us - what kind of life is that ? First thing to do is listen BEFORE you vote don't pick a person because they are handsome etc... and have a way to feed your family if all else fails.


Maybe it is the 200 mgs of Zoloft - but I am not worried , I just go with the flow ...

 

[A.T. Hagan]

BE PREPARED TO BE WRONG.

This applies equally as much to the folks who are preparing and those who are not.

For that very tiny number of folks who prep to the n-th degree I caution you not to prep so much that the failure of the disaster you are preparing for to occur becomes a disaster in itself.

For those of who just giggle or dismiss the entire idea of ever needing to prepare for any emergency that might inconvenience you for more than three days (a la the usual FEMA recommendations) what if you are wrong? What sort of position will you find yourselves in then? Hat in hand waiting in line for hours for the government handout such as we see in every disaster? A miserable, uncomfortable way to spend your time.

Natural disaster or manmade, economic or literal, complacency kills.

Be prepared to be wrong and you will very seldom ever seriously go wrong.

 

[Farmerboy16]

Quote:

 

[ChicksterJo]

I don't know if THE big meltdown will occur in the next two weeks but this year I have already started/continued to do things that will help save me and my family some money. For example I have just begun to make my own fabric softener and when I get the supplies sometime this week I will also make laundry detergent and dishwashing liquid, I line dry my clothes, I'm growing several vegetables (next year I will be able to expand it hopefully), and I'm keeping chickens. Next up is to purchase a sewing machine or to buy/create a food dehydrator (probably build it because it will be cheaper). I may or may not can tomatoes this year...Oh and I would like to store water but it rarely rains here. I could purchase a couple rain barrels and when it does rain, I'll be prepared though. I am taking it one step at a time but I am enjoying learning to be a bit more self sufficient.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

We have an open mind about things, but feel that it is better to be prepared than not. I don't know WHAT exactly will happen, and I don't know if it will be next week or next year, but are working towards a more sustainable life style now. We have a big garden, rabbits, chickens, quail, fish, saved up some food & personal heath care items, stored some water, precious metals, and protection. Have a wood burning stove, line dryer, & solar oven. Learning canning, making our own cleaners, and sewing this year. Working towards getting bees and either sheep or goats soon too.

If there is an earthquake or something happens where there is no food at the grocery store or it's inaccessible we'll be just fine.

Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it I always say.