Food, Fuel, Feed and Chickens

[professor-yellow]

Farmers markets arent likr hry used to be at least in Washington. They have to sell at high prices as there is not a market around that will let you sell without a business lic. and a UBI ( State Business Tax ID).
The little guy cant just sell hi or her extras like before.

On another note:

I used to do the canning thing, but mostly dehydrate now. I have 2 very good dehydrators and dry all my herbs, teas, and veggies that dont winter in the garden. Last year dried over 100 pounds of apples and pears I bought at end of season for 10 cents a pound.

 

[lengel]

Where do you get a dehydrator?

 

[Beekissed]

I, also, feel like the folks around me are just not getting the message. I have one lady who is giving me all her canning jars (great to be me!) as she "never intends to can again"! I have hinted to the pastor at church about turning the vacant lot behind the church into garden space for a food ministry but, to put it bluntly, all the folks at church would much rather complain about food prices and go ahead and PAY those prices instead of getting off their rumps and grow food! Its frustrating to watch these people, who have deadfalls laying all-over their property and able-bodied men in the house, heat with fuel oil. THEY apparently have money to burn but I'm sure that won't last forever. I predict these will be the same people who come, hat in hand, wanting to know just HOW to grow and can up a garden. I wonder how long before everyone starts seeing the writing on the wall and starts to conserve fuel, pay as they go, grow their own food, heat with wood. Whenever that may be, at least we'll be one step ahead! It feels good!

 

[lengel]

Quote:
It won't. I don't watch the news to tell me what the foreclosure stats are, I look at the registry of deeds every day. It's bad guys. Really bad. And those who haven't been pushed over the edge yet but are on the verge of crisis are going to get hit hard by layoffs (record announcements in May), food and fuel prices. We need to plan for the future, not expect help if we get into trouble.

I asked my husband to point blank ask his manager whether or not his satellite office is going to be in operation for much longer. Guess what? They have until the end of the year. He's looking now and I'm ramping up my business. Yucky, scary stuff going on.

 

[happyhen]

Conservative estimates are that this "credit crisis" will last at least two yrs, yet people still buy whatever they want using 1 of 10 cards (the one they still can use!).

I thank God DH is a cop....they will be in more demand now than ever. As people become more desperate, crime will rise accordingly. Job security. We see it now.

Scary times!

 

[sweetshoplady]

Lengel, you can get a dehydrator anywhere that has lots of appliances, like Wal-Mart.

I for one am glad that I am growing my own food and making steps to be more self-sufficient. I love having fresh eggs, milk and soon meat and fruit and vegetables.

Many people who live in my area live in restricted places. They want to live in the city, in their gated golf course communities and so therefore cannot have delightful wonderful chickens or livestock of any kind. Many are also restricted on having a garden, as their HOA dictates what kinds of plants that they can grow.

I find it rewarding to prepare my garden soil and get my compost pile started. I've already seen a big difference in my grocery bill. And thanks to this forum and many of the tips on here, I'm saving even more. I just went dumpster digging tonight and found some really cool stuff, including the wood for my nest boxes.

I thought it was neat to see on the news that 3 FFA members rode their horses to school - with permission from the school principal.

 

[buc]

Quote:
1st off God Bless you and yours. Me and mine are looking to can more this year then in past years and that is saying a lot as we believe in a well stock fruit cellar. I heat with wood out of choice and have for over 19 years, I get a great deal of my wood from the County recyling depot. The idea is that people bring in all sorts of stuff that can be reused or recycled, they have a wood/brush dump for those in the city that have no where else to put it, the people that drop it off are charged a fee, it is free for those of us that take it out. What a deal as most of the larger wood that is dropped off is cut to a size that an average man is able to put it in a pickup to drop off.

 

[nautical_bouy]

Now here is a 30 something, single dad,,,20 acres, 5 of ponds, stocked with catfish, crappie, and perch. 100 tomatos, 150 peppers, 1500 feet of corn, 300 feet of green beans, carrots, squash, herbs.... First planting,,, fall veggies are to come...... Along with chickens, pigs,,,, and more deer than any one could wish beef,, Yeah I butcher also,,,then I have a job and a 5 and 8 year old..


Do that then find time to cut 8 chords of wood to heat with,,,,,,,


NO WHINING !!!!! If you have time to complain you have wasted time solving a problem.

 

[unionwirewoman]

Quote:
I hear you...try 36 acres with a tornado coming through last year at the place you intend to have your ceremony . An 18 yr old that wants a car but you have to teach them how to drive , a 13 yr old that just got caught smoking , 2 inlaws that just moved in , a 40'x40' garden around 40 chickens and 3 horses . Oh ...and i'm working 5 hours away , 60 hrs a week . I come home on friday afternoon without sleeping , and leave sunday morning to work that night . We finally bought a new chainsaw so that I could help out on limbing the 4' around trees that blew down . 18 if you really want to know and my wedding is 5 weeks away . We also have wood to get in for us and my mother and hay for the horses . I wish that days were longer and that rain would go away !

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
I hear you...try 36 acres with a tornado coming through last year at the place you intend to have your ceremony . An 18 yr old that wants a car but you have to teach them how to drive , a 13 yr old that just got caught smoking , 2 inlaws that just moved in , a 40'x40' garden around 40 chickens and 3 horses . Oh ...and i'm working 5 hours away , 60 hrs a week . I come home on friday afternoon without sleeping , and leave sunday morning to work that night . We finally bought a new chainsaw so that I could help out on limbing the 4' around trees that blew down . 18 if you really want to know and my wedding is 5 weeks away . We also have wood to get in for us and my mother and hay for the horses . I wish that days were longer and that rain would go away !

Sounds to me like you need to work harder.